We are currently in our sermon series Before the Door Shuts , and today we come to the final message of this series.
The title of today’s message is: The Door Is Still Open.
Throughout this series, we have spoken about the signs of the times, the return of Christ, and the events that will take place in the last days. Today, we will look at the order in which I believe these events will unfold according to Scripture.
But more importantly, this message is not about satisfying our curiosity concerning the future. It is about preparing our hearts to meet Jesus.
The door is still open. There is still grace. There is still salvation. But one day, the door will close.
The question is not simply what will happen next, the question is: Are you ready?
In the previous message, I shared that around one quarter of the Bible contains prophecies concerning the return of Jesus. The Old Testament contains 39 books and 351 prophecies about Christ’s first coming, and every one of them was faithfully fulfilled.
If Jesus fulfilled 351 prophecies concerning His first coming, why would He not also fulfil the prophecies concerning His return?
My dear friends, we are living in the final minutes of God’s clock. I am not setting a date for the end or for the Lord’s return, but whoever has ears to hear, let them hear and be prepared.
Jesus gave us the signs of the end times—a list of events that would take place—but He did not give us the exact order in which they would happen.
Having studied the Bible for 42 years, I have my own understanding of these events, and today I will share what I believe is the chronological order of the end times.
The greatest disagreement among Bible scholars concerns the timing of the Rapture. Most believe it will take place before the Great Tribulation. Others believe it will occur in the middle of the Tribulation (after three and a half years), while some believe it will happen after the seven years of Tribulation.
While these discussions are important, we must remember this:
The purpose of prophecy is not to satisfy our curiosity about the future, but to prepare our hearts to meet Jesus.
Whether the Rapture takes place before, during, or after the Tribulation, the question remains the same: Are you ready to meet the Lord?
If the Rapture comes first, you must be ready for the Rapture. If it takes place during or after the Tribulation, you must remain steadfast through those difficult days. Today, I am not going to focus on the details of each event. Instead, I will share the timeline—the chronological order of events as I understand them from Scripture.
The world has changed dramatically, and many troubling things have happened in recent years. But there is also something wonderful taking place in these last days: the Word of God is being fulfilled. This fills me with joy and expectation. I do not rejoice in suffering, destruction, or death—of course not. I rejoice because as God’s Word is fulfilled, our redemption draws nearer. Hallelujah!
Jesus said: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” (Matthew 24:35, NIV)
As we look at the Scriptures, we can see many prophecies being fulfilled before our eyes. Many people ask me, “What time are we living in today?” I believe we are living in the season of waiting for the Rapture.
“After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” (1 Thessalonians 4:17, NIV)
First, Jesus will come for His church. We will be caught up to meet Him in the air.
However, before the Rapture, I believe the world will witness a great conflict known as the War of Gog and Magog. This war is described in Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39. I encourage you to read these chapters for yourself.
The Bible tells us that nations from the far north will come against Israel. Who are these nations? In my understanding, they include Russia, Iran, Turkey, Syria, and other allied nations that will unite against Israel.
“On the mountains of Israel you will fall, you and all your troops and the nations with you. I will give you as food to all kinds of carrion birds and to the wild animals… For seven months the Israelites will be burying them in order to cleanse the land.” (Ezekiel 39:4,12 NIV)
During this war, God Himself will intervene in a supernatural way and destroy Israel’s enemies. The Bible says that it will take seven months just to bury the dead.
Following this conflict, a peace agreement will be needed. I believe the Antichrist will rise as the leader who brokers this agreement, assisted by the False Prophet. This agreement will involve the world’s three major religions: Judaism, Islam, and Christianity.
According to the book of Daniel, this covenant will last for seven years. In my view, the church will witness this agreement being signed, because Scripture teaches that the Antichrist will be revealed before our gathering to the Lord.
“Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him… Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.” (2 Thessalonians 2:1,3 NIV)
I believe that once this peace agreement is established, the church will be raptured. The Rapture is not the same as the Second Coming of Christ.
