![]() What Does the Bible Say About the Rapture? - By Pete Garcia - https://rev310.com/2019/09/what-the-bible-says-about-the-rapture Before we begin our in-depth discussion on the Rapture and other eschatological matters, we need a foundational discussion first. There are two types of communication that are delivered through and because of Holy Scripture: Progressive Revelation, and Progressive Illumination. Progressive revelation teaches us that God progressively unfolded His plan of redemption to mankind. It began in the Garden (Gen. 3:14-19), and ended with the Apostle John on the Isle of Patmos. Progressive Illumination took over when the canon of Scripture was closed in 95AD, and through the Holy Spirit, begins revealing biblical truths to mankind according to His unfolding plan. Thus, it stands to reason that if the Lord can orchestrate when doctrines on things such as the Inerrancy of Scripture, the Trinity, the Church, and Salvation should be codified, then God should also be able to allow the timing for when men begin to have a better understanding of the last days. In other words, He does it when it is appropriate. The Lord is omniscient (Isaiah 46:9-10) and has always known that the Second Coming would not occur until at least the 21st century; therefore, it would not make much sense for Him to illuminate man's understanding on said topic in the 2nd century AD. Could He have? Absolutely. However, because He didn't, doesn't diminish the fact that everything about the last days was already in Holy Scripture. Neither does it diminish our understanding of when He would return (no man knows the day or hour). God moved men at certain times, to accomplish certain things. He moved Jerome to translate the Bible into Latin in the 4th century AD. He moved John Wycliffe to translate it into English in the 13th century. He sparked Martin Luther's aha moment when he came to understand salvation is by grace through faith and not by works in the 16th-century. Likewise, God also orchestrated when John Nelson Darby would revive the doctrine of the rapture as a major Christian issue in the 19th-century. All that to say, God's timing determines when men come to understand the truths of Scripture, and how they are applicable to the day and age they live in. What was an important message in Noah's day, was not the same message for Job's day, or David's day. Where the real issue comes in, is how we (humans) choose to interpret the truth that is already IN Scripture. If we think about how we interpret Scripture, it is very much like a spectrum. On one end of the spectrum, we have those who completely disregard the inerrancy of Scripture, and want to put their own shifting interpretations in to fit the narrative of their day. On the other end, there are those who abuse the inerrancy of Scripture by adhering to wooden literalism, particularly on certain passages, while ignoring the overall context for the rest of the Bible (ex. Snake handling). In the center, we see a balanced view of Scripture takes the grammatical, literal, and historical approach to biblical interpretation (or hermeneutics) and places context above all. We must understand who the writer was speaking too (the audience) and how does that align with other major doctrines found throughout the Bible (consistency). Below is a very simplified graphic to demonstrate this idea. So where do you find yourself on the spectrum? You wouldn't normally associate cults with "wooden literalism," however, in order for a cult to build its "foundation," it must mix truth with error. In the process of mixing that poisonous concoction, it abuses certain passages by taking them to the literal extreme (ex. Roman Catholic transubstantiation, son of God in Mormonism). They also do so by placing more emphasis on a certain passage or doctrine making it trump all others. On the other end of the spectrum for example, the Bible uses symbolism as a form of communication. But that does not mean symbolism is arbitrary, or subjective. Symbolism is always found and defined in other places within the Scriptures (ex. Rev. 12 and Gen. 37). Thus, abusing the text by allegorizing things that are not meant to be allegorized (i.e., the Millennium) or by making symbolism completely subjective and open to anyone's interpretation, is another form of literary abuse. Nevertheless, despite what many denominations and theological figureheads teach, the Bible has quite a lot to say about the Rapture. Of course, the first thing critics love to point out about the Rapture, is that the word is not even in the Bible. True. It is not in your English Bible. However, for over millennia, the word rapio or rapiemur was what the Latin Vulgate used when translating the Koine Greek word harpazo. Harpazo is the Greek word for the English phrase "caught up" as it appears in our English Bibles. So yes, it is in the Bible. The word rapture encapsulates the doctrine in much the same way the word Trinity encapsulates the triune nature of God. [The word Trinity is not in the Bible either] Furthermore, it is not just written about, but it is portrayed symbolically (Old Testament typology), literally (physically), and futuristically. Old Testament Typology
