Oxford Bible Church - Living in the Last Days

Our heart is a garden which we must watch over, so that no root of bitterness springs up, troubling us, cutting us off from grace, and defiling others by our negative words (Hebr 12:15). Jesus compared a tree of bitterness in us to a Sycamore Tree, which we must command to be removed from our heart.

A big hindrance to faith is CONDEMNATION (sin consciousness, guilt, shame and inferiority). So we must bring these things to God, confess our sins, and receive His forgiveness and cleansing by faith (1John 1:9)! Then, we overcome the accuser by pleading (declaring our faith in) the Blood of Jesus.

Isaiah 53 describes what Jesus did for us on the Cross of Calvary. Verse1 says the Arm (power) of the Lord is revealed to those who believe the Report of Isaiah 53. This Report declares that the Messiah took our SICKNESSES as well as our SINS (v4), so that we might be forgiven and made whole.

The DILIGENT take responsibility for their lives, and are quick to do what they ought to do, avoiding excuses to delay. The sloth is passive and weak, unwilling to act until he 'feels' like it, so he gets stuck in a rut, and blames others for his failures. Derek shares 10 practical Steps for developing Diligence.

To be SLOTHFUL is to KNOW what to do, but be SLOW to do it (like a sloth). The opposite attitude to cultivate is DILIGENCE. A sloth waits for perfect conditions and feelings before acting, rather than just doing it. The result is failure and disorder. The Book of Proverbs helps us to overcome our slothfulness.

What is a true saving faith? Is it just believing in the Gospel? Can you receive and trust in Jesus as your Saviour without receiving and submitting to Him as your Lord? Since sin is rebellion against God, can we be saved without submitting to God? What is the repentance God requires for us to be saved?

At the heart of the Bible is the Divine Romance, pictured by the love story in the Song of Songs. We see how Jesus our Bridegroom fulfils the Jewish marriage customs, in winning and marrying His Bride. The Bride must now prepare herself for the soon Coming of her Divine Lover as the Morning Star.

The classic Temple Mount is in perfect harmony with the Biblical data, in contrast to the City of David theory (e.g.1Kings 8:2-6). Derek answers its 5 main arguments: (1) The Temple is in Zion, (2) Jesus' Prophecy (Matt 24:1-2), (3) Gihon Spring, (4) Josephus, & (5) the small cultic area in the City of David.

Although the classic Temple Mount has always been accepted as the true location of the Temple, a new theory by Ernest Martin claims it was in the City of David. However, the Biblical origins of the Temple with Abraham (Gen 22), David (1Chron 21), and Solomon (2Chron 3:1) disprove this theory.

Derek shares the history of the Temple and its importance, and how God will use it in the Tribulation to call Israel to faith in Christ, before antichrist desecrates it. Today it is at the centre of a great spiritual warfare, part of which involves a recent theory challenging its accepted location, which Derek refutes.

Pastor Derek concludes this Series by describing the sequence of events at the Lord's Return, the Judgments and Resurrections in the 40-day Interval that immediately follows, the Millennium, the Final Rebellion, the Destruction of the Universe, the Great White Throne and the Lake of Fire, and the Eternal State.

After the 7th Trumpet, Revelation 14 gives 7 visions describing the final outcomes of different groups of people in the Great Tribulation. Then, Revelation 15-18 describe the 7 Bowls of Wrath poured out in the final months. Finally, the order of events of the war of Armageddon, climaxing with Christ's Return (Revelation 19).

Revelation 10-13 describe a series of dramatic events that happen at Mid-Tribulation, setting the stage for the Great Tribulation, including the death and resurrection of the 2 witnesses, 7th Trumpet, the war in heaven and escape to Petra (Bozrah), the rise of antichrist to world-dictator, the mark and image of the beast.

God has 3 Purposes for the Tribulation: (1) to judge wickedness, (2) a world-wide Soul-Harvest, (3) the Salvation of Israel. The key to Revelation 6-19 is understanding the Scroll with 7 Seals is the Title Deed of the earth. Derek explains the 7 Seals and first 6 Trumpets, and summarises the events at Mid-Tribulation.

Jesus Christ taught much on eternal rewards (treasures in heaven), like the Parable of the Talents. Rewards include thrones of authority, garments of glory, and 5 crowns (the crowns of rejoicing, righteousness, life, glory and the incorruptible crown). Pastor Derek also answers objections to the teaching of eternal rewards.

Immediately after the Rapture all believers will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ to give an account and be judged for their works as servants of God to receive their eternal rewards. There are 4 main passages on this momentous event (Romans 14:10-13, 2Corinthians 5:9-11, 1Corinthians 4:2-5, 1Corinthians 3:10-15).

The Bible predicts events at the closing of the Church Age: (1) The Latter Rains & completion of the Church Harvest (Jas 5:7). (2) Israel's Regathering to her Land & Rebirth as a nation. (3) Jerusalem's Recapture (1967), (4) Plans to rebuild the Temple, (5) an Invasion of Israel from the north (Ezekiel 38).

Jesus Christ brought in the New Birth by His Death and Resurrection, so that now when believers die they do not go through the Gates of Hades, but to Heaven. Before the Cross, believers went to Paradise in Hades, but on the resurrection morning Jesus made their spirits perfect and took them with Him to Heaven.

Is the Partial Rapture theory correct? Who are the overcomers? What are the contrasts between the Rapture and the Second Coming of Christ? What does the Bible say about Life after Death for believers and unbelievers? Man's Eternal Judgment takes place in 2 stages, at (1) his death and (2) his resurrection.

Pastor Derek summarises a number of arguments for the Pre-Tribulation Rapture: (1) The Church is not appointed to go through the Day of the Lord, a time of Divine Wrath; (2) ambassadors are always removed before a war; (3) Psalm 110:1; (4) the 70 Weeks Prophecy; (5) the Millennial Population; (6) the Blessed Hope; and (7) imminence, which motivates us to holiness and evangelism.

After completing his study on Paul's teaching of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture (2 Thessalonians 2), Pastor Derek looks at Peter's teaching (the Morning Star), and John's teaching in Revelation, which agree perfectly. Then he discusses the 4 views on the timing of the Rapture (the Pre-Tribulation, Mid-Tribulation, Pre-Wrath and Post-Tribulation Rapture).

First, we see how the Song of Solomon gives a beautiful picture of the Divine Romance between Christ and His Bride, especially of the Rapture. Then, we study Paul's teaching on the Rapture in 1 Corinthians 15 and 1 Thessalonians 4-5, showing that he taught an imminent Pre-Tribulation Rapture.

After concluding his discussion of the Rapture in the Olivet Discourse, Derek shows from John 14:1-3 that the Rapture is a key moment of the Divine Romance, the coming of the Bridegroom for His Bride. He describes how Jesus fulfils all the Marriage Customs of the Bible to achieve His Eternal Purpose.

The Tribulation (End of the Age) is a time of Labour Pains, so the time leading up to the Tribulation is characterised by Braxton Hicks contractions. These started in 1914 with World War 1. The final sign before the Tribulation will be the disappearance of the believers into Christ, as in the days of Noah.

Jesus answered the 3rd Question of Matthew 24:3: "What are the Signs of the Tribulation (End of the Age)?" in Luke 21:28-33 and Matthew 24:32-35, by comparing the time before the Tribulation-Summer to Spring time when the Fig Tree and all the Trees put forth their leaves in preparation to bear fruit in the Summer.