The Bible provides us with an outline of God’s plan. Accordingly, we are approaching the end of the Gospel Age and anticipate the soon return of Jesus Christ to terminate this present age and usher in a thousands years of peace; something that man’s empires have been unable to achieve. This article provides a summary view of how things are likely to develop on the lead up to Christ’s return, with a glimpse of what lies beyond in the future for the overcoming Church.
The Bible goes into substantial details about the lead up to the second coming of Jesus Christ and the setting up of God’s Kingdom on Earth during the 1000 years of peace (also known as the millennial reign of Jesus Christ).
Isaiah 11:10 And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest (the millennial period) shall be glorious.
An ensign is a distinctive flag, banner or standard that identifies an authority or nation. It also serves as a rallying point to which the defenders of the nation resort to make a stand – hence the term STANDard (literally a hard stand).
Rev 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. This is the millennial reign of Christ with His Church.
The reward of the overcoming Church is to co-reign with Christ, sitting in His milennial government, ruling over the nations (Revelation 2:26-29).
Details of what happens beyond that time include only a brief summary of God’s prophetic program. There is no doubt that God only reveals details that are necessary for us in the timeframe we are operating in, and his message for this particular age concentrates mainly on what is necessary and important to see us through the challenges of this Gospel age. When it comes to what lies beyond, only the merest glimpse is given; enough to whet our appetite and excite our senses to the prospect of partaking in the coming kingdom. However, the full details beyond that only become truly relevant and applicable to those who actually qualify to enter into that future age. It is therefore the primary aim of the Christian now, to make sure of being on the right side of Christ’s return…
2 Pet 1:10a Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure…
What is important to the Christian now is to continue to walk faithfully fulfiling the will of God in this Gospel age.
CHRIST’S MESSAGE FROM THE MOUNT OF OLIVES
Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21 are parallel accounts of Christ’s Olivet discourse in which He proivded details of the approaching end of the age; firstly, in the limited (short-term) sense of the destruction of Jerusalem and secondly at the end of the age on a global scale. There are many parallels that apply to both situations. With the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in 70 AD being a foreshadow of what is yet to come on a global scale. On the one hand, the end of the temple and the Jewish diaspora – the scattering amongst the nations. On the other (future) the dissolving of man’s government on a global scale and the initiation of Christ’s rulership on earth.
The latter will see the fulfilment of Isaiah’s prophecy …
Isaiah 9:6
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
The Sequence of events from the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. …
Christ stated that THE GOSPEL will be PREACHED to EVERY NATION, then shall THE END come (Matt 24:14). However, what END does this refer to? At the time of Christ’s declaration, the disciples probably understood the end to coincide with the destruction of the temple at Jerusalem, which took place in 70AD; 40 years after Christ’s prophetic statement about the coming desolation. To the people alive in Jerusalem at the time, the destruction of the temple and city would be the end of their world (so to speak). But we now know, with the benefit of hindsight, that Christ was highlighting that His Gospel (of salvation) must reach the uttermost parts of the earth, i.e. the Gospel Age embraces the message being preached on a global scale.
We read in Acts 1:8 … But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
The disciples present at the time of Jesus’ earthly walk did not have the concept of a global vision. They did not even know at that time that God’s plan for salvation was to embrace people of all the Gentile nations.
This is a prime example of the limited knowledge revealed at the actual time the statements were made. At the time of Jesus declaring the lead up to the end, the disciples were not yet baptised with the Holy Spirit – they were not capable of understanding how the Gospel age would develop. However, Jesus promised that when the Holy Spirit would come (future at that time), things would begin to be revealed like never before.
We read in John 16:12-15 The words of Jesus Christ to his disciples …
I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
TRUE PEACE FOR THE NATIONS
Isaiah 2:2-5
And it shall come to pass in THE LAST DAYS, that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and ALL NATIONS SHALL FLOW UNTO IT. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And HE SHALL JUDGE AMONG THE NATIONS, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD.