Various signs indicate that the Lord is coming soon. Firstly, the re-establishing of Israel as a nation in 1948 after a lapse of nearly 2,000 years fulfils God’s promise in Isaiah 11:11-12.
Secondly, we see the fulfillment of what the Lord predicted in Matt 24:7-8. “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.”
At any moment, the church may be caught up (“raptured”) to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thess 4:16-17). Each of us Christians will appear before the judgment seat of Christ (2 Cor 5:10). This is not a judgment on whether one is saved, but a time of accounting for what we have done after we were saved – a time of rewards or shame.
When the church has been raptured, there will be 7 years of tribulation on earth. The Anti-Christ will initially be friendly towards Israel. But after 3 and a half years, he will break his covenant with Israel and will desecrate the Temple at Jerusalem and declare himself as God.
The Tribulation culminates in the Battle of Armageddon. At the height of the Battle, Christ will set His feet on the Mount of Olive and deliver the Jews from destruction. (Zech 14:4-8)
Christ will rule on the earth for a thousand year (the Millenium). As the Devil is locked up for a thousand year, there will be peace on earth. At the end of the thousand year, the Devil is released, puts up a final struggle and is then thrown into Hell.
This is followed by the Great White Throne judgment, where all those whose names are not found in the Book of Life will be sentenced to eternal suffering.
Finally, the present earth and the heaven will be destroyed by fire (2 Peter 3:10), and God will create a new heaven and a new earth.
“Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live a holy and godly life as you look forward to the day of God and its speed of coming (2 Peter 3:11)
Elder Ng Hwee Hin
