Following on from Part 3 ‘The Present Heavens and Earth‘, this article covers the period of the End of the Age. It commences from the event of Christ’s resurrection from the dead until He returns again the the Earth at His Second Coming.
The image below reveals a 7,000-year timeline that relates to the Present Earth’s history – Label 3. This period also highlights significant events that have occurred on the Earth in the past, and the other labels of 4, 6 and 6 that the Bible says will occur in the future. These periods are briefly discussed below.
Noah’s Flood
Approximately 2,000 years after Creation, Satan had again corrupted the world as he had in days of the Old Earth. When God looked down to the Earth, He was very angry that mankind had not only rejected Him, but all the people had followed Satan’s corruptible ways. See “Are Only FEW Christians Saved” for more information.
God found only ONE righteous man on the entire planet who was faithful to Him, and for his sake, God had him build an ark before He flooded the Earth once again, for the last time.
“These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked [in the Spirit?] with God. {10} And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. {11} The earth also was CORRUPT before God, and the earth was FILLED WITH VIOLENCE. {12} And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was CORRUPT; for ALL FLESH HAD CORRUPTED HIS WAY upon the earth. {13} And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with VIOLENCE through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.”
Gen 6:9–13
The World is the Same Today
“And as it was in the days of Noe [Noah], so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man [Jesus’ at the ‘Rapture’]…But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. {30} Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.”
(Luke 17:26–30)
The above words of Jesus plainly state that mankind is the source of corruption and violence. If left unchecked, mankind would destroy the planet, together with God’s Creation. God cannot and will not allow this to happen. At Christ’s Second Coming to the Earth, this will be a significant change in world leadership – both physically and spiritually.
The First Coming of Jesus Christ
Some 2,000 years after Noah’s Flood occurred, Satan was again in the process of corrupting the world’s governments and social systems. He was aiming to destroy the nation of Israel that was to bring forth the world’s Savior — Jesus of Nazareth. Christ’s resurrection commenced the period known as The End of the Age.
Jesus was “the seed of the woman” that was to come and “bruise the serpent’s head” (Gen 3:15).
Today on the Present Earth
Some 2,000 years after Christ died on the cross, it is evident that Satan is very active in our world. He and his people have corrupted our social systems and spreading violence throughout the Earth. This can be seen as the End of the Age approaches in the points below:
- Wars are active around the Present Earth and rumors of new wars are being reported in our newspapers every day.
- Drug addiction and sexual immorality are rampant throughout all world communities.
- Corruption is evident in all public institutions, including political, law enforcement, religious, educational, and business institutions.
- Scientists have created technologies where genes within plants, animals, and humans are being manipulated for commercial, social, or political gains. This has now put mankind into a ‘god’ status (Gen 3:5), where an ordinary citizen can choose the sex of their child or abort an unborn child for socioeconomic reasons.
These choices have created ethical issues that God never intended mankind to contend with. Satan however, uses them to condemn mankind before God (Rev 12:10). - Events over the past century indicate that we are in the “time of the end” (Dan 12:4) or the “last days” (2 Tim 3:1-5):
Many people at the End of the Age (today) “run to and fro” across the surface of the Earth in planes, cars, and all forms of transport every day of the year (Dan 12:4). In this, the USA has more than 45,000 flights and 2.9 million airline passengers across more than 29 million square miles of airspace per year (https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/by_the_numbers/).
One only has to use Google to instantly obtain the required knowledge about almost anything today. This is something that could only happen in the “last days” at the End of the Age.
The Antichrist
The Bible reveals that we are living in the days when Satan’s son will soon appear on the Earth. The signs of his presence are everywhere. Once only has to view the evening news to witness the chaos there is in the world.
His Biblical names are ‘The Antichrist‘ (1 John 2:18); ‘The Beast‘ (Rev 14:9-10); ‘The Son of Perdition‘ (2 Thes 2:3); ‘666‘ (Rev 13:18), but in the secular sense, he will have quite a different name.
Scripture indicates that at the End of the Age, God will permit Antichrist to hurt the Earth and its people (Rev 6:1–2) because they have rejected the Earth’s Creator —Jesus Christ.
Antichrist’s Length of Rulership
The Bible says that the duration of Antichrist’s rule will be seven years, or two periods of 1,260 days (Dan 7:25 and Rev 11:3; 12:14), which Jesus terms ‘The Tribulation‘ (Matt 24:29). The Jewish calendar comprises 12 thirty-day months, which equates to seven Jewish years for the 2,520 days. Scripture indicates the Tribulation period will be the most horrific event to be experienced on the Earth. In this, torture, murder, death by starvation, and other atrocities too numerous to mention. Billions of people will die.
“For then shall be GREAT TRIBULATION, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. {22} And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.”
