The word around the people in the world is that the end time has come. Hindus say that their future prediction named Panchangam ended in 2012. After that they do not know what will happen and do not have any clue of what to do. They are all perplexed. And Jews and Muslims expect their Messiah to come. For Jews it would be Jesus Christ whom they do not believe till date and for others it would be Anti-Christ who is to raise up before the second coming of JESUS!!
Whereas our Lord Jesus did not leave us clueless. Jesus foretold all the things that would happen in the end. So that we will not be afraid but be prepared.
LET ME REMIND YOU. FEAR OF END TIME SHOULD NOT BE OUR MOTIVATION TO RECEIVE THE LORD JESUS AS OUR SAVIOUR. WE SHOULD HAVE REVERENTIAL FEAR OF THE LORD JESUS AS TO WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR US AND RECEIVE HIM.
Jesus said He would come again for the second time to this world as a King to rule and reign in this world for 1000 years. There are so many OT and NT prophecies.
I would like to take the New Testament portion where Jesus himself explains clearly to his disciples what would happen in the end.
This we find in 3 gospels. Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21.
Matthew and Mark gives the exact words whereas Luke adds a little more details. I have taken the highlights of all these three for our discussion today. You may go home and read the three.
Matthew 24: 1-3
- When the Temple in Jerusalem will be destroyed?
- What is the sign of Jesus’ second coming?
- What is the sign of the end of the age?
JESUS is answering for all of the above together. Because of that we might find some of them fulfilled and some of them yet to come or repeated.
1)Watch out! Many claim “I am the Christ” v.4
A prank call man who said there was a bomb on a plane when caught started shouting “I am Christ” in Thailand.
A man called “Braham” said “He is Christ”. He showed some stars as sign for his birth was equivalent to Jesus and a halo used to come on his head while he preaches. He will plant a dry stick on a pot nearby on the stage where he gave sermons and before he finished the sermon the stick would grow into a tree. But one day when he was claiming “I am Christ” on a stage in front of a crowd, lightening struck him and he died.
2) Wars & rumours of wars – (end is still to come)
I WORLD WAR in 1914 AD & II WORLD WAR in 1939 AD AND OTHER WARS v.6
1)Nations rise against nations RUSSIA against USA …COLD WAR
Kingdom against kingdom ARABS against JEWS & USA ….NOW terrorism which is going on now v.7
BEGINNING OF BIRTH PAIN
1)Famines, earthquakes in various places, /pestilences in various places, fearful events and great signs from heaven. (only the beginning of birth pains) v.7, 8 (Luke 21:11)
Happening as we speak.
2) Christians persecuted. First century of AD (100 AD) and still happening. v.9
Luke 21: 12-15
- Many fall from faith & betray. Hate each others. / Parents, brothers relatives & friends betray you. Put some to death. All men hate you because of JESUS. v.10, Luke 21:16-18
- Many False prophets deceive people. 604 AD Prophet Mohammed v. 11 (Matthew 24: 26) “Out in the desert”, “Here in the inner room” further more will come.
- Because of increase in wickedness the LOVE of most will grow cold. But those who STAND FIRM will be saved./ have life v.12,13 Luke 21: 19 KEEP THE LOVE ON FIRE IN US. We should not love THINGS but love PEOPLE.
- GOSPEL will be preached to the whole world. v. 14 (end will come) /
Jerusalem is trampled till the time of Gentiles fulfilled. (Luke 21:24) Happening for the past 2000 years.
RAPTURE OF CHURCH
2 Thessalonians 2:1-8 (NKJV)
The Great Apostasy
1 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, (RAPTURE) we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ[a] had come.
3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin[b] is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God[c] in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. (ANTICHRIST)
5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He[d] who now restrains will do so until He[e] is taken out of the way. (HOLY SPIRIT LIVING IN US. OUR PRAYERS).
8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, (ANTICHRIST) whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. (II COMING OF JESUS).
I Thessalonians 4: 13- 18) 16-18
Believers Who Have Died
13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 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. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
ANTI-CHIRST COMES TO SURFACE
END TIMES
- Daniel’s- abomination of desolation in Holy Place. v.15 Anti Christ stands in the NEW BUILT TEMPLE. (Daniel 9: 24- 27) 603 BC Gabriel Angel gives details of when the Messiah Jesus would come and when He would be cut off i.e. crucified and how the (he) anti-christ will make a Covenant with the Israelis and violate it later.
Daniel 9:24-27 (NKJV)
24 “ Seventy weeks[a] are determined (70 X 7 = 490 years)
For your people and for your holy city,
To finish the transgression, (Solar year 457 BC Emperor Cyrus)
To make an end of[b] sins, (Lunar year 444 BC to Nehemiah)
To make reconciliation for iniquity,
To bring in everlasting righteousness,
To seal up vision and prophecy,
And to anoint the Most Holy.
25 “ Know therefore and understand,
That from the going forth of the command
To restore and build Jerusalem
Until Messiah the Prince, (JESUS)
shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks;
The street[c] shall be built again, and the wall,[d]
Even in troublesome times.
26 “ And after the sixty-two weeks
Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; (JESUS CRUCIFIED)
And the people of the prince who is to come
Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary.
The end of it shall be with a flood,
And till the end of the war desolations are determined.
