The Doctrine of the End Times - Preparation For The Second Coming of Christ (2024)
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Review
Review
Next slide here: timeline of the end times
Next slide here: timeline of the Tribulation judgements
We have finished up the Tribulation judgments. Over the process of about seven years, three series of judgements are poured out upon the earth to make it ready for Christ’s kingdom. As we studied this subject, we were reminded that we don’t get to demand anything of God. He is sovereign. He gets to make demands of us. He has every right to do that, and He does, but we saw that even in the midst of the Tribulation, He will be gracious and offer salvation to all who come to Him by faith.
Introduction
Introduction
This evening we’re going to see some of the other changes that take place during the Tribulation. These changes happen as God prepares the world for the Second Coming of Christ. At the end of Revelation 16, the timeline of the seven year Tribulation is complete. Satan, through the Antichrist, will lead the world in open rejection and defiance of God.
It will be a time of absolute rule, and Satan will have his way. The ultimate in false religion will sweep the entire world in a manifestation of evil never before seen on the earth. [It will be clear] that mankind is not able to solve his own problems and only God can bring righteousness and peace to the earth [bold added]. John Walvoord, Commentary on Revelation, page 216
Application: That is one of the most dramatic themes seen through the end times as revealed in the book of Revelation. When God allows mankind to try and solve his own problems his own way, he fails miserably. Man is dependent upon the Creator and must follow the Creator’s design.
We need to follow the Creator’s design…
In life
In relationships
In finances
In marriage
In raising children and grandchildren
In our work ethic
In our use of time
If we lean to our own understanding in any of these areas, we’ll fail miserably.
The Tribulation timeline ends in Revelation 16, but two more chapters remain before the second coming of Christ in Revelation 19:11.
Read Revelation 17:1-6.
Babylon is described as a “mystery” in Revelation 17:5. In other words, what John sees in this vision is a picture of something else. It is clearly identified as a mystery, so it must be understood in context of the explanation given in the verses that follow.
Here’s a slide to summarize the content of chapters seventeen and eighteen.
Next slide here
Chapters seventeen and eighteen describe the rise and fall of the world religion and later, the world system that is ruled by Satan and the Antichrist. Piece by piece, these two institutions are torn down. Man’s best efforts to solve his problems are proven a total failure, and the world is made ready for Christ’s kingdom.
We must understand that Revelation 17 and 18 describe the world during the Tribulation, not after the Tribulation.
Next slide here
The rise and revolution of the world religion (Revelation 17)
As the world endures the Tribulation judgments, the world will be in a process of change. Religion and government will not be static. The Bible indicates that these institutions will undergo severe changes as the seven years pass.
The Bible seems to reveal in this chapter that after the Rapture, a worldwide religion will arise as one unified “megachurch.” This Christianized religion will work closely with the political leaders of the world, until it is destroyed by the Antichrist approximately halfway through the Tribulation (Revelation 17:16-18).
During the first half of the seven years, apostate Christendom flowers and establishes its power over all the world. During this period there is a measure of religious freedom as indicated by the fact that the Jews are allowed to worship and renew their sacrifices (Dan. 9:27).
However, with the beginning of the second half of the [Tribulation], the ruler of the revived Roman Empire, who is the political head of the world empire and himself designated also as "the beast," is able to proclaim himself dictator of the whole world. He no longer needs the help and power of the church, which he destroys and replaces with the worship of himself. John Walvoord, Commentary on Revelation, page 265
Additional details: the woman who is destroyed in chapter 17 is made desolate, naked, and burned by the beast with the ten horns [Revelation 17:7-16]. From this we have concluded that the woman in chapter 17 is Babylon in its ecclesiastical or religious sense, and that her destruction probably occurs when the beast assumes the role of God at the beginning of the great tribulation. The world church is destroyed in favor of a world religion honoring the political dictator, the beast out of the sea of chapter 13. John Walvoord, Commentary on Revelation, page 270
For a portion of the Tribulation, humanity will participate in a world religion. It will be Christianized, but it will not be of Christ. But eventually, the Antichrist will be powerful enough that he will overthrow that world religion and replace it with a worship of himself. The world church will deceive many people and make a show of worshipping God, but the Antichrist’s religion will brazenly reject God and demand that everyone worship the Antichrist.
This will be the state of the world religion when Christ comes back to earth as the conqueror to rule and reign.
Next slide here
The fall of Babylon - center of the world political and economic system (Revelation 18)
And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, And is become the habitation of devils, And the hold of every foul spirit, And a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
See Revelation 16:17-19 for an additional description of this event.
Theologians debate whether the ancient city of Babylon will be rebuilt and exist as a literal city during the Tribulation. “The ultimate decision depends upon the judgment of the expositor, but in many respects it is simpler to postulate a rebuilt Babylon as fulfilling literally the Old Testament prophecies as well as those embodied in [Revelation 18].” John Walvoord, Commentary on Revelation, page 274
The destruction of this city will be as complete as the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. “This event comes late in the great tribulation, just prior to the second coming of Christ...” John Walvoord, Commentary on Revelation, page 271
In the final days of God’s judgment, probably during the bowl judgments that we studied last week, the antichrist’s political and economic systems will be collapsing. Since the world will be worshiping the Antichrist, it seems that the world religion will be collapsing with it.
Everything that godless mankind will have built under the leadership of the antichrist will be falling apart - the financial systems, the political systems, the social structure - everything. It will be obvious that man - apart from God - cannot save himself no matter how hard he tries. He needs a Savior.
It will be at that moment, when all of man’s efforts have failed, that Christ will return at the Second Coming.
