New Testament Timelines of the Future
A. Introduction:
1. A Bible timeline of the future is one that the New Testament itself defines. There is a difference between knowledge and inference. Knowledge is exactly what the Bible says and no more. By knowledge of prophecy, we know precisely what the future is. By inference, Christians infer from the Biblical narrative various schemes of the future. My thesis is that it is better to believe the actual words of the Bible than to deduce from them. The words of the Bible are knowledge. All the prophecies of the New Testament that have a chronology, end with the New Heavens and the New Earth or similar language.
2. There are five posts of prophecies which are not in this timeline post. Please find the timelines of The Olivet Discourse of Matthew 24-25, The Binding of Satan of Revelation 20:1-3, the Reign of the Saints of Revelation 20:4-6, Satan Cast into the Lake of Fire of Revelation 20:7-10, and The Judgment before the Great White Throne of Revelation 20:11-15 in separate posts in this blog
3. There are several Bible timelines of the Old Testament. When this blog is complete, they will be under the heading of The Seventy Weeks of Daniel. This is a work in progress, so, please be patient. If the Lord is willing, more posts follow this one.
4. None of these prophecies says that there will be the popular but fictitious timeline that says that there will be a rapture first; a tribulation second; the second coming of Christ third; a millennium fourth; another tribulation fifth; and a third coming of Christ sixth. Though I respect those who believe this as Christians, I do not endorse it as a true doctrine.
5. May God use this writing to help us all to put more emphasis upon what the Bible says than upon what we infer from the Scriptures. By this we will avoid mixing the distortions of human reasoning with the knowledge of God.
6. The following is what the Bible itself says:
TABULAR VIEW OF THE CHRONOLOGICAL PROPHECIES OF THE NEW TESTAMENT
|
Scripture |
Scriptures showing duration of the prophecies |
Fulfillment of the prophecies |
|
Matthew 13:40-43 |
As the weeds are collected and burned in the fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will weed out of His kingdom every cause of sin and all who practice lawlessness. 42And they will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. |
Simultaneous events There may be a far fulfillment of AD 70 when our Lord returns. End of the age Weeds burned in furnace. Weeping & gnashing of teeth for the weeds! Righteous shine in Kingdom of their Father |
|
Matthew 13:48-50 |
Then they sat down and sorted the good fish into containers, but threw the bad away. 49So will it be at the end of the age: The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous, 50and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. |
End of the Age (See above for far fulfillment) Righteous preserved. Wicked thrown into fiery furnace. |
|
John 5:28-29 |
Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice 29and come out—those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment |
Simultaneous hearing of Christ’s voice by saved & lost in grave. The Good rise to life. The Evil rise to judgment. |
|
1 Corinthians 15:23-28; 15:51-55 |
23“But each in his own turn: Christ the firstfruits; then at His coming, those who belong to Him.” 24Then the end will come, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father after He has destroyed all dominion, authority, and power. 25For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. 26The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27For “God has put everything under His feet.” Now when it says that everything has been put under Him, this clearly does not include the One who put everything under Him. 28And when all things have been subjected to Him, then the Son Himself will be made subject to Him who put all things under Him, so that God may be all in all.” |
Christ resurrects. Simultaneous events numbered 1-Saints rise when He comes. 2-Then the end comes (15:24). 3- Explanation: He reigns until He destroys all dominion & puts all enemies under His feet. 4- Last enemy destroyed is death. 5- Resurrection of saints (1 Corinthians 15:51-55) Progressive subjugation of all things during Church Age before the end. 6- Son subjected to Father when all things [that God planned] are subjugated to Him at the end. |
|
1 Corinthians 15:51-53 |
“Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53For the perishable must be clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.” |
Last Trumpet Bodily imperishable resurrection |
|
2 Peter 3:10-13 |
“But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and its works will be laid bare. 11Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to conduct yourselves in holiness and godliness 12as you anticipate and hasten the coming of the day of God when the heavens will be destroyed by fire and the elements will melt in the heat. 13But in keeping with God’s promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.” |
All simultaneous events Impending coming of Christ All works revealed. Heavens pass loudly. Everything destroyed. Fire destroys & melts elements. New Heavens & new earth Righteousness for saints dwells in new creation. |
|
2 Thessalonians 1:6-10 |
