Acknowledgments
Acknowledgements
I first began to understand the deep things of Christian scriptures, when I was an undergraduate student, attending weekly fellowship and church services at the living faith church, AKA winners chapel, in Delsu. I thank God for the teachings of Bishop David Oyedepo. God bless you sir.
… But my understanding got deeper, with a clear sense of the big picture of God, as regards life, our mission on earth, tribulations, the rapture(s) and judgment day, when I sat under the ministration of Pastor Olubi Johnson, of the Christ life ministries, who is the presiding pastor at scripture pasture Christian centre in Ibadan. Words cannot express how profoundly appreciative I am of your work in the Lord Sir. The Lord rewards you in his bounty.
Reverend OlusolaAreogun, of the life oasis international churches, AKA the DreamCentre, is also to be much appreciated. His teachings have helped me to find my ministry in Christ and for this I am very grateful sir.
Furthermore, I would like to thank all teachers, preachers and evangelists, whose books I have read, or whose fruits I have been blessed by, via radio and television presenters etc. I cannot mention all, but I pray that God’s reward will meet everyone that has planted or watered, according to their abilities.
Lastly, I would like to thank my wife, my parents and siblings, whose support by divine arrangement, created the necessary foundation, upon which God began his good work in me.
Every writer owes so much gratitude! And I am grateful to everyone I owe, for allowing me acquire this debt of gratitude. May the almighty God, Jehovah, bless you greatly in Jesus name.
Itimi Benjamin.A.
June 27, 2016.
About this book
ABOUT THIS BOOK
Most Christians find it perhaps boring, or scary, or confusing, having to read prophetic books… especially the book of revelation in the Bible. This disposition is further reinforced by the fact that, all the prophetic books, apart from the book of revelation, are found in the Old Testament
Another issue of concern, is that, many Christians see the old and the new testaments, as diametrically opposed to each other. As a result of this erroneous view, they go on to say “we are no more under the Old Testament, but are now under the New Testament dispensation. These Christians, ignore the fact that, the Law of Moses is but a tiny part of the old testament, and even at that, Jesus said that, he did not come to abolish, but to fulfill the law and the prophets. It is stated in the Law of Moses, that, we should not steal, kill or commit adultery…. does the law of grace in the New Testament, declare that we can now steal, kill and commit adultery, because the Law of Moses has expired in its validity?
A critical view of the Law of Moses will reveal what Christ came to do to it. Jesus simply replaced the daily sacrifice of a lamb by the high priest, and the numerous sacrifices of animals, by individuals who had sinned, and as such, needed to repeatedly offer a cleansing sacrificial lamb, with himself as the final and perpetual sacrifice. This was because all the former sacrifices and ordinances could only cover sins for a season. Such sacrifices of the blood of lambs and bulls could not wash away sins forever, or grant righteousness, unto everlasting life, to the spirit of man. The first fruit ordinance, the tithe instruction, and the circumcision law, all existed, long before the Law of Moses. With the introduction of Jesus Christ as the replacement lamb, his precious blood, shed, was able to fulfill all the requirements of the law. However, all the basic moral and spiritual laws, such as, prohibition against theft, fornication, murder, etc, didn’t change in the law of Christ. We are simply better “equipped in grace” to fulfill and keep these commands in the New Testament dispensation.
In fact, the Old Testament is far more voluminous than the New Testament, because the New Testament contains principles and precepts of the kingdom mostly, whereas, the workings of the principles and precepts of the New Testament, are found hidden in the stories and allegoriesthat the lives of the men and women the Old Testament days represent.
Therefore, both the old and new testaments are two sides of the same coin. They are not contrary to each other, as perceived by many in error. The Law of Moses was a school teacher, as the Bible puts it… just like in the game of monopoly; we all know that, as you play the game, you earn money, make expenses and investments and observe general rules. But the nature of your expenses and investments and timing, determines whether you end up very rich, very poor, or even in great debts and thrown into jail. The game is largely a good picture of a man’s real life habits. In the same vein, when God said: “thou shall not eat any animal that parts not the hoof or chew the cud”, it is not because the animal is evil in itself. Rather, God is using it as a test, to see if man will obey him or not. And man’s response towards God concerning the matter, will prove to God and to the man, that if by happenstance, the animal were truly evil, whether the man would actually have died or not die, depending on his response.
