5 Things You Are Getting Wrong about the End Times
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The End Times has been a popular subject for decades. Anytime conversations around eschatology start, most people become interested in what is being said. Most of us want to learn more about the End Times and what God says about them. The good news is that God has left us with much information about the End Times, detailing the beginning events to the very end.
As believers, it is important for us to be equipped with a firm view of eschatology, because it will help us disciple others, grow in our own relationship with the Father, and be a more faithful follower of Jesus. Since we know that God is in control of all things – even the End Times – it can help us to better stay focused on Him even amidst the storms of life. We are not ignorant of the End Times because the Bible tells us everything we need to know.
By being knowledgeable about the End Times, we will know how to recognize and respond to false information about the End Times. If a person is not knowledgeable about the End Times, they will only cause others to also be confused, not to mention that having false beliefs about the End Times can impair your relationship with God. If an individual believes a lie about the End Times, it could cause them to question other aspects of the Bible.
This is why it is important to know about the End Times and to be equipped if anyone tries to make false statements. Within the Christian community, as well as in the secular world, there are many false beliefs surrounding the End Times. If you are not already aware of the End Times, now is a great time to start learning about these future eschatological events. In addition to knowing the facts about eschatology, it is also important to know the false beliefs in order to reject them.
Here are five false beliefs about the End Times.
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1. The Rapture Is Precipitated by Human Effort
The first event of eschatology is the rapture of the church. This is when believers will be taken up to be with Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) right before the tribulation, so they do not have to endure the painful and terrible seven-year tribulation. During this time, the Lord will be trying to bring His chosen people back to Himself. Therefore, there is no purpose to the body of believers being present at the time of the tribulation.
It is worthwhile to remember that the rapture is not caused by anything that we do. We cannot speed up the timing of the rapture and we cannot slow it down. God already has the time and day planned out when He will take believers up to be with Him.
Many people believe the idea that we as humans can somehow do something to make the rapture happen. This is not true. The rapture will happen in accordance with God’s will and all we can do is to patiently wait for it. It might happen during our lifetime, but it might not. Just because things are hard right now does not mean that the rapture will happen. Instead, the rapture will happen just when God plans it to.
We can trust in God’s timing and know that this beautiful event is the fate for all of us as believers.
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2. The Tribulation Is Orchestrated by the Devil
A second false belief about the End Times is that the tribulation is orchestrated by the devil. This could not be further from the truth because the tribulation is actually orchestrated by God. God is the one who carries out the judgments on the earth and his angels pour out wrath upon His request. It’s important we never forget this, because the devil does not have this kind of power. Only God Himself has the power to bring judgment upon the entire earth.
When we look at the book of Revelation, we can see that it is always God pronouncing the curses and judgments. Never is Satan credited with doing any of these things. While it is true that Satan does have a role to play within the tribulation, he does not have control over the tribulation itself. God has all of the control and we can trust Him. As believers, we will not take part in this event, and we can have peace knowing that God has saved us from having to undergo this terrible event.
Satan, the antichrist, and the false prophet will meet their end in the lake of fire. Even though they rule as a false Trinity for a period of time during the tribulation, their reign will end when Jesus returns at the Battle of Armageddon. It is then that He will destroy the antichrist and the false prophet. Satan will be locked in a cage for one thousand years and then be released to test the nations during the Millenial Reign of Christ (Revelation 20:1-10). After this, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10).
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3. We Are Already Living Out the Millennial Reign of Christ
A third false belief about the End Times is that we are already living out the Millennial Reign of Christ. As a professor of mine once said, “If this is the Millennial Reign of Christ, I feel cheated!” The Millennial Reign of Christ will be a beautiful part of the End Times where we will be walking the earth with Jesus.
Contact with Jesus will not be limited to only prayer anymore. Instead, we will be able to talk to Jesus face to face. As it is, none of us are talking face to face with Jesus because He is not presently walking the earth. This is why it is important to know that we are not already living out the Millennial Reign of Christ. This eschatological event will not occur until after the tribulation.
Individuals who become believers during the tribulation will enter the Millennial Reign alive and will grow very old before they die. This would tell us that living believers who survive the tribulation will be able to have children during the Millennial Reign, at which point their children will also have to place faith in Jesus. Despite being able to walk and talk with Jesus, there will still be many individuals who will choose to not follow Jesus.
When Satan is released after the thousand year reign of Christ, he will test the nations. Many will follow after Satan instead of Christ. As present day believers, we will be present at the time of the Millennial Reign, therefore, it will be important that we talk about Jesus and the Gospel with those who are born during this time period. Despite being born into the Millennial Reign of Christ, they are not guaranteed salvation because just like everyone else, they have to freely choose to place faith in Jesus.
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4. There Is No Life after Death
The very events of the End Times attest to life after death. At the moment of the rapture, our earthly bodies are transformed into our glorified bodies (1 Corinthians 15:50-54). For those who had passed away prior to the rapture, they will be resurrected and their heavenly bodies will be changed into their glorified bodies. As Paul says, “Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed — in a flash, 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. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality” (1 Corinthians 15:51-53).
That aside, there is still the truth that the literal thousand year reign of Christ and the establishment of the New Heaven and New Earth will not occur until after we pass away. There are beautiful promises about life after death in the Bible, which is why nobody can say that there is no life after death. In other words, there is life after the End Times. The End Times constitutes the end of this present earth and heaven, but we are looking forward to a better future (2 Peter 3:13).
The New Heaven and New Earth will be established by God after the Great White Throne Judgment. The establishment of the New Heaven and New Earth will be a beautiful thing. There will be no more crying, pain, or death (Revelation 21:4). Many people believe the End Times is scary, and some parts are, but the end of all things will be realized in the beauty and splendor of the New Heaven and New Earth.
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5. There Are No Further Judgments
A fifth false belief about the End Times is that there are no further judgments. This is not true as there will be many judgments during the End Times. The different judgments include the separation of the sheep and the goats, the Great White Throne Judgment, and judgement at the Bema Seat of Christ. The separation of the sheep and the goats happens at the time of Jesus’ return at the end of the tribulation (Matthew 25:31-46). This judgment separates the Gentile believers from the Gentile unbelievers.
Another judgment is the Great White Throne Judgment, which is when unbelievers will each be punished based on their sins (Revelation 20:11-15). This will occur after the thousand year reign of Christ and it will be a terrible sight to behold. As believers, we do not have to undergo this judgment as we would have already undergone the Bema Seat of Christ. This is not a judgment of salvation, but rather a judgment of the things that you did during your life for Christ (Romans 14:10-12).
The judgement at the Bema Seat of Christ happens after the rapture of the church, during the time span of the tribulation. There, believers will stand before the Lord and give an account of their lives on earth. They will receive rewards based on the work that they did for the Kingdom. This is why it is important that we live for Christ now, so that we won’t be ashamed on the day of judgment. Before this throne of judgement, it is not our salvation that is not up for debate, but the things that we did or didn’t do for Christ.
The End Times can be a confusing topic to study, and there are plenty of false beliefs out there. But taking some time to study Scripture and ask God for wisdom will help us to know the truth and be prepared for whatever comes.
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