New Testament Literally
Futuristically
Therefore, regardless of what your pastor, priest, or preacher has to say about the Rapture, it is in the Bible as both a concept and as a reality. If they deny it, or dismiss the teaching of it, or say that it is something "man-made," or irrelevant, I would walk away from that church and never look back. It is important a doctrine as any other. For the Christian to grow and to become who Christ intended us to be, must know more than just how to be a Christian. We have to be given the "blessed hope" in order to stand and endure in these darkening days. The New Testament Pattern As most of you know who are reading this, the Bible is broken into two parts with the Old and New Testaments. Even though there are some cryptic "rapture-like" passages sprinkled throughout the Old Testament (ex. Isaiah 26:20-21; Song of Solomon 2:10-13; Psalm 90:10, etc.), the Apostle Paul stated the Rapture was a mystery (musterion-Greek). It was something that had not yet been revealed publically to any believers before him. Christ's statements in the Upper Room Discourse mark the first teaching of this event, but it was to a private audience (the disciples minus Judas). This is where Christ promises to receive those who are His back to Himself and to take them to be where He would come from (the Third Heaven). This is distinct from the Second Coming, because He does not come back with the armies of heaven in tow, does not have His robe soaked with blood, nor is He waging war. In Revelation 19, Christ is coming to occupy and take over enemy territory. In John 14:1-3, Christ appears in a completely non-combative event. Let us look at the New Testament and pull out some interesting differences and comparisons. The Gospels The Gospel of Matthew:
The Gospel of Mark:
The Gospel of Luke: Presents the humanity of Christ Lineage begins with Adam He teaches the Second Coming in the Olivet Discourse plainly, references the Rapture discretely before their last Supper (or their first communion) Gospel of John:
Acts Chronicles the formation of the early church and is not eschatological in nature. However, there are some key points of information that are clarified here: Christ must return in the same manner in which He departed (Luke 24:51; Acts 1:9-11) The last days began with the first Pentecost (Acts 2:17) The Epistles
The Revelation
Conclusion Something worth repeating again is that the reason people today even have the luxury to scoff, mock, discuss, and debate the Rapture of the Church, is because God brought it back into the forefront of Christian thought. The reason He did that through men like Joseph Mede, Morgan Edwards, James Frere, William Cuninghame, John N. Darby, William Blackstone, Cyrus Scofield, Clarence Larkin, Harry Ironside, Hal Lindsey, and others, was because the time was drawing near, and God was warning the Church (and the world) of what was about to happen. As proof, God also revealed to these men that Israel would become a nation again long before it actually happened in 1948. ...that the Lord Jesus will come in person to introduce the millennial age, when Israel shall be restored to their own land, and the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord; and that this personal and premillennial advent is the blessed hope set before us in the Gospel for which we should be constantly looking. (Niagra Bible Conference, 1878) However, it is not just dispensationalists who believed Israel would become a nation again in her ancient, biblical, homeland. The Holy Spirit was moving Christian's amongst many different denominations and hermeneutical veins as to the coming end of the age. Theologians such as Charles Spurgeon, J.C. Ryle, and the Bonar brothers (Horatius and Andrew) also believers that Israel would have to come into her land. Surely the Lord God does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets. Amos 3:7 If the Rapture of the Church were not true, how (and why) did so many men from different ages, generations, and denominations all come to the same conclusion? They did so not because of Darby or even Hal Lindsey, but by simply returning to a literal, grammatical, historical, and balanced interpretation of the Bible. They did so because God the Holy Spirit moved them to do so. They set aside their theological dogmas, denominational creeds, and academic interpretations, and simply let the Bible speak for itself. While I will not go so far as to say men like Darby were prophets, they were no doubt, messengers God used to illuminate their generation's understanding. Darby didn't invent the Rapture any more than Luther invented salvation by grace through faith. Darby (his predecessors and successors) simply codified what was already revealed in Scripture. If the Rapture weren't already