***II Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;***
Pray tell, what exactly is "THAT DAY" that Paul is talking about???
Simple! Paul clearly said what is in verse one: ..."Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him"...
Paul put the "AND" between the Lord's coming and our being gathered together (or raptured) proving that THAT DAY (the day of His coming AND our gathering to meet Him) is what he is talking about!
Rev 13:7-9
Dan 7:21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against
them;
THERE WILL BE ONLY 'ONE' VISIBLE SECOND COMING: AFTER THE
TRIBULATION WHEN THE RAPTURE WILL ALSO TAKE PLACE!
***Matt 24:29-31
Acts 1:9-11
1Thes 4:16-17
THE LORD DOES NOT COME BACK (AFTER 7 YEARS) WITH THE RAPTURED
SAINTS BUT WITH THE "DEAD" SAINTS WHO HAVE DIED IN CHRIST DOWN
THROUGH THE YEARS!
1Thes 4:13-15
Matt 24:31
II Th 2:1
1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, "AND BY
OUR GATHERING TOGETHER" unto him,
WE ARE TO LOOK FOR THE SINGLE, "VISIBLE"
COMING / PRESENCE / PAROUSIA / APPEARING OF OUR BLESSED HOPE AT THE
END OF THE TRIB., NOT A PRIOR "INVISIBLE" ONE WHICH INCLUDES A PRE-TRIB RAPTURE!
***Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious "APPEARING" of the
great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;***
Col 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, "THEN" shall ye also appear with
him in glory.
2 Tim 4:1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall
judge the quick and the dead AT HIS APPEARING and his kingdom;
I Jn 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall
be: but we know that, WHEN he shall "APPEAR", we shall be like him; for WE SHALL
SEE HIM AS HE IS.
And *THAT DAY* cannot come until AFTER the apostacy comes first, AND the antichrist is revealed first!
7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and
power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in
the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the
moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the
heavens shall be shaken:
30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the
tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of
heaven with power and great glory.
31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather
together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.***
9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a
cloud received him out of their sight.
10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men
stood by them in white apparel;
11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same
Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye
have seen him go into heaven.
16 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:
17 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.
13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are
asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so THEM WHICH SLEEP IN
JESUS WILL GOD BRING WITH HIM.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain
unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.***
31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, "AND THEY SHALL
GATHER TOGETHER" his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the
other.
PS - Rom 8:19-25
19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons
of God.
20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who
hath subjected the same in hope,
21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption
into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until
now.
23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we
ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our
body.
24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth,
why doth he yet hope for?
25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
Matt 13:
Question: What pre tribber can *honestly* tell me that they won't be "Offended" if and when they find
themselves smack-dab in the middle of the Great Tribulation when Jesus becomes a no-show?
I know how they have their "heart" SET on only wanting to hear a pre trib rapture, but their "mind" used TO STUDY THE PROPHETIC WORD seems far away
sleeping in the clouds somewhere! Is anyone interested in hearing and examining what "Jesus: The Word Of God Himself" has
to clearly say to us about it in Matt.13:20-21?...
Dear pre-tribber: Is what Jesus is talking about (in v.21) going to happen to you as well? Are you
OFFENDED because of what the word of God says concerning us having to go through tribulations and
persecutions?
But "Offended" by what pray tell? "Why by no less than the word of God!" That's right! The word of God
that gaurantees each one of us tribulation and persecution that will arise because of the word we first
heard and received.
Trouble is that the pre tribber stopped hearing the word in faith (concerning His second coming) the same
moment he heard and believed and accepted another teaching - "the pre trib rapture"!
Hear me out, please!
Conveniently, the pre trib rapture doctrine DESTROYS our need for having to go through tribulations,
especially the Great One!
What pre tribber can honestly say that they won't be "Greatly Confused and Offended" when they find themselves smack-dab
in the middle of the Great Tribulation?
Think on these things!
Rev 7:
20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with
joy receiveth it;
21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: FOR WHEN TRIBULATION OR PERSECUTION
ARISETH BECAUSE OF THE WORD, BY AND BY HE IS OFFENDED.
"Persecution" (as clearly fortold by Jesus: the Word of God) is very offensive to those who don't believe it is called for! And many in this boat will shrink back from it and fall away from the faith! And "Great" Tribulation = "Great" Persecution leading to "Great" Offense for many of the unprepared, being uncommitted to God's own end-time prophecy.
