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AN END TIMES TIMELINE
Because there is so much confusion and disagreement about the end times, even among Christians, this chapter is meant to serve as an overview—a timeline that will help you visualize the major events of unfulfilled prophecy. In this chapter, you will see summaries of occurrences from the rapture through Christ’s final judgment and the beginning of the eternal heavenly reign. Each of these events will be dealt with at more length throughout the rest of the book.
1. Rapture of the Church (1 Cor. 15:51–58; 1 Thess. 4:13–18)
The first concrete event of the end times is the rapture, the moment when Jesus Christ takes up all believers to be with Him in heaven, before the turmoil and persecution of the tribulation begins.
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.… For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. (1 Thess. 4:13, 16–17)
This revelation was introduced as truth that is “according to the Lord’s word” (v. 15), given to the apostle Paul by special revelation. Though Jesus introduced the doctrine of the rapture in John 14:1–3, there was no exposition of it while He was still on earth. This revelation, given to Paul to pass on to the Thessalonian church, becomes an important additional message concerning the nature of the rapture.
2. Revival of the Roman Empire; Ten-Nation Confederacy Formed (Dan. 7:7, 24; Rev. 13:1; 17:3, 12–13)
Specific political realities have also been predicted in Scripture. Alliances and wars will happen according to prophecy.
After that, in my vision at night I looked, and there before me was a fourth beast—terrifying and frightening and very powerful. It had large iron teeth; it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the former beasts, and it had ten horns.…
The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones. (Dan. 7:7, 24)
In Daniel’s vision, the four beasts represented four kingdoms. The fourth kingdom was not named but was historically fulfilled by the Roman Empire. As described in verse 7, it crushed and devoured the countries it conquered. The ten horns represented a future Roman Empire that will reappear in the end times.
3. Rise of the Antichrist: The Middle East Dictator (Dan. 7:8; Rev. 13:1–8)
The leader of this new Roman Empire is also predicted. Daniel’s beastly metaphor continues:
There before me was another horn, a little one, which came up among them; and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like the eyes of a human being and a mouth that spoke boastfully. (Dan. 7:8)
The Antichrist will be known by his boastful arrogance and for setting himself up against God’s authority.
4. The Seven-Year Peace Treaty with Israel: Consummated Seven Years before the Second Coming of Christ (Dan. 9:27; Rev. 19:11–16)
This Antichrist will deal duplicitously with God’s chosen nation, Israel.
He will confirm a covenant with many for one “seven.” In the middle of the “seven” he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him. (Dan. 9:27)
This treaty will initially be seen as a positive mark of this world ruler’s leadership. The leader will be charismatic and popular, hence his worldwide sway and influence.
5. Establishment of a World Church (Rev. 17:1–15)
The significant events won’t be marked only by secular politics. There will be effects in the religious sphere as well.
One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits by many waters.” …
The name written on her forehead was a mystery: Babylon the Great, the Mother of Prostitutes and of the Abominations of the Earth. (Rev. 17:1, 5)
Since true believers have already been raptured, those left on earth merely professed faith in Jesus but were not truly part of the church invisible. Those who remain—whatever they claim—will be part of the remnants of a universal “Babylonian” church. This church will dominate the world politically and religiously up to the midpoint of the last seven years before Christ’s second coming.
6. Russia Springs a Surprise Attack on Israel Four Years before the Second Coming of Christ (Ezek. 38–39)
While the entire tribulation is marked by “wars and rumors of wars,” things will now get specific.
Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshek and Tubal [or Rosh].…
Get ready; be prepared, you and all the hordes gathered about you, and take command of them. After many days you will be called to arms. In future years you will invade a land that has recovered from war, whose people were gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate. They had been brought out from the nations, and now all of them live in safety. (Ezek. 38:2, 7–8)
The ancient princes listed in Ezekiel 38 correspond with modern-day Russia. But there will be an alliance of several groups and nations that suddenly wage war against Israel.
7. Peace Treaty with Israel Broken after Three and a Half Years: Beginning of World Government, World Economic System, World Atheistic Religion, Final Three and a Half Years before the Second Coming of Christ (Dan. 7:23; Rev. 13:5–8, 15–17; 17:16–17)
The Antichrist’s predicted and inevitable betrayal of Israel will occur halfway through the seven-year tribulation.
[The beast] was given power to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast. (Rev. 13:7–8)
Using the power and alliances that he has built in the preceding three and a half years, the charismatic leader will consolidate his authority over all the nations. His rule will not be limited just to politics; he will take over the economy and religion as well.
8. Many Christians and Jews Who Refused to Worship the World Dictator Are Martyred (Rev. 7:9–17; 13:15)
Throughout this political and military upheaval, some people will be persuaded by the events to worship Christ. These, sadly, who were not believers in time to be raptured, will be persecuted and even killed for following the one true faith instead of the Antichrist’s Babylonian religion.
The second beast was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. (Rev. 13:15)
9. Catastrophic Divine Judgments Represented by Seals, Trumpets, and Bowls ...
