Most of you are probably not aware of this however there are groups of so-called Aliens that are expecting there to be a mass-exodus (large scale evacuation) of this planet and needless to say those so-called aliens are actually DEMONS and yet it would seem as though they know that there will be a pre-trib rapture and the best kind of proof that I can find is this; the Ashtar Command (an EVIL New Age group lead by a DEMON)
and other such groups have posted messages in which they claim to be responsible for the upcoming mass evacuation, DO NOT BELIEVE THAT LIE FROM HELL! because in reality it will have been Yeshua (Jesus THE Christ) coming to take his bride (meaning the Church) to Heaven before the seven years of the Great Tribulation. TIME IS RUNNING OUT so PLEASE get SAVED and become a Christian if you are not already following Jesus because:
My friend, eternity is a very, very long time.
If YOU Died TONIGHT, would you go to Heaven?
NOT SURE?
LET ME QUICKLY SHARE WHAT THE BIBLE READS:
1. ROMANS 3:23 – “We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
2. ROMANS 6:23 – “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life.”
Romans: Chapter 10 verse 9-10-13
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the
Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that
God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shall be
Saved. For with the heart man believeth unto
righteousness; and with the mouth confession
is made unto Salvation. For whosoever shall call
upon the name of the Lord shall be Saved…….
Eternal Life and your ticket to Heaven is a prayer away,
PRAY THIS PRAYER OUT LOUD TO GOD:
“Heavenly Father, I know that I have broken
your laws and my sins have separated me
from you. I am truly sorry, and now I want
to turn away from my past sinful life
toward You. Please forgive me, and help
me avoid sinning again. I believe that
Your Son, Jesus Christ died for my sins,
was resurrected from the dead, is alive,
and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to
become the Lord of my life, to rule and
reign in my heart from this day forward.
Please send your Holy Spirit to help me
obey You, and to do Your will for the rest
of my life. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”
Did you say the prayer from YOUR heart? Then, congratulations YOUR name has been written in Heaven’s Book of Life and YOU are saved from an eternity in The Lake of Fire (Rev: 20:15)! If YOU died today, Heaven would be your new home!
If you have received Christ into your heart, I
welcome you to the Kingdom of God. All the
angels in Heaven rejoice whenever one soul is
saved. Now, your job as a Christian is to learn
about God, and obey Him. Read your Bible every
day, and you will be like a tree planted by a spring,
never thirsting. You will grow in knowledge and
wisdom, and your relationship and closeness with
your God will become the meaning of your life.
Please, find a good church, and get baptized in
the name of The Father, The Son, and The Holy
Spirit immediately. Learn the teachings of Christ,
and follow Him everyday. Remember, loving God
and loving people is a Christian’s role in this dark
and hurting world. We are commanded to go into
all the world and preach the gospel to save souls.
Do not delay, save today! Like I said TIME IS RUNNING OUT!!!
Showing posts with label Pre-Tribulation Rapture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pre-Tribulation Rapture. Show all posts
Monday, November 1, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Even More about the Rapture.
TIME IS RUNNING OUT!!!!! Yeshua (Jesus) will be returning soon and here is more information about the coming Rapture which WILL happen BEFORE the Great Tribulation STARTS.
[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.
When the Rapture happens it is ONLY for God's children A.K.A. the Church and the rest of the people on this planet WILL be LEFT BEHIND to face the Great Tribulation and the 7 Year reign of the anti-christ and HELL on Earth and the ONLY means of either ESCAPE or SURVIVAL is to put your faith in Jesus THE Christ.
My friend, eternity is a very, very long time.
If YOU Died TONIGHT, would you go to Heaven?
NOT SURE?
LET ME QUICKLY SHARE WHAT THE BIBLE READS:
1. ROMANS 3:23 – “We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
2. ROMANS 6:23 – “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life.”
Romans: Chapter 10 verse 9-10-13
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the
Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that
God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shall be
Saved. For with the heart man believeth unto
righteousness; and with the mouth confession
is made unto Salvation. For whosoever shall call
upon the name of the Lord shall be Saved…….
Eternal Life and your ticket to Heaven is a prayer away,
PRAY THIS PRAYER OUT LOUD TO GOD:
“Heavenly Father, I know that I have broken
your laws and my sins have separated me
from you. I am truly sorry, and now I want
to turn away from my past sinful life
toward You. Please forgive me, and help
me avoid sinning again. I believe that
Your Son, Jesus Christ died for my sins,
was resurrected from the dead, is alive,
and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to
become the Lord of my life, to rule and
reign in my heart from this day forward.
Please send your Holy Spirit to help me
obey You, and to do Your will for the rest
of my life. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”
Did you say the prayer from YOUR heart? Then, congratulations YOUR name has been written in Heaven’s Book of Life and YOU are saved from an eternity in The Lake of Fire (Rev: 20:15)! If YOU died today, Heaven would be your new home!
If you have received Christ into your heart, I
welcome you to the Kingdom of God. All the
angels in Heaven rejoice whenever one soul is
saved. Now, your job as a Christian is to learn
about God, and obey Him. Read your Bible every
day, and you will be like a tree planted by a spring,
never thirsting. You will grow in knowledge and
wisdom, and your relationship and closeness with
your God will become the meaning of your life.
Please, find a good church, and get baptized in
the name of The Father, The Son, and The Holy
Spirit immediately. Learn the teachings of Christ,
and follow Him everyday. Remember, loving God
and loving people is a Christian’s role in this dark
and hurting world. We are commanded to go into
all the world and preach the gospel to save souls.
Do not delay, save today!
[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.
When the Rapture happens it is ONLY for God's children A.K.A. the Church and the rest of the people on this planet WILL be LEFT BEHIND to face the Great Tribulation and the 7 Year reign of the anti-christ and HELL on Earth and the ONLY means of either ESCAPE or SURVIVAL is to put your faith in Jesus THE Christ.
My friend, eternity is a very, very long time.
If YOU Died TONIGHT, would you go to Heaven?
NOT SURE?
LET ME QUICKLY SHARE WHAT THE BIBLE READS:
1. ROMANS 3:23 – “We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
2. ROMANS 6:23 – “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life.”
Romans: Chapter 10 verse 9-10-13
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the
Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that
God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shall be
Saved. For with the heart man believeth unto
righteousness; and with the mouth confession
is made unto Salvation. For whosoever shall call
upon the name of the Lord shall be Saved…….
Eternal Life and your ticket to Heaven is a prayer away,
PRAY THIS PRAYER OUT LOUD TO GOD:
“Heavenly Father, I know that I have broken
your laws and my sins have separated me
from you. I am truly sorry, and now I want
to turn away from my past sinful life
toward You. Please forgive me, and help
me avoid sinning again. I believe that
Your Son, Jesus Christ died for my sins,
was resurrected from the dead, is alive,
and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to
become the Lord of my life, to rule and
reign in my heart from this day forward.
Please send your Holy Spirit to help me
obey You, and to do Your will for the rest
of my life. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”
Did you say the prayer from YOUR heart? Then, congratulations YOUR name has been written in Heaven’s Book of Life and YOU are saved from an eternity in The Lake of Fire (Rev: 20:15)! If YOU died today, Heaven would be your new home!
If you have received Christ into your heart, I
welcome you to the Kingdom of God. All the
angels in Heaven rejoice whenever one soul is
saved. Now, your job as a Christian is to learn
about God, and obey Him. Read your Bible every
day, and you will be like a tree planted by a spring,
never thirsting. You will grow in knowledge and
wisdom, and your relationship and closeness with
your God will become the meaning of your life.
Please, find a good church, and get baptized in
the name of The Father, The Son, and The Holy
Spirit immediately. Learn the teachings of Christ,
and follow Him everyday. Remember, loving God
and loving people is a Christian’s role in this dark
and hurting world. We are commanded to go into
all the world and preach the gospel to save souls.
Do not delay, save today!
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Rapture Of The Church On Feast Of Trumpets 2010
Yeshua IS coming to take ALL of his followers to Heaven SOON!!!
Friday, May 28, 2010
More Proof Of A Pre-Tribulation Rapture.
Romans: Chapter 10 verse 9-10-13
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus,
and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him
from the dead, thou shalt be Saved. For with the heart man
believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession
is made unto Salvation. For whosoever shall call upon the
name of the Lord shall be Saved....................
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"The Sinners Prayer"..........................
Heavenly Father:..........................................................................
I come to you in prayer asking for the forgiveness of
my Sins. I confess with my mouth and believe with my
heart that Jesus is your Son, And that he died on the
Cross at Calvary that I might be forgiven and have
Eternal Life in the Kingdom of Heaven. Father, I believe
that Jesus rose from the dead and I ask you right now
to come in to my life and be my personal Lord and
Savior. I repent of my Sins and will Worship you all the
day's of my Life!. Because your word is truth, I confess
with my mouth that I am Born Again and Cleansed
by the Blood of Jesus! In Jesus Name, Amen.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you read the Sinners Prayer and truely believe the words you read, then
Praise the Lord as you have been saved and your name will appear in the
"Lambs Book of Life!"...................................................