“After all, it is only right for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7and to grant relief to you who are oppressed and to us as well. This will take place when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels 8in blazing fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9They will suffer the penalty of eternal destruction, separated from the presence of the Lord and the glory of His might,10on the day He comes to be glorified in His saints and regarded with wonder by all who have believed, including you who have believed our testimony.” |
Simultaneous events Lord revealed. Christians rest. Christ glorified in His saints. Vengeance on His enemies. All occurs on the same day The day is “when” our Lord Jesus is revealed. It is “on the day He comes to be glorified in His saints” |
|
2 Thessalonians 2:3 |
“Let no one deceive you in any way, for it will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness—the son of destruction—is revealed. He will oppose and exalt himself above every so-called god or object of worship. So, he will seat himself in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. 5Do you not remember that I told you these things while I was still with you? 6And you know what is now restraining him, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. 7For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, but the one who now restrains it will continue until he is taken out of the way. 8And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the breath of His mouth and annihilate by the majesty of His arrival. 9The coming of the lawless one will be accompanied by the working of Satan, with every kind of power, sign, and false wonder. |
Rebellion occurs Man of lawlessness revealed & proclaims himself to be God. Man of lawlessness restrained now but revealed at the proper time. Lord Jesus will slay him with the breath of His mouth. |
|
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 |
‘Brothers, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who are without hope. 14For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, we also believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.” “15By the word of the Lord, we declare to you that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will be the first to rise. 17After that, we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord.” |
Our Lord descends. The dead in Christ rise first. Living Christians raptured. We will be with the Lord forever. |
|
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 |
Please see separate post under 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:1-11 |
|
|
Romans 8:19-23 |
“The creation waits in eager expectation for the revelation of the sons of God. 20For the creation was subjected to futility, not by its own will, but because of the One who subjected it, in hope 21that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. 22We know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until the present time. 23Not only that, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.” |
1) creation anticipates God’s sons’ unveiling (8:19-20) 2)God will give to Creation the freedom of His sons. Creation will be free like God’s sons will be free (8:21) 3) Creation is in labor until now (8:22). 4) Christians groan with Creation, awaiting the redemption of our bodies (8:23) |
|
Matthew 24:30-31 |
“At that time, the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. 31And He will send out 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” Note: Matthew 24-25 is a lengthy prophecy of the future. So, please see it in a separate post. |
We see sign of the Son of Man coming on clouds of Heaven w/ power & great glory. Angels gather elect from one end of heavens to the other. Note: For the detailed chronology of Matthew 24-25 please see a separate post on this blog. |
|
Revelation 12:1-17 |
Summary only below: Please see detailed explanation of Revelation on a separate post. Woman’s Birth Pangs Angelic Revolt; Virgin Birth; Attempted Murder of Messiah; God protects the Woman; War in Heaven; Satan hurled down; Kingdom Begins in Power; Victory by Lamb’s Blood; Woman persecuted. Note: Please see the details of this text in a separate post. |
Herod plots murder. Our Lord ascends to His throne. Satan hurled down. Kingdom begins in power. Persecution of the righteous ones. Victory by Lamb’s blood. |
|
Revelation 20:1-15 |
Summary only: Satan bound 1000 years; Impotent to deceive the Gentiles. Saints beheaded; then they live & rule on thrones in Heaven; First resurrection occurs spiritually; Saints come to life at death & share in 1st resurrection |
Note: For detailed chronology see my previous blog titles: “The Binding of Satan” and “The Rule of the Saints” |
B. 1 Corinthians 15:23-28 says, “But each in his own turn: Christ the firstfruits; then at His coming, those who belong to Him. 24Then the end will come, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father after He has destroyed all dominion, authority, and power. 25For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. 26The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27For “God has put everything under His feet.” Now when it says that everything has been put under Him, this clearly does not include the One who put everything under Him. 28And when all things have been subjected to Him, then the Son Himself will be made subject to Him who put all things under Him, so that God may be all in all.”
