BIBLE PROPHECY

2 PETER 1:19

A. GOD REVEALED HIMSELF

1. In creation:
a. Genesis chapters one and two
b. Creation is the key to the knowledge of His eternal power and
Godhead - Rom. 1:20
c. It is a declaration of His glory and majesty - Ps. 19:1-6; 111:1-9
2. In and through His only begotten Son, who is the express image of His
person: Heb. 1:3; John 1:18
3. Through the written word: John 5:39; 2 Tim. 3:15

B. BIBLE PROPHECY IS STILL ANOTHER SOURCE OF THE REVELATION

OF GOD
1. It brings to light God's hand in the affairs of men:
a. The story of the human race - Gen. 1:26, 27; Ps. 8:4-9; Acts 17:26
b. Nothing happens in the world but what God reveals things to His
servants, the prophets - Amos 3:7, 8; Jer. 13:18-22
2. Bible prophecy outlines God's plan beforehand:
a. Consider the history of the great nations - Dan. 2; 7; 8; 11; Rev.
12; 13; 15; 16
b. It portrays the great conflict between Christ and Satan - Rev. 12
3. It gives glimpses of coming glory:
a. Rev. 21:1-17
b. 1 Cor. 2:9-11
c. Isa. 65:17-20; 66:22, 23
4. It gives full assurance of faith's final reward:
a. Isa. 34:16; 55:10-13
b. Rev. 22:1-17
c. Isa. 35:1-10
5. It holds the key to an intelligent understanding of current events:
a. Amos 3:7
b. Isa. 60:1-5
c. 2 Pet. 1:19, 20
6. It alone can lift the curtain from what the world of tomorrow has in store
for the human race:
a. Isa. 43:18, 19

C. OUR ATTITUDE TOWARD BIBLE PROPHECY

1. The unbelieving world:
a. 2 Pet. 3:1-13
b. Matt. 23:1-18; Luke 17:26-28; 21:25-30
2. God's people:
a. Heed the words of the prophets - Isa. 8:16, 20;
2 Chron. 36:15-17; 2 Pet. 1:19, 20
 b. They are guided by the message of the prophets - 2 Chron. 20:20; 1
Thess. 5:20; 2 Pet. 1:19, 20
c. They joyfully believe God's prophets - 2 Chron. 20:20; Luke
24:25-28; Acts 24:27
3. Blessing of Bible prophecy:
a. It is a bright light that shineth in a dark and sinful world - Isa. 60:1-
6; 2 Pet. 1:16-20; 3:1-13
b. If heeded, it will bring spiritual prosperity - Isa. 7:9; 2 Chron.
20:20
c. It will open up to our faith vistas of eternal glory - 1 Cor. 1:9-11;
Rev. 22:1-6
4. The prophetic gift is, in fact, the eyes of the church:
a. "Where there is no vision the people perish" - Prov. 29:18
b. Spiritual drought prevailed among God's people when there was no
vision - 1 Sam. 3:1-6; 2 Chron. 15:3
c. That was true during the dark ages, when the written word was
unknown to the common people; and the two witnesses had to prophecy in sackcloth -
Rev. 11:1-11
d. That will be true just prior to the second coming of Jesus Christ;
when the world, at large, will reject Bible prophecy - Isa. 60:1-3; 2 Tim. 3:1-9; 4:1-6
e. How wonderful it is to have the Light of Bible prophecy at a time
like this -
(1) It is as light upon our path in a dark and sinful world! Ps.
119:105
(2) It will give us a wonderful view of things to come in the
world of tomorrow! 1 Cor. 2:9-11
f. Dear Reader, shall both of us be more eager to study Bible
prophecy, as the noble Bereans did? Acts 17:11
THE WORLD OF TOMORROW
ISAIAH 21:11

A. OUR PRESENT WORLD IS WITHOUT PARALLEL IN THE HISTORY OF

THE NATIONS
1. Scientific development:
a. Harnessing the Atom
b. The intercontinental missile
c. Space travel
2. Things that were new, but yesterday, are old today:
a. Nations are in great fear of what shall be tomorrow - Luke 21:25,
26
b. Feverish preparation against the inevitable of tomorrow seems like
a nightmare to a careful observer of current events - Joel 3:9-14; Isa. 24:17-23
c. The alarming part of present day conditions is the steady decline of
the morals of the people in the home and in society in general - 2 Tim. 3:1-9

B. THE WORLD OF TOMORROW

 1. What about the world of tomorrow?
a. Are you interested in the predictions of Bible prophecy about the
world of tomorrow?
b. Nebuchadnezzar was: Dan. 2:29
c. Peter was: 2 Pet. 3:13
d. The saints of all ages have been deeply interested in Bible prophecy - Heb.
11:13-16
2. Who holds the future in his hand?
a. Is it the scientist? Dan. 2:1-45
b. Christ and Christ alone has the destiny of the world of tomorrow in
His hand - Isa. 40:12-15; 41:21-24; Ps. 2:6-12
c. He is the lawful heir to the world of tomorrow - Matt. 21:38; Heb.
1:1-9
3. Prophetic forecast about the world of tomorrow:
a. Babylon - 606-538 B.C.
b. Medo-Persia - 538-331 B.C.
c. Greece - 331-168 B.C.
d. Rome - 168 B. C. - 376 A.D.
e. The ten kingdoms follow Rome; only seven of them remain
4. It is significant that all human attempts to hold the nations together have
failed: Dan. 2:43

C. THE WORLD OF TOMORROW

1. Is not of an earthly nature:
a. "My kingdom is not of this world" - John 18:36
b. It will not be the fruit of human effort or modern skill - Zech. 4:4-
8; Dan. 2:34
2. It is the ultimate result or triumph of God's love:
a. Reclaimed by the second Adam - Mi. 4:8; Rom. 5:12-19
b. The fulfillment of God's promise to His children - Ps. 2:1-6; Luke
1:32-34; 12:32
c. It is the earth made new - Rev. 21:1-6; 2 Pet. 3:13; Isa. 65:17;
66:22
d. It is the "Stone Kingdom" of Dan. 2:32-45
3. The world of tomorrow is still in the process of development:
a. At the present we are living in the kingdom of grace - Tit. 2:11;
Rom. 5:12-19
b. This kingdom has its throne in the heart of the Christian believer -
Luke 17:20, 21; Col. 1:27
4. Subjects of the world of tomorrow:
a. Not chosen because of race or wealth - Acts 10:34, 35; Deut. 7:7;
Gal. 3:26-29
b. Not flesh and blood - John 1:10-12; 1 Cor. 15:50
c. The new birth is the basic condition to become a citizen of the
world of tomorrow -
(1) "Ye must be born again" - John 3:3-9
 (2) "Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God" - 1
Cor. 15:50
d. We must bring the fruit of the kingdom of heaven - Matt. 21:41
e. The world of tomorrow belongs to all who have part in the first
resurrection - Rev. 20:5, 6; John 5:28, 29; Luke 14:14
f. Who are pure in heart - Matt. 5:5, 6; Ps. 15:1-6
g. Only the undefiled shall enter the world of tomorrow - Rev. 19:27;
Gal. 5:16-23
h. Friends of mine, will you be among the citizens that will make up
the inhabitants of the world of tomorrow?
THE KINGDOM OF GOD
DANIEL 2:44

A. THE BIBLE SPEAKS OF TWO OPPOSING KINGDOMS IN THE UNIVERSE

1. The kingdom of Satan:
a. He claimed the kingdoms of this world as belonging to him
because they had been given to him - Luke 4:4-6
b. Our Lord recognized that Satan had a kingdom - Matt. 12:26
c. It is the power of darkness - Col. 1:23
d. Christ spoke of "the prince of this world" - John 12:31; 16:11
2. The kingdom of God:
a. It is the realm where God is King, controlling the affairs of men -
Isa. 52:7; Ps. 22:28
b. For God is still governor among the nations - Dan. 2:21, 44; 4:17;
Ps. 22:28
c. Lucifer got possession of the nations of this world through fraud,
beguiling Adam and Eve to sin against their Maker - Luke 4:1-6; Rom. 6:16; Gen. 3:1-6

