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There is a lot of rapture talk these days. That is because discerning Christians feel it is close. I feel the rapture is close. The bible says we will not know the exact day nor hour (Mt 25:13; Mt 24:36) but we will not be surprised, (1 Thess 5:4) because we will know the season (Luke 21:25-30) and we will have seen the signs (Mt 16:3).
The rapture is in the bible and is not a made-up doctrine. Two of the more explicit passages are from 1 Cor 15:51-53, and 1 Thess 4:13-18. The end of days is mentioned in every New Testament book save one (Philemon) and the NT Authors constantly warned their brethren, exhorted fellow believers, admonished all, and themselves looked toward the blessed event in most of their their writings.
In summary, the appointed period God deals with the Israelites is paused 7 years short of the decreed timing. (Dan 9:24-27). This is for the purpose of God taking Gentiles unto Himself (Acts 15:13-14), grafting in the Gentiles into His Jewish family tree (Romans 11:15-24). Through this act, God extends salvation to the entire world. During this age of the pause He is building His church, called The Church Age, of Church Age Dispensation. When the exact number that has been set aside to fill that church is reached, the rapture happens. (Romans 11:25).
It has taken over 2000 years to build God's church, for that number to nearly be reached. In the waiting for the blessed moment when Jesus returns in the air and calls us up to Him, Jesus said that there will be many who mock and scoff, saying that He is taking this long so it means He will never come. (2 Peter 3:4). But Paul encouraged us to encourage each other with the truth of His coming. (1 Thess 4:18). Immediately after the rapture when believers are taken out of the way the Tribulation begins. Did you know the Holy Spirit is removed too? (Restrainer 2Th 2:7; Gen 6:3).
Then that last 7 years, long paused, resumes. Jeremiah calls it the 'Time of Jacob's Trouble' (Jeremiah 30:7). Jesus calls it the 'Tribulation' (Matthew 24:29). The prophet Daniel outlines the Tribulation's six-fold purpose: to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place. (Dan 9:24). So this last 7 years is a time of punishment. Jesus said the time will be so bad that if He did not cut short the days, no one would be left alive. (Mark 13:20). Indeed, in the very first set of judgments 1/4 of the world's population dies. That's 1.7 BILLION people. (Rev 6:8). Then by Revelation 9:18 a third of the remaining people in the world die. So during the tribulation, half the world dies!
Knowing the church will not be here to experience that certainly is a comfort, as Paul said. Since one of the purposes of the Tribulation is to stamp out iniquity (Dan 9:24), and since we are made blameless in His sight, we have no need to be punished. When we repented and Jesus forgave us of our transgressions, our judgment is dissolved and our iniquitous record expunged from the Courts of God. (Col 2:14). We are blameless in His sight, free from accusations (Col 1:22; Eph 1:4) and He will come to gather us to Himself and deliver us to the place He has prepared for us. (John 14:3) before He renders that judgment on all the rest left behind.
I hope that explains who is going in the rapture, why there is a rapture, and when the rapture is set to take place. It also explains who will be left behind. If you think that you will reserve a decision until the rapture and then repent of your sins, you are in for a tragic mistake. First, because no one knows the number of their days (Psalm 39:4), and you could die in the next moment. Next, remember, a fourth of the world dies within the first set of judgments. (Rev 6:8, The Fourth Seal). Also, during the Tribulation God will send a delusion that will affect the whole world. (2 Thess 2:6-11). He does this because those who delayed repenting and took delight in wickedness will 'enjoy' the full measure of their pleasure and continue to enjoy wickedness. After all the signs God sent: His son, the Apostles, fellow believers, His Word, The Holy Spirit, creation itself (Rom1:18-21), if, after all that, you still refuse, He will allow you to enjoy the natural conclusion of your decision to reject Him and blind you to the truth.
