If This Isn't Heaven, I Don't Know What Is

Biblical Reasons Why We Should
And Practical Suggestions on How We Can

Create Heaven on Earth


What's Next on Your Agenda?


What do you believe is the next event in prophecy? What did Jesus and the Apostles say would be the next thing to happen? Many people said Mussolini or Hitler was the Antichrist. Obviously they were wrong, but maybe the next event in the prophetic timetable is the appearance of the Antichrist? Or is it "wars and rumors of wars?" Or does that happen after the Rapture?

Preterists and people who have studied very little prophecy will be able to skip this page and benefit from the rest of this website.

This page is designed for those who have studied the details of the Dispensational Premillennial system and are waiting for the rapture, and know if the battle with Gog and Magog occurs before, during, or after the Great Tribulation.

If you've never heard of "preterism" -- the view that most or all of the prophecies of future events in the Bible were future to those living in Jesus' day but are past for us living today -- this page is for you.


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Chart of Prophetic Events
a work in progress

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My goal is to create a chart of "end time" events and show how they were all fulfillled by AD 70. It would refer to preterist links or resources. It's a long-term project. I've found two premillennialist charts, this one (not by a premil, apparently) and this one. I'll combine them when I get a chance. Do you know of a better chart of "end time" events? Email me, please.

The purpose of this exercise is to go step-by-step through the futurist timetable and show that the events have already taken place, that nothing any longer stands in the way of eternal life.

This page argues that Jesus, the "Second Adam," has repaired the damage done by the First Adam, and we should now be doing what the First Adam did: turning the Garden of Eden into the City of God; creating heaven on earth. All the tumultuous events associated with the end of the old world of temple sacrifices and levitical priests have taken place, and all things have in principle been reconciled to Christ. We now proclaim the good news of forgiveness and begin the work of dominion under Christ.

Most people believe something else must happen before we can enjoy this kind of salvation. There must be a Great Tribulation, an Antichrist, apostasy and persecution, and many other dreadful events. This page contends that these events have taken place, and nothing stands in the way of enjoying our restored relationship with God. Just as God commanded Adam to till the earth, guard the garden, plant and harvest, and exercise dominion over the earth -- in other words, to build the City of God -- so we, having been restored to full Garden fellowship, must pick up where the First Adam left off. We are building the City of God on the Foundation of Christ and the Apostles, with Christ being the Chief Cornerstone. Though we must plant and harvest, it is God Who waters and gives growth, and it is God who will get all the praise and glory as the harvest is enjoyed.

Many items on the timetable below share common features, and these pages should be consulted first:

Whatever prophetic events you think are about to happen, or will happen in the future, have already taken place. The event you think is still future is said by the Scripture to be a part of "the last days," or was to be experienced by "that generation," or was said to be "about to happen" "at any moment" and indeed shortly came to pass.

We have taken a premillennial timetable, though not from a premillennialist, and placed it at left. On the right are links to resources that help explain how these events have already been fulfilled. You can start at the top and see how each of these events -- events that we are continually told are future events -- were actually fulfilled in the past.

Or you can start at the bottom. My experience has been that even those who work through all the events usually end up at the same place: the resurrection and the Last Judgment. Even if the prophecies of these two events were shown to have been intended to describe events 2,000 years ago, the conclusion is tough to swallow: we're in eternity now. In other words, it's easier for premills to become 99% partial preterists than to jettison the last 1% of futurism and become a full-preterist. So until this chart is completed, you might as well consider the possibility of becoming a full-preterist in practice even if you're not one in theory.

Partial Preterists click here.

Full futurists click here.


The Premillennial Events

The Preterist Interpretation

PAST EVENTS

 
The crucifixion of Christ Don't forget the Resurrection and Ascension. At His Ascension, Christ was seated at the Right Hand of Power, in the Throne of David. "Of the increase of His Kingdom there shall be no end." Isaiah 9:6-7
Daniel's 69th week comes to an end The Seventy Weeks Were Fulfilled in A.D.70
Clock of prophecy stops, kingdom is postponed If the prophecy clock stopped ticking, then NOTHING happening now can be a fulfillment of any prophecy.
The Church is instituted as a stop-gap measure What is "the church? What is it about the taking of the Kingdom from apostate Jews (Matthew 21:42-43) and the grafting of the Gentiles into the Household of Faith that was unpredicted by Abraham and the prophets? "For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call" (Acts 2:39). "Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days. Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed" (Acts 3:24-25) . "The church" started out being Jewish: "And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how He had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles" (Acts 14:27).
Centuries pass  
Israel becomes a nation again (in 1948) Not a single righteous man in the Old Testament would attach any significance to the actions of the United Nations and Britain in 1948, nor the secular Jewish nation that emerged from the Declaration of Balfour. Jesus told the Jews, "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day: and he saw it, and was glad" (John 8:56). Jesus told His disciples, "For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them" (Luke 10:24). Abraham "looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God" (Hebrews 11:10). "But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for He hath prepared for them a city" (Hebrews 11:16). The entire earth is the Promised Land and we ought to be Christianizing it.

