1 Cor. 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
Mat 25:13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
Good morning, reader! What we have covered thus far on this subject of the Rapture has been exciting to me. I can remember the first time I ever heard about it and thought to myself what a wonderful gift the Lord is offering to His children!!
The most prevalent point to the Rapture is its timing. Mid and post tribulation believers have tried to discredit those who believe in the pre-Tribulation Rapture for years. But they cannot dispute the timing.
Remember this, the Old Testament revolves around Israel and the judgment that is to come. The Old Testament doesn’t revolve around the church. The church isn’t spoken of in Revelation after Revelation 4:1:
Rev 4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
When we search the Scriptures which talk about Christ’s return, we find verses that tell us we won’t know the day and hour. Matthew 25:13 says Jesus will return at an unknown time. But yet we read in Revelation 12:6, there is an exact number of days specifying how long Israelites will be nourished in a place that God prepared for them: God takes care of them in the wilderness for 1260 days. That’s pretty specific, if you ask me.
Rev 12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
The 1,260 days begin when the Antichrist stands in the Temple and declares himself to be God!
2 Th 2:3-4 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; (4) Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
The 1260 days spoken of above are exactly three and a half years, which is in the middle of the Tribulation.
Dan 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
The Rapture and the Tribulation are two separate events. No hope or consolation can be given to people who are about to go through the worse time in history! Does this excite you, reader? It surely does me! But to the one who is not saved, it is a different story. Friend, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!
1Th 1:9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; 1Th 1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
Good morning! As I look at today’s picture, I can almost see the Lord at the sunrise, behind the cloud, eagerly awaiting the go ahead from the Father to meet us there! Can’t you? I look for the Rapture daily in eager anticipation that our earthly trials will one day be over! I think of spending eternity with Christ and being able to worship at His feet!
Are you as excited as I am? Please go ahead and leave a comment so we can anticipate His return together! Many, however, don’t believe that the Church will be spared from the Tribulation. How sad for them! I joke around and reply, “Well, won’t they be pleasantly surprised when we are”! But what is there for the believer to look forward to or encourage one another with if all there is is seven years of horrible judgment?
We believe that the Rapture is imminent. This word means literally means hanging over, impending, threatening. It can happen at any time. The Apostle Paul taught it in AD 51, reader! So go ahead and re-read todays two verses and imagine Paul’s motivation when he wrote about the Rapture. The Thessalonians were side tracked by those who were saying that the Rapture had already happened and that they had entered the Tribulation period. When Paul heard this, he wrote to them:
2 Th 2:1-3 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, (2) That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. (3) Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
Paul had taught them properly and they were being deceived; much like today! The Tribulation cannot start until a great falling away first comes and the Antichrist is revealed. Those things have a timing. The Rapture does not. God did not have Noah build the ark when it first started raining. No! It took Noah somewhere between 50-75 years to build it. The ark kept the judgment waters from Noah and his family. That same ark didn’t have a stern, helm or bow. It was totally under God’s control. In fact, God Himself shut the door to the ark, locking the eight survivors inside safe and sound. Jesus is known as our Ark of protection. Once we are saved and enter into His protection. His payment on the cross for our sins gives us the entrance into His ark and He will protect us from the wrath to come.
The imminence of the Rapture can only be seen using the pre-Tribulation view. There is no timing, as we’ve seen with the Thessalonians in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2. But if you have a different view, there is a definite time. If you think the Rapture will occur in mid tribulation times, then you have a definite timing because the Tribulation will be seven years. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that half of seven years is three and a half years. As well, if you think the Rapture will occur post tribulation, you see that seven years of judgment have occurred and it’s time for the Rapture. Why then would the Thessalonians be afraid that it had already occurred?
Mat 24:42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
We are told by Christ Himself that we should watch because we don’t know the hour that He will come. If we don’t know when He will return for us, it keeps us watching. However, if we know it’s mid tribulation or post tribulation, we don’t have to be watching because we know the day.
So we see that the Thessalonians were living in expectation of Christ’s return. The Apostle Paul instructed the believers at Thessalonica that they did not need to heed signs and times, because the New Testament believer has been promised redemption from the “day of darkness” that shall overcome the whole world (1 Thess. 5:1-9).
1 Th 5:1-9 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. (2) For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. (3) For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. (4) But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. (5) Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. (6) Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. (7) For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. (8) But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. (9) For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
The church is not waiting for the appearing of the Antichrist, but for the redemption of the Son of God. Does this excite you, reader? It surely does me! But to the one who is not saved, it is a different story. Friend, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!