No?
Then what about our having to go through the GREAT Tribulation???
If you're still around when we do go through it would you be calling God a "Liar" because He was a pre-trib no-show? I think
in many cases this will be true! That is part of one's being "'Offended' because of the promise of the word"!
You see, merely "hearing about it" and "going through it" are two different things!
(Matthew 13:21 is definitely a present teaching as well as a future prophecy!!!)
True or false???
Rom 5:
1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the
glory of God.
3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy
Ghost which is given unto us.
13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white
robes? and whence came they?
14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of
great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
The whole problem with the pre trib theory is that they cannot prove any of it!
"Pre tribbers are *Trained* (by other pre tribbers) to "First Screen EVERYTHING" (i.e. "The Word of God") through a "TWO Comings view of Christ (which they call "rightly dividing it"), one Before the trib. and the other After trib. is over!"
TWO views - TWO comings!
Now the pre tribbers "justify" this "Split" between two seperate comings, several years apart, by saying that THEY are "rightly dividing the word".
What THEY are really doing is sitting in judgement "over" God's word, by throwing OUT the Gospels, some of the Epistles, and Revelation from chapter 4 on, as all belonging only to the Jews and "the time of "Jacob's trouble" during the great tribulation, and not to the Christians.
They say it does not pertain to their pre tribulational "FIRST COMING VIEW" of the rapture. According to the pre trib. rapture belief, the church will be raptured out of here BEFORE the trib.even begins.
Here is the grave danger they are in:
"They have been 'man taught' to have "No Need" (Rev.3:17) in having to prepare their lamps ahead of time with extra oil (like those seen in the parable of the 5 foolish virgins) and clothe themselves with the word of His patience (Rev.3:10).
Instead they are 'man taught' not to worry that there is a great and dark tribulation coming for others to go through that will in no way affect or concern them, one that it is meant to swallow up the unprepared, not the "prepared" (themselves).
They have been taught for the past 200 years NOT to worry about preparing for the coming tribulation, rather prepare for the any second coming of the Lord and being raptured into heaven with Him for 7 years.
They are taught not to believe in Jesus' ONE AND ONLY second coming (which will involve the resurrection of the dead saints and catching up of the living ones), WHEN HE APPEARS - AFTER the tribulation (as it is written: Col.3:4; 2 Tim.4:1; Titus 2:13)."
So they take and THROW OUT ALL PROPHETIC SCRIPTURE that THEY say doesn't FIT *Their* pre trib, man-taught beliefs as being "absolutely nothing for them to be concerned about". They treat them as being, "Non-essentials of the faith!" "Who cares", they say. "we won't be here anyway!?"
(Utterly Amazing!)
Another "Blatant Error" (and there are many!) that pre tribbers make is in accrediting the Great Tribulation to the "Wrath of God"! It is NOT the wrath of God, but the "Apostacy" and the "Wrath of Satan" that brings about the "great" tribulation... Matt.24:17.
Because Satan knows he has only a "short time" (Rev.12:12), in order to usher in his kingdom, he needs to "Make War" with the saints, by "Hunting down and Severing" any and all connections (Jews and Christians) that are on earth with God) (Rev.13).
"The Tribulation Saints" will be the greatest saints of them all because of all the persecution going on at that time, and we (the body of Christ) are Not complete
without them!!! "Pre trib" does away with them, saying they don't have the same promises that we do. THAT is an utter lie!
Many pre tribbers believe that after the pre trib rapture the Gospel (calling it "The Gospel of the Kingdom" as if it is any different than the Gospel of Grace we have always preached) will then revert to the Jews!
"This is Amazing!" "Doubly so", when these same pre tribbers believe that the 'Holy Spirit' (i.e. 'That which Hinders', according to pre trib belief) will be "taken out of the way - removed" (by rapturing up Himself and 'church' = 'That which Hinders') at that time.
Yet, IF" you really do Love the Truth, then you've gotta Hear and Love this:
BECAUSE IT IS DURING THE TRIBULATION THAT:
Rev 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her
seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
THOSE WHO HAVE THE "TESTIMONY" OF JESUS CHRIST ARE 'SAVED BY GRACE CHRISTIANS' TOO!!!
