Glossary of Common End Times Terms
Abomination of Desolation:
When the Antichrist sits down in the rebuilt Jewish Temple and declares himself to be God, "The Great Tribulation" of 42 months will then begin. The Antichrist will demand worship worldwide (Rev. 13). This will be the abomination that leads to great desolation. God's judgments will bring desolation, or destruction, to all who participate in this terrible abomination (Dan. 9:27; Mt. 24:15; Mk. 13:14; 2 Thes. 2:3-4). This worship system is based on the Antichrist (called the Beast) setting up an image (statue or idol) of himself in the Jerusalem temple. At the occurrence of this event, the Jews living in Israel are commanded to flee into the wilderness. All tribulation saints will know, from that day on, they must now wait 1260 days before the Lord returns. (Dan 9:27), (Mat 24:15-19)
Amillennialism:
(prefix "a," "no"). The belief that there is no literal 1000-year reign of Christ. Thus Revelation 20 is taken symbolically, not literally, by adherents of this view. Amillennialists generally believe that Israel has been permanently set aside for all time and that God's current plan of salvation involves only the Church.
Antichrist:
Often described as the most evil man that will ever live. He will arrive on the world scene and appear to be the world's saviour, but everyone on earth will soon learn his real mission will be one of destruction. Also called the man of lawlessness (or sin), Gog, the son of destruction (or perdition) (1 John 2:18) , (Rev 13:1-8)
Another Beast:
A name for the False Prophet in Rev.13:11.
Apocalypse:
Means "unveiling or revealing" and is translated as "revelation." It is another name for the book of Revelation because it unveils or reveals the glory of Jesus and His end-time battle plan to drive evil off the planet.
Apostacy, The:
In the end times, the Bible predicts a great falling away or departure from the Christian faith. Because we have experienced a number of generations where people have rebelled against God, the one that occurs leading up to the tribulation will likely surpass prior apostasies. The Greek word apostasy was originally used to describe a revolt staged by a military commander.( Mt. 24:9-13; 2 Thes. 2:3; 1 Tim. 4:1-2; 2 Tim.3:1-7; 4:3-4; 2 Pet. 2:1-3)
Armageddon comes from the Hebrew word meaning "the Mount of Megiddo." This ancient fortress is located in northern Israel, across the Plain of Esdraelon from Nazareth. Armageddon will be the gathering place for the final great battle, which bears its name. (Rev 16:16)
Babylon:
Babylon was the chief city of the Babylonian Empire, which was in the lower valley of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, in what is modern-day Iraq. This refers to the literal city of Babylon in Iraq (fifty miles south of Baghdad), which will be rebuilt and used as one of the headquarters for the Antichrist. It will function as the center of worldwide, demonic religious and economic networks (Rev. 17-18). As Jerusalem suddenly came out of the ashes and was rebuilt, so Babylon (in Iraq) will be suddenly rebuilt. Many of the specific details about Babylon's sudden and permanent destruction in the judgments prophesied in Jeremiah 50-51 and Isaiah 13-14:21 have not yet fully happened. They were only partially fulfilled in history.
Beast:
Term used 36 times to refer to the Antichrist (Rev. 13:1-18; 14:9-11; 17:3-17; 19:19-21; 20:4, 10)
Body of Christ, Church Age:
The Body of Christ (under the grace program) began with Paul's conversion and will end at with rapture of the 'Body' before the beginning of the tribulation. Many dispensationalists believe the Body of Christ is the reason why there is a gap between Daniel's 69th and 70th week. (Dan 9:24-27)
Damascus:
The city of Damascus has been around for thousands of years and it has never been destroyed in battle. The Prophet Isaiah predicted that someday this city would be destroyed. Isaiah 17:1 The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from [being] a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.
Dispensationalism:
The view that believes God's dealings with men have proceeded through well-defined administrations, over specific periods of time, each in which God reveals a particular purpose to be accomplished in that period, to which men respond in faith or unbelief.
