Chris Mulder (27 Dec 2004)
"A Picture of the End of the Age"

To begin to bring our picture into focus we must first understand the ages themselves.  We will use God's word to do so.  The only reference to ages in the Old Testament is found in Job 8:8 "For inquire, please, of the former age, And consider the things discovered by their fathers;" [NKJV]  The context of Job chapter 8 is Bildad’s reproof of Job, though it turns out that Bildad’s reproof was in error later in the book.  Bildad says to inquire of the former age to consider the things discovered by their fathers.  He is appealing to the wisdom of the past.  There is no further definition of what this former age is or when it occurred.  We only know that it was in the past in reference to Bildad and Job.

Next we will look at the New Testament and what Yeshua Himself taught about the ages.

Matthew 12:32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.  [NKJV]

Luke 20:34 And Jesus answered and said to them, "The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35 But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; 36 nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.  [NKJV]

Luke 18:29 So He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life."  [NKJV]

From Yeshua's own Words we see that there are 2 more ages; the present age, and the age to come.  It is evident that the Apostles understood Yeshua's Words very clearly based upon what they taught.

1 Corinthians 2:6 However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, 8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.  [NKJV]

2 Corinthians 4:3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.  [NKJV]

Galatians 1:3 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,  [NKJV]

Ephesians 1:20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.  [NKJV]

Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.  [NKJV]

1 Timothy 6:17 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. 18 Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, 19 storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.  [NKJV]

Titus 2:12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,  [NKJV]

As can be seen in the above scriptures, the Apostles also taught that there are 2 ages; the present age, and the age to come.  Some may say their King James Version says [world] in place of [age] in many of the verses above.  This is because the KJV translates 2 very different Greek words as [World].  The Greek words in question are [Kosmos] and [Aion].  The correct translation of Kosmos is World, but Aion is incorrectly translated.  Aion means a period of time; an age.  If one were reading anything containing these words in Greek this distinction would be plainly seen.  Even the KJV translates Aion as a period of time 90 out of 128 times.  Aion is correctly translated as Age in the New King James Version of the above verses.

During the present age we live under grace through our Savior.  The following scriptures show this truth.

John 1:17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.  [NKJV]

Ephesians 3:1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles 2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, 3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: 6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel,  [NKJV]

The mystery that has now been revealed in the present age is that through Yeshua, gentiles like myself are now fellow heirs and partakers of God's promises.  We are living under grace through Yeshua in this present evil age.  We are as good seed mixed among tares.  The Greek word for [dispensation] in Eph 3:2 means stewardship and is not a reference to a timeframe; grace is not a separate age.  And the word [ages] in Eph 3:5 is the Greek word [Genea] not [Aion] and it literally means generations.

So far we have learned that there was a former age, a present age and an age to come.  Scripture defines the present age as the age of darkness and evil, and the age to come as the age of resurrection and eternal life.  Since the age to come is that of resurrection and eternal life, we know that even today we are still living in the present age.

Now that we understand the ages, and know that we are still in the present age, we can look for the picture of the end of this age.  The first time Yeshua brings this picture into focus is found in the following scripture.

Matthew 13:24 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. 26 But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. 27 So the servants of the owner came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?' 28 He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, 'Do you want us then to go and gather them up?' 29 But he said, 'No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn."  [NKJV]

Matthew 13:36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field." 37 He answered and said to them: "He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. 39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. 40 Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. 41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, 42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!  [NKJV]

Here Yeshua is explaining the parable of the tares of the field.  He ends His explanation with an exclamation: "He who has ears, let him hear!"  He wants us to understand that this parable is teaching us an extremely important truth, hence the exclamation.  Yeshua has given us part of the picture of the end of the age.  It is a picture of a harvest.  Yeshua is the Son of Man.  The good seed sown by the Son of Man are Yeshua's followers and are sons of the kingdom.  Are you a follower of Yeshua, sown as good seed by Him?  The good seed is not Israel of the old covenant, it is the people of the new covenant both Jew and Gentile alike.  The tares are the sons of the wicked one, the devil.  The angels are the reapers and they gather the tares to burn them.  The harvest itself is the end of the age.  Our end of the age picture now shows a harvest whereby the tares, the sons of the devil, are separated from we the good seed sown by Yeshua.  As part of this separation, the tares will be "burned in the fire" of judgment.

