ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º [ This is a long article. It can also be downloaded from file area 7. ] º º º º º º º º What in the World Is Going To Happen? º º By: Charles R. Swindoll º º º º For many individuals, prophecy is something to be ignored - or, at best, º º to be viewed with suspicion. Because foolish predictions have been proven º º false or erroneous information has led to fanaticism, the popular º º attitude today toward prophetic teaching is skepticism. However, the fact º º remains that God has revealed to us a great deal about the future. Though º º some things have not been revealed, many details have been set forth in º º plain, unmistakable terms which God wants us to know. In this study, we º º want to uncover and place into proper perspective those pieces of the º º picture clearly presented to us in Scripture. Before we survey God's º º future plan, we shall briefly review the potential dangers of prophetic º º study, as well as the basis of the skepticism aimed at prophetic events. º º º º I. Dangers of Prophetic Study. º º As we commence this series, it is necessary to remind ourselves of º º those traps into which students of prophecy often fall: º º º º A. Setting Dates and Making Dogmatic Declarations. º º Per Jesus' instruction to His disciples, "It is not for you to º º know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own º º authority" (Acts 1:7). º º º º B. Making the Study of Prophecy an End in Itself. º º In most every New Testament mention of prophetic happening, there º º is an accompanying reminder to live a godly life. º º º º C. Answering Questions that Nobody is Asking. º º One can pore over prophetic material and gloss over the essential º º issues. º º º º II. Skepticism toward Prophetic Events (2 Pet. 3:3-7). º º º º Skepticism is nothing new: the problem was evident in Peter's time. º º Familiar with the lives of the first century mockers, he wrote, "...In º º the last days mockers will come ...saying, 'Where is the promise of His º º coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it º º was from the beginning of creation'" (vv. 3-4). Skeptics of all time have º º adhered to the theory of uniformitarianism, which teaches that since the º º origin of matter and time, there has never been an interruption in º º natural phenomenom or pattern. Peter's evaluation twenty centuries ago is º º still on target today: "For when they maintain this, it escapes their º º notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth º º was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that º º time was destroyed, being flooded with water" (vv. 5-6). The flood of º º Noah cuts the heart of the skeptics' theory, for God did interrupt º º natural phenomenon and pattern...and nothing prevents Him from doing it º º again. His Word declares that He will. Within this context, Peter added, º º "...The present heavens and earth...are being reserved for fire, kept for º º the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men" (v.7). Skepticism is º º in trouble when placed against the historical backdrop of the Flood. º º º º III. Survey of God's Prophetic Plan. º º As we look at this panorama we will begin with the present, then º º identify and describe ten prophetic events that lead right into º º eternity: º º º º A. The Church. The term church comes from two Greek words which, º º when put together, mean "to call out" or "called out ones." º º Before Jesus left this earth, He promised Peter that He would º º personally build His Church - an organism which would not be º º threatened by hell's forces (Matt. 16:16-18). The fulfillment º º of that promise began on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2), and º º since then the Lord Jesus Christ has been calling out of the º º world those whose hearts are turned toward Him: Jew and Gentile, º º male and female, bond and free, child and adult. Today we are º º living at the end of this era. º º º º B. The Rapture of the Church (1 Thess. 4:13-17). This will occur at º º the end of the Church Era. All those believers - found in every º º part of the earth - who will have lived and died during the º º Church Age will be raised up, leaving behind only unbelievers. º º Paul informs us that the dead will be raised first (vv. 15-16), º º and the living believers will be caught up with them in the air º º to meet the Lord together (v. 17). º º º º C. The Judgment Seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:10). This will transpire in º º heaven for those children of God raised at the Rapture. This º º judgment does not deal with salvation, but with rewards. Our life º º and conduct on earth will be evaluated and, according to our º º obedience, particular eternal rewards will be given to us by the º º Lord Jesus Christ. º º º º D. The Tribulation (Matt. 24:21; 2 Thess. 