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The Rapture and the Fullness of the Times – Randy Nettles - https://www.rev310.net/post/the-rapture-and-the-fullness-of-the-times
To tell a complete story, one must always include the five w’s: who, what, when, where, and why - not necessarily in that order. The ‘what,’ in this article, is the Rapture of the Church. Most serious students of biblical eschatology know what the Rapture is, and even most non-believers have heard of it. They also know ‘who’ will be involved in the great “catching up,” which of course includes only true Christians. The ‘where’ is very obvious, as Paul explains in 1 Thessalonians 4:17: “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air.” The ‘why’ is explained in various New Testament scripture which will be discussed throughout this article. Only the ‘when’ remains a secret. The Bible doesn’t give us any specific time or date for this spectacular supernatural event, but perhaps there are a few clues we can glean about its timing. The Rapture is said to be ‘imminent,’ which means it could happen at any time and there are no signs or events that have to precede it. The only clear indication of the timing of the Rapture is that it will occur before the tribulation of God’s wrath upon the earth and mankind. How much time transpires before these two events is unknown. “Only the pre-tribulation view can give full, literal meaning to such an any-moment event. Other rapture views must redefine imminence more loosely than the New Testament would allow. The exhortation to look for the glorious appearing of Christ for His own (Titus 2:13) loses its significance if the Tribulation occurs first. Believers, in that case, should look for signs. If the pre-trib. view of imminence is not accepted, then it would make sense to look for signs related to events of the tribulation (i.e., the anti-Christ, the two witnesses, etc.) and not for Christ Himself. But the New Testament, as demonstrated above, uniformly instructs the church to look for the coming of Christ, while tribulation saints are told to look for signs.” {1} THE DAY OF THE LORD Coming immediately after Paul’s revelation concerning the rapture of the church, it is natural to want to know when this will occur. In 1 Thess. 5:1-11, the apostle does not give times and dates but instead speaks on a much larger doctrine of scripture, the day of the Lord. The day of the Lord is a time of special divine visitation from the Lord mentioned often in both the Old and New Testaments. Paul declared, “But of the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction comes upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape” (1 Thes. 5:3). So why does Paul start speaking about the day of the Lord immediately after his revelation of the Rapture? The answer is: the Rapture is the start of the day of the Lord. Like a thief in the night, who comes without warning, the Rapture will occur and the day of the Lord will begin. “The future period of God’s intervention in the world will begin at the Rapture and will include the period of trouble preceding the 2nd coming of Christ and the establishment of God’s kingdom in the earth. The day of the Lord also includes the millennial kingdom. The entire period before and after the 2nd coming of Christ will constitute a special divine intervention and rule of righteousness on the earth in a way that is not being experienced in the present age. The teaching that the day of the Lord does not begin until the 2nd coming is refuted by the fact that it includes the great tribulation. Joel made it clear that the day of the Lord included the great tribulation before the 2nd coming (Joel 2:28-3:2). The time of restoration of Israel (Joel 3:16-21) following the great tribulation is related to the 2nd coming and will be fulfilled in the millennium.” {2} 1 Thes. 5:3 refers to the start, middle, and end of the 7-year Tribulation. “Peace and safety” refers to the start of the Tribulation when the Antichrist confirms a 7-year covenant with Israel and the many. “Sudden destruction” comes upon Israel and the elect when the Antichrist breaks the covenant at the mid-point of the covenant (3.5 years) and persecution of the Jews begins. Israel will not escape their Great Tribulation until Jesus returns at His 2nd Coming. However, the Lord has other plans for His church, “For God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him” (1 Thes. 5:9-10). In 2 Thes. 2, Paul is writing another letter to the church at Thessalonica. In response to a mistaken belief (by false teachers who were spreading “fake news” (some things never change) that the day of the Lord had already begun. The church was being persecuted at this time, so it is easy to see how they could fall for this lie. This alarmed the Thes. church because they had understood Paul to say they would not be in this time of trouble because they would have been raptured before it began. The Thessalonians thought they had missed the Rapture because they weren’t really saved. Paul wrote, “Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him (at the Rapture), we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come” (2 Thes. 2:1-2). Paul had to remind the Thessalonians about the chronological order of the day of the Lord. “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God” (2 Thes. 2:3-4). The “falling away” are the English words used in the King James (and New K.J.) translation of verse 3. The Greek word is ‘aposasia’ and means apostasy, rebelling, or departure. The root word from which it comes, ‘aphistemi,’ means to withdraw or remove. There are two thoughts on what this falling away or departure means in relation to the timing of the day of the Lord. The first thought is that there will be a great falling away or departure from the faith in the Lord before the Antichrist is revealed. The second thought is that the falling away/departure will not be spiritually but physically, as in the rapture of the Church. Those who claim that the falling away is the Rapture believe that these verses back it up: “For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming” (2 Thessalonians 2:7-8). The “He who restrains” is the 3rd Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit. He will be restrained or taken out of the way when the church is raptured. THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE RAPTURE TO THE TRIBULATION Paul’s letter to the church at Thessalonica is proof he taught a pretribulation Rapture. The Tribulation (Day of the Lord/Jacob’s trouble/ Daniel’s 70th seven) comes on the heels of the Rapture. There is only a small gap of time between the two biblical events. How much time? Nobody knows. Maybe a few months or a few years would be my guess. The Thessalonians believed they were in the Day of the Lord because of great persecution, as have many people throughout history. However, the Day of the Lord is an end-time event, which means the Rapture is as well. You can’t have the Rapture occurring hundreds of years before the last week of Daniel’s 70th week. What would become of the Christians that come afterward and especially those in the age before the Tribulation? There would be no escape (rapture) for them from the wrath of God. These verses would then have no meaning: “When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:28). “Pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man” (Luke 21:36). These are clear hints that the Church will be delivered from the end-times judgment by the pre-tribulation Rapture and they are only separated by a small amount of time. Regarding Enoch’s rapture, most students and scholars of the Bible believe it is a typology of the Church’s rapture. I agree it is similar in the fact that God ‘took’ him because of his faith. “By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, and was not found, because God had taken him; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:5-6). However, it is not similar in that the reason for his rapture was to escape the wrath of God (the great flood). Enoch was taken 669 years before the flood came. He was never in any danger of the wrath of God (great flood) as he would have died before it ever came. He would have been over 1000 years old at the time of the flood. The only reason the Bible mentions that he was taken is that he pleased God with his faith and God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. I think the same could be said of the Hebrew prophet, Elijah. For an excellent article regarding the differences in these raptures, see Mark Becker’s article, https://raptureready.com/2022/06/19/instantly-changed-and-caught-up-by-mark-a-becker/ . The Rapture may not have any signs preceding it, but the Tribulation does, as described in Jesus’ Olivet discourse found in Luke 21: 7-19, Matthew 24:3-14, and Mark 13:3-13. So when you see these signs converging in ever-increasing numbers, you know the Tribulation is close and the Rapture is even closer. I believe these signs are taking place as we speak. THE FULLNESS OF THE TIMES In Ephesians 1, Paul speaks about the mystery of Christ’s will, “according to His good pleasure which He purposed to Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him” (Ephesians 1:9-10). These are Rapture verses speaking about the translation and rapture of the dead in Christ (which are in heaven) and the living in Christ (on the earth). These two verses speak on the “who, why, and when” of the Rapture. The who are the dead and living in Christ. The ‘why’ is “according to His good pleasure.” God will do whatever He wants and whenever He wants. The ‘when’ is “in the dispensation of the fullness of the times.” All we have to figure out is when that is! Jesus’ First Advent Just as it was concerning the time of Christ’s first coming, the conditions on the earth will be perfectly aligned for Bible prophecy to find its complete fulfillment. But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons” (Galatians 4:4-5). What was this fullness of the times Paul was referring to regarding the first advent of Jesus the Christ? The ideal conditions for the appearance of the Messiah would be: 1) a common language that most people could understand. 2) for civilization to be advanced enough to record historical events that intertwine with biblical ones. 3) an appetite for the word of God by a true prophet instead of a religion of rules, regulations, and rituals. 4) good roads for traveling and spreading the gospel of Christ. 5) the approaching time of Daniel’s 69th week (seven) as mentioned in Daniel 9:25-26. This prophecy of 69 weeks/sevens terminates at the Messiah’s death. Jesus died in approximately 3992 A.M. (Anno Mundi – year after creation), 8 years shy of 4000 years (or 4 days for the Lord) of mankind. In my article, The Greatness of the New Testament (based on Hal Lindsey’s 1997 book Apocalypse Code) ( https://www.raptureready.com/2020/09/15/the-greatness-of-the-new-testament-by-randy-nettles/ ), I related how the Greek king and warrior, Alexander the Great created a new language, which he used in his campaigns against the Persians. This was one of the ideal conditions regarding the fullness of the times for the Messiah’s first advent. “Since the five tribes of Greece spoke in five dialects, Alexander, knowing that exact communication was essential in battle, fused together the best of the dialects and made one common language. This he did himself. His natural genius – plus the teaching of Aristotle, who above all was a brilliant linguist – enabled him to create a precise language for communicating exact thought. This dialect was named Koine Greek, which means “common Greek.” Alexander commanded all the tribes to learn “the common language.” Of course, we know Alexander defeated the might Persian Empire and most of the known world. During these battles and afterward, roads were built throughout the regions that Alexander conquered and then ruled. And once again, in an extraordinary way, Alexander had unknowingly fulfilled another part of Daniel’s 200-year-old prophecy about his sudden conquest and takeover of Persia, the second world empire. The year was 331 