B. NATURE OF GOD'S KINGDOM

1. It is a dual kingdom:
a. Presently it is the kingdom of grace.
b. It functions in the heart - Luke 17:20, 21; Col. 1:27
2. This phase of the kingdom of God was set up as soon as Adam and Eve
became victims of Satan:
a. The first promise - Gen. 3:15
b. Grace became the hope of the fallen race - Tit. 2:11; Rom. 5:12-19;
Eph. 2:7, 8
3. All believers, in all ages, have been subjects of the kingdom of grace:
a. Paul teaches this truth - Tit. 2:11; Eph. 2:7, 8; Rom. 5:12-18
b. The Bible is full of references to the kingdom of grace - Gen. 6:8;
Jer. 32:2; Ex. 33:12, 16; Zech. 4:8
c. This part or phase of God's kingdom prepares the subjects for the
kingdom of glory - Matt. 1:21; Acts 4:12; John 3:16
d. It is the development of our character, suitable for glory - Matt.
5:5; Rev. 19:7; 2 Cor. 3:18
4. The kingdom of grace is symbolized by:
 a. The seed cast into the ground - Mark 4:26
b. The grain of a mustard seed - Mark 4:31
c. A leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal -
Luke 13:21

C. THE MESSAGE OF THE KINGDOM

1. Was brought to our first parents:
a. The promised seed - Gen. 3:15
b. Evangelists before the flood proclaimed it -
(1) Enoch the seventh from Adam preached it - Jude 14, 15
(2) Seth preached it - Gen. 4:26
(3) Noah proclaimed it - 2 Pet. 2:5
2. The Patriarchs preached the gospel of the kingdom:
a. Abraham - Gen. 18:17-19; Gal. 3:8
b. Isaac and Jacob built altars for the Lord, which symbolized their
faith in God's kingdom - Gen. 35:1; Heb. 11:14-18
3. This gospel of the kingdom centers in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ:
a. It is called "the gospel of Christ" - Rom. 1:16
b. He and He alone can bring about the consummation of the
kingdom of God - Acts 4:12; Luke 23:42-44
c. It is He who teaches us to pray, "Thy kingdom come" - Matt. 6:9-
11
d. When we receive the Lord Jesus into our hearts, He establishes His
throne in our hearts. We become the seat of the King of kings and Lord of lords - Col.
1:27; Eph. 3:17
4. Seven Bible musts to enter the Kingdom of God:
a. "Ye must be born again" - John 3:3-9
b. Christ must increase and I must decrease - John 3:30
c. We must worship the Father in spirit and in truth - John 4:22, 23
d. We must do all the Lord has commanded us to perform - Num.
23:26
e. We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ - 2 Cor. 5:10
f. We must, through much tribulation, enter into the kingdom of God
- Acts 14:22
g. We must believe that God will keep His word to all who walk in
His way - Heb. 11:6
These are some of the musts that mark the pathway to the kingdom of
God.
THE KINGDOM AND POWER OF SATAN
MATTHEW 12:26

A. A CAREFUL STUDY OF THE BIBLE REVEALS

1. That Satan has a kingdom:
a. This was acknowledged by the Son of God - Luke 11:18; Matt.
12:26
 b. Satan asserted, boldly, before the Son of God, that the kingdoms of
this world and their glory are his - Luke 4:5, 6
c. Our Lord spoke of Satan as, "the prince of this world" - John
12:31; 14:30
d. Paul wrote about "the prince of the air" - Eph. 2:2
2. It is important for us to know:
a. That the behavior of the nations is indicative that they are
motivated, in many ways, by Satan - Dan. 7:1-17; Rev. 12:1-17; 16:13
b. They carry out, in most instances, the will of Satan - John 8:44; 1
John 5:16-19; Rev. 17:1-11

B. THE KINGDOM AND POWER OF SATAN

1. How he got possession of this world:
a. By lies, deception, and default.
b. When our first parents yielded their lives to Satan, they yielded
their kingdom to the devil. When we yield our lives to sin, we give him possession of our
lives, our talents, our influence, and all the things we may possess - Gen. 3:1-22; Rom.
6:16
2. Satan maintains his power in this world:
a. Through the children of unbelief - Heb. 3:12; Rev. 21:8
b. But some become slaves of sin, and so he uses them to carry on his
work - Luke 15:11-16
c. This fact must be kept in mind if we are to understand the strange
behavior of some people - John 8:44; Mark 5:1-14; Acts 7:57
3. He who yields his or her heart to Satan becomes an accessory of Satan and
his kingdom:
a. Satan makes untold numbers captives to his will - 2 Tim. 2:26
b. How sad it is to realize that men, born to be free, become slaves to
Satan and his kingdom.
4. Marks of the kingdom of Satan:
a. It is full of darkness - Luke 22:53; Eph. 5:11
b. It practices the art of disguise - Gen. 3:1-3; 2 Cor. 11:13, 14
c. Satan's agents parade in sheep's clothing - Matt. 7:15; 23:27
d. Bitter opposition to the law of God is his chief work - Rom. 8:6, 7;
Ps. 94:20
e. Self-exaltation is still another mark of his kingdom - Isa. 14:12-14;
Ezek. 28:12-16
f. This is one of the marks of the anti-Christ - Dan. 7:25; 2 Thess.
2:3-7; Rev. 13:6
g. Cold blooded murder is the nature of his kingdom - John 8:44; 1
Pet. 5:8

C. FINAL DOOM OF SATAN AND HIS RULE

1. His final doom was foretold in the Garden of Eden: Gen. 3:15
a. This is one of the missions of the Son of God - 1 John 3:8; Gen.
3:15; Rom. 16:20
 b. Christ came to reclaim the kingdom that Adam lost through
transgression - Mi. 4:8; Rev. 11:15
2. Satan and his kingdom will be destroyed:
a. He and his fellow rebels will be judged by the saints - 1 Cor. 6:1-3
b. They will be imprisoned for one thousand years - Rev. 20:2, 3; Isa.
24:21, 22
c. God will bring them to final justice - Ezek. 28:12-18
d. His final end will come at the end of the thousand years when he
will be cast into the lake of fire where the beast and the false prophet are - Rev. 19:20;
20:10
e. Thus the reign of sin will come to an end; and the kingdom of our
God and His Christ will reign over the universe; it will be an everlasting kingdom - Dan.
2:44-45
f. Iniquity shall not arise the second time - Nah. 1:9; Rev. 21:1-6
g. This conflict between good and evil began in heaven - Rev. 12:7-
12; it will end on this earth in the triumph of the Son of God, who loved us and delivered
us from the kingdom and power of Satan - Col. 1:13
THE KINGDOM OF JESUS CHRIST
JOHN 18:36, 37

A. OUR LORD ASSURES US THAT HE IS A KING

1. John 18:36, 37; Matt. 22:11
2. That He has a kingdom: Luke 16:28; 22:30; John 1:49; 12:13
3. The Bible speaks of Him as "King of kings and Lord of Lords":
a. Because the world and all that is in it was made by and for Him -
Col. 1:14-17; Heb. 1:3, 8, 9
b. He is the rightful heir to the universe - Heb. 1:1-6; Matt. 21:38; Ps.
2:6-12
4. He assures us that one reason why He went back to His Father was to
receive a kingdom: Luke 19:12; Dan. 7:14
5. He was anointed King: Heb. 1:8; Ps. 24:1-10
6. He is the King of glory:
a. Because He was valiant in battle and His right hand has given Him
glorious victory.
b. He defeated Lucifer in heaven and He defeated him on the earth -
Rev. 12:7, 8; Luke 4:1-11; Matt. 4:1-9

B. NATURE OF THE KINGDOM OF JESUS CHRIST

1. It is not of this world: That means that His kingdom is not the result of
war and bloodshed. John 6:15; 18:36
2. The kingdoms of this world are based upon physical force: Dan. 2:7, 8;
John 5:19
3. His kingdom is based:
a. Upon love - John 13:1-3; Hos. 11:4
b. Everlasting righteousness - Heb. 1:8, 9; 2 Pet. 3:13; Isa. 11:5
4. Subjects of His Kingdom:
 a. The meek of the earth - Matt. 5:5; Ps. 11:5
b. The overcomers - Rev. 21:7
c. The faithful - Matt. 25:31-34
d. They that endure unto the end - Matt. 24:12
e. Those that keep his commandments - Rev. 14:12; 22:14
f. They that are born again - John 3:1-9; 2 Cor. 5:17
5. Territory of His kingdom:
a. The earth made new - 2 Pet. 3:13; Heb. 12:28; Isa. 65:17; 66:22
b. The curse which rested upon the earth because of sin will have
been removed for ever. Compare Gen. 3:17 with Rev. 22:3
c. His kingdom will be the reign of peace for ever and ever.

