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The Rapture – Day 16

On February 14, 2022

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.

Good morning!😀 Today’s post is a bit long and I pray that you will bear with me and read/study it in its entirety.

The Book of Revelation used to be a difficult book for me. But as I read it, I learned to interpret it correctly. The Lord promised a blessing to those who read, hear and keep the words written in it. It is the only book of the Bible that promises a blessing! Therefore, let’s dive in this morning and get blessed! 😀

Rev 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
Rev 22:7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.

Many years ago in my researching, I learned that whatever image the Apostle John saw, if it seemed like it was something out of Star Trek and not believable, it should be interpreted as a symbol. A good example of this is:

Rev 9:7 And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.

This is definitely a good example, isn’t it? But when other verses seemed to be realistic to me, I should interpret it as literal. A good example of this is:

Rev 8:10-11 And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; (11) And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.

The star could mean a comet or an asteroid. A few years after I was saved and before the internet, I read an actual news article which stated that a comet had been spotted which was named Wormwood. Unfortunately, I can’t find that article online – it was one read in the newspaper. It could be likely that Wormwood will be discovered by NASA at some point in the near future. The word wormwood is defined by Noah Webster as:

WORMWOOD, n. [G.] A plant, the artemisia. It has a bitter nauseous taste;

So we can interpret the verses above literally. A comet will fall to earth and destroy a third part of the rivers and fountains of waters (fresh water) and make the waters bitter and undrinkable. So now we know what to take literally and what to take symbolically.

Let’s get back on track now and discuss the Pre-Tribulation Rapture as it relates to Revelation. If we are to believe the mid or post tribulation viewpoint, then the Church would have a lot of warning and instruction. The Apostle John would have instructions for the Church. How then does one explain that the church is never mentioned after chapter three??? This is key here! The word “church” is mentioned seven times in chapter two and the word “churches” is mentioned 11 times in chapters one through three. That’s a total of 18 times that “church” appears in just three chapters! The word “church or churches” is not mentioned again until the last chapter, Chapter 22, in verse 16!

Rev 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

It is also interesting to note that in Revelation 3:22 (the last verse in this chapter) is the last use of the word churches. Immediately right after in Revelation 4:1, “a door is opened in heaven” and Jesus says “Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.” When the Bible was first written, there were no chapters and verses. The assigning of chapters and verses was finished in the year 1551. How exciting is that? Revelation 3:22 and Revelation 4:1 were originally one verse apart. One is referring to the churches and the very next verse speaks of a door opening. Following Rev. 4:1, there is no other mention of the church. It means a lot more when you look at it like that, doesn’t it?

Rev 3:22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
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.

Jesus is not coming to earth in Rev. 4:1. However, John is brought up to where Jesus is located. Secondly, Jesus says He will show John what must be hereafter. None of the judgments have begun yet at this point. The rest of chapter 4 and chapter 5 discuss Heaven and events going on there. One of these events is chapter 4:4

Rev 4:4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.

Believers earn crowns for their salvation and the way they conduct themselves on earth. They receive these crowns in Heaven and cast them at Christ’s feet.

Rev 4:10-11 The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, (11) Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

So the Pre-Tribulation viewpoint fits in perfectly: the Church goes up to where Jesus is (in the clouds as the Apostle John goes to Jesus) and the judgments begin after the Church goes up.

Just as Noah was kept by the ark, Jesus is our Ark. We are safe in Him from judgment that is to come upon the whole earth.

Heb 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

Just as Noah lived by faith and remained faithful while building the ark, he was protected from the judgment of the flood which would come to the entire earth. Just as Noah returned from the waters onto the mountains of Ararat and a new earth was his home, so will we return with Christ to live on a revitalized earth and Christ will reign in Jerusalem.

No man knows the hour that Jesus will take us up in the Rapture. Just as Noah didn’t know when the rains would come, neither will we know when Jesus will take us away. This is the ONLY version of the Rapture that makes sense. Mid-trib has its exact days (1260) and Post-trib as well. But Pre-Tribulation is imminent and can happen at any time. Once God shuts the door (of our Ark), that’s it!

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.

It is worth repeating: after Revelation 4:1, the church is no longer mentioned (until Rev. 22:16). That is because we have been raptured and are already with Christ. At the beginning of the Tribulation (which occurs when the Antichrist comes to power), God’s focus goes back to Israel’s judgment. After Revelation 4:1, the Old Testament’s prophecies about the time of Jacob’s Troubles come into play. “Come up hither,” is a beautiful depiction of the rapture of the Church. It is prefaced by the wonderful teaching of the Church age in chapters one through three. After the shout to “come up hither,” the Church is not mentioned during the judgments. If the Church were to go through the Tribulation, it would be mentioned. But the focus from that point on is now on Israel.

