God's Plan and Purpose for the Last Days

The end times is a war for the souls of mankind.
This culmination of the last 6 thousand years (6 days) is all about mankind...

choosing whom to serve.
"And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."
Joshua 24:15

choosing life or death, a blessing or a curse.
"I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live,"
--- Deuteronomy 30:19

choosing the easy gate or the hard gate, the broad road or the narrow road.
"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." --- Matthew 7:13-14 NIV

choosing to love God or the world.
"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world."
--- 1 John 2:15-16

choosing who to depend upon for spiritual and physical provision.
"And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus."
--- Philippians 4:19

"Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."
--- Matthew 6:31-33

It is all about choosing rightousness or evil.

God's Plan for the Tribulation
a Brief Overview
• Worldwide Upheaval: to Separate the Wheat from the Tares

Even though Jesus won dominion of the earth at the cross, He has not yet taken dominion.
Satan still has dominion over the earth that he stole in the Garden.

Most people today do not understand that at the time of Jesus, ALL title deeds of inheritance were scrolls with seven seals.
The scroll with seven seals in Revelation is the title deed of inheritance to earth, which finalizes Jesus taking dominion of earth.
Jesus cannot complete His victory on the cross until the will of inheritance, the title deed to earth is opened. That is why John cries when no one is found worthy to open the scroll.
This is a core understanding.

To learn more about the Scroll in Revelation and when Jesus takes dominion back from Satan, Click Here for "Scroll of Revelation"

But as Jesus opens each seal of the title deed (the seven seals of Revelation) to take dominion of the earth, Satan stirs up deceit, conflict, destruction, and turmoil in response to each opened seal using false prophets, false messiahs, economic collapse, and even AI technology.

The opening of the seals and what happens in response to the seals opening are different events!
Jesus opens the seals, but Satan, in his anger, causes a response to each seal opening because Satan does not want the seals opened.
This is a core understanding.

The first four seals result in the four horsemen of Revelation: to Conquer with False Peace, to make War, to cause Economic Collapse, to cause Death.

God does not cause this trouble on the world, but He uses all the distress of the tribulation for His own purposes.
God always acts in accordance with what is right, true, and good.
We must always remember that God is in total control of the end times, and the ultimate outcome of His plan is our blessed hope. (Titus 2:13)

We need to understand that what Satan means for evil, God means for good. And we need to remind ourselves that our Lord is always working for our good and His glory, no matter the circumstances. (Genesis 50:20, Romans 8:28)

God allows chaos and difficulty over the whole Earth, removing self-reliance, and forcing those on the earth to make the choice to either seek help from "the world" or from God.

In essence, God uses the turmoil in the world to reveal each person's true self; to give the wicked and the righteous the opportunity to show their true colors.
This is how God separates the wheat from the tares, believers from unbelievers.
For we know, "...the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment,"
--- 2 Peter 2:9

From natural disasters to man-made economic collapse to war, the entire world will be is shambles.
God allows all "worldly" things to be broken down, especially things that people rely on more than God Himself. These "worldly things" are idols or gods that mankind has made.
This is foreshadowed in Exodus 12:12: "and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments." The entire Exodus story is a foreshadowing of the end times. The Pharaoh is a picture of the Antichrist. The judgments in the Exodus story will happen again in the end times. God saving His people by parting the Red Sea is a picture of the rapture.
To learn more about God removing "idols and gods" in the end times, Click Here for "Idols and gods"

The overall effect of this turmoil in the world divides all people into two groups.
Those that love God and run to Him in times of trouble, and those who do NOT love God and blame Him in times of trouble.
And those who blame God will, by extension, blame His followers, leading to increased persecution of Christians. (John 15:18-21) This has always been the case and God in His wisdom uses it to purify the Church in the end times.

• PERSECUTION: to Purify the Church
God allows wickedness to increase, like in the days of Noah, causing persecution for believers and a great falling away from the faith. This falling away will be pretend Christians who did not have true faith in Jesus Christ in the face of persecution. This walking away from the faith will purify the Church.

