 in case that happens. Oh, okay. The recording has just started. But we need to have, yeah, the others join back in. I'm not sure why you did it. All right, let's pray and get started. I'm sure Collins and others will also join the call. Good morning everyone. Let's pray and get started. Could somebody lead us in prayer please? Jay heavenly father, we come to you under the name of Jesus. We thank you for this beautiful Jay and for the beautiful class we are about to have. God, I pray for every one of my classmate who has joined. But I pray that each and everything that we learn today will not just listen to it, but we will apply it in our life and we will be a blessing to many people out there. You have called us to be the light and salt of this world Lord. Help us to be like that by listening to this class by accepting your words deep in our heart and by deciding to follow it in our life. I give Pastor Ashish into your hands. We bless him in the name of Jesus. Be with him and guide him throughout the session. I pray for all my classmates who are about to join. We pray for good Wi-Fi connection throughout the class so that we can listen to your word and be strengthened and be a blessing to others. In Jesus name I pray. Amen. Amen. Amen. Thank you. Good morning everyone. Thank you. All right. So BC 213 is our course on the end times. And what we want to do in this course is to get an overview of the end time events that have been foretold for us in the Scriptures. So we want to look at the Scriptures and try to create a timeline or a sequence of events to the best we can of the end time events that have been given to us in Scripture. Of course we cannot put any dates to any of this because the Bible says we don't know the time but we can get a sense of how we are very close and these are all the events that are going to come to pass given to us in Scripture. So we're going to make this journey and look at Scripture and try to see what the Bible is given to us. So let me just introduce the course. I have given the course outline. Let's see here. Can you see my screen now? Yeah. The end times. Okay. Yes, Master. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. So we're going to look at the end times. Of course Israel, the nation of Israel is a very important part of it. So we'll be looking at Israel as a nation and how other nations around it are relating would relate to Israel historically and what the Bible says will happen in the future. And our goal in this course is to get an overview of things. Next year in the third year we'll do a verse by verse study of Daniel and Revelation. So in this course we will be going through the book of Revelation and we'll kind of look at it as a sequence of events. So we won't go verse by verse, but we will do a full overview of the book of Revelation. But next year in the third year we'll go verse by verse through Daniel and through Revelation. So this course is more like an overview, get a full picture. Next year we'll do verse by verse, we'll read, explain everything. Okay. So both these courses, which this course 213 and next year course are kind of connected, but next year course will take a different approach to go verse by verse. This year we'll give a good overview. And you know, there are many Bible teachers who have done a lot of study on the end times and so on and so forth. But one that I would recommend was, is the late Dr. Jacqueline Impey. I've also shared one of his books. He's written many, many books. You can also go to his website. He passed away maybe, I forget exactly maybe one or two years ago. But I would recommend his resources. Kind of we're aligned to, not in 100%, but in many ways we're aligned to his position and teaching on the end times. So I would refer to you, refer you to that. Now, let's get started with the introduction. So, technically, you know, the word eschatology is used in seminaries and theological institutions, they will use the word eschatology. That word simply means the end times, right? The word eschatos means last things. So eschatology is the study of last things or the end time. So, but we will just call it the end times, right? So now if you, if somebody says, you know, have you done a course on eschatology? Then you can say, yeah, I've done two courses. You know, when you graduate, you know, you've done one in the second year and done one in your third year. I have done two courses on eschatology, right? But it's basically talking about the end times. So today, you know, when we look at the world, there are so many things happening all over the world. And globally, we've gone through a pandemic, a huge, huge, huge thing affected it all over the world. And we are coming out of it. There is a lot of political tension, you know. There are fighting going on Russia, Ukraine, and then looking at how Russia and China are aligning themselves and seeing how other nations, what's happening in Europe, across the European Union, those political situations are of interest to us. And as we get into the Bible, you will understand why it is, it is interesting not to look at what is happening politically around the world and what is going on. Along with that, there are a lot of other things that we can also look at. There is, there has always been, you know, terrorism and racial intolerance, but it is only getting worse, you see, things are going, you