Things Past & Things To Come, Part 3

  Hi friends. I would like to talk with you about religious freedom before addressing the topic of the Antichrist, for I believe it is important to help us recognize and be prepared for the danger that lies ahead of us.

   In my last blog, I mentioned how the Roman Empire has extended down through the centuries in various ways. The Roman Catholic Church and the Statute of Rome are two of those extensions. Another extension of the Roman empire is found in government. Our American form of government reflects both Greek and Roman influence as well as Christian. Many of the original settlers in America came  to this continent for the sake of religious freedom, so that has always been a high priority here.

   Democracy is the rule of the people. Where there is a large population, people usually use the representative form of democracy. In America and Europe, we have representative democracies, where we elect people from across the country to represent us nationally in forming our laws.

   Some countries have chosen to give certain religions power over their governments. History shows us that wherever any religion or philosophy is given political power, the leaders seek to impose their philosophy/religion on the people of those countries. Catholicism, Islam, Hinduism, New Age, Communism, the current woke movement, and yes, even Christianity…When their leaders have been given power to do so, all these religions and philosophies have attempted to dominate and gain control over those under their leadership. People who have resisted the control of the ruling religious/philosophical persons or groups have been ridiculed, jailed, tortured, and killed down through the ages.

   Thought control is the ultimate enemy of freedom and true faith in God. Thought control is already happening to various degrees in parts of Europe, Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada.

   Though America was established as a Christian nation, people were given the right to choose their own beliefs. The founders of the United States of America felt this was an essential ingredient for maintaining freedom. The recent woke movement tried to shut Christianity down in America. But they did not succeed.

   In that freedom we have in America, I am free to tell you that I have chosen to follow Christ and the teachings of the Bible. I believe the Bible is our guide to the truth about the one true God. I am a Christian.

   But there is coming a day when a world ruler will arise and remove freedom of religion around the world. We need to stand strong for Christ when that day comes. I will talk about this coming ruler in this blog post.

Things Past, Things to Come

Part 3

The Coming Antichrist

By Sheri Schofield

   In my last blog about Daniel’s visions, I mentioned a coming evil person known as “the antichrist.” Daniel wrote about him in Daniel 11. The Apostle John wrote about him Revelation 13. The Apostle Paul wrote about him in 2 Thessalonians 2. The Bible teaches that those in leadership who oppose Christ are types of “antichrists.” But there is one coming who will oppose Christ and order everyone in the world to worship himself—the antichrist—instead. Today I want to tell you about this person, for the days are coming when he will rule the world. It is highly possible he will come in our lifetime.

   I’ll start with what the Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Thessalonians 2. He tells us that “the day of the Lord” will not come until “the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.” (vs. 3-4, New International Version).

   Later in this chapter, Paul wrote, “This man will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles. He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them. So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies. Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth” 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 (NLT).

   (The truth Paul writes about is the good news that Jesus, the Son of God, came to earth to teach us truth, to die to pay the price for our sins, and rose again three days later, proving that God accepted his sacrifice for sin. He stayed in Israel for 40 days after his resurrection, taught his disciples and friends, did miracles, appeared to those who believed in him, then was taken up into heaven. Someday he will return to earth to rule and reign as King of kings and Lord of lords. And every knee will bow to him. Everyone will admit that Jesus is Lord.)

   Daniel 11 tells us “…the king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say unheard-of things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been determined must take place. He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the one desired by women, nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself above them all. Instead of them, he will honor a god of fortresses[1]; a god unknown to his fathers he will honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts. He will attack the mightiest fortresses with the help of a foreign god and will greatly honor those who acknowledge him. He will make them rulers over many peoples and will distribute the land at a price.

   “At the time of the end the king of the South will engage him in battle, and the king of the North will storm out against him with chariots and cavalry and a great fleet of ships. He will invade many countries and sweep through them like a flood. He will also invade the Beautiful Land (Israel). He will extend his power over many countries. Egypt will not escape. He will gain control of the treasures of gold and silver and all the riches of Egypt, with the Libyans and the Nubians in submission….” (Daniel 11:36-43, NIV).

