Principles of Christian Living

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Principles of Christian Living
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Lesson 13
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Lesson TextI Thessalonians 51-4
I Thessalonians 51-41 But of the times and the
seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write
unto you. 2 For yourselves know perfectly that
the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the
night.
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Lesson TextI Thessalonians 51-4
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.
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Lesson TextI Thessalonians 55-6
I Thessalonians 55-65 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.
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Lesson TextII Thessalonians 21-3
II Thessalonians 21-31 Now we beseech you,
brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and by our gathering together unto him,
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Lesson TextII Thessalonians 21-3
2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be
troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by
letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is
at hand. 3 Let no man deceive you by any means
for that day shall not come, except there come a
falling away first, and that man of sin be
revealed, the son of perdition
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Lesson TextII Thessalonians 24-7
II Thessalonians 24-74 Who opposeth and
exalteth himself above all that is called God, or
that is worshipped so that he as God sitteth in
the temple of God, shewing himself that he is
God. 5 Remember ye not, that, when I was
yet with you, I told you these
things?
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Lesson TextII Thessalonians 24-7
6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might
be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of
iniquity doth already work only he who now
letteth will let, until he be taken out of the
way.
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Lesson TextII Thessalonians 28-9
II Thessalonians 28-98 And then shall that
Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume
with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy
with the brightness of his coming 9 Even him,
whose coming is after the working of Satan
with all power and signs and lying
wonders.
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Focus VerseMatthew 2513
Matthew 2513Watch therefore, for ye know
neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of
man cometh.
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Focus Thought
The church of the last days is to be watching and
ready for end-time events.
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I. The Coming of the Lord
CULTURE CONNECTION The Last Days
In his published booklet titled 88 Reasons Why
the Rapture Will Be in 1988, Edgar C. Whisenant
predicted the Rapture would occur that year. More
than two decades have passed, and while his book
caused a stir in 1988, he joined the long and
growing number of individuals who have falsely
predicted the time of the return of Jesus
Christ.
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I. The Coming of the Lord
As I write this article, I am thinking of an
email I received in February 2010, which
predicted the Lords return by the middle of
March 2010. Clearly, that prediction also failed
to materialize. Jesus strongly warned us of
false prophets who would falsely announce the
Lords appearance in the last days (Mark
1320-22). Further, He revealed that the exact
timing of His return would be unknown and like
the coming of a thiefsudden and unannounced.
(See Matthew 2513 Revelation 1615.)
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I. The Coming of the Lord
We do not know the day or the hour of the Lords
return. There are, however, at least two things
we do know about the last days and the impending
return of Jesus Christ to catch away His bride.
1. First, we know Jesus Christ is coming again.
He promised He would and we have faith in Him.
2. Second, we know the many signs of the last
days that reveal the nearness of the Lords
return. When one considers the signs of the
end times, it is clear that we live
in those days.
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I. The Coming of the Lord
When individuals get caught up in trying to
pinpoint the exact timing of Christs return,
they miss the greater point. Knowing the day or
hour of Christs return is not important rather,
continually anticipating His return and being
ready is the vital point.
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I. The Coming of the Lord
Contemplating the Topic
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. I am Alpha and Omega, the
beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which
is, and which was, and which is to come, the
Almighty (Revelation 17-8).
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I. The Coming of the Lord
Almost two thousand years have passed since the
ascension of Jesus Christ, yet the promise of His
return is alive and vibrant in the heart of true
apostolic believers. Now more than ever, the
Bride looks expectantly for the Bridegrooms
return. Just as Jesus ascended into Heaven in a
cloud, He will descend from Heaven upon a cloud
and every eye shall see Him.
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I. The Coming of the Lord
Those who have been washed in the blood of Jesus
Christ and have made themselves ready will be
caught up to be with the Lord in the air those
who are unprepared will cry out in anguish and
fear because of the coming destruction. Malachi
prophesied Elijah would come before the great and
dreadful Day of the Lord and would call the
people of Israel to repentance. Through
repentance they could escape the destruction
God would bring upon the earth
(Malachi 45-6).
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I. The Coming of the Lord
John the Baptist fulfilled this prophecy in part
by coming in the spirit and power of Elijah (Luke
117) however, John himself declared he was not
Elijah (John 121-23). Jesus affirmed that when
Elijah came He would restore all things (Matthew
1711-12). It was Moses and Elijah who appeared
with Jesus at His transfiguration. There upon the
mount, Peter, James, and John beheld the glory of
God upon Jesus as He revealed to them the
likeness of His coming when He will
return with power and great
glory.
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I. The Coming of the Lord
That Moses and Elijah accompanied Him may suggest
they are the two witnesses (Zechariah 411-14
Revelation 11) who will stand before the Lord
awaiting the fulfillment of their prophecy during
the second half of Daniels seventieth week. When
Elijah comes to restore all things, he will
prepare the way of the Lord just as John the
Baptist did at the first coming of Jesus as
Israels Messiah. In that context Malachi
foretold the coming of Christ.
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Malachi 32-3
But who may abide the day of his coming? and who
shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a
refiners fire, and like fullers soap And he
shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver
and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge
them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto
the LORD an offering in righteousness (Malachi
32-3).
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Malachi 41-2
For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as
an oven and all the proud, yea, all that do
wickedly, shall be stubble and the day that
cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of
hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor
branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the
Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his
wings and ye shall go forth, and grow up as
calves of the stall (Malachi 41-2).
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I. The Coming of the Lord
In preparation for the return of Jesus Christ, a
believer must faithfully deal with the tests and
tribulations of life. If he will remain fervent
and true to the Lord through every trial, the
believers testing in the furnace of affliction
will refine in him the qualities for which the
Lord is looking in His church. Every believers
hope is to appear before the Lord pure, holy, and
undefiled by the world. The garments of the
chaste bride of Christ must be without spot
or wrinkle. (See Ephesians 527 II Peter 314.)
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I. The Coming of the Lord
Jesus declared we would face tribulation in this
world, but as true believers we will overcome.
Peter addressed this in I Peter 412-13, 17.
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I Peter 412-13, 17
Beloved, think it not strange concerning the
fiery trial which is to try you, as though some
strange thing happened unto you but rejoice,
inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christs
sufferings that, when his glory shall be
revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
. . . For the time is come that judgment must
begin at the house of God and if it first begin
at us, what shall the end be of them that obey
not the gospel of God? (I Peter 412-13,
17).
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I. The Coming of the Lord
Searching The Scriptures The Coming of the Lord
The nearness of the coming of the Lord compels
us to continue in the Great Commission of
preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus
foretold that the gospel of the kingdom would be
preached unto all nations before the end of this
present age (Matthew 2414).
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A. The Time Is Unknown