C. WILL YOU BE THERE?

1. Many will seek to enter in but shall not be able: Matt. 7:13, 14; Luke
13:23-27
2. At the present they prefer to remain on the broad road: Matt. 7:13, 14
3. They are unwilling to pay the price of the kingdom of the Lord Jesus
Christ:
EXAMPLES -
a. The rich young ruler - Matt. 19:16-19
b. The invited guests - Luke 14:16-32
4. Seven specific conditions of being citizens of the kingdom of Christ:
a. Accept Christ as our personal Saviour - John 3:16; 8:31-36; Luke
23:42-44
b. We must be born again - John 3:1-9; 1 John 5:1-6
c. We must bring the fruit of the kingdom - Matt. 21:43
d. We must do the will of our Father which is in heaven - Matt. 7:21-
26; Rev. 22:14
e. Purity of heart is a must - 1 John 3:1-6; Rev. 19:27; Matt. 5:8
f. We must be overcomers - Rev. 21:7, 8
g. Keep God's commandments - 1 John 2:4-7; Matt. 5:17-19; Rev.
12:17; 14:12
5. Our being in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ depends also on our wanting to
be there:
a. Some simply do not want to be there - John 5:40; Luke 14:16-25
b. The way is open to all - John 14:6; Rev. 22:17
c. The invitation to enter the kingdom of Christ still holds good; if we
fail, it will be our own fault.
THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST
JOHN 14:1-3

A. THE PROPHETIC ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE SECOND COMING OF

CHRIST COVERS THE SACRED PAGES OF THE BIBLE
1. The first recorded promise:
a. Was given to our first parents at the time He had to sentence them
because of sin - Gen. 3:15
 b. During the reign of sin and sorrow the believers found a gleam of
hope in the promise of the Messiah.
2. It is inspiring to note how Enoch, the seventh from Adam, pointed to the
second coming of Christ: Jude 14, 15
3. The theme of the Patriarchs centered in the coming of the Redeemer:
a. We think of Job, in the hour of great sorrow and pain, pinned his
hope on the return of his Redeemer - Job. 13:17; 14:13; 19:25
b. The Psalmist emphasizes the importance of the coming of the Lord
- Ps. 50:1-9
c. Abraham rejoiced that he was permitted to see the consummation
of God's promises, which will culminate in the second coming of Christ - John 8:56
d. Angels reassured the sorrowing disciples that Jesus would come
again - Acts 1:10, 11

B. THE BLESSEDNESS OF THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST

1. Paul called it the "blessed hope": Tit. 2:13
a. It is the blessed hope of the sleeping saints - John 5:28, 29; 1 Cor.
15:22, 23
b. In John 14:1-3 the Lord assures us that He will come to reunite
with the believers.
2. Events connected with the second coming of Jesus Christ:
a. The first resurrection takes place; it is the time when the dead in
Christ shall come forth out of their dusty chambers - Dan. 12:2; 1 Thess. 4:13-17; John
5:28, 29
b. It is the time when the Lord will bestow immortality upon the
saints - 1 Cor. 15:13-18; 50-58
c. Saved families will be reunited - Jer. 31:15-17; 2 Thess. 2:1-3.
That will be wonderful to behold - Ps. 126:2
3. For the world:
a. Separation of the wheat from the tares - Matt. 13:40-44; 25:12, 31-
38
b. It will not be a time of conversion of the wicked, as assumed by
some people. Compare Luke 13:25 with Heb. 9:28, 29; Matt. 25:31-33; Rev. 6:14
c. That will be a real shock for some deluded souls when they find
that their hope was pinned on falsehood and deception.

C. ATTITUDE OF MEN TOWARD THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST

1. The saints:
a. They are praying, "Come Lord Jesus" - Rev. 22:20
b. They will say, "we have waited for him" - Isa. 25:9
c. They have actually looked for His appearing - Heb. 9:28; Phil.
3:20
d. They are making preparation for His coming. Compare 1 John
3:1-3 with Rev. 19:7, 8; Matt. 22:1-12; 24:44; 25:12
2. The world at large:
 a. Will be occupied with the sinful pleasures of this world - Matt.
24:37-39; Luke 17:26-31
b. Many professed Christians will be indifferent to His coming -
Matt. 24:48-51; Luke 14:16-32
c. Some will actually scoff at the promise of His coming - 2 Pet. 3:1-
3
d. To all these the Lord will come suddenly, when they do not think
that He will come. Compare 1 Thess. 5:1-6 with 2 Thess. 1:7-9
e. They will seek shelter beneath the rocks and the mountains - Rev.
6:13-17
3. "Be ye ready also":
a. This is the admonition of the Lord, and we are wise if we heed it.
b. As it is, we are a long way from being ready to stand before the
Son of man when He comes - Rev. 3:14-17
c. We know considerable about the coming of the Lord; it is,
therefore, up to us to be prepared when He comes.
d. May the God of mercy and grace give us the courage to make
ready for that blessed event.
MANNER OF CHRIST'S SECOND COMING

A. I KNOW OF NO OTHER BIBLE SUBJECT ABOUT WHICH THERE IS

MORE CONFUSION THAN ABOUT THE MANNER OF OUR LORD'S SECOND
COMING
1. The secret rapture theory:
a. This theory would have us believe that the second coming of
Christ will be secret to the world at large.
b. We are told that the saints will be raptured away, unknown to even
some of their very close relatives.
2. There are, of course, different views held by different organizations, even
about the secret rapture:
a. Russelism teaches that a certain selected group (144,000) will be
removed secretly from this earth to the realm of the spirit.
b. Others have other concepts about the secret rapture of the saints.

B. BUT WE ARE PRIMARILY INTERESTED IN WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES

ABOUT THE MANNER OF THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST
1. The Bible teaches that:
a. The second coming of Christ will be both personal and visible.
b. "This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so
come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven" - Acts 1:11
c. "Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and
they also which pierced him; and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him.
Even so, Amen." - Rev. 1:7
2. Out of these Bible passages three facts stand out against the secret rapture
theory:
 a. It will be the same Jesus that ascended up into heaven in the
presence of the disciples. They saw Him ascend!
b. He will come in like manner; He ascended in a cloud and He will
come in clouds.
c. Every eye shall see Him; that excludes the secret rapture theory.
d. The effect of the second coming of our Lord is visible and
universal - Rev. 6:15-17
e. "They shall look upon me whom they have pierced" - Zech. 12:10
3. Other facts about the manner of the second coming of Christ:
a. He will appear with a shout, the voice of the archangel, and with
the trumpet of God - 1 Thess. 4:16
b. The dead in the graves will hear his voice - John 5:28, 29
c. He will come the second time with power and great glory - Matt.
16:27; 25:31

C. THE EFFECTS OF THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST ARE ALL

AGAINST THE SECRET RAPTURE THEORY
1. Upon the world:
a. They will pale when they see Him coming in the clouds. Compare
Luke 21:34, 35 with Rev. 6:14-17; 1 Thess. 5:1-6
b. They will seek to hide beneath the rocks and the mountains - Rev.
6:14-17
2. Upon the children of God:
a. To them it will be the signal of their deliverance from all their
enemies, including death.
b. That is what the prophet Isaiah foresaw - Isa. 25:9; 1 John 2:28;
Rom. 8:18-23
3. Upon the earth:
a. The earth will reel to and fro like a drunkard, and it shall be
removed like a cottage - Isa. 24:17-20
b. No, dear friends, there will be nothing secret about the second
coming of the Lord - Heb. 12:26
c. There is nothing in the Bible that supports the secret rapture
theory.
d. The living wicked will be slain by the breath of His mouth at His
appearing. Compare 2 Thess. 1:7, 8 with Rev. 19:11-19; Isa. 11:4; Jer. 25:31-34
e. The secret rapture theory is one of Satan's master deceptions to
deceive the people who have not heeded the instructions of the Bible about the second
coming of the Lord - Matt. 24:4, 5, 24; 2 Thess. 2:9-11
f. These few facts should safeguard us against the deception of the
so-called "Secret Rapture Theory".
THE THEORY OF A SECRET RAPTURE

A. A POPULAR THEORY ABOUT THE OBJECT OF CHRIST'S SECOND

COMING
1. He, according to this theory, will come in secret: Matt. 24:44
 a. Two will sleep in the same bed, one will be taken away, while the
other will not know anything about it.
b. The bride of the Lamb, the church, will be snatched away in a
rapture, while the world will continue as usual.
2. It is then, according to this theory, that anti-Christ will begin his reign
upon the earth:
a. He will cause all men to receive his mark; and those who refuse it
will have great tribulation.
b. Christ will begin His thousand year reign in old Jerusalem; the
Jews will see that they were wrong when they crucified Him and they will accept Him as
their Saviour.