BC. The Persian empire fell at Alexander’s feet. Instead of making them slaves and treating them cruelly, he required them only to embrace the Greek culture and language. For the most part, he made friends with them. This too was a fulfillment of God’s providential use of him. Unwittingly, Alexander was being used to accomplish God’s purpose by making Line Greek the lingua franca of the known world. Even Rome (the fourth empire) would not be able to change the universal language. When the remains of the Greek empire were taken over by the Romans, everyone continued to use Greek as the language of business, trade, and international communication. So when Jesus the Messiah came and purchased a pardon for the sin of all mankind by his death, the infinitely valuable message about it was entrusted to none other than Alexander’s creation – Koine Greek. The original manuscript of the New Testament was written in this Common Greek and could be rapidly spread among the Gentiles. Why? Because in the providential working of God, Alexander had made it possible for them to understand.” Alexander was the tool God used to set up the ideal conditions for the Messiah to come and for his message to be able to spread throughout the known world. Even the Jews knew Jesus was a prophet (they hadn’t had one for 400 years). They just didn’t realize he was their long-awaited Messiah and king. And as usual, the Jews didn’t listen to their prophet and had him killed. They also didn’t realize this was God’s plan all along. The conditions for the fulfillment of the times of the coming of the Messiah were ideal during the age of Roman rule after Alexander had defeated the Persians and created a universal language. Major transportation routes were built during this time and allowed the disciples of Jesus to fulfill their evangelical “great calling.” The Fullness of the Times During the Rapture In Ephesians 1, Paul speaks about the mystery of Christ’s will, “according to His good pleasure which He purposed to Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him” (Ephesians 1:9-10). These are Rapture verses speaking about the translation and rapture of the dead in Christ (which are in heaven) and the living in Christ (on the earth). These two verses speak on the “who, why, and when” of the Rapture. The who are the dead and living in Christ. The ‘why’ is “according to His good pleasure.” God will do whatever He wants and whenever He wants. The ‘when’ is “in the dispensation of the fullness of the times.” Once again, the ‘when’ is a mystery. What is the dispensation of the fullness of the times? Perhaps Paul is speaking about the fullness of the times, as in the time before the end of this age. It’s been 1989 years (nearly 2000 years or 2 days for the Lord) since Jesus ascended back to heaven and the Church was born. The dispensation of the age of the Church is about over and the start of Daniel’s (interrupted) 70th seven is soon to begin. After the Rapture, God will once again be focusing His attention on Israel. God’s wrath will come upon His chosen people (Jacob’s trouble) after they confirm the covenant with the anti-Christ instead of them remembering their covenant with Him. God’s wrath will also fall upon a Christ-rejecting world. However, there will be a remnant of both Jews and Gentiles who come to faith in Christ during the Tribulation. Some will even live until the end and will enter Jesus’ millennial kingdom to repopulate the earth. It appears that this is the age of deciding whether to do the will of God or not. What is the will of God? To believe in the one He sent, Jesus Christ. 2022 is the year of division. The number 2 represents ‘division’ in the Bible. We are divided on everything these days: politics, gender, sexuality, religion, crime, abortion, immigration, speech, and governmental rule. We are divided on whether to do right or wrong, love or hate, kill or save, speak the truth or lie, choose between God or Satan, Jesus or the world, righteousness or sin, Republicans or Democrats, conservative or liberal philosophies, fiscal responsibility or reckless spending, charity or selfishness, safe borders or open borders, national sovereignty or world government. Paul’s mention of the fullness of times could be referring to a pre-tribulation time before God’s wrath rains down on the unbelieving world. This could be similar to Jesus’ discussion with his disciples at the Mount of Olives when he said, “And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise, as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even so, it will be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed” (Luke 17:26-30). It was definitely the fullness of the times for the antediluvians of Noah’s age and for the citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah of Lot’s age. It was the end of the world for most of these people. However, according to God’s good pleasure, He allowed a remnant to survive these catastrophes. Noah and his family obeyed the word of God and took shelter in the ark that they had built. The ark is a typology of the Rapture, and by God’s grace, they escaped the wrath of God. Likewise, Lot and his daughters escaped God’s wrath that He poured on the evil inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah by listening to the angels sent by God. The angels are a typology of the Holy Spirit urging the inhabitants of the earth to accept the Word of God as their savior and Lord before it is too late. