Allusions, Images, Symbols: How to Study Bible Prophecy (Lesson 10) Upon Whom the Ends Have Come

🌿BEFORE HE ACTS, GOD WARNS: HOW TO RECOGNIZE THE SIGNS

 The Bible shows us over and over that God never moves without first sending a message, a warning, or a sign to his people? What signs has He given for our day?

Welcome back to episode 10 of our 13-part series on understanding the past, to prepare us for living in the present and get us ready for the future using the bible as our guide.

Stay with us, because the trip you are about to take can change your life.

The bible provides the keys needed to understand what it really means to live.

In this series, we explore bible stories, symbols, and signs to help us know and understand how to live now to prepare for eternity.

These stories, symbols, and signs are the foundational keys to unlocking the special messages and warning God has for our day.

They can bring about change in our lives now and prepare us for the future.

God has given us stories in the Bible as a roadmap to help us effectively maneuver during the last days of Earth’s history.

Before we begin, let’s pray.

God almighty, open our eyes, and ears and give us a willing heart to receive and adhere to your messages of warning for these last days. In Jesus name, Amen

Allusions, Images, Symbols: How to Study Bible Prophecy

(Lesson 10)

Upon Whom the Ends Have Come

Part 1 Introduction

The stories we read in the Bible aren’t just written for ancient history, Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:11-12 tells us they are a warning, and a guide for us!

👉 “Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:11-12).
The Bible is filled with powerful stories of God’s people —  stories that point ahead to future events designed to help us understand present truth, truth relevant to our day.
These aren’t just ancient stories; they hold keys to open our eyes, hearts and minds to a better understandingof the things going on in our day.

Some of these stories foreshadow last-day events with surprising, and even shocking, details.

They build a foundation that helps us understand the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation — but not to create fear, but to offer hope. Hope because they help us see God’s hand moving through earth’s history.

We must remember, God, in His love, never violates individual freedom or forces anyone’s conscience.

But He can, and does, perfectly steer the flow of world events, especially in the last days.

And He has revealed these things to His prophets.

Some examples include:

The story of Sodom and Gomorrah, in which cities were destroyed by fire from heaven because of the people’s wickedness.

The story of the Flood, in which Noah preached for over a 100 years, warning people that God would destroy the earth with a flood because of their wickedness. 🌧
The New Testament points back to these moments, showing they are a pattern for the end times.

There are also other stories that are not so obvious, but with careful thought and reflection they likewise reveal hidden truths God planted in His Word to guide us.

Therefore, we examine these key Bible stories to see what they have to say about the events that will occur before Christ Returns.
We, however, must never forget Jesus Christ is the center of it all.
He is the purpose, the goal, and the heart of every prophecy, every warning, and every promise.
Without Jesus, prophecy is just words.
But with Jesus, prophecy becomes a lifeline of hope, conviction, and love.

God is still speaking, still warning, and still admonishing His people to be ready.

What happens to those who refuse to observe the warning signs?

Read Revelation 6:12-17 and Matthew 24:36–44. 

Then continue to Part 2: The Wrath of the Lamb

Allusions, Images, Symbols: How to Study Bible Prophecy

(Lesson 10)

Upon Whom the Ends Have Come

Part 2: The Wrath of the Lamb

🌿 God loves us too much to let us be caught off guard.

Because He loves us, before He makes a move, he warns us.

Those warnings are all around us.

Paying attention to and adhering to them could change how you live your life now and in the future.

If you read Revelation 6:12-17 you may have noticed that the people spoken of appear not to be confused.

They’re not asking, “What’s going on?” or “Who’s doing this?”

No, they know it’s Jesus. They call Him the Lamb, which means they know who He is and what He has done.

They recognize that the great day of His wrath has come, and they realize they are in a hopeless situation, therefore they cry saying in Revelation 6:17

¹⁷ For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”, (Revelation 6:17)

“Who is able to stand?”

But here’s the part that should wake us up.

Jesus proclaims in Matthew 24:14 that prior to the end, the gospel is carried to every nation on earth.

🌿“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14)

Everyone will have a chance, and those who adhere to the three angels’ messages of Revelation 14:6-13 will be able to stand.

The three angels’ message will be proclaimed to everyone living person on the entire planet.