B. BIBLE FACTS ABOUT THE APPEARING OF THE SON OF MAN AND ITS
EFFECT UPON THIS WORLD
1. His coming will not be secret by any means:
a. ". . . every eye shall see Him" - Rev. 1:7
b. The living wicked will seek cover in the rocks and beneath the
mountains from the face of Him that sitteth upon the throne - Rev. 6:15, 16
c. Christ will come with a shout which will awaken the dead - John
5:28, 29; Matt. 16:27; 24:30; 1 Thess. 4:16
2. It will not be a time for a second chance:
a. Experience of the five foolish virgins - Matt. 25:1-12
b. The bitter disappointment that will come to those who accepted the
second chance theory - Luke 13:24-28
c. The time of salvation is "Now" - 2 Cor. 6:1-3; John 9:4; Heb. 3:7-9
d. This gospel of the kingdom, which is now going to all nations, will
be preached before probation ends; then the end will come, and no other opportunity for
salvation is open - Matt. 24:14

C. EVENTS WHICH WILL MARK THE SECOND COMING OF OUR LORD

1. The Righteous:
a. Will be immortalized - 1 Cor. 15:50-57; Mark 10:28-30; John 5:28,
29; Dan. 12:2, 3
b. They will be removed from this planet - John 14:1-3; 1 Thess.
4:13-17; Rev. 4:6; 15:1-3
2. The living wicked:
a. Will be slain by the breath of the mouth of the Son of God.
Compare 2 Thess. 1:7, 8 with chapter 2:9-11; Isa. 11:4; Rev. 19:15
b. There will be no living human being on this earth after the second
coming of Christ for the space of one thousand years - Jer. 4:25; 25:31-38
c. The earth will not be suitable for human survival - Isa. 24:17-20
3. Just before the Lord comes, the people who have been deceived by the
false shepherds:
a. Will turn upon them with all the fury to destroy them.
b. The false preachers themselves will weep because God will
destroy their pasture - Isa. 56:9-12; Jer. 25:34-38
 4. Bible facts to keep in mind:
a. The time of probation is now - John 9:4; 2 Cor. 6:1-3
b. There will be bitter disillusionment for many, who accepted the
second chance theory - Luke 13:25-28; Matt. 25:12; Rev. 1:7
5. Beware of the so-called secret rapture theory:
a. It is not true; it is false and must be rejected by every truth-loving
person.
b. This theory was invented by Satan to keep the minds of men from
recognizing the great prophetic truths for our time.
c. Theological claims for this theory gave no Biblical foundation and
are intended to keep the people from accepting God's message.
d. To escape these deceptions we must study Present Truth and
cleave unto it with all our hearts.
SIGNS OF CHRIST'S SECOND COMING
MATTHEW 24:1-28, 43-51

A. THE THREEFOLD QUESTION OF THE DISCIPLES

1. "When shall these things be?"
2. "What shall be the sign of thy coming?"
3. "And of the end of the world?" Matt. 24:3

B. OUR LORD'S ANSWER

1. What He did not do:
a. He did not brush aside their questions.
b. He did not tell them that it is not important for them to know the
sign of His coming.
2. What He did do in consequence of their questions:
a. He emphasized the importance of paying close attention to the
signs of the times, particularly the sign of His coming and the end of the world - Luke
21:34, 35; Matt. 24:33-35
b. He speaks out against those who ignore the signs of the times -
Matt. 16:1-3; Luke 19:44
3. The apostles warn us to take heed to the signs foretelling the nearness of
the coming of our Lord's return, and the end of the world:
a. Paul warns us against indifference -
1 Thess. 5:1-6; Rom. 13:11-14
b. James, too, warns us of the last days - Jas. 5:1-9
c. So does Peter warn us of conditions in the last days - 2 Pet. 3:1-13
4. Some of the signs of our Lord's second coming:
a. Worldwide deception - Matt. 24:4, 5, 24
b. The apostles, too, warn against being mislead by the errors of the
last days - 2 Thess. 2:1-7,
9-11; 2 Cor. 11:13, 14; 2 Pet. 3:1-4; Jude 24-26
c. Signs among the nations -
(1) Wars and rumors of war
(2) Distress among the nations
 (3) Moral breakdown in society. Compare
Mi. 7:5, 6 with Luke 17:26-30; 2 Tim. 3:1-9;
1 Tim. 4:1-3
d. Signs in nature: There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the
stars - Luke 21:26; Amos 8:9; Acts 2:19, 20; Rev. 6:13. Earthquakes in divers places -
Matt. 24:7; Mark 13:8; Luke 21:11. It must be noted that all these heavenly phenomena
have taken place and are no longer in the future.

C. WHAT THESE THINGS MEAN:

1. To God's children:
a. They are signals of the nearness of the coming of the Lord - Matt.
24:32, 33, 42; 1 Thess. 5:1-3
b. They admonish us to be ready for the coming of the Lord - Matt.
24:42-44
c. They urge us to share our faith with others as quickly as possible.
d. We are to put off the works of darkness and put on the armor of
light - Eph. 6:10-18; Rom. 13:11-14
e. It means that we must secure purity from all defilement - 1 John
3:1-3
f. We must be clothed with the garment of salvation. Compare Rev.
3:14-17 with chapter 16:15; 19:7, 8
2. To the world:
a. The world will ignore the signs of our Lord's return - 1 Thess. 5:1-
6; Luke 21:34, 35;
2 Pet. 3:1-13
b. But those signs indicate plainly that long-suffering of the Lord has
reached its final limits - 1 Pet. 3:1-9
c. That soon the Lord will leave the throne of mercy, put on the
garment of vengeance against those who have rejected His mercy and despised sacrifice -
Luke 14:14-28; 17:26, 27
3. Finally:
The fulfillment of the predictions of our Lord's return has been
consummated. It means that God's people are to look up with hope and confidence
because the time of their deliverance is drawing near. What a wonderful experience it
will be when the shout of deliverance will come from the open graves, the prisons, and
the hiding places, where God's people are sheltered during the storm!

MODERN SPIRITISM

A. HISTORICAL SETTING OF MODERN SPIRITISM

 1. Date: 1847-48 A.D.
2. Place: Hydesville, New York
3. Actors: The Fox Sisters

B. CLAIMS OF SPIRITISM
1. "The dead seek to communicate with the living":
2. "Spirit Mediums are agents used by the departed spirits to commune with
the living":
3. Methods of communication:
a. Knocking or rapping; usually three knocks in succession.
b. Floating objects in the air; table dancing.
c. Spirit Photos are used to prove the phenomena of Spiritism.
4. Unusual success claimed for Spiritism:
a. Millions subscribe to Spiritism, openly and secretly.
b. A number of noted scientists are among the proponents of
Spiritism.
c. Power of bodily healing is claimed by Spiritualists.
5. Fertile soil for Spiritism:
a. In time of war and great loss of life.
b. The loss of loved ones in the home where members of the family
are deeply devoted to each other.
c. People filled with great curiosity about the state of the dead.
d. Demonstrations in their meetings and the eagerness of some people
contribute to the success of Spiritism.
e. They believe that the soul is immortal, which is another
contributing factor to the growth of Spiritism.
f. It is said that the cult of Spiritism has millions of secret adherents
in the Catholic church and also among many Protestant organizations.

C. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE FACTS ABOUT THE PHENOMENA OF

MODERN SPIRITISM?
1. Blind denials of the claims of Spiritism are not necessarily proof against it:
2. The claims of Spiritism must be tested with the Bible:
a. "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to
this word, it is because there is no light in them" - Isa. 8:19, 20
b. Only in the light of the Bible can the truth about Spiritism be
known.
3. A study of the claims of Spiritism:
a. The Bible teaches that the dead know not anything - Eccl. 9:5, 6;
Ps. 6:5; 146:3, 4
b. Proof is found in Isa. 63:16; Job 14:21; 17:13
c. Christ did all His work in the open, never in the dark - John 18:20;
Matt. 24:26
4. The Bible warns us against Spiritism:
 a. The practice of consulting the dead was forbidden by the severest
punishment for those who practiced consulting the dead. Compare Lev. 19:31; Deut.
13:1-5 with Deut. 18:9-13; Isa. 8:19; Acts 16:16
5. Spiritism is not new at all:
a. It was introduced by Lucifer in the Garden of Eden - Gen. 3:1-3
b. Ancient nations practiced it in different forms; in Egypt; in Greece;
and among the Romans.
6. The facts are that Satan and his angels are the true actors of Spiritism: 2
Cor. 11:14, 15
7. Saul's meddling with Spiritism brought disaster to him: 1 Sam. 28:1; 1
Chron. 10:13, 14
8. New Testament times witnessed this phenomena: Mark 5:9; Matt. 8:29;
Acts 13:8; 16:16
9. A full explanation of Spiritism: 1 Tim. 4:1; Matt. 24:23-25; Rev. 13:13; 2
Thess. 2:9; Eph. 6:12
THE MODERN JEW IN BIBLE PROPHECY

A. THE MODERN JEW IN THE LIGHT OF BIBLE PROPHECY

1. The modern state of Israel:
a. A problem child for the United Nations.
b. The Arab League seeks to destroy the state of Israel.
2. Some Theologians claim:
a. That the state of Israel is the answer to Bible prophecy.
b. That the prophets foretold the reconstituting of Israel as a state
shortly before the second coming of Christ.

B. LET US TAKE A BRIEF LOOK AT THE MODERN JEW IN THE LIGHT OF

BIBLE PROPHECY
1. Israel:
a. Origin and meaning of the name: It was given by the angel of the
Lord to Jacob at the ford of Jabbok - Gen. 32:22-28
b. It signifies: a prince having power with God and men prevailing -
Gen. 32:28
c. An Israelite is one in whom there is no guile - John 1:47; Zeph.
3:13
d. A person circumcised in the heart is a true Israelite - Rom. 2:28, 29
e. All who are Christ's are Israelites indeed - Gal. 3:26-29
2. This shows that the name - Israel - is of spiritual origin and is a misnomer
when applied to the flesh: Rom. 9:6-8
3. There are two kinds of Israel:
a. Israel after flesh - 1 Cor. 10:18; symbolized by Ishmael, son of the
bond woman - Gal. 4:21-28; a false seed - Isa. 57:4, 11
b. Israel of God - Gal. 6:16; symbolized by Isaac, son of the free
woman - Gal. 4:31. This is the seed according to the promise made to Abraham - Rom.
9:6-9
C. LET US CONSIDER, PRAYERFULLY, GOD'S PROMISES TO ABRAHAM
AND HIS SEED
1. The seed of Abraham, to whom God made the promise, is:
a. None other but Jesus Christ our Lord - Gal. 3:16
b. Christ and Christ alone is the true heir to God's eternal promise -
Heb. 1:1-3
c. The Jews knew that - Matt. 21:37, 38
2. All who accept Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour become fellow heirs
with Christ to all God's promises: Gal. 3:26-29; 4:7; Rom. 8:17
3. It must be remembered:
a. That God is no respecter of persons - Acts 10:34, 35; Job 34:19;
Rom. 2:11
b. The new birth is the key to sonship in Christ - John 3:3-9; Rom.
8:14-17
c. Flesh and blood are excluded - John 1:12, 13; 1 Cor. 15:50
d. Character, and not blood relation, is what qualifies one to be an
heir to God's promises.
e. Character comes to us when we become partakers of the divine
nature - Eph. 3:6; 2 Pet. 1:2-9
4. One of the missions of our Lord was:
a. To remove the wall of partition, set up by the selfishness of sinful
human beings - Eph. 2:11-16; to bring into union all men into one faith and one hope
through the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ - Compare Eph. 2:11-16 with chapter
1:10-12
Our Lord considered this objective a Must - John 10:15, 16; the modern
Jew occupies the same place in the scheme of God as does any other sinner for whom
Christ died - Gal. 3:26-29
BABYLON THE GREAT
REVELATION 17:1-15

A. BABYLON THE GREAT

1. Why this subject?
a. Nations have committed spiritual adultery with her - verses 3 and
15
b. Nations are drunk with the wine of her teaching.
c. Her spiritual daughters practice the same lewdness toward civil
powers.
2. God's judgment is pending against her:
Rev. 14:9-11, 16:19; 17:1

B. WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES ABOUT

1. Origin and meaning of the word - Babylon:
a. Dates back to the building of the tower of Babel - Gen. 11:7-11
b. The gate to heaven
c. Utter confusion - Gen. 11:3, 4, 5-9
2. Mystery of iniquity:
 a. 2 Thess. 2:7
b. Rev. 17:5
3. Mother of Harlots:
a. That indicates that this woman has daughters which follow her
practices.
4. She holds a golden cup in her hand:
a. That symbolizes her doctrines with which she has made drunk all
nations.
b. This was foretold in prophecy - 2 Tim. 4:1-6; 1 Tim. 4:1-6
5. This woman is carried by a scarlet colored beast:
a. A beast, in Bible prophecy, stands for a civil power or government.
Compare Dan. 7:1-15 with Rev. 13:1-17
b. To be carried by a beast or a civil government simply means that
the woman uses civil governments to subjugate the people to her doctrines and will.
c. This happened during the dark ages when over 50,000,000 persons
lost their lives for refusing to follow the teaching of Rome - Rev. 17:6; 18:24

C. TRUTHS ABOUT BABYLON THE GREAT TO BE MADE KNOWN TO THE

WORLD
1. There are many of God's people in her system: Rev. 18:4
a. That is one great reason why God is withholding her final
destruction.
EXAMPLES -
(1) Long suffering of God in the days of Lot - Gen. 18:23-32;
19:22
(2) Jonah and the city of Nineveh - Jonah 4:11
(3) The city of Corinth in the days of Paul - Acts 18:10
b. These must be brought out of her before she will be destroyed -
Rev. 18:4; John 10:15, 16

2. Specific marks of this fallen system:

a. Speaks blasphemy against the most High. Compare Dan. 7:25
with Rev. 13:6; 2 Thess. 2:1-7
b. Destroys God's people - Dan. 7:25; Rev. 13:7, 16-18
c. Attempts to change times and law - Dan. 7:25; Ps. 94:20
3. The burden of the Advent Movement:
a. To present the specific prophesies of the Bible which will expose
this great fallen and counterfeit system - Isa. 58:1, 2; Rev. 18:1-4
b. To call out of the fallen churches the people that hunger and thirst
for the truth which will save their souls.
c. That shows that the Advent Movement is prophetic in its existence
and also in its worldwide mission - Rev. 14:7
4. End of Babylon the Great:
a. She will be visited with one of the seven last plagues - Rev. 16:10-
13
b. She will be burned as with fire - Rev. 17:16; 18:6
THE ANTI-CHRIST

A. THE WORD "ANTI-CHRIST" IS MENTIONED THREE TIMES IN THE

EPISTLES OF JOHN
1. "Little children, it is the last time; and as ye have heard that anti-Christ
shall come, even now are there many anti-Christs; whereby we know that it is the last
time." - 1 John 2:18
2. "And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh
is not of God: and this is that spirit of anti-Christ." 1 John 4:3
3. "For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus
Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an anti-Christ." 2 John 7

