JUDGEMENT DAY PART 3

What Will Happen When Jesus Comes?

Resurrection and transformation

An extraordinary event will occur at the Lord's second coming. By the same power that raised Jesus from the dead, God will raise believers who have died. Without going through death, believers who are alive will be transformed and raised up (1 Cor 15:50-53).


For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. (1 Thess 4:16)

Just as the Lord Jesus was raised to life in a spiritual body, believers will also be clothed with a spiritual body—glorious, powerful, and immortal (Phil 3:20-21).

Judgement

At His second coming, Jesus Christ will execute His judgment on all people according to how they have lived (2 Cor 5:10).

And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.... And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast the lake of fire. (Rev 20:12-15).

Sinners will be cast out of God's presence, into eternal darkness. The faithful will see Jesus face to face and receive a blessed inheritance (Mt 25:34).

A new heaven and a new earth

Sudden, unprecedented disasters will herald the second coming of Christ (Mk 13:19). Following the initial tribulation will be great cosmic chaos.

Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. (Mt 24:29)

Finally, the last chapter of world history will close with a total destruction by fire. A new heaven and a new earth will then replace the former universe. This is the eternal home that God has prepared for His people.

ARMAGEDDON!

By examining these prophecies,we can get a sense of how close we are to Armageddon.
The final seven years will begin when the Antichrist and the international community give their support to Israel’s right to exist in the land promised to Abraham by God. This is called the confirmation of the covenant (Daniel 9:27 & Genesis 15:18). Israel’s Prime Minister has openly stated that the number one goal of his administration is to obtain the support of the international community for Israel’s final borders.
A war will begin from the vicinity of the Euphrates River (Revelation 9:13-16). Most of the Euphrates River is in Iraq. The United States has 140,000 troops stationed along the Euphrates at this time. The conflict between the U.S. and Islamic Fundamentalism is not diminishing, but increasing around the world.
The West Bank (Judea) in Israel will become a place of great tribulation (Matthew 24:15-21). Ehud Olmert has openly stated that he will withdraw from the West Bank (Judea). When Israel withdraws, the Hamas terrorist state will take over in Judea, precipitating a bloodbath.
The Temple Mount in Jerusalem will be placed under a sharing arrangement between Jew and Gentile (Revelation 11:1-2). President Clinton suggested the sharing of the Temple Mount in July of 2000. It is generally believed this is the only possible solution to the Temple Mount dispute whenever the issue is finally resolved.
The Jewish temple will be built on the Temple Mount (Revelation 11:1-2 & 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4). All the furniture for Israel’s Third Temple is now complete;
The Temple Mount will be placed under the supervision of the world community, and the leader of the world community, which will at that time be the Antichrist, will stand on the Temple Mount claiming to be God (2 Thessalon- ians 2:3-4). Ehud Barak, Israeli Prime Minister in the year 2000, suggested placing the Temple Mount under UN control in order to make a sharing of the Temple Mount possible. When the UN takes control of the Temple Mount, the leader of the world government will feel justified in claiming ultimate authority there.
A world government will dominate the world for three and one-half years prior to Armageddon (Daniel 7:23 & Revelation 13:7). The nations of the world are increasingly recognizing the authority of international law. We now have the World Bank, the World Trade Organization, the World Health Organization and the World Court just to name a few. We have a World Court to adjudicate the international laws of the emerging world government.
Each person on earth will be required to have a mark or a number in order to buy or sell (Revelation 13:16-18). On May 11, 2005, President Bush signed the Real ID Act. The law requires that every American must have a national ID card. Without this card, a person will not be able to hold a job or open a bank account. Without a job or a bank account, how much buying and selling will an individual be able to do? Oh, by the way, you can’t get your card without giving your number…your social security number.
The world community, led by Russia and Iran, will invade the nation of Israel (Zechariah 14:2-4 & Ezekiel 38 & 39) Iran (Persia) and Russia (Meshech—root word for Moscovi or Moscow) are now in alliance. Iran is the leading advocate of “wiping Israel off the map.”

JUDMENT DAY PART 2

Why Is Jesus Coming?

We all recognize that evil, hatred, and injustice exist in this world. They result from human disobedience to God. Our disobedience has a consequence: separation from God that leads to death, suffering, and eternal hopelessness.