1. The Time Is Unknown

In biblical prophecy, it is important to
recognize that the second coming of Jesus Christ
will occur in two advents. First, Jesus will come
to catch away both the living and dead who are in
Christ Jesus. At this first advent of Christs
return, He will not set His foot upon the earth
rather, believers will join Him in the air. We
typically refer to this event as the Rapture or
the catching away of the church.
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I. The Coming of the Lord
At the time of the second advent, however, Christ
will return to the earth with His saints, and He
will plant His feet on the Mount of Olives,
splitting the mount in two parts. (See Zechariah
144.) We will consider both advents of His
return in this lesson. Although we cannot know
the exact time of His coming, Jesus indicated
that when we see the abomination of desolation in
the holy place the time of His coming
will be near.
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I. The Coming of the Lord
He spoke of the terrible tribulation and the
signs in the heavens that will preface His
appearing in the clouds with power and great
glory (Matthew 2415-33). Just as people in
Jesus day knew the budding leaves on a fig tree
signaled the coming of summer, believers in the
last days will recognize His coming is near when
they see these signs come to pass.
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Matthew 2434-36, 42
Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not
pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven
and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not
pass away. But of that day and hour knoweth no
man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father
only. . . .Watch therefore for ye know not
what hour your Lord doth come (Matthew
2434-36, 42).
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I. The Coming of the Lord
The declaration, Ye know not what hour your
Lord doth come indicates that instead of His
appearance at the Battle of Armageddon, Jesus was
referring to the first phase of His coming when
He gathers together His elect. For example, when
He returns at Armageddon, believers will not be
watching for His appearing, but they will be with
Him in the heavens.
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I. The Coming of the Lord
Further, Armageddon occurs after the two
witnesses have prophesied for three and one-half
years, during which God pours out the vials of
wrath in judgment upon the ungodly. Scripture
clearly reveals the time of the Battle of
Armageddon however, His second coming will
arrive as a thief in the night! We must be ever
vigilant regarding that day.
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B. The Event Is Certain