This is the same reason why we are on the earth… to know whether we will submit to God and obey him willingly as a lifestyle, or whether we will take over his throne from him if we had the power. God will only grant eternal life to those who pass this test, so that there is no recurrence of the devil’s rebellion when we get into his eternal rest.
The Law of Moses was a preparatory era for the coming reality of the law of grace, so that we do not abuse grace.
A shadow can only exist if there is first an existing object, from which it derives its shadow nature. This means that the new testament existed in heaven before the old testament. This was why Moses was told to ensure that he built the temple according to the heavenly pattern shown to him.
Any man who rejected the Law of Moses automatically rejected Christ, because, in the law was a promise of the savior that was to come.Therefore, such a person will be judged as a sinner and go to hell.
If we take a cue from men of old ,like Daniel, the sons of Issachar and Habakkuk, who understood the prophetic implications of the times and seasons and what Israel ought to do in their respective days on the earth, we will come up with the right attitudes and responses towards God as regards these end times.
This book is essentially a beginner’s glimpse into understanding the prophecies and scriptures regarding the judgment and perfection of the church, the tribulation of the world, the three raptures, the millennial (1000 years) reign of Christ, the last judgment and the eternal kingdom of God.
Revelation 1:3
3Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the word of this prophecy and keep those things which are written therein for time is at hand.
Why this book?
Why this book?
Not all men (believers) are called to be apostles, or prophets, or evangelists, or pastors, or teachers. Yet all men (believers) have an assignment committed to them by God. This assignment is called ministry. Many people cringe at the mention of the word “Ministry”, because of the weight of spiritual and physical responsibilities attached to the five principal offices.
With the exception of a few cases, God designed the off-pulpit, and the beginner’s ministry to be generally funded by financial proceeds from the career of the man in ministry.
Your career is not your ministry.
For Example, if you are a medical doctor, the professional practice of medicine is your career, while your ministry may be to preach and teach about Christ, in direct and subtle ways, as situations permit, while carrying out your daily duties in the hospital. However, this is not to idolize our career at the expense of the great commission of Christ.
Apostle Paul quickly comes to mind here. He was called into the stewardship offices of an Apostle, Prophet, Preacher and Teacher, yet, his career was tent making. He practiced tent making so as to be able to meet his financial needs, and those of his servants, that the burden of his upkeep on the churches he was travailing over, will not become a financial discouragement to them.
In essence, your ministry is your divine assignment, given to you by God,your career is a vehicle for financing the execution of your ministry, your office building is your mission station, and your local church is your fuel, protection and service station, so to speak.
We are the end time dispensation and much will be required of us by God, as we have been given much more revelations and skill, in understanding the things and the mysteries that pertain to the end times, more than every generation before ours. For to him whom much is given, much is also expected.
Our individual roles as Christians, and our collective role as the body of Christ, will require good understanding, and a conscious sense of duty, as guided by prophetic trumpets.
I wrote this book to provide simplicity, to explain in sequenced progression, end time prophecies and events, and to harmonize scriptures that appear to be controversial or inconsistent with other scriptures, as well as to make for an easy reading and comprehension, to as many as would make the effort to peruse it.
I strongly believe that as you labour in study, through the pages of this book, you will find the inspiration to gird your loins and take up an assignment from God and fulfill your part of the prophecies in heaven that concern you in Christ Jesus.
And if you are already in ministry, that you will be further strengthened to redeem the times, for the days are evil and the harvest is ripe!
May God almighty, bless you in all your endeavors in his vineyard in Jesus name, Amen.
- Benjamin Itimi
Table of contents
Table of contents
- Akcnowledgement
- About this book
- Why this book?
- General opinion survey about God, Jesus, the rapture and judgment day.
Chapter one
What time is it in God’s divine calendar for the world?