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The (1st) step is to purchase a Bible, so that you can start your relationship
with God! The next step is to find a church where you and your family can
go to worship. Did you know that, God and his Angels Celebrate, when his
children that were lost, come home? Well, they do! Praise God for Mercy.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
One very important thing to remember is that Jesus knew you before you were ever concieved
in your Mothers womb. He knew every Sin that you would commit in this life and yet he still "Chose" to die on the Cross for you. Why? Because he loves you un-conditionally. Jesus
knows what we go through here in the world. Remember, he has been there and done that. So don't ever let the enemy convince you that God doesn't love you because he does and always will. Remember, Jesus said he would never leave nor forsake us. So when we feel un-loved its only because we have walked away from him. But he's still there right where we left him, waiting
for us to turn around and come back. Its so important that you know this, because you are "everything" to God and he loves you so much. Believe me when I say, the enemy will do anything he can to convince you that you are un-loved, a failure, worthless, ect. But the fact of the matter is; "You belong to Jesus Christ!" He paid the price for you with his Blood and he is not about to let you go! NEVER! God understands... Just talk to him for he is a very forgiving God! Believe me, I know. So be Blessed.. In Jesus Name!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Proof Of the Pre Tribulation Rapture
Every one who sees this better WAKE UP and get ready for the return of the Lord Jesus THE Christ, because he WILL be returning for HIS followers very SOON. As SOON as the Rapture happens and Yeshua's followers (meaning Christians) are taken away from this world then all HELL will Break loose. Here are some videos which provide evidence which strongly suggests that the Rapture will happen BEFORE the Great Tribulation.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Why MUST Christians Watch for The Rapture.
WHAT? ME WORRY?
By John R. Funk
There are a lot of people out there who display this attitude: What? Me Worry? Why should I? When they speak in these terms, it concerns the return of Jesus Christ to this earth to "rapture" or "snatch away" His believers. These individuals rightfully believe that Jesus will return whether or not they are looking for Him. They maintain that the Rapture of the saints will happen, if it happens, when God ordains and not before then.
Each of these statements is absolutely true upon its face so why do some people seem to be consumed by the idea of looking for Christ's return and anticipate that it could happen at any time? Isn't this just a big waste of time and effort? Why would reasonable, intelligent people spend their valuable time and money trying to persuade others that Jesus is coming soon and that they need to be prepared? More than just being prepared for His coming, these people scan the newspapers trying to tie world events to end times prophecies and actually want others to spend their time looking for the return of Jesus Christ. Are these people deluded, brainwashed or just hopeful that Someone will extricate them from the causes and concerns of life? In the meantime, aren't they failing to make the most out of life and bothering other good people who need to be living life to its fullest?
There is a poem written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow that chronicles the nighttime adventure of one particular individual in the year 1775; perhaps, you have read it sometime during your life. It is called "Paul Revere's Ride" and was written on April 19, 1860. The first part of the poem is as follows:
"Listen my children and you shall hear
Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere,
On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-five;
Hardly a man is now alive
Who remembers that famous day and year.
He said to his friend, "If the British march
By land or sea from the town to-night,
Hang a lantern aloft in the belfry arch
Of the North Church tower as a signal light,--
One if by land, and two if by sea;
And I on the opposite shore will be,
Ready to ride and spread the alarm
Through every Middlesex village and farm,
For the country folk to be up and to arm."
The purpose of this chronicled event was to spread the alarm of the impending invasion by the British army who intended to quell the revolution by those upstarts who would call themselves Americans. Spreading the alarm - that is an interesting and compelling purpose for anyone, wouldn't you agree?
In today's world, what is there to be alarmed about? You can stop laughing now; it was rhetorical. Let us not kid ourselves. There is plenty to be alarmed about. Whether it is crime, war, terrorism, drugs, the economy, this week's latest natural disaster, increasing taxes, one world government, globalism, the loss of individual rights, your children's friends, the state of marriage or numerous other reasons, we have good cause for alarm. Evidence of the declining state of our world is shown by the number of people who rely upon antidepressants to just cope with each day. What is even more alarming than any of the reasons cited herein is the world's lack of preparedness for the return of Jesus Christ. Just look around you and see if you think that this world (and the church) is ready for the return of Christ. It is not and it is for this very reason that we should "sound the alarm."
In the context of the Olivet Discourse when Jesus spoke with His disciples about the end of the age, He indicated that even though we would not know the hour, we could discern the season. The fig tree was a metaphor for Israel and Jesus noted that you could tell when summer was near by the fact that the leaves were budding. Similarly, we should be able to tell when the end of time is near or "right at the door" by the condition of the world around us. Many place the seminal event or triggering point, i.e. the leaves budding out, as the re-assimilation of Israel in 1948; others point to 1967 when Israel took back Jerusalem. In any event these individuals focus on verse 34 which states that "this generation shall not pass away until all these things have happened."
Matthew 24:32-36 **New International Version
32 "Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 33 Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. 34 I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. 36 "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
Matthew 24:32-36 King James Version
32 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. 36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
Jesus then went on to explain that the Rapture would take place when it was totally unexpected. Just like it was "in the days of Noah", people will be living life. They will be going about their work, eating, drinking and marrying. There will be no expectation by the world at large that this could be the end of the age as prophesied so long ago. Just like those people then, people will know nothing until it is too late. God shut the door of the ark after Noah and his family entered and the world then perished.
Matthew 24:37-44 **New International Version
37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. 42 "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
Matthew 24:37-44 King James Version
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. 43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. 44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
Those who take the attitude that Jesus is going to come when He is going to come and that there is no real reason to watch with anticipation fail to heed the admonition of verse 42. Jesus Himself commanded "Watch." The reason is that if one was diligent and kept watch, he would not be surprised and would be ready. If he is ready, then his house will not be broken up. Could this be a warning for us that by keeping watch, we will be able to avoid the breaking up of our homes? By keeping watch and anticipating His return, we will have an increased sense of urgency to try to witness to others and therefore fulfill the Great Commission (see Matthew 28:19-20).
In the following chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus spoke of the parable of the ten virgins and the wedding party. In this parable all ten virgins clearly wanted to be there for the bridegroom as all ten had brought their lamps; however, only five had brought any oil for their lamps. All were sleeping when the bridegroom (a metaphor for Jesus) came as He had been a long time in coming but when the cry (or alarm) was sounded, they all woke up and trimmed their lamps. Only the five who were prepared were admitted. Even though they cried out to Him, the five who were unprepared were shut out; He did not know them. Once again we are commended to watch because we do not know the day nor the hour when Jesus will come again.
Matthew 25:1-13 **New International Version
1 "At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6 "At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!' 7 "Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.' 9 "'No,' they replied, 'there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.' 10 "But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. 11 "Later the others also came. 'Sir! Sir!' they said. 'Open the door for us!' 12 "But he replied, 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you.' 13 "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
25:1-13 King James Version
1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2 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.
The Gospel of Mark addresses this same parable concerning the fig tree with many of the same ideas but there is an interesting admonition contained in his depiction.
Mark 13:28-37 **New International Version
28 "Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 29 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door. 30 I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. 32 "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. 34 It's like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. 35 Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back-whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. 36 If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. 37 What I say to you, I say to everyone: 'Watch!'".
Mark 13:28-37 King James Version
28 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near: 29 So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors. 30 Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done. 31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. 32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. 33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.34 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. 35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: 36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
Starting in verse 34, Jesus analogized Himself to a man going on a long journey and leaving His servants in charge. He commanded his porter or the one at the door to keep watch because you would not know when the master of the house would return. Verse 36 emphasizes that He should not catch you sleeping, i.e. unprepared for His return. He emphatically states in verse 37 that all are to keep watch for His return. It was not a suggestion or merely a good idea; it is a command given by Jesus Christ Himself, our Lord and Savior. As such, it is a command that is not to be taken lightly but rather is one that should be obeyed to the absolute best of our ability.
Finally, in the Revelation of John as Spirit addresses the church in Philadelphia, there is a promise for those who keep the faith. In verse 10, it is promised that the church will be kept from the hour of trial or temptation that is coming upon the whole world. It is widely interpreted that these verses refer to that time commonly described as the "Tribulation" which will be the seven years immediately preceding the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. For those who adhere to the pre-Tribulation viewpoint (as do I), this period will follow the Rapture of the church which is that event that we are to diligently anticipate.
