I. JESUS IS THE CHRIST – ACTS 17:3
“Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the
Scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and
saying, “This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.” Acts 17:2-3
“searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand
the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.(eschatological realities)” 1 Peter 1:11
A. Our paradigm of what it means for Jesus to be the Christ has to be expanded to its biblical definition and
boundaries. Jesus being the Christ includes more then the introductory reality of the salvation, it encompasses the f
ull reality of what the New Testament calls the mystery of the gospel
B. When the New Testament talks about the gospel being a mystery, it does not mean that this is information that is
not accessible but rather that the central plan a purposes of God were hidden in the being of God and now have been
made accessible to all the saints of God through the word of God. I call the mystery of the gospel – the thoughts and
intents of God’s heart – Jeremiah 23:20
C. The preaching of the gospel for the apostles did not only include the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, it also
included the preaching of the glories that were come. The apostles proclaimed eschatological realities – I Peter 1:10
D. The Messiah would deliver Israel, restore the theocracy and priesthood. The Messiah was one who would restore
Israel to her original calling as a kingdom of priest and from there he would lead the gentile nations into the leadership
of YHWH.
E. The Apostles proclaim the reigning of a coming Jewish and global leader – Jesus.
“ Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the LORD’s house Shall be established on the top of
the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow to it. Many people (gentiles) shall come
and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; He (Jesus) will teach
us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths.” For out of Zion (Jerusalem) shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD
(the divine decree) from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations (Global leadership exercised from Jerusalem),
and rebuke many people; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall
not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore.” Isaiah 2:1-4
II. WHY STUDY THE END-TIMES?
A. The End-Time is not optional study for fringe eccentric Christians. The Gospels (89 chapters): give us a record
of Jesus’ miracle power at first coming to accomplish redemption. The end-of-the-age (100 chapters) about Jesus’
miracle power in taking leadership over the earth.
B. Why study the End-Times? To prepare the Church to be victorious in love and to participate in releasing God's glory.
To prepare the Church to rightly interpret the crisis instead of being offended by it. To awaken the Church with urgency
in intercession knowing we can minimize evil and increase victory in geographic areas, establishing pockets of mercy
(Joel 2:13-14; Zeph. 2:3). To strengthen our confidence in sovereignty (God is in control and never surprised).
C. Essential component to understanding the apostolic gospel
“…searching what, or what manner of time, “the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified
beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow” 1 Pet 1:11
D. There are at least 100 paragraphs and passages in the apostolic writings referencing end-times in calling the
church to passion for Jesus (holiness).
E. Common lies related to End-Time prophecy:
1. It is not relevant (it is just for the curious).
2. It is impossible to understand. 2 Timothy 3:16 (confidence to study)
3. Every generation has believed they were the final generation. Only two generations have had a universal
conviction about this. If it is not the last generation for the world before Jesus returns, it is surely your last
generation. (Eternity and the revelation of the brevity of life is a powerful motivator)
F. Confidence to study – as we grasp foundational truths of the End-Times, then we have confidence and zeal to go
deeper in our study of other End-Time passages. One of the biggest hindrance today is the false conclusion that
End-Time prophecy is too difficult to understand, so why even try.
G. Certainty of victory – to establish confidence in the fact of the ultimate victory of God’s Kingdom on earth in all
spheres of life. Our lives and labors matter and will prevail.
H. Confidence in sovereignty – God is fully in control without being surprised. He is in control of the End-Time crisis,
which was planned from the beginning. Result: lifestyle of stable love instead of panic and fear.
I. The revelation of Christ: The study of end-times reveals the fierceness of Christ leadership culminating with the
events of the 2nd Coming as He leads the earth into fullness of that that which He accomplished through His death,
burial and resurrection. End-time prophecy is about both the unveiling of events and the beauty of the personhood of
Christ Jesus. Somehow Jesus’ divine administrations are powerfully and intricately woven together with revelation of
His beauty.
J. Faith – by understanding End-Time prophecy, we can then discern the biblical prophecies when they actually
come to pass before our eyes. Then, we are greatly encouraged that God is in control and that He cares for us. Then
we have courage to continue to proclaim more to others without the fear of man or of suffering consequences.
K. Warned – so that we have discernment of what seductions to avoid or what not to do. For example, to avoid the
positive presentations to take the mark of the Beast, or to participate in the seemingly prosperous economic and religious
enterprises of the Babylon the Great Harlot.
III. CREATING A CONTEXT THAT DE-MYSTIFIES ESCHATOLOGY
At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things
from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. Matthew 11:25
A. As valuable the scholar and intellectual approach to the word is, the word of God was written for the majority of the
earth which so happens to be the poor and the “uneducated”. Conservative guess of dire global poverty is at about
40-50%
B. The literal and common sense interpretation of the scripture is the way forward. This is called the grammatical-
historical method where words say what they mean and mean what they say
C. The departure of the literal interpretation of scripture happened around the time of Origen and it is significantly
related to the brewing anti-Semitism among gentile believers at that time (Counsel of Nicea 325 AD)
D. The issue of the mystery of Israel (Romans 11:25) is what makes the interpretation of scripture literal. Without
Israel in the mix we come up with an erroneous understanding of end-times and the kingdom of God.
