BASIC CHRISTIANITY Q&A
LESSON NUMBER 29 – August 24, 2014
RIO Revolution Church – 3419 East Lamar Alexander Parkway – Maryville, Tennessee
www. riorevolution.net – (865) 984.9200 – Pacer Hepperly, Pastor
This lesson is written to teach basic concepts of Christianity. RIO Revolution Church desires that members and visitors
begin studying the basics of Christian faith. Please study each lesson, as we learn together what we Christians should know
and believe. Lessons are numbered. If you miss lessons, we have replacement lessons available for you. Please share
copies of any lessons you find useful with relatives, friends, neighbors, or co-workers. Help us spread the Good News (the
Gospel), which is: Jesus the Messiah died for our sins and is resurrected to live eternally with those who believe in and
follow Him!
IS JESUS' RETURN CLOSE AT HAND? God's Prophetic Word for You for the Last Days– Part 2
This lesson series will explore some of the Bible's teachings which show one truth: JESUS' RETURN IS NEAR! BE READY!
INTRODUCTION– THE OLIVET DISCOURSE. In Part 1 of this series, presented last Sunday, we discussed a few reasons you should
study Bible prophecy. Today, we continue teaching a few of the many messages God has given to you through prophecies recorded in
the Bible. We will begin with Jesus' teachings, as recorded in the Olivet Discourse. [Olivet Discourse = Conversation on the Mount of
Olives] The Olivet Discourse is found in Matthew, chapter 24; Mark, chapter 13; and Luke, Chapter 21.
THE DISCIPLES ASKED. Jesus and His disciples likely had been worshiping in the Temple (the Second Jewish Temple). As they
walked away from the Temple, they likely paused on the nearby Mount of Olives to look back at the beautiful temple, as it dazzled in the
sunlight. Jesus prophesied that the Temple would be destroyed, with not one stone left standing upon another (read Matthew 24:2, Mark
13:2, and Luke 21:6). Historical note– prophecy fulfilled: Nearly forty years later (that is, a generation later), Jesus' words were proven
true. The Roman army besieged Jerusalem and (accidentally?) set the Temple on fire. The Jewish nation did not have banks, as we do
today. The wealth of the Temple and Jewish citizens was stored in the Temple for safekeeping. The raging fire melted the gold and
silver, and the molten metal flowed between the floor paving stones. After the fire cooled, Roman soldiers pried the stones apart from
the charred rubble. (Remember Jesus saying: “No stone shall be left standing upon another.”) The Jews' wealth was stolen. Jews, who
survived the Roman attack, were captured and marched as slaves to Rome. Jerusalem was destroyed. Historical note of interest: The
Roman Empire was in turmoil in AD 70 (high taxes, high unemployment, and other social unrest– conditions similar to those in modern
America). The Roman emperor used the stolen Jewish wealth and Jews' slave labor to build the Colosseum in Rome. Bloody
spectacles (gladiator fights, man-wild animal fights, prisoner executions, and so forth) were held daily in the Colosseum. These
”sporting” events caused Roman citizens to forget their unrest.
The disciples, undoubtedly shocked by Jesus' prophecy, asked Him three questions (read Matthew 24:3, Mark 13:4, and Luke 21:7):
●-Question 1: When will the end come?
●-Question 2: What will be the sign of Your [Jesus'] coming?
●-Question 3: What will be the sign of the end of the age?*
*IMPORTANT WORD STUDY. The King James Version (KJV) was published in 1611. We owe much to the KJV. The KJV popularized
The Holy Bible for English-speaking peoples. The KJV, translated during the lifetime of Shakespeare, is the most beautiful, almost
poetic translation available. However, there are several important mistranslations in this version. One mistranslated word is contained
in the Olivet Discourse. The disciples did not ask: What shall be the sign of the end of the world? The Greek word here is aionos,
which is properly translated “age.” The disciples asked when the Age of Grace (the Church Age) would end. They knew from
Scriptures and Jesus' teachings that the world would remain forever (for example, read Ecclesiastes 1:4 and Psalm 104:5). God
promised Israel everlasting salvation, which would last “forever and ever.” Later, Paul wrote that the world is without end (read
Ephesians 3:21). Still later, the Apostle John had a vision of New Jerusalem (Heaven), as it descended from above to Earth (read
Revelation 21:2). If Heaven rests upon Earth and Heaven is eternal, the Earth must also be eternal.
