Crucial Components of the Last Days
What an incredible cast of characters fill the events of the Last Days! If Jesus' life could be called “The Greatest Story Ever Told”, what superlative can we reach for to describe the culmination of His Story? For all of our history reveals His Story, the story of the long-awaited, highly-contested return of an all-conquering King and of a people being prepared through the ages to receive Him.
Naturally, there are villains enough to go around, even villains on a cosmic scale. But there are heroes aplenty, too. Some of them may be some of us. Lord, let it be!
List of Articles
The Birth Pains The steady increase of calamities both natural and man-made have many thinking (fearing) that the “end of the world” is upon us. Wars and threats of war, freakish weather, earthquakes and famines are certainly signs of an end, but they are not signs of the End. They are signs warning us that the age of grace (begun at the cross) is drawing to a close. Jesus calls these events “the beginning of the birth pangs” and says that we are not to be alarmed by them. Why? Far worse is coming!
The Great Tribulation How many times do we Christians complain that the Lord doesn’t tell us enough about what’s coming up in our lives? It’s the unknown that scares us when He leads us beyond our comfort zone. A little extra information would sure help us trust Him better, or so we think. Unless you carry that thought into all the revelation He has given us about the greatest time of trial of them all—the Great Tribulation. We know more about Jesus’ Second Coming, than Israel knew about His first coming. Yet, rather than feel prepared to go through it, many devoutly wish to be whisked away! This time of trial is worth a much closer look.
The False Prophet Just as the antichrist is a counterfeit messiah, so the false prophet is a pseudo John the Baptist. His nefarious role will be in preparing the world to receive the lawless one as a man of peace and the answer to the world’s problems. This he will accomplish by creating a one world religion, something that for centuries has seemed utterly impossible. Nevertheless, there are already signs that this merging of the world’s religions is in the making. Even Christians and Jews will be taken in by this deception, so it’s worth understanding in advance all that we can know of the false prophet’s ways.
The Antichrist Here’s the villain of the story. This archenemy of humanity and of the Lord Himself is going to make his way onto the world stage several years before Jesus arrives. And there is nothing we can do to stop him. Trained by the Enemy and likely possessed by him, this cruel deceiver will be deceived. He will be fully convinced he can succeed in destroying the church, enslaving humanity, and seizing the earth as his own dominion. But the Lord will overthrow him “with the breath of his mouth” and destroy him “by the splendor of his coming.” Don’t overrate his power, but don’t underrate his cruelty. Here’s what we can know about him now.
The Mark of the Beast Whatever you do, do NOT take this mark! Some of the direst imprecations (curses) in scripture are spoken against those who take the mark of the beast. Without question, the unbelieving and unperceiving world will take it to their doom. Either they will be wooed by worshipping the beast into thinking it is somehow for their good; or they will take it against their better judgment due to the threat of death or slow starvation that are imposed on those who refuse it. Christians will know better, but this gift of revelation comes at high demand: Even Christians who take it will be damned forever. Don’t take it!
Mystery Babylon Though there are many contenders, one of the most riveting images from the Book of Revelation is that of the “Great Whore” riding a scarlet beast—the antichrist himself. She doesn’t know it, but she is being carried to her doom. Such a divine judgment is pronounced upon her that all her wealth and worldly glory are destroyed in a single day. Even the beast is said to throw her down, trampling her the way rodeo bulls do their unseated riders. She is called “Mystery Babylon.” The larger part of that mystery, no doubt, is the “mystery of lawlessness” at work in the Last Days. The abiding mystery for us, however, is just who this fallen woman represents. Does she represent the United States of America?
The Dragon What monstrosities dragons are! In legends the mere sight of them inspires terror, panic and mind-numbing fear. Swooping down suddenly upon helpless villagers they wreak havoc from the skies with no thought of mercy, spreading confusion and destruction in their wake. Slaying the living, stealing their treasures and hording the wealth—that’s what they do. It’s what our enemy does, too. Also called the prince of the power of the air, this evil one roams the heavens, the earth and the realms of the dead. Like the fire-breathing dragons of old, this ancient deceiver cannot be killed by human hand. Its going to take the Lord and His holy angels to defeat him. And defeat him they will. But we will have to wade through his havoc to get there.
