Ten days after Jesus' ascension, the Holy Spirit was poured into Christ's disciples, empowering them to testify of the mighty works of God and of the testimony of Christ on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2). Peter explained that the coming of the Holy Spirit was the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecy of Joel (Joel 2:28-32). Peter preached the first sermon on the day of Pentecost, and he called sinners to repentance, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself" (Acts 2:37-41). About 3000 souls were baptized and added to the Church on the day of Pentecost.
During this present age of the Church, the Jews and Gentiles who receive Jesus are justified by God's grace through faith as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. "But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it-- the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus" (Rom 3:21-26).
All who receive Christ are born again by the Holy Spirit, who sets God's seal upon the believer. The Holy Spirit indwells and sanctifies Christians, conforming us to Christ. The Holy Spirit gifts and empowers us to serve, and He is the heavenly gift and good deposit entrusted to us. The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin and judgment, and He is the believer's guarantee of eternal salvation. At the end of this age, Jesus will appear in the air to gather all glorified believers to Himself (1 Thess 4:17).
Jewish and Gentile unbelievers, who rejected Christ and are alive at that time, will have to endure the judgments of the Great Tribulation, which is the final seven year period of horrific judgment outlined in Revelation 4-18. Many will be deceived by the miracles performed by the False Prophet, from whom demonic spirits will go abroad to the kings of the whole world to assemble them for the battle of Armageddon (Rev 16:13-14). The Antichrist will be incarnated by Satan, then he will exalt himself as God in the new Jerusalem temple. At the end of the Tribulation, foreign nations will gather against Israel to destroy her. At that time, Jesus will return to earth as the Conquering King to destroy God's enemies and deliver the preserved of Israel. This is the battle of Armageddon (Rev 16:16).
(Photo by BiblePlaces.com)
(Photo by BiblePlaces.com)
All who have believed in Jesus and hold fast to His testimony to the end will be saved. After Jesus conquers and destroys God's enemies at the battle of Armageddon, Satan will be bound for a thousand years. During the millennium, Jesus will gather and restore Israel in her land, and Jesus will reign on earth over all nations in perfect wisdom, peace and righteousness as King of kings and Lord of lords. At the end of the millennium, Satan is released for a short time (Rev 20:1), then thrown into the lake of fire with the beast and false prophet to be eternally tormented (Rev 20:10). Unbelievers from every age will be resurrected, judged and condemned at the Great White Throne judgment.
Finally, God will create a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth will have passed away. God will dwell with His people, and He will be with them as their God. "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away" (Rev 21:4).
What are we waiting for in this present age? What major eschatological event happens next?
The appearing of Jesus in the air when, in the twinkling of an eye, the dead believers in Christ will be resurrected from the grave, glorified, and gathered to Christ. Then all those who are alive will also be gathered with them in the clouds. And then we will always be with Jesus. (1 Thess 4:13-17)
When will Jesus come?
"But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect" Matt 24:36-44).
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