Great Doctrines of the Bible
Special English Version

Lesson 35
MATTERS OF ESCHATOLOGY
The Doctrine of Last Things

INTRODUCTION
It is the purpose of this lesson to clearly show you, the Bible student, all the events that will happen. We want you to have a good understanding of the last things that will happen on this earth before Christ comes back in glory. We do not have the space to make a separate lesson of each of these events, but we want to give you enough information so that you will understand them clearly.

In Lesson 9 we fully covered what the Bible teaches about the Rapture of the Church. We may not set any dates for this event. No prophecies have to come to pass before the Rapture happens. The Rapture may happen at any time. God wants us to live as if it might happen today.

A short time after the Rapture, the Day of the Lord will begin. The Antichrist will present himself at the beginning of The 70th Week of Daniel. This period of time is also called “The Tribulation.” It is the time of the last great battle called the “Battle of Armageddon.”

IMPORTANCE OF THIS LESSON

• In this lesson we will study the following subjects: The Day of the Lord, The Antichrist, The Coming Tribulation, The 70th Week of Daniel and The Battle of Armageddon.
• We have always believed that the better we understand prophecy, the better we are able to understand current events.
• When we have “the sure word of prophecy” we will have a strong faith. We will have a rock to stand upon when the world is crumbling. We will have a hope that holds like an anchor of a ship. We will have a peace that the world cannot understand and we will rejoice in the future.
• There are people who deny the truths of prophecy. It is good to remember that most of the Bible is connected with prophecy.
• When we know for sure what will happen in the future, we can be faithful to warn the unbelievers to “flee from the wrath to come.” We will be able to warn them with good sense.

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THE LESSON

I. THE DAY OF THE LORD

1. Careful Bible students must make a difference between the Day of Christ and the Day of the Lord.
   1. The Day of Christ is a part of the Rapture of the CHURCH and the Judgment Seat of Christ (Philippians 1:6,10; 2:16; 1 Corinthians 1:7-8; 3:13; 2 Corinthians 1:14; 2 Timothy 1:18; 4:8).
   2. The Day of the Lord includes everything that happens after the Rapture up to the New Heavens and the New Earth (2 Thessalonians 2:2; 2 Peter 3:10; Joel 1:15; Zechariah 14:1-4). These verses show that the Day of the Lord includes the events of the second coming of Christ and the whole one thousand year reign of Christ (Revelation 21:1).
2. The phrase, “The Day of Christ” in 2 Thessalonians 2:2 in the King James Version of the Bible, should read “Day of the Lord.” This is the way it reads in the oldest and best manuscripts.
   1. Paul wrote 2 Thessalonians to tell these early Christians that they had not missed the rapture. He wanted them to know that this was not the time of the sufferings of The Day of the Lord (2 Thessalonians 2:1-8).
   2. Verse 3 tells us that two things must happen before The Day of the Lord comes:
      1. There must be a “falling away” or “the departure.” This refers to the Rapture of the Church in this verse.
      2. The Man of Sin must show himself. This Man of Sin is the Antichrist.
   3. The Day of the Lord is mainly an Old Testament phrase.
      1. We can find the phrase “Day of the Lord” over 75 times in the Old Testament.
      2. The Old Testament prophets did not see the Rapture. They saw the coming of Christ in power, the Antichrist, the tribulation, and the millennium.
      3. Joel 1:15 calls the Day of the Lord “a day when the Almighty will cause destruction.”
   4. The Day of the Lord is that time when God Himself begins to intervene in what men and nations do. The Day of the Lord begins immediately after The Day of Christ, which is the Rapture (1 Corinthians 1:8; Philippians 1:6). The Day of the Lord ends at the time of the Day of God (2 Peter 3:12). The Day of God is the judgment of The Great White Throne. This judgment is only for unbelievers. After this judgment God will establish the new heavens and the new earth.

II. THE ANTICHRIST
Remember that the “man of sin,” who is also called “that wicked one,” does not show himself in the world until after the Rapture (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3). He will show himself after God takes “the one who holds back sin” (the Holy Spirit) out of the way (2 Thessalonians 2:6-8). It is foolish to think that any world leader of this day might be the Antichrist. Christians must look for Christ, not for the Antichrist.

