God's Plan and Purpose for the Last Days

Separate the Wheat from the Tares by Upheaval

Purify the Church by Persecution

Witness to Others by Testimony

Remove the Righteous by Rapture

Judge the Wicked by Wrath

God is in Control and though He does not cause upheaval and persecution, He allows these things for His own purpose.

Concerning end times, He says:
"See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass..."
--- Matthew 24:6 NKJV

"Behold, I have told you in advance."
--- Matthew 24:25 NASB

"Declaring the end and the result from the beginning, And from ancient times the things which have not [yet] been done, Saying, 'My purpose will be established, And I will do all that pleases Me and fulfills My purpose,'" (Amplified version)
Isaiah 46:10

Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
--- 1 Corinthians 15:24-26

The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.
--- Psalm 103:19

And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
--- John 16:8-11

God has a end-time plan.
It is a perfect plan,
even if we cannot understand it all.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.
--- Isaiah 55:8
History is unfolding just like God said it would in the Bible.
And what is happening in the world today is confirmation that the Bible is perfectly fitted together. Bible prophecy is happening every day.

We live in a world full of fear and turmoil. Instability and chaos are all around us. Society is being upended and torn apart. Confusion and anxiety dominate much of society. Many are unsettled and unsure about their future.

Followers of Jesus look around them and are not surprised. They understand that these world events were predicted long ago in the Bible. They know the signs of the times and discern that the world around them is beginning to resemble the "days of Noah." (Matthew 24:37-40)

God has given a clear picture from scripture that in the last days, lawlessness and wickedness will increase and people's love will grow cold. (Matthew 24:12)

Moreover, the Bible says that the last days will be the most difficult time in all history (Matthew 24:21, Daniel 12:1). This is sobering.
But as followers of Jesus Christ, we also know that God is in control, and every detail of the end times is in His sovereign hands. (2 Chronicles 20:6)

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, 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 of the distress of the tribultion 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 colapse 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 judgement 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. "Judgement" 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 of 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 Pharoah 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 martrydom 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

This video explains God's Plan for evangelism in the last days:

Adapted from
Nelson Walters YouTube channel
"God's Plan for End Times"
Click Here to Watch Complete Video
copyright: Nelson Walters

To watch all of Bible teacher Nelson Walter's videos on Bible Prophecy:
Click Here for YouTube Channel

And Admist This Persecuton, 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

►Fulfill prophecy:
Final fulfillment of the Exodus, including plagues and the 2 witnesses. There will also be an exodus (rapture) in the end times.
God is allowing the end times, with all it's difficulty, for His purposes.
Knowing that a loving God is allowing the worst time in history is hard to comprehend. But God is God and we are not.

The purpose of the end times can easily be explained in one sentence:
These things must take place to fulfill scripture. (Matthew 24:6 NLT)
"Must take place" signifies that these events are not optional, but are part of God's predetermined plan as outlined in scripture.
Certain events like wars, famines, natural disasters, and widespread moral decline are prophesied to happen as a sign that the end times are approaching and serve as a warning for us to remain vigilant and prepared for the return of Jesus Christ. All these things MUST happen because of what He has said in His word.
Only God in His wisdom can make everything fit together in the last days to accomplish His perfect will.

►To Demonstrate God's power and supreme authority, to judge man-made idols, and to proclaim His name to the whole world. In many ways, the end times will be a repeat of the first Exodus, demonstrating to the world the futility of making gods and idols.
It will show the entire world the weakness and worthlessness of their gods and the control and dominion of one true God. In the end times, God will judge the idols and those who worship them, and He will begin in the household of God.
(For more on how God will judge the gods and idols in the end times, Click here for "Idols and gods" )

"But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth." --- Exodus 9:16

"Israel saw the great power that the LORD used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the LORD, and they believed in the LORD and in his servant Moses." --- Exodus 14:31

"...and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord." --- Exodus 12:12

►End of God's patience
--- Romans 9:22-24, Ezekiel 18:23, 2 Peter 3:9-10

►To make the Lord's enemies a footstool for His feet.
--- Psalms 110:1, Hebrews 1:13, Hebrews 10:12-13, Acts 2:35

►To destroy what the Bible calls the last enemy, death.
--- 1 Corinthians 15:26

►To bring justice to the righteous and judgment to the wicked.
The last year of the tribulation will bring recompense to the wicked, redemption to the unsaved of Israel, and a favor to Christians who will be raptured into the presense of God.
The 7th year of the tribulation will begin with a day of vengeance and will be a year of recompense or pay-back to the wicked for how they treated Israel.