Good morning! A beautiful blanket of freshly fallen snow was left overnight and we behold a beautiful scenery. The scenery is quietly left behind. This is exactly how I view the Holy Spirit. He doesn’t speak to my heart with fanfare – He quietly deposits God’s will for me through the His word. Praise the Lord for the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and through the church! I remember when I first was saved and attended my first church service. I’d never been in a church service where people actually enjoyed and loved being there! They had a common goal and that was to love, sing and worship the Lord together! I couldn’t get over the joy in my heart! I’d always attended catholic church and there was never any joy.
So back on point, if you recall, the Old Testament revealed the work of the Holy Spirit at various times when He was needed. He did not reside within those who loved God. He came at a time when God needed to accomplish something. There are many events of His presence but here’s one:
Isa 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
However, in the New Testament, Jesus promised to leave His Spirit with the believers. Notice the verse says that the Holy Spirit would abide with us for ever! If we are to go through the Tribulation, and the Holy Spirit goes back to His Old Testament presence, then this verse is not true!
Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Come one people! The Scriptures do not contradict each other (John 10:35b): “the scripture cannot be broken”!
I firmly believe that the Spirit’s presence was not only needed to comfort and teach, but was also needed so that the Scriptures could be documented. In Acts chapter 2, the Holy Spirit was revealed and He has been with the church ever since. It is He who organized the church (Acts 1:8) and endowed them with gifts. It is He who gave us the Scriptures. It is He who restrains sin until it is time to release God’s judgment upon the entire earth.
2Th 2:1-8 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, (2) That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. (3) Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; (4) Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. (5) Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? (6) And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. (7) For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. (8) And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
Dear reader, all out sin and evil influences are being restrained right now by the Holy Spirit. If He were not within the church, things around us would be far worse. We see the “mystery of iniquity” already at work. Our world appears to have gone crazy. The devil has managed to infiltrate the world with critical race theory, the belief that there are over 100 different genders, and the taking of innocent lives through abortion. This is just to name a few but you can see my point. This sinful influence was not a part of us in the early 1900’s. But the “mystery of iniquity” has crept in and left its influence in the wicked hearts of man.
“Only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way“! From the year 30 AD (when Acts 2 occurred) to today, the Holy Spirit has played an active role in spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the world. The Bible has been translated in 704 languages as of 2020. But not everyone has access as we see below:
According to Ethnologue, there are currently 7,106 living languages in the world. As of 2020 the full Bible has been translated into 704 languages. The New Testament has been translated into 1,551 languages and parts of the Bible have been translated into 1,160 additional languages.
The internet has helped greatly in spreading the Gospel across the globe but still lacks in many under privileged countries. The map below gives us a good idea of how much is still needed.
Friend, once the Holy Spirit is removed at the Rapture, His influence will go back to the Old Testament way for His work. He will work through the 144,000 men of Israel who are sealed (Rev. 7:4) and the two witnesses (Rev 11:3). Their ministry will save many but more will die. Zechariah 13:8 tells us that two thirds of the population will die during the Tribulation. Praise the Lord that the church will be removed prior to this! Be encouraged my friend! Don’t be dismayed. A true shepherd would not lead his sheep to the slaughter but he would take care of them and remove them from harm’s way. So is our Shepherd going to remove His sheep, the church, before the hour of testing to come upon the entire earth.
Does this excite you, reader? It surely does me! But to the one who is not saved, it is a different story. Friend, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!
Luk 21:35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Mat 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
Good morning, reader! How exciting are the times that we’re experiencing! There are wars and rumors of wars going on around us. The various news sources are filled these headlines. But friend, I’m not anxious or afraid at all 🙂
The Bible teaches us that born again believers (those who possess the Holy Spirit in their lives) will not go through this horrible time that will affect the whole world. I understand that there are those who believe that Christians will go through the Tribulation but let’s look at the Scriptures. Today’s verse tells us that this tribulation will affect the entire world. The second verse tells us that it will be like no other time in history.
Rev 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
But Jesus says in Revelation 3:10 that there is a time that will come that will affect the whole world, which is the Tribulation. He also states in that same verse that He will “keep the Christians alive at that time FROM the hour.” He doesn’t say He’ll keep us THROUGH it. How can the Lord keep us FROM this? This must be the time that He removes us from the earth.