🌍 But even with all that, many will still be caught off guard — not because they don’t have the information, but because they chose not to believe or obey.

That’s why they will not be able to stand at the end of earth’s history.

To help us get this point Jesus gives us a lesson of warning in Matthew 24:36–44.

He directs us to the story of Noah in Genesis 6-9 of the Old Testament:

Jesus warns that just like in Noah’s day, the Flood didn’t come by surprise. They were warned because Noah preached for 120 years!

And they refused to listen and believe.

But here’s where it hits close to home.

Today, many people comfort themselves just as Peter warns in 2 Peter 3:3- 4

³ knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 

⁴ and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” (2 Peter 3:3–4)

We are warned that as time goes on, more and more people will mock the idea of Jesus returning.

They’ll say, “Look, nothing’s changed!” But that attitude is dangerous, because it blinds people just like it did before the Flood.🌟

What’s more, tomorrow is not promised. We could be here today and gone tomorrow.

The time to wake up is now.

Before God acts, He warns.

Don’t be caught off guard.

In Noah day everyone was destroy except Noah and his Family. What happened to all the people?

 Read Matthew 24:37–39 and compare it to Genesis 6:1–8 what similarities do you see? What can we do not to be like them. Share your thoughts.

Then, View the next segment of this video, Part 3: Noah’s Evangelism

Allusions, Images, Symbols: How to Study Bible Prophecy

(Lesson 10)

Upon Whom the Ends Have Come

Part 3: Noah’s Evangelism

🌿Could we be like the people before the flood, not prepared for Christ Coming? 🌊

Peter in 2 Peter 3:5 reminds us that many people are unprepared for Christ’s return because they choose to forget what happened in Noah day.

“⁵ For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water,” (2 Peter 3:5)

Even though most cultures around the world — from the ancient Greeks to the Mayans — tell the story of a great flood.

However, today, the story of Noah is one of the most mocked and ridiculed stories in the Bible.

As predicted, people have willfully pushed the story of the flood aside as a myth, ignoring how clearly it is described in the Old Testament and how often it is referred to in the New Testament.

In fact, Jesus Himself gave us a warning in 🌿 Matthew 24:37–39 saying:

³⁷ But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 

³⁸ For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 

³⁹ and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. (Matthew 24:37–39)

Jesus is telling us that the world, just like in Noah’s time, will be busy with everyday life :

— eating, drinking, marrying

— without a thought of what’s coming upon the world.

Now when we compare this with the picture painted in Genesis 6:1–8

In Noah’s day, the world was full of wickedness and violence, and people’s hearts were set on evil continuously.

Jesus says our time will be just like that.

The corruption, the violence, the hardness of heart — all of it will rise again before His return.

As God now acts, As He warns us, He calls us to be faithful to Him, even when those around us laugh and make fun of us.

Hebrews 11:7 provides a beautiful lesson on faithfulness:

⁷ By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. (Hebrews 11:7)

Imagine preaching for over a hundred years and only saving your own family.

If Noah were a modern-day preacher, he might be labelled a failure by many.

From his decades of work, he got little  results.

But God saw his faithfulness, and Noah became an heir of righteousness.

Imagine you preaching for more than a century with nothing to show for it but your own family.

Now, here’s the good news.

Right now, in many parts of the world people are open and hungry for the word of God.

The unique message of the three angels in Revelation 14:6-12 shared by God’s last-day people — is bringing people to Christ in amazing numbers.

But we’ve also been told that a day is coming when the doors will close.

🌿 Ellen G. White, in The Great Controversy, says:

“probation will close, and the door of mercy will be shut. Thus in the one short sentence, ‘They that were ready went in with him to the marriage, and the door was shut,’ we are carried down through the Saviour’s final ministration, to the time when the great work for man’s salvation shall be completed.”—Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 428.

Until that day comes, we have work to do.

You might wonder,

“How can I keep going when I don’t see results? Why should I keep trying?”

🌿 John 4:37 offers hope saying:

³⁷ For in this the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’ (John 4:37)

Jesus reminds us that we may be planting seeds that we’ll never see bloom — and that’s okay. 🌱

We sow, others reap, but God is the one in control of the harvest.

So, don’t get discouraged.

Before God acts, He warns — and He calls us to warn others.