know, you're seeing more and more and more of it happen. Then there are scientific and technological advances. It is very good, very helpful. It is making a lot of things convenient, but it's also positioning, as you look in the scripture, you'll see that all of this is moving in a direction that has been foretold in scripture. And it has actually helped, it is actually preparing the way for the fulfillment of a lot of scripture, what has been spoken of in scripture. So it's very interesting when you look at the advances that are being made in science and technology, and then you look at what is, what has been given to us in scripture, you'll say, wow, that scripture could not have been fulfilled 30 years ago, but today that scripture can be fulfilled because of all these advances. The example, one example, I'm just giving you an example. In Revelation chapter 11, the Bible talks about the two witnesses who will come in the end times and, you know, they will be doing great science and wonders, and towards the end of their time of ministry, that they will be killed. They will be lying in the streets of Jerusalem, and the Bible says the whole world will see them. Now, you know, just about 30 or 40 years ago, that would be impossible. How can the whole world see what is happening in some street in Jerusalem? But today, anybody can see it on their mobile phone, they can see, you know, you can watch live news, or you can watch video coverage, and you can see live what is happening, you know, as these news channels carry things. So if there are two people lying dead in the street in Jerusalem, that can be seen live all over the world because of technology, right? Or if you Revelation chapter 18, and we will look at all these things, I'm just giving examples. Revelation 18 talks about a global financial system, and it talks about the whole financial system collapsing, and everywhere, all over the world, people are affected financially. Now, you think about this, you see, you know, again, if you look at this 30 years ago, that would not have been possible. The financial markets of the world were not so connected. Yeah, if something bad happened in one place of the world, okay, those people suffer, others, they don't, they're not affected. But today, the financial markets globally are so connected. You know, if something happens in a certain part of the world, it affects almost everybody financially. And so, when you read Revelation 18, and you look at that, and you say, wow, in our world today, Revelation 18 can actually be fulfilled. The financial markets are so connected, the people who buy and sell in one part of the world are affected by what happened somewhere else, and that can actually be fulfilled in our day and time. So, like this, as you read the scriptures, and you look at what is happening around the world, you see that as time is progressing, and as there are advances in so many signs and technology and so on, yeah, all of these things can be fulfilled. We're getting closer and closer, if not, you know, everything can actually be fulfilled in the time in which we are living. Like that, there are environmental and climate, you know, changes that are happening. And we have seen this, of course, there have always been earthquakes and plagues and pestilences and so on, but what we are seeing is there's a heightened increase in these things, and, you know, we are experiencing, we have just experienced some of that. There are also social challenges, and again, this is very, very, it is coming out in the open, you know, society, and Paul writes about this, you know, in 2 Timothy chapter 3 says in the last times, the Holy Spirit is speaking expressly, that means Holy Spirit is saying very clearly that in the latter times, men will be, you know, lovers of self, there will be haters or whatever is good. And then he describes in 2 Timothy chapter 3, the nature of people. Now, sin has always been there, and people have, you know, there have always been wicked people, but things in society, it's just, you know, it's going in a way that's almost like out of control. But Paul has written 2 Timothy chapter 3, the Holy Spirit speaks expressly in the latter times, it will be like this, you know, so we can connect so much of what's happening in the scriptures to what we are seeing in the world around us, and religious and spiritual challenges, of course. So, you know, so it is what we are going to do, one of the things we'll also do as we go through this course is as we're looking at all the events foretold in the Bible, we will also look outside and see what's happening in the world and connect it back to the scriptures, right? That's another part of what we're going to be doing in this course. So, why should we? So, let us ask this question. Okay, let me pause here and see if there are any questions before I go forward. Is everybody with me any questions so far? Everyone's okay. All right. Okay, any questions? You're just in the introduction, right? Everyone's fine. Okay, let's move forward. So, why should we as believers take time to study about the end times? Why is this subject important? Now, of course, some people say, okay, I'm not worried about the end times. I am just, you know, I want to understand how to live life now, how to preach the gospel, how to, you know, overcome the problems I'm facing in today's world, and I want to live