This verse does not say that God will keep the church-age saints through the temptation but FROM it. There’s a big difference, amen? I’ve shared the following verses with you before but they are worth repeating. Paul taught us quite a bit about the Rapture and if it occurs in the middle of or at the end of the Tribulation, there would be nothing to encourage the hearts of the church-age Christians. Who would find encouragement in going through trials that are the worst trials ever recorded? Let’s read together:
1Th 4:13-18 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. (14) For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. (15) For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. (16) For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: (17) Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (18) Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
This event cannot be the Second Coming of Christ at the end of the Tribulation because Christ comes back to earth. Verse 17 says that we will meet Christ IN THE AIR. Also, if we are to go through any part of the Tribulation, how could we comfort one another???? There is no comfort going through the judgments of Revelation!
Does this excite you, reader? It surely does me! But to the one who is not saved, it is a different story. Friend, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!
Rev 13:7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
Every era in time has brought persecution to the Church. However, these persecutions are nothing compared to what will happen during the Tribulation. Why? Because the persecutions of the past were due to the wrath of evil men led by the devil. However, the Tribulation is all about God’s wrath on a wicked earth.
Rev 6:16-17 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? Rev 14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
Some believers feel that the church will not be saved out of the time of wrath, but will be saved through it. Today’s verse tells us that those who are on earth during the Tribulation will not be delivered from wrath but will be overcome by the devil. Is this encouraging to you?
Rev 13:7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
The only thing that is encouraging is that believers will be Raptured before the Antichrist is revealed and the Tribulation overcomes the earth.
Does this excite you, reader? It surely does me! But to the one who is not saved, it is a different story. Friend, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!
Isa 13:6-13 Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. (7) Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man’s heart shall melt: (8) And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames. (9) Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. (10) For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. (11) And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. (12) I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir. (13) Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.
Good morning, reader! Thank you for your patience and prayers while I was out sick with Covid. I’m convinced that I recovered as quickly as I did because of those prayers!
Today’s topic is frightening, to say the least. According to Isaiah, the Great Tribulation is referred to as the day of God’s wrath. Those who believe in the Rapture occurring in the middle of the Tribulation or after the Tribulation, believe that Christians will go through part or all of God’s wrath. But we have learned that this cannot be possible as we covered in previous posts. God did not appoint born again believers to wrath.
1 Th 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
Jesus referred to both Noah and Lot when He spoke of the Tribulation. In both instances, Noah and Lot were removed from the coming judgment on the unbelieving world. This is not possible when one believes in the mid or post Tribulation Rapture, amen?
Luk 17:26-37 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. (27) They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. (28) Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; (29) But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. (30) Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. (31) In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. (32) Remember Lot’s wife. (33) Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it. (34) I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. (35) Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. (36) Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. (37) And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.
The last time the Book of Revelation refers to the church is in Revelation 3:22. The very next verse, Revelation 4:1, calls the church up: “Come up hither”! The word “church” does not appear again. Why is this? It is because we are not on earth but have been removed from the wrath that is to come on the whole earth.
Does this excite you, reader? It surely does me 🙂 But to the one who is not saved, it is a different story. Friend, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!
2Th 2:6-8 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. (7) For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. (8) And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
Good morning! It is currently snowing really hard right now and the ground is covered in a beautiful white blanket. I stand amazed at how quiet it is when it snows. You don’t hear it fall to the ground but you see the evidence of it. It is no different than the topic we are discussing. We don’t see the Holy Spirit but we see the product of His work. He works through born again believers and is responsible for stirring the hearts of the unsaved. His holy presence is what is standing between the Rapture and the Tribulation.
As we ave learned, there is no timeline for the Rapture event. In the verses above, we see that “he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.” The Holy Spirit resides within every born again believer. Without Him, evilness will dominate the world just as in Noah’s days. All the people at the time were evil and God destroyed them all, except for Noah, his wife, three sons and their wives. Eight people! Wow!
The Holy Spirit is restraining the Antichrist from his “coming out” to the world at this time. When the Rapture occurs, the Holy Spirit’s “job” will return to the way He worked in the Old Testament. The Tribulation time is the time of Jacob’s Trouble – what began in the Old Testament with the Jews will end in the Book of Revelation with the Jews. The church age will be finished once the Rapture occurs.
Jer 30:7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.
This time period revolving around Israel and the Jews will be like no other for them. The Church will be removed in the Rapture, along with the restraining force of the Holy Spirit.
The revelation of the Antichrist can only come after the Rapture. We see in today’s verses that the “mystery of inquiry doth already work.” War and destruction just don’t happen overnight. It is an event that builds over time. The Antichrist’s “evilness and spirit” is already at work in this world and we are seeing the results of it daily on the news. The only reason he is not revealed is because the Holy Spirit is holding him back. Once the Holy Spirit is removed via the Rapture, the man of lawlessness will be revealed and he will have free rein.