B. THE STUDY OF BIBLE PROPHECY REVEALS CLEARLY

1. That the anti-Christ is not a person but a system:
a. Daniel speaks of the anti-Christ as a beast power - "the little horn"
- Dan. 7:24, 25
b. John writes about a "Leopard beast" - Rev. 13:1-9
2. It is a religious system personified:
a. In the man of sin - 2 Thess. 2:3-7
b. "The throne of iniquity" - Ps. 94:20
c. "The son of perdition" - 2 Thess. 2:3
3. The anti-Christ is the man of sin, the throne of iniquity, and the man of
sin:
a. Because of the crime committed by this system against the law of
God - Dan. 7:25
b. Because this system is a centralized organization - the city of
Rome - Rev. 13:1-10
c. And finally, this system centers in a person, the head of the church,
to whom all render absolute loyalty at all times.
4. To be noted is the fact that this anti-Christ system is:
a. Worldwide - Rev. 13:3
b. The world pays homage to this system
c. Even civil power supports and upholds this system - Rev. 13:2

C. FOUR UNMISTAKABLE MARKS OF IDENTITY OF THE ANTI-CHRIST

1. He speaks great words against the Most High:
a. Uses titles that belong to God alone -
2 Thess. 2:6, 7; Rev. 13:6, 7; Dan. 7:25
b. Wears out the saints of the Most High; that is, he seeks to destroy
all who oppose this system. Think of the martyrs of the dark ages - Rev. 12
c. He attempted to change God's law and the seventh day Sabbath
commanded in the fourth commandment - Dan. 7:25; Ps. 94:20
2. He claims:
a. Power to forgive the sins of the people.
b. He claims that his priests have creative power when they read the
mass to turn the Son of God into a piece of bread.
 c. He claims infallibility when speaking doctrines.
3. This system teaches the doctrine of holy flesh:
a. Since Christ came in the flesh, John 1:14, this system claims that
its saints are, including their flesh, holy.
b. But the Son of God states that flesh and blood shall not inherit the
kingdom of God - John 3:1-6; 1 Cor. 15:50
4. It may be useful to add that the ladder seen by Jacob in his dream, Gen.
28:12, symbolizes Christ; but the Papacy claims that its priest-craft represents the
stairway to heaven:
5. It must be noted, further, that the system of the anti-Christ has been
working since the days of the apostle:
a. Paul says of it, "For the mystery of iniquity doth already work" - 2
Thess. 2:7
b. John connects this system with Pagan Rome - Rev. 13:17
c. He saw this power reappearing with renewed vigor in the end of
time - Rev. 13:1-9
THE REFORMATION

A. WHY THIS SUBJECT?

1. Current efforts of nominal Protestants to curry the favors of Rome:
a. Lutheran leaders, brushing aside many plain and direct testimonies
of Martin Luther against the Papacy, seek reapproachment with Rome.
b. Methodists and other Protestants invite Roman leaders to
participate in their devotional gatherings, something unheard of a few years ago.
2. What do all these things mean?
a. Was the Reformation ill-conceived?
b. Do Protestants owe an apology to the Papacy?
c. Has Rome had a change of heart toward the hated heretics - called
rebels?
3. Claims of Seventh-day Adventists:
a. That it is here in answer to Bible Prophecy - Rev. 12:17
b. To finish the Reformation - Acts 3:19-21; Isa. 58:1-14

B. LET US TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE REFORMATION

1. The great reason for it:
a. The apostasy following the apostolic movement - Acts 20:28, 29; 2
Tim. 4:1-6
b. The Papal supremacy was foreseen - 2 Thess. 2:1-7; Dan. 7:8-12;
8:12; Rev. 13:5-9
2. The Reform movement:
a. Was to continue until all gospel truths, brushed aside by the
Papacy, would be restored to the believers - Acts 3:19-21
b. That includes the restoration of the creation Sabbath - Isa. 56:1-7;
58:13
3. The Platform of the Reformation:
a. The Bible and the Bible only.
 b. The slogan of Protestant incentives.
c. A free will to make our own decision as to what is the truth.
4. Justification by faith: Rom. 5:1-6; Eph. 2:7, 8
5. Forming our own convictions about our duty to God, based upon what the
Bible teaches, regardless of the theory of the church of Rome:
6. Putting the main emphasis of the doctrine "saved by grace" in deference to
the works of the flesh:
7. Restoration to God's people of all the duties and provisions of the Bible:
a. Including the Bible teaching on the nature of man - Gen. 2:15, 16;
3:1-6, 19-23; John 3:16
b. The Sabbath of the fourth commandment - Acts 20:8-11; Jas. 2:8-
11; Rev. 12:17; Isa. 56:1-7; 58:1-14

C. WHAT GOD WILL ACCOMPLISH THROUGH THE REFORMATION

1. Will restore to His church all truths brushed aside or buried by the Papacy
during the 1260 years of its supremacy:
a. Based upon Bible prophecy. Compare Dan. 7:25 with Rev. 13:1-
18; 14:7-12
b. Paul warned the Elders of the apostasy in no uncertain language -
Acts 20:20-28; 2 Thess. 2:1-7
c. This is the work of the Holy Ghost as foretold by our Lord - John
16:12, 13
d. He will prepare a people for His second coming - Mal. 4:1-4; Rev.
14:1-12
e. It will be a remnant only - Rev. 12:17; 14:12; 22:14
2. The glorious Banner of Truth:
a. God's people will hold it high to be seen by all the inhabitants of
the earth and the seas - Isa. 13:2; Ps. 60:4
b. The banners of God's people are emblems of conflict and glorious
victory - Ps. 20:5; Song of Solomon 6; 7
c. Let us do our prayerful and dedicated part to hasten the
consummation of the Reformation begun by the Apostles and to be completed by the
Seventh-day Adventist Church in this generation.
THE ELIJAH MESSAGE
MALACHI 4:5, 6

A. THE ELIJAH MESSAGE

1. A reformatory message: 1 Ki. 18:19
2. Directed - mainly to Israel: Mal. 4:5
3. Accompanied by great power: 1 Ki. 18:30-38
4. The work of Elijah was symbolic of:
a. The work of John the Baptist - Matt. 11:1-14; 16:14
b. The Three Angels' message of Rev. 14:6-12; Mal. 4:1-7

B. LET US TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT

1. The man Elijah:
 a. He was a man of like passions as we are - Jas. 5:17
b. Those passions revealed themselves on a number of occasions in
his ministry. Compare 2 Ki. 1:10-12 with 1 Ki. 18:40; 19:4
2. He was a man of great power:
a. Heaven withheld rain for the earth the space of three and one-half
years at his petition - Jas. 5:17
b. Fire consumed the offering, the water, the stone - 1 Ki. 18:37, 38
c. This power was recognized by his disciples and they desired a
portion of it - 2 Ki. 2:9
3. Secret of this great power:
a. The presence and indwelling of the Holy Ghost in his life - Acts
1:8
b. It is the Holy Spirit which energizes human beings to do exploits
for God -
EXAMPLES -
1. Joseph - Gen. 41:38
2. Daniel - Dan. 4:8, 18
3. Our Lord - John 7:26
4. The Spirit and Power of Elijah was to be repeated:
a. In the ministry of John the Baptist - Matt. 3:1-9
b. In the Second Advent Movement - Rev. 18:1; Acts 2:17

C. NATURE OF THE ELIJAH MESSAGE

1. A reformatory message: 1 Ki. 18:1-32; 19:1-26
2. A reform that would affect the family relationship: Mal. 4:6
3. The work of Elijah was typical of the work of John the Baptist:
a. That is what Christ said - Matt. 11:14
b. The work of John the Baptist was a preparatory work, preparing
the way for the first coming of the Son of God - Luke 1:17
4. Of special interest to us today is that the closing work of the Third Angel
will be marked by great power: Rev. 18:1-3
a. This work, too, is a reformatory work - bringing, among other
things, the Bible Sabbath to God's people - Isa. 56:1-7; 58:1-14
b. It will restore to the believers all those gospel truths that the
Reformers in the earlier days of the Reformation were either unwilling to preach or were
uninformed about it.
c. The Advent message, too, will affect family life in its truest
relationship to godliness and love for the truth - 2 Cor. 6:14-17
d. God will have a people separated from the world and its
defilements - Rev. 18:4; 1 John 2:15, 16
e. God's people will have come out of Babylon in every word,
thought, and action - 2 Cor. 6:17; Rom. 13:11-14
f. God's ideal for His people will have been brought about through
the proclamation of Present Truth - John 8:32-36; Rev. 14:12; 19:7; Eph. 5:26-28
g. Significant to us is the fact that the closing work of the third angel
will be accompanied with great power - Early Writings, pages 277-278.
THE SABBATH REFORM MOVEMENT
ACTS 3:19-21

