Is this the final century of apocalypse?

Do world woes signal beginning of the end?

By Bill Salus

www.worldnetdaily.com

Lately it seems that there is an inescapable apocalyptic tenor resounding throughout the world. Humanity, still sickened from the world financial crisis, has recently been thrust into a stage-5 condition of pandemic pandemonium! Mexicans are afraid to breathe on one another, Egyptians are slaughtering thousands of pigs, and many Americans are quarantining their children from public schools – and that's just one unhealthy dose of daily news!

World-changing events are emerging at an alarming pace, causing Christian eschatologists to write last days articles faster than Scott rolls out toilet tissue and world governments print funny money to fill the bottomless financial pit. Unknowingly paralleling their concerns, even President Obama recently declared that after 100 days in office "the number of critical issues that appear to be coming to a head all at the same time" surprises him. Newscaster Glenn Beck of Fox News echoes similar sentiment by suggesting there appears to be a "perfect storm" coming, alluding to the advance of powerful world-changing events building one upon another in rapid succession.

Interestingly, Jesus Christ predicted approximately 2,000 years ago in Matthew 24:7-8 that world wars would come and be followed by cataclysmic events like regional wars, pandemic pestilences, earthquakes and famines in various places. He called it a time of travail and likened it to a woman having birth pangs. His birthing illustration envisions catastrophic events occurring with greater frequency and intensity as the end of time nears, similar to the way a woman's contractions increase as her child begins departure from the womb.

Are there myriads of more disturbing cataclysmic scenarios in store for the world from this point forward? Has the world's hourglass made its final turn and humanity thrust beyond the point of no return into the final century? Let's ponder the possible evidences along with a few of the prophecies being written about by some prominent eschatologists.

Ancient prophecy is a blueprint for the future Middle East – don't miss Bill Salus' jaw-dropping book, "Isralestine"

The evidences

As the world entered into its first threshold decade of this 21st century, it was greeted by turbulent events sequenced in fairly rapid succession, evidencing the disturbing possibility that this is the concluding century. Listed below are a few evidentiary examples:

The al-Qaida terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, that toppled the Twin Towers in New York.

The Asian tsunami of Dec. 26, 2004, generated by a magnitude 9.1 earthquake in the Indian Ocean, killing an estimated 225,000 people in 11 countries. This was the deadliest natural disaster in recorded history.

Hurricane Katrina in August of 2005, which ranks as the costliest hurricane in American history.

The financial crisis of 2007-2009 that caused the collapse of numerous major banking and financial institutions worldwide.

The recent April 2009 outbreak of the pandemic H1-N1 virus.

Stockpile upon the list above the American invasion of Afghanistan in October 2001, Operation Iraqi Freedom ongoing since March of 2003, the sub-prime lending crisis of 2005, the 34-day conflict in July 2006 between Israel and the Hezbollah, the Russian invasion of Georgia in August of 2008, the 22 day "Operation Cast Lead" campaign of the Israeli Defense Forces into Gaza in December 2008 and the burgeoning worldwide UFO phenomena, and we have further cause to consider this century being the time of the end.

Ominously on the immediate horizon, the new prime minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, is planning to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear-equipped nation. It was in February 2005 that Russia and Iran contracted their nuclear relationship for supposedly Iranian civilian purposes. Then in October of the same year the apocalyptically minded president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, declared his intentions to "wipe Israel off of the map." Four years have passed. Ahmadinejad has repeated the threat numerous times, and Iran has 7,000 centrifuges spinning 24/7, which has analysts predicting an Iranian nuke by August of 2009.

With nuclear weapons in his quiver, Ahmadinejad will be able to make good upon his threats to obliterate the Jewish state, and this has prompted Netanyahu to schedule a trip to Washington on May 18. Promptly following on the heels of Netanyahu's visit to Washington, President Obama plans a personal visit to Israel in June. Analysts are expecting a confrontation between these two heads of state over this serious issue. WND's Aaron Klein recently released an insightful best-selling book entitled "The Late Great State of Israel," detailing these and other volatile Mideast scenarios.

The prophecies

Many Bible scholars today are hard-pressed to locate even a single prophecy out of the myriad of Bible prophecies remaining to be fulfilled that couldn't occur in the very near future. A few examples are listed below.

Psalm 83 refers to a climactic concluding Arab-Israeli war. This prophecy foretells of an Arab confederacy comprised of Palestinians, Syrians, Saudis, Egyptians, Lebanese, Jordanians and likely their terrorist bedfellows, the Hezbollah, Hamas, al-Qaida and more. In my book, "Isralestine the Ancient Blueprints of the Future Middle East," I write extensively about this prophecy and its near-term fulfillment. This prophecy could easily be fulfilled in the next one to two decades.

Ezekiel 38 and 39, the last-days Russian-Iranian led nuclear-equipped consortia of nine populations that comes to invade the Jewish state of Israel. Today Russia and Iran have become the best of national friends. Russia has helped Iran develop nuclear technologies and, as referenced above, Iran has expressed a desire to "wipe Israel off the map." This prophecy will likely occur in the aftermath of the Psalm 83 event, according to my assessments, and could also easily occur in the early decades of this century.

Revelation 13 issues the infamous "666" prophecy also referred to as the "Mark of the Beast" (antichrist). This prophecy declares that no one will be able to buy or sell unless they receive a mark upon their right hand or forehead. Many eschatologists believe that the Apostle John attempted to describe approximately 2,000 years ago a type of advanced computer technology that exists today. This prophecy, which seems to predict humanity's ability to conduct cashless commerce, was impossible at the time it was written but is a definite possibility today. A one-world order coupled with a one-world banking system could evolve out of the current world economic crisis, and such a system could effortlessly segue into the fulfillment of this prophecy.

