Tag: rapture

March 3 – Revelation 7 – Full House

A couple of days ago, I said that I thought the Great Tribulation was not going to be some future event that the Church was going to be raptured out of to get to miss. I said I thought the Great Tribulation began shortly after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I gave several reasons why I believe that and I won’t recount those. If you missed that one, you can read it here.

In Revelation 6, we read about the opening of the seals. The sixth seal is opened and it has with it the very same descriptive language used to describe The Day of the Lord throughout the Bible. It is specifically used by Jesus in the Gospels to describe the day when he returns. “I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. The heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.” Revelation6:12–14NIV  We know from the Gospels these signs are just before we are gathered to meet our Lord in the air as he returns to earth.

In Revelation 7, after the Great Tribulation, we also see that “144,000 from all the tribes of Israel” are marked with a seal so that they will not be hurt when God pours out his wrath on the inhabitants of the world.

What impressed me in chapter 7 is the ginormous (yes, a real word, a combination of gigantic and enormous) crowd of people gathered before the throne and before the Lamb. “After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands… …These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Revelation7:9, 14NIV

In Luke 14, Jesus tells a parable that indicates, among other things, that God wants heaven to be full. “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full.” Luke14:23NIV  Heaven is going to be a marvelous celebration of God and his creativity. His handiwork in this world, broken and marred by sin, never ceases to amaze us. Heaven is going to be so much more, and God wants heaven full of his children to enjoy it. The parable in Luke seems to indicate God even invites the “riffraff” by sending the servants out into the roads and country lanes.

Revelation 7 shows us a massive, innumerable crowd of people standing before the throne of God and the Lamb, who are there not because they were the “good people,” but because “they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” God wants a full house of his children to enjoy eternity with him. He invited all of us riffraff, and because we were unworthy to be in the presence of the Holy God of the universe, he made the way for us to be there by purifying us from all of our unrighteousness in the blood of Jesus Christ!

One day we will be in that ginormous crowd of people standing before the throne and the Lamb praising God for what he, in Jesus Christ, did for us saying, “…Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” Revelation5:12NIV

What we can look forward to is, “…they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. ‘Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them,’ nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’ ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’” Revelation7:15–17NIV

Prayer:

Father, thank you for sending servants out into the roads and country lanes for riffraff like me! Thank you for Jesus Christ, the lamb that was slain to take away my sin. Thank you for the promise of eternal life with you in your new creation! In Jesus name, Amen.

January 8, 2023 – 2 Thessalonians 2 – Rapture or Day of the Lord?

Warning – Longer than usual, but still worth reading.

Leviticus 9, Matthew 9, 2 Thessalonians 2

Have you ever thought that you knew something pretty good, but if you had it wrong you would be happy about it? That is the way I am with my End Times beliefs. I grew up believing in a pre-tribulation rapture of the church. If you don’t know what that is, think Left Behind. If you read that series of books or watched the movies you have a good understanding of what pre-trib rapturists believe. I have come to embrace what has traditionally been looked for in the church…  the day of the Lord, also known as the second coming.

The church has looked for a second coming that it identified with the day of the Lord in the Old Testament. In 2 Thessalonians 2, the Apostle Paul is trying to remove fears that the church at Thessalonica had missed the day of the Lord or second coming. He says, “As to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we beg you, brothers and sisters, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as though from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord is already here.” 2 Thessalonians2:1–2NRSV

There are some things that Paul says will precede the day of the Lord, things that the Thessalonians could look for and recognize as signs of the coming day. “Let no one deceive you in any way; for that day will not come unless the rebellion comes first and the lawless one is revealed, the one destined for destruction. He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, declaring himself to be God. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, but only until the one who now restrains it is removed. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will destroy with the breath of his mouth, annihilating him by the manifestation of his coming.” 2 Thessalonians2:3–4, 7–8NRSV  Before the day of the Lord or second coming, the lawless one or anti-christ is revealed.  He will take his seat in the temple declaring himself to be God. Finally, the Lord Jesus will destroy the lawless one at his coming.

Pre-tribers will say but the rapture happens when that which restrains the lawless one is removed so that the lawless one can be revealed. They say that is the church being raptured out because the church is what is restraining the lawless one. Maybe, but there are some problems with that. First, why was the church worried about missing the day of the Lord (which comes after the lawless one is revealed) and their being gathered to him if they were going to be raptured out before that day? Second, why bother teaching them the signs of the day of the Lord if they weren’t going to be here?

There are some other reasons I opted to reject a belief in a pre-trib rapture. The development of this end time belief is less than 200 years old. It began with J. N. Darby around 1830 and was made popular by the Schofield Bible. As I said, traditionally (for more than 1800 years) the church has looked for the day of the Lord or the second coming.

