The world may seem to be in turmoil but God is still sovereign and he is superintending above all to bring his purposes to pass. Our responsibility is to remain faithful to what he has called us to do. I'm Wayne Shepherd inviting you to stay tuned to this replay broadcast of Encounter God's Truth and a classic prophetic message from Dr. John Whitcomb. I think it will be a real help and encouragement to you today. How do we prepare for judgment? That's our theme this week on Encounter God's Truth with author and Bible teacher, Dr. John Whitcomb. Today, Dr. Whitcomb closes a short series called Judgment Then Blessing. It's going to show us that God will use two different methods to deal with two distinct groups, the church and Israel, in each of their final days on this earth to prepare them for eternity and the coming kingdom. Our speaker is going to survey some of the major themes regarding the trends that will mark the last days of this age. And to do this, he's going to take us to the last two chapters of the final book written by the Apostle Paul, the book of 2 Timothy. We encourage you to turn there with us. I'm Wayne Shepherd, your host, and it's my pleasure to introduce our speaker, Dr. Whitcomb. Here he is with this important lesson for us today. Friends, it is so important, isn't it, for us to know God's plan for the world and for each individual on this planet, you and me. What is God going to do to people who abandon Him, forget Him, suppress, deny, reject, ignore Him? Are we ready to face the judgment? What does God say about this? Well, as a starter, listen to what He said to His favorite disciple Timothy, 1 Timothy 4.1, but the Spirit, that's the Holy Spirit, explicitly says that in the later times some will fall away from the faith paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons. How awful! People who profess to believe in the Word of God turn away from His Word. Listen to this in 2nd Timothy, chapter 4, verse 1. I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and by his... Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Reprove, rebuke, exhort with great patience and instruction. Why? Because people will turn away. Listen to this. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine. but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers, in accordance with their own desires, and listen now, they will turn away their ears from THE truth, and will turn aside to myths. The only alternative to truth, friends, is a myth, something that is just dreamed up. But you be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. Because as he had already said to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3, 1, realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious, gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure, more than lovers of God, holding, now listen, to a form of godliness, maybe belonging to a church, you see, having a membership in a church, although they have denied its power, and avoid such people as these. I say, Lord, I'm so sad to hear of the decline, the decline. Yes, you know, Jesus asked this question that really has puzzled me for many years. He said in Luke 18, eight, when the son of man returns, will he find faith? That is the faith. Will people, anybody truly believe the whole Bible when he comes? What a provocative question. And it searches my heart, too, friends, to ask, am I ready? Am I ready for his coming? You know, there's two programs God has prepared to confront us. One for the church, one for Israel. Listen to this. For the church, we will appear before the judgment throne of Christ. That's 1 Corinthians 3. You know, that Corinthian church was a problem church, wasn't it, that Paul had? All kinds of disobedience. heresy, compromise, and that's so true of many denominations around the world that claim to be Christians. Once they believed many things about the Bible, they've compromised, compromised, abandoned one thing after another. So sad, so shocking. It's almost what I've called the second law of ecclesiastical thermodynamics. Every religious system, church, denomination, mission program, ministry, seems to go downhill unless acted upon by God himself in confrontation and discipline. I say, Lord, speak to me. Tell me what I need to know. I want to face reality. Are you ready? 1 Corinthians 3. According to the grace of God which was given to me, Paul said, as a wise master builder, I laid a foundation and another is building upon it. He's talking about starting the church in Corinth. Oh, 18 months of struggle. Yes, all kinds of threats and intimidations, frustrations, and another came along and helped him, Apollos of Alexandria. Two men, under God, helped establish that church. Now he says carefully, now listen, but let each man be careful how he builds upon it. You can lay a foundation in someone's heart, in a community, in starting a church, or in a mission program, but be careful how you build on it. Now watch carefully, are you ready? For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Are we sure, dear friends, that we're helping people believe in Jesus Christ and not just some religion, a religious system? No, on Him and Him alone. Why? Because if any man builds upon the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, oh, how wonderful that would be, a superstructure, friends, of precious stones, But look at the alternative. Some Christians build on the foundation of their life and their ministry wood, hay, and straw, almost inviting destruction. And that's going to come, isn't it? Each man's work will become evident for the day. That's the day in which Christ will confront us shortly after Resurrection Rapture Day. Every Christian in the world will be confronted by Jesus Christ with a loving heart, but eyes like flame of fire. And we'll all agree with him, we'll be sinless, we'll agree with his evaluation of us, won't we? Now listen to what's gonna happen. You ready? Each man's work will become evident for the day. We'll show it because it is to be revealed with fire. and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work. Now remember, this is not to determine who is a Christian. Only Christians are at this