2:1-8; Rev. 4-19). This º º seven-year period on earth will unfold simultaneously with º º believers receiving their rewards in heaven. The first 3 1/2 º º years will be ones of relative peace, while the last 3 1/2 years º º will be ones of tremendous chaos. Satan, who will be º º unrestrained, will establish his unholy trinity: Satan will º º assume the place of God the Father. The Beast (Satan's right-hand º º man, mentioned in Rev. 13) will occupy the position of God the º º Son; he will make a peace pact with Israel which he will later º º break, promising unity and prosperity to them and all world º º citizens; also, he will place on his followers a particular mark º º or identification without which they will be unable to buy or º º sell. The False Prophet (the Beast's right-hand man) will take º º the position of God the Holy Spirit and will act as a deceiver; º º he will draw the world together under one great and unified º º religious and governmental system. This era will climax with the º º infamous Battle of Armageddon. º º º º E. The Battle of Armageddon (Rev. 16:16; 19:19). In this military º º campaign, those who join forces with the beast-like ruler will º º attempt to carry on a worldwide conquest. They will ultimately º º rise up in the Valley of Megiddo. º º º º F. The Second Advent (Matt. 24:29-31). At the conclusion of º º Armageddon Jesus Christ will return and judge the earth. º º º º G. The Sheep-Goat Judgment (Matt. 25:31-44). All unbelievers will be º º judged and removed from the earth. The believers will enter the º º Kingdom Age. º º º º H. The Kingdom Age (Isa. 11:1-9; Dan. 2:44; Rev. 20:4-6). This º º period, known as the Millennium, will span one thousand years. º º Satan will be bound and placed in the abyss. Those believers who º º were put to death during the Tribulation will join those who º º already appeared before the Judgment Seat of Christ, and together º º they will reign with Christ over the world as judges, governors, º º mayors, etc. Christ Himself will reign as the righteous and º º universal Judge over the entire earth, directing a perfect º º judicial system. He will be the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. º º During this time, the curse will be removed both from the earth º º and from the animal kingdom; the desert will blossom as a rose º º and there will be no need to fear the carnivorous animals. There º º will be plenty of food. The knowledge of the Lord will permeate º º the whole earth and the heart of man; however, in spite of all º º this, the heart of man will not change...as we shall see in the º º next event. º º º º I. Satan's Release (Rev. 20:7-9). At the end of the Millennium, º º Satan will be freed, and deceiving the nations once again, he º º will lead to destruction those unbelievers (born to believers º º during the Millennium) who choose to follow him. º º º º J. Great White Throne Judgment (Rev. 20:10-15). The earth will be º º destroyed (2 Peter 3). and the final judgment of all unbelievers º º will take place. Along with Satan, all those whose names do not º º appear in the book of life will be thrown into the lake of fire. º º º º K. Eternity (Rev. 21-22). A new heaven and earth will replace the º º old; sorrow, pain, death, and night will cease to exist. This º º is the ultimate destiny for all believers. º º º º THE NEXT EVENT OF THE FUTURE º º º º The Lord is continuing today to build His Church - just as He told Peter º º nearly two thousand years ago: "...I will build My church; and the gates º º of Hades shall not overpower it" (Matt.16:18). That process began in Acts º º 2 and will conclude with the next event of the future foretold in º º Scripture: the Rapture of the Church. The Church Age, in which we're º º currently living, could end at any time. When the Rapture occurs, the º º Church of Jesus Christ will be lifted up from the earth and the building º º of the Church will cease. Let's look more closely at this event. º º º º I. THE PROMISE GIVEN BY CHRIST (John 14:1-3). º º First delivered to the disciples, this promise is fitting for º º Christians of all times. First He addressed an attitude, then He º º offered an assurance. º º º º A. OUR ATTITUDE (v.1). "Let not your heart be troubled." In º º practical terms He was saying, "As you consider your present º º life marked by difficulty and trouble, don't let your heart º º and mind get wrapped up in those things." This was particularly º º meaningful to His men, who suddenly looked upon a bleak future º º as their Savior was about to die. They had expected to enter º º His Kingdom as charter members, but they had been informed º º that the Kingdom was not yet to become a reality: other events º º had to happen before it would begin. As we, from our individual º º perspectives, face our own often uncertain futures, these words º º should continue to carry weight with us. º º º º B. AN ASSURANCE (vv.2-3). Jesus continued, saying, "In My Father's º º house are many dwelling places...for I go to prepare a place for º º you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, º º and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be º º also." The words (dwelling places) simply refer to "a place of º º residence, a dwelling." The phrase may be literally translated, º º "In My Father's house are many apartments." We must note that in º º this assurance Jesus didn't just promise heaven, but also º º personal union with Himself. º º º º II. THE EVENT EXPLAINED BY PAUL. º º We're indebted to this apostle for the help he's provided us in º º understanding this event that will occur without announcement, º º abruptly. º º º º A. THE MYSTERY UNVEILED (1 Cor.15:50-55). In Paul's day it was º º believed that the only way a person could enter God's presence º º was through death. However, in this chapter dealing with the º º subject of resurrection, he spoke of the mystery (literally, a º º secret revealed to him) pertaining to life after death. He º º wrote to the Corinthians that some would actually enter God's º º presence in a living state since they would be alive at the º º moment of rapture. Here are his words:"...We shall not all º º sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the º º twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will º º sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall º º be changed." Paul doesn't tell us when the Rapture will º º happen, but he states it as a fact of our future. º º º º B. THE PROCESS REVEALED (1 Thess. 