Tag Archives: biblical prophecy

The Antichrist System Now

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The Antichrist will appear after the Rapture of the Church. At present, Satan operates an antichrist system that has functioned since the fall of man and permeates the world. John writes, “every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world” (1 John 4:3). According to Ronald Sauer, “the spirit of the antichrist is in the world now, to be followed by the physical presence of the antichrist later.”[1] This system is active, hostile to God, and oriented toward rebellion, preparing the world for Satan’s future ruler. Paul states, “For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way” (2 Th. 2:7). Lawlessness is present now in principle, not yet in person. The system exists; the man does not. Its full manifestation awaits the removal of restraint and the unveiling of the Antichrist. Ed Hindson states:

“The spirit of Antichrist is alive and well—it is the Satan-inspired expression of lawlessness and rebellion against God, the things of God, and the people of God. It has been alive since Satan slithered his way around the Garden of Eden. It has been the driving force behind the whole terrible history of the human race—wars, murders, thefts, rapes, and the like. It is the ugly expression of the destructive nature of the great deceiver himself.” [2]

After the Rapture of the Church, when revealed, the Antichrist will rule a unified global government. Daniel foresaw a final kingdom that “will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it” (Dan. 7:23). John describes a beast to whom authority is given “over every tribe and people and tongue and nation” (Rev. 13:7). This is worldwide political dominance. National sovereignty collapses under centralized authority. Law and power are concentrated in one man energized by Satan himself. John states, “The dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority” (Rev. 13:2).

This political dominance is reinforced by global economic control. No buying. No selling. No exceptions. “He causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark… and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark” (Rev. 13:16–17). Economic participation becomes a tool of worship and allegiance. Commerce is weaponized. Survival is tied to submission to the Antichrist. Scripture is explicit that economic pressure enforces loyalty to the system.

The system is also religious. The Antichrist does not begin as an openly atheistic tyrant but as a deceiver. Paul calls him “the man of lawlessness” who “takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God” (2 Th. 2:3–4). Revelation describes a false prophet who enforces worship of the beast and performs signs to deceive the world (Rev. 13:11–15). This is religious devotion. Satan’s long ambition to be worshiped finally finds its human instrument (Isa. 14:12–14; Matt. 4:8–9).

Behind this future system stands Satan’s longstanding counterfeit kingdom. Scripture states that “the whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19). Satan is called “the god of this world” who blinds unbelievers (2 Cor. 4:4). He has always sought centralized control, uniform thinking, and coerced unity apart from God. Babel was the prototype: “Come, let us build for ourselves a city… and let us make for ourselves a name” (Gen. 11:4). God descended upon their rebellion and wrecked that early system. In the future, He permits a final version to run its course under judgment.

The timing of these events is important. The Antichrist cannot be revealed until the restraining force is removed. Paul states, “You know what restrains him now… only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. Then that lawless one will be revealed” (2 Th. 2:6–8). The Church, indwelt by the Spirit, functions as that restraint. Once removed, restraint ends. Lawlessness accelerates. Deception spreads like wildfire. Authority rapidly becomes centralized. The world does not suddenly become evil. It simply loses restraint.

Scripture also predicts a growing global appetite for deception and control. Scripture states, “Evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2 Tim. 3:13). “They did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. For this reason, God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false” (2 Th. 2:10–11). Humanity does not stumble into this system unwillingly. They willingly welcome it. They exchange truth for security, freedom for safety, and worship for convenience.

What we see today is preparation for the full expression of Satan’s coming kingdom. Global institutions that bypass national accountability. Cultural hostility to biblical truth. Technology that enables surveillance. Economic systems capable of total centralization. Moral relativism. Rejection of absolute authority except when it promises protection. Scripture identifies this as “the mystery of lawlessness” already at work (2 Th. 2:7). Satan’s structure exists. The final ruler does not.

It follows logically that those who promote globalism and a centralized world economy are, whether knowingly or unknowingly, aligned with Satan’s antichrist system in its present, preparatory form. Scripture presents Satan’s system as one that seeks centralized authority, economic control, uniform allegiance, and unity apart from God. When individuals or institutions advocate structures that dissolve national sovereignty, concentrate power, and subordinate truth to collective security, they advance the same patterns Scripture identifies with the mystery of lawlessness already at work (2 Th. 2:7). This alignment is ideological and functional and it contributes to the stage setting for the future reign of the Antichrist.

