What does it mean that heaven and earth will pass away?
The Bible consistently warns us that this world will not last forever. “Heaven and earth will pass away,” Jesus said in Matthew 24:35. His statement was in the context of end times’ prophecies and the eternal nature of Jesus’ words: “My words will never pass away.” This means that trusting Jesus is wiser than trusting…
What will happen to my pets after the rapture?
In the pretribulational understanding of the rapture, believers will be taken to heaven prior to the onset of the seven-year tribulation on earth. All earthly possessions, including family pets, will be left behind. This causes many people to wonder what will happen to their pets at that time. If they and their entire family are…
What is the Great Tribulation?
The Tribulation is a future time period when the Lord will accomplish at least two aspects of His plan: 1) He will complete His discipline of the nation Israel (Daniel 9:24), and 2) He will judge the unbelieving, godless inhabitants of the earth (Revelation 6 – 18). The length of the Tribulation is seven years.…
What is the difference between the Rapture and the Second Coming?
The rapture and the second coming of Christ are often confused. Sometimes it is difficult to determine whether a scripture verse is referring to the rapture or the second coming. However, in studying end-times Bible prophecy, it is very important to differentiate between the two. The rapture is when Jesus Christ returns to remove the…
What is millennialism?
Millennialism is the belief in a literal reign of Christ on earth for 1,000 years in the future. The word millennium means “1,000 years”—from mille, the Latin word for “1,000,” and the word annus, Latin for “year.” (M is the Roman numeral for 1,000, it takes 1,000 millimeters to make a meter, 1,000 milliliters to…
Who will occupy the Millennial Kingdom?
The millennial kingdom is the future reign of Jesus Christ on earth as He sits on David’s throne in Jerusalem. Everyone who enters that kingdom will be redeemed by God and therefore righteous (see Isaiah 35:8–10). Among those redeemed will be two distinct groups of people: those with glorified physical bodies and those with natural,…
What is millenarianism?
Millenarianism, generally speaking, is belief in a future positive transformation of society. Christian millenarianism, also known as millennialism, is the belief that there will be a 1,000-year period in the future in which Christ will literally rule on earth. The word millenarianism comes from the Latin word for “1,000”—millennium. Millennialism is also sometimes called chiliasm,…
Is the last trumpet of 1 Thessalonians 4 the same as the seventh trumpet of Revelation?
Answer Those who hold to a midtribulation rapture teach that the seventh trumpet of Revelation 11:15 and the last trumpet of 1 Corinthians 15:52 and 1 Thessalonians 4:16 are identical. Those who teach a pretribulation rapture identify them as separate events. What difference does it make, and how can we know the truth? Why does…
What is the Parousia?
The Greek word parousia (pronounced pair-oo-see-ah) is a noun that means “a coming” or “a presence.” As it is used in the New Testament, it can refer to any individual’s coming or presence to a specific place or to be with specific people. For example, in 1 Corinthians 16:17, Paul writes of “the coming of…
What is the Second Coming of Jesus Christ?
The second coming of Jesus Christ is the hope of believers that God is in control of all things, and is faithful to the promises and prophecies in His Word. In His first coming, Jesus Christ came to earth as a baby in a manger in Bethlehem, just as prophesied. Jesus fulfilled many of the…