Revelation 3:7-13 **New International Version
7 "To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. 8 I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. 9 I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars-I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. 10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. 11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12 Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name. 13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Revelation 3:7-13 King James Version
7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; 8 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. 9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. 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. 11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. 12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. 13 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
So when someone takes exception to those who watch for the return of Jesus to rapture or snatch away His believers, they need to know that we do it because we are commanded to do it by the One we love. By doing so we are past the point of being prepared; in fact, we now act to sound the alarm, begging the world around us to come to Christ in faith before the door is shut. When that door is shut, a time of travail such as has never been seen before will come upon the earth. That time is drawing ever closer and many of us believe that just as the fig tree gives evidence of the coming of summer, the current world events commencing with the re-assimilation of Israel manifest the nearness of the rapture of the saints. We do not want to be found sleeping but rather diligently working, preparing the way, for the advent of that time when we will depart this earth and spend our time at the wedding feast, celebrating with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. That is why we do it. Any questions?
** A modern language quote is provided for readability together with the accompanying KJV version which is believed by many to be a more accurate representation of the original scripture.
Comments or questions may be directed to the author at info@rapturenext.com.
By John R. Funk
There are a lot of people out there who display this attitude: What? Me Worry? Why should I? When they speak in these terms, it concerns the return of Jesus Christ to this earth to "rapture" or "snatch away" His believers. These individuals rightfully believe that Jesus will return whether or not they are looking for Him. They maintain that the Rapture of the saints will happen, if it happens, when God ordains and not before then.
Each of these statements is absolutely true upon its face so why do some people seem to be consumed by the idea of looking for Christ's return and anticipate that it could happen at any time? Isn't this just a big waste of time and effort? Why would reasonable, intelligent people spend their valuable time and money trying to persuade others that Jesus is coming soon and that they need to be prepared? More than just being prepared for His coming, these people scan the newspapers trying to tie world events to end times prophecies and actually want others to spend their time looking for the return of Jesus Christ. Are these people deluded, brainwashed or just hopeful that Someone will extricate them from the causes and concerns of life? In the meantime, aren't they failing to make the most out of life and bothering other good people who need to be living life to its fullest?
There is a poem written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow that chronicles the nighttime adventure of one particular individual in the year 1775; perhaps, you have read it sometime during your life. It is called "Paul Revere's Ride" and was written on April 19, 1860. The first part of the poem is as follows:
"Listen my children and you shall hear
Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere,
On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-five;
Hardly a man is now alive
Who remembers that famous day and year.
He said to his friend, "If the British march
By land or sea from the town to-night,
Hang a lantern aloft in the belfry arch
Of the North Church tower as a signal light,--
One if by land, and two if by sea;
And I on the opposite shore will be,
Ready to ride and spread the alarm
Through every Middlesex village and farm,
For the country folk to be up and to arm."
The purpose of this chronicled event was to spread the alarm of the impending invasion by the British army who intended to quell the revolution by those upstarts who would call themselves Americans. Spreading the alarm - that is an interesting and compelling purpose for anyone, wouldn't you agree?
In today's world, what is there to be alarmed about? You can stop laughing now; it was rhetorical. Let us not kid ourselves. There is plenty to be alarmed about. Whether it is crime, war, terrorism, drugs, the economy, this week's latest natural disaster, increasing taxes, one world government, globalism, the loss of individual rights, your children's friends, the state of marriage or numerous other reasons, we have good cause for alarm. Evidence of the declining state of our world is shown by the number of people who rely upon antidepressants to just cope with each day. What is even more alarming than any of the reasons cited herein is the world's lack of preparedness for the return of Jesus Christ. Just look around you and see if you think that this world (and the church) is ready for the return of Christ. It is not and it is for this very reason that we should "sound the alarm."
In the context of the Olivet Discourse when Jesus spoke with His disciples about the end of the age, He indicated that even though we would not know the hour, we could discern the season. The fig tree was a metaphor for Israel and Jesus noted that you could tell when summer was near by the fact that the leaves were budding. Similarly, we should be able to tell when the end of time is near or "right at the door" by the condition of the world around us. Many place the seminal event or triggering point, i.e. the leaves budding out, as the re-assimilation of Israel in 1948; others point to 1967 when Israel took back Jerusalem. In any event these individuals focus on verse 34 which states that "this generation shall not pass away until all these things have happened."
Matthew 24:32-36 **New International Version
32 "Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 33 Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. 34 I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. 36 "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
Matthew 24:32-36 King James Version
32 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. 36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
Jesus then went on to explain that the Rapture would take place when it was totally unexpected. Just like it was "in the days of Noah", people will be living life. They will be going about their work, eating, drinking and marrying. There will be no expectation by the world at large that this could be the end of the age as prophesied so long ago. Just like those people then, people will know nothing until it is too late. God shut the door of the ark after Noah and his family entered and the world then perished.
Matthew 24:37-44 **New International Version
37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. 42 "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
Matthew 24:37-44 King James Version
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. 43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. 44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
Those who take the attitude that Jesus is going to come when He is going to come and that there is no real reason to watch with anticipation fail to heed the admonition of verse 42. Jesus Himself commanded "Watch." The reason is that if one was diligent and kept watch, he would not be surprised and would be ready. If he is ready, then his house will not be broken up. Could this be a warning for us that by keeping watch, we will be able to avoid the breaking up of our homes? By keeping watch and anticipating His return, we will have an increased sense of urgency to try to witness to others and therefore fulfill the Great Commission (see Matthew 28:19-20).
In the following chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus spoke of the parable of the ten virgins and the wedding party. In this parable all ten virgins clearly wanted to be there for the bridegroom as all ten had brought their lamps; however, only five had brought any oil for their lamps. All were sleeping when the bridegroom (a metaphor for Jesus) came as He had been a long time in coming but when the cry (or alarm) was sounded, they all woke up and trimmed their lamps. Only the five who were prepared were admitted. Even though they cried out to Him, the five who were unprepared were shut out; He did not know them. Once again we are commended to watch because we do not know the day nor the hour when Jesus will come again.
Matthew 25:1-13 **New International Version
1 "At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6 "At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!' 7 "Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.' 9 "'No,' they replied, 'there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.' 10 "But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. 11 "Later the others also came. 'Sir! Sir!' they said. 'Open the door for us!' 12 "But he replied, 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you.' 13 "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
25:1-13 King James Version
1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2 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.
The Gospel of Mark addresses this same parable concerning the fig tree with many of the same ideas but there is an interesting admonition contained in his depiction.
Mark 13:28-37 **New International Version
28 "Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 29 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door. 30 I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. 32 "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. 34 It's like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. 35 Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back-whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. 36 If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. 37 What I say to you, I say to everyone: 'Watch!'".
Mark 13:28-37 King James Version
28 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near: 29 So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors. 30 Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done. 31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. 32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. 33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.34 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. 35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: 36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
Starting in verse 34, Jesus analogized Himself to a man going on a long journey and leaving His servants in charge. He commanded his porter or the one at the door to keep watch because you would not know when the master of the house would return. Verse 36 emphasizes that He should not catch you sleeping, i.e. unprepared for His return. He emphatically states in verse 37 that all are to keep watch for His return. It was not a suggestion or merely a good idea; it is a command given by Jesus Christ Himself, our Lord and Savior. As such, it is a command that is not to be taken lightly but rather is one that should be obeyed to the absolute best of our ability.
Finally, in the Revelation of John as Spirit addresses the church in Philadelphia, there is a promise for those who keep the faith. In verse 10, it is promised that the church will be kept from the hour of trial or temptation that is coming upon the whole world. It is widely interpreted that these verses refer to that time commonly described as the "Tribulation" which will be the seven years immediately preceding the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. For those who adhere to the pre-Tribulation viewpoint (as do I), this period will follow the Rapture of the church which is that event that we are to diligently anticipate.
Revelation 3:7-13 **New International Version
7 "To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. 8 I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. 9 I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars-I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. 10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. 11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12 Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name. 13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Revelation 3:7-13 King James Version
7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; 8 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. 9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. 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. 11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. 12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. 13 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
So when someone takes exception to those who watch for the return of Jesus to rapture or snatch away His believers, they need to know that we do it because we are commanded to do it by the One we love. By doing so we are past the point of being prepared; in fact, we now act to sound the alarm, begging the world around us to come to Christ in faith before the door is shut. When that door is shut, a time of travail such as has never been seen before will come upon the earth. That time is drawing ever closer and many of us believe that just as the fig tree gives evidence of the coming of summer, the current world events commencing with the re-assimilation of Israel manifest the nearness of the rapture of the saints. We do not want to be found sleeping but rather diligently working, preparing the way, for the advent of that time when we will depart this earth and spend our time at the wedding feast, celebrating with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. That is why we do it. Any questions?
** A modern language quote is provided for readability together with the accompanying KJV version which is believed by many to be a more accurate representation of the original scripture.
Comments or questions may be directed to the author at info@rapturenext.com.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Biblical references to the Rapture by Jack Kelley.