as a good believer, etc. All of that is good. We're not against it. And that is important, you know, how to live life here on earth. That is important. Of course, the Bible tells us all that. But at the same time, we must understand the importance of studying the scriptures concerning things to come, right? Things that are going to happen in the near future and beyond, which has been given for us in the Word of God. Why must we do it? Why must we take time to do it? And I've just put several reasons. First, because God has revealed these things to us. So, he has not only spoken to us about creation and redemption, but he has also spoken to us about things to come. He's put it in the Bible. So obviously, he's put it in there so that we can read it, we can understand it, and it will help us in the present. It will teach us how to live now. So, because God has given it to us, it is of value and we need to pay attention. So, could somebody read here for us Revelation chapter 1 verses 1 to 3? Could somebody read that for us, please? Revelation chapter 1 verses 1 to 3. The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw, that is the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Blessed is the one who leads the Word, so of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it because the time is near. It is interesting. Notice how the Book of Revelation starts. John writes, of course, he says, this is the revelation of Jesus Christ. So, the book of Revelation, it is unveiling many things about the end times and so on. But the main thing he says, this book is revealing Jesus to us. So, Book of Revelation is not a revelation of the Antichrist, though it does talk about the Antichrist. It is not a revelation of the tribulation, though it does talk about the tribulation. It talks about many things. But the main thing God wants us to see in the Book of Revelation is Jesus Christ, the main person, because the Book of Revelation is the revelation of Jesus Christ. It is a testimony of Jesus, what the Lord Jesus spoke. And then in verse 3, I actually want to focus on verse 3, it says, you know, blessed are those people who read it, who hear it and keep it. Very interesting. So, he's saying, see, this is all about prophecy. The whole book is about prophecy, the other words of prophecy, but blessed is the person or blessed are the people who read it, hear it and keep it. Right? So, there is a blessedness in studying Revelation. Some people say, oh, I don't want to study Revelation because it was so difficult to understand it. Actually, it's very simple. You know, it is very clear. And as we go through it this semester and in the third year, you'll find that it is actually very easy to understand. And you just, you know, you know how to interpret what is there along with the rest of Scripture. So, some people say, okay, it's too difficult. I can't understand. I don't want to read. But actually, the Bible says, verse 3, if you read it, you hear it, you live by it, you are a blessed person. So, there's a blessedness there. So, God does want us to read prophecy and listen to prophecy and live by prophecy. And notice, he said that time is near. We'll talk about this a little bit. You know, when God speaks about time, for him, time is very different. Right? Excuse me. For him, time is very different. He lives outside of time. Right? We live in time. So, for us, it's like, oh, it's been already 2000 years since these prophecies were given and Daniel's prophecies were given even before that. And, you know, Enoch prophesied. You know, Enoch put my way back in the book of Genesis. He prophesied. He said, I saw the, see the Lord coming with thousands of the saints. So, can you imagine? Enoch prophesied about the end times. He prophesied about Revelation 19, you know. So, in the book of Genesis, what is taking place in the end in Revelation 19 was already foretold. Enoch prophesied. Enoch said it. So, we said, oh, but so much time has gone since it was spoken. Well, it seems like a lot of time from our perspective. But from God's perspective, it's a small to minute thing. Right? So, that's why when God says time is near. Yeah. For him, it's very, it's very short. We have to understand time from God's perspective. Now, the second reason why we have to study end time prophecy and times and things to come is because God wants us to live in the light of that, knowing that the time is near, knowing that we are close to the end of things. The Bible says we've got to live properly. Right? So, understanding about the end times is going to bring out a response from us to live carefully. And Paul also, you know, mentions this in one, I'm just giving one example. Romans 13, 11 to 14. Can somebody read it please? Romans chapter 13 was 11 to 14. And do this understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber because your salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearby over. The day is almost here. So, let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and departure, but in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ and do not think about how to gratify the desires of this sinful nature. So, Paul, thank you. Thank you, Japhina. So, Paul is saying, know the time. You know, in other words, understand, you know, where we are, understand where we are living. The night has gone. The day is at hand. The day is at hand. That