- The day of the Lord.
Chapter two
Perfection and tribulation of church
Chapter three
Word evangelism and discipleship
Chapter four
The rapture(s)
- Analogy of the resurrection
- The first rapture/resurrection
Chapter five
The great tribulation: Daniel’s 70th week starts.
- A general word about tribulations.
- Satan is cast out of heaven to the earth
- The two prophets and witnesses of God
- The antichrist
- The 144,000 Jews are sealed
- The second rapture/resurrection
- The antichrist and the mark of the beast
- The third rapture
- The battle of Armageddon
Chapter six
The millennial reign of Christ
- Satan imprisoned for a thousand years
- The final battle between Christ and Satan
Chapter seven
The great white throne judgment
- The last or second resurrection
- The lake of fire
Chapter eight
The eternal kingdom of God
- The creation of a new heaven and new earth
- The new and eternal Jerusalem
Chapter nine
What the church ought to do
General opinion survey about God, Jesus, the rapture and judgment day
GENERAL OPINION SURVEY ABOUT GOD, JESUS, THE RAPTURE AND JUDGMENT DAY.
- There is no God!…Atheist Keyamo
- This world will never end: it will continue to exist the way it is forever. …your world comes to an end on the day you die and life goes on for the rest…S. Kolo
- Since there is no God, how can there be a day of judgment? Who will be the judge?...J. Kalu
- There will be a judgment day, but our God is ever so merciful: He will eventually forgive all sinners and unbelievers, and perhaps, the devil will also be forgiven in the end, and we will all be one big happy family! ...M. Ngwani
- Jesus Christ and the bible are both fictional works of religious history. There was never a real Jesus, and the bible is not the word of God: who can write for God? The Bible is rather a book of moral teachings and religious anecdotes that are altogether good for the human civilization …K. Freeman
- God exists by himself. He does not need a wife, or a son, or children and can never have them. Therefore, Jesus is not the son of God and we are not God’s children. In fact, Jesus was just a good man and a prophet just like Mohammed. We are all servants of God. It is ridiculous to say that we are children of God and that Jesus is his only begotten son…S. Muslima
- Jesus Christ is not the only way to God! There are many ways and religions that lead to God and to heaven. Everyone may choose the path that pleases ...A. Yayok
- All it takes to attain salvation and heaven, is simply being kind and doing good works, and showing love to all humanity, without prejudice .We are not saved by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. …salvation is fundamentally a matter of the mind and heart
………A. Jomok
- As a Christian, you need Jesus in order to get to heaven, and as a Muslim, you must believe in holy prophet Mohammed and the Quran to make it to Allah’s paradise. A Buddhist needs to abide by Buddha’s teachings and go through multiple reincarnations, until, in the final attempt; such an adherent is pure enough in spirit to enter into Buddha’s paradise. In short, God will judge all men according to their religious beliefs, we all serve the same God, but in different ways; after all, God created all the religions. …Why do we discriminate?.. T. Karl
- The white man brought Christianity from overseas and imposed it on us. It is not our religion, and Jesus is not our savior, but theirs, Christianity was a disguise for colonialism and theft. We need to take our traditional religion to the whites and educate them out of their error. The Bible is but a clever ruse to help attain the perpetual colonization of all nations other than Britain and America …R. Sadoh
- Since two thousand years ago, we have been consistently told that we are in the last days. Please spare me the preaching! Jesus will not return until another ten thousand years from now. That is, if he ever returns!...T.S. Salim
- All ,since Adam, have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. And all have been judged guilty and rewarded with an eternal death penalty. But because of the greatness of God’s love for mankind, he sent his only begotten son, Jesus Christ the sinless one ,born of a virgin who knew no man prior to his birth, to die and shed his precious blood by crucifixion; who after three days, was resurrected from the dead with power over death and hell and made Lord over all things in heaven, on earth and under the earth, that at the name of Jesus, every head and knee be bowed, so that as many as believe in this same Jesus, the same shall be saved from eternal punishment in the lake of fire:which is the second death. This very Christ shall be the judge of all mankind and of all spirits on the last day…M. Kadung
