Covenant Presbyterian Church
God's Positioning System (GPS)
Sunday morning Foundations Classes
Angels/Demons & the End Times -- Lesson #22
(press or click on a slide to enlarge it)
scroll down for earlier lessons in descending order
You can click on earlier lesson by date to the right "Blog Archive".
(Lessons are posted once a week on Friday afternoon)
Building of the 3rd Temple during the Tribulation will reveal and unleash the true and diabolical nature of the Antichrist. We may be closer than ever before, with a steadily increasing interest within Israel for rebuilding the temple as we saw in the previous lesson’s videos regarding the 3rd temple.
I’m appreciative of the sermons and commentaries I found on the web—especially for my own edification. I appreciate the sermons and messages of John MacArthur, since he professes the Reformed faith, and the others incorporated into our study. I never gave much thought to the End Times until the events of 2020—protests, looting, political conflict, etc.—and the COVID-19 pandemic-lockdown, all of which pointed me to this study. Nevertheless, God is sovereign and in control. We need to put our confidence, faith and hope in Him. That’s why I end each lesson with prayer.
You can skip over the introductions, or not. But I think it helps to understand how we ended up with the conclusions in this lesson. You can accept them or not, but at least, you’ll know how we got here. No one can claim their view is official church “doctrine”. End Times events are future prophecy, which are subject to interpretation. Bible scholars use particular ground rules and presumptions in their interpretation. Some pastors just interpret the words as written in Scripture. Bottom line is all the views get down to opinion, some are better than others, but opinion, nevertheless.
If you recall, this was included in lessons #15 and #7. So, why am I including it again? Interpreting Bible prophecy takes a lot into account, including deductive reasoning. What is deductive reasoning? Not everyone studying the Rapture and Tribulation come to the same conclusions, since it is yet unfulfilled prophecy. All the views can’t be right. So, how do we know who’s right? (next slide)
Deductive reasoning plays a key role in understanding any topic, which is a gift, some being more gifted than others. One can be well educated, thought helpful, can still fall short in deductive reasoning. Even having a Ph. D isn’t the sole criteria for always being right. But, yes, 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, it’s something I looked for in sermons and lessons on the web, which takes me to the next slide….
The two prevailing views are Amillennialism (denies pretribulation rapture) and Premillennialism (professes pretribulation rapture). Postmillennialism seems to have few advocates. Our study began as objectively and impartially as possible, showing each view as presented. I am not a theologian or expert on Bible prophecy but researched the opinions of those who are. This study is based on extensive research—and seeking and listening to numerous sermons and reading numerous commentaries on all the views. Point of information: I rest my understanding of the Bible on 28 years as an elder, and teaching Bible study most of that time, plus extensive research and study during those years.
Certain Christians down through history were critical of the Jews as “Christ killers”. Without an Israel, certain Bible prophecies tend to be taken as symbolic vs. literal. Many Reformed commentaries acknowledge the Amillennial view, which seems to stand on the Church's historical view that it is the new Israel; forming its position after Israel was destroyed by the Romans, and the Jews scattered worldwide, seeing it as God’s punishment for rejecting the Messiah. Consequently, over time, much of the Christian world became antisemitic, including Martin Luther and other Protestant Reformers. John Calvin being noted as the least antisemitic. Since God doesn’t discard His promises, it seemed apparent that those prophetic promises applied to the Church, believed to be the new Israel. But how do they now account for Israel’s rebirth in 1948?
Dr. Godfrey served as President of Westminster Seminary and is the current Chairman of Ligonier Ministries. He is an advocate of the Amillennial view. He is also a professor of church history and adheres to church precedent, believing the Church is the new Israel and as such, Christians go through the Tribulation. He stated this in his study series of the Book of Revelation, noting that Israel is no longer relevant. Nevertheless, I rest my case on the rebirth of Israel in 1948, and its very survival in two wars launched against them. This is where Sherlock Homes comes in—we need to look at all the evidence, not just historic precedent—which is not doctrine.
The Premillennial view was proposed in the early 19th century and is held by most American Evangelicals. Dr. John MacArthur, while being of the Reformed faith, professes the Premillennial view. I know a Presbyterian minister and other elders who also profess a Premillennial view. During most of my life as Roman Catholic, and then as Lutheran, I accepted (vs. believed) the Amillennial view. The rebirth of Israel in 1948 compelled me to search further into the topic, leading me to this study topic.
Can you imagine the reaction with millions of Christians instantly raptured—snatched away? Luke 17:34-37 gives a brief description with one being taken and not the other (raptured). All born again Christians will rise to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thess. 4:17). The Premillennial, Amillennial and Postmillennial views differ widely on the rapture and who goes into the Tribulation. So, all I can do is present the view I believe is correct, which, of course, is what everyone does.
