Page 32 - Eschatology - Masters revised

The Mystery of the Church

Prophets in the Old Testament looked into the future seeing Israel and its relationship with the Messiah,
but they did not see the “mystery” of the Church. It was like looking off into the distance and seeing a
series of mountain ranges. They could see the tops of the mountains in the distance but could not see
down in the valley. God has decided to establish a bride for Himself in the valley between Israel’s
rejection of their Messiah and their acceptance of His second coming. This valley is often called the
“church age” which parallels the “times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21).

Major prophetic books say little or nothing about the church. It is a mistake to interject the Church into
Matthew 24-25 or other major prophetic books which center on Israel.

This is important. The second coming of Christ is when Jesus comes to earth as Messiah and is received
by Israel. He will set foot on the Mount of Olives and will march victorious through the eastern gate into
Zion there to establish His thrown as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. World-wide worship will
commence in the temple as He sits on His thrown. The city of Jerusalem will be rebuilt as no other on
earth. These events are described by many of the major prophets in the Old Testament and in the book
of Revelations.

The rapture (word not used in the Bible – the word in the Bible is “snatching away”) is an event
described in both I and II Thessalonians which is event that will usher in “the Day of the Lord.” (I
Thess.5:2). There are no precluding signs that let us know when this event will take place. In fact, I
Thess. 5:2-3 says that the majority of people will not be expecting it. We do know that this event is
followed by “destruction”

I Thes.4:16-18 “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the
archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and
remain will be caught up (rapture) together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so
shall we always be with the Lord.”

II Thessalonians 2: 8 says that after the “gathering of saints”, the “lawless one” will be revealed whom
the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming”.
This verse teaches us that the “lawless one” or antichrist will not come onto the national screen until the
saints have been” gathered away.”

Important Points

The Second Coming of Christ is a literal event where Jesus Christ will return in body form to earth, will
return to Jerusalem, will be accepted by Israel as their Messiah, and will rule and reign over the earth. It
is described in Matthew 24-35, Luke 21, and in several OT books.

The rapture of the Saints is an event preceding Jesus’ Second Coming. Jesus will meet his Saints in the
clouds, not on the earth. This event will initiate the “Day of the Lord” or the “time of Jacobs troubles”
and will chronologically begin a seven-year period in earth’s history where God will bring judgment from
Heaven to earth on the wickedness of mankind. These judgments are described in Revelation 6-19.
Meanwhile on earth, the “lawless one” will politically take total control of the governments of the earth
to resist the coming of Jesus Christ which concludes the “day of the Lord.”

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