For the believer, this truth produces confidence rather than fear. Christ promised deliverance before divine wrath, for “God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Th. 5:9; cf. Rev. 3:10). The next event on the prophetic calendar is not the Antichrist, but the gathering of the Church to Christ. “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Th. 4:16–17). The Rapture occurs first. This is followed by the seven-year Tribulation, the final week decreed for Israel and the nations (Dan. 9:27; Matt. 24; Rev. 6–18). After that comes the Second Coming of Christ in power and glory to judge and to reign (Matt. 24:29–30; Rev. 19:11–21). The sequence culminates in Christ’s kingdom on earth, where He rules for a thousand years in fulfillment of God’s promises (Rev. 20:1–6).

In summary, Scripture clearly teaches a coming satanic global system under the Antichrist. It also teaches a present preparatory phase already at work. What we observe today aligns precisely with biblical stage setting. The Church waits, watches, and works, confident that God’s plan is on schedule and that Christ will remove His people before judgment falls. “Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Rev. 22:20).

Steven R. Cook, D.Min., M.Div.

If this article has enriched your understanding and walk with Christ, and you feel led to support my ministry, your generosity is greatly appreciated. Your gifts enable me to continue sharing the gospel of grace and providing in-depth biblical teachings. Thank you for partnering with me in this mission.

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[1] Ronald Sauer, “1 John,” in The Moody Bible Commentary, ed. Michael A. Rydelnik and Michael Vanlaningham (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2014), 1981.

[2] Ed Hindson, “Antichrist,” in The Harvest Handbook of Bible Prophecy, ed. Ed Hindson, Mark Hitchcock, and Tim LaHaye (Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 2020), 34.

A Biblical Attitude Toward Israel

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     Israel’s story begins with God taking the first step. He brought the nation into existence and shaped it according to His plan. Scripture states, “Thus says the Lord who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel” (Isa. 43:1), and again, “I am the LORD… the Creator of Israel” (Isa. 43:15). Having brought Israel into being, God then bound Himself to her, declaring, “the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession” (Deut. 7:6). This divine commitment arose from God’s promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, establishing Israel as a nation uniquely related to Him (Gen. 12:1–3; 17:7–8). The permanence of Israel’s national existence is guaranteed by God Himself, who tied her continuance to the fixed order of creation, saying, “If this fixed order departs from before Me… then the offspring of Israel also will cease from being a nation before Me forever” (Jer. 31:35–36). She was precious to the Lord, called “the apple of His eye” (Zech. 2:8), and He said to her, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore, I have drawn you with lovingkindness” (Jer. 31:3). God also placed Israel at the center of His historical dealings, saying of Jerusalem, “I have set her at the center of the nations” (Ezek. 5:5). Yet Scripture is equally honest about Israel’s repeated failures through unbelief and disobedience (Ps. 106:6; Neh. 9:26). Because of her unique relationship to God, Israel also experienced unique discipline, for the Lord declared, “You only have I chosen among all the families of the earth; therefore, I will punish you for all your iniquities” (Amos 3:2). Even when God disciplines Israel, His plans for her are never canceled (Jer. 31:35–37).

Israel’s Present

In the present age, Israel exists in a state of tension. Though widely opposed and often unbelieving, she remains “beloved for the sake of the fathers” because of the irrevocable promises God made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Rom. 11:28). God’s faithfulness to Israel does not rest on Israel’s consistency but on His own unchanging covenants, which He pledged to uphold forever (Gen. 12:1–3; 2 Sam. 7:12–16; Jer. 31:35–37). Scripture explains that this present condition includes a divinely imposed hardening that is partial and temporary, for “a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in” (Rom. 11:25). This hardening serves God’s broader redemptive purpose by opening the door of blessing to the nations, while simultaneously preserving Israel for a future restoration. During this period, Israel’s unbelief does not nullify God’s promises but confirms that salvation history is unfolding according to His timetable rather than human expectation. Israel is being kept by God until His redemptive purposes are completed, demonstrating that divine faithfulness transcends human failure.

