Hello Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus:
We are sending this message to help clear up some confusion about the Rapture of the Church. The Rapture of the Church, and the Second Coming of Christ, are two distinct and separate events. Some of the differences are listed below:
1. The Rapture is when the believers meet the Lord in the air [1 Thess. 4:17].
2. At the Second Coming, the believers return to earth with the Lord. [When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall we also appear with Him in glory.] [Colossians 3:4]. Also, [And the armies which were in heaven followed Him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.] [Revelation 19:14].
3. The Rapture is an act of deliverance. We are told to comfort one another with these words. [1 Thess. 4:18].
4. The Second Coming is when Jesus returns to earth to judge the antichrist [Rev. 20:10], and his followers, and God establishes His Millennial Kingdom here on earth.
5. The Rapture occurs in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, and the Lord is described as [a thief in the night] [1 Cor. 15:52] and [1 Thess. 5:2].
6. At the Second Coming they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory [Matt. 24:30].
7. The Second Coming will not occur until nearly all the end time judgments have taken place.
8. The Rapture can occur without any further end time events taking place. We believe the Rapture of the Church is imminent, and is the next end time event that will be fulfilled.
Some explanation of the term “Church”, is in order here. The term “Church”, refers to the people, the true believers, those walking with the Holy Spirit. The “Church” is not a particular Christian denomination. There are some people from every Christian denomination who will be counted worthy to be included in the Rapture. Some of us are non-denominational Christians, and we are part of the “Church” also. [Pray always that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things]. [Luke 21:36].
Another Biblical reference to
the Pretribulation Rapture of the Church
In [Revelation 3:10] [Because you have kept the word of my patience, I will also keep you from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth]. By His own spoken words, the Lord says He will keep us not just from the trials, but from, the “hour” of the trials as well. Jesus is promising to keep believers from the very time period in which the trials take place. That is, the 7 year tribulation period. It is not a coincidence that this promise precedes books [4-22 of Revelation] that detail the judgments, or trials, that will take place during the Tribulation period.
We are going to note other biblical references to the Rapture of the Church, without a lot of narrative, so you can read them for yourselves, starting with the apostle Paul’s words at the end of his first letter to the Church at Thessalonica.
[I charge you by the Lord, that this letter be read to all the holy brethren.] [1 Thess. 5:27]. These are very strong words from Paul, indicating that this is a message of utmost importance. The letter, which is [1Thessalonians>, is one of the shortest letters Paul wrote, being just over 1 full page.
Paul’s message: [But I would not have you to be unknowing, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that you sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus, will God bring with Him. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain shall not prevent them which are asleep. 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. Wherefore, comfort one another with these words.] [1Thess. 4:13-18].
Paul also tells us the purpose of the Rapture:
[For God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.] [1 Thess. 5:9].
And also in this verse, [Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you.] [2 Thess.1:6].
More Biblical References to
the Pre-Tribulation Rapture of the Church
About 2,500 years ago, the prophet Isaiah wrote these words:
[Come, my people, enter into My chambers, and shut the doors about thee; hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold, the Lord will come out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity, the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.] [Isaiah 26:20,21].
The indignation, or anger spoken of here, refers to the anger of the Lord toward the antichrist, and the unbelievers during the 7 year tribulation period.
1. God says, [the righteous are taken away], and [hidden] safely in His chambers during the period of the indignation. This did not happen at the time of the flood, nor at the time of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrha. The people He saved remained on the earth.
2. The [earth will disclose her blood]. This did not happen at the time of the flood nor at the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrha. The only other mention in scripture of the [earth disclosing her blood], is in regard to the rapture of the Church, and the final Judgment day.
3. This is an “end time” prophesy that has not been fulfilled, but will be fulfilled at the time of the Rapture of the Church.
Also, from [Isaiah 57:1] [And merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous are taken away from the evil to come]. This is a definite reference to the rapture, [men are taken away], from what?; [the evil to come] is the antichrist and the tribulation period.
In Paul’s letter to the Church at Corinth he writes; [Behold, I show you a mystery; we shall not all sleep [die], but we shall 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. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be you steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.] [1Cor.15:51-54].
The Rapture of the Church marks the completion of the of the “Church Age”, or [the fullness of the Gentiles.] [Romans 11:25]. The promise of the rapture is that we [the true believers], who are alive at the time of the Rapture, will not taste of death, we shall be “changed”.
How will we be “changed”? Paul tells us in [1 Cor. 15:50-54;] [Now this I say brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.] Also, [1 Cor. 15:42-44;] [So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption; It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power; It is sown a natural [or earthly body]; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body].
