The translation used in this ‘Bible-Study Aid’ is from the Greek Text used for the ‘Authorized’ or ‘King James’ Version Copyright © David Lawrie 1998
IN PART ONE WE LOOKED AT OUR LORD’S WORDS ABOUT HIS RETURN, AS RECORDED IN THE GOSPELS. HERE, IN PART TWO WE ARE LOOKING AT OTHER NEW TESTAMENT REFERENCES TO THIS FORTHCOMING EVENT. FIRST, FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE BOOK OF ACTS AND THE DESCRIPTION OF OUR LORD’S ASCENSION:
Acts 1: 9-12
6 So they indeed, having come together asked him saying,“Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?”
7 And he said to them, “It isn’t yours to know times or seasons which the Father has placed under his own authority, 8 but you’ll receive power, the Holy Spirit having come upon you, and you’ll be witnesses to me both in Jerusalem and in all Judaea and Samaria and to the uttermost part of the earth.”
9 And having said these things, while they were watching he was taken up and a cloud withdrew him from their eyes. 10 And as they were looking intently into the sky as he was going, look, two men also stood by them in white clothes, 11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come thus in the manner in which you have seen him going into heaven!”
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain called ‘Olives’ which is near Jerusalem being a Sabbath day’s journey away.
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NEXT, SOME REFERENCES FROM THE WRITINGS OF THE APOSTLE PAUL:
I Thessalonians 4:13-18
13 And I don’t want you to be ignorant brethren about those who have fallen asleep, so that you aren’t grieved even as the rest who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus. 15 For we say this to you in the word of the Lord, that we, the living, who remain to the coming of the Lord, will in no way anticipate those who are fallen asleep, 16 because the Lord himself with a shout of command, with an archangel’s voice and with the trumpet of God, will descend from heaven and the dead in Christ will rise first, 17 then we the living ones remaining, together with them will be caught away in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we will be always with the Lord. 18 So comfort each other with these words.
II Thessalonians 2:1-12
1 Now we ask you brethren by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to him, 2 that you be not quickly shaken in your mind nor troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as if from us, as that the day of Christ is present. 3 No one should deceive you in any way, because it is only if the apostasy has come first and the man of sin has been revealed: the son of perdition, 4 the one opposing and exalting himself above all called God or an object of veneration, so as for him to sit down in the temple of God, as God, setting up himself that he is God.
5 Do you not remember that yet being with you I said these things to you? 6 And now that which restrains you know for he will be revealed in his own time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already working, only he who is restraining at present until he go out of the midst, 8 and then will the lawless one be revealed - whom the Lord will consume with the breath of his mouth and abolish by the appearing of his coming - 9 whose coming is according to the working of Satan in every power and signs and wonders of falsehood, 10 and in every deceit of unrighteousness in those who are perishing, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as they might be saved.
11 And because of this God will send to them a working of error so they will believe what is false, 12 so that all who did not believe the truth, but delighted in unrighteousness, may be judged.
I Timothy 4
1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith, heeding deceiving spirits and teachings of demons, 2 speaking lies hypocritically, their own conscience being cauterized, 3 forbidding to marry, commanding to abstain from foods which God has created to be received with thanksgiving for the faithful and they who know the truth. 4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be rejected, being received with thanksgiving, 5 for it’s sanctified by God’s word and prayer.
II Timothy 3:1-9
1 And know this: that in the last days there’ll be difficult times, 2 for people will be selfish, lovers of money, conceited, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, irreverent, 3 unloving, intolerant, slanderers, dissolute, fierce, not lovers of good, 4 betrayers, heady, puffed up, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. - Turn away from these!
6 For from these are the ones entering into the houses and leading captive silly women, laden with sins, led away with various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.
8 And in the same way Jannes and Jambres stood against Moses, so also these stand against the truth, people utterly corrupted in mind, found worthless regarding the faith! 9 But they won’t proceed further, for their foolishness will be quite obvious to everyone, as theirs also was.
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NEXT WE READ WHAT JAMES HAS TO SAY:
James 5: 7-11
7 So then, be patient brethren until the coming of the Lord. Look, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient for it until it receives the early and the latter rain. 8 You too be patient. Establish your hearts because the coming of the Lord has drawn near. 9 Don’t grumble against each other brethren, so that you’re not condemned. Look, the judge is standing before the door. 10 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who’ve spoken in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering affliction and of patience. 11 Look, we call those who endure blessed. You’ve heard of the patience of Job, and you’ve seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is full of tender mercy and compassionate.