Friend, born again Christians will not see the Antichrist in his role as Revelation describes. The epitome of the evilness of this world is hindered right now thanks to the Holy Spirit. But once He is removed through the Rapture of the church, the church age will end and the Time of Jacob’s Trouble will begin. The Antichrist will cut loose his evilness.
I am trying to describe these events as simply as I can so that it is easily understood by those who are not born again. It may sound strange to you but with even just a little faith, you can be saved. This event is not something believers have to worry about because we will be in Heaven with Christ! But to the one who is not saved, it is a different story. Friend, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!
Rev 6:16-17 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: (17) For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
Good morning, reader! Do today’s verses disturb you? If you’re born again, they should cause you to be praying for the salvation of your family, friends and those in your circle of acquaintances. If you’re not born again, I pray that you will be disturbed by what you read and that it stirs your heart to be saved.
So today’s verses talk about the wrath of the Lamb that is to come. What is this wrath? Who is going to suffer this wrath? The Lamb is Jesus Christ and when His judgment upon this earth begins, there will be no turning back. Each judgment will be worse than the one before. The Rapture of the church will have already happened and those who remain will be involved in a horrific time on this earth like no other, the Tribulation. This is called the time of God’s wrath upon the earth. It has been prophecized from the Old Testament all through way through to the last book in the New Testament in the Book of Revelation.
You may be saying that there has always been persecution throughout the ages so this is nothing new. But these seven years will be a time where the people who get saved will be persecuted like no other age and it will occur all over the world, not just a specific location and not for a specific people. It will be for all people, all over the world.
Rev 14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
Mid-Tribulation and Post Tribulation believers say that Christians will go through half or all of the Tribulation. However, this doesn’t jive with the Scriptures because the Tribulation saints won’t be delivered from the wrath but will be overcome by it.
Rev 13:7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
We are told in the Scriptures that, just as in Noah’s day when God shut the door to the ark, that God will shut the door after the Rapture and no one will be able to escape the Tribulation.
Rev 3:8,10 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. (10) Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
Those who are alive at the time appointed by God to rapture His church, will be kept from the hour of temptation that will come upon the whole earth. All other times of persecution during history did not occur upon the whole earth, but just parts of it. The antichrist will be in power in order to cause havoc upon the entire earth. The church has been taken up in the Rapture. The word “church” occurs 80 times in 79 verses in the King James Bible. It is found only seven times in the Book of Revelation and only in chapters 2 and 3. It is not mentioned once after that. Chapter 4 begins with:
Rev 4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
The Apostle John was given the opportunity to see and hear what would happen during the Tribulation. God called him up through an opened door. This is indicative of the Rapture of the church. Why? We see that the church is not even found once in Chapters 4-22. These chapters now refer to the Jews. The Jews rejected Christ at His first coming and the Gospel of Christ was entrusted to the Church until Christ came to Rapture the church. After this event, the Jews will come back into the picture and will see their Messiah is: Jesus Christ!
But for today, we can see that He has yet to be revealed or come into power. Christians will be kept from these seven years of Tribulation and they will be removed beforehand. Praise the Lord!! \o/ Are you ready, Christian? If you’re not a Christian, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!
1 Th 5:1-9 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. (2) For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. (3) For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. (4) But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. (5) Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. (6) Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. (7) For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. (8) But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. (9) For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
Good morning, reader! What an exciting time to be alive! We are witnessing unprecedented events affecting the entire globe! Jesus spoke of what we are to expect in the end times in Matthew 24:3-51. To the average reader, these verses are frightening. But to the believer, they are exciting because we know that we will not be here to experience the horrific events that will occur on the entire earth!
As we discussed yesterday, the Rapture of the church has three very different groups of belief: Pre-Tribulation, Mid-Tribulation (or Pre-Wrath) and Post-Tribulation. They all pertain to the Rapture’s timing – when the event will occur. Which one is correct? One must turn to God’s Word to determine the answer. God would not want His children to be afraid of what is to come. Think of your earthly father: would he want you to be afraid as you live under his roof? No father would want this weighing on his children. An earthly father wants to protect his children. How much more a Heavenly Father: the Perfect Father?