in the Bible, then Darby would have had to create it out of thin air, thus, creating another in a long line of 18th-century cult movements that was rejected by Orthodox Christianity. However, because it is clearly in Scripture, the evidence suggests that God the Holy Spirit orchestrated the timing for its reintroduction into Christian discussion due to the proximity to its occurrence. Think about what Noah preached about in the years leading up to the flood (2 Peter 2:5). Did he preach about your best life now? Did he preach about the coming Messiah? Did he preach about the coming Kingdom? No. No. and No. He preached about the coming judgment. The reason he preached about that because that's what was pertinent to the audience of his day. He preached to his generation to repent and to come into the ark because of the coming judgment was coming upon the whole earth. And in the 100 plus years of preaching, only he and his family were saved. Jesus noted that in the last days, it would be very much like the days of Noah and the days of Lot (Luke 17:25-27). People would be going their life without a care in the world. Peter added that men would be scoffing the promise Christ made to return, saying that since nothing has happened yet, nothing will happen in the future (2 Peter 3:3-7). Here, Peter also links back to the days of Noah saying the same word that destroyed the world with water, will one day destroy it with fire. But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:8-9 God's patience is purely due to His longsuffering nature, and of His great love and mercy for the lost. Yet, God's patience regarding this is not infinite, as He will one day soon, carry out the Promise He made back in John 14:1-3 (Upper Room Discourse). He is bound by His own word, to do that which He has said He would do. God's longsuffering is also why God allowed the issue of the Rapture to be brought back front and center to the world's attention. He is using these men (and women) to warn the world of what is coming, just as He used Noah. Just as He used Lot (Gen. 19:14). Just as God used the prophets and the apostles to warn the world of what was coming, God is using His servants today to make known what is about to happen. This is why Hal Lindsey's Late Great Planet Earth was the bestselling book of the 1970s. It is why the Left Behind bestselling books sold in the hundreds of millions in the 1990s-2000s. More importantly, it is why He is using you and me to warn our friends and family, so that when it happens, they will KNOW what happened, before God allows the strong delusion to occur (2 Thess. 2:11). One final thought about the Rapture is the why. Why did God choose to make the Rapture so sensational, so dramatic, such an extreme, divinely-sanctioned act of redemption? You gotta admit, that the Rapture seems very over-the-top in terms of feasibility. So why does God choose this way to redeem His bride the Church? Jesus said in His Olivet Discourse that the final generation's hearts would wax cold. Paul said men would be lovers of themselves. Peter said they would be scoffers. In other words, the last generation was going to be the most hard-hearted, thick-headed, and spiritually-dead generation on record. It is going to take an event as extreme as the Rapture, to reach some. Which goes back to why God is bringing this back to men's attention leading up to the time. Friends, the Rapture of the Church is so very near. I can sense it in my spirit. I know many other writers and readers who all feel that same sense of urgency welling within them. This is not some form of collective-insanity. We all come from different backgrounds, different cultures, different educational levels, and different denominations, yet, we all sense that the Lord's return is near, even at the door! If it was close in James's day, how much closer are we now some two-thousand years later? Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. James 5:7-8 Even so, Maranatha! Is the Glory of God Departing America? - By Dr. David Reagan/Lamb & Lion Ministries -
http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=3453 The writer of Ecclesiastes tells us that "there is nothing new under the sun." Some interpret that to mean the more things change the more they stay the same. Others simply assert that although technology and what passes for knowledge has changed, the heart of man has not changed. The Bible proves time and again the truth of the great hymn: "Prone to wander, Lord I feel it; prone to leave the God I love." Sadly, that truth does not just relate to individuals, it relates to peoples and nations as well. Kingdoms, city-states, and nations rise and fall. There is yet to be a nation under heaven that has not wandered away from the very God who has poured out blessing upon it. Some have been characterized by faithfulness to biblical Christianity -- at least in cultural mores. But, the societies that once reverberated with Christian truth throughout the Western world have