X ESCHATOLOGY - Doctrine of Last Things or the Teaching of Last Things

The next event in God's plan which brings in the last of the last is the end of this administration of God. This dispensation end with man's failure. It is prophesized in 1 Timothy 4:1-3 and 2 Timothy 3:1-7.

The event which ends the Church age called His Body is the Lord Jesus coming in the clouds to gather up all His saints since the world began. This event is imminent and is known as the Rapture of the Church, it includes all saints in ages past and the believers in the Church today who are "in Christ" 1 Thess. 4:13-18.

Immediately following the rapture of the Church called the Body of Christ and the rapture of saints sense the beginning of the world, the world will enter a seven year period known as The Tribulation. This is the prophesize delayed judgment of Israel's Dispensation of Promise and the Dispensation of Grace (today's program called the church age). The Tribulation is God's judgment on the non believers left behind after the Rapture. 2 Thess 2; and the book of Revelation.

God works His judgment period out by calling out a remnant of the nation of Israel saving them by the message of the cross of Jesus Christ commissioning them to preach the gospel and a innumerable number of Gentiles are saved who are not Jewish.

This period, also known as "Daniel's 70th. Week", will be divided into two three and one half year periods. The second three and one half year period will be characterized by pain and tumult on the earth such as has never been seen. The total tribulation is known as the period in which God's wrath is poured out on the earth (Dan. 8:19; I Thess. 1:10).

During the period of time of tribulation, the ruptured saints will stand before the judgment seat of Christ (Bema Seat) and receive rewards for the quality of their works performed. They will be with Christ during the Tribulation and come back with Him at His Second Coming to earth to reign. At the end of the Tribulation the Lord comes with His saints to judge the nations, the Battle of Armageddon occurs and He sets up His kingdom for a 1,000 year or millennium reign.

The saints from all dispensations will be with Christ for these 1,000 years. The Body of Christ and those saints which came out of the Tribulation by death and which did not worship the Beast or receive his mark will reign with Him they will have glorified bodies whereas those still on earth that were saved and escaped martyrdom go into the 1000 years with natural bodies and reproduce. All non believers in Christ Jesus will be put to death in the judgments of the tribulation by plagues and vials and in the battle of Armageddon. Book of Revelation expounds these truths.

Satan will be bound during the Millennium Reign of Christ. At the end of the millennial Satan is loosened he gather an army against Christ Jesus our God and savior. These who Satan gathers are some of the children who would not except Jesus Christ and His rule. Jesus Christ will destroy this army  with the Word of His mouth. Satan will be thrown into the Lake of Fire forever.

After Satan's destruction, there is the Great White Throne Judgment. All those who ever lived before and rejected God in Christ will be judged by their works and whoever was not in the Book of Life are thrown into the Lake of Fire which is the second death. Satan and all those at the Great White Throne will suffer eternal torment.

At the end of the millennial reign, God will make a new heaven and earth which will last forever where there will be no sin, enjoyment and everlasting life as God originally wanted men to experience.

A. The Rapture:

1. It is a mystery which had not been revealed in other dispensations (1 Cor. 15:51).
2. It ended the Dispensation of Grace (1 Thess. 4:13-18).
3. All saints since creation will be risen who are "in Christ" (1 Thess. 4:16 cf. Eph. 2:12-13; Heb. 11:13-16; John 17:20-26; Gal. 4:28 cf. 3:29).
4. It can happen at any moment (Phil. 3:10, 11; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; 1 Cor. 15).
5. Believers are delivered from God's wrath which occurs in the seven years of tribulation (1 Thess. 1:10).
6. It ends Daniel's gap prophecy for Israel (Dan. 9:26) and the 70th. week begins with God dealing with Israel as a covenant people .

B. The Tribulation

1. It is a seven year period divided into two three and one half year periods (Dan 9:24-27; Rev. 12:14).
2. It is characterized by great suffering and anguish (Matt. 24:6-7).
3. God's wrath will be poured out in judgments (Rev. 6,8,9,16).
4. A great number of gentiles will be saved (Rev. 7).
5. It ends with a great battle at Armageddon (Rev. 16:16).
6. It ends with the remnant nation of Israel converted (Rom. 11:25) and Christ coming to earth to reign with His saints.
7. This is the judgment of both the dispensation of Promise and the Dispensation of Grace (or Equality).

C. Millennium - 1,000 year Reign of Christ (Rev. 20:4)

1. Saints rule with Christ (Is. 25:23; I Cor. 6:2,3; Rev. 2:26; 22:5).
2. Characterized by peace (Isa. 2:4; 11:5-9).
3. Israel possessing the land promised (Is. 14:1,2; 26:1,15; 49:6,8-26).
4. Satan bound (Rev. 20:3).
5. Long life restored (Isa. 65:20) and death to the disobedient.
6. There will be fair rule (Ps. 9:7-10; Is. 9:6,7). Which will be characterized by strong rule and controls.  Men will be and kept in line by a just system and rule. (Rev. 2:26,27; 12:5; 19:15).
7. The end of the Millennium will be marked by the Battle of Gog and Magog.  Satan will be loosened from the pit, and many who are in pre-resurrected bodies will following him to attack the Lord of Heaven. The Lord Jesus Christ will destroy them by the Word of His mouth (Rev. 20:7-10).
8. The obedient believers who were not martyred but died during the tribulation and Millennium  will be raised at the end of the Millennium (Rev. 20:5).

D. Judgments