Yet God, out of His mercy, prepared a way to save us: through the Lord Jesus Christ. He gives us the present time to accept the salvation He offers. The Lord Jesus will come again for the ultimate fulfillment of His salvation plan.

To receive the saved

Those who have believed and kept faith with the Lord Jesus will enter into His kingdom; to abide with Him forever and enjoy a heavenly reward.

To judge the unrepentant

Even though people don't always face the consequences of their actions in their lifetime, the Lord will settle all accounts at the end. Our existence doesn't end at death. After we die, we all face judgment. Those faithful to God will be credited as righteous. Those who have disregarded His commands will be condemned.

To destroy all physical existence and establish His eternal kingdom

People often think of fire and brimstone when they hear of “Judgment Day.” Truth is, the world we live in is corruptible. The physical world, because of the evil in it, cannot last forever. God will put an end to all that offends His perfect and just nature. This decaying world will cease to exist. God, who is spirit, will establish an everlasting spiritual kingdom. The righteous will reside there forever, in His presence, in His glory.

And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. (Rev 21:4)

JUDGMENT DAY AHEAD

When Is Jesus Coming Again?

In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. –Jn 14:2-3

The Lord Jesus promises His followers that He will one day return to receive them home.

This world will not last forever. It will come to an end at the coming of Christ. No one can know the exact hour. But Jesus warned of the signs that will precede His coming: wars, famine, natural disasters; increase of crime, religious persecution, and rejection and confusion of the truth:

lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. (Mt 24:12)

Most people live their lives without a second thought to Christ’s coming. But “as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: They ate, they drank, they married… until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all” (Lk 17:26-7). To those who live comfortably immersed in the world, the end will be unexpected (1 Thess 5:3).

Yet you can read the signs. As society increase in violence and profanity, as nations stockpile weapons of mass destruction, and as mankind wear down the physical environment of Earth, it seems we sit on a ticking time bomb. One day, the period of grace God has given will end. The gospel of the kingdom will have been “preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Mt 24:14). Then the Lord will return to establish His justice once and for all.

LIVING A LIFE THAT IS TRUE

What do you live for? We all desire something better or want to achieve something great in life.

For some people, getting rich is their goal. Some want to be famous. Others look for the ideal job and exert all their energy to move up the ladder. Some people want to be more attractive, buy a dream car, marry someone they love, own a nice house, have a family, go on vacations, and retire comfortably.

We may have beautiful dreams and focus all our energy on obtaining those dreams. Many people are able to accomplish their goals in life. You may also have worked very hard for something. But after you achieved it, did you ask yourself, “Is this all there is to it?”

Something seems to be missing. People seek different ways to escape their inner emptiness—drowning themselves in entertainment, parties, drugs, alcohol, gambling, or work. Even the rich and famous can suffer from addiction and depression. Entrepreneurs who have had extraordinary success in business may have failed miserably in their relationships. What was once a beautiful dream is too often shattered by harsh reality.


Despite all the things we acquire, we feel empty and discontent because we are looking for happiness and fulfillment in the wrong things. We set our priorities and goals based on our egos. We measure success by popular trends in society. We have been led into thinking that the more we have, the happier we will be. But are we?

Jesus said, “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Mt 16:26).

Here, the Lord Jesus reveals the truth about our existence. We can gain everything in this world, but if our soul is not connected with our Creator, we are nothing. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” He also promised His followers, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” The truth about our existence lies with Him, and His words spoken through the Bible tell us that He is the way to a valuable existence. He came to show us the truth about God and help us look at life from the perspective of God, so that we are able to see through these superficial pursuits and to live with more meaning. He opens our eyes to realize that we are precious in God’s eyes, even without the opulent layers of fame and money. He assures us that we don’t have to worry about what we eat or what we wear, because He loves us and is willing to provide for all our needs. We can only be fully satisfied if God becomes the center of our lives and fills our souls.

If you believe in Jesus and honor Him as your Lord and Savior, you will be set free from the fleeting values and empty pursuits of this world. He will bring you back to God; to live in a way that your Creator has intended for you to live. He will make you successful in God’s eyes. He will empower you to find joy in loving others. He will give you meaning in this life and beyond.

Jesus is the answer. In Him, we can find the truth—the truth about our eternal existence, the truth about God’s love, the truth about what is good, and the truth about our purpose in life. This truth shall set us free.