End Times-
putting the pieces in place
by Sonny Bowman
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Chapter 13 (part 1)
Miscellaneous Information
(part 1)
Psalms 119:130 (NKJV) The entrance of Your words gives light;
It gives understanding to the simple.
This chapter provides information on many
questions and issues related to end-time events. Some of the
information provides answers to common questions about the End
Times. Information is also provided on some end-time details that
do not warrant a complete chapter. Following is a list of links
to the various topics.
The elect
of Matthew 24
Will there be a Rapture?
Is the Rapture secret and
invisible?
Will only some Christians be
raptured?
Is the Rapture shown in
Revelation 4:1-6?
When is the Rapture?
Clouds and the coming of
Jesus
Will the temple be rebuilt?
Do faithful Christians go
through the Great Tribulation?
Will Christians be kept
from the Great Tribulation?
Persecution of
Christians during the Great Tribulation
As a thief in the night
How long is the Great
Tribulation?
The 70 weeks of Daniel
The Beast’s wound in the
head
The Mark of the Beast (666)
Is Jacob’s trouble
the Great Tribulation?
When is the Battle of
Armageddon?
When do Gog and Magog fight
against God’s people?
Will heaven and earth be
rejuvenated rather than replaced?
The parable of the wheat and
tares
The 144,000 sealed in
Revelation
The Day of the Lord
The seven seals
The seven plagues
The three woes
The two witnesses
Gospel preached to all the
earth
The term elect used in Matthew 24:29-31
refers to those chosen of God. The term is used in a
similar sense today when referring to someone as a bride-elect
(or president-elect). When used in this way, the term
means the woman is chosen to be a bride, but the wedding
has not taken place. In a similar sense, those who are born
again (i.e., Christians) constitute the bride-elect of
Christ who is waiting for the marriage supper of the Lamb (2 Cor.
11:2; Rev. 19:9). The Bride is chosen and the wedding is
scheduled, but it has not taken place. Therefore, Christians are technically
the bride-elect (or elect) of Christ.
Romans 11:7 shows that elect refers to
the Church (Christians) and not just the national Jews. (Note:
Born again Jews are also part of the elect.) This passage says,
"...That which Israel [the national Jews] is seeking for, it
has not obtained, but those who were chosen [election in
KJV] obtained it...." The word chosen in this passage
comes from the same Greek root as the word elect in
Matthew 24. Colossians 3:11-13 shows that there is no distinction
between Greek [non-Jew] and Jew and that when born again,
they both are the chosen [elect in KJV] of God. Jew and
non-Jew are chosen [elect in KJV] by the sanctifying work
of the Spirit (1 Pet 1:1-2).
Some teach there will be no rapture
(i.e., catching away) of the Church. They believe that the Lord
will simply come to earth and set up His kingdom without taking
His people to Heaven. Others teach that God’s people will be
caught up to meet the Lord in the air then immediately come back
to earth with Him for the millennial kingdom without spending
time in Heaven. Both of these views are incorrect according to
the following Scriptures.
First Thessalonians 4:16-17 says, "For the
Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the
voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead
in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain
shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the
Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord."
This passage explains that there will be a catching up of
the Church at the return of Christ.
The Church will spend some time in Heaven
during the Wrath of God. This is shown in
Revelation 7:9-17 where a great multitude from every nation is
shown before the throne of God in Heaven. These are the people
who have come out of the Great Tribulation (Rev. 7:14). They will
be in Heaven during the time when God pours out His wrath
(judgment) upon the remaining inhabitants of the earth as
described in Revelation chapters 8 and 9. These people apparently
return to earth for the millennial reign of Christ (Rev. 20:4-6).
Some people teach that the return of Jesus for
the Church (i.e., the Rapture) will be
secret and invisible. This teaching says that when Jesus takes
the Christians out of the world, most people who remain will be
puzzled about what happened to all those people who disappeared.
This opinion may arise partly from a misunderstanding of Hebrews
9:28. As translated in the King James Version, the passage says,
"...unto them that look for him shall he appear the second
time...." Some have thought this passage means Jesus would
only be visible to those who were ready for the Rapture. Reading
this passage in most other translations makes it obvious that
this is not the proper understanding. For example, the New
American Standard Bible translates it as, "so Christ also,
having been offered once to bear the sins of many, shall appear a
second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who
eagerly await Him." This passage shows that the first time
Jesus came, it was to offer Himself as a sacrifice for our sin.