A. THE SABBATH REFORM MOVEMENT

1. Pertinent questions by our Sunday keeping friends:
a. "If the keeping of the seventh day of the week is obligatory of
Christians, why was such an obligation not emphasized by the great Reformers?"
b. "Why did Paul not command believers in so many words, 'if ye fail
to keep the seventh day Sabbath, ye are lost'?"
c. "If the Reformers were led by the Holy Spirit, why did they ignore
the Sabbath?"
2. These and similar questions have been brought to my attention on many
occasions:
a. They are asked in the assumption that the supposed silence of the
Reformers is proof that the seventh day Sabbath is not a moral obligation to the Christian
believers.
b. That the assumed silence of Paul is further evidence against the
Sabbath concept.

B. FACTS IGNORED, OVERLOOKED, BY OUR SUNDAY KEEPING FRIENDS

1. That the Reformation, as guided by the Holy Spirit, is:
a. Progressive - Acts 3:19-21
b. It is cognizant of man's limitation to recognize and accept light and
truth - John 16:12; Luke 18:34; 24:25
2. That the path of the just is as a shining light that shineth more and more
unto the perfect day: Prov. 4:18
3. That twelve hundred and sixty years of darkness cannot be dispelled in the
minds and lives of the people in a short time or through the preaching of a few men:
a. Human beings do not possess the capacity or willingness to accept
light all at once.
b. God, in mercy and long-suffering, adjusts His program to our
comprehension.

C. THE SABBATH REFORM MOVEMENT BASED UPON BIBLE PROPHECY

1. Peter, on the day of Pentecost, assures us:
a. That Christ will not come the second time until complete
restitution has been made of all things spoken by God since the world began - Acts 3:19-
21
b. James seems to allude to the same work of restoration - Acts
15:15-18
2. The Prophet Isaiah speaks about the Sabbath reform movement:
a. In Isa. 56:1-7
b. Isa. 58:1-14
3. Four prophetic facts stand out in the above two chapters:
a. Special emphasis is placed upon the proper keeping of the Sabbath
of the Lord - Compare Isa. 56:1-3 with chapter 58:13
 b. The keeping of the Bible Sabbath is spoken of as "repairing the
breach" - Isa. 58:12
c. That indicates that someone had made a breach in the law of God -
Compare the Ten Commandments as written in Ex. 20:1-17 with the law as changed by
the Church of Rome - Dan. 7:25; Ps. 94:20
d. This breach is brought to God's people's attention through the
Sabbath Reform Movement today.
Upwards of over one hundred thousand people take off their foot from
God's holy day every year in all the world.
4. Both our Lord and the apostles did not only keep the true Bible Sabbath
but they gave strong emphasis to its loving observance:
a. Compare Luke 4:16 with Matt. 12:8; Mark 2:27, 28; Luke 6:5;
Matt. 24:20
b. Compare Rom. 3:31 with Acts 13:42-44; 16:13; 17:1-9; 18:1-6;
Rev. 22:14
ARMAGEDDON

A. ARMAGEDDON
1. Bible students among us are sharply divided as to the nature of the Battle
of Armageddon:
a. One school of thought, toward which I lean, holds that "the Bible
Armageddon" is both a physical as well as a spiritual battle.
b. A relatively new theory holds that the Armageddon of the Bible
will not be a physical but a spiritual battle.

B. BIBLE FACTS
1. Historically, the valley of Megiddo is noted because many historic battles
have been fought there:
a. The battle between Israel and her neighboring nations - Judg. 5:19;
2 Ki. 9:23-27; 2 Chron. 35:22, 2 Ki. 23:29
b. It is this area to which the book of Revelation seems to have
reference to - Rev. 16:12-16
2. It is the crossroad between the East and the West; the inevitable place of
conflict between the nations. The vale of Kishon and the region of Megiddo are known
in history as "The battlefield between nations":
3. It is my humble opinion that Joel 3:9-14 has a double application:
a. It predicts a feverish preparation by the nations for the final
conflict.
b. And also the time when Satan will seek to exterminate the people
of God.
c. When we consider Rev. 16:12-16 in the light of Joel 3:9-14 we
cannot come to any other conclusion.
4. Let us keep in mind these prophetic facts:
a. Our Lord's prophecy of the closing events prior to His second
coming - Matt. 24:6, 7; Luke 21:25, 26
 b. Joel's forecast of what the nations would do in the last days - Joel
3:9-14.
c. Let us interpret these forecasts in the light of the feverish
preparation of the nations for war today.
5. From the reading of our text, five facts seem to stand out:
a. The battle of Armageddon takes place under the sixth plague. That
is after probation closes.
b. It must be a physical battle because the earth and all that is on the
earth will be affected by it.
c. That is the devastation the angel of Revelation 7 must have
reference to - Rev. 7:1
d. Satan is the instigator of this conflagration - Rev. 12:12; 1 Pet. 4:8
e. All nations will be involved in this battle - Joel 3:9-14

C. A CLOSER LOOK AT THE BIBLE ARMAGEDDON

1. If Armageddon is a spiritual battle and not a physical battle:
a. Why does Satan stir up the nations to prepare for war? - Joel 3:9-
14; Matt. 24:6, 7
b. Why are the angels called upon to hold the winds of strife until the
work of the gospel has been finished? - Rev. 7:1; Matt. 24:14
c. Why does the Lord say that "nation shall rise against nation" -
Matt. 24:6, 7
d. Why does Satan lead the nations to the valley of Jehoshaphat? -
Joel 3:12
2. We realize, however, that the details of the battle of Armageddon are not
given in Bible prophecy:
a. The prophets interpreted the battle in the light of the knowledge
they had of methods of warfare of their own day.
b. Methods have changed but the objectives of Satan have not
changed; he still seeks to destroy the nations - Isa. 14:12-17
c. It is true, also, that God's people are, in the end, the real target of
Satan, and he will use the nations to destroy them - Dan. 12:1; Rev. 12:12-17
d. The views of the Pioneers are correct, even if they did not know
the details of the final conflict.
THE MILLENNIUM

A. THE BIBLE MILLENNIUM

1. The word "Millennium" is not found in the Bible:
2. It is of theological origin and signifies a period of one thousand years:
Rev. 20:2, 4, 5, 7

B. THE BIBLE MILLENNIUM AND THE EVENTS CONNECTED WITH IT

1. The opening events of the one thousand years as spoken of in Bible
prophecy:
a. Satan will be bound and cast into the bottomless pit.
 b. His imprisonment will last one thousand years; spoken of in Isaiah
as "many days" - Isa. 24:22
2. The victorious saints will be occupied with sitting in judgment over Satan,
his angels, and the wicked:
a. Daniel saw this scene - Dan. 7:22
b. John confirmed this vision as seen by Daniel - Rev. 20:4
c. Paul, too, foretold of this work by the redeemed - 1 Cor. 6:1-6
3. The Millennium, or the binding of Satan, begins with the second coming
of Jesus Christ:
a. Satan is bound by a chain of events that are connected with the
second coming of Christ.
b. When Christ comes, the dead in Christ are raised - 1 Thess. 4:13-
17; 1 Cor. 15:22, 23; John 5:28, 29
c. All the saints are removed from the earth to the third heaven.
Compare John 14:1-3 with 1 Thess. 4:13-17
d. The living wicked will be slain by the breath of the Son of God at
His appearing. Compare 2 Thess. 1:7, 8 with Rev. 19:15
4. These events bind Satan; he has no one to tempt or to torment or to use
against God:
a. He is bound by a chain of events which he cannot break.
b. He is confined to this earth.
5. The earth, during the thousand years, will be in a desolate condition:
a. The prophet Jeremiah gives us a vivid description of the condition
of the earth during the thousand year period. Compare Jer. 4:23-25 with chapter 25:31-
38
b. The heavenly constellation will not function during the thousand
years - Amos 8:9; Ezek. 32:7

