PREWRATH ESCHATOLOGY SIMPLIFIED

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Prewrath eschatology sees the Parousia as a complex-whole, where God will fulfil a variety of purposes:

  1. Beginning with the revelation of Christ in the sky displaying his shekinah glory and power to the whole world .
  2. Resurrection and rapture of God’s people.
  3. Immediately followed by the wrath of God poured out on the earth with the trumpet and bowl judgements. It is the day of the Lord’s judgements upon the ungodly and Antichrist’s kingdom. Duration is possibly 1 year and 10 days, same time as God poured out His wrath the first time during the days of Noah.
  4. Jesus return to this earth with the saints, restoring Israel to salvation which begins Christ’s earthly reign on this earth for a thousand years. Curse is not lifted off the entire earth. People still die. At the end of Jesus thousand year reign, Satan is released and deceives the nations and a final battle occurs which God ends with fire from heaven. Satan is cast into the Lake of Fire and God’s word says he, the beast and the false prophet will be tormented forever and ever.
  5. The Great White Throne Judgement is held in heaven after the dead unbelievers are raised to life.
  6. Unbelievers will be cast into the lake of Fire, which for them will be ultimately, after due punishment, the second death. “Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. Anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:14 Also Jesus said, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Only Satan and his minions face eternal torment in the Lake of Fire which was prepared for them. Matthew 25:41
  7. “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
    Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” Revelation 21:2-5

 

 

 

 

 

 

JESUS SECOND COMING IS PART OF THE REDEMPTIVE STORY

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Jesus’ first coming did not fulfil all the promises of God – it secured all the promises of God.

The story must be finished. Jesus must receive His inheritance. The church must come to maturity. Many Christians think of the gospel only as the message of Jesus’ first coming, but that is an incomplete gospel. The gospel is both the good news of Jesus’ first coming and the promise of His second coming.

Jesus second coming has always been the great hope of the church but for many believers the return of Jesus is a subject that seems confusing.

The key to understanding the end times is connecting the main themes of the end times with the overall redemptive story.

There are promises that must be fulfilled and covenants that must be resolved. When you grasp a few main events in the redemptive story, the main themes of the end times become straightforward and easy to grasp because they are simply the logical conclusion of the story.

There are many books on the detailed events of the end times, but It Must Be Finished is unique because it helps readers make sense of the return of Jesus by connecting it to the redemptive story. It gives readers the necessary foundations to do further study of the Old Testament, Bible, and end times.

By following the consistent threads of God’s covenants, promises, and plans, Samuel has made the Gospel Story and its profound implications so much easier to grasp. The closer we get to Jesus Second Coming, the more important it is that we understand the complete Gospel message outlined in both the O.T. and the N.T. This book will greatly help any Christian who desires, not only to understand the broader biblical message, but also to fulfil their role within that story as it unfolds.

https://vimeo.com/282393701

PREWRATH RAPTURE BEFORE GOD’S WRATH IS POURED OUT IN TRUMPET AND BOWL JUDGEMENTS

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As I have outlined previously, my position on the rapture of the Saints is Prewrath. I have presented articles by Alan Kurschner on the Prewrath position before but this one on Revelation 19 is excellent. I have also added a video produced last year where Joel Richardson interviews Alan on the Prewrath position. I am confident it will enlarge your understanding of Jesus Second Coming and give you a better perspective on how awe inspiring and wonderful is our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Let me know what you think.

Revelation 19 Does NOT Depict the Start of the Second Coming

Prewrath eschatology teaches that the second coming (parousia) of Jesus begins—not in Rev 19— but rather between the opening of the sixth and seventh seals in Rev 7 with the rapture and resurrection occurring with the innumerable multitude of believers appearing in heaven out of the period of the great tribulation.

This is followed immediately with the day of the Lord’s wrath starting with the opening of the scroll when the seventh and last seal is broken. The trumpets and bowls then release God’s judgement upon the wicked. The battle of Armageddon is one of the very last judgements in the complex-whole of God’s eschatological wrath being depicted in Rev 19—the grand finale, if you will. Revelation 19 is not about deliverance, it is wholly about judgement.

