WHY STUDY THE END-TIMES?
Eschatology (the study of the last things) is a study of the heart and leadership of Jesus. The book of Revelation is the “Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants–things which must shortly take place” (Rev. 1:1). We want to be in total agreement with the leadership of Jesus, the desires of His heart. The Jesus we read about in most of the end-time passages is a much different picture of Him than many of us are accustomed to.
He is the zealous Bridegroom King coming back to judge and reign the whole earth. He is going to remove everything that resists or refuses His love, both from within us and from without, as He releases His temporal judgments on the earth and brings His bride to Himself. Believers are going to be purified unblamable in holiness and love, while the wicked will perish as they refuse His love and even fight against Him in person. We want to participate with what He is doing in the last days rather than being unresponsive and resist or even refuse His leadership on that day. (1 Thess. 5:2-6)
Jesus said we cannot know the exact day or the exact hour of His coming, but we could and should know the season of His coming and prepare accordingly. It is of utmost importance that we discern the season we are living in and are prepared for the pressures that await just around the corner. We are darkening the doorway of the most dramatic and horrific hour in human history. We must be prepared. (Mt. 24:32-33)
We must study the end-times because it is the most dramatic time-frame in human history. There are 89 chapters detailing the heart and leadership of Jesus during His first coming, found in the four gospels. Likewise, there are over 100 chapters concerning His heart and leadership during His second coming. The generation the Lord returns is THE MOST WRITTEN ABOUT GENERATION IN SCRIPTURE. It is given for us to be victorious in love and overcome in the midst of the greatest pressures and trials. We want to be steady and stand rather than shrink back in fear in that hour and fade under pressure. (Joel 2:11-12; Mal. 4:5; Rev. 6:17)
I believe this is the single most critical issue facing this generation. How are we going to deal with the rage of Satan and a coming King who is going to take rule over all? Whose side will we stand on? What will we choose? Do we even know the One who is coming to reign? Have we seen the King? What makes me think that my heart will be steady and anchored during these storms. Has my live been built on a foundation of rock and not a foundation of sand, so that when the end-time storms hit I will not suffer great loss (Mt. 7:24-27)?
BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION OF END-TIME PROPHECY
In Daniel 9 is found what I believe to be the ONLY way to correctly interpret end-time prophecy and receive revelation. Daniel receives revelation on the end-times in the context of FASTING AND PRAYER. Daniel was an old man when he received these revelations (Dan. 9:2-3)
Daniel received His revelations in context to fasting and prayer. Why should I receive it any other way? There is much revelation that has not even been given yet, which is going to be given in the days ahead. The angel told Daniel to seal up the books until the time of the end. (Dan. 12:4)
When those books are opened, I want to be one who has gone the low road. I have postured my heart on the low road (fasted lifestyle) and I am in the position to receive many revelations in that day. God does nothing without revealing it to His prophets. I want to be postured in place to be informed. I want to partner with Jesus even now unto the end of the age and into eternity (Dan. 11:33; 12:3).
THE CENTERPIECE OF GOD’S ETERNAL PURPOSES: BRINGING HEAVEN AND EARTH TOGETHER
A central reality in the plan of God is to bring heaven and earth together into one. The centerpiece of His eternal plans is to join the supernatural realm (where God’s presence and power are openly manifest) with the natural realm (where human processes reach their fullest expression) into ONE (Eph. 1:9-10; Mt. 6:10).
The fullness of God’s plan is not that we would be in heaven with Him, but rather that He Himself would come with heaven to earth to dwell among us. He has always desired to dwell face to face with human beings ON EARTH (Gen. 3:8-10; Rev. 21:2-3). The Bible starts with this reality (Gen. 1-2) and ends with it (Rev. 21-22).
All who have died in Christ from His resurrection until now have gone to heaven to be with Christ, but this is only a temporary holding place for dis-embodied spirits until He returns (Phil. 1:23-24; 1 Thess. 4:14). This is not the fullness of God’s plan. We will be on earth in a material, resurrected human body with the power and presence of God openly manifest (1 Cor. 15:35-58)
We will be reigning with Jesus in the millenium as He brings the nations under His perfect leadership, preparing the earth for the Father to come in fullness. He will dwell with us face to face for all eternity. (1 Cor. 15:22-25; Rev. 3:12; 20:4-6)
THE CRY OF THE BRIDE
During these final years before His coming (especially the last 7) there is going to be a worldwide economy of pain, suffering, martyrdom, deception, and wickedness such as the world has never seen nor will ever see again (Dan. 12:1)
Paul says there will be two major signs that will happen before the last 3 1/2 years. (2 Thess. 2:3)
1) The great falling away from the faith (the apostasy) (Mt. 24:10-12)
2) The Antichrist is revealed (abomination of desolation) (Mt. 24:15-16)
The Antichrist will be the most wicked man ever to walk the earth. He will be fully man and fully demon. He will rule in wickedness with no regard for God or human life.
