“The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and THE DECEIT OF THEIR HEART.” (Jeremiah 14:14)
Just as Satan used false prophets at the time of
Jeremiah, he is using them today to lead people away from God’s Word. I
am not referring only to those who start cults, although cults lead
millions of people into hell, but also to those who bring shame on
Christ and His church by their idiotic interpretations of Bible
prophecy and by false prophecies of the end times.
In 1965 I heard a radio preacher claim that God told
him Christ would return in 1985. I suppose that he thought that no one
would remember what he said, but I did and God does. For that reason, I
would hate to be in his shoes on the day of judgement. Nevertheless,
people like that are not uncommon, and they are doing great harm to the
cause of Christ.
In 1988 there was a great deal of interest in a book
entitled, “88 Reasons Why the Rapture Will Occur in 1988.” However,
even though
the author made a lot of money from that book, the fact that Christ did
not return revealed that he was a false prophet. Moreover, false
prophecy is never benign, I know of at least one person who became very
bitter when that book's predictions turned out to be false. Therefore,
let us never forget that the Word of God warns of severe judgement for
those who, by their lies and lightness, turn souls away from the truth
(Mark 9:42, Luke 17:2, Jeremiah 23:32).
As I write, many are claiming that Christ will
return by the year two thousand. However, even though they usually
qualify their false prophecies with the words “I think” or “I believe,”
they are still false prophets. If you doubt what I say, then keep this
essay and time will prove that I speak the truth. Like the false
prophets of old they prophesy the deceit of their own heart (Jeremiah
14:14 and 23:26, Isaiah 8:20).
The truth about Christ's return and the end of the
world is not to be found in the wild imaginings of popular end times
writers, nor is it to be found in the deductions and conclusions of
men. Instead it is clearly stated in the Word of God, “line upon line,
line upon line; here a little and there a little” as the Bible says
(Isaiah 28:10).
In regard to the judgement seat of Christ, the Bible
tells us that “when the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all His
holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory:
And before Him shall be gathered all nations: and He shall separate
them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
And He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the
left.” (Matthew 25:31-33)
The fact that both sheep and goats are mentioned in
the passage above, tells us that believers and unbelievers shall both
appear, “before the judgement seat of Christ, that everyone may receive
the things done in His body, according to that he hath done, whether it
be good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10). [Notice the reference to terror
in 2 Corinthians 5:11.] The Bible also tells us that when Christ
returns, both believers and unbelievers, “shall hear His voice, and
shall come forth” from their graves (John 5:28-29). AND THIS SHALL TAKE
PLACE ON THE “ LAST DAY” (John 6:39-40) [See also John 6:44,54, John
11:24, John 12:48, Matthew 13:39.]
Since the Bible passages cited above reveal certain facts about the
final judgement, let us look carefully at what they say.
1- Since Christ said, “every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on
Him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last
day” (John 6:40), we know as a fact that Christ will raise up believers
on the last day, not before.
2- Because 1Corinthians 15:52-57 tells us that the “last trump” will
sound when Christ raises all believers from the dead, we also know that
the last trump will sound on the last day (Compare 1Corinthians
15:52-57, with John 6:40).
3- Since we know that Christ will raise believers “at the last day,” we
can be certain that the rapture of believers spoken of in First
Thessalonians 4:16-17 will take place on the last day, not before
(compare John 6:40 with 1Thessalonians 4:16-17).
4- Because the Bible tells us that the corruption of our nature will
not be replaced with incorruption until the resurrection, we know that
the effects of sin on nature will not be taken away until the last day
(compare 1Corinthians 15:50-57 with John 6:40).
5- Since Christ said, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36),
we know that Christ will not return before the last day to reign in
this world.
6- We also know that when Christ returns (the last day), “the heavens
shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with
fervent heat,” and “the earth also and the works that are therein shall
be burned up” (2Peter 3:10). [That is why it is called the “last day”.]
7- Lastly, because the Father will judge no man “but hath committed all
judgement unto the Son” (John 5:22), we know that all who “stand before
God” on the day of judgement (Revelation 20:12) will be standing before
Christ, not the Father. That is proof positive that Christ is God.
Because the truth will never contradict God's Word,
an accurate interpretation of the Book of Revelation will never
contradict any of the facts I have just presented. On the contrary, a
faithful interpreter will interpret John’s vision in the light of what
the Bible plainly says about Christ's return, and anyone who
contradicts what the Bible plainly says should be rejected as a false
prophet (Isaiah 8:20, 1John 4:6).
In the eyes of God there are only two kinds of
people, those who are forgiven and those who are not forgiven.
Moreover, He sees no fault in those who are forgiven and no good in
those who are not forgiven. In fact, without forgiveness even our
righteousnesses are as filthy rags in His sight (Isaiah 64:6).
Nevertheless, believers who do not fully understand what I have just
said are sometimes disturbed when they hear what the Bible says about
people being judged by their works (Revelation 20:12-13, John 5:29,
2Corinthians 5:10).
They find the idea of having to account for their
sins disturbing, because they wrongly assume that if they are judged by
their works they will be condemned for their sins. What they fail to
understand is that, because our sins have been washed away by the blood
of Christ, as far as God is concerned they no longer exist. Once we
come to faith in Christ, our guilt is completely washed away, our names
are written in the Lamb's book of life, and God no longer sees any
fault in us. Therefore, He will not see any fault in us on the day of
judgement. [Philippians 3:9, Romans 8:33, Revelation 7:14, Romans 9:30
through 10:10, 1John 1:7-9.]
What I have just said agrees perfectly with the 1689 Baptist Confession
of Faith, which says:
Keeping those facts in mind, let us look forward to the coming of
Christ, always mindful of the fact that He could come for you (or I) at
any moment.