Rapture References
by Jack Kelley
Recently I was challenged to make a list of all the passages in the Bible that hint of a pre-trib rapture. As you may know I believe Paul was the first person on Earth to present a clear pre-trib teaching, about 20 years after the cross. Before that time it was unknown because Jesus didn’t teach it to His other disciples during their time together. And since the Olivet Discourse is directed at Israel, there’s no mention of it there either, even though the end times is in view. Israel will not participate in the rapture.
Now I’ll be the first to admit that doing this requires that you already have a working knowledge of the pre-trib position, because without it you wouldn’t recognize some of these references as being pertinent to the subject. But ever since Paul revealed the rapture, scholars have been seeing hints of it here and there, even in the Old Testament.
Before we begin, in 1 Cor. 2:6-8 Paul explained why God’s plans for the church had been kept secret until after the crucifixion. He said that if the rulers of this age (Satan & Co.) had understood all that God intended for us they would not have crucified the Lord. Not that they could have stopped it, of course. But had they known God was going to use the murder of His Son to save us all, they wouldn’t have gone ahead with it, and in fact would have tried to prevent it. It wasn’t until He was on the cross that they discovered the Lord’s death was going to become payment in full for all our sins, so instead of it being cause for a great celebration it totally disarmed them and made them into a public spectacle (Colossians 2:13-15). Then, 20 years later, they learned about the rapture. These were both things that God had planned from the beginning, but a good general keeps his strategy a secret in order to take his enemy by surprise, so God didn’t let Satan (or anyone else) know about these things until it was too late for him to react. Even now, Satan doesn’t know when the rapture is coming. All he knows is what we know, that each new believer could be the last one, the one that takes us all out of here and beyond his reach forever.
I’m convinced that God’s plan requires the Church to disappear before Daniel’s 70th week begins. Remember, the Lord set aside 70 weeks (490 years) for Israel to accomplish 6 things. (Daniel 9:24) At the end of 69 weeks (483 years) Jesus was crucified, the clock suddenly stopped, and Israel disappeared along with its Temple and Old Covenant worship. Daniel’s prophecy was left incomplete and from that time on, God’s focus was on the church.
The reappearance of Israel in 1948, the promised rebuilding of a Temple, and resumption of Levitical sacrifice during the 70th week make it clear that the Church didn’t end the dispensation of Law but only interrupted it seven years short of its intended duration. We would all agree that if the introduction of a dam into a stream of water interrupts its flow, then it’s reasonable and logical to conclude that removal of the dam will be necessary for the flow to resume. Therefore if the introduction of the Church after the 69th week of Daniels prophecy caused the interruption in its fulfillment, it’s reasonable and logical to conclude that the Church will have to be removed before the final seven years of the dispensation of Law can run their course and Daniel’s prophecy can be fulfilled.
Of course there are other sound reasons why the church has to disappear before the End Times begin in earnest. Not having a destiny on Earth, our presence here would serve no purpose during the time of Earth’s liberation from bondage (Romans 8:19-21). Not being subject to judgment the Church has no unfinished business with God that could be concluded during the End Times. Unlike Israel we don’t need to be made righteous because we’re already as righteous as God is (2 cor. 5:21).
Jeremiah 30:11 says the End time judgments will serve a two fold purpose, to completely destroy all the nations among which Israel has been scattered and to discipline Israel. Since God does not consider the Church to belong to either group our presence on Earth during that time would be irrelevant.
But the most important reason, as we’ll see, is that God said we won’t be here. Those who teach the Church’s presence on Earth during any part of Daniel’s70th Week have to re-define grace, re-invent the church and re-interpret the Scriptures to support their position.
With that introduction, let’s look at some of the clearest hints God placed in the Scriptures to show He has always planned for a pre-tribulation rapture of the church. Naturally, we’ll begin in the Old Testament.
Enoch Disappeared
Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took Him away. (Genesis 5:24)
In Matt. 24:37, Jesus said that the time of His coming would be like the days of Noah. He went onto explain that just as all the unbelievers perished in the flood, all unbelievers would perish at the time of His 2nd coming as well. Those who survive the devastation of the Great Tribulation will immediately face judgment and be taken off the planet. The parables of the servant, the ten virgins, and the talents explain this, as does the account of the Sheep and Goat judgment. (Matt. 24:45-25:46)
But if you give the Lord’s statement its widest possible application, you can see that as the time of the Great Flood drew near there were 3 kinds of people on Earth. There were the unbelievers who perished in the flood, Noah and his family who were preserved through it, and Enoch, who was taken by the Lord well before it.
Just so, as the End of the Age draws near there will still be three kinds of people on Earth. They are the unbelievers of our time who will perish in the End Times judgments, modern Israel who will be preserved through them, and the Church who will be taken by God well before they begin.
There some interesting similarities between Enoch and the Church. For starters, the name Enoch comes from a root which means to train or teach. To the church Jesus said, “Go and make disciples (students) of all men.” (Matt. 28:19) And according to Hebrew tradition, Enoch was born on the day that would become Pentecost. It’s the same day the Church was born. I believe Enoch was an early type of the Church and his disappearance before the flood gave the first hint of a pre-tribulation rapture.
Lot Had To Leave Sodom
But flee there quickly, because I can not do anything until you reach it. (Genesis 19:23)
Abraham had struck a bargain with the Lord that if even 10 righteous people could be found in Sodom and Gomorrah He would spare the cities. The fact that the cities were destroyed indicates 10 righteous people could not be found there. But there was one, and though He wasn’t bound to do it, the Lord instructed the angels to get Lot out of town before commencing their judgment. Peter referred to Lot’s rescue from Sodom as evidence that the Lord does not judge the righteous with the wicked (2 Peter 2:7-9) Lot therefore becomes a model of the Church, who with a righteousness imputed by faith, has to be removed from the time and place of judgment before it begins.
Where Was Daniel?
Daniel 3 contains one of the most popular children’s stories of the Old Testament. Many don’t realize that it’s also one of the clearest models of the End Times anywhere in the Bible. King Nebuchadnezzar represents the anti-Christ who decrees that anyone who refuses to bow down and worship the statue he has made will be put to death in the fiery furnace, which represents Great Tribulation. Daniel’s three friends, representing Israel, refuse to worship the image and are thrown into the furnace to die. While in there they encounter the Lord, are preserved through the judgment, and are elevated to positions of honor in Babylon.
But where was Daniel? He was a prominent figure both before and after chapter 3. But in this episode his name was not even mentioned. Did he worship the statue to escape judgment? If you think that, you don’t know Daniel. Did he refuse to bow down but was not accused? If you think that, you don’t know his enemies. After all they rounded up his three closest friends. For the purposes of this story it’s as if he has disappeared altogether. In chapter 3, Daniel was a model of the Church, who during the End times judgments will have disappeared altogether, while Israel will be preserved through them, meet the Lord in the midst of them, and be elevated to positions of honor in the Kingdom Age.
Isaiah Said It Best
But your dead will live; their bodies will rise. You who dwell in the dust, wake up and shout for joy. Your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead.
Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut the doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until his wrath has passed by.
See, the LORD is coming out of his dwelling to punish the people of the earth for their sins. The earth will disclose the blood shed upon her; she will conceal her slain no longer. (Isaiah 26:19-21)
Without a doubt this is the clearest statement of the Lord’s intentions for the Church anywhere in the Old Testament. It can’t be tied to any event in history, but clearly awaits a future fulfillment. And it can’t be intended for Israel, whose resurrection will come after the time of God’s wrath, not before it. (Daniel 12:1-2)
Some day soon a group of people will suddenly rise from the dead. Another group, still living, will be whisked away to rooms prepared for them to be hidden from the time of God’s wrath. Then the Lord will punish the people of the Earth for their sins. The fact that the groups being resurrected and hidden are not objects of his wrath is indicated by the switch from second person (resurrected and hidden) to third person (punished). Notice how similar the wording is to 1 Thes 4:16-17 & 5:9, Paul’s teaching on the rapture.
But your dead will live; their bodies will rise. (The dead in Christ will rise first).
Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut the doors behind you; (After that we who are alive and left will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air)
It’s appropriate to insert John 14:2-3 here as well to see what rooms Isaiah was talking about.
In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
This promise does not point to the 2nd Coming when the Lord will come to Earth to be with Israel here, where they are. This is a promise to the Church that He has gone to His father’s house to prepare our rooms for us. Then He will come for us to take us there, where He is.
See, the LORD is coming out of his dwelling to punish the people of the earth for their sins. (For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.)
I’m convinced this is the passage Paul had in mind when he said “According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.“ (1 Thes. 4:15). I say this because with the exception of 1 Thes 4:16-17 there is no passage in all the Bible that so clearly describes the pre-trib rapture of the Church.
This is not the sum of Old Testament verses that point to a pre-tribulation rapture. But it’s a good sample of the clearest ones, to help you see that God always intended to take us to be with him before He unleashes the End Times judgments upon the unbelieving Earth. Next time we’ll take a similar survey of the New Testament. See you then. 01-30-10
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by Jack Kelley
Recently I was challenged to make a list of all the passages in the Bible that hint of a pre-trib rapture. As you may know I believe Paul was the first person on Earth to present a clear pre-trib teaching, about 20 years after the cross. Before that time it was unknown because Jesus didn’t teach it to His other disciples during their time together. And since the Olivet Discourse is directed at Israel, there’s no mention of it there either, even though the end times is in view. Israel will not participate in the rapture.
Now I’ll be the first to admit that doing this requires that you already have a working knowledge of the pre-trib position, because without it you wouldn’t recognize some of these references as being pertinent to the subject. But ever since Paul revealed the rapture, scholars have been seeing hints of it here and there, even in the Old Testament.
Before we begin, in 1 Cor. 2:6-8 Paul explained why God’s plans for the church had been kept secret until after the crucifixion. He said that if the rulers of this age (Satan & Co.) had understood all that God intended for us they would not have crucified the Lord. Not that they could have stopped it, of course. But had they known God was going to use the murder of His Son to save us all, they wouldn’t have gone ahead with it, and in fact would have tried to prevent it. It wasn’t until He was on the cross that they discovered the Lord’s death was going to become payment in full for all our sins, so instead of it being cause for a great celebration it totally disarmed them and made them into a public spectacle (Colossians 2:13-15). Then, 20 years later, they learned about the rapture. These were both things that God had planned from the beginning, but a good general keeps his strategy a secret in order to take his enemy by surprise, so God didn’t let Satan (or anyone else) know about these things until it was too late for him to react. Even now, Satan doesn’t know when the rapture is coming. All he knows is what we know, that each new believer could be the last one, the one that takes us all out of here and beyond his reach forever.
I’m convinced that God’s plan requires the Church to disappear before Daniel’s 70th week begins. Remember, the Lord set aside 70 weeks (490 years) for Israel to accomplish 6 things. (Daniel 9:24) At the end of 69 weeks (483 years) Jesus was crucified, the clock suddenly stopped, and Israel disappeared along with its Temple and Old Covenant worship. Daniel’s prophecy was left incomplete and from that time on, God’s focus was on the church.
The reappearance of Israel in 1948, the promised rebuilding of a Temple, and resumption of Levitical sacrifice during the 70th week make it clear that the Church didn’t end the dispensation of Law but only interrupted it seven years short of its intended duration. We would all agree that if the introduction of a dam into a stream of water interrupts its flow, then it’s reasonable and logical to conclude that removal of the dam will be necessary for the flow to resume. Therefore if the introduction of the Church after the 69th week of Daniels prophecy caused the interruption in its fulfillment, it’s reasonable and logical to conclude that the Church will have to be removed before the final seven years of the dispensation of Law can run their course and Daniel’s prophecy can be fulfilled.
Of course there are other sound reasons why the church has to disappear before the End Times begin in earnest. Not having a destiny on Earth, our presence here would serve no purpose during the time of Earth’s liberation from bondage (Romans 8:19-21). Not being subject to judgment the Church has no unfinished business with God that could be concluded during the End Times. Unlike Israel we don’t need to be made righteous because we’re already as righteous as God is (2 cor. 5:21).
Jeremiah 30:11 says the End time judgments will serve a two fold purpose, to completely destroy all the nations among which Israel has been scattered and to discipline Israel. Since God does not consider the Church to belong to either group our presence on Earth during that time would be irrelevant.
But the most important reason, as we’ll see, is that God said we won’t be here. Those who teach the Church’s presence on Earth during any part of Daniel’s70th Week have to re-define grace, re-invent the church and re-interpret the Scriptures to support their position.
With that introduction, let’s look at some of the clearest hints God placed in the Scriptures to show He has always planned for a pre-tribulation rapture of the church. Naturally, we’ll begin in the Old Testament.
Enoch Disappeared
Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took Him away. (Genesis 5:24)
In Matt. 24:37, Jesus said that the time of His coming would be like the days of Noah. He went onto explain that just as all the unbelievers perished in the flood, all unbelievers would perish at the time of His 2nd coming as well. Those who survive the devastation of the Great Tribulation will immediately face judgment and be taken off the planet. The parables of the servant, the ten virgins, and the talents explain this, as does the account of the Sheep and Goat judgment. (Matt. 24:45-25:46)
But if you give the Lord’s statement its widest possible application, you can see that as the time of the Great Flood drew near there were 3 kinds of people on Earth. There were the unbelievers who perished in the flood, Noah and his family who were preserved through it, and Enoch, who was taken by the Lord well before it.
Just so, as the End of the Age draws near there will still be three kinds of people on Earth. They are the unbelievers of our time who will perish in the End Times judgments, modern Israel who will be preserved through them, and the Church who will be taken by God well before they begin.
There some interesting similarities between Enoch and the Church. For starters, the name Enoch comes from a root which means to train or teach. To the church Jesus said, “Go and make disciples (students) of all men.” (Matt. 28:19) And according to Hebrew tradition, Enoch was born on the day that would become Pentecost. It’s the same day the Church was born. I believe Enoch was an early type of the Church and his disappearance before the flood gave the first hint of a pre-tribulation rapture.
Lot Had To Leave Sodom
But flee there quickly, because I can not do anything until you reach it. (Genesis 19:23)
Abraham had struck a bargain with the Lord that if even 10 righteous people could be found in Sodom and Gomorrah He would spare the cities. The fact that the cities were destroyed indicates 10 righteous people could not be found there. But there was one, and though He wasn’t bound to do it, the Lord instructed the angels to get Lot out of town before commencing their judgment. Peter referred to Lot’s rescue from Sodom as evidence that the Lord does not judge the righteous with the wicked (2 Peter 2:7-9) Lot therefore becomes a model of the Church, who with a righteousness imputed by faith, has to be removed from the time and place of judgment before it begins.
Where Was Daniel?
Daniel 3 contains one of the most popular children’s stories of the Old Testament. Many don’t realize that it’s also one of the clearest models of the End Times anywhere in the Bible. King Nebuchadnezzar represents the anti-Christ who decrees that anyone who refuses to bow down and worship the statue he has made will be put to death in the fiery furnace, which represents Great Tribulation. Daniel’s three friends, representing Israel, refuse to worship the image and are thrown into the furnace to die. While in there they encounter the Lord, are preserved through the judgment, and are elevated to positions of honor in Babylon.
But where was Daniel? He was a prominent figure both before and after chapter 3. But in this episode his name was not even mentioned. Did he worship the statue to escape judgment? If you think that, you don’t know Daniel. Did he refuse to bow down but was not accused? If you think that, you don’t know his enemies. After all they rounded up his three closest friends. For the purposes of this story it’s as if he has disappeared altogether. In chapter 3, Daniel was a model of the Church, who during the End times judgments will have disappeared altogether, while Israel will be preserved through them, meet the Lord in the midst of them, and be elevated to positions of honor in the Kingdom Age.
Isaiah Said It Best
But your dead will live; their bodies will rise. You who dwell in the dust, wake up and shout for joy. Your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead.
Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut the doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until his wrath has passed by.
See, the LORD is coming out of his dwelling to punish the people of the earth for their sins. The earth will disclose the blood shed upon her; she will conceal her slain no longer. (Isaiah 26:19-21)
Without a doubt this is the clearest statement of the Lord’s intentions for the Church anywhere in the Old Testament. It can’t be tied to any event in history, but clearly awaits a future fulfillment. And it can’t be intended for Israel, whose resurrection will come after the time of God’s wrath, not before it. (Daniel 12:1-2)
Some day soon a group of people will suddenly rise from the dead. Another group, still living, will be whisked away to rooms prepared for them to be hidden from the time of God’s wrath. Then the Lord will punish the people of the Earth for their sins. The fact that the groups being resurrected and hidden are not objects of his wrath is indicated by the switch from second person (resurrected and hidden) to third person (punished). Notice how similar the wording is to 1 Thes 4:16-17 & 5:9, Paul’s teaching on the rapture.
But your dead will live; their bodies will rise. (The dead in Christ will rise first).
Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut the doors behind you; (After that we who are alive and left will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air)
It’s appropriate to insert John 14:2-3 here as well to see what rooms Isaiah was talking about.
In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
This promise does not point to the 2nd Coming when the Lord will come to Earth to be with Israel here, where they are. This is a promise to the Church that He has gone to His father’s house to prepare our rooms for us. Then He will come for us to take us there, where He is.
See, the LORD is coming out of his dwelling to punish the people of the earth for their sins. (For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.)
I’m convinced this is the passage Paul had in mind when he said “According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.“ (1 Thes. 4:15). I say this because with the exception of 1 Thes 4:16-17 there is no passage in all the Bible that so clearly describes the pre-trib rapture of the Church.
