Covenant Presbyterian Church
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Sunday morning Foundations Classes
Angels/Demons & the End Times -- Lesson #15
For Lesson #1 click on 5/31 at Blog Archive.
“Will we go through the Tribulation?” which
is the view of a majority of Christians, or “Will we be raptured before the
Tribulation?” In lesson
#13, I
mentioned that as a
young Roman Catholic I was taught “we had to suffer with Christ to be
worthy of Christ”,
which many
would claim is a
reason for going through the Tribulation. So, Father McCarthy
(parish priest) does
that eliminate the need for Purgatory? Hmmm? I never had the opportunity to ask him that
question, but I
did query Martin Luther’s teachings.
Making restitution for one’s
sins was a
common belief in
the Christian Church before the Protestant Reformation. Efforts to Earn God’s grace is
why men and women spent most
of their adult life
in medieval monasteries,
atoning for sin with prayer and discipline, for theirs and the world's. Emphasizing
that one must suffer for Christ to be worthy of Christ constitutes
a works righteousness, implying that Christ’s suffering and crucifixion falls
short of full-payment for our sins. Purgatory is another Roman Catholic
belief where individuals make restitution for the sins they
didn’t make restitution for with pray, going to confession, saying the rosary,
lighting candles, etc. We know that Christ paid our sin debt in full,
so what exactly
would we be suffering for during the Tribulation? 
A time of remembrance. 
The 9/11 terrorists’ attacks on the World Trade Center resulted in 2,977 fatalities, over 25,000 injuries, and substantial long-term health consequences. It was described as the single deadliest terrorist attack in human history and the single deadliest incident for firefighters and law enforcement officers in the history of the United States. Immediately following, the churches in NYC were full, but only for a time. When there was no subsequent threat, the crowds stopped attending. We need to pray for America.
Since the majority of the Christian Church seem to believe the Amillennial view, it warrants a little extra time. It’s referred to as Replacement theology in that the Church replaced Israel. As John MacArthur stated in the last lesson, he made the case for Daniel’s 70th week prophecy applying to Israel as a distinct entity, not the Church, nor individual Jews who professed Christ and became part of the Church. The first 69 weeks were fulfilled with Israel in the Old Testament, and the 70th week, yet to be fulfilled, also applies to Israel.
As Dr. Godfrey stated in the last lesson, studying the Bible involves more than just reading it, which is something we should do. I think it also involves applying deductive reasoning when, how and where appropriate. Some being better at it than others, that’s why searching the aid of commentaries and study-Bible notes is important.
What is deductive reasoning? It takes me back to this slide, previously shown in lesson #7. Not everyone studying the Rapture and Tribulation will come to the same conclusions, since it is yet unfulfilled prophecy. All the viewpoints can’t be right. So, how do we know who’s right? Deductive reasoning plays a role, which is a gift, with some being more gifted than others. Even having a Ph. D after one’s name isn’t the sole criteria for always being right. But, some are better detectives than others. When reviewing commentaries and listening to sermons, it helps to understand who the better biblical detectives are, and what factors are they taking into consideration; something I attempted to do throughout this study, before stating an opinion. I hope you found it useful.
Albert Einstein didn’t just have everything in his head, but he had the gift of deductive reasoning coupled with intuition, as he searched for answers, and even so, he labored endless hours in the study of physics gradually piecing together what appears to be a simple formula, but one with far reaching significance, and way beyond us mere mortals. Understanding the End Times requires a similar effort. So, what factors go into interpreting Bible prophecy? Of course the Bible verses are critical and essential, as well as sermons and commentaries. I believe history is also a factor, and the fact that the nation of Israel was reborn is historical evidence of their relevance. And no, I am not Jewish, but Einstein was.
The Rapture is an “event” in Scripture (Luke 17:34-37) but isn’t doctrine, and as such is influenced by opinion. A lot of factors shape opinion, including where someone was educated, what they studies; what research they did; what their church preached or taught; even their personal experience and insight. Christians can be right or wrong, on such topics. But when it comes to church doctrine, there is no room for “wrong”, such as Christ being 100% human and 100% divine. Being “wrong on doctrine” equals heresy. So you have the freedom of picking a particular view of the Rapture, but the same freedom of opinion doesn’t apply to Christian doctrine.
