DOCTRINE OF THE END OF TIME
Eschatology – the study of end times.
Rapture – When Jesus comes back for His Church
Tribulation – Period of judgment on the earth
Second Coming – When Jesus comes back with His Church to rule and reign.
1. THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH
Rapture – “caught up”
1 Thessalonians 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. 17 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. (NIV)
Pre-tribulation - Church Age, Rapture, Tribulation, Second Coming.
Mid-tribulation - Church Age, 3 ½ years of Tribulation, Rapture, Another 3 ½ years of Tribulation, and then the Second Coming.
Post-tribulation - Church Age, Tribulation, Rapture, and Second Coming.
1 Thessalonians 1:10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath. (NIV)
1 Thessalonians 5:9 - For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. (NIV)
Revelation 3:10 - Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. (NIV)
Luke 12:40 - You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” (NIV)
Mark 13:32–33 - But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. (NIV)
2. THE TRIBULATION
Matthew 24:21-22 - For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. 22 If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. (NIV)
3. THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST
Matthew 24:30-31 - “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. 31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.” (NIV)
4. THE COMING JUDGMENTS
A. The Great White Throne Judgment
Revelation 20:11-15 - Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. (NIV)
Matthew 25:46 - “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” (NIV)
2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 - He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might (NIV)
2 Peter 3:9 - The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (NIV)
B. The Judgment Seat of Christ
2 Corinthians 5:10 - “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due them for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” (NIV)
1 Corinthians 3:8-9 - “The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. 9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.” (NIV)
Revelation 21:1–4 - Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (NIV)