Even when it feels like no one’s listening, your faithfulness matters. 💛

Just like in the time of Noah, and despite the condition of Sodom and Gomorrah, we see more evidence that our faith does matter and that before God moves, He gives us warnings. 

Read 2 Peter 2:4–11, Jude 5–8, Ezekiel 16:46–50 and Romans 1:18-32, what was the moral condition of these cities before they were destroyed, and what similar conditions do you see today? Share your thoughts.

Then Continue to the next segment of this video, Part 4: The Story of Sodom and Gomorrah

Allusions, Images, Symbols: How to Study Bible Prophecy

(Lesson 10)

Upon Whom the Ends Have Come

Part 4: The Story of Sodom and Gomorrah

🌿 Before God acts, He warns — not just the world, but His own people, because sometimes we are more at risk than we realize.

 Peter in 2 Peter 2:4–11 tells us that God did not spare angels when they sinned.

He committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment.

Likewise, He didn’t spare the ancient world.

But He did saved Noah, a man who warned others for 120 years about the coming destruction.

God also destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah burning them to ashes because of the wickedness of those cities, but He saved Lot, a man of righteous who was disturbed by all the evil around him.

Peter goes on to say that God knows how to rescue the godly from trials and how to punish the wicked when the time comes.

He warns about people who follow their sinful desires, disrespect authority, and boldly speak against things they don’t understand.

▶You see, God sees both the good and the bad.

And He knows how to protect those who love Him and how to deal with those who keep choosing to do evil.

Jude 5–8 reminds us that God saved His people out of Egypt but later destroyed those who didn’t believe.

It speaks of the angels who left their place in heaven are now chained up, waiting for judgment.

He talks about Sodom and Gomorrah, saying they gave themselves over to sexual sin and unnatural desires.

They are identified as an example of those who will face punishment by fire.

Jude offers a stern warning even for our day, to those who reject authority, follow their sinful desires, and speak badly about heavenly things they don’t understand.

God’s past judgments show us that sin has real consequences.

Just like the people and angels in the past faced punishment, people today who refuse to follow God’s ways will face judgment too.

In Ezekiel 16:46–50 God speaking through the prophet compares Jerusalem to Samaria and Sodom, saying they are like sisters in sin.

 He points out that Jerusalem was worse!

Jesus goes on to describe Sodom’s sins: they were proud, had excess food, and they were lazy.

They didn’t help the poor and needy.

They were proud and did things that were evil before God.

Therefore, He destroyed them.

▶ Notice that Sodom wasn’t just judged because of sexual sin.

What were the moral conditions that led to the destruction of these cities?

✅ They were full of pride

✅ They were selfish and greedy

✅ They ignored the poor and didn’t help those in need

✅ They chased after sinful sexual desires

✅ They disrespected God’s authority and refused to change their ways

Look around, and you can see many of the same problems today:

✔ People are proud and think they don’t need God.

✔ Many live only for themselves, ignoring the needs of the poor and hurting.

✔ Sexual sin and desires are often celebrated, not corrected.

✔ People disrespect authority, both human and divine, and reject God’s truth.

✔ Some even mock or speak against spiritual things they don’t understand.

Thus, the destruction of people in Noah’s Day and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is not just a stories of the past but a warning for today.

God wants us to live humbly, help others, and walk in His ways — not following the crowd into sin.

Just as He saved Noah and Lot, God will save those who stay faithful to Him.

Just as He judged those ancient cities, He will one day deal with the wicked again.

The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were legendary for their evil — wickedness was so deep they became the first population centers destroyed by fire from heaven.

But here’s the shocker: God reminds His people of how much He has loved them.

But still, in Ezekiel 16:47 He warns them that even though they didn’t do the exact same sins as Sodom, they had become even more wicked than Sodom.

In other words, God tells His own people in Ezekiel that they had become more corrupt than Sodom.

Can you imagine the surprise of Israel, hearing that they were worse than the people they looked down on!

Ezekiel 16:41 points out that, Israel had been acting like an unfaithful wife turning away from God.

Sodom and Gomorrah’s destruction is a warning for the people of today.

The wicked will once again be destroyed by fire, as described in Revelation 20.

Sin is sneaky. It blinds us to our own heart condition.

We can easily see the wickedness in others, but we cover our own sins with self-approval.

