FOUNDATIONS OF THE FAITH:
TRIBULATION AND MILLENNIUM
REVELATION 20:1-20:15
TODAY WE ARE COMING TO THE CONCLUSION OF OUR STUDY ON THE FOUNDATIONS OF OUR FAITH. AS WE STUDY THE BIBLE CERTAIN ASPECTS OF IT BECOME CLEAR AND THESE BECOME FOUNDATIONAL TO BELIEVE AS CHRISTIANS.
FOUNDATIONS OF THE FAITH INCLUDE:
WE MUST BELIEVE THAT THE BIBLE IS THE AUTHORITATIVE AND TOTALLY INSPIRED WORD OF GOD.
IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT A PERSON BE A BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIAN.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO FOLLOW THE LORD IN BAPTISM
JESUS MUST BE THE SAVIOR AND LORD OF OUR LIVES.
THAT THERE WILL BE A LITERAL RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH
TODAY AS WE CONCLUDE THE STUDY, WE ARE GOING TO CONSIDER WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT THE TRIBULATION AND THE MILLENNIUM. THIS AS WELL IS FOUNDATIONAL IN OUR STUDY OF THE LAST DAYS.
MOST OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION IS GIVEN OVER TO THE ACCOUNT OF THE TRIBULATION AND THE MILLENNIUM. AN OUTLINE OF THE BOOK WILL SHOW THIS.
CHAPTERS 1-3: LETTERS TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES
CHAPTERS 4-18: DEAL WITH THE TRIBULATION
CHAPTER 19-20: DEAL WITH THE END OF THE TRIBULATION AND
THE MILLENNIUM
CHAPTERS 21-22: DEAL WITH THE ETERNAL STATE
THE BOOK OF REVELATION IS A DIFFICULT BOOK TO READ, BECAUSE OF IT’S STYLE OF WRITING WHICH IS PROPHETIC, THE SYMBOLISM USED IN THE BOOK, AND THE GENERAL HEAVINESS OF THE MESSAGE. THERE IS NOT A LOT OF GOOD NEWS FOR MOST OF THE BOOK. I WANT TO ASSURE YOU TODAY THAT I’M GOING TO DEAL WITH THE TRIBULATION AND MILLENNIUM IN VERY GENERAL TERMS.
POINT ONE: SIGNIFICANT BACKGROUND
THERE WILL COME MANY CHANGES TO OUR WORLD AFTER THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH. AT THE TIME OF THE RAPTURE THE SCRIPTURE DECLARES THAT MILLIONS OF PEOPLE, WILL INSTANTLY DISAPPEAR FROM THE EARTH. THOSE ALIVE WILL HAVE THEIR BODIES TRANSFORMED, THOSE DEAD WILL HAVE THEIR BODIES RESURRECTED, BUT THEY WILL ALL BE BODIES WITHOUT THE SIN NATURE AND THEREFORE WE WILL BE ABLE TO LIVE FOREVER WITH CHRIST. THE ONLY PEOPLE TO BE TAKEN TO BE WITH CHRIST AT THIS TIME WILL BE BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIANS.
THE WORLD WILL BE IN A STATE OF KAOS, AS THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO COULD EXPLAIN WHAT HAS HAPPENED, THE BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIANS ARE GONE. COUNTRIES MAY BE WITHOUT LEADERS, PLANES WILL CRASH AS THEIR PILOTS HAVE DISAPPEARED. THE SAME IS TRUE FOR CARS TRAINS AND BUSES.
FAMILES COULD BE BROKEN UP. IF HUSBAND BELIEVES AND WIFE DOES NOT, HUSBAND WILL BE TAKEN AND THE WIFE LEFT BEHIND. ALL CHILDREN AND UNBORN BABIES WILL BE TAKEN TO BE WITH CHRIST. TEENAGERS COULD BE LEFT BEHIND AND THEIR PARENTS TAKEN, IT THEIR PARENTS ARE BELIEVERS AND THE TEENAGERS ARE NOT.
WHEN THE RAPTURE OCCURS ALL THAT IS HOLY IS GOING TO BE TAKEN OFF THE FACE OF THIS EARTH. THERE WILL BE NO ONE LEFT WHO HAS A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. IF THEY DID THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN UP WITH THE RAPTURE. THE TIME PERIOD BETWEEN THE RAPTURE AND THE MILLENNIUM WILL BE A TIME OF UNPRECIDENTED EVIL IN THIS WORLD
MATTHEW 24: 21-22:
“FOR THERE WILL BE GREATER ANGUISH THAN AT ANY TIME SINCE THE WORLD BEGAN. AND IT WILL NEVER BE SO GREAT AGAIN. IN FACT, UNLESS THAT TIME OF CALAMITY IS SHORTENED, NOT A SINGLE PERSON WILL SURVIVE. BUT IT WILL BE SHORTENED FOR THE SAKE OF GOD’S CHOSEN ONES.”
