The End is Near!!!! (right??) Second to last episode (15)

First a little review: (From Week One)

For the last century or so, different overall eschatological perspectives have usually been classified according to their viewpoint regarding the Millennium. The Millennium (from the Latin mille, meaning "a thousand") refers to the 1,000 year reign of Christ and His saints described in Revelation 20:4-6.

Revelation 20:4-6 (NIV)    I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years

            Within the Christian community there are three different views of this time period.  Along with the three, each different view tends to have characteristics that define the people who hold to it.  That is in order to believe one of these views; it of necessity defines your own personal theology.  With each view we will list some of the characteristics.  It is also important to note that some of the lines that separate each view are smudged.

Premillennialism

Premillennialists hold that Jesus will return at the beginning or before ("pre-") He establishes a Millennial Kingdom on this earth. This return will be necessary because forces hostile to God will be governing the world, and Christ must conquer them before He can rule. Towards the end of the millennium evil will again arise, and it will have to be defeated once more before God's cosmic rule is perfected.

 

Characteristics:        1. Believes in a literal interpretation of scripture and prophecy.

2. View is popular among Fundamentalists and Conservative Evangelicals. 

3. Teaches that only Jesus’ literal return can conquer evil.

4. Usually holds to a form of teaching called Dispensationalism.

Postmillennialism

Whereas Premillennialists hold that Jesus will return before the millennium, postmillennialists maintain that He will return after ("post-") an earthly kingdom is established. This means, however, that the millennium will be simultaneous with an era of ordinary human history. This viewpoint was first comprehensively articulated by Augustine (354-430), who regarded the establishment of the church since about Constantine's time as the rule of Christ with His saints. Postmillennialism has often been the general perspective of Roman Catholic, Reformed, and other socially established churches. Postmillennialism serves as a label for any eschatology that expects religious and social activity to play a large role in establishing God's kingdom. They hold that history and society in general have been and will be brought increasingly under Christ's rule and that the kingdom's advance is closely related to that of certain social and religious forces.

Characteristics:        1. Generally consider prophesy about Jesus' return and the final resurrection symbolic.

2.  Belief in man's inherent good and ability of the Church to overcome the evil of the world.

Amillennialism

By adding the prefix "a-" (meaning "not"), amillennialists express their conviction that no historical period called the millennium does or will exist. In general sense, amillennialism can refer to everyone who interprets all language about a final, earthly realm of peace in a spiritual manner. Amillennialism tends to be individualistic, concentrating on the heavenly destiny of each person rather than on the future of this earth. During the nineteenth century, however, "amillennialism" was applied increasingly to a more specific eschatology. Like postmillennialists, these amillennialists believed that Christ was already reigning with His saints. They argued that He was doing so, however, in heaven with departed Christians, and not through specific movements. Like premillennialists, these amillennialists expected Jesus to return, to conquer His enemies and to rule over a transformed earth. His perfected rule, however, would be established immediately, and not preceded by an interim called the millennium.

Characteristics:        1. Completely spiritualizes prophecy about the millennium  and most end times events.

2.  Mostly emphasizes the individual destiny rather than what finally happens to the earth.

A Very Short History Lesson

Until the fourth century, the early church was generally premillennial. This perspective, which placed the church in sharp conflict with the Roman Empire, declined rapidly after Constantine made Christianity the Empire's favored religion.

 In subsequent centuries radical groups at odds with state-supported religion often held a premillennial view.

Those who hold the general expectation that Jesus will return before establishing an earthly millennium are called "historic premillennialists."

Now a little review: (From Week Two)

Before we get started with sequencing the events that make up the total picture of the "last days" it will help us to try to give them some general definitions and list some of God’s purposes and plans behind these events.  These definitions are drawn from the Word using our chosen “Literal or Plain” hermeneutic.

There have been many before us who have spent their entire lives studying and sequencing these events.  Even so, there is tremendous disagreement between these people who have studied the same Word and drawn drastically different conclusions.  This is mostly due to their chosen hermeneutic.

THE RAPTURE

            The rapture is defined as the “catching up” of believers by Christ at the time of His return. The word came into use by way of the Latin rapio used to translate the Greek term of 1 Thessalonians 4:17, harpagesometha.

1 Thessalonians 4:17 (NIV)  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.

             Living believers are "caught up" to meet the Lord at His coming. Those of varying millennial views about end time events all hold firmly to the biblical truth of such a rapture. However, it is within the premillennial view that the teaching of the rapture finds major emphasis.

            This view sees a tribulation period immediately before the Second Coming of Christ. Pre-tribulationists see the rapture occurring prior to the tribulation. This approach places the church in heaven during the time of tribulation on earth.