This is not the sum of Old Testament verses that point to a pre-tribulation rapture. But it’s a good sample of the clearest ones, to help you see that God always intended to take us to be with him before He unleashes the End Times judgments upon the unbelieving Earth. Next time we’ll take a similar survey of the New Testament. See you then. 01-30-10
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Monday, January 25, 2010
In Defense of The Pre-Tribulation Rapture.
THE PRETRIBULATION RAPTURE:
The rapture is an event that will take place sometime in the near future. Jesus will come in the air, catch up the Church from the earth, and then return to heaven with the Church. In 1 Thes. 4:13-18 we are given a clear description of the rapture, "the dead in Christ will rise, then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord." The time of the rapture was not given. From the word of God and from sound reasoning, something Jesus used quite frequently, I hope to prove the reality of the pretribulation rapture.
Scriptural Evidence for the Pretribulation Rapture
"Ye Know Neither the Day nor the Hour" (Mat 25:13) Vs 1260 days, (Rev 12:6)
When we search the scriptures and read the passages describing of the Lord Jesus' return, we find verses that tell us we won't know the day and others that tell us we will know the day. Mat 25:13 say that Jesus will return at an unknown time, while Rev 12:6 states that the Jews will have to wait on the Lord 1260 days. The 1260 days start when the Antichrist stands in the Temple of God and declares himself to be God.(2 Thes 2:4) This event will take place at the mid-point of the seven year tribulation. (Dan 9:27) It should be noted that some people only see a 3 1/2 year tribulation. They are in a way correct, because the first half of tribulation will be relatively peaceful compared to the second half. Nonetheless, peaceful or not, there still remains a 7 year time period called the tribulation. When the Jews flee into the wilderness, they know that all they have to do is wait out those 1260 days.(Mat 24:16) There is no way you can apply "neither the day nor the hour" to this situation. The only way for these two viewpoints to be true, there needs to be two separate distinct events transpiring here, the rapture of the Church before the tribulation, and Jesus' returning to earth seven years later.
The Marriage Supper of the Lamb
In Luke 12:36 the word states that when Christ returns, He will be returning from a wedding. In Rev 19:7-8 we read about the marriage itself. Before the marriage takes place, there is the marriage supper. According to Jewish custom, first the marriage contract is drawn up, often including a dowry. This parallels the act of faith we use when we trust Jesus to be our savior. The dowry is His life, which was used to purchase us. When the time comes for the wedding to take place, the groom goes to the bride's house unannounced, she comes out to meet him, and they both return to his father's house. This is an exact correlation of the events according to the pre-trib scenario. Jesus the groom comes down from heaven, calls up the Church, the Church next rises into the air to meet Jesus, and then both He and the bride return to the His Father's house (heaven). The marriage supper itself will take place up in heaven, while down here on earth the final events of the tribulation are playing themselves out. After the marriage supper takes place, the bride and groom are presented to the world as man and wife. This matches the time when Jesus returns to earth, accompanied by an army "clothed in fine linen, white and clean." (Rev 19:14)
What They Didn't Teach You in History Class
There are many groups that are trying to discredit the pre-trib rapture, primarily because they believe most of the end time events in the Bible have already taken place. By 70 AD, or the Middle Ages, they see just about all of the apocalyptic scriptures as being already fulfilled. If the book of Revelation were truly just a part of history, it would seem very difficult for me to explain away some of the current situations I see occurring around us: the rebirth of Israel, the reunification of Europe, the number of global wars that have occurred, and the development of nuclear weapons. During history class, I must have slept through the part where the teacher talked about the time when a third of the trees were burned up, 100 LB hailstones fell from the sky, and the time when the sea turned into blood.(Rev 8:7-8, 16:21) I think several people would have to question their opposition to the pre- trib rapture doctrine if they knew that the evidence provided to them was based on the understanding that most tribulation prophecies have already occurred.
The People of the Millennium
If Christ were to come back after the tribulation, rapture all the saints, and slay all the ungodly; who would them be left to populate the millennium? Only the pre-trib view point can account for this post-trib problem; the Church is raptured before the tribulation, a vast number of souls are saved during this 7 year time frame, and those that make it through the tribulation will go into the millennium, while the unsaved are cast into hell.
The Big Flip
In the pre-trib scenario, after we will rise to meet the Lord in the air, we will go to heaven and abide there seven years. At the end of the seven years, Christ comes down to earth, defeats the Antichrist, and cleanses the temple. In a post-trib rapture, we would rise in the air meet the Lord, then do a 180 degree turn and come back down to earth. It states in Rev 1:7 that Christ will appear out of the clouds and come down to earth. It says in Zech. 14:4 His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives. If He's already headed our way, why would we need to be caught up to meet Him?
"Come up Hither"
In Rev 4:1 where it says "come up hither," many pre-trib writers cite this as a prophetic reference to the rapture of the Church. Rev Chapter 1 through 3 is the Church Age. After the shout to "come up hither," the Church is not mentioned in scripture at all. The attention of scripture switches from the Church to the Jews living in Israel.
Armies in Fine Linen
When Jesus returns, Rev 19:14, there is an army that follows Him riding on white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. In Rev 19:8 we are told the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints. If the saints of God are returning with Christ, to wage war on the Antichrist, then it is not to have a post-trib rapture.
The Time of Jacob's Trouble
In a number of places, the Bible refers to the tribulation as a time of trouble for the Jews. The phrase "Jacob's trouble" pertains to the descendants of Jacob. In Jeremiah 30:7 it says that this time of trouble will come just before the Lord returns to save His people. The final week of Daniel's 70th week is yet to take place. An angel told Daniel that, "70 weeks are determined unto thy people."(Dan 9:24) Scripture never mentions that the tribulation is meant to be a time of testing for Christians, however some post-tribbers try to claim they are the ones being tested during the tribulation. To make this so, they need to spiritualize the 144,000 Jewish believers in (Rev 7:2-8) that receive God's protective seal. Placing the Church dispensation into the same time frame as the seven year Jewish dispensation, as the Post-tribbers do, raises one good question. Can two dispensations transpire at the same time? In the past, God has only dealt with only one at a time. Having both present during the tribulation, would have to be an exception.
He That is Taken Out of the Way (2 Thes. 2:7)
Before the Antichrist can be revealed, Paul said a certain, "He" must be taken out of the way. The "He" that must be removed, according to 2 Thes. 2:7, is widely thought to be the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has been promised to never leave the Church, and without the working of the Holy Spirit remaining on earth, no one could be saved during the tribulation. The removal of the Church, which is indwelt by the Holy Ghost, would seem the best explanation for this dilemma. The working of the Holy Spirit could go on during the tribulation, but His influence would be diminished because of the missing Church.
War or Rapture
(Rev 19:19-21) When Jesus returns at the end of the tribulation, He will be coming for battle. For those who believe in a post-trib rapture, it would be a strange thing to meet your Lord and Savior just as He's rushing into battle. The idea that war and rapture could occur together is a difficult thing to imagine, especially since they transpire at the same moment.
The Five Foolish Virgins
The wedding story that Jesus gave in Mat 25:2-13, I believe, relates a parable of the rapture of the Church and how some will not be ready. Jesus clearly states that a group of people will miss out on some event, and will cry out to God to let them into the place where He resides (heaven). Although some try to put this parable in a post-trib context, it doesn't fit very well. The ones left behind in a post-trib rapture will not need to seek the lord because they'll immediately be confronted by him and his army of angels.
God Hath Not Appointed Us to Wrath
In 1 Thessalonians 5:9 Paul assures us that God has not appointed His people to wrath. The wrath is plainly God's anger that will be poured out during the tribulation. Pre-trib believers cite this as meaning that Christians will be removed from the earth. Post-trib believers tell a different story. They describe this as meaning God will protect Christians during the tribulation, and pour this wrath out on the unbelievers only. This idea runs against the statement made in Rev 13:7 where the Antichrist is given power to make war with the saints and to overcome them. A post-trib view would make God's promise of protection from wrath into a lie. In years past, it was possible to think of protection from guns and swords. Today when any major war would involve nuclear and chemical weapons, it's not possible to expect protection from these types of weaponry. When Nagasaki, Japan was bombed during W.W.II, the bomb exploded over a Catholic church. Everyone that was in the center of the explosion died, both Christians and non-Christians. The only way to validly interpret God's promise of protection from wrath, is the bodily removal of the Church from this world.
The Salt of the Earth
(Mat 5:13) Jesus said, "Ye are the salt of the earth." When the believers are suddenly be removed, the earth will be plunged into spiritual darkness. When this happens, the Antichrist will then be free to control the world.