There are tens of millions of Christians in the USA and around the world. All true Christians would disappear at once in a pretribulation rapture. How many will be driving cars and trucks or perhaps commercial airline pilots, when raptured? How many will be at the breakfast or dinner table with family and friends? (Luke 17:34-37). Premillennialists believe those Christians who had died and those still alive will be Raptured together.
Will there be open graves after the rapture? Scripture doesn’t tell us, but I think there will be. Combine that with people disappearing, all of which would lead to widespread panic, perhaps turning some people to church for comfort, but churches where the Gospel isn’t preached offering a false sense of wellbeing, but never leading to repentance and professing of Christ as Savior. People will be converted during the Tribulation for any number of reasons that the Holy Spirit will use to lead them to Jesus Christ. Perhaps those who knew or were related to Christians will suddenly realize that everything that was ever said concerning Jesus Christ was true. I think we can refer to that as a “rude awakening?” The Holy Spirit will use it to attract them to Jesus Christ, thanks to the testimony they heard before the Tribulation but never gave any thought to...until then. God works in mysterious ways.
The pretribulation rapture is the return of Christ in the clouds to remove all believers from the earth before the Tribulation (1 Thess. 4:16-17). The second coming is when Christ returns to earth at the end of the Tribulation to defeat the Antichrist and end his evil world empire (Rev. 19:11-16 – next slide). As shown on the slide.
The Second Coming of Jesus Christ ushers in the destruction of the Antichrist and the world system, and locks Satan away in the Abyss, ushering in the 1,000 Millennium.
Rev 19:11-16 – 11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
Slide shows a quick overview of the End Times. Premillennialism proclaims that Christians will be snatched away—raptured—prior to the Tribulation. Perhaps the Rapture will initiate the Tribulation, when all Christians are snatched away leaving a world of confusion and chaos, when one leader steps forth with promises of peace and prosperity, proclaiming that now that those Christians are gone along with their moral-righteousness, people can live their life as they please. Proclaiming to the world, “Who are those Christians to judge others? Be glad their gone.”
Rebuilding of the temple marks the mid-point in the Tribulation, at which time the Antichrist will enter the temple and proclaim himself as God. The first 3 ½ years of the Tribulation will not be without its share of peril and disasters. The second 3½ years will be God’s wrath unleased on a sinful and rebellious world.
2 Thess. 2:3-4 – 3 Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God.
The Antichrist will begin his rise to power as a dynamic, charismatic, insightful, visionary leader who will astound the world with the cleverness of his solutions to world problems. He will appear to be the savior of the world. But as he consolidates his power, his true evil nature will be revealed. He will emerge as a Satan possessed and empowered person who hates God and is determined to annihilate all remnants of Christianity and Judaism. For this reason, he is identified in scripture as the "Anti"-"Christ" (1 John 2:18), for he will stand against God and His anointed one, Jesus Christ. But the moment he reveals himself as the Antichrist by desecrating the Jew’s rebuilt Temple and blaspheming God, the Jewish people will revolt. They will reject him as Messiah, and he will respond in fury and attempt to annihilate them. Downloaded from: https://christinprophecy.org/articles/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-antichrist/
(sorry, but you will have to copy and paste the link into your web browser)
Think of the potential chaos and conflicts that can/will occur. Will China’s army of 200 million be set loose against a depleted U.S. army—with all the best officers and men having been raptured leaving behind a disoriented and depleted military, on land (Army), air (Air Force) and sea (Navy)? Leaving the USA and Europe defenseless.
Rev 9:16 The number of the mounted troops was two hundred million. I heard their number.
Will radical Islam be turned loose in the Middle East? How will Israel react? Will the Antichrist have a plan to stem the Islamic tide against Israel or will he encourage them? But for how long? Will the Two Witnesses (Rev. 11:3) and 144,000 Jewish evangelists in Revelation 7, draw most of Israel to Christ as their Messiah and Savior? Will God once again defend Israel against these invading forces? I think so.
Will radical Islamic groups like ISIS, also be turned loose in Africa and the Philippines, and elsewhere? In spite of it all, the Antichrist will have a plan. Nevertheless, death and chaos will prevail.
Rev 6:8 I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.
Daniel’s 70-week prophecy—each week being equivalent to 7 years. The Church Age begins at Pentecost and constitutes the period between the 69 weeks of O.T. prophecy and the 70th week, which is the 7-year Tribulation. The Church Age ends at the start of the Tribulation.
Jesus’ Second Coming marks the end of the Tribulation. Rev. 19:20 tells us that He will cast the Antichrist and False Prophet into the Lake of Fire (hell); and Satan will be chained and locked away in the abyss for the 1,000 millennium, at the end of which he will be released for mankind’s finale, and then comes the New Heaven and New Earth.