Plan for future lessons: We will use Jesus' Olivet Discourse teaching for the next few lessons to answer the disciples' questions and
to better understand the future.
DECEPTION IN THE LAST DAYS. Jesus first warned of “many” who would deceive His followers in the last days (Matthew 24:4-5):
And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am
the Christ,’ and will deceive many.” [Similar passages: Mark 13:5-6 and Luke 21:8]
Paul also warned of false teachers in the last days (2 Timothy 4:3-4): For the time will come when they will not endure
sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;
and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. An example is the promotion of Chrislam, a
blending of Christianity and Islam into a single religious belief and worshiping Allah and Jehovah as the same god.
The antichrist spirit flourishes in the world today, as Jesus warned. The availability of radio, television, the Internet, and cheap
printing have spawned innumerable “Christian” teachings. Many teachings contradict each other. If two teachings are exactly opposite,
at least one must be in error. Many teachings are not based on Holy Scriptures, but are based on confused interpretations and
contradict the message of the Bible. False teachers spread “fables” for their own purposes and deny the simple message of the true
Christ. You will hear many false religious messages. Only accept those that are based on Holy Scriptures. Jesus was far more critical of
religious leaders (“scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites”) than He was of “ordinary” sinners. In the last days, there will arise the Antichrist. The
Antichrist and his evil partners (Satan, False Prophet) will form the Unholy Trinity to spread evil among mankind. They will oppose
everything the Holy Trinity tries to establish for the good for mankind. We will discuss the Antichrist in more detail in a future lesson.
THE ALARM HAS BEEN SOUNDED: DECEPTION, ANTICHRIST SPIRIT. Deception within the Christian Church is
increasing and false Christian leaders are rising, as Jesus prophesied. His warning provides us a countdown until the end
of the age. His promised return draws a step closer with every passing day and every fulfilled prophecy!
“AND YOU WILL HEAR.” Jesus began the Olivet Discourse by telling of certain things you will hear (read Matthew 24:6, Mark 13:7,
Luke 21:9). In Jesus' time, a person could only know what he/ she actually witnessed or learned from a passing caravan. Now, you have
instant access to the world through the Internet, satellite television and radio, and other news sources. This sudden explosion of
information coincides with a prophecy of the last days given to Daniel (Daniel 12:4b): “... [at the time of the end] many shall run to
and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”
“WARS AND RUMORS OF WARS.” Listen to Jesus (Matthew 24:6-7a): “And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that
you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and
kingdom against kingdom....” [Similar passages: Mark 13:7-8 and Luke 21:9-10] Jesus used words, which translated from the Greek
text, accurately describe today's conflicts. “Nations,” from the Greek ethnos, means any group of people. “Kingdom,” from the Greek
basileia, comes closer to our idea of a sovereign nation. Jesus told us groups of people will rise up against each other, whether in a
terrorist group (Hamas, for example) or in a nation (Israel, for example).
The world has not enjoyed a single day without war, revolution, terrorism, or other hostile action somewhere in the world in many
decades. You likely desire peace, but look at what Jesus instructed you in this passage:
●-You are not to be troubled (frightened) by wars and rumors of wars. You have been forewarned by Jesus of these things. If you have
eternal security in Jesus, there is nothing man can really do to you. Remember that Jesus, who lives in you, is always stronger than
Satan, who lives in the world (1 John 4:4b): … He [Jesus] who is in you is greater than he [Satan] who is in the world.
●-Wars and rumors of wars must come to pass. Regardless of the efforts of diplomats, God has foreseen that man, with evil in his heart,
will follow Satan and rebel against God. The U.S. government, the United Nations, and others will fail in their diplomatic efforts.
Not only are wars and terrorism occurring throughout the world (the Middle East, Africa, the Ukraine, and so forth), news
reports are filled with threatened wars– Jesus' “rumors of wars” – from North Korea, China, and others. The world is a nuclear weapon
powder keg (examples: deeply anti-Semitic Iran and crazy North Korea possess nuclear warheads and ballistic missiles). War was
declared on the United States on September 11, 2001 (9/11) by Islamic terrorists. Islamic terrorists' goals are to destroy both “the Great
Satan” (the United States) and “the Little Satan“ (Israel). We truly live in a dangerous world, which could erupt in horrific war at any time.