Practically every other end-time position (pretrib, posttrib, amill, historical premill, and so on) assumes that the second coming begins in Rev 19. They virtually never argue for this—they simply assume it. Besides all the evidence that points to the second coming beginning in Rev 7 with the deliverance of God’s people and the ensuing eschatological judgements in the trumpets and bowls, here are a few more reasons:

“In the first place, the passage [Rev 19] does not have features commonly associated with the Parousia in the Synoptic Gospels and in Paul. There is no mention of Christ coming on the clouds (Matt 24:30; 26:64; Mark 13:26; 14:62; Luke 21:27), accompanying angels (Matt 13:41, 49; 16:27; 24:31; 25:31;  Mark 8:38; 13:27; 2 Thess 1:7) or the gathering in of the elect (Matt 24:31, 40–41; Mark 13:27; cf. Matt 13:41, 49; 1 Thess 4:17; 1 Cor 15:52). The description of Christ on a white horse is not found in any of the Parousia passages. Patently, the interest in this passage is not in the faithful but in the destruction of evil-doers. In any case, the faithful are not on earth waiting to be delivered, but in heaven [with resurrected bodies]. To interpret the ‘coming’ of 19:11–21 as the Second Coming, with the removal of the faithful from the earth, runs counter to the strong interest in the earth in Revelation.” R. Jack McKelvey “The Millennium and the Second Coming” In Studies in the Book of Revelation, edited by Steve Moyise (New York: T&T Clark, 2001) 86.

In addition, last year Joel Richardson interviewed me on his videocast on this very topic:

PROPHESIED LAST DAYS EVENTS – PROOF THE BIBLE IS INFALLIBLE AND INERRANT

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The California Assembly approved a bill 50-18 that tells churches and other[s] with traditional beliefs about gender and sexual orientation that advocating for their views could get them sued.

AB 2943, declares ‘advertising, offering to engage in or engaging in sexual orientation change efforts with an individual’ is illegal under state’s consumer fraud law.” Note carefully the vote in the Assembly was 50 to 18 in favour of the bill. Talk about insane.

On April 17, David French noted that this bill “would actually—among other things—ban the sale of books expressing orthodox Christian beliefs about sexual morality. “Yes, ban the sale of books. What about banning the best selling book of all time – The Bible?

Perhaps those truly born again in the church will now see the utter intolerance of the radical left, but we know from Scripture that in the last days there will be a great falling away in the church. Jesus said, that even the elect will be deceived.

Thank goodness for Bible Prophecy, which besides being the ultimate truth of Holy Spirit inspiration of God’s Word, it tells us that when we see the events that are unfolding in our time, that we are approaching the last seven years prior to Jesus return (Daniels 70th Week). In the Olivet Discourse, Jesus tells us that Christians will experience tribulation and even see the Antichrist, “Therefore, when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place ” (Matthew 24:15).

Are we ready? Is the church even talking about these end times prophecies and the coming tribulation?

IS THERE PROPHETIC MEANING IN ISRAEL’S 70TH BIRTHDAY?

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Report by Israeli Messianic Jewish Communicator Ron Cantor who is host of “Out of Zion” on God TV.

President Trump recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s eternal capital and pledged to move the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem on Israel’s 70th anniversary, May 14. Many prophetic voices have called him a type of Cyrus.

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Just after Israel celebrated 50 years of a united Jerusalem (1967 Six-Day War – 2017), about 12 different Israeli ministries were planning a major outreach with American evangelists Todd White, Tom Ruotolo and Robbie Dawkins, who move in healing and prophecy. During this 70th year, they carried it out.

Last week, they had more than 200 people on the streets of Jerusalem, not only preaching the good news of Yeshua, but also praying for sick and seeing them healed. There were many who had words of knowledge regarding sicknesses and family members in need. Several Israelis prayed to receive Yeshua.

Israeli believers found a boldness they had never known. One of them said that he moved to Israel more than 20 years ago and has always been paralyzed with fear. However, this week, he and his team boldly shared the gospel. He went to one of his clients with his team and the client was in severe back pain. This man was instantly healed and then told all his employees to come receive prayer, and they were healed.

As far as I know, this was the largest outreach of prophetic/healing evangelism in Jerusalem since the very first believers. And it happened just as we are approaching the 70th anniversary of the rebirth of Israel as a nation.