4:13-18). This is the crucial º º passage dealing with the Rapture. Paul introduces it with these º º words:"...We do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about º º those who are asleep..." (v.13). In his letter to the º º Thessalonians, he introduces the subject with truth about those º º who had died in Christ: "...We who are alive, and remain until º º the coming of the Lord, shall not proceed those who have fallen º º asleep" (v.15). A close look at the text helps us to answer º º three important questions. º º º º 1. WHAT ABOUT THE SIGNS? The Bible does not give us any signs º º to look for that will precede the Rapture: it is to be both º º sudden and unannounced. However, we are given signs that º º will occur just before the Second Advent of Christ. Thus, º º if we see these signs occurring, we can be assured that the º º Rapture is soon to take place (such events as making of a º º one-world religion, and the making of a one-world º º government headed by the beast-like dictator). º º º º 2. WHAT ABOUT THE DEAD? For certain we can say three things º º regarding them: They will not be forgotten (v.14). They º º will go before the living (vv.15-16). They will go "in the º º clouds...in the air" to be with the Lord (v.17). º º º º 3. WHAT ABOUT THE LIVING? Those alive at the time of the º º Rapture will be caught up together with the risen believers º º just mentioned (v.17). Also, very small children (who have º º not yet come to an age of understanding the claims of º º Christ) will be raptured with their believing parents (1 º º Cor.7:14). Quite likely, those living when the Rapture º º occurs will hear its introductory shout of the Lord, the º º voice of the archangel, the trumpet of God, and then they º º will be caught up into the air. º º º º C. THE EVENT APPLIED (Titus 2:11-14). It is man's tendency to think º º only of the sensational aspects of this marvelous event. º º However, its purpose is not sensation. In this text we find that º º the Rapture teaches us two things: º º º º 1. NEGATIVELY. It teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly º º desires. º º º º 2. POSITIVELY. It teaches us to live sensible, righteous, º º and godly lives at the present time. º º º º III. THE PROBLEM SOLVED BY JOHN (Rev.3:10). º º We are given every indication of a promise that the Christian will º º avoid going into the Tribulation. Here is the promise delivered to º º the believers of Philadelphia: "Because you have kept the word of º º My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, º º that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test º º those who dwell upon the earth." º º º º HOW TO BUILD A FIREPROOF LIFE º º 1 Cor.3:10-15; 2 Cor.5:10 º º º º A great deal has been said about the Rapture of the Church. We sing about º º it, speak about it, and anticipate it. But what happens once it occurs? º º After we are taken into our Lord's presence, what then? In this study we º º want to consider the answer to that question. On the basis of three New º º Testament passages (Rom.14:10; 1 Cor.3:10-15; 2 Cor.5:10), we believe º º that all Christians will appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ. º º Let's carefully examine this event together. º º º º I. INTRODUCTION OF THE EVENT. º º Other judgments are mentioned in Scripture; so in order to chart a º º clear course in considering this particular judgment, let's establish º º some boundaries: º º º º A. WHO...WHEN...WHERE? The Judgment Seat of Christ is for believers º º only. This judgment will occur immediately after the Rapture and º º will convene in the Lord's presence. Simultaneously, the º º Tribulation will be in progress on the earth. º º º º B. FURTHER CLARIFICATION. This will not be a time when our sins are º º paraded before us; the Bible reveals that God has chosen to º º forget our sin. Also, this judgment will not determine whether º º we stay in heaven or leave. Ultimately, only one concern will º º prevail: Do we receive rewards, or do we lose them? The basis º º for this judgment will be the quality of life we lived during º º our days on earth. º º º º II. EXPLANATION OF THE EVENT (2 Cor.5:10). º º The context of this verse is the earthly body contrasted with the º º new body which we will receive when we enter the Lord's presence at º º the Rapture. In nearing the end of his thoughts on the resurrected º º body, Paul remind his readers on the Judgment Seat of Christ. Here º º are the details: º º º º A. ITS CERTAINTY. "We must." This