Last week we started this message by learning about the realms of the living and dead. We need to understand this because it will help us understand all the pieces and parts of the end times we will discuss today. There are three areas that we need to have a grasp of before we move forward.
Philippians 2:9-11 “9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
The physical earth:
All living with a body. That may sound simplistic, but there is a reason to understand this. God separated the earth from His place in heaven because sinful flesh cannot be the presence of a holy God without immediate judgment.
The spiritual heavens:
Angels have the ability to move through both of these areas freely
on assignment from the King. Angels can manifest a body when necessary to be on the face of the earth.
Demons are restricted to the spiritual realm of the earth, unless they can possess a body. Demons are the spirits of the dead Nephilim. Their desire is to continue the corruption of mankind, and fulfill their own evil desires by oppression and possession of people.
Under the earth:
Sheol/Hades is the place where all who have passed from this life into the afterlife went according to the Old Testament. It has two sides. One of peace and comfort for those who died with faith in God, and another side of torment for those who died rejecting God. Currently anyone who has ever died without faith in God is in Hades. This not the same as Hell/lake of fire.
Tartarus is the prison under Sheol/Hades that holds the Watchers. They were fallen angels who descended onto Mt. Hermon and manifested bodies in order to take human wives and create their own children. Their children were giants called the Nephilim that we read about in Genesis 6 before the flood. As I mentioned earlier, the spirits of the dead Nephilim are what we call demons.
As I said last week, all of these places are temporary. Today we finish the story and explain when and where everyone ends up. We want to frame this discussion around what it really is. The ultimate defeat of God’s enemies.
We began this series talking about how God wanted a family and He created a perfect place for His earthly family to live with Him. The fall of the angel Lucifer, because of his pride, began the conflict. Lucifer becomes who we know as satan and deceives Eve into disobeying God and Adam follows her into sin. This disobedience was the trigger for the one thing that has plagued mankind ever since...death.
Romans 5:12 “12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.“
Sin brought death to life, but the end, death itself will die. The Bible lays out how that will happen in the end times.
Based on what we learned about the two sections of Sheol/ Hades in the Old Testament, we know that death originally had the power to hold everyone who passed into the afterlife. But that all changed in the New Testament, because when Jesus came to earth, He was on a mission to defeat death.
When Jesus died physically after He was crucified, He descended to the dead in Sheol/Hades, just like everyone else before Him had done. But here is where the story changes.
Because He was God and had no sin, He was able to take the keys of death. Jesus became the gatekeeper of Sheol and now He decides who has to stay there and who can be released.
So, what does He do? He released those on the Paradise side who died in faith, allowing a way for them to go to heaven, to be with the Father. Because His blood now covered them, they were righteous and able to be in the presence of God.
Isaiah 61:1 “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, becausethe Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;”
Jesus proclaimed freedom to those who were held captive by death, so when He rose from the dead, so did others.
Matthew 27:52-53 “52 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep wereraised, 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.”
Why did some of the saints join Jesus back on earth for a while? We are not told specifically, but perhaps it was to show the Sadducees that resurrection was real. I believe that when Jesus ascended to heaven, those people went to heaven also.
The cross of Christ was the bridge for those in Paradise to cross into heaven.
This is the same for every one who has died in faith since then. The cross is the bridge from this life to the next. There is no need for a believer who dies to go to Sheol...because the blood of Jesus makes us righteous and able to be in God’s presence.
2 Corinthians 5:6-8 “6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.”
This is our confidence that those who have passed from this life as disciples of Christ, are now with the Lord.
But what about those who were in the torment side of Hades? They are still there, aware of their guilt, and awaiting their final punishment. As I said last week, their one desire is to warn all those they loved on earth to repent and avoid following them.
And what about the Watchers who were in Tartarus when we left off last week? Jesus paid them a visit while he was in the underworld before He was resurrected.
1 Peter 3:18-20 “18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in thespirit, 19 in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, 20 because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.”
Jesus goes to Tartarus to confront the Watchers. His message is one of victory. He preaches to them of His work and how their plan to corrupt God’s family of humans has been defeated. They have been convicted and their fate is sealed. His victory over them is complete. They are currently in their maximum security prison in Tartarus awaiting their final judgment and punishment.
Andy, end times overview.
So that's where we are, and we see that Jesus showing up is what radically changes things regarding death. Would it be crazy to believe then when He shows up again we might see another big change?
What then happens when He comes again, and how do we get there?
Let's start there, with “how do we get there.” This won't be a full blown lesson on end times or eschatology.
The focus today is not for me to tell you all the details of how the end times will play out, because frankly I’m not God, and only God knows. Sure He’s given us some clues, some things to look for, but none of those were meant to send us out on some mission to crack the code.
These were given so that we’d see the signs throughout history, happening more frequently and more intensely as history draws to a close, causing us NOT to fear, but to fall on our knees and lift up praise to the One who is coming, Jesus.
Not only that, but seeing these signs should light a fire under our bums to get out there and do what Jesus asked of us, love others and spread His Name, so that WHEN He comes, He finds us serving Him and not ourselves.
Jesus says this much to His inner circle on the Mount of Olives. We have this conversation recorded in 3 of the Gospels, I’ll use Matthew’s account here.
Matthew 24:3
They had the same question we often have about wanting to know the details of the end times, yea? So How did Jesus respond? I’ll clip some highlights but go read Matthew 24, Luke 21, and Mark 13 to get the full scoop.
3. As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him
privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will
be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
Matthew 24:4-8
4. And Jesus answered them,
5. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and
they will lead many astray.
6. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are
not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet
7. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against
kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various
places.
“See that no one leads you astray.
.
8. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.
