Chapter 14 – SUMMARY
For those of you who don’t have time to read the whole thing, or would like a quick recap, here is a quick summary of this study. Perhaps this chapter will help you to run all the points of the study home in your mind. It can also be a quick reference for the Bible verses that are used to put together the study.
1. Ezekiel’s War
Description
This is an 8-year (or so) war that will be the beginning of these End Time events. When we see a new leader from the Caucasus (which includes the modern countries of Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Turkey) take power and invade Israel from the north, we will know that our time is short before the return of the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Get your affairs in order. Get right with God. Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at the door!
Key Scriptures
Ezekiel 38 and 39; Daniel 11:21-45; Matthew 24:3-8; Revelation 6:1-2
Matthew 24:3 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?”4 And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. 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.
Revelation 6:1 Now I watched when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, “Come!” 2 And I looked, and behold, a white horse! And its rider had a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering, and to conquer.
2. The Tribulation
Description
This is a 7-year (2,520 day) period of warfare and trouble on a global scale. Tribulation means Trouble. Anguish and horror will be the most prevalent circumstances in the world during these seven years. The tribulation is divided into two parts: The early Tribulation; and the Great Tribulation. They are consecutive, without a break in between. Each part will be 1,260 days in duration. It is best described as Satan’s wrath upon earth at the hand of his antichrist and false prophet. It is not God’s wrath. We will know that it has begun when we see the new leader from the Caucasus and the Israeli leader come to a conference table after Israel is invaded by the new leader from the north.
Key Scriptures
Daniel 9:26b-27, 8:13-14; 11:27-44, 12:11-13; Ezekiel 38 & 39; Matthew 24:7-8; Revelation 6:3-4
Matthew 24:7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.
Revelation 6:3 When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” 4 And out came another horse, bright red. Its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people should slay one another, and he was given a great sword.
3. The Third Temple
Description
Before the Lord returns, there must be a temple built in Jerusalem that will be the stage for the antichrist’s greatest acts of blasphemy.
Key Scriptures
Daniel 8:13-14; 9:27; 11:31; 12:11-12; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4
Matthew 24:15 “So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.”
4. The Great Tribulation
Description
This is a 3½-year period (time, times, and half a time, 42 months, 1,260 days) when Satan and his fallen angels are finally kicked out of the spirit realm and relegated to roaming the earth. Their fury boils over because they know that their time is short and they are helpless to stop the events prophesied by God. It will be the worst time of terror and testing the world will ever know. Truly.
Key Scriptures
Daniel 9:26b-27; Matthew 24:9-28; Revelation 6:5-8, 12, 13
Matthew 24:9 “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 and betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 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.
15 “So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house,18 and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. 19 And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! 20 Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. 22 And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. 23 Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand. 26 So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.
Revelation 6:5 When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” And I looked, and behold, a black horse! And its rider had a pair of scales in his hand. 6 And I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living creatures, saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius, and do not harm the oil and wine!”
7 When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!”8 And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider’s name was Death, and Hades followed him. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth.
5. The Wrath of God
Description
After the tribulation, it’s God’s turn. Satan has had his time of temper tantrums and abuse poured out on God’s people, and now it’s time for Jesus to let His righteous vengeance be unleashed upon this rebellious planet. Jesus will not take seven years for His wrath to be complete. It will be a mere five months or so (150 days). His triumphal procession will fly over your town before He touches down on land near Bethany at the Mount of Olives.
Key Scriptures
Revelation 6, 8, 9, 15, 16; Matthew 24:29; Daniel 12:12; Joel 2; Micah 1:3-4; Habakkuk 3
Matthew 24:29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”
Revelation 6:9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. 10 They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11 Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.
12 When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, 13 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. 14 The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. 15 Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, 16 calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”
6. The Return of Christ
Description
This is when the management of Earth changes hands from man and fallen angels to the Creator Himself. Much is happening at His return: His wrath, the resurrection of the dead in Christ, the rapture of the living in Christ, and Armageddon, the final battle of Ezekiel’s War, are all happening when He comes back to claim what is His. Everyone in all of creation will personally witness His triumphant return (with the possible exception of those confined to hell at the time).
Key Scriptures
Matthew 24:29-31; 1 Thessalonians. 5:1-11; 2 Thessalonians. 2:1-12; Revelation 8:1-5; 11:15-19; 16:17-21; 19:1-21
Matthew 24:30 “Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”
Revelation 8:1 When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. 3 And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, 4 and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel. 5 Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.
7. The Resurrection
Description
The dead in Christ who have passed away prior to His return (however recent or distant) will be brought back to earth and given their new, glorified bodies that will be sinless and immortal.
Key Scriptures
1 Thessalonians 4:15; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4; Mt 24:29-31; John 6:40
Matthew 24:31 “And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”
8. The Rapture
Description
Immediately following the resurrection of the deceased in Christ, His followers who are still alive at His return will be caught up to meet Him and the others in the air.
Key Scriptures
1 Thessalonians 4; 2 Thessalonians 2; 1 Corinthians 15; Matthew 24:31
Matthew 24:31 “And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”
9. Armageddon
Description
This is the final battle of Ezekiel’s War. It’s a last-ditch effort of God’s fallen creatures to attempt, I don’t know, a coup? 200 million or more men are assembled upon the hills, valleys, and plains of Israel for a showdown with God.
Key Scriptures
Ezekiel 38-39; Daniel 11; Revelation 16:12-16; 17:14; 19; Matthew 24:4-22
10. The Millennium
Description
The hardship is finally over! Now everyone can relax and settle into a nice, quiet life of peace and love. For 1,000 years, the Lord of all creation will reign over the earth from His new temple in Jerusalem.
Key Scriptures
Revelation 20:1-10, Ezekiel 40-48
11. The Final Judgment
Description
At the end of the millennium, Jesus will sit on His Great White Throne of Judgment, the Bema Seat, and judge all men who have not already joined Him as His holy saints. Some will go to everlasting life and some will go to everlasting misery. This is His eternal judgment, which will be final and irrevocable.
Key Scriptures
Revelation 20: 11-15
12. The New Creation
Description
After all has been accomplished in this universe that God has predetermined, the only thing left to do is wipe the slate clean and make another domain. Similar, yet different.
Key Scriptures
Revelation 21
Preface/Introduction
Ch 1: Ezekiel’s War
Ch 2: The Tribulation
Ch 3: 3rd Temple Built
Ch 4: The Great Tribulation
Ch 5: The Wrath of God
Ch 6: The Return of Christ
Ch 7: The Resurrection of the Dead in Christ
Ch 8: The Rapture
Ch 9: Armageddon
Ch 10: The Millennium
Ch 11: The Judgment
Ch 12: The New Creation
Ch 13: Conclusion
Ch 14: Summary
Glossary