Israel’s Future

Israel’s future is secure because it depends completely on God’s promises, not on how well Israel has done in the past or how well it is doing now. Jesus will return to the earth as the rightful King of Israel, for “when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne” (Matt. 25:31), and “His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east” (Zech. 14:4), reigning in fulfillment of God’s promises (Rev. 19:16).

When Jesus returns, Israel will finally realize that He is the very One they once rejected. They will look to Him, feel deep sorrow for what they did, and put their trust in Him as their Messiah. God foretold this when He said, “They will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn” (Zech. 12:10). That grief will lead them to faith, and Paul confirms the outcome when he says, “and so all Israel will be saved” (Rom. 11:26). At that time, Jerusalem will finally welcome her true King, just as Jesus said, “You will not see Me until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord’” (Matt. 23:39; cf. Ps. 118:26).

     After His return, the Messiah will rule the world from Jerusalem. Scripture declares that “the Lord will be king over all the earth” (Zech. 14:9). He will reign as the promised Son of David, the One of whom God said, “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High” (Luke 1:32). God will place Him on David’s throne, fully carrying out His covenant promises, for “the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David… and His kingdom will have no end” (Luke 1:32–33). His rule will bring lasting righteousness and peace to the entire world, because “there will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace” (Isa. 9:6–7), and “in His days the righteous will flourish, and abundance of peace” (Ps. 72:7). All opposition will be brought under control, since the Messiah will “break them with a rod of iron” (Ps. 2:9). His kingdom will never end, because “His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away” (Dan. 7:14). Israel’s future, then, clearly shows that God is faithful to His word and always brings His promises to their complete fulfillment.

The Christian Attitude Toward Israel

Because God has an unbroken past, present, and future plan for Israel, the Christian’s attitude toward Israel today should be marked by humility, respect, prayer, and confidence in God’s faithfulness. Scripture warns believers not to become arrogant toward Israel, since Gentile blessing rests on God’s promises to the patriarchs and not on Gentile merit (Rom. 11:18–20). Even in her present unbelief, Israel remains “beloved for the sake of the fathers,” because “the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (Rom. 11:28–29). Christians are therefore to reject hostility or replacement thinking and instead recognize Israel’s continuing place in God’s plan (Rom. 11:1–2).

     This attitude expresses itself in action. Believers are to pray for Israel, especially for her salvation, sharing Paul’s desire when he said, “my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation” (Rom. 10:1), and to pray for Jerusalem, as Scripture commands, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem” (Ps. 122:6). Christians should also lovingly share the gospel with Jewish people, knowing that faith comes through hearing the word of Christ (Rom. 10:14–17), while trusting God’s timetable, since the present hardening is partial and temporary (Rom. 11:25). When possible, believers should also support Israel in gratitude, recognizing that Gentiles have shared in Israel’s spiritual blessings (Rom. 15:27). In all of this, the Christian looks forward with confidence to the day when God’s promises are fulfilled, when Israel turns to her Messiah and “all Israel will be saved” (Rom. 11:26), and the Lord reigns as King over all the earth (Zech. 14:9).

Steven R. Cook, D.Min., M.Div.

If this article has enriched your understanding and walk with Christ, and you feel led to support my ministry, your generosity is greatly appreciated. Your gifts enable me to continue sharing the gospel of grace and providing in-depth biblical teachings. Thank you for partnering with me in this mission.

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What Jesus Suffered in the Hours Prior to His Crucifixion

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Jesus Before the SanhedrinJesus loved the Father (John 14:31) and submitted Himself to do the Father’s will (Matt 26:39-44; cf. Rom 5:19; Phil 2:5-8), which included enduring the illegal trials of His accusers, as well as the eventual mockings, beatings, and crucifixion. All that Jesus suffered was prophesied in Scripture (Gen 3:15; Psa 22:16-18; Isa 50:4-7; 52:14; 53:3-12; Matt 26:67-68; Mark 10:32-34). God the Father was in complete control of the circumstances surrounding the trials and crucifixion of Jesus (Acts 2:23; 4:27-28). Though unjustly attacked, Jesus knew He was doing the Father’s will (John 6:38; 10:14-18; 12:27; 18:11) and did not retaliate against His attackers. Peter wrote, “while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously” (1 Pet 2:23).