These three preceding prophetic examples are just a few among a lengthy litany of others that suggest biblically that these are the last days and this likely is the final century. Extra-biblical sources suggest similar apocalyptic scenarios are about to occur. Examples include the growing number of those who believe the end of the world will occur in the year 2012 with the conclusion of the Mayan calendar and New Age mystics who declare that the alien creators are coming to launch humanity into some fourth atmospheric dimension.

Is it doom and gloom or just coincidences that so may powerful events are occurring with such frequency? Was Jesus correct when he predicted the world would enter into a "Time of Sorrows"? Is there an end to all the calamities, or are all the calamities evidencing that this is the end? From my vantage point, I see but a few grains of sand left in the hourglass!

Glossary of Prophetic Terms

Abomination of Desolation:
When the Antichrist sits down in the rebuilt Jewish Temple and declares himself to be God, the 42 months or 1260 days of rulership of Antichrist over whole world will then begin from the end time Temple of Jerusalem. At the occurrence of this event, the Messianic-Jews and Christians living in Israel are commanded to flee into the wilderness because the rapture of the Church may happen anytime after this event. Once rapture happens the Tribulation will start immediately and then all the tribulation saints will know from that day on they will have to wait through Tribulation or even face death execution of the Antichrist before the Lord returns at His second coming to the earth.
(Dan 9:27) ,(Mat 24:15-19)

Amillennialism:
(prefix "a," "no"). The belief that there is no literal 1000-year reign of Christ. Thus Revelation 20 is taken symbolically, not literally, by adherents of this view. Amillennialists generally believe that Israel has been permanently set aside for all time and that God's current plan of salvation involves only the Church.

Antichrist:
Often described as the most evil man that will ever live. He will arrive on the world scene and appear to be the world's savior, but everyone on earth will soon learn his real mission will be one of destruction. Also called the man of lawlessness (or sin), Gog, the son of destruction (or perdition)
(1 John 2:18) , (Rev 13:1-8)

Apostacy, The:
In the end times, the Bible predicts a great falling away or departure from the faith. Because we have experienced a number of generations where people have rebelled against God, the one that occurs leading up to the tribulation will likely surpass prior apostasies. The Greek word apostasy was originally used to describe a revolt staged by a military commander. (2 Thes 2:3), (Mat 24:11-13)

Armageddon:
Armageddon comes from the Hebrew word meaning "the Mount of Megiddo." This ancient fortress is located in northern Israel, across the Plain of Esdraelon from Nazareth. Armageddon will be the gathering place for the final great battle, which bears its name. (Rev 16:16)

Church Age:
The “Church Age” began on the day of Pentecost and will end at with rapture of the church before the beginning of the great tribulation described in Matt 24:21.

Damascus:
The city of Damascus has been around for thousands of years and it has never been destroyed in battle. The Prophet Isaiah predicted that someday this city would be destroyed. Isaiah 17:1 The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from [being] a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.

Dispensationalism:
The view that believes God’s dealings with men have proceeded through well-defined time periods, in each of which God reveals a particular purpose to be accomplished in that period, to which men respond in faith or unbelief.

Dragon:
The dragon is the symbolic name given to representative the devil. Satan is also described as "that old serpent." (Rev 20:2)

Eastern Gate:
The Eastern Gate has a very important prophet role to play. It is the only gate that is currently blocked. The book of Ezekiel foretold that it would be shut and the only one who will open it will be the "Prince" Jesus (Ezek 44:1-3)

Eschatology:
The study of things that relate to the end times. That which relates to the final events in the history of mankind, which is a big word to impress your friends.

False Church:
During the first part of the Daniel 70th Week [i.e. In the Hebraic calender one week represents 7 years ], the Antichrist's will rise to power aided by a religious system, which will include most, if not all, of the world's major religions. During the second half of the tribulation the Antichrist will destroy this false church. The book of Revelation describes the false churches as the great whore. (Rev 17:1-5; 19:2)

False Prophet:
He will be a Jew who will officially administrate the workings of the end time Jewish temple (Rev 3:9), who will later be accepted by the Jews as the prophet Elijah from Heaven because of sign that he will do in bringing fire from heaven. These signs of the false prophet will happen in reality because God will grant him the power to perform such great signs in the sight of the Antichrist, so that those who will not believe the truth will be deceived by the lie to worship the image of Antichrist, which will be given breath so that Satan will directly speak for the first time with his voice to deceive the whole world in to open rebellion against Christ and His kingdom (Rev 13:11-15; 2 Thess 2:8-12, 3-4). The False Prophet's primary mission will be to cause the world to worship the Antichrist. (Rev 13:11-14)

Gog And Magog:
Most prophetic scholars agree that Gog and Magog were the people that lived in the lands, which are now modern Russia. Someday Russia and a horde of Middle East countries along with the global govermental army of Antichrist will launch a surprise attack against Israel which is referred to in other places as the day of the Lord's wrath, Armageddon and the day of the Lord of Hosts. (Ezekiel 38 and 39)

Historicism:
Historicism relates the timing of the current church age through the day/year theory. The day/year theory takes numbers such as the 2,300 days (Daniel 8:14) and 1,290 days (Daniel 12:11) and declares them to be years. They also relate the seal, trumpet, and bowl judgments to major historical events that have occurred throughout the past 2,000 years. For example, the fifth seal in Revelation 6 may be identified as the martyrdom under Roman Emperor Diocletian (A.D. 284-304). The Pope is commonly looked at as being the Antichrist. Historicism is the view held by the Mormons, the Seventh-day Adventists, and the Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Jacob's Trouble:
Called by Jeremiah as "the time of Jacob's trouble" and by Daniel as "the time of distress such as never occurred," this event will take place during the 3 1/2 year reign of antichrist from Jerusalem over the whole wide world. The time of Jacob's trouble will be a time of great suffering on earth. The suffering will be brought on by the actions of the Antichrist against all Messianic Jews and by the wrath of God being poured out on a sinful world. (Jer 30:7)

