What will happen in the last days?

Heaven and earth destroyed; a new heaven and a new earth created

• Judgement Day

• Evil people punished

• Good people ‘Lifted up’,others sent to Hell

• Earth destroyed

Biblical language isoften metaphorical

“In the belly of a whale”

“In a right pickle”

GodGod

SatanSatan

CreationCreation

Last Last DaysDays

Attempts to Restore the World

NoahNoah

“God said to Noah, ‘I am going to put an end to all people…I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth.’”

Genesis 6:13

GodGod

SatanSatan

CreationCreation

Last Last DaysDays

Attempts to Restore the World

NoahNoah

JesusJesus

“The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”Matthew 4:17

GodGod

SatanSatan

CreationCreation

Last Last DaysDays

Attempts to Restore the World

NoahNoah

JesusJesusSecondSecondComingComing

1.1 Earth destroyed, new Earth created

The heavens will be kindled and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire! But according to his promise we wait for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

II Peter 3:12-13

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.

Revelation 21:1

1.2 The earth is eternal

• “I will never again curse the ground because of man . . . Neither will I ever again destroy every living creature as I have done.”

Genesis 8:21

• A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever. Ecclesiastes 1:4

• He built his sanctuary like the high heavens, like the earth, which he has founded forever.

Psalm 78:69

1.3 Satan’s sovereignty replaced by God’s sovereignty

Old EarthSatan’s dominion

New EarthNew EarthGod’s dominionGod’s dominion

2.1 Judgment by fire

“Fire…was hurled down upon the earth. The earth was burned up…”

II Peter 3:12

The earth remains forever. Ecclesiastes 1:4

2.2 Fire represents the truth, the Word of God

• “I came to cast fire upon the earth . . .” Luke 12:49

• The tongue is a fire. James 3:6

• “Is not my word like a fire,” says the Lord. Jeremiah 23:29

• “. . . he shall smight the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked.”

Isaiah 11:4

3.1 Meeting the Lord in the air

“We shall be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.”

I Thessalonians 4:17

Heaven

Earth

GoodNear to God

EvilFar from God

Through the Messiah fallen people are ‘Lifted up’

Matthew 6:9

Colossians 3:2

3.2 Meeting the Lord in the air

Meaning of the “Last Days”

End of Satan’s dominion and beginning of God’s dominion

End of evil history and beginning of good history

A time of dramatic change and hope

Last Days – turning point of history

Evil

Goodness End of Evil

Eternity

Messiah

How will Christ How will Christ return?return?

The second coming of Elijah

Elijah(circa 864 BC)

Goes to Heavenin a ‘Fiery Chariot’

‘Second Coming’as John the Baptist

(Working with John, who inherits his mission)

Luke 1:17Matthew 11:13-14Matthew 17:10-13

In what manner will Christ return?

Born on earth? Come on the clouds?

Born on earth?

Expectations about the first coming

Born on earth?

JESUSJESUS

But you, O Bethlehem . . . from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel . . . Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labour has given birth.

(The ‘First Coming’)

Micah 5:2

Expectations about the first coming

Born on earth?

JESUSJESUS

Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Isaiah 7:14

Come on the Clouds?

Expectations about the first coming

Come on the clouds?

JESUSJESUS

I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.

Daniel 7:13

Expectations about the first coming

Born on earth? Come on the clouds?

JESUSJESUS

Jesus – born on EarthThere is no idea in Judaism that the

messiah should come twice

Born on earth?

In what manner will Christ return?

Born on Earth?

Second ComingSecond Coming

She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron.

Revelation 12:5

Come on the Clouds?

In what manner will Christ return?

Come on the clouds?

Second ComingSecond Coming

Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of man. And then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Matthew 24:30

In what manner will Christ return?

Come on the clouds?

Second ComingSecond Coming

The Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command . . . and the dead in Christ will rise first.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

What do clouds represent?

Metaphorical Biblical language:

Clouds = crowd

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses . . .

Hebrews 12:1

What does water represent?

Metaphorical Biblical language:

Water = fallen people

And the angel said to me, “The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages.

Revelation 17:15

Who are the clouds?

Metaphorical Biblical language:

Clouds = water vapour = pure peopleHeb. 12:1 “clouds” = resurrected believers

Rev. 17:15 “water” = fallen people

Why will the messiah be born on earth as a man again?

God’s will is eternal, unchanging and absolute

Adam and Eve were supposed to fulfil the Three Blessings but fell

Jesus came as the Second Adam restore Adam’s failure, destroy evil and establish the Kingdom of Heaven by fulfiling the Three Blessings

The messiah will come as the Third Adam to complete Jesus’s work of establishing God’s Kingdom by fulfiling the Three Blessings

The second coming of Jesus

Jesus(33 AD)

Ascended into heavenas a spiritual being

‘Second Coming’as a new messiah

The spirit of Jesus will work with the messiah who inherits his mission

“Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

Acts 1:11

What is the new messiah called?

Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! He who sat upon it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems; and he has a new name which no one knows but himself. He is clad in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.

Revelation 19:11-13

Where will Christ return?Where will Christ return?

Will Christ return to the same Israel?

“Therefore I tell you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing the fruits of it.”

Matthew 21:33-34

The messiah will be born in a Christian nation

“God is able from these very stones to raise up children to Abraham.”

Matthew 3:9

The last four hundred years

GermanyMartin Luther1517

Karl Marx1848

Britain

America Korea

Russia

ChinaTravelsWEST

TravelsEAST

Free market

Liberal Democracy

Protestantism Communism

Totalitarianism

State control

Why Korea?

• Own messianic prophecies and spiritual groups preparing for the coming Christ

• Deep religious traditions

• Non-aggressive nation with history of suffering

• Fervent embrace of Christianity

• Front line of the battle between Communism and Democracy divided Cain and Abel brother nations

“For as the lightening comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of man. Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together.”

Matthew 24:27-28

What must the Messiah do?

• Fulfill the Three Blessings• Bring a new expression of truth• Be victorious over evil• Show the way for all people to

regain their status as God’s true sons and daughters

• Unite people of all faiths and establish a world of peace.

And more….