Dragon:
The dragon is the symbolic name given to representative the devil. Satan is also described as "that old serpent." (Rev. 12:3, 4, 7, 9, 13, 16, 17; 13:2, 4; 16:13; 20:2)
Eastern Gate:
The Eastern Gate has a very important prophet role to play. It is the only gate that is currently blocked. The book of Ezekiel foretold that it would be shut and the only one who will open it will be the "Prince" Jesus. (Ezek 44:1-3)
Eschatology:
A term that speaks of the study of the end times from a biblical perspective. That which relates to the final events in the history of mankind. The word eschatology is made up of two different Greek words: eschaton, meaning "end," and -ology, meaning a "study of something." The most important events predicted in the "end of the age," the eschaton, are the Great Tribulation, Jesus' second coming, and the millennial kingdom. More than one-fourth of the Scriptures (27%) relate to these prophetic events foretold by the prophets.
False Church:
During the first part of the tribulation, the Antichrist's rise to power will be aided by a religious system, which will include most, if not all, of the world's major religions. During the second half of the tribulation the Antichrist will destroy this false church. The book of Revelation describes the false churches as the great whore. (Rev 17:1-5)
False Prophet:
He will administrate the workings of the one-world church. The False Prophet's primary mission will be to cause the world to worship the Antichrist. He is the Antichrist's minister of propaganda, who will work miracles (Rev. 16:13; 19:20; 20:10). He is also called "another beast" in Revelation 13:11. (Rev 13:11-14)
Gog And Magog:
Most prophetic scholars agree that Gog and Magog were the people that lived in the lands, which are now modern Russia. Someday Russia and a horde of Middle East and northern African countries will launch a surprise attack against Israel. All but one sixth of the Gog army will be destroyed upon the mountains of Israel. (Ezek 38 and 39)
Harlot Babylon:
The worldwide, demonically- inspired religious and economic system based in the rebuilt city of Babylon in Iraq (Rev. 17-18; Jer. 50- 51). It will be established in the literal city of Babylon (fifty miles south of Baghdad) that will be restored and used as one of the headquarters for the Antichrist. It will function as the center of worldwide demonic religious and economic networks (Isa. 13-14:21; Jer. 50-51; Rev. 17-18). As Jerusalem suddenly came out of the ashes and was rebuilt, so Babylon will be suddenly rebuilt. The judgments prophesied in Jeremiah 50-51 that will suddenly destroy Babylon forever have not yet happened.
Jacob's Trouble:
Called by Jeremiah as "the time of Jacob's trouble" and by Daniel as "the time of distress such as never occurred," this event will take place during the 3 1/2 year reign of antichrist. The time of Jacob's trouble will be a time of great suffering on earth. The suffering will be brought on by the actions of the Antichrist and by the wrath of God being poured out on a sinful world. (Jer 30:7)
Judgement, Great White Throne:
This judgment is for the unsaved (those throughout history that rejected Christ). It is here where all those that are not found written in the book of life are cast into the lake of fire. (Rev 20:11-15)
Judgment Seat of Christ:
The Judgement Seat of Christ (aka, the Bema Seat) will take place soon after the Rapture of the Church, the body of Christ. (2 Cor.5:10, Rom.14:10). The participants in the judgment seat of Christ are members of the Body of Christ, identified as all people who have responded in faith to Paul's grace gospel. (It does not include saints from the Old Testament or the Gospels. They will have a separate time of judgment and reward). The Bema Seat is not a judgment to determine guilt and who will enter heaven or not. Just the fact that you are at the Bema Seat means you have eternal salvation and are in perfect right standing with God through Christ. The purpose of this judgement is for rewards, not for condemnation! The sins of these believers will not be an issue at the judgment seat of Christ. Why? Because the moment they got saved by faith in the grace gospel, the Holy Spirit immersed them (without water!) into the Body of Christ (Eph.1:13-14, Eph.4:30) as a permanent member and all their sins (past, present and future - Eph.1:7-8, Eph.4:32, Col.1:13-14, Col.3:13) were completely removed by the atoning cross-work of Christ. For more on this event, see this post.