Judgment, Great White Throne:
This judgment is predominately for the unsaved. It is also believed to be a more stern judgment which will send all unbelievers in to the eternal hell fire for sinful works done by them in their physical body (Rev 20:11-15). But the Judgment seat of Christ will be held after the rapture of the Church for the distribution of reward for the work done to the Lord by the believers (Heb 9:28; 1 Cor 3:11-15; 2 Cor 5:9-11). All the sinners who will have lived during the Millenium rule of Christ will also be a part of this final Great White Throne Judgment (Rev 20:7-10; Isaiah 65:20). All the believer's who would have lived during the Millenium will be rewarded in this White Throne Judgment for the work done during their lifetime and then will be allowed in to fill their positions in the new heaven and new earth (Rev 21:26-27). It is here where all those that are not found written in the book of life are cast into the lake of fire. (Rev 20:11-15)

Judgment Seat Of Christ:
Immediately after the rapture, the church will receive rewards according to what they have done on earth, whether it be good or bad. The Judgment seat of Christ is for believers only. (2 Cor 5:10), (Rom 14:10-12), (Rev 11:15-18)

Kings of the East:
And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. I believe the kings of the east will likely be or will largely include the nation of China, India and other Asian countries. (Revelation 16:12)

Lake Of Fire:
The lake of fire is the final abode for all the lost, the Devil and all of his co-workers. Everyone that's condemned to this fiery inferno will suffer unrelenting eternal torment. (Rev 20:15)

Little Horn:
Daniel the prophet described seeing a little horn rising out from among ten other horns. The little horn is clearly another representation of the antichrist, because Daniel's accounting aligns with the apostle John's Revelation 13 description of the Antichrist.
(Dan 7:7-8), (Dan 7:19-25)

Mark Of The Beast:
"He causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name." The Mark of the Beast will likely be a microchip implant or a seal of silicon tattoo that operates like an ATM or credit card. Remember, everyone who receives the Mark of the Beast will be cast into hell, so don't take the mark! (Rev 13:16-18)

Millennium:
After the tribulation, Jesus Christ will set up an earthly Kingdom where he will rule for 1000 years. (Rev 20:3-4)

Preterism:
The belief that nearly all prophetic events have already occurred. The year 70 AD is a popular date where Preterists claim that the book of Revelation was fulfilled. Under preterism you are basically left to just waiting for Jesus to return.

Progressive Dispensationalism:
A recent form of dispensationalism, which emphasizes the present spiritual reign of Christ on David's throne.

Rapture:
At an unknown hour and day the Lord Jesus will descend from heaven, while remaining in the air, he will snatch his Bride, the Church, out from among this sinful world. Christ then takes the Church to heaven for the wedding feast which will be held after the rapture even upto the time before the Ammageddon starts (Rev 19:6-9, 13-15). The earthly reason for the removal of the Church is to save them from the Great unprecedented Tribulation exactly as Jesus had promised the Church (Matt 24:20-22; Rev 3:10; Luke 21:36; 1 Thess 1:10; 5:9; 2 Thess 1:6-10). The Tribulation which will be unprecedented will truly be Great in intensity than ever before in the history or ever after this and will be triggered with the rapture of the Church anytime after the abomination of desolation. The abomination of desolation will happen exactly at the middle of the Daniel 70th week. The abomination of desolation will make way for the rulership of Antichrist over the whole world and to fulfill the prophecies of the latter half of the Daniel's final 70th week (Daniel 7:25; Rev 13:5-8).

(Mat 25:13), (1 Thes 4:16-18)

Red Heifer:
The Bible predicts that the Jewish Temple will be rebuilt in Jerusalem. Ever since the 70 AD destruction, one major roadblock barring the reconstruction of the Temple is the fact that the Temple Mount area has been defiled by warfare. In order to cleanse the tribulation Temple Mount for worship, the Jews will need the ashes of a pure red heifer. Numbers chapter 19 describes how King Solomon cleansed the first Temple with the ashes of a specially prepared red heifer. (Numbers 19:2-9)

Replacementism
Replacement theology is the view that Israel, having failed God, has been replaced by the Church around 70 AD. The Church is now seen as spiritual Israel and spiritual Jerusalem. This teaching claims that all the promises and blessings, in fact Israel's entire inheritance, now belongs to the Church. However, all is not lost for Israel; it gets to keep all the curses.

Restrainer, The:
The presence of the Holy Spirit on earth currently is what restrains the forces of evil. The Holy Spirit resides in the lives of all believers and they become as one of the channel through which the restaining influence of the Holy Spirit restains and reigns over all evil (1 John 4:4), but they are not the restrainer of evil. This is the reason why Christians are called the "salt of the earth." Salt is only added for the food to become tasty, but they are not the whole food which empowers all men. When the time of the abomination of desolation comes, the restainer of lawlessness who is the Holy Spirit will remove His restraining clutches over lawlessness and from this time onwards Antichrist will claim himself to be God, will blaspheme God and will start to persecute the saints [i.e. those who will believe in the true God of the Bible] even unto death (2 Thess 2:1-7; Rev 13:5-8). Church will be removed at the time of rapture to escape the evil clutches of antichrist at the last moment before the Great Tribulation wrath of God starts (Rev 12:13-17). From the time of the abomination of desolation to the time the Tribulation starts, it will be unprecedented time of deception in which the whole world will go through, after which the persecution of the saints will start (Matt 24:23-26). This is the exact time that Jesus told the Church to be watchful and prayerful because the rapture will happen at this point of time (Matt 24:27-28, 20; 24:36-44).
(2 Thes 2:7), (Mat 5:13)

Rosh Hashanah:
The Jewish festival of the civil New Year celebrated on the first and second days of the month Tishri. During this holiday trumpets are blown as a call for repentance. Many Christians look towards Rosh Hashanah as a possible time for the rapture. (Numbers 10:1-10)

Second Coming:
This is the time when Jesus Christ will return, defeat the Antichrist, and set up his 1000 year kingdom on earth. The second coming is not the rapture. The rapture takes place approximately within three and half years prior to the second coming. Another important difference between the two is that the rapture will occur at an unknown time after the abomination of desolation while the second coming will take place 42 months after the Antichrist declares himself to be God.