The slide gives an easily understood description
of the Great Tribulation. There are two options debated in the Church: 1. Do Christians
endure the Great Tribulation? or 2. Are we raptured prior to the Tribulation? That question
has been at the center of our study. 
The Rapture in relationship to the 7-year
Tribulation can’t be illustrated
any simpler.
The chart also
shows the Second Coming of Christ (doctrine, not opinion). The Amillennial view believes
the 1,000-year Millennium is symbolic and not a literal 1,000 years. Some
even believe we
are in the millennial period now. Huh? With all the chaos in our cities and
apparent corruption in government, how can that possibly be? The
following verses seem pretty
literal. I
don’t know how they can be interpreted as symbolic. Are the verses being
interpreting to agree with one’s opinion, rather than using the verses to form
one’s opinion? We can be certain, those who see it as symbolic have a rationale
to support that view. But, I
believe there’s a bigger picture that needs to be included; i.e., the reality
of the rebirth of the nation of Israel. Revelation 20:1-7
— 1
And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and
holding in his hand a great chain. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient
serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound
him for a thousand years. …. 7 When
the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his
prison.
Look at the world around you, even the events in our cities. I think the answer will become increasingly clear why God will call an end to man’s sinful rebellion. All the world needs is an excuse to be evil. The events we are seeing, such as COVID-19 pandemic being unleased on the world; with forest fires raging across the western states for any number of reasons--be it careless or deliberate. Evil will not go away without God’s intervention.
If you believe John MacArthur is right, as I do, the Church will be raptured, and Israel and the world-system will enter the 7-year Tribulation.
Dan. 12:1-2 – 1 “At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. 2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.
How can a tiny country like Israel, with about 8.6 million people, even exist surrounded by countries with over 100 million people on its borders, and ideologies that hate her as a nation and the Jews as a people, if it wasn’t God’s divine protection, which points us to the relevance of Israel in regard to the Tribulation and the 7th week of Daniel’s 70-week prophecy. I hope this map puts Israel’s situation, and God’s protection, into perspective.
Mankind inherited Adam’s DNA and fallen nature, expressed in both open and subtle rebellion against God and things sacred. The Pharisees meant Jesus’ crucifixion for evil to retain personal power, but God meant it for good. Jesus spoke this truth to the Pharisees: John 8:44 – You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him.
Encouraged by Satan, as were the Pharisees—the world continues its hatred of the Jews and Israel. The same hatred that led to the Nazi Holocaust inflames the Arab world’s desire to destroy Israel instead of coexisting with her. In other words, Satan is alive and well on planet earth! It’s one of the reasons there will be a Tribulation with God’s wrath being poured out. But it will all come to an end as we are told in Rev 20:10 – And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Fueled by Arab and Muslim hated, the world system has aligned against Israel even within the United Nations. Oppressive countries like North Korea have not had such hatred and condemnation expressed against them. From 2012 through 2015, the United Nations General Assembly adopted 97 resolutions criticizing countries; 83 out of those 97 have been against Israel (86%). We can be certain that Satan is driving that rage against Israel. Why does Satan hate Israel? Because God chose them and will redeem them through the Tribulation.
We need to think in terms of Jesus coming back, be it the Rapture or the Second Coming. The spiritual state we are raptured in may very well be the starting point for not only who we are but who we will be in heaven. Is there a spiritual basic training in heaven after the Rapture or after the Second Coming, so that we grow to be more like Christ? We are finite, and yes we still sin, even little ones, and certainly we are far from perfect. I believe we will learn and grow spiritually in heaven. Why? Because there is no mediocracy in heaven. So, the question this raises is “Are we prepared for His coming?”
This chart illustrates the 70 weeks of Daniel’s prophecy. Sixty-nine weeks are applied to Israel prior to the coming of Christ, ending with Christ, marking the beginning of the Church age that we are in now. So, there is one week (7 years) still unfulfilled and yet to come. That seven-year period predicted in Daniel 9:27 is the time of Tribulation and rise of the Antichrist.
What will it be like? Matthew 24:21-24 gives us insight. The seventh seal includes the wrath of God. The seventh seal (Rev. 8), which is also known as “the Day of the Lord,” is the major theme of the book of Revelation. It includes God’s wrath on sinful, rebellious humans at the end of this age.