IV. ADVANTAGES OF THE LITERAL METHOD
A. Interpretations are rooted in fact (history, grammar, logic)
B. Interpretation can be measured and challenged
C. Greatest seed bed for revelation. The word of God is exceedingly broad – Psalm 119-96
D. Allows interpretation to be tested.
E. It allows for scripture to be interpreted with scripture
F. Revelation is when the facts of scripture are made alive in the inner man
V. CREATING A CULTURE OF DILIGENT SEARCH
A. The exhortations of Jesus and Paul concerning end-times tell us that we cannot be indifferent about the issue of
end-times. Indifference concerning the matter can lead to deception.
“And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you.” Mt 24:4
“And Jesus, answering them, began to say: “Take heed that no one deceives you.” Mark 13:5
“And He said: “Take heed that you not be deceived” Luke 21:8
Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of
sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped,
so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. 2 Thess. 2:3-4
B. Eschatology is to be pursued diligently in the secret place of intimacy with the Lord
Now 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?” Matthew 23:3
C. The Lord’s response to the disciples shows us that the Lord is eager to speak to us concerning these things.
The Lord has great zeal about the day of the Lord. It is the day of the gladness of His heart. SS 3:11; Ps 110:3;
Ps 110:5
D. The prophets of the OT were eager to look into and proclaim these things.
“Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you,
searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand
the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.” 1 Peter 1:10-11
E. The angels of heaven long to look into and proclaim these things
“To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported
to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels
desire to look into.” 1 Peter1:12
And one cried to another (proclamation) and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full (God’s
vision for fullness – Eph 1:9, 20-23) of His glory!”
F. We must actively pursue the Lord in this matter. This will take a deliberate reordering of our time for study,
meditation and teaching (from the pulpit and small group settings and prayer meetings)
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the
elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all
these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and
hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements
will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which
righteousness dwells.
“And the man said to me, “Son of man, look with your eyes and hear with your ears, and fix your mind on everything I show you;
for you were brought here so that I might show them to you. Declare to the house of Israel everything you see.”
Ezekiel 40:4
VI. CREATING A CONTEXT FOR FASTING AND PRAYER – ZEAL FOR THE LORD’S HOUSE
A. The clearest context to grow in our understanding of end times is with the context of fasting and praying. It is
important that we move our ministries to where fasting and prayer truly is the center of everything that we do.
B. King David the 1st millennial theologian was a man of one thing Ps 27:4. Being a man of one thing means that
David’s top priority was to gaze (commune) and inquire concerning the knowledge of God
C. David had two main priorities and those were that would be found in the pursuit of communion with the Lord
(Psalm 27:4) and labor for the corporate encountering and habitation of God (Psalm 132)
D. King David was consumed with the reality and endured much trouble because of it. This resulted in David having
profound insight and revelation into the millennial rule of Christ and eternity
I have become a stranger to my brothers, And an alien to my mother’s children; Because zeal for Your house has eaten
me up, And the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me. When I wept and chastened my soul with
fasting, That became my reproach. I also made sackcloth my garment; I became a byword to them. Those who sit in
the gate speak against me, And I am the song of the drunkards. But as for me, my prayer is to You, O LORD, in the
acceptable time; O God, in the multitude of Your mercy, Hear me in the truth of Your salvation.
E. Daniel also shows us the model of fasting and prayer as it relates to the study of end-times.
“…in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the LORD
through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. Then I set my
face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.” Dan. 9:2-3
“…I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were
fulfilled.” Dan. 10:3
VII. DAY OF THE LORD: TWO EXTREMES AT THE END-OF-THE-AGE
“For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor
ever shall be.” Matthew 24:21
28 “And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall
prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. 29 And also on My menservants and
on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. 30 “And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth:
Blood and fire and pillars of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the
coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD. 32 And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the
LORD shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, as the LORD has said, among
the remnant whom the LORD calls.
A. The Day of the Lord refers to the unusual End-Time events related to the Second Coming of Jesus. These events
(positive and negative) will come to fullness in the final 3½ years before Jesus returns.
B. The Day of the Lord is a time period where God’s zeal for righteousness, for His people and against wickedness
is fully and openly manifest.
“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering not willing that any should
perish but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Pet 3:9
1. It will be a glorious day for the responsive and the greatest revival in history.
2. It will be a day of terror to the rebellious because they will experience the most severe judgments of God in all
history as well as experiencing Satan’s rage against them.
C. The coming global crisis will be the great crisis the earth has even seen accompanied with the greatest release
of power and glory.
“For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor
ever shall be.” Matthew 24:21
“… a people come great and strong, the like of whom has never been; nor will there ever be any such after them, even
for many successive generations.” Joel 2:2
“And I will do among you what I have never done, and that like of which I will never do again, because of all your
abominations.” Ezekiel 5:9