Ezekiel 33:2-6
“”When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from their territory and make him their watchman,
3, when he sees the sword coming upon the land, if he blows the trumpet and warns the people,
4, then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, if the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be on his own head.
5, He heard the sound of the trumpet, but did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But he who takes warning will save his life.
6, But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman”s hand.” (Ezekiel 33:2-6)
And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
Pastor Mike Taylor;
Each of us are watchmen on the wall. If you stand behind a pulpit or preach to a congregation in whatever media you use, you have a responsibility to warn those who are in danger of hell fire and all that it represents. God does not send anyone to hell, as it is a decision that each of us must make, but the Word of God must start with men and women who are commissioned by God to take the Word of Truth to those who are in their sins.
Whether a minister believes he is a watchman or not, he is commissioned by God to spread the Gospel to the lost. He is to preach the penalty of sin. He is to abandon a feel good “gospel”, prosperity gospel, or a social speech of humanism and being just a “good citizen”. This won’t save anyone. It will not warn those who are walking the wide road and gate to destruction, but will only placate them that they are OK…they are not OK, as they do not have Jesus in their hearts. It is a minister’s job to take the message of salvation to his congregation, his community and the rest of the world.
Jan Markell, Olive Tree Ministries;
Prepping for ‘Mr. Fix-It’
Society is being prepped for the Antichrist, and as prophecy-loving believers try to warn, the words are falling on a lot of deaf ears.
The stage is being set for a closing act. The players are getting into their proper positions. Heads of state are meeting to plot and scheme and deny even more rights. In places like Australia, Lithuania, and Austria, good people are enemies of the state even though they are upstanding citizens.
World leaders have no comprehension they are majoring in minors. To them, it makes perfect sense to obsess over carbon emissions. During the Tribulation, this will fade from their memories as they cope with Seals and Trumpets and Bowls. These will spark “climate change” they cannot imagine!
Most receiving this newsletter are “watchmen.” Ezekiel 33 tells us that if you don’t warn, the blood is on your hands, so you cannot be silent.
Brace yourself to be shocked daily by things you read and watch. Satan is getting more active, and wickedness is rising, so God’s people must shine more brightly.
But for the believer, a glorious event will happen soon. It is known as the Rapture of the Church. It is any day. Any hour. Any minute. So don’t grow weary!
And yes, if a believer is a Rapture skeptic, they get the surprise of their life someday soon. Then you’ll have the privilege of saying, “I told you so.”
Won’t that be a glorious day?
Pastor Greg Laurie; Harvest Ministries
“God promises this in the book of Revelation, and He also gives us a promise of global peace. The Antichrist, however, will bring pseudo peace. During the first three-and-a-half years of the seven-year Tribulation, he will come across as a good guy. But in reality, he will be a bad guy. And the Scriptures say that he will use peace to deceive many. Ultimately, once Antichrist is taken out of the way, God will bring global peace.”
Paul Rolland, Night Watchman, Night Watchman Ministries;
‘LAST DAYS’ / 7 Year Tribulation
Joel 2:28 And it shall ‘7’ ‘come to pass afterward, that I will’ ‘7’ ‘pour out my spirit upon all flesh’; and ‘7’ ‘your sons and your daughters shall prophesy’, your old men shall dream ‘7’ ‘dreams, your young men shall see visions’
Acts 2:17 And it shall come to pass in the ‘last day’, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
Ten ‘10’ Denotes God’s divine ‘COMPLETENESS’ as to things on EARTH. In Revelation 10, he is opening up the ancient scrolls and ‘little book’ of prophecy that Daniel was told to ‘SEAL UP’ and not write of what was spoken. He was prophetically being told additional things that would transpire or occur ‘in the end of days’ and during the 7 year ‘tribulation.
Daniel 12:4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the ‘time of the end’: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
Daniel 12:9 And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the ‘time of the end’.
‘Time of the End’:
Revelation ‘10’ And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:
2 And he had in his hand a ‘little book open’: (NWN; Daniels ‘little book’ is now being opened by God’s Great Angel of Prophecy) and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth,
3 And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven ‘7’ thunders uttered their voices.
(NWN; I ‘discern’ that these are seven ‘7’ other great prophecy angels who are ‘confirming’ that NOW IS THE TIME to OPEN DANIEL’S ‘END TIME’ Book of Future Prophecy.’)
4 And when the seven ‘7’ thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven ‘7’ thunders uttered, and write them not.
5 And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven,
6 And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:
(NWN; The Great Prophecy Angel is proclaiming the ‘LAST DAYS or END TIMES’ have come, in no uncertain terms, and that NOW IS THE TIME to reveal prophecy related TO the Last Days or End Times and Tribulation.)
7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh ‘7’ angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.
(NWN; Seven ‘7’ denotes God’s divine completion to his plan or purpose for this ‘7th’ prophecy angel to commence and complete prophecy related to the Last Days and End Times. Think of the Great Prophecy Angel as a ‘General’ and the ‘7th’ prophecy angel as a Major or Colonel or someone of rank who has been given authority to physically ‘begin something or start something.’)
8 And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open (NWN; notice that the ‘little book’ is OPEN) in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.
(NWN; the prophecy angel(s) are HANDING the little book to physically alive men on the earth. In essence, they are handing or ‘transferring’ the ‘little book of prophecy’ to physical men ALIVE on the EARTH during the ‘End Times’ or ‘Last Days.’ God conveys prophecy to Angels who in turn are ‘messengers’ of God’s prophecy to mortal men alive. Angels, throughout the past 6,000 years have been ‘messengers’ for God to mankind.)
9 And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.
(NWN; this is a ‘discernment’ on my part. ‘Take it and eat it’ is a spiritual ‘consumption’ of understanding the End Times and God’s related prophecies to go along with ‘signs of the times.’ It takes ‘7’ knowledge, wisdom, obedience, humility, persistence, prayer and the Holy Spirit’ to work prophecy in man’kind. This is a great and wonderful thing, just like a ‘7’ course meal. However, once the prophecies are apparent ‘consumed and understood’ they will be prone to make one sick to the stomach because of what they foretell. Just like eating a ’7’ course meal will likely make you feel like you could explode. God’s UNFILTERD WRATH poured on evil man’kind who refuse Him, and refuse His Son Jesus Christ and His eternal offer of salvation. Seeing prophecy happen and unfold is a wonderful and miraculous thing. Understanding the implications of seeing prophecy unfold, leaves one’s stomach bitter and sour because of the ‘gastrointestinal storm’ that is coming. Pass-the-antacid-pills, please.)
10 And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.
(NWN; the prophecy angel was prophesying what would happen to anyone who attempted to reveal what was in the ‘little book.’ This verse ‘confirms’ that what was prophesied, did in fact occur and was experienced by those given the task of being Watchmen. This also ‘suggests’ that some men are ‘willingly’ allowing themselves to be Watchmen because they consciously love prophecy (God’s Word) and are completely open and receptive to it.)