   The Apostle John called the antichrist “the beast out of the sea” with multiple heads and horns. Symbolically, “the sea” usually means from a population outside Israel. The horns mean kings or rulers. John wrote “And the dragon (Satan) gave the beast his own power and throne and great authority. I saw that one of the heads of the beast seemed wounded beyond recovery—but the fatal wound was healed! The whole world marveled at this miracle and gave allegiance to the beast. They worshiped the dragon (Satan) for giving the beast such power, and they also worshiped the beast (antichrist)…The beast was allowed to speak great blasphemies against God. And he was given authority to do whatever he wanted for forty-two months.[2] And he spoke terrible words of blasphemy against God, slandering his name and his dwelling—that is, those who dwell in heaven. And the beast was allowed to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them (Israel and/or the Christians). And he was given authority to rule over every tribe and people and language and nation. And all the people who belonged to this world worshiped the beast. They are the ones who names were not written in the book of Life before the world was made—the Book that belongs to the Lamb (Christ) who was slaughtered. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand. Anyone who is destined for prison will be taken to prison. Anyone destined to die by the sword will die by the sword. This means that God’s holy people must endure persecution patiently and remain faithful” Revelation 13:2-10 (New Living Translation).

   A second beast will rise out of the earth to support the first beast, the antichrist. John wrote, “Then I saw another beast come up out of the earth. He had two horns like those of a lamb, but he spoke with the voice of a dragon (Satan). He exercised all the authority of the first beast. And he required all the earth and its people to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. He did astounding miracles, even making fire flash down to earth from the sky while everyone was watching. And with all the miracles he was allowed to perform on behalf of the first beast, he deceived all the people who belong to this world. He ordered all the people to make a great statue of the first beast…He was then permitted to give life to this statue so that it could speak. Then the statue of the beast commanded that anyone refusing to worship it must die. He required everyone—small and great, rich and poor, free and slave—to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead. And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name. Wisdom is needed here. Let the one with understanding solve the meaning of the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is 666” Revelation13:11-18 (NLT).

   What are the horns? They usually represent kings or rulers; “horns like those of a lamb” may indicate these seem to be gentle, peaceful countries. But they are ruled by Satan.

   These passages of the Bible tell us a lot about the coming antichrist. He will rule on earth shortly before Jesus returns. He will be controlled by Satan and will dominate all people, crushing all who oppose him.

   We do not know for sure if the antichrist will rule all the then-known world, or if he will rule the entire planet. The passages say he will rule all people in the world. Daniel said Nebuchadnezzar ruled all the world. But Nebuchadnezzar actually ruled Iran, Iraq, most of the middle east. Daniel described the other three kingdoms as ruling the world, but they did not rule the entire planet, just the middle east and parts of Europe. Since John was shown these visions in a dream, it means he SAW the nations being ruled. We do not know for sure if what he saw was the then-known world or world as we know it today.

   Most theologians who study the Bible think the antichrist will rule the entire globe. I do not have an answer on that one. We shall see when the antichrist appears. But it is good to be prepared to stand for our faith in Jesus no matter what, if we face a world-wide ruler when antichrist comes.

  Whatever happens, God’s grace is enough to give us strength and courage no matter what.

[1] This could mean he depends on gaining a lethal weapon, such as an atomic bomb, to enforce his will.

[2] Three and a half years

Things Past & Things To Come, Part 2

Hi friends. Springtime is here, with blooming trees, tulips, daffodils and wildflowers. Wyoming is beginning to warm up, and we’re enjoying long walks in the park these days.

  My last post was challenging to fully understand, for it covered a lot of ground! I hope this next section will be much easier.

Things Past & Things To Come

(Part 2)

By Sheri Schofield

Quick review: Daniel had several visions. His dreams contained symbols. Animals in his visions described different times and events. But all his dreams were simply expanding on the dream King Nebuchadnezzar had in Daniel 2. Nebuchadnezzar saw a great image with a gold head, silver chest and arms, brass torso and thighs, legs of iron, and feet of iron mixed with clay.

  The head of gold represented the Babylonian kingdom in which Nebuchadnezzar and Daniel   lived.

   The chest and arms of silver representing the next kingdom which would rule the then-known world—the Medo Persian empire.

   The torso and thighs of bronze represented the Greek Empire.

