Hungry Generation || Pastor Vladimir Savchuk

The cost of discipleship has always been high. Being an active, outspoken Christian is never perfectly safe. You’re safe if you’re silent. Every one of these men could have saved their lives by keeping quiet. But the blood of martyrs has always been the seed of the Church. To avoid persecution, all you have to do is compromise or become a cowardly Christian.

The Second Coming of Jesus isn’t a side issue for Christians; it’s the climax of God’s story and the hope of every believer.

- This age – the present fallen world order. Satan is called the “god of this age” (2 Cor. 4:4). Jesus described it as marked by marriage, persecution, and the ongoing presence of evil (Luke 20:34; Matt. 13:39–40).

- The age to come – the eternal order under God’s rule. It is marked by resurrection, eternal life, and God’s justice (Mark 10:30; Luke 20:35). Yet it has already begun with Jesus’ first coming, when He inaugurated His kingdom. His ministry and miracles were signs of the age to come breaking into this present age. Until Christ’s return, both ages exist in overlap.

- The end times (last days) – began with Jesus’ first coming and will continue until His second coming. Hebrews 1:2 says, “In these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son.” On the day of Pentecost, Peter declared that Joel’s prophecy of the last days was already being fulfilled (Acts 2:16–17).

- Escaping is a new popular doctrine that wasn’t held by the Church for over 1,800 years. In 1830, John Nelson Darby, an Anglo-Irish Bible teacher, made this view more famous, as did the Scofield Bible footnotes. Recently, The Late Great Planet Earth by Hal Lindsey.

The Didache (c.50–c.120)
“[T]hen shall appear the deceiver of the world [The Antichrist] … and he shall commit iniquities which have never been since the world began. Then shall the creation of mankind come to the fiery trial and many shall be offended and be lost, but they who endure in their faith shall be saved … Then shall the world see the Lord coming on the clouds of Heaven.” Didache 16:4–8

Epistle of Barnabas (c.80–c.100)
“The final stumbling-block approaches … We take earnest heed in these last days; for the whole time of your faith will profit you nothing, unless now in this wicked time we also withstand coming sources of danger, as becometh the sons of God. That the Black One [Antichrist] may find no means of entrance, let us flee from every vanity, let us utterly hate the works of the way of wickedness. Do not, by retiring apart, live a solitary life, as if you were already justified … Take heed, lest resting at our ease, as those who are the called [of God], we should fall asleep in our sins, and the wicked prince, acquiring power over us, should thrust us away from the kingdom of the Lord.” Epistle of Barnabas, 4

The Shepherd of Hermas (c.95–c.150)
“[Blessed are] you who endure the Great Tribulation that is coming on, and they who shall not deny their own life.”“Those, therefore, who continue steadfast, and are put through the fire, will be purified by means of it.” Vision 2:2; 4:3

Justin Martyr (c.110–c.165)
“He [Jesus Christ] shall come from heaven with glory, when the man of apostasy [Antichrist], who speaks strange things against the Most High, shall venture to do unlawful deeds on the earth against us the Christians.” Dialogue with Trypho, CX

Irenaeus (c.120–c.202)
“And they [the ten kings who serve the Antichrist] shall lay Babylon waste, and burn her with fire, and shall give their kingdom to the beast, and put the Church to flight.” Against Heresies, V, 26, 1
“And therefore, when in the end the Church shall be suddenly caught up from this, it is said, “There shall be tribulation such as hasnot been since the beginning, neither shall be.” For this is the last contest of the righteous, in which, when they overcome they are crowned with incorruption.” Against Heresies, V, 29, 1
“For all these and other words were unquestionably spoken in reference to the resurrection of the just, which takes place after the coming of Antichrist … who have suffered tribulation, as well as escaped the hands of the Wicked one.” Against Heresies, V, 35, 1

Hippolytus (c.185–c.235)
“For when the times advance, he too, [The Antichrist] of whom these thing are said, will be manifested … Now, concerning the tribulation of the persecution which is to fall upon the Church from the adversary … That refers to the one thousand two hundred and threescore days during which the tyrant is to reign and persecute the Church.” Hippolytus, Treatise on Christ and Antichrist, 50, 60, 61, cf. 60–67
“When the times are fulfilled, and the ten horns spring from the beast in the last (times), then Antichrist will appear among them. When he makes war against the saints, and persecutes them, then may we expect the manifestation of the Lord from heaven.” On Daniel, II, 7

- The Bible talks about only one second coming of Jesus Christ, and it will be after the tribulation.
The second coming is mentioned more than 300 times in the NT. Paul refers to it in his epistles at least 50 times. It’s claimed that the second coming is mentioned 8 times as often as the first coming of Jesus. Whole books (1 and 2 Thessalonians) and chapters (Matthew 24, Mark 13) are devoted to it. No one can come to the conclusion that there are two comings of Jesus by reading the Bible without starting with that view. As a good detective, you have to let the Scripture inform your understanding, not impose your view on the Scripture.