In John 4, Yeshua leaves the Jews of Jerusalem to go reach the Jews of the Galilee. Yet, on the way, he purposely goes through gentile Samaria. Now I know some people teach that Samaritans were half Jews, but they were not. Yes, some intermarried with Israelites, but they came from the Assyrian kingdom after the 10 northern tribes were conquered. In effect, Yeshua leaves the Israelite population—brings revival to a Samaritan town and stays with them for two days—and then returns to the Jews in the Galilee.

Peter tells us that, “With the Lord a day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” (2 Pet. 3:8) The Lord spent two days with the gentiles, or symbolically 2,000 years. But then, He returns to Galilee, and while they had rejected Him in the past, it says they welcomed Him (John 4:45).

Prophetic Meaning

Could this be foreshadowing that Yeshua would begin with the Jews, but then focus on the gospel going forth into all nations for 2,000 years, and then come back to the Jewish people, who will welcome Him? Yes, because this is exactly what Scripture says!

Yeshua tells the Jews of Jerusalem, “For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'” In Hebrew, this phrase, “Blessed is he who comes,” is how we greet people, even today. Yeshua is saying, “Until you—the Jewish people—welcome me, I will not return.”

Furthermore, we have this promise in Romans 11 that tells us only after a massive Gentile harvest, will revival come to Israel.

“For I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, lest you be wise in your own estimation, for a partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved.” (Rom.11:25-26).

He calls this revelation a mystery and warns them that they could miss it because of pride over Israel (Rom. 11:19-21). And here is the mystery: We are approaching or have already approached the fullness of the nations. Now it is time for Jewish harvest, even as Israel celebrates her 70th birthday since rebirth. It is time for the eyes of the Jewish people to be opened to her Messiah.

Hallelujah! God is the author of the times and dates, and He has woven a beautiful mosaic that will result in a great harvest in Israel and in the nations.

WHEN WILL THE END COME?

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More from Alan Kurschner of Eschatos Ministries:

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole inhabited earth as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matt 24:14).

Here we have another explicit prophecy that must happen before the end: the gospel being preached “throughout the whole inhabited earth.” Since Jesus taught in the Great Commission that the church will be on earth up to the end of the age, they will witness the fulfilment of Jesus’ prophecy of the world-wide proclamation of the Gospel. Five words demonstrate this point: “then the end will come” (Matt 24:14). The church will not be removed until this prophecy is fulfilled. The church will not be raptured until this prophesied event happens.

On a related noted, having established that the church will be present on earth up to the end of the age in verse 14, notice in verse 15 Jesus says, “Therefore [oun] when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place…” The interpreter should not miss that Jesus has the same audience in view after verse 14. In verse 15, Jesus begins to describe the Antichrist’s great tribulation in more detail. There is no justification to claim that the referent “you” in verse 15 and afterwards is different from the “you” before verse 14. In other words, the disciples, who represent the new community of God (i.e. the church), are the consistent audience of Jesus’ entire discourse. In short, since the “you” before verse 15 represents the church, there is no reason—except for theological bias—that it represents anyone differently in verse 15 and afterwards.

Image result for pictures of gay couples getting married in church

The church will see “the abomination of desolation (Antichrist)  spoken of by Daniel, standing in the holy place”.

The question to ask: Is the church prepared for the coming tribulation? I think the answer is no for most of the major denominations, and it will be the reason for the prophesied great falling away. ” 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 is revealed , the son of perdition. ” 2 Thess. 2:3. We are already seeing evidence of an apostate church.

TENETS OF PREWRATH RAPTURE

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As some of my followers will have determined, I hold to a Prewrath Rapture position. It means that Christians will go through the tribulation period outlined by Daniel and John in Revelation, but not be subjected to the wrath of God that is poured out during the trumpet and bowl judgements.

For those of you who would like to explore this position further, I can recommend the resources produced by Alan Kurschner – Antichrist: Before the Day of the Lord and Nelson Walters – Rapture Case Closed? both who hold to the Prewrath Rapture position.

Don’t forget you can find sermons and videos relevant for these “last days” available for download on my other website http://www.powerpointsermons.net

I found the following fifteen tenets of the Prewrath position as outlined on Alan Kurschner’s website a great help and I hope you do too.