succumbed to a post-Christian ambivalence toward truth itself. How did the West stray so far, and is there hope for America, teetering on the brink of that same fate? Biblical Examples We can learn much from the example of Israel and Judah. Made up of God's own Chosen People, those nations were destined for greatness. Their people were blessed as no other nation, raised up literally to bear testimony to what a relationship with the living God could mean. Long before America sang of God's grace being shed on our land, His unmerited favor fell on the Jewish people. He did not choose them because they were more worthy. Moses made it clear that He did not even choose them because they were mighty in number, but rather because of God's love and grace (Deuteronomy 7:6-8). Did the Jewish people appreciate the singular privilege of such a blessing? Did they revere the God who poured out such blessings? Clearly not. That is why the Lord repeatedly sent prophets to warn, to call to repentance and to declare judgment. Consider the situation in Israel immediately following the period of the Judges. The book of that name tells us repeatedly that "in those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Judges 21:25). There were a few individuals who lived upright and exemplary lives. Ruth tells of one such man named Boaz, who foreshadowed his descendant who would become the ultimate kinsman-redeemer. But, First Samuel describes a people who were generally going through motions rather than seeking hard after the Lord. Even the priests and religious leaders had grown apathetic toward God. Spiritual Corruption The text tells about the worthless sons of Eli -- Hophni and Phinehas. Although serving as priests of the Lord, they did not know Him. Their disdain for God and self-serving interaction with the people was well-known. Eli recognized their evil ways -- from helping themselves to the sacrifices dedicated to the Lord to sexually cavorting with women at the very doorway of the tent of meeting. And yet, he did not take action to hold his own sons accountable and ensure reverence before God. In 1 Samuel 4, the people found themselves drawn up in battle against their ongoing foe, the Philistines. After straying from God under the errant spiritual leadership of men like Hophni and Phinehas, Israel found itself defeated. The Israelites expressed complete surprise, exclaiming, "Why has the LORD defeated us today before the Philistines?" (v. 3). Their solution was to trot out the Ark of the Covenant, presuming upon the Lord's protection. In other words, although their hearts were clearly far from Him, the Israelites looked to their god-in-a-box as the ultimate weapon or the surest talisman. Viewing God as a Good-Luck Charm How many people today wear a cross necklace or WWJD bracelet or some other such bobble, not to shamelessly proclaim, "Jesus is Lord," but because they think God is obligated to shield them from all harm if they just cover themselves in Christian symbols? Sort of like the old horror movies where the vampire could be driven back by a mirror or a cross. But God is not a cosmic good-luck charm to wear when the going gets rough. Samuel records the results of such callous treatment of God and disrespect of His Shekinah Glory hovering above the Ark's Mercy Seat. To their dismay, Israel was soundly defeated once again and the Ark was captured. On top of that, Hophni and Phinehas -- the two men whose position as priests should have given them insight to know better -- were killed. When a young man brought news of the tragedy back to Eli, the chief priest of Israel fell over, broke his neck, and died. The Bible is unflinching in its description of Eli. It says that Eli was very old and could no longer see, and that he was very heavy. It also says that Eli had judged Israel for 40 years. Taken together, it is instructive to consider why those traits are specifically included. The Symbolism of Eli At 98 years old, Eli had clearly lived a long time. He had seen much, stretching back into the period of the Judges. During his lifetime, the Jewish people had established themselves in the land and had been served by a series of judges -- men and women who offered unifying leadership. Eli had seen Israel beset by trials from the very people they were supposed to eliminate from the land. He had witnessed the tribes fracture and drift from their pledge to serve only the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And, he had served as high priest to the Lord at Shiloh -- where the Ark resided in the tent of meeting. It is not unreasonable to think that at 98 years old, Eli should have been at the pinnacle of his priestly wisdom and influence. And yet... He did not effectively intervene to deal with the evil behavior of his sons. He did not counsel the Israelites to seek the Lord instead of just trotting the Ark out like some holy talisman or charm. In short, other than his wise counsel that young Samuel should respond to the voice he kept hearing