In 1975 I was certain the Rapture, the gathering of the believers unto the Lord in the air would occur before 1984 but I'm still here and it's 2014!
The Catching Up commonly referred to as the Rapture
The Comfort of Christ’s Coming
1 Thessalonians 4:13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 4:15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
Now it's 2014 and we have all of these things going on
Habakkuk 3:5 Before Him went pestilence, And fever followed at His feet.
Matthew 24:7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.
Luke 21:11 And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.
Great signs from Heaven
A Solar flare in the shape of the Cross
Famine
Pestilence
Ebola VirusThe Ebola virus at 108,000 X magnification.
Pestilent defined by King James Dictionary
- Producing the plague, or other malignant, contagious disease noxious to health and life as a pestilent air or climate.
Earthquakes
How bad has it become
Prelude to Armageddon - Israel & Gaza
All of the above are headlines over the past two months
Today we have a global pestilence headline
EBOLA’S Patient ZERO HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED: GLOBAL TRANSMISSION HAS BEGUN
By Dave Hodges 'The Common Sense Show'
"It is now being reported that Patrick Sawyer, whose sister also died from Ebola, was allowed on two ASKY Airlines flights in Liberia while infected with the deadly virus, Ebola, which painfully kills 90% of its victims.
Patient Zero, Patrick Sawyer, had a layover in Ghana then changed planes in Togo and flew to an international travel hub of Lagos, located in Nigeria. Nigeria is also the site of an Ebola outbreak. “The dad-of-three died five days after arriving in the city”. His sister, with whom Sawyer had contact, died of Ebola. He should never have been allowed to board any plane." (Read more)
In 1975 I had been taught and believed the pre-tribulation Rapture would have me removed from this world before it got this bad.
Today there is growing excitement among those who hold to the pre-tribulation rapture based on 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 referenced above. They are sure they are about to leave at any moment, much like I was in 1975.
As we seek the truth we must compare our teaching to God's Word.
All these things must come to pass before we are gathered to the Lord.
- The Antichrist must come before the Rapture
- The Tribulation must come before the Rapture
- The Sun and Moon Must be Darkened before the Rapture
- The Lord Must descend from Heaven with a Shout before the Rapture
- Jesus Must Return before the Rapture
- The Resurrection must happen just before the Rapture (or, at the same time)
- There is only one resurrection for those who are God’s people
No, Christians Should Not Believe in 'Left Behind's' Rapture Theology, Says Prominent Apologist (Watch the trailer)
God showed me in His Word why we are still here and I will let Him speak for Himself.
1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. (The dead rise first)
The dead must rise first - this is the first resurrection and it occurs in Revelation 20
Revelation 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
Matthew 24:29 [ The Coming of the Son of Man ] “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
The good news is there will be a safe place on the earth were believers will be protected.
Psalm 91 clarifys our protection as well until we are gathered together with Him.
Seek the Lord with all your heart and get ready by abiding in Him, it's going to get bumpy!
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