  1. There is a future seven-year period, and at the midpoint the Antichrist will be revealed and commit the abomination of desolation, initiating his great tribulation against the Church and Israel.
  2. There is a biblical distinction between the Antichrist’s great tribulation against the Church and Israel and the day of the Lord’s wrath against the ungodly. The latter event happens after the former event.
  3. The gathering of the elect mentioned in Matthew 24:31 refers to the rapture (cf. Mark 13:27; Luke 21:28; Rev 7:9–17; 1 Thess 4:13–18; 2 Thess 2:1).
  4. At an unknown day and hour during the second half of the seven-year period, the Antichrist’s great tribulation will be cut short by the Revelation of Christ to resurrect and rapture God’s people, and this will be followed immediately by the day of the Lord’s wrath with the trumpet and bowl judgements.
  5. On the same day the rapture happens, the onset of the day of the Lord’s wrath takes place, just as it was in the days of Noah and Lot (Luke 17:22–37; cf. 2 Thess 1:5–10).
  6. The second coming (parousia) is not a simple (instantaneous) event. The second coming is a complex-whole event containing various purposes of God, beginning with the Revelation of Christ in the sky displaying his Shekinah glory and power to the whole world, and resurrecting and rapturing God’s people, followed by the day of the Lord’s judgments upon the ungodly and Antichrist’s kingdom, restoring Israel to salvation, and culminating in Christ’s earthly reign.
  7. Although Armageddon is an element within the complex-whole second coming, Armageddon does not initiate the second coming; instead, the second coming begins between the sixth and seventh seal.
  8. The resurrection and rapture happens between the opening of the sixth seal and the seventh seal.
  9. The first six seals are not part of the day of the Lord’s wrath. The first six seals are conditional events that must happen before Christ’s return.
  10. The sixth seal signals the impending day of the Lord’s wrath as recorded in Joel 2:30–31; Matthew 24:29; Luke 21:25–26; Mark 13:23–25; and Revelation 6:12–17.
  11. The seventh seal pronounces the day of the Lord’s wrath.
  12. The trumpets, bowls, and Armageddon contain and execute the day of the Lord’s wrath.
  13. The trumpets, bowls, and Armageddon will not occur before the seventh seal is opened.
  14. Paul’s “last trumpet” (1 Cor 15:52) is not the seventh trumpet judgment in the book of Revelation.
  15. Christ’s return to resurrect and rapture God’s people is not imminent (“any moment”), since discernible prophesied events must happen first (e.g., the Antichrist’s revelation and his ensuing great tribulation; the apostasy; coming of Elijah; and a cluster of discernible celestial events). Christ can return in any generation of the Church.

—Alan Kurschner, 08/01/12

PRIORITISE YOUR LIFE WITH JESUS SECOND COMING IN VIEW

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But the end of all things is at hand. 1 Peter 4:7

When D. L. Moody preached in Brooklyn in 1875, thousands were converted. Pastor Henry Ward Beecher struggled to understand this phenomenon until he met Moody personally. “I saw the secret of his working and plans,” wrote Beecher. “He is a believer in the second advent of Christ, and in our own time…. He thinks that Christ may come even to-morrow.”

Beecher added, “I should be a burning fire all the time if I believed like that.”

Peter expected Christ to soon come again too, writing, “The end of all things is at hand…. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies.”

We have even more reason to believe Jesus return is not too far off, as we see the events that Jesus prophesied must happen beforehand are unfolding in our time. Make sure you are about your Heavenly Father’s business in 2018.  Prioritise your life with the Second Coming in view. Let’s speak and serve as those who are longing for our Lord’s swift appearing. Let’s be on fire all the time.

He thinks (the world is) a wreck bound to sink—and the only thing that is worth doing is to get as many of the crew off as you can.

Henry Ward Beecher, about Moody

PURPOSE OF THE FOUR HORSEMEN IN REVELATION 6

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Dr Nelson Walters provides a thoughtful study on the role and purpose of the four horsemen (often referred to as the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse) sent out at the time the seven sealed scroll is opened by Jesus in the lead up to His Second Coming. How these horsemen tie in with the pattern of seven events given by Jesus to the disciples in Matthew 24 and the events described in Revelation 13 is illuminating.