by saying, "Speak LORD, for Your servant is listening," Eli seems to have been ineffectual in his role as judge and high priest. In short, he lacked the wisdom of his own age. Scripture also says that Eli could no longer see. That is meant as a description of physical limitation, but it seems an obvious commentary on his spiritual state as well. Although he was aware of his sons' wicked behavior, he closed his eyes to it and allowed them to continue their evil ways. Moses had warned that disobedience to God would lead the Jewish people into spiritual blindness. He wrote, "The LORD will smite you with madness and with blindness and with bewilderment of heart; and you will grope at noon, as the blind man gropes in darkness, and you will not prosper in your ways; but you shall only be oppressed and robbed continually, with none to save you" (Deuteronomy 28:28-29). Even in his old age, Eli had to recognize that Israel had lost its way and become blind under his leadership. Eli's Obesity Interestingly, Eli is one of the few characters in the Bible whose girth or weight is deemed worthy of comment. The first was arguably Eglon, king of Moab. Because the sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, God strengthened Eglon to execute judgement. Judges 3 explains that Israel served Eglon for 18 years, until Ehud the Benjaminite struck down Eglon and led Israel to victory and 80 years of peace. The Bible says that Eglon had grown so obese that when Ehud thrust a sword into the Moabite king, his belly fat closed over the blade. Why is the record of Eli's weight mentioned? Because Eli's weight is also relevant to the story. Upon hearing of the loss of the Ark, Eli fell over backward and broke his neck -- "because he was old and heavy." How does a priest get heavy? It is implied that Eli had followed the self-serving practice of his sons who not only plunged their three-pronged forks into the sacrificial meat, but also demanded uncooked fatty meat. First Samuel 2:17 describes such behavior as despising the offering of the LORD. None other than celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey has put a culinary twist on the subject, declaring: I always say, "Never trust a fat chef," because they've eaten all the good bits! Trust a skinny chef because you know they haven't indulged and eaten everything. Am I condemning those who tend toward the hefty side today? Not at all. I'm stepping on my own toes even making this observation because I'm already tending to exceed the Air Force weight standards I maintained so carefully for 34 years. But, in the era in which Eli lived, Israel's economy was driven by agriculture. Most people would have been lean due to a limited diet and tireless work. The picture of a priest who can only be described as heavy is worthy of remark because it offers a contrast. The clear insinuation is that Eli had indeed indulged and eaten himself into obesity -- taking advantage of the priestly office he held. There can be no escaping the fact that America is one of the most overweight societies in the world. It is as if we have become so accustomed to the bounty of food that we no longer moderate our own intake. As such, the scourge of high blood pressure and heart disease and other weight-related ailments is at an all-time high -- and growing every year. And, certainly, that physical description of our society goes hand-in-hand with its increasingly anemic spiritual health. A Time of Testing The last comment on Eli's life was that he judged Israel for 40 years. What an interesting length of time. 40 years or 40 days appears over and over in Scripture. The Bible mentions that specific number 146 times. Moses lived 40 years in Egypt and 40 years in the desert before God called him to service. He spent 40 days on Mount Sinai on two separate occasions and gave the Hebrew spies 40 days to observe the Promised Land. The Jews then wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. Nineveh was given 40 days to repent before destruction fell. And, Jesus was tempted by Satan over a 40-day period. It has been observed that the number 40 seems to symbolize a time of testing or probation or trial. Obviously, Eli was not the only judge to serve for 40 years (Othniel, Deborah and Barak, and Gideon each judged that long). Saul and David and Solomon also reigned for 40 years each. But, Eli's tenure is marked by a steady decrease in faithfulness and respect for God -- as manifested by his own sons. The people of Israel clearly failed that period of probation when they treated the Ark of the Covenant so disdainfully. American Parallels What application can be made to our society from Eli's tragic end? Eli was old enough to have seen great blessing, and to have known better than to have strayed from truth. The former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Paul Ryan, often declared the United States to be the oldest democracy in the world. Although we could quibble that ours is a republic, the fact remains that