Tag: Matthew 24:32-35

1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 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; (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.

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 the horrible judgment of God’s wrath? Why would Jesus say what He did in Luke 21:36? If the Church is to go through the Tribulation period, there is no escaping!

Luke 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

Notice that the Lord Jesus spoke about being counted worthy of escaping what was to come to pass. What things, Jesus? He couldn’t be talking about Nero’s horrible persecution of the Christians because they didn’t escape it at all. They didn’t escape because they weren’t “worthy” enough. Exactly who is counted worthy then?

Eph 2:11-19 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; (12) That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: (13) But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. (14) For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; (15) Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; (16) And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: (17) And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. (18) For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. (19) Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

No one is worthy of anything outside of Jesus Christ and what He did on the cross for us. Christ made us worthy and united us with God. Christ’s shed blood is what makes us worthy. Why didn’t the early Church saints die at the hands of Nero? It wasn’t because they were not worthy, it was because they were not at the right “time” as it relates to end time prophecy. The Apostles taught that they were living in the end times, as we see Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians. If it was the end times then, we are living in the last minutes! We have been given prophecies that warn us of this: Israel became a nation in 1948, which fulfilled Matthew 24:32-35. Signs of the end times as Jesus said are being fulfilled (Matthew 24:3-8) Yes, all these signs have been since the beginning of time. HOWEVER, the signs are converging together, growing stronger and more frequent as we see the day approaching!

We believe that the Rapture is imminent. This word literally means hanging over, impending, threatening. It can happen at any time. The Apostle Paul taught about it in AD 51! So go ahead and re-read today’s two verses in 1 Thessalonians and imagine Paul’s motivation when he wrote on the topic of the Rapture. The Thessalonians were side tracked by deceivers 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 Thessalonians 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. However, charlatans and wolves in sheep’s clothing had come in and they were being deceived; much like today! The belief in the Pre-Tribulation Rapture is being attacked today. People scoff today exactly like the Apostle Peter warned of in:

2 Peter 3:4 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 the creation.

The Tribulation cannot start until a great falling away first comes and the Antichrist is revealed. The Antichrist is revealed at the signing of a peace treaty with Israel, as we see in Daniel 9:27. God is a God of timing. All these things have a time. However, the Rapture does not. God did not have Noah build the ark when it first started raining. No! It took Noah about 55-75 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. Noah didn’t know when the rain was coming until it began to rain! Remember, it had never rained until then; this is why the people mocked Noah! (See Genesis 2:5-6) All these things were totally under God’s control. In fact, God Himself shut the door to the ark, locking the eight survivors inside safe and sound. (Genesis 7:16) After the waters abated, Noah and his family were left to populate the earth.

Now look at how our Ark, Jesus, provides for His Church. Once we are saved, we 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. He takes us in the Rapture, (Revelation 3:10, 4:1) and shelters us until it is time to return to earth at His Second Coming. Many claim that the ark is God’s protection over believers during the Tribulation. However, many saints die during the fourth seal in Revelation 6. So this cannot be the timing of the ark. Remember, God is all about timing!

Christ judges the earth and we enter the millennial period into His earthly Kingdom! Tribulation saints who are alive at His coming, will populate the earth! The doctrine of 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 with other different viewpoints, 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 long. 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?

Matthew 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 or post Tribulation, we don’t have to be watching because we know the day. What stops a person from saying, “I will live how I want and the week before the Rapture, I will get right with God?” With a pre-Tribulation Rapture view, the believer is watching and living for the Lord so he is not caught of guard!

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 Thessalonians 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, the Lord Jesus Christ. 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!

Keep Looking Up!

By Kate Plourde

On December 20, 2024

In Devotionals

1 Thessalonians 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.

Could this be the day / week / month / year that the Rapture will occur? If you’re new to this word, and have never heard of this Rapture I write of, we’ll be taking a closer look at its meaning and what it represents to the born-again Christian. It is a message of hope and excitement to all believers who are awaiting the Lord’s return in the clouds for His bride. Read through today’s Bible verses and we’ll explain, and prove, this event can occur at any moment. Let’s cover what the word means and where it is found in the Scriptures.