1. The Event Is Certain

The Bible emphatically declares Israels Messiah
will come to Earth to restore the nation of
Israel and to rule the nations from His throne in
Jerusalem. Jesus, as Israels Messiah, fulfilled
hundreds of messianic prophecies.
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I. The Coming of the Lord
The prophets predicted in detail the Messiahs
ancestry, place of birth, manner of betrayal,
price of betrayal, time of death, time of
ministry, manner of entry into Jerusalem,
specific details of His trial and execution, the
place of His burial, and the surety of His
resurrection. Jesus Himself foretold He would
rise from the grave after three days and nights.
Since these scriptural prophecies concerning
the Messiah have been fulfilled, we can be
certain Gods Word will not fail regarding
the promise of Jesus to return.
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I. The Coming of the Lord
If we cannot rely upon biblical prophecies, then
our hope of salvation is uncertain. However,
history contains more than forty significant
events that occurred precisely to the day upon
the anniversaries of Israels solemn feasts, such
as the Passover, including the death of Christ as
our Passover Lamb. Considering this precision and
accuracy for prophetic events, we may conclude
with absolute certainty that Jesus is coming to
catch away His chosen bride, just as He
promised.
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C. The Children of Light Are Aware of the
Times

1. The Children of Light Are Aware of the Times

As children of light we are keenly aware of
relevant events that have been fulfilled and are
being fulfilled in this generation. Until 1948,
no Jewish nation existed in Israel to bring about
the fulfillment of the return of the seed of
Jacob or the rebuilding of a Jewish Temple.
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I. The Coming of the Lord
In 1967, Israel regained possession of Jerusalem
and the Temple Mount for the first time since ad
70. The spiritual and moral decay in this
generation accurately describes the generation of
the last days. Popular music, movies,
entertainment, and contemporary art reflect the
rebellion and depravity described in Scripture.
Paul wrote of these perilous times in the last
days (II Timothy 31-4).
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II Timothy 31-4
This know also, that in the last days perilous
times shall come. For men shall be lovers of
their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud,
blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful,
unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers,
false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of
those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded,
lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God (II
Timothy 31-4).
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I. The Coming of the Lord
Therefore, we must remain watchful and
sober-minded while keeping ourselves unspotted
from the world. As we see the prophecies of the
Bible being fulfilled in our day, we must not
panic or tremble in fear of the things that are
soon to come upon the world, for we are not
appointed unto wrath but unto salvation through
Jesus Christ. (See I Thessalonians 59.)
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II. Prophecy Regarding the Day of the Lord
Prophecy Regarding the Day of the Lord
According to prophecy, certain events must be
fulfilled before the Day of the Lord. According
to both Old and New Testament references to the
Day of the Lord, God will pour out His judgment
and wrath upon the unrepentant world. Signs in
the heavens and upon the earth will
introduce these judgments. (See Joel 115
21, 10-11, 30-31.)
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I Thessalonians 52, 4-6
For yourselves know perfectly that the day of
the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. . . .
But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that
day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all
children of light, and the children of the day
we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
Therefore let us not sleep, as do others but let
us watch and be sober (I Thessalonians 52, 4-6).
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II Peter 311-12
Seeing then that all these things shall be
dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be
in all holy conversation and godliness, looking
for and hasting unto the coming of the day of
God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be
dissolved, and the elements shall melt with
fervent heat? (II Peter 311-12).
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I. The Coming of the Lord
At that day the dead in Christ will arise from
the grave, and we who are alive and remain will
be caught up to be with our Savior who will
deliver us from the terrible destruction of Gods
wrath.
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A. Apostasy Will Come

1. Apostasy Will Come

The Greek word for apostasy is apostasia,
translated in II Thessalonians 23 as falling
away. It means a defection, revolt, apostasy, or
total abandonment. Some have applied this
apostasy to the church. However, from the latter
part of the first century until the present many
people have departed from the faith.
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I. The Coming of the Lord
That the term apostasy here occurs in the
context of the coming of the Lord would seem to
negate the notion that the falling away refers to
the church. Certainly, we have seen and are
seeing a falling away from apostolic
Christianity however, a careful examination of
the Greek text of II Thessalonians 23 reveals
the usage of a definite article. Therefore, Paul
was not speaking in broad, general terms,
but of a specific, identifiable event
at the end of the age.
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I. The Coming of the Lord
The word apostasia appears only twice in the
entire Bible and was never used in relationship
to the church. Luke used the word in Acts 2121,
translated as forsake, in reference to the Jews
abandoning the law of Moses, circumcision, and
the Jewish traditions. Pauls reference to
apostasy appears to be Jewish in nature and
will signal the imminent Day of the Lord.
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I. The Coming of the Lord
During the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes, who
presaged the future Antichrist, many Jews
abandoned the law of Moses and Jewish culture by
adopting Greek language and culture. During the
reign of the Antichrist many Jews in Israel will
forsake the Law and their hope of a Jewish
Messiah.
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I. The Coming of the Lord
In 168 bc Antiochus Epiphanes marched into
Jerusalem and made a covenant with the Jews,
encouraging them to abandon their religious
customs and worship that they might adopt Gentile
customs. He established Greek education and built
a gymnasium in Jerusalem for Greek sporting
events. I Maccabees records the account of these
events.
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I. The Coming of the Lord
This same Antiochus Epiphanes polluted the Temple
in Jerusalem by offering a pig upon the altar of
sacrifice (the first abomination of desolation).
Likewise, the final abomination of desolation
will follow the apostasy that will precede the
revealing of the Antichrist in the last days.
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B. Antichrist Will Be Revealed

