Overview of the End Times

This is a continuation of a little series about the End Times and what to expect.  Yesterday I wrote a brief essay about why it is good to know what is to come.  Today I want to give you a time line of what we think will happen in the end times.

1.        Church Age- started at the time of Christ’s birth

a.       Romans 11:25 – a time of hardening of the hearts of the Jews so the Gentile could become believers

2.       Rapture – when Christ comes in the clouds to get the believers so they will not have to go through the tribulation

a.        I Thessalonians 4:16-18 Christ will come in the clouds to take the dead in Christ first (those who have believed but died), then those who are alive will be taken up to meet the Lord in the air and be with the Lord.

3.        Tribulation – a period of 7 years that begins with peace and turns violently evil and difficult

a.       Joel 1:15 - ‘The Day of the Lord’ – a time of God’s judgment against Israel and the unbelieving world

4.       Second Coming of Christ – the visible return of Jesus to establish His kingdom on earth

a.       Revelation 19:11,1Thessalonians 4:16 – Jesus will visibly be seen and believers and unbelievers alike will witness Christ’s turn to the earth

5.        The Millennium -1,000 years period where Christ will reign on earth

a.        Revelation 20:1-3 – Satan bound for 1,000 years and

b.       Isaiah 11:4,6,9 -  A time of peace where the wolf will dwell with the Lamb

6.       Great White Throne Judgment – a judgment time for unbelievers and believers

Revelation 20:12-15 -the Book of Life contains the name of the believers, those whose names are not written in the book will be cast into the lake of fire for eternity.

7.       Eternity Future – a new heaven and earth

a.       2 Peter 3:7,10 present earth destroyed

b.       Revelation 21:1-4 new heaven and earth where believers will dwell with God

Just to say… there are different views of the end times.  I am comfortable with what I have learned about this prophecy and have read from several great teachers.  I will explain in more detail in the days to come why I believe this time line to be correct.

If you’d like to read more I suggest the book Perfect Ending by Robert Jeffress, who is pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas