What is going to happen in the end times?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Please note that CompellingTruth.org takes a pretribulation approach to eschatology.

Prophecies and descriptions of the end times are scattered throughout the Bible—from a Jewish scholar in a foreign court named Daniel, to Jesus in the book of Matthew, to the elderly, semi-retired fisherman John in Revelation. The Bible describes the end times as a series of prophetic events leading to Christ’s return, beginning with the rapture, where believers are taken to be with Jesus. The tribulation follows, a seven-year period of global turmoil when God gives judgments on the earth as a last call for salvation, and Satan unleashes his control over the earth as a last call to make people fall. The Antichrist and false prophet come to power through Satan, and God’s judgments escalate, culminating in Armageddon and Jesus’s victorious second coming. After this time, Jesus will reign for 1,000 years in the millennial kingdom, where peace and justice will prevail before Satan’s final rebellion and defeat. The great white throne judgment will determine the eternal fate of the unsaved, while believers will dwell forever in the new heaven and new earth. These truths call us to live with urgency, trust in Jesus for salvation, and focus on what matters for eternity.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• For consistency and chronology, all references in the end times timeline—Old and New Testament—have been placed in the New Testament.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• The End Times: Before the Tribulation
• The rapture will occur, where Jesus takes believers, both dead and alive, to be with Him, sparing them from the tribulation; they will be judged at the bema seat of Christ, rewarded for their works, and given glorified bodies (1 Thessalonians 4:13–18; 1 Corinthians 3:11–4:5). The marriage supper of the Lamb will take place. The rapture could happen at any moment (Revelation 19:7–9). After the rapture, there will be an unknown period of time before the tribulation begins.
• The End Times: Tribulation—First 3.5 years
• The Antichrist, also called the beast, will rise to power by taking over nations and will establish a restored Roman Empire (1 John 2:18; Revelation 13:1–9; 17:8–14; Daniel 7). He will broker a peace treaty with Israel, marking the official start of the tribulation (Daniel 9:24–27; Deuteronomy 30:4–5). During this time, 144,000 Jewish witnesses will spread the gospel, leading many to faith in Jesus, while the harlot church, a wealthy and persecuting apostate religion, potentially centered in Rome, will gain political power (Revelation 7:1–8; 14:1–5; 17:3–17). The seal judgments will unfold with war, famine, pestilence, persecution, and natural disasters, intensifying like birth pangs, leading to the trumpet judgments (Revelation 5–6).
• The End Times: Tribulation—Midpoint
• At the midpoint of the tribulation, the temple will have been reestablished, but the Antichrist will put an end to sacrifices and desecrate it with the abomination of desolation, demanding worship (Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15; Revelation 13:14). Israel will face invasion as the treaty is broken, but its people will gradually turn to God (Ezekiel 38–39). The two witnesses will preach in Jerusalem, be killed, resurrected after three-and-a-half days, and ascend to heaven (Revelation 11:3–13).
• The End Times: Great Tribulation
• The Antichrist will rule the world and demand worship, aided by the false prophet, who will perform miracles and establish his worship in the temple (Revelation 13:5–7, 11–18). Israel will face intense persecution during this time (Matthew 24:9–24; Revelation 12:6, 13–17). The seven trumpets will bring devastating judgments, including famine, poisoned waters, darkness, demonic torment, and mass death, culminating in Christ’s impending reign (Revelation 8:1–9:21). The seven bowls will unleash final plagues, including sores, global water contamination, scorching heat, supernatural darkness, and a catastrophic earthquake with hail, preparing the world for Armageddon (Revelation 16:1–21).
• The End Times: The End
• Armageddon will be a series of battles near the end of the tribulation, as Satan influences the world's kings to attack Jerusalem (Matthew 24:30–31; Revelation 19:11–32). Jesus will return, defeating the world's armies (Matthew 24:30; Revelation 19:11–20). The Antichrist and false prophet will be thrown alive into the lake of fire (Revelation 19:20), while Satan will be bound in the Abyss (Luke 8:30–31; Revelation 20:1–3). Israel will be gathered to its homeland, and a 45-day period may follow to cleanse the temple and prepare for Jesus's rule (Deuteronomy 29:1–30:20; Isaiah 11:11–12:6; Jeremiah 16:14–15; 23:3–8; Ezekiel 11:14–18; 37:1–18; Daniel 12:11–12).
• The End Times: Second Wave of Judgments
• After the tribulation, Gentiles will be gathered near Jerusalem and separated into "sheep," who will enter the millennial kingdom, and "goats," who will be sent to hell (Joel 3:1–2; Matthew 25:31–46). Jews who survived will also be gathered and separated, with believing Jews entering the kingdom as mortals (Matthew 24:31; Ezekiel 20:34–38; Matthew 25:1–30). Old Testament and tribulation saints will be resurrected, rewarded, and given glorified bodies (Daniel 12:2–3; Matthew 16:27; Revelation 20:4–6).
• The End Times: The Millennial Kingdom
• The millennial kingdom will last 1,000 years, with Jesus reigning in righteousness, fulfilling God's promises to Israel and ruling over the nations (Revelation 20:4–6; Genesis 17:7–8; Isaiah 11:1–12). The resurrected martyrs will serve as rulers, and the kingdom will be marked by peace, joy, and justice, with Satan bound (Matthew 19:28; Revelation 5:10; 20:1–4; 1 Corinthians 6:2; 2 Timothy 2:12). The temple will be rebuilt, with sacrifices offered there as a memorial, and the earth will be renewed, free from the curse, with no sickness and harmony in creation (Isaiah 2:2–4; Ezekiel 40:1–46:24; Romans 8:19–23; Isaiah 11:6–9; 33:24). Mortal survivors of the tribulation will live long lives, marry, and have children, while the resurrected will dwell forever in glorified bodies (Isaiah 33:24; 35:5–6; 61:1–2; Ezekiel 34:16).
• The End Times: The Last Battle
• During the millennial kingdom, all mortals who originally enter will be believers, but many of their descendants will not be believers (Revelation 20:7–9). When Satan is released, he will gather a vast army to rebel against God, but the battle will be brief (Revelation 20:9). Satan will be cast into the lake of fire, and his followers will be destroyed (Revelation 20:10).
• The End Times: Final Judgments
• Satan and his fallen angels will be cast into the lake of fire forever (Revelation 20:10; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 1:6–7). The heavens and earth will be destroyed, removing all traces of the curse on creation (2 Peter 3:10; Matthew 24:35; Revelation 20:11). At the great white throne, the unsaved will be judged by the book of life, and those found guilty will face the second death in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11–15; John 5:22, 26–29).
• The End Times: Eternity
• God will create a new heaven and a new earth, where believers will live forever (Revelation 21–22; 1 Corinthians 15:35–58). The New Jerusalem, a 1,500-mile cubed city, will be the home of the Trinity, the angels, and the saved (Revelation 21:10–27). There will be no sin or death, and we will have eternal, unhindered fellowship with God (Revelation 21:4, 27).