Scripture supplies us with more imagery for our end of the age picture.

Joel 3:9 Proclaim this among the nations: "Prepare for war! Wake up the mighty men, Let all the men of war draw near, Let them come up. 10 Beat your plowshares into swords And your pruning hooks into spears; Let the weak say, 'I am strong.' " 11 Assemble and come, all you nations, And gather together all around. Cause Your mighty ones to go down there, O Lord. 12 "Let the nations be wakened, and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; For there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations. 13 Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, go down; For the winepress is full, The vats overflow -- For their wickedness is great." 14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. 15 The sun and moon will grow dark, And the stars will diminish their brightness. 16 The Lord also will roar from Zion, And utter His voice from Jerusalem; The heavens and earth will shake; But the Lord will be a shelter for His people, And the strength of the children of Israel.  [NKJV]

This passage in Joel refers to the time of the end; the day of the Lord [vs. 14].  It is also a picture of the end of the age harvest.  "Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe."  The events follow the same pattern as the parable of the tares of the field.  The nations are preparing for war and God draws them to assemble together in the Valley of Jehoshaphat where He will judge them.  "First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them."  But the Lord will be a shelter for his people.  "But gather the wheat into my barn."  Joel adds more detail for us as well.  This occurs just before the day of the Lord.  There are celestial signs; the sun and moon will grow dark, and the stars will diminish their brightness.  The Lord will roar from Zion.  The heavens and earth will shake.  And because wickedness is great, the winepress is full and the vats overflow.  It is a wine harvest.

Scripture is not done with the harvest aspect to our end of the age picture yet because there is more.

Revelation 14:8 And another angel followed, saying, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication." 9 Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.  [NKJV]

Revelation 14:14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, "Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe." 16 So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped. 17 Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. 18 And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, "Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe." 19 So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.  [NKJV]

In Revelation 14:8 we see the nations are drunk with the wine of the wrath of Babylon's fornication.  In verses 9 & 10 people who take the mark and worship the beast will also drink the wine of the wrath of God.  Again, we have imagery of wine representing wickedness just as we did in Joel, with the winepress representing God's wrath [I.E. Judgment].  In verses 18 & 19 the clusters of the vine are gathered and thrown into the winepress of the wrath of God because the grapes are fully ripe.  Joel 3:13 "Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, go down; For the winepress is full, The vats overflow -- For their wickedness is great."  This passage of Revelation also adds more detail into the timing of the harvest, and it is striking.  It is after the Beast and the Mark.  It is at the time of God's wrath when the harvest is fully ripe, when wickedness has reached its apex in the current age.

Moreover, within this Revelation harvest we also have a reaping of that which belongs to Yeshua the Son of Man sitting on a cloud [vs. 14-16].  Notice the two separate gatherings occurring within this harvest?  This is the same separation we see in both Matthew and Joel.  All three passages show us that the wicked, represented by the tares and wine harvest, are gathered together to be burned / pressed / judged by the wrath of God.  And we who belong to Yeshua, represented by the good seed / wheat / harvest of the earth, are gathered together into His barn / shelter.  The timing of this harvest separation is the end of the present age [Matt], at the time just prior to the day of the Lord [Joel] and it's judgment in the Valley of Decision [Joel], after the time of the beast and the mark [Rev], but before the wrath of God [Rev].  My, my, what a picture we have so far.

There is more to the end of the age picture then just a separating harvest and subsequent judgment.

Matthew 24:3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age [Aion]?"  [NKJV]

Keep in mind that Yeshua already taught the Disciples concerning the present age and the age to come.  Later in His ministry, while on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him to ask, "When will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?"  It is clear that the end of the age the disciples were asking of is the end of the present age because the age that is to come has not yet come.  They also knew that the end of the age is related to His 2nd coming based upon the question they asked.  Yeshua’s answer to them is what is known as the Olivet Discourse which spans Matthew chapters 24 & 25.  This answer gives us much of the same imagery we already see in the end of the age harvest, with added details.