means, look, the time to be sleeping, the time to, you know, to be fast asleep. That's gone. The night has gone. The day is at hand. We are very close to the morning, the daybreak. So, live properly, you know, walk properly as in the day. So, he's saying, he's telling us, understand the times in which we are living, understand the night is over, day is coming, walk properly. And like this, you'll find many, many other scriptures. You know, first, there's five and so on, where the Bible says, understand the coming of the Lord is near. So, live properly. That's another reason. Third reason, why must we study then? So, maybe I'll go a little faster here. This will take too much time, is because God wants us to be people of hope. That means, yeah, we're going to have difficult things that we go through here on earth. There will be different things that Jesus said in the world, you will have tribulation. There are things that happen in this world. But we can look forward to something, you know, as believers. We are looking ahead to something. We have hope. And what is that hope? John writes, you know, first John chapter three was two and three says, beloved, we are the children of God. And, you know, we still haven't seen and experienced what will happen when he is revealed. When Jesus comes back, that when he's revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. And everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself just as he is pure. So there is this precious hope that when we see Jesus, first of all, we have this precious hope that we will see Jesus and we will be like him. So we're looking forward to that. And when we see him, we will be like him. We will be changed into his likeness. And because we have this hope, we also keep ourselves pure in this world as we go through and as we journey through life, we keep ourselves pure. So that's another reason why we study. Just number four, we understand that God is unfolding his glorious plan. And that in the end, everything will be put under his feet. So here's another reason why we study because people will ask us, you know, hey, you say there is a good God, why is so much evil happening? You say, you know, Jesus is Lord, but look, you know, how much evil is going on, etc., etc. Yeah, and they will ask all these questions. But we know this is, you know, what we're seeing today is not the end of the story. There is a future which the Bible describes to us about where all of this evil will be taken out and there will be new heavens, there will be a new earth. So we're looking forward into that future and we know that that's what the Lord is moving toward. He's unfolding his glorious plan and there are great things that he's going to do and we see it in many places in scripture. Verse Corinthians 15, 24 to 26. Can somebody read that for us please? Verse Corinthians 15, 24 to 26. First Corinthians 15, 24 to 26. Then comes the end when he delivers the kingdom of kingdom to God the Father, when he puts an end to all rule and all authority and power, for he must reign till he has put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. Amen. So there's a time coming. He says then comes the end. So there is a time coming and what is it? That everything will be put under his feet and Jesus is going to reign over everything. You know, God will rule and everything will be under his rule and authority, right? And you know, as we go into the book of Revelation, we will see details of how all of this will come and what will happen. But this is something we can, you know, we stand assured of that, you know, even though today things are in this condition as we see it, there is a beautiful, glorious finish or end to all of this which God is unfolding. Number five, because we have a part to play in all that is going on and our part is to make sure that the gospel is taken to the ends of the earth. That's our part. So the end time prophecy and everything God, all that God said will be fulfilled also includes us and we have a part to play in taking the gospel to the ends of the earth. So we realize there is our part and therefore in the light of that we serve God faithfully and we say, okay, you know, let's do our part. We have a part to play in end time prophecy. So therefore Paul writes in a second, there's five, ten, eleven, he says, look, we are going to stand before the judgment seat of Christ and meaning believers, we're going to stand for the judgment seat of Christ and so we persuade people and we proclaim the gospel, we're reaching out to people and we also know what is going to happen. We know the terror of the Lord we know what's going to come and so we are busy doing our part in reaching people with the gospel. And lastly, number six, the Bible also tells us that prophecy has to be preached. So, you know, when we talk about the gospel, the gospel includes the proclamation of Christ's return. So many times when we preach the gospel we only talk about the cross, his death and resurrection, that is true. But the gospel includes the fact that Christ is going to come, the prophetic prescriptions. Look at what Paul wrote in Romans 16, 25 to 27. He's saying, you know, I want to establish you according to my gospel. So he's referring to the gospel that Paul, the gospel that Paul preached is as my gospel, what he was preaching and the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation mystery kept secret since the world began. So of course the gospel includes the preaching of Jesus Christ and now made manifest by the prophetic scriptures. So he's talking about the scriptures that are speaking forth about the future, the prophetic scriptures, which is made known to all nations according to the command of everlasting God, for obedience to the faith. So he's saying the gospel that I'm preaching and I'm preaching Jesus Christ, this is actually part of the prophetic scriptures, which is made known to all nations, which has to be proclaimed and made known to all the people so that they can be obedient to the faith, for obedience to the faith. So the preaching of the gospel, the preaching of Jesus Christ, includes saying everything that is spoken by the prophetic scriptures, which yes, the prophetic scriptures foretold Christ's death, the prophetic scriptures foretold his resurrection, but the prophetic scriptures also foretell his coming as king of kings and lord of lords. Daniel chapter seven, he now speaks about him as the son of man standing before the ancient of days and then when he comes it says the kingdoms of the earth will be given to him and he will give it to the saints. This is spoken in Daniel 7, so the preaching of the gospel, the preaching of Jesus Christ includes preaching everything that is in the prophetic scriptures, which should be made known to all the nations for what, so that they can become obedient to the faith. So what are we saying? That we must also proclaim prophecy so that people can come to faith in Christ. And as we talk about these things, the prophetic scriptures, it will challenge people, it will stir people in their hearts, it will alert people to the power of the scriptures and it will bring people to the faith. So we've just gone through several reasons why it is important for us to study the end times. Now before I move forward into the next section where we are going to explain how we are going to study end time scriptures, let me pause and see if there are any questions or any comments at this time. Any questions? Everybody's following? Everything's okay? All good? Okay, all right, so we're now going to talk about how our approach in studying end time prophecy, how are we going to, what are some guidelines, what are some things we must keep in mind as we study end time scriptures, right? Number one, we take things in the literal sense first and then the figurative, right? So in, when we look at end time prophetic scripture, there are some things that are stated for us literally and then there are some things that are given to us in figurative language. So whatever is literal, we will take it literal and if the literal is an impossibility, that means hey that cannot happen or if it is intended for us to be interpreted then is when we will say okay what we are reading is figurative so it has to be interpreted, right? So in our interpreting of these figurative text, we let scripture do the interpretation for us. So it's very important. We don't just, you know, interpret those figurative text according to our mind, no, no, no. In many cases, you will find that the scripture itself interprets, for example, and we will give many examples of this. For example, you know, in Revelation 17, it talks about the great harlot who sits upon the waters. So you read like okay what is the strange thing? Who is this great harlot and what are these waters it's sitting upon? So you know, before we start going off and making up our own idea on what the great harlot is and what are the waters, you read the rest of the chapter and as you progress through the chapter, you begin to see explanation on about the harlot. It's a mystery Babylon, attacking the believers and so on and so we can and then you tie it back to what we read earlier in Revelation 13 talks about the Antichrist, the beast and the false prophet and the false prophet is giving rise to a world religious system and so then it's all together, it's all connected, scripture is already there and then as you read through Revelation 17, it tells us that they rebelled against this great harlot and the Antichrist and his leaders, they rebelled against oh so then obviously this is the false prophet and their world religious system that he brought in that is being referred to and then in Revelation 17, in that same chapter it says the waters refer to the nations among whom the harlot is sitting. So the waters are referring to nations, see the scripture is already giving us the meaning of that figurative language. So waters used there is already explained to us that it is referring to the nations. So like this in many places you will find interpretation, another example is in Revelation 12, it talks about John seeing a big dragon, he sees a woman, he sees the sun, the moon, the eleven stars, the twelve stars, then he sees a great dragon. So we'd be wondering like who is this woman? Who is the sun and the moon and the twelve stars and what is this great dragon? Again we should not run off and make up our own things, oh you know which country uses a dragon as an image or the dragon is representing that country, no no no no, it is explained to us in scripture. So when I talk about the sun, the moon, the twelve stars we can see clearly you go back into the book of Genesis and there Joseph has a dream, sun, moon, twelve stars, the