- Jesus came to save us from the eternal wrath of God revealed at the final judgment, not from a seven-year Tribulation experienced by a single generation.
Paul’s word that is translated as “wrath” in 1 Thessalonians 5:9 is the Greek term orgē. Every occurrence of this term in Revelation refers not to the Tribulation, but to the catastrophic judgment at its conclusion (Rev. 6:16–17; 11:18; 14:10; 16:19; 19:15). Passages refer to Jesus saving us from damnation at the final judgment, not to Him saving us from great tribulation.Tribulation is not uniquely a time of God’s wrath. God poured out His wrath often (2 Chron. 34:21, 25; Lam. 2:4; Jer. 6:11; 7:20; 42:18; 44:6; Ezek. 20:8, 13, 21; 21:31), and in fact, it continues to happen right now (Rom. 1:18). God’s wrath often falls during the present age; though it is not directed against us, we are still here (Rom. 1:18; 1 Thess. 2:16).

- Scripture consistently shows that God doesn’t always remove His people from trials; He often preserves them through them.
Noah was preserved during the flood (see Genesis 6:8). God didn’t rapture Noah away. He gave Noah instructions to build an ark and protected him through the flood, not from the existence of it.
Lot was relocated, not raptured (see Genesis 19:22). Lot wasn’t removed from the planet. He was relocated to safety just before judgment fell. It was a local escape, not a heavenly removal.
Israel in Egypt stayed during the plagues (see Exodus 8:23). Israel remained in Egypt during the plagues, but God distinguished and protected them while judgment fell around them (see Exodus 9:4; 11:7). The pattern is preservation within judgment, not exemption from it.Rahab was protected in the midst of Jericho (see Joshua 2:18). Rahab wasn’t removed from Jericho—she was protected within it as the city fell.
Three Hebrew boys were protected in the fire (see Daniel 3:17–18). God didn’t keep them from the fire—He walked with them in it (Daniel 3:25). The furnace burned others but could not touch them.

- The “church” in the book of Revelation is not mentioned, but saints are.
It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. Revelation 13:7
These saints are not just “tribulation converts”—they are believers living through the tribulation. The same terminology (“saints”) is used throughout the New Testament to refer to Christians (see Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:2; Ephesians 1:1).

- The most faithful reading of Revelation 3:10 is not physical removal but divine preservation in the midst of suffering.
Nowhere does the Bible say that the churches in Revelation speak of church ages or that the Church of Philadelphia was raptured from trouble. What about the lukewarm church; it’s the last church addressed in the list of churches? These two churches will coexist! That’s stretching it!
The original audience was a real persecuted church in Asia Minor. Historically, no church has ever been raptured out of persecution.
The same phrase ‘kept from’ is also used in John 17:15, where Jesus prays for His disciples to be preserved from the evil one while still in the world. If ‘kept from’ always meant removal, John 17:15 would demand the disciples’ rapture. Since John wrote both the Gospel and Revelation, consistency in usage matters. The natural sense is protection within a hostile environment, not extraction out of it.

- The Marriage Supper of the Lamb will be taking place after the great tribulation.
Jewish people expected the Messianic banquet (Is 25:6–8) to begin with the consummation of God’s Kingdom (Luke 14:15). Yet no text actually says that we eat with Christ during the Tribulation. On the contrary, it is only as Jesus is about to return to judge the earth in Revelation 19:11–16 that the Marriage Supper of the Lamb has come and the Bride has made herself ready (Rev 19:7).
Such announcements about what “has come” can precede the event (Rev 14:7, 15). If the context tells us anything about the timing, it certainly does not precede the Tribulation. This announcement follows the celebration of evil Babylon’s demise (Rev 19:1–4), which comes before Christ’s return, and contrasts with the great supper of God in which the corpses of Christ’s enemies are devoured by birds.

In the end times, there will be three kinds of people: the compromising, the cowardly, and the conquering.

- The same Greek word for “tribulation” (thlipsis) that Jesus used in John 16:33 is also used in passages describing the “great tribulation” (thlipsis megalē) in Matthew 24:21, Revelation 2:22, and Revelation 7:14—showing continuity between everyday afflictions believers face and the climactic distress before Christ’s return.