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

Eternity feels like a long time away. It seems like something out in the distance, but regardless of when the end times will come, the reality that they will come should change how we live. We are not guaranteed tomorrow, so whether we breathe our last breath here on earth, or the end times come, we must live in light of this. The reality of the end times reminds us to live with urgency, ensuring we have responded to God’s call for salvation through Jesus Christ. Our eternal destiny depends on trusting in Jesus’s death and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins. In the meantime, living with eternity in mind helps us to focus on what really matters. Some things are not going to matter in a week or a year or for eternity. We should keep these things with the right, eternal perspective. Relationships, loving God and loving others, living out and sharing our faith, and making the most of the opportunities God has given us to reflect Him will all matter for eternity. The certainty of God's final victory over sin, Satan, and death assures us that no matter how dark the world becomes, His justice and kingdom will prevail. We can trust God for His timing and purpose of the end times, as well as with the timing and purpose of our lives. With that hope, we can trust His perfect timing, live faithfully for Him and what matters in the present, and look forward with confidence to the day we will dwell with Him forever.

UNDERSTAND

• The end times refer to the events leading up to Jesus’s second coming.
• The rapture and tribulation precede Jesus’s second coming.
• The final judgments, millennial kingdom, and the new heaven and new earth come after Jesus’s second coming.

REFLECT

• How does knowing that Jesus will return affect how you live your daily life?
• How does the Bible’s description of the end times challenge your understanding of God’s plans for humanity?
• How can you live with a greater sense of urgency and eternal perspective today?

ENGAGE

• How should the certainty of Jesus’s return shape our priorities as believers?
• What are some common misconceptions about the end times, and how can we address them biblically?
• How can we share the truth of Christ amid the increasing darkness in the world?