POINT TWO: WHAT IS THE UNHOLY TRINITY?
THERE WILL BE THREE PERSONALITIES ARISING TO POWER FOLLOWING THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH.
1. THE ANTICHRIST:
2 THESSALONIANS 2:3-4:
“DON’T BE FOOLED BY WHAT THEY SAY. FOR THAT DAY WILL NOT COME UNTIL THERE IS A GREAT REBELLION AGAINST GOD AND THE MAN OF LAWLESSNESS IS REVEALED-THE ONE WHO BRINGS DESTRUCTION. HE WILL EXALT HIMSELF AND DEFY EVERYTHING THAT PEOPLE CALL GOD AND EVERY OBJECT OF WORSHIP. HE WILL EVEN SIT IN THE TEMPLE OF GOD, CLAIMING THAT HE HIMSELF IS GOD.”
THE ANTICHRIST IS GOING TO BE A POLITICAL LEADER. HE WILL BE ALLOWED TO RULE THE ENTIRE WORLD, AS HE SEES FIT. HE WILL TRY TO DUPLICATE THE LIFE OF CHRIST RIGHT DOWN TO ARISING FROM THE DEAD.
REVELATION 13:3:
“I SAW THAT ONE OF THE HEADS OF THE BEAST SEEMED WOUNDED BEYOND RECOVERY-BUT THE FATAL WOUND WAS HEALED! THE WHOLE WORLD MARVELED AT THIS MIRACLE AND GAVE ALLEGIANCE TO THE BEAST.”
THE KEY TO REMEMBER IS THAT THIS WAS A NEAR FATAL WOUND. HE DID NOT IN FACT DIE. IT IS AFTER THIS THOUGH THAT HIS BODY COMES TOTALLY UNDER THE CONTROL OF SATAN.
2. THE FALSE PROPHET:
REVELATION 19:20: “AND THE BEAST WAS CAPTURED, AND WITH HIM THE FALSE PROPHET WHO DID MIGHTY MIRACLES ON BEHALF OF THE BEAST-MIRACLES THAT DECEIVED ALL WHO HAD ACCEPTED THE MARK OF THE BEAST AND WHO WORSHIPED HIS STATUE. BOTH THE BEAST AND HIS FALSE PROPHET WERE THROWN ALIVE INTO THE FIERY LAKE OF BURNING SULFUR.”
THE FALSE PROPHET IS THE SECOND OF WHAT THEOLOGIANS HAVE COME TO CALL THE UNHOLY TRINITY. THE FIRST PERSON INVOLVED IS THE ANTI-CHRIST. THE ANTI-CHRIST IS GOING TO INTRODUCE A ONE-WORLD, OR UNIVERSAL RELIGION.
REVELATION CHAPTER SEVENTEEN DESCRIBES IT IN GREAT DETAIL.
WITHOUT GETTING INTO IT IN GREAT DETAIL, WE CAN SAY,
1. THAT IT IS NOT NECESSARILY AN EXISTING DENOMINATION OR RELIGION.
2. THIS FALSE RELIGION IS GOING TO CENTER ON THE ANTI-CHRIST AND NOT GOD.
3. SATAN:
THE IDENTITY OF THE FIRST TWO PERSONS AND THEIR BACKGROUNDS ARE NOT KNOWN, WE CAN CLEARLY STATE THAT THE THIRD PERSON OF THE UNHOLY TRINITY IS SATAN HIMSELF. HE IS THE POWER BEHIND THE ANTI-CHRIST.
THE REASON WE NEED TO KNOW OF THESE PERSONS IS THAT THE TIMING THAT THE TRIBULATION STARTS DEPENDS ON THE ACTIONS OF THE ANTI-CHRIST.
POINT THREE: WHAT IS THE TRIBULATION?
THE TRIBULATION IS A SEVEN YEAR PERIOD OF TIME THAT WILL FOLLOW THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH. DURING THIS TIME UNBRIDLED EVIL WILL BE UNLEACHED ON EARTH.
