What to Expect When the World is Ending

What to Expect… When the World is Ending

Overview: 1. The Millennium 2. The Tribulation 3. The Rapture / 2 nd Coming

1. The Millennium

Revelation 20: 3, 4, 6 “He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years… And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus… They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years… they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years. ”

Overview of the End Times: Rapture of the Church(? ) ing s a e r Inc s” n i a P “Birth New Heaven & New Earth Final Judgment War & Wrath The Millennium 7 yr. Tribulation n ddo age Arm rist i. Ch Ant ealed Rev ty rea ce T Pea Deception Devastation Declaration Return Of Christ Satan bound Jesus reigns Martyrs rule

The Post-Millennial View: Return Of Christ ng i s a e Incr ation m a l c Pro New Heaven & New Earth The Millennium Gradual conversion of Advantage: Optimism Final most of the world A high view of the power of Judgment the gospel to change lives conquers evil and injustice, prompting the return of and change the world. Christ.

The A-Millennial View: Return Of Christ New Heaven & New Earth The Millennium Advantage: Realism The resurrection of Jesus started Final the symbolic period of time called Recognizing the Judgment the Millennium – a long age of conflict between the people of good and evil God and the enemies of God. in this age.

The Pre-Millennial View: Rapture of the Church(? ) g n i s a e Incr ” s n i a P “Birth Advantage: Literalism The plainest interpretation of Revelation 20. War & Wrath The Millennium 7 yr. Tribulation ty n ddo age Arm rist i. Ch Ant ealed Rev rea ce T Pea Deception Devastation Declaration Return Of Christ Satan bound Jesus reigns Martyrs rule New Heaven & New Earth Final Judgment

Historic Views on the Millennium Pre-Mill. Adherents: Post-Mill. Lad d Sco f Pre-Mill. Wa rfie ld by Dar Edw ard Cal vin Aug s il) (a. M ine ust oni cus Tyc aeu s rtyr Iren tin Ma Jus Pre-Mill. ield Plymouth Brethren, Fundamentalists, Evangelicals A-Mill. Post-Mill. WWI 350 1500 1900 A-Mill. Adherents: Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran, Reformed, Anglican, Methodist

2. The Tribulation

The Great Tribulation “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation. ” Revelation 7: 14 “For then there will be great tribulation, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. . ” Matthew 24: 21 (ESV) “Cries of fear are heard – terror, not peace… How awful that day will be! None will be like it. It will be a time of trouble for Jacob, but he will be saved out of it. ” Jeremiah 30: 5, 7 “There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. ” Daniel 12: 1

3. The Rapture

3 Views on the Rapture Pre-Trib. Rapture g n i s a e Incr ” s n i a P “Birth Mid-Trib. Post-Trib. Rapture Final Judgment War & Wrath The Millennium 7 yr. Tribulation ty n ddo age Arm rist i. Ch Ant ealed Rev rea ce T Pea Deception Devastation Declaration New Heaven & New Earth Satan bound Jesus reigns Martyrs rule

The Pre-Tribulation Rapture Secret Coming of Christ FOR the Church ing s a e r Inc s” n i a P “Birth Return of Christ WITH the Church War & Wrath 7 yr. Tribulation New Heaven & New Earth Final Judgment The Millennium “I am going to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. ” John 14: 2 -3

The Pre-Tribulation Rapture Secret Coming of Christ FOR the Church ing s a e r Inc s” n i a P “Birth Return of Christ WITH the Church War & Wrath 7 yr. Tribulation New Heaven & New Earth Final Judgment The Millennium “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. 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. ” Thessalonians 4: 15 -17

The Post-Tribulation Rapture Historic Pre-Millennialism Israel Return of Christ The Church: The New People of God “I have not come to abolish the law and the prophets but to fulfill them…” Matthew 5: 17 “Everything had to be fulfilled that was written about me in the Law of Moses and the prophets. ” Luke 24: 44 7 yr. Tribulation The Church Revived & Refined, The World Condemned The Millennium Promises to Israel and the Church Fulfilled

The Rapture / 2 nd Coming Matthew 24 “They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call and they will gather his elect. ” 1 Thess. 4 “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 we will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. ” Revelation 19 “I saw… a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war… The armies of heaven were following him… He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. ”

Different Views • Premillennialism, Postmillennialism, Amillennialism • Pre-trib, Post-trib, Mid-trib rapture

Article 9 We believe in the personal, bodily and premillennial [glorious] return of our Lord Jesus Christ. The coming of Christ, at a time known only to God, demands constant expectancy and, as our blessed hope, motivates the believer to godly living, sacrificial service and energetic mission.

Unity in the Essentials We believe in the personal, bodily and premillennial [glorious] return of our Lord Jesus Christ. • Replacing this one word makes the EFCA statement of faith a beautifully unifying expression of evangelical doctrine

Theological Triage Unity in the Essentials Clarity in our Distinctives Liberty in Non-essentials The Trinity, the Bible, the Gospel Baptism, Holiness, Mission, Cooperation Millennium, Calvinism, age of earth, sign gifts

Article 9 We believe in the personal, bodily and premillennial [glorious] return of our Lord Jesus Christ. The coming of Christ, at a time known only to God, demands constant expectancy and, as our blessed hope, motivates the believer to godly living, sacrificial service and energetic mission.