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and by obeying the Word of God, we can escape the great wrath of God by means of the Rapture. THE FULLNESS OF SIN Perhaps Paul is also referring to the fullness of sin of this age. Once again Jesus spoke of this fullness of sin in both Noah and Lot’s time. Regarding Noah’s time, “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5). Regarding Lot’s time, “And the Lord said, Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grave, I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, I will know” (Genesis 18:20-21). I believe this current age of man’s sinfulness is getting close to being only evil continually (especially Democrats and those who believe in murdering babies) and is very grave indeed. There are no Democratic women in the U.S. House of Representatives who oppose abortion rights. Does this tell you anything about our elected leaders and those who elected them? It appears God has given them over to a reprobate mind. When sin reaches its zenith (fullness) in different civilizations, God’s judgment soon follows. There have been many examples of this “fullness of sin” and ensuing judgment in mankind’s history, as recorded in the Bible and the annals of history. Before judgment descends, God will send his word as a warning to the ungodly citizens. In biblical times, this word/warning came in the form of a prophet of God. Nowadays it comes by way of modern Bereans (those learned in scripture) or a “watchman on the wall” who warn the people about the approaching danger of the times due to rebellion against God. The final warning before the Tribulation begins will be the Rapture. It will be the ultimate sign of God’s coming judgment upon the earth before Jesus’ 2nd Advent. W.F. Adeney, the great theologian and Bible scholar of the late 19th and early 20th century, had this to say about the fullness of sin: “There is a fullness of sins which brings its own penalty. When sin reaches this point, the penalty can no longer be stayed. The cup once full flows over in wrath and ruin. It is as though forbearance and guilt were in the scales. When guilt is full, the balance dips. There is an end to all possible long-suffering. The more men go on in excesses of sin, the faster they approach the inevitable day of reckoning. The sooner the sin is filled up to the measure which passes endurance, the sooner must the stroke of doom fall. Fullness of sins must lead to fullness of punishment. They who fill up their sins always will have the wrath come upon them to the uttermost. The worst debtor must be made to pay the last farthing. The swifter the rush downhill, the greater the crash at the bottom. The more tares that are sown in spring, the more bundles to burn in the harvest. He who fills the present life with sins will have the next life filled with wrath. The fullness of sins is not the amount which God predestines to be committed, for God is not the author of sin, nor does he will or permit it. This fullness is the measure beyond which God stays the evil from proceeding. When the tide of iniquity, driven onwards by rebellious powers, reaches this fullness, God says, Here shall thy proud waves be stayed, and the storm beats itself out in impotent fury.” {3} THE FULLNESS OF THE GENTILES The “coming in” of the fullness of the Gentiles is mentioned in Romans 11:25. “For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.” This should not be confused with the fulfillment of the times of the Gentiles spoken of in Luke 21:24. “They (Israel) will fall by the edge of the sword and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” The verse in Romans is in reference to the coming of Jesus in the clouds at the Rapture, while the Luke verse refers to the 2nd Coming of Jesus to the earth after the Great Tribulation. Many Bible scholars believe the fullness of the Gentiles mentioned in verse 25 refers to the Rapture. They conclude that when a certain number of believers in Jesus Christ has been reached, then the Rapture will occur. Nobody knows what that number is except God. Therefore the date of the Rapture is unknowable by anyone except Elohim. “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only” (Matthew 24:36). Here’s how the late great Bible teacher Jack Kelley interprets this verse: “The phrase fullness (full number) of the Gentiles doesn’t mean each and every Gentile, but only those who are part of a group that will arrive at its scheduled destination before the blindness is lifted. It’s a nautical term meaning when a ship has a full crew, then, and only then, it will set sail. This is a reference to the rapture of the Church, which will contain a specific number of members. When that full number has been reached, we’ll be taken from earth to our place in my father’s house to be with the Lord.” Likewise, John F. Walvoord, who served as a faculty member, president, and chancellor of Dallas Theological Seminary for more than half a century, wrote this regarding these verses in Romans: “The outworking of God’s present calling out both Jew and Gentile on an equal basis to form the body of Christ was not anticipated in the Old Testament. Its major features were mysteries, that is, truths that were not revealed in the Old Testament but are revealed in the New Testament. “The background of this is the New Testament doctrine of the rapture of the church. When the church is taken out of the world in fulfillment of God’s purpose for the church, Israel’s present experience of hardening (blindness) will also be removed, and revival will come to Israel. Their early conversion to the gospel will help spread the gospel throughout the world after the rapture of the church as there are Israelites in every major nation who already know the languages and the people. The fulfillment predicted in Romans 11:25-27 is in keeping with the Abrahamic covenant, which promises that Israel will endure as a nation forever and that the Israelites ultimately will be restored spiritually and to their land politically.” {4} In Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi, he writes about our (brothers in Christ) citizenship in heaven. “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself” (Philippians 3:20-21). Although we did not give an exact ‘when’ for the Rapture (for only Elohim knows the day and hour), maybe we have narrowed down the timing somewhat. One day soon, when the fullness of the times has reached its peak, and before Daniel’s 70th seven begins, we will be “caught up” in the sky to meet the Lord. With our new translated bodies, we will be able to stand before the Son of Man, Jesus Christ, in all His