Future Prophecy

Hey everyone. I apologize for not posting Friday or Saturday. I had a busy weekend and time just got away from me.

Today I'm going to write about the lesson that we have been talking about in Sunday School for the past two weeks: Future Prophecy.

This is a lot of material, but my Sunday School class is going to be going deeper into each event in the next few weeks. This is basically an overview and introduction to the topics that will be covered later on, but I think that these events should be things that all Christians are aware of.

The Rapture
I Thessalonians 4:13-18 - But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are still alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Overview: Jesus will appear in the air, trumpets will sound, the dead in Christ shall rise, and then the Christians who are still alive will ascend.

The Judgment Seat of Christ
II Corinthians 5:10 - For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
Overview: The Judgment Seat of Christ is only for Christians. This judgment is not about salvation. It is about the rewarding of all Christians for what we have done for Christ in our life. This is also not about our sins. Jesus has already taken care of our sins by dying for us on the cross.

The Marriage Supper of the Lamb
Ephesians 5:25-27 - Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word. That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Revelation 19:7-9 - Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
Overview: The Judgment Seat of Christ prepares us to be God's whole, perfect, unblemished bride. This is when Jesus will be united with all saved Christians ("wedding his bride").

The Tribulation (I believe in the post-rapture tribulation, which is why I am placing it here in the order of events. Regardless of when it will happen, the prophesized events will be the same.)
Revelation chapters 6-9 (which I will not be typing all of... =)
Overview: The Tribulation will last for 7 years and it will happen on Earth. During these 7 years, God will be judging the world for sinfulness and preparing Israel for their coming Messiah. The nation of Israel will go through the tribulation just like the rest of the unsaved people because they did not believe in Christ's first coming.
The Great Tribulation will take place during the last three and a half years. Things will begin to get VERY bad. There will be famine, great hail storms, etc. In these last three and a half years the Anti-Christ will rise to power. The Anti-Christ will be able to explain all of these events (the famine, hail, missing Christians) away. The False Prophet will also rise to power during these years. He will be THE religious spokesperson, but he will not be teaching about God. Both the Anti-Christ and the False Prophet will be able to have so much power because the world will have one united government.

The Battle of Armageddon
Revelation 16:14 & 16 - For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
Overview: The Battle of Armageddon will occur at the end of the 7 years of Tribulation. The Anti-Christ and his armies will battle Israel (to try and get rid of them before God and His armies can come to their rescue). This battle will occur in the valley that is south of Nazareth and west of the Jordan River.

The Second Coming (or Revatlation) of Christ
Revelation 19:11-21 - And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; That ye may eat the flesh of kinds, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. And I saw the beast, and the kinds of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
Overview: The Second Coming of Christ is not to be confused with The Rapture. The Second Coming is when Christ will actually RETURN to Earth. During The Rapture, Jesus will meet all the Christians in the air. Jesus comes back to Earth to wipe out Satan and his armies. We Christians are Jesus' armies, clothed in white linens and sitting upon white horses. We are his followers, but we never have to actually fight. Jesus takes care of everything for us. We get to share in His victory.

The Great White Throne Judgment
Revelation 20:11-15 - And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Overview: This is the judgment for the unsaved. Christians will not be at the Great White Throne Judgment. This is where all of the unsaved people of the world will be judged and then thrown into the lake of fire. That's harsh, and I'm definitely glad that I won't have to be there.

The Millenium Reign of Christ
Revelation 20:1-6 - And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years. And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
Overview: Christ will rule the Earth for a thousand years. We will rule with Him and it will be a good time for us. This will be a great victory for Christians and for Israel.


Like I said in the beginning, this is just scratching the surface of these events, but it's a good introduction to the things that are to come. Hopefully I will be able to do more in depth posts about these events in the future. Also, if you ever get confused about the scripture that I write, I write it in the King James Version for a reason. This is the text that we use at my church, so it's what I'm used to, but also, because I know that most other churches today don't use the KJV, so I encourage you to compare the scripture I type here to the scripture in the different versions of the Bible that are out there.

I hope that everyone had a good, safe weekend. I'm already looking foward to the next one. =)

God Bless,
Taylor