Essentials Of The Faith / Adult Sunday School Class / The New Testament Story

Week 12

The New Testament Story

‘Helping you find your way from Matthew to Revelation’

Regular Baptist Press

 

Unit 4  ‘Christ’s Second Coming: His Present Ministry and Return

 

Session 12  Christ’s Return 

 

Overview 

  This session is a study of the books of 1&2 Thessalonians and Revelation.

 

 Theme

  Jesus Christ is the Lord of Lords and King of Kings. He is coming back for his bride, the church. This return will take place at the rapture.

 

Aims

  By the end of this class, you will be able to:

  1. Define eschatology

  2. Describe the beginning of the Thessalonian church

  3. Summarize the teaching regarding Jesus’ return

  4. Relate our hope for Christ’s return to life today.

 

Introduction

 

Question: Generally speaking, what gives a person hope?

·  Knowledge of what’s true

·  Personal experience

·  Good advice

·  Someone who has been successful at what you want to do

·  Getting a glimpse of what you hope for.

 

Key Verse

‘For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.’

1 Th 5:9-10

 

Question: What words of hope do you see in these verses?

·  Not appointed to suffer wrath

·  But to receive salvation

·  He died for us

·  So whether dead or alive we may live together with him

 

The NT story is filled with HOPE! Hope for our present and hope for our future.

 

I. Eschatology Defined

 

Question: What does the word ‘eschatology’ mean?

·  It comes from the 10 areas of systematic theology.

·  It comes form the Greek word ‘eschatos’ which means ‘last’.

·  Eschatology is a study of ‘last things’ or ‘end times’.

·  It is a study of the prophecies found in Paul’s letters to the Thessalonians and John’s book called Revelation. (also Matthew 24 and a few chapters in the book of Daniel)

 

I like the definition ‘last things’ because I think it should be the last thing studied.

 

Question: Why would I say that?

·  We have no control over what happens

·  The texts are not as clear as we would like, therefore we don’t have a great handle on what they are saying.

·  The emphasis in Scripture is on being ‘faithful’ and ‘prepared’ for when Jesus returns, not on the specifics concerning his return. (the faithful virgins)

 

II. 1st Thessalonians

  A. The City of Thessalonica

·  Located 100 miles SW of Philippi in Macedonia.

·  It was a beautiful harbor and an important shipping/transportation hub in the  Roman Empire.

·  Greeks dominated the city but there were a large number of Jews as well.

 

  B. The Church in Thessalonica

·  Paul visited Thessalonica on his 2nd missionary journey…he spent 3 weeks there  (Acts 17:2) He had great success.

·  Once again the unbelieving Jews didn’t like Paul’s teaching about Jesus. They  caused a riot and Paul got blamed. But, when they couldn’t find Paul, they took  Jason (the head of the synagogue) to court. Paul and Silas quietly slipped out of  town.

·  While the gospel took hold in the city, the Christians had some problems  understanding the teachings of Christ’s return. So Paul wrote 1st Thessalonians.

 

  C. Intro to 1st Thessalonians

·  It is believed 1st Thessalonians was Paul’s first inspired letter.

·  It’s subject is Christ’s second coming

·  It’s key words are ‘coming’ (4 times) ‘comfort’ (6 times)

·  Paul wrote this letter from the city of Corinth

·  While in Corinth, Timothy brought Paul the proverbial ‘good news/bad news’  concerning the church in Thessalonica.

 

  Good News: The church had continued strong in it’s work and exercise of  faith, it’s expressions of love and their patience of hope (1:3)

  Bad News: Since they thought Christ was coming back tomorrow, some  weren’t working/serving as much, some were conducting  themselves in disorderly ways, some were misusing their  spiritual gifts, some were excessively grieving over the death of  their loved ones, fearing since they died before Jesus came  back, they were lost.

 

  D. The Teaching of 1st Thessalonians

  The main teaching of the book concerns the ‘Rapture of the Church’ (1 Thess. 4:13-18)

  Paul’s word of comfort to the grieving Christians in Thessalonica is that believers’ loved  ones who die ‘in the Lord’ ‘as a Christian’ are not lost or forgotten. They will see them  again in heaven.