(1 Cor 15:51-54), (Rev 13:5), (Mat 25:13)

Tribulation:
A unknow period of time lasting may be few years or even less after the abomination of desolation which will happen exactly at the mid point of Daniel's 70th week of 7 years. The first 3 1/2 years will be relatively peaceful as the antichrist rises to power. The second 3 1/2 years will bring the greatest suffering in human history as the wrath of God and the Antichrist is poured out on earth.
(Dan 9:27) , (Mat 24:21)

Witnesses, Two:
During the tribulation, two men will prophesy in the streets of Jerusalem. These two witnesses of God will have the power to prevent it from raining on the earth, to call fire down from heaven, to turn bodies of water into blood, and to command a number of other plagues. After they preach for 42 months, the Antichrist will be allowed to kill them. Three and 1/2 days later they will be resurrected and raptured up to heaven. Some scholars say the two men could be Elijah and Enoch or Moses and Elijah.
(Rev 11:3-13), (Malachi 4:5-6)

Wrath of God, The:
The Wrath of God is poured out on man during the tribulation which is also called as the Great Tribulation because it will be uniqiuely unprecedented in its intensity since the creation. The people of earth will come under God's wrath because they refuse to turn from their wicked ways. Those that receive the Antichrist Mark will not only come under God's wrath, but will be lost forever. (1 Thes 1:10), (1 Thes 5:9) , (Rev 14:9-11)

10 Nation Confederation - Toes; Horns; Kings:
Out of the area that once was the Roman Empire, ten leaders will arise. The only purpose these 10 leaders will have is to give their power to the Antichrist.
(Dan 2:41-44), (Dan 7:20), (Rev 17:12), (Rev 17:17)

70th Week:
The final seven years of Gentile domination of the nation of Israel and the city of Jerusalem; the last week of the seventy weeks of years (490 years) of Daniel's prophecy which will begin after the long interval. (Daniel 9:27)

144,000 Jewish Saints:
Before the Antichrist administers his mark, God will send an angel to mark the foreheads of 144,000 Jews - 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes. The 144,000 sealed Jews will apparently be commissioned to be a witness to the Gentiles during the tribulation. (Rev 7:2-8)

200 Million Man Army, The:
During the latter part of the tribulation an Oriental army of some 200 million strong, will move into the Middle East, crossing over the dried up Euphrates River. This army, guided by four demonic angels, will try to capture Jerusalem along with Antichrist and Christ will defeat it in the battle of Armageddon. This will be the same army with less soldiers that would have be used by Antichrist to kill one third of mankind and bring nearly the whole world in to submission to himself.
(Rev 9:14-16), (Rev 16:12)

Babylon?

America Is Not Babylon

Joseph Chambers

www.raptureready.com

The purity of Holy Scripture is a miracle of miracles. Read any passage in the Bible and then do a little research. You will find clear interpretation for that Scripture. Words that the Spirit used can never be understood properly by pulling a meaning out of the air. The word “water” when used as a type is always the Word of God. When God says “Jerusalem,” He means the chosen of God. It is either His chosen city or His chosen people.

Babylon is used in the Bible over 295 times. When the Bible says “Mystery Babylon,” He speaks of a religion that has become evil and corrupt because “Babylon” is the seat of Satan. When He says “Babylon” without a modifying adjective, He means Babylon the city, which was founded by Nimrod. To try to identify America as Babylon is utterly contrary to Biblical interpretation. Using that kind of method to study the Bible leads to all kinds of misunderstandings. Always let the Bible interpret itself.

Mystery Babylon is clearly the End Time apostasy of false Christianity. The seventeenth chapter of Revelation is the most noted example. A harlot woman is another Biblical type of corrupt Christianity. A pure woman represents the pure faith of our Lord. The harlot woman is the opposite. When you put “Mystery Babylon” with the “harlot woman,” you have a double picture of the utter false religion of the Seven Years of Tribulation. It is religion at its lowest manifestation in human history. This is the church of the Antichrist.

Revelation chapter eighteen is the city of Babylon rebuilt in the Southern part of Iraq. To try to superimpose this chapter into America is contrary to every Biblical principle. There is not one basis for such transliterating of the Holy Bible. The main reason this is often tried is because our nation has a preponderance of sins. I certainly admit that, but it is not God’s method of understanding the Word of God. What if we did that kind of twisting of all Scripture? Think of the mess it would create with our Bible.

America has got a lot of sins for which we are going to pay. This nation will be subject to all the horrid calamities of the Seven Years of Tribulation. These calamities are God’s instruments for cleansing the world of abortions, fornications, sodomy, and every unclean lifestyle. Millions will die and the wicked will learn that sin is always accountable to the Heavenly Father. Before the worst comes, the Saints will be raptured. But, if the Lord tarries, you may think that the worst has already come even before the Rapture occurs.