behemoth, the judgment throne of Christ, following what? Resurrection and rapture. Every born-again Christian, not just the worthy ones, it's not just a partial rapture, friends, of worthy Christians, none of us are worthy, every truly born-again Christian will confront Jesus Christ himself. He will evaluate us, examine us, to determine what? Whether we are to receive a reward, whether we're to be honored, whether we're to be praised by him for faithfulness in his service. Read on. If any man's work which he has built upon it remains, that it survives the fire of his evaluation. He shall receive a reward, a crown. Oh, praise God for that. The New Testament talks several times about the crown. You remember Paul himself said, I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid for me a crown of righteousness, and not for me only, but all those who have loved his appearing. Are you going to receive a crown, dear friends, for your faithfulness to Jesus Christ, perhaps even in the midst of persecution? Listen to this. If any man's work is burned up, notice he's not burned, his work is burned. How awful. You say he's going to lose his salvation? Oh no. He shall suffer loss, but, are you ready? He himself shall be saved, yet as through fire. There'll be a purging time to prepare us for what? For the marriage supper of the Lamb. And we will participate, we'll cooperate, we'll agree with Jesus. We're not gonna demand something we don't deserve. And I wanna have a crown, don't you, to cast down at his feet and say, thank you, Lord, I don't deserve this, but thank you for what you've given me. And Jesus will be pleased honored, delighted if we receive a crown from him. You know, friends, in all of our human relationships, all of our organizations and administrative programs in the world, rewards are a dynamic motivation, aren't they, for faithfulness? In the military, promotions, medals. In schools, grades, honors, graduation honors. In industry, promotions, promotions. Everywhere we go, that's something God has built into the human mind and heart, that if you are honored, rewarded, you'll be motivated to work harder, to be more faithful. And so, ultimately, God is honored if we're faithful to him in times of difficulty and transition, like we are today. Lord, help me to understand what's gonna happen to my church, to me, at the Bema, the judgment throne of Christ. In the meantime, friends, what is going on on the earth below? Well, all of a sudden, in Jerusalem, after the church is gone, God will send two witnesses, amazing, two witnesses, well you know back in the old testament he said that in the last part of the book of malachi the last book he said listen to moses the law of moses and behold i send you elijah before the great and dreadful day of the lord and on the mount of transfiguration isn't that amazing to have a preview a little foretaste of his second coming who appeared with him moses and elijah that god brought back from the realm of the dead temporarily to show the apostles that they would be the forerunners of Jesus' second coming, just like John the Baptist was the forerunner of his first coming. At the mouth of two or three witnesses, every matter will be established. An amazing thing will happen. They will come back, yes, from the realm of the dead, and Revelation 11 tells us what's going to happen. Are you ready? I will grant authority to my two witnesses, God says, Revelation 11 3. And they will prophesy for 1260 days, that's three and a half years, 42 months, clothed in sackcloth. In other words, they'll have a very heavy, hard message to proclaim to an apostate nation called Israel. Remember, the church is gone now. God is dealing with Israel as the instrument through which he will win the Gentile world with the gospel of the kingdom. Are you ready? These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the Earth. That reminds us, doesn't it, of Zerubbabel and Joshua, who were the two lampstands that came back from Babylon, you remember, to rebuild the temple, to build a second temple in Jerusalem under the administration of Haggai and Zechariah the prophets. They were bright, shining lights in a dark, dark world, and God honored them greatly. Remember, Zechariah said to his rebel, don't despise the day of small things. Trust God, he's in this, he's in this. Now, okay, in the second coming of Christ, there will be a third temple prepared that will function in Jerusalem. That's an amazing thing, isn't it, friends? You say, but how can the Jews use that temple? Because the Muslims have it. That is why God is going to empower the two witnesses to take over the temple. Now, in the 1967 war, Israel did recapture the temple, but for mysterious reasons, they couldn't use it. There must have been some kind of a subconscious consensus in Israel. We can't use that temple until Elijah comes. And so watch carefully now. They have to have somebody that knows who's going to be qualified to offer animal sacrifices. You say, really? Yes. Jesus said, you remember, in Matthew 24, when you see the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place, whoso reads, let him understand what Daniel says about it. then flee from Jerusalem for your lives. What's that mean? Well, Daniel 9 says that when he comes, he will cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease in the middle of the 70th week, three and a half years after the tribulation begins. He will do what? Cause the animal sacrifices in the temple to cease. He can't do that unless they're reinstituted. And who's gonna do it? The two witnesses. Now listen carefully. Revelation 11, five. If anyone desires to harm them, and you can imagine millions of people will hate these men for coming to take over the temple. Can't you see that? If anyone desires to harm them, what's going to happen? Fire proceeds out of their mouth and devours their enemies. Now that is exactly what Elijah did. You remember the son of Ahab tried to kill him. and one little army after another wiped out by fire from heaven at the word of Elijah. He was a one-man army. God is gonna equip him again in a state of tremendous pressure and threats from the Antichrist, but nobody can stop them