 

Question: What is the ‘rapture of the church’?

·  The return of Jesus Christ for his bride (the church) (Christians)

 

Question: Are the ‘Rapture of the Church’ and the ‘2nd Coming of Jesus’ the same thing?

·  No. The ‘Rapture of the church’ will occur sometime during the 7 yr Great Tribulation. The ‘2nd coming of Jesus’ will take place at the end of the 7yr Great Tribulation.

 

  Paul’s 4 parts to the Rapture of the Church

  1. It will begin with a threefold announcement…lots of noise! (4:16a)

  A shout from the Lord

  The voice of the Archangel,

  The trumpet call of God

 

  2. The dead in Christ will rise (4:16b)

 

Question: Who are the ‘dead in Christ’?

·  Christians who have died

 

  3. All Christians living at that time will be ‘caught up in the air’

 

  4. All Christians (those formerly dead and those currently alive) will remain with  Jesus forever.

 

Question: When will this all happen?

·  We don’t know…no one knows, except the Godhead.

Question: How will this happen? What will it look like?

 

Read: 1 Thess 5:1-2

Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 1 Thess 5:1-2

 

Read: Matt. 24:36-44

No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.  Mt 24:36-44

 

Question: What does this tell us about the ‘rapture of the church’ our Lord’s return?

 

Any questions about the Rapture?

 

II. 2nd Thessalonians

  A. Why Paul wrote the letter

·  When the messenger delivered Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonian church, they had more questions for Paul and sent them back with the messenger.

·  They needed further instruction on the return of Jesus

·  They needed to be taught about the ‘day of the Lord’

·  They needed to be encouraged because they were experiencing persecution for their faith

·  The theme of 2nd Thessalonians is the ‘day of the Lord’

·  The key phrase is ‘vengeance on them that know not God’ (2 Thess 1:8)

 

  B. Teaching of 2nd Thessalonians

·  This is Paul’s shortest letter

·  It focuses on prayer

·  It corrects false teaching concerning the Great Tribulation

 

Question: What is the ‘Great Tribulation’?

·  A 7 year period of time before the 2nd coming of Jesus Christ.

 

Paul tells us three things that have to happen before the 7yr Great Tribulation can occur

  1. There will be a great apostasy a falling away of many believers from the foundations  of the faith due to false teachers. (2 Thess 2:3a)

 

  2. The man of sin will be revealed. He is the antichrist. (2 Thess. 2:3b)

 

  3. The Holy Spirit will be taken out of the way. He will no longer hinder sin (2 Thess 2:7)

 

Question: What does it mean that the Holy Spirit currently ‘hinders sin?’

·  The Holy Spirit works in all people so that they are not as sinful as they could be, so that they could not inflict as much evil as they would like.

 

 

IV. The Book of Revelation

  A. Schools of thought on the interpretation of the Book of Revelation

·  Some follow what is called the ‘idealist view’ which says that the events found in Revelation are not actual events but rather pictures of the struggle between right and wrong. It is symbolic and not literal.

·  Some follow what’s called a ‘preterist view’ which holds that the book is simply a historical record of the time from the fall of Jerusalem to the reign of Nero. They hold that all prophecies concerning the 2nd coming of Jesus have already been fulfilled.

·  Some follow what’s called the ‘futurist view’ which holds that the events in Revelation (after chapters 1-3) refer to events yet to happen and that they will be fulfilled just before the ‘rapture of the church’.

 

Question: Where are you?

 

  B. Introduction to the Book of Revelation

  Revelation means ‘unveiling’ or ‘uncovering’.

 

  Key verse is Revelation 1:19

‘Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later.’

 

  The apostle John wrote the Book of Revelation while exiled to the Island of Patmos

  And addressed to 7 churches in Asia. But it is intended for everyone who will read and  head its warnings.

 

  Last book to be written

 

  The #7 is prominent

 

 

 

  C. Teachings of Revelation 1-3

  Letters written to 7 churches concerning their relationship with JC…commending them  for what they did that was good and condemning them for how they have strayed from  the truth.