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FROM THE APOSTLE PETER WE TAKE THESE REFERENCES:
II Peter 3:1-13
1 Beloved, I’m now writing to you this second letter, in which I’m stirring up your pure mind in making you remember 2 to be mindful of the words spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of our Lord and Saviour spoken by the apostles, 3 knowing this first that at the close of the days mockers will come, walking according to their own desires, 4 and saying, ‘Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep everything continues thus from the creation’s beginning.’
5 For this is hidden from them, they willing it, that the heavens were of old and the earth out of the water, and through the water subsisting by the word of God 6 through which the world that was then, having been deluged with water, perished.
7 But the heavens and the earth now are being stored up by his word, being kept for fire to the day of judgement and destruction of ungodly people. 8 And don’t let this one thing be hidden from you, beloved, that one day with the Lord is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
9 The Lord is not delaying the promise as some esteem delay but he is long-suffering towards us, not wishing that any perish but rather that all should come to repentance.
10 And the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens with a rushing noise will pass away and the elements, burning with heat, will be dissolved and the earth and the works in it will be burned up.
11 These things then all going to be dissolved, what ought you to be like? In holy conduct and in piety, 12 expecting and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God through which the heavens. being on fire, will be dissolved, and the elements burning with heat will melt. 13 And we expect, according to his promise, a new heaven and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
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THE FOLLOWING QUOTATIONS FROM JOHN’S LETTERS CONTAIN THE ONLY TIMES THE WORD ‘ANTICHRIST’ IS MENTIONED IN THE ENTIRE BIBLE:
I John 2: 18-19
18 Children, it’s the final hour and even as you have heard that the antichrist is coming; even now many antichrists have arisen, so that we know it is the final hour. 19 They came out from us but they were not from us, for if they had been from us they would have remained with us, but they came out so that they might appear that they are not all from us.
20 And you have an anointing from the Holy One and you know everything.
21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and that every lie is not from the truth. 22 Who is the liar except the one denying that Jesus is the Christ? He is the antichrist, the one denying the Father and the Son. 23 Everyone denying the Son does not have the Father either.
I John 4: 1-3
1 Beloved do not believe every spirit, but try the spirits as to whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit which confesses Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God. 3 And every spirit, which does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, is not from God, and this is that of the antichrist of which you have heard that it is coming and now it is in the world already.
II John verse 7
7 For many deceivers have entered into the world, the ones not confessing that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.
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JUDE QUOTES FROM ENOCH, WHO ‘WALKED WITH GOD: AND HE WAS NOT; FOR GOD TOOK HIM.’ (GENESIS 5: 24). THE WRITINGS OF ENOCH TO WHICH JAMES REFERS ARE NOT IN THE OLD TESTAMENT BUT ARE KNOWN FROM SOME VERY ANCIENT MANUSCRIPTS. JUDE GIVES A PICTURE OF A WORLDLY, MATERIALLY MINDED CHURCH IN THE LAST DAYS.
Jude 14-19
14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these also saying, “Look, the Lord has come with his countless thousands of holy ones, 15 to do judgement on all, and to convict all the ungodly of them for all their works of ungodliness which they godlessly have committed, and about all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” 16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their desires, and their mouth speaks exquisitely - admiring externals, for the sake of profit.
17 But you beloved, remember the words spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, 18 that they told you that in the last time there will be scoffers, walking according to their own desires of ungodliness. 19 These are the ones setting themselves up, worldly-minded, not having the Spirit.
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OBVIOUSLY WE MUST STUDY PRAYERFULY THE WHOLE BOOK OF REVELATION. HERE WE GIVE JUST ONE OF THE MOST FREQUENTLY QUOTED CHAPTERS - IN FULL, FOLLOWED BY THE OTHER REFERENCES TO THE ‘MARK’ or ‘ENGRAVING’ [Greek: ÷Üñáãìá] OF THE BEAST.
