Some Biblical Facts about the Future

If you are going to ask a few unbelievers concerning the future you are likely to get either one of two views. The first, known as the 'futurologist' view, will tell you that unless you plan for the future, therE simply will not be one. Yet, there is no point planning because we are living in a world of swiftly accelerating change. In every walk of life the effects of change are felt. Knowledge doubles every ten years. Discovery treads on the heels of dicovery. We have broken irretrievably with the past, and are racing headlong into the future. Our only hope, according to the futurologists, is to try to keep on moving ahead.

The other view comes from the pessimists who reject the futurologist's view entirely. As the future is in such doubt, they would argue, we may as well live life to the full now, and let the future takes care of itself. As doomsday is just around the corner, they believed, we might as well turn our backs on the future and concentrate on the present - or even the past.

The Christian's View

Whether we think we can foresee our planet's future, or whether we believe it does not have one, the important thing for the Bible-believing Christian to realize is that the world is not out of control, nor is it under man's control. God is in control of events, as He has always been. History, as someone has said, is 'His Story'. He determines the direction and speed of world events and one day He will bring human history to an end.

So, if we are tempted to feel that things have got out of hand, or if the pace of change causes us anxiety, we need to be reminded that God not only knows what lies ahead, but He has told us in His Word. It is believed that over a quarter of the Bible is predictive, and nearly 90% of those predictions have already come true. Indeed, not many predictions remain to be fulfilled before this Age (the Church Age) ends. It is without doubt that God knows the future. God plans the future and God tells the future, so that we may live the present correctly by relating ourselves to what is going to happen. God wants us to know what lies ahead, because it affects how we conduct ourselves now.

This message concerns what God has revealed to me about the future and I believe many Bible-believing Christians do have different opinions. But generally, those who believe that the Bible reveals God's Truth to man, agree about the following general outline of events that lies ahead of us.

The immediate future

The immediate future is concerned with what the Bible calls "this present evil age" (Galatians 1:4, NKJV). The King James Version calls "this present evil world". Both 'age' and 'world' are translated from the Greek word 'aion'. The picture of the world in the final days is depressingly familiar and it covers every aspect of life today - social, polical, ecclesiastical, natural and even spiritual.

In the social sphere

In the social sphere, the 'last days' will see an emphasis on pleasure for its own sake (2 Tim. 3:1 - 5). Alongside this there will be a repudiation of authority and a growth in lawlessness (Matt. 24:12). Violence will flourish. So will immorality of every kind (Jude 7; Romans 1:29). Family life will break up and there will be conflict between social groups and conflict between parents and children.

Jesus said, "Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death" (Matt. 10:21).

The result of all this will be wide-spread, almost universal fear. All of this is quite specifically predicted in the words of Jesus Himself.

In the political realm

In the political realm, there will be a decline of democracy and an increase in dictatorship, as frightened people, perplexed by "wars and rumors of wars" (Matt. 24:6; Mark 13:7; Luke 21:9), turn to the 'strong men' to solve the problems of the nations by force. Great efforts for peace and security will fail, increasing the "distress of nations with perplexity" (Luke 21:25), as foretold by the Lord Himself. You will find at least a dozen examples of exactly what is happening in many nations of the world. Have you ever wondered why a tiny wealthy Asian country trusts their leaders to rule their country with an authoritarian government? They also spent billions to build up a 'powerful' air force. Or have you noticed why many Western countries are in the midst of electing new government? They hope their new leaders will solve their problems - especially in finance, economic downturn and in problems due to religious differences.

In all this turmoil, I believe that Israel has a vital role. The Jewish return to their homeland and the re-establishment of Israel seem to me events of enormous significance. All eyes of the world are focusing on Israel now. There are a few books written about the rebirth of Israel and what follows.

In the ecclesiastical area

In the ecclesiastical area, the 'last days' will be marked by compromise and weakness, both in the world and in the Church. In many cases, ministers will become deceivers, false peophets, even setting themselves up as Messiahs. The cults (Christian cults) will multiply; fables and fancies will lead men astray.

The New Testament Scripture has much to say about false prophets, false teachers and other false ministers of the Gospel. Let me just mention few examples:

Jesus said, "Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect" (Matt. 24:11, 24, NKJV).

Peter said, "But there are also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction" (2 Peter 2:1).

These false prophets and false teachers even denied "the Lord who bought them". In other words, they denied the redemption through (or purchased by) the blood of Jesus.

John said, "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1).

Paul said to the Ephesian elders: "For I know this after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves" (Acts 20:29, 30).