C. CLOSING EVENTS OF THE MILLENNIUM

1. Christ will come from heaven:
a. To make His home on the new earth - Rev. 21:3
b. The New Jerusalem will come down from heaven and in it the
saints of the most High - Rev. 21:10
2. The second resurrection, or the resurrection of the wicked, takes place:
a. The Bible speaks of two resurrections -
(1) The resurrection of the righteous or just takes place at the
second coming of Christ - John 5:28, 29; 1 Thess. 4:13-17; 1 Cor. 15:22, 23
(2) The wicked will not live again until the thousand years are
ended - Rev. 20:5
b. It is this event that frees Satan for a short time and he re-engages in
his work of deception as before - Rev. 20:8
c. But this deception will climax his work because both he and the
deceived will meet their final doom; they will be destroyed by fire which will fall down
from heaven - Rev. 20:9, 10
3. It is significant:
 a. That Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed with fire that came
down from heaven - Gen. 19:24, 25
b. The same fate will end the reign of sin for ever and ever - 2 Pet.
2:4-6
4. The earth, purified by fire, will be made new and will become the home of
the redeemed for ever and ever: 2 Pet. 3:9-11; Isa. 34:8-10. Compare, also, Isa. 65:17-19
with chapter 66:22, 23; Rev. 22:1-9
Will you be there?
THE KINGDOM OF GLORY
MATTHEW 25:30

A. WE HAVE LEARNED IN OUR FORMER STUDY THAT THE KINGDOM OF

GOD IS A DUAL KINGDOM
1. At the present it is the kingdom of grace:
a. It is the reign of grace - Rom. 5:21 "as sin hath reigned unto death,
even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our
Lord."
b. Christ makes the heart the seat of His kingdom - Col. 1:27; 1 Cor.
15:25
c. The life of the believer is under the control of Christ the King -
Gal. 2:20; Col. 3:16, 17
2. The kingdom of glory follows the reign of grace:
a. The very purpose of grace is to prepare the subjects of God's
kingdom for the kingdom of glory; there can be no hope for glory without the effectual
preparation of the subjects of the kingdom - 1 John 3:1-3; Rev. 19:7, 8, 27
b. The kingdom of grace, when it has finished its work, will usher in
the kingdom of glory - 2 Cor. 3:17, 18

B. THE KINGDOM OF GLORY

1. It consists of:
a. A King - Ps. 2:6; 24:7-10; Rev. 19:16
b. Subjects of the kingdom - Isa. 52:3; Matt. 5:5; Ps. 37:11; Dan. 7:22
c. Territory - the whole earth will be the territory where Christ, our
King, will reign - Rev. 11:15; Heb. 12:28
2. Adam and Even reigned on this earth for a short time:
a. He had been crowned - Ps. 8:4-9; Gen. 1:26-28
b. He lost his kingdom through transgression - Gen. 3:1-23
c. They sold out to Lucifer - Luke 4:5, 6; Isa. 52:3
d. That is how Satan got control of this world - John 12:31; 14:30;
16:11; Luke 4:6
3. Christ regained the first dominion:
a. His victory was foretold - Mi. 4:8; Luke 19:10
b. He brought it back to be repossessed by the redeemed - Gen.
13:14, 15; 17:8; Acts 7:5; Heb. 11:8-13
c. It is the earth in its renewed state - Isa. 65:17-20; 2 Pet. 3:13
C. A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE KINGDOM OF GLORY
1. Its capitol: The New Jerusalem.
a. Heb. 11:8-11; Rev. 21:2; Gal. 4:26
b. Dimensions of the capitol. It is four square - 375 miles on each
side; covers an estimated 90,000,000 acres of land.
c. It has twelve foundations and twelve gates.
2. It will become the center of the universe:
a. Throne of God will be moved from the third heaven to this earth -
Rev. 21:1-6; Luke 1:32, 33
b. The tree of life will be in the New Jerusalem - Rev. 22:1-6
3. Inhabitants of the kingdom of glory:
a. All who are born again - John 3:1-9
b. The pure in heart - Matt. 5:8
c. They that keep the commandments of God - Rev. 22:14; Matt.
5:17-19
4. Will we know each other in the kingdom of glory:
a. Negatively - not as we have known each other in our present state -
sin, sorrow, wickedness, and pain; not as we know each other in a state of imperfection,
for the former things have passed away.
b. Positively - we shall know one another in our redeemed state - no
sin, sickness, sorrow, nor death. All will be love and eternal harmony.
OUR ETERNAL HOME
2 PETER 3:13

A. "NEVERTHELESS WE, ACCORDING TO HIS PROMISE, LOOK FOR NEW

HEAVENS AND A NEW EARTH, WHEREIN DWELLETH RIGHTEOUSNESS."
1. The promise of a new heaven and a new earth is indicative:
a. That this earth was created to be the eternal home of the children
of men - Ps. 115:16
b. God made it, not in vain, but to be inhabited - Isa. 45:18
c. Our first parents were fully informed about God's plan with this
earth - Gen. 1:26-31; 2:8-14
2. But our opening text reveals, further, that the Creator's original design had
been prevented by:
a. Man's disobedience or transgression - Gen. 3:23, 24
b. Man became a vagabond, a pilgrim, and a stranger upon the earth,
which was intended to be his eternal home - Heb. 11:13-16
c. Jacob, as well as the Psalmist, speak of their pilgrimage - Gen.
47:9; Ps. 119:54
d. The earth has become a battlefield between good and evil; a vale of
tears; a graveyard filled with the bones of dead men.

B. OUR ETERNAL HOME: "A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH"

1. This has been the hope of all God's pilgrims ever since our first parents
lost their home because of sin:
 a. Must have been the consolation of Adam and Eve when they lost
their Edenic home.
b. The God-fearing Patriarchs understood this promise and lived
accordingly - Heb. 11:7-16
c. Many of those, who looked forward to this eternal home, refused
deliverance that they might obtain a better home - Heb. 11:40; 12:28
2. This glorious promise of our eternal home is indicative of:
a. That God's original plan will be carried out in due time - Acts
15:18; Hab. 2:4
b. A new heaven and a new earth will become a reality - Isa. 65:17-
25
3. That the earth, defiled by sin, having been under the curse since sin began:
Gen. 3:17, 18; Isa. 24:5, 6
a. Will be purified by fire.
b. Will be made new - Isa. 34:8-10; 2 Pet. 3:10
c. Presently it is growing old like a garment - Heb. 1:9-12

C. NATURE OF OUR ETERNAL HOME

1. The new earth will be:
a. Free from sin.
b. Will be free from the curse that rested upon it ever since sentence
was passed upon Adam and Eve - Rev. 22:3
c. Again, like the Garden of Eden - Isa. 35:1-10; 51:3
d. The great seas will be no more - Rev. 21:1
e. The garden, which was removed from the earth, will be brought
back again to this earth after the earth has been purified - Rev. 2:7; 22:1-3
f. The beauty of the eternal home is beyond our comprehension and
beyond description - 1 Cor. 2:9, 10
2. Inhabitants of the new earth:
a. They, too, will be new - John 3:1-6; 2 Cor. 5:17
b. Meekness will be the nature of their being - Matt. 5:5; Ps. 37:11
c. Immortality will make them suitable for their eternal home - Rev.
21:1-4; Isa. 35:3-10
d. Eternal joy will fill their mouths with laughter - Ps. 126:2; Isa.
51:11
e. They will see the King in His beauty - Rev. 21:1-3; Isa. 33:17;
Matt. 5:8
3. How the knowledge of the eternal home affects our lives:
a. Think of the saints in past ages - Heb. 11:13-16
b. Does it make us homesick for heaven and the glories we shall
behold there?
c. Has it made us willing to set out hope and affections on things
above? Col. 3:2
d. Has it made an impression upon our moral life? 2 Pet. 3:13, 14