DANIEL 9:24-27:
“24 “A PERIOD OF SEVENTY SETS OF SEVEN HAS BEEN DECREED FOR YOUR PEOPLE AND YOUR HOLY CITY TO FINISH THEIR REBELLION, TO PUT AN END TO THEIR SIN, TO ATONE FOR THEIR GUILT, TO BRING IN EVERLASTING RIGHTEOUSNESS, TO CONFIRM THE PROPHETIC VISION, AND TO ANOINT THE MOST HOLY PLACE. 25 NOW LISTEN AND UNDERSTAND! SEVEN SETS OF SEVEN PLUS SIXTY-TWO SETS OF SEVEN WILL PASS FROM THE TIME THE COMMAND IS GIVEN TO REBUILD JERUSALEM UNTIL A RULER-THE ANOINTED ONE-COMES. JERUSALEM WILL BE REBUILT WITH STREETS AND STRONG DEFENSES, DESPITE THE PERILOUS TIMES. 26 “AFTER THIS PERIOD OF SIXTY-TWO SETS OF SEVEN, THE ANOINTED ONE WILL BE KILLED, APPEARING TO HAVE ACCOMPLISHED NOTHING, AND A RULER WILL ARISE WHOSE ARMIES WILL DESTROY THE CITY AND THE TEMPLE. THE END WILL COME WITH A FLOOD, AND WAR AND ITS MISERIES ARE DECREED FROM THAT TIME TO THE VERY END. 27 THE RULER WILL MAKE A TREATY WITH THE PEOPLE FOR A PERIOD OF ONE SET OF SEVEN, BUT AFTER HALF THIS TIME, HE WILL PUT AN END TO THE SACRIFICES AND OFFERINGS. AND AS A CLIMAX TO ALL HIS TERRIBLE DEEDS, HE WILL SET UP A SACRILEGIOUS OBJECT THAT CAUSES DESECRATION, UNTIL THE FATE DECREED FOR THIS DEFILER IS FINALLY POURED OUT ON HIM.’’”
DANIEL PROPHECIED THIS CLOSE TO 568 YEARS BEFORE THE BIRTH OF CHRIST. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO REALIZE THAT “WEEKS” IN THIS PASSAGE IS SYMBOLIC FOR “YEARS”. THE COURSE OF HISTORY HAS SHOWN US THE FIRST SIXTY-NINE WEEKS. THE ONLY THING LEFT TO BE FULFILLED IS THE SEVENTIETH WEEK. THIS SEVENTIETH WEEK IS THE TRIBULATION PERIOD, WHICH IS HOW WE KNOW IT IS SEVEN YEARS. THERE ARE SEVEN DAYS IN THE WEEK, A SAY SYMBOLIZES A YEAR.
VERSE 27 ALSO INDICATES THE TIME THE TRIBULATION PERIOD WILL START. THE TRIBULATION WILL NOT START IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE RAPTURE. IT WILL START WHEN THE ANIT-CHRIST MAKES A TREATY WITH THE WARRING NATIONS OF THE WORLD.
WHILE WE DO NOT KNOW EXACTLY WHEN THE TRIBULATION PERIOD WILL START WE KNOW SOME THINGS ABOUT IT’S TIMELINE. THE TRIBULATION PERIOD WILL BEGIN WITH A TREATY THAT WILL INCLUDE THE REBUILDING OF THE JEWISH TEMPLE ON ITS FORMER SITE. THERE HAS BEEN NO TEMPLE THERE SINCE 70 A.D.
WE KNOW THAT THE TRIBULATION PERIOD WILL BE DIVIDED INTO TWO PARTS OF EQUAL LENGTH (1260 DAYS, OR 3.5 YEARS). THIS TIME WILL START WHEN ANTI-CHRIST FORCES THE CEASING OF SACRIFICES TO GOD IN THE TEMPLE. THE ANTICHRIST WILL DEFILE THE TEMPLE BY OFFERING AN UNHOLY SACRIFICE ON IT.
MATTHEW 24:15: ““THE DAY IS COMING WHEN YOU WILL SEE WHAT DANIEL THE PROPHET SPOKE ABOUT-THE SACRILEGIOUS OBJECT THAT CAUSES DESECRATION STANDING IN THE HOLY PLACE.’’
SO, JESUS MUST HAVE BEEN PROPHESYING THAT SOME TIME IN THE FUTURE ANOTHER ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION WOULD OCCUR IN A JEWISH TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM. IT IS THE ANTICHRIST WHO, IN THE END TIMES, WILL ESTABLISH A COVENANT WITH ISRAEL FOR SEVEN YEARS AND THEN BREAK IT BY DOING SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION IN THE JEWISH TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM.