11 And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.
(NWN; since this is verse ‘11’ it suggests a WARNING(S). The purpose of prophecy is to inform, proclaim and WARN. It suggests that the Watchmen who proclaim the Word of God, will have their ‘7’ words, letters, videos, blogs, sermons, articles and books proclaim God’s WILL to those during the End Times / Last Days and Tribulation period. God has ALWAYS used Holy Angels and physical men (Moses, Elijah, Daniel, Enoch, and others) to speak on behalf of God. He will do this also through the Tribulation via; 1. Prophecy revealed to mankind via his ‘little book’ to Watchmen, 2. The ‘two witnesses’, ‘lampstands’ or candles who proclaims God’s light to the world for the first 3.5 years of the tribulation, 3. The various Angel warnings given to men to NOT TAKE THE MARK of the BEAST and lastly, 4. The 144,000 Jewish Evangelists who have the ‘seal of God’ in their foreheads (and NOT the mark of the Beast) who proclaim Jesus Christ’s offer of Salvation ONE LAST TIME, before the 7 year tribulation ends.)
Left Behind – Hope & Warning
“Uh, What happened?” “Where did my spouse go?” “Most of my co-workers didn’t show up for work early this morning, and are missing. Some of the other company departments are also missing groups of people. Bosses are running around trying to get ahold of folks. They need people asap or the production line is going to be shut down and the GM is really going to be pissed.” “My brother hasn’t returned my texts, he NEVER forgets to reply to my texts. I can’t get him on the phone, I’ve been leaving him phone messages all day. He has muscular dystrophy and can’t leave his apartment.” “I’m hearing other people also say that all kinds of people are missing.” “The six o’clock news had a headline story about the strange disappearance of a lot of people.”
“No one knows anything, the government isn’t saying anything yet … there is supposed be a formal announcement from the White House tomorrow morning. Some are joking that the North Koreans launched an EMP blast and wasted a bunch of our folks. Others are semi-seriously saying that the Commies launched a super-virus in the U.S. that is slowly disintegrating people who come into contact with it. It must be some kind of airborne infectious disease that eats flesh. The talking-heads on talk shows and the conspiracy theorist nut-jobs are saying it was the first alien invasion, of many to come, and that the martians are systematically and strategically taking certain people out from around the world. The stock market crashed Big-Time, and dropped close to 10,000 points. The computers had to halt trading or the market would have free-fallen to the bottom. The world stock markets and currency exchanges are going ballistic. No one know’s what the hell is going on. I have lost over 50% of my 401(K), and if the losses stick, I will have to work ten more years or longer before I can retire.”
“Some of the really, really old folks interviewed on TV are mumbling something about ‘Armygidgeon’ or something like that …. I have no idea what that is or what that means. Maybe it has something to do with the heat we have been having. It’s been near 100 degrees now, for almost two weeks. Must be something to do with global warming. My A.C. bill is going to be astronomical. The volcanoes in Hawaii are blowing up and spewing stuff everywhere. Maybe that is causing all the heat? Stuff is happening in the earth around Yellowstone national park and in places throughout California.”
“Really weird stuff is being reported. In additon to all kinds of people missing, there is now a report, coming out of the Middle East that says there was a big earthquake, a big hole opened up and some really, really big dude walked out of the hole. The locals are going nuts. The local religeous leader says this guy is some kind of messenger from God or “mahdi-messiah”, whatever that means. Really?”
“Uh, I’m scared, really scared. What happened to all these people? I can’t get ahold of my daughter and my best friend. The stuff being reported on the news channels is really freaking me out. My folks are in their mid-70’s and were supposed to come over for dinner, they NEVER miss dinner. They are supposed to watch the kids while we go to a basketball game. I can’t get ahold of them, it’s like they just disappeared. Maybe they forgot and went to their social club instead. I’m sure they are OK. I’ll try calling them again in the morning.”
…. Do any of these comments sound like you?
Everyone is scrambling to try to figure out what happened. All sorts of ideas and theories are being thrown around by the media. Except the one that is the truth, and the one that no one wants to seriously consider or to believe could actually happen. Virtually everyone in the Western world (who is not a Christian) believes this possibility to be a hoax, prepostorous – at best, a fairytale, myth, impossible in this day an age, a lie created by the church to give people a false sense of hope, on and on an on…
The Rapture or Harpazo (Greek) of the Christian Church on earth.
People who might have heard of this or have a partial understanding of it, will puzzle over this possibility with a sense of confusion and dread. Some people will realize they are stuck on earth and some of their loved ones have ‘disappeared.’ Other people with a greater understanding of what the great disappearance implies will suddenly be terrified because they have an idea of what is going to come shortly (Tribulation and Great Tribulation as stated in the Bible’s book of Revelation).
You ask, “What is the Rapture or Harpazo of the Christian Church? I can’t find the term in any Bible, is this something made up? Can you tell me, briefly, the Who, What, Why, When, Where and How of this thing called a Rapture”?
The Rapture / Harpazo (great disappearance) of the true Christian Church (people):
- What: The Rapture (Harpazo in Greek) is a term used to describe a supernatural event with several outcomes, promised by Christ, that will happen at unique moment in space and time to a specific group of people, prior to a horrific period of time on earth known as The Tribulation and Great Tribulation period.
- Who: Jesus Christ made this promise to ALL true Christians throughout history – past, present and future. These people are the true believers in Christ through their salvation of forgiveness of sins by Jesus Christ, from the shedding of his blood and resurrection. In a nutshell, all people who truly believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ and have asked for forgiveness of their sins are considered saved or redeemed. These people, regardless of nationality, creed, language, tribe, race are all part of what Christ consider’s to be his Church (the Bride of Christ). These people believe in Christ, what he did for them, and he is who he says he is. These people include those who are already dead (in Christ) and those who are still alive (in Christ). Yes, you read that correctly.
- Where: The supernatural dissappearance occurs throughout the entire world simultaneously. Yes, you read that correctly. It happens so fast (“in the twinkling of an eye”). In streets, businesses, shopping malls, fields, highways, homes, buses, movie theaters … anywhere people are. This happening or occurance is not limited to any particular place or location. It happens throughout the entire earth, regardless of where people might actually be. Because it happens so fast, no one will see it. Someone could be standing in front of you and talking to you, and all of a sudden they are just gone. Yes, I agree with you. That is hard to believe.
- When: The Bible (word of God) indicates that this supernatural occurance or disappearance will occur sometime prior to the Tribulation or Great Tribulation period (written about in the Bible’s book of Revelation – the last book in the Bible). “No one knows the day nor the hour”. A specific time or date is not known. HOWEVER, the Bible provides many verses that talk about the ‘season’ of the Rapture. There will be events taking place on earth in nature, between nations, between men, rampant lawlessness, wars, and threats of wars, extreme trouble in the middleast and in Israel/Jeruslaem, and so on. This Rapture takes place when all these chaotic and troublesome things start converging … happening all at one. Yes, these things have happened in the past. But what makes these all point to the Rapture of his Church is the intensity, frequency, devastation, size and scope of these things… and happening all at once.
- Why: At its foundation, the Rapture is a promise made by Christ that his Church will be spared the horrific tribulation that will shortly arrive on the earth. The promise is that simple. Those people who believe(d) in Christ and what he did for them, in antiquity, in the present and in the future before the Tribulation starts, are rescued from or spared from having to go through “the great testing and trial by fire of men on earth.” The coming Tribulation and Great Tribulation is that horrific and devastating upon the earth, that God (through his Son, Jesus Christ) spares those who believe in and belong to Jesus Christ.
