Prophecy Update: The Rapture of the Church! 7/14/2021
The rapture of the church is a much debated topic and I want to take some time in this paper to teach about the rapture of the church. There is no doubt that we are living in the last days. The signs of the times are coming to pass in our day. There are no signs connected to the rapture so we just watch and pray.
“Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all 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. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal [must] put on immortality”
(1 Cor. 15:51-53).
The question for most of us who believe in the rapture becomes, how much more do we need to see happen before the rapture takes place? Will we see the Gog Magog prophecy take place before the rapture? Will we see the Isaiah 17 prophecy regarding Damascus take place before the rapture? We do not have to see these things happen before the rapture although I believe there is a chance that we will see them happen.
There is a theory called the “Rapture Convergence Theory” that looks at all of the signs of the times and applies Matthew 25:13 and 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3….
“Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.”
Matthew 25:13
“Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.”
1 Thess.5:1-3
The first question for us, are we alert? That is to say, are we paying attention to the signs of the times? If Jesus were to come for us today, are you ready to go?
The second question is, do you have a need to understand the times and epochs? God has given us enough information regarding the ‘times and epochs’ of the end times. ‘Times’ (chronos) means elapsed time and ‘epoch’ (Kairos) means the character or quality of the time. I hold to the perspective that God works on a seven thousand year calendar. God does not give us the day of the rapture but we can know the season.
Are we in the season of the rapture? From the seven thousand year perspective we are in the season of the rapture. It was four thousand years from Adam to Jesus. From Jesus to today it has been 2000 years. That makes six thousand years so we are in the phase before the thousand-year kingdom of Jesus on the earth.
“He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day, That we may live before Him.”
Hosea 6:2
In regards to ‘chronos’ time, we are at the end of this age. The seven year tribulation will be the transition to the next age. The Kingdom age will not come until the tribulation period happens. The tribulation will not happen until the rapture takes place. So from the seven thousand year perspective we are in the season of the rapture.
The second ‘chronos’ moment is the “Fig Tree Generation.” In 1948 Israel became a nation again and this began the last generation. This generation will not pass away until God accomplishes all that He has for Israel and the nations. Since Israel became a nation in 1948, a generation can be from 40 to 100 years. I think that God may apply Psalm 90 to this promise.
“Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door.”
Matt.24:32-33
“As for the days of our life, they contain seventy years,
Or if due to strength, eighty years,
Yet their pride is but labor and sorrow;
For soon it is gone and we fly away.”
Psalm 90:10
According to the fig tree prophecy, we are in the season of the rapture. It has been 73 years since Israel became a nation. That puts us into the generation time frame as taught in Psalm 90.
The ‘kairos’ view of time includes very specific things that lead to the rapture. The first one is the return to the land of Israel. This began before 1948, but since 1948 almost seven million Jews have come back to the land. The scriptures point to this very specific thing many times.
Secondly, Iran has grown to be a very anti-Israel nation also prophesied in many places. Daniel 8+Ezekiel 38 makes very clear that Israel will be at war with the Persian Empire. The news is full everyday with news about a false peace treaty with Iran. Russia has a history of antisemitism, the Islamic world is anti-Semitic, and this all fits the conditions of the end time wars.
Thirdly, we see global government on the rise. This development has grown for over 100 years from the time of the League of Nations to the United Nations to many international and global institutions. These institutions are trying to take over national governments. We have never seen the push to abolish nations, borders, and nationalities as we see today!
Fourthly, the rise of the conditions for the rise of antichrist! The spirit of the antichrist is alive and well on planet earth. The mark of the beast technology is present and can be done multiple ways! This is a sign that includes the fear pushed on the world because of a virus. This also includes financial instability that will lead to the new economic system.
Fifthly, the temple will be rebuilt soon. As I write this, no one is building the temple today. It will happen soon, but the world is not ready for it. They can build it quickly, the conditions will be altered soon. Since we are seeing the rise of the antichrist, the temple is not far behind. The time of Jacobs Trouble will include the rejection of antichrist misuse of the Temple!
