This document outlines the beliefs of Grace Bible Church regarding biblical prophecy, specifically focusing on eschatology and the timeline of God's plan for humanity through various dispensations. It discusses the Rapture, the Tribulation period, the Lord's return, the establishment of the Millennium, and the final judgement leading to the creation of a new heaven and earth. The emphasis is on living in godliness while anticipating the return of Jesus Christ and the fulfillment of God's promises.

1. Grace Bible
Church
Glorifying God by Making Disciples
of Jesus Christ

2. God’s Revelation of the Future
•Prophecy is one of the great evidences
that it is God that has spoken - Isaiah
46:9-10
•Prophecy of the future is a strong
motivator to living in godliness in the
present - 2 Peter 3:14

3. God’s Revelation of the Future
•Caution 1: Wrong approaches to the
Bible develop wrong theologies
•Caution 2: Even with correct
hermeneutics there will still be variation
because not everything is known
•We need to be humble in eschatology
because we don’t know how all the
pieces fit together

4. The Previous Dispensations
•Dispensation = a distinguishable
administration in which God assigns
mankind or certain people
responsibilities in carrying out God’s
program for the world and for which
they are accountable to Him

5. The Seven Dispensations
• Innocence
• Adamic
• Noahic
• Abrahamic
• Mosaic
• Grace
• Millennial

6. The Times of the Gentiles & The Church Age
•A new dispensation may modify the
previous one, but it did not end it.
•Within the Mosaic Dispensation are:
The Wilderness Wanderings,
The Judges; The United Kingdom,
The Divided Kingdom; The Captivity,
& The Second Temple period

7. The Times of the Gentiles & The Church Age
• Daniel 9:24-27 –
 Decree of Artaxerxes on March 5,
444 B.C.
 The 62 weeks conclude March 30,
A.D. 33
• Jerusalem has been “trampled
underfoot by the Gentiles” since A.D.
70. (Luke 21:24)
• We are in the “Times of the Gentiles”

8. The Times of the Gentiles & The Church Age
•Acts 1:6-8.
•The times & epochs are God’s concern
and not theirs - or ours
•Keep the right focus & priorities
•We know some general things about
the future, but few specifics.
Deuteronomy 29:29

9. The Rapture
1 Thessalonians 4:15-18
• We do not know how much longer the
church age will last.
• Paul expected that he could be alive at
Jesus’ return – 1 Thess. 4:15
• Rapture from the Latin “rapers”
referring to being “caught up” to be
with the Lord

10. The Rapture
1 Thessalonians 4:15-18
• There are varying ideas about the
timing of this the rapture
• We believe it will be before the seven
year Tribulation period
1) We are to be ready & alert for the
Lord’s return for He is near & at hand.
 We eagerly anticipate His return for
He is “coming quickly” “like a thief.”

11. The Rapture
1 Thessalonians 4:15-18
2) Believers are not destined for the
wrath to come but are delivered from
it, kept from the hour of testing
• Be gracious with those who differ
• The Scriptural emphasis is eager
anticipation of the Lord’s return and
not the exact timing

12. The Tribulation Period
• A seven year period of tribulation,
wrath & purging of Israel (Zeph. 1:15;
3:12-20; Joel 2 & 3; Zech. 12-14).
• This period begins with a covenant
made by anti-Christ with the nation of
Israel - Daniel 9:27

13. The Tribulation Period
• The seal judgements include:
 Conquering
 War
 Famine
 & death of 1/4 of the earth’s
population

14. The Tribulation Period
•The Abomination of Desolation occurs
at the mid-point with the Anti-Christ
proclaiming himself God (Dan. 9:27; Matt.
24:15; 2 Thess. 2:3-4)
•The sixth seal judgement seems to
coordinate with Matthew 24 and come
after the Abomination of Desolation

15. The Trumpet judgements include:
1/3 of all vegetation sea life destroyed
1/3 of fresh water becoming wormwood
resulting in many men dying,
1/3 of the Sun, moon & stars affected so
that they are partially darkened,
strange creatures that torment men for
five months
A 200,000,000 army that kill 1/3 of mankind

