I believe in
Below are some of the
thought processes I followed in coming to my conclusion concerning the rapture.
1. A fact – Some believers will not die. They will instantly receive their glorified body and join the believers that have gone before them to be with Jesus forever.
1Corinthians 15:51-53 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all
be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the
trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall
be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Thessalonians 4:16-17 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: 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.
2. The question becomes when? I believe it will be before Antichrist is revealed.
2Thessalonians 2:1-8 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ, and by our gathering together
unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be
troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the
day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first,
and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;And now ye know what withholdeth
that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already
work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed,
whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy
with the brightness of his coming:
ÒlettethÓ =
hold down, retain, withhold
(More on the
restrainer (Òhe who now lettethÓ) and why I believe it is the Holy Spirit in the
Church at question #6.)
3. The question then becomes when is Antichrist revealed? In order to know when he is identified, letÕs see what scripture tells us about him.
Facts re Antichrist:
He will rule a kingdom of
ten parts and will subdue three of the parts.
Revelation 17:12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are
ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings
one hour with the beast.
Daniel 7:20 And of the ten horns that were
in his head, and of the other which
came up, and before whom three fell; even of
that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very
great things, whose look was more
stout than his fellows.
Daniel 7:24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall
arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the
first, and he shall subdue three kings.
He will seek to change
Òtimes and laws.Ó
Daniel 7:25 And he shall speak great
words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High,
and think to change times and laws:
He will have ultimate
control for 3.5 years.
Revelation 13:5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and
blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
Daniel 7:25 And he shall speak great
words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High,
and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until
a time and times and the dividing of time.
He will come from the
people responsible for destroying Jerusalem and the temple—(10/09) someone
whose heritage is from a nation that was part of the old Roman empire.
Daniel 9:26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but
not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the
city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall
be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
He will confirm a
covenant (treaty, agreement) with many for one week (7 years). The word for ÒweekÓ is the Hebrew shabuwa which means Òliteral, sevened, i.e. a week (specifically, of years).Ó
Daniel 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in
the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,
and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall
be poured upon the desolate.
The ÒmanyÓ
would be a reference to the Jews since the angel is telling Daniel about what
was determined upon his people, and the last half of the verse describes the
halting of sacrifices and oblation in the middle of that week; this would only
be pertinent to the people of Israel.
(This would also imply that there is a functioning temple at that time.)
He will
appear to be wounded unto death, yet will be healed.
Revelation 13:3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his
deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered
after the beast.
Revelation 13:14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the
earth by the means of those miracles
which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell
on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound
by a sword, and did live.
He will blaspheme
God—His name, His tabernacle, and those that dwell in heaven.
Daniel 11:36 And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt
himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall
prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that
that is determined shall be done.
Revelation 13:5-6 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and
blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God,
to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
ALL unbelievers will
worship him.
Revelation 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall
worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain
from the foundation of the world.
Those who refuse to
worship him will be punishable by death.
Revelation 13:15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that
the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not
worship the image of the beast should be killed.
He will control trade
with a mark—the name of the beast or the number of his name.
Revelation 13:16-17 And he causeth all, both small and
great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or
in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the
mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
He will desecrate the
temple as exemplified by Antiochus Epiphanes in
Daniel 11:31.
Daniel 11:31 And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the
sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.
Matthew 24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken
of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth,
let him understand:)
He will claim that he is
God.
Daniel 11:37 Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of
women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.
2Thessalonians 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth
himself above all that is called God, or that is
worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple
of God, shewing himself that he is God.
The King of the South
will rebel against him. (He is the
King of the North.)
Daniel 11:40 And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at
him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with
chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the
countries, and shall overflow and pass over.
He will eventually
establish Jerusalem as his base.
Daniel 11:45 And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas
in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall
help him.
á
that would lend credence to a mid-trib
rapture since the abomination occurs in the middle of the tribulation.
á
It would also
negate the treaty with Israel as something universally significant.
Dan. 9:25
Know therefore and understand, that
from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto
the Messiah the Prince shall be seven
weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the
wall, even in troublous times.
Dan. 9:26
And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off,
Dan. 9:27
And he shall confirm the covenant with
many for one week: and in the midst of
the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he
shall make it desolate, even
until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
The
first 69 weeks were for a specified period of time, and the only way to
identify the beginning of the 70th week scripturally is by the
signing of the covenant with Israel.
Therefore, I believe the Òconfirming of the covenantÓ with Israel is the
identifying factor that is to be recognized as the beginning of the 70th
week and identifying the man of sin.
God
puts information in the Bible for us to know and understand His will and His
plan. Jesus expressed great
consternation that the Pharisees didnÕt recognize who He was and the signs of
the times as given by the prophets of old. I believe He expects the same from us. He was specific in identifying the
first 69 weeks, and I believe has given us the specifics to identify the 70th
week. The Bible will still be here
after the church is gone. It will
be important for the people who are left to have access to His Word to learn
the truth about what is happening and understand how to respond to upcoming
events. Fulfillment of prophecy
will continue to be an affirmation from God that He is God.
a)
There will be
a falling away.
2Thessalonians 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except
there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son
of perdition;
Is
this a falling away from faith or a physical departure, i.e., the rapture? The following explanation comes from
Tim LaHaye and Thomas Ice and makes a lot of sense to
me.
The
words Òfalling awayÓ were translated departure in the first 7 Bible
translations. In 11/15 uses the
root word for departure in the NT is used to reference departing from another
person or place, a physical departure.
The one time it is used re departing from the faith is 1Timothy 4:1,
which uses the qualifying words Òfrom the faith.Ó
ÒNow the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith,Ó
The other uses are:
Luke 8:13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
Acts 5:37 After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him:
Acts 5:38 And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men,
John Sweigert adds this information: ÒThe history of translations of ÒapostasiaÓ varied little for the first 15 centuries. JeromeÕs Latin Vulgate contains the word ÒdiscessioÓ in 2Thess 2:3, meaning simply Òdeparture.Ó Other translations up to the KJV of 1611 use variations of Òdeparture.Ó
Though
I am convinced the Òfalling awayÓ is a physical departure, I believe the truth
of a departure from the faith is also true as I observe how ÒChristianÓ leaders
are putting their own spin on biblical truth, saying that the Bible doesnÕt
really mean what it says (i.e., homosexuality, etc.).
(10/09)
In listening to J. Vernon McGee one day I thought he made a good connection of
both understandings of the Òapostasy.Ó
He, too, sees it as a departure or rapture of the true church that will
result in the complete departure from faith of the ÒchurchÓ that is left behind
composed of people who profess but do not possess true faith.
b)
The
withholder or restrainer will be removed before the wicked [one] is
revealed.
2Thessalonians 2:6-8 And now ye know what withholdeth that
he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already
work: only he who now letteth will let,
until he be taken out of the way.
And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the
spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
6. The question now becomes—Who is the restrainer that prevents Òthe WickedÓ from being identified?
The
restrainer is a He. It has to be
the Holy Spirit in the body of the true church. The Holy Spirit canÕt be taken away without our being taken
away. He lives in each one who is
a part of the true church. We are
the salt of the earth. Salt is a
preservative; it keeps things from spoiling/going bad. This also makes a more perfect fit for
the 70th week as stated in Daniel. The 70 weeks were determined upon DanielÕs
people, the Jews, and the holy city, Jerusalem—not the church.
Daniel 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy
city,
There was no church in the first 69 weeks, which lends credence to
there being no church in the 70th week. The Holy Spirit didnÕt indwell every believer/man of faith
during the first 69 weeks, but He was at work in the lives of men of faith as
God directed. My first thoughts
are that He will function in the 70th week the same as He did in the
first 69. On the other hand, GodÕs
word stands forever, and the Bible (including the New Testament) will still be
available during the 70th week. I want to do a lot more study in this area.
The first 69 weeks ended when Messiah was cut off (crucified).
Daniel 9:25-26 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to
build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince
shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be
built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off,
Although God is
accomplishing His purpose for and through Israel during this 70th
week, it will also run basically concurrent to the time that His wrath is
poured out on the wicked, those who are His enemies, on planet earth. It is a specific time, yet future. The letter to
the church at Philadelphia gives some key words to the church regarding this
period of time.
Revelation 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep
thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all
the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
Because the
believers in Philadelphia have held fast to and guarded the truth of the words
of Jesus with steadfastness and cheerful endurance, Jesus will keep them from
(ÒekÓ—out of) the hour of temptation (putting
to proof) which shall (future tense from JohnÕs perspective) come upon ALL the
world, to try (put to the test) them that dwell on earth. Obviously, this time of testing will be
appointed for a specific time, of specific duration, to a specific generation.