our nation is old enough to know how to act better than we do. Instead of statesmen and leaders, we are served by men and women who give lip service to truth but seldom act upon it. Why did Eli's sons -- and Eli himself -- stray so badly? It seems that Eli tolerated too much. That was the offense Jesus cited against the church of Thyatira in Revelation 2. How much of America's decline has occurred because Christians have silently tolerated too much? Regarding sight, Puritan (and later Massachusetts Governor) John Winthrop proposed a society that "shall be as a city upon a hill, the eyes of all people upon us." And yet, our nation seems to embody the church at Laodicea, to whom Jesus said: "You say, 'I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,' and yet you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked" (Revelation 3:17). Our nation also seems to embody the people Jesus spoke of in Mark 8:18 when He quoted from Jeremiah 5:21: "Now hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see; who have ears but do not hear." And, how much could be written about America's heavy girth? We are one of the most obese nations in the world. How much of our collective and individual bulk reflects a tendency to overindulge -- selfishly consuming to an unhealthy extreme? Are we physically or spiritually fit to run a race? Paul admonished the Corinthians (and us, by extension) to run in such a way that they could win (1 Corinthians 9:24-27). Many of us would be hard-pressed to amble for an extended period, let alone sustain the physical and spiritual pace Paul maintained throughout his life as a Christian. Regarding the 40-year period of Eli's service as judge, I would observe that America has definitely entered an era of steady decline. Our economy is booming, unemployment is at record lows, but most people sense that something is terribly amiss. If the current era represents our time of national testing, or probation, or trial, we are certainly failing. It is obvious that we are demonstrating a steady decrease in respect for God and faithfulness to His Word. An Unnamed Voice There is one other significant player in 1 Samuel 4, although she is never named. Eli's unnamed daughter-in-law understood the gravity of losing the Ark. Upon giving birth to Phinehas' son, she declared that the boy be named Ichabod, saying, "The glory [of the Lord] has departed Israel" (1 Samuel 4:21). Her sadness and despair are palpable. I am convinced that the glory of God is leaving America. What was once a shining city on a hill has become a twisted caricature of unholy self-righteousness. Like the ancient Israelites, we think we are immune from harm because we like to think of ourselves as a Christian nation. Would Jesus not say to us as He did the Israel of 2000 years ago, "You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: 'This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me'" (Matthew 15:7-8). God's Incredible Patience Of course, that was not the end of the story for ancient Israel. In God's good time and because of His graciousness -- meaning His willingness to extend unmerited favor, God restored the blessing on Israel and then Judah. Still, time and time again they strayed -- until His patience was at an end. He sent prophet after prophet to call the Jews to repent. Jeremiah said it this way (Jeremiah 2:1-13): 1) Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2) "Go and proclaim in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, 'Thus says, the LORD, "I remember concerning you the devotion of your youth, the love of your betrothals, your following after Me... 4) Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel. 5) Thus says the LORD, "What injustice did your fathers find in Me that they went far from Me and walked after emptiness and became empty? 6) They did not say, 'Where is the LORD?' 11) Has a nation changed gods when they were not gods? But My people have changed their glory for that which does not profit. 12) Be appalled, O heavens, at this, and shudder, be very desolate," declares the LORD. 13) For My people have committed two evils; they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, to hew for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water. A sad summary of Judah's attitude is captured in 2 Chronicles 36: 15) And the LORD, the God of their fathers, sent word to them again and again by His messengers, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place; 16) but they continually mocked the messengers of God, despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord rose against His people, until there was no remedy. Our Nation's Future David Reagan has long declared that judgment is overdue for America. Many agree. Ruth Bell Graham, convinced that our society was deserving of the wrath of God, said, "If God doesn't punish America, He'll have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah." The question remains whether there is any hope for America. Every indicator screams