God allows persecution and suffering in the end times for His purpose.
Judgment Begins with the Household of God (1 Peter 4:17)

God allows difficulties and suffering in the lives of His people to purify them. When we are persecuted for the cause of Christ, we share in His sufferings.
(1 Peter 4:13–14, Philippians 1:29)


And when we share His suffering, we know Him a little better (Philippians 3:10). Paul echoes this theme:
  "Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory." --- Romans 8:17

Part of God's judgment upon sin is physical suffering. When His own children experience such suffering, it is not for our harm but to make us more like Jesus. "Judgment" for the children of God can be considered discipline.

"But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world." --- 1 Corinthians 11:32 NASB

"My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, Nor faint when you are reproved by Him; For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, And He scourges every son whom He receives." --- Hebrews 12:5-6 NASB

For a believer, persecution and suffering are designed to purge sin from our lives and teach us obedience, drawing us closer to the LORD.
This Biblical principle is difficult for many to understand.

If this makes no sense to you, then a word of caution: God tells us concerning persecution in the end times that only the spiritually wise will understand; the wicked will not.
"Many will be purified, cleansed, and refined by these trials. But the wicked will continue in their wickedness, and none of them will understand. Only those who are wise will know what it means." --- Daniel 12:10 NLT

Moreover, this principle applies to understanding all the end times. The righteous will understand what God is doing; the wicked will not.

And we are told in the Bible concerning all spiritual understanding:
"To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them." --- Mark 4:25 NLT

Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.
--- Hebrews 5:8

God uses the tribulation to separate the sheep from the goats, and the wheat from the tares, true believers from false believers, and the righteous from the wicked.
It is a winnowing process that will take the form of persecution for the righteous.

GOD ALLOWS DIFFICULTIES AND SUFFERING in the lives of the righteous to purify the church and draw us closer to Him, sharing in His sufferings (Philippians 3:10-11, 1 Peter 4:13-14, Romans 8:17).
The Lord also uses this as discipline to bring us to repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10) and teach us patience and endurance (James 1:2-4, 2 Timothy 2:12).

• TESTIMONY: to Witness to the World
1. Two Witnesses:
God sends His two witnesses (probably Moses and Elijah) to testify to the righteousness of God and the wickedness of the world and justifying God's coming judgment after all the seals have been broken.

"A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established." --- Deuteronomy 19:15

"And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth." --- Revelation 11:3

In the last days, God sends two witnesses to give testimony on the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
To learn more about the two witnesses in the end times. Click Here for Two Witnesses"

They will probably come about the time of the abomination of desolation at the mid-point of the tribulation and will have specific purpose in the end times. Moses and Aaron's appearance before Pharaoh in the Exodus was a foreshadowing of these witnesses.

The Purpose of God's Two Witnesses:

1. to call the wicked to repentance as indicated by them wearing sackcloth (Revelation 11:3).

2. to testify and prophesy against the antichrist and sin for 1,260 days (Revelation 11:3, Revelation 11:6).

3. to testify that Jesus Christ is God's Son and that He is LORD of Lords and KING or KINGS. (Revelation 17:14, Revelation 19:16)
They are the perfect witnesses since they were (I believe) eyewitnesses to His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension.

4. to encourage believers to give their testimony of Jesus Christ even when facing death. (Revelation 12:11)

5. to justify the coming judgment on the wicked.

2. The Persecuted Church Will Witness to the Lost and Be a Testimony to the World:
In the last days, the Lord will use believers to witness to the lost after using world chaos to place unbelievers in a position to hear the gospel.

This persecution will purify the Church for the work that lies ahead, giving testimony to the world.

And God uses the purified church to evangelize the lost in the last days. Even a Christians's persecution becomes a testimony to bring the unbeliever to Christ.
And YES, even our martyrdom is a testimony to bring salvation to the lost.
This is a core understanding of the end times




• RAPTURE: to Remove the Righteous
God will remove the righteous from the earth by the rapture before pouring out His wrath upon the wicked. This will be right before the opening of the seventh seal.

