Armageddon, Great White Throne Judgement, Hell

Intro

Over the past two weeks we have been in a series on The End Times. The goal of this series is to help gain a basic understanding of what is to come. I would remind you that no man or woman can speak with total certainty or accuracy of the things that are to come.

The book of Revelation as well as the prophets Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel speak of real events that will take place in the end. They are written for our instruction and warning.

The book of Revelation is both chronological and allegorical.

Its chronological in that it reveals that a time of tribulation has been set, judgement will be poured out during that time, Christ will rule and reign for 1000 years, and there will be final judgement followed by a new heaven and new earth.

Yet at the same time the book of Revelation is allegorical in that there is imagery given that is intended to help discover a hidden meaning. These images often cause us to wonder because we do not have a reference point in our natural understanding for the images.

So what we must understand is that we are essentially given the 40,000ft glimpse by God at what is to come while simultaneously we are not given all the exact details. This truth will require us to walk by Faith.

Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes 3:11 “He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.”

He also writes in Ecclesiastes 8:17 “then I saw all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. For though a man labors to discover it, yet he will not find it; moreover, though a wise man attempts to know it, he will not be able to find it.”

As we understand that a measure of mystery will remain in our learning.

Our priority should be that of Revelation 22:14 “Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.”

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Submit:

Something I felt pressed to circle back on as I prepared for this message is the rapture. There is constant dialogue about when it will take place. People have sincere beliefs as to when it will take place. The reality is we are not totally certain of its exact time, but we can be assured that it will take place.

Why? Because Numbers 23:19 reminds us that “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?”

As I studied the scripture something became apparent to me. That because we can not say with certainty when the rapture will take place within the tribulation we should certainly hope for a pre tribulation rapture, but live prepared for a post tribulation rapture.

God spoke to me that we needed to preach this series to prepare and equip His people with an understanding of things to come. If our hope of a pre tribulation rapture is incorrect in timing it is important to know what is coming. Particularly the mark of the beast and the eternal choice to pledge allegiance to the beast (satan). Understand that people will not be duped into worshiping the antichrist. They will choose to worship the antichrist.

*Note that Revelation 13:8 says “All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”

Revelation 13:16-18 “He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.”

Revelation 13:16-18 It easy to think I would never do that, but think of it from a natural standpoint. If you don’t receive the mark and can now not buy or sell what would you do? If your spouse or kids are starving to death what would you do? If you are presented with Reject Christ or die what would you do? These questions need to be thought through and planned for.

It would be a difficult thing to not plan for the possibilities and settle the word in our heart of our faithfulness to Jesus. Those who take the mark will not be able to be redeemed because they have chosen their allegiance.

I understand that this possibility feels burdensome to the heart and mind, but it is necessary to discuss that we may all be well rounded in our understanding and prepared.

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Apply:

Today I will continue in timeline at the end of the 7 year tribulation and will look at armageddon, the millennial reign of Christ, great white throne judgement and what awaits those who reject Christ’s salvation in Hell. Know that this will be an overview of these areas and not an in-depth study as time will not permit for that today.

Also I want to let you know that next week you are going to want to miss the message. We will looking at the Judgement Seat of Christ, eternal rewards, and heaven. I am really looking forward to it!

At the end of the tribulation the heavens will open and Christ will appear seated on a white horse ready to establish his millennial reign. Revelation 19:11-16

Lets read about it Revelation 19:11-16 “Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS”

Remember that at this point the AntiChrist has declared himself as God and ruler of the earth (the abomination of desolation). This reality means that conflict is inevitable. The beast will gather an army to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. This battle is what we know as the Battle of Armageddon.

The “kings of the east” will invade Israel at Armageddon (Revelation 16:12-16). Zechariah 14:2 says that “all nations” will be gathered against Jerusalem at Armageddon.

Great armies from the West and East, filled with hostility toward each other, but united in their opposition to the God of Israel, will try to combat the overwhelming, divine power of Almighty God. (Psalm 2:2; Isaiah 34:2; Revelation 17:14). Russia, Iran, Turkey, Libya and Ethiopia are some of the nations named in Ezekiel 38. Revelation 19:11-21 and Ezekiel 38 & Ezekiel 39 give additional descriptions of Armageddon.

In the midst of the battle of Armageddon the beast and his army are defeated. The beast, the false prophet are cast into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. Those who received the mark of the beast were killed with the sword of Him who sat on the horse. Whose result would also be hell. Revelation 19:20-21

Revelation 19:20–21 NKJV

Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.

