Chapter 15

‘The Last Things’

Sections

1. Jesus Christ’s Return and the Judgment
   1. Prologue: Judgments Preceding Jesus Christ’s Return
      • Extracts from the first series of judgments: The seven seals
      • Extracts from the second series of judgments: The seven trumpets
      • Extracts from the third series of judgments: The seven bowls
   2. The Timing of Jesus Christ’s Return
      • God has set a time for Jesus Christ’s return
      • Jesus Christ’s return will be at an unexpected time, while people are living as usual
      • Jesus Christ’s return will be preceded by distressful events
      • Awesome cosmic events will occur just prior to Jesus Christ’s return
      • Jesus Christ’s return is spoken of as being imminent
   3. Jesus Christ’s Return
      • Jesus Christ will return with his angels
      • Jesus Christ will come in great glory
      • Believers who have died will be resurrected and all of them will be gathered to him
      • On Jesus Christ’s return his followers will be rewarded
      • On Jesus Christ’s return evil powers will be crushed
   4. The Final Judgment (I): Its Scope and Outcomes
      • God will judge every person, for all they have done
      • The dead will rise . . .
      • . . . They will rise to be judged, and either rewarded with eternal life or be condemned
      • Eternal life will be the reward for godliness
      • God’s wrath and destruction will be the recompense for ungodliness
   5. The Final Judgment (II): The Process
      • God has appointed Jesus Christ judge and will judge all people through him
      • On his return, Jesus Christ will judge and reward all people according to what they have done
      • Those who have believed in Jesus Christ will be saved and have eternal life
      • Those who have rejected Jesus Christ – persisting in doing evil – will be condemned
      • What people have known will be taken into account
   6. Jesus Christ’s Universal Rule
      • Prelude: The thousand years
      • God will establish the Messiah as ruler over all
      • The Messiah will have a universal reign of righteousness and peace
      • All nations will turn to God
      • All nations will worship God
      • All people will acknowledge and submit to Jesus Christ
      • God’s people will reign with Jesus Christ

2. The Afterlife
   1. The New Creation
      • The present heavens and earth will pass away . . .
      • . . . The devastation of the heavens and earth in association with God’s judgment of the wicked
      • God will create new heavens and a new earth
      • God will renew all things
      • God’s people will live in the new Jerusalem
      • Note: The new Jerusalem is linked with the renewed Jerusalem prophesied in the OT
   2. Eternal Life
      • As God raised Jesus Christ from the dead, God will also raise his people
      • On Jesus Christ’s return, their bodies will be made imperishable, glorious and spiritual – like Christ
      • God’s people will be given eternal life
      • Eternal life transcends physical death and precludes eternal spiritual death . . .
      • . . . There will be no more death for God’s people
      • God’s people will have the right to the tree of life and the water of life
      • God’s people will have accompanying eternal blessings
   3. The Heavenly State of God’s People
      • God’s people will enter the kingdom of God . . .
      • . . . and they will inherit the kingdom
      • God’s people will be in heaven . . .
      • . . . Heaven is where their reward is kept
      • God’s people will be made perfect
      • God’s people will have glory
      • God’s people will have great joy . . .
      • . . . There will be no more sorrow
      • Note: The salvation and redemption of God’s people will be fully realized
   4. Being with God
      • God will dwell with his people
      • God’s people will see God
      • God’s people will be with Jesus Christ
      • God’s people will have God’s and Jesus Christ’s names written on them
      • God’s people will share in God’s and Jesus Christ’s glory
      • God’s people will praise God . . .
      • . . . and God’s people will serve God
   5. The Punishment for the Ungodly
      • The ungodly face God’s wrath . . .
      • . . . The ungodly face destruction
      • The ungodly will be separated from God and Jesus Christ – shut out from the holy city
      • The ungodly will be thrown into fire
      • There will be darkness and torment
      • The punishment is eternal
      • Note: There will be varying degrees of punishment

 ➜Major headings in: 15. ‘The Last Things’ (and all of Unit C)

Pray for persecuted Christians