Study of Revelation and End Times wk 15
Notes
Transcript
The End of the Church Age - wk 15
The End of the Church Age - wk 15
We have finished the seven letters to the seven churches, and tonight we are going to look at the end of the church age.
Now let me say, that there are multiple different directions or ways we can look at some of these positions, such as the rapture and when it takes place, and there are Scriptures that can be used to back up the different positions taken, but I am going to share the position I follow.
With that said, if anyone follows a different position, you are welcomed to get with me after Bible Study and we can discuss it and look at it further in future dates.
With all that said, tonight we are looking in chapter 4 of Revelation, as the letters have wrapped up, the church age has wrapped up, and Jesus has brought His people, His followers to heaven with Him.
There is a brief part here about their arrival in heaven, and then we turn to everything that will take place after God’s people leave the earth.
Following the pre-tribulation view of the rapture, which would take place at the end of chapter three of Revelation and just as chapter four begins.
The church age ends at the rapture of the church.
At the midnight cry Jesus will come for His own.
Those who are saved and are still living will be miraculously transformed with glorified bodies and caught up in the air to meet the Lord.
52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
Those whose bodies sleep in the earth will be raised from their sleeping place to meet their heavenly spirits or souls with the Lord in the air.
13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.
15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.
18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
We need to be ready and we do not have to be fearful of this, actually as Christians we should be excited and be looking forward to it.
Remember that sorrow looks back, worry looks all around, but hope looks up.
We are on a collision course with destiny, and we cannot afford to be ignorant.
Once we as God’s people are removed from the earth, then God will begin His judgment of the earth and pour out His wrath on the earth, through the tribulation period.
But before God pours out His wrath, He gives us a glimpse into glory and permits us to hear the worshipping of the creatures that are in heaven that are surrounding His throne as they praise Him.
1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things.”
From this point on, we will be studying everything that will transpire after the rapture of the church.
To help us remember these things, we will be asking four questions: What? Who? When? and Why?
I. What is the Sacred Mystery of the Rapture?
I. What is the Sacred Mystery of the Rapture?
A Bible mystery is not a story you might read in a novel; instead, it is a truth that has been hidden, a truth that no one can understand apart from God.
And it can only be revealed by divine revelation in the Word of God.
The only way people today know about the mystery of the rapture is by studying what the New Testament prophets had to say.
This was revealed to the Apostle Paul who said in 1 Corinthians 15:51-53
51 Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed,
52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.
Paul explained the church age, the things which are.
This is that interval between the time when Jesus came the first time and when He will come again the second time.
In Revelation 4:1 we learn that John was taken up to heaven through a door and heard a voice say, come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.
A corresponding New Testament verse about the rapture of the church is 1 Thessalonians 4:13
13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.
At the time Paul wrote Thessalonians to the Thessalonica people they were ignorant about what happened to those who died before Jesus’ return.
God’s Word teaches us that when the rapture occurs, the body of the believers will awake from the grave and be reunited with the spirit or soul that is with the Lord.
The body will ascend from the earth, and the spirit/soul will descend from heaven.
Sometimes people will ask, Do you really believe in the Rapture?
I have even seen a survey that asked church goers, believers - about the rapture, and there was a good percentage that do not believe in the rapture.
But when I am asked, I respond, I believe in the rapture because I believe the gospel - the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The rapture is linked to His redemption.
If you have Calvary without the rapture, it is like having up without down or night without day.
II. Who is the Select Multitude of the Rapture?
II. Who is the Select Multitude of the Rapture?
The select multitude of the rapture is represented by the twenty-four elders as Revelation 4:4
4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones; and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads.
Elders are representatives of God’s people.
For instance, every minister - Pastor is an elder of his church.
Why twenty-four elders?
Twelve, you may recall is God’s governmental number - the number denotes the rule of God on earth.
Further on in the book of Revelation, we learn that there are twelve gates in the new Jerusalem, which is the place we call heaven or glory.
The name of each of the twelve patriarchs of the tribes of Israel are inscribed on those twelve gates.
