The Divine Order of the End Times

By Clayton Carpenter

God has a divine order for the return of Jesus. And its not as complicated or as confusing as often presented. Still many in the church are confused about Gods time line or are apathetic toward it. Both conditions leave the believer in a position of unpreparedness or deception. When asked about his coming, the first thing Jesus said was, Do not be deceived. In this chaotic world, deception is rampant with special agendas and political and religious disinformation. As Christians, if we fail to grasp Gods plan for our lives and his divine time line, deception is the only option. Not being deceived places us in a position of preparedness. Just as God prepared Noah, he wants us to be prepared. A systematic and logical teaching is presented in The Divine Order of the End Times.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Mar 27, 2017
• ISBN: 9781512779189

Clayton Carpenter

Clayton Carpenter graduated Rhema Bible Training Center in 1985. He has taught from the pulpit and has many years experience teaching in the Sunday School program. The predominate belief of a pre-tribulation rapture he found confusing, not backed up with supporting scripture, and mostly just guess-work. While studying, he found the key to the Divine Order of The End times in 2 Thessalonians chapter two. Since then the Old Testament, New Testament and the teachings of Jesus began to fall in place to produce an accurate picture of the plan of God for the end times.

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Copyright © 2016, 2017 Clayton Carpenter.

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Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from the Amplified Bible, copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

ISBN: 978-1-5127-7919-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-7920-2 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-7918-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017903590

WestBow Press rev. date: 3/6/2017

Contents

Chapter 1: The Coming Of The Lord And What To Look For

Chapter 2: Matthew 24 And 25

Chapter 3: As The Days Of Noah Were

Chapter 4: The Last Trumpet, The Rapture, And The Wrath Of God

Chapter 5: A Look At Revelation 12–14

Chapter 6: A Look At Revelation 15–16

Chapter 7: A Look At Revelation 17–18

Chapter 8: The Beast And Then The Horn

Conclusion

Prayer For Salvation

Appendix

•   Book Of Revelation Timeline

•   Bowls Of Wrath Outline

•   Armageddon To The Millennial Reign Timeline

•   Time Link Chart For The End Times

•   Pretribulation Process

CHAPTER 1

The Coming of the Lord and What to Look For

2 Thessalonians 2:1–12

The Restraining

I want to start by asking you the same questions that came to my mind and changed my thinking about eschatology (the study of the end times) and the direction for my study of the subject. Please look at 2 Thessalonians with me. And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed (2 Thessalonians 2:6–8).

Lawlessness is at work, and its eyes are set on dominating humankind. Only there is something that is restraining this lawlessness from overwhelming the earth. Obviously, whoever or whatever is restraining this lawlessness is keeping the lawless one (the Antichrist) from being revealed. Now I have heard that (1) it is the Holy Spirit that is restraining the lawless one and that as soon as the Holy Spirit is taken out of the earth, then the lawless one will be able to take power. I’ve also heard that (2) this verse is speaking of the church—Christians—and that as soon as the rapture occurs and we’re gone, then the lawless one will be able to take power.

I now wish to discuss what is restraining this lawlessness.

The Holy Spirit Is Restraining Lawlessness

First, what I have to say about the Holy Spirit restraining this lawlessness is as follows: If the Holy Spirit is taken out of the earth, then how will anyone be saved?

In Revelation 14, we’re told that the gospel will be preached during the time of the Antichrist.

And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. (Revelation 14:6–7)

If the gospel is preached, then salvation is available. If salvation is available, then the Holy Spirit must be available to consummate the union between Jesus and the repentant. Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged (John 16:7–11).

The Holy Spirit has also been given to the believer as a personal guarantee that the believer is saved. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory (Ephesians 1:13–14).

The Holy Spirit has to be in the earth for the repentant to be saved. He’s the guarantee of our inheritance and the one who will convict the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. Without the working of the Spirit, there is no salvation.

Furthermore, if only the Holy Spirit is taken out of the earth, then He has forsaken the church. And that is impossible. If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you (John 14:15–18).

I cannot agree with this doctrine because the scriptures refute it.

