NEW TESTAMENT PROPHECIES OF THE END TIMES

JESUS’ OLIVET DISCOURSE CLUES TO UNDERSTANDING END TIMES

• A rapture will precede the Second Coming, Matt 24:36.
  • Jesus will be away a long time before he returns to earth for his bride, Matt 24:48, 25:5, 19.
  • Jesus said that nobody would know the day or hour of his return, Matt 24:36, 40, 44, 25:13, Mk 13:32, 36, Lk 21:34-36, 1 Thess 5:2; however, we need to stay prepared for Jesus’ return; we will know the signs that his return is approaching, Matt 24:32-35.
  • When Jesus returns for his bride he will only take those who belong to him; the others will be left behind on earth, Matt 24:36-44.
  • The period after the antichrist takes power will be the days of greatest stress in the history of the world, If Jesus did not return nobody would be able to survive, Matt 24:21-22, Mk 13:18-23.
  • In the middle of the seven the antichrist will proclaim himself to be God in the temple and will remain there until his end, Dan 9:27.
  • Flee to the mountains when you see the antichrist proclaiming himself to be God in the temple. Do not tarry, do not take anything with you, just flee immediately, Matt 24:15-20, Mk 13:14-17.
  • The distress that will precede Jesus return will include nuclear war, an asteroid or comet hit on an ocean, all accompanied by darkness on the earth, Matt 24:29, Mk 24-25.
  • The earth will be in anguish because of signs in the stars; an asteroid is about to hit the earth. Men will faint in terror, knowing what is about to take place. This will shortly precede the return of Jesus. This sign may be known before the rapture takes place. Luke 21:25-28.
  • We do not really know or understand what will happen when Jesus returns; it will involve things that are very foreign to us just as a flood was to Noah and his family, Matt 24:37-39.
  • The gospel will be preached in the whole world as testimony; then the end will come, Matt 24:14, Mk 13:10.
  • An angel proclaims the eternal gospel to the entire world just before the Second Coming; this is a last chance for those living on the earth. The angel exhorts the world to “Fear God and give him glory because the hour of judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water,” Rev 14:6-8.
  • When Jesus returns it will be visible at the same time to everybody in the whole world. Do not be fooled by any other scenario, Matt 24:27-28.
  • Jesus return will be from above, he will exhibit his great power and will receive his due honor. There will be a trumpet call and his angels will go all over the world collecting his elect, Matt 24:30, Mk 13:26-27.
  • Jesus will judge everybody on the earth at his return. He will separate believers from unbelievers. Believers will be allowed to remain on earth to begin the millennium and unbelievers will be sent immediately to Hades, Matt 25:31-46.
  • At the second Coming Jesus will bring all of his angels with him and will sit on his throne, apparently in Israel, and separate the sheep from the goats, the wheat from the chaff, etc., Matt 25:31-46.

JESUS’ CLUES FROM HIS PARABLES AND TEACHING TO HIS DISCIPLES

• Jesus said that there would be a harvest at the end of the age, Matt 13:37-43, 47-50, 21:33-34.
• Jesus said that he would send his angels out to do the harvesting when he returns, Matt 13:37-43, 47-50.
• Jesus said believers would be separated from unbelievers in the final harvest, Matt 13:29-30, 37-43, 47-50.
• Jesus said that unbelievers would face eternal punishment, Matt 13:29-30, 40-42, 47-50.
• The spiritual phase of the kingdom of God will be taken from the Jews and given to a people who will produce fruit for him, Matt 21:41, 43.