1. Observe that this is a chronological Scripture. A chronological Scripture is one in which the text itself reveals the progression of time.
2. In other words, you do not have to import verses from all over the Bible to prove that 1 Corinthians 15:23-28 is a detailed prophecy of the future. You can believe what it says, as it is.
3. In First Corinthians 15:23-28 there are time words and phrases. These time words and phrases are:
a. “each in his own turn” appears in 15:23.
b. “Firstfruits” is the first Person to resurrect from the dead with a spiritual body, who is our Lord Jesus Christ. The chronology is about the persons who rise from the dead first, second, third, et cetera.
c. “Then” is the next chronological word. God uses it 3 times in the text. Here they are:
1) “then” at His coming, those who belong to Him.” So, Christ resurrects first. After He resurrects “then” at His coming, those who belong to Him resurrect (1 Corinthians 15:23).
2) “Then the end will come” (15:24). So, the first two uses of “then” give us the following: Christ resurrects, then, those who belong to Him resurrect, then the end will come. (Notice that He only has one second coming. The word “coming” is singular).
3) “then” the Son himself will be made subject to His Father (15:28). So now we have: Christ resurrects; then His people resurrect; then the end will come; then the Son will be made subject to His Father.
TABULAR VIEW OF CHRONOLOGICAL WORDS OR PHRASES IN 1 CORINTHIANS 15:23-28
|
Chronological word or phrase |
Verse in which the chronological word or phrase appears. |
|
“Each in turn” |
“But each in turn:” Christ, the firstfruits; then when he comes, those who belong to him. (1 Corinthians 15:23). |
|
Christ the Firstfruits |
Our Lord took the first turn. Our resurrections depend on His resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:23 |
|
“Then” |
“’Then” at His coming’ those who belong to Him” (1 Corinthians 15:24). |
|
“Then” the end will come (1 Corinthians 15:24). |
|
|
“Then the Son Himself will be subject to His Father (1 Corinthians 15:28). |
|
|
“When”[1] |
“the end will come, “when” he hands over the kingdom to God the Father” 1 Corinthians 15:24). |
|
“When” all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to [God the Father] (1 Corinthians 15:28). |
|
|
Until |
“For He must reign “until” He has put all His enemies under His feet” 1 Corinthians 15:25). |
|
The last enemy |
“The last enemy” to be destroyed is death” (1 Corinthians 15:26). |
[1] There is a third “when” in this text but it is not a chronological “when.” It is an explanatory “when,” 1 Corinthians 15:27 says, “Now “when” it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ.”
d. In First Corinthians 15:23-28, the Holy Spirit uses the word “when” three times. Here they are:
1) “the end will come when He hands over the Kingdom to God the Father”
2) “when” all things have been subjected to Him, then the Son Himself will be made subject to Him” (1 Corinthians 15:28)
3) “when it says that everything has been put under Him, this clearly does not include the One who put everything under Him” This last “when” is an explanatory “when,” not a chronological one. God uses it this time to define the things He puts under Christ. The point is that God the Father is never under His Only Begotten Son.
e. Another chronological phrase in 1 Corinthians 15:23-28 is “The last enemy.” The last enemy God will destroy is death.
f. From this study we now know that the chronology of the resurrections is:
1) Christ the first fruits resurrects (1 Corinthians 15:23)
2) Then all who belong to Him resurrect (1 Corinthians 15:24)
3) The last enemy Jesus Christ destroys is death (1 Corinthians 15:26)
4) Then the end will come (1 Corinthians 15:24)
5) Then the Son Himself will be made subject to His Father (1 Corinthians 15:28)
6) When He hands the kingdom over to His Father (1 Corinthians 15:25
7) When all things have been subjected to Him, then the Son Himself will be made subject to Him who put all things under Him (1 Corinthians 15:28).