Overcomers and Martyrs We don’t get to choose which we will be, but we do get to choose if want to be in this glorious company. During the Tribulation, things will get so intense in terms of religious persecution and economic pressure that death by sword or famine may challenge us all. Jesus warned us that there will be a great falling away as many believers renounce their faith and seal their fate in a vain attempt to save their lives. Mark this: the faith of everyone will be tested. Be encouraged that those who die faithfully as martyrs will receive the martyr’s crown. Those that survive faithfully will receive the overcomer’s crown. The Lord will prove that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Israel and the Jews It may come as a shock to some Christians who think that Israel has been supplanted by the Church, but the final outcome of the Last Days will be a glorious restoration of God’s first-chosen people. The Bible is filled with prophecies describing this still future destiny for the Jews and Jerusalem. Let us remember that Jesus Himself is a Jewish man and will be so forever. That is by His choice. So, let us watch over our Jewish brethren worldwide with prayer and great care as the Lord works through the terrible events of the Tribulation to break down the dividing walls separating His Jewish Bride from Himself.
The Two Last Battles How is it possible that there are two last battles? Shouldn’t one have been catastrophic enough? Couldn’t one have decided the issue once and for all? Wouldn’t one have taught everyone which side to be on for the second? Evidently not. Because there are two “last” battles confusion naturally spreads around them. This makes it difficult to know how they match up with the prophetic texts that describe wars that happen in “the latter days.” The Latter Days cover a lot of time! These colossal conflicts serve as bookends to the Millennium—the thousand years of peace. The first one erupts when Jesus returns to reign and the other explodes after He reigns for one thousand years of unprecedented peace and prosperity. Both battles are gathered into one article here in hopes that it will lessen the confusion to see these accounts in close succession. They have one thing in common: an undefeated Commander.
The Return of the King With all of the focus you see on the web, or on the bookshelves, you would think that the Last Days are all about the antichrist. They’re not! Jesus is the central figure. He is the soon coming King which all the tumultuous events are preparing the earth to receive. Moreover, He is the One continually at work through His Word and His Spirit to help His believing people endure all that He will be asking of us. Nor is the Rapture primarily about our ascent, as it is us joining Him in His great descent. We’re not leaving! And neither is He…
The Rebirth of the Earth Most of our attention is given to the destruction of the earth during the Last Days. However, we should never lose sight of something wonderful taking place behind the scenes. Not just Adam’s children, but the entire earth bore the weight of Adam’s sin. Throughout our fallen history, the natural order suffered corruption and cataclysmic destruction. In Romans, Paul tells us that “the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.” The Birth Pangs and the trauma of Tribulation are for ushering in the “one new man” and a “born again” earth for the dwelling place.
The Two Last Judgments Just as we have two Last Battles, so we also have two Last Judgments. It’s no wonder that the Last Days are so confusing. It’s typically very hard for the average person to keep these dual events straight, much less sort out all the other mysteries. Here is a rule of thumb: The Judgment Seat of Christ is the First Last Judgment. It comes right before the Millennium. Jesus does the judging and this one is primarily for believers. The Final Last Judgment is The Great White Throne judgment. It comes right after the Millennium. Father God does the judging for that one and it is primarily for non-believers. Got it? Good because from here on in there are complications and exceptions too numerous to mention! Mercifully, we don’t have to know the details in advance. We just need to be on good terms with the “Judge of all the Earth.”
Jesus Own Timeline With all the hoopla about the Rapture, one could easily suppose that rising to “meet the Lord in the air” will be the high point of the Last Days. Not on your life! He is coming down with us, not going up! The whole point and purpose of the End Times is to bring to an end humanity’s reign on earth—the kingdoms of fallen man—so that His own glorious kingdom can come. Jesus will be with us on the earth reigning as King, unhindered by Satan for one thousand years. What a strange and wonderful time that will be. Good thing we have scriptures to help us imagine it.
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