END TIMES BEGIN

 
Invisible second coming of Christ The Rapture 
Rapture and the first resurrection occurs This is the same event stated another way. See The Rapture 
All true Christians have vanished into thin air This is the same event stated another way. See The Rapture 
Christ takes his Church to heaven for seven years This is the same event stated another way. See The Rapture 
The clock of prophecy starts ticking again The means NOTHING that happened before the Rapture was prophesied. 
Daniel's 70th week begins (seven-year countdown) The Seventy Weeks Were Fulfilled in A.D.70
Roman empire revives (as ten United States of Europe) Daniel predicted that after four empires, during the Roman Empire, the Kingdom of God would be established after Rome was destroyed by the Rock, Jesus:

"And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. {45} Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure. (Daniel 2:44-45)  

Nowhere in Scripture is there any statement that the Empire destroyed by Christ would be revived.

"Roman" dictator signs peace treaty with Israel  
All nations come under "Roman" rule  
Jews repossess Jerusalem  
Moslem Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem is removed  
Temple is built on that historic site  
Israel grows extremely rich  
144 000 Jews are chosen to preach  
Spiritual rebirth of Israel - Total conversion of All Jews  
World temporarily under Pax Romana (Roman Peace)  

What needs to happen before the tribulation can begin?

 

One world government (or at least a leaning in this direction)

 

Global economy

 

Israel in their land

 

A restored Jewish temple (or at least serious plans to build)

 

Increased technology

 

A church leaning towards mass apostasy

 

Increased power in the middle east

 

From: http://www.endtimes.org/tribevent.html

 

THE TRIBULATION

 
Middle of Daniel's 70th week (three and a half years elapsed)  
"Roman" dictator (Antichrist) proclaims himself God  
Antichrist desecrates temple  
A new and false world religion ("Mystery Babylon") established  
Antichrist persecutes the Jews, the 144,000 become martyrs  
Great tribulation, extreme world unrest and upheaval  
King of South (Egypt, Africa, Arab bloc) attacks Israel  
King of North (Russia) invades Israel, destroys King of South  
King of West (Europe) attacks and destroys King of North  
King of East (China) attacks King of West with 200 million soldiers  
Battle of Armageddon threatens to annihilate world  

THE MILLENNIUM

 
Visible second coming of Christ  
Church saints return with Jesus in immortal glorified bodies  
Jesus sets foot on the Mount of Olives  
Daniel's 70th week comes to an end (7 years elapsed)  
Antichrist destroyed  
Tribulation martyrs raised immortal with glorified bodies  
Old Testament saints raised immortal with glorified bodies  
Christ sits on David's throne in Jerusalem  
"Sheep and goats" judgment of Matt 25 occurs  
The good "Sheep" now have positions of authority  
The wicked "Goats" are subject to a rod-of-iron rule  
Supposed Edenic curse on ground is lifted  
Curse of Babel on language lifted (one world tongue)  
Animals are at peace and have gift of simple speech  
Satan bound for 1000 years (the Millennium)  
Temple worship restored, Mosaic Law in force again  
Constant pilgrimages to Jerusalem from afar  
A millennium of peace and prosperity under Christ  

THE LITTLE SEASON

 
Millennium ends  
Satan loosed from his prison  
Nations deceived  
A 1ittle season of rebellion  
Battle of Gog and Magog  
Resurrection of the wicked  
The last judgment  
Endtimes JUDGMENTS  
Believers Judgment - (Judgment seat of Christ/God)
Romans 14:10-12
1 Corinthians 5:9
1 Corinthians 3:10-15
 
Judgment of Israel at the regathering
Ezekiel 20:33-38
 
Tribulation Judgment
Ezekiel 38:14-23
 
Judgment of the Harlot (Religious Babylon)
Revelation 17:1-2
 
Judgment of Economic Babylon
Revelation 18:9-10
 
Second coming/Day of the Lord Judgment
Isaiah 66:15-16
Ezekiel 39:17:22
Zephaniah 1:2-3,14-18
 
