PROPHECY HEADLINES IN THE NEWS

 

WHAT IS THE RAPTURE?

 

 The rapture is an event that will take place sometime in the very near future. Jesus will come in the air, and harpazo,

 which means to seize, carry off by force, to seize on, claim for one's self eagerly and to snatch out or away the Church

 from the earth, and then return to heaven with the Church.

 The Apostle Paul gave a clear description of the rapture event in his letters to the Corinthians and the Thessalonians.

 Listen to what he was inspired to write by the Holy Spirit.

 

 "Behold, I shew 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.

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 "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." 1 Thess, 4:16-18)

 

 One thing we don't know and that is, the timing of the rapture. It could happen today, tomorrow or at any time.

 It could happen before the start the seven year tribulation, or between the fifth and sixth seal.  

 It will happen in the blink of an eye.

                                                                         

     ARE YOU READY?
 

           

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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  The wedding story that Jesus gave in Matthew 25:2-13, I believe, is a parable of the rapture of the

  Church. It explains how some will not be ready.

  Jesus clearly states that a group of people will miss out on the event, and will cry out to God to

  let them into the place where He resides, heaven.

  Although some try to put this parable in a post-trib context, it doesn't fit very well.

  The ones left behind in a post-trib rapture will not need to seek the Lord because they'll

  immediately be confronted by Him and His army of angels.             

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  What is the difference between the Rapture and the Second Coming?"

  The rapture and the second coming of Christ are often confused.

  Sometimes it is difficult to determine whether a scripture verse is referring to the rapture or the second

  coming. However, in studying end-times Bible prophecy, it is very important to differentiate between

  the two.
  The rapture is when Jesus Christ returns in the atmosphere to remove His church, the living and the

  dead of all true bible believing Christians from the earth.

  The rapture is described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 "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. For if we

  believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.

 

  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.

  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. 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.

  Therefore comfort one another with these words."

 

  All those believers who have died will have their bodies resurrected, and along with believers who are still

  living, will meet the Lord in the air.

  "Behold, I tell 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 trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised

  incorruptible, and we shall be changed." 1Co 15:51,52

 

  This will all occur in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye.

  just how fast is that?" Well the dictionary shows us that the "twinkling" of an eye is 1/100th of a second,

  the batting of an eyelash.

 

  Careful study of the scriptures shows us that the original Greek word for moment is 823 Atomos (at'-om-os); from 1 (as a negative particle) and the base of 5114;

  uncut, i.e. (by implication) indivisible [an "atom" of time]: KJV-- moment.

  It is the word from which we derive our modern English word of "atom". It literally means: uncut, indivisible, an "atom" of time. In other words,

  this time frame, or "atom" of time cannot be measured by human means. It cannot be divided or cut. It will happen so fast, that there is no measure of time for it.

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  The second coming is when Jesus returns to the earth to defeat the Antichrist, destroy the wicked, and establish His millennial kingdom. 

 

 "Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True,

  and in righteousness He judges and makes war.

  His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that

  no one knew except Himself.

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  He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.

  And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.

  Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations.

  And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness

  and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:
  KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS." Revelation 19:11-16.

 

 

 

  These are the important differences between the rapture and second coming.

  At the rapture, believers meet the Lord in the air 1 Thessalonians 4:17. At the second coming, believers return with the Lord to the earth Revelation 19:14.

  The second coming occurs after the great tribulation Revelation chapters 6–19. The rapture occurs before the tribulation 1 Thessalonians 5:9; Revelation 3:10.

  The rapture is the removal of believers from the earth as an act of deliverance 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17, 5:9.

  The second coming includes the removal of unbelievers as an act of judgment Matthew 24:40-41.

  The rapture will be secret and instant 1 Corinthians 15:50-54. The second coming will be visible to all Revelation 1:7; Matthew 24:29-30.

  The second coming of Christ will not occur until after certain other end-times events take place 2 Thessalonians 2:4; Matthew 24:15-30; Revelation chapters 6–18.

  The rapture is imminent; it could take place at any moment Titus 2:13; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:50-54.

  Why is it important to keep the rapture and the second coming distinct?

  If the rapture and the second coming are the same event, believers will have to go through the tribulation 1 Thessalonians 5:9; Revelation 3:10.

  If the rapture and the second coming are the same event, then the return of Christ is not imminent, and there are many things which must occur first before

  He can return Matthew 24:4-30.

  In describing the tribulation period, in Revelation 6–19  nowhere does it mention the church.

  During the tribulation also called “Jacob's trouble” Jeremiah 30:7  God will again turn His primary attention to Israel Romans 11:17-31.

  The rapture and second coming are similar but separate events.

  Both involve Jesus returning. Both are end-times events.

  However, it is crucially important to recognize the differences.

  In summary, the rapture is the return of Christ in the clouds to remove all believers from the earth before the time of God’s wrath.

  The second coming is the return of Christ to the earth to bring the tribulation to an end and to destroy the wicked and the antichrist and to establish his

  millennial Kingdom.
 

  Why wait and take a chance, in fact is there a second chance to be saved

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  The apostle Paul makes the case that the Church has to be gone before the antichrist is officially revealed, because it’s the Holy Spirit working

   through us that’s holding the secret power of lawlessness back. "For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will

   do so until He is taken out of the way.

   And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.

   The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous

   deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

   And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth       but had pleasure   in unrighteousness." 2 Thes 2:7-12

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  Those who are perishing will believe the lie that the antichrist is the one God has sent to rule the world.

  Paul taught that God will actually help them come to this false conclusion because they will have refused to believe the truth and be saved.

  That’s why they’re perishing.

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  Will everyone left after the rapture be numbered among the perishing, or will there be some who are not?

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  After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations,

  tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes,

  with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God

  who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

  All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces

  before the throne and worshiped God, saying:
  "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honour and power and might, Be to our God

  forever and ever. Amen.”

  Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they

  come from?”

  And I said to him, “Sir, you know.” So he said to me,

  “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood

  of the Lamb. Rev 7:9-15

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  This verse describes a multitude of believers that no one could count, coming from every nation, tribe, people and language and arriving in Heaven.

   It also tells us that many of these believers will be gentiles, saved during the tribulation (first three and one half years) and before the Great

   Tribulation begins.

   This is evidence of Gentiles being saved after the Rapture. But before you get too comfortable with this as a fall-back plan for friends

   and family, remember that in order   to arrive in heaven they most likely will have had to die on Earth.

   They’ll be some of the first martyrs mentioned in the verse above.

   Waiting and hoping until after the rapture to be saved is absolutely crazy. You will have to endure a lot more to receive a lot less.

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   I honestly don't believe that there is much time left, especially when you see all the prophecies in the Word of God all coming together.

   If you have read this and your not saved, then my question to you is why wait?

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   Is it really worth the risk?

   The one who died for you, now waits patiently for you.

   Please, please, repent of your sins and give your life to Jesus now, before it's too late.

 

                                                                                      Maranatha, even so, come Lord Jesus.