Watch & Be Sober : A Rapture StudyThe hour is approaching when the command will be given, the shofar will sound and Yeshua will gather His elect. This event, known commonly as the "rapture", is the hope of every believer. Through His Word, Our God has provided us with wisdom concerning the final days and the catching away of His elect, so that we will have vision and not perish.With this in mind, I make the following statement.... the study of the prophetic word is vital to the walk of every believer. Common sense would dictate that if we are indeed the final generation, then as that generation we must see every scripture pertaining to the last days as written specifically for us. Think about it. How important was the message of the flood to Noah? Sure we read those passages and are inspired but certainly the word given by God about the end of the world as they knew it, had to have had a bit more of an impact on Noah and his family than it does us. After all, we read it, they lived it. What about Daniel? The information given to him was of such magnitude that Daniel was physically weakened. Yet he would not live to see the days he was told about. Therefore, the knowledge could not have impacted him as it would the people who would walk it out. You and I are the people to whom the prophets looked. What John saw while on Patmos, was not for him or for the believers of that age. Those visions were for us.
While lip service is given to being in the last days, I am still amazed at the churches lack of teaching on the subject. Most churchmen I speak with have little to no understanding about the prophecies or have no interest in them at all. Despite all the warnings and the great abundance of scriptures the Lord provided us with so that we would be wise in this area, the general attitude seems to be "what will be will be", "it's not important". However, for a moment let's play what if.
What if the catching away of all believers is not at the begining of the tribulation? What if you will experience the tribulation and will need to rightly discern events in order to not be decieved? What if you will have to know God in such a way that you are not fooled by the false signs and wonders of the anti-messiah? What if the prosperity, feel good, bless me doctrine is false and very soon your financial situation is devestated? What if you will be tried as by fire? What if all these guys, such as myself, are not just a bother with their "have to go through" message? What if God is trying to open your eyes to prepare you?
I give you this stern warning. It is time to know the Lord and His Word. It is time to repent of idolization of the ministry as well as personal laziness. It is disgraceful that people calling themselves the children of God and followers of Messiah, choose to be told what God says instead of knowing it for themselves. Is it any wonder that we are so deceived? We do not seek God but someone to be enamored by. Why he or she can even contradict the Word as long as their appearance and presentation wow us.
Right now repent! Stop listening to have your itch scratched. YESHUA IS COMING ! He told us to be watchful, to pray, to be sober and to be ready. He told us to endure unto the end. Not one prophet, not one disciple, nor the Lord, told us to soak up material goods, build empires and hold emotional revivals until He came.
Matthew 24 corresponds with Mark 13 and Luke 21. In this teaching Yeshua gives us detailed instruction about the final days. This discourse is in response to the disciples request to know the sign (not signs) of His return and of the end of this present age.
The first thing that our Savior tells them is to take heed so that they will not be deceived. In other words, the generation that will see His return must be grounded firmly in the scriptures in order to protect themselves from being destroyed by lies. There is no other way to stand strong but by the Word of God.
When Yeshua tells us of the troubles among nations and the distress of famine and earthquakes, He assures us that these are NOT the sign, but simply the begining of sorrows. Then in verse 15 He tells us about the abomination of desolation. This is when the temple oblation sacrifice is stopped and the anti-messiah blasphemously presents himself as God. When this occurs it will usher in the reign of terror that haSatan will work through his false prophet and false messiah.
Finally, Yeshua gives us the sign that will identify the nearness of His triumphant return.
Brethren did you see that? Read it again. AFTER the tribulation of those days, the Day of the Lord will begin to arrive and as it does we will know He is near. Now look at the next verse.
Here is the rapture, plainly shown at the end of the tribulation period prior to the pouring out of God's holy wrath in judgement upon the earth.
Commonly, the pretrib advocates will teach us that these passages in Matthew 24 are not for the church but are for Israel. For the time being I won't go into an indepth study showing that God only has one family and that they are called by one name - ISRAEL. Neither will I travel down the long twisted road that led to what is today the man made institution called CHURCH. However, I will point out two logical observations.
First, Yeshua from the begining has been talking privately to His disciples or in the Hebrew talmidim or students. These are the men that will instruct ALL who follow Messiah. Second, if chapter 24 is not for the churchman than neither can chapter 25 be for the churchman. Both of these chapters are a part of the same Olivet Discourse. The subject does not change nor the audience. Therefore, either both chapters apply to the same group or neither of the chapters do. As we all know chapter 25 is taught as the picture of the ready bride, meeting her groom. The church is told that she is the bride. Well, if you are the bride in 25, you are the tribulation saints in 24! PERIOD!
Now go to Luke 21 and read verses 25-28. Here, Yeshua describes the Day of the Lord, just as He did in Matthew 24. He links this event with His return and tells us ....
As the Day of the Lord breaks forth, the sun , moon and stars will be darkened. A shaft of light will pierce the sky from the east. At that point, which is at the END of the tribulation, all believers will shout with joy and look up to see their approaching Redeemer.
Paul the Apostle taught no differently than His Lord. In 2 Thess 2:1-4, Paul writes to comfort the saints because they have been persuaded to think that their current time of tribulation may be the end of the age. Paul assures them that the Day of the Lord and Yeshua's return will not occur until two events have happened.
1. the falling away - the apostacy: professing people who have a form of godliness, but have replaced the Word of God with doctrines of men.
2. the son of perdition revealed - abomination of desolation
The sequence is not differant from the Olivet Discourse. Believers are here during the tribulation.
Hold on, the pre-tribber is screaming. The church is no where after chapter three in the Book of the Revelation given to John. This obvious absence refers to the rapture. Well, as fancy as that footwork may be, it is footwork nonetheless.
All through the Revelation we see the saints, faithful and true. We also see the church, we just don't like what she is called. She is uncovered in Rev 17 and we are commanded to leave her in Rev 18. The church is the WHORE. I know that that offends, but there is no other way around it. What else can you call an institution that has masqaraded for nearly 2,000 years as God's bride while changing His Word, His ordinances, His feasts, His Names. What would you call a woman who takes a man's name in marriage, but continues to share her bed with whoever comes along?
Precious believer , if you find this hard to accept, study, study, study. Seek the truth instead of trying to buy it retail from the pew. What was the faith once delivered unto the saints that you are suppose to earnestly contend for? Do you honestly believe that this mass of confusion and contradiction from the pulpits is THE FAITH?
We are without excuse for our lack of knowing Him. We have traded for the sake of convenience, His Word for broken cisterns. The only reason the church has not gone after the Truth is because they lack motivation .... they neither fear God nor do they crave to love Him.
Do we see a truth seeking, God loving church in Rev 3:14-22? No. The description is quite differant. They are rich and have no need. They hold themselves as sufficient. Material gain is the mark of their faith. They are blinded by their comfort and accumulated goods. Looks familiar doesn't it? Sadly the wealth of the world will not be given to the church. But it will blind and corrupt them. Leaving them to be deceived in the last days.
The remnant must get ready. Not by means of building projects and showy revivals designed to create a state of emotional euphoria. We must get prepared by repentance and true hunger and love for God. The doctrines of men must be shed. Our confidence must be in our Messiah not the ministry. Love must rule our walk not greed for gain. Pleasing the Father must be our goal not the honor of men.
You are the final generation. You have been called to stand, shining forth in the midst of the greatest hour of darkness. So watch and be sober until the end.
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