PROOF?...
Rev 19:9 John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus
WANT PROOF THAT THEY ARE THE VERY SAME "CHRISTIANS" WE ARE TODAY? THEN HERE IT IS:
Rev 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
Guess who "THEY" are! "The same ones that Satan makes war with!" (verse 17) "CHRISTIANS!!!"
Now you know why the Escape Artists' Pre trib rapture theory is a LIE! "NONE of it is founded upon the word of God!!!"
and if we should turn to God for help in going through tough times (in great or little tribulations) for our faith, He will say (and mean) to us, that :"My Grace is sufficient for thee!"...
2 Cor 12:
If you understand only one thing about "pre trib" then *PLEASE* understand this:
Now the first view of His coming BEFORE the tribulation they cannot prove, but the second one AFTER the tribulation (as "Post tribbers" believe) is "easy" to prove by many Scriptures.
But they are already "Prejudiced" because they are trained by other pre tribbers before them to see EVERYTHING only and always in Two seperate comings.
However, there is No Preparation for His second coming as Holding Fast His Word And Abiding In It! And His word tells us that the great trib is coming followed by the return of Himself for the church. Matthew 24:7; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3
(A past example of "Satan's wrath" operating through a man is found in Matt.2:16. A future example of "Satan's wrath" operating through the man called "antichrist" is seen in Dan.7:20-22; Rev.12:12, 17 and Rev.13. Please read them!)
and...
Rev 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
There is no "easy escape"! Not now, not ever: 2 Tim 3:12 "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." That's the way it is!
9 And he said unto me, 'My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness'. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
In verse 6 I believe it is the purity of the Truth (that the professing church preaches) that is keeping the Wicked one from being revealed before his time.
Things are "coming to a head" because what men do to each other is becoming ever more abhoring, having even more seared consciences, and many of todays "New teachings" and "New revelations" going on in the church as we speak that would NEVER have been tolerated just a few short decades ago.
Those who believe in a pre trib. rapture doctrine claim (for the most part) that the "he be taken out" of verse 7 stands for the removal of the Holy Spirit and thus the church's removal as well, before the antichrist is revealed.
Now what about verse 7 and its implying being "removed" and being "taken away"???
This interpretation rests wholly upon a special translation of this passage (2 Thess. 2:7) and may be readily discerned, and is seen to be utterly false when it is noted that the verb ginomai in its various forms, occurs over 600 times in the New Testament, and only in this one case is the word "taken" used in connection with its translation.
We may well ask whether that is "special translation" which accords with the 600, or that which insists on departure from uniformity in this one instance out of 600?
This is strengthened too, when we see that the word "taken", upon which their own theory leans for support, really represents no Greek word in the text at all, but is simply an addition to the words of Holy Scripture. This is interpreted as follows:—
"For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let...
The faster the purity of the word becomes muddied then the swifter the apostacy will come to the full.
And I see apostacy spreading and growing by leaps and bounds, in the church as well as the world.
Strong's literal meaning of the word, "ginomai" is "to become" - "to come into being" - "to appear".
So I present...
#1. There is no Greek word to be found in 2 Th.2:7 that represents or stands for the English word, "Taken"...
#2. The Greek word, "genetai" never implies a "removal" of some kind.
#3. In my studies of the Scriptures that Greek word always denotes a "coming to be," (origin not removal).
#4. What Paul says concerning the man of sin, the son of perdition in verse 3 is the same revelation of that man of sin that Paul is talking about in verses 6 and 7...
which in turn gives integrity and truth to Paul's words concerning the appearing of the Wicked one.
Seeing then that NOTHING is Taken Out Of The Way, the way that verse 7 reads is...
The English word, "Taken" is a throw in to "change" the outcome of the text to force it to imply a removal of some sort which would then go to favor a pre trib rapture.
Paul himself says that the apostacy comes first. Paul says that the man of sin will appear from out of the center of the apostacy when that apostacy reaches its climax.
"Until out of the midst (or out of the center of the apostacy - when the mystery of iniquity reaches its full) he (the Wicked one) comes or goes forth from out of the heart of it...
So the "what" of verse 6 that is restraining it even today is the church - beter yet, it is the church's witness to the truth.