Revelation 6:17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to
stand?
Zephaniah 1:14-17 The great day of the LORD
is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even
the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That
day is a day of wrath, a day of
trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and
desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick
darkness, A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against
the high towers. And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like
blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be
poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung.
Isaiah 13:9-13 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and
fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners
thereof out of it. For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall
not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the
moon shall not cause her light to shine. And
I will punish the world for their
evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the
haughtiness of the terrible. I will make a man more precious than fine gold;
even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir. Therefore
I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the
wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.
The Òday of the LordÓ is
also a term used concerning GodÕs wrath.
Isaiah 2:12 For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that
is proud and lofty, and upon every one
that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low:
Ezekiel 30:3 For the day is near,
even the day of the LORD is near, a
cloudy day; it shall be the time of the heathen.
Obadiah 1:15 For the day of the LORD is
near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy
reward shall return upon thine own head.
These passages all
reference the kind of people who will suffer the wrath of God whenever He
chooses to exercise that wrath.
His character never changes.
Malachi 3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore
ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
(6/06) Seal 1 doesnÕt necessarily coincide with the signing of the
7-year covenant. Revelation 6:17
could precede or coincide with the signing.
(3/07)
I have been given a new understanding of the distinction of the wrath of God
and the 70th week of Daniel that is described more completely in my
journal on Revelation referencing chapters 4-7. It runs basically concurrent to the 70th
week. I think it starts with the
opening of the 6th seal and seems to be supported by the following
verses.
Revelation 6:16-17 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from
the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from
the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day
of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to
stand?
(3/07) The first five seals seem to mirror the labor pains of
Matthew 24. I want to keep an open
heart, but the signing of the treaty is still the most obvious defining factor
of the 70th week—and the whole week has been set aside to
accomplish the LordÕs purpose for Israel as distinct from His wrath that is
directed at GodÕs enemies, most of which are comprised of the Gentile
nations. (10/09) As clarified in
my journal on Revelation, I classify my understanding of the timing of the
rapture as pretrib and prewrath.
1Thessalonians 5:9-10 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation
by our Lord Jesus Christ,And
to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the
wrath to come.
Romans 5:9
Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath
through him.
Revelation 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep
thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all
the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
Isaiah 26:20-21 Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors
about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation
be overpast. For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his
place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also
shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.
Isaiah 57:1 The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to
heart: and merciful men are taken
away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.
Zephaniah 2:3 Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought
his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in
the day of the LORDÕS anger.
Luke is
talking about the tribulation and Jesus 2nd coming in chapter
21. He indicates that some will be
accounted worthy to escape the terrible judgments he has just described.
Luke 21:36
Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape
all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
I think the phrase Òaccounted worthyÓ is a reference to those who have truly accepted Jesus as Lord. Nothing we can do makes us Òworthy.Ó Only the blood of Jesus can do that.
Revelation 3:4-5 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which
have not defiled their garments; and they
shall walk with me in white: for they
are worthy. He that overcometh, the same
shall be clothed in white raiment; and I
will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name
before my Father, and before his angels.
1John 5:5
Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that
believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
Types that give support to people of faith not experiencing GodÕs wrath:
Lot, a righteous man, was
removed from Sodom and Gomorrah before they were destroyed by GodÕs wrath.
Genesis 18:23-26 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the
righteous with the wicked? Peradventure there be fifty
righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the
place for the fifty righteous that are
therein? That be far from thee to do
after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the
righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge
of all the earth do right? And the LORD said, If I
find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place
for their sakes.
Genesis 19:15-16 And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying,
Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be
consumed in the iniquity of the city. And while he lingered, the men laid hold
upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two
daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and
set him without the city.
2Peter 2:7-9 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the
wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing,
vexed his righteous soul from day to
day with their unlawful deeds;) The Lord knoweth
how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the
day of judgment to be punished:
Observations:
Luke 17:29
But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone
from heaven, and destroyed them all.
(6/06)
An excerpt from my journal in Genesis applies here.
Genesis
19:29ˆ ÒI think you could say that Abraham is a type of
Christ in this situation. Just as
God remembered Abraham and delivered his brethren, so too will He remember
Christ and deliver His brethren from coming judgment.
I once thought of Noah as
another type of the rapture. He
has since been presented (Jon Courson) as a type of
the Jewish remnant being preserved through the judgment, which I had to admit
made better sense.