Matthew 24:27 For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 28 For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together. 29 "Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.  [NKJV]

Like the Joel harvest, we have the darkening of the sun, moon and stars, and the shaking of the heavens.  Like the Revelation harvest, we have the Son of Man on a cloud gathering / reaping His elect.  The tribes of the earth morn because they know their judgment is nigh.  This coming of the Son of Man will be very visible, just as the Joel harvest proclaimed, "The Lord also will roar from Zion, And utter His voice from Jerusalem."  And like all three harvests, we have a separation of His people the elect, the good seed / wheat harvested from the earth, from the wicked who will morn at this event.  Yeshua himself is telling us the end of the age is after the tribulation.  The harmony of scripture is perfect.

The Apostle Paul confirms some of these details in his 2nd letter to the church in Thessalonica.

2 Thessalonians 2:1 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,  [NKJV]

Here Paul ties our gathering together [the harvest] to Yeshua's coming.  But this coming and gathering together will not happen until after the revealing of the man of sin [beast who will institute the mark].  Again we have harmony of scripture.

That the day of the Lord would occur at the end of the age, after the tribulation and the revealing of the man of sin [antichrist / beast], makes perfect sense when we consider what Isaiah said.

Isaiah 2:10 Enter into the rock, and hide in the dust, From the terror of the Lord And the glory of His majesty. 11 The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, The haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. 12 For the day of the Lord of hosts Shall come upon everything proud and lofty, Upon everything lifted up -- And it shall be brought low -- 13 Upon all the cedars of Lebanon that are high and lifted up, And upon all the oaks of Bashan; 14 Upon all the high mountains, And upon all the hills that are lifted up; 15 Upon every high tower, And upon every fortified wall; 16 Upon all the ships of Tarshish, And upon all the beautiful sloops. 17 The loftiness of man shall be bowed down, And the haughtiness of men shall be brought low; The Lord alone will be exalted in that day, 18 But the idols He shall utterly abolish. 19 They shall go into the holes of the rocks, And into the caves of the earth, From the terror of the Lord And the glory of His majesty, When He arises to shake the earth mightily.   [NKJV]

This passage indicates that the Lord alone will be exalted on the day of the Lord.  This is an exclusive statement.  No one else can be exalted on the day of the Lord.  During the tribulation, the antichrist will be worshipped as God [Rev 13:3-8 & 14 / 2 Thes 2:3-4], and his image will be worshipped as well.  Isaiah's statements about the Lord alone being exalted, and the idols being abolished, forbid any overlapping with the tribulation and reign of antichrist.  Again we have harmony of scripture.

To recap, our picture of the end of the age is of a great harvest where the redeemed in Yeshua and the wicked are separated.  Yeshua has come on the clouds after the tribulation to perform the reaping and execute the judgment.  The redeemed are now in His presence / His barn / His shelter, and the wicked are burned / pressed / judged by the wrath of God in the day of the Lord.  Only He will be exalted in that day.  There are great signs marking this event.  However, this is not the only end of the age imagery scripture gives us.

When Yeshua answered the Disciples' question about His coming and the end of the age, He added another piece to our developing image.

Matthew 24:28 For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.  [NKJV]

In this symbolism, Yeshua is the carcass, and we His followers are the eagles.  We are identified as birds of prey.  When He comes on the clouds we will be reaped unto Him in the air, in the heavens.  Birds fly of course.  Where the carcass is, there the eagles will be as well.  This imagery is pictured elsewhere in scripture.

Revelation 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready." 8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. 9 Then he said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!' " And he said to me, "These are the true sayings of God." 10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." 11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. 15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. 17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, "Come and gather together for the supper of the great God, 18 that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great." 19 And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. 20 Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21 And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled  with their flesh.  [NKJV]

Please read this passage from Revelation again because there is amazing imagery here.  The marriage of the Lamb has come.  The good seed has been gathered [I.E. resurrected / raptured] to the marriage of the Lamb.  Remember, its resurrection first, then rapture.  The armies of heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean are those who have gone before us and were already in His presence.  His wife is made ready, arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright.  We are now in the air, in the heavens as eagles [birds of prey] and we are where the carcass is.  With the sword of His mouth the nations are struck.  Again, we have the winepress of the wrath of God where the wicked that were reaped will be pressed, just as the Revelation harvest states.  The kings of the earth and their armies are gathered together to make war, just as the Joel harvest states.  We the birds are gathered together for the marriage supper of the Lamb where we will prey on the judged people of the earth, both great and small [I.E. We are given the spoils of the earth / we inherit the Kingdom].