because they will have the power to devour their enemies with fire. And if anyone would desire to harm them in this manner, he must be killed. Now listen to this too. These have the power to shut up the sky in order that rain may not fall during the days of their prophesying. Three and a half years of drought in Jerusalem to catch people's attention. That's exactly what Elijah did. Three and a half years of drought, you remember, against Ahab and Jezebel back in the Old Testament 2,700 years ago. Isn't that amazing? But look what else is gonna happen. Verse six, part B, and they will have power over the waters to turn them into blood. That's what Moses did, you remember, in Egypt. And to do what? To smite the earth with every plague as often as they desire. That's what Moses did, plagues against the Egyptian God and Pharaoh for opposing, threatening, blaspheming the God of Israel. So Elijah and Moses are coming back. You say, that is amazing. Those men who once lived had enormous power under God to oppose what? Darkness, satanic systems. Moses against Egypt, Elijah against Baal. You remember the Baal worshipers at Mount Carmel and Jezebel? I say, Lord, isn't that amazing? Those two men who are famous in Israel will come back again and lead Israel to the Lord. And I say, now, wait a minute. How can they do that in three and a half years? Remember the apostle Paul, all by himself at the school of Tyrannus in the book of Acts, started a school, taught the word of God so thoroughly, so carefully, so effectively. that all they that dwell in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jew and Greek, doesn't mean they were all saved, they heard the gospel, they heard the message of Jesus, because everyone that Paul trained and taught, trained and taught somebody else who taught somebody else. Just like he said to Timothy, the things you've heard from me among many witnesses, Timothy, commit the same things to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also. What a dynamic, friends, for world evangelism, to spread the message to the ends of the earth. So what Paul accomplished in two years by himself under God, of course. The two witnesses will do in three and a half years for the whole nation of Israel. And toward the end of those three and a half years, the whole nation, with perhaps rare exceptions, will have turned to Christ the Messiah. You say, Lord, that is amazing, the whole nation turning back to God. That's exactly what Paul predicted, you remember, in Romans 11. All Israel must be saved. The branches that have been broken off from the olive tree of Abrahamic covenant blessing at the first coming of Christ will be regrafted back into the tree. Paul says, you know, if the natural branches can't be grafted in, How could foreign branches like we today, like us, be grafted in? That's an amazing passage in Romans 11, isn't it? Israel natural branches will be grafted back into the tree of Abrahamic covenant blessing at the beginning of the 73rd of Daniel. Why? Because God will prepare Israel at that time under tremendous threat from the Antichrist. To do what? To evangelize the world. Now, at the end of that time, a horrible thing will happen to those two witnesses. Listen to this, Revelation 11, 7. And when they have finished their testimony, the beast, that's the Antichrist, that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them and overcome them and kill them. And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city, that's Jerusalem, which mystically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified, and those from the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days, television, friends all over the world, people fixed on their TV tubes watching this, and will permit their dead bodies, not permit their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb. And those who dwell on the earth, that's a word for unbelievers in the book of Revelation, will do what? They will rejoice over them and make merry, send gifts to one another because those two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth. You see, the hatred for these two witnesses will be almost universal. but God will honor them, vindicate them, and raise them from the dead. They'll ascend to heaven in public view. And I say, Lord, what an amazing testimony you will give to those two men. And just like Jesus said on the Mount of Transfiguration, you remember, Elijah will come and will restore all things. I say, Lord, I'm amazed that you have a plan not only for the church, to be vindicated, honored, rewarded, prepared, equipped for the wedding, the marriage supper, and the second coming in glory with Christ the Lord, to help him rule the world. Under Christ we'll be kings and priests. So Israel will rule the world for a thousand years on the earth in Jerusalem. And the two witnesses obviously will be able to identify who the priests are, the Zadokian priests of the tribe of Levi, who can function in the temple and offer sacrifices legitimately. The sacrifices, friends, be careful now, will not take away sin, never did in the Old Testament either. They are what? Visual aids, illustrations of the unapproachable holiness of God. You don't march into the temple of God without what? Animal blood to protect you from premature destruction. They are beautiful, effective, powerful visual aids that God has entrusted to Israel for centuries. They will function properly. They'll understand that only the blood of the Messiah Jesus can take away sin. That's true today, it's true in the tribulation, it's true forever. Only the blood of Christ can actually take away, expiate sin forever. The two witnesses will be genuine, faithful testimonies of who Jesus Messiah is. So we pray for Jews today. Israelis all over the world, nearly six million back in their land, maybe another six or seven million scattered around the world, a couple million here in America. How desperate is their need of a Savior, of their Messiah, whom they have neglected and denied for centuries. I say, Lord, I'm amazed at the judgments you have prepared for the church and Israel and the nations, and millions will die for their faith in the tribulation period, yes, but