The Jewish wedding also has some wonderful parallels to the church
and the coming of Christ for His bride.
The information below is from an article by William Risk, with added
notes from Mayim Hayim and
a few additions/corrections of my own.
Shiddukhin = The Match
Initiated by the father
of the groom
Agent may be used
Consent of the bride
The Father chooses the bride, John 6:37 ÒAll that
the Father giveth me shall come to me.Ó
Holy Spirit acts as agent of Father in the world
today, 1Corinthians 2:12, ÒNow we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the
spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to
us of God.Ó
We respond to Christ's love and accept Him, 1John 4:19, ÒWe love
him, because he first loved us.Ó
Mohar = The Bride Price
Required by law
Paid by the father of the
groom
Reflects the value of the
bride
Our mohar was the life
of the Son, 2Corinthians 5:21, ÒFor he hath made him to
be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of
God in him.Ó
The price was required by the Law, Romans 8:3-4, ÒFor
what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending
his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the
flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not
after the flesh, but after the Spirit.Ó
The mohar was paid, as
required, lCorinthians
6:20, ÒFor ye are bought with a price: therefore
glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are GodÕs.Ó
The value placed on the bride was high, Matthew 13:45-46, ÒAgain,
the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who,
when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and
bought it.Ó
Ketubah = The Marriage Contract
Written
document stating the mohar, the Rights of the bride,
the promises of the groom.
Our written contract
stating the mohar, the rights of the Bride, and the
promises of the Groom is the New Testament.
Kiddushin = The Betrothal
Sealed with the 'cup of
acceptance'
Groom: Preparation of huppah (According to many authorities the huppah was the groom's house, or at any
rate an actual room or building other than the bride's parental home.)
Bride: Purification (Mikveh
– a ritual bath of immersion used for purification)
Undistracted devotion
Anticipation
Cup of the New Covenant, Matthew 26:27-29, ÒAnd
he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave
it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this
is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of
sins. But I say unto you, I will
not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it
new with you in my FatherÕs kingdom.
Christ goes to prepare a place for us, John 14:1-3, ÒLet not
your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my FatherÕs
house are many mansions: if it were
not so, I would have told you. I go
to prepare a place for you. And if
I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto
myself; that where I am, there ye may
be also.Ó
We are 'set apart', 2Corinthians 11:2, ÒFor
I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one
husband, that I may present you as a
chaste virgin to Christ.Ó
Purified by 'washing,' lCorinthians 6:11, ÒAnd such were
some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in
the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.Ó
We are not to be distracted by:
False Teachers, 2John 7-11, ÒFor many deceivers are
entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh.
This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourselves, that we lose not
those things which we have wrought, but that we
receive a full reward. Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in
the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth
in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring
not this doctrine, receive him not into
your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed
is partaker of his evil deeds.
Worldly Things, lJohn 2:15, ÒLove
not the world, neither the things that
are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not
in him.Ó
We anticipate Christ's return, Luke 12:37, ÒBlessed are those servants, whom the lord when
he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird
himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve
them.Ó 2Timothy 4:8, ÒHenceforth
there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous
judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also
that love his appearing.Ó Titus
2:13, ÒLooking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great
God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.Ó
Nissuin = The Nuptials
Groom's father decides
when he may return for the bride.
Arrival unexpected by the
bride
Abductlon of the bride.
Finely dressed and
crowned.
Marriage Feast
Bride and Groom dwell
together in happiness
Only the Father knows when the Son will return, Matthew 24:36, ÒBut of
that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.Ó Mark 13:32, ÒBut of that day and that hour knoweth
no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the
Father.Ó
We will be 'abducted,' 1Thessalonians 4:16-18, ÒFor 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: 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. Wherefore
comfort one another with these words.
We will be crowned, 1Peter 5:4, ÒAnd when
the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.Ó James 1:12, ÒBlessed is the man that endureth
temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the
Lord hath promised to them that love him.Ó
He will be crowned, Revelation 19:12, ÒHis
eyes were as a flame of fire, and on
his head were many crowns.Ó
Note: The huppah is
the wedding room, the place of the honeymoon, which lasted for 7 days. The marriage feast takes place after
this. The seven years of
tribulation on earth would appear to correspond as the honeymoon time for the
church in heaven.
We will take part in the marriage feast of the
Lamb, Revelation 19:7-9, ÒLet us be glad and rejoice, and give honour
to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself
ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean
and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith
unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.