There is no "he" that is taken away, instead Paul is speaking of the "he" that comes out of the midst of the apostacy when it becomes full blown.
This is what Paul was saying throughout all of 2 Thes. 2.
Go ahead explore all of one and two Thessalonians to find out what Paul told them before about all this....
Nothing is removed! No one is going anywhere! There is no escape to heaven prior to the tribulation!
Those who know their God and love the truth will never submit to any other authority! The same holds true today as it will be then!
There is nothing "taken away" at all but something "coming or going forth" instead...
And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming"
II Th 2:5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
Will the Lord personally see to it that we do not submit to the antichrist? For those who have kept the word of His patience (Rev.3:10), He promises that He will.
In this case the "shortening of those days" are used by the originators of the pre-wrath rapture doctrine (Van Kampen and Rosenthal) in order that they may "shorten" the "TERROR" of the tribulation's 3 1/2 years towards Christians and the Jewish remnant, by having the church raptured before the full 3 1/2 years are over, thus "Shortening it"!
There are several profound Scriptures which clearly show us that both the terribleness of the great tribulation as well as the great tribulation itself will last the full 3 1/2 years. And it will be after that period of time that Jesus is going to return: Matthew 24:29-30.
I state below what I believe are 3 powerful arguments against the pre-wrath rapture position...
#1. When Jesus said, "but for the elects sake those days will be cut short", he did not bring in a new doctrine. For both the OT and the NT already have it clearly laid out that it will go the full 3 1/2 years with the antichrist in power to the very end.
#2. Jesus said He will return immediately AFTER those days (cf Matt.24:29ff) ...immediately AFTER the tribulation of those days is "THE DAY OF THE LORD", a day of darkness, etc....sun/dark, moon/blood, stars/fall...
Pre-wrath has it set up where He will return "BEFORE" the great trib has ended!
Once again many Scriptures (see especially Joel 2 and 3) refer to this time as the Lord is "PRESENT". He is seen before His armies. This, His one and only coming, at the end of the great tribulation, is also the time of His wrath!
In and of itself the pre wrath doctrine is every bit as dangerous as is the pre-trib. doctrine, because they both point to a DIFFERENT ("false") Christ (an invisible or spiritual one) supposedly coming a second time for His church, other than the one and only real one who comes at the end of the great trib.
#3. I have read where pre-trib believes in "2" comings and pre-wrath believes in up to "4"! They believe that only His last coming is "Visible" to the world.
Dan., Acts 1:11, Olivet, 6th seal, Rev.19, 2 Thess 2, and many others only go to PROVE that Christ returns in glory, visibly, taking vengeance, transforming us, destroying the beast, etc.
Can one so deceived still be saved, especially concerning the last days???
If someone who believes in pre-trib or pre-wrath doctrine says they are not deceived, especially concerning their being here for the last days, then I would like them to study Matt. 24:24 and 2 Thes.2:10-12, and explain how they may not be?
***at the appointed time. Both pre tribbers and wrathers are looking for another Christ, one whom they presume will return at another time other than the time God has appointed. It's an obvious setup for the acceptance of the anti-Christ at 'his' appointed time in the last days just prior to the second coming of Christ. Those not ready for Him will hear, "I don't know you!"
Any teaching, spirit, or word that takes away from or adds to Christ's first coming, death and resurrection, and second coming is one that "preaches" another gospel.
The simple Gospel says that: Jesus came, Jesus died, Jesus rose, Jesus is coming again!
All of these comprise the gospel. And in that gospel is:
Many times I have found that Scriptures as, "those days being shortened" seem to always be the ones that get twisted around to mean something other than what the Spirit of truth intended.
And I know that if those days were not "cut short" (i.e. were made to last "more" than 3 1/2 years) then no flesh would be saved.
"Now, if I find several Scriptures verifying that the tribulation period will last for 3 1/2 years and none saying otherwise, then I know that Matt.24:22 is taken out of context, and does not, can not mean what pre-wrath claims. Pure and simple!"
Once again when we compare Scripture with Scripture we see that it is THE DAY OF THE LORD; which occurs immediately AFTER the tribulation of those days, that ushers in the real Christ (as Lightning), and not one moment before.
Once again we go to Scripture for the answers. Again and again we see that there is only ONE return of Christ to accomplish "everything".
