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The End Times
Biblical Hope When Headlines Look Like Prophecy
Eschatology Series • Ed • Waupaca Church of Christ
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Eschatology
Let Scripture interpret the times.
Every crisis gets turned into somebody’s prophecy chart. Men stir fear and sell urgency.
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The Main Issue
Scripture does not call Christians to decode headlines.
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Our True Call
We are called to trust the reigning Christ, understand His teaching, and live in holy readiness.
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Historical Context
Jerusalem, A.D. 70
The destruction of the temple in Matthew 24 must be read in its first-century context.
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Doctrinal Warning
Do not read the newspaper into Matthew 24.
Christ did not give prophecy to make His people panic.
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Point I
Read in Context,
Not in Panic.
Not in Panic.
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“And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.”
Matthew 24:6
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“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.”
Matthew 24:36
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“Do not let fear interpret Scripture; let Scripture interpret the times.”
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Point II
Christ Will Come Again.
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The Second Coming
- Personal – He Himself will descend
- Visible – Every eye will see
- Public – With a shout and trumpet
- Final – The end of the present order
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“Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
Acts 1:11
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Greek Word Study
παρουσία (parousia)
Meaning: Arrival, presence, coming.
Relevance: Christ’s return is a real arrival of the same Jesus who ascended.
Relevance: Christ’s return is a real arrival of the same Jesus who ascended.
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Greek Word Study
θροέω (throeō)
Meaning: Alarmed, disturbed, panicked.
Relevance: Jesus forbids fear-driven eschatology.
Relevance: Jesus forbids fear-driven eschatology.
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The Biblical Sequence
- Death
- Intermediate State (Hades)
- The Resurrection
- Final Judgment
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Point III
Death Does Not End the Story.
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Understanding Hades
Hades is the intermediate realm of the dead.
It is real, temporary, conscious, and totally distinct from final punishment.
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“Death ends opportunity, not accountability.”
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Point IV
One General, Bodily Resurrection.
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“Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.”
John 5:28–29
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“Christianity does not end at the cemetery—it walks out of it.”
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Point V
Judgment is Fixed and Final.
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“…because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”
Acts 17:31
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Two Chains of Thinking
False Chain
Headlines
Fear
Speculation
Obsession
Instability
Fear
Speculation
Obsession
Instability
Biblical Chain
Scripture
Understanding
Steadiness
Holiness
Readiness
Understanding
Steadiness
Holiness
Readiness
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Point VI
Eschatology Produces Holiness.
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Application
What kind of end-times teaching are your children hearing from you?
Truth or hysteria?
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“The church does not need another chart nearly as much as it needs another dose of sober faith.”
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Closing Challenge
- Believe that Christ reigns now.
- Know that death does not end accountability.
- Trust that the judgment day is fixed.
- Live in holy, watchful readiness.
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What Must I Do?
- Hear the Word of God
- Believe in Jesus Christ
- Repent of past sins
- Confess faith in Christ openly
- Be Baptized for the remission of sins
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