You may ask yourself the question: do the final books of the Bible relate to the end times? Yes, they do!
We are going to look at the evidence that proves it. The Bible is divinely inspired and the real Word of God. God has brought it about, so the organization of the books in the Bible points to the truth of the last days.
Titus shows the rapture before the tribulation.
Titus 2:13 “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.”
This is one of the most famous verses concerning the rapture also known as the blessed hope, showing the books of the Bible in pre-millennial order.
Let’s look at 2 Timothy 3:1-5, placed right before Titus in the Bible: “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof”.
Isn’t that verse very telling? It sounds just like what we are experiencing in our times. This is why there are pastors today who have a form of godliness but have no power. We must separate from these types of people.
Now let’s turn to the book of Philemon. The picture that we see is concerning Onesimus. It is a beautiful story of a Christian slave who ran away but will return to his master. Paul instructs Philemon not to be hard on his slave. Paul tells Philemon to put all the wrongdoing of the slave on his account.
Philemon 1:15-18 “For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever; Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord? If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself. If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account.”
Onesimus, the slave, provides us a beautiful picture of the judgment seat of Christ, our bad works are put into the fire and burned. There will be a fire at the judgment seat of Christ. We will be judged for the good and bad we have done in this life. Your bad works get put into the fire, but you get saved! The wrong has been put on Jesus’ account! At the judgment seat, God can now no longer judge you for the sins you have committed.
1 Corinthians 3:13-15 “Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”
No matter what sin you’ve committed, you cannot be burned! Only your sins shall be consumed by fire.
The sequence of Hebrews-Revelation shows the tribulation. If you’re a dispensationalist, these epistles give much application to be studied for the tribulation. Many verses in Hebrews speak of losing your salvation. You must remember its context. It is talking about the time period of the tribulation, not the present moment. This is a time when we must cling to our faith because we will be confronted with the tyranny of the anti-Christ. In no way does it mean that we have the possibility of losing our salvation in the present.
James 5 is also written in the context of the tribulation and speaks of the last days. James writes specifically to the nation of Israel, which is why we firmly believe that God is not done with the Jewish people yet.
Continuing to 1 and 2 Peter, we hear much about false prophets arising.
Then Jude speaks of Jesus coming with vengeance and fire.
Finally, the book of Revelation is a summary of the end times. It ends with the millennium and the beauty of eternity.
This is how the sequence of the Bible leads into the end times. Find comfort in your salvation and endure to the end because even though your works may go up in flames, you will be saved by God’s grace through Jesus Christ.