Session #5 - The Big Picture - Bible Verse HandBook

Session #5: The Big Picture: Three Time Frames in the End Times

I. REVIEW

A. Jesus emphasizing the need to discern and recognize the times

1The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven. 2 He replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ 3 and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. 4 A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” Jesus then left them and went away. (Mt. 16:1-4)

41 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42 and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43 The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. 44 They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.” (Lk. 19:41-44)

34 “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. 35 For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. 36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.” (Lk. 21:34-36)

II. THREE PROPHETIC TIME FRAMES IN THE END TIMES

B. Scripture speaks of a time frame that is called the “beginning of birth pains” .

6“You will hear of wars and rumors of wars…7Nation will rise against nation…There will be famines and earthquakes…8All these are the beginning of birth pains.” (Mt. 24:8)
6“Ask now, and see, whether a man is ever in labor with child? So why do I see every man with his hands on his loins like a woman in labor…? 7Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it; and it is the time of Jacob’s trouble, but he shall be saved out of it.”
(Jer. 30:5-7)

C. Jesus spoke of three distinct time frames in the end times.

1. Beginning of birth pains

4 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.
(Mt. 24:4-8)

5 Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 6 Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. 7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 8 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains. (Mk. 13:5-8)

8 He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them. 9 When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.”
10 Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven. (Lk 21:8-11)

III. THE FIRST TIME FRAME: THE BEGINNING OF BIRTH PANGS

6“I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land; 7and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations [Jesus], …I will fill this temple with glory."
(Hag. 2:6-7)

C. Believers are to recognize the birth pangs, which mark the generation of Jesus’ return

28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
32 “Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. (Lk. 21:28, 32)

A generation may last up to 100 years

13 Then the LORD said to him, “Know for certain that for four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own and that they will be enslaved and mistreated there. 14 But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions. 15 You, however, will go to your ancestors in peace and be buried at a good old age. 16 In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.” (Gen. 15:13-16)

25“There will be…on the earth distress of nations…26men’s hearts failing them from fear… 28When these things begin to happen…lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near…32this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place…”
(Lk. 21:25-32)

33“When you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors! 34Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.”
(Mt. 24:33-34)

IV. THE SECOND TIME FRAME: COUNTERFEIT WORLD PEACE

A. The second time frame will be a time of counterfeit worldwide peace and safety.

3When they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains [Great Tribulation] upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.
(1 Thes. 5:3)

D. How will this temporary peace be established?

27“Then he [Antichrist] shall confirm a covenant with many [nations and Israel] for one week [7 years]; but in the middle of the week [3½ years] he shall bring an end to sacrifice [in the Jerusalem temple]…and on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate.” (Dan. 9:27)

E. The final 7 years of this age, the Great Tribulation, will continue for 3½ years.

15 “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— (Mt. 24:15)

F. This peace treaty will end the first prophetic time frame.

7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains. (Mt. 24:7-8)

H. Israel will have a season of peace until they are attacked by the Antichrist

8“In the latter years you [Antichrist] will come into the land [Israel] of those…gathered from many people on the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate; they were brought out of the nations, and now all of them dwell safely…10 On that day…you will make an evil plan… 11You will say, ‘I will go up against a land of unwalled villages; I will go to a peaceful people, who dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls…’12to stretch out your hand against…people [Israel] gathered from the nations, who have acquired livestock and goods.” (Ezek.38:8-12)

I. The leaders in Jerusalem with the leaders of Gentile nations will make a covenant

14Hear the word of the LORD, you scornful men (leaders of end-time Israel), who rule this people who are in Jerusalem, 15because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death…when the overflowing scourge [of the Antichrist] passes through, it will not come to us, for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood we have hidden ourselves”…18Your covenant with death will be annulled (Antichrist will betray his promises), and…when the overflowing scourge passes through, then you will be trampled down by it. (Isa. 28:14-18)

27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’[h] In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple[j] he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him. (Dan. 9:27)

8 After many days you will be called to arms. In future years you will invade a land that has recovered from war, whose people were gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate. They had been brought out from the nations, and now all of them live in safety. 9 You and all your troops and the many nations with you will go up, advancing like a storm; you will be like a cloud covering the land.
10 “‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: On that day thoughts will come into your mind and you will devise an evil scheme. 11 You will say, “I will invade a land of unwalled villages; I will attack a peaceful and unsuspecting people—all of them living without walls and without gates and bars. 12 I will plunder and loot and turn my hand against the resettled ruins and the people gathered from the nations, rich in livestock and goods, living at the center of the land]” 13 Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish and all her villages[e] will say to you, “Have you come to plunder? Have you gathered your hordes to loot, to carry off silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods and to seize much plunder?”’
14 “Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: In that day, when my people Israel are living in safety, will you not take notice of it? (Ezek. 38:8-14)

26 They will forget their shame and all the unfaithfulness they showed toward me when they lived in safety in their land with no one to make them afraid. (Ezek. 39:26)