This slide walks us through the different events in the Great Tribulation, which we don’t have the time to elaborate on in our study. For those who are so inclined, it should be easy enough to follow it with a decent study-Bible with footnotes.
The 144,000 Jewish evangelists bring the gospel principally to the Jewish people, a remnant of 1/3 who will come to Christ as their Messiah and Savior. Before the seventh seal and intensified trumpet judgments of chapter 8, God gives us a panorama of salvation and the evangelistic activity of the Tribulation or Daniel’s 70th Week. The fifth seal was a revelation concerning the martyrs who had been killed for their faith in Christ. Since the church has been raptured and the Tribulation begins with only unbelievers, how do people come to faith in Christ? For those who want to dig deeper, the info came from the following website.
https://bible.org/seriespage/13-redeemed-tribulation-rev-71-17
The four horsemen of the Apocalypse (Rev. 6)
First Seal: a white horse, the rider has a bow and a crown, and he went out conquering.
Second Seal: a red horse, took peace from the world and allowed people to kill each other.
Third Seal: a black horse, the rider had a pair of scales in his hands.
Fourth Seal: a pale horse, the rider was followed by Death and Hades. (con’t on next slide)
For those who are inclined to dig deeper, this chart shows the verses associated with each of the 7 Seals.
Death, famine, pandemics, to name just a few, are all part of the Tribulation. We have had a taste of it with COVID-19 and a state mandated lockdown, including churches. Will the Vatican and liberal Protestant churches be there? How will they respond? Will people seek refuge in them? Perhaps. If yes, many will do so for all the wrong reasons. Remember 9/11 attack on the World Trade Towers? The churches were full, but for a short period of time. When no additional attacks came, church (and God) were no longer relevant or needed.
So what happens during the Tribulation? This chart shows God’s wrath being poured out. Consider it a road map of those events that occur during the Tribulation. A full study would take many more lessons way beyond the scope of our study. But, I wanted to at least mention the key events that occur during the Tribulation. In Rev. 13 the Beast—the Antichrist—comes out of the sea and is given full power and authority by the Dragon (Satan) to rule over the world-system. As shown, the first six Seals include the four horseman of the Apocalypse described in Rev. 6. In Rev. 7, 144,000 Jewish evangelists preach the Word—a remnant of the Jews turn to Christ as Messiah and Savior. (con’t on next slide).
Who are the 144,000 in Revelation 7? The next slide tells us. If Daniel’s 7th week wasn’t for Israel, why are these evangelists Jewish?
Another clue—actually more than a clue—it clearly tells us that the Jews and Tribulation go hand-in-hand. Evidence that Israel cannot be ignored nor discounted. Why would these evangelist be from all the tribes of Israel if Israel was irrelevant during the Tribulation, as some believe?
Rev. 8 takes us to the seventh Seal, which is accompanied by silence—followed by the first four Trumpets announcing the catastrophic event that fall on the world. The fifth and sixth Trumpet are described in Rev. 9. The seventh Trumpet doesn’t occur until Rev. 11. The Bowl judgments don’t occur until Rev. 15-16 when the full wrath of God is poured out. It would take several lessons to cover these adequately. If you would like additional lessons to do so, let me know or if you’re interested in a study of the Book of Revelation. Either way, let me know.
Matt 25:31-34 – 31 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world
Matt 25:41 "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
RC Sproul explains the different views of the Millennium, which is a little out of sequence with this lesson, since he focuses on the Millennium and not the Tribulation, but it will aid our understanding. Having insight into the different views is important. One’s view of the Millennium is influenced by one’s view of Israel. When this view took root in the Church, Israel was consider cursed by God for the crucifixion of Christ, destroyed as a nation by the Romans in 70 AD, murdered or put into slavery and scattered across the world. So, all future prophecies about Israel, including the 70th week of Daniel, were seen as applying to the Church. I don’t know of anyone who changed their view with the rebirth of Israel in 1948, or even their very existence today. The Amillennial view is predicated on there not being an Israel, but there is. Can it really be ignored? I think not. Again, the different views are opinion and not doctrine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ejd4ZAnXmMM
We’re getting close to the end of our study. If you have any questions, please email me. Until next week, God bless each and every one following this blog.
Pray
for our President,
our
Nation,
our Pastor, our Church, and those affected by the fires sweeping across
California, Oregon and Washington. Sad and tragic. 