The four Gospels record the arrest, trials, mocking, crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. Matthew, Mark and Luke refer to events taking place according to Jewish time in which the day ends at sunset; whereas John relies on Gentile time in which the day ends at midnight. A brief chronology of Jesus’ trials, mockings, beatings, crucifixion and burial is as follows:

  1. Jesus was arrested during the night—perhaps around midnight—and faced six illegal trials, three religious and three civil.[1] The trials must have happened relatively early, as they concluded “about six in the morning” (John 19:14 CSB).[2]
  2. During the religious trials, the chief priest and Sanhedrin tried to secure false testimony about Jesus so they might have grounds to crucify Him (Matt 26:59).
  3. Jesus was beaten in the face and mocked during His Jewish trial (Matt 26:67-68).
  4. After Pilate agreed to the demands of the mob (Matt 27:17-25), he had Jesus scourged (Matt 27:26a), and then “handed Him over to be crucified” (Matt 27:26b).
  5. Jesus was mocked and beaten by Roman soldiers (Matt 27:27-30), and then was led away to be crucified (Matt 27:31).
  6. Jesus was crucified by 9:00 AM (Mark 15:25).
  7. Jesus was judged by the Father and bore our sins on the cross from 12:00 to 3:00 PM (Matt 27:45; Mark 15:33; Luke 23:44).
  8. Jesus died about 3:00 PM (Matt 27:46-50; Mark 15:34-37).
  9. Jesus’ body was placed in the grave before 6:00 PM (i.e. sunset) because the Jews did not want His body on the cross for the Sabbath (John 19:31, 38-42).[3]

The Jewish trials declared Jesus guilty, whereas the Gentile trials found Him innocent. Jesus was crucified by Gentiles because of the pressure of the Jewish leadership. The crucifixion of Jesus was physically horrendous and involved not only great physical pain, but also psychological anguish and social humiliation. According to William Hendriksen, crucifixion included “severe inflammation, the swelling of the wounds in the region of the nails, unbearable pain from torn tendons, fearful discomfort from the strained position of the body, throbbing headache, and burning thirst (John 19:28).”[4]

Dr. Steven R. Cook

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[1] Jesus’ religious trials: 1) Annas (John 18:12-24), 2) Caiaphas (Matt 26:57-66), and 3) the Sanhedrin (Matt 27:1-2). Jesus’ civil trials: 1) Pilate (John 18:28-40), 2) Herod Antipas (Luke 23:6-12), and 3) Pilate (Luke 23:11; John 19:1-16).

[2] This CSB assumes John calculates events using Roman time (where the day begins after midnight) rather than Jewish time (where the day starts at sunrise). The ESV and NAU translate the Greek literally, “about the sixth hour,” whereas the NET and NIV translate it, “about noon.” If the sixth hour is calculated by Roman time, then it would be about 6:00 AM, and if calculated by Jewish time, it would be about 12:00 PM. This author favors the CSB translation.

[3] After His death, Jesus was resurrected on the third day and appeared to numerous persons over a period of forty days (Matt 28:1-10; John 20:10-29; 1 Cor 15:5-7). Afterwards, Jesus ascended bodily into heaven (Acts 1:9-12). It is recorded that God the Father “raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places” (Eph 1:20).

[4] William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker, Exposition of the Gospel According to John, vol. 2, New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1953–2001), 427.

