If we are to go through the world’s judgment events, perhaps we should find some motivation to prepare by looking again at what happens to us. Jesus described some horrible things to come in His response to the disciples question, but they really aren’t much different than the things He had warned them about when He sent them earlier among the people[1]. It goes back to that eternal nature of God bearing out in the repeating nature of history. There has always been religious persecution, and as spiritual warfare increases in the end time we should expect an increase in that persecution and it’s being directed at us. So what did Jesus tell His disciples would happen to them ?
Jesus said they would be betrayed by friends and family, arrested, brought before synagogues, councils, nations, and kings as a witness. He said that they would be hated, beaten, and killed. Daniel was told 5 times[2] that the ‘man of sin’ will overcome God’s people, and John records seeing it happen in Revelation[3]. But really, we’ve heard all this before. We’re hunted down and slaughtered.
We heard that we will be dragged in front of the people and rulers as a “witness”. The original language Jesus used here refers to the record of a martyr. Many times God’s people are described as a witness/martyr for Him. Revelation 11 tells of two martyrs that emerge in the tribulation. These use the power of God to overcome their enemies by calling down fire from the heavens, stopping the rain, polluting the waters, and spreading plagues. But even these are killed and their bodies are left to lay in the streets while the world parties. But after 3 1/2 days they come back to life, and great fear grips the world. Then a loud voice calls them up, and all the world sees it. There’s an earthquake and 7,000 people die.
Being persecuted, drawn forth and killed, then rising and being called up to heaven goes right along with what Jesus said would happen to us; and the shout, the quake, and all the world seeing it are all things we saw accompanying His return and gathering of the saints. So it wouldn’t be out of line to think that we who are being hunted down and slaughtered are one of these witnesses. But there are two witnesses described - who then would be the second?
God considers His people by spiritual lines not physical; but from God’s promise to Abraham to their rejection thereof God did keep a physical record. I believe that in the end God deals with the physical line of the Jews. Revelation 7:1-8 shows 144,000 from the tribes of Israel who are sealed by God on their foreheads in the end times. An indication that this deals with the physical line is the fact that the tribes are listed, something God did a number of times in the Old Testament but not in the New, except here. Paul, in Romans 11, talks about Israel not being totally rejected and that a remnant remains. Ephesians 4:30 tells us that those who accept Jesus are sealed by the Holy Spirit for the day of redemption, so if these physical Jews accept Jesus as the Messiah in the midst of the tribulation they would then be sealed for redemption and become quite a witness for Christ. And likewise hunted down and killed.
The purpose of God’s seal is protection; not only would His seal preclude that of the beast but when we see these tribes sealed a command is made not to harm the earth, sea, or trees. In Revelation 9 we see locusts set free upon the earth, commanded not to harm the grass, any green thing, or any tree, but only those who do not have the seal of God. For this body of Jews it will be very much like sprinkling the blood on the doorpost
In describing the end events to His disciples, one thing Jesus mentioned was about when the ‘abomination of desolation’ occurs, those in Judea should flee to the mountains, not stopping to take anything with them. The Judeans were very devout followers of Jesus and what He said. Another reference to fleeing is found in Revelation 12, which pictures a woman who is in labor. A dragon (Satan) tries to kill the child, who is generally accepted as Christ, He being the only one who fulfills the conditions described. But what do this woman, "those in Judea”, and everybody fleeing have to do with each other? I believe this is talking about the Bride of Christ, a subject we’ll discuss further in a bit. But note that when Jerusalem is laid desolate, we are told that while most will be caught up, some are told instead to flee.
The saddest thing Jesus said will happen to us is the apostasy - many will be deceived and led away from God by false prophets, teachers, and christs, and many more are going to turn away to avoid persecution. Again, most people are familiar with the ‘antichrist’ and his mark, but not with the apostasy. Paul put them on equal footing. So should you.
The Bible speaks of patience being involved. Jesus in His answer to the disciples’ question said that "in patience you will possess your souls”, and told them that those who lose their life for His sake will find it[4]. Patience. Romans 5:3; 8:25; Hebrews 6:12; James 1:3; and Revelation 1:9 all speak of patience’ role in enduring tribulation, trial, salvation; and in inheriting God’s promise. In Revelation 13:10 and 14:11-12, we see that those who have lead us into captivity and death will likewise be led captive and killed; and those who worship the beast and take his mark will be tormented; and that in these is the patience of the saints.
Jesus said that in the end many who claim to be His will deny and run. And there’s good reason… you profess belief in ‘God’, but you’re being led like sheep to slaughter and that ‘God” isn’t doing a dang thing to stop it. Are you ready to be patient enough to literally die for something you ‘believe’ but don’t really know? If we are patient enough to sustain instead of cutting and running, then we shall see the fruit of it in seeing God’s ultimate wrath against the wicked, which is them being taken captive and killed as they did to us. Vengeance is the Lord’s, but we get to watch
OK, so we have been looking at what happens to us before He comes. How about what happens after He comes? Jesus said He was returning to gather and judge His saints. So the next logical question would be: how are we judged as saints?
