I would classify my early years as being a 'seasoned Christian'. Sure, I grew up in the church and devoted my life to Christ but, at the same time, I knew only the bare minimum of what God has planned for our future.  For instance, in all my early years of going to church I knew about this event called “the Rapture” and other end time events. I had to finally ask myself whether I REALLY believed these events would happen or were just fantastic ideas that helped sell Christian books…?  Admittedly, as of ten years ago, I knew the basic idea that Christ is going to return and there would be what's called “a Tribulation” on earth in the end times, but that was about the extent of it.

Then I realized I am not alone, for most followers of Christ know: 

• How God operated and interacted with the human race in the Old Testament 

• Christ's birth and presence on earth that we celebrate especially at Christmas, and 

• How God wants us to live as Christians (to varying degrees) via select portions of the New Testament 

But only a small percentage of believers seem to care about events that God specifically outlined in His Word regarding His second return.  One would think more people would be interested to know how He plans to end His story and what is going to happen to this world.  It's not only important to know how God operated in the PAST and what He expects of us in the PRESENT but also what He has in store for us in the FUTURE!  

John 14:3b NIV

I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

It was at this point in my life that I realized I needed to learn more about end times prophecy (eschatology) so I could make an informed decision about this 'rapture and tribulation business'.  Sure, I knew prophetic terms and phrases but had not invested hardly anything to learn exactly WHAT God said about them in His Word and WHY He wanted us to know about them.  Now it was time to also learn more about HOW end time’s prophecy is going to play out and decide whether to believe it or not.

Many believers want to allegorize this prophetic part of God's Word but, I have come to realize, we don't allegorize any other part of Scripture so I ask why anyone would allegorize end time prophecies?  I haven't met a fellow believer yet who didn't accept the literal details when reading about the Christmas story. They have no problem believing Christ first came as a baby in Bethlehem and all the details surrounding that, yet way too many want to dismiss the details God provides in His Word regarding His second coming. I don’t understand the inconsistent change of interpretation… why accept literal prophecy about His first coming and allegorize prophecy about His second coming?

So now I am thoroughly convinced God provides details in Scripture regarding upcoming end time events to be taken as literally as possible. Consequently, this has made me excited about Christ's second return and I now count myself among those who realize exactly how close we are to this happening!  One simply has to look around at the state of the world today to see how things are being setup for an end times scenario exactly as specified in Scripture. And to realize these end times prophecies were outlined not last week nor last year, but THOUSANDS of years ago when planes, electricity and computers were not even a consideration! Take a look at the entries made under “Know the Warning Signs of the Last Days” topic to learn more of how the world is shaping up as expected.

As I’ve studied Scripture in the most-literal sense possible with the help of those who study this in depth, I recognize the order of events as follows: 

1. Rapture of believers to protect them from going through the

2. Tribulation that is intended (primarily) for the salvation of the Jews as God promised in the Old Testament, and then 

3. Believers come back with Christ for the setup of the Millennium kingdom on earth, after which is the 

4. Great White Throne Judgment at the end of the Millennium to punish those who still refuse to believe in Christ after all that has happened -- which seems unthinkable that there will be those around who still shake their fist at God and refuse to believe, but that is another conversation

Passages such as Paul’s words to the early church in Thessalonica make it abundantly clear that a rapture will occur. Scripture outlines other end time events as outlined further in the SJ notes.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 NIV

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

How crucial it is, therefore, that every one of us know our salvation in Christ is secure by following what Paul wrote in the book of Romans so we can join Christ when he comes again:

Romans 10:9-10 NIV

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

If you haven’t already, may I encourage you to do a ‘deep dive’ into God’s prophecy in Scripture. Not only will you be able to make sense of what is happening in the world today but the rest of God’s Word will come alive as you see how prophecy weaves itself in and out of Old and New Testament passages!