The Suffering of Jesus Christ

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Jesus' Sorrow as He Faces the CrossWhen God the Son added perfect humanity to Himself, this enabled Him to experience suffering and death with, and on behalf of, humanity. The suffering of Christ may be viewed in at least two ways: 1) His suffering during His time on earth prior to the cross, and 2) the suffering of the cross. As the God-Man, Jesus was perfectly holy in all His thoughts, words, and actions. Such perfect holiness brought with it a special form of suffering in this world that the rest of us could never know, since we are capable of yielding to the pressures of sinful temptation. When the time of His death was nearing, Jesus told His disciples “that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day” (Matt 16:21; cf., Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22). It’s noteworthy that Jesus said His suffering, dying, and resurrection were things that “must” happen to Him. The use of the Greek verb dei (δεῖ) here denotes divine necessity, which meant it was the will of God the Father that these things happen to Christ. Thomas Constable notes, “Jesus said that it was necessary (Gr. dei) for Him to go to Jerusalem. He had to do this because it was God’s will for Messiah to suffer, die, and rise from the dead. He had to do these things to fulfill prophecy (Isa 53; cf. Acts 2:22–36).”[1] The absolute necessity of Jesus’ death on the cross further emphasizes our helplessness to save ourselves, for if our salvation could have been secured by any other means, then the death of Christ would have been unnecessary.

While in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed to God the Father, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will” (Matt 26:39). In His humanity, Jesus struggled to face the cross, understanding the scope of what it meant and the agony associated with it. Jesus prayed a second time, saying, “My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done” (Matt 26:42). The reference to the “cup” speaks of the suffering of the cross. John A. Witmer states, “In the Old Testament a ‘cup’ sometimes symbolized wrath (Jer 25:15), and so Jesus was aware that His coming death meant He would bear the wrath of God the Father against sin. Though Christ had no sin (2 Cor 5:21), He bore the sins of the world on Himself (1 Pet 2:24). Thus He was made ‘a curse for us’ because of His being hanged on a tree (Gal 3:13).”[2]

While on the cross, Jesus cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matt 27:46). This was the cry of Jesus from His humanity. Peter tells us that Jesus “Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross” (1 Pet 2:24). Peter’s reference to Jesus’ “body” indicates humanity, not deity. Sin cannot be imputed to deity. Humanity can bear sin. It was while Jesus was on the cross that He bore the wrath of the Father as He died in our place and bore the punishment that rightfully belongs to us. And the Spirit sustained Jesus’ humanity while He bore our sins. Robert G. Gromacki states, “God the Son incarnate suffered and died. The Father did not suffer and die. Nor did the Holy Spirit suffer and die, even though He filled Christ when the Savior suffered and died.”[3] The suffering and death of Jesus on the cross was salvific, as Jesus was made “sin on our behalf” (2 Cor 5:21). Mark wrote, “When the sixth hour came, darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour. At the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?’ which is translated, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’” (Mark 15:33-34; cf., Matt 27:45-46; Luke 23:44-46). Concerning this moment on the cross, Witmer states, “It was at this point, as Jesus bore the sin of the world, that God, the Judge of sin, turned away from Jesus Christ, His incarnate Son, the Sin-bearer, as far as the personal consciousness of Jesus was concerned.”[4] But there is some mystery at work here, for God the Father could not forsake God the Son, as a separation within the Trinity is not possible. Yet, somehow, the humanity of Christ—not His deity—was forsaken at the time of the judgment on the cross, otherwise the words of Jesus would be meaningless. But Jesus’ suffering and death did happen, and it was His time on the cross that brought about our salvation; a salvation that is applied to us at the moment we trust in Christ as our Savior.

Even after Jesus’ resurrection, Jesus said to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, “Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?” (Luke 24:26). In the book of Acts, Luke records that Jesus “presented Himself alive after His suffering” (Acts 1:3). Peter said, “the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled” (Acts 3:18). And Paul reasoned “from the Scriptures, explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead” (Acts 17:2b-3; cf., Acts 26:23). Jesus’ suffering and death were necessary for salvation to be available to humanity.

Dr. Steven R. Cook

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[1] Tom Constable, Tom Constable’s Expository Notes on the Bible (Galaxie Software, 2003), Mt 16:21.

[2] John A. Witmer, “Jesus Christ”, Understanding Christian Theology (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2003), 352.

[3] Robert G. Gromacki, “The Holy Spirit”, Understanding Christian Theology (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2003), 468–469.

[4] John A. Witmer, “Jesus Christ”, Understanding Christian Theology, 352.

