End of times

 

I would appreciate your views on this please.

There was a preacher on TV talking about the End of Times as described in the book of Revelations in the Bible. He talked about the Rapture first - that's when some people will be "taken away" (to Heaven) and some will remain. Then he described seven years of Tribulations. These will be bad times when a leader will arise (the Anti-Christ) who will rule the world harshly and lead people away from God. Then there will be the Battle of Armageddon when Christ will return and fight evil and Jesus will be victorious. There will then follow 1000 years (the Millenium) when Christ will rule the world and then the Final Judgement with a new Heaven and a new Earth.

I think I have understood all this according to what the TV preacher said.

My question is: WHY?

Why is God going through all this - the Rapture, Seven years of Tribulations, Armageddon, and the Millenium and finally the Final Judgement? Have we perhaps misunderstood the book of Revelations and the book of Daniel where all this is predicted?

Here is what the Catholic Church (my Church) teaches:

The moment you die your Particular Judgement takes place. 

It is then decided by God if you will go straight to Heaven or spend time in Purgatory or you will go straight to Hell.

No one can say that when someone dies they are in Heaven. 

Only God knows that. 

You may think that a good person is in Heaven, but you may be wrong.

The Final Judgement takes place at the end of the world when God will divide the sheep from the goats.

Our Particular Judgement takes place the moment we die but there is the General Final Judgement for all at the end of time.

When resurrected we will have new bodies.

Peter and the rest of the Apostles and Saints, and all the "good" people who have departed before us, are souls in Heaven.

They have to wait until the end of the world before they have their resurrected bodies. 

This to me seems a much simpler outcome. We die, we are judged, and we go where we are meant to go. Although I always have some difficulty with the bit about when we are resurrected we'll have new bodies.

Again, my question is: WHY?

Why do we need new bodies in Heaven? Will we eat and drink, and walk, and dance, and go to the beach, and so on? Angels and Saints do not have bodies, (do they?) They are souls!

Anyway, over to you. What do you think about the End of Times as described by this TV preacher? What is taught in your Church or by your pastor?