And he saith unto me, These
are the true sayings of God.Ó
We will dwell forever with the Groom in happiness, 1Thessalonians 4 :17, ÒThen 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.Ó
Revelation 21:3, ÒAnd I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the
tabernacle of God is with men, and he
will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be
with them, and be their God.Ó
Reasons to believe the rapture is near:
Although no signs are
given relating to the rapture, there are many signs given regarding the Second
Coming of Jesus to planet earth.
If the signs of the Second Coming are beginning to be fulfilled, how
much closer must be the rapture.
á
One of the main
signs is the rebirth of the nation of Israel.
Ezekiel 37:12-14 Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith
the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to
come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And ye shall
know that I am the LORD, when I have
opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, And
shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your
own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.
Ezekiel 37:21-22 And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord
GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither
they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own
land: And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel;
and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations,
neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all:
á
Other
signs that are mentioned in Matthew, Mark and Luke are: people claiming to be Christ, wars and
rumors of wars, ethnic conflicts, famine, pestilence, earthquakes. Although these things have existed
through history, they are described as the Òbeginnings of sorrows.Ó
Matthew 24:8 All these are the beginning
of sorrows.
Mark 13:8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and
there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and
troubles: these are the beginnings of
sorrows.
The word ÒsorrowsÓ in the Greek has a direct reference to
the pains of childbirth. Birth
pains continue to increase in frequency and intensity
as they get closer to Òbirth.Ó
Just by paying attention to the news headlines, I am convinced that the
Òbirth painsÓ have begun to increase and intensify. Yes, I am eager for the LordÕs return, but I donÕt think one
can deny the signs of the times.
Jesus criticized the religious leaders of His day for not recognizing
the signs of the times.
Matthew 16:3 And in the morning, It will be foul
weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face
of the sky; but can ye not discern
the signs of the times?
They were expected to recognize Him from the ÒsignsÓ given
by the prophets, but they didnÕt.
If He didnÕt expect us to look for and recognize these signs, He
wouldnÕt have given them.
Other thoughts concerning the Rapture:
Re post-trib rapture - Even if you ignore all the thoughts presented
above, the post-tribulation cannot be right simply because of logic—Who
would be left to populate the millennium?
(6/06) Matthew
24:44É.Ówhen ye think notÉÓ could never apply. (Dave Hunt)
(3/07) Henry Morris, The
Revelation Record, made an astute observation concerning posttribulationists who contend Òthere is no reason why
Christians in the last generation deserve to escape the great tribulation. The fact is, however, that Christians
in every other generation have escaped the great tribulation, so there is no
reason why the last should be singled out for participating in it.Ó
Re the difference in coming with Jesus
and His coming for us
- A quote from Thomas Ice re John 14: 1-3, "This passage, taken literally,
indicates that the believer is going to go to heaven at the time of Christ's
coming for Him." This will not occur at the Second Advent because that
will be a time in which Christ comes with
His saints, who are already in heaven, not for
His saints as John 14:1-3 requires.
John 14:1-3 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also
in me. In my FatherÕs house are many
mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to
prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come
again, and receive you unto myself; that
where I am, there ye may be also.
When Jesus
comes to earth the second time, we will be with
him.
Zechariah 14:5 And ye shall flee to
the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the
earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and
the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.
1Thessalonians 3:13 To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all
his saints.
The following verse in Revelation describes the armies of heaven coming with Jesus. Although argument could be made that He would not take His bride to war with Him, I donÕt think it carries much weight since He knows that the battle is His alone; and the bride will be there only as witness to His complete victory over Satan and the forces of evil. At what other time could the prophecies from Zechariah and 1Thessalonians be fulfilled?
Colossians 3:4 When Christ, who is our
life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him
in glory.
Revelation 19:14 And the armies which were
in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and
clean.
Re ÒknowingÓ the time of His coming: The
Lord told his disciples that no one except the Father knows the time of His
coming; yet, in Daniel we are given a specific number of days from the time of
the abomination of desolation and the Second Coming. Just as with His first coming—the prophecies imply two
parts.
Matthew 24:36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but
my Father only.
Mark 13:32-33 But of that day and that
hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in
heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye
know not when the time is.
First, Antichrist makes
the covenant for a week of years—7 years. Then he breaks the covenant in the middle of the week. The children of Israel will be given
special protection in a wilderness location during the time of his
rule—1,260 days, the last 3.5 years.