stars. So oh so the woman is the nation of Israel, she gave birth to the man child, that is Christ, it's very clearly explained in Revelation 12, the man child is Jesus, why? Because he rules the nations with their order of iron and he was caught up into heaven, Jesus ascended, so the man child is clearly explained there for us and so who gave birth to the man child? This woman, who is this woman? You can connect it back to the Old Testament, oh that's the nation of Israel, then who is this dragon? You read on in chapter in that same chapter and say oh the dragon is the old serpent, Satan of old, so the dragon is not representing a country, it's talking about Satan and the dragon persecutes the woman which attacks the nation of Israel. So I'm just giving another example where in Revelation 12 there are a lot of figures, a woman, a man child, a dragon, but in that same chapter many of these figures are explained for us and in other places in scripture these are explained for us. So in our studying, the young times, we take things in their literal sense first. So when it comes to timing, you know, sometimes time will be given to us in a literal number of days, it will be given or it may be given in figurative time, times and half a time, a time, one year, times two years and half a time, half a year, so one plus two plus half, three and a half, right, so we will, oh we understand, so he's talking about three and a half years but it's given to us in figurative language, time, times and half a time. So we will explain it, you know, we'll take it literal, otherwise we'll take it as figurative and we look within the text to interpret the figurative. Another second approach in studying end-time scripture is we do not engage in speculation or sensationalism, we don't try to, we don't try to, you know, unnecessarily stir up emotions and by making false predictions, we don't do that. So for example, I mean we know the scripture in Matthew 24-36, Jesus said, you know, of that day and hour, nobody knows, nobody knows of that day and hour, not even the angels, so only the Father knows, right, so we shouldn't speculate and then if you look back in church history, there have been number of times people have tried to predict when Jesus will come back. I remember sometime back and there was a book, the title of that book is Jesus is coming back in 1988, I forget who the author was but, you know, 1988 Jesus is coming back, you know, it's been a long time since then and then like that, you know, at different times people have predicted when Jesus is going to come back. I remember even recently, that means in the recent past, and I think the year was in maybe 2018, I think it was, when there was, what was referred to as the blood moon, I think that particular year, I know these blood moons have come and gone, basically it's the moon looking like red, because of the way the sun, the earth, and the moon are aligned, that at times the moon looks blood red and so I think it was 2018, I forget the exact year but it was in the recent past, that particular year there was again this blood moon was going to happen and also that same year, the sun, the moon and there were these 12 stars that were coming in this, they were aligned in the shape of this woman, of a woman, so there was one email circulating in the Christian community and I don't know, some of you got it but the email was pointing to, you know, the sun, the moon and these two stars are coming in this particular constellation, this woman being, you know, coming and they were saying that is the fulfillment of Revelation 12 and so that particular, and they even picked the date, I think sometime in September, when this was going to happen, they said, oh that is the day, the end of the world or something, you know, and I remember getting that email, I remember somebody telling, you have to warn all the people in the church that that day everybody has to go and be waiting because the Lord will come on that day because that's the day, the sun, the moon and these 12 stars are all coming perfectly there, you know, alignment, you know, whatever and I received that email, you know, and I just, it's okay, you know, we're not going to, we're not going to, you know, I didn't even talk about it because, hey, the Bible tells us very clearly that day and the hour nobody knows and also our new Revelation 12 is not talking about that physical alignment, you know, like I explained earlier, Revelation 12 is talking about something else but they were using Revelation 12, they talk about something that was happening in the, you know, in the space and so, you know, I just kept quiet, I didn't do anything, a lot of some people were very excited about all this but that day came and went and nothing happened, you know, so we have seen examples happening over and over again about speculation and prediction, sensationalism and we should avoid that, right? We don't want to engage in that. The third thing is we are aware that there are different positions in interpreting Bible prophecy and we're going to talk about some of these and understand that, right? Okay, it's time for a break, so let me pause here, we'll go for a 10 minutes break and we'll come back and we'll, you know, take up any questions and we'll continue forward from here, so let me pause here for a break, okay? So we'll be back in 10 minutes everyone, thank you.