To have our eyes on any other Jesus than the Jesus laid down by the Spirit of truth; in our being saved past (by His blood), being saved present (by His indwelling Word), and being saved future (by His Glorious Presence) ***at the appointed time, is to be utterly "deceived". I see no other way out! Jesus especially warns us of deceivers in the last days!!!
Jesus coming in the flesh...all eyes see Him
Jesus dying in the flesh...all eyes saw Him
Jesus rising in the flesh...all eyes saw Him (Acts 1:11)
Jesus returning in the flesh...all eyes will see Him (Rev.1:7)
#1. Matt 24:29-31
#2. Eph 1:10
#3. Matt 13:30
#4. Matt 13:47-49
#5. II Th 1:7-10
#6. II Th 2:1-3
#7. 1Thes 3:13
#8. 1Thes 4:14-18
#9. 2 Tim 4:1 I
#10. Col 3:4
#11. 2 Tim 4:8
#12. Titus 2:13-15
#13. Heb 9:28
#14. 1 Pet 1:7-9
#15. 1 Pet 5:4
#16. I Jn 2:28
#17. 1Thes 2:19
#18. 2 Pet 3:10-14
#19. 1 Cor 1:7-8
#20. Phil 1:6-10
#21. 1 Tim 6:14-15
#22. Matt 24:13-14
#23. 1 Cor 15:52-55
#24. Rev 11:15-18
#25. Zech 9:14-16
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened,
and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven,
and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall
all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in
the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall
gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the
other.
That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might
gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and
which are on earth; even in him:
Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of
harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind
them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea,
and gathered of every kind:
48 Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the
good into vessels, but cast the bad away.
49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and
sever the wicked from among the just
7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be
revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not
the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the
Lord, and from the glory of his power;
10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all
them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by
our gathering together unto him,
2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by
word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except
there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of
perdition;
To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in
holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ
with all his saints.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which
sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive
and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 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:
17 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.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ,
who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also
appear with him in glory.
Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness,
which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me
only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God
and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and
purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man
despise thee.
So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto
them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto
salvation.
7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that
perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour
and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet
believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a
crown of glory that fadeth not away.
And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall
appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are
not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the
heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with
fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons
ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the
heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with
fervent heat?
13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new
earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye
may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
7 So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ:
8 Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in
you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
7 Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my
heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the
gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.
8 For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus
Christ.
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and
in all judgment;
10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and
without offence till the day of Christ;
14 That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the
appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:
15 Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the
King of kings, and Lord of lords;
13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a
witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
52 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.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on
immortality.
54 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.
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven,
saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of
his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
16 And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell
upon their faces, and worshipped God,
17 Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and
art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.
18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead,
that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy
servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small
and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
14 And the LORD shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the
lightning: and the Lord GOD shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with
whirlwinds of the south.
15 The LORD of hosts shall defend them; and they shall devour, and subdue with
sling stones; and they shall drink, and make a noise as through wine; and they
shall be filled like bowls, and as the corners of the altar.
16 And the LORD their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his
people: for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon
his land. ***
Concerning the last days when it all hits the fan, some of you (who hold to other end time doctrines) might be saying,
To that I say: "Aren't those PROMISES only to those who "KEEP" His words patiently enduring in them to the end"???
Let me share a little something with you about "my" Jesus...
When He says that, "even the elect would be deceived if possible", He is telling us of a time coming upon the earth like none before that many of us can't even comprehend...
Make no mistake! It's NOT up to you or me to say that "we" cannot be deceived!!! Because "we", in and of ourselves (i.e. our flesh), certainly can.
Such thinking as this has been allowed to penetrate the church and this false teaching has already hardened off some hearts to the truth, and many have become deceived by these false teachings. Over and over and over the Lord says, "IF you love Me then KEEP My word!" "MY" word - ALL of it - and not just some of it!
THAT is what needs to be seen and admitted to - NOW while it is still Day, because there won't be any time left to do it later on.
Look again at the parable of the 10 virgins.
It was then (when the 5 foolish virgins woke up and found that they lacked oil) that they found that they were totally unprepared for His return! It is obvious that they weren't prepared for His return AT THE TIME of their waking up!!! Note as well that they were totally unprepared for what they needed and didn't have: "Oil". They found out too late!