   The legs of iron represented the Roman Empire, which extended into feet of iron mixed with clay, which represented the future kingdoms coming after the Romans that would somehow include parts of the Roman Empire.

   Finally, a rock “torn out of a mountain” is hurled at the feet of the statue and destroys it completely. Afterward, the rock grows into a great mountain.

  Much of Daniel’s prophecy was fulfilled within 300 years. But there is a large part of the vision which has not yet happened—things we are beginning to see in our time.

Continuing Our Study of Daniel

   Daniel became fearful and anxious when God showed him the fourth beast in the visions. In Daniel 7:15-18 we read this:

   “I, Daniel, was troubled by all I had seen, and my visions terrified me,” Daniel 7:15 (New Living Translation).

   Daniel asked God for an explanation of the fourth beast, which was truly frightening. In Daniel 7:7 he described it: “Then in my vision that night, I saw a fourth beast—terrifying, dreadful, and very strong. It devoured and crushed its victims with huge iron teeth and trampled their remains beneath its feet. And it had ten horns.” We have not seen the time of the “ten horns” yet. This beast was different from any of the other beasts

How was it different? It was much more violent. It crushed all who opposed it. Rome did that. The Romans were ruthless. It was the Romans who introduced crucifixion, one of the most tortuous deaths on earth. But also, after the Roman Empire failed, its influence continued into our times. The other kingdoms ended after their empires were conquered. So the fourth beast, also represented by the iron legs and feet of clay and iron, is still influencing the earth.

Remnants of the Roman Empire Today

  Can you think of things which have lasted since the Roman Empire? Here are two:

1.The Roman Catholic Church. It was organized by the Emperor Constantine in 313 AD.

2.The Statue of Rome is the law governing the United Nations. Although it is not part of the ancient empire, it contains the idea of a continuing Roman Empire. The goal of the United Nations is to govern the entire planet, as Rome governed in ancient times.

 We are now living in the times of the feet of iron and clay from Daniel’s prophecy.

   Much of Daniel speaks of kings of different areas moving back and forth and forming alliances. These events did happen in the times following the fall of Babylon.

Things To Come – The Antichrist

   Daniel 11:21 speaks of a “despicable man who is not in line for royal succession” who will take over the kingdom and many lands. “His army will take over the Temple fortress, pollute the sanctuary, and put a stop to the daily sacrifices, and set up the sacrilegious object that causes desecration” Daniel 11:31.

   This was done by Antiochus IV who ruled Syria from 175 BC to 164 BC. He slaughtered a female pig, put it on the altar, and spread its blood throughout the second Temple in Jerusalem which had been rebuilt by Ezra and Nehemiah. Daniel said this despicable man would kill a covenant prince. Antiochus murdered the High Priest in Jerusalem in 172 BC.

   The book of Revelation tells us another desecration will happen again just before Jesus returns to earth. It will take place in the third Temple in Jerusalem, which does not yet exist, but which will be rebuilt after Israel’s battle of Ezekiel 38-39, when all their enemies are defeated. Antiochus Epiphanies is a type of antichrist—someone resembling—one who will someday come and desecrate the third Temple in Jerusalem.

   In Revelation 13, we read of one who will be known as the antichrist. How will we recognize him?

--He will be someone who has received a fatal wound on his head, but the fatal wound would be healed.

--The entire world will marvel at this and follow this one who is “like a beast.” (We do not know what that means yet.)

--He will speak terrible blasphemies against God. This means he will speak with contempt about God and be irreverent toward all things godly.

--He will make war against the Jews/Israelis and Christians

--He will gain authority over every tribe and people and language and nation with authority given to him by the devil, Satan. He will demand that the world worships him.

--He will rule for 3 ½ years.

The Second Beast

During that time, a second beast (probably a powerful person) will arise to support the first one (antichrist). What he will do:

1.He will do miraculous feats and have great magical powers given to him by the devil.

2.He will demand that everyone on earth receive the mark of the first beast on their foreheads or hands. Those who do not, will not be allowed to buy or sell or trade.

3.He will imprison and/or kill those who resist the antichrist.

What is the Mark of the Beast?

We are told in Revelation 13:18 that the mark of the beast will be the “number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is 666.”

   We do not know if this is symbolic or actual. But to be sure, it is best not to accept any number tattooed or branded on your hand or forehead by a powerful person who demands your allegiance.