16. The Tribulation Period
• There are 12,000 Jews from each tribe
(144,000 total) that God seals as His
bond servants. (None are J W’s)
• There are two witness that cannot be
killed for 3 ½ years, but then are killed
& rise again 3 ½ days later and then
taken to heaven
• There is intense persecution of Jews

17. The bowl judgements include
• Malignant sores on those with the mark
of the beast
• Sea becomes blood & all sea life dies
• Rivers & springs become blood
• Sun scorches men with intense heat
• Darkness that cause pain
• World’s armies gather at Armageddon

18. The Tribulation Period
• Israel is conquered & Jerusalem captured.
2/3 of the people are killed
• The 7th bowl brings:
 Lightning, Thunder,
 A great earthquake - splits Jerusalem 3
ways, cities of the nations fall, the
islands disappear & mountains fall
 100 lbs hailstones

19. The Tribulation Period
•In Heaven:
The works of believers are judged for
rewards - 2 Corinthians 5:10
The Marriage of the Lamb takes place
- Revelation 19:7-9

20. The Lord’s Return
•The Lord visibly returns with His
heavenly armies. Every eye will see Him
(Zech. 12:10; Matt. 24:30; Rev. 1:7)
•He destroys the armies that had
gathered to fight Him and rescues the
remnant of the Jews (Isaiah 66:15-17,
24; Daniel 2:44; Joel 3:1-2, 9-15;
Zechariah 14:1-3; Rev. 19:11-21).

21. The Lord’s Return
•His angels gather the wicked for
judgement & the righteous for their
rewards. (Matthew 13:38-41; 25:31-46)
•The remnant of the Jews will mourn &
repent and will be saved (Isaiah 59:20-
21; Joel 3:16-21; Zechariah 12:10f,
Romans 11:25-27).
•The anti-Christ (the Beast) and the false
prophet are thrown into the lake of fire

22. The Millennium
•The Lord will establish His kingdom
and rule from David’s throne in
Jerusalem (Daniel 7:13 & 14, etc.)
•Israel is permanently restored to the
land and is prosperous (Joel 2:18; Amos
3:13-15)
•Jesus reigns with His disciples sitting
on 12 thrones judging the 12 tribes of
Israel (Matthew 19:28)

23. Rev. 20 refers to a 1,000 years six times:
•Satan is bound for 1,000 years;
•Satan cannot deceive for 1,000 year
•Tribulation martyrs reign with Christ for
1,000 years;
•The rest remain dead for 1,000 years.
•Those in the first resurrection reign
with Christ for 1,000 years.
•Satan is released after 1,000 years.

24. The Millennium
•Those that deny the millennium usually
also deny the prophecies concerning
the future of Israel
•Satan’s release results in the deception
of the nations and a worldwide rebellion
•The rebels surround the camp of the
saints & the Jerusalem, but God
destroys them with fire from heaven

25. Final Judgement
Revelation 20:11-15
•The devil is cast into the lake of fire and
brimstone
•God judges the dead according to their
deeds - which condemns them.
•Those not written in the book of life are
cast into the Lake of Fire - along with
death and Hades

26. Eternity
2 Peter 3:10-15; Revelation 21,22
•The heavens & earth are destroyed by
intense heat that melts the elements
•A new heaven, earth and Jerusalem are
created.
•Righteous man will dwell with God &
there will no longer be any mourning,
crying, pain or death

27. The New Jerusalem
 1,500 miles long, wide and high.
 Made of crystal-clear jasper
 Adorned with every kind of precious
stone
 12 gates made from one pearl each
 Streets of transparent gold
 No Sun, moon or lamps - The glory of
God illumines it.

28. Eternity
2 Peter 3:10-15; Revelation 21,22
•A river of the water of life flows from
God’s throne
•The tree of life spans the river and
bears its 12 fruits in their season.
•There is no longer any curse
•Only those written in the Lamb’s book
of life will be there.

29. Is your name written in the
Lamb’s book of life?

30. “Since all these things are to be
destroyed in this way, what sort of
people ought you to be in holy
conduct and godliness, looking for
and hastening the coming of the
day of God?”

31. Grace Bible
Church
Glorifying God by Making Disciples
of Jesus Christ