Babylon is the city of Babylon and it must be rebuilt to be the capital of the Antichrist Kingdom. It is fitting that His One World Religion that gives him their total worship is called Mystery Babylon. The unity of the two entities is part of the mystery of wickedness. For the early years of the Seven Years, the Antichrist and His false church will be bosom partners. They will use each other. So, calling one “Babylon” and the other one “Mystery Babylon” is perfect prophecy.

By the end of the Seven Years, the two Babylons will clash and the Antichrist will pour his fury upon Mystery Babylon and burn her with fire. “And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire” (Revelation 17:16). This truth also destroys the idea that both chapters are talking about Rome as Mystery Babylon. How could the Antichrist from literal Babylon burn Mystery Babylon if both are the same Babylon? Again, the Bible leaves little room for misunderstanding if you let Scripture interpret Scripture.

This totally destroys the thought that America is Babylon. The question is an unanswerable one when we try to put America in some cubbyhole of prophecy. Much of the world is unnamed as you study the Bible. Basically, the Bible’s prophecy picture is a Middle Eastern setting. You may call us an “Isle of the Sea” and that would put us in the Gog and Magog event. I personally believe that when the army of Russians and Islamic countries march towards Israel, we will either come to Israel’s defense or suffer great destruction in cities like New York and Washington, DC. That is still uncertain and our defense of Israel should not be done just to save our own necks.

History, not the Bible, proves that the Great Creator puts America in her wealthy position to spread the Gospel to the four corners of the world. He also ordained us to win the Second World War and be a partner in the development of the Nation of Israel. Defending Israel since 1948, providing Israel with a faithful partnership, and being her ally right down to the end is absolutely God’s will for our great nation. Anyone that would undercut that purpose needs to remember that God is still the sole owner and keeper of this Universe. He can pull down an arrogant president just like He allowed Him to be elected. I would suggest that any president or politician should watch his words and actions because God knows all things and Israel is His heartthrob.

America is not Babylon, but America is answerable to God for our grievous sins and for our responsibility to Israel.

Bible Prophecy Imparts Hope

Finding Hope in the Midst of Crisis - Can Bible prophecy give us hope?

by Dr. David R. Reagan

http://www.lamblion.com/articles/articles_chrliving6.php

Hope is essential to life. Without it, people descend into deep depression or commit suicide or simply lie down and die.

During the Holocaust, Viktor Frankl, who later became a world renowned psychiatrist, was a prisoner in one of the Nazi death camps. He observed that every year as Christmas approached, hope would sweep the camp that the prisoners would be released on Christmas day. It was an irrational hope, but it was hope. Then, when Christmas would come and go without a release, hundreds of prisoners would just lie down and die. Without hope, they could not live.¹² Frankl concluded, "It is a peculiarity of man that he can only live by looking to the future."

A Desperate Need

The world desperately needs hope in these end times. We live in a world of increasing fears — fear of nuclear holocaust, fear of economic collapse, fear of plagues like AIDS, fear of terrorism, fear of war, and — of course — fear of life and of death.

Our nation needs hope. Our economy has collapsed. People are losing their jobs. Houses are being foreclosed. Corporations that have been American icons for over a hundred years are declaring bankruptcy. Retirement funds have been wiped out. Many people are feeling a sense of desperation for the first time in their lives.

Everywhere people are looking for hope, and that includes Christians. Some might respond by saying, "Christians are the only ones who have any hope!" That is true, but the problem is that most professing Christians cannot articulate their hope beyond a vague statement like, "My hope is heaven."

An Ignored Virtue

I came to this realization one day when I was reading Paul's great love poem in 1 Corinthians 13. It ends with the famous phrase: "There are three things that remain [or abide] — faith, hope, and love — and the greatest of these is love" (1 Corinthians 13:13).

As I thought about those words, it suddenly occurred to me that I had heard hundreds of sermons on faith and hundreds on love, but I could not think of a single one about hope.

At that moment the Lord impressed upon my heart that hope is the most ignored of the Christian virtues. I knew instantly why that is true. It's because hope is directly related to one's knowledge of Bible prophecy, and there is no topic in the modern Church that is more ignored than prophecy.

Stop and think about it for a moment. What is your hope? How would you explain it to an unbeliever? Could you get beyond the words, "My hope is heaven"?

My Heritage

During the first 30 years of my life I received almost no teaching about Bible prophecy, and I lived with little hope. If you would have asked me to define my hope, I would have given you a pathetic answer, based more on Greek philosophy than Hebrew theology.

I was taught that if I died before the Lord returned, I would experience "soul sleep." In other words, I would lapse into total unconsciousness and lie in my tomb until the Lord returned. At His return, I was taught that a "big bang" would occur that would vaporize the universe. My soul would be resurrected, and I would go off to an ethereal world called Heaven where I would float around on a cloud and play a harp eternally.

For me, it was a grim picture. I didn't like the idea of lying comatose in a grave for eons of time. The "big bang" scared me to death. I was repulsed by the idea of becoming some sort of disembodied spirit without any individuality or personality. I certainly could not get excited about playing a harp forever. In fact, I found that idea downright hilarious.

You see, I grew up in a church that believed it is a terrible sin to play a musical instrument in a worship service. Yet, we were going to play harps in Heaven eternally! It made no sense to me, so I wrote it off as a bunch of silly nonsense.

I had no one to blame but myself because I did not study God's Word as I should have. When I finally started doing that, and the Holy Spirit began to lead me into a study of Bible prophecy, I started making discoveries about the future that ministered great hope to my spirit. In fact, I got so excited about my discoveries that I started jumping the pews and hanging from the chandeliers, shouting "Hallelujah!" and "Praise the Lord!" People thought I had gone Pentecostal overnight! No, I had just discovered God's marvelous promises for the future that are designed to give us hope in the present.

The Fallacy of Soul Sleep

The first discovery I made concerned "soul sleep." I found out it is an unbiblical concept. It is true that when we die, our bodies "sleep" metaphorically, but the spirits of the dead never lose their consciousness.

