What Are the End Times According to the Bible?

What is meant by end times? What does the Bible teach about prophecy? How about a million dollar word for you, eschatology. Eschatology is the branch of biblical theology that studies the last things and the fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan at the end of the age.

This topic has gained a lot of attention for people inside and outside the church. As the church we need to take the lead in going deep, not only with this area but in all areas. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17, ESV) So, what do people mean when they talk about the end times? What does end times mean and how do I look at it through a Biblical lens?

For some people, the phrase immediately brings to mind the book of Revelation, the Tribulation, the Antichrist, the mark of the beast, or the various scenes of judgment. Others think about the Rapture or the return of Jesus Christ. Those things are connected with biblical prophecy, but the end times are ultimately about something much bigger. The end times are about God bringing His plan for human history to its promised conclusion through Jesus Christ. That means studying the end times is not primarily about trying to predict tomorrow. It is about understanding what God has already told us He will accomplish.

Biblical prophecy did not begin in Revelation. God's plan unfolds throughout the entire Bible. After sin entered the world, God promised that the serpent would ultimately be defeated through the coming offspring of the woman in Genesis 3:15. God later made promises to Abraham concerning his descendants, the land, and blessing that would extend to the nations. God promised David that a descendant from his line would have an everlasting kingdom. The prophets spoke about Israel's future restoration, the coming Messiah, the Day of the Lord, judgment upon the nations, and the future kingdom of God.

Jesus spoke about His return. The apostles taught believers to expect Christ to come for His Church. Revelation shows us the ultimate victory of Jesus Christ, the judgment of evil, the fulfillment of God's promises, Christ's kingdom, Satan's final defeat, and the eternal future God has prepared. From Genesis to Revelation, God is telling one unfolding story. and Jesus stands at the center of it.

One of the great promises given to believers is that Jesus will come for His Church. Paul explains in 1 Thessalonians 4 that believers who have died will be raised and believers who are alive will be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air. This event is commonly called the Rapture. We understand Scripture to teach that the Rapture occurs before the future seven year Tribulation. This is an important distinction. The Church is not waiting for the wrath of God. The Church is waiting for Christ. Jesus explicitly tells us He will gather His Church to Himself before God pours out His coming judgment upon a rebellious world. That should produce hope rather than fear. The Christian does not need to wake up every morning terrified about whether some news event has suddenly placed us inside the Tribulation. Our expectation is Jesus. We are waiting for our Savior.

The Church and Israel are both important in God's plan, but Scripture does not make them the same. The Church has not replaced Israel. God made specific covenant promises to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and God does not forget His promises. Romans 11 teaches that Israel presently experiences a partial hardening, but God's purposes for Israel are not finished. Paul reminds us that “the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” God still has a future for Israel. During the future events described in biblical prophecy, God will continue accomplishing His purposes for Israel and will ultimately fulfill what He has promised. That should encourage every believer. If God keeps promises He made thousands of years ago, you can trust Him with every promise He has made to you in Christ.

Scripture also describes a future period of unprecedented trouble and divine judgment. Daniel speaks of a final seven year period connected specifically with his people, Israel, and Jerusalem. Jesus spoke of a coming time of great tribulation. Revelation describes God's judgments being poured out upon a rebellious world. This period is not evidence that God has lost control. It demonstrates exactly the opposite. God is holy. Sin will be judged. Evil will not continue forever. Human rebellion will not ultimately triumph. Even during judgment, however, God's mercy can be seen. People will come to faith in Christ during the Tribulation, and God will continue moving history toward everything He has promised. Jesus said that He is the way, the truth, and the life, and nobody comes to the Father but through Him. (John 14:6)

One point I want to make clear, the Rapture and the Second Coming should not be confused. At the Rapture, Christ gathers His Church to Himself in the air. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18) Following the Tribulation, Jesus Christ will return visibly and bodily to the earth. Revelation 19 presents Him coming as the victorious King. The Jesus who was rejected will return in glory. The One who wore a crown of thorns will return as King of kings and Lord of lords. The One who stood before human rulers will return as the Judge and rightful ruler of the nations. This is where biblical prophecy should turn our attention away from speculation and toward worship. History is not moving toward the triumph of Satan. History is moving toward the return of Jesus Christ.

Following His return, Jesus Christ will establish His promised kingdom upon the earth. Revelation 20 describes Christ reigning for one thousand years. We understand this to be a real future kingdom. During this kingdom, God's promises concerning Messiah's righteous rule and His covenant purposes for Israel will be fulfilled. This matters because the kingdom displays the faithfulness of God. God does not make promises and then forget them. He does not need to change their meaning because centuries have passed. What He has spoken, He will accomplish. The coming kingdom therefore gives us confidence today. The God who controls the future can be trusted with your present.

The Bible begins with Satan deceiving humanity. It does not end that way. Revelation 20 records his final judgment. Satan will not rule forever. Sin will not continue forever. Deception will not continue forever. Death will not continue forever. Satan's rebellion has an expiration date. That truth matters when evil appears powerful. The Christian should take spiritual warfare seriously, but we do not need to fear as though Satan and God are equal opponents. They are not. God has no equal. Satan is a defeated enemy whose final judgment has already been declared.

So Why Should We Study the End Times? This may be the most important question. God did not reveal the future merely to satisfy our curiosity. Revelation begins with a blessing upon those who read, hear, and keep what has been written. That means prophecy should affect the way we live. Knowing Christ is coming should make us faithful. Knowing God's judgment is real should give us urgency to share the gospel. Knowing God's promises are certain should help us trust Him. Knowing Satan will be defeated should strengthen us when temptation and evil surround us. Knowing Christ's kingdom is coming should loosen our grip on the temporary things of this world. Knowing eternity is real should cause us to live for what truly matters. The study of the end times is therefore not mainly about asking, “When will all of this happen?” A better question is, “Since God has told me how this story ends, how should I live today?” The answer is with faith. With hope. With holiness. With urgency. With perseverance, and with our eyes fixed upon Jesus Christ.

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