Daniel 7:25 And he shall speak great
words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High,
and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until
a time and times and the dividing of time. (3.5 years = 42 months x 30 days per month = 1260 days)
Daniel 12:7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand
and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it
shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have
accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.
Revelation 13:5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and
blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
Revelation 12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place
prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
There is a
problem posed in the last chapter of Daniel using the figure of 1290 days. After quite a bit of research, I
believe there may be some basis for explanation pertaining to the Jewish leap
year, but this still requires more study.
IÕve yet to find a scriptural or historical explanation for the 1335
days. Human logic would allow that
this is the time necessary for the sheep and goat judgment to determine who
will enter the millennium. (See
journal for Daniel 12:11-12 for some interesting ideas on the timing.)
Daniel 12:11-12 And from the time that
the daily sacrifice shall be taken
away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set
up, there shall be a thousand two
hundred and ninety days. Blessed is
he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three
hundred and five and thirty days.
Matthew 25:31-34 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy
angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him
shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as
a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right
hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right
hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from
the foundation of the world:
Matt. 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from
me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
Who is the one that
defeats the Antichrist? JESUS
Revelation 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that
sat upon him was called Faithful and
True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
Rev. 19:16
And he hath on his vesture and on his
thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
Rev. 19:19-20 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their
armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and
against his army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that
wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the
mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast
alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
Re the Òlast trumpÓ and the Òtrump of GodÓ:
1Corinthians 15:51-52 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a
moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at
the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised
incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1Thessalonians 4:16-17 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: 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.
As I started researching
the use of trumpets, these are some of the things I found.
1Corinthians 14:8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?
Jeremiah 4:5 Declare ye in Judah, and publish in Jerusalem; and say, Blow ye
the trumpet in the land: cry, gather together, and say, Assemble yourselves,
and let us go into the defenced cities.
Joel 2:15
Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly.
Revelation 1:10-11 I was in the Spirit on the LordÕs day, and heard behind me a
great voice, as of a trumpet, Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the
last:
Jeremiah 4:19 My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart maketh a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, because thou
hast heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.
Ezekiel 33:3 If when he seeth the sword come upon
the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people;
Ezekiel 7:14 They have blown the trumpet, even to make all ready; but none goeth to the battle: for my wrath is upon all the multitude thereof.
Joel 2:1
Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all
the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand;
Numbers 10:2 Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest
use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps.
Silver is associated with redemption in the scripture. In Exodus 19:10ˆ we are told that Moses was to sanctify the people two days, and on the third day the Lord would come down on Mt. Sinai in the sight of the people. Verse 13 brings in the trumpet-- Exodus 19:13 ÒÉwhen the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount.Ó
He associates the first trump with the Òlaw, Israel and the
Father.Ó The second, and last trump, is associated with Ògrace, the church and the Son.Ó
1Corinthians
14 talks about the trumpet from a military perspective, so it would appear that
thought would be continued in chapter 15.
In Bible times, Òwhen they went to war, they had a Òlast trumpÓ that
would be blown that would tell the fighting men, ÔYour
time of fighting is over. It is
time for you to go home and rest.Õ A Ôlast trumpÕ ended their time in the
warfare.Ó Obviously, Christians
are participating in spiritual warfare.
ÒWhen the rapture takes place and the trumpet is blown at that time,
that will be a signal to them that their part in the warfare is overÉIt is time for them to go home to be with the Lord and rest
together with Him in heaven.Ó
There
were also two trumpets related to guard duty. ÒThey had a first trump that signaled when a man was to
start his watchÉthen they had a Ôlast trumpÕ which
signaled that his time on guard duty was over and it was time for him to go
home.Ó The comparison to the
Christian is obvious.
ÒThe
fact that Paul, when he mentions the last trump, doesnÕt explain to the
Corinthians what he meant by that indicates that they understood what he meant
by Ôthe last trump.Õ They were
very familiarÉwith that terminology of Ôthe last trumpÕ signals used for Roman
soldiers, whether their fighting is done or their tour of duty on the watch is
over for that day.Ó
Re Hosea 6:2
Hosea 6:1-2 Come, and let us return unto the
LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind
us up. After two days will he
revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his
sight.
Using the
formula one day = 1000 years, this seems to indicate that Christ will heal His
people Israel after 2000 years of spiritual sickness. This leaves a lot of leeway regarding the timeframe, but we
are definitely in the third day.