MDC JOHOR BAHRU

Topic: COMING EVENTS IN PROPHECY

(from God’s Word Made Plain by Mrs Paul Frienderichsen)

INTRUDUCTION
Coming events in prophecy – our hopes or fears?
Some of us heard of the things mentioned in the Book of Revelation.
There are frightening, confusing images. When we read about prophecy we come across technical
terms like the great tribulation, the rapture, the great white throne judgment and
the lake of fire. What’s ahead? How much can we know about the end times?

John 14:2,3 - 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.

Acts 1:11 - Men of Galilee, they said, “why do you stand here looking
into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from
you into heaven, will come back in the same way you
have seen him go into heaven.”

1st Coming, He came to save the souls of sinners.

2nd Coming will be to save the bodies of believers.

TWO PARTS TO THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST

I. THE RAPTURE ( The first part of the second coming of Christ.)
We are now living in the age of grace.

There will be no warning when the Rapture takes place.

1 Thess 4:16, 17 – 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.

Rapture describes the “catching up” of the Christian to be with the Lord. (1 Thess 4:16,17)
This is called “the first resurrection”.
It is only for the bodies of believers.

Rev 20:6 – 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.
 Will we know our loved ones in Heaven?
1 Cor 13:12 – Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know
in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

Will we look like we do now?

1 John 3:2 – Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known.
But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

Though the Rapture will take place in the twinkling of an eye, we are told to watch for certain
signs of the end times. (Matthew 24:32,33)
- wars, earthquakes, world conditions, peace efforts, false teachings, travel and knowledge.

Between the two parts of the second coming of Christ is a short seven year period of the Great
Tribulation. (Matthew 23:21, 22)

Satan’s Antichrist will be revealed on the earth.

He takes over the whole world in political, economic and religious dictatorship.
(Mt 24:15-26; Rev 13)

Many will turn to God during the tribulation days. (Rev 7:9,14)
There will be a world revival during the tribulation period. (Mt 24:14 ; Rev 11)

What are the believers in Heaven doing during these seven years of trouble on the earth?
- There will be the marriage supper of the Lamb. (Rev 19:7-9)
- There will also be the judgment seat of Christ. (2 Cor 5:10)
- This takes place in Heaven. It is not a judgment to see who goes to Heaven,
but for rewards of our deeds.

Christ is the foundation of our faith.(1 Cor 3:11-16)

What will it be when we stand in that day before our Lord?

1 John 2:28 – And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears
we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.
II. THE REVELATION (the second part of the coming again of Christ.)
a) The Millennium

The Son of man will come with power and glory. (Mt 24:29-31 ; Rev 1:7)

Christ will defeat the armies of Antichrist and set up His own righteous kingdom.
(Rev 16:16 ; Rev 19:11-21)

The Antichrist and his false prophets are cast into the lake of fire.
The kingdom of the Christ on the earth for 1,000 years is called the Golden Age, the Millennium or
the Kingdom Age. (Rev 20:4-6)
-Christ will make His headquarter in Jerusalem and the saints will reign with Him over the cities of
the earth;
- The twelve apostles will rule over the twelve tribes of Israel;
- The curse on man and nature will be lifted;
- The lion and the lamb will play together;
- Success, plenty, health, security and righteousness will reign supreme.

Satan is bound in the bottomless pit during the Millennium. (Rev 20:1-3)

b) The Judgment Seat of God – The Great White Throne

Immediately after the Millennium, the unbelieving dead are resurrected for judgment. This is called
the “second resurrection.” (Rev 20:11-15)
All who come to this judgment are cast into the lake of life.
This is the second death. (Rom 6:23 ; Rev 21:8)

No Christian will ever stand before this judgment seat of God.

“Those who receive Him shall not come into condemnation, but is passed form death unto life.”
(John 5:24)

We shall be there to watch.

But are we guilty for the blood of the lost?
Ezek 3:18-19 – When I say to a wicked man, “You will surely die, and you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade
him from his evil ways in order to save his life, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his
blood. But if you warn the wicked man and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his evil ways, he will die for his
sin; but you will have saved yourself.

c) The world destroyed

The end of the world comes the heavens and earth will be dissolved into gas from which God
makes a new Heaven and new earth. (2 Pet 3:12, 13)

CONCLUSION
What importance do the coming events have for us as Christians? (2 Pet
3:11)

When Christ comes again, Christian will have no further opportunity to win others to God.
Our day of serving our Lord is now, the age of grace.
Live blameless and godly lives. Live everyday of our lives as if Christ is coming today.