Sheep and Goats Judgment
Matthew 25:31-46
 
Great White Throne Judgment
Revelation 21:11-15
 
Wicked cast into hell fire  
New heavens and new earth created. The New Heavens and the New Earth
Eternity begins  

Table of Contents

continued click here for next chapter

Here is a page of future history from a premillennialist. Millions of Christians hold to some version of the following:

GOD’S PANORAMA OF AGES

RAPTURE I THESS. 4 Watch for Jesus, He is coming!
JUDGMENT OF CHRIST 2 CORIN. 5 Flee sin because we must all appear.
TRIBULATION REV. 6-19 Offer thanks, Christ will keep us from the hour.
SECOND COMING REV. 19 Trust Jesus, He will right all wrongs.
MILLENNIUM REV. 20 Wait for Jesus He will perfect the earth
GREAT WHITE THRONE REV. 20 Seek the lost, Hell is coming.
HEAVEN REV. 21-22 Seek eternal reward Heaven is coming soon!

Scholars of prophecy do not agree on all the details of future events. But the following summary is a fair representation of what many prophetic scholars believe as to the order of events:

  1. The Rapture of the church (1 Cor. 15:51–58; 1 Thes. 4:13–18). This can occur at any time.
  2. The leader of the ten European nations makes a seven-year agreement with Israel (Dan. 9:26–27).
  3. After three-and-one-half years, he breaks the agreement (Dan. 9:27).
  4. He moves to Jerusalem and sets up his image in the temple (2 Thes. 2:3–4; Rev. 13).
  5. The Antichrist begins to control the world and forces all people to worship and obey him. At this time God sends great tribulation upon the earth (Matt. 24:21).
  6. The nations gather at Armageddon to fight the Antichrist and Israel, but see the sign of Christ’s coming and unite to fight Him (Zech. 12; Rev. 13:13–14; 19:11ff).
  7. Jesus returns to the earth, defeats His enemies, is received by the Jews, and establishes His kingdom on earth (Rev. 19:11ff; Zech. 12:7–13:1). He will reign on earth for 1,000 years (Rev. 20:1–5).

God's Has Laid out the Steps from Here to Eternity

Bible prophecy is a record written long ago of how God will deal with mankind to the end of the earth. It is possible to trace a timetable of prophetic events, from the angelic hosts who announced Christ's birth  to the time when we join in  the multitude worshiping the King of Kings. 

One amazing portion of the Bible is in Daniel 9:24-27. In these verses God shows Daniel His 70 prophetic “weeks” (490 years). This is God’s timetable for the Jewish people and the city of Jerusalem. The events God describes are:

  • Christ’s death as a sacrifice for sin,

  • Christ establishing His kingdom,

  • And a rebuilt millennial temple. 

The 69 weeks or 483 years contain the command for Jerusalem’s rebuilding, Christ's birth. When Christ is rejected and “cut off” or put to death by crucifixion, this ends the 69 weeks. The destruction of the Temple in AD 70 finalizes the effects of Israel’s rejection. After an unspecified period of time in Daniel 9:26, the last week or seven years start up. They speak of the end time evil of the Anti-Christ, and the momentous events prior to Christ's 2nd coming in power and glory. Zechariah 12-14 describe the remnant of Jews who see Jesus as Messiah, repent and turn to Him. The gap between the 69th and 70th week has been almost 2,000 years which is the church age.

1.   THE CHURCH AGE is Christ seeking (Worshipping – Waiting – Winning) – Remember Jesus promised to “build my church” (Matt. 16:18).  The church, born on the Day of Pentecost, was formed by God from Jews and Gentiles receiving Christ as their Savior (Eph. 2,3). God’s planned for  the church  to preach and teach the Word. God through His Spirit is calling out a people for His name.  As we go into all the world we are to “wait for the Son from heaven” (I Thess. 1:10; Acts 1:8).  This period of time called the church age ends during a growth of religious apostasy, a culture obsessed with pleasure and self-love, as well as great immorality and violence (2 Tim. 3:1-6; 2 Thess. 2:3).

2.   THE RAPTURE is Christ rescuing – When God is finished with the church He takes them home in the  (1 Thess. 4:16-18; 5:9).  rapture or “catching away” of the church. This opens the way for the  Antichrist to begin taking over on earth (2 Thess. 2:3-9) and the Tribulation begins.  Jesus promised He would meet His church in the air to “take you to be with me” (John 14:1-6; 1 Thess. 4:13-18).  The Rapture can happen at any moment, so it is our “blessed hope” (Titus 2:13). Revelation portrays the church in heaven during the Tribulation.  Believers of all the ages receive rewards, and the church becomes Christ’s “bride” and enjoys with all the saints the “marriage feast of the Lamb.”  Then Christ returns with His  saints to Earth (1 Cor. 3:11-15; Rev. 19:7-9).