- How: This is a supernatural event that happens extemely quickly. Some have suggested it occurs in one 100th of a second. Christ does not literally set foot on the earth, however, he is in the clouds and calls his people up. No one knows the physics or process of how this can happen. How this happens, does not matter. What does matter is that Christ’s people (dead and alive) are called up.
Q: Where is all this stuff in the Bible, I want to read it for myself and not take your word for it. I have been lied to in the past!
A: Good question and fair enough. I don’t’ blame you for wanting to figure this out for yourself!
Biblical support for a Rapture / Harpazo of the true Christian Church (Bride of Christ), prior to the onset of the Tribulation or Great Tribulation period. Bolded is emphasis added or highlighted.
… “ But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come.” (1 Cor. 15:35).
… “ So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption; It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.” (1 Cor. 42-44).
… “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And wither I go ye know, and the way ye know.” (John 14:2-4).
… ”Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.” (Isaiah 26:20).
… “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.” (1 John 2:28).
… “ For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.” (Phil. 3:20-21)
… “ 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.” (1 John 3:2).
… “And as we have borne the image of the earthly, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, 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. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 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.” (1 Cor. 49-54).
… “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. 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 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. 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. 4:13-18).
… “And he shall send his angels with a great sound of trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” (Matt. 24:31). (Emphasis added).
… “Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” (Matt. 24:40-42). (Emphasis added).
… “And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.” (Rev. 12: 1-5).
… “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true saying of God.” (Rev. 19:7-9).
… “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on earth.” (Rev. 5:9-10).
… “ Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ.” (Titus 2:13).
… “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 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.” (2 Tim. 4:6-8).
… “And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.” (Thess. 1:10).
… “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thess. 5:9).
… “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgement to be punished:” (Peter 2:9).
… “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” (Rev. 3:10).
The Offer of Salvation:
Yes, you can be saved in the terrible times that will occur on the earth. You must;
The ABCs of Salvation through Jesus Christ (the Lamb)
- Admit/Acknowledge/Accept that you are sinner. Ask God’s forgiveness and repent of your sins.
… “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23).
… “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.” (Romans 3:10).
… “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8).
- Believe Jesus is Lord. Believe that Jesus Christ is who He claimed to be; that He was both fully God and fully man and that we are saved through His death, burial, and resurrection. Put your trust in Him as your only hope of salvation. Become a son or daughter of God by receiving Christ.
… ”That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (John 3:15-17). For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13).
- Call upon His name, Confess with your heart and with your lips that Jesus is your Lord and Savior.
- … “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:9-10).
- … “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” (John 1:8-10).
- … “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. (John 2:2).
- … “In this was manifested the love of god toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.“ (1 John 4:9, 14-15).
- … “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” (Romans 5:8-10).
- … “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23).
- … “Jesus saith unto them, I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6).
- … “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth.” (Romans 1:16).
- … “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts: 4:12).
- … “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth for there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 2:4-6).
- … “For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 5:9).
- … “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” (John 1:12).
With the perilous time known as the Tribulation and Great Tribulation, comes a very dire warning for those who want to be saved.
The Great Warning:
… “And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimestone in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascendath up for ever and ever; and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosover receiveth the mark of his name.” (Rev. 14:9-11).
Why is God so Intense and Emphatic in Issuing the Three (3) Verse – The Great Warning?
Five-fold Sins Resulting in Men’s Eternal Damnation:
- Worship the beast. (6X). (Rev. 13:4, 13:8, 13:12, 14:9, 14:11)
- Worship the beast’s image. (6X). (Rev. 13:14, 13:15, 14:9, 14:11, 16:2, 19:20)
- Take the beast’s mark. (6X). (Rev. 13:16, 13:17, 14:9, 14:11, 16:2, 19:20)
- Take the beast’s number. (2X). (Rev. 13:17, 13:18)
- Take the beast’s name. (2X). (Rev. 13:17, 14:11)
There are a total of eighteen (18) verses that indicate the eternal sins of damnation that result from worshipping the beast, worshipping his image and taking his mark of identification. Three (3) denotes God’s emphasis and intensity x six (6) denotes the evil number of man = 18, or 6+6+6 = 18, or 666 … “Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six Hundred and threescore and six (666).” (Rev. 13:18). (Emphasis added). Worshipping the beast, his image and taking his mark are the eternal sins that men commit during the Tribulation.
There are a total of ten (10) combined references of evil men taking the beast’s mark, number or name. These three descriptions are synonymous with being identified with (or belonging) to the beast and his system. Ten (10) denotes God’s allness or physical completeness regarding things on earth. These ten references indicate man’s complete earthly evilness and damnation resulting from taking either the mark, number of name of the beast and his kingdom. These men are so deceived and evil, that they not only allow themselves to worship the beast and his fake image, but they allow themselves to be physically branded or marked in order to be identified with the beast. Evil men obtain this mark, number or name so they can also participate in the global economy in terms of buying and selling. They have to be identified as having this mark, number or name, physically evident on either their right hand or forehead, in order to be allowed to execute a purchasing or selling transaction. Once evil men worship the beast, his image and take his mark (or number, name, they are damned.
There are three verses regarding a very specific, powerful and clear angelic warning given to men on earth, to NOT worship the beast, or his image, or take his mark (name, number). Three (3) denotes God’s emphasis and intensity.
… “And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.” (Rev. 14:9, 14:10, 14:11) (Emphasis added). Twice (2) the message is directed at men. The angel repeats himself indicating that the message is for men and what behavior is judged eternally sinful (for ever and ever). Men who worship the beast, his image and take his mark will;
- Experience God’s wrath.
- God’s wrath will not be diluted, or held back, but given in full strength.
- They will be thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone for torment.
- There torment will be forever and ever (eternity).
- Their torment will be witnessed by holy angels.
- Their torment will take place in the presence of the Lamb.
- They will have no rest day or night, forever and ever (eternity).
There are seven (7) specific results that stem from men worshipping the beast, his image and taking his mark (name or number). Seven (7) denotes God’s divinely determined completeness as to his purpose or plan. Eternal punishment in the lake of fire and brimstone, day and night is the strongest wrath that God gives evil men (and Satan, beast/antichrist and false prophet). There is a specific mention that this torment takes place in the presence of the Lamb. These men, while in their torment, will see or consciously be aware of the existence or presence of Jesus Christ. This will provide added pain, anguish and misery since they will be painfully made aware of the choice of their decisions (to worship the beast, his image and take his mark). They were warned not to do what they did. The Bible gives plenty of examples of the glory that is given to those who did NOT take worship the beast, his image or take his mark. Yet, despite the angelic warning … despite the 3 ½ year testimony of two witness and prophets … despite the witnessing of Tribulation Saints … despite the flying angel who proclaimed the gospel of Jesus Christ … evil men still chose to worship the beast, his image and to take his mark, name or number. They choose to ignore the messages, the warnings, and the testimonies. And now, they are in the lake of fire and brimstone, and will have to pay the price for their evil decision(s), for eternity. They see Jesus Christ, and have become painfully aware of what they could have had through Jesus Christ and instead, they chose the false, empty promises of Satan by worshipping the beast, his image and taking his mark, name or number. Their extreme bitterness and woeful regret will emotionally torment them for eternity, in addition to the physical pain, suffering and torment that they will experience in the lake of fire for eternity. Through their decision to follow Satan, God gave them exactly what they wanted. They did not want anything to do with Jesus Christ, who paid for their sins with his own blood. As such, God gave them over to Satan, since it was their decision and what they desired while they were physically alive on earth. These evil men did everything humanly possible to ignore warnings, to blaspheme god, to ignore the gospel of Jesus Christ, and instead accepted and believed in lies, worshipped Satan, the beast and his image. Evil men even went so far as to physically defile their bodies (flesh) by taking the branding (mark, number or name) of the beast. All of these actions and behaviors enabled evil men to give themselves totally and wholeheartedly over to Satan through his system of the beast/antichrist and the false prophet.