Jesus clearly taught this in His story about the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31). When they died, their spirits went to Hades. The rich man's spirit went to a compartment in Hades called "Torments." The spirit of Lazarus went to a compartment named "Abraham's bosom." On the Cross, Jesus referred to Abraham's bosom as "Paradise" (Luke 23:43). The two compartments were separated by a "great chasm" which could not be crossed.

In Jesus' story both men are pictured as fully conscious. They even carry on a conversation with each other. Their souls are not asleep.

Further evidence of consciousness after death can be found in Revelation 7. John has been taken up to Heaven and is being given a tour of the throne room of God. He sees "a great multitude... from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues," standing before the throne of God "clothed in white robes" and waving palm branches in worship (Revelation 7:9). They are fully conscious as they sing, "Salvation to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb"Revelation 7:10). (

John wants to know the identity of these people. He is told that they are martyrs for Christ coming out of the "great tribulation" (Revelation 7:14).

Here are two scenes in Scripture of people after death who are fully conscious.

Paul's Affirmations

The Apostle Paul affirmed consciousness after death. In 2 Corinthians 5:8 he wrote that he would prefer to be "absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord." He repeated this sentiment in his Philippian letter where he wrote, "to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:21). He elaborated on the meaning of this statement by adding that his desire was "to depart and be with Christ" (Philippians 1:23). Paul had no concept of lying comatose in a grave for eons of time. Upon death, he expected to be with the Lord immediately.

The Intermediate State

My second discovery was that we are not destined to an ethereal existence as disembodied spirits. Immediately after death both the saved and the lost receive a body that I am going to call an "intermediate spirit body." I have given it that name because it is a body that is intermediate between our current fleshly body and the ultimate, glorified body that saints will receive at the time of their resurrection.

The Bible does not tell us much about this body except that it is tangible and recognizable. An example of it is found in 1 Samuel 28 where we are told that King Saul, in his rebellion against God, sought the counsel of a witch. She, in turn, attempted to call up her familiar demon spirit. Instead, the Lord sent Samuel who had died some time before. The moment Samuel appeared, both the witch and Saul recognized him.

Another example of the intermediate spirit body can be found in Matthew 17 where the story is told of the Transfiguration of Jesus. This was when His disciples were given a glimpse of His coming glory. As they witnessed this marvelous event, suddenly two people appeared and began talking with them. The two were Moses and Elijah (Matthew 17:1-5).

Additional examples of intermediate spirit bodies can be found in the two biblical scenes I have already mentioned: The Rich Man and Lazarus in Hades (Luke 16) and the Tribulation Martyrs in Heaven (Revelation 7).

Glorification

When Jesus returns, the Bible says He will bring with Him the spirits of the saved (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14). He will resurrect their bodies in a great miracle of re-creation (whether their bodies are preserved, rotted, cremated, or dissolved in the ocean). In the twinkling of an eye, He will reunite their spirits with their resurrected bodies and will then glorify their bodies (1 Thessalonians 4:15-16). Then, those saints who are alive will be caught up (raptured) to meet the Lord in the sky, and they will be transformed on the way up (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

All my life I have heard people say, "There are two things in life that no one can avoid: death and taxes." That statement is wrong. The only thing we cannot avoid is taxes and more taxes. A whole generation of believers will avoid death — the generation living when the Lord returns for His Church. It's no wonder that Paul concluded this great passage in 1 Thessalonians by saying, "Therefore, comfort one another with these words" (1 Thessalonians 4:18).

What is a glorified body? Paul wrote a whole chapter about the topic in 1 Corinthians 15. He said our glorified bodies will be imperishable, gloriously pure, powerful, and spiritual (1 Corinthians 15:42-44). Paul further states that the glorified body will be immortal, and as such will no longer be subject to death (1 Corinthians 15:53-55).

The Nature of the Glorified Body

Paul made a statement in his letter to the Philippians that I think provides us with a framework for understanding what our glorified bodies will be like. He wrote that when Jesus returns, He "will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself" (Phil. 3:20-21). In other words, our glorified bodies are going to be like Jesus' resurrected body.

Now, think about that for a moment. After His resurrection, Jesus had a tangible body that could be touched and recognized (Luke 24: 41- 43 and John 20:27-28). People had difficulty recognizing Him at first, but that is understandable. If you buried your best friend one day, and he knocked on your door the next, would you recognize him? Wouldn't you assume he was someone who looked like your friend? Once the disciples realized that Jesus had truly been resurrected, they had no more difficulty recognizing Him, even at a distance (John 21:1-7).

So, Jesus had a body similar to the ones we have now. It was tangible and recognizable. It was also a body that ate food. Jesus is pictured eating with His disciples several times, including a meal of fish on the shore of the Sea of Galilee (Luke 24:30-31, 41-42, and John 21:10-13). I must admit that I get excited when I read these accounts of Jesus eating, and also when I read about our eating with Him in Heaven at the "marriage supper of the Lamb" (Revelation 19:7-9). I have this fantasy that we will be able to eat all we want in our glorified bodies and not have to worry about gaining weight! (That should be sufficient to prompt many of you to shout, "Maranatha!")

A Different Dimension

The resurrected body of Jesus was similar to ours in many respects, but there were also some differences. Jesus' body seemed to have a different dimension to it, for He could pass through a wall into a locked room (John 20:26), and He could move from one place to another almost instantly (Luke 24:30-36). One moment He was on the road to Emmaus, the next He was in Jerusalem, and then He would appear in the Galilee area.