            Mid-tribulationists place the rapture at the mid-point of a seven-year tribulation period. The church remains on earth for the first half of the tribulation, but escapes the last half that is seen to be the time of intense or great tribulation. This view, along with the previous one, sees the second coming of Christ in two phases. The first phase will be a secret coming in clouds to rapture the church. The second will be His return with the church to reign on earth.

            Post-tribulationists hold the church will remain on earth during the tribulation period. While that time will be one of wrath upon the world system, the church will be protected from divine wrath although experiencing tribulation. This view avoids dividing the return of Christ into two phases

Now more:

            The biggest area of disagreement involves the timing of the Rapture itself.  There are three major portions of scripture that have to do with events in the Rapture; 1 Corinthians 15:51-53; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; and John 14:1-3. If we list the events that occur in these passages and keep in mind the discussions of the above three Rapture timings, I think it will help clear some things up.

First the passages:

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (NIV) Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 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.  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.

1 Corinthians 15:51-53 (NIV)  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.  For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.

John 14:1-3 (NIV) “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God ; trust also in me.  In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

A listing of the Rapture Events:

1. The Lord Himself will descend from His Father’s house, where He is preparing a place for us (John 14:1-3 and 1 Thess 4:16) 
2. He will come again to receive us the Himself (John 14:1-3)
3. He will resurrect those who have fallen asleep in Him (deceased believers whom we will not precede, 1 Thess 4:14-15)
4. The Lord will shout as He descends (“loud command,” 1 Thess 4:14-15)
5. We will hear the voice of the archangel (perhaps to lead Israel during the seven years of Tribulation as he did in the Old Testament, 1 Thess 4:16)
6. We will also hear the trumpet call of God (1 Thess 4:16), His last trumpet for the Church
7. The dead in Christ will rise first. (The corruptible remnants and ashes of their dead bodies are made incorruptible and joined together with their spirit, which Jesus brings with Him, 1 Thess 4:16-17).
8. Then we who are alive and remain will be changed (made incorruptible by having our bodies made “immortal,” 1 Cor 15:51, 53
9. Then we will be caught up [raptured] together (1 Thess 4:17)
10. With them in the clouds (where we assume the dead and living believers will have a monumental reunion, 1 Thess 4:17.
11. To meet the Lord in the air (1 Thess 4:17)
12. Jesus said He will do this to “receive you to Myself.”  Jesus will take us to the Father’s house “that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:3)
13. “And thus we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thess 4:17)

Some additional events:

The judgment seat of Christ (2 Cor 5:10):

2 Corinthians 5:10 (NIV) 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.

This verse teaches that at the call of Christ for believers, He will judge all things.  Christians will stand before the judgment seat of Christ   This will apparently take place in “the Father’s House”

Romans 14:10 (NIV)  You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.

1 Corinthians 3:11-15 (NIV)  For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.  If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw,  his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work.  If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward.  If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.

These judgments prepare the believer for:

The Marriage Supper of the Lamb

            Just prior to Christ’s coming to the earth in power and great glory, which we call the glorious appearing, Christ will meet with His Bride, the church, and the wedding and Marriage Supper will take place.  In the meantime, after the church is raptured, the world will suffer the unprecedented time of the wrath of God, which our Lord called the Great Tribulation.

Revelation 19:7-9 (NIV)  Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.  Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)

Then the angel said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!’” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”

THE RAPTURE IS NOT THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST.

IT IS THE “BLESSED HOPE” NOT THE “GLORIOUS APPEARING”

We will have more on this later when we discuss the event of the Second Coming, but for now:

In the Second Coming:

v  Christ descends with the hosts of heaven to earth riding a white horse (Rev 19:11-14)

v  He makes war with the inhabitants of earth (Rev 19:11)

v  The armies of the world gather against Him and He makes war with them (Rev 19:18-21)

v  The Beast and the False Prophet are thrown into the Lake of Fire (Rev 19:20)

v  Satan is bound in the bottomless pit for 1,000 years (Rev 20:2-3)

Back to the timing of the Rapture.  Only a pre-tribulation and a mid-tribulation view separate the Rapture from the Second Coming.  If a post-tribulation view is true than there is no time for the judgment seat of Christ, there is no time for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, and there is no need for the houses that Jesus has been working on for the last 2000 years.  We will discover later that there is also no body to populate the millennial kingdom if you synchronize the Rapture with the Second Coming.  Why?  Because at the Rapture if all believers are taken to be with Jesus in Heaven then there is nobody left on earth to populate the Kingdom.  If sinners cannot enter the Kingdom and Matt 22:30 says that the resurrected “neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like the angels of God in heaven.”  Then who has the children that are born during the Kingdom that at the end of the 1000 years ultimately rebel one last time?

Next time, last post.