The next time He comes, He will not need to deliver us from our
sin but will deliver (save) us out of this world and from the
soon coming Wrath of God (1 Thes. 1:10).
This passage in Hebrews 9:28 does not suggest a
secret or invisible return of Jesus. This is obvious even in the
King James Version, once the context is understood. The complete
verse (KJV) says, "So Christ was once offered to bear the
sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the
second time without sin unto salvation." When the whole
verse is considered, even the KJV fails to support an invisible
return of Jesus. What do other Scriptures say about the
visibility of Jesus’ return?
In Matthew 24 Jesus warns against claims that
He will come secretly (vs. 23). He said that His return would be
as visible as the lightning which flashes from east to west
across the sky (vv. 26-27). All the people on earth will
see Him at His coming (Mat. 24:30; Rev. 1:7; Rev. 6:15-17).
Another passage referring to the gathering of the Church says
that Christians will be rescued from afflictions when the Lord
Jesus is "... revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know
God...." (2 Thes. 1:6-8). Jesus will come, "... with a
shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of
God...." (1 Thes. 4:16). John said, "Behold, He is
coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they
who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn
because of Him. Even so, Amen." (Rev. 1:7). These passages
describe the return of the Lord as a highly visible event.
Will only some
Christians be raptured? [Return
to topic list]
Scriptures describing the second coming of
Jesus do not support the partial rapture theory. Except for those
under the altar who have been martyred for the Lord, there is no
suggestion of any persons permanently in Heaven before the great
multitude is described in Revelation 7:9-17. This multitude
consists of those who have come out of the Great
Tribulation (Rev. 7:14).
The partial rapture theory typically claims
certain Christians (i.e., those who are ready) will be raptured
before the Great Tribulation and others
will be raptured after the Great Tribulation. An understanding of
the chronology of the End Times exposes
the error of this theory.
Is the Rapture
shown in Revelation 4:1-6? [Return
to topic list]
This passage (Rev. 4:1-6) says, "After
these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in
heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a
trumpet speaking with me, saying, ‘Come up here, and I will
show you things which must take place after this.’
Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in
heaven, and One sat on the throne...." Some people
teach that when John is told to, "... Come up here...."
the Rapture is being described. There are a couple of issues
which indicate that this passage is not talking about the Rapture
of the Church.
First, this was simply an invitation to the
apostle John to see future events from a heavenly perspective.
This is shown at the end of verse one. This is not an unusual way
for God to give revelations to man. For example, Paul spoke of a
man who was caught up into Heaven and heard inexpressible words
(2 Cor. 12:1-4). He explained that this had to do with visions
and revelations of the Lord (2 Cor. 12:1). Ezekiel also saw
visions of God when the heavens were opened (Ezek. 1:1). This
passage is simply what it claims to be—a time when John was
taken up to Heaven to receive revelation about end-time events.
If this had been the occasion of the rapture of
the Church, John should have seen a large group of other saints
in Heaven who had been raptured at the same time as he.
Revelation chapters four and five give no suggestion of the large
group of saints who should be in Heaven if the passage in
Revelation 4:1-2 describes the Rapture. Notice that the great
multitude of saints does not show up in Heaven until Revelation
7:9-17. This occurs just after the signs in
heaven (which immediately precede the Rapture—Mat.
24:29-31) and immediately before the outpouring of God’s Wrath.
The Rapture occurs
immediately after the Great Tribulation and
the signs in the sun, moon, and stars (Mat. 24:29-31). The
Rapture will take place before the Wrath of God
(Rev. 7:9,13-14; 8:1-7; 14:14-20). Christians are destined to
suffer tribulation and persecution (1 Thes. 3:3-4; 2 Tim. 3:12).
However, Jesus delivered Christians from the Wrath of God (Rom.
5:9; 1 Thes. 1:10; 5:9).
According to Revelation 1:7, Jesus
will come with clouds. Some have thought that these clouds
might refer to the Christians gathered in the air during the
Rapture (1 Thes. 4:17; Heb. 12:1). However, it is more likely
that the clouds in Revelation 1:7 are literal clouds for the
following reasons. Jesus was received into a physical cloud when
He departed after His resurrection (Acts 1:9-11). We are told
that He will return in a similar manner. Jesus also sits on a
cloud when He comes to gather the saints (Rev. 14:14-16; Mat.
24:30). Since this is just before the saints are raptured, they
must not make up this cloud. At the Rapture, Christians rise up
into the clouds in the air (1 Thes. 4:17). In Daniel, Jesus is
shown coming with the clouds of heaven (Dan. 7:13-14).