Kings of the East:
And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. I believe the kings of the east will likely be or will largely include the nation of China. (Rev 16:12)
Lake of Fire:
The lake of fire is the final abode for all the lost, the Devil and all of his co-workers. Everyone that's condemned to this fiery inferno will suffer unrelenting eternal torment. (Rev 20:15)
Little Horn:
Daniel the prophet described seeing a little horn rising out from among ten other horns. The little horn is clearly another representation of the antichrist, because Daniel's accounting aligns with the apostle John's Revelation 13 description of the Antichrist. (Dan 7:7-8), (Dan 7:19-25)
Mark of The Beast:
"He causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name." The Mark of the Beast will likely be a microchip implant or a tattoo of sorts that will be enforced at the height of the antichrist's power which is at the midpoint of the tribulation. The mark will control buying and selling and will operate in some way like an ATM or credit card. Remember, everyone who receives the Mark of the Beast will be cast into hell, so don't take the mark! (Rev 13:16-18)
Messiah:
Comes from the Hebrew word meshiach, meaning “anointed one.” It is translated as the Greek word Christos and the English word Christ. In the Old Testament, the Messiah was the coming “Anointed One,” who was to be king of Israel and lead the Jewish people to freedom from Gentile oppression.
The Millennium (or Millennial Kingdom), is a literal 1,000- year period in which Jesus will rule the whole world from Jerusalem in righteousness and peace. The kingdom of God will be openly manifest worldwide, affecting every sphere of life (political, social, agricultural, economic, spiritual, educational, law enforcement, family, media, arts, environment, social institutions, etc). (Rev 20:3-4)
New Jerusalem:
The heavenly city where all the saints will live forever in God’s immediate presence (Heb.11:10, 16; 12:22-24). The New Jerusalem will descend to the earth in two stages: first, at the time of Jesus’ second coming (Rev. 21:10), and then completely after the millennial kingdom (Rev. 21:2).
New Heavens and Earth:
Are used in the context of both the Millennium and the eternal state (Isa. 65:17-25; 66:22-24; 2 Pet. 3:13; Rev. 21:1-2; 1 Chr. 23:25; 28:8; Ps. 37:29; 78:69; 104:5; 105:10-11; 125:1-2; Isa. 60:21; Ezek. 37:25; Joel 3:20).
Preterism:
The false belief that nearly all prophetic events have already occurred. The year 70 AD is a popular date where Preterists claim that the book of Revelation was fulfilled. Under preterism you are basically left to just waiting for Jesus to return.
At a predetermined time in God's redemption plan, a shout will go out in the heavens that will call up the Body of Christ out from among this sinful world that we might be with Him forever. The earthly reason for the removal of the Body of Christ is to make way for the rise of Antichrist and to fulfil Daniel's final 70th week. (Phil 3:20-21) (Col 3:4)
Near the end of the tribulation, and at the last trumpet, Jesus will return in the clouds at the second coming. At this point there will be a resurrection of the dead saints and a rapture of the tribulation saints who will meet the Lord in the air. This resurrection/rapture is also the judgement of the sheep and the goats according to Matt.25. The unsaved, who remain on the earth at this point will be exposed to the seven bowl judgements of God's wrath and will perish during this last, and brief, period of time before the Millennial Kingdom. (Mat 25:31-46), (1 Thes 4:16-18), (1 Cor 15:51-54)
Red Heifer:
The Bible predicts that the Jewish Temple will be rebuilt in Jerusalem. Ever since the 70 AD destruction, one major roadblock barring the reconstruction of the Temple is the fact that the Temple Mount area has been defiled by warfare. In order to cleanse the tribulation Temple Mount for worship, the Jews will need the ashes of a pure red heifer. Numbers 19 describes how King Solomon cleansed the first Temple with the ashes of a specially prepared red heifer. (Num 19:2-9)
Replacement Theology:
Replacement theology is the false doctrinal view that Israel, having failed God, has been replaced by the Church around 70 AD. The Church is now seen as spiritual Israel and spiritual Jerusalem. This teaching claims that all the promises and blessings, in fact Israel's entire inheritance, now belongs to the Church. However, what this doctrine completely overlooks is the curses spoken over Israel. It wants to take all the blessings, but it's fine that lost Israel gets to keep all the curses.
