What is the End Times?

Introduction to the End Times

 

The End Times, what does this term really mean?  There are a lot of ways of looking at the end times, for someone sick and dying the end times could be the next hour or in the week. For someone depressed and feeling the world is closing in on them and life is not worth living, the end times are now.  The term “End Times” means different things to different people. The Bible also has different terms when referring to the End Times, it is also known as the Time of Jacob’s Trouble, The Day of the Lord, Daniel’s Seventieth Week, and The Tribulation and others[1].

The End Times theologically is covered under the topic of Eschatology coming from the Greek words Eschatos meaning “Last Things” and Logy meaning “Study of”, a great deal of the Bible falls under this topic.  For example, the Kingdom of God, the Millennium and the Resurrection of the dead are also events of “Last things” and would fall under the study of Eschatology. When we are referring to the End Times, the subject is most likely the transition from the current state of the world to the world to come.

When did the End Times begin?  Let’s be clear, in order for us to have an end time, we need have a beginning time, a start to the end.  When did this take place, when did the beginning to the end times start? It took place at the Fall of humanity.  When God created the world and the first humans, Adam and Eve, who were made in the image of God, they were perfect. God declared His Creation, “Very Good” (Genesis 1:31) there was no sin, everything was exactly perfect. It was the Fall of Man, that perfection became corrupted. At Creation, God gave Adam authority over his “Work” on earth, after the fall, God put in motion a plan of Redemption (Genesis 3:15). This plan of redemption means that the current state of affairs, the fallen corrupt world we live in will one day change and end. God’s Kingdom is coming, which will succeed this fallen corrupt world.

The transition from this fallen, corrupt sinful world to the Kingdom of God is what most people know as the End Times, How do we get from here to there? What is going to take place, before and what is going to take place after?

 

A Perfect World

Who are we? Where did we come from? And where are we going?  These questions drive both religion and science in the hunt for the answers.  In fact, the word for “Science” is derived from the Latin Word Scientia meaning knowledge, Sir Francis Bacon, by all accounts the father of modern science defines science as knowledge by causes. Knowing the origin and reality of cause for us and the universe is the basis of science.  The Bible declares itself as the revelation of the one who caused the universe and created life on the earth. The Bible declares the cause of humanity is God, and we are made in His image. When we understand the basis for existence, we can understand the “End Game”.

Secular science declares humanity is just the result of random chemical combinations and evolution over millions of years without an “Intelligent” (God) directing the events. The Bible diametrically disagrees with this view, the Bible declares itself to be the WORD of God revealed through human agency (prophets) to a fallen world.  In Genesis the origin of humanity is clear, we are made in the image of God. Adam and Eve the first two created humans were given dominion over a perfect world. They were given instructions on what they could and could not do, they had the “Free Will” to obey or disobey these instructions.

Genesis 1:27-28

(27)  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

(28)  And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

 

The world Adam and Eve were given dominion over was a perfect world, sin did not exist in the human nature until Genesis 3, prior to this man was given dominion over a perfect world without sin.  God declares it “Very good” in Genesis 1:31.

 

(31)  And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. Gen 1:31

 

 

A Fallen World

 

How did the fall occur? If the creation of the world was perfect and the creation of Adam and Eve were perfect, who do we get a fallen world? First, we must remember, God did not create robots with which could only perform a certain list of exact actions, God created freewill being who could either choose to obey or disobey His commands. He created beings who were modeled after His own nature, they had free will.

According to scripture God also created another group of being also made in His nature, these are angels, like Adam and Eve they could choose to obey or reject God’s commands.  In the Garden of Eden where the man and woman were placed, they had instructions to not eat from the “Tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil. If they disobeyed the order death would surely take place.

 

(16)  And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden,

(17)  but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Gen 2:16-17

 

Another part of the fall of man that must be considered is the angelic role in this affair.

Angels like Adam and Eve are spiritual beings created in the image of God[2], who have freewill, they can choose to accept or reject God’s commands. Angels were created at the start of creation, they were perfect, holy and righteous. Among them was an angel known as Lucifer, son of the morning, who rebelled against God and led 1/3 of the angels to join in his rebellion (Revelation 12:4).  This is known as the Fall of the Angels, these fallen angels are known as demons in scripture, who are also awaiting judgment.  Lucifer is given various names in scripture, Satan, Dragon, the judge of the world, the god of this age.

The angelic fall preceded the fall of man, for this reason we see Satan incarnate[3] the serpent in Genesis 3 and tempt Eve to rebel against the commands of God. He and his angels have already fallen at this point, and God allows him to tempt Eve. Adam and Eve have the freewill to obey or reject the command of God to not eat from the tree.