1. We can see that the world is preparing already for one government that will rule the world. There is talk today that we should have one political system and one kind of money. All nations in the world should be one people. We should have one language. This one government over the whole world would have a powerful dictator at the head of it. The Bible talks about this person as “The Beast” or the “Antichrist.”
2. This will be an actual person. The Old and New Testaments give this man many different names.
   1. In the Old Testament of the King James Version he is called:
      1. The prince that shall come (Daniel 9:26).
      2. The abomination desolation, the man God hates, who destroys (Daniel 9:27).
      3. The little horn (Daniel 7:8).
      4. The king of fierce face (Daniel 8:23).
      5. The willful king (Daniel 11:36).
      6. Possibly the Assyrian (Isaiah 10:5-12).
      7. The king of Babylon (Isaiah 14:2).
      8. Idol shepherd (Zechariah 11:16-17).
   2. In the New Testament he is called:
      1. The man of sin (2 Thessalonians 2:3).
      2. The son of perdition (2 Thessalonians 2:3).
      3. That wicked one (2 Thessalonians 2:8).
      4. The abomination of desolation (Matthew 24:15).
      5. The Antichrist (1 John 2:18, 22).
      6. The Beast (Revelation 13:8-10).
3. When will the Antichrist show himself?
   1. He will show himself during “the latter time” of Israel’s history (Daniel 8:23).
   2. He will show himself after the establishment of the Old Roman Empire (Daniel 7:7-8; Revelation 13:1-2).
   3. The 70th week of the book of Daniel will begin when the Antichrist shows himself. At that time he will make people believe that he is a friend of Israel (Daniel 9:27).
   4. He will show himself after the Rapture of the Church (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3). This will happen after God takes the “One who holds back sin” (the Holy Spirit) out of the world (2 Thessalonians 2:6-8).
4. Where does the Antichrist come from?
   1. He comes from one of the nations that will make up the new Roman Empire (Daniel 7:8, 24-25). Some people think the Antichrist will be a Gentile.
   2. The Antichrist will probably come out of Syria. He will probably be a Jew, but a citizen of Rome. In Daniel 7 and 8, the Bible compares him to Antiochus Ephiphanes who was a king over Syria,
      175-164 BC. He hated the Jews and sacrificed a pig in the Jewish temple. This made the temple unclean.
5. What kind of a person will the Antichrist be?
   1. He will be a good example of a man. He will be the kind of person everybody would like to be.
   2. He will be a very proud person (Daniel 11:36, 38). He will praise himself above all other people.
   3. He will not respect the true God. He will set himself up as God (2 Thessalonians 2:4; Daniel 11:36-39). He shall praise himself and make himself greater than any other god.
   4. He will be able to speak very well and will greatly influence people. People will do what he wants them to do. Daniel 7:8 says that he will brag about things. Daniel 8:25 tells us that he will be very tricky and successful, but he will kill many people. Also read 2 Thessalonians 2:9.
   5. He will be a liar and a deceiver. 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10 tells us that he will come with false miracles. He will use every kind of unrighteousness, which deceives the unbelievers. (Note how easily the teachings of the New Age Movement deceive millions of people today. This movement makes man like a god. False religious leaders deceive people today, too.)
   6. Satan will control the Antichrist. Satan will also give his power to the Antichrist (2 Thessalonians 2:9). Revelation 13:4 also tells us that Satan gives power to the Antichrist. In this verse Satan is “the dragon.” The Antichrist is “the beast.” He will be a person like Satan. He will be deceitful, dishonest, tricky and very powerful.
6. How far will his power reach?
   1. He will have the power to change laws and the way people do things (Daniel 7:25).
   2. He will have complete control over how business is done in the world (Revelation 13:16-17).
   3. He will have complete control over the churches (Revelation 13).
   4. He will not respect God. He will say things about God that are not true. He will praise himself. He will set up an idol of himself. He will force people to worship him (2 Thessalonians 2:4 and Daniel 11:36).
   5. The false church that does not preach the Gospel is “the great harlot.” This church will help him in gaining power. The church will try to control him but he will destroy it (Revelation 17:3,16,17).
   6. He will direct his power especially at the true Christ and the Jews (Revelation 12:4-6, 12-14; 13:7; see also Daniel 7:21,25; 8:24).
7. The fall of the Antichrist.
   1. His actual evil control will be during the last 3½ years of the Tribulation (Revelation 13:5).
   2. Near the close of the Tribulation, the armies the Antichrist combines and controls, will come together to fight against Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:2).
   3. The great Battle of Armageddon will take place at this time (Revelation 16:13-16). Christ will return during the time of this battle of Armageddon. Christ will come back with the armies of heaven to make war with the beast (Antichrist). Christ will smash him and the Antichrist will lose his power (Revelation 19:15-19; 2 Thessalonians 2:8).
   4. Christ will throw the Beast (Antichrist) into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 19:20).