His disciples were so startled and frightened by His ability to vanish and reappear suddenly at another place that they thought they were seeing a spirit. But Jesus countered that idea immediately by telling them, "Touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have" (Luke 24:39). When the Word says that our glorified bodies will be "spiritual" in nature (1 Corinthians 15:44), it does not mean we will be ethereal spirits. It says our natural body will be raised a spiritual body, not a spirit. We will still have a body, but it will no longer be controlled by the old sin nature, the flesh. Rather, it will be a body yielded completely to the control of the Holy Spirit.

There is one other thing the Bible reveals about the glorified body that should be a source of great comfort. The glorified body will be a perfected body. That means the blind will see, the deaf will hear, the lame will walk, and the mute will speak. Those who are mentally impaired will have their minds healed (Isaiah 29:18-19, 32:3-4, and 35:5-6). There will no longer be any pain or death (Revelation 21:4). God will "wipe away every tear," and "there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain" (Revelation 21:4).

Meaningful Activities

My first discovery was that there is no such thing as "soul sleep." We remain conscious after death. My second discovery was that we are not destined to be disembodied spirits. We continue to have a body — first, an intermediate spirit body, and then a glorified body. My third discovery was that we are not going to be bored stiff playing harps for eternity. We are going to be engaged in some meaningful activities.

If you are a believer and you die before the Lord returns, you will go to Heaven where you will be involved in worship (Revelation 7:9-14) and service (Revelation 7:15). Admittedly, the Bible does not get specific about our worship and service, but we can be assured that we will find both to be fulfilling and edifying. It could also be that this will be a time of rest, preparing us for the time of vigorous service that will follow, when the Lord returns to earth.

Judgment and Rewards

At the time of the Rapture (most likely before the Tribulation), both the living and dead in Christ will receive their glorified bodies. We will be in Heaven with the Lord during the Tribulation. This will be the time of our judgment, not to determine our eternal destiny, but to determine our degrees of reward. Each of us will stand before the judgment seat of Jesus and be judged as to how we used our spiritual gifts to advance His kingdom (2 Corinthians 5:10). Our works will be judged as to quantity, quality, and motive (1 Corinthians 3:13-15 and 4:5). Some will experience embarrassment as all their works are burned up as worthless (1 Corinthians 3:13-15). Others will receive great rewards.

Some of the rewards will relate to the degree of ruling authority we will be granted during the Lord's millennial reign (Luke 19:11-27). Others will consist of crowns and special robes. There will be a "crown of righteousness" for those who lived yearning for the return of Jesus (2 Timothy 4:7-8). A "crown of life" will be given to those who persevere under trial (Revelation 2:10 and James 1:12). Faithful elders and pastors will receive a "crown of glory" (1 Peter 5:4). Soul winners will be given a "crown of rejoicing" (Philippians 4:1 and 1 Thessalonians 2:19). An "imperishable wreath" will be given to those who exercise self-control (1 Corinthians 9:25). Even the clothing we receive will indicate our degrees of reward. It will in some way reflect "the righteous acts of the saints" (Revelation 19:8).

At the end of this time of judgment, we, the Bride of Christ, will sit down at a banquet table in Heaven to celebrate our union with our Bridegroom, Jesus. The Bible calls it the "marriage supper of the Lamb" (Revelation 19:9). It will be a time of unparalleled celebration. The heavens will ring with "Hallelujahs!"Revelation 19:1-6). (

Witnesses of Glory

When the meal is completed, we will return to earth with Jesus (Revelation 19: 11-14). We will be there in our glorified bodies when His foot touches the Mount of Olives and that mountain is split in half (Zechariah 14:1-9). We will be there to shout "Hosanna to the Son of David! Hosanna to the King of kings!" as He rides down the Kidron Valley on His white horse and approaches the Eastern Gate. We will be there to witness the supernatural opening of that gate as it welcomes Jesus to the holy city of Jerusalem (Psalm 24:7-8):

Lift up your heads, O gates,
And be lifted up, O ancient doors,
That the King of glory may come in!

Who is the King of glory?
The Lord strong and mighty,
The Lord mighty in battle.

We will be there to shout, "Hallelujah!"
when Jesus is crowned King of kings and
Lord of lords and begins His glorious millennial reign.

The Millennial Reign

During the Lord's reign, the Redeemed are going to be doing anything but floating around on clouds playing harps. We are going to reign with Jesus over those who are allowed to enter the Millennium in the flesh (which will be those believers who are alive at the end of the Tribulation). Jesus will reign over all the earth from Jerusalem (Isaiah 2:1-4) as King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16). David, in his glorified body, will reign as king of Israel (Ezekiel 37:24). Those of us who will be glorified saints will be scattered all over the earth to assist with Jesus' reign (2 Timothy 2:12).

Think of it — every person on earth who is in a position of governing authority will be a glorified saint. Some of us will be in administrative positions, sharing in Jesus' reign as presidents, governors, or mayors (Luke 19:11-27). Others will serve as judges (1 Corinthians 6:3). Most of us will serve as "shepherds," or teachers, trying to bring those who are born during the Millennium to faith in Jesus (Isaiah 66:18-21 and Jeremiah 3:15).

None of us will serve as legislators because the law will be given by Jesus Himself, and it will be perfect (Isaiah 2:1-4). There will be no abomination known as the Texas Legislature or the United States Congress. Nor will there be any lobbyists or political parties.

The Lord will rule with "a rod of iron" (Psalm 2:9 and Revelation 2:27). The government of the world will be a theocracy, with Jesus serving as both the spiritual and political leader. "He will be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace will be between the two offices" (Zechariah 6:13).