FAMINE & ECONOMIC COLLAPSE – END TIMES SIGNS

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Famine in Yemen

The famine in Yemen in the spring of 2017 is threatening over 7 million[1] people; over 3.3 million children and pregnant or lactating women suffer from acute malnutrition.[2] Over 100,000 affected children are in Al Hudaydah Governorate with the city of Al Hudaydah worst affected area of the province.[3] According to the Norwegian Refugee Council the famine in Yemen will soon reach “biblical proportions”.[4]

The famine is being compounded by an outbreak of cholera which is causing 5000 new cases daily.[5]

“It will be the largest famine the world has seen in many decades, with millions of victims.” Al Jazeera English

Yemen facing massive famine, says chief

Not just Yemen, the world faces the largest humanitarian crisis since the United Nations was founded in 1945 with more than 20 million people in four countries at risk of starvation and famine, the UN humanitarian chief has said.

Stephen O’Brien told the UN Security Council on Friday that “without collective and coordinated global efforts, people will simply starve to death” and “many more will suffer and die from disease”.

He urged an immediate injection of funds for Yemen, South Sudan, Somalia and northeast Nigeria plus safe and unimpeded access for humanitarian aid “to avert a catastrophe”.

Signs Jesus gave of His second coming in the Olivet Discourse

  • 1. DECEPTION BY FALSE MESSIAHS.
  • 2. BLOODSHED, WARS & CHAOS.
  • 3. FAMINE AND ECONOMIC COLLAPSE.
  • 4. ABOMINATION AND DEATH
  • 5. MARTYRDOM AND APOSTASY.
  • 6. CELESTIAL SIGNS
  • 7. JESUS RETURN IN THE CLOUDS WITH ANGELS.

What about ECONOMIC collapse? 

Article in the Financial Post:

Eight signs a global market crash is imminent as central banks lose control

LONDON – When the banking crisis crippled global markets seven years ago, central bankers stepped in as lenders of last resort. Profligate private-sector loans were moved on to the public-sector balance sheet and vast money-printing gave the global economy room to heal.

Time is now rapidly running out. From China to Brazil, the central banks have lost control and at the same time the global economy is grinding to a halt. It is only a matter of time before stock markets collapse under the weight of their lofty expectations and record valuations.

1. CHINESE SLOWDOWN:

2. COMMODITY COLLAPSE:

The China slowdown has sent shock waves through commodity markets. The Bloomberg Global Commodity index, which tracks the prices of 22 commodities, fell to levels last seen at the beginning of this century.

3. RESOURCE PRICE CRISIS:

Billions of dollars in loans were raised on global capital markets to fund new mines and oil exploration that was only ever profitable at previous elevated prices.

4. DOMINOES FALLING:

The great props to the world economy are now beginning to fall. China is going into reverse. And the emerging markets that consumed so many of our products are crippled by currency devaluation. The famed Brics of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, to whom the West was supposed to pass on the torch of economic growth, are in varying states of disarray.

5. CREDIT ROLLOVER:

As central banks run out of silver bullets then, credit markets are desperately seeking to reprice risk.

6. INTEREST RATE SHOCK:

Interest rates have been held at emergency lows in the UK and US for around six years. The U.S. is expected to move first, with rates starting to rise from today’s 0 to 0.25 per cent around the end of the year. Investors have already starting buying dollars in anticipation of a strengthening U.S. currency. U.K. rate rises are expected to follow shortly after. Borrowers have not factored in an interest rate rise and will be caught out.

7. BULL MARKET RECORD:

The U.K. stock market is in its 77th month of a bull market, which began in March 2009. On only two other occasions in history has the market risen for longer. One is in the lead-up to the Great Crash in 1929 and the other before the bursting of the dotcom bubble in the early 2000s.

8. OVERVALUED U.S.

U.K. markets have been a beneficiary of the huge balance-sheet expansion in the U.S. US monetary base, a measure of notes and coins in circulation plus reserves held at the central bank, has more than quadrupled from around US$800 billion to more than US$4 trillion since 2008. The stock market has been a direct beneficiary of this money and will struggle now that QE3 has ended. In the U.S., Professor Robert Shiller’s cyclically adjusted price earnings ratio — or Shiller CAPE — for the S&P 500 stands at 27.2, some 64 per cent above its historic average of 16.6. On only three occasions since 1882 has it been higher — in 1929, 2000 and 2007.