God Takes an Inventory
In Rev 7:3 an angel descends to earth and seals the servants of God. Two bits of information are given about this sealing that highly disclaim a post-trib viewpoint. The first item is the number of people sealed: 144,000. The second one is that all those who are sealed are from the twelve tribes of Israel. For the events in Rev 7:3-8 to be true, in a post-trib way, either the Church has turned against God or God has turned against the Church. A post-tribber could write a thousand word commentary on why the Church doesn't need to be sealed. Instead of trying to argue why the Church is not mentioned or sealed, a pre-trib proponent could just say, "We're already in heaven."
Noah and Lot as Examples
The tribulation period is compared to the times of Noah and Lot by Jesus in Luke 17:28. Most people argue over what time frame Jesus was talking about hear pre-trib or post-trib, and miss an important point. The two things that the Noah and Lot situations have in common are the removal of the righteous and the judgment of the unbelievers. From these two accounts, we see that God prefers to remove His own when danger is involved.
Common Sense Reasons for Believing in the Pretribulation Rapture
The World Test
One way to check the soundness of a doctrine is to see how the world reacts to it. One time a company put out a questionnaire that was used to screen prospective employees. One of the questions was "do you believe in the rapture?" If you answered yes, your chances of getting hired would not be good. Some Internet sites do not allow for the topics of Rapture or Second Coming. They do allow topics like sex, gay, and drugs. The only time the news media reports something on the rapture is when someone has set a date and was wrong.
That Old Time Religion
It used to be a natural rule of thumb when one was visiting a church or listening to a preacher, if the church or the preacher taught the rapture doctrine, it was logical to assume they also believed in repentance, prayer, and the baptism of the Holy Ghost. It was also true the churches that were on fire for God worshipped out of storefronts. Today many of those storefront churches have moved into marble palaces and have strayed from their principle doctrines.
Birds of a Feather Flock Together
Whenever I look at all the groups that teach false doctrine and are highly focused on end time events, I cannot find any that support the rapture theory. You have organizations like the Jehovah's Witnesses that teach a false gospel and are heavily into Bible prophecy. Why then don't Jehovah's Witnesses teach a false doctrine that would be right up their alley? Could it be the demonic forces that influence these group knows something that Christians opposed to the rapture don't. The list of prophetically minded cults that rejects the idea of a rapture goes on and on. Here are some more: the Mormons, the Worldwide Church of God, the Moonies, and leaders like Jim Jones and David Koresh.
The Church Would Rebuke the Antichrist
If the Antichrist came to power with the Church still here, I do not see how he could operate. When Hitler was fighting to take over England, a number of Christians where praying for victory. Hitler made mistake after mistake, and England out performed its enemy at every stage of the conflict. It is difficult to measure the actual impact of intercessory prayer in physical warfare. Little is known of how great a role praying saints played in the defeat of Nazi Germany. If the Church were to reside on earth during the tribulation, I am sure she would give the Antichrist fits. In Rev 11:3, the two witnesses give the Antichrist enough headaches alone. Millions of Christians, who know their Bible well, would recognize the man of sin and pray fire down on his head. The post-trib view would have to plan on the Church just rolling over and playing dead, the whole seven years.
There is one thing we should all remember. Whether we or not we know the Antichrist's mother's maiden name isn't the primary goal. Knowing Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and having your name written in the Lamb's Book of Life -- this should be our number one priority. The jailer asked Paul, "what must I do to be saved?" The answer was, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved."(Acts 16:30-31)
PLEASE if you Read this post then Say This Prayer and Make Sure that you will go to Heaven when you die.
“Father, I know that I have broken your
laws and my sins have separated me
from you. I am truly sorry, and now I want
to turn away from my past sinful life
toward You. Please forgive me, and help
me avoid sinning again. I believe that
Your Son, Jesus Christ died for my sins,
was resurrected from the dead, is alive,
and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to
become the Lord of my life, to rule and
reign in my heart from this day forward.
Please send your Holy Spirit to help me
obey You, and to do Your will for the rest
of my life. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”
If you have received Christ into your heart, I
welcome you to the Kingdom of God. All the
angels in Heaven rejoice whenever one soul is
saved. Now, your job as a Christian is to learn
about God, and obey Him. Read your Bible every
day, and you will be like a tree planted by a spring,
never thirsting. You will grow in knowledge and
wisdom, and your relationship and closeness with
your God will become the meaning of your life.
Please, find a good church, and get baptized in
the name of The Father, The Son, and The Holy
Spirit immediately. Learn the teachings of Christ,
and follow Him everyday. Remember, loving God
and loving people is a Christian’s role in this dark
and hurting world. We are commanded to go into
all the world and preach the gospel to save souls.
this article was copied from
http://home.flash.net/~evt/rapture.htm and is free to distribute and copy as long as it is distributed Free Of Charge for we must NOT put a price on saving souls from HELL and teaching them about Jesus THE Christ and his love for all of us.
The rapture is an event that will take place sometime in the near future. Jesus will come in the air, catch up the Church from the earth, and then return to heaven with the Church. In 1 Thes. 4:13-18 we are given a clear description of the rapture, "the dead in Christ will rise, then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord." The time of the rapture was not given. From the word of God and from sound reasoning, something Jesus used quite frequently, I hope to prove the reality of the pretribulation rapture.
Scriptural Evidence for the Pretribulation Rapture
"Ye Know Neither the Day nor the Hour" (Mat 25:13) Vs 1260 days, (Rev 12:6)
When we search the scriptures and read the passages describing of the Lord Jesus' return, we find verses that tell us we won't know the day and others that tell us we will know the day. Mat 25:13 say that Jesus will return at an unknown time, while Rev 12:6 states that the Jews will have to wait on the Lord 1260 days. The 1260 days start when the Antichrist stands in the Temple of God and declares himself to be God.(2 Thes 2:4) This event will take place at the mid-point of the seven year tribulation. (Dan 9:27) It should be noted that some people only see a 3 1/2 year tribulation. They are in a way correct, because the first half of tribulation will be relatively peaceful compared to the second half. Nonetheless, peaceful or not, there still remains a 7 year time period called the tribulation. When the Jews flee into the wilderness, they know that all they have to do is wait out those 1260 days.(Mat 24:16) There is no way you can apply "neither the day nor the hour" to this situation. The only way for these two viewpoints to be true, there needs to be two separate distinct events transpiring here, the rapture of the Church before the tribulation, and Jesus' returning to earth seven years later.
The Marriage Supper of the Lamb
In Luke 12:36 the word states that when Christ returns, He will be returning from a wedding. In Rev 19:7-8 we read about the marriage itself. Before the marriage takes place, there is the marriage supper. According to Jewish custom, first the marriage contract is drawn up, often including a dowry. This parallels the act of faith we use when we trust Jesus to be our savior. The dowry is His life, which was used to purchase us. When the time comes for the wedding to take place, the groom goes to the bride's house unannounced, she comes out to meet him, and they both return to his father's house. This is an exact correlation of the events according to the pre-trib scenario. Jesus the groom comes down from heaven, calls up the Church, the Church next rises into the air to meet Jesus, and then both He and the bride return to the His Father's house (heaven). The marriage supper itself will take place up in heaven, while down here on earth the final events of the tribulation are playing themselves out. After the marriage supper takes place, the bride and groom are presented to the world as man and wife. This matches the time when Jesus returns to earth, accompanied by an army "clothed in fine linen, white and clean." (Rev 19:14)
What They Didn't Teach You in History Class
There are many groups that are trying to discredit the pre-trib rapture, primarily because they believe most of the end time events in the Bible have already taken place. By 70 AD, or the Middle Ages, they see just about all of the apocalyptic scriptures as being already fulfilled. If the book of Revelation were truly just a part of history, it would seem very difficult for me to explain away some of the current situations I see occurring around us: the rebirth of Israel, the reunification of Europe, the number of global wars that have occurred, and the development of nuclear weapons. During history class, I must have slept through the part where the teacher talked about the time when a third of the trees were burned up, 100 LB hailstones fell from the sky, and the time when the sea turned into blood.(Rev 8:7-8, 16:21) I think several people would have to question their opposition to the pre- trib rapture doctrine if they knew that the evidence provided to them was based on the understanding that most tribulation prophecies have already occurred.
The People of the Millennium
If Christ were to come back after the tribulation, rapture all the saints, and slay all the ungodly; who would them be left to populate the millennium? Only the pre-trib view point can account for this post-trib problem; the Church is raptured before the tribulation, a vast number of souls are saved during this 7 year time frame, and those that make it through the tribulation will go into the millennium, while the unsaved are cast into hell.
The Big Flip
In the pre-trib scenario, after we will rise to meet the Lord in the air, we will go to heaven and abide there seven years. At the end of the seven years, Christ comes down to earth, defeats the Antichrist, and cleanses the temple. In a post-trib rapture, we would rise in the air meet the Lord, then do a 180 degree turn and come back down to earth. It states in Rev 1:7 that Christ will appear out of the clouds and come down to earth. It says in Zech. 14:4 His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives. If He's already headed our way, why would we need to be caught up to meet Him?