Revelation 13
1 And I stood on the sand of the sea, and I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns and on its ten horns crowns, and on its heads a name of blasphemy. 2 And the beast I saw was like a leopard and its feet like a bear’s and its mouth as a lion’s mouth and the dragon gave to it his power and his throne and great authority. 3 And I saw one of its heads as if wounded to death, and its deadly wound was healed, and the whole earth wondered after the beast. 4 And they worshipped the dragon who gave power to the beast, and they worshipped the beast saying,
“Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with it?”
5 And there was given to it a mouth speaking great things and blasphemy, and it was given power to act for forty-two months. 6 And it opened its mouth in blasphemy against God to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and those dwelling in heaven. 7 And it was given to it to make war with the saints, and to overcome them, and power was given to it over every tribe and tongue and nation. 8 And all who dwell on the earth, whose names have not been written in the book of life of the Lamb slaughtered from the founding of the world, will worship it. 9 If anyone has an ear, let him listen! 10 If anyone takes captive he goes into captivity. If anyone kills with the sword, he must be killed with the sword.
Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
11 And I saw another beast rising up out of the earth and it had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon; 12 and it exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and causes the earth and its inhabitants to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed. 13 And it works great signs so it even makes fire come down out of heaven on to the earth in front of people. 14 And it misleads the ones dwelling on the earth because of the signs which it was given it to do in the presence of the beast, saying to those who live on the earth, to make an icon to the beast which has the wound of the sword and lived. 15 And it was given to it to give a spirit to the icon of the beast, so that the icon of the beast should also speak, and would cause that, as many as would not worship the icon of the beast should be killed.
16 And it makes everybody, small and great, the rich and the poor, free men and servants, that it should give them an engraving on their right hand or on their foreheads, 17 and that no one should be able to buy or sell except the one having the engraving or the name of the beast or the number of its name. Here is wisdom: let the one having understanding count the number of the beast, for it is a m an’s number, and its number is six hundred and sixty six.
Revelation 14: 9-13
9 And a third angel followed them saying in a loud voice,
“If anyone worships the beast and its icon and receives an engraving on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he will also drink out of the wine of the fury of God which is already poured out undiluted in the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented in fire and sulphur in front of the holy angels and in front of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment goes up for ever and ever, and the ones worshipping the beast and its icon have no respite day and night, nor anyone receiving the engraving of its name. 12 Here is the patience of the saints, here the ones keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.”
13 And I heard a voice out of heaven telling me,
“Write, ‘Blessed the dead who die in the Lord from now on. Yes says the Spirit, so that they may rest from their labours, and their works follow them.’”
Revelation 15: 1-4
1 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and amazing, seven angels having seven final plagues, for the fury of God was fulfilled in them.
2 And I saw like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and the victors over the beast and over its icon and over its engraving, over the number of its name, standing on the glass sea, having harps of God. 3 And they are singing the song of Moses, God’s servant, and the song of the Lamb saying,
“Great and amazing are your works, Lord God Almighty, righteous and true your ways, King of saints! 4 Who should not fear you, Oh Lord, and glorify your name? For you only are holy, for all the nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been made evident!”
Revelation 16: 1-7
1 And I heard a loud voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels,
“Go, and pour out the bowls of God’s fury into the earth!”
2 And the first went away and poured out his bowl into the earth, and a bad and evil sore came on the people who had the engraving of the beast and the ones worshipping his icon.
3 And the second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became blood, as of one dead, and every living soul died in the sea.
4 And the third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and into the springs of waters, and they became blood. 5 And I heard the angel of the waters saying,
“You are righteous Lord, who is and who was, even the Holy One, that you have judged these things, 6 because they have poured out the blood of saints and of prophets, and you’ve given them blood to drink, for they deserve it!”
7 And I heard another out of the altar saying,
“Yes Lord God Almighty, your judgements are true and righteous!”
Revelation 19: 20-21
20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet who had performed the signs in his presence, with which he misled the ones receiving the mark of the beast and the ones worshipping his icon. The two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with sulphur, 21 and the rest were killed with the sword which goes out of the mouth of him who is sitting on the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh.
Revelation 20: 4-8
4 And I saw thrones and they sat on them and judgement was given to them. And the souls of those beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus, and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshipped the beast nor his icon, and had not received the engraving on their forehead and on their hand, both lived and reigned with Christ the thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy the one having a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him a thousand years. 7 And when the thousand years have finished, Satan will be loosed out of his prison, 8 and he will go out to mislead the nations in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to war, whose number is like the sand of the sea.
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Part One
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