PAUL’S CLUES TO UNDERSTANDING END TIME PROPHECY

• The rapture is the great hope of believers, 1 Thess 4:13, Titus 2:13.
  • Jesus will bring the spirits of those who died and went to heaven back to earth with him at the rapture. At that time they will receive their resurrected bodies, after which those who are still alive on earth as believers will instantaneously have their earthly bodies converted to resurrected, glorified bodies. They will return to heaven with Jesus and live with him for eternity, 1 Thess 4:13-18, I Cor 15:51-53.
  • Believers resurrected bodies will be like the body that Jesus received at his resurrection, Phil 3:20-21, 1 John 2:28-3:2.
  • The general rapture will precede the period of wrath, Luke 17:26-29, 34-35, 21:34-36, 1 Thess 1:10, 5:9-10, 2 Thess 2:1-12, Rev 3:10, Isa 26:19-21, Zeph 2:1-3, Rom 5:9, Eph 5:6.
• There will be a general apostasy and the antichrist will be revealed before Jesus returns at his Second Coming, 2 Thess 2:3.
  • He will set himself up in God’s temple and declare himself to be God, 2 Thess 2:4.
  • The identity of the antichrist will not be revealed until his restrainer is removed, 2 Thess 2:5-8. This restrainer is referred to as one and he, so it may be referring to the Holy Spirit. However another restrainer is revealed in Rev 7:1-2, 13:1-2, Dan 7:1-3 to be four angels. They are holding back the beginning of the judgments until the proper time as set by God.
  • The antichrist will receive his power from Satan, and will do many counterfeit miracles, 2 Thess 2:9-10.
  • Jesus will defeat the antichrist with the breath of his mouth at his coming, Eph 6:17, Rev 19:15, 21, 2 Thess 2:8, Isa 11:4.
• Believers will assist Jesus in judging angels, the world and evil, 1 Cor 6:2-3, Jude 15.

PETER’S CLUES TO UNDERSTANDING END TIME PROPHECY

• When the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will not fade away. This is obviously speaking of the rapture and may be referring to rewards or to the glorified body that we will receive at that time, 1 Peter 5:4.
• God rescues holy men from wrath and holds the unrighteous for judgment, 2 Peter 2:9.
• Evil angels who committed certain sins are being held in gloomy dungeons in Tartaros awaiting their judgment, 2 Peter 2:4.
• The day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare, 2 Peter 3:10.
  • The present heavens and earth will be destroyed by fire, 2 Peter 3:7.
  • The heavens will be destroyed by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat, 2 Peter 3:12.
  • There will be a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness, 2 Peter 3:13.

AUTHOR OF HEBREWS CLUES TO PROPHECY

• The earth and heavens will wear out like a garment, they will perish, and like a garment they will be changed, Heb 1: 10-12.

JUDE’S CLUES TO PROPHECY

• The Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones to judge everyone, and convict the unrighteous of all of the ungodly acts they have done in the ungodly way, Jude 14.
• In the last times there will be scoffers who follow their own ungodly desires, who follow their own natural instincts, and do not have the Spirit, Jude 19.

CLUES REGARDING THE ANTICHRIST FROM THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE

CLUES FROM BOOKS OTHER THAT REVELATION

• 2 Thess 2:3 - The antichrist will not be revealed until after the wrath begins. This coincides with the rapture. Thus the identity of the antichrist will not be known until after the rapture has occurred.
• Dan 9:27 – The antichrist sets up a seven year peace treaty involving many nations; this defines the boundaries of the tribulation period.
• Dan 7:25, 8:9-12, 11:36-38 - He will speak out against God and attempt to control the forms of religious expression. He will say unheard of things against God.
• Dan 7:25, 9:27-28, 2 Thess 2:4 - He breaks the peace treaty in the middle of the seven year period when he sets himself up in the temple in Jerusalem and declares himself to be God. He will exalt himself over everything that is called God.
• Matt 24:15-16, Dan 9:27 – Jesus told the Jews to head for the hills when they see the abomination that causes desolation standing in the holy place, as prophesied by Daniel the prophet.
• Dan 7:7-8, 24, 9:26 – The antichrist becomes the leader of a multi nation empire. He personally overcomes the other leaders and rules their nations. He will initially be the leader of one of the countries evolving from the old Roman Empire. He will conquer three other countries evolving from the old Empire and will consolidate power. Notice that the language used in Dan 7, i.e. beasts and horns, is the same as that used in Rev 13 and both are involving the antichrist.
• Dan 7:7-8, 11, 20 – The antichrist speaks boastfully and is very intimidating.
• Zech 11:15-17 – The Lord will raise up a shepherd over the land who will not have the best interests of Israel in mind. He will dessert the flock. His right arm will be struck by the sword and become withered and his right eye totally blinded. This is the coming antichrist.
• 2 Thess 2:3, 7-8 – He will be called the man of lawlessness.
• Zech 14:21 –In that day there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the Lord. Thus he will be called a Canaanite. A Canaanite was someone who lived in Israel but who was not a Jew. Thus the antichrist at some time will live in Israel, but he will not be a Jew.
• Isa 14:24-27 - The Assyrian will be crushed in Israel, for it is the plan determined for the whole world. This may be referring to the antichrist. If so he will likely be a Muslim who will live in Israel at some time.
• Micah 5:5-7 – The Assyrian will attack Israel but Jesus will deliver Israel from him. God will raise up seven shepherds and eight leaders of men They will rule the land of Assyria with the sword. Again, the Assyrian may or may not be referring to the antichrist here in Micah.
• Dan 11:36-39 – He will be called the king of the north, or king of Syria (called the Assyrian in Isa). The king of the north is a model of the antichrist. In Daniel’s narrative Syria was one of the four empires from the divided Greek empire and basically included present day Syria, Jordan and Iraq. The antichrist will exalt himself above God. He will not show regard for the gods of his fathers or for Jesus Christ. This implies that his fathers were not Christians. He did not come from a Christian country, possibly implying that he comes from an Islamic country. He is a conqueror and puts his trust and faith in military might. He uses this military might (his god) to conquer others. He will honor those rulers who acknowledge him but will require that they yield to him and pay him taxes in order to remain in power.
• Isa 14 and Ezek 28 both seem to summarize the past, present and future of Satan in some detail. Isa 14:1-8 and Ezek 28:1-10 both may also have the antichrist in view as the king of Babylon and the ruler of Tyre. He is said to be a man who thinks he is a god.
• Dan 8:23-25, 11:38, 2 Thess 2:9 - He will have the aid of a foreign god, most likely the god of this age, Satan, He will perform all kinds of Satanically inspired deceptive counterfeit miracles and wonders.
• Dan 7:23 – The antichrist eventually crushes the whole earth.
• Dan 7:25 – He will rule over the saints of Jesus for 3 ½ years during the second half of the tribulation.
• Dan 11:36-45 – The antichrist will conquer much of the Middle East except for Jordan (Edom, Moab and Ammon). The countries that he conquers include Israel, Egypt, Libya, and Nubia (Sudan, just south of Egypt). He will set up headquarters in Israel between the Mediterranean and Jerusalem. He will have great power and influence throughout the world. Reports from the north and east alarm him, possibly because an alliance of Russia and China are on the way to engage him. When he hears this he preemptively attacks them and tries to destroy them.
• Dan 7:21-22, 26-27, 11:36 – The antichrist will be successful until the time of wrath is completed at the 2nd coming of Jesus. The antichrist is successfully waging war against the saints of God from the mid-point of the tribulation period until Jesus returns at the 2nd coming and defeats him.
• Dan Dan 7:21-22, 11:45 - The antichrist will come to his end and nobody can help him. He will be defeated when Jesus returns at his Second Coming.
• Dan 7:11 - He will be thrown into the lake of fire after the Second Coming.
• Dan 7:26-27, 13-14 - The millennium will be set up right after the defeat of the antichrist.