glory. “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified… For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:28-30, 38-39). Amen, even so, come Lord Jesus (quickly if not sooner)! Randy Nettles [email protected] - Note: new email Endnotes: {1} Perhaps Today – The Imminent Coming of Christ by Thomas Ice (R.R.) {2} Every Prophecy of the Bible by John F. Walvoord, pgs.473-474 {3} Fullness of Sin (Biblehub.com) {4} Every Prophecy of the Bible by John F. Walvoord, pg. 440 As The World Is Transfixed by Chaos, Has the Church Failed To Recognize The Urgency Of The Hour? – By JB Hixson - https://harbingersdaily.com/as-the-world-is-transfixed-by-chaos-has-the-church-failed-to-recognize-the-urgency-of-the-hour/ He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! (Revelation 22:20) Recently Wendy and I had the opportunity to get away for a rare vacation. It had been more than two decades since we were able to break away from family and ministry and enjoy a week of down time. We spent a week on the beach and watched the sunset every night for seven straight nights from various vantage points. Each one was gloriously different, depending on the clouds and the weather that day. If you have ever watched a sunset, you know that at the very end it happens quickly. For several minutes it seems as though the sun has scarcely shifted its position. Then, in the final minute or two, you can almost see it moving as it darts beneath the horizon. One minute it is there, shining brightly across the ocean. The next, it is gone, leaving only a dim glow in the distance. As I watched the sunset each night, I could not help but think of the church in America today. Is the sun setting on the church? Is our time in God’s plan of the ages drawing to a close? Is God’s work in and through the Church winding down? It is a difficult question to answer with certainty. Yet, there are many signs that indicate we may be entering the twilight of the church. The Bible warns, “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons” (1 Timothy 4:1). More than ever before, deception has swept across this country. Satan is “blinding people’s hearts to the Gospel” and “deceiving the whole world” (2 Cor. 4:4; 2 John 7). According to a recent Gallup poll from June of 2022, only sixty-eight percent of Americans under age thirty believe in God. This statistic is validated by a recent conversation I had with a woman who attended an event where I was speaking about the Great Satanic Reset. After my presentation, she came up to me and insisted that Jesus Christ is not the only way to heaven and that the Bible is filled with lies and errors. She is deceived. We are also told in Scripture, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables” (2 Timothy 4:3–4). The great Satanic reset that is being thrust upon us by the Luciferians is a giant fable that is capturing the minds of many people. The “new normal” is rapidly setting in, and few seem to be aware of its dangers. The evil powers behind the Satanic agenda in our world have told us bluntly that we will never return to “normal.” We must never forget, however, that although normal may not be coming back, Jesus is! He promised to rescue His bride, the church, from this present evil age (Gal. 1:4) prior to the great and terrible Day of the Lord’s wrath (1 Thess. 1:10; 5:9). This does not mean, of course, that believers in this church age will avoid suffering altogether. Indeed, there is more persecution and martyrdom of Christians today than at any other time in church history. It does mean, however, that someday, in God’s perfect timing, the Lord Jesus will descend from heaven in the clouds and gather His church together for that great reunion in the sky (1 Thess. 4:17). The Bible calls this event the “blessed hope” (Titus 2:13). It will mark the end of the church age and a shift into the next phase in God’s plan of the ages. The “rapture,” as it is called in the Latin translation of the Bible, will mean the sun has finally set on the church age. And like a sunset, it will happen quickly. The very last words of Jesus recorded in the Bible are, “Surely I am coming quickly” (Revelation 22:20). To those words, the Apostle John responded, “Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” The word “quickly” that Jesus used in this verse means “suddenly” or “rapidly.” It has been nearly two thousand years since John recorded those words of Christ in the book of Revelation, and throughout the church age we have been watching the sun slowly descend toward the horizon. Today, it has picked up speed. As Wendy and I watched the sunset each night during our beach vacation, there were times when we were transfixed by the waves and distant glow and almost missed the chance to take a picture as the sun made its final, swift dash under the sea. Could it be that many people today are transfixed by the chaos around us and have failed to recognize the urgency of the hour? All signs point to the soon coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. When it happens, it will happen fast. Are you ready? Have you placed your faith in Him as the only One who can save you from your sin and give you the free gift of eternal life? And If the Dead Rise Not. . . - by Jack Kinsella "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." (1st Corinthians 15:51-53) Throughout the New Testament, the word translated as 'mystery' comes from the Greek 'musterion' which literally means 'secret' or 'hidden thing'. In our modern English, however, 'mystery' is understood in the Agatha Christie or Sherlock Holmesian sense of the word. Paul's use of the word 'mystery' when describing the Rapture in 1 Corinthians 15:53 means a truth that had not yet been revealed. Paul cannot be referring to the Second Coming of Christ; His return at the end of the Tribulation is one of the oldest prophecies recorded in Scripture. Daniel 12:1-3; Zechariah 12:10; 14:4 all mention the 2nd Coming, and Jude quotes Enoch, the "seventh from Adam" who "prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of His saints." (Jude 1:14) The Rapture, therefore, is a previously unrevealed secret, a 