3 While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. (1 Thes. 5:3).

K. At this time the harlot Babylon religion will persecute the Church

2 With her the kings of the earth committed adultery, and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries.”
3 Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. 5 The name written on her forehead was a mystery:

BABYLON THE GREAT
THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES
AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

6 I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God’s holy people, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus.
When I saw her, I was greatly astonished. (Rev. 17:2-6)

Leading to many falling away

The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. (1 Tim. 4:1)

O. Unbelievers will rejoice in seeing peace and safety seemingly established.

9“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10And then many will be offended [by God and Christians], will betray one another, and will hate one another.” (Mt. 24:9-10)

P. The harlot Babylon religion will thrive during this period.

2“The inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.” (Rev. 17:2)

Q. The harlot religion will have great prominence.

4The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet [royalty], and adorned with gold…having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication…6I saw the woman [harlot Babylon], drunk with the blood of the saints and…the martyrs of Jesus.
(Rev. 17:4-6)

R. Jesus described them as being as in the days of Noah.

37“But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark.” (Mt. 24:37-38)

V. THE THIRD TIME FRAME: GREAT TRIBULATION

A. The third time frame will be Great Tribulation beginning with the abomination of desolation.

15 “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’[a] spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let no one on the housetop go down to take anything out of the house. 18 Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. 19 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 20 Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.
22 “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. 23 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you ahead of time.
26 “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.
29 “Immediately after the distress of those days
“‘the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from the sky,
and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.'
30 “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth[c] will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. 31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
(Mt. 24:15-31)

B. The final stage of labor will be the most troubling time in human history.

22 “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. (Mt. 24:22)

VI. SUMMARY OF THE THREE TIME FRAMES IN THE END TIMES

A. Beginning of birth pains:

7“For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes…8All these are the beginning of sorrows.”
(Mt. 24:7-8)

B. The second time frame will be a time of counterfeit worldwide peace and safety.

3When they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains [Great Tribulation] upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.
(1 Thes. 5:2-3)

9“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11Then many false prophets will rise up…12lawlessness will abound.”
(Mt. 24:9-12)

C. The third time frame will be Great Tribulation in the final 3½ years of this age.

21“For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time…22And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved.” (Mt.24:21-22)

VII. SUMMARY OF THE BIRTH PAINS: 12 SIGN TRENDS

A. Jesus identified 12 trends as the beginning of birth pains.

1. Deception

4 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. (Mt. 24: 4-5)

2. Apostasy

At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other,
(Mt. 24:10)

3. Violence - Ethnic conflict

Nation will rise against nation… (Mt. 24:7a)

4. Kingdom against kingdom

Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom…. (Mt. 24:7b)

5. Famines, Pestilence

There will be famines …... (Mt. 24:7c)

11 There will be…., famines and pestilences in various places, (Lk. 21:11)

6. Earthquakes

… and earthquakes in various places. (Mt. 24:7d)

7. Hatred of believers

9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. (Mt. 24:9)

8. Relational breakdown in society

At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other (Mt. 24:10)

9. Lawlessness will abound

Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold (Mt. 24:12)

10. Fearful sights

… fearful events…. (Lk. 21:11c)

11. Disturbances in the sea

25 “the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. (Lk. 21: 25b)

12. Fearful sights great signs in the sky

11“There will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven…25in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; 26men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things…”
(Lk. 21:11, 25-26)

B. Jesus identified five trends that will increase during the final 7 years

9“They will…kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11Then many false prophets will rise up…12And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.” (Mt. 24:9-12)

a. Persecution

9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. (Mt. 24:9)

b. Social anarchy as hatred dominates society

10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other,
(Mt. 24:10)

c. False prophets

11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. (Mt. 24:11)

d. Lawlessness abounding

2 Because of the increase of wickedness…. (Mt. 24:12a)

e. Love growing cold

2 … the love of most will grow cold, (Mt. 24:12)

2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. (1 Tim. 4:2)

C. God’s people must be strengthened

36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.” (Lk. 21:36)

D. Watch: Both Jesus and Paul emphasized the call to watch

13 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour. (Mt. 25:13)

9 “You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them.
33 Be on guard! Be alert[e]! You do not know when that time will come. 34 It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.
35 “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. 36 If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. 37 What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’” (Mk. 13:9, 33-37)

15 “Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed.” (Rev. 16:15)

6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober.
(1 Thes. 5:6)

42“Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.”
(Mt. 24:42)

36“Watch…and pray always that you may be counted worthy [have strength] to escape all these things…and to stand [in victory] before the Son of Man.”
(Lk. 21:34-36)

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Signs of the Times Series

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Download Session #1 Overview of the times

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Download Session #2 Biblical signs of the times related to Israel

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Download Session #3 Positive signs of the end time

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Download Session #4 Negative signs of the end time

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Download Session #5 The Big picture

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Download Session #6 The Birth Pains

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Download Session #7 Biblical signs for Gentiles

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Download Session #8 Being strengthened to stand in Victory

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Download Session #9 Biblical signs of Globalization

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Download Session #10 The Fig Tree

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Download Session #11 How then shall we live?

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