 

  D. The Heavenly Scene: Worship (Rev. 4-5)

 

Read: Rev. 4:8b-11 ‘…Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.” Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”’

 

Read: Rev 5:9-14 ‘And they sang a new song: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.” Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they sang: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.’

 

Question: What are these two texts (and all of chapters 4-5) talking about?

·  This is a grand picture, a glimpse of heavenly worship.

·  It is Christ centered, joyous and repetitive.

·  Wouldn’t it be great to ‘do’ worship like that now?

 

  E. Seven Seals and Sever Trumpets (Rev. 6-11)

  1. 7 Seals

  There are many who believe that these chapters take place during the Great Tribulation.

 

  In this vision, Jesus, the Lamb of God, opens 7 seals on a scroll one at a time. Each  time a seal is broken, a judgment falls on humanity.

 

  There is a parenthetical thought (remember from last week?) here in Rev. 7:4-8. Before  the 7th seal is broken John sees 144,000 Jews who were sealed by the Holy Spirit and  preserved to be witnesses during the Great Tribulation.

 

  He also saw a great multitude of gentiles from every tribe and nations who come to faith  during this time as well.

 

  2. 7 Trumpets

  The trumpets signal the judgment on humanity and are parallel to the 7 seals (the events  coincide)

 

  There is a parenthetical thought here as well. Before the 7th trumpet us blown, John sees  an angel with a little book. John is told to eat the book which is both bitter (judgments)  and sweet (Millennial Kingdom).

 

  F. The 2 Witnesses

  In chapter 11 John mentions 2 witnesses of the end time. Scholars can’t seem to agree on  who they are. They could be: Moses, Enoch, Elijah.

 

  They proclaim that the earth and all it holds belongs to Jesus and for that they are killed.  After 3 ½ days (not sure if literal or not) they are resurrected and taken to heaven.

 

  G. 7 People, 7 Bowls and 2 Babylons (Rev. 12-18)

  1. 7 People

  In chapters 12-13 John identifies 7 people who act in significant ways during the Great  Tribulation…some good and some bad.

 

  2. 7 Bowls

  In chapter 15 John describes 7 bowls holding additional judgment on humanity for its sin

 

  3. 2 Babylons

  In chapter 17 John describes ‘Babylon’ or what is believed to be the one, united world  church during the Great Tribulation. It is described as a harlot and the abomination of the  earth. Not a church I think I would want to be a part of. But many will because it will be  easy believe-ism and easy live-ism.

 

Question: What do you think I mean by ‘easy believe-ism’ and ‘easy live-ism’?

 

  Chapter 18 predicts the destruction of political Babylon…one world government.

 

  H. The 2nd Coming and Beyond (Rev. 19-22)

  1. The Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19:7-10)

  A Wedding reception for Christ and his bride (the church). A time of great  rejoicing.

 

  2. The Antichrist is defeated (Rev. 19:11-20:10)

  Battle of Armageddon…Jesus and the heavenly host (including all Christians)  against Satan and his followers. Satan and his army is defeated and thrown into the  Lake of Fire for 1000 years.

 

  3. The Millennial Kingdom (Rev. 20:1-6)

 

Question: What is this? Who will be there?

·  1000 yr reign of Jesus Christ on the earth

·  Everyone will be there, including believers and non-believers who have survived the Great Tribulation and battle of Armageddon.

·  During this period all will submit to JC rule or be severely punished by him. (non-believers)

·  It will be a time of great peace and prosperity for all.

 

  4. Satan is released (Rev. 20:7-10)

  At the end of 1000 yrs, Satan will be released and he will be able to deceive the nations  (non-believers). But God will judge him and all who follow him. They will be cast into  the Lake of Fire…forever.

 

  5. The Great White Throne Judgment (Rev. 20:11-15)

  Those who did not believe in Jesus when alive will be judged for their sin. They will be  found guilty and thrown into the Lake of Fire for all eternity.

 

  6. The New Heaven and New Earth (Rev. 21)

  The earth will be purified (I believe returned back to the Garden of Eden)

 

  Christians will live on the earth in the New Jerusalem (Eden) and will eat once again of  the Tree of Life for all eternity.

 

Any questions?