'hidden thing' of God previously unknown to men. As the end of this present Age approaches, there are many Christians who are beginning to wonder if we might already be in the Tribulation now. We aren't. Assessment: There are lots and lots of folks who think I am 'way out there' for adhering to a pre-Tribulationist doctrine. (I know this to be true, also, because I get emails from them every time I comment on the Rapture, saying, "Kinsella, you're way out there!") They'll go on smugly (and endlessly), playing word games like "the word 'Rapture' isn't even in the Bible' -- as if that meant something. (Try and find the word 'Bible' in the Bible. Does its absence from the Scriptures mean there is no Bible?) Or babble mindlessly about Margarent MacDonald and C.I. Schofield, before pronouncing Dispensationalism and a pre-Trib Rapture a modern-day 'invented' doctrine. I say 'mindlessly' because they don't know what they are talking about -- they are just quoting somebody else's research as if it were the Gospel itself. We have dealt with the Margaret MacDonald argument in previous Omega Letter reports, so we won't address that particular 'controversy' here, other than to note that the Apostle Paul wrote of the Rapture 1800 years before Margaret MacDonald. Instead of building the argument based on what the Bible doesn't say about the Rapture, it is helpful to take a good close look at what it DOES tell us about the Rapture. First, notice that the Rapture involves the movement of believers from the earth to Heaven: "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." (1 Thessalonians 4:17) The 'dead in Christ' rise first, those believers who are 'alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds. The operative word here is 'rise'. On the other hand, at the Second Coming, the Lord returns WITH His saints; "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." (1st Thessalonians 3:13) So the Rapture is not the same event as the Second Coming. And things that are different are NOT the same. What would be the point of Rapturing the Church then, anyway? The Lord returns to establish His kingdom on earth, so why pull out all the Christians? Who is He gonna rule? "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." (Matthew 25:32-33) If all the believers are raptured at the Second Coming, that would also include the Tribulation saints. Where would the believers in mortal bodies come from, if they are raptured at the Second Coming? Who would be able to enter into Christ's Kingdom? Enquiring minds want to know. Then there is Daniel's 70 weeks. The Church was absent for the first sixty-nine weeks -- the countdown was suspended at the Cross so the Church could be born. Daniel makes it clear that all 70 weeks are determined upon Israel. "Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready. 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." (Revelation 19:7-8) If the Bride is made ready to accompany Christ to the earth at the Second Coming, (while part of the bride is still on earth during the Tribulation) then how does the Bride (the Church) also come with Christ at His Return? There is the example of Enoch: "And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him." (Genesis 5:24) Not only does Enoch prefigure the Rapture, note that Enoch's Rapture waspre-Flood, and not mid-Flood or post-Flood. The Scriptures are plain, clear and concise on the topic of a pre-Tribulation Rapture -- provided one interprets the Bible literally, instead of figuratively or symbolically. While no man knows the day or the hour of the Rapture, the Second Coming can be accurately predicted, since Daniel tells us He returns exactly 1,290 days after the antichrist; "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." (2nd Thessalonians 2:4) "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." (Daniel 12:11) The pre-Tribulation Rapture is often called the "Blessed Hope" by those who look for His return before the Tribulation begins. Those who believe the Church will go through the Tribulation sneeringly call it the 'Great Escape'. Don't let anybody steal away your Blessed Hope: "For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised,your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." (1st Corinthians 15:16-19) The Rapture happens before the Tribulation, which means that He is coming for us soon! Call it the Blessed Hope or the Great Escape, He IS coming. And given the current state of global affairs, it can't be too much longer until we hear that trumpet. Maranatha! Nearing Midnight: The Biden Administration is Beyond Embarrassment – Todd Strandberg - https://www.raptureready.com/category/nearing-midnight/ I quickly realized when Joe Biden was coming into office, we were facing a train wreck situation. What I had no idea of is that we were about to reach a level of absurdity that one would question if one was watching the most bizarre Monty Python sketch. Biden often makes statements that make absolutely no sense. Because they are meaningless, there is no harm in implying: “It’s not civil to call someone who lied a liar?” “You cannot go to a 7-Eleven or a Dunkin’ Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent. And I’m not joking.” “How many people did you see out in Mcdonald’s parking lots with their kids in their cars — because they get access to the internet — to be able to help the kid in school?” “I, uh, I got what we call in my old neighborhood in Claymont, Delaware – I got ‘shellacked.’ I kept saying, I’m waiting to go to South Carolina.” “They showed me an X-ray and said a .22-caliber bullet will lodge in a lung, and we can probably get it out and save a life. A 9mm bullet blows the lung out of the body.” There are times when Biden makes statements that are profoundly impactful on official US diplomatic policy. For decades, our nation has been very steadfast when it comes to how we would respond to a Chinese invasion of Taiwan. Biden created panic at the State Department when he said that the US would intervene militarily to defend Taiwan if it was invaded by China. Biden’s statement ultimately implies that we would be willing to declare nuclear war if China invades Taiwan. The only thing we can hope for is that China realizes that Biden is just a senile invalid and that no actual warfare is likely between the two nations. It has been well known for months that Biden’s wife Jill has been heavily guiding Joe on common events. A few weeks ago, a news outlet found that Biden is using cheat sheets during meetings. The instructions on these cards are extremely basic. Some of the guidelines include “take YOUR seat,” “give brief comments 2 minutes,” and “you thank participants.” This is the type of detailed instruction you would give to someone who has suffered a traumatic brain injury. A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about the absurdity of the new press secretary at the White House, Karine Jean-Pierre, and how she was clearly unqualified for the job. She has quickly gone on to prove she is one of the worst secretaries to ever hold that position. It makes me wonder who could have green-lighted her position. It greatly worries me to realize that the same mindset may have employed similar idiots to manage our nuclear arsenal. What makes Biden all the more dangerous is that he has the full support of the liberal media. In their eyes, he can simply do no wrong. The press is trying to claim that Biden’s verbal missteps are actually a good thing. One NBC piece claimed that correcting such gaffes “undermines him and smothers his authenticity.” They wrote, “Presidents and other elected officials are frequently told that they are selling the wrong message.” The author added, “The reality is that if there is one skill that presidents have — and one for which they must trust their own instincts — it’s messaging,” encouraging Biden to keep being himself. Jimmy Carter must be smiling that he is no longer the worst president in American history. It is a crime against our nation for the liberal media to be so willfully oblivious to this calamity. This is not some Mr. Magoo cartoon where everything magically resolves to no harm done. Eventually, we are going to reach a massive disaster. When Biden was elected in 2020, I wanted to ask 80 million voters, do you realize what you have just done? As our nation descends into wickedness, we are rewarded with leaders who are void of the necessary mental skills for the job. Biden may have been intelligent in his youth, but now he greatly lacks the ability to fulfill his role as leader of the free world. It is a massive shame and embarrassment to have him in office. The only fix is for the American people to openly repent of their mistake, but I doubt that is possible. “Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?” (1 Corinthians 1:20). Daily Jot: Stupidocrisy: Fear Narrative - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com What happened to COVID? You don’t hear much about it these days. But did you know that COVID infections in America are more than 10 times higher than they were last year at this time? Did you know that deaths from COVID are almost 25% higher than they were last year at this time? It’s true. According to statistics kept by Johns Hopkins University, the seven-day average of US COVID cases as of June 27 were 121,255 compared with 11,839 last year, and the seven-day average of COVID deaths were 398 as of June 27 compared with 308 for the same period last year. While the mainstream news media and the Biden Administration have moved on, the devastation of COVID remains. All those doctors and nurses who were demonized for saying that the COVID vaccine would only weaken immune systems and cause the disease to spread even more were apparently correct. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine titled, “Effects of Previous Infection and Vaccination on Symptomatic Omicron Infections,” found “No discernable differences in protection against symptomatic BA.1 and BA.2 [Omicron] infection were seen with previous infection, vaccination, and hybrid immunity.” A Forbes analysis of countries with the highest vaccination rates indicated that per-capita COVID outbreaks are higher than the less vaccinated countries, causing experts to question the efficacy of vaccines. A UK study indicates that initial vaccine effectiveness of 45-75% rapidly declines after several weeks to 10% or less. Moreover, the UK study confirmed that “9 out of every 10 deaths related to COVID-19 are found in those who are fully vaccinated.” A paper by MIT’s Stephanie Seneff, published in the International Journal of Vaccine Theory, Practice and Research, postulates that the “unintended consequences” of the mRNA vaccines against COVID 19 are worse than the disease, including catastrophic adverse events such as the destruction of the immune system. In a May 19 Epoch Times article, Beth Giuffre and Dr Yuhong Dong conclude: “Prominent immunologists, vaccinologists, and researchers from every clinical expertise are now providing evidence to support COVID-19 mRNA injectable products are causing immune system dysregulation.” Estimated to account for only one percent of vaccine injuries, the US Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System as of June 17 reports 1,307,926 COVID vaccine adverse events, including 29,031 deaths and 164,324 hospitalizations. There were 54,306 permanently disabled, 42,168 cases of myocarditis/pericarditis, 14,935 heart attacks, 4,751 miscarriages, 6,865 blood clots and 41,746 severe allergic reactions. So much for “safe and effective.” There have been over 400 studies that indicate the COVID mandates, vaccines and lockdowns did more harm than good, and will continue doing more harm. The government and corporations used fear to activate a control mechanism over everyone. In Isaiah 41:10 the Lord says, “Fear not, for I am with you.” Be wise. Know the Lord is with you. Don’t partake in, say it with me…Stupidocrisy. Sources: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2203965?query=featured_home https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/05/11/covid-surges-in-4-of-5-worlds-most-vaccinated-countries-heres-why-the-us-should-worry/?sh=2bb2efb3d677 