This triumph of Christ at Armageddon leads to Satan himself being bound by an angel from heaven who will have the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He binds him and cast him into the bottomless pit for a thousand years so that he cant deceive the nations until the thousand years reign of Christ is complete. At the end of that time He will be released for a short time. Revelation 20:1-3

Some time Before the Millennial reign of Christ there will be the first resurrection. This first resurrection includes those who return to life at the rapture as described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (the "dead in Christ" and believers alive at the rapture) as well as the resurrected Christian martyrs from the end of the tribulation period mentioned in Revelation 20:4.

Revelation 20:4 “And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.”

During the thousand years satan is bound we will experience the millennial reign of Christ. During this 1000 year period Christ will rule from Jerusalem. Isaiah 9:6-7

Isaiah 9:6-7 “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”

Who will we be reigning over? There will be people who survive the antichrist and tribulation who will continue to live under the rule of Christ and His bride during the millennium.

During this time we will discover that lifetimes will be extended like that of early Genesis people living for hundreds of years, there will be peace in the animal kingdom—the lion will lay down with the lamb, and there will be peace among mankind—all the hostilities that have been a part of our world will be gone.

During this time believers will be given assignments. Matthew 25 the parable of the talents and Luke 19 the parable of the minas reveal that how we handle what God places in our hands now will affect what we do in the millennial reign of Christ. Luke 19:17-19

“And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.’ And the second came, saying, ‘Master, your mina has earned five minas.’ Likewise he said to him, ‘You also be over five cities.’”

At the end of the Millennial reign of Christ satan will be released from his prison and go out to deceive the nations. Revelation 20:7-10

“Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”

After this final rebellion is crushed there is going to be a final judgement called The Great White Throne Judgement. At this point all of those who have rejected Christ and His salvation will be resurrected from the dead. Remember that there are two resurrections. The first is the resurrection of the righteous dead, those who are alive, and those who have been martyred during the tribulation. The wicked dead remain that way for 1000 years.

But at the great white throne judgement they will be resurrected and judged. Revelation 20:11-15

“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”

I want you to understand that this judgement is final. It will not be changed. It’s with this understanding that I want to give a few thoughts on Hell. It is a place of torment and eternal punishment. Isaiah 66:24

““And they shall go forth and look Upon the corpses of the men Who have transgressed against Me. For their worm does not die, And their fire is not quenched. They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.””

It is a place that has no hope. There is no presence of God. It is a place of fear, dread, anguish, weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth. What the gnashing of teeth communicates is pain, especially when the gnashing is combined with weeping.

When a person hits his thumb with a hammer, he will commonly squeeze his eyes closed and grind his teeth together hard.

This is the end result of those who reject Christ and His Salvation.

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Closing

So in all of this what should be our response?

The reality and finality of these events that will take replace reveal the need for every man or woman of God to live ready to meet the Lord.

We must prepare our hearts by living according to the word of God. We must give attention to the spiritual condition of our lives, and submit ourselves to the rule and reign of Christ.

One final thing I want to point out today is that after Jesus responds to the disciples request to understand the signs of His coming in Matthew 24. There are three things Jesus shares in Matthew 25.

The first is the parable of the 10 virgins. The essence of this this parable is that 5 were wise and ready to meet the Lord. They were filled with the Spirit of God. 5 were foolish and not ready. They didn’t didn’t make it.

The second thing Jesus shared is the parable of the talents. The essence of this parable is that God has given to every person the responsibility of stewardship in the Kingdom of God. We have all been given gifts and we are intended to grow, mature, and multiply. The two who did this were rewarded. The one who didn’t was cast into hell.

The final thing He shared was about the Final Judgement.

That those who served God’s purposes will go into everlasting peace. Matthew 25:37-40

““Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’”

Every believer is called to serve others. What we do with that truth will affect us when we stand before Him. Matthew 25:41-46

““Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ “Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.””

Church of one thing I am certain and it is this God will do exactly what He says, and He will not leave us. We can have confidence in knowing that if we will serve His purposes and are obedient to His word God will give us the necessary strength to endure every season of life that we will face.

Let’s Pray!

Salvation

For the Church: that God would shift our understanding. that we might be watchful unto the end. Understanding the times and the seasons. That he would grant us strength to meet the times we live in.