The Church Is Restraining Lawlessness until the Rapture

Next, I’ve heard that it is the church that is restraining the lawlessness in the world and that when the rapture occurs, the restraint will be released, and then the Antichrist will be revealed. I have this question: How can the rapture release the restraint when it doesn’t occur until after the lawless one is revealed? In other words, the lawless one is revealed, and then the rapture occurs (the rapture being the return of Jesus for His people).

Let me show you why I ask.

Remember in 2 Thessalonians 2:7–8 (NKJV), He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed. Now look at the beginning of 2 Thessalonians 2, which says,

Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition. (2 Thessalonians 2:1–3; emphasis mine)

That day shall not come except … that man of sin be revealed! Here the Holy Spirit declares that the coming of the Lord and our gathering together to Him will not happen until after the lawless one is revealed. In other words, the rapture takes place after the Antichrist is revealed. Therefore, the rapture can’t be the mechanism that allows the Antichrist to be revealed.

The rapture isn’t something that’s taken out of the way. The rapture is an event that takes place.

What is the divine order of the end times? Who or what is restraining the lawless one? What do other scriptures bear witness to? Can this doctrine be found in Jesus’s teachings and in the teachings of the apostles? Does the book of Revelation read this way? Is eschatology easier to understand than our current doctrines? These questions are the basis of this study.

The Troubled Church

Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 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 (2 Thessalonians 2:1–2 NKJV).

The apostle Paul, in a heartfelt concern for the church at Thessalonica, wrote them a letter with the intent of comforting their souls and correcting the doctrine that had brought them the discomfort.

What had shaken this church? Why were the Thessalonians troubled?

They were afraid that the day of Christ had come. They believed that Jesus had come and left them here. That indeed would be a reason to be shaken in mind and troubled. But by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul set everything straight. He gave them signposts to look for. Furthermore, he declared that to believe anything other than what he was about to write would mean that they had been deceived. Let no man deceive you by any means (2 Thessalonians 2:3).

God doesn’t want His people to be deceived. Therefore, He has given us clear warning and markers to follow.

What to Look For

As we continue in 2 Thessalonians, we see in verse 3 that there are two prominent signs that the Holy Spirit instructs us to look for prior to the coming of the Lord. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed (2 Thessalonians 2:3).

The two signs are (1) the falling away first and (2) the man of sin revealed. To believe that Jesus will come prior to these events is to be deceived.

The Falling Away

Falling away in the Greek is apostasia, meaning the rebellion or departure. It is where we get our word apostasy, which means abandonment of one’s religious faith, political party, or cause.

Keep in mind that a person cannot depart from somewhere if he or she wasn’t there in the first place. I cannot depart from a building if I was never in the building. Nor can there be a rebellion against someone who doesn’t have jurisdiction over those rebelling. I can’t rebel against your boss because he or she has no authority over me. But I can rebel against my boss because he has a certain amount of authority over me at work.

In other words, God is warning us that there will be those who forsake the holy covenant (Christians) and become apostates. There will be those who fall away from the faith and give heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons. Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils (1 Timothy 4:1).

I can’t emphasize enough that these are Christian people who get wrapped up in false beliefs that turn them away from the truth. These false beliefs may appear religious and humane, but they are actually lies designed to deceive the listener. They may believe they’re doing the right thing, but they’re persecuting other Christians and making a path for the destroyer. Counterfeiters don’t replicate three-dollar bills. Why? There are no three-dollar bills. They only counterfeit bills that are in use. Likewise, liars tell enough truth to make their deception believable to the simple-minded—or in this case, to those with unrenewed minds. Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God (Romans 12:2). A mind in alignment with the Word of God is a mind that is renewed and can prove what God’s will is. If you don’t know what the truth is, you can’t tell what a counterfeit is.

When tempted by the devil, Jesus was quoted scripture meant to deceive Him: Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God (Matthew 4:5–7).

It is true that the scripture says this. The devil is quoting from the Psalm 91. So where’s the deception? Jesus couldn’t do it by faith. God hadn’t commanded Jesus to jump off a cliff. Nor did Jesus accidentally slip. If Jesus were to have jumped, it would have been His decision alone. He would have jumped to His death because He chose to do it. Later on we see Jesus walking on the water. What’s the difference? Jumping off the cliff would have been a personal decision that God wasn’t obligated to support. Walking on the water was a supernatural manifestation of the Holy Spirit because of Jesus’s obedience. Jesus knew God’s will was for Him to walk on