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About The End Times
10 Things Christians Should Know about the
End Times
DiAne
Gates
Whether you hold a
pre-trib, mid-trib, or whatever rapture point of view, 1,923 years ago God gave
these last words to believers, so that we would know, understand, and be
prepared for the end of our lives or the end of this age — whichever comes
first.
The message to the
church is clear: we’d best be about the Father’s business.
That means praying in
the name of Jesus that He would change men’s hearts and spreading the truth of
the gospel of Jesus Christ — not sitting on our pompous piety, waiting for the
trumpet and deliverance from the presence of evil.
God’s first judgment
came by water, but the coming and final judgment will be by fire.
God still offers
mercy, grace, and pardon because of the shed blood of His Son, Jesus Christ, to
all who hear, believe, and trust Him for forgiveness.
“From
now on I am telling you before it comes to pass, so that when it does occur,
you may believe that I am He.” (John 13:19)
1. God's
clock has been ticking almost two-thousand years.
In approximately 95
A.D., God shined His spotlight on the glorified Christ and Jesus gave
instructions to the Apostle John to write His final words to the Church — past,
present, and future.
He
promises a particular blessing to those who read, hear, and heed His words, “…
for the time is near” (Revelation
1:3).
Precious one, the
Last Days or End Times, began with the incarnation of Jesus Christ.
In Revelation
1:10-19, we see Jesus walking among the lamp stands, dictating to John His
affirmations and reprimands to these seven churches.
With this last book,
The Word of God was completed. Two of the churches, Smyrna and Philadelphia,
received no reprimands.
The believers at Smyrna
were being tested and crushed, but Jesus encouraged them to be faithful until
death and He would give them the crown of life.
Believers in
Philadelphia had not denied Christ’s name and had kept the word of His
perseverance.
Jesus promised to
keep them from the hour of testing. Those who overcame, He said would become
pillars in the temple of God in the New Jerusalem.
I pray you attend a
likeness of one of these two churches. But, what if you don’t?
“God,
after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in
many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son…” (Hebrews 1-2a)
2. Some churches
will turn away.
The
church at Ephesus had done many things right, but they had “… left their
first love.” (Revelation
2:4)
Jesus is our first
and only love. Without His vibrant love alive in us, we might as well close the
doors and go home; we’re playing church.
Do those visiting
your church see the love and power of the Holy Spirit demonstrated in the
membership?
Those Ephesus
believers were instructed to repent and return or their lamp stand would be
removed. This same warning applies to churches today.
The church at
Pergamum allowed a strangle-hold of false theology. Jesus said they dwelled in
the place of Satan’s throne.
They tolerated the
false teaching of Balaam and were stumbling blocks to those who looked to them
for truth.
Jesus told them to
repent or He would make war with the sword of His mouth.
I’m sure the winds of
false teachings and slothful, ignorant-of-the-Word church members still try the
patience of our Lord.
Both of these
churches were given an opportunity to repent and return. Christ’s door of
repentance and mercy is still open.
“He
who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who
overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of
God.”
(Revelation
2:7)
3. Some
churches will tolerate idolatry and immorality.
The church at
Thyatira could be anywhere in the U.S.A. They tolerated the woman, Jezebel.
This one from
Thyatira called herself a prophetess who led God’s bondservants into immorality
and eating things sacrificed to idols.
I’m sure you’re
thinking, we don’t sacrifice things to idols. How about your children, to idols
of immorality and unbelief?
That could be
Hollywood, sports, or anything you deem more important than their education in
the Word of God.
This church refused
to rebuke the woman. But not everyone had succumbed to her teachings: Jesus
told them to hold fast until He comes.
Our Lord tells of her
outcome as well as the outcome of those who followed her — unless they
repented. (Revelation
2:18-29)
Jesus told the
liberal church at Sardis they were dead. He shouted, “Wake up!”
Pay attention and
take hold of the things that remain. They were incomplete, but Jesus still gave
them the opportunity to repent.
And to those who had
not soiled their garments, He promised they would walk with Him in white
garments…for they are worthy.
Let's wake up,
repent, and return to finish strong before Jesus comes and finds us drowning in
Satan’s lies.
“He
who overcomes shall thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his
name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father; and
before His angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the
churches.”
(Revelation
3:5-6)
4. Some churches
will be lukewarm.
The last church type
is the spit-it-out-My-mouth, lukewarm, Laodicean church. (Revelation 3:16)
They
were wealthy and thought they needed nothing. Jesus called them “wretched,
miserable, poor, blind, and naked.” (Revelation 3:17)
Jesus said, “Because
you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.” (Revelation 3:16)
Yet, Jesus even gave
this church body the opportunity to repent, to overcome. Amazing.
We must be diligent
to search our hearts. Be vigilant to listen, hear, and heed Jesus’ words, lest
He comes and finds us lacking.
“Those
whom I love, I reprove and discipline; be zealous therefore, and repent.
Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the
door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with Me.” (Revelation 3:19-20)
5. There
will be signs that signal the beginning of the end.
Before He went to the
cross, Jesus told us to watch for certain signs which would signal the
beginning of the birth pangs: false messiahs, wars and rumors of war, famines,
and earthquakes.
This birthing is well
underway.
He said believers
will be delivered to tribulation and killed. Christians will be hated by all
nations on account of His name.
Today, we witness
more world-wide torture and brutal murders of people because of their faith in
Jesus than any other time in history.
False prophets
thrive. Lawlessness increases. Love for others grows cold. We all can give
testimony of warning signs exploding around us.
The gospel of the
kingdom will be preached in the whole world, then the end shall come.
“And
there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and upon the earth dismay among
nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, men fainting
from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world;
for the powers of the heavens will be shaken… but when these things begin to
take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is
drawing near.”
