The Rapture and the Second Coming of Christ 11

 LESSON 11

THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS FROM THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST TO THE CREATION OF A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH

You are welcome to another edition of Insights from God's Word, a Bible study programme that is committed to sharing God's Word by allowing the Bible to speak for itself.

Friends, I want to thank the Lord so much for how far He has brought us. This study will be the last in our series on The Rapture and the Second Coming of Christ. In this last study, I want us to look at a summary of the sequence of events that we have considered so far in this series. Now, the sequence of events from the second coming of Christ to the creation of a new heaven and a new earth are as follows:

1. Christ Himself returns visibly to our earth the second time with all the angels of heaven (Acts 1:9-11; Matthew 25:31; Matthew 16:27).

2. Every living person on earth will witness the second coming of Christ (Revelation 1:7; Matthew 24:30). In fact, it is going to be a global event. It isn't going to be secret or silent; and you cannot miss it (Psalm 50:3).

3. When Christ appears the second time, those who have died in Him will resurrect, clothed with immortality (1 Thessalonians 4:16; 1 Corinthians 15:51-54). This resurrection of the saints is known as the first resurrection. In Revelation 20:6, we read the following from the apostle John: "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power...."

4. After the righteous dead are resurrected, the righteous living will be changed and also clothed with immortal bodies (1 Corinthians 15:51-54).

5. After God's people are clothed with immortality, they are all then taken up to heaven by Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).

6. When Christ appears the second time, the brightness of His face together with the natural upheaval of the elements of the earth will destroy the wicked or unrighteous (2 Thessalonians 1:7-8; 2 Thessalonians 2:8; Isaiah 11:4; Jeremiah 25:33).

7. Now, with the saints taken up to heaven by Christ, and the wicked slain, there is no human being left alive on the earth (Jeremiah 4:23-27).

8. The only beings who will be left alive on the earth after Christ's second coming are Satan and his angels. God will restrain them on planet earth for a period of one thousand years to ponder over all the devastation and ruin that their rebellion against God had brought on the earth. On every side, there will be dead bodies, collapsed cities and utter desolation. Satan will have time to reflect on His rebellion and wicked deeds (Revelation 20:1-3).

9. Meanwhile, within the same thousand-year period, while Satan and his angels are bound to the earth, the righteous reign with Christ in heaven. They are given the books of judgement to check the records whether God has been fair with everyone (Revelation 20:4, 6).

10. After the end of the thousand - year vacation in Heaven, Christ comes with the saints to this earth in the city He has prepared for us; that is, the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:2, 9-27).

11. Now, as the city gets closer to earth, the Mount of Olives is parted and the beloved city settles on the vast plain that has been created (Zechariah 14:4). Christ then resurrects the wicked dead from their graves. This resurrection of the wicked, known as the second resurrection, takes place after the thousand years (Revelation 20:5).

12. Unlike the saints who are resurrected with glorious immortal bodies (1 Corinthians 15:51-54), the wicked will still possess their old bodies that are subject to disease and death after their resurrection. When the wicked are resurrected, Satan will quickly deceive them (Revelation 20:7-8), and marshal them into a gigantic army to try and overtake the city of God; that is, the New Jerusalem (Revelation 20:9).

13. At this time, God finally pours fire from heaven to destroy Satan, his angels, and the entire wicked world (Revelation 20:9). This is the time when hellfire will finally come from God out of heaven and do its horrible work. From what we've studied from the Bible, it is clear that hellfire does not exist at any place on the earth now; which follows that the wicked dead are not burning in hell now.

14. The Bible teaches that the fire that comes from God out of heaven after the millennium, will burn up the wicked (Malachi 4:1). This fire will reduce the wicked including Satan himself into ashes (Revelation 20:9-10; Ezekiel 28:12-18).

15. The lake of fire that destroys Satan and the wicked, will also cleanse the universe of sin. God will now create a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness (2 Peter 3:12-13; Isaiah 66:22-23; Revelation 21:1).

16. The Lord will now lead the righteous out of the holy city to inhabit a brand New Earth. This is the time when the righteous will symbolically tread on the ashes of the wicked (Malachi 4:3). The redeemed of all ages will now inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5). The New Jerusalem will be the capital city of the New Earth. God Himself will dwell with us in this New Earth (Revelation 21:3). The beloved apostle writes: "4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful" (Revelation 21: 4- 5).

Exhortation: Beloved, I’m tired of this sin-sick world. I earnestly wait for the day when Christ will come and bring an end to all the suffering, injustice and death that plunder our world. I long for the thousand-year vacation in heaven and the rich treasures of a world made new. If this is your wish, why don't you say a prayer to God for the strength to serve Him with all your heart today?

Stay blessed and keep shining for King Jesus.

Maranatha!