We will be given the blessing of seeing this old sin-sick world flooded with peace, righteousness and justice, "as the waters cover the sea" (Isaiah 11:9). There will be no homeless people or hungry people (Isaiah 65:21-22 and Micah 4:4). Peace will envelope the earth (Isaiah 2:4). The Lord's reign will be characterized by righteousness, fairness, and faithfulness (Isaiah 11:4-5). "The whole earth will acknowledge the Lord and return to Him. People from every nation will bow down before Him" (Psalm 22:27).

The Eternal State

When the Millennium ends and we move into the Eternal State, the Bible does not go into detail as to what our activities will be. It tells us only three things: we will see the face of God (Revelation 22:4); we will serve the Lord (Revelation 22:3); and we will reign with Him forever (Revelation 22:5).

Seeing the face of God is an exciting prospect, for the Bible says that no one has ever seen His face (Exodus 33:20 and 1 Timothy 6:16). I believe the promise of seeing God's face means we are going to enjoy intimacy with Him forever. Much of that, undoubtedly will be in the form of worship. I think it also means we will grow in our knowledge of the Lord forever. He is infinite, and no matter how much we come to know Him, there will be just that much more for us to experience. I feel certain that one aspect of this will be the eternal study of His Word. I get excited over all this as I think of singing the Psalms with David and studying the book of Romans with Paul.

As for service, I would imagine, for one thing, our gifts and talents will be magnified and that we will use them to glorify the Lord. Thus, a singer will be able to sing with a perfection and range never before achieved, and a painter will be able to paint with a glory never imagined.

Reigning with the Lord forever implies that we will be reigning over someone. Who that will be, I do not know. Perhaps it will be the mysterious "nations"Revelation 21:24-2722:2). referred to in Revelation that seem to inhabit the new earth ( and

Our Eternal Home

This brings me to the fourth and final discovery I made when the Holy Spirit led me into an in-depth study of Bible prophecy. I discovered that the Redeemed are not going to live eternally in an ethereal world called Heaven. I learned, instead, that our eternal home is going to be on a new earth. Most Christians are amazed by this truth, which shows how little Bible prophecy is taught in the Church today.

Since the Bible teaches that the current earth is eternal (Psalm 78:69 and Psalm 148:6), I have concluded that the "new earth" will be the current earth renovated by fire. It is true that Peter said that the current earth will be "destroyed" by fire (2 Peter 3:10,12), but in the context, it is clear that he is referring to a radical transformation of the current earth. Earlier in the same passage he referred to the original earth as having been "destroyed" by water, speaking of the Noahic flood. The earth of Noah's day did not cease to exist, but the flood "destroyed" it in the sense that it radically changed the nature of the earth — tilting it on its axis, splitting the continents apart, laying down the fossil record, depositing the marine organisms that would become petroleum deposits, and creating the ocean depths and the mountain heights.

At the end of the Millennium, fire will be used by God to burn away the pollution of Satan's last revolt (2 Peter 3:12). In the midst of that fiery inferno, God will reshape the earth like a hot ball of wax. He will refresh it and restore it to its original perfection (Acts 3:21). He will then lower the new Jerusalem down to the new earth, with the redeemed inside (Revelation 21:1-2). Then, He Himself will come to earth to live in our presence eternally! "The tabernacle of God is among men, and He shall dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be among them" (Revelation 21:3).

Heaven is where God resides. When the new earth is supplied, Heaven will descend to earth as God takes up residence on this new earth. So, it is true that the redeemed will live eternally in Heaven, but Heaven will be on earth.

The Redemption of All Creation

God loves His creation, and He intends to redeem it — all of it — and not destroy it with some mystical "big bang." Jesus died on the Cross not only to redeem Mankind but also to redeem the Creation. That's the reason the High Priest in Old Testament times sprinkled the blood not only on the mercy seat of the Ark, but also on the ground in front of the Ark (Leviticus 16:15).

The blood on the mercy seat of the Ark was a symbolic prophecy pointing to the fact that the blood of the Messiah would cover the law of God (the tablets inside the Ark) with the mercy and grace of God. The blood on the ground was a reminder that the sacrifice of the Messiah would make it possible for the curse to be lifted and for the animal and plant kingdoms to be returned to their original perfection (Isaiah 11:6-9 and Romans 8:18-23).

An Unjustified Fear

Many people are afraid of Bible prophecy. They say it is full of "doom and gloom." That is true for those who have rejected the Lord. But for those who know Him and love Him, there is only good news.

The Old Testament ends with an example of what I'm talking about. It says, "For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze" (Malachi 4:1). That is bad news. But the very next verse contains incredibly good news for believers: "But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves released from the stall" (Malachi 4:2).

Bible prophecy is full of glorious promises that are designed to give God's people a strong sense of hope as they live as strangers and pilgrims in the midst of an increasingly evil, God-rejecting world. When you read these wonderful promises, you can understand why Paul wrote these words in 1 Corinthians 2:9: "No eye has seen, no ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love Him."

A God of Hope

As this verse indicates, we cannot even begin to imagine the marvelous blessings God has in store for the redeemed. But the very next verse says that the Holy Spirit has revealed those blessings to us in God's Word (1 Corinthians 2:10). The sad thing is that most Christians are ignorant of those promises and therefore have no idea what Paul meant when he wrote: "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us" (Romans 8:18).

In Romans 15:13 Paul wrote: "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Our God is a God of Hope who desires to fill us with hope. If you know Jesus as your Savior, you are an heir to some incredible promises, and if you know those promises and believe in them, you can live in this evil world with hope, joy, and great expectations.

As the world we have built on the dollar collapses around us, let us keep an eternal perspective with our hope fixed firmly on the soon return of Jesus. Maranatha!

Notes

This article is an edited excerpt from Dr. Reagan's book, Living for Christ in the End Times.

1) Viktor Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning (New York, NY: Washington Square Press, a division of Simon & Schuster, 1963, revised and updated edition in 1998).

2) Ibid., page 115.