The present evil age has now ended and the age to come of resurrection and eternal life has now come.  This is the end of the age!!

This marriage supper of the Lamb is a great feast.

Isaiah 25:6 And in this mountain The Lord of hosts will make for all people A FEAST of choice pieces, A FEAST of wines on the lees, Of fat things full of marrow, Of well-refined wines on the lees. 7 And He will destroy on this mountain The surface of the covering cast over all people, And the veil that is spread over all nations. 8 He will swallow up death forever, And the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces; The rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; For the Lord has spoken.

This passage in Isaiah is another view of this great feast at the end the age, when death will be swallowed up forever.  The covering cast over all people and veil that is spread over all nations is sin and it's resulting death.  Paul quotes this very scripture of Isaiah when describing the rapture.

1 Corinthians 15:51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed -- 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound [refer back to Matt 24:31], and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." 55 "O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?" 56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  [NKJV]

At this great feast, at the time of His coming, when we are resurrected / raptured in the great harvest at the end of the age, death is swallowed up in victory and will no longer have its sting.  Paul also tells us the sting of death is sin.  Death and its resulting sin are swallowed up in victory at the rapture / resurrection at the end of the age.  There is yet another scripture that tells us when sin ends.

Daniel 9:24 "Seventy weeks are determined For your people and for your holy city, To finish the transgression, To make an end of sins, To make reconciliation for iniquity, To bring in everlasting righteousness, To seal up vision and prophecy, And to anoint the Most Holy.  [NKJV]

The full 70 weeks will accomplish the 6 points in the verse, including to make an end of sins.  Sin is ended at the resurrection / rapture when death is swallowed up in victory as part of the harvest at the end of the age.  It is at His coming that the 6 points of this prophecy are completed.  It is at the end of the age after the tribulation.  The harmony of scripture and imagery is undeniable!!

Now we have a complete picture of the end of the age, and what an incredible picture our God has given us!!

Amen, and Amen!!

This great picture of the end of the age also harmonizes perfectly with the other significant scriptures describing the resurrection / rapture.

1 Thessalonians 4:13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.  [NKJV]

Here we again see that when Yeshua comes, he will bring with him all who have died who are in Him.  Rev. 19:14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.  We also see the gathering unto Him in the clouds with the trumpet call and the assistance of the angels.  Matt 24:30 ...and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Paul continues to describe this event in the same contiguous letter to the Thessalonians.

1 Thessalonians 5:1 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.  [NKJV]

Paul has just instructed the Thessalonians about the coming of the Lord in the clouds, and how the resurrection / rapture would occur.  In the same contiguous thought he then ties this to the day of the Lord and it's resulting destruction.  We already know that the day of the Lord occurs after the tribulation based upon the fact that the Lord alone will be exalted on that day per Isaiah, plus all the details of the harvests and Yeshua's own Words.  And the fact that Paul himself places the coming of Christ and our resurrection / rapture after the revealing of the antichrist in his 2nd letter to the Thessalonians.  Whether or not there is a peace agreement with Israel and it's neighbors is irrelevant.  The verse simply relates that it is a time when people state "peace and safety" or "peace, peace" as it is sometimes translated.  A pattern of the wicked saying "peace, peace" when it does not exist is a prophetic principal.

