Tag Archives: END OF THE WORLD

Finding the End of the World

Here Comes the Judge . . .

Leave a comment

All will be judged at the end of our current age. The names of the obedient and faithful throughout time will be found in the Book of Life. For them, eternal and unimaginable life awaits. The rest (those whose names won’t appear in that Book) will be thrown into hell – the lake of fire punishment created for Satan and his fallen angels.

He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. —John 3:18.

Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead. —Acts 17:30-31.

And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. —Revelation 20:12-15.

Eternal life will be given to those who choose reconciliation with God through the Christ. All others will be judged and dealt with accordingly regardless of whether they’ve chosen to reject God or just not bothered to choose.

Life or death. Have you chosen?

Finding the End of the World

The Sign of the End

Leave a comment

If there will be a single significant sign immediately preceding the gathering of Jesus’ followers (dead and alive) and the wrath of God against the remaining population of earth, it’ll be a complete darkening of the natural lights. Ancient prophets foretold this. Jesus confirmed it to His disciples on the Mount of Olives in about 27 AD and in the Revelation given to John in roughly 90 AD. It’s the one event that will signal the end of the greatest time of tribulation known to humankind. The complete darkening will also be a clear indication that the time of harvests has come: the gathering of Jesus’ followers and preparation of the rest for destruction.

Foretelling of the darkening that will precede God’s great wrath:

 I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth, Blood, fire and columns of smoke. The sun will be turned into darkness And the moon into blood Before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. —Joel 2:30-31.

Jesus’ confirmation that the darkening will precede God’s wrath:

I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, . . .  Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man . . . said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” —Revelation 6:12-17.

Jesus’ revelation that the darkening will also precede the gathering of His true followers:

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 all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY . . . and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other. —Matthew 24:29-31.

‘Lights out’ will mean salvation for some and destruction for others. Which will it be for you?

 

 

Finding the End of the World

Mark of the Beast

Leave a comment

The “mark of the beast” has been speculated about and sensationalized throughout the ages through such movies as The Omen and over the Internet. Although Scripture tells us that understanding the number of the beast will take wisdom, we’ve seen it in the form of a 666 tattooed into the head of a small boy on TV (as in The Omen), believed it to be the Social Security number, and also reasoned it will take the form of an embedded microchip. Sigh. But what will it be really? What does Scripture tell us about this mark associated with the Antichrist? What will be its purpose?

Just as God will seal the 144,000 “redeemed from the earth” for protection before His wrath, the Antichrist will have sealed his followers for their protection, both physically and fiscally, as he unleashes his terror. That will be the purpose of the mark of the beast – to identify those who’ve made a choice to follow the Antichrist for the sake of their lives, forsaking the one true God.

The Bible tells us that the mark of the beast will be on the forehead or right hand and that it will be the number of man: 666. Is there significance to the number or location? Yes.

God gave the Israelites certain commandments after the exodus from Egypt (cf. Exodus 13:9 & 16 and Deuteronomy 6:8 & 11:18). He told the Israelites to remember how He’d saved them, and to remember His commandments – part of the covenant with Israel – and teach them to subsequent generations. God used the tangible and familiar “forehead” to represent the receiving and committing of His commandments to memory. Likewise, He used the “hand” as an identifier for action related to that knowledge. The learning, retaining, and acting upon God’s commandments would prove allegiance to Him while also completing the covenant.

What about the number itself – ‘666’? Remember that the number is that of a man, and that the Antichrist will be one part of an unholy trinity: Satan, Antichrist, and False Prophet. The number used historically to represent man is ‘6’, whereas God is represented by the number ‘7’ to indicate perfection. Because of this and the unholy trinity mentioned above, I suggest the number 666 was used in Scripture as a way to represent some kind of identification or sign of allegiance that will come from the Antichrist (empowered by Satan) through the False Prophet.

With whom will your allegiance rest during the 3 years or so before Jesus returns?

Finding the End of the World

“When You See This, You’ll See That”

Leave a comment

Two thousand years ago, Jesus answered His disciples’ questions about the impending destruction of Jerusalem and His return at the end of our world as we know it.  Jesus painted a picture of false messiahs, war, and famine that will increase with frequency and intensity as the end grows near. He then gave other signs to include a terrible time of destruction like never seen before or again and put it in the context of the terrible ruler we like to call the Antichrist.

He then gave hope by revealing that He would return and gather the faithful just after that terrible time. Probably wanting to get His disciples’ attention, Jesus said something to the effect of, “. . . when you see this, you’ll see that.” Jesus actually used the following analogy, which had been used for centuries by the likes of Job and probably others (i.e. Job 39:27-30): “Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures (eagles in some translations) will gather.” This is the first “when you see this, then you’ll see that” moment. The first occurrence is misused to support a Preterist end-times theology. The second, which utilizes the fig tree, has been misused by many to support a pre-tribulation rapture theology:

But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. Then He told them a parable: Behold the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they put forth leaves, you see it and know for yourselves that summer is now near. So you also, when you see these things happening, recognize that the kingdom of God is near. —Luke 21:28-31.

Again, Jesus is only stating, “When you see this, then you’ll see that” in a similar fashion as the verse about the eagle and carcass in Matthew 24:28. Unfortunately, some allegorize the budding fig tree parable to symbolize Israel and its becoming a nation in 1948.

So, when we see the signs of the times such as the terrible time of destruction and oppression by the Antichrist and the darkening of the sun, moon, and stars, we’ll know our redemption and gathering will be near. Again, when we see this, we’ll then see that.