3.   THE TRIBULATION is Christ initiating final judgment – The 70th week in Daniel 9:27 starts when God returns to work with the Jews. The central purpose of the Tribulation is to reconcile the nation of Israel to their Messiah.  The Jews are sought out and killed by the AntiChrist and abandoned by the world. At the darkest hour when there is no where else to turn, Israel looks to Christ at Armageddon and cries out repenting (Zech. 12:10). Some events the Bible portrays in the  Tribulation include: 

  • Israel is  a nation but not aware of God's plan (Ezek. 37, 38).

  • A great army from the North invade Israel (Ezek. 38).  These forces strike at the re-gathered remnant of Jews who are in the land, as Satan seeks to destroy the Jewish people before they can be reconciled to the Messiah.

  • The Antichrist appears, first as a political super-hero of the West (Dan. 9:27).  At the midpoint of the Tribulation, he enters the temple in Jerusalem and declares himself to be God (the abomination of Desolation), demands worship, and refuses his “mark” to all who will not bow down to him. (Matt. 24:15; 2 Thess. 2:3,4; Rev. 13).  This act initiates the Great Tribulation, as God pours out His wrath upon a belligerent Gentile world system in a series of disasters that culminates in Armageddon (Rev. 16:14-16).

  • Jesus Christ returns with His saints to take His throne and judge the nations (Matt. 24:25; Rev. 19:11-21).

  • Israel’s national remnant, about one-third of the people, accept their Messiah and experience national reconciliation (Zech. 12:12; 13:8,9; Rom. 11:25-27).

4.   THE MILLENNIUM is Christ Ruling – For 1,000 years, believers “reign with him” in a theocratic kingdom where all of God’s promises to Abraham and his descendants are fulfilled (Deut. 30:1-6; Rev. 20:4-6). During this kingdom, universal peace and justice prevail (Isa. 11:1-10), and believers from all nations worship at the millennial temple in Jerusalem (Zech. 8:22, 23).  Satan’s influence on earth ends, though only temporarily (Rev. 20:1-3).

5.   THE FINAL UPRISING – At the end of Christ’s 1,000 year reign, Satan gathers a multitude of unregenerate people to rebel against the King (Rev. 20:7-9).  The uprising exposes conclusively the depravity of the human heart.  With Christ personally-present, and every opportunity to embrace righteousness, many still rebel against God.

6.   THE GREAT WHITE THRONE is Christ executing final JUDGMENT – The lost of all ages are judged, not to determine salvation, but the degree of punishment to be borne in the “lake of fire” (Rev. 20:11-15).  This will be consistent with the “light” received, and rejected, during their lifetime.  Before the Great White Throne, the lost of all ages finally acknowledge the lordship of Jesus Christ, but too late for deliverance (Phil. 2:10, 11). All human distinctions about power or position are meaningless – the small and the great face their “works” before a holy God and are condemned.  Their sentence is eternal, conscious internment in the lake of fire.  Satan is also cast into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:10).

7.   THE NEW HEAVEN and NEW EARTH is Christ opening paradise – Next, the consummation of all prophecy appears:  the new heaven and earth.  A firestorm destroys the present planet (2 Peter 3:10), and God creates a new world (Rev. 21:1-5).  The saints live in a New Jerusalem (Rev. 21, 22) with many “rooms” prepared by Christ for them (John 14:2,3).   Here there is no pain, no death, no curse, and no adversary.  Above all else, we will be with the Lord, and He will share His glory with us for all the ages to come. 

You were looking for "The Last Judgment?" Not in the Pre-millennial scheme:

Endtimes JUDGMENTS

Believers Judgment - (Judgment seat of Christ/God)
Romans 14:10-12
1 Corinthians 5:9
1 Corinthians 3:10-15

Judgment of Israel at the regathering
Ezekiel 20:33-38

Tribulation Judgment
Ezekiel 38:14-23

Judgment of the Harlot (Religious Babylon)
Revelation 17:1-2

Judgment of Economic Babylon
Revelation 18:9-10

Second coming/Day of the Lord Judgment
Isaiah 66:15-16
Ezekiel 39:17:22
Zepheniah 1:2-3,14-18

Sheep and Goats Judgment
Matthew 25:31-46

Great White Throne Judgment
Revelation 21:11-15


Table of Contents

continued click here for next chapter