All seven churches in Revelation were called to overcome: Ephesus (2:7), Smyrna (2:11), Pergamum (2:17), Thyatira (2:26), Sardis (3:5), Philadelphia (3:12), and Laodicea (3:21) and just as Jesus overcame, He calls us to do the same.

Conquer hardship in the world (Mt 24:6-7), hate from others (Mt 24:9), fear of death (Mt 24:9), offense & bitterness (Mt 24:10), deception (Mt 24:11), and complacency (Mt 24:12).

Fear is the enemy’s weapon to muzzle the truth. If Satan cannot destroy the gospel, he will try to silence the messenger. But the blood of martyrs has always been the seed of the Church. From the first apostles to faithful men and women throughout history, persecution only spread the message further.

- Matthew was slain by the sword in Ethiopia.
- Mark was dragged through the streets of Alexandria until he died.
- Luke was hanged in Greece.
- Peter was crucified upside down in Rome.
- Paul was beheaded under Nero’s orders.
- Andrew, bound to a cross, preached until his final breath.

Every single one of them could have saved their lives if they had stayed silent. But they chose to go forward in faith not retreat in fear and their courage carried the gospel to the nations. We must follow in their footsteps. The enemy wants to intimidate us, but 2 Timothy 1:7 says: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

Jewish eschatology teaches that history is moving toward God’s redemption of Israel and the world, a vision rooted in the prophets and expanded in later writings. It speaks of the return of the Jewish people to their land, the coming of a Messiah from David’s line, a final battle against the nations, and the rebuilding of the Temple. These events lead into the Messianic Age of peace, justice, and the knowledge of God, followed by the resurrection of the dead and the eternal world to come. While details are understood differently, the emphasis in Jewish tradition is on living faithfully now and trusting God to bring His promises to pass.

The Bible presents the great tribulation as Israel-centered: the Antichrist’s rise, the great battle, and the nations’ war target Jerusalem and the Jewish people. The church shares in tribulation worldwide, but Scripture frames the final clash around Israel, not the West.

Revelation contains around 400 Old Testament allusions; the most of any New Testament book. By contrast, Hebrews has just over 100. This shows the end-times vision is anchored in the Jewish Scriptures.

- The prophetic texts locate the climactic struggles in the land of Israel, especially Jerusalem. Zechariah 12–14, Ezekiel 38–39 (Gog and Magog), and Daniel 9–12 all envision battles involving nations gathering against Israel.
- In Matthew 24 (Olivet Discourse), Jesus speaks directly about “those in Judea” fleeing (Matt. 24:16) and about tribulation centered in that land, not globally in a generic way.
- The “man of lawlessness” (2 Thess. 2) and the “little horn” (Daniel 7–9) are described in relation to the desecration of the Temple (“abomination of desolation,” Dan. 9:27; Matt. 24:15). This presumes a Jerusalem/Temple-centered stage.
- The beast’s war is directed at the “saints” worldwide, but the decisive imagery circles back to Zion—Revelation 11 speaks of the “holy city” trampled, Revelation 16 gathers the nations to Armageddon (a site in northern Israel), and Revelation 20 echoes Ezekiel’s Gog-Magog battle.
- Biblical eschatology does not focus on the United States or Western nations as the main battleground.
- The “end” unfolds in relation to Israel’s land, people, and covenant, with global consequences that affect the nations and the church, but the epicenter remains Jerusalem.

The Old Testament basis for the concept of “The Great Tribulation” begins in the prophecies of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Daniel. Isaiah uses the language of birth pains and labor to describe the distress or tribulation that comes before His return, the resurrection, and the redemption of all the world.

The Bible compares the events leading up to Christ’s return to birth pains; they come suddenly, grow in intensity, and happen closer together as the end approaches (Mt 24:7–8; Luke 21:10–11; 1 Thess 5:3).

The Bible talks about the spirit and the person of the Antichrist.
Throughout history, there have been certain figures that have resembled the characteristics of the Antichrist. The word “antichrist” is used 7 times in the Bible and only in the Epistles of John. It’s important to note that the Antichrist is not an atheist. He is opposed to Christ.

Facts about Antichrist:

- He will claim to be God. In 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4, Paul writes, “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” He will claim to be God incarnate and his aim will be to have people worship him as God.

- He will blaspheme God. In Revelation 13:6 it is written, “Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven.” Antichrist will openly make fun of and blaspheme God.

- He will display miraculous powers. In Revelation 13:13 it is written, “He performs great signs so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.” No one truly knows how this will play out, but as technology increases, we could see media and live streams playing a huge role in gathering massive crowds that will witness these miraculous events, and potentially be deceived by his display of “power.”