CLUES REGARDING THE ANTICHRIST FROM REVELATION

• Rev 13:1 – In John’s vision he saw what he described as a beast coming out of the sea. The beast was an empire of multiple nations and the sea was the nations of the earth. This is explained in Dan 7:17, “The four beasts are four kingdoms that will rise from the earth.” John goes on to say that the beast had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns. The meaning of “horns” in relation to the fourth kingdom is explained in Dan 7:24, “The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom.” The explanation in Daniel continues to tell us that another horn, separate and different from the original ten horns will arise and will subdue three of the horns. This explanation in Daniel reveals why the beast in Rev had ten horns but only seven heads. The antichrist had subdued 3 of the horns.
• Rev 13:2 – The beast (empire) in Rev resembled all four of the beasts described in Dan 7. The four beasts in Dan were all of the four world dominating kingdoms that would emerge on the earth from the time of Daniel until the end times. This likely implies that the kingdom of the antichrist will span all of the four kingdoms. We know also from Dan 9:26 that this includes the revived Roman Empire.
• Rev 13:2-3 – The great power and authority of the beast (empire) was provided by Satan himself. Satan was confined to earth during the reign of the antichrist. He was still a spirit and may have been invisible to men. The leader of one of the nations of the empire, the leader who would emerge as the antichrist, suffered a fatal head would and died, Satan brought him back to life. This astonished the people of the world and they worshipped him as god. They also put their complete faith in the beast (empire) thinking it was invincible.
• Rev 13:3-4, 11:7, 17:7-8 – The leader who would become the antichrist suffered a fatal head would and was killed. One of the spirits who was released from the Abyss at the beginning of the fifth judgment entered the body of the fallen leader and he came back to life as the antichrist (possibly Apollyon, Rev 9:11?). After this he had great power to do miraculous things. This fits what is said about the antichrist in Rev 17:7-8 when it says, “He once was, now is not and will yet be.” That fits the creatures who were released form the Abyss.
• Mark 13:22-23, 2 Thess 2:9-10 – False Christs will appear and perform signs and miracles to deceive even the elect---if that were possible.
• Rev 13:5-6 – The antichrist was given authority over all of the nations of the empire (the beast was given a mouth). He spoke proud words and blasphemies against God and slandered both heaven and those who live there.
• Rev 13:7-8 – The antichrist was given authority over everyone on earth for 3 ½ years. This was the second half of the tribulation period. He was given authority to make war against the saints and kill them. There are some things that are difficult to understand about how the antichrist was able to make war on and kill the two witnesses or saints, which as we saw was a huge number of people who had become believers during the first half of the tribulation period. Rev 7:9 describes them as a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language. How did the antichrist manage to selectively find and kill just these people? My suspicion is that the work assigned to the evil angels from the Abyss was to visit every one on earth during the five months that they were allowed to be on earth. If someone was a believer in Jesus they herded them into concentration camps but did not harm them. If someone was an unbeliever in Jesus they were asked to accept the antichrist as their god and pledge allegiance to him (take the mark of the beast). If they refused they were tortured by the evil angels until they relented and accepted the antichrist as their god. Thus all believers on earth were herded into one or more concentration camps, probably in Israel. This made it possible for the antichrist to then kill them all at one time and have it broadcast all over the world. Rev 11:8-9 says that people all over the world saw them lying dead in Israel.
• Rev 16:13-14 – Satan and his key cohorts, the antichrist and the false prophet, direct the evil angels who have been thrown out of heaven and down to earth to go out to the whole world and gather the armies of the nations to Israel for the final battle, Armageddon.
• Rev 17 & 18 – The great prostitute, mystery Babylon, is the greatest consumer nation on earth and embraces a false religion that does not recognize Jesus as God during the tribulation period. She uses the antichrist to support her own purposes until the antichrist turns on her and destroys her.

CLUES REGARDING THE FALSE PROPHET AND HIS SUPPORT OF THE ANTICHRIST

John turns to the false prophet in verse 11 of Rev 13. This time John sees a “beast coming out of the earth.” Following is what we see John telling us about the beast out of the earth.

• Rev 13:11 - This again was a beast, meaning that it was an empire composed of multiple nations. We are told that the beast had two horns, meaning that it had two leaders, or kings so to speak. These nations will likely be nations that were not included in the original empires of Daniel 7. These two allied nations seem to represent Christianity but they speak a Satanic rhetoric.
• Rev 13:12 - These two nations are very powerful and speak for the larger group of allied empires. They force the whole world to accept the false religion of the beast.
• Rev 13:13 - These two nations are very powerful militarily and use their nuclear capability to enforce their will and the will of the beast on the earth. In fact, they actually use their nuclear weapons.
• Rev 13:14-17 - There is one leader who speaks for these two nations and he is called the false prophet. His power derives from the military and economic might of the two nations. By this military/economic power he is able to bring the dead empire, from which the antichrist emerges, back to life.
• Rev 13:15 - The false prophet, the leader of the two super powerful allied nations, brings the antichrist to power, gives life to him so to speak. The antichrist is called the “image” of the beast here. Breath in verse 15 can be translated as “spirit” or “life.” Thus he gave a spirit to the image, or brought the image to life. The spirit which the image received was apparently the spirit of a Nephilim.
• Rev 13:16-18 – The false prophet was in charge of the program to force everyone on earth to accept the mark of the beast on their right hand and forehead so that they could buy and sell.
• Rev 14:9-12 – Everyone who dies with the mark of the beast will be tortured in hell day and night for ever and ever. They do, however, seem to be given a chance to accept Jesus just before the Second Coming when the special angel presents the gospel of Jesus to everyone on earth.
• Rev 19:20 – The antichrist and false prophet are the first to ever be thrown into the lake of fire. This happens at the Second Coming. This may confirm that they are Nephilim since all unbelieving humans are sent to Hades to await the Great White Throne judgment after the millennium before being sent to hell.
• Rev 20:2 – Satan is bound in the Abyss at the Second Coming to await his trial after the millennium.