The Timeline of Last Things
The Pre-tribulational, Pre-Millennial view taught at Christ’s Church since 1996
The Church Age (Luke 21:24; Rom. 11): This is the time between the 69th and 70th week of Daniel 9:24-27 which pertains to Israel’s 70 future prophetic weeks of years. The Church Age is the period that spans from the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2) to the rapture or sudden removal of the church (1 Thess. 4:13-18). It is called the Church Age which was an unrevealed mystery in the Old Testament and revealed in the New Testament covering the period in which the Church is on the earth.
Death and the Intermediate State: Physical death does not end conscious existence. The immaterial soul remains fully aware (Revelation 6:9–11). For believers, death brings immediate entrance into the presence of Christ (Luke 23:43; Philippians 1:23; 2 Corinthians 5:8). At death there is a temporary separation of body and soul (Philippians 1:21–24). The soul remains in joyful fellowship with Christ in heaven (2 Corinthians 5:8) until the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:13–17), when the first resurrection occurs (Revelation 20:4–6) and believers receive glorified bodies (Philippians 3:21; 1 Corinthians 15:35–44, 50–54). All people will be bodily raised: the saved to eternal life (John 6:39; Romans 8:10–11, 19–23; 2 Corinthians 4:14), and the unsaved to judgment (Daniel 12:2; John 5:29; Revelation 20:13–15). For the unbelieving, the soul enters conscious punishment in intermediate hell (Luke 16:19–26) until the second resurrection (John 5:28–29; Revelation 20:13–15). They will stand before Christ at the Great White Throne (Revelation 20:11–15), then be cast into the lake of fire (Matthew 25:41–46; Revelation 20:15), cut off from God under eternal wrath (Daniel 12:2; 2 Thessalonians 1:7–9).
The Rapture of the Church (for His saints): Christ will personally and bodily return for His church before the seven-year tribulation (1 Thessalonians 4:16; Titus 2:13; Rev. 3:10). He will translate living believers and raise the dead in Christ (John 14:1–3; 1 Corinthians 15:51–53; 1 Thessalonians 4:15–5:11). Following the rapture, believers will appear before Christ to be rewarded according to their works (1 Corinthians 3:11–15; 2 Corinthians 5:10).
The Judgment Seat of Christ (Rom. 14:10-12; 1 Cor. 3:9-15; 2 Cor. 5:10): This is a time of judgment in heaven after the rapture to give rewards for faithfulness or losses for ministry that was not useful.
The Marriage of the Bridegroom and Church in Heaven (Rev. 19:6-8): This takes place in heaven after the judgment seat of Christ. Verse 8 indicates the bride (the raptured church) being dressed in white linen, which is the righteous works of the saints.
The Tribulation and the Great Tribulation (Rev. 6-19): After the church is removed (John 14:1–3; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18), God’s righteous judgments will be poured out upon the unbelieving world (Jeremiah 30:7; Daniel 9:27; 12:1; 2 Thessalonians 2:7–12; Revelation 16). This seven-year period corresponds to the seventieth week of Daniel which begins when the Antichrist signs a covenant with “the many” of Israel (Daniel 9:24–27; Matthew 24:15–31). The first half is called the “tribulation,” and the second half is the “great tribulation” (Mat. 24:21), differentiated because the Beast, or Antichrist, will be revealed at the midpoint of the tribulation, and the wrath of God greatly accelerates during this time. The tribulation will culminate in Christ’s glorious return to earth (Matthew 24:27–31; 25:31–46; 2 Thessalonians 2:7–12). Old Testament saints and tribulation believers will be raised (Daniel 12:2–3; Revelation 20:4–6).
The Second Coming of Jesus Christ (with His saints - Matt. 24:29-31; Rev. 19:11-16): After the tribulation, Christ will return visibly to earth to sit on David’s throne (Matthew 25:31; Luke 1:31–33; Acts 1:10–11; 2:29–30; cf. Revelation 3:21) and establish His literal thousand-year kingdom (Revelation 20:1–7). As the warrior King, Jesus will judge and wage war against His enemies in the great campaign of Armageddon (Rev. 16:12-16; 14:1-19:19). This campaign of battles can be divided into 8 stages: Stage 1: Assembling the Allies of the Antichrist (Rev. 16:12-15; Joel 3:9-11; Psalm 2:1-6). Stage 2: The destruction of the political, economic, and religious capital of Babylon (Rev. 17-18; Zech. 5:5-11; Isa. 13:1-14:21; Jer. 50-51). Stage 3: The fall of Jerusalem (Zech. 12:1-3; 14:1-9; Micah 4:11-5:1); Stage 4: The armies of the Antichrist at Bozrah (Jer. 49:13-14; Mic. 2:12). Stage 5: The National Regeneration of Israel (Hos. 6:1-3; Isa. 53:1-9; Rom. 11:25-27; Zech. 12:10-13:9; Joel 2:28-32; Isa. 64:1-12); Stage 6: The Second Coming of the Messiah (Isa. 34:1-7; 63:1-6; Hab. 3:3; Mic. 2:12-13; Matt. 24:29-31; Rev. 19:11-21); Stage 7: The battle from Bozrah to the Valley of Jehoshaphat (Joel 3:12-13; Rev. 14:19-20). Stage 8: The victory ascent up the Mount of Olives (Zech. 14:3-4a; Rev. 16:17-21). This campaign will end the tribulation as all the enemies of Christ will be defeated and the Lord’s victory will be decisive.