After the righteous are disciplined, purified, and separated from the wicked, and they give testimony, bringing many to salvation in Christ, they will be raptured. I believe this will be before the 7th seal or the 7th year of the 70th week of Daniel.
"For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord." --- 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

"Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but 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." --- 1 Corinthians 15:51-52

After the rapture, the wrath of God will fall upon the unrighteous for about one year.
"for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?" --- Revelation 6:17

After about one year of wrath, the Lord will return to put an end to the ungodly and begin the millennial kingdom, the 1,000-year reign of Jesus Christ on the earth.
"And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." --- Matthew 24:14

"Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle." --- Zechariah 14:3



• WRATH: to Judge the Wicked
To Give the wicked "a day of vengeance, a year of recompense." (Isaiah 34:8)
In the end times, the wrath of God will be just like the days of Noah. (Matthew 24:37)
The flood (God's first wrath) lasted one year and 10 days and this length will repeat in the end times.
For more about the length of God's wrath in the last days, Click here for "God's Wrath"


• THE END:
God will bring this current world to an end.

God's Purpose
for the End Times
with Supporting Bible Verses
►Begins the legal transfer of power won on the cross by opening the seven-sealed scroll of Revelation.
--- Revelation 6:1-17

►Fulfills the Abrahamic covenant. (Genesis 12:1–3, Genesis 15:1-21)

►To overcome evil and bring it to an end with God’s righteous wrath
--- Romans 1:18-19, Psalm 51:4

►To bless His children (Yes, Bless!)
If you are persecuted for Jesus, you are blessed.
-- Matthew 5:10-12, 1 Peter 4:14, Romans 5:3, James 1:12, James 1:2-3, James 5:11

►persecution is used to perfect our love for Him.
And in the last days, if you obey God's word, you will be persecuted.
But whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. --- 1 John 2:5

►God is sanctifying believers through their suffering and building endurance.
---Romans 5:3-5, James 1:2-4

► To purify the Church:
This is God’s perfect process of refining and purifying the church to become overcomers in Christ. ..."be in holy conduct and godliness" (2 Peter 3:11)
"spotless and blameless"(2 Peter 3:14)

"Many will be purified, cleansed, and refined by these trials. But the wicked will continue in their wickedness, and none of them will understand. Only those who are wise will know what it means." --- Daniel 12:10 NLT

Many Christians have become self-focused instead of Christ-focused.
In the first year of the tribulation, Jesus scolds us saying,
"But I have this [charge] against you, that you have left your first love [you have lost the depth of love that you first had for Me]." --- Revelation 2:4 AMP

In the end times, the Lord will remove everything in our lives that we rely on more than God, causing the righteous to seek Him.

God will remove from true believers all self-centeredness, self-confidence, self-assurance, self-indulgence, self-reliance, self-ego, self-focus, self-promotion, self-righteousness, self-sufficiency, and any self-seeking or self-serving attitudes.

One of the purposes of the end times is to force all believers to rely on God instead of ourselves.
The very thing we should have been doing all along.

This is a core end time understanding.

►Test our Faith: The end times will force us to become totally dependent upon God, and this is a good thing.
--- 1 Peter 1:6-7, 1 Peter 4:12-13, Philippians 4:19, Psalm 118:8, Proverbs 3:5-6, 1 Chronicles 16:11, Isaiah 41:10

►To bring in the fullness of Israel’s salvation and restore Israel
--- Jeremiah 30:1-38, Hosea 3:4-5
To save Israel
--- Romans 11:26
Fulfill prophecy: by making them first fruits
--- Revelation 14:4, Matthew 20:16

►Separating wheat from chaff; true believers from false believers.
Tares, especially in the early stages of growth, resemble wheat. Likewise, a false believer may resemble a true believer.
---Matthew 3:12, Matthew 13:38

► Persecution is also used for spreading the gospel. Increased tribulation will bring in a great harvest just like in the first century. Historically, this has always been true, beginning with the first century martyrs and continuing to the present day, as evident in Iran and China.
Persecution is part of our testimony and an opportunity to witness to those around us.
We are called to evangelize.
Acts 14:22, 2 Corinthians 1:6-7, 2 Timothy 2:10, Luke 21:12–13, Matthew 28:19, 1 Peter 3:15, Acts 1:8, 2 Timothy 1:8, 1 John1:3

But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake. This will be your opportunity to bear witness.
--- Luke 21:12-13

And Amidst This Persecution, OUR PURPOSE in the End Times:

Our PURPOSE is to stand firm and embrace our testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ.

As the body of Christ, our testimony is part of His end time plan.

And they have conquered him [Satan] by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.
--- Revelation 12:11

As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." --- Romans 8:36

John 16:33, Luke 14:26, Revelation 2:10, Revelation 6:9