There are two visions describing what John the Apostle saw, regarding men who were overcomers (them that had gotten victory) by NOT worshipping the beast, his image or taking his mark, number or name).
… “And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgements are made manifest.” (Rev. 15:2, 15:3, 15:4). (Emphasis added).
… “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgement was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.” (Rev. 20:4). (Emphasis added).
Men who do NOT worship the beast, his image and take his mark are described as;
- They are in heaven (stand on a sea of glass).
- They have harps of God.
- They sing praises and worship Jesus Christ for their salvation.
- They acknowledge that God’s judgements came to pass.
- They are given thrones upon which they sit upon.
- They are given judgement.
- They live and reign with Christ for a thousand years.
There are seven (7) specific results that stem from men NOT worshipping the beast, his image and taking his mark (name or number). Seven (7) denotes God’s divinely determined completeness as to his purpose or plan. These blessings or glories are the complete opposite of what awaits those men who DID worship the beast, his image and took his mark, name, number.
- The righteous are in heaven for eternity versus evil men who are in the lake of fire and brimstone for eternity.
- The righteous are joyful and play harps versus evil men who are bitter, resentful, angry, tormented, cry and wail in anguish.
- The righteous sing the praise of and worship Jesus Christ versus evil men who once praised and worshipped Satan (through the beast, his image and in taking his mark).
- Righteous men acknowledge that what God said would come to pass, in fact did come to pass (made manifest) versus evil men who ignored and rejected warnings, the gospel and testimonies of the truth.
- The righteous are given thrones in heaven versus evil men who are drowning in torment in the lake of fire.
- The righteous are given judgement versus evil men who are judged.
- The righteous live and reign with Christ verses evil men who die and fall with Satan.
The avoidance of doing these five (5) eternal sins is one of the most important themes, in the entire book of Revelation. Men must avoid doing these things, literally at all costs. Even to the point of being beheaded or martyred. Men’s eternal destinies depend on it. Worshipping the beast, his image and taking his mark, name or number result in eternal damnation. There is no way of sugar coating or downplaying this reality.
By taking the beast’s mark, name or number, men in essence have signed their name on the dotted line in blood, in regards to giving their utmost allegiance to Satan, through the beast/antichrist/man of sin. They have completely, unequivocably given themselves over to evil via their mind, heart, body and soul. They have even allowed their flesh to be modified to reflect their satanic status. There is nothing worse that a man can do than WILLINGLY give himself over to Satan. God gives men freewill and a choice. At this point, Jesus Christ can’t provide salvation to lost men. They have made their choice. They chose Satan over Christ. They chose to ignore Christ’s offer of salvation. Christ does NOT force himself on anyone who does not want him, or his offer of free forgiveness of sins through Him, and the shedding of his blood and resurrection. God created man in his image. Men are described as imagers of God. Once man worships the beast, his image and takes his name, number or mark; the body, soul, mind and heart are completely defiled and no longer reflect God’s reflected glory in man. Instead, the evilness of Satan is reflected in the evil men who ignore the angel’s dire warning. There is a major difference between receiving a mark (branding) by the beast/antichrist versus receiving a seal of ownership by God in the forehead. God reserves the forehead on a man for his seal of ownership. A true seal of God’s ownership is spiritual and placed in the forehead of those redeemed by Christ. Conversely, once the beast/antichrist has put a mark/branding on the outside/surface of the forehead, that person is given over to Satan and becomes his property (for future slaughter). This duality between satanic markings and holy sealings in foreheads is very real and denotes a person’s status to angels, to Satan and to God/Christ. Once evil men do the exact things that they are warned not to do, they have forfeited Christ’s offer of salvation, for eternity. The mark of the beast and the seal of God denote a man’s status for eternity from the Tribulation.
Conversely, the Tribulation Saints are those strong and redeemed people in Christ who heed the angel’s warnings and don’t take the mark of the beast, or worship him or his image. Many passages throughout the book of Revelation indicate the glorious future, in eternity, of these redeemed men of Christ who did NOT cave into the beast’s system. They accepted the gospel, they accepted Christ for who he is, they acceptance the forgiveness of their sins through Christ’s shedding of blood and resurrection. They did NOT worship the beast. They did NOT worship the beast’s image. They did NOT take his mark. They did NOT take his number. They did NOT take his name. They did NOT allow their flesh to be defiled. They did NOT believe the lies and deceit spoken of by the beast and his false prophet or religious leader. However, their redemption came with a great personal price of martyrdom in the form of beheading when they refused to withdraw their belief in Christ at the hands of the beast’s persecution. Pray that you will be strong enough to withstand the beast’s persecution.
God isn’t joking or kidding around when He issues a warning. Men are warned not to cross a line, for their own good. Do they listen? Do they obay? Do they take the warning seriously? These warnings are so serious because they have eternal consequences.
For those ‘left behind’ we pray that you will be comforted in knowing that something great and glorious has happened to your spouse, children, family members and friends. We pray that you will not be deceived and believe the lies that are being fanned around the world through the media. We pray that you will understand and accept the truth of what happened, and what is going to happen. We pray that you will recognize the beast and false religious leader for who they are, the most vile, evil, lying and deceitful men who have ever walked this earth. They are here for your destruction. Plain and Simple. Literally, don’t believe anything they say. Lastly, and most importantly, we pray that you will accept the offer of salvation from Jesus Christ (the Lamb), through his forgiveness of your sins and shedding of blood, and resurrection. The offer and your response to it is the most important decision you will make in life, and has eternal consequences. For either glory or eternal damnation. Which will you choose? Do not make the mistake of downplaying, discounting, ignorning, postponing or discrediting Christ’s offer.
… “That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:15).
…”For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16).
… “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” (John 3:17)
We pray that you will make the right and correct choice and accept Christ’s offer of salvation, and that you will be strengthened to understand and withstand all the evil, lies and deceit that the beast and his system throws at you. I cannot overstate that you must withstand the beast and his rampant evil at all costs.
