In this study on eschatology, we examine the reality of death and the believer’s intermediate body, emphasizing that death is separation, not annihilation. Scripture reveals that those who have passed on continue to exist in a recognizable, bodily form.
The lesson transitions into the seven churches of Revelation (Revelation 1–3), outlining their historical and prophetic significance within church history—from Ephesus to Laodicea—each representing distinct periods and spiritual conditions of the Church Age:
Ephesus (A.D. 96–170): Faithful in works yet lost their first love for the brethren.
Smyrna (A.D. 170–312): The persecuted church, refined by suffering, facing ten periods of persecution.
Pergamos (A.D. 312–606): The compromised church, merging with the world system and adopting the doctrine of Balaam.
Thyatira (A.D. 606–1520): The rise of Catholicism; abundant in works but corrupted by idolatry and spiritual fornication.
Sardis (A.D. 1520–1730): The Reformation period; alive in name but spiritually dead, marked by many false gospels.
Philadelphia (A.D. 1750–1905): The faithful and missionary church, small in strength but steadfast in truth—representing those alive at the Rapture.
Laodicea (A.D. 1905–Present): The lukewarm church of today—wealthy, self-sufficient, and doctrinally indifferent, with Christ standing outside the assembly.
Each message includes a promise “to him who overcomes”—referring not to human effort, but to all who believe that Jesus is the Son of God (1 John 5:4–5).
The study concludes with a detailed look at the Rapture of the Church (1 Thessalonians 4:13–17; 1 Corinthians 15:51–52):
The Lord descends with a shout and the trumpet of God.
The dead in Christ rise first, followed instantly by living believers.
All are snatched away (ἁρπάζω / harpazō)—caught up together to meet the Lord in the air.
This moment marks the close of the Church Age, when true believers—those who hold to the Gospel of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection—are gathered to Him before the Tribulation begins.