In addition, the twelve apostles are named for the foundation of the city.
Twelve patriarchs from the Old Testament and twelve apostles from the New Testament,
Put them together and they make the twenty-four.
These twenty-four elders represent the saints of God.
And one day we will meet all of these men!
Notice how John described these elders.
They are saints clothed in white and wearing crowns on their heads.
Their white clothing represents the righteousness of Christ manifested in their lives.
White is mentioned in Revelation 19:8
8 It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
For the fine line represents the righteous acts of the saints.
The crowns of gold on their heads were placed there when they came before the judgment seat of Christ.
Every believer will stand before Christ’s judgment seat.
4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.
At the beginning of this section, I mentioned there was a selected group in the rapture.
Let me explain.
Not everybody will be raptured because Jesus said in Luke 17:34-37
34 “I tell you, on that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other will be left.
35 “There will be two women grinding at the same place; one will be taken and the other will be left.
36 “Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other will be left.”
37 And answering they said to Him, “Where, Lord?” And He said to them, “Where the body is, there also the vultures will be gathered.”
Sometimes when I stand during invitation looking out at the congregation, I wonder if the rapture was to occur, if everyone would go, no I am not judging people, I am concerned about there eternal life.
See to me everyone looks the same more or less, but I think of the statement Billy Graham made that 85% of a church congregation is lost and going to hell, and if I had the eyes of Christ and could see as God told Samuel, I would be able to see the hearts of the people.
7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
And that is what separates the saved from the lost - those who are ready for Jesus Christ to come and those who are not.
We see people as their outward appearance but God sees their heart.
At the rapture the person sitting next to you at the dinner table will go and you may remain.
Or you may go and that person may remain.
Two will be sitting in church, one will be taken and the other left.
There is a select multitude - only the saved will be going.
Some want to believe that there is going to be a universal salvation, meaning that God would not send people to Hell, but that will allow everyone into heaven because He is a loving God.
Yes, He is a loving God but He is also a just God, and there will not be a universal salvation, if you do not have a personal relationship with Jesus, then you will not make it into heaven.
III. When Will the Rapture take Place?
III. When Will the Rapture take Place?
There is no question - the rapture will happen!
And it will happen suddenly and immediately.
John had been looking at the churches and describing the church age, when suddenly the trumpet sounded and he was immediately caught up into heaven.
Here is how he describes what happened in Revelation 4:1-2
1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things.”
2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne.
Today we are living in the church age, which is also called the age of grace.
After Revelation 3, we will notice that the word church is no longer mentioned because the church is raptured!
And this begins the next phase of God’s work on earth.
When is Jesus coming for His church?
I do not know.
Nobody knows, though we have a lot of soothsayers, prognosticators, astrologers, and so-called prophets trying to predict when it will happen.
They are not prophetic; they are pathetic.
No one has a shred of information about when the rapture will happen.
If someone comes along and tries to tell you, I know when Jesus is coming again, I know when the rapture is going to take place, you need to ask them, Will you give me the deed to your house effective the day after and do it now?
No one but God the Father alone knows when Jesus will return.
Why?
It is a sacred mystery.
Jesus said in Matthew 24:36-44
36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.
37 “For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah.
38 “For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,
39 and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be.
40 “Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left.
41 “Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left.
42 “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.
43 “But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.
44 “For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.
We see all kinds of events that seem to indicate that the coming of Jesus is soon; but no sign proves that, and no lack of signs disproves it.
Let me give an illustration to try to explain it a little better:
Shortly after Halloween, many retail stores start to display Christmas decorations.
When you see those decorations, does that mean Christmas is next week?
No, it means Thanksgiving is coming next!
Now indeed Christmas is coming, but Thanksgiving will come first.
The signs we see may be f the great events that will take place after the rapture of the church, but the rapture must come first.
There will be plenty of signs after the rapture that foretell the final climax of history and signs before the rapture that speak of events that take place after the rapture.
Yet there is no sign or event that must take place before the rapture can happen.