In Ezekiel 16:47, God tells Israel they didn’t commit exactly the same sins, but they had actually become more wicked.

This is not just about a warning to ancient Israel, but a warning to us

Paul, makes this clear saying in Romans 1:18, 25, 29-32,

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,

²⁵ who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen

²⁹ being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 

³⁰ backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 

³¹ undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 

³² who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

✏ Paul lists of human sins sound like today’s news headlines.

But he didn’t write this so the Jews could feel superior.

No, he wrote it so they would understand the seriousness of their own sins.

Nathan the prophet used the same approach when he confronted King David.

He told David the story of a rich man who stole a poor man’s lamb in 2 Samuel 12:5–7

⁵ So David’s anger was greatly aroused against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this ^[a]shall surely die! 

⁶ And he shall restore fourfold for the lamb, because he did this thing and because he had no pity.”

⁷ Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. (2 Samuel 12:5–7)

David was outraged at the injustice in the story, but he couldn’t see his own guilt until Nathan pointed it out.

That’s human nature — we often spot sin in others but miss it in ourselves.

Here’s the part we cannot miss.

The Bible’s warnings are not mainly written to the outside world — they’re addressed to God’s own people.

When we read about the terrible sins in Revelation 13 or 17, it’s not just about those who do not claim to be following God.

It’s a warning for us too, so that we do not fall into the same traps.

Thus, that before God acts, He warns.

And His warnings aren’t just for the world — they’re for you and me.

Read Genesis 18:17-32 observe how God responds to Abraham questions. Pay close attention to what this says about His character and His desire for us to know his plan before he acts.

Then, continue to the next segment of this video, Part 5:   The Judge of All the Earth

Allusions, Images, Symbols: How to Study Bible Prophecy

(Lesson 10)

Upon Whom the Ends Have Come

Part 5: The Judge of All the Earth

Before God acts, He warns — but even more than that, He invites us to come close to His heart, so we can understand His plans and respond to His loves. 💛

The story of Sodom and Gomorrah reveals something beautiful and tender about God’s character, and His justice.

Let’s go back, to just before Sodom’s destruction, to an interesting moment on the plains of Mamre.

God Himself, accompanied by two angels, appears to Abraham.

When Abraham sees them, he invites them to share a meal.

It’s here, in this intimate setting, that God promises Abraham and Sarah a son who would lead to the Messiah.

 Galatians 3:16 confirms this saying:

“Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, ‘And to seeds,’ as of many, but as of one, ‘And to your Seed,’ who is Christ.” (Galatians 3:16)

Jesus, the Messiah, comes directly from Abraham’s blood line.

This visit wasn’t just about judgment — it was about promise and hope.

It was about God’s promise of a coming Messiah to save the entire world from destruction.

But then, the story shifts.

Suddenly, in Genesis 18:17–32 the conversation turns to the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Genesis 18:17–19 says:

¹⁷ The Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, 

¹⁸ since Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and in him all the nations of the earth will be blessed? ¹⁹

¹⁹ For I have chosen him, so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him.” (Genesis 18:17–19)

God doesn’t owe us an explanation. He could act in silence if He wanted to.

But He chooses to reveal His plans, and His motives to us humans to save us.

Amos 3:7 makes this point saying

“Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.” (Amos 3:7)

God doesn’t just immediately send fire from heaven down on Sodom and Gomorrah, He instead lingers, with Abraham. He stays back and discusses with him what was about to happen while the two angels were sent ahead to Sodom to warn those who would listen.

This is much like the angels in Revelation 14:6–12 and Revelation 18:1–4 calling God’s people to come out of Babylon so that they can escape before judgment falls.

Even as we come to the end of earth history, God is still warning, still reaching out, still calling people to come out of Babylon and be saved.

Now, look at Abraham’s sincere conversation with God in Genesis 18:25

“ ‘Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked,’ ” Abraham comments, and then asks, “ ‘Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?’ ” (Genesis 18:25)

Abraham isn’t just questioning the fate of Sodom; he’s investigating God’s character. And interesting enough God allows it.

He willingly subjects Himself to Abraham’s questions.

Now let’s fast forward to the final judgment.

Before God brings down fire at the very end of time,🌿

Revelation 20:4, 11–15 tells us that God opens the books of heaven and allows us to investigate the evidence before He finally brings fire down on the earth.

