July 20, 2025
Order of Events #
Introduction
God didn’t see fit to give us one clear passage that defines clearly the timeline to the end times. We therefore must put our hand to the plow and
2Tim. 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
The end times are much like puzzle pieces scattered throughout the Bible, and we must gather them together and assemble the puzzle. Some pieces are easily recognizable, and it becomes clear. My goal tonight is not to give you the entirety of the puzzle, but to put enough of the edge pieces together, that you can figure out the picture. We are only looking at the end times, with concern of what the Bible calls the church. This church, will not be assembled until it is called out, and assembled in heaven.
I. The Church is Raptured (1 Thess 4:13-18) #
- Rapture is distinct from the Second coming of Christ
- 1 Corinthians 15 corresponds with this passage.
A. Imminency (15-16) #
- Imminent – happening soon.
1. No timeline, warning of his coming! #
Matt. 24:42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. 43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. 44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
It says in Mark:
Mark 13:33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. 34 For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. 35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: 36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. 37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
It says in Luke:
Luke 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
It says in 1 Thessalonians
1Th. 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. 4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. 5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 6 ¶ Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
It says in Revelation
Rev. 3:3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
2. In Air! (1 Thess 4:16-17) #
- Note the words, 16 – “shall descend” … 17 “in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air”
- He doesn’t come all the way to earth in this passage… that is later, his second coming!
B. Tribulation follows #
Rev. 4:1 ¶ After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
- Absence of the church in the tribulation speaks louder than it’s mention.
- church/churches is used 18x in the book of Revelation 1-3…. it is not mentioned again until Chapter 22 at the very end of it all:
Rev. 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
II. The Church’s Required accountability (1 Cor 3:10-15) #
A. Foundation = Salvation (11) #
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
B. Judged for what we have done (13) #
- “Forgiven yet accountable” preached June 15 is available on the web site, or in the app, I encourage you to listen to that. It explains this passage.
C. Loss – not of salvation! (15) #
III. The Church Marriage (Rev 19:7-9) #
Eph. 5:31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
A. Long Engagements #
B. Many great royal weddings. #
IV. The Church Returns with Christ (1 Thess 3:13) #
A. “with all his saints”? #
Acts 1:11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? 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.
Jude 14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,
Zech. 14:4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. 5 And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.
V. The Reigns with Christ in the Millennium (Rev 20:4-5) #
VI. The Earth burned up (2 Pet 3:7-13, Rev 20:11-15) #
2Pet. 3:7-13