The pre-trib rapture belief mistakenly assumes the great tribulation is from God on the unbelievers in the world. If you read through the Bible, you will recognize that what is coming for unbelievers and the wicked on the day of the Lord is not tribulations. It is the wrath of God. Tribulations in the Bible are usually from the world. Jesus said, “…In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” John16:33NASB1995 Christians have suffered, and are today suffering tribulations at the hands of the world. We have been going through tribulations since the resurrection. I believe we are in the great tribulation now.

Lastly, if Christians believe they are going to be whisked away before the anti-christ is revealed, they may not be looking for the signs of his coming. There are many given and we need to know them and look for them so we are not deceived if there isn’t a pre-tribulation rapture. Jesus gave signs to look for. Paul also told the Thessalonians signs that accompany the coming lawless one. “The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.” 2 Thessalonians2:9–10NIV

I do not consider myself an end times prophecy expert. I have just shared some of my beliefs. As I said, if I were wrong and the pre-trib rapture were true, I would certainly be happy to be wrong and be joined with those gathering to meet Jesus in the air.

One thing is certain, Jesus is coming again! Whether that be a pre-trib rapture or a second coming, it is important to read the Bible, know the signs of his coming, and be expectantly watching for it.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank you for your promised return! Thank you for Scripture that gives me signs to look for. Thank you for your Holy Spirit leading me into all truth! Help me to know what to look for and help me to be looking. Amen.

October 24, 2022 – Signs

Genesis 24, Matthew 24, Acts 24

There is ongoing road construction in my neck of the woods. A road widening project has been happening for a while and, I am told, it is not supposed to be completed for a few more years. One day, you may go through there and be in this lane. Another day, the construction barrels have shifted the lanes and you will be driving in another part. There are huge digital signs on each end of the project that warn of a new traffic pattern and the “advised” speed limit of 45 mph.

Yesterday, I was going through and it was one lane with flagmen directing traffic. I knew that was what I was in for, because I read the big orange sign. I knew what to expect and was looking for it. The place where I stopped was in a curve. I was a bit anxious as I waited because I know some folks ignore the “advised” speed. I was hoping, as I sat waiting to be directed through, that everyone coming up behind me also reads the signs.

In Matthew chapter 24, Jesus is talking about the signs of his second coming and the Day of the Lord. There are links in the devotions to the scriptures the devotions are written from. I would encourage you to click the link today and read and be familiar with the signs in Matthew 24. Plus, I get $5 for every click! Just kidding, I don’t make anything off of the devotions or the clicks, so if they are beneficial to you, feel free to share them.

Back to the signs. Some folks believe that the church will not be around for “The Day of the Lord,” which is the day of the wrath of God on the wicked and unbelieving people of the world. However, Jesus ties his return with “The Day of the Lord” prophesied by Isaiah and others in the Old Testament. He list some signs that must take place before his return. Then he gives the prophecy for “The Day of the Lord” and his return… signs in the heavens that will be too obvious to miss… if you are looking for them. He says, “Immediately after the distress of those days “ ‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.” Matthew24:29–30NIV

Read through the Bible and you will discover there are going to be two types of people who encounter Christ at his return… those who are expecting him and want him to return and those who are not and will be terrified at his appearing. We, the children of God need not fear the return of our King. We can watch and wait with great expectation and excitement because he loves us, we love him, and love casts out fear. “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” 1 John4:18NIV

Back to the signs. Do they put up road construction signs on new roads that don’t have traffic on them yet? There may be signs for the road construction workers, but they do not have signs telling regular drivers what to do because they aren’t going on that road yet. Ask yourself the same thing for the signs in the Bible, and in particular, the signs for “The Day of the Lord” listed in Matthew 24. If we aren’t going to be here, why give us these signs to look for. Why so many warnings about false prophets and false messiahs if we are not going to be around to be fooled?

Some people believe that the prophecies were for the folks of Matthew’s day and have already been fulfilled. Others, see the events in Matthew, in particular, “The Day of the Lord” and the appearance of Christ as happening after a “rapture” event where the church is already gone. I believe prophecy is dynamic. It was applicable to the people it was originally written to. It is applicable to people who read it now. It will also be applicable for future readers until it is ultimately fulfilled and we are with Christ.

I believe we are on the road and the warning signs are for us. Is it possible that we could be around for the return of Christ? I believe it is. Whether he comes in our lifetime or not, the signs wouldn’t have been given if we didn’t need to know what to look for.

Know the signs and watch for them, so that you aren’t misled into something catastrophic.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank you for revealing yourself to us through scripture. Lord, thank you for the signs and wonders you performed that showed you are the Christ. Thank you for your death and resurrection that delivers me from fear and allows me to live in your love. Help me to know the signs and look for them as I enthusiastically await your return. In your name, Amen.