Will Christians be on earth during this time? Yes. Revelation 14 instructs us not to receive the mark of the beast. Then the Apostle John wrote, “This means that God’s holy people must endure persecution patiently, obeying his commands and maintaining their faith in Jesus.”

   Many Bible scholars believe the church will be taken out of the world before the antichrist comes, and we will not face this. They teach that the believers at that time will be those who come to know Jesus after all the Christians have been “raptured” into heaven. (Rapture means to be caught up, in this usage.)

   I have studied their reasoning, and I do not see that happening. Why?

   First, I do not think there will be non-Christian people won over to faith in Christ during the Great Tribulation, when the antichrist rules the earth, for they will believe and follow him. 2 Thessalonians 2 tells us that those who have chosen not to believe in and follow Jesus will be deceived by the antichrist. “For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie…” 2 Thessalonians 2:11 (New International Version).

   Second, right now—around the world—Christians are suffering and dying for their faith. There have been more Christian martyrs in oppressive countries in the past 100 years than there have been since the beginning of Christianity in the first century. What makes us think that if we live in a land of freedom, we will escape this danger, when our brothers and sisters in Christ are already dying?

   I think we will be here during this time. But each one must study for himself or herself and decided what they believe. Until it happens and we see for sure, all views remain theories. So it is wise to hold all our theories lightly, for the end may look differently than we think.

   In the meantime, we need to read and study our Bibles and learn to stand strong for Jesus wherever we are.

  Jesus loved us enough to die to pay the price for our sins at Calvary. He rose again to prove God the Father accepted his sacrifice, and that all who believe in Jesus will receive eternal life after this one ends. There is more proof that Jesus rose from the dead than there is proof that Julius Caesar even lived. Jesus’s death on the cross proves that he loves us more than we can imagine! Who could turn their back on love like that? Jesus himself said, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” John 15:13 (New International Version).

Things Past & Things To Come

Hi friends. We are now back from vacation, a much-needed time of rest. We were in the mountains of Panama in a little town called “Boquete,” where flowers bloom year-round and the people are friendly. Our occasional trips to Panama give my husband and me the opportunity of using our Spanish, although most of the shop keepers in town speak some English.

   Now that we’re home, I’m going to pick up where we left off in Daniel. It’s an intriguing section of the Bible! The following posts will cover the whole prophecy of Daniel and other related prophecies in the Bible, and focuses on the part we are facing now. I want to start with an introduction to what we’ll be studying so you will understand how prophecy works before going into details.

Things Past & Things To Come

(Part 1)

By Sheri Schofield

   The next section of Daniel’s prophesies about the world’s future are difficult to explain partly because his words connect the Book of Daniel to both Ezekiel 40 and the Book of Revelation. I will try to keep it orderly and as simple as possible as I explain.

   Some scholars who do not believe God gives prophecies to people – or who simply don’t believe in God – used to say Daniel did not write the book named after him. Why? Because a large portion of Daniel’s prophecies happened over the next 300 years and were totally accurate. Those scholars figured somebody wrote a history of those events after they happened then claimed they were prophetic visions from God to Daniel.

   However, when the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in the Qumran Caves in 1946 and the following ten years, the archaeologists found a copy of the Book of Daniel among the scrolls and verified it was indeed written by Daniel himself 300 years before those events happened. God had supernaturally given Daniel a vision of the future as he had claimed in his manuscript. Historical evidence proved him right.

How Prophecy Works

      When God gives a prophecy, sometimes he shows the prophet several scenes of things that will happen in the future. But the prophet does not know when these things will happen or whether they will happen all at the same time. It’s like looking at a mountain and thinking, “I can climb it in one day.” Then you start climbing. You come to a place where you thought the top was, only to discover a valley then another mountain peak ahead. This will happen a few times before you reach the top.

   It is that same way with the Old Testament prophecies of Ezekiel and Daniel, and I think it is very likely the same way in the Book of Revelation, though it’s hard to tell for sure. We won’t know for sure until it has all happened. We may know what lies ahead, but not when it will happen.

   In the Book of Daniel, the prophecies told not only what would happen within the next 300 years, but also some things that would happen at the end of time when the Messiah would return to earth. There are four kingdoms mentioned. We live in the times of the last kingdom, the fourth.