Now we can understand why so many churches have been started by many so-called Christians to "draw away disciples after themselves"!

In the natural realm

In the natural realm, disasters like earthquakes, landslides, mudslides, floods and pestilence (just to name a few) will testify to the delicate relationship between man and the physical world he inhabits. There seems to be a kind of psychosomatic connection between man and nature. When man is disordered, nature is disordered, too.

Isaiah painted a vivid picture of the judgment on the earth:

"Behold, the Lord makes the earth empty and makes it waste, distorts its surface and scatters abroad its inhabitants. The land shall be intirely emptied and utterly plundered, for the Lord has spoken this word. The earth mourns and fades away. The world languishes and fades away; the haughty people of the earth languish. The earth is also defied under its inhabitants, because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore the curse has devoured the earth, and those who dwell in it are desolate. Therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left" (Isaiah 24:1, 3 - 6, NKJV).

Ultimately, the sun, moon and stars will also be affected.

In the spiritual sphere

In the spiritual sphere, world-wide evangelism will mark the last of the 'last days'.

Jesus said, "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come" (Matt. 24:14, emphasis added).

Notice that 'all the world' means every nation, tribe and tongue. It is believed that the Gospel has already been taken to every country.

Yet this increasing evangelism and there is more evangelism being under taken now than at any tim in Church's history, will not win the majority to Christ. Why? There are two reasons for this.

Lack of faith

Jesus said, "Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He realy find faith on earth" (Luke 18:8)?

In the context people have been praying and interceding for lost souls and yet ridicule, opposition, scoffing and outright persecution will be the main result.

Jesus said, "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:10).

But Jesus also said, "Remember the word that I said to you. 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they keep My word, they will keep yours also" (John 15:20).

Salvation belongs to our God (Rev. 7:10)

Jesus said, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day" (John 6:44, emphasis added).

The word 'draws' comes from the Greek word 'helkuo' which also means 'drags'. Therefore the above verse means no one can believe on Jesus unless the Father drives (or urges or drags) him to Him. The initiative comes from God the Father.

God's perspective of the future


You may refer to my earlier message - "The Last Days according to God's Perspective".


Many so-called Christians are saying that in the last days things are getting worse and worse. The situation of the world is going to be darker and darker; the Antichrist is coming and there will not be any revival. Instead there is coming a great falling away. The Church is going downhill and Christians are back-sliding. Things are really bad.


At the same time many Bible-believing Christians are saying that there will be a great revival in the last days; there will be a great harvest and in-gathering of souls. God is going to pour out His Spirit upon all flesh. The first outpouring happened at Pentecost and the second outpouring is coming soon and many Christians will receive the double portion. The Church is going to be victorious and God is preparing a glorious Bride - the Bride for His Son, Jesus Christ.


Yes, things are going to get worse in the world, but at the same time things are going to get better in the true Church of Jesus Christ. The fact is, if you allow the world to get into your Church then you are in darkness and things will get worse for you! This is the prophecy of prophet Isaiah (Please read Isaiah 2:2, 3 and Isaiah 60:1, 2).


Jesus is coming back for His Bride


When is the Lord coming back for His Bride? Will it be before or after the coming of the Antichrist? The Bible does not reveal exactly when the Lord is coming back for His Bride, but Paul, under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, said something about the timeline of the events of the future.


Paul said, "Let no one deceive you by any means; for the Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, ...." (2 Thess. 2:3, 4, 6 - 8, NKJV, emphasis added).


Here are some statements of truth:


1. The Antichrist is known by many names - the man of sin, the son of perdition and the lawless one. The word 'Antichrist' simply means 'instead of Christ' rather than 'against Christ'.


2. "He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way" means the Holy Spirit (note the word 'He'). The true church is the temple of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit also lives in individual true believers. Therefore, when the Holy Spirit is taken out of the way, the true Church is also taken out of the way. This is the rapture of the true Church.


3. This is the timeline of future events - the falling away (the great apostasy); rapture of the true Church; the Antichrist will be revealed and then the Great Tribulation will follow immediately.


The above clearly says that the True Church will not go through the Great Tribulation.


The Second Coming of Jesus


It is important to understand that the rapture is not the Second Coming of Jesus. The Lord will not actually come back to rapture the true Church. He is going to meet the true believers "in the air" (1 Thess. 4:17).


The Second coming of Christ is for the judgment of Gentile nations during the final world war directed at Israel. And He will set up His Millennium Kingdom on earth. The will be discusse in my next message.