that we are accelerating our headlong rush away from the living God and into a hellish abyss. Abandoning the God of our fathers, our nation seems determined to embrace the sexual revolution and cast our lot with post-Christian secular Humanism. If that be the case, our nation will soon join the long line of societies that have been relegated to the dust bin of history. Once vibrant and alive, we are in the process of withering up and becoming just another collection of dry bones in a long, twilit valley. So, can these bones live? To cite another prophet's very wise response when the Lord asked him that exact question, "O Lord God, You know" (Ezekiel 37:3). Indeed He does. Without a miracle of God, America's dry bones will not experience another great awakening. The division and rancor within our society are driving us further apart, not together. We are a living fulfillment of Romans 1, and God is undoubtedly giving us over to our own depraved minds (Romans 1:28). But... Until Jesus Christ calls us to Himself, we must have and share hope, even as we await our Blessed Hope. Many are being deceived. Eventually some will realize that they are wandering in darkness and seek the light. If modern Pontius Pilates ask of us, "what is truth?" we know the Person who is Truth. Redemption may never come for our nation, but it will come for individuals who put their faith in Jesus Christ. In 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Paul cites a partial list of the unrighteous acts that can be covered by the blood of Jesus. There is now -- and never will be -- condemnation for any who are in Christ Jesus. Even as darkness descends and society turns away from Him, the God of Hope offers joy and peace to all who believe in Him by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13). Until He does come, follow Paul's example. To paraphrase his charge (2 Timothy 4:7-8): Fight the good fight, finish the course, keep the faith, for in the future there is laid up for you the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to you on that day; and not only to you, but also to all who have loved His appearing. Although Eli's daughter-in-law saddled her son with the tragic name, Ichabod, it conveyed a tragic truth: the glory of God had departed Israel. We must face a similarly tragic truth today: the glory of God is departing America. But, our hope is not built on the sinking sand of an apostate culture. We can encourage each other because we know that the manifest glory of God is coming again soon in the person of Jesus Christ. My prayer until He does will remain: Godspeed! But of that Day and Hour - by Randy Nettles -
https://rev310.com/2019/09/but-of-that-day-and-hour But of that day and hour no man knows, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Matthew 24:36-37 Chapter 24 in the book of Matthew has always been a mystery to me. To quote Winston Churchill (regarding Russia): "it is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma". Many Bible experts differ in their opinions regarding Matthew 24 and especially verses 36-44. The late Bible teacher Jack Kelley and renowned researcher Thomas Ice are two eschatological astute scholars who believe/d that the whole chapter is describing the Tribulation and the subsequent 2nd Coming. Many other teachers, including writers Terry James and Gene Lawley, believe Matthew 24 is talking about two different end-time events. In their reckoning, the first part of the chapter describes the Tribulation and 2nd Coming, while verses 36-44 describe the Rapture of the Church. I have struggled to come to a conclusion regarding which of these two differing opinions is correct. I have changed my mind several times throughout the years regarding this eschatological topic. I always assumed verses 36-44 were talking about the 2nd Coming since Jesus was answering the disciple's questions about the end of the world, and we know the Rapture occurs at least 7 years prior to his return to the earth. The previous verses of 23-31 are definitely speaking about Jesus' return (2nd Coming) after the Tribulation. All the experts are pretty much in agreement on this point. Verses 32-35 sum up the timing of when the 2nd Coming is to occur. In these verses, the modern nation of Israel is compared to the fig tree. When the fig tree's branch is tender and leaves start appearing, then you know summer is near. Likewise, in verse 34, the generation of Jews that were born when Israel became a nation in 1948 will not pass until "all these things are fulfilled". Moses described a generation as being 70-80 years old in Psalm 90:10. Do the math. The modern nation of Israel will be 80 years old in 2028. The question remains: "Why would Jesus (who had been talking about his return to the earth with power and great glory) change the subject from the 2nd Coming and then start talking about the Rapture in verses 36-44? Earlier in verse 30, he described his return as a visible manifestation that all the earth would witness. No