(Luke
21:25-28)
6. An enemy will
come to conquer.
John
saw Jesus standing in the middle of the lamp stands and was told: “Write
therefore the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the
things which shall take place after these things.” (Revelation 1:19)
John is taken, in the
Spirit, to and from heaven and earth to see those things.
In Revelation 5, John
shows us the Living God on His throne, surrounded by the elders, the four
living creatures.
The Lamb, the Lion
from the Tribe of Judah, takes the scroll with the seals. The heavenly choir
sings. Jesus breaks the first seal. A rider with a bow and a crown, on a white
horse, goes out to conquer. (Revelation 6:1-2)
Daniel tells about a
prince who will arise, one who is insolent and skilled in intrigue, mighty in
power, who will destroy the holy people. Could this insolent prince of Daniel
be the rider on the white horse — the Antichrist? (Daniel 9:24-27)
If you’re a believer,
don’t worry. God, at the appointed time, will send Jesus to rapture us out of
His great wrath. But we’d best be workers who need not be ashamed at His
coming.
“For
God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord
Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live
together with Him.”
(1
Thessalonians 5:9-10)
7. There will be
two witnesses.
After all this
rebellion and hatred, God still offers opportunity for those left behind to
come to their senses and repent.
Scripture
tells us, “He is not willing for any to perish.” (2 Peter 3:9)
He will send two
witnesses to proclaim the gospel message for any who would believe, for 1,260
days.
In the midst of
chaos, these witnesses will have amazing power from God. You can read about
these evangelists in Revelation 11:3-6.
When their testimony
is finished, the beast from the abyss will kill them. They will lay dead in the
streets of Jerusalem for three days while people celebrate.
It will
go viral — around the world, however; great fear will fall upon those watching
as God’s breath comes into them and they stand and a voice from heaven will
command them, “Come up here.” (Revelation 11:11-12)
And like Jesus, they
will go into the heavens in a cloud. For the first time in history, it may be
possible to watch these events in real-time.
In that hour, another
great earthquake will rattle Jerusalem. One-tenth of the city will fall and
7,000 people will be killed.
So, who will these
witnesses be? Perhaps Elijah and Moses.
“Behold,
I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and
terrible day of the Lord.” (Malachi
4:5)
8. There will be
an unholy trinity.
John and Daniel each
tell about the arrival of a charismatic leader on the world’s stage. A man who
promises to bring nations of the world into a peaceful, one-world religious,
governmental, and financial system.
But he’s an impostor —
a tool of Satan. Let’s call him beast #1 — a human man who will become indwelt
by Satan.
Daniel talks about a
covenant of peace this leader will sign with Israel allowing them to rebuild
their temple, even to resume the Jewish sacrifices.
To affirm the man’s
power, he receives a deadly head wound, and lays dead for three days, then
through powers granted by the devil, he comes back to life and the world
worships him as god.
This son of Satan is
the long-expected Antichrist, the one to whom God granted permission to rule
the earth for forty-two months.
He will bring with
him beast #2, the false prophet, who will be the Antichrist’s worship leader
whose main purpose is to cause the world to worship beast #1.
Revelation 16
introduces us to the brains behind Beast #1 and #2 — the dragon of old — Satan.
“Let
no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes
first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who
opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so
that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.” (2 Thessalonians
2:3-4)
9. Some will have
the mark of the beast.
“And
there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon…”
Revelation 12: 7-17
tells us about a war. Take a moment to read this, straight from the Word. Allow
me to add that even though Satan knows what’s coming, he’s still a sore loser.
Satan’s time is
short. It’s his last opportunity to destroy God’s chosen, Israel, and all who
believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.
In Revelation 13, all
hell breaks out on earth! Beast #2 is given authority to construct an image and
to breathe life into this idol.
Everyone on planet
earth who wants to buy and sell must worship the image and beast #1 and must
have inscribed on their right hand or in their forehead the number 666 or the
name of the beast.
Revelation
14:9-10 states the fate of those who worship the beast, his image, and take the
mark: “he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in
full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and
brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.”
“Another
angel came out of the temple, crying out… Put in your sickle and reap, because
the hour to reap has come, because the harvest of the earth is ripe. And He who
sat on the cloud swung His sickle over the earth; and the earth was reaped” (Revelation 14:15-16)
10. The
enemy will be defeated and Christ will reign.
“And
I saw heaven opened; and behold, a white horse, and He who sat upon it is
called Faithful and True; and in righteousness He judges and wages war.” (Revelation 19:11)
And the armies with
Him are dressed in white linen — that’s us folks! And we’re on white horses
following King Jesus.
“And
from His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may smite the nations;
and He will rule them with a rod of iron…” (Revelation 19:15)
The beast, kings of
earth, and their armies will be ready to fight.
Suddenly, angels of
the Lord God Almighty will seize the beast and the false prophet and throw them
alive into the lake of fire.
The rest of the
armies will be killed by the sword of King Jesus.
Another angel will
come down from heaven with the key to the abyss and a great chain. He will grab
and bind Satan, throwing him into the abyss until the thousand years are
complete.
“And
I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of
Jesus…those who had not worshipped the beast or his image, and had not received
the mark… and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years” (Revelation 20:4 NAS)
Wife,
mother, and Mimi, freelance artist and photographer, DiAne Gates writes
for children, young adults, and non-fiction for adults through her blogs,
http://dianegates.wordpress.com/ and www.floridagirlturnedtexan.wordpress.com.
She also facilitates a GriefShare support group. DiAne’s award winning, ROPED,
first in her western adventure series released July of 2015, and the second
book, TWISTED, released by Pelican Book Group July 14, 2017. Third book in this
series, UNTIED, is her WIP. You can find DiAne on Facebook.
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