In this article ...
The Bible, Old and New Testaments, is all about God, salvation, and salvation history. These charts contain the key events in salvation history.
Before the Old Covenant |
Old Covenant |
Church Age |
End Times
| Event |
Description |
| Eternity past |
God always was; no angels, no universe. |
| Angels created |
Ezekiel 28:13,15 |
| Lucifer's rebellion |
Revelation 12:4; Isaiah 14:12; Ezekiel 28:15,17. After this, Lucifer is named Satan (adversary). |
| God creates the universe |
Genesis 1. God created the universe as a home for those he would redeem. |
| God creates life on earth |
Genesis 1.
From the beginning there was pain, suffering, and death in this world: Adam didn't die physically when he sinned (Romans 5:12) and Adam's judgment of death was only for humans (Genesis 2:17; 1 Corinthians 15:21,22; Genesis 3:19). |
| God creates Adam |
Genesis 1:26,27; 2:7 |
| God creates Eve |
Genesis 1:27; 2:21-23 |
| Age of innocence |
Genesis 2:25 |
| Satan tempts Eve |
Genesis 3:1-6 |
| Adam falls |
Genesis 3:6. He hides from God. |
| Judgment |
Genesis 3:14-19. Judgment of Satan, Adam, Eve, and the whole human race.
A few points to note:
- Satan (the serpent, Revelation 12:9) is at war with Jesus' mother Mary (the woman) — because the term "her seed" refers to Christ (Galatians 3:16; Revelation 12:17).
- Satan and Satan's seed (unbelievers) are at war with Christ ("her seed") and with believers ("her seed") (Revelation 12:17).
|
| Establishment of sacrificial system |
Genesis 3:21 |
| Satan's agenda |
Satan in heaven trying to prevent the coming of the Messiah. (Genesis 3:15)
Satan is at war with Michael and the angels; Michael had been fighting with Satan during the time of Daniel (Daniel 10:13), Moses (Jude 9), and the Romans (Daniel 12:1) who ultimately destroyed Jerusalem and the temple. The last time we hear of Michael is when Satan was evicted from heaven (Revelation 12:7,8) at Jesus' baptism. |
| Salvation history |
In every generation there is a promised seed (including Seth, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, Solomon) from whose line the Messiah will appear (Matthew 1:1). The events of the Old Testament and those in the New Testament up to the crucifixion of Jesus involve Satan's attempt to destroy the Messiah, the promised seed, by severing this line. |
| Humanity is wicked |
Genesis 4:8; 6:5,11. Murder |
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| Event |
Description |
| Abraham |
|
| The 12 tribes of Israel |
|
| Moses |
Redeemer |
| Water from the rock |
Exodus 17:6; 1 Corinthians 10:4 |
| Manna from heaven |
Exodus 16:15; John 6:50,51 |
| Israel possess the land |
|
| Israel a nation |
|
| Israel is divided |
|
| Israel's religious decay |
Hosea 6:6. Prophets. |
| God's presence departs from the temple |
Ezekiel 11:23 |
| Israel's captivity |
|
| Israel returns |
Smaller, humbler |
| Israel's religious decay |
|
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Notice that the woman of Revelation 12:1 is Mary who is also the church (Revelation 12:6) because the church comes from her — therefore, the church was born when Mary was born. She is the woman of Genesis 3:15 who is Satan's enemy. She must have been sinless or Satan would have conquered her.
| Event |
Description |
| John the Baptist |
|
| The annunciation |
Luke 1:28,34,35; Revelation 12:2. This is the event that Satan has been trying to prevent. |
| Jesus is born |
Isaiah 9:6,7; Revelation 12:5. This is the event that Satan has been trying to prevent. |
| Herod kills the infants |
Revelation 12:4. But Joseph save Jesus and Satan is thwarted. I wonder how the young John (the Baptist) was spared? |
| The silent years of Jesus |
Luke 2:46-52. The Magnificat of Mary (Luke 1:46-55) sounds a lot like the beautitudes. She must have been a Spirit-filled, holy, and godly woman who was anointed to teach Jesus about the ways of life and about God from his earliest days on earth. |
| Jesus is baptized |
Daniel 9:24-25 |
| Satan is cast to earth |
Ezekiel 28:16,17; Luke 10:18; Revelation 12:9,10.
To the bottomless pit (Revelation 9:1; 20:3)
His activities:
- He persecutes the church causing persecution, suffering, and martyrdom of believers.