Restrainer, The:
The presence of the Holy Spirit on earth currently is what restrains the forces of evil. The Holy Spirit resides in the lives of all believers, which is why Christians are called the "salt of the earth." When the Church, the Body of Christ under grace, is removed at the pre-trib. rapture, most of the restraining power of the Holy Spirit will be removed as well. (2 Thes 2:7), (Mat 5:13)
Rosh Hashanah:
The Jewish festival of the civil New Year celebrated on the first and second days of the month Tishri. During this holiday trumpets are blown as a call for repentance. Many Christians look towards Rosh Hashanah as a possible time for the rapture. (Num 10:1-10)
Second Coming, The:
This is the time when Jesus Christ will return, defeat the Antichrist, and set up his 1000 year kingdom on earth. The second coming is not the pre-tribulation rapture, which takes place approx. 7-years prior to the second coming, but there is a resurrection of the dead saints and a rapture of the tribulation saints at this second coming. Another important difference between the two is that the rapture will occur at an unspecified time while the second coming will take place 42 months after the Antichrist declares himself to be God. (Rev 13:5), (Mat 25:13)
Seven Heads:
From Dan. 2:41-42; 7:7; Rev. 12:3; 13:1; 17:3-6. Seven world empires throughout history that persecuted Israel. They are Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, and the ten-nation confederation.
Ten Horns:
Speaks of a future ten-nation confederation of ten kings who rule simultaneously over their own nation. They come into an enthusiastic agreement or partnership together under the Antichrist’s authority (Dan. 2:41-42; 7:7, 20, 24; 11:36-45; Rev. 12:3; 13:1; 17:3, 7, 12, 16).
A period of time lasting 7 years, the first 3 1/2 years, as the antichrist rises to power, will be relatively 'bearable' if one is not a Jew or a follower of Christ. The second 3 1/2 years will bring the greatest suffering in human history as the wrath of God and the Antichrist is poured out on earth. (Dan 9:27) , (Mat 24:21)
Witnesses, Two:
During the tribulation, two men will prophesy in the streets of Jerusalem. These two witnesses of God will have the power to prevent it from raining on the earth, to call fire down from heaven, to turn bodies of water into blood, and to command a number of other plagues. After they preach for 42 months, the Antichrist, at the midpoint of the tribulation will be allowed to kill them. Three and 1/2 days later they will be resurrected and raptured up to heaven. Some scholars say the two men could be Elijah and Enoch or Moses and Elijah. (Rev 11:3-13), (Mal 4:5-6)
Wrath of God, The:
The Wrath of God is poured out on man from the midpoint of the tribulation. The people of earth will come under increasingly horrific judgements of God's wrath because they refuse to turn from their wicked ways. Those that receive the 'mark of the beast' will not only come under God's wrath, but will be lost forever. (1 Thes 1:10), (1 Thes 5:9), (Rev 14:9-11)
10 Nation Confederation – Toes; Horns; Kings:
Out of the area that once was the Roman Empire, ten leaders will arise. The only purpose these 10 leaders will have is to give their power to the Antichrist. (Dan 2:41-44), (Dan 7:20), (Rev 17:12), (Rev 17:17)
70th Week:
The final seven years of Gentile domination of the nation of Israel and the city of Jerusalem. This is the last week of the seventy weeks of years (490 years) of Daniel's prophecy. The resumption of the remaining 7 years will begin when the antichrist signs the peace treaty with Israel. (Dan 9:27)
144,000 Jewish Saints:
Before the Antichrist administers his mark, God will send an angel to mark the foreheads of 144,000 Jews – 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes. The 144,000 sealed Jews will apparently be commissioned to be a witness to the Gentiles during the tribulation. (Rev 7:2-8)
200 Million Man Army, The:
During the latter part of the tribulation an Oriental army of some 200 million strong, will move into the Middle East, crossing over the dried up Euphrates River. This army, guided by four demonic angels, will kill one third of mankind. (Rev 9:14-16), (Rev 16:12)
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