Isaiah 57:13 When you cry out, Let your collection of idols deliver you. But the wind will carry them all away, A breath will take them. But he who puts his trust in Me shall possess the land, And shall inherit My holy mountain." 14 And one shall say, "Heap it up! Heap it up! Prepare the way, Take the stumbling block out of the way of My people." 15 For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones. 16 For I will not contend forever, Nor will I always be angry; For the spirit would fail before Me, And the souls which I have made. 17 For the iniquity of his covetousness I was angry and struck him; I hid and was angry, And he went on backsliding in the way of his heart. 18 I have seen his ways, and will heal him; I will also lead him, And restore comforts to him And to his mourners. 19 "I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace to him who is far off and to him who is near," Says the Lord, "And I will heal him." 20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea, When it cannot rest, Whose waters cast up mire and dirt. 21 "There is no peace," Says my God, "for the wicked."  [NKJV]

Jeremiah 6:13 "Because from the least of them even to the greatest of them, Everyone is given to covetousness; And from the prophet even to the priest, Everyone deals falsely. 14 They have also healed the hurt of My people slightly, Saying, 'Peace, peace!' When there is no peace.  [NKJV]

Jeremiah 8:10 Therefore I will give their wives to others, And their fields to those who will inherit them; Because from the least even to the greatest Everyone is given to covetousness; From the prophet even to the priest Everyone deals falsely. 11 For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of My people slightly, Saying, 'Peace, peace!' When there is no peace.  [NKJV]

We see a pattern of man saying peace, peace, but there is no peace.  According to Paul, this same pattern will play out at the end of the age as well.  But it is only God who can deliver this peace.  There is no peace outside of His coming.  I have written of this passage in 1 Thessalonians before and tied this into the abomination, and how while men will say "peace and safety" there would be no peace.  The great men of the world have these very words on their lips right now.  They state this explicitly when speaking of the Road Map peace plan.  I suspect there will never be any peace though, following the pattern of old.  The day of the Lord will come upon the deceived wicked as a thief, but we who know our God will not be surprised by His coming because we will be looking for it and will recognize when it is near.

Paul continues to confirm our end of the age picture in his 2nd letter to the Thessalonians.

2 Thessalonians 1:4 so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, 5 which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer; 6 since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, 7 and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 10 when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.  [NKJV]

This fits our picture perfectly.  We receive our rest at the resurrection / rapture at the end of the age after the tribulation.  This scripture makes it perfectly plain to see that our rest does not come in secret in a pre-trib, mid-trib, or any-other-point-within-the-trib coming; our rest comes when Yeshua is revealed with His mighty angels in flaming fire.  At this time the wicked are punished while His saints are glorified [I.E. glorified via resurrection / rapture into our perfect bodies for our rest], again the same separation and judgment have seen over and over again, at the same point in time.

The perfect picture that God has painted for us shows us what will become of God's people of the New Covenant, Jew and Gentile alike, of grace and truth through the seed sowing of our Lord Yeshua HaMashiach.  But the people of the original covenant, who did not accept grace and truth, have a place in our picture as well.

Zechariah 12:9-14 9 It shall be in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. 10 "And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn. 11 In that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning at Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo.  [NKJV]

Revelation 1:7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.

While the picture we have looked at unfolds at the end of the age, after the tribulation, at His coming in the clouds in power and great glory to judge in His wrath, God's chosen people will finally recognize Yeshua HaMashiach for who he is.  Again perfect harmony of scripture image details in these passages.  This people will then be protected through the wrath to follow.

Zechariah 14:4 And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, Which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, From east to west, Making a very large valley; Half of the mountain shall move toward the north And half of it toward the south. 5 Then you shall flee through My mountain valley, For the mountain valley shall reach to Azal. Yes, you shall flee As you fled from the earthquake In the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Thus the Lord my God will come, And all the saints with You.  [NKJV]

We are with Yeshua in the air as birds about to feast on the spoil of the wrath, but on the earth, those who finally recognize Him will be protected by Him.  The following scripture brings the different treatment of this people into focus.

Romans 11:25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; 27 For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins." 28 Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, 31 even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. 32 For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.  [NKJV]

They will still receive their promises when they recognize Him who they've pierced because our Great God is merciful.  As we have seen in our harvest pictures, the fullness of the wickedness of the Gentiles comes in, the harvest separation and judgment commences, the Lord roars out of Zion [Joel], The followers of Yeshua are resurrected / raptured, and the people of the covenant are saved.  Again it is at this point, and at this point only, that their sins are taken away.

To conclude, with teary eyes at this most wonderful picture of the end of the age:

Romans 11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! 34 "For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor?" 35 "Or who has first given to Him And it shall be repaid to him?" 36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.  [NKJV]

YBIC, Chris aka Prophbuff