Certainly there are signs that would seem to point toward Christ’s return.
But are they signs of the times?
Yes and No.
Writers of the New Testament thought they were living in the end time because of the signs they witnessed.
If certain signs have to occur before Jesus can come, then why does Paul tell us, in 1 Thessalonians 5:2
2 For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.
Peter tells us in 2 Peter 3:10
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.
If you say, I don’t think He’s coming today. this is a good sign that he might!
Do you expect a thief every night? No
But you probably live prepared and protected in case it happens.
The apostle Paul expected Jesus to return in his own lifetime.
Was Paul wrong? No, he was absolutely right, to live like that.
Every Christian is right to be expecting Christ in his lifetime.
And every Christian from Christ’s ascension until now should be living with that thief in the night mentality.
There was a statistic put out that says the average individual blinks his eyes twenty thousand times a day.
Now I am suspicious of statistics like that because when you think about it, who will sit for an entire day and count the number of times someone blinks their eyes?
But that statistic does remind me that perhaps twenty thousand times every day I may hear the trumpet sound because God’s Word says, in 1 Corinthians 15:52
52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
IV. Why will the Rapture take Place?
IV. Why will the Rapture take Place?
There is a threefold reason for the rapture: reception, rescue, and reunion.
2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne.
The first reason for the Rapture is the Reception, think about it, think about the reception:
The first reason for the Rapture is the Reception, think about it, think about the reception:
2 “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.
3 “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.
My first thrill in heaven will be to see my Lord Jesus Christ.
What a day that will be !
We will see not only His majesty, but we will also glorify His ministry as our High Priest.
The high priest in the Old Testament wore a breastplate with twelve precious stones that represented the people of God.
The first and last stone (the alpha and omega) are the same stones in Revelation 4:3
3 And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance.
Have you ever seen a Jasper?
Most likely it is like a diamond because it is pure and sparkling white.
How do we know that?
The Bible speaks of the heavenly city as being arrayed with God’s glory.
Her radiance was like a very precious stone, like a jasper stone, bright as crystal.
This sounds like a diamond to me.
Jesus is sparkling, pure, transparent, and translucent.
At the same time Jesus appears as a carnelian or Sardius, which is blood read.
These are two important representations of our Lord, which I believe speak of His purity and His blood sacrifice for the church.
The second reason for the Rapture is the Rescue of God’s people:
The second reason for the Rapture is the Rescue of God’s people:
3 And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance.
Notice the rainbow around the throne.
The word rainbow in the Greek is Iris, which means halo.
All around the throne is a rainbow, but this rainbow is different.
It is the color of emerald green - the color of life.
Do you remember what the rainbow stood for in the Old Testament?
The Covenant of God with His people.
13 I set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth.
14 “It shall come about, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow will be seen in the cloud,
15 and I will remember My covenant, which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and never again shall the water become a flood to destroy all flesh.
Can you imagine the carnage, wreckage, slime, and everything else Noah saw when he stepped out of the ark?
But when he looked up at the vault of heaven, he say a glorious rainbow - like a multicolored scarf thrown over the shoulders of the storm.
Notice that this rainbow around the throne is a perfect circle.
In our limited vision all we can see is the shape of a bow.
But if we saw the rainbow from God’s perspective, we would see a perfect circle.
What does the circle represent? Eternity.
It has no beginning and no end.
It is green, the color of life.
The emerald circle speaks of eternal life.
In the storms of our life, we never see the full picture.
But one day we will see it all; one day the circle will be complete.
The third reason for the Rapture is the Reunion:
The third reason for the Rapture is the Reunion:
4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones; and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads.
This verse speaks of the twenty-four elders, which represents all who will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air.
What does that mean to us?
First, we must learn about the return of Jesus.
Second, we should live for His return.
Third, we should look for His return.
Fourth, we should long for His return.
The last prayer in the Bible is for Jesus to come again.
20 He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
As Christians we should be prepared, we should be working to prepare others, and we should be looking up and listening for the trumpet to sound, and praying Lord Come!