We are seeing a great divide in Christian circles about the pre-tribulational occurrence of the Rapture. Not only is the topic is being ridiculed by unbelievers but sadly also by believers. They are calling it a “secret” Rapture or escapism by those who believe it will happen before the Tribulation. As Amir Tsarfati and Jan Markell say about being accused of being escapists: YES!!! I always thought that those who scoffed at Christians would be unbelievers. However, it makes perfect sense that it comes from within the Church itself. The devil will stop at nothing in order to divide the church so her testimony for Christ is hindered!

2 Peter 3:3-4 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after 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 the creation.

The fact that these scoffers are referring to “the fathers,” tells us that they are religious. Is it any wonder that people are not turning to the Church in these end times? So let’s get down to business.

Although the word “rapture” doesn’t appear in the English translation of the Bible, it’s a term that describes the removing of born-again believers from the earth. The Latin words “rapiemur or rapturo” is where our English word comes from. The term “caught up” in verse 17 is elsewhere translated “pluck”: (John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.) We see another reference to it when Philip was snatched away after he witnessed to the Ethiopian eunuch (Act 8:39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.) We are living at a time where the antichrist will come into power. We know we are in that time because Jesus spoke of it in Matthew 24:32-35. He said when the fig tree’s branch is yet tender and puts forth leaves (this speaks of Israel), we know that the end is near. Israel became a nation in 1948. We are that generation that will see His coming; both at the Rapture and at the end of the Tribulation period! The seven-year Tribulation is a time that no born-again believer will go through and a time that you do not want to experience if you are not born again. Prior to the revealing of the antichrist, the Rapture will occur: it can happen at any moment: it is imminent and you do not want to be caught unaware.

The New Testament was written in Greek and, therefore, we will see what the Greek language has to say about the word “rapture.” Strong’s Concordance states this:

G726
ἁρπάζω
harpazō
Total KJV Occurrences: 18
caught, 5: Act_8:39, 2Co_12:2, 2Co_12:4, 1Th_4:17, Rev_12:5
force, 3: Mat_11:12, Joh_6:15, Act_23:10
take, 3: Mat_11:12, Joh_6:15, Act_23:10
away, 2: Mat_13:19, Act_8:39
catcheth, 2: Mat_13:19, Joh_10:12
pluck, 2: Joh_10:28-29 (2)
pulling, 1: Jud_1:23

It will help you if you look up each of these verses in your Bible to see the different uses. The Rapture represents being caught up, taken by force, taken away, plucked, snatched up and pulled away. The word “rapture” isn’t found in the English Bible. But, friend, neither is the word “bible” found in the Bible or the word Trinity. But the concept and description of the Rapture is found in the Bible and, therefore, it’s worthy of study, amen?

If you are a born-again Christian, you may have heard of the various beliefs of when the rapture will occur. To understand why it is important, you need to know when the different beliefs occur. There are three popular schools of thought of when the rapture will occur: the pre-tribulation, mid-tribulation (or pre-wrath) and post-tribulation. Pre-tribulation is defined as occurring before the tribulation. Mid-tribulation is defined as occurring in the middle of the tribulation. And finally, the post-tribulation is defined as occurring after the tribulation.

The latter two beliefs claim that the pre-tribulation rapture was only recently “invented” but there is historical proof showing that this was the belief of the Christians as early as third century AD. This is only one example of the writings of that day:

All the saints and elect of God are gathered together before the tribulation, which is to come, and are taken to the Lord, in order that they may not see at any time the confusion which overwhelms the world because of our sins.-Pseudo-Ephraem (c. 374-627)

Please read his quote and let it sink in. But even before Ephraem, Irenaeus of Lyons (a disciple of Polycarp, who was a disciple of the Apostle John) said:

And therefore, when in the end the Church shall be suddenly caught up from this,” “There shall be tribulation such as has not been since the beginning, neither shall be.”

