A Concise Overview of End Times Events  :: By James Pannafino

Titus 2:12-13 “We should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.”

The Bible has a lot to say about the end times…

• • Nearly every book of the Bible contains significant prophecy regarding the end times!
  • Studying these events reveals to all the unique sovereignty of God… He is in control!
  • They provide us with absolute confidence in the truth of the Bible.
  • They also lead us to a blessed assurance and hope that our future is secure in Him.

1. THE CHURCH RAPTURED

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 “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. Therefore comfort one another with these words.”

The Rapture is an imminent event… could happen at any time!

• • Christ will remove all born-again believers from the earth in an event known as the Rapture (1 Thess. 4:16-17; 1 Corinthians 15:51-54).
  • The Rapture… intended to keep the Church from the Tribulation

Revelation 3:10 “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.”

After the Rapture of the true church… events in Heaven

The Judgment Seat of Christ…

Believers will be rewarded for good works and faithful service during their time on earth or will lose rewards for lack of service and obedience, but not eternal life (2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Corinthians 3:11-15).

Marriage Supper of the Lamb…

Revelation 19:9 “And the angel said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb’” (cf. Luke 14:15-24).

• • Occurs after the Judgment Seat of Christ and takes place in heaven.
  • The whole Church, from the past 2000 years, celebrates together as the family of God the victory of King Jesus!

After the Rapture of the true church… events on Earth

Gog and Magog Invasion…

• • This is an invasion of Israel by a coalition of nations (see Ezekiel 38-39), where God gives His people an overwhelming supernatural victory!

2. THE ANTICHRIST REVEALED

• • The ‘Restrainer’ of evil (i.e., the Holy Spirit) will be “taken out of the way” (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12)
  • The Antichrist (aka, the Beast) will come into power and will confirm a covenant with Israel (and many nations) for seven years (Daniel 9:27). This seven-year period of time is known as “the Tribulation.”
  • During the Tribulation, there will be terrible wars, famines, plagues, and natural disasters. God’s judgment against sin will be realized.
  • The Tribulation will include the appearance of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse (Revelation 6:1-8), seven seals (6:1-17; 8:1-5), trumpets (8:6-9:21), and bowl judgments (16:1-21) (cf. Matthew 24:21).

3. THE ULTIMATE DECEPTION

• • The Antichrist is revealed and empowered (2 Thessalonians 2:2-12).
  • He authorizes the Third Temple to be built in Jerusalem…

Revelation 11:1 “Then there was given me a measuring rod like a staff; and someone said ‘Get up and measure the temple (or sanctuary) of God and the altar, and those who worship in it’” (cf. Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15).

• • ‘Two Witnesses’ prophesy on Earth for 3.5 years (Revelation 11:2-3).
  • Halfway through these seven years, the Antichrist will break the peace covenant with Israel and make war against it.
  • The Antichrist will commit “the abomination of desolation” and then set up an image of himself to be worshipped in the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem (Daniel 9:27; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-10)
  • The second half of the Tribulation is known as “the Great Tribulation” (see Rev. 7:14), “the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7), and this fulfills Daniel’s 70th week prophecy (Daniel 9:24-27).

Revelation 13:5 “There was given to him [the Antichrist] a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two months (3.5 years) was given to him.

4. ARMAGEDDON: THE FINAL BATTLE

• • At the end of the seven-year Tribulation, the Antichrist will gather the armies of the earth to Israel, culminating in the battle of Armageddon.
  • Jesus Christ will return to destroy the Antichrist and his armies, bringing about a swift judgment and exiling them from the earth (Rev. 19:11-21).

Revelation 1:7 “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.

• • Christ will then bind and send Satan to the Abyss, and He will then rule from Jerusalem His kingdom for a thousand-year period (Rev. 20:1-6).

5. THE FINAL JUDGMENT

At the end of Christ’s Millennial Kingdom, Satan will be released and defeated for the final time. He will then be cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:7-10) for eternity.

• • Christ then judges all unbelievers from throughout the ages (Revelation 20:10-15) at the Great White Throne Judgment.
  • He will then usher in a New Heaven and Earth, with the New Jerusalem —the eternal dwelling place of believers, being revealed from Heaven. There will then be no more sin, sorrow, or death (Revelation 21–22).

For more information on Bible prophecy, go to https://perspectiveinprophecy.com