   Daniel himself was very troubled by these dreams, particularly about the fourth beast which represented the fourth kingdom. God told Daniel of persecutions of godly people which would come, but the persecution would refine and purify them “until the time of the end, for the appointed time is still to come” (Daniel 11:35, NLT). Again, in Daniel 12:4, God tells him, “But you, Daniel, keep this prophecy a secret; seal up the book until the time of the end, when many will rush here and there, and knowledge will increase.”

   God was telling Daniel that the meaning of these prophecies would not be understood until the end times of earth’s kingdoms. God described how people would gain great knowledge and travel quickly to many places.

   “The time of the end,” when people rush around and knowledge increases, did not begin until the Industrial Age in the eighteenth century in Great Britain. From that time onward, knowledge increased rapidly. People traveled the world more and more. It has been an incredible time of technological advancement not seen in the history of the world until then. And it has continued to advance faster and faster. For example, thirty years ago, it used to be that all medical knowledge from the beginning of time until then, doubled every two years.

   But we are now looking at AI development, which is like the speed of a rocket ship blasting off into space compared to the speed of cars, trains and airplanes. It’s getting close to a time of “straight up” doubling of knowledge, as opposed to every two years of doubling knowledge. We are now living in the time described in Daniel 12:4. And it has only been within the past few decades that people have begun to understand the prophecies of Daniel to some degree.

   History repeats itself over and over. People do the same things and do not learn from history. Prophecy from God also repeats itself almost identically sometimes. So a prophecy which was seemingly fulfilled, or mostly fulfilled, thousands of years ago may seem to happen again with a different set of people. This can be confusing!

   Therefore, we need to be careful about how we evaluate prophecies being fulfilled in our time. We can be hopeful that we are seeing the final fulfillment of the prophecies. In fact, we are seeing a huge number of them being fulfilled quickly, which leads us to think we may well be seeing the final fulfillment, and that Jesus is coming very, very soon.

   But at the same time, we need to focus on the work God wants us to do while we wait for his return. Don’t stop serving God’s kingdom! Keep focused on reaching those who don’t know Jesus! If the end is near, we need to tell as many people as possible about the only hope for mankind: Jesus.

   Most of the visions of Daniel were fulfilled the first time by about three hundred years after Daniel wrote the prophecies down. But the Book of Revelation ties another of Daniel’s prophesies into what John the Apostle prophesied about the end of time, when Christ will return. Daniel saw the fairly near future as well as the distant future in the same dreams.

   Some religious groups believe this prophecy of the fourth kingdom was completely fulfilled the first time it happened, and that was the end of it. They view it as historical and merely symbolic. But many Bible scholars do not agree, because it was not completely fulfilled 300 years later. It foretold the return of Christ to earth as King. Even when Jesus came to earth the first time, he didn’t come as King. That remains in the future, which God showed Daniel.

   John the Apostle’ Book of Revelation ties to the Book of Daniel in places. The Book of Revelation tells of the days that come before the return of Jesus to earth. Though some people teach that Revelation is only symbolic and historical, many believe there is more to those prophecies which has not happened and is still to come, just as parts of Daniel have yet come to fulfillment.

   The Book of Revelation was written many years after Jesus’s death and resurrection. Most Bible scholars think it was written around 73 to 75 AD, after the Romans under Titus destroyed the second Temple in Jerusalem in 70 AD.

   The Book of Daniel and the Book of Revelation both speak of a despicable man who will desecrate the Temple in Jerusalem. Daniel’s prophecy was fulfilled when Titus desecrated the second Temple, but according to John, the prophecy will be fulfilled again in the third Temple which Ezekiel 40 describes. Double fulfillment. (See Daniel 11:21 and Revelation 13:1-10)

   God showed John the same thing he showed Daniel about the end of human-ruled kingdoms and the return of Christ to earth. Daniel wrote that he saw “someone like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven” (Daniel 7:13). John saw a future scene of the return of Christ as pictured in Revelation 19:11-16. He wrote, “Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war…On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords.” (New Living Translation) That king is Jesus.