(Simply put it was because they allowed themselves to be deceived into thinking that He would come at any instant, and/or at a different time, and/or appear in a different way than He said He would. Therefore they saw no need to prepare themselves for what laid ahead: "The Great Tribulation", and then the return of Christ.)
It wasn't until after His return (Matt.25:10-12) and their finding themselves being left behind (Matt.25:40) that it all became clearly evident to them. Until then they felt it wasn't necessary to carry oil or get ready when He said to through the words, teachings and warnings He and His disciples left behind for all of us to abide in.
The trouble for all 5 "Foolish" Virgins began when the call went out for all 10 to WAKE UP AND PREPARE THEMSELVES, and then they found they had no oil for their lamps! Jesus was at the very door! The nearer to opening it that He came the greater became the evidence of "The Light", the Light that reveals and exposes things as they are.
It revealed that the 5 foolish had no oil for their lamps. But by then it was already TOO LATE for them. They long ago ran out of, or never had any oil to begin with. Obviously they didn't realize the importance of obeying God by remaining in ALL of His word.
They SUDDENLY found themselves placed in a hopeless (i.e. "Lightless") situation, one where there was nothing they could do. By the time they tried to correct it (by going out to those who sell oil) it was too late.
This speaks loud and clear as a sound warning to us all!
It's up to the word of God and our remaining steadfast in Him through our abiding in His word that will keep us from being deceived. We must cease being tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine.
There is only ONE True God and only ONE Spirit of Truth!
He can't be telling me to believe one thing and telling you another!
Pre trib, mid trib, partial rapture, no trib, preterist, partial preterist, a mill, pre wrath with several comings, NONE OF THESE have a "Vision", NOT A ONE OF THEM have God's seal, because none of these is found in the Gospel of Truth!
How can we say we stand fast on Jesus in His first coming, death and resurrection and yet some of us remain so far apart concerning His second coming???
Worse yet, how can any of us "PRESUME" that IF we're wrong He will straighten us out??
Where does it say that in the Bible? (When in fact it says just the opposite!)
That is only a "Presumption" in order to continue in sin.
Believing the Lie is a sin!
And there are Many LIES concerning His second coming!
Just as proper faith in His death and resurrection brings us Righteousness (saved from our sins) and Love (saved to God)
our entire blessed hope - the Glory of our faith - bringing it all to a head - depends on and rests upon NOT ONLY HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION BUT ON HIS RETURN (saved by God at His appearing) AS WELL
- His return in His visible second coming, which includes the time and the way that He Himself says He is going to come!
It's only when we are found "KEEPING HIS WORDS" as He gives them at their set time and in their proper place, that is the only sure-fire Proof I know of that proves we do indeed Love Him (John 14:23) and that Loving Him by Keeping His words will keep us safe as well, as He promises.
"Oh, Jesus will get me through this. He'll keep me safe even if I'm wrong!"
Is He under some obligation to keep anyone safe who continually refuses to remain in them???
There's not any obligation that I know of!
Why should He keep anybody safe who rejects and forsakes His word (here I am speaking of His word concerning His second coming!) for another when that time comes???"
a time of Satans wrath, of lacking the word, of utter chaos and confusion, of laws making it punishable by death or the mark for being a Christian, of much hatred, of heart tearing and twisting as never before, of love growing cold, of false Christ's and prophet's galore ALL doing impossible and God-like signs and wonders that will draw MANY - including MANY who profess to be "Christians" away after them.
In fact, anyone not standing fully on the word of God is deceived already! Those who believe that they can't or won't be deceived for no other reason than because they believe (the age old lie) that God will straighten them out later on, if and when they should be found in error, are dreaming in la la land. They're not listening now, what makes them think they'll listen later on???
I take that to mean "His Every Word" - concerning His death, resurrection and second coming.
It takes no genius to figure out that the 5 foolish virgins were deceived in their thinking. Question - When did the 5 foolish virgins find out that it was too late for themselves? Answer - When the call went out for all 10 virgins to wake up and get ready to go forth and meet the Lord. And for this they had to have oil to light their lamps and extra oil on hand for the trip.
"IMPOSSIBLE and UNACCEPTABLE!!!"
"The Post Tribulational coming of Jesus Christ" is the ONLY VISION from God there is concerning His second coming!