What does each one mean? Pre-Tribulation refers to the Rapture occurring sometime before the start of the Tribulation. The Bible says that His return will be as a thief coming in the night. If you knew the hour a thief would enter your house, you would be prepared. That is why we are told to always be prepared. Noah didn’t know when the flood was going to come. The Bible answers all of our questions so let’s get to it.
(1Th 5:2) For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. (2Pe 3:10) But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
The Tribulation will begin once the antichrist is made known, not a minute before.
(2 Th 2:3-4) Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; (4) Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
So we know that when the antichrist is revealed, the Tribulation begins. However, what about the Rapture? The Bible says:
Matt 24:36 “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only” Matt 25:1-6 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him” Mark 13:33-37 “Take ye heed, watch and pray; for ye know not when the time is. For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the Master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cock crowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly He find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch”.
These verses indicate that Christ’s return for His church is imminent – it can happen at any time. No man knows the day or the hour. We are given a timeline of the Tribulation in the Book of Revelation. We know that it is a literal seven years from the time that the antichrist is revealed. This doesn’t fulfill the “imminent” return of Christ. There is a definite timeline here of Christ’s Second Coming. However, the above verses encourage believers to be waiting and watchful. This is the proof of His imminent return for the Rapture of the church.
Just as Noah was kept from the wrath on the entire earth, so will believers be kept from the Tribulation.
“And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come” (1 Thess 1:10). “Looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus” (Titus 2:13).
These verses would not make any sense if believers were to go through part or all of the Tribulation! There is no comfort or blessed hope if Christians have to experience the wrath which is to come to the world.
There is no timeline for the Rapture. The Thessalonians thought they missed the Rapture and that the Tribulation had begun. They were listening to heretics rather than remembering what Paul had taught them. Paul said:
2 Th 2:1-3 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, (2) That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. (3) Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
Paul reminds them of the signs that will usher in the Tribulation: except there come a falling away first and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition! So there are definite signs and timelines for the Tribulation. We have been seeing a falling away from the faith for several decades and it is getting worse. So we know we are in those “end times.”
But there are no signs or timeline awaiting to happen for the Rapture. If a person believes in the Mid-Tribulation Rapture, then there is a definite timeline because that is half way through the seven years, which is three and a half years. If a person believes in the Post-Tribulation Rapture, then there is a definite timeline there as well: after the seven years of Tribulation.
So friend, be encouraged! Be watchful and pray that you are ready for Christ’s Rapture of His Church at any moment! We are not called to experience the wrath that is about to come to this earth! Praise Him!!! \o/
If you are like I me prior to salvation and are interested in the end times, I pray you find the Lord (as I did) before it’s too late! It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!
1 Th 4:13-18 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. (14) For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. (15) For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. (16) For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: (17) Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (18) Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Good morning! Today’s verses excite me! It is this very topic that led me to the Lord! I definitely did not want to be here when the Tribulation began! That would mean that I missed the Rapture and would have to suffer through the most horrible and difficult time to come upon the whole earth. This frightened me in a way I had never been frightened before. So grab your favor beverage, make yourself comfortable and let’s discuss these things! 🙂
Notice how verse 18 says to comfort one another with these words? Come on, Paul! How can one be comforted when there’s about to be seven years of horrible events coming to the earth? Why is Paul telling us to comfort one another? To what is this comfort referring to? The topic of these verses is the coming of the Lord. This is not referring to His coming to earth: Christ’s return to earth will be at the end of the Tribulation. This coming of the Lord refers to Christ meeting born-again believers in the air.
1 Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
If we are to go through the Tribulation, as proponents of Mid-Trib and Post-Trib believe, what comfort is there in that? How can we comfort one another as Paul tells us to do in 1 Thessalonians 4:18? I certainly would not be comforted knowing that with each judgment in the scroll, seal, and bowl as written in the Book of Revelation were ahead of me. There’s no comfort or solace in that – there is only fear and apprehension! So we can only comfort ourselves because we know that we will be kept from those coming judgments! The snatching of the church and taking them to the clouds to meet Christ “in the air” is going to be an event like no other. If you’re a Bible reader, you’ll remember that Enoch and Elijah never died. They were taken up by God. So this is no new occurrence.
Gen 5:24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him. 2 Ki 2:1 And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
Jesus spoke of this in:
Mat 24:36-42 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. (37) But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (38) For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, (39) And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (40) Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. (41) Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. (42) Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
Will you be one of those taken or one of those left? If you are born again, be encouraged Christian! This series will lift you up and make you excited about what is happening in the world right now. We are not called to receive God’s wrath and judgment on this earth. But if you are not born again and are searching, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!