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1057599/Vaccine_surveillance_report_-_week-8.pdf https://ijvtpr.com/index.php/IJVTPR/article/view/23/51 https://www.theepochtimes.com/what-covid-jabs-are-doing-to-the-immune-system-and-how-the-injured-can-heal_4476998.html?utm_source=healthnoe&utm_campaign=health-2022-05-23&utm_medium=email&est=MwNxRWIp4BWIzv%2FnZlkykRqSBhZrBxlz%2BXlQifi2KDhA2t%2BpEwyHXIoQM%2F3ekw%3D%3D https://openvaers.com/covid-data Daily Devotion: Part of a Bigger Plan - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world —1 John 2:2 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/part-of-a-bigger-plan/ - Listen The worst travesty of justice in human history was the trial, execution, and murder of Jesus Christ. The very Son of God had come to this planet to walk among us, heal us, and deliver the greatest teachings ever given to humanity. And what do they do? They beat Him, nailed Him to a cross, and left Him to die. But this was all part of a bigger plan. Jesus did not have His life taken from Him; He came to lay down His life for our sins. Jesus said, “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 NLT). From the greatest tragedy came the greatest good: salvation for everyone and the forgiveness of sin. You see, Jesus didn’t stay on that cross. He rose again from the dead three days later, and He is alive. Is Jesus Christ living inside of you? He is standing at the door of your life and knocking. He is saying that if you will hear His voice and open the door, He will come in. You can pray and ask God to forgive you of your sins, and Christ will hear your prayer. Are you down and depressed and hurting? Jesus is saying, “Let me come in. Let me refresh you and give you rest. Let me give you the meaning and purpose of life that you been searching for.” Jesus gives us the hope that when our lives on this Earth come to an end, we will go to Heaven. Not everyone has that hope. Heaven is not the default destination of every human being. It is only the future destination of those who will put their faith in Jesus Christ. FROM THE HEART Let Us Make the Short Time We have Left, Count for ALL of Eternity! IF YOU HAVE BEEN BLESSED THROUGH THIS MINISTRY, THEN WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD PLEASE REMEMBER PROPHECY UPDATE IN YOUR GIVING - WE ARE TRULY, TRULY, THANKFUL FOR YOUR SUPPORT WORTHY OF YOUR SUPPORT? One of the most reliable ways to determine if a ministry is worthy of your financial support is to examine its fruits. If Prophecy Update is keeping you informed, and if that information inspires you, and causes you to draw closer to the Lord, if Prophecy Update equips you with valuable information and knowledge to share with and encourage other believers, and open the eyes of non-believers, and if Prophecy Update keeps you connected to current events relating to Bible Prophecy, then you are partaking of the fruit produced through this ministry. None of this would be possible without the Lords blessings and your support. I believe where the Lord guides, the Lord provides, and most of the time He provides through the willing and generous hearts of believers just like you and me. Humbly Seek Your Support Prophecy Update has no corporate sponsors. This ministry is paid for and prayed for by readers and supporters. Without your support, there would be no Prophecy Update, Please pray about becoming a monthly supporter - thanks! If ever there was a time to invest in God's Kingdom, it's now! What on earth are you doing for Heaven's Sake? "Share in the Blessings and Rewards that will last Forever!" "Folks, it's all beginning to unravel. America is in more danger of falling than at any time in its history. But I believe Bible prophecy predicts this very decline. From this point on, we believers have to get serious. We are going to face discouragement, disillusionment and, most certainly, persecution in the time between now and the Rapture. But don't be discouraged or disillusioned. The coming turmoil will provide us unrivaled opportunities to share the good news of the Gospel. So be ready to share your faith and your hope with those who need Christ. We still have time to reap a great harvest of souls for God's kingdom!" - Hal Lindsey 1) We need your prayers!- We proclaim the Truth of the Word of God and we are under constant spiritual and sometimes even physical attack. 2) We need your encouragement!- We need to hear from you, let us know how the Lord is blessing you through this ministry so that we can share it with others. 3) We need your input! - If you have a prophetic article or story or if there is a news related item we missed, let us know. 4) We need your financial support!- To put it quite simply, without your support, there would be no Prophecy Update. I ask that you would prayerfully consider partnering with us to get the Word out and keep the world informed. Remember, your gift, no matter how small, does make a difference! You will be helping to touch lives, around the world, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, thanks to the internet your generosity carries a global impact! - Thanks! 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Box 40516 Bakersfield, CA 93384-0516 We are very pleased to offer all our readers this FREE download on Bible Prophecy from the Evangelical Bible College of Western Australia - Just download and enjoy and be blessed! Feel free to share it with all your friends and family members. Click below to download! "AS YOU SEE THE DAY APPROACHING" If You Died Today, Would You Go To Heaven? Find out, visit: www.thegoodtest.net www.gotquestions.org www.wayofthemaster.com How to know God DID YOU KNOW? You can submit an article, leave a comment or praise report at email: [email protected] Maranatha! (Lord Come Quickly) "On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand, All other ground is sinking sand." "Let Us make the short time we have left count for all eternity!" YBIC-Randy
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