Jesus’ Return with His Saints

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Jesus Coming with His SaintsWhen Jesus returns to the earth after the time of the seven year Tribulation, He will establish His kingdom on earth.[1] This is a time when humanity will be saved from the tyranny of Satan who currently rules over the earth.[2] At His Second Coming, it is written, “And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses” (Rev 19:14). Concerning this passage, Radmacher states, “The armies in heaven may be angelic hosts (Rev 5:11; Matt 26:53), but Revelation 17:14 speaks of those with the Lord at His coming as being ‘called, chosen, and faithful,’ all terms for believers (Rom 1:7; Eph 1:1; 1 Pet 2:9).”[3] Wiersbe adds, “Certainly the angels are a part of this army (Matt 25:31; 2 Th 1:7); but so are the saints (1 Th 3:13; 2 Th 1:10).”[4] Norman Geisler states:

“Before the Tribulation, Christ comes for His bride (1 Th 4:16–17; John 14:3); then, at the end of the Tribulation, He will return with all His saints. Jude wrote, “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones” (Jude 1:14; cf., Matt 24:29–31). He cannot come with them until He has first come for them; we have identified the time interval between these events as seven years.”[5]

Wayne House comments:

“It is important to remember that when we say “the second coming” of Christ, we are not talking about the rapture that occurs prior to the second coming. The rapture is most clearly presented in 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18. It is characterized in the Bible as a “translation coming” (1 Cor 15:51–52; 1 Th 4:15–17) in which Christ comes for His church. The second advent is Christ returning with His saints, descending from heaven to establish His earthly kingdom (Zech 14:4–5; Matt 24:27–31).”[6]

At His Second Coming, Jesus will put down all rebellion, both human and satanic. The two main leaders of the world, the Antichrist and his false prophet, will be defeated and “thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone” (Rev 19:20). Furthermore, those people who followed Antichrist “were killed with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh” (Rev 19:21). Afterwards, the Lord will send one of His angels to arrest and imprison Satan (Rev 20:1-3). John wrote about this angel, saying, “And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer” (Rev 20:2-3a). This will be a time of global deliverance from evil as Messiah reigns over all the earth in perfect righteousness.

Dr. Steven R. Cook

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[1] The subject of Messiah’s earthly kingdom is found throughout the OT (Dan 2:44; 7:13-14; 2 Sam 7:16; Psa 89:3-4, 34-37; Isa 9:6-7; Jer 23:5-6) and the NT (Matt 6:9-10; 19:28; 25:31; Luke 1:31-33; Rev 19:11-16; Rev 20:4-6).

[2] Three times Jesus referred to Satan as “the ruler of this world” (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11). Other passages of Scripture call Satan “the god of this world” (2 Cor 4:4), and “the prince of the power of the air” (Eph 2:2), informing us “that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19). Satan rules as a tyrant who has “weakened the nations” (Isa 14:12), and currently “deceives the whole world” (Rev 12:9). Satan continues to attack God’s people today (1 Pet 5:8), practices deception (2 Cor 11:13-15), and has well developed strategies of warfare (Eph 6:10-12). Furthermore, humanity is living in an “evil age” (Gal 1:4), under “the dominion of Satan” (Acts 26:18), whose sphere of influence is called “the domain of darkness” (Col 1:13).

[3] Earl D. Radmacher, Ronald Barclay Allen, and H. Wayne House, Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary (Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers, 1999), 1762.

[4] Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 618.

[5] Norman L. Geisler, Systematic Theology, Volume Four: Church, Last Things (Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 2005), 618–619.

[6] H. Wayne House and Timothy J. Demy, Answers to Common Questions about Jesus (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 2011), 75–76.

Jesus’ Return for His Saints

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Jesus Coming for His SaintsThe eschatological subject of the Rapture of the church can be related the study of Soteriology because it is regarded as a form of deliverance. When Messiah returns at the end of the church age, He will deliver His church from an evil world and a coming judgment that will last for seven years (Read Revelation chapters 6-18). A distinction is here drawn between Jesus coming for His saints at the Rapture, and Jesus coming with His saints at His Second Coming (Dan 7:13-14; Matt 19:28; 25:31; Rev 19:11-21). Jesus is now in heaven preparing a place for believers to be with Him there (John 14:1-3). Paul revealed Jesus will return for His church and that all Christians will be “caught up” to meet the Lord in the air (1 Th 4:13-18).