27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; (7years)
But in the middle of the week (3 ½ years later)
He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.
And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, (ANTI CHRIST)
Even until the consummation, which is determined,
Is poured out on the desolate.”
- When you see JERUSALEM being surrounded by ARMIES, You will know that its desolation is near. v . 16-20, (Luke 21: 20- 24) Flee to the mountains.
70 AD Israel country was flattened by Roman Empire, Temple is totally destroyed as JESUS predicted . 66 AD on wards ISREAL and ROMAN armies fought war. But Nero died so army was pulled out as the country was in mourning period.
And all the Christian Jews fled as JESUS advised and escaped. (Luke 21: 20- 24)
Jews thought they won the war and were celebrating as many more came into Jerusalem because of PASS OVER. TITUS came to power and again they surrounded JERUSALEM and killed all by crucifying them. Wood was not enough. Youngsters were taken as captives out and since then Israel country was not existing. Titus Arch in Rome shows the utensils of the Temple the ‘menorah’ the 7 branched lamp and other gold utensils.
This will happen again in End Times. Anti – Christ brings all the armies of the world to come against JERUSALEM.
The JEWS will flee to PETRA a rocky mountain city nearby JORDEN and escape the Great distress that follows.
GREAT TRIBULATION
- Great distress unequaled from the beginning of the world until now – and never to be equaled again. v.21 NUCLEAR disasters may be happening as the ones happened in Japan.
Elect ones – for the Jews the days of distress is shortened. (Rev. 7: 144000 marked in all the 12 tribes. (Revelation 7: 3, 4 – 8)
2. False Christ & False prophets appear and perform signs and miracles to deceive the elect. SATAN & ANTI- CHRIST v. 23, 24 (Revelation 13 Dragon & the Beast) (Revelation 3: 11-15)
3. Signs in Sun darken, Moon no light and the stars fall./ Roaring and tossing of the sea. Men will faint in terror. Heavenly bodies will be shaken. v. 29 (Luke 21: 25, 26)
4. Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘I will return to Jerusalem with mercy, and there my house will be rebuilt. And the measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem,’ declares the Lord Almighty. (Zechariah 1:16)
SON OF GOD REIGNS
- SON OF MAN – JESUS COMES for the Jews to save & the world mourns with fear. (Matthew 24:27; 30) (Zechariah 14: 1-4) 5-9)
The whole world will see JESUS coming on the clouds with Power and great Glory.
Matthew 24:27 (NIV)
27 For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
So if anyone says Christ is here or there do not go because this time JESUS will not come on a lowly donkey as he did when He came for the first time. But for the second time JESUS will come on a white horse with power and glory and with His saints and hosts of heaven in the sky. The entire world will see Him no one will miss JESUS’ SECOND COMING.
The saints WHO WENT IN RAPTURE TOO will come with Him in the clouds!! (Revelation 19:11- 21)
EARTH WILL NOT BE DESTROYED!
Rev. 20 we see the 1000 year reign of JESUS and His saints (Revelation 20: 5, 6)
(Rev. 20:7- 10) we see Satan bound & released for short while and put into lake of fire. Satan with others with him.
Rev. 21 NEW JERUSALEM comes down from heaven (Revelation 21: 1-5)
GOD WILL COME AND DWELL WITH US ON NEW EARTH AND NEW HEAVEN. HALLELUJAH!
JESUS DID NOT COME TO DESTROY THE WORLD BUT TO SAVE IT. Adam lost the world due to disobedience to GOD but JESUS obeyed GOD and restored the whole world to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords with the people who believe in Him as Second Adam. So we are going to reign with Him for 1000 years and later eternally. Forever and ever. We do not know how long!! Hallelujah!
- JESUS comes for the Jews & says STAND UP lift your heads, your REDEMPTION is near. (Christians are redeemed already, right!) They will see the Messiah JESUS and accept Him.
(Matthew 24: 31 Jesus will send His angels with loud trumpet call and gather the elects from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.) (Zechariah 12: 10)
2. Watch out! The Day or Hour no one knows (Matthew 24: 36-44) Son of Man will not know either only GOD knows.
3. Learn a lesson from fig tree. Fig tree – Israel. Watch Israel. (Matthew 24: 32-34)
When Israel is established as a country in 1948 AD after it was totally destroyed in 70 AD we should be watching how things happen and be ready as JESUS said. No evidence was left to say that there was a City. Romans ploughed the ground and levelled it.
1967 AD JERUSALEM came to Israel in 6 days war. Jews from all over the world came back to their county from where they were scattered – as per the prophecy.
(Jeremiah 16: 14-16; Jeremiah 23: 7, 8) Even now many Jews are still coming back. (Ezekiel 39: 27, 28)
2017 AD JERUSALEM formally recognised as the capital of Israel by USA President Donald Trump.
ISRAEL country is officially recognised. JERUSALEM announced as the Capital City. TEMPLE is ready to be built. Our Rapture will come anytime.
JESUS said HEAVEN & EARTH WILL PASS AWAY BUT MY WORDS ‘WILL NEVER PASS AWAY. (Matthew 24: 35)
Q) Who is reliable? Ans. JESUS
Q) What will not pass away? Ans. His Words – THE BIBLE
Is there anyone here who did not accept JESUS into your heart?
Please do so right now.
Today is the day of SALVATION.