they'll go to heaven forever. And I say, Lord, I'm amazed at what you have planned. Help me to be ready. Help me to be faithful. Help me to be true to your word and not one who will be judged because I have abandoned, compromised the truth that you have entrusted to us. Friend, From heart to heart, are you ready to meet the Lord? Are you ready for whatever judgment He has planned? That you will be found faithful and that you will deserve a reward from Him for being honest in your evaluation of His precious Bible, His Word, and share it with those that you love. Family, friends, neighbors, yes, people to the ends of the earth desperately need to hear the Word of the Lord, the Bible, the truth of God. May God bless you, friend, as you hear what He has to say about the coming judgment of the church, the coming judgment of the nation of Israel, and how he'll evaluate every person in reference to what they believe and what they've done with Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. We trust that you do know Jesus Christ as your Savior. If you're looking for more information to help you grow in your knowledge of Him, I warmly invite you to visit us at sermonaudio.com slash Whitcomb, where you'll find more than 1,300 free resources available to help you in your study of God's Word. Once again, that's sermonaudio.com slash Whitcomb. And that's also the place to go to hear this series again or share it with a friend. As we close this series, Dr. Whitcomb, I'd like to ask a question that would doubtless help some of our listeners to understand the things you've been discussing today. Here it is. What would you say to those who believe that God is completely finished with Israel and has replaced that nation with the church? Wayne, that is a very significant question because many, many people, even evangelical Protestants around the world, are saying God is through with Israel forever. because they don't deserve the kingdom. Well, that's true. I don't deserve to be in heaven either. None of us deserve anything. But God has an unconditional covenant, remember, through Abraham to his people Israel. Now, listen to what he said to them when they rejected him. They said, we don't want this man to rule over us. They made that clear. To which Jesus replied, Luke 13, 24, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I wanted to gather your children together just as a hen gathers her brood under her wings and you would not have it behold your house has left you desolate and I say to you you shall not see me oh really but wait read the rest of it you will not see me until the time comes when you say blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord oh it's dependent upon, right? Contingent upon what? Their final acceptance of Jesus as Messiah. Will that really happen? Listen to Romans chapter 11. Paul said, I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, uninformed of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own estimation. Don't say God is through with Israel, that the church is permanently replaced. Don't say that. Why not? Because, listen, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. Not total permanent, partial hardening, until, until, not forever, until what? The fullness of Gentiles has come in. And thus all Israel will be saved. just as it is written, the deliverer will come from Zion, he will remove ungodliness from Jacob, and this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins. Now listen to verse 28. Are you there? Romans 8, 11, 28. From the standpoint of the gospel, they're enemies for your sake, yes. How many Jews persecuted Christians in the early church? Think of it, what Paul went through. But from the standpoint of God's choice, they're beloved. for the sake of the fathers." That's Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For the gifts, listen now, and the calling of God are irrevocable. They can't be canceled. They can't be changed. And I say, thank you, Lord. Thank you. Help me to understand this. The church has not permanently replaced Israel. they will be re-established as God's unique, exclusive instrument for evangelizing the Gentile world, for establishing the World Worship Center in Jerusalem, in the Temple. And I say, Lord, that's amazing that you keep promises like that through thousands of years, 4,000 years since you promised that to Abraham. He said, God said to Abraham, I will bless them that bless you, I'll curse them that curse you. Watch Israel today, friends. The whole world seems to be wanting to curse them. That is one of the most amazing signs of the proximity of the second coming of Christ in the form of what? The resurrection rapture event for the church. and the inauguration of Israel as God's exclusive witness program for the world. You say that is amazing, that God keeps promises, that we get blessings that we don't deserve? Of course. Otherwise, if the church has replaced Israel because they were disobedient, He would replace us, wouldn't he, if we're disobedient? He would break his promise with us. We'd lose our salvation. Thank you, Lord, for your mercy, your grace, and keeping your promises. You're an infinitely gracious, precious, and loving Lord. You are faithful, faithful to your word forever and ever, even to your people Israel. Thank you, Lord, for what you told us in your precious word, the Bible. So Wayne, It's so important, isn't it, to listen to what God has to say in His prophetic word about the destiny of the true Church, the body of Christ, and even of the nation of Israel, His chosen nation. Thank you so much. God bless you. Well, we've always appreciated the opportunity to glean from Dr. Whitcomb's many years of study in Holy Scripture and to draw on the wisdom that the Lord gave to him. Encounter God's Truth is a Bible believing outreach of Whitcomb Ministries and you can find us online at WhitcombMinistries.org and Facebook.com slash Whitcomb Ministries. We hope that you've enjoyed and benefited from these prophetic messages and we encourage you to join us next time for more Bible teaching here on Encounter God's Truth. I'm Wayne Shepherd reminding you that God's Word is true from the beginning to the end.