Will you recognize the events that signal Jesus’ return and our gathering?

Finding the End of the World

When the Lights Go Out . . .

Leave a comment

In the 9th century BC, before the Assyrian conflicts with Israel began, the prophet Joel foretold of a future end-times removal of religious sacrifice and the destruction of the world by God. This will come at a complete darkening of our sun, moon, and stars and just before a kingdom of eternal peace. Israel heard good news of the future at a time of division between the 12 tribes.

The 8th century BC brought similar apocalyptic oracles in the middle of near-term warnings about impending punishment from the Assyrians. God spoke these oracles through prophets Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, and Micah. Seventh and sixth-century prophets Zephaniah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel issued identical near/far prophecies about impending punishment from the Babylonians and future retribution by God and then perpetual peace.

Four centuries of prophets foretold a last-days destruction of the nations and most of the earth by God in what they called the “Day of the Lord” wrath. The recurring theme: total darkness, then the Day of the Lord destruction, then God’s eternal kingdom. This theme was reiterated by Zechariah at the end of the 6th century and by Malachi in the 5th century.

Fast forward roughly 600 years, and you can read about the same future epoch from Jesus, Paul, and John ‘the Revelator’. Jesus revealed to His disciples and then later to John that His followers would be gathered at that complete darkness foretold by the prophets of old. He also reiterated that a terrible destruction by God of the remaining earth and its inhabitants would occur immediately afterward as prophesied by the likes of Isaiah, Zephaniah, Zechariah, and Malachi. Paul and John had a lot to say on the subject and gave incredible insight into the future and how to navigate it.

So, when the lights go out, Jesus followers will be gathered and the destructive Day of the Lord wrath will ensue. Darkness, then rescue for some and destruction for others . . .

Where will you be when the lights go out?

Finding the End of the World

Mystery of Inequity

Leave a comment

I inspired those who destroyed the temple in Jerusalem 2000 years ago.  I was here 1,000 years before that, and will come again as the “man of lawlessness”. I’ve had many names throughout history.

Known as Nimrod just after the great flood, I was hell-bent on overthrowing the Ancient of Days. I wore the garments made by him for Adam and wielded immense power as the anointed cherub of God. Being torn limb from limb didn’t dissuade me. I knew I’d return to challenge my creator again. I always come back.

One of you foresaw me first as the “little horn” of Greece who became Antiochus Epiphanies to the Jews. I flattered, confused, and deceived until they gave up their ways – the Law of their Yahweh. The temple altar ran red with the blood of swine and I ended the life of thousands of the people of my enemy. Fatal disease set me back just a little. Finding a new host in this world is incredibly easy and I can be very persuasive!

I influenced the Arabs and Syrians and Romans, driving them to destroy the temple of the Jews and scatter them like sheep. Total annihilation is my goal. The people followed me then and they will again as the days of the gentiles draws to a close. A covenant of death is coming, Jew and Muslim to be willing participants. I’m sure I’ll be raised high above Yahweh this time and will become god of all!

I won’t be some fair-haired, blue-eyed European. Nor will I be your Pope or the World Bank. Silly people! Want to know who I am? Ask Ezekiel and Daniel. Ask your Christ. Ask your Paul. Or, stay asleep. What do I care! I am coming and the world will acknowledge me – not your Christ. I am nothing like him. I am . . . the Antichrist.

My hope is that this paints a clear picture of what the coming Antichrist will look like. Who do you believe the Antichrist will be?  Why?

Finding the End of the World

What do Christmas and the End of the World Have in Common?

Leave a comment

It’s hard to imagine a connection between Christmas and the end of our world as we know it, but a relationship exists. Strip away all the festivities, lights, and mountains of credit card slips and the association may become clearer.

 Birth. Death. Resurrection. Forgiveness. Judgment. These are the clues important to understanding how Christmas is linked to the last of our days on earth. Let’s examine each of these keywords as we paint a picture of the “Yuletide Apocalypse”.

The original intent of Christmas was to celebrate the birth of Jesus the Christ. Jesus, the enabler of salvation, had to come to earth, take human form, and then physically die as a sacrifice for humanity. (His birth and life were foretold hundreds of years beforehand by prophets such as Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Micah, and Daniel.)  If Jesus hadn’t been born, we’d have no hope of salvation or anticipation of His return to rescue followers of Jesus the Christ (Messiah or Savior) from God’s judgment. We shouldn’t be surprised that early Christians wanted to celebrate the event.

After a brief life of about 30 years, Jesus had to die in order to be resurrected, which in turn provided hope for His return and our salvation. (This too was prophesied between the 8th and 6th centuries BC.) Suffering and death led to a promised resurrection that freed Jesus’ spirit from His earthly body and allowed his return to heaven. There’d be no salvation without His birth, life, death, or resurrection.

Now, because of the Christ’s birth and subsequent sacrifice, we can be forgiven when we behave contrary to God’s ways if we truly turn from rebellion and follow Jesus. We’re also compelled to forgive others who treat us inappropriately (again, based on God’s standards). However, those of us who don’t forgive others won’t receive forgiveness from God. No forgiveness, no salvation.

So, without Jesus’ birth, life, subsequent death, resurrection, and God’s forgiveness, we’d have no choice but to experience end-days judgment and potential punishment. The birth we celebrate at Christmas paved the way for forgiveness for everyone and the freedom to choose spiritual life and a stay from end-times judgment. So, celebrate the birth that gives life this season, and forgive to be forgiven!