The time allotted for examining the books describes the thousand-year period when the redeemed will review the record books, to understand who is lost and why.

In other words, God gives us time — a thousand years — to examine the evidence, ask questions, and understand His judgments.

God is so open, so transparent, that even though we, His created beings, have no right to demand explanations, He does so, out of his love for us.

Because He loves us, Before He acts, He warns. Before He judges, He explains.

Bible speaks of an investigative judgement that is going on now. Daniel 7 gives us a glimpse of this scene. Read Daniel 7:9, 10, 13, 14, 22, 26, and 27 see what you discovered about this investigative judgement. What is it? And why is it significant to us today?

Then, continue to the next segment of this video, Part 6: The Pre-Advent Judgement

Allusions, Images, Symbols: How to Study Bible Prophecy

(Lesson 10)

Upon Whom the Ends Have Come

Part 6: The Pre-Advent Judgment

Before God acts, He warns — and today, in fact, He has pulls back the curtain for us to see how judgment works and how His mercy covers us.

The description of the Judgement is found in Daniel 7 it gives us a glimpse behind the veil, where God is working out His plan to resolve the sin problem and redeem those who wish to live in a covenant relationship with Him.

The primary focus of Daniel 7 is the investigative judgment. It is a process in which the books are opened, the evidence is reviewed, and the final verdict is given in favor of the saints.

At the end, Jesus, the Son of Man, takes possession of the kingdom for His people.

This shows us that salvation is not about us proving ourselves but about Jesus standing for us.

Ecclesiastes 12:14 clearly indicates that every human will stand in judgment.

It says:

¹⁴ For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil. (Ecclesiastes 12:14)

And Paul in Romans 14:10 reminds us that we have no need to judge each other, saying

10 But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. (Romans 14:10)

God doesn’t need records to know who is saved or lost, but the angels in heaven — who have watched the great story unfold — naturally have questions.

They witnessed Satan’s rebellion.

The saw a third of heaven’s angels expelled from heaven,  as indicated in Revelation 12:4, and now they see humans brought into God’s presence.

Therefore, God opens the books and allows the save to see everything.

This moment is similar the story of Abraham’s pleading for Sodom in

Genesis 18:20:

“And the Lord said, ‘Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grave…’” (Genesis 18:20)

The sins of Sodom were being investigate; God told Abraham that the city’s wickedness was so bad that people were crying out about it.

Just like Sodom’s sins were investigated, God invites Abraham to examine the question of whether God is acting fair and righteously?

This examination reflects what happens in the judgment: before destruction, God gives space for the evidence to be studied, so His character can be vindicated.

And who stands in the middle of heaven’s courtroom?

Jesus — the Son of Man.

Look at 🌿 Daniel 7:13, 22 (NKJV):

¹³ “I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him.

²² until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom. (Daniel 7:13, 22)

Jesus’ perfect righteousness is our only hope in the judgment.

Imagine standing before God, with all your secrets exposed. What could possibly save you?

Only Jesus, your Advocate. He can stand in your place.

Hear these powerful words from Ellen G. White In Prophets and Kings.  “The high priest cannot defend himself or his people from Satan’s accusations… He stands before the Angel, confessing their guilt, yet pointing to their repentance and humiliation, and relying upon the mercy of a sin-pardoning Redeemer…

In his own strength, man cannot meet the charges of the enemy… But Jesus, our Advocate, presents an effectual plea… He pleads their cause, and by the mighty arguments of Calvary, vanquishes their accuser… His perfect obedience to God’s law has given Him all power… and He claims from His Father mercy and reconciliation for guilty man.” (Ellen G. White In Prophets and Kings, pp. 583–586)

Satan accuses, but Jesus defends.

We stand before God in stained garments, but Jesus steps in, pleading for us — not because we are faultless, but because we trust in His righteousness.

It is true before God acts, He warns, and He invites us to stand protected under Jesus’ covering today.

You don’t have to face judgment alone — Jesus, your Advocate, has already won your case. 💛

When we accept Jesus our advocate and adhere to God’s warnings, we do not have to fear the judgement.  

Because Jesus is our hope. This hope is something everyone needs to know about.

Help spread this message of hope.

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