Gen 3:1-5

(1)  Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?”

(2)  And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden,

(3)  but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'”

(4)  But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die.

(5)  For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

When they eat from the tree, this is the beginning of the fall, the have sinned, they have disobeyed God. Adam and Eve’s fall changed everything, even the very nature of Creation changed as a result. God had placed Adam and Eve in charge of His creation (Genesis 1:28). All of creation also became corrupted with the fall (Romans 8:19-23).

Its at this point Humanity is without hope and now subject to the judgment of God, the wrath of God. The only hope is God’s mercy. When Lucifer and his angels fell, God had already created a place of judgment for them, called Hell in scripture, but also known as eternal fire (Matthew 25:41). A placed prepared for the Devil and his angels. Humanity because of the fall was destined for this same place.

 

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A Plan for Redemption

 

God rather than allowing the course of judgement to take place as Adam and his descendants deserved, He choose instead a plan of redemption. He was going to make a way to restore humanity to the position of “sonship” that they had before the fall. The first description of this plan is right after the fall, when the LORD confronts Adam, Eve, Satan and the Serpent about what just took place and His plan of what was to come (Genesis 3:15).

Gen 3:15

(15)  I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

 

This first is known as the protoevangelion, the first gospel, or the first “Good News” after the fall. God describes a plan of redemption, when the “offspring” of the woman will one day bruise the head of the serpent. The offspring of the woman is Messiah or anointed one who will crush Satan’s head, the Messiah will restore what has been done. In the process the offspring to the woman, the Messiah will have his heel bruised, meaning the Messiah will suffer in the process.

Its this process of Redemption we find both in the Old and New Testaments, God is bringing about the reality of His plan. The End Times is the end game of this plan, the final events leading to the Kingdom of God when humanity is restored to fellowship with God.

 

The Messiah

The term Messiah or Christ (Christos, Greek) comes from the Hebrew מָשִׁיחַ  mâshı̂yach, meaning anointed one, or consecrated one. Someone chosen for a specific task, usually king, priest or prophet were anointed for a very specific task. Here the Messiah is the person anointed by God to restore what happened at the Fall. This individual would be a descendent or offspring of the woman (Gen. 3:15).

This is the reason the Old Testament gives us the lines of descent from Adam to King David, because its real purpose is to reveal the offspring of the woman who would restore humanity at the Kingdom of God. Adam and Eve are at the base of this family tree of humanity and the Messiah, like us is from a branch of this tree. His branch is traced from: Adam, to Seth, to Noah, to Shem, to Eber to Abraham, to Isaac, to Jacob, to Judah, to David, to Mary in Luke chapter 4.

There are two pictures of the Messiah revealed in the Old Testament, one picture shows us a descendent of Adam who will have an eternal kingdom and rule of the Earth in everlasting righteousness. Another portrait shows us an individual who will suffer and be rejected but will pay for the sins of the world in the process (You will bruise his heel). The Messiah will suffer. Its these two portraits of Messiah that are confusing for many.  Yes, the Messiah will rule over the earth and be king, he will have an everlasting kingdom, but first he will come and be rejected and die in the place of fallen humanity to restore them.

These are two aspects of Messiah’s appearing at His coming he dies in the place of Humanity taking away the judgment due mankind. At the Second Coming, in the End Times, Messiah returns to establish His eternal kingdom with those who are redeemed after the Fall.

First Coming

Second Coming

Isa 53:5-6

(5)  But he was pierced for our transgressions;

he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.

(6)  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Isa 9:7

(7)  Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

 

When the Kingdom of the Messiah also known as the Kingdom of God is established the end of this age will take place. The end of this age is synonymous with the End Times.

 

 

The Messiah and His Kingdom

 

Where will you be in 100-years? A thousand years? Or even a million years? It’s hard for many people to grasp such a question. Living for a hundred years or more is rare, but for a thousand or a million seems absurd by our earthly standards.  Again from an earthly standard it’s crazy, but from God standard, a million years is just the beginning. The Kingdom of God is an everlasting Kingdom, in God’s plan of redemption those who are saved will not only have eternal life, but they will have an address in the house of God, they will live and dwell with God being and seeing the very presence of the King and creator of the universe.

The End Times is the event before the establishment of the God’s Kingdom on earth. Satan and his angels will be judged, and the saved will rule and reign with the Messiah (Christ) in the Kingdom of God. This is the focus End Times in scripture. Judgment and tribulation are just events in the process of bringing about the Eternal kingdom.