Heed it!***
Dan.12:11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, And the abomination of desolation is set up, There shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety / 1290 days.
Earlier in Daniel 12:7 the angel had said that the end of these wonders - shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.
In verse 7 there is no mention of adding on 30 extra days - there is only mention of the time, times, half a time / 42 months / 1260 days / 3 1/2 years that it will take him for all these things to be finished.
We know that the tribulation period lasts for 3 1/2 years / 1260 days. Therefore there is an extra 30 days added on here that needs to be considered, but it can only be considered AFTER he has accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, which must also fit into the 3 1/2 year - 1260 day period of the great tribulation.
In other words - the extra 30 days (occurs immediately AFTER the tribulation of those days is over) coincides with the signs happening to the sun, moon, stars (Matthew 24:29 and Revelation 6:12-13), giving us three things to think about ---
When we subtract the first half of the 70th Week of Daniel, (1260 days), from the total of 2550 days we see that .... 2550 days - 1260 days = 1290 days!
Those 1290 days (or 30 extra days) will take us to the Day of Atonement.
So day 1290 could well be the last day of this present evil age.
It is the last day to repent and to make reconciliation with God.
The 1290 days also seem to point to where the temple of God becomes closed to all traffic [Rev. 15:8]:
And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.
And this all seems to happen somewhere immediately AFTER the tribulation (which lasts for 1260 days), DURING the blowing of the 7th trumpet (see Rev.11:19), and just BEFORE the bowls of Revelation 16 are poured out (see Rev.15:8).
That can only mean that the believers had been raptured up 7 (or 3 1/2) years BEFORE this period (as the pre and mid tribbers teach) - OR - they haven't been caught up at all yet, but are caught up after the resurrection of the dead believers at the Last (7th) Trump. Now if the second part is true (and it is) then it means that these 7 plagues of Revelation are about to fall ONLY UPON THOSE WHO HAVE TAKEN THE MARK (Rev.16:2), without affecting (i.e. being directed at) the believers at all. (also see 1 Thes. 5:23-24)
The 30 days seem to occur somewhere in the time frame after the tribulation is over! So how much time (if any) do we give to the signs to happen in the sun, moon, stars? - the blowing of the last trump? "30 days?"
It does not say this in the Bible, yet the scriptures add an extra 30 days tacked on to it AFTER the 1260 day tribulation period is over, and this period of 30 extra days would seem to include an event taking place AFTER the great trib. is over.
Also keep in mind the utterance of the 7 thunders (Rev.10:4). John was told to seal up those things which the 7 thunders uttered and told not to write them. Nevertheless, that doesn't mean that what they said doesn't apply. The "angel" we see in Rev.10 seems to be pointing to a time of judgement during the blowing of the 7th (and last) trumpet, when there shall be no more time (verse 6); and in the days of the voice of the 7th angel, the mystery of God should be finished (verse 7).
Daniel 12:12 Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.
The total (30+45) adds 75 days to what we've already been given and confirmed by other scriptures. So why the extra 45 days added to the 30 days? I cannot find this anywhere in the scriptures - yet it must mean something.
Again, the extra 30 and 45 days seem to clearly point to certain events that will happen immediately AFTER the tribulation (which again only lasts for 1260 days). This extra 45 days could well point to the length of time it takes for either the 6th bowl/plague or all of the bowls/plagues to be poured out.
Especially note the 6th plague and their gathering to Armageddon. (It takes time for the antichrist and his armies to gather to Armageddon. also see Matthew 24:28 and Rev.16:14 as well)
Make note too where the Lord Himself says He is coming as a thief in the night (Rev.16:15). According to Him He has not come as yet even with the pouring out of the 6th bowl! (see 1 Thes.5:1-6 as well)
To Prove that the Day Of The Lord is the same event as His coming / parousia / and our being gathered up to Him, read and understand 2 Thes.2:1-3, which in turn obliterates any belief in a pre trib. rapture.
The bowls of wrath/plagues fall only on those people who took the mark (Rev.16:2).
The wedding supper (Rev. 19:7-9) cannot take place in heaven or anywhere else until AFTER the Kingdom of God has been established on earth!
My question therefore is this - "How long (IF ANY) would the time be between Rev.15:8 and the end of the 6th seal and the blowing of the 7th trumpet?" (45 days???)