judgment is not optional, "For we º º must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ...." º º º º B. ITS SCOPE. "All...each one." First, it is (universal): all º º believers of the Church Age will be included. Second, it is º º (individual): each believer will be personally evaluated. º º º º C. ITS LOCATION. "Before the judgment seat." The Greek term Paul º º used here is (bema). In his day this was a raised platform º º positioned in the canter of an arena where athletic games were º º held. From this platform officials observed those running around º º the track and issued the winning contestants their hard-earned º º rewards. This is the word picture behind Paul's description of º º Christ's Judgment Seat. º º º º D. THE JUDGE. He is the Lord Jesus Christ, who in both justice and º º righteousness mot only knows the deed, but also its accompanying º º motive. º º º º E. ITS PURPOSE. "That each one may be recompensed." The word º º (recompense) means "to receive back; to recover." Each Christian º º will receive rewards according to the godliness of the earthly º º life he or she lived. º º º º F. BASIS OF THE REWARDS. "According to what he has done, whether º º good or bad." There are only two categories of deeds in our º º lives: (1) the useful; (2) the useless. Those things done in the º º power of the Holy Spirit will be rewarded; those things done in º º the power of the flesh will be ignored. º º º º III.EVALUATION AT THE EVENT (1 Cor.3:10-15). º º Calling attention to the quality of one's work and the judgment º º which the believer is to face, Paul spoke in terms of building º º construction. The context of this chapter has to do with the º º problem of the carnal perspective - which Christians often become º º trapped in as they compare preachers. (In this case, the º º Corinthians were comparing Paul, Peter, and Apollos.) Exposing the º º problem, he indicated that God's work was like a building, and º º those leaders being compared were, in a sense, subcontractors º º building under God's direction. Keep the Judgment Seat of Christ in º º mind as you move through the development of Paul's thoughts. º º º º A. THE FOUNDATION (v.1). "Jesus Christ." He is the only foundation º º that will count in eternity. º º º º B. THE CONSTRUCTION (v.2). Only two kinds of building materials are º º cited: (destructible)...such as wood, hay, and straw; and º º (indestructible)...such as gold, silver and precious stones. º º º º C. THE INSPECTION (v.13). "The fire." Every building must undergo º º an inspection. Paul wrote,"...The fire itself will test the º º quality of each man's work." º º º º D. THE DECISION (vv.14-15). "Reward" or "loss." Jesus Christ, our º º righteous Judge, will examine the structure of each of our º º works. He alone will determine the quality of our works, and we º º will be rewarded accordingly. It's not quantity, but (quality) º º that counts with Him. The motive is as significant as the act. º º º º E. THE REWARD (v.14). The meaning of the term is "prize, award; º º earned, achieved." As Paul uses it, it is associated with both º º honor and dignity being bestowed on the overcomer. Throughout º º the New Testament, at least five rewards are promised: º º º º 1. THE IMPERISHABLE CROWN (1 Cor.9:25). This is given to the º º one who consistently brings the flesh under the Holy º º Spirit's control, refusing to be enslaved by the sinful º º nature (cf. Rom.6:6-14). º º º º 2. THE CROWN OF EXULTATION (1 Thess.2:19). Also called the º º soul-winner's crown, this will be given to those who are º º faithful in declaring the gospel, leading people to Christ, º º and building them up in Him. º º º º 3. THE CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS (2 Tim.4:8). This will be º º awarded to those who live each day anticipating Christ's º º imminent return...those who conduct their lives with º º eternity's values in view. º º º º 4. THE CROWN OF LIFE (Rev.2:10). This will be presented to º º those saints who suffered in a noble manner during their º º earthly life (cf. James 1:12). º º º º 5. THE CROWN OF GLORY (1 Pet.5:4). This is promised to the º º undershepherds of the flock. º º º º F. THE LOSS OF REWARDS (v.15). The works will be burned up, but the º º believer will be saved "so as through fire." The point is that º º salvation is a gift that is not based upon works; therefore, º º works themselves will never keep someone out of heaven, nor will º º they help someone enter. º º º º IV.THOUGHTS DERIVED FROM THE EVENT. º º º º A. WORKS ARE IMPORTANT. The fruit of your life reveals its root. º º º º B. QUALITY IS ESSENTIAL. It's not so much what you do as why you º º do it. º º º º C. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE SECRET. Whatever work is done must stem º º from the person and power of the Holy Spirit. º º º º ------------------------------------------------------------------------- º º º º Chuck Swindoll is the senior pastor of the First Evangelical Free Church º º in Fullerton, California. His radio program, "Insight For Living", can be º º heard on many Christian radio stations, including KPRZ and KWVE (See º º Bulletins 7 and 8 for programs schedules). º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ |
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