The 75-Day Interval (Dan. 12:11-12): Daniel adds two additional time periods beyond the 1,260 days of the second half the tribulation. He adds 30 days (1,290) during which the time of the abomination of desolation remains in the temple before its removal. Then he adds another 45 days (1,335) which brings a blessing on those who make it to the final day. During this additional 75-day period, a number of events will take place:
The abomination of desolation is removed (Dan. 12:11)
The resurrected Antichrist and the false prophet are thrown alive into the lake of fire (Rev. 19:20)
Satan is bound and cast into the abyss (Rev. 20:1-2)
The Gentiles are judged regarding how they treated Israel (Matt. 25:31-46; Joel 3:1-3)
The Old Testament saints are resurrected (Isa. 26:19; Dan. 12:2)
The Tribulation saints are physically resurrected in the first resurrection which comes in various stages (Rev. 20:4-6; 1 Cor. 15:20; 1 Thess. 4:16)
The marriage feast of the Lamb (Rev. 19:9; Matt. 22:1-14; 25:1-3; Isa. 25:6-8).
The Kingdom Age / 1000-Year Earthly Reign of Christ (Millennium - Isa. 2:2-4; 11:6-9; 15:1-5; 65:17-25; Psalm 24:1-6; Mic. 4:1-5; Rev. 20:4-6): While Satan is bound, Jesus will rule and reign on the earth over glorified and non-glorified Gentile and Israeli saints. The Abrahamic, Land, Davidic and New Covenants will be fulfilled. The curse on creation will be removed. The deserts will bloom. The Millennial Temple and Jerusalem will be on the highest mountain in the world. Children will play with vipers. And the wolf will lie down with the lamb. The millennium will be marked by peace, righteousness, justice, harmony, and long life (Isaiah 11; 65:17–25; Ezekiel 36:33–38; Zechariah 8:4).
The Aftermath (Rev. 20:7-15): Though ideal conditions will exist on the earth during the Millennial reign of Christ, it will not be perfect. Sin and death, though greatly reduced, will not be eliminated and a great number of unsaved people will be alive at the close of the kingdom age.
Satan will be loosed and deceive the nations of unglorified unbelievers who will come against Christ, but God will send fire from heaven to destroy them (Rev. 20:7-10; 1 Cor. 15:24-28),
The great white throne judgment for unbelievers of all time will convene to determine the degree of punishment by their works according to the books (Rev. 20:11-15; Matt. 11:20-24; Luke 12:47-48),
The second resurrection is for all unbelievers (first the Antichrist -Rev. 13:3, 12) and the false prophet first (Rev. 20:13), then the rest of the unredeemed will be consigned to eternal conscious punishment in the lake of fire (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:11–15).
The Eternal State: While the Messianic Kingdom is the high point of the Old Testament, the eternal order is the high point in the last two chapters of the New Testament. God will dwell among mankind. King Jesus will continue in His position of authority on the Davidic throne into the eternal order.
The present heavens and earth will be done away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with a fervent heat and the earth and its works will be burned up (Rev. 20:11; Matt. 24:35; 2 Pet 3:10-12; Rev. 21:1b)
A new heaven and new earth will be created (Rev. 21:1a, 2-8) and there will be no more death, crying or suffering as all will be enjoying eternal blessing and living with Christ.
The eternal New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:9-22:5) will descend from heaven (Revelation 21:2) and the redeemed will dwell forever in God’s presence, enjoying eternal fellowship with Him and one another (John 17:3; Revelation 21–22) This city has God’s glory in it to light it all, four great walls of jasper for protection, twelve open gates of pearls, twelve foundations of precious stones, measures 1500 miles long, wide and high, all of transparent gold, without oceans, no temple, no moon, no night, no curse, nobody unrighteous, with a river of life flowing from the throne and the tree of life bearing fruit monthly that gives therapeutic health for the nations and the occupants will be Jesus Christ and all the redeemed of all ages.
The final kingdom transfer: Having completed His mediatorial reign, Christ will deliver the kingdom to the Father (1 Corinthians 15:24–28), and the triune God will reign forever in unchallenged glory (1 Corinthians 15:28).