We believe the next event in God’s prophetic calendar concerns the imminent (1 Cor 15:51-52) Rapture of the church (John 14:1-3; 1 Cor 15:51-54; 1 Thess 4:17; 2 Thess 2:1). The Rapture is the first phase of the Second Coming of Christ. All believers who have died in Christ from Pentecost onward will be resurrected and taken up to heaven (1 Thess 4:16,17) together with believers alive at that time (1 Thess 4:16, 17). Christ will receive the church in the air (1 Thess 4:17). All will be changed and receive resurrected bodies (1 Cor 15:52-52). The Rapture will be immediately followed by the Judgment seat of Christ (2 Cor 5:10) in which every believer will be judged according to his works (1 Cor 5:9-11). The marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev 19:7) follows the Judgment seat of Christ and precedes the end of the Tribulation ( Rev 19:11).
A seven year period of tribulation (Dan 9:27; ) will follow shortly after the Judgment seat of Christ ( Rev 4:4,5). It will be a time of Judgment for man whose sinfulness has reached maturity (Joel 3:13; Rev 14:15) and a time of chastening for Israel (Jer 30:7; Dan 12:1). The first 3 ½ years will witness the rise in power of Antichrist (Dan 7:8) who will make a covenant with Israel for 7 years (Dan 9:27). After 3 ½ years he will break this covenant and seek her destruction (Dan 9:27; Dan 7:21-22,25; 12:1). He will subdue all worship except the worship of himself (Rev 17:15-18; 13:14-15). The final 3 ½ of the tribulation will be a time of unparalleled suffering and destruction (Zeph 1:14-18; Matt 24:21). It will culminate with the return of Christ with the church (Rev 19:11-21). He will destroy Antichrist and his armies at Armageddon and deliver Israel (Zeph 14:1-3; Zech 14:3-8). At that time Israel will acknowledge her Messiah and repent of her sin and be saved (Zech 12:10-14; Rom 11:26) as will repentant Gentiles (Matt 25:34; Rev 7:9-17).
The return of Christ marks the beginning of the Millennium (Dan 2:44; Matt 24:27-51; Rev 20:1-7). Christ will reign over the whole earth from the throne of David in Jerusalem (Isa 2:4; Dan 2:44; Isa 9:7; Psalm 48:1-2). This will be a time of unprecedented blessing and peace (Ezek 34:26; Joel 3:18). Satan will be bound during this period but will be released after 1000 years to deceive the nation into rebellion against Christ (Rev 20:1-3, 7). God’s complete annihilation of His enemies is marked by the dissolution of the heavens and the earth (Rev 20:9; 2 Peter 3:10-12). Satan and all the unsaved are cast in the lake of fire to suffer for eternity (Rev 20:10-15). The subsequent creation of a new heaven and earth marks the beginning of the eternal state (Rev 21:1). The Godhead will rule eternally (1 Cor 15:24-28; Rev 21,22).