After the Rapture, Many Will Be Left Behind – By Pastor Mike Taylor – https://pastormiketaylor.blogspot.com/2022/02/after-rapture-many-will-be-left-behind.html
19 “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.” (James 2:19)
“The United States was founded upon Christian principles”. I have heard that said many times in my 70+ years on this earth and have to agree in part. It is true that we were founded on principles of Judeo-Christian traditions found in our bibles. But in the past 200 plus years of this nation’s existence and rise to be the lone super-power in the world, can we still say that? I recall a past “POTUS” the “usurper in chief” proclaiming that we are no longer a Christian nation, but a mixture of all religions, with Islam a major contributor? OH, Really?? I looked up what percentage of the American people identify with the Christian religion, or claim to believe in a higher power than ourselves.
When I did an online search of Christianity in America, I find these results via Wikipedia:
“Religion in the United States is characterized by both a wide diversity in religious beliefs and practices, and by a high adherence level. According to recent surveys, 83 percent of Americans claim to belong to a religious denomination, 40 percent claim to attend services nearly every week or more, and 58 percent claim to pray at least weekly. A majority of Americans report that religion plays a “very important” role in their lives, a proportion unusual among developed nations.”
That’s impressive on the surface, but I would like to dissect what it means to be a Christian. Are we still a Christian country, or has that changed? By the statistics, it appears that many attend a local church, some regularly, but does that identify what a Christian is? Many belong to that church, but does that identify who is Christian and who is not? What about tithing, or prayer, and how about reading the Words of God found in their bibles? How many put into practice what the words found in your bible say into their daily lives? Do these same folks put in an hour on Sunday because it’s fashionable and then depart to do whatever it is they wish to be doing for the rest of the week? In other words, they give an obligatory hour of being present before God, once a week. What do they do the other 6 twenty four hour periods, or for that matter, the rest of the day on Sunday? Or are they members of a modern “social club”?
FALSELY BELIEVING IN AN ORGANIZATIONAL CHURCH
Many people feel that if they attend services on Sunday, (some rarely, if ever) except on Easter or Christmas, or give a few bucks into the offering plate, or be a good person, then they are right with God, or their definition of God. But during the time that they are in front of the rest of the world, they exhibit none of the fruits of the Spirit. Paul speaks of this in Romans shows fruit as a product in both a bad and good sense:
“What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness and the end, everlasting life.”(Romans 6:21-22)
What is that fruit Paul speaks of?
5:22 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
5:24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”(Galatians 5:22-25)
As a plum tree produces plums and not some other crop like hedge apples, these are the fruits that come from the true Christian that believes in their heart. Those that are playing the Christian role in name only, they produce maybe the aforementioned hedge apples, not of plums and the fruits of the spirit, but instead the fruits of the flesh. Then all the while they are professing a different Jesus Christ, not the One of the bible. They believe they are saved. Are they?
5:19 “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”(Galatians 5:19-21)
As a people, on either side of this equation of good and bad fruit, do we battle these? If you live in this world, you bet you do. But the glory of the Christian who has faith and relies on the Holy Spirit for strength and comfort, they are the ones who persevere and in the end, will win. For the truly called out Christian, plunged beneath the blood of Calvary is “BORN TO WIN” for the glory of God the Father.
Some would have you believe that being a Christian is an emotional experience. You are told about Jesus Christ and express elation that you understand that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. You get excited, express joy and forget about it all in a few days. Is that all there is to being a Christian? I get pretty excited when the the Missouri Tigers win an invitation to the SEC championships to play against the opposing team, and it truly is emotional and exciting, but that knowledge does not save me. Head knowledge of Jesus Christ or the Missouri Tigers at Columbia being a good football team will last only a short while in this day and age. Let me explain.
There is a difference between believing with your head, (your brain) and believing with your heart, (internalizing His sacrifice on the cross). And how do we internalize that we have believed in the Only Begotten Son of God? A brother of mine, proposed on our forum, “Church of the Living God”, what do you say to the young child who accepts Jesus in their mind, by repeating the sinner’s prayer and then falls back into the worldly living as an adult? Are they still saved? What do you say to someone who has made a profession of believing Jesus is God, but lives an ungodly life, thereafter? James said it best in James chapter 2:
2:14 ” What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
2:15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
2:16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?”(James 2:14-20)
GRACE VS. WORKS
Let me make one thing perfectly clear to all who have read thus far. Works by themselves will not save you. This is not one thing you can do in this life by keeping every aspect of the Law of God, although imperfectly, and think you are saved. Let’s look at what Paul said in Ephesians:
2:8 ” For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.”(Ephesians 2:8-9)
A lot of Christians, and I hope you’re not one of them, stop right there and say, see, all you need is Jesus. Truer words were ever spoken, but what do the next verses say?
2:10 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
2:11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.”(Ephesians 2:10-13)
JESUS BROKE DOWN ALL WALLS
In Old Testament times, there was a wall separating the Jews from the Gentiles in the Temple courtyard, but now Jesus has broken down that wall that all may come to Him. We are His workmanship and we have been bought with a price, namely His blood and broken body. As anyone that comes into an exclusive club will tell you, there are certain requirements of entering into that club. This is an exclusive organism, called the Kingdom of God and has its requirements of entering in. But in coming to Him, He has a high expectation of what you are in this life, and what you will become. And what is that?
OUR INHERITANCE
When Nicodemus came to Jesus by night, he asked the same questions that I ask you. How can a person be born again?
3:3 “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
3:4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?
3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
3:8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.”(John 3:3-8)
What was Jesus saying here? It appears almost in conflict until you understand the message that Jesus was conveying here. There is an old saying in Christian circles that you must be “born again.” So true it is. Being born of the water and of the Spirit, there are different interpretations, but what does this mean? In the first part, Jesus speaks of water. He is speaking of baptismal waters as He was also baptized. The act of being immersed into the water is a symbol of the grave. By doing so, in our hearts we are to understand that. We are buried with Jesus Christ and raised to newness of life, hence the term “born again” is applicable here, but it goes much further in it’s description that Jesus told Nicodemus. Paul explains this concept in Romans:
6:4 ” Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
6:7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.”(Romans 6:4-7)
We who have been immersed in baptismal waters, solely out of obedience to the command of Jesus Christ, is an act of total understanding and surrender to the power of God and leaving this sinful life we had behind us, as humanly possible. We follow a new Master, a new Teacher who showed us how to live a sinless life. It does not mean that we will never sin again, but the Power of God will make our sins less and less as we grow in faith and obedience to Him who first loved us.
What about the second part of what Jesus said in John 3? Born of the Spirit? As you are reading this message from scripture, can you walk into the Kingdom of God as you are, as a mortal? He says flesh cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. What is Jesus saying here? Let me let Paul explain it to you, as he is a better teacher than I. Again, let’s go to Ephesians:
1:7 “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
1:8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
1:10 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:
1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
1:12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise,
1:14 Which is the earnest (translated deposit) of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”(Ephesians 1:7-14)
We, as believers in Jesus Christ were given a deposit of that future inheritance. As a example, I envision it as a seed of God delivered to the womb of a mother, which grows into a fully developed baby ready to BE BORN. We are now, as children of God growing in the womb of God’s Heavenly Jerusalem that awaits our full adoption upon our birth into the Kingdom of God. When will this happen? When Jesus calls us out of our graves, or changes us in the twinkling of an eye, then we will be changed into spiritual beings that come and go, much as the wind does in the trees. Reread Jesus explanation to Nicodemus. Ponder that for a moment and turn with me to 1 John 3:
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.