 

Dan 7:26-27

(26)  But the court shall sit in judgment, and his dominion shall be taken away, to be consumed and destroyed to the end.

(27)  And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.’

 

This is all summed up in the book of Daniel 7:27, here we see the transition from the fallen earthly kingdoms to the kingdom of God, when the saints will rule and reign with the Messiah or Christ over his Kingdom.

 

The Messiah and the Nation of Israel

 

Messiah is a person, a descendent of Eve just like everybody who is or was alive on the earth. We can all trace our lines of descent back to Adam through the family of Noah. The difference is some of us have a longer line of “Recorded” lineage then others.  I have a friend who is Chinese, his family name is Wong, and they can trace their line of descent back two thousand years. I can trace my line of descent back about 150-years, after that it becomes cloudy. The purpose of scripture is to reveal God’s plan of salvation, from the fall to the redemption. When we hear of the nation of Israel, we think country in the Middle East, but it’s really about the descendants of an individual named Jacob who was renamed Israel. Jacob was the grandson of Abraham, who had 12-sons who became the nation Israel.

Why is this important? Because it through the nation of Israel, the prophets proclaimed the Messiah would come into the world. God made a promise to Abraham, and this same promise was declared to Isaac and Jacob. And then to David through the prophet Nathan.

Gen 17:7

(7)  And I will establish my covenant between me and you (Abraham) and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you.

2Sa 7:12

(12)  When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom (Messiah).

 

The nation of Israel is a through whom the Messiah would descend, its also the nation whose throne the Messiah would sit. The Messiah or Christ will be the King of the Earth, the king of Humanity, and he will rule on the throne of King David as foretold by the prophets. So in the End Times, Israel plays a pivotal role, because through this nation God establishes His Kingdom to rule over all kingdoms.

 

Zec 12:9-10

(9)  And on that day I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.

(10)  “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.

 

 

 

 

 

Israel and the Nations

 

Since the Messiah descends through the line of humanity, through the line of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Israel), the descendants of Israel play an important aspect in the End Times and the Kingdom of God.  God made a covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, this covenant is a promise that through them God would establish an everlasting Kingdom.

It is important to understand the nature of a covenant, the Hebrew is Berath, meaning to cut. When someone made a covenant they would slay an animal, a goat, sheep, bull or even a bird. Then the person along with the person they were making a covenant with would walk between the two halves of the slain animal. This signified, that if I did not fulfill my part of the agreement may I be cut like these animals. 

God made a covenant with Abraham, God alone walked through the animal parts, signifying that if I God did not fulfill my agreement to you Abraham, and may God be cut in half.

 

Gen 15:17-18

(17)  When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces.

(18)  On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates,

 

God promised Abraham and his descendants the physical land now occupied by the nation of Israel. God was so serious about his promise he declared, let God be cut in half if I can’t fulfill my word to Abraham.

God works through His promises, understanding the End Times is about understanding God plans and promises to the nation of Israel. Because through the nation of Israel God will keep his promises.

 

 

The Kingdom of God

 

The Kingdom of God, is the Kingdom of Christ or the Messianic Kingdom, this is what the End Times is leading toward. Everybody who is saved will have a place in the Kingdom of God. Revelation 21-22 is the most detailed picture of the eternal Kingdom after the Millennium. It describes a city that would stretch from top of New York State to the bottom of the Florida Keys, Westward to Mexico and then north to Montana and then back to New York State, 1400-miles in each direction with high walls also being 1400-miles. In this Kingdom the saints will rule and reign with God forever.

 

Rev 21:3-5

(3)  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.

(4)  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

(5)  And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

 

 

Rev 21:14-16

(14)  And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

(15)  And the one who spoke with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls.

(16)  The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia. Its length and width and height are equal.

 

Rev 22:20-21

(20)  He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

(21)  The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.

 

[1] Time of Jacob’s Trouble: Jeremiah 30:7, Day of the Lord: Isaiah 13:6,Jeremiah 46:10, Joel 1:15, 2:1,Daniel’s Seventieth Week: Daniel 9:27, Tribulation: Matthew 24:21

[2] Angels: In Job angels are referred to as the sons of God (Job 1:6,2:1). In Job 38:7 they shouted for joy at the founding of earth. Jesus tells us we shall be like the angels in redemption, neither getting married or giving in marriage (Matthew 22:30)

[3] Incarnate: To occupy flesh, when a spirit being takes possession or occupies flesh, We humans spirit beings incarnating a flesh body. Satan the fallen angel occupied the flesh of the serpent prior to the fall.