III. THE TRIBULATION (TIME OF SUFFERING) THAT IS COMING AND THE 70TH WEEK OF DANIEL
Many people deny that there will be a time of suffering “such as there never was before.” They say that Christ promised that Christians will suffer in this world (John 16:33). The CHURCH has already suffered much during the Dark Ages. The CHURCH also suffered when the Spanish government ruled the countries of Europe. The CHURCH has suffered in the past. We cannot compare this suffering with the suffering that is yet to come on this earth (Daniel 12:1; Jeremiah 30:7; Matthew 24:15-21, 29; Revelation 7:14).

1. When does this time of suffering begin?
   1. It will begin after the Rapture of the CHURCH and after God takes the Holy Spirit out of this world (2 Thessalonians 2:1-8).
   2. It will come before the Lord returns in power and glory (Matthew 24:29-30).
   3. This time of suffering will begin at the same time the 70th Week of Daniel begins (Daniel 9:20-27).
      1. In the Old Testament people often spoke of weeks when they meant periods of seven years
         (Genesis 29:27-28,30).
      2. Messiah is cut off (the death of Christ) after 69 weeks of 7 years each, and Jerusalem is destroyed in 70 AD. In other words there is a space between the 69th and 70th week of Daniel’s prophecy.
      3. The 70th week begins when the Antichrist makes an agreement with Israel. The 70th week is 7 years long. After 3 ½ years the Antichrist breaks the agreement. We call the last 3 ½ years of the 70th week “The Great Tribulation.” Matt 24:15 shows us that this is still in the future. In this verse Christ puts it with something that will happen in the future.
2. What are the main things that show us what the Tribulation is like?
   1. God pours out His anger on the earth at this time.
      1. Satan will show His anger toward Israel (Revelation 12:9,12-13; Revelation 13:7).
      2. Christ will show His anger to this world. Christ is the Lamb of Revelation (Revelation 6:16-17).
      3. God will show His anger to the unbelievers who have rejected Christ. All these unbelievers received the mark of the beast (Revelation 14:9-11; 15:7; 16:1-12; Luke 21:23).
   2. God will judge Israel and the nations (Ezekiel 20:37-38; Revelation 3:10; 14:7; 16:1; Matthew 25:31-46).
   3. The beast (Antichrist) and the false prophet (the false church) will terrorize people. They will also cause people to suffer terribly (Revelation 13:1-10 [note verses 5-7]; Revelation 13:11-18 [Note verses 14,16-17]).
   4. Demons will be very active at this time (Revelation 16:13-14).
   5. It will be a time of suffering such that no one can measure.
      1. The sun will be so hot that it will burn people. People will get painful sores on their bodies. People will chew their tongues because of the pain. People will pray and ask God that He will kill them (Revelation 16:8,10; 9:6).
      2. One-third of all the people in the world will die (Revelation 9:18).
      3. God will turn rivers to blood (Revelation 16:4).
      4. God will make the sun dark and He will make the moon red like blood (Revelation 6:12).
      5. God will cause that one-third of all trees and grass will burn up (Revelation 8:7). One-third of the sea will become like the blood of a dead man (Revelation 8:8; 16:3).
3. What are the main reasons for the tribulation?
   1. To cleanse Israel and to prepare her for her Messiah. Read Ezekiel 20:37-38. In Jeremiah 30:7 we read that this is the time of Jacob’s trouble.
   2. To punish the Gentiles who have rejected Christ and who received the mark of the beast
      (Revelation16:2; Zechariah 14:3; Micah 5:15).
   3. To bring an end to the Times of the Gentiles (Luke 21:24; Acts 15:14-16).
4. How long will the Tribulation last?
   1. Daniel’s 70th week (Daniel 9:20-27) is definitely a week of 7 years. It begins when the Antichrist signs an agreement with Israel. “The Prince” (the Antichrist) makes this agreement for one week (a week of seven years). Therefore, the answer is that the tribulation will last one week of 7 years.
   2. The Great Tribulation will come on the earth during the last half of Daniel’s 70th week.
      1. In the middle of this 7-year period, “The Prince” (Antichrist) breaks the agreement he made with Israel. He sacrifices an unclean animal on the altar in the temple at Jerusalem. The Jews become his enemies because their temple is unclean. The Antichrist sets himself up as God Himself (Daniel 9:27; 11:37; Matthew 24:15-22; 2 Thessalonians 2:4).
      2. The Bible talks about this 3 ½ year period in three different ways:
         1. Time, times, and half a time (Daniel 12:7; Revelation 12:14).
         2. Forty and two months (Revelation 11:2; 13:5).
         3. A thousand two hundred and threescore days (Revelation 12:6).
      3. The Great Tribulation will end with the Battle of Armageddon. At the end of this battle Christ will return in power and glory.