3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”(1st John 3:2-3)
Jesus gave us the perfect example of what it is to be called a Christian. What example was that? His life was the example. From explaining what it meant in His Sermon on the Mount of the intent of the Law He wrote with His own finger on Mt. Sinai, to the acts of love and mercy to all His fellow men, to teachings of righteous living based on His own life and the intent of His commandments in their spiritual application. Jesus kept the Law that He wrote perfectly all of His years on earth, but God in His infinite wisdom knew that man could not. So God became a man born of woman, fully man, and fully God to do what man could not….save himself. God in the form of Jesus Christ made the ultimate sacrifice of His death on a cross and the emptying of the blood from His body on the altar of sacrifice.:
3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”(John 3:16-18)
But remember what I said in the beginning of this message?. Even the demons believe that Jesus is God, but they are not saved or saints. Head knowledge must be heart knowledge. This is where the seed is planted. The Spirit of God mingles with your own. It is not implanted in your head that a person forgets in a few days and the excitement wears off. No, reader it begins in your spiritual heart. It’s the first day of the rest of your eternal life and you become a new creature. As Paul wrote by Holy Spirit inspiration of in 2nd Corinthians :
5:18 “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.”(2nd Corinthians 5:18-20)
Then if reconciled to God, we have a job to do, out of sheer obedience as Paul speaks of in Ephesians:
4:25 “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
4:27 Neither give place to the devil.
4:28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
4:31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”(Ephesians 4:25-32)
NOW LET US RETURN TO AMERICA
Now that we have given a summary of what a Christian is, what we should be doing, and what the future is in store for those truly “born again”, let’s return to the 83% of American citizens that call themselves “Christians.” Look around this nation. Does the landscape look like we are a Christian nation?
Unfortunately, we are living in the end of days and the Laodecian era of the Church, a false church that Jesus condemned in Revelation chp. 3:
14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.(meaning you make God sick, my explanation)
17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.” (Revelation 3:14-18)
Those are the ones who will be thrown head-long into the coming tribulation. So what has changed in the last 100 years or so?
Is the “old time religion” still reigning in our land, namely Jesus Christ and Him crucified? Do the principles that made this country great still exist? Nobody wants to take responsibility for what is going on in this country and in the majority, it may well be so. You can make a difference in your own life and reach out to others to help them find out what a Christian really is. Ask yourself these further questions, do you fit the definition of the negative side of this equation, of what is a Christian in name only? Do you stand in the light of a true Christian, washed in the blood of the Lamb working hard to be obedient to the One who gave you eternal life?
Don’t be fooled into thinking that the trappings of organized religion will do anything for your spiritual condition, just by belonging to organized religion or the latest emotional false prophet or pied piper who leads away men and women to their destruction by following their false doctrines. You can’t buy your way into heaven, you can’t be good enough, and you can’t rely on anyone, but yourself and the answering the conviction given by the Holy Spirit:
6:44 “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
6:45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.”(John 6:44-45)
Paul reinforced this in Philippians:
2:12 “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”(Philippians 2:12)
You just might be part of that skewed statistic that tells you, hey, I’m alright. I said the “sinner’s prayer” and all will be well. Just because I live in America and “Hey, this is a godly nation”. Really?
Many are beginning to believe that it is just not so and the nation that became the superpower in this world is destined, in my humble opinion, for a very hard fall. Many are beginning to worry about revolution in this country, as they look at what the Usurper in chief “president” led this nation to and wanting us to be a One World Government and do away with our sovereignty. Not to mention NSA wiretappings, predator drones, and laws designed to take away your God given rights of free speech, assembly, and to bear arms. Can you see this nation becoming so caught up in its anger at our former way of life and capitalism that made this country grow rich beyond our wildest dreams and wish to pitch it out the window, because of evil bankers and wall street lobbyist? OH, I know I can…I’ll bet you can, too. I’ve even read comments of how the beginning of the Russian revolution started, and worse, the bloody French Revolution that spared almost no one. Heaven help us, but the winds of unrest are brewing. All it will take is for evil to be unfettered by the removal of the good in this country. Only thing that is keeping a lid on this brewing pot of sinful lust are true Christians (I quantify that by meaning true, born again, washed in the blood Christians) still present on this earth. What will be the result when even that hindrance is removed? I speak of God’s people who actually believe with their heart and have God’s Holy Spirit residing within them.
2:7 “For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
2:8 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:
2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.”(2nd Thessalonians 2:7-10)
When He, (speaking of the Holy Spirit), that letteth will let, until HE be taken out of the way, is the only thing that is keeping the lid on the brewing kettle of sin and debauchery being God Himself and the presence of His Spirit in His people. When that hindrance is removed, it won’t be the 83% that professes their recipe of being a “luke-warm Christian” in name only, that will be taken. No, my friend, I fear that number will be much, much smaller. I fear it will be but a remnant of those who truly profess Jesus Christ and believe in their hearts and live like He’s coming today or tomorrow. If Jesus would come on any Sunday morning, I envision half of the congregation being left behind, as they have only been warming a pew for most of their lives.
WHAT ABOUT YOU ???
Will you be caught in the snare of an evil generation that lives only for pleasure? Will you delude yourself to think that the statistics listed in the first part of this message makes you ready to meet Almighty God? Will you be deluded to think that you once said the “sinner’s prayer” as a child and all is good, even though you live like the devil? Only the things of God will stand. Everything else will be burned up by fire. There is a time coming when Satan will cover this earth with his forces of demon spirits to unleash his anger for he has been thrown from the halls of heaven. In other words, the devil has come down to Georgia, and the devil must be paid. He wants your life, he wants your soul, and he wants you to spend eternity with him……………..in torment:
12:7 “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
12:8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
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.
12:12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.”(Revelation 12:7-12)
Whoever belonged to Jesus Christ will be with Him for all eternity and the hordes of demons commanded by Satan will destroy all who remain if allowed. If you are of the number who rely on your church, your priest, your shaman, or God forbid yourself , or anything else besides a true relationship with Jesus Christ and cannot wholeheartedly embrace the description of a believer, A TRUE BELIEVER, in Jesus Christ, then get ready for a sudden thrust into an environment that beckons to the fires of Hell on earth. Because my friend, in all honesty, it ain’t head knowledge that will save you, but heart knowledge.
PREPARE TO MEET THY GOD
This is Pastor Mike Taylor praying for your salvation and God’s mercy on your life. If there is anything I can pray with you about, counsel you on, or share scripture of God’s plan for man, then drop me a line at my new email address, pastormiketaylor@yahoo.com, or for more biblical instructions to prepare you for the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ visit my blog at www.pastormiketaylor.blogspot.com,. God bless you all, till we meet at Jesus Feet.