- I believe in Jesus, but I think that it is up to God to decide if Jesus is the only way to heaven or not …V. Argawal
- There is no such thing as rapture.. show me where it is in the Bible…Vendall .A.H
- The rapture is for everyone. We will all make the rapture because God is merciful. No man is holier than his neighbor; therefore, we are all on the same level…B. Akinboro
- There is a rapture coming soon… but no one knows whether it will be before, during, or after the great tribulation. Worse still no one knows who will qualify…I. Okolie
- My brother, let go of this rapture talk! How are you even sure that the rapture has not taken place already? All the Bible prophecies are figurative and not literal! Only God can understand the Bible! We are all human! How dare any man try to interpret the prophecies and revelations of the Bible? Jesus, that is, if there is truly a Jesus, will come and explain the Bible to all of us on the last day, and we will all know who has been right or wrong. But he shall be merciful, because he knows that it is impossible to understand the Bible …P. Gad
MY POSITION ON THE SUBJECT
I would love to agree with everyone who has a contrary opinion to that of M. Kadung in the opinion polls survey. I would also love to extend my liberality by making a conjecture, that there just might be as many heavens as there are many gods, and that, each god will grant access to firm believers in his doctrine, “a place in his heaven”. But that would be a blatant denial of the truth by me. The ancient truth is that, there is only one human-inhabited world, created along with all other celestial bodies, and everything in them, whether living or dead, by God. This same God, whose name is Jehovah, owns all things. And He has decreed that the only way to be saved from sin and eternal punishment,is to believe in, and to submit to, the Lordship of Jesus Christ, His only begotten son.
Jesus Christ did not die for Christians! Jesus died for the sins of the whole world, so that whosoever believes in his death and resurrection, can obtain salvation and become a Christian: having repented of his sins and washed clean by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Therefore, it does not matter whether you are born into a Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu or atheist family. As long as you are honest with yourself, and are courageous enough to say a simple heartfelt prayer to God, asking Him to reveal Himself to you: asking him to reveal to you, whether Jesus Christ is truly his only begotten son and the only way to God, you will surely receive a response from God.
If all that the Bible says about God and Jesus is not true, then you have nothing to lose by saying such a prayer. Afterall, a God that doesn’t exist cannot respond to the living. And if God exists, he will surely be able to prove to you, anything about Jesus Christ being His only begotten son, and whether Jesus is the only way or means by which any man comes to the father, which is God.
However, one must understand what it means to say a sincere prayer from the heart. This means that, the supplicant is truly willing in his heart, to submit to the revealed truth, if the revealed truth goes contrary to formerly held beliefs, as revealed by God. The courage to face peers, relatives, families and religious heritage, in the event of the revealed truth being contrary to a supplicants expectations, is what is usually lacking at heart, that makes many a person in this dilemma, fail to say such a prayer in the first place. Hence, they treacherously conclude, that God does not exist, or that Jesus is not the son of God, and that Jesus cannot be the only way to God.
Being born into a Christian home, while it has its advantages, does not make one a Christian automatically. To become born again and saved, a man must come to the age of consciousness, and choose to submit to Jesus Christ, and be washed clean of sin, irrespective of his family background etc.
John 1: 12 – 13
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Chapter One
CHAPTER ONE
WHAT TIME IS IT IN GOD’S DIVINE CALENDAR FOR THE EARTH?
We are now in the early hours of the day of the Lord!
How true is this statement?
If we count from the creation of Adam in Genesis, up to this present moment in time, the world has been in existence for a little above six
Impressum
Verlag: BookRix GmbH & Co. KG
Texte: Benjamin Akpughe Itimi
Lektorat: Prince Oshiojum
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 20.12.2016
ISBN: 978-3-7396-8949-4
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Widmung:
All good and perfect gifts come only from God Jehovah....therefore, I dedicate this work and all those who helped me in achieving it unto God almighty...and t oJesus Christ our saviour, and to the Lord Holy Ghost.