Creation/Flood/Israel/Cross/Church/Rapture/Bema/M.Feast/Tribu lation/2nd Coming/Armageddon/Kingdom/Magog/GWThrone/Eternal

I. Rapture Gives Hope

2Thess 4:13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. 15  For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16  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. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words. 1Thess 2:1-12 falling away; restrainer removed; anti-Christ revealed 1^st

II. God Always Keeps His Promises

regather, restore, rule, reward, judge (bless/curse) Ps 72

A. New Covenant: Knowledge of God, Inward obedience  Jer 31:31 "Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah—32  "not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the LORD. 33  "But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34  "No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more."  Joel 2; Dt 30:6 bless/curse; call to mind; return; obey; circumcised heart

B. Fear of God Jer 32:37 I will gather them out of all countries where I have driven them in My anger, in My fury, and in great wrath; I will bring them back to this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely. 38 They shall be My people, and I will be their God; 39 then I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me forever, for the good of them and their children after them. 40  ‘And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me. 41 Yes, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will assuredly plant them in this land, with all My heart and with all My soul.’ 42 For thus says the LORD: Just as I have brought all this great calamity on this people, so I will bring on them all the good that I have promised them.  Dt 28-29:24;30 Isa 66:2

C. Holiness Ezk 11:16…‘Thus says the Lord GOD: "Although I have cast them far off among the Gentiles, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet I shall be a little sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone."’ 17  "Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: "I will gather you from the peoples, assemble you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel." 18  "And they will go there, and they will take away all its detestable things and all its abominations from there. 19  "Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, 20  "that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God. 21  "But as for those whose hearts follow the desire for their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their deeds on their own heads," says the Lord GOD.  Isa 4:3 holy

III. When Christ Rules

Israel is chief; Truth embraced; Justice Biblical; Peace perfect; Life extended; Prosperity satisfies; Joy

A. Jesus is King Rev 19:15 out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16…name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

B. Walk in Light Isa 2:1 The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. 2  Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established on the top… And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow to it. 3  Many people shall come & say, "Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths." For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 4  He shall judge between the nations, 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. 5  O house of Jacob, come and let us walk in the light of the LORD.  Jn 8:12; Eph 5:8; 1Jn 1:7

C. Peace and Prosperity Isa 65:12 Therefore I will number you for the sword, And you shall all bow down to the slaughter; Because, when I called, you did not answer; When I spoke, you did not hear, But did evil before My eyes, And chose that in which I do not delight." 13  Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, My servants shall eat, But you shall be hungry; Behold, My servants shall drink, But you shall be thirsty; Behold, My servants shall rejoice, But you shall be ashamed; 20 No more shall an infant from there live but a few days, Nor an old man who has not fulfilled his days; For the child shall die one hundred years old, But the sinner being one hundred years old shall be accursed. 21  They shall build houses and inhabit them; They shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. 22…And My elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. 24  It shall come to pass That before they call, I will answer; And while they are still speaking, I will hear. 25  The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, The lion shall eat straw like the ox, And dust shall be the serpent’s food. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, Says the LORD.  Ecc 5:19 Ezk 48:18 work; Isa 9 joy gov’t

Questions for Discussion/Reflection/Response:

1. How do we know what’s true about the future? What’s the difference between authenticated spokesmen and “official” tradition?

2. Are efforts to create “Heaven on earth” a good or bad idea? To what extent should believers seek to influence their society?

3. How can someone be sure that they are “in Christ”? Is that different from being a Christian? What does it mean to be a servant of God?

4. To what extent do your faith and  future judgment & reward: influence your life purpose? Determine how you spend your leisure time?

5. If Christ were to return at the end of the summer, what would you do differently and why? What if He returned this Friday?