- The Antichrist will come back to life. In Revelation 13:14 it says, “And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived.” Also in Revelation 13:12, it says, “…causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.” According to the Bible, this man will have miraculous healing from a wound that will cause more people to turn and worship him as a messiah figure.

- The Antichrist will rule in full authority. Revelation 13:5 says, “And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for 3 ½ years.” Interestingly enough, the Bible states that God will allow the enemy to have authority on the earth. In Revelation 13:7 it is written that “…authority was given him (beast) over every tribe, tongue, and nation.” The Antichrist will gain full authority over the earth such as the world economy and religion. Of course, there will be people who will resist this authority and cause trouble by not taking the mark of the beast. Those who do not worship the beast will be persecuted and killed.

- The Antichrist will control the world’s economy. Revelation 13:16-17 says, “He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” This concept may have seemed impossible 2000 years ago, but for today’s modern world it seems like we are getting there more and more. We have computer chips in our phones, cars, as well as credit cards. The world seems like it is preparing itself for a one-world government and a one-world system.

- The Antichrist desecrates God’s temple. The Bible also references in Matthew 24:15 the Antichrist man as the “abomination of desolation.” Daniel the prophet warned Israel in Daniel 12:11 and all future generations that, “when you see the ‘abomination of desolation’ standing in the holy place” to flee. Jesus mentions in Matthew 24:21, “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.” This is a strong warning from Jesus, meaning that when this happens everyone will know that the Antichrist has arrived.

- The Antichrist will attempt to destroy Israel. Satan and his entire kingdom seek to destroy Israel. The devil has always hated the Jewish nation that is why we see so much anti-Semitism (hatred of Jewish people) all over the world throughout history. Many people speculate that the Antichrist will bring peace in the Middle East and the Jewish people might be open to that. He might be accepted at first as the messiah who brings peace, but only Jesus the Prince of Peace will ever bring true peace on the earth.

- The Antichrist will cause the Earth’s armies to fight against Christ. For instance, in Revelation 19:19 John writes, “And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army.” The world will be united under the Antichrist, and they will wage war against Christ and His army.

- Final destiny of the Antichrist is in the lake of fire. In Revelation 19:20 John explains how the beast and the false prophet were captured and thrown into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.

Revelation is full of sharp contrasts; it often presents truth in pairs of opposites. These highlight the cosmic battle between God’s kingdom and Satan’s counterfeit.

- Lamb vs. Beast. Christ as the slain Lamb (Rev. 5:6) vs. the Beast from the sea/earth (Rev. 13).
- Bride vs. Harlot. The Bride (New Jerusalem, faithful Church, Rev. 21:2) vs. the Great Prostitute (Babylon, Rev. 17–18).
- Jerusalem vs. Babylon. Holy City (Rev. 21:10–27) vs. Fallen Babylon (Rev. 18).
- Seal of God vs. Mark of the Beast. God’s servants sealed (Rev. 7:3; 14:1) vs. the beast’s mark on forehead/hand (Rev. 13:16–17).
- Worship of the Creator vs. Worship of the Beast. True worship (Rev. 4–5) vs. idolatrous worship (Rev. 13:4, 8).
- The Woman Clothed with the Sun vs. The Scarlet Woman. Pure woman (Rev. 12) vs. corrupted woman (Rev. 17).
- Life vs. Death. Book of Life (Rev. 20:15; 21:27) vs. Lake of Fire (Rev. 20:14–15).
- True Prophet vs. False Prophet. Jesus and His witnesses (Rev. 11; 19:10) vs. Beast’s false prophet (Rev. 13:11–15).
- Throne of God vs. Throne of Satan. Heavenly throne (Rev. 4:2; 22:1) vs. Satan’s throne (Rev. 2:13; 13:2).
- New Heaven & Earth vs. Old Earth Passing Away. Creation renewed (Rev. 21:1) vs. old creation destroyed (Rev. 20:11).
- Overcomers vs. Cowards/Unfaithful. Those who conquer (Rev. 2–3; 21:7) vs. the cowardly, unbelieving (Rev. 21:8).
- The River of Life vs. The Lake of Fire. Life flowing from God’s throne (Rev. 22:1–2) vs. eternal death (Rev. 20:14–15).

Mark of the Beast:
The seal of the Lamb appears first in Revelation 7:1–8 and 14:1. It does not make people God’s own, but identifies and protects those already loyal to Him through union with the Lamb. In contrast, the devil duplicates this with the mark of the beast (Rev. 13:16–18). The mark is tied to worship and allegiance; not just technology. Whether or not it involves a chip, what defines the mark is devotion to the beast and his kingdom, just as the seal identifies those who belong to Christ.