Maranatha - Awaiting Christ's Return

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: Revelation 16:2

The Bridegroom, the Church, and the Rapture

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On February 3, 2025

In Devotionals

Mat 25:2-13  And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.  (3)  They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:  (4)  But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.  (5)  While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.  (6)  And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.  (7)  Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.  ( 8 )  And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.  (9)  But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.  (10)  And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.  (11)  Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.  (12)  But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.  (13)  Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

How many of you love weddings? I surely do! I especially enjoy reading the history of weddings. I especially love Jewish weddings from the Scriptures and Jewish historical documents. To get a full blessing, you should study the Jewish wedding as compared to Jesus and His church.  If you’re born again, you will be rejoicing as much as I am!

Jesus gave us the parable of the wedding story in the above Scriptures in order to for us to make sure that we are ready for His unknown arriving. Re-read the Scriptures and picture this event in your mind.

I truly believe this is a story about the Rapture of the Church! The act of anointing with oil in the Scriptures usually refers to the Holy Spirit. They would anoint someone to send them out to the mission field. The Christian is anointed with the Holy Spirit upon salvation and He dwells within us never more to leave us, amen?

1 Jn 2:27  But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

Let’s pick apart and dissect this portion of Scripture. In this parable of the ten virgins, we see that half are ready while the other half are not. The significant detail of why they are not ready is because half of them had oil (the Holy Spirit) for their lamps and the other half didn’t. The Scriptures refer to them as five foolish virgins and five wise ones. The five that were foolish took their lamps to meet the bridegroom but they didn’t have any oil. They had to leave the five wise virgins to go get some oil. These are symbolic of people who call themselves “Christians” but they are Christians in name only: they are the not saved. They have not been born again and do not have the Holy Spirit dwelling within them (symbolized by the oil). How do I know that they are not born again? Verse 12 in this parable gives us a clear answer:

Mat 25:12  But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

Joh 10:27  My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

Jesus, Himself, says that He does not know these five foolish virgins so they cannot be born-again believers! Jesus knows those who follow Him and have the Holy Spirit, who resides within every born-again believer!

Rom 8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

1Co 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

1Co 6:19  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

Now let’s discuss the five wise virgins (the Church) who have their lamps (they are the light of the world) and their oil (the Holy Spirit). At the moment the Bridegroom comes for His Church, the foolish five virgins who didn’t have oil in their lamps (the Holy Spirit is the result of salvation) were not ready for His coming and when they returned from getting oil, the door was shut to them and Jesus said He knew them not. Wow! The same thing occurs in a Jewish Galilean wedding. When the groom comes to get his bride, he takes her to his father’s house and the door is shut.

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.

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.

Can you imagine what it will be like after the Rapture when people go to church, and the people who are normally in attendance are no longer there? One of those could even be the pastor! Can you imagine when a person comes to the realization that he was not truly born again and totally missed the Rapture? That opportunity no longer exists and the future looks grim for them. That person will have to go through the awful judgments of the Tribulation! Even worse, whatever the Mark of the Beast turns out to be, anyone who takes it is doomed to spend eternity in the Lake of Fire. (see Revelation 13:17, 14:9, 14:11, 16:2, 19:20, 20:4)

Those entering the Tribulation period will have to make a choice of whether or not he will take the Mark of the Beast! If that person gets saved, he will have to go through the Tribulation even though he is saved! He will suffer the judgments and may even have to be martyred for Christ or go underground struggling to survive. (see Revelation 6:9) Why would one delay accepting Christ? The god of this world has blinded them and deceived them into thinking there is no god. The distractions placed before them keep them from hearing that still small voice of the Holy Spirit calling them to salvation.

I was raised catholic so I never heard of the Rapture before I was saved; but you can be sure that I was very excited to get saved so I would be included in that blessed event! It is very scary to think that many would rather choose to live in sin like the rest of the world rather than getting to know the Lord personally and accept His free salvation!

To the one who is not saved, this could be your 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!

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Rapture and End Time News – Digital IDs Will Record Everything

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On June 23, 2023

In Devotionals, Rapture and End Time News

If you don’t see the handwriting on the wall, then you are totally oblivious to what is happening around the world. Living in America has its advantages but we cannot bury our heads in the sand and expect a different outcome. First came the digital health ID then everyone jumped on the bandwagon! We now have a chip which can be implanted in a hand and used to pay for anything, anywhere! Wherever your credit card can be used, the chip can be used.

Do you see where all of this is headed toward? There is a “system” coming in the not too distant future, where all activities in a person’s life will be recorded: what you pay for your electricity, your total grocery bill, doctor’s office visits, health records, time you spend online and where you go online. It is already being recorded individually, but the ultimate goal is to have “one-stop shopping” for everything in ONE place. According to Forbes:

The European Union will mandate digital identity under eIDAS 2.0, which will go into effect in September 2023 and ensure all Member States offer a digital identity wallet (DIW) to citizens and businesses. According to the European Commission, “At least 80% of citizens should be able to use a digital ID solution to access key public services by 2030.”

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2023/03/24/2023-the-year-digital-identities-go-mainstream/?sh=38f24b8444b5

I am not a scholar but I can tell that this type of system is a “shadow” of things to come once the Antichrist rules the earth. There will be a system in place where everyone will have to receive his “mark” to be able to buy or sell anything, anywhere! That information will be recorded and the bearer’s whereabouts will be known to those “powers that be”!

You may not think that taking this “mark” is that big a deal, but Friend, it most certainly IS! Look at what the Bible says will happen to those that take this “digital ID-type” mark:

Rev 13:16-17  And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: (17)  And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

Rev 14:9-11  And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, (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: (11)  And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name

Rev 16:2  And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.

You may think to yourself that you would never worship the Antichrist, but the Bible says you will.

2 Thess 2:8-12  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:  (9)  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,  (10)  And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.  (11)  And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:  (12)  That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

If you enter the Tribulation (which begins when the Antichrist is revealed by signing a peace treaty with Israel), you will believe the Antichrist and all that he says and does. You will be totally infatuated with the man. You will believe his lies because of the delusion that has come upon those who would not accept Christ.

I am certainly not date setting for the beginning of the Tribulation. What I am doing is trying to wake people up to how late in the “season” we are for the Lord’s return. The Rapture can happen at any second. There is no timeline for this event; that is why it is said to be imminent. Once the Rapture does happen, the Holy Spirit’s restraint will be removed and Satan will be able to RUN with his agenda. A great deception will happen because there won’t be Christians around to speak truth, God’s truth! Will you be part of the deception or will you be gone when all of this takes place?

The time is coming when it will be too late for you to repent. You will remember each opportunity you were given by God to be saved; you will remember each time you laughed it off and ignored it. Please Reader, repent and accept Christ into your life. (Act 16:31, Rom 10:9) I want to be sure that anyone who reads the posts on this blog can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are going to Heaven. Have you received Christ as your Saviour? If no, your sins are not covered by His sacrificial offering of Himself. You have not been redeemed by His blood. 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. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

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