Revelation’s Proof of a Pre-Tribulation Rapture / Harpazo of the Christian Church
Pre-Tribulation Rapture or Harpazo. A needlessly relentless debate of theology, conjecture and misunderstanding. So much confusion over something so very simple, logical, elequent and mathematical. In a nutshell, there are many verses, throughout many books in the Bible that describe a miraculous ‘catching up’ or rescue of Christians (both alive and dead) to be with Christ for eternity. Period. There are even verses that describe the Church, Bride of Christ being in heaven during the Tribulation age. Logically, this mean the Church, Bride of Christ has to be in heaven before the Tribulation starts. This is not necessarily what is debated, although I believe there are people who would even twist this around deceptively. Most of the poor doctrine, among Christians, that surrounds the Rapture/Harpazo has to do with its timing, or when it will or should occur, assuming it is a truthful component of God’s organization and a planned, orchestrated event of his creation. Some people, errorneously propose, without using proper scripture references or logic, that this Rapture/Harpazo occurs midway in the Tribulation, others propose it occurs at the end of the Tribulation, others propose it occurs sometime during the millennial reign of Christ … on and on it goes.
Commentary: Mathematical Theorem / Proof. A theorem is a statement that can be demonstrated to be true by accepted mathematical operations and arguments. In general, a theorem is an embodiment of some general principle that makes it part of a larger theory. The process of showing a theorem to be correct is called a proof. A theorem is a statement that has been proved on the basis of previously established statements, such as other theorems, and generally accepted statements, such as axioms. A theorem is a logical consequence of the axioms. Example: A + B = C; Therefore, A<C (A is less than C or C is greater than A) and B<C (B is less than C, or C is greater than B). The key verses provided below, provide an overwhelmingly logical and simple proof that the Rapture/Harpazo of the Church (Child of Israel, Bride of Christ) occurs BEFORE the Tribulation period (Jacob’s week of trouble) starts. The main focus of Revelation, is on the redemption of Israel, the defeat and destruction of Christ’s enemies (Great Day of the Lord, second coming of Christ), the restoration of all things and the Millenial reign of Christ. The overwhelming evidence suggests that the Rapture/Harpazo of the Church is sort of a footnote at the beginning of John’s book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. This is not to suggest that the Rapture/Harpazo is not important, but in terms of everything prophesized to happen during the Tribulation/Great Tribulation, the Rapture/Harpazo is in the background compared to the focus of God/Christ during the seven year period. The weight of the evidence and the condition of logic suggests this to be true. OK, let’s start!
To follow, I present verses, God’s word, that logically address some of the thorny issues surrounding the Rapture/Harpazo and its timing. Some points are made precisely by the word of God. Some points to substantiate the word of God are logically simple enough that a child can understand them. There should be no confusion regarding any of this. God’s word, provided through the Holy Spirit, is meant to be logical, clear, concise, relevant, revealing and truthful. Every adult, who doesn’t have a mental disorder, or mental disease should be able to easily discern the word of God. Not only regarding these subjects, but others, as well.
A Theorem is a hypothesis or statement regarding the truthfulness of something. In mathematics, it suggests that an answer is true or false, based on the logic and math used to arrive at the answer. Axioms are statements (or mathematics) used to support the Theorem, or answer. By going through the axioms, you will arrive at either a yes or no, true or false conclusion. Either the Theorem or Hypothesis is true as stated, or it is not true, or false as stated. The axioms are used to build a sequential argument for or against the Theorem. The more axioms, the better. Having more axioms provides a litmus test that enough evidence or logic has been provided, beyond any reasonable doubt, to the accuracy of the Theorem being either truthful or false. Although I am not a lawyer, lawyers try to provide as much evidence, as possible, to their case, so the jury can come to the correct conclusion, beyond any reasonable doubt. If there is reasonable doubt, then the lawyer has to go back and find more evidence or proof that his case and proposition is the correct one. Both prosecuting and defense attorneys do this. The Jury takes all this in and utlitmately decides who is right (or who provided the best axioms or proof).
For the benefit of you, the reader, and for me, the writer, I am not going to take the position of a lawyer. I don’t wan’t to get into forest of nit-picking. However, I am going to take an entirely different position, that of being a marriage counselor. No, not for you or your spouse, but for us, the Bride of Christ. Although marriage today seems to declining in popularity or humanstic relevance, people who do choose to get married usually undertake some brief form of marriage counseling. Through a series of questions and answers, this helps them, hopefully, determine or come to the conclustion that they are or are not making the right descison of getting married. Maybe the marriage counselor can help them discover good things (or not so good things) about the relationship, whether the relationship is healthy enough for a firm commitment by either party, whether either party has any concerns or worries of things that might need to be aired and thought about a little bit, etc. The Groom (Jesus Christ), loves us, his Bride so much, that he literally died and rose again for us, 2,000 years ago. He loves us so much, that hell and death couldn’t hold him back from eventually being with his Bride. Talk about a long engagement period. Talk about determination! He obviously has heavenly patience. The rest of us, not so much. In any case, he is patiently waiting until the Father says, It is time Son, time to get married, go get your wife. Jesus is ready, waiting for you. As a Bride, we are anxious and nervous. Will the groom (Jesus Christ) do what he promises? Will he be kind and loving? Will he protect me? Or will he forget me and stand me up and leave me waiting for seven years on the heavenly train station platform during the Tribulation? Will he pick me up at the train station, on time, and before the great bully shows up?” Do these metaphors sound like us waiting to be the Bride of Christ?
Going back to being a nervous nelly of a bride, we are very nervous and looking for a clue, any clue that tells when the Groom will actually come for us. We have been engaged a long time. When is he finally going to come for us? How long do we have to wait? There is a super nasty storm coming (if we have been watching the weather forecast) and we need him so we have someone and someplace to ride the storm out, instead of sitting with no one at the train station. I don’t like standing here outside at the train station. When is he going to get here!? Christians who long for the Lord, have been saying this to themselves and each other for over 2,000 years. Some people are so fidgety and jumpy (literally) that they jump to faulty conclusions. Oh, here he comes, that is his gold convertible!, Darn, that is someone else’s car. Bible study regarding the Rapture/Harpazo can be a lot like what I have been describing above. We can get carried away, make mistakes, jump to conclusions or be so wound up that logic flies out the window along with our prepared wedding invitations on the way to the mail box or post office.
As the marriage counselor, I am telling everyone to calm down, don’t get carried away. Be rational. Read your Bible. Read your Bible again. Take notes, if you have to. Start a list of reasons why Jesus comes for his Bride BEFORE the Tribulation starts. Yes, Jesus loves you (us) very much. Yes, Jeus is also anxiously waiting for us, but the Father says … Wait, more souls need to be included in the wedding ceremony and wedding banquet, I want a full house that is bursting at-the-seems, the wedding list is not large enough yet to eat all the food I have ordered from the heavenly caterers. Yes, Jesus promised many fantastic things for his bride, and He has no intention of defaulting on his promises. He even describes himself and being “faithful and true.” That sounds like a great description, by a groom of himself and just before his wedding day. He knows exactly whom he wants, and its you (us). He has already told us about about a wedding banquet that will be to die for. He has already told us that he has some really neat (fantastic, heavenly) gifts for you (us). Yeah, that is all great and wonderful, but we are STILL standing all day, outside at the train station platform. When IS He going to arrive? It better be sooner, rather than later, I see the storm on the horizon and I don’t have an unbrella. I thought he would have been here by now.