Rev 19:20 But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.
Rev 20:1-3 – 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. 3 He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.
Satan rebelled against God in heaven and continued his war against God’s people. He rejected God’s grace, taking one third of the angels in rebellion with him (Rev. 12:4). Neither angels nor man, can earn, merit or buy grace. It’s a gift from God through Jesus Christ who is our Mediator with God the Father. We can’t earn a gift. We can’t buy a gift, or it would cease to be a gift. We cannot gain access to heaven or retain it by what we do as demonstrated by Lucifer, who became Satan. Nor can we earn righteousness by going through the Tribulation. Our relationship with God is by grace alone through the merits of Jesus Christ, and Him alone.
At the end of the 1,000-Year Millennium, Satan is defeated and cast into the lake of fire forever…
Rev 20:7-10 – 7 When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth — Gog and Magog — to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. 9 They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God's people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 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.
The Lake of Fire is the final destiny for Satan, his fallen angels, the Antichrist & the False Prophet, and sinful mankind, forever more.
Image is for illustrative purposes only, and beyond this study. Almost everything we looked at in our study in regard to Israel, including the temple mount, the Wailing Wall and everything else, is in reference to the Book of Revelation, which is full of symbolism as shown, but not all symbolism in Revelation is a mystery, some have obvious meanings. As a former Catholic and Lutheran I accepted the Church as the new Israel. I also saw the Book of Revelation as much too mysterious to delve into, until I studied it more closely. Israel has been ignored by many church scholars. Beginning with its rebirth in 1947-48, its war for survival in 1948 and 1967, they prevailed. That could only be God’s providence, which is relevant in interpreting the Book of Revelation.
Overview of the Book of Revelation. Symbols are not always mysterious. Red Dragon is the Devil. Beast is the Antichrist. The sea represents the gentile world, etc. Though symbolic, some can be taken literally if you understand what the symbol means. Chapter 4 and beyond is future prophecy. Israel was excluded in the Amillennial view and replaced by the church. The woman in chapter 12 is seen as the Virgin Mary by the Roman Catholic Church, and as Israel by Evangelicals Christians. Understanding the relevance of Israel can make a great deal of difference in interpreting and understanding the Book of Revelation.
God sent the two witnesses, to bear witness to Jesus Christ; they were not only rejected but killed. Was God offering a final chance for a sinful world?
Rev 11:1-4 – 1 I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, "Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the worshipers there. 2 But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. 3 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth." 4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.
We have the “Book” replete with prophecy about what is to come, which is ignored by most of the world. Even the symbolism will be understood as events begin to unfold. God will use it to make His Church aware of what is to come and during the Tribulation. What we do with it is TBD.
Theologians like Dr. Robert Godfrey and Dr. John Piper, teach that Christians will go through the Tribulation. Why? Historic precedent; something the entire Church professed after the destruction of Israel, up until the early 19th century. It was reasonable to believe the Church replaced and became the new Israel. But, it's a belief anchored in historic precedent, not biblical doctrine. Does what we believe matter? Actually, it determines how we think and act.
Should we fear the Tribulation? Not according to John MacArthur. Why not continue to follow historic Church precedent? The rebirth of Israel in 1948 changed everything. Up to that time it was reasonable to believe Israel was no longer relevant to Bible prophecy, seeing their destruction as God’s punishment for the crucifixion of Christ. We looked at a lot of facts regarding Israel; their very survival stands as testimony that God did not write them off. He gathered them together and reestablished them as a nation. His continued protection of Israel, against insurmountable odds, demonstrates their relevance.
John MacArthur’s 54-minute sermon is on the Rapture, the Antichrist unleased and the Tribulation. The Antichrist was Satan’s false Christ, who is judged by God and his worldly kingdom destroyed. (closed captions are available on video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gcHKqT22Mc
(sorry, but you will have to copy and paste the link into your web browser)
Tuesday, November 3, Election Day, is just around the corner. Our President and our Nation need prayer like never before in recent history. Pray that we do not drift any further away from God and that our national priorities do not radically change as a result of this election. That Christians may recognize what’s at stake and pray. Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy. Please don’t abandon us Lord, God Almighty.
These are critical times for America. This election, the White House, Senate and House of Representatives, will mark a very critical point in American history. This election could be the “beginning of the end” or a reprieve and even hope that God’s mercy will give us another opportunity “to be the Church” and return to being “One Nation under God!” Think carefully, pray diligently and vote for wisdom and righteousness.
Where closer to resuming our studies in Heritage Lounge, but we’re not there yet.
END OF LESSON #22