There may be a connection between the clouds of
Revelation 1:7 and the glory of God. For example, when Jesus was
transfigured, a bright cloud appeared (Mat. 17:5). When Solomon
dedicated the temple, a cloud filled it and the priests could not
continue to minister (1 Kg. 8:10-12). The Lord led the Israelites
out of Egypt in a cloud (Ex. 13:21-22; Ex. 14:19, 20, 24; Ex.
16:10). The mountain where Moses received the ten commandments
(Mt. Sinai) was covered with a cloud when the Lord was there (Ex.
19:16-18).
Since the Abomination of
Desolation includes the forbidding of sacrifices, some teach
that the temple in Jerusalem must be rebuilt before the Great Tribulation. That may be true (see Rev.
11:1-2). However, it may be possible for this prophecy to be
fulfilled without the rebuilding of the temple.
There is no legitimate need for a physical
temple as a place of sin sacrifice since the crucifixion of
Jesus. Jesus made one sacrifice for sins that does not need
repeating in any form (Heb. 10:11-14). Since He completely paid
for sin, there is no longer an offering or sacrifice for sin
(Heb. 10:18, 26). The old covenant with its sacrifices and
ordinances has become obsolete and is replaced by the new
covenant in Jesus (Heb. 8:13; Heb. 10:8-11). If a temple is built
and sacrifices for sin are offered, it will be in rebellion
against the plan of God for salvation (Heb. 10:28-29; Gal.
4:21-26; Gal. 5:1-6; Rom. 10:3-4).
The first possibility for fulfilling the
prophecy about the Abomination of Desolation without rebuilding
the temple is that sacrifices may be made in a different
location. For example, Jews made sacrifices in the Tabernacle at
several locations long before the temple was built by Solomon.
The second possibility is that the forbidden sacrifices may be
something other than animal sacrifices. The Bible mentions
several non-animal sacrifices. For example, there is a sacrifice
of thanksgiving and a sacrifice of praise (Ps. 116:17; Heb
13:15). Things sent to support ministry work are also called
sacrifices (Phil. 4:8).
The people of God are the temple (1 Cor.
3:16-17; 1 Cor. 6:19; Eph. 2:19-22). There is no need for a
physical temple. However, that does not mean that one will not be
built. It is important to be alert to various possible ways of
fulfilling the Abomination of Desolation.
Do faithful
Christians go through the Great Tribulation? [Return to topic list]
The following Scriptures show that faithful
Christians are on earth during the Great
Tribulation.
Matthew 24:21-25 (NKJV) "For then
there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since
the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever
shall be. 22 "And unless those days were
shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s
sake those days will be shortened. 23 "Then if
anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the
Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. 24 "For
false christs and false prophets will rise and show great
signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
25 "See, I have told you beforehand. [Note: If
the chosen ones of God were not going to be here, this
warning would not have been needed.]
Daniel 11:31-34 (NKJV) "And forces
shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary
fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and
place there the abomination of desolation. 32 "Those
who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with
flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong,
and carry out great exploits. 33 "And those of
the people who understand shall instruct many; yet for
many days they shall fall by sword and flame, by
captivity and plundering. 34 "Now when they fall,
they shall be aided with a little help; but many shall join
with them by intrigue.
Also "... Here is the patience of the
saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God
and the faith of Jesus." This patience of the saints is
their refusal to worship the Beast or to take his mark (Rev.
14:9-12). These are activities that take place during the Great
Tribulation (Rev. 13:16-18). This shows that Christians will be
on earth during the reign of the Beast.
Those Christians who go through the Great Tribulation are not second
class Christians who missed the Rapture
(See Rev. 7:4-17). (If anything, these Christians seem to receive
special recognition.)
Will
Christians be kept from the Great Tribulation? [Return to topic list]
Some people teach that Revelation 3:10 promises
Christians that they will not go through the Great
Tribulation.
Revelation 3:10 (NKJV) "Because you
have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from
the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to
test those who dwell on the earth."
If this passage is talking about the Great
Tribulation, the word keep does not necessarily mean that
the Christians will be removed. The same Greek word is used in a
similar fashion in John 17:15. However, that passage clearly
shows that the word is used to mean a protection from the trouble
rather than a removal from the earth. The meaning of keep in
these passages appears to be a protection in the midst of a
problem.