unbeliever will see Jesus in the sky at the Rapture...only the believing raptured Church. They are two totally different earth-shattering events. Also, Jesus never really discussed the Rapture with his disciples. He hinted at it in a few places, but it was a mystery until it was revealed later to Paul. On the other hand, if Jesus was talking about the 2nd Coming in verses 36-44, how could it be compared to the days of Noah? Although it was a very wicked generation in those Antediluvian days, people were going about their everyday activities such as eating, drinking, and marrying before the flood came and took them away. They had no idea what was coming for them, even though Noah had warned them. Likewise in Luke 17:20, the same can be said about the days of Lot before the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah; for they were also eating, drinking, buying and selling merchandise, planting crops, and building houses. They also had no idea they were living in the last days before their great Tribulation. However, when Jesus returns after the 7 year Tribulation, the remaining people who are still alive will not be going about their normal activities. They will just be trying to survive. "And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake, those days shall be shortened. Matthew 24:22 So how do we reconcile this mystery/enigma/riddle? I believe we have to go back to the beginning of the chapter in Matthew 24:3 where the disciples asked Jesus 3 questions: 1) When shall these things be? 2) What shall be the sign of your coming again? 3) What shall be the sign of the end of the world? The Jews (even the disciples) have always required a sign before they would believe. The first question was regarding the timing of the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem. Jesus never answered this question for some reason. In hindsight, we know it occurred in A.D. 70. Jesus answered the disciple's questions out of order. He answered the third question first. What shall be the sign of the end of the world? He describes the events and details in verses 4-31, thus answering their question. These are all signs that the end of the world (as we know it) is near and Jesus will be returning to the earth soon. Jesus answered the second question last. What shall be the sign of your coming? He replies to this question in verses 36-44. In these verses, I have come to believe that he is speaking of the Rapture and not the 2nd Coming. The Rapture is the answer to the disciples 2nd question. The supernatural sign that precedes Jesus' 2nd Coming is the Rapture. It is proof that Jesus will come again physically to the earth. If millions of people from around the world disappear all of a sudden (in the blinking of an eye) on a particular day and hour, and you are not one of them, you had better come to the conclusion that this is a supernatural sign from God. He wants those left behind to know that the end is near and Jesus is coming again, just as the Bible says. This time he will not come for salvation, but for judgment and punishment. Genesis 7:7 is a brief description of events immediately preceding the flood when Noah, his sons, his wife, and his son's wives went into the ark. "And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth" (Genesis 7:10). Noah, his family, and the animals were shut up in the ark for 7 days before the flood began. I wonder what the waiting was like before they heard those first (ever) raindrops falling on the ark's roof. "But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be" (Matthew 24:37). The Rapture will precede the 2nd Coming by at least 7 years...probably more. During this interval, the Antichrist will appear on the world scene and Daniel's "70th seven" prophecy regarding world events will resume. After 7 years of the greatest Tribulation known to man, Jesus will return to the earth to destroy his enemies and set up His Millennium Kingdom. The translated saints (who were raptured earlier) will return with Him as part of the armies of heaven. We will only be witnesses at the Battle of Armageddon, for Jesus will defeat the Antichrist and the nations of the world by Himself. 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 does judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he has on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of Kings, And Lord of Lords. Revelation 19:11-16 Who is this that comes from Edom (Jordan), with dyed garments from Bozrah; this that is glorious in his apparel, traveling in the greatness of his strength? It is I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. Why is your apparel red, and your garments like him that treads in the wine fat? I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come. And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me. And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth. Isaiah 63:1-6 Amen. Even so, come Lord Jesus. Randy Nettles [email protected] |
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