"For the Lord has a day of vengeance, a year of recompense for the cause of Zion." --- Isaiah 34:8

"Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done." --- Revelaltion 22:12

"to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;" --- Isaiah 61:2

--- Romans 12:19, Proverbs 21:15, Isaiah 30:18, Isaiah 61:8, Hebrews 10:30, Isaiah 34:8, Isaiah 63:4, Isaiah 61:2

In the Exodus account, God's power is revealed through His mighty works such as the plagues he brings upon Egypt, his deliverance of the Israelites from slavery, and his feeding the Israelites in their desert wanderings.

In the end times, God will repeat His mighty works and His name will be proclaimed in all the earth. And there will be a repeat exodus (rapture) for all who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ delivering them from the wrath to come.

Prepare for the Tribulation
What Must We Do
Regarding the last days, the Bible says we must prepare our hearts and minds by being self-controlled and sober-minded. We must be alert, watchful, and prayerful while trusting the Lord and believing His word.
Matthew 26:41, Matthew 24:42, 1 Corinthians 16:13, Revelation 16:15, Revelation 3:3, 1 Peter 4:7, Luke 21:36, Luke 22:46, Proverbs 3:5, John 16:33

It will be difficult, but the Lord will sustain us. God will make a way for us. (Psalm 55:22, Philippians 4:19)

And while His plan unfolds, we must be "diligent to be found by Him without spot or blemish."
-- 2 Peter 3:14, Philippians 2:14-16

And the only way for us to keep from succumbing to worldly pressures and thereby denying Jesus is by fervent prayer and constant walking in the power of the Holy Spirit.
We are in a spiritual battle. The world has been slowly drifting into the "days of Noah" (Matthew 24:37). Most do not want to talk or even think about the coming adversity of the last days. And some want to fix the world through political means.
It cannot be done.

The Antichrist spirit has permeated all aspects of our society and is getting stronger each day.

and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the Antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.
--- 1 John 4:3

The Antichrist spirit has control of the world. We need to let go of the world and the things in the world.
Those who cannot let go of the world will take the mark of the beast.

For more on this, see how Satan will tempt us to take the mark of the beast in the end times: Click here for "Satan Temptations"

We need to embrace the reality of the end times, let go of worldly valuables, and place our eternal lives in the hands of the LORD.
We need to cling to Jesus, not the world. (Deuteronomy 13:4)

1 John 2:15

We need embrace the fact that persecution and hardship is coming to all those who "live godly in Christ Jesus." --- 2 Timothy 3:12
Click here for "How to Prepare"

Last days "bread crumbs" are all through the Bible and with the help of the Holy Spirit we can make sense of it all.
We can remain calm, collected, and focused to live in the center of God's perfect will during what the bible calls the worst tribulation in history. (Matthew 24:21, Daniel 12:1)

We cannot get around the reality of the end times.

We have to embrace the fact that obeying the Lord and patiently enduring while waiting for Him to come for us is the only way.

And God will use the obstacles we face, in the form of trials, temptations, persecutions, and even death, to accomplish His plan for the last days.

It will be difficult for us but God has promised "never to leave us or forsake us."

We have to wait patiently
for His coming and trust Him.

We will need great faith.
but remember,
God has promised not
to let go of us.
"Fear not, for I am with you;"
--- Isaiah 41:10

My sheep hear My voice....
and I give eternal life to them,
and they will never perish; and
no one will snatch them
out of My hand.
--- John 10:27-28

God's ways are not our ways.
Do not fret

"Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes."
"For evildoers will be cut off, But those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land."
--- Psalm 37:7,9

It is only by embracing what lies ahead (not emotionally running from it) that we can fulfill the Lord's purpose and plan He has for each of us.

In the last days, God is allowing mankind to follow the desires of his heart.
God is allowing mankind to make a clear choice: follow Him or the Antichrist.

And God in His wisdom makes the road to the Antichrist easy and wide while making the road to Christ difficult and narrow.
"Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few."
--- Matthew 7:13-14

And like the first century disciples, we will have to "leave everything" to follow Jesus Christ in the last days. (Mark 10:28)
Leaving everything behind and following Jesus means more than most think. In the end times, your bank account, possessions, house, car will be conficated if you follow Jesus Christ.
This is part of the Exodus story that will repeat in the end times. For more on this, see "God Judges the Idols..." Click here for "Idols and gods"

But look what Jesus promises for those who leave everything to follow Him:
"Jesus said, 'Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.'"
--- Mark 10:29-30

The End Times are here, but remember, the LORD is in control.
Love is growing cold and like the days of Noah, violence is increasing.
Evil will multiply, and the LORD will use it to accomplish His perfect plan to bring this world to an end and save the faithful in Christ.

THE LORD'S PLAN WILL COME TO PASS.
The plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations.
- Psalm 33:11 NIV