The doctrine of the Rapture was first presented by the Lord Jesus when He provided new information to His apostles on the night before His crucifixion. After speaking of His soon departure (John 13:33), Jesus comforted them, saying, “Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:1-3). The place where Jesus was going was heaven. The purpose of His going was to prepare a place for them. And, at some unspecified time, Jesus promised He would come again to receive them to Himself, that they may be with Him.

Paul described this as a time when “we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.  For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality” (1 Cor 15:51-53). And, when writing to the church at Thessalonica, Paul  explained, “the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Th 4:16b-17). According to BDAG, the meaning of caught up (ἁρπάζω) is “to grab or seize suddenly so as to remove or gain control, snatch/take away.”[1] John Walvoord states, “The important point is that the verse says Christ will come for believers and take them from the earth to heaven, where they will be in His presence till they return with Him to the earth to reign. The Rapture will mean that all believers ‘will be with the Lord forever,’ enjoying Him and His presence for all eternity.”[2]

As Christians, we are “looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus” (Tit 2:13). This Rapture is immanent, meaning it may occur at any time and without prior notice. All Christians who are alive at the time of the Rapture will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, will go with Him to heaven, and be saved from the wrath to be poured out during the seven-year Tribulation. Our future is not one of judgment; rather, we are assured we will be saved from God’s future wrath, both in time and eternity (Rom 5:9; 1 Thess 1:10; 5:9; Rev 3:10).

Dr. Steven R. Cook

Related Articles:

[1] William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 134.

[2] John Walvoord, eds. Charles R. Swindoll and Roy B. Zuck, Understanding Christian Theology (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2003), 1265.

The Purposeful Suffering of Christ: A Look at Isaiah 53

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Christ-on-the-crossIt is in the understanding of the suffering and death of Christ that the sinner appreciates God’s great love and the price that was paid for our salvation. Christ suffered in our place, bearing the penalty that rightfully belongs to us. Scripture tells us that “Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God” (1 Pet 3:18a). Perhaps no section of Scripture in the Old Testament bears greater testimony to this truth than Isaiah 52:13 through 53:12, in which the prophet reveals the Messiah as the Suffering Servant. Isaiah 53 is mentioned several times in the New Testament as specifically referring to Christ (Matt 8:17; John 12:38; Acts 8:30-35; Rom 10:16; 1 Pet 2:22-25), so that there is no mistake in the minds of the New Testament writers that the passage points to Jesus. According to John Stott, “The New Testament writers quote eight specific verses as having been fulfilled in Jesus…eight verses out of the chapter’s twelve are all quite specifically referred to Jesus.”[1] And Arnold Fruchtenbaum notes:

“It was Isaiah the Prophet who first provided the hope that the day would come when the burden will be lifted. In Isaiah 53, God declared that the Suffering Servant, the Messiah, would be the sacrifice for sin…The point of Isaiah 53 is basically this: The animal sacrifices under the Mosaic Law were intended to be of temporary duration, a temporary measure only. God’s intent was for there to be one final blood sacrifice, and that would be the sacrifice of the Messiah Himself.”[2]

In Isaiah 53:10 we observe the Father’s judgment on Christ for our sin, and Christ’s willingness to be judged in our place. Isaiah, wrote, “But the LORD was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief; if He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand” (Isa 53:10). It was the Father’s will for the Son to go to the cross to die for sinners, but we must also realize that Christ willingly went to His death and bore the Father’s wrath in our place. It is simultaneously true that God sent and Christ went. Jesus was not forced upon the cross, but willingly, in love, surrendered His life and died in our place. Jesus said, “I lay down My life for the sheep” (John 10:15), and “no one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative” (John 10:18). Paul wrote, “Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma” (Eph 5:2), and “Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her” (Eph 5:25), and “the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me” (Gal 2:20). The writer to the Hebrews tells us that Christ “offered up Himself” (Heb 7:27), and “offered Himself without blemish to God” (Heb 9:14).