WHATEVER THE FUTURE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION IS, IT WILL LEAVE NO DOUBT IN ANYONE’S MIND THAT THE ONE PERPETRATING IT IS THE PERSON KNOWN AS THE ANTICHRIST.
REVELATION 13:14: “AND WITH ALL THE MIRACLES HE WAS ALLOWED TO PERFORM ON BEHALF OF THE FIRST BEAST, HE DECEIVED ALL THE PEOPLE WHO BELONG TO THIS WORLD. HE ORDERED THE PEOPLE TO MAKE A GREAT STATUE OF THE FIRST BEAST, WHO WAS FATALLY WOUNDED AND THEN CAME BACK TO LIFE.”
FOR 1260 DAYS ISRAEL WILL BE AT PEACE AND MAKING SACRIFICES AT THE TEMPLE. THE NEXT 1260 WILL BE KNOWN AS THE GREAT TRIBULATION.
GOD WILL BE PUNISHING THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD FOR THEIR SIN AS WELL DURING THIS TIME. PEOPLE WILL STILL NOT BELIEVE IN THE SAVING WORK OF CHRIST. AS A RESULT THEY WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH THREE SETS OF JUDGMENTS AGAINST THEM. THE JUDGMENTS ARE:
1. THE SEAL JUDGMENTS
2. THE TRUMPET JUDGMENTS
3. THE BOWL JUDGMENTS.
EACH SET OF JUDGMENTS HAS SEVEN DIFFERENT JUDGMENTS IN THEM. THE SEVENTH JUDGMENT ALWAYS INTRODUCED THE NEXT SET OF JUDGMENTS TO COME.
THE OBVIOUS EXCEPTION TO THIS IS THE BOWL JUDGMENTS. THE REASON FOR THIS IS THAT THE SEVENTH BOWL JUDGMENT IS THE “BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON” OR THE LAST GREAT BATTLE THERE WILL BE ON THIS TIRED PLANET.
THIS TRIBULATION PERIOD TAKES UP THE BULK OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION. MOST WHO ENTER INTO IT WILL NOT COME OUT ALIVE.
POINT FOUR: WHAT IS THE MILLENNIUM?
THE MILLENNIUM IS THE THEOLOGICAL TERM GIVEN FOR A 1000 YEAR PERIOD, FOLLOWING THE TRIBULATION, WHERE CHRIST IS IN POWER IN THIS WORLD. WE READ THE DESCRIPTION OF IT HERE IN CHAPTER 20 OF REVELATION.
REVELATION 20:3: “THE ANGEL THREW HIM INTO THE BOTTOMLESS PIT, WHICH HE THEN SHUT AND LOCKED SO SATAN COULD NOT DECEIVE THE NATIONS ANYMORE UNTIL THE THOUSAND YEARS WERE FINISHED. AFTERWARD HE MUST BE RELEASED FOR A LITTLE WHILE.”
THE MILLENNIUM IS NOT PART OF THE ETERNAL STATE. PEOPLE LIVING ON EARTH AT THIS TIME WILL ALL BE BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIANS. NON-CHRISTIANS WILL ALL BE ELIMINATED AT THE END OF THE TRIBULATION. WHAT THIS MEANS THOUGH IS THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE BORN DURING THE MILLENNIUM WILL STILL BE EFFECTED BY THE SIN NATURE AND NEED TO MAKE A CHOICE TO ACCEPT CHRIST.
THE MAJOR DIFFERENCE IS THAT WHEREAS IN THE TRIBULATION PERIOD THERE WAS AN ABSENCE OF ANYTHING GOOD SPIRITUALLY IN THE WORLD, DURING THE MILLENNIUM THERE WILL BE AN ABSENCE OF ANYTHING SPIRITUALLY EVIL. IT WILL ALLOW DECISIONS TO BE MADE EASILY.
WE NEED TO NOTE THE LAST SENTENCE OF VERSE 3 AND PAY ATTENTION TO IT. SATAN IS GOING TO BE RELEASED FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AT THE END OF THE MILLENNIUM. DURING THE TIME OF HIS FREEDOM HE WILL TRY TO LEAD A REBELLION AGAINST GOD. A GREAT MANY WILL FOLLOW HIM INTO BATTLE.