We shall be changed from flesh and blood, to a new incorruptible spiritual body, in the twinkling of an eye, the same way that Enoch was translated [changed]. From [Hebrews 11:5;] [By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him; for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God”.] As it was for Enoch, so will it be for us, we will be [translated], and brought to heaven by Faith.
God has delivered righteous people in the past, just before He brought a Divine Judgment
against people who were living sinfully. The apostle Peter writes:
[For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto Judgment; and spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes; And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked. The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of Judgment to be punished.] [2 Peter 2:4-7:9]
Also, in [Luke 17] when Jesus was asked [when the kingdom of God should come],
He described it this way, [And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of Man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage; until the day Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. Likewise, also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded. But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from Heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. Two women shall be grinding together; one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, the other left.] [Luke 17:26-36].
From these verses, we know that at the time of the Rapture, some people will be taken away, followed by a Divine judgment for those left behind. One shall be taken, the other left; this is the meaning of the words; [the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night], that Paul wrote in [1 Thess. 5:2].
From, [as it was in the days of Noah and Lot], two things happened;
Noah and his family were saved, quickly followed by a Divine Judgment.
Lot and his family were saved, quickly followed by a Divine Judgment.
and, [so shall it be also in the days of the Son of Man] two things will happen;
The Rapture of the Church, will be quickly followed by a Divine Judgment, possibly a nuclear war.
From [Hebrews 11:7] [By faith, Noah, being warned by God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house]. The Rapture of the Church is our modern day “ark”. We must believe in it, trust in it, have faith in it, just as Noah had faith in God’s word before the flood. World events are rapidly moving us closer to the Rapture of the Church, and the beginning of the seven year tribulation period.
But the Promise and Hope of the Rapture comes with a Warning!
[Remember Lot’s wife. Whoever seeks to save his life shall lose it; and whoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.] [Luke 17:32 ,33].
When Lot and his family were leaving the city of Sodom, God told them, [not to look back]. As they were going up the hill, Lot’s wife turned to look at the destruction of the city, and was not saved. This warning will apply shortly before the Rapture, and after the Rapture, during the tribulation period. I can’t stress this warning enough. It may be the most important message to true believers prior to the Rapture.
The first part of the warning; [Whoever seeks to save his life shall lose it] applies immediately before the Rapture. We know from the flood, and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrha, that when God removes the righteous to safety, that a sudden Divine Judgment occurs very quickly. We have these words from Paul about the “end times”, [This know also, that in the last days perilous times will come.] [2 Timothy 3:1]. And that there will be, [wars and rumors of wars] [Matthew 24:6]. A nuclear war would be a Divine Judgment from the Almighty. If it appears that a nuclear war is possible, or imminent, in the last days, it is imperative that you do not seek shelter from those weapons, or take any action to preserve your earthly life to escape this Judgment. You must put all your faith in the Lord, and His promise of the Rapture. [Remember Lots’ wife.]
Ask yourself; What if Noah ignored God’s word to build the ark, and tried to flee from the Judgment of the Flood? Ask yourself; What if Lot had ignored God’s warning about the Judgment against Sodom and Gomorrha? Ask yourself; What if I don’t understand the meaning of those three words [Remember Lots’ wife], or what if I just ignore those words?
The second part of the warning; [Whoever shall lose his life shall save it] applies after the Rapture, during the tribulation period. With the Church in Heaven, the antichrist will quickly come to power. He will setup his world religion, which will require all people to worship him as god. He will put to death all those who will not worship him, or take the mark of the beast. The people who resist him will be martyred [lose their earthly life], and brought to Heaven [save their eternal life]. Those who choose to save their earthly lives by taking the mark of the beast, and worshipping the antichrist, will lose their spiritual lives and will never see the Kingdom of God [Rev. 14:9-11].
With such overwhelming biblical support for the Lord’s willingness to protect the true believers from Divine Judgments, our position is the Pre-Tribulation Rapture of the Church.
To all you pastors, ministers, and evangelists around the world. Take heed from Paul’s words; [I charge you by the Lord that this letter be read to all the holy brethren.] [1 Thess. 5:27]. The time is short, our ministries are fast coming to an end. We cannot be found [lukewarm], as God describes the Church at Laodicea in [Revelation 3:14-17].
Please feel free to use this message as a sermon, or for teaching. And please also, add it to your websites. Thank you. I believe I was inspired by the Lord to put this message together. These are not my words. These words came from scripture. I am the Nazarene Watchman.
A special note to all the people who receive this message. If you believe in this message of Hope, please e-mail it to as many people as you can, to believers, and also to non-believers. We also must provide for those of us who don’t have access to a computer, or the internet. So please make hard copies, and give them to those people.
We love you, and we know you love us. Be steadfast and unmoveable in your faith. Be of good cheer!
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