Matt 24:21–22
“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day [of Antichrist] shall not come, except there come a falling away [of the Christian church] first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition [or son of Satan];”
2 Thes 2:3
“Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that [THE] antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.”
1 John 2:18
Antichrist’s Deceptive Abilities
When The Antichrist (or The Beast) steps onto the world’s stage, he will be so charismatic in nature that most people will be unable to detect who he is.
He will appear initially as a peacemaker who promises to bring universal peace to a warring world. Shortly after, he will become like his father (Satan) —a liar and a murderer.
“He [Satan] was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”
John 8:44
The only way a Christian can determine who ‘The Antichrist‘ is will be is to add up the number of his name. A variety of alphanumeric coding systems will each add up to the number 666, as stated below:
“Here is wisdom. Let him [the born-again Christian] that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six [or 666].”
Rev 13:18
Here is the Good News! The ‘born again‘ Christians will alert the world as to who The Beast is This is known in scripture as “The Midnight Cry” (Matt 25:6). The Rapture of the faithful believers will then trigger the final stage of the End of the Age.
The Parable of the Wise and Foolish ‘Christians’
“And at midnight [the darkest period in the world’s history when the son of Satan commences to rule the Earth] there was a cry made [by God’s people], Behold, the bridegroom [Jesus Christ] cometh [in the clouds at the First resurrection —1 Thes 4:15–18]; go ye out to meet him [to escape The Antichrist]. {7} Then all those virgins [meaning every ‘Christian’] arose, and trimmed their lamps [representing the Bible truths they know]. {8} And the foolish [virgins] said unto the wise [virgins], Give us of your oil [or Bible truths]; for our lamps are gone out. {9} But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. {10} And while they went to buy, the bridegroom [Jesus Christ] came; and they [the wise virgins] that were ready went in with him to the marriage [in Heaven]: and the door [to Heaven] was shut. {11} Afterward came also the other virgins, [in prayer] saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. {12} But he answered [from Heaven] and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. {13} WATCH THEREFORE [and be prepared], for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.”
Matt 25:6–13
The Second Coming of Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ will return with His resurrected saints to put an end to the rule of Satan and his son, the Antichrist at the end of the Tribulation period – or the End of the Age, .
“For the mystery of iniquity [lawlessness against moral and civil values] doth already work: only he who now letteth [the Holy Spirit] will let, until he [the spiritual Body of Christ] be taken out of the way [at the Rapture]. {8} And then shall that Wicked [Antichrist] be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his [Second] coming: {9} Even him [the False Prophet also], whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, {10} And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they [today’s Christians] received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. {11} And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: {12} That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
2 Thes 2:7–12
Christ’s Millennial Reign of the Earth
When Jesus Christ defeats Satan at the Battle of Armageddon, Satan is then bound in the Bottomless Pit for 1,000 years (Rev 20:1–3). Jesus Christ then removes Antichrist’s rebels from the Earth (Matt 25:31–41 ). This long period of world peace is symbolized in the image below as Label 4.
At His Second Coming, Jesus will establish His kingdom throughout the restored Present Earth from Jerusalem. It is here where Christ and His resurrected saints will administer the affairs of the Earth for the next 1,000 years. See also Zech. 14:1–21; Isa 9:6–7; Luke 1:32–33; Rev 11:15; 20:1–10.
End of Christ’s Reign on Earth
At the end of Christ’s 1,000-year reign (Label 4), Satan is released from his prison (Rev 20:3). Christ allows him to stir up rebellion among the people of the Earth. Scripture indicates that fire comes down from Heaven to destroy Christ’s enemies (Rev 20:9–10). These events trigger the cleansing of the Earth by fire, symbolized in the image as Label 5.
The Bible does not provide much information regarding events during the renovation of the heavens and this Earth by fire. God has taken people to Heaven in their earthly bodies without dying (Enoch—Gen 5:24 and Elijah—2 King 2:11). he has also taken them in their spiritual form awaiting the resurrection (2 Cor 5:8). It is therefore presumed Christ will remove His people from the Earth while it is being purified by fire.
The points presented here highlight how Satan is working in this world and how Jesus has a plan to counteract and ultimately destroy him. Jesus Christ has given all Christians the authority to overcome Satan his horde of evil spirits and angels (Luke 10:19). Jesus Christ requires ALL Christians to invoke this authority Christ to be successful in overcoming Satan.
“Behold, I [Jesus] give unto you POWER [or My Authority] to tread on [spiritual] serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and NOTHING shall by any means hurt you.”
Luke 10:19
“And they [the Christians] overcame him [Satan] by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death…Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you…because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.”
Rev 12:11–12
The final article in this series is titled ‘The New Heavens and the New Earth’.
Feel free to make any comments below.