   In Acts 1:9-11 the Bible tells us how Jesus left this earth after his resurrection. “After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. ‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!’” (NLT) Both Daniel and John confirm that Jesus will return from the sky and will destroy the kingdoms of man and establish a forever kingdom which Jesus himself will rule.

   This is an introduction to a closer study of Daniel and Revelation, with supporting passages of the Bible as we go into more detail. 

   I believe we are nearing the time when Jesus will return to earth to rule and reign forever. In my next blog post I will explain more about Daniel’s prophecies about the four kingdoms, focusing mainly on the fourth one, in which we now live.

Daniel's Dream in Chapter 7

Hi Friends,

   My husband and I have been on a much-needed vacation, but I have not forgotten you. I’ve had some time to think about Daniel’s dream in chapter 7. I hope I can present it simply and clearly! Bible scholars have many deep, confusing things to say about the visions of Daniel. But the main points remain the same throughout the Book of Daniel.

   As we look at the visions, please ask the Lord to give you wisdom and understanding, for I am simply one Bible teacher, and not everyone agrees on every point presented in these dreams. I will do my best to explain the main points.

Daniel’s Dream in Chapter 7

By Sheri Schofield

   Daniel’s visions all expand upon the dream of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. It’s the dream about the great statue. Daniel 7 is no exception. Each dream builds upon the previous dreams. The basic premise is this: After the kingdom of Babylon, represented by the head of gold, three other powerful kingdoms will rise. We know what they were and are because they have already occurred. We are living in the last kingdom of the dream.

 Represented by chest and arms of silver, would be the Medo-Persian empire. Next, represented by a bronze belly and thighs, would be the Greek Empire. After the Greeks would be a kingdom represented by iron, which were the Romans. Finally, the last kingdom of earth would be represented by feet and toes of mixed iron and clay, a coalition of nations that had difficulties staying together.

  In Daniel 7, God shows Daniel four creatures: 1) a lion with eagles wings—2) a bear—3) a leopard with four wings and four heads—4) a frightening beast with iron teeth and bronze claws. These creatures represented Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and finally Rome, which would be strong and would crush all its opponents.

   The last beast would have 10 horns—ten kings. Most Bible scholars think this refers to the final kingdom s of earth, which will be made up of a coalition of the ancient nations ruled by Rome—the feet of clay in Nebuchadnezzar’s vision.

   A small horn would rise from among the ten horns. It would have eyes like a human and its mouth would boast arrogantly. It would push aside three other horns (kingdoms) to assert itself.

   Many Bible scholars think this small horn represents a man known as the antichrist, who will someday present himself as being God in the Temple in Jerusalem and demand that all people worship him.(See 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12) The antichrist will persecute, imprison and kill those who will not worship him. This beast would be killed and his body burned. 2 Thessalonians 2: :8 tells us the antichrist—also called the man of lawlessness—will be destroyed by Jesus himself. In Daniel, we are told the other three kingdoms would be allowed to exist a little longer. I am not sure how this fits into end-time prophecy, so I will not even try to guess.

   At that time, when the antichrist is destroyed, “someone like the son of man” would come with the clouds of heaven. This is a reference to the return of Jesus Christ to earth.

   1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 talks about the return of Jesus to earth. In the days of the apostles, people were expecting Jesus to return during their lifetimes. They were worried about those Christians who had died. Paul wrote these words to them:

   “…We want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.

   “We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words.” (New Living Translation)

   What happens to Christians—those who believe in and follow Jesus—when they die? Do their spirits stay in the ground until they are resurrected at Christ’s return?

   Paul speaks of that, too. In 1 Corinthians 5:6-8 he wrote: “So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies, we are not at home with the Lord. For we live by believing and not by seeing. Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord.” (NLT)

   Revelation speaks of those who are/will be martyred for the sake of the word of God and their testimony of Jesus. Their souls cry out to God from beneath heaven’s altar. (See Revelation 6:9-10)

   Those who believe in Jesus, and those who believed in Jehovah in the Old Testament, go to be with God in heaven when they die.  Their souls leave their bodies. When Jesus returns to earth, he resurrects them with new bodies, not perishable ones.

   For the believer in Christ, there is no fear in death. We are his. He loves us. When we die, he calls us to go to him, and we enjoy the beauty and excitement of God’s presence in heaven while we await those who will join us later.