You catch that? The world will go nuts, but that’s just the BEGINNING of the birth pains. The idea that all this will continue to escalate, with increasing frequency and intensity the closer we get to His coming again.
All the prophecy He shares, is pattern. It repeats, and it escalates. You don’t point to one thing and say “Jesus said that would happen, so it ends tomorrow right?” It’s like “no... that thing will probably happen again tomorrow and be worse than today, so put on your Holy Spirit Armor and grab your Sword, which is the Word of God, and go tell somebody about Jesus.
Continuing in verse 9:
Matthew 24:9-14
9. “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to
death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake
10. And then many will fall away
one another.11. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.
.
From here Jesus is going to continue to elaborate on more details, but we have our marching orders. Spread the Gospel. You want Jesus to come back? Proclaim the Gospel.
. and betray one another and hate
12. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many
will grow cold
13. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
14. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout
the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end
will come.
If we jump down some more we’ll see Jesus addressing when we should expect Him to come:
Matthew 24:36;42-44
but the Father only.
36. “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the
angels of heaven, nor the Son,
42. Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your
Lord is coming.
43. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in
what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed
awake and would not have let his house be broken into.
44. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is
coming at an hour you do not expect.
Again, no point spending your life trying to figure out, or listening to someone who claims to have figured out when Jesus is coming. The point of your life is DOING what Jesus told us to do while we’re waiting for Him.
I’ll wrap this portion with one example of Jesus saying this but know that ALL of Matthew 25 is Jesus driving this point further, using parables, and then detailing how He’ll deal with those who both DID and didn’t follow these instructions when He does come. I think He’s trying to tell us that the mission He’s set us on is what matters.
Matthew 24:45-51
45. “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time?
46. Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing
when he comes.
47. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.
48. But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is
delayed,’
49. and begins to beat his fellow servants
with drunkards,
and eats and drinks
50. the master of that servant will come on a day when he does
not expect him and at an hour he does not know
51. and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In
that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
I want you guys to remember, you’re hearing this coming from someone who nerds out on this end times stuff harder than most people, and as someone looking for answers I go to the Word of God, and it’s that very same Word which has been correcting MY thinking.
So now that we have our heads on straight about how to approach the topic...
How many of you know, that God made some promises to some men which haven't been fulfilled yet? We keep talking about this big beautiful new heavens and new earth, but not before Jesus comes back to this one and gets to rule if for a little while.
In the vein of God defeating His enemies, there are a few to knock out in preparation for Jesus ruling, and Jesus Himself will get to knock out a big one while on the throne.
Phase one of this is going to be preparing the way for the King. Specifically here I’m talking about worldly government. The thrones of men are many, and spread out across the world, but Jesus will rule it all from the throne of David, but before that the world will consolidate under one unholy throne.
The hard part about this for us, is knowing that God's in control while realizing that He allows some really bad people to be in power, and to do really bad things. This is going to, like birth pains, begin to get a lot worse.
This consolidation of worldly power culminates with a man, the seed of the serpent, the beast, the man of sin.
2 Thessalonians 2:3-4
revealed, the son of destruction,
is
3. Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come,
unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness
4. who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or
object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God,
proclaiming himself to be God.
When you get into Revelation and see the seals being loosed on the scroll, that correlates with the rise of this man of sin. That scroll is the title deed to the earth, and as Jesus prepares to lay claim to the earth by unsealing it, Satan’s activity on earth escalates to its peak.
When Jesus died and rose from the dead, he not only took the keys to death and hades, but He took back the deed to the earth allowing Him to have dominion, not Satan. However, Jesus has to open and execute the terms of that deed before He can establish His throne on earth.
Once the seals are broken, judgement begins. Through the trumpet and bowl judgements Jesus annihilates the beast and his kingdom, along with the false prophet who props up the beast (because it’s not only government but all religion which consolidates under one banner... beware of the ecumenical movement...)
Their demise is final when Jesus returns.
Revelation 19:11-13;16
11. And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon himwas called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
12. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
13. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
16. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh aname written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
Then a battle ensues... well I say a battle, but its pretty one- sided. Enter next part of the graphic and the introduction to one of our 2 final destinations, the Lake of Fire. This is the permanent abode of those who oppose God, who died without faith. Created to be the prison for Satan and his angels, and the demons, but the only option for those who reject Jesus also.
In this “battle,” the lake receives its first 2 inhabitants.
Revelation 19:20
20. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them thatworshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
After this Satan himself gets bound up and locked away for 1000 years, during which time Jesus will fulfill the promise to rule and reign in THIS earth from the throne of David.
When the 1000 years is fulfilled, Satan is let loose for a minute, builds an army again, tries to kill Jesus, fails miserably, and joins his buddies in the lake of fire.
Revelation 20:10
10. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
This concludes our earth. From here everyone is gathered before the Great White Throne.
Revelation 20:11-13; 15
11. And I saw a great white throne, and him thatsat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12. And I saw thedead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13. And the sea gave up the dead which werein it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man accordingto their works.
15. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
As for those who ARE in the Lamb’s Book of Life:
Revelation 21:1;3-6
1. And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for thefirst heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
3. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he willdwell with them, and they shallbe his people, and God himself shall be with them, and
be their God.
4. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
5. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said untome, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
6. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is thirsty of the fountain of the water of life freely.
And with that we have the final destinations figured out for people and creatures, fallen angels and their demon babies, so Randall, what's the last piece we're missing?
Randall
The one loose end we need to tie up is this. What happened to death? The one who came to life by man’s disobedience in the garden.
Revelation 20:14 “14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.”
When we get to the end of the story, death gets thrown into the lake of fire and is no more.
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