1. Antichrist Will Be Revealed

After Israel enters into the seven-year covenant
with the Antichrist, Jewish worship in the
restored Temple will resume. They will offer
sacrifices unto the God of Israel according to
the law of Moses. The nation of Israel will live
in peace with its neighbors and feel secure for
the first time since the nations rebirth in
1948. However, Israel will not recognize the
Antichrist as that wicked son of perdition who
seeks to destroy the Jewish people.
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I. The Coming of the Lord
His revelation as the Antichrist, the man of sin,
will occur when he violates the Temple by setting
up an image of himself and demanding to be
worshiped as God (Daniel 927 Matthew 2415). He
will disallow the daily sacrifices and exalt
himself above all gods. His regime will kill all
who refuse to worship him, bow down to his image,
or take the mark of his name.
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I. The Coming of the Lord
The Scriptures prophesy that the mark of the
Beast and the number of his name will equal 666
according to the numerical value of the letters
of his name. Both Greek and Hebrew are
alpha-numeric languages in that they do not have
a numbering system apart from the numeric values
of the letters of the alphabet consequently,
every name has a numeric value. Here is wisdom.
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I. The Coming of the Lord
Let him 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
(Revelation 1318). Both his name and his deeds
finally will unmask his true identity to Israel.
Scripture identifies him as the Assyrian, the
king of Babylon, the spoiler, Gog, the little
horn, the prince that shall come, the king of the
north, and the Beast.
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C. The Mystery of Iniquity Already Works

1. The Mystery of Iniquity Already Works

Biblical mysteries such as the mystery of
godliness (the Incarnation), the mystery of the
church (composed of Jews and Gentiles), and the
mystery of iniquity or lawlessness and
rebellion (Satans desire to empower the
Antichrist) were not clearly revealed to Old
Testament believers. However, the Holy Ghost did
reveal them to the church as being
part of Gods divine plan from the
beginning.
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I. The Coming of the Lord
The archangel Michael has long been recognized by
biblical scholars for his special guardian
relationship to Israel (Daniel 1012-13, 21).
Still, the Old Testament did not reveal the
mystery of iniquity or Satans plan to empower
the Antichrist to defeat Gods plan of redemption
and his ongoing struggle against Michael. This
struggle between Satan and Michael was already at
work in Pauls day and will continue until
the restrainer is taken out of the
way.
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I. The Coming of the Lord
As long as Michael, the great prince and
protector of Israel (Daniel 121), hinders or
restrains Satan, the Antichrist cannot be
revealed. His revelation as the son of
perdition will take place in the middle of
Daniels seventieth week when Michael and his
angels cast Satan down to the earth. Satan then
will empower the Antichrist to perform signs and
miracles to deceive the nations (Revelation
127-12).
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Daniel 121
And at that time shall Michael stand up, the
great prince which standeth for the children of
thy people and there shall be a time of trouble,
such as never was since there was a nation even
to that same time (Daniel 121).
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D. Delusion Shall Deceive the Wicked

1. Delusion Shall Deceive the Wicked

Because many individuals will abandon the truth
of Gods Word and the promise of a coming
Messiah, many will perceive the Antichrist as the
god-man who will rescue the world from the chaos
and violence of the last days. Empowered by
Satan, the Antichrist will perform miracles,
signs, and lying wonders to deceive the
unrighteous.
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I. The Coming of the Lord
The false prophet will proclaim the Antichrist to
be god and will have the same power as the Beast.

