What will happen before Jesus comes, in what order, and when? This page brings together the short studies this site has had on last day events, the end of the world and the timing of the Second Coming, and points you to the longer studies that go deeper into each step.
A Bible study · Arthur Baldwin · StandUp4Jesus.Org · 5 min read
Last Day Events!
Last Day Events: The very best book to read for an extremely clear picture of the final events in this world (Eschatology) is called “The Great Controversy Between Christ And Satan“! This book begins with the Great Reformation and continues right through to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ! It clearly identifies ALL of the key players in world history; past, present, and future!
For further study, there’s a second book called “Last Day Events“, but this book is a “compilation” of other books, also written by Ellen G. White, so it is important to look up the original context of the quotations presented in this book.
That is exactly what two longer studies on this site do: Last Day Events Explained – Preparing For The End goes through the book chapter by chapter with the context restored, and Last Day Events Examined More Closely sorts out which events really happen in sequence and which ones overlap.
The Order Of Events At A Glance
Here is the big picture, in the order Scripture and the Spirit of Prophecy give it. Some of these are single moments; others, like the shaking and the sealing, are processes that run alongside the rest.
- The judgment in heaven has been in session since 1844 (see The Sanctuary And 1844).
- The shaking of God’s people, and the final call to the world through the three angels’ messages (see The Remnant and The 3 Angels Messages).
- A national Sunday law, and the Sabbath becomes the great test (see The Bible Sabbath and The Mark Of The Beast).
- The latter rain and the loud cry: the gospel goes to the whole world in the power of the Spirit, and God’s people are called out of Babylon (see The Latter Rain).
- The close of probation, when the sealing is finished and every case is decided (see The General Close Of Probation).
- The seven last plagues and the time of Jacob’s trouble (see The Seven Last Plagues Poured Out).
- The death decree, and the voice of God delivering His people.
- The Second Coming of Jesus, visible to every eye (see The Second Coming).
- The millennium in heaven, with the earth empty (see The Millennium).
- The third coming, the end of sin, and the new earth (see The Third Coming Of Jesus And The New Jerusalem).
For the full chart, with every step explained, see Eschatology – Order Of Events and Last Day Events Examined More Closely.
The End Of The World!
Another Resource: Lift Up The Trumpet!
As you can see in the painting above, when Jesus returns, the Earth will be destroyed! Jesus is NOT coming to establish an Earthly Kingdom at the Second Coming, but rather after the Millennium at His 3rd Coming! When the righteous saved go with Him to heaven, no life will be left on this Earth, except for Satan and his evil angels, for 1,000 years! This is why in Revelation it says that he is “bound” in a “bottomless pit” for 1,000 years! There will be no one left alive to “tempt”!
When Will Jesus Return?
I don’t know exactly when, but I know that the Second Coming is LONG overdue!
First, we know that basically God gave Satan a 6,000 year “probation” to see if his charges against God could “hold any water”! Those 6,000 years ended in 1844 AD!
Ellen White said plainly that Jesus could have come long ago:
“Had the purpose of God been carried out by His people in giving to the world the message of mercy, Christ would, ere this, have come to the earth, and the saints would have received their welcome into the city of God.”
Ellen G. White · Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, p. 449
And she warned that the delay could go on:
“We may have to remain here in this world because of insubordination many more years, as did the children of Israel; but for Christ’s sake, His people should not add sin to sin by charging God with the consequence of their own wrong course of action.”
Ellen G. White · Evangelism, p. 696
What are the conditions of Jesus’ Return?
“Christ is waiting with longing desire for the manifestation of Himself in His church. When the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim them as His own. It is the privilege of every Christian not only to look for but to hasten the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Ellen G. White · Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 69
Peter said the same thing: we are “looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God” (2 Peter 3:12). The delay is not God being slow. It is God being patient:
“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
2 Peter 3:9
Why Nobody Can Set A Date
“But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.”
Matthew 24:36
Every date ever set for the Second Coming has been wrong, and every one will be. Jesus did not give us a date. He gave us a charge:
“Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.”
Matthew 24:44
Keep Studying
- Eschatology – Order Of Events
- Last Day Events Examined More Closely
- Last Day Events Explained – Preparing For The End
- The General Close Of Probation
- The Great Controversy Between Christ and Satan
- The Millennium