At the Rapture, Jesus comes in the air for His church. At His Second Coming, He returns to the earth and sets His feet on the Mount of Olives, as foretold in Zechariah 14:4.
At the Rapture, the true church of Jesus will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. Then the Great Tribulation will begin. The seven-year peace agreement marks the beginning of that period.
During the first three and a half years, the world will still be trying to explain the disappearance of millions of people. A global economic system will emerge, and the Mark of the Beast will be introduced. Without it, no one will be able to buy or sell.
During this time, Israel will view the Antichrist as a friend and a peacemaker. At that moment, Israel will recognise the deception. He is not the Messiah, nor does he have the right to enter the Holy of Holies. The Bible says that from this point, he will turn against Israel.
In Matthew 24:15, Jesus called this event “the abomination that causes desolation.” It echoes what happened under Antiochus Epiphanes, who defiled the temple by entering the Holy of Holies and desecrating it. This event will take place exactly halfway through the Great Tribulation, after three and a half years.
From that moment, the Antichrist’s persecution of Israel will intensify. It will be a time of unprecedented suffering, yet God will preserve His people and prevent their destruction.
At the end of the Great Tribulation, as Jerusalem is surrounded by enemy forces, the armies of the nations will gather at Armageddon, in the Valley of Jezreel. Revelation 9:16 speaks of an army of 200 million coming from the East.
“The number of the mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand. I heard their number.” (Revelation 9:16 NIV)
The nations that are already hostile towards Israel today—including many Arab and Muslim nations, China, and others—will be part of this final conflict: the Battle of Armageddon.
But in the end, there will be no battle. Just as Israel is surrounded and on the verge of destruction, Jesus will appear from heaven, accompanied by His saints. That includes us—the redeemed who were raptured and have received glorified bodies.
At that moment, Jesus will destroy the enemy armies by the word of His mouth. No human army will save Israel; the Lord Himself will intervene and bring victory.
Then all Israel will recognise Jesus as the Messiah.
“Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights on a day of battle. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south.” (Zechariah 14:3-4 NIV)
When Jesus descends, His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, and the mountain will split in two. The nations will then be judged, especially for how they treated Israel.
At that time, Jesus will establish His Millennial Kingdom, which will last for 1,000 years. During this period, we who were raptured will reign with Christ in glorified bodies.
At the end of the thousand years, Satan, who has been bound, will be released for a short time (Revelation 20:7). He will once again deceive the nations and lead a final rebellion against God. But this rebellion will be swiftly defeated, and Christ will triumph forever.
Satan will then be thrown into the lake of fire, followed by the Final Judgement before the Great White Throne.
“And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown… Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it… And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened.” (Revelation 20:10-12 NIV)
At the Great White Throne, all the dead who rejected Christ will stand before God for judgement. Those who die during the Millennium and do not possess glorified bodies will also appear before this final judgement.
After the Great White Throne Judgement, the eternal state begins.
“I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.” (Revelation 21:2 NIV)
The New Jerusalem will descend from heaven, and God will dwell with His people. There will be no more sin, no more temptation, no more death, and no more pain.
“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:4 NIV)
There will be only joy, peace, and the fullness of God’s presence. We will spend eternity knowing Him more deeply, for the Bible says:
God will dwell among His people forever. All who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour will live eternally in His presence.
Today we have spoken about prophecy, but prophecy is not merely about knowing what will happen. Prophecy is God’s way of calling us to be ready for the return of His Son.
To be part of this glorious future, today is the day to live for God, to pursue holiness, to confess Jesus as Lord, and to preach the gospel to those who are lost.
Today is the day to consecrate your life to God. Today is the day to prepare to stand in His presence. The return of the Lord should fill our hearts with joy, reverence, and holy expectation.
Jesus said: “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” (Matthew 25:13)
Rejoice, for our redemption is drawing near!
The most important part is this: The door is still open. But one day it will close.
Are you ready? If Jesus returned today, would you be ready to meet Him?
If today were your last day on earth, would you be ready to stand before Him?
Today the door is still open.
Today there is still grace.
Today there is still salvation.
But one day the door will close.