As a result of Jesus bearing the sin of many, Isaiah wrote, “He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand” (Isa 53:10b). When Isaiah said, “He will see His offspring”, it meant that Christ’s death would bear the fruit of spiritual offspring as people turn to Him as Savior and are born again (cf. John 3:3; 1 Pet 1:3, 23). Fruchtenbaum notes, “The Servant’s seed would be those who benefit from His death by spiritual rebirth. The moment they accept for themselves His substitutionary death for their sins, they are born again spiritually by the Holy Spirit. By this spiritual rebirth, they become the Servant’s seed.”[3] And the phrase, “He will prolong His days” refers to Jesus’ bodily resurrection, never to die again. And the phrase, “the good pleasure of the LORD” most likely speaks of heaven’s wealth that will be known to those whom Christ will justify and who will share in His riches and heavenly estate (John 14:1-3; 1 Pet 1:3-4).

Though Jesus suffered greatly on the cross, His death was infinitely purposeful, as it satisfied the Father’s demands toward our sin, and also justified the many who would trust in Christ as Savior. Isaiah wrote, “As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; by His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, as He will bear their iniquities” (Isa 53:11). Here is a picture of substitutionary atonement, as the Suffering Servant will “justify the many, as He will bear their iniquities” (Isa 53:11b). Peter also reveals the doctrine of substitution when he states, “Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God” (1 Pet 3:18). It is important to grasp that Christ bore our sin, but this did not make Him a sinner in conduct. On the other hand, we are declared righteous in God’s sight because of the righteousness of Christ imputed to us at the moment of salvation, but this does not make us righteous in conduct. God gives us “the gift of righteousness” (Rom 5:17) at the moment we trust Christ as our Savior. This is what Paul meant when he stated, “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor 5:21). Paul understood the doctrine of substitution, that Christ died in the place of sinners and that sinners are declared righteous because of the work of Christ credited to their account. This explains Paul’s desire to “be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith” (Phil 3:9). Concerning Isaiah 53:11, Edward Young states:

“When the servant bears the iniquities of the many and has been punished for the guilt of these iniquities, the act of bearing the iniquities in itself has not changed the character of those whose iniquities are borne. When the iniquities are borne, i.e. when the guilt those iniquities involved has been punished, the servant may declare that the many stand in right relationship with God. Their iniquities will no longer be able to rise up and accuse them, for the guilt of those iniquities has been punished. Thus, they are justified. They are declared to be righteous, for they have received the righteousness of the servant and they are received and accepted by God Himself. Of them God says that they no longer have iniquities, but they do have the righteousness of the servant. This can only be a forensic justification.”[4]

If we had stood at the trials of Jesus, seen His beatings, seen His crucifixion and sat at the foot of the cross, surely we would have wept at the injustice and brutal cruelty of it all. However, the Scripture reveals that it was the will of God that Christ go to the cross and die for sinners (Acts 2:23; 4:28), that His death would be an atoning sacrifice that satisfied every righteous demand of the Father (Rom 3:25; 1 John 2:2). In the willing death of Christ, we have the Father’s righteousness displayed toward our sin as well as His love toward us, the sinner, whom He seeks to save.

There is a purpose to the suffering of Christ. He suffered that we might have forgiveness of sins and eternal life. His substitutionary death propitiated the Father’s righteous demand for justice concerning our sin and now we can come to God with the empty hands of faith and receive the free gift of eternal life and be clothed in perfect righteousness. This was accomplished while were helpless, ungodly, sinners and enemies of God (Rom 5:6-10). God graciously acted toward us to reconcile us to Himself, and this was accomplished through the suffering of Christ.

Dr. Steven R. Cook

Related Articles:

[1] John R. W. Stott, The Cross of Christ (Downers Grove, Ill. Intervarsity Press, 1986), 145.

[2] Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum, Messianic Christology: A Study of Old Testament Prophecy Concerning the First Coming of the Messiah (Tustin, CA: Ariel Ministries, 1998), 130.

[3] Arnold Fruchtenbaum, The Book of Isaiah: Exposition from a Messianic Jewish Perspective (San Antonio, TX. Ariel Ministries, 2021), 577-578.

[4] Edward Young, The Book of Isaiah, Chapters 40–66, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1972), 358.