- His powers are limited such that he cannot corrupt the gospel (although he causes disharmony, division, and discord in the church) — he cannot deceive the nations (Revelation 20:2,3) for 1,000 years. There are heretics who attempt to corrupt the gospel but their heresies are defeated. Non-essential teachings surround the gospel but the message of salvation shines through undistorted.
|
| 3+ year ministry of Jesus |
|
| Jesus is crucified |
Daniel 9:26-27. After this, sacrifice and offerings for sin are no longer needed. The destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. should have made this apparent to everyone. |
| Three days in "hell" |
Matthew 12:40; 1 Peter 3:19 |
| Resurrection |
Satan's plan to destroy the promised seed was thwarted. Now he focuses on discrediting the gospel message and on tempting people to hate God and to live wicked lives. |
| Ascension |
|
| Waiting for Pentecost |
|
| Holy Spirit falls |
|
| Christianity for Jews |
Daniel 12:1-3. The Jews are saved by becoming Christians. |
| Christianity for Samaritans |
|
| Christianity for Gentiles |
|
| Apostles die |
|
| Post-apostolic church |
|
| Destruction of Jerusalem and the temple |
In 70 A.D. Daniel 11:31; 12:6-12;
Matthew 24:1,2,15,16,21,22. This event figures prominently in many New Testament passages. |
| Satan released |
Revelation 20:7-9. 1054 A.D. Before the apostasy and great tribulation — Satan is released for a short time. |
| East-west split |
In 1054 A.D. the eastern and western churches become divided. This marked the end of the 1,000 years of Revelation 20. |
| Gospel preached to the whole world |
Matthew 24:14 |
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There are no yet-future events which must occur as a prerequisite to the second coming of Christ, in fact, Christ could have come back anytime even during the early days of the New Testament church.
All these events are part of the second coming of Christ. The second coming of Christ is not a single quick event; there are various phases to it.
| Event |
Description |
| Apostasy |
2 Thessalonians 2:3; Matthew 24:10–12; Luke 18:8. The apostasy is the first woe; the fifth trumpet judgment
The apostasy triggers the appearence of the anti-Christ (the Holy Spirit indwelling true believers is "taken out of the way" — 2 Thessalonians 2:6-9) |
| Antichrist |
2 Thessalonians 2:3,4. The second woe; the sixth trumpet judgment.
Satan opposes Christ. |
| Rebuild temple |
2 Thessalonians 2:4. Anti-Christ negotiates peace in the Middle East; one of his goals is to proclaim himself as God in a Jewish temple. |
| War against Israel |
Ezekiel 38 & 39. Anti-Christ secretly orchestrates this nuclear attack against Israel. It takes 7 years to clean up the mess. |
| Antichrist persecutes the church |
For 3 years |
| Two witnesses preach |
Revelation 11:3-6; Zechariah 4:2-3,6,11-12,14. Enoch (to non-Jews) & Elijah (to Jews) |
| Killed by antichrist |
Revelation 11:7-12. Their bodies lie in street for 3-1/2 days |
| Mass conversion of Jews |
Romans 11:25,26. Due to the preaching of the two witnesses, especially Elijah. |
| Antichrist dies |
|
| Intermediate period |
Matthew 24:37-39. After the anti-Christ there will be a time of normalcy, perhaps short, perhaps millions of years.
Notice that the end does not occur immediately after the anti-Christ is killed. (Luke 17:26-30) |
| Christ appears in heaven |
Matthew 24:30,31; Luke 21:27. There will be miraculous apparitions of Christ all over the earth. Christ wishes to redeem his fallen-away people.
The third woe; the seventh trumpet judgment.
The second coming of Christ is not a single quick event; there are various phases to it. |
| The final war = Great Tribulation |
Revelation 19:19. This war is literally against Christ. Matthew 24:21 |
| Second coming of Christ |
The souls of believers in heaven (and purgatory) will witness this event (they will "come with Christ"). Just as the apostles watched Jesus ascend into heaven in the clouds, so also everyone will watch Jesus return to earth from the clouds — those on earth will look up into the sky to see him; those in heaven will follow him "down" to those lower heavenly realms associated with the earth as he again enters into this physical universe. |
| Beast and false prophet judged |
Revelation 19:20 |
| Physical transformation of universe |
Matthew 24:29; Luke 21:25,26; 2 Peter 3:5-7; 1 Corinthians 3:13-15 |
| Satan is judged |
Revelation 20:10. Satan is judged and removed from the scene. |
| White throne judgment |
Revelation 20:11-15. God judges humans; they go to the new heavens / new earth or Gehenna (hell). Notice that they are judged for their works. |
| General resurrection |
Daniel 12:1-3
1 Corinthians 15:52
1 Thessalonians 4:17
Matthew 24:31
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| Eternity future |
Revelation 22:1-5. God always is; new heavens and new earth exist forever; angels and humans in one of two places: (1) heaven with God (angels) or new heavens / new earth (humans), or (2) Gehenna (hell), the lake of fire. (Daniel 7:13,14,27) |
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