FUTURE WARS. We will begin today a discussion of some of the future wars mentioned in the Bible.
POSSIBLE PSALM 83 WAR | THE ISIS THREAT. Read Psalm 83. Although the psalmist did not specifically prophesy a war, many
Bible interpreters suggest that this psalm depicts a time (the present time?) in which Israel's enemies would rise up against her. The
psalmist was precisely accurate in identifying Israel's present enemies. (Read Psalm 83 for these examples: tents of Edom = “Palestine”
and southern Jordan || Ishmaelites = Saudi Arabia || Moab = “Palestine” and central Jordan || Hagrites = Egypt || Gebal = Hezbollah and
northern Jordan || Ammon = “Palestine” and northern Jordan || Amalek = Arabian Sinai || Philistia = Hamas of Gaza || Tyre = Hezbollah
and southern Jordan || Assyria = Syria and northern Iraq || children of Lot = Moabites and Ammonites– Jordan || Midian = northern
Arabian Peninsula desert || Sisera = unknown || Jabin = uncertain || En Dor = north of Tabor || Oreb, Zeeb, Zebah, Zalmunna = Midianite
kings defeated by Gideon.) Since these enemies lie in close proximity to Israel's borders, this war is sometimes called “the Inner Circle
War.” The recent missile exchanges between Israel and ancient Philistia is included in this psalm. Philistia was once known as known as
Palestina, and is presently known as Gaza, the home of Hamas.
●-Note Psalm 83:2-3, 6-7, in which the psalmist described that Israel's enemies would consult together and form a confederacy against
her. This passage prophesies the Arab League, which has sought to destroy Israel since at least 1948.
●-Note Psalm 83:4: They [Israel's enemies] have said, “Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, that the name of
Israel may be remembered no more.” Israel's Islamic enemies have a common goal to destroy Jews and expel them from “Allah's
land.” Hamas' charter, for example, refuses to recognize the right of Israel to exist as a nation and calls for Israel's destruction. Middle
Eastern warfare is based on hatred that goes back thousands of years in time. Diplomats waste their time trying to establish peace for
Israel with their Islamic neighbors. Nothing less than total destruction of the Jews and the Jewish nation will suffice for militant Islamists.
Within recent weeks, ISIS (the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) has rapidly captured portions of Iraq and Syria. The leaders of
ISIS prefer the name ISIL. The “L” stands for “the Levant.” Ancient people used “the Levant [the rising]” to refer to lands of the rising sun
(that is lands to the east). Such lands would include portions of Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Israel. ISIS'
leaders envision forming a caliphate– a Muslim nation based entirely on the Koran and Sharia law– to control much of the Middle East
and, ultimately, the world. ISIS leaders have boasted about coming to New York City and flying an Islamic flag over the White House.
Immediate goals of ISIS are: (1) topple the Saudi monarchy and cripple “the Christian economy” by destroying Middle Eastern oil wells;
and (2) capture Jordan. If Jordan is captured, ISIS would be just across a narrow river from Israel, and brutal, bloody terrorism against
Jews and Christians in Israel could be carried out in force. Pray for the peace of Israel.... (Psalm 122:6a).
TO BE CONTINUED. We will continue discussing wars of the last days next Sunday, followed by remaining portions of Jesus' Olivet
Discourse. God wants you to know your future for specific reasons. We will emphasize these reasons in the last lesson of this series.
There is a very practical, pressing need for you to understand God's prophetic word. Current news report will begin to make sense,
when you understand prophecy. Please study with us each week.
All Scriptures are taken from the NEW KING JAMES VERSION (NKJV), © Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. Holy Scriptures are
reproduced in red boldface font.
●-If you have questions about salvation or re-dedication of your life to serve God or if you wish to be counseled, call the RIO Revolution Church office
at (865) 984.9200, email the pastoral staff at www. riorevolution.net/contact-us/ , or come to the altar during any worship service.
●-If you have questions, comments, or suggestions concerning this lesson series, contact the author, Raymond Finney, at (865) 984.1424 or
raymondfinney@ charter.net . The author assumes full responsibility for any error or misstatement.
qa-29