TABULAR VIEW OF THE BIBLICAL CHRONOLOGY OF THE FUTURE FROM 1 CORINTHIANS 15:23-28
|
First |
Second |
Third |
Fourth |
Fifth |
Sixth |
Seventh |
|
Christ the firstfruits resurrects 15:23 |
Then all who belong to Him resurrect 15:24 |
The last enemy destroyed is death 15:26 |
Then the end will come 15:24 |
Then the Son will be made subject to His Father 15:28 |
He hands over the kingdom to His Father 15:24 |
All things put under God His Father 15:28 |
g. This Scripture also uses the word “until” as follows: “25For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The word “until” is the duration of the reign of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:25).
1) Christ is reigning from the time He resurrects, ascends, and sits at His Father’s right hand.
2) What Christ is doing in His kingdom is putting all enemies under His feet.
3) The last enemy that He puts under His feet is death when He raises His people. By resurrecting them He puts death under His feet.
4) And He is reigning “until” “He hands the kingdom over to His Father.” All kingdoms have a king. And Christ’s kingdom becomes His Father’s kingdom.
5) Conclude from this that our Lord Christ begins His reign in His Kingdom when He resurrects. He finishes His reign when He hands His kingdom back over to His Father.
h. Now we have constructed a timeline from Scripture. Here is our product.
TABULAR VIEW OF THE TIMELINE OF RESURRECTIONS IN 1 CORINTHIANS 15:23-28
|
First |
Second |
Third |
Fourth |
Fifth |
Sixth |
|
Christ resurrects 15:23 |
All Christ’s people resurrect from the dead 15:24 |
The last enemy He destroys is death[2] 15:26 |
The end comes 15:24 |
The Son is subject to His Father 15:28 |
When He hands the kingdom over to His Father 15:25 |
[2] This is the destruction of man’s mortal body and his soul, spirit, heart, and all that is in man’s natural being. God destroys It is also, at the same time, the destruction of the universe. God eradicates the old creation by replacing it with a new creation. The same occurs when God begets a Christian in the new birth. God gives life to the dead faculties.
i. Many popular timeline charts that are on the internet are vastly different from this one, which is Paul’s timeline. An online search of “Bible Prophecy Timelines” brings up the following:
j. So, the question is: Is Paul correct? Here are some considerations:
4. Paul seems to know of only one resurrection for the saints. It is a harvest resurrection when our Lord returns (1 Corinthians 15:51-53; Compare 1 Corinthians 15:23).[3] There is the firstfruits harvest 15:23; Then there is the main harvest 15:51-53.
5. 1 Corinthians 15:51-53 says, “Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53For the perishable must be clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.”
a. Here Paul tells us some of the details to expect when our Lord comes again.
b. It will occur in an instant, the twinkling of an eye. So, our Lord squeezes the destruction of the old creation, the change of our bodies, the resurrection of all the saved, the resurrection of all the unsaved, the creation of new heavens and new earth, the destruction of death, all in a microsecond. It requires a burst of x-band radio frequency energy 12:35 microseconds to travel one mile, and then bounce back to its source. But all these events need only an instant.
c. There will be the sudden sound of the last trumpet. It is the last trumpet because the world will not exist after this.
d. God will resurrect the dead bodies of Christians into imperishable bodies. That is the change of which He speaks.
e. God will change the bodies of living Christians into immortal ones.
f. This event is part of the context of 1 Corinthians 15, which contains an airtight chronological explanation of the future.
g. This explains the following from the preceding context:
1) “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22).
2) “But each in his own turn: Christ the firstfruits; then at His coming, those who belong to Him(1 Corinthians 15:23).
3) “After He has destroyed all dominion, authority, and power” (1 Corinthians 15:24).
4) “He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet” (1 Corinthians 15:25).
5) “The last enemy to be destroyed is death” (1 Corinthians 15:26).