Jer 30:3-7 For, lo, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith the LORD: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it. (4) And these are the words that the LORD spake concerning Israel and concerning Judah. (5) For thus saith the LORD; We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. (6) Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness? (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.

Believers need to realize that there are two groups of people that God especially loves! He loves the whole world but the faithful are close to His heart. God loves Israel and God loves Christians. God dealt with Israel throughout the Old Testament. Because they would not obey, God opened the door to all mankind to accept salvation. God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to save us all from our sins; this includes non-Jews, the Gentiles. It’s as though God in His mercy took a “break” from dealing with Israel, to open the door to the Gentile, and put Israel’s judgment on hold. The Church Age began with Christ and the Age of Law was paused (this ended Daniel’s 69th week and began Daniel’s 70th week). The Rapture of the church takes us out of the picture and God returns His focus to Israel, Daniel’s 70th week. During this time, called the Tribulation, the Antichrist will make a pact with Israel and half-way through the seven years will break that pact.

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.

I know today’s post is a lot to absorb but it sure packs a wallop! 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!

The Rapture – Day 15

By Kate Plourde

On February 11, 2022

In Devotionals, End Times, Rapture

Good morning! Today, let’s tackle the belief in some churches that share that Jesus will come back for the Rapture of the Church after the Tribulation. If He were to do this, Jesus would have to rapture all the saints and kill all the ungodly. Who, then, would be left to populate the earth during the millennium? It makes no sense at all.

The only belief that fits this viewpoint of the timing of the Rapture is when it occurs before the Tribulation. Then, during the Tribulation, souls will come to salvation through the work of the two witnesses and the 144,000. Those who do not die for their faith and remain until Christ’s return to earth will be the ones left to populate the earth.

Those who make it through the tribulation go into the millennium while those who took the mark of the beast are cast into hell.

Rev 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

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!

The Rapture – Day 14

By Kate Plourde

On February 9, 2022

In Devotionals, End Times, Rapture

Luk 12:36 And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.

Good morning! How exciting it is for me to review the Rapture! It bubbles up within me like a spring!! We’ve been going over the various reasons supporting the Rapture occurring before the Tribulation begins. Another one of the reasons is the marriage supper of the Lamb.

When Christ returns, He will be returning from a wedding. So let’s look at Revelation 19:7-8, where we read about the marriage supper. According to Jewish custom, the marriage supper takes place before the marriage. First there is a marriage contract, which includes a dowry. That dowry is drawn up first.

Rev 19:7-8 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. (8) And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

How can we apply this to the church? The contract is a comparison to when we trust Jesus to be our Savior. The dowry is His life, which was used to purchase us. Nothing we do can ever be enough to take us to Heaven. Only Jesus’ life can do this!

Eph 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (9) Not of works, lest any man should boast.

When it’s time for the wedding, the groom goes to the bride’s house unannounced. She comes out to meet him, and then he takes her to his father’s house. This fits in with the Pre-Tribulation beliefs. Jesus, our Groom, comes down from heaven to the clouds and calls up the church, His Bride. After meeting in the air, the Groom and the bride return to His Father’s house which is Heaven. The marriage supper itself will take place there, while down here on earth the final events of the tribulation will be playing out.

After the marriage supper of Jewish tradition, the bride and groom are presented to the world as man and wife. This corresponds to the time when Jesus returns to earth accompanied by an army “clothed in fine linen, white and clean”!!! Glory!!! \o/

Rev 19:14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

The Rapture – Day 13

By Kate Plourde

On February 7, 2022

In Devotionals, End Times, Rapture

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!

The Rapture – Day 12

By Kate Plourde

On February 4, 2022

In Devotionals, End Times, Rapture

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!

The Rapture – Day 11

By Kate Plourde

On February 2, 2022

In Devotionals, End Times, Rapture

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.
https://www.biblica.com/resources/bible-faqs/how-many-different-languages-has-the-bible-been-translated-into/

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.

Internet density map — **World connection density map (Source:** Chris Harrison)

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.

The Rapture – Day 10

By Kate Plourde

On January 31, 2022

In Devotionals, End Times, Rapture

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!

The Rapture – Day 9

By Kate Plourde

On January 28, 2022

In Devotionals, End Times, Rapture

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.

The Rapture – Day 8

By Kate Plourde

On January 12, 2022

In Devotionals, End Times, Rapture, Salvation

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!

The Rapture – Day 7

By Kate Plourde

On January 7, 2022

In Devotionals, End Times, Rapture, Salvation

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!