In this awful climate, the most remarkable thing is going to happen. Something is going to come forth from the people of God that is amazing in its simplicity…A PRAYER! Out of this horrible time of pain and suffering a prayer is going to be birthed. The church is going to cry out for Jesus to come back. (Rev. 22:17)
We are going to see the wickedness of man and his ways and we are going to yearn for Jesus to come back and take over the leadership of the world.
Not only will we cry out with our mouths for Him to come, but we will live our lives in a way that is inviting Him back as well. That is an incredible strategy by the Lord. Through the context of pain and suffering two amazing things (plus many more) will take place:
1) The church will be purified and refined, blameless in holiness. She will be completely lovesick for Jesus, fully leaning on Him, earnestly desiring His return. (Pain and suffering are not what purify us and make us lovesick, but this is the climate that will bring it forth in us. I believe it’s the nourishing and cherishing of us by Jesus that will produce this response in our heart, but pain and suffering will create the context for us to move into this universally across the body of Christ) (Eph. 5:27, 29)
2) The wickedness of man will stir up the Jesus’ zeal to come and judge the wicked and vindicate His bride. Jesus is not standing back, void of emotion, just allowing His beloved ones to be persecuted and killed. It pains Him to see us in pain (Isa. 63:9). It will stir up His zeal for us. It’s a glorious thing for Him to allow the climate of wickedness on earth that will do this to His heart. He know full well what it will do to Him and He does it anyways. (Isa. 42:13-14)
It’s amazing that Jesus is returning in response to our cry for Him to come. What value do we have in His heart that He would return in response to us asking Him? He is returning in response to a lovesick cry from His bride, fully in unity with the Holy Spirit and one another (Rev. 22:17).
FACES OF JESUS
The Holy Spirit is going to reveal three faces of Jesus in the days ahead. These are not all the faces of Jesus, they are the three that the Holy Spirit is definitely going to emphasize in the last days. They are:
1) Jesus the passionate BRIDEGROOM
The Holy Spirit is going to release the revelation of the glad heart of Jesus (Ps. 16:3, 11; 45:7; SoS 3:11; Heb. 1:9) and the ravished heart of Jesus (SoS 4:9). This revelation is best seen in the love story of the Song of Solomon.
2) Jesus the transcendent KING
Jesus is going to be revealed as King over all. Jesus as the transcendent King speaks of His power and authority over all creation (Dan. 7:13-14; Mt. 28:18; 1 Cor. 15:25-28). This revelation is best seen in the prophecies of Isaiah.
3) Jesus the righteous JUDGE
Jesus is going to be revealed as the righteous and merciful Judge. Jesus has great patience and mercy, even as He releases His temporal judgments upon the wicked (Ps. 145:6-9; Joel 2:13; Rev. 16:5-6; 19:1-2). He gives much time for all to repent and come into His loving embrace. His judgments are truly just as the wicked refuse God in all His kindness. This revelation is best seen in the book of Revelation.
UNIQUE EXTREMES OF THE FINAL GENERATION (not a comprehensive list)
Greatest Outpouring of the Holy Spirit – Joel 2:28-31; Acts 2:16-21
Greatest Harvest – Joel 2:32; Mt. 24:14
Fullness of Prayer and Worship Movement – Rev. 5:8; 8:3-4; Is. 56:7
Fullness of Martyrs – Mt. 24:9; Rev. 6:9-11; 7:9-17; 13:7, 15
Greatest Death Tolls – Rev. 6:8; 9:15, 18
Fullness of Satan’s Rage – Rev. 12:7, 12, 15, 17
Unprecedented Heights of Demonic Activity Openly Manifest – Rev. 6:14; 9:1-20
False Signs and Wonders – 1 Thes. 2:9-10; Rev. 13:2-4, 11-15
Fullness of Man’s Sin – Rev. 9:21; 16:9, 11, 21
Hardness of Man’s Heart Towards God – Mt. 24:12; 1 Thes. 1:10-12
Fullness of God’s Wrath – Isa. 63:2-6; Rev. 6:17; 14:17 – 15:1; 16:1-21 (Esp. vv. 17-21); 19:11-21
Fullness of the Groan of the Earth – Rev. 8:5; 16:18
Cosmic Disturbances – Rev. 6:12-14
More to come…
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