Proponents against the pre-tribulation Rapture claim that Darby introduced it in the 1800’s. However, we see in this quote that the pre-Tribulation Rapture was not invented in the past 150 years but was taught in the third century! So why do people claim Darby introduced it? People had come out of the Dark Ages where they were not allowed to read the Scriptures for themselves. Priests were the only ones allowed to read and interpret the Scriptures. The Gutenberg printing press came out in 1455 which later produced the Bible in printed form. It is after this that the Reformation took place once people began to read the Bible for themselves. A great revival followed and the devil knew he had his work cut out for him. What could he do to stop this revival? He resorted to the same old trick he used in the Garden of Eden: “Hath God said” in Genesis 3:1. This infiltrated Darby’s heart and the rest is history.

The Apostle Paul spoke a lot about this blessed reunion and we will cover those verses to bring it all together. No other Tribulation viewpoint can explain away these four verses:

Joh 14:1-4 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. (2) In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (3) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (4) And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

After Jesus’ Second Coming, the Millennial Kingdom begins. If the Rapture happens at the end of the Tribulation, how will the Church go to Heaven where Jesus went to prepare a place and THEN go into the Millennium? They will never go to Heaven? That makes no sense at all. Who will populate the earth during the Millennium if all believers are raptured and unbelievers are cast into Hell? Jesus says in verse 2 that He was going to prepare a place for us. Then verse 3 says that He will come again and receive us unto himself so that where He is, we will be also! This fits the pre-Tribulation Rapture belief perfectly!

If you are a born-again Christian and have never studied this out, I hope you are blessed by it and encouraged in your heart. If you are not born again, I urge you to settle the matter right now! 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!

Any Day Now – Day 61

By Kate Plourde

On July 22, 2024

In Any Day Now, Devotionals

2 Pe 3:3-4 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after 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 the creation.

It’s sad that those who are doing the scoffing, as Peter points out in the verses above, are in the Church! How sad is that?!

The end-time period began with Israel becoming a nation on May 15, 1948. Jesus taught us that when the fig tree’s (Israel) branch was yet tender, we should know that summer is near! Israel’s statehood is yet tender. It is only 76 years old as of this year! But for the believer, this means that summer is near! The harvest has yet to come but it will come at the end of summer.

Mat 24:32-35 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: (33) So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. (34) Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. (35) Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

The harvest time, as Jesus referred to in Revelation 14:14-20, occurs during the Tribulation. Unbelievers will not enter the Millennium.

Jesus continues to tell us in Matthew 24:34-35 that this generation, that witnesses the fig tree’s putting forth leaves, SHALL NOT pass away until all these things be fulfilled. What things? Jesus lays them out in the verses below:

Mat 24:3-31 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? (4) And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. (5) For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. (6) And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. (7) For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. ( 8 ) All these are the beginning of sorrows. (9) Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. (10) And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. (11) And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. (12) And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. (13) But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. (14) And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. (15) When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) (16) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: (17) Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: (18) Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. (19) And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! (20) But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: (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. (22) And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. (23) Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. (24) For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. (25) Behold, I have told you before. (26) Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. (27) For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (28) For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. (29) Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: (30) And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (31) And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

We are seeing some of these events today. They are happening more frequently and in greater intensity. But Jesus said that we should know that the end is near. The rest of his prophecy deals with the Tribulation time as we see in verse 15. Daniel 9:27 tells us that the Tribulation period begins with the signing of a treaty between Israel and the Antichrist. This is when the man of lawlessness is finally revealed. The Church is gone before this occurs and we see in the rest of Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 24 that He is referring to the Jewish people, verses 15-31. Life won’t be easy for those who follow Christ during the Tribulation.

There is a reason why the Church is not mentioned after Revelation 4:1 until Revelation 22. The Church was important enough to appear 20 times in Revelation chapters 2 and 3. If she were to go through the Tribulation, she would be mentioned again. We must remember that those seven years of tribulation are for Israel, the Jews specifically. (Jeremiah 30:7) The Church is Christ’s body and the Lord won’t bring judgment upon His own body since He paid the penalty with His own blood!

Friend, you must be born again in order to participate, no matter what viewpoint you hold. Friend, if you are not born again, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Don’t you want to be a part of the Church when she is raptured into the clouds to meet Jesus? (1 Thessalonians 4:17) Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

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.

Tag: Matthew 24:32-35

The Imminence of the Rapture

Keep Looking Up!

Any Day Now – Day 61