Events from the Present Time until Jesus Christ Returns

Taking these broad facts let us now follow through the remarkable detail that is provided in the Bible, showing the sequence of events that will take place from now through to the establishment of this Kingdom. As we gather these references together, we are impressed with the logical way by which God will transform this world at the return of Jesus Christ to the earth, and the benefits that will result for mankind.

Moral Decline to Continue

The world will continue its alarming moral decline, which inevitably breeds

corruption and violence. The effects produced are similar to those recorded of the days of Noah and Lot, when the earth was “corrupt before God and... filled with violence” (Genesis 6:11–13) as a direct result of man forsaking God’s ways. The outcome was marriage breakdown and the disintegration of family life. Men and women were filled with an all-consuming desire to indulge in every kind of base and evil behaviour (Genesis 6:1–2,5). Jesus Christ himself said that the world would sink again into this state prior to his return (Luke 17:26–27; Matthew 24:36–39). The depraved immorality that brought the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah would be rampant in the world at his return (Luke 17:28–33).

A lover of God’s ways must surely be distressed by the prevalence and acceptance of homosexuality, pornography and the placarding of immorality and violence in society today.

A time of Fear and Terror

Another problem the world will face leading up to the return of Jesus Christ

will be widespread fear and uncertainty of the future. When Jesus was asked by his disciples about the signs that would lead up to his return, he said that there would be “men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth” (Luke 21:26). The violence and threat of terrorism that has brought fear, death, suffering and destruction to so many was foretold by Jesus. Yet Jesus went on to say: “And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh” (v27–28). The terror and fear that is so widespread today is yet another sign that Jesus will soon return.

The “Latter Day” Invasion of Israel

The prophets Ezekiel and Daniel both predict the rise of a northern military

confederacy that will sweep down into Israel and the Middle East at the very time when society is in this morally degenerate state. Ezekiel in his 38th chapter and Daniel 11:40–45 give the outline of this latter day conflict in Israel and the Middle East. (Many scholars suggest this northern power will be led by Russia—see lesson 16 and map for details of these events.)

The prophet Zechariah, in chapters 12 to 14, also adds further detail regarding this invasion. When this northen confederacy of nations makes its united military push into the Middle East, which will draw “all nations” into this conflict, Israel is established there as a nation and Jerusalem is under Jewish control (Ezekiel 38:8,12,16; Zechariah 12:3–5). This very fact, which may not seem startling at first, identifies events which could not have taken place before 1948, for it was only then that the nation of Israel was established for the first time in nearly 2000 years.

As we read through Zechariah 12 to 14 we note the following details:

• God will make Jerusalem the centre of international controversy (Zechariah 12:1–3).

• All nations will gather to fight over Jerusalem and the Middle East (Zechariah 14:2–8; Ezekiel 38; Daniel 11:40–45).

• In this conflict the Jewish population of Israel will suffer greatly (Zechariah 12:1–2), and many will be killed (Zechariah 13:8, 9–14:3).

• By this time Jesus Christ will have returned and will reveal himself personally to the people of Israel—“They shall look upon me whom they have pierced” (Zechariah 12:9–11; cp John 19:37).

• Jews will ask him: “What are these wounds in thine hands?” and he will answer: “Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends” (Zechariah 13:6). They will finally be convinced by this startling evidence that he is indeed their Messiah.

• God, will cause a tremendous earthquake to split the Mount of Olives. This will terrify the concentrated military might of the nations and God will bring about their overthrow (Zechariah 14:4–8; Ezekiel 38:18–22).

• The northern confederacy will be destroyed “upon the mountains of Israel” (Ezekiel 39:1–6).

• God, through Jesus Christ, will be proclaimed King—“the LORD shall be King over all the earth” (Zechariah 14:9).

• Jerusalem will become the centre of universal worship and righteous government, to which all who survive among the nations shall go to learn of God’s ways and to worship Him (Zechariah 14:16; Jeremiah 3:17; Isaiah 2:2–4; Micah 4:1–2)

Armageddon—God’s Wrath Upon the Nations

The message of the Old Testament prophets, which speaks of all nations converging on Jerusalem in a massive military invasion of Israel as they strive for world domination, is also described for us in the book of Revelation.

There the conflict is called “Armageddon” and is recorded in Revelation 16:14–16. The apostle John was shown events that will culminate in the destruction of the political and military might of the nations that will come against Israel at the return of Jesus Christ. In verse 14 John saw a spirit of “madness” (AV “devils”) going forth to gather the kings of the earth “to the battle of that great day of God Almighty”. The place where God gathers these nations is “called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon” (v16). Here John gives a remarkable clue to the meaning of the word “Armageddon”. The New Testament is written in Greek, but John says that this word is in “the Hebrew tongue”. The word literally means “sheaves in a valley for threshing, or judgment”. God intends to gather the nations as a man gathers in the harvest, to thresh or judge them, and reveal His great power and authority to this godless age.

The prophet Joel used similar language when he foretold the gathering by God of the “heathen” (or godless Gentile nations) for harvesting and threshing, that is, for judgment (Joel 3:9–17). Notice the sequence. Joel speaks of all nations building up arms and military weapons. Then they gather for the conflict in “the valley of Jehoshaphat” (meaning, ‘God’s Judgment’), which is identified as the Kidron Valley on the east of Jerusalem, between Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives. There they are ‘harvested’ in “the valley of decision” (or “threshing” v14). The end result is that the LORD God of Israel utters His voice and “the heavens and the earth shall shake” (v16). He becomes the hope of His people Israel, and dwells in Jerusalem through the person of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ (v17) as “Lord of lords, and King of kings” (Revelation 17:14).

All Israel Will be Regathered

As seen from Zechariah 12 and 13, there will be a terrible slaughter of the Jews living in the land, and only by the intervention of Jesus Christ will some be saved (13:8–9; 14:1–3). Their amazing deliverance and the evidence of “the wounds” in the hands of their Deliverer (13:6) will be sufficient to completely humble them (12:10–14). Then they will gladly acknowledge as their Messiah the one whom their fathers rejected and crucified.

The call will then go out to the remainder of the Jews, scattered still throughout the world, to come and acknowledge Jesus Christ as their King (Jeremiah 30:10–11; Ezekiel 20:33–38). Their regathering is likened by God to the exodus of the people of Israel from Egypt under Moses (Jeremiah 16:14–15).

These Jews will also be required to acknowledge Yahweh as the God of Israel and Jesus Christ His Son as their Messiah. At last they will be enlightened about God’s purpose in sending Jesus Christ and will learn that he died that their sins might be forgiven (1 Peter 2:24; Isaiah 53:4). They will be required to accept that this “new Covenant” was confirmed in his blood (Matthew 26:28; Jeremiah 31:31–34; Hebrews 8:8–12). Those who will not will be counted as rebels and “purged out” and will “not enter the land of Israel” (Ezekiel 20:38).

Those who respond will be united with the Jews that are already in the land of Israel and become one nation again with them. Ezekiel depicts this united Israel under Christ’s rule in these words:

“Thus saith the LORD God; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all” (Ezekiel 37:21–22; cp Jeremiah 23:3–8).

Adapted from “The Exploring the Bible Course” by David Evans