61
Revelation 1312-13
And he exerciseth all the power of the first
beast before him, and causeth the earth and them
which dwell therein to worship the first beast,
whose deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great
wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from
heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
(Revelation 1312-13).
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Revelation 1314
And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by
the means of those miracles which he had power to
do in the sight of the beast saying to them that
dwell on the earth, that they should make an
image to the beast, which had the wound by a
sword, and did live (Revelation 1314).
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I. The Coming of the Lord
Many will worship the image of the Beast.
Because they love not the truth, God will send
them a strong delusion that they might believe a
lie and be damned (II Thessalonians 210-12).
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III. The Forces Preventing Evil
The Forces Preventing Evil
Many forces in this world prevent evil from
prevailing. Apart from God and His holy angels,
the most important force in this world is His
church, those believers who have embraced the
kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is forcefully
advancing against the powers of Satan to
establish in people a love for the truth,
righteousness, and holy living.
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I. The Coming of the Lord
The kingdom of God is not meat and drink but
righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy
Ghost (Romans 1417). Since the Holy Spirit
empowers the church, believers can trample upon
the serpents and scorpions of demonic power.
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A. The Holy Spirit

1. The Holy Spirit

The Holy Ghost will be the primary restraining
force against evil in the last days. The very
presence of the Lord in the earth will oppose the
forces of evil, holding them back until the
appropriate and appointed time. Only when the
Spirit allows it will Satan be able to exercise
his evil plan in the end times.
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I. The Coming of the Lord
The Holy Spirit is actively involved in the
lives of all who have received His revelation of
the truth. As the Spirit of truth, God desires
to reveal Himself as a loving, caring Savior. A
person can only acknowledge the truth that God
was in Christ, reconciling the world unto
himself when the Holy Ghost reveals it to him
(II Corinthians 519). If all individuals would
allow the Spirit of God to open their
understanding of the Scriptures, the mighty truth
of Gods Word would set them free from the
bondage of sin and the fear of divine
judgment.
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B. The Church

1. The Church

The presence of Gods church upon the earth not
only restrains evil, but as long as the church
remains, God will refrain from pouring out His
judgments of wrath upon the unrepentant world.
The church stands between the world and the final
judgment upon the nations. Jesus revealed this in
Luke 1726-27, 29-30.
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Luke 1726-27, 29-30
And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be
also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat,
they drank, they married wives, they were given
in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into
the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them
all. . . . But the same day that Lot went out of
Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven,
and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in
the day when the Son of man is revealed (Luke
1726-27, 29-30).
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I. The Coming of the Lord
In Noahs day, God did not pour out His judgment
on the earth until after Noah and his family
entered the ark. Likewise, He did not rain fire
and brimstone on Sodom and Gomorrah until Lot and
his two daughters were safely away from Sodom.
Further, God will withhold His wrath until after
He delivers His church out of this world by means
of the Rapture.
71
Revelation 615-17
And the kings of the earth, and the great men,
and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the
mighty men, and every bondman, and every freeman,
hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of
the mountains and said to the mountains and
rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of
him that sitteth on the throne, and from the
wrath of the Lamb for the great day of his wrath
is come and who shall be able to
stand? (Revelation 615-17).
72
IV. The Rapture of the Church
The Rapture of the Church
Seeing the things that are soon to come upon the
earth should compel us in this generation to live
holy lives in righteousness and truth. We must
not allow the spirit of deception to blind us to
the truth of the gospel.
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I. The Coming of the Lord
Only those who have obtained the grace of God
through faith and obedience to the truth by
repentance, water baptism in the name of Jesus
Christ, and receiving the Holy Ghost with the
evidence of speaking in other tongues will enter
the kingdom of God. The great hope of every true
believer is that Jesus Christ will return to
redeem us from the destruction held in store for
the earth.
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I Thessalonians 416-18
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven
with a shout, with the voice of the archangel,
and with the trump of God and the dead in Christ
shall rise first then we which are alive and
remain shall be caught up together with them in
the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air and so
shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort
one another with these words (I Thessalonians
416-18).
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I. The Coming of the Lord
Internalizing the Message
Although the Day of the Lord and our gathering
together unto the Lord Jesus Christ is absolutely
certain, no one knows the day or the hour of our
redemption. We must live in constant readiness
for His appearing, for whether the Lord comes
within our lifetime or delays His coming, we will
one day stand before the judgment seat of
Christ.
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I. The Coming of the Lord
Therefore, we must strive diligently to proclaim
the gospel while we watch and pray for His
appearing. The signs of the time point to the
nearness of our Lords return for His church.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus (Revelation 2220).