"Come up Hither"
In Rev 4:1 where it says "come up hither," many pre-trib writers cite this as a prophetic reference to the rapture of the Church. Rev Chapter 1 through 3 is the Church Age. After the shout to "come up hither," the Church is not mentioned in scripture at all. The attention of scripture switches from the Church to the Jews living in Israel.
Armies in Fine Linen
When Jesus returns, Rev 19:14, there is an army that follows Him riding on white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. In Rev 19:8 we are told the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints. If the saints of God are returning with Christ, to wage war on the Antichrist, then it is not to have a post-trib rapture.
The Time of Jacob's Trouble
In a number of places, the Bible refers to the tribulation as a time of trouble for the Jews. The phrase "Jacob's trouble" pertains to the descendants of Jacob. In Jeremiah 30:7 it says that this time of trouble will come just before the Lord returns to save His people. The final week of Daniel's 70th week is yet to take place. An angel told Daniel that, "70 weeks are determined unto thy people."(Dan 9:24) Scripture never mentions that the tribulation is meant to be a time of testing for Christians, however some post-tribbers try to claim they are the ones being tested during the tribulation. To make this so, they need to spiritualize the 144,000 Jewish believers in (Rev 7:2-8) that receive God's protective seal. Placing the Church dispensation into the same time frame as the seven year Jewish dispensation, as the Post-tribbers do, raises one good question. Can two dispensations transpire at the same time? In the past, God has only dealt with only one at a time. Having both present during the tribulation, would have to be an exception.
He That is Taken Out of the Way (2 Thes. 2:7)
Before the Antichrist can be revealed, Paul said a certain, "He" must be taken out of the way. The "He" that must be removed, according to 2 Thes. 2:7, is widely thought to be the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has been promised to never leave the Church, and without the working of the Holy Spirit remaining on earth, no one could be saved during the tribulation. The removal of the Church, which is indwelt by the Holy Ghost, would seem the best explanation for this dilemma. The working of the Holy Spirit could go on during the tribulation, but His influence would be diminished because of the missing Church.
War or Rapture
(Rev 19:19-21) When Jesus returns at the end of the tribulation, He will be coming for battle. For those who believe in a post-trib rapture, it would be a strange thing to meet your Lord and Savior just as He's rushing into battle. The idea that war and rapture could occur together is a difficult thing to imagine, especially since they transpire at the same moment.
The Five Foolish Virgins
The wedding story that Jesus gave in Mat 25:2-13, I believe, relates a parable of the rapture of the Church and how some will not be ready. Jesus clearly states that a group of people will miss out on some event, and will cry out to God to let them into the place where He resides (heaven). Although some try to put this parable in a post-trib context, it doesn't fit very well. The ones left behind in a post-trib rapture will not need to seek the lord because they'll immediately be confronted by him and his army of angels.
God Hath Not Appointed Us to Wrath
In 1 Thessalonians 5:9 Paul assures us that God has not appointed His people to wrath. The wrath is plainly God's anger that will be poured out during the tribulation. Pre-trib believers cite this as meaning that Christians will be removed from the earth. Post-trib believers tell a different story. They describe this as meaning God will protect Christians during the tribulation, and pour this wrath out on the unbelievers only. This idea runs against the statement made in Rev 13:7 where the Antichrist is given power to make war with the saints and to overcome them. A post-trib view would make God's promise of protection from wrath into a lie. In years past, it was possible to think of protection from guns and swords. Today when any major war would involve nuclear and chemical weapons, it's not possible to expect protection from these types of weaponry. When Nagasaki, Japan was bombed during W.W.II, the bomb exploded over a Catholic church. Everyone that was in the center of the explosion died, both Christians and non-Christians. The only way to validly interpret God's promise of protection from wrath, is the bodily removal of the Church from this world.
The Salt of the Earth
(Mat 5:13) Jesus said, "Ye are the salt of the earth." When the believers are suddenly be removed, the earth will be plunged into spiritual darkness. When this happens, the Antichrist will then be free to control the world.
God Takes an Inventory
In Rev 7:3 an angel descends to earth and seals the servants of God. Two bits of information are given about this sealing that highly disclaim a post-trib viewpoint. The first item is the number of people sealed: 144,000. The second one is that all those who are sealed are from the twelve tribes of Israel. For the events in Rev 7:3-8 to be true, in a post-trib way, either the Church has turned against God or God has turned against the Church. A post-tribber could write a thousand word commentary on why the Church doesn't need to be sealed. Instead of trying to argue why the Church is not mentioned or sealed, a pre-trib proponent could just say, "We're already in heaven."
Noah and Lot as Examples
The tribulation period is compared to the times of Noah and Lot by Jesus in Luke 17:28. Most people argue over what time frame Jesus was talking about hear pre-trib or post-trib, and miss an important point. The two things that the Noah and Lot situations have in common are the removal of the righteous and the judgment of the unbelievers. From these two accounts, we see that God prefers to remove His own when danger is involved.
Common Sense Reasons for Believing in the Pretribulation Rapture
The World Test
One way to check the soundness of a doctrine is to see how the world reacts to it. One time a company put out a questionnaire that was used to screen prospective employees. One of the questions was "do you believe in the rapture?" If you answered yes, your chances of getting hired would not be good. Some Internet sites do not allow for the topics of Rapture or Second Coming. They do allow topics like sex, gay, and drugs. The only time the news media reports something on the rapture is when someone has set a date and was wrong.
That Old Time Religion
It used to be a natural rule of thumb when one was visiting a church or listening to a preacher, if the church or the preacher taught the rapture doctrine, it was logical to assume they also believed in repentance, prayer, and the baptism of the Holy Ghost. It was also true the churches that were on fire for God worshipped out of storefronts. Today many of those storefront churches have moved into marble palaces and have strayed from their principle doctrines.
Birds of a Feather Flock Together
Whenever I look at all the groups that teach false doctrine and are highly focused on end time events, I cannot find any that support the rapture theory. You have organizations like the Jehovah's Witnesses that teach a false gospel and are heavily into Bible prophecy. Why then don't Jehovah's Witnesses teach a false doctrine that would be right up their alley? Could it be the demonic forces that influence these group knows something that Christians opposed to the rapture don't. The list of prophetically minded cults that rejects the idea of a rapture goes on and on. Here are some more: the Mormons, the Worldwide Church of God, the Moonies, and leaders like Jim Jones and David Koresh.
The Church Would Rebuke the Antichrist
If the Antichrist came to power with the Church still here, I do not see how he could operate. When Hitler was fighting to take over England, a number of Christians where praying for victory. Hitler made mistake after mistake, and England out performed its enemy at every stage of the conflict. It is difficult to measure the actual impact of intercessory prayer in physical warfare. Little is known of how great a role praying saints played in the defeat of Nazi Germany. If the Church were to reside on earth during the tribulation, I am sure she would give the Antichrist fits. In Rev 11:3, the two witnesses give the Antichrist enough headaches alone. Millions of Christians, who know their Bible well, would recognize the man of sin and pray fire down on his head. The post-trib view would have to plan on the Church just rolling over and playing dead, the whole seven years.
There is one thing we should all remember. Whether we or not we know the Antichrist's mother's maiden name isn't the primary goal. Knowing Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and having your name written in the Lamb's Book of Life -- this should be our number one priority. The jailer asked Paul, "what must I do to be saved?" The answer was, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved."(Acts 16:30-31)
PLEASE if you Read this post then Say This Prayer and Make Sure that you will go to Heaven when you die.
“Father, I know that I have broken your
laws and my sins have separated me
from you. I am truly sorry, and now I want
to turn away from my past sinful life
toward You. Please forgive me, and help
me avoid sinning again. I believe that
Your Son, Jesus Christ died for my sins,
was resurrected from the dead, is alive,
and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to
become the Lord of my life, to rule and
reign in my heart from this day forward.
Please send your Holy Spirit to help me
obey You, and to do Your will for the rest
of my life. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”
If you have received Christ into your heart, I
welcome you to the Kingdom of God. All the
angels in Heaven rejoice whenever one soul is
saved. Now, your job as a Christian is to learn
about God, and obey Him. Read your Bible every
day, and you will be like a tree planted by a spring,
never thirsting. You will grow in knowledge and
wisdom, and your relationship and closeness with
your God will become the meaning of your life.
Please, find a good church, and get baptized in
the name of The Father, The Son, and The Holy
Spirit immediately. Learn the teachings of Christ,
and follow Him everyday. Remember, loving God
and loving people is a Christian’s role in this dark
and hurting world. We are commanded to go into
all the world and preach the gospel to save souls.
this article was copied from
http://home.flash.net/~evt/rapture.htm and is free to distribute and copy as long as it is distributed Free Of Charge for we must NOT put a price on saving souls from HELL and teaching them about Jesus THE Christ and his love for all of us.
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