IV. THE GREAT BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON
Daniel and Christ predicted that there will always be wars in this world (Daniel 9:26; Matthew 24:6-8). The Bible also teaches that this age will end with a great tribulation. This great tribulation will end with the Battle of Armageddon (Zechariah 12:2-3; 14:2; Revelation 16:13-16; 19:17-19).

1. What is Armageddon?
   1. It is a time when Satan and his demons along with the nations of the earth will gather together into one place to fight. This demon power will work through three persons: Satan, the Antichrist and the False Prophet (Revelation 16:13-16).
   2. This battle will include all the people in this world (Revelation 16:14).
   3. The Bible calls it “the great day of God Almighty.” God will have His day.
   4. The Greek word in Revelation 16:14 is “polemos.” This word means a war or campaign. It does not mean just one short battle.
   5. It will be the day when the Lord shows His anger against the nations:
      1. He is angry because they did not treat Israel well (Joel 3:2,12; Matthew 25:32).
      2. He is angry with them because of their sin (Isaiah 26:21; 34:2-3, 8).
2. Where is Armageddon?
   1. The word actually means the Mountain of Megiddo. This mountain is located west of the Jordan River, the central part of northern Palestine. This mountain is about ten miles south of Nazareth and fifteen miles inland from the Mediterranean Sea. The mountain is on the north side of a flat area of land. The Bible calls this area the valley of Jezreel.
   2. Many battles have been fought in this area for hundreds of years.
      1. Deborah and Barak defeated the Canaanites in this area (Judges 4-5).
      2. Gideon defeated the Midianites in this area (Judges 7).
      3. The Philistines killed Saul in this valley (1 Samuel 31:8).
      4. Jehu killed Ahaziah in this valley (2 Kings 9:27).
      5. The Egyptians killed Josiah in this area (2 Kings 23:29).
   3. Scripture tells us that the whole country of Palestine is involved in the last war this world will see.
      1. Zechariah 12:2-11 and 14:2 show that Satan’s armies will also be around Jerusalem. Jerusalem is a distance south of Megiddo.
      2. Revelation 14:14-20 says that the blood will run as deep as the horses bridle for 1600 furlongs (more than 182 kilometers) or the entire length of the country of Israel.
3. The things that will happen in this last battle:
   1. The Beast or Antichrist will make an agreement with Israel. This agreement will cause Israel to think that they are safe from attack (Daniel 9:27; Ezekiel 38:8,11,14).
   2. Russia will send its armies against Israel, because they think that the Beast will not fight against them (Ezekiel 38:1-16). Russia wants to loot the land (Ezekial 38:12). Russia probably wants to take all the riches of the Dead Sea.
   3. God will rain fire on the Russian army (Ezekiel 38:22). God will put a hook in Russia’s jaws (Ezekial 38:4).
   4. God will destroy Russia on the mountains of Israel (Ezekiel 39:2). God will leave only a sixth part of the Russian army alive.
      • At this time people will see God’s great victory over Russia. Possibly millions of people will turn to the Lord through the powerful preaching of the 144,000 Jews that God anointed (Revelation 7:3-4,14;Ezekiel 38:23; 39:22).
   5. After defeating Russia the nations will come together under the Antichrist. They come together to make war in Palestine. They fight against the combined powers of the north and east and the king of the south (Daniel 11:40-45).
      1. The power of Satan will draw the nations together for this war (Revelation 16:14).
      2. All the nations will fight against Israel (Zechariah 12:2-3; 14:2-3).
   6. An army of two million men will come from the East (perhaps China). This army will cross the dry Euphrates River. This army will also enter the war (Revelation 9:14-16; 16:12).
   7. When the Antichrist moves into Palestine he will break his agreement with Israel (Daniel 9:27). At this time the Antichrist will commit the “abomination of desolation” (this is the time he will sacrifice an unclean animal in the temple) that Christ spoke about (Matthew 24:15). This will begin the period known as “The Great Tribulation.” We have already talked about that (Matthew 24:21).
   8. The sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky at the end of this terrible battle (Matthew 24:29-30). The Bible does not tell us what this sign is.
   9. The Beast will know that this sign means that Christ will return in glory. Therefore the Beast will turn his armies against Christ. Christ will smash the armies of the Antichrist. Christ will throw the Antichrist and his false prophet into the Lake of Fire. At that time Christ will set up His throne in Jerusalem. Read carefully Revelation 19:11-21.

• In our next and final lesson we will teach all the details of Christ’s return in glory and power to this earth.

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