6) “For “God has put everything under His feet” (1 Corinthians 15:27).
a) Note that God has already put death under His feet. But the death of the body has not yet been put under His feet. Our Lord uses regeneration and resurrection to put death under His feet.
b) Peter included this truth in His sermon on Pentecost, saying, “For David did not ascend into heaven, but he himself says: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand 35until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.” (Acts 2:34; Psalm 110:1).
c) Thus, subduing His enemies under Christ is what God is doing from the time of Pentecost on. Death is one of those enemies. God is subduing death by giving life to those who were once dead in sin.
7) “And when all things [including death] have been subjected to Him, then the Son Himself will be made subject to Him who put all things under Him, so that God may be all in all.”
a) The conclusion of all things is the destruction of death.
b) The timing of the destruction of death is the resurrection of Christians.
d) 1 Corinthians 15:51 says, “we will all be changed” The “we” of the context is the Church, not a group at the end of a millennium.
e) 1 Corinthians 15:52 says, “the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed”
f) 1 Corinthians 15:53 says, “the perishable must be clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality”
g) Note: Once our Lord Christ has destroyed sin and death, He has completed the mission that His Father gave to him.
6. Paul writes an airtight chronological text. See the studies of “firstfruits,” “when’s,” and “end.”
7. There is no room to insert a millennium after Christ comes because He delivers the kingdom to His Father then.
8. Everything in this prophecy links together with time words.
9. Paul was not at all behind the other Apostles. Galatians 2:6 says, “But as for the highly esteemed—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism—those leaders added nothing to me.”
10. And even if the other Apostles knew prophecy that Paul did not know, they never tell us. Of course, they would divulge such an important matter. As Apostles, their chief interest is truth.
C. Second Peter 3:10-13 says: “But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and its works will be laid bare. 11Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to conduct yourselves in holiness and godliness 12as you anticipate and hasten the coming of the day of God, when the heavens will be destroyed by fire and the elements will melt in the heat. 13But in keeping with God’s promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.”
1. The timeline of this impending coming of Christ as related by Peter is as follows:
TABULAR VIEW OF THE CHRONOLOGY OF 2 PETER 3:10-13
|
First |
Second |
Third |
Fourth |
Fifth |
Sixth |
Seventh |
|
Christ comes unexpectedly like a thief 3:10 |
God reveals all works right then 3:10 |
Heavens pass away loudly 3:10 |
Everything destroyed. 3:11 |
Fire destroys & melts elements 3:10-11 |
New Heaven & New Earth 3:11 |
Righteousness dwells in new creation 3:13 |
2. So far, Paul and Peter agree with each other.
3. The Apostle John lives a long life and in his plain writings he says the following:
a. “Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice 29and come out—those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment” (John 5:28-29). Notice that John presents one resurrection that includes both the resurrections of the saved and of the lost. And John tells us that these occur at the same time.
b. “…We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2).
c. Another prophecy from John is:
d. “Children, it is the last hour; and just as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. This is how we know it is the last hour” (1 John 2:18). John believed he was already in the last hour, or the tribulation that precedes the coming of Christ.
e. For the chronology of Revelation 20:1-10 please see “The Binding of Satan” and “The Reign of the Saints” blogs under “Prophecy.”
f. So, now we know that Paul, Peter, and John agree with each other on the timeline of the future.
4. James simply says, “You, too, be patient and strengthen your hearts, because the Lord’s coming is near.” (James 5:8). James agrees with Paul, Peter, and John.
5. Jude says, “Behold, the Lord is coming with myriads of His holy ones 15to execute judgment on everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of every ungodly act of wickedness and every harsh word spoken against Him by ungodly sinners” (Jude 1:14). Neither does Jude disagree with Paul, Peter, and John.
6. Luke, quoting Peter’s sermon on Pentecost says, “Exalted, then, to the right hand of God, He has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34For David did not ascend into heaven, but he himself says: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.’ 36Therefore let all Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ!” (At Pentecost God installed our Lord Jesus as Messiah. “Messiah” means that God installed our Lord as Prophet, High Priest, and King).
7. Luke also quotes, “Heaven must take Him in until the time comes for the restoration of all things, which God announced long ago through His holy prophets.” (Acts 3:26). Note that this restoration of all things includes mortal things changed into the immortal. This means the destruction of death and the natural creation.