There will be believers in the Tribulation, make no mistake. But it will be hard to become a believer for the above reasons, it will be hard to remain a believer (Once saved always saved is a blessing given only to the church, (John 10:28; Mark 13:13) and if you are a believer, you will starve, not being able to buy or sell (Rev 13:16-7), you will likely die in the judgments as mentioned above, or if you escape all that, be beheaded (Rev 20:4). Do not delay. The rapture is real, it is imminent, and unless you repent (being sorry to God for your sins against God) you WILL be left behind to face the most horrific period man has ever seen, or will ever see. (Mt 24:21).
If you are reading this essay and have made it to the end, I commend you. The Holy Spirit is pricking your curiosity and perhaps your conscience. You need to recognize you are a sinner, and unless you are perfect (and no one is except Jesus) you have done wrong things. Those wrong things are sins and they mean you are warring against God, who is Holy. He cannot accept rebels into heaven, He cannot look at those who work iniquity, and cannot be near those who do wrong. (Hab 1:13). You are condemned and your condemnation has long been hanging over you (2 Peter 2:3). The only way to get that judgment of death (Rom 6:23) stayed is to repent.
You can then be comforted by the truth of the coming rapture, and enjoy the awards ceremony in heaven, a banquet with Jesus, and eternal love and peace. You will miss out on the terrible Tribulation, and all its horrors. You will move to your eternal domain, the place Jesus Himself prepared for you. You will never have to struggle for another thing, least of all against your own sinful nature. You will be free! Don't delay your decision, for tomorrow may not come. (Proverbs 27:1)
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The rapture is in the bible and is not a made-up doctrine. Two of the more explicit passages are from 1 Cor 15:51-53, and 1 Thess 4:13-18. The end of days is mentioned in every New Testament book save one (Philemon) and the NT Authors constantly warned their brethren, exhorted fellow believers, admonished all, and themselves looked toward the blessed event in most of their their writings.
In summary, the appointed period God deals with the Israelites is paused 7 years short of the decreed timing. (Dan 9:24-27). This is for the purpose of God taking Gentiles unto Himself (Acts 15:13-14), grafting in the Gentiles into His Jewish family tree (Romans 11:15-24). Through this act, God extends salvation to the entire world. During this age of the pause He is building His church, called The Church Age, of Church Age Dispensation. When the exact number that has been set aside to fill that church is reached, the rapture happens. (Romans 11:25).
It has taken over 2000 years to build God's church, for that number to nearly be reached. In the waiting for the blessed moment when Jesus returns in the air and calls us up to Him, Jesus said that there will be many who mock and scoff, saying that He is taking this long so it means He will never come. (2 Peter 3:4). But Paul encouraged us to encourage each other with the truth of His coming. (1 Thess 4:18). Immediately after the rapture when believers are taken out of the way the Tribulation begins. Did you know the Holy Spirit is removed too? (Restrainer 2Th 2:7; Gen 6:3).
Then that last 7 years, long paused, resumes. Jeremiah calls it the 'Time of Jacob's Trouble' (Jeremiah 30:7). Jesus calls it the 'Tribulation' (Matthew 24:29). The prophet Daniel outlines the Tribulation's six-fold purpose: to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place. (Dan 9:24). So this last 7 years is a time of punishment. Jesus said the time will be so bad that if He did not cut short the days, no one would be left alive. (Mark 13:20). Indeed, in the very first set of judgments 1/4 of the world's population dies. That's 1.7 BILLION people. (Rev 6:8). Then by Revelation 9:18 a third of the remaining people in the world die. So during the tribulation, half the world dies!
Knowing the church will not be here to experience that certainly is a comfort, as Paul said. Since one of the purposes of the Tribulation is to stamp out iniquity (Dan 9:24), and since we are made blameless in His sight, we have no need to be punished. When we repented and Jesus forgave us of our transgressions, our judgment is dissolved and our iniquitous record expunged from the Courts of God. (Col 2:14). We are blameless in His sight, free from accusations (Col 1:22; Eph 1:4) and He will come to gather us to Himself and deliver us to the place He has prepared for us. (John 14:3) before He renders that judgment on all the rest left behind.
