Have you heard about the Mayan Calendar predicting apocalyptic changes on December 21, 2012? Did you hear Harold Camping, a preacher from California, predicting last May the end of the world and then changing it to this past October because of course the May date was wrong. Well, I would like to set the record straight and inform you that there are 10 Major Events that the Bible tells us must occur before this earth will be destroyed with intense heat. Here are the 10 things that must happen before the world ends. They are not necessarily in order. Also, I am not elaborating in depth on each event. I am just listing them out with a brief description. I will elaborate on each more in depth in later posts.
1. The Gog Magog War - Ezekiel 38 and 39 describes a war in which a leader of a nation from the far north comes with a large army and others with him to destroy Israel. Of course, this leader Gog does not succeed as God steps in and shows the world that there is a God in Israel and He is protecting her.
2. The Apostasy - The Apostle Paul in 2 Thessalonians says that the Day of the Lord (a.k.a. the millennium or 1,000 year reign of Jesus Christ on the earth, and one of the 10) will not come unless the Apostasy comes first. The Apostasy is a falling away from the truth. Jesus talks about the Apostasy in Matthew 24 as a time when lawlessness increases and peoples love will grow cold.
3. The Man of Lawlessness is Revealed - Also in the 2 Thessalonians passage Paul mentions that the Day of the Lord will not come unless the Man of Lawlessness is revealed. This man, a.k.a the Anti-Christ, will become a world leader and will eventually take a seat in the Temple in Jerusalem and call himself God.
4. The 3rd Temple in Jerusalem - Because the Bible tells us that the Anti-Christ or Man of Lawlessness will take his seat in the Temple in Jerusalem then it is obvious that the Temple has to be rebuilt before the world ends.
5. The Mark of the Beast - The Bible tells us in Revelation 13 that the Anti-Christ causes the whole world to accept a mark on their right hand or forehead in order to buy or sell goods. Please also hear the warning from Revelation 13 that all who take the mark of the beast will be damned forever.
6. Armageddon - Armageddon is a war in which all the nations of the world fix their anger on Israel and Jerusalem specifically. Jesus himself said in Luke 21, "When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is near."
7. First Resurrection and Rapture - In 1 Thessalonians Paul mentions the First Resurrection and The Rapture as one event that will occur prior to Jesus returning to the earth.
8. Jesus Returns - Jesus returns to earth with His army of believers to save Israel and those in Jerusalem from total annihilation.
9. The Millennium - Jesus then sets up His throne in Jerusalem and reigns on the earth for 1,000 years.
10. The Great White Throne - At the end of the 1,000 year reign God will resurrect all the dead, this is the second resurrection, and bring them before His Great White Throne for judgment.
These are 10 major events that must occur before the world ends. There are many more prophecies involved and much more information to share in regard to each one. Lastly, although it will be at least 1,000 years or more before the world ends the Bible tells us that today is the day of salvation. The good news of the Bible is very simple. Jesus came to die for our sins, all of us. He died on a cross being punished in our place. He was buried and on the third day He defeated death and rose from the dead. He appeared to at least 500 people and then He ascended into heaven. The Bible tells us if we will, "Believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the Dead and Confess with our mouths that He is Lord we will be saved." The Bible tells us to repent which simply means to change your mind. So please pray to God confessing that your a sinner and ask Him to save you. He will then begin to change your life giving you a purpose.
God Bless,
William