8. Conclude that no writer of the New Testament would recognize the dispensational timelines of today. This brings current popular timelines into serious question. The New Testament clarifies our beliefs.
9. The following are more timelines from Paul.
D. 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10 says, “After all, it is only right for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7and to grant relief to you who are oppressed and to us as well. This will take place when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels 8in blazing fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9They will suffer the penalty of eternal destruction, separated from the presence of the Lord and the glory of His might, 10on the day He comes to be glorified in His saints and regarded with wonder by all who have believed, including you who have believed our testimony.
1. From the text we learn that God will do two righteous things:
a. He will afflict those who are afflicting the Thessalonians (2 Thessalonians 1:6).
b. He will grant relief to the oppressed Thessalonian Christians (2 Thessalonians 1:7).
2. Both events will occur on the same day.
3. That day is “on the day He comes to be glorified in His saints and regarded with wonder by all who have believed, including you who have believed our testimony (2 Thessalonians 1:10).
4. God will avenge the saints [Christians] on the same day that the Lord returns.
a. God will inflict “vengeance on those who do not know God and who do not obey our Lord Jesus” (2 Thessalonians 1:8). The afflicters will suffer the penalty of eternal destruction, separated from the presence of the Lord and the glory of His might.
b. The time of this vengeance is “on the day He comes to be glorified in His saints” and regarded with wonder by all who have believed (2 Thessalonians 1:10). There is only one second coming of Christ in Scripture.
1) 2 Thessalonians 1:6 says, “it is only right for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you”
2) 2 Thessalonians 1:7 says, “This will take place when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels”
3) 2 Thessalonians 1:10 says, “on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed.”
4) So, on the same day that our Lord comes to be glorified in His holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed, God will afflict those who afflict the Thessalonians Christians.
c. The objects of this vengeance are:
1) 2 Thessalonians 1:8 says, “He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus”
2) 2 Thessalonians 1:9 says, “They will suffer the penalty of eternal destruction, separated from the presence of the Lord and the glory of His might “
5. The simultaneous events of the timeline of the last and final day according to 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10 are:
|
First |
Second |
Third |
Fourth |
Summary |
|
Our Lord revealed 1:6 |
Christians rest 1:7
|
Christ glorified in His saints 1:10 |
Christ takes vengeance on His enemies. 1:6, 8-9 |
It all occurs on the same day 1:10 |
E. Romans 8:19-23 teaches that God will resurrect the body while He removes the curse from creation. Romans 8:19-23 says, “The creation waits in eager expectation for the revelation of the sons of God. 20For the creation was subjected to futility, not by its own will, but because of the One who subjected it, in hope 21that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. 22We know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until the present time. 23Not only that, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.”
1. Romans 8:19 says, The creation waits in eager expectation for the revelation of the sons of God.”
a. Here we have the physical creation personified and eagerly waiting for God to reveal His sons.
b. God will reveal the ultimate nature of His sons when He changes our bodies to be like those of Christ resurrected (1 John 3:2).
c. The creation is eagerly waiting for the removal of the curse.
d. The human body, soul, spirit, mind, and heart of the sons of God is that part of the sons of God that still has portions of the unchanged old creation in them.
2. Romans 8:20 says, “For the creation was subjected to futility,[4], not by its own will, but because of the One who subjected it, in hope”
a. God subjected the creation to futility. That is, He cursed creation, allowing it to decay and have thorns, which are aberrations. The record of this is in Genesis 3:17-19 as follows:
b. “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat, cursed is the ground because of you; through toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. 18Both thorns and thistles it will yield for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.19By the sweat of your brow you will eat your bread, until you return to the ground— because out of it were you taken. For dust you are, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:17-19).
c. God cursed everything in the natural creation including man’s physical body, his rational soul, and his human spirit.
d. When God cursed the ground, He also cursed the dust of the ground. And He cursed the human body also since He made it out of dust. Several verses say that we are dust (See Genesis 3:19).
e. Creation did not choose this curse. It was part of God cursing everything that Adam possessed.
f. The curse included futility, which means that God even cursed man’s mental, spiritual, and moral faculties.
3. Romans 8:21 says, “that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.”
a. The glorious freedom of the children of God is the removal of the curse from the believer’s body. This occurs when the Lord Jesus resurrects the saints.
b. Setting the creation free from slavery to decay is like the resurrection of nature.
c. Our mortal bodies are part of the natural creation, Our bodies and creation received the same curse at the same time. God linked them together by cursing them together.
d. God will free the natural creation and mankind’s natural bodies at the same time.
4. Romans 8:22 says, “For we know that the whole creation groans together and travails together until now.”
a. Natural creation groans. God personifies it and presents it as longing to have the curse removed.
b. The groanings of natural creation, and of the Christian who now possesses a cursed body, occur together.
c. Both long for the day in which God will remove His curse completely.
d. God removes His curse from our souls when He regenerates us.
e. He will remove His curse from our bodies when He resurrects us. He will remove it from our body and from creation all at one time. Our Lord will return and remove His curse.
5. Romans 8:23 says, “Not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.”
a. The picture here is that of a woman with child just prior to birth.
b. Creation, which includes mortal man is groaning in the pains of childbirth. There is a longing for the pain of this world to be over and for God to reveal His sons in their glory. The old creation is about to give birth to the new creation.”
c. So, Romans 8:19-23 teaches that the coming of Christ, the rapture, the resurrection of the saints, and the removal of the curse on nature all occur simultaneously.
d. Removing the curse from nature is the same event as the creating of the new heavens and the new earth.
e. So, God cursed creation and the bodies of Adam and Eve together. Creation and humans became mortal together. Both creation and the Christian anticipate freedom from the curse together.
f. Resurrection of the bodies of Christians and creation of the new Heavens and the new earth are simultaneous. Immortality and the new heavens and new earth along with the bodies of Christians occur together at the same time.
g. Christians’ cursed bodies are part of the curse of creation. There is only one removal of the curse of creation. That is at the coming of Christ.
TABULAR VIEW OF THE SIMULTANEOUS EVENTS OF ROMANS 8:19-23
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First |
Second |
Third |
Fourth |
Fifth |
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The second coming of Christ 8:23 |
The rapture of the saints 8:19 |
The resurrection of the saints 8:23 |
The removal of the curse from nature 1:21 |
Creation of new heavens and a new earth 8:23 |
TABULAR VIEW OF OUR MORTAL BODY AND THE MORTAL CREATION
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All that God created eagerly anticipates the unveiling of the sons of God” (all except unbelievers). |
Romans 8:19 “The creation waits in eager expectation for the revelation of the sons of God.” |
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God cursed both His creation and Adam at the same time. Creation awaits God to reveal the unveiled substance of His new creations. God will remove the curse from both at the same time. |
Romans 8:20 says, “The creation waits in eager expectation for the revelation of the sons of God.” |
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The Christian’s body is part of the old creation. God will free creation from slavery to decay when He frees the Christian’s body from decay. Freedom of the creation is the freedom of the Christian. |
Romans 8:21 says, “that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. |
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God cursed the whole creation including Adam’s body. And the groaning of creation is the groaning of the Christian with a mortal body. |
Romans 8:22 says, “We know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until the present time” |
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God removes the curse from the Christian’s body and at the same time as He removes the curse from the natural creation. |
Romans 8:23 says, “Not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. |
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The time that God removes the curse from the Christian’s mortal body and from the old creation is simultaneous with the resurrection of all the bodies of all Christians. |
Summary of Romans 8:19-23 1) creation anticipates God’s sons’ unveiling (8:19-20) 2) God will give to Creation the freedom of His sons, which is new bodies (8:21). So, Creation receives a spiritual body also. Maybe God will make our new bodies and the new heavens & new earth out of of spiritual dust. 3) Creation is in labor until now (8:22). 4) Christians groan with Creation, waiting for the redemption of our bodies (8:23) |
6. How the new creation of our material nature became separated in time from the new creation of our souls:
a. Isaiah 65:17 says, “For behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth.” This is the main prophecy of the new heavens and the new earth.
b. God is fulfilling this prophecy in three stages.