REVELATION 20:8: “HE WILL GO OUT TO DECEIVE THE NATIONS-CALLED GOG AND MAGOG-IN EVERY CORNER OF THE EARTH. HE WILL GATHER THEM TOGETHER FOR BATTLE-A MIGHTY ARMY, AS NUMBERLESS AS SAND ALONG THE SEASHORE.”
THIS REBELLION WILL BE THE ULTIMATE DEFEAT OF THE DEVIL. ALL EVIL WILL BE PRESENT ON THE EARTH AT THIS TIME, AND IT IS HERE THAT THE LAST GENERAL RESURRECTION WILL OCCUR.
THOSE WHO DID NOT MAKE A DECISION FOR CHRIST WILL COME TOGETHER BEFORE THE GREAT WHITE THRONE OF GOD AT WHAT IS CALLED THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT, NOT TO PLEAD BEFORE THE FATHER, BUT TO RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT THEY WERE WRONG.
IT IS HERE THAT THEY WILL BOW BEFORE GOD AND ACKNOWLEDGE HIM AS SOVEREIGN OF ALL.
PHILIPPIANS 2:10-11:
“10 THAT AT THE NAME OF JESUS EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW, IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH AND UNDER THE EARTH, 11 AND EVERY TONGUE CONFESS THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, TO THE GLORY OF GOD THE FATHER.”
CONCLUSION:
WHAT IS THERE FOR US TO LEARN STUDYING THIS PART OF THE OFUNDATIONS OF OUR FAITH? I THINK MORE THAN ANYTHING IT IS THAT OUR EYES ARE OPEN TO THE FINAL EVENTS OF THIS EVIL WORLD AND HOW THEY WILL EFFECT PEOPLE.
TO HAVE TO LIVE THROUGH THE TRIBULATION PERIOD IS TO BE GIVEN A DEATH SENTENCE. THIS IS SOMETHING WE WANT THOSE WHOME WE LOVE TO AVOID. THERE IS HOWEVER ONLY ONE WAY FOR THEM TO AVOID IT. WE HAVE TO TELL THEM. WE HAVE TO WITNESS TO THE WORLD ABOUT THE LIFE-SAVING POWER OF GOD. WE MUST LIVE OUR LIVES IN SUCH A WAY THAT PEOPLE WILL WANT A RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST, NOT JUST AS A MEANS OF FIRE-INSURANCE, OR A GET OUT OF HELL FREE CARD, AS IN MONOPOLY, BUT TO REALIZE THAT WE CAN HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST THAT WILL ENCOURAGE US ALL OUR LIVES.
JESUS SAID:
JOHN 10:10: “THE THIEF’S PURPOSE IS TO STEAL AND KILL AND DESTROY. MY PURPOSE IS TO GIVE THEM A RICH AND SATISFYING LIFE.”
JESUS LOVES US AND GAVE HIS LIFE FOR US. BY ACCEPTING HIM AS OUR PERSONAL SAVIOR AND LORD, WE NOT ONLY NOT NEED FEAR THE TRIBULATION PERIOD, BUT WE CAN ENJOY THE LOVE OF JESUS IN OUR LIVES.
ROMANS 8:38-39:
“38 AND I AM CONVINCED THAT NOTHING CAN EVER SEPARATE US FROM GOD’S LOVE. NEITHER DEATH NOR LIFE, NEITHER ANGELS NOR DEMONS, NEITHER OUR FEARS FOR TODAY NOR OUR WORRIES ABOUT TOMORROW-NOT EVEN THE POWERS OF HELL CAN SEPARATE US FROM GOD’S LOVE. 39 NO POWER IN THE SKY ABOVE OR IN THE EARTH BELOW-INDEED, NOTHING IN ALL CREATION WILL EVER BE ABLE TO SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF GOD THAT IS REVEALED IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD.”
ONLY THE BORN AGAIN CHRISTIAN CAN LAY CLAIM TO THIS PROMISE. MY QUESTION TO YOU TODAY IS WHETHER OR NOT YOU KNOW JESUS AS YOUR SAVIOR. IF YOU DO NOT THEN THIS COULD BE THE DAY OF DECISION IN YOUR LIVES.
JUST A THOUGHT. IT’S NOT PART OF THE MESSAGE.
GOD GRANT ME THE SANILITY TO FORGET THE PEOPLE I NEVER LIKED ANYWAY, THE GOOD FORTUNE TO RUN INTO THE ONES I DO, AND THE EYESIGHT TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE.