[HR][/HR][1] Matt. 10
[2] 6:29; 7:25; 8:24; 11:33; and 12:7
[3] 13:7
[4] Matt 10:39
Jesus said they would be betrayed by friends and family, arrested, brought before synagogues, councils, nations, and kings as a witness. He said that they would be hated, beaten, and killed. Daniel was told 5 times[2] that the ‘man of sin’ will overcome God’s people, and John records seeing it happen in Revelation[3]. But really, we’ve heard all this before. We’re hunted down and slaughtered.
We heard that we will be dragged in front of the people and rulers as a “witness”. The original language Jesus used here refers to the record of a martyr. Many times God’s people are described as a witness/martyr for Him. Revelation 11 tells of two martyrs that emerge in the tribulation. These use the power of God to overcome their enemies by calling down fire from the heavens, stopping the rain, polluting the waters, and spreading plagues. But even these are killed and their bodies are left to lay in the streets while the world parties. But after 3 1/2 days they come back to life, and great fear grips the world. Then a loud voice calls them up, and all the world sees it. There’s an earthquake and 7,000 people die.
Being persecuted, drawn forth and killed, then rising and being called up to heaven goes right along with what Jesus said would happen to us; and the shout, the quake, and all the world seeing it are all things we saw accompanying His return and gathering of the saints. So it wouldn’t be out of line to think that we who are being hunted down and slaughtered are one of these witnesses. But there are two witnesses described - who then would be the second?
God considers His people by spiritual lines not physical; but from God’s promise to Abraham to their rejection thereof God did keep a physical record. I believe that in the end God deals with the physical line of the Jews. Revelation 7:1-8 shows 144,000 from the tribes of Israel who are sealed by God on their foreheads in the end times. An indication that this deals with the physical line is the fact that the tribes are listed, something God did a number of times in the Old Testament but not in the New, except here. Paul, in Romans 11, talks about Israel not being totally rejected and that a remnant remains. Ephesians 4:30 tells us that those who accept Jesus are sealed by the Holy Spirit for the day of redemption, so if these physical Jews accept Jesus as the Messiah in the midst of the tribulation they would then be sealed for redemption and become quite a witness for Christ. And likewise hunted down and killed.
The purpose of God’s seal is protection; not only would His seal preclude that of the beast but when we see these tribes sealed a command is made not to harm the earth, sea, or trees. In Revelation 9 we see locusts set free upon the earth, commanded not to harm the grass, any green thing, or any tree, but only those who do not have the seal of God. For this body of Jews it will be very much like sprinkling the blood on the doorpost
In describing the end events to His disciples, one thing Jesus mentioned was about when the ‘abomination of desolation’ occurs, those in Judea should flee to the mountains, not stopping to take anything with them. The Judeans were very devout followers of Jesus and what He said. Another reference to fleeing is found in Revelation 12, which pictures a woman who is in labor. A dragon (Satan) tries to kill the child, who is generally accepted as Christ, He being the only one who fulfills the conditions described. But what do this woman, "those in Judea”, and everybody fleeing have to do with each other? I believe this is talking about the Bride of Christ, a subject we’ll discuss further in a bit. But note that when Jerusalem is laid desolate, we are told that while most will be caught up, some are told instead to flee.
The saddest thing Jesus said will happen to us is the apostasy - many will be deceived and led away from God by false prophets, teachers, and christs, and many more are going to turn away to avoid persecution. Again, most people are familiar with the ‘antichrist’ and his mark, but not with the apostasy. Paul put them on equal footing. So should you.
The Bible speaks of patience being involved. Jesus in His answer to the disciples’ question said that "in patience you will possess your souls”, and told them that those who lose their life for His sake will find it[4]. Patience. Romans 5:3; 8:25; Hebrews 6:12; James 1:3; and Revelation 1:9 all speak of patience’ role in enduring tribulation, trial, salvation; and in inheriting God’s promise. In Revelation 13:10 and 14:11-12, we see that those who have lead us into captivity and death will likewise be led captive and killed; and those who worship the beast and take his mark will be tormented; and that in these is the patience of the saints.
Jesus said that in the end many who claim to be His will deny and run. And there’s good reason… you profess belief in ‘God’, but you’re being led like sheep to slaughter and that ‘God” isn’t doing a dang thing to stop it. Are you ready to be patient enough to literally die for something you ‘believe’ but don’t really know? If we are patient enough to sustain instead of cutting and running, then we shall see the fruit of it in seeing God’s ultimate wrath against the wicked, which is them being taken captive and killed as they did to us. Vengeance is the Lord’s, but we get to watch
OK, so we have been looking at what happens to us before He comes. How about what happens after He comes? Jesus said He was returning to gather and judge His saints. So the next logical question would be: how are we judged as saints?
[HR][/HR][1] Matt. 10
[2] 6:29; 7:25; 8:24; 11:33; and 12:7
[3] 13:7
[4] Matt 10:39