John 17:11-15 (NKJV) "Now I am no
longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come
to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom
You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. 15
(NKJV) "I do not pray that You should take them out of
the world, but that You should keep them from the evil
one. [emphasis added]
In Revelation 3:10, the Greek words for trial
(temptation in KJV) and test (try in KJV) refer to a testing in
the sense of determining the value or validity of something.
Since the Great Tribulation will make a separation between those
people who belong to God and those who do not, this passage could
be promising protection from failing the test (Mat. 24:11-13; 2
Tim. 1:12).
Persecution
of Christians during the Great Tribulation [Return to topic list]
During the Great Tribulation,
the Beast will persecute God’s people.
This should not be surprising since Satan’s only purpose is
to kill, steal, and destroy (John 10:10). All through history,
the people of God have been persecuted by the people who are
following Satan. Jesus was persecuted and He promised that
those who follow Him will also be persecuted and hated (Mat.
10:22-26; 24:9; Luke 21:12-19; John 15:18-21). We are destined
for tribulation (1 Thes. 3:3-4; John 16:33). However, persecution
and tribulation cannot separate us from Christ’s love for us
(Rom. 8:35).
The Beast will especially persecute and kill
God’s people during the Great Tribulation (Dan. 7:21, 25;
8:24; 11:32-33; 12:7; Rev. 12:13, 17; 13:7; 20:4). He will
receive authority to fight against Christians and to prevail in
some cases (Rev. 13:7-8). Many Christians will oppose the Beast
(Dan. 11:32-33; Rev. 11:3-11). Apparently, the Beast’s
persecution of the people of God will serve to purify them (Dan.
11:35; Rom. 5:3-4).
During the Great Tribulation, God will provide
some assistance to those of His people who are persecuted by the
Beast (Dan. 11:34). This protection will include some kind of
protection in the wilderness with some assistance provided by the
earth (Rev. 12:14-16; Mat. 24:16-20). Christians can count on the
Lord’s help, no matter what they may go through (Heb.
13:5-6; Ps 23:4).
Jesus warned us that He will come as a thief in
the night.
Revelation 16:15 (NKJV) "Behold, I am
coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and
keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his
shame."
Luke 12:35-40 (NKJV) "Let your waist
be girded and your lamps burning; 36 "and
you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he
will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks
they may open to him immediately. 37 "Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find
watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself
and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve
them. 38 "And if he should come in the second
watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so,
blessed are those servants. 39 "But know this,
that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief
would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house
to be broken into. 40 "Therefore you also be
ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not
expect."
Matthew 24:42-51 (NKJV) "Watch
therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.
43 "But know this, that if the master of the house
had known what hour the thief would come, he would have
watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44 "Therefore
you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour
you do not expect. 45 "Who then is a faithful and
wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household,
to give them food in due season? 46 "Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so
doing. 47 "Assuredly, I say to you that he will
make him ruler over all his goods. 48 "But if
that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is
delaying his coming,’ 49 "and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the
drunkards, 50 "the master of that servant will
come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an
hour that he is not aware of, 51 "and will cut
him in two and appoint him his portion with the
hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
The primary intent of these passages is to warn
God’s people to be alert at all times. Jesus’ coming
will not be unexpectedly like a thief in the night for those
Christians who stay alert and busy about the Father’s
business (see following verses).
Revelation 3:3 (NKJV) "Remember
therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and
repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come
upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will
come upon you. [emphasis added]
1 Thessalonians 5:1-6 (NKJV) But concerning
the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I
should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know
perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the
night. 3 For when they say, "Peace and
safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as
labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.
4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this
Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 You are all
sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night
nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as
others do, but let us watch and be sober. [emphasis
added]
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End Times - putting the pieces
in place
Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture quotations are from
the Holy Bible, New King James Version, copyright © 1982 by
Thomas Nelson, Inc.
NKJV indicates quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New
King James Version, copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
KJV indicates quotations taken from the King James Version
of the Bible.
Numbers associated with Greek (italic) or Hebrew (upright)
words refer to the corresponding words in the Strong's Exhaustive
Concordance of the Bible, by James Strong, S.T.D., LL.D.
Please make copies of this book to give to your friends. (A
searchable and printable version in Adobe Acrobat format is
available for download.) Your comments
and suggestion are also welcome. Thank you for helping others to
understand the Bible teachings on the End Times.
God bless you.
Sonny Bowman
If you have questions or comments, please contact
Sonny Bowman.
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