I hope that explains who is going in the rapture, why there is a rapture, and when the rapture is set to take place. It also explains who will be left behind. If you think that you will reserve a decision until the rapture and then repent of your sins, you are in for a tragic mistake. First, because no one knows the number of their days (Psalm 39:4), and you could die in the next moment. Next, remember, a fourth of the world dies within the first set of judgments. (Rev 6:8, The Fourth Seal). Also, during the Tribulation God will send a delusion that will affect the whole world. (2 Thess 2:6-11). He does this because those who delayed repenting and took delight in wickedness will 'enjoy' the full measure of their pleasure and continue to enjoy wickedness. After all the signs God sent: His son, the Apostles, fellow believers, His Word, The Holy Spirit, creation itself (Rom1:18-21), if, after all that, you still refuse, He will allow you to enjoy the natural conclusion of your decision to reject Him and blind you to the truth.
There will be believers in the Tribulation, make no mistake. But it will be hard to become a believer for the above reasons, it will be hard to remain a believer (Once saved always saved is a blessing given only to the church, (John 10:28; Mark 13:13) and if you are a believer, you will starve, not being able to buy or sell (Rev 13:16-7), you will likely die in the judgments as mentioned above, or if you escape all that, be beheaded (Rev 20:4). Do not delay. The rapture is real, it is imminent, and unless you repent (being sorry to God for your sins against God) you WILL be left behind to face the most horrific period man has ever seen, or will ever see. (Mt 24:21).
If you are reading this essay and have made it to the end, I commend you. The Holy Spirit is pricking your curiosity and perhaps your conscience. You need to recognize you are a sinner, and unless you are perfect (and no one is except Jesus) you have done wrong things. Those wrong things are sins and they mean you are warring against God, who is Holy. He cannot accept rebels into heaven, He cannot look at those who work iniquity, and cannot be near those who do wrong. (Hab 1:13). You are condemned and your condemnation has long been hanging over you (2 Peter 2:3). The only way to get that judgment of death (Rom 6:23) stayed is to repent.
You can then be comforted by the truth of the coming rapture, and enjoy the awards ceremony in heaven, a banquet with Jesus, and eternal love and peace. You will miss out on the terrible Tribulation, and all its horrors. You will move to your eternal domain, the place Jesus Himself prepared for you. You will never have to struggle for another thing, least of all against your own sinful nature. You will be free! Don't delay your decision, for tomorrow may not come. (Proverbs 27:1)
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Comments
I use to really hold to this exact theology, in fact, reading your post felt like my Assemblies of God Bible School text all over again. In recent times I've done much more studying on the subject and I have felt almost 'lied to' if I can dare say, by bible teachers on this subject.
ReplyDeleteIn personal prayer, Bible meditation and study, it is becoming increasingly evident that the rapture in fact will not happen before the great tribulation. The hard part about this, we will say 'potential' reality, is that if this is the case, post-tribulation rapture, the Church, that is Christians at large, will not be prepared. In fact, it will fulfill the prophecy of the "great falling away" of many believers.
I am greatly concerned that many believers think they are going to be swept away into 'glory' to what? Sit on a cloud and play a harp?
Why would God not carry his people with Him through the greatest demonstration of His power and glory of all time? I believe that living through the tribulation will actually be glorious. We will truly walk in the supernatural-- obviously- it will be the only way any will survive.
Please don't be offended and offer a 'line by line' retort, just consider studying and meditating on the Word with this 'potential' view as your filter and see what God reveals to you. After all, we are all just students, Jesus is the teacher!!
I do very much enjoy your blog!
Thanks!!
Gina
Hello Gina,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your opinion. I say, "opinion" because while I offered over thirty scriptures that support this biblical doctrine, you offered zero to support yours. I always believe the Word of God over man's opinion, so, no offense taken. :)
Hi Elizabeth,
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting this. I have seen an increasing number of pretribbers "turn" post recently. I think that all that is going on around us may lead many to think that we are in the tribulation already.
I have studied all the scenarios and think (or try to think) I've approached them all with an open mind. While, I do think there is evidence to substantiate a post view, that leaves so many things and so many types unanswered. I remain looking for our blessed hope!
I always enjoy your blog and that you are unashamedly pretrib.
((hugs))