(Because according to Rev. 16:15 He doesn't appear until AFTER they have gathered to Armageddon, and, according to Matt. 24:29 and Rev. 6:12-13, not until AFTER the signs occur in the sun, moon and stars.)
Eschatology presents us with "3" Hopes: Jesus returning once AFTER the Tribulation (the post trib true hope) - Jesus returning BEFORE and AFTER the Tribulation (the pre trib false hope) - and Jesus not returning at all (the preterist effective removal of all hope).
You know what's almost funny is how so many people must have the words in the Bible "as is", just the way they are written, and yet when it comes to His second coming they become like slippery critters who pretend they have forgotten how to take the word of God "AS IS" at all times! There is one interpretation but many ways to interpret the one. Why? So that when it comes to eschatology - pointing to the coming of Our Blessed Hope of the Gospel - most people pretend ignorance... yet it's all there in black and white. They tend to keep at arms distance what they don't like (because it convicts them!) and draw in the stuff they like. They've become TRAINED by men to SPLIT their view of Christ and the Church into TWO Comings, therefore everything they read must be conformed to fit their pre trib view.
Let me give you a few examples... In Revelation 4:1 and 2 we see John being caught up to heaven. In 4:1 the angel even tells him why he's been caught up to heaven: "...and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter." Now think about the way that "The Pre Trib Church" has elected to stand in the place of John as he is being caught up to write these things. Yet they see nothing wrong in doing this!? This is nothing more than Replacement Theology - which replaces John with the Church. Even unbelievers are experts at doing this by reasoning that Bible knowledge; especially when it concerns the last days, needs to be treated as though it's part of the Da Vinci or Omega Code or something hidden and mysterious.
What about Paul's admonition in 2 Thes. 2:1-3? He clearly says that the day when the Lord returns will be the same day that we'll be gathered to Him, and that this glorious event doesn't occur until sometime AFTER the apostacy and AFTER the anti-christ has been revealed. Then they use the excuse that when you understand that He will come in secret, 7 years BEFORE His visible appearing (please read Titus 2:13 against this) and BEFORE the apostacy because they say the apostacy has started. Even if true then what about the antichrist being revealed as well? You can only end up scratching your head how anyone; let alone a Christian, would believe such deception and nonsense?
The question I must ask is this: "Have you been born again"? Do you remember what it was like when you found The Truth and the truth set you free??? Was it complicated? Of course not! Did it hide its meaning in other meanings? Of course not! It was all up front, "AS IS" (just as He said it). You didn't need men to pollute or teach you any of it - God taught you the word AS IS!
(Also note the word, GLORY!) Titus 2:13 Looking for that Blessed Hope, and the Glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. It cleary says that it is the GLORIOUS APPEARANCE of Christ who is our Blessed Hope we look for. We each stand or fall on our Hope of His Visible Appearance at His second coming, and WHEN He is coming. It also says in Colossians 3:4 - that when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in Glory. Matthew 25:31 When the Son of man shall come in his Glory, and all the holy angels with him, THEN shall he sit upon the throne of his Glory.
In closing I have to ask, "Do they only do this kind of juggling when it comes to eschatology and their blessed hope, which comprises nearly 1/3 of the Bible?" Please show me where it says that Jesus will return in "Secret" in order to rapture His Church? I ask the reader NOT to surmize or spiritualize this by using OTHER scriptures to try and prove your point or try and explain what they mean. Remember, I was once a staunch pre-tribber; a pupil of other pre-tribbers, until I let the Lord show me the truth. What post trib means is clearly written in the book... "AS IS". Can the pre tribber show me anywhere in the scriptures (without having to "spiritualize it" in any way) where it CLEARLY says (as opposed to Jesus' own words) that Jesus Christ will secretly rapture out His Church BEFORE the Tribulation. Show me where the rapture comes BEFORE the Great Tribulation??? (Or maybe the Lord likes to keep all those who profess to be His in a constant state of confusion and false hope!?)
So we won't be DISSAPEARING with Him in some hidden Glory, but will APPEAR with Him in Glory! When? AFTER the tribulation just as He says - Matthew 24:29-30, which is also the time of the rapture (2 Thes.1:7; Acts 1:11; Matthew 16:27-28; Rev.1:7).
