1. FIRST TRAIN: The Israelite Train

1997 BC – Abraham is the First Conductor

God chose a people group for Himself. God chose Abraham to be the first conductor. Abraham obeyed God (Gen. 12:1-4) and was counted as righteous because he believed (Gen. 15:6).

Abraham became the father of a new nation

Abrahamic Covenant (unconditional):

Genesis 12:2-3 “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing, I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

Land Covenant (unconditional):

Genesis 17:7-8 “And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you. Also, I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”

Covenant of Circumcision (conditional):

Genesis 17:14 “And the uncircumcised male child, who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.”

1491 BC – Moses is the Second Conductor

Exodus 3:10 “… I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring My people the Israelites out of Egypt.”

God chose a reluctant Moses (Exod. 3:11) to conduct the next leg of the Israelite train to bring His people to the covenant land.

God chose the Israelites corporately as a separate people unto Himself:

Exodus 19:5-6 “Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”

Numbers 23:9 “For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: see, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.”

There was nothing to commend about the Israelites:

Deuteronomy 7:7-8 “The Lord did not set His affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath He swore to your ancestors that He brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt.”

1063 BC – David is the Third Conductor

David was chosen (1 Samuel 16:12) as king of the Israelites and a new unconditional covenant was made.

Davidic Covenant: God reaffirms the Abrahamic covenant with David adding that the Messiah would be attached to his lineage: Psalm 132:11 “… Of the fruit of your body I will set upon your throne.”

1048 BC: David Established Jerusalem as the Capital of Israel

King David confirms Israel is chosen as a people group:

2 Samuel 7:23 “And who is like Your people, like Israel, the one nation on the earth whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people, to make for Himself a name …” 

The Israelites would be punished as a people group for their sins:

Jeremiah 25:11: “This whole country will become a desolate wasteland, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years.”

And the Israelites will also be saved as a people group:

Zechariah 12:10: “And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.

Romans 11:26: “And so all Israel will be saved (Greek, preserved), as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob”

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2. THE SECOND TRAIN: The Church Train

32 AD – The Holy Spirit is the Conductor

The Church Train begins: In the same way that Jesus called each of His disciples, followers of Jesus are called individually and required to believe by faith:

^“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

The Church is Born on Pentecost:

 “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. ² And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. ⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Acts 2:4:

Two Trains Continue Side by Side:

The New Covenant Begins

What Must I Do To Be Saved? Acts 16:31 “So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

Repent and Believe Mark 1:14 “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

Eternal Security: John 10:28 “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of My hand.”

The Church will be kept from (Greek out of) the trial: Revelation 3:10 “ Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.”

Future Date Rapture: 

Jesus Returns for His Church – The Church Age Ends 

The Fullness of the Gentiles Has Come –  Romans 11:25

Revelation 4:1 John is called up, modeling the rapture: “Come up hither …”

1 Corinthians 15:51-52 The final trumpet of the Church Age is sounded:

“Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed”

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 In like manner, the Church is called up to meet Christ in the air:

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus, we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.”

The saved church dwells in the New Jerusalem:

John 14:2-3; Hebrews 11:10; Revelation 21:1-4

“My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”

Bema Seat Judgment – 5 Crowns

Incorruptible crown – Crown of rejoicing – Crown of life – Crown of righteousness – Crown of glory

The Saved Church is Given Rewards For Works

2 Corinthians 5:10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”

2 Timothy 4:8 “Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to those who love His appearing.”

Revelation 4:10-11 “They cast their crowns before the throne …”

The Israelite Train Continues Alone

Two Wars

Psalm 83:1-8 10 nation Arab alliance attacks Israel and is defeated

Ezekiel 38-39 Gog Magog, Russian-led alliance is defeated – Israel dwells in false peace

Ezekiel 39:28 The war of Gog and Magog ends in divine victory – Jews are called home

The Tribulation Begins – Antichrist is given 7 years

Revelation 6:1-2 Antichrist arrives

Daniel 9:27 Treaty with Israel and neighbors is signed/Temple built

Revelation 6:1-8 Seal judgments – 4 horsemen of the apocalypse

Daniel 7:24 Revival of the Roman Empire, 10 nation confederacy formed

The Time of Jacob’s Trouble Begins (Great Tribulation, final 3.5 years)

Jeremiah 30:7 Israel and unrepentant Gentiles will go through the Time of Jacob’s Trouble

“Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble, but he shall be saved out of it.”

Revelation 13:1-10 Antichrist is revealed – his power comes from Satan

Revelation 13:11-18 False Prophet completes the evil trinity – ‘666’

2 Thessalonians 2:4 Temple is desecrated/Abomination of desolation

Daniel 9:27 Peace treaty is broken

Matthew 24:15-16 Jews flee to the mountains/Great Tribulation

Revelation 8:6-13 Trumpet Judgments begin

Revelation 16:1-21 Bowl Judgments/Battle of Armageddon begins

The Return of Jesus Christ

Revelation 19:11-16 The Triumphant Return

“Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:

KING OF KINGS AND
LORD OF LORDS.“

The Sheep and Goat Judgment

“For behold, in those days and at that time, When I bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem, ² I will also gather all nations, And bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; And I will enter into judgment with them there On account of My people, My heritage Israel, Whom they have scattered among the nations; They have also divided up My land.” Joel 3:1-2

The Sheep and Goat judgment will be conducted by Messiah Jesus upon His return based on the treatment of His people and of the land during the 7 year tribulation period.

“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. ³² All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.  And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.” Matthew 25:31-33

Israel’s Eternal Enemy is Defeated:

Isaiah 63:1-3 Jesus goes to Edom (Genesis 36:1) to destroy the final enemy of the Jewish people:

“Who is this who comes from Edom, With dyed garments from Bozrah,
This One who is glorious in His apparel, Traveling in the greatness of His strength? —

“I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save”

Why is Your apparel red, And Your garments like one who treads in the winepress?

“I have trodden the winepress alone, And from the peoples no one was with Me. For I have trodden them in My anger, And trampled them in My fury; Their blood is sprinkled upon My garments, And I have stained all My robes.”

Jesus Brings the Jewish Remnant to Salvation:

Zechariah 12:10 The House of David and those in Jerusalem are Corporately Saved

“And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.”

Revelation 19:20 Antichrist is Defeated

“Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image.”

Revelation 20:1-2 Millennial Reign Begins – Satan is bound 1000 years

“And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain.  He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.”

Revelation 20:4-6 The Tribulation Saints Reign with Christ

 ^“And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.”

Zechariah 8:23 The Jewish remnant is restored as servants to the LORD – Jacob’s blessing (Genesis 27:28-29) is fulfilled

“Thus, says the Lord of hosts: ‘In those days ten men from every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”

Revelation 20:11-15 The Great White Throne Judgment of the Lost

“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” 

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