1) First, He is giving a new nature to His children through the new birth and union with Christ. The new birth gives us the powers of the world to come[5] without giving us the body of the world to come.
2) Second, He is conforming us to the image of Christ[6] as we live as Christians. He is conforming our immaterial nature but not our body. Our body awaits immortality which Christ will give when He comes (1 Corinthians 15:53).
3) Third, He will change our bodies into the likeness of Christ’s glorious body.
4) So, since God saved only our soul and not our body also, when He first saved us, He will save our body and finish saving our soul when He saves creation. If He had not done it like this, He would have changed our bodies to be like Christ’s resurrection body the moment we believed.
5) Had He done all the saving at once, we would have become morally, spiritually, and physically perfect all at once.
F. Observations
1. We can conclude what the Bible says about a timeline of the future. Our Lord will return, raise the dead saints’ bodies, change our bodies into spiritual bodies, raise all unbelievers from the dead, catch us up to meet Him in the air.
2. And, if we are now in the time of the end, as we may be, we must be very certain that we base prophecy on Scripture. It is the only durable foundation for stormy times.
3. Apostles are the highest ranking of all the gifts of the Spirit. If only one Apostle gives us a timeline, we must believe it. But every Apostle who writes on the subject gives us the same timeline. And God inspired their writings into Scripture. 1 Corinthians 15:28 says, “28And when all things have been subjected to Him, then the Son Himself will be made subject to Him who put all things under Him, so that God may be all in all.” 1 Corinthians 15:53 says, “53For the perishable must be clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.”
4. The conclusion of all things is the destruction of death. The timing of the final destruction of death is the resurrection of us Christians. God will raise the dead to be imperishable. The glorified body is part of the new creation. God gives both at the same time because they are of the same substance.
5. 1 Peter 3:13 says, “But in keeping with God’s promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.”
6. Romans 8:20-21 says, “20For the creation was subjected to futility, not by its own will, but because of the One who subjected it, in hope 21that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.” The new body is part of the new creation. God gives them both at the same time.
7. 2 Thessalonians 1:10 says, “On the day He comes to be glorified in His saints and regarded with wonder by all who have believed, including you who have believed our testimony.”
8. Matthew 13:43 says, “43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” The righteous people cannot shine to the utmost without a glorified body.
9. This agrees with the prophecy of the seventy sevens of Daniel also. Daniel’s prophecy is that at the end of the seventy sevens God will make an end of sin. And from the New Testament we know that God will make an end of sin when He destroys the old creation and creates the new one. 2 Peter 3:13 says, “But in keeping with God’s promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.”
10. Daniel 9:24 says, “Seventy weeks are decreed for your people and your holy city to stop their transgression, to put an end to sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness . . .”
11. So, the Apostles not only agree with each other, but they also endorse the writings of the prophet Daniel. Please bookmark this blog. If our Lord is willing we will write an entire blog on the Seventy Sevens of Daniel.
NOTES
[3] Notice that 1 Corinthians 15:23 presents only one resurrectin for all the saints. And that resurrection is a harvest. Christ is the first fruits harvest and the saints are the main harvest. 1 Corinthians 15:23 says, “But each in his own turn: Christ the firstfruits; then at His coming, those who belong to Him.” There are not three main harvests.
[4] The root idea of futility is emptiness. It means to be void of purpose, usefulness, importance, meaning, useful result. It has the same meaning as in Ecclesiastes 1:2 “Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, Vanity of vanities, all is vanity” ESV Futility begins with God’s curse upon creation and ends with His new creation. Hence, we have the inability of man to speak the ultimate truth while he is in his natural state. Everything that God cursed is vain.
[5] Hebrews 6:5 says, “who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age—"
[6] Romans 8:28-30 says, “And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. 29For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.”