Sixthly, we see the rise of Christian persecution. Look at the pastors in Canada, a nation that use to be free! It is coming to the Christians in America because the Democratic party declares that it’s their goal.
The rapture is before the wrath of God which comes when God begins to deal with His nation Israel. That is why it is called the time of Jacobs trouble. The church of Jesus will leave the earth before the wrath of God is poured out on the earth. It is called the wrath of the Lamb in Revelation! Hosea calls Israel the fig tree.
“I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your forefathers as the earliest fruit on the fig tree in its first season.”
Hosea 9:10a
If you are learning from the parable of the fig tree (Matt.24:32) then you know that the time is so short! Israel is prosperous, back in the land, flourishing like the fig tree parable. I learn from Jesus that I must look at Israel to understand this parable. Summer is near according to Jesus. “Summer in Hebrew is קַ֫יִץ qayiṣ, noun masculine, summer, summer-fruit, and means the picking of fruit at the end of the summer.” blueletterbible.org
Matthew 24 brings up two important things for the fig tree generation. Jesus said that we should recognize that He is right at the doors and this generation will not pass away until all of these things take place. Jesus said doors because it is all the believers that are going away in the rapture. He will come for us before the wrath of God falls on the earth. In addition, we are the generation that is seeing all of the things Jesus warned us about. Things like, wars and rumors of wars.
We see wars and rumors of wars today on a scale that is like the world wars. We see nation rise against nation, persecution of the church, the increase of earthquakes etc. We are the generation that is seeing all of the signs Jesus talked about. An important point regarding the rapture of the church is contained in Matt.24:36.
“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.”
Matthew 24:36
God gave us all of the information regarding the timing of the second coming. We know when Jesus is coming, it is clear from Revelation that Jesus will come at the end of the 21 judgments and Armageddon. Not so with the rapture. No one can know when that will happen!
“When we search the Scriptures and read the passages describing the Lord Jesus’ return, we find verses that tell us we won’t know the day and hour of that event. Matthew 25:13 says Jesus will return at an unknown time, while Revelation 12:6 indicates that the Jews will have to wait on the Lord 1,260 days, starting when the Antichrist stands in the Temple of God and declares himself to be God (2 Thes 2:4).” raptureready.com
It is clear from Revelation and many other passages that the second coming is replete with signs that tell us when it will happen. The rapture is very different!
Jesus compared this to the days of Noah, no one knew when he would get on the ark and the rain would start. They were put on the ark before the flood. Today, they are eating and drinking and giving in marriage until the day we are taken away. After the rain started, everything changed for those people. Likewise, when we are taken out of here, nothing will ever be the same. The supernatural judgments of God outlined in Revelation will begin and it will be hell on earth! The time of wrath for the world. What really gets me excited that the rapture is very close is the move to mark everyone on the earth. The desire of the nations to vaccinate everyone is moving very swiftly. This is a run up to the mark of the beast.
“(December 14–21, 2020), a new cryptocurrency was unveiled quite literally called the “MARK.” It’s run by the Benchmark Protocol and will run on top of Ethereum, which is the world’s second largest cryptocurrency, which many speculate will soon overtake Bitcoin.” unsealed.org
The vaccines are not the mark of the beast, but the conditions leading up to and taking the vaccine are a dry run for the Mark of the Beast! Remember, just a few short weeks ago, you could not buy or sell in stores unless you had the mask. Not very long from now it will be the mark.
“If there is one element of the so-called Covid-19 pandemic that presages Tribulation era Bible prophecy, it is the hue and cry, the over-the-top clamor for vaccination compliance. Have you ever heard such a level of insistence that every individual on earth do something as is now being demanded with regard to taking the COVID-19 vaccines?” raptureready.com
“Macron delivered a 27-minute speech to the nation on television. Macron announced a full-blown authoritarian measure that takes France off the tourist list. He has made vaccinations MANDATORY for caregivers, store clerks, waitresses, and all other workers “in contact with the public” with no exceptions for health or religion.” investmentwatchblog.com
August first is the date you will not be allowed to travel in Europe without the digital passport. Getting hot in the world—-come Lord Jesus Come!!
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