So, as the marriage counselor, I am going to try and console you, to get you to be less nervous, to let you be more secure in your relationship, to ease your mind – a bit. Yes, he is coming quickly, very soon. He said so, four (4) times (Rev. 3:11, 22:7, 22:12, 22:20). No, its O.K. you don’t need an umbrella, he wrote a quick note and said he will be leaving and coming to get you (us) very shortly, he has few more things to do that the Father asked him to do. He will be here to pick you up just before the storm hits the train station. He has it all planned out. Just be patient. He knows that the infamous evil one comes out at night, so he will definitely pick you up (catch us up) before the evil one comes out looking to abduct you(us). Yeah, O.K., O.K., but I (we) are STILL nervous despite all these promises and plans. We want to get married NOW! And not have to wait seven more years at the station.
So, as the marriage counselor, here is proof or evidence that Christ WILL pick up his Bride, before the tornado or storm hits, before the head evil one starts snooping around the station. Jesus Christ is not going to delay getting his Bride, he is not going to delay in getting her before the seven year storm hits. He is not going to let her get beat up by the coming storm. He is not going to let her get molested by someone extremely evil and intent on consuming her. He is not going to leave his Bride standing on the heavenly train station platform waiting for seven years, thinking she has been stood up and that her Groom is never coming. Jesus Christ is not going to let his Bride think of him as not being faithful or true. Jesus Christ is not that kind of Groom, he does not, nor will not, get cold feet and leave us hanging to endure the Tribulation. He loves you (us) so much that he is taking great (heavenly) pains to get ready, and to get here on time, when the Father says, it is time. He wants to be ready for his Bride, when he gets the gold light and can push the elevator button for her to reach the penthouse suite. What a heavenly groom!
Theorem: The Rapture/Harpazo of the Church, or Bride of Christ, or Redeemed Men (alive and dead), or the “Child” (Rev. 12:5) takes place BEFORE the Tribulation Period starts, and BEFORE Satan is kicked out of heaven, and BEFORE the Wrath of God is poured out to evil mankind.
Axiom 1: There is absolutely no mention of any of God’s wrath until chapter six (6)… “For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand. (Rev. 6:17). The context of this verse is about evil men being so fearful of Jesus Christ at his arrival (second coming), that they wish they could hide in mountains and under rocks so Christ won’t see them and their evil deeds. This is in direct contrast to the Bride of Christ who anxiously looks forward to and will rejoice when Jesus returns for us at the Rapture/Harpazo. These two events are a complete dichotomy or opposite of one another. Christ first appears secretively and briefly/mometarily/in-the-twinkling-of-an-eye, in the clouds, to ‘catch up’ and rescue people who belong to him and look forward to being with him. Conversely, Christ’s second coming to the earth (A.K.A. The Day of the Lord) is the complete opposite, he comes in wrath, the entire world sees him and are absolutely terrified and mortified. Evil people avoid him, hide from him, want nothing to with him and want to continue doing evil things. Christ comes and rescues his Bride BEFORE the Tribulation begins and God’s wrath is poured out on evil mankind over the following seven (7) years. Christ comes and destroys his evil enemies at the very end, last day of the Tribulation Period (The Day of the Lord.) The Bible provides no verse or logical reason for both of these events occuring simultaneously (no up-down heavenly elevator or staircase). God’s wrath is not mentioned once in context towards any wrath being associated with his son’s Bride. Why would God pummel his son’s Bride before the wedding? This is illogical, Christ already paid the price for his Bride’s sin through her acceptance of his offer of forgiveness. At this point, she is clothed in righteousness. There is no logical reason and no biblical verses to support a mid or post Tribulation rapture. There is no biblical phrase connecting God’s wrath to the Bride of Christ, the Church, the Child, the children of God, of redeemed men from the Church age. As the Bride of Christ, you (we) should feel a little bit better, and more relieved knowing that we won’t be standing at the train station watching the hurricane coming at us. Still not enough proof? You’re still “nervous”? O.K. Let’s look at the next axiom.
Axiom 2: … “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches”. (Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 29, 3:6, 13, 22). (Emphasis added). Jesus repeats this phrase seven (7) times, once to each of the seven churches of Asia-Minor (regardless of their spritual condition). Contrast these seven exhortations to almost the same comment spoken in Rev. 13:9, “If any man have an ear, let him hear”. This verse occurs in between a series of passages or verses that introduce us to the symbolic figures of the beast/antichrist and false prophet in Revelation Chapter 13. This passage ominously omits ‘unto the churches’. The Church is not on earth to hear what is being inferred to by Rev. 13:9, since they are not the intended recipient of this message/exhortation. If the Church was on the earth during the Tribulation, and this message was intended for them, the Holy Spirit would have again stated ‘saith unto the churches’. Since this does not occur or included in verse 13:9, this provides clear evidence of axiom two (2) that the Church is no longer on earth and not being addressed. Why would Jesus Christ NOT address his Bride, if she were on earth during the Tribulation. If this were true (which it is not) He would be an unattentive husband and not paying attention to her. He would not be ‘faithful or true.’ I cringe at even stating this to make a point. This is blasphemous and also illogical. Please understand that I am using these words to make an important point that Jesus is “Faithful and True.” That He is attentive and will be for eternity. My point is that since we are not on earth during the Tribulation, there is no point of reason for Christ to address his Bride, as if she were here. Sorry if I offended anyone, it was only my intention to make a counter-point. The “if any man have an ear, let him hear,” proclamation is clearly intended for evil men at the time the beast/antichrist comes onto the world scene. Put another check-mark on the logical list of reasons (axioms) for a pre-tribulation Rapture/Harpazo of the Church. Still nervous? O.K. Let’s look at another axiom or proof.
Axiom 3: This one is the ‘BIGGIE’, the most concrete evidence or proof that the Bride of Christ, A.K.A. the ‘Child of Israel’ is not on earth during the Tribulation. There is only one (1) of five (5) direct verses that describe the Child of the woman (Israel) being caught up to the throne of God, before the red dragon can devour the child.
Rev 12:1-5, … “And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns on his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. And she brough forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.” (Emphasis added).
This one verse (12:5), is the only verse, in all of Revelation that indicates that Satan can’t devour the child because it has been caught up unto God’s throne. The prey, the intended victim, the object to be devoured has suddently vanished and can’t be attacked or devoured or destroyed. Satan can’t touch the child because it is in the protection of God’s throne. Why can’t the dragon, Satan devour the child in heaven, in front of God’s throne? God will not let the red dragon (Satan) threaten the child, the Bride of Christ, because he (Satan) has already been formally kicked out of heaven and no longer has direct access to God or God’s throne, (Rev. 12:7, 8, 9, 11, 12). Satan has been kicked out of the house, is not allowed back in, and the child he wants to kill is safely being protected by the Grandfather, in the safest room in the house (the throne of God.) We know that this verse is directly attributable to the Church, since we are the only entity, other than Jesus Christ, who is described throughout all of Revelation as co-ruling over the nations on earth (during the Millennial Kingdom of Christ on earth), with a ‘rod of iron’. The man described in verse 12:5 is non other than Jesus Christ. He is the other entity that is described throughout all of Revelation as ruling over the nations on earth during his Millennial Kingdom, with a ‘rod of iron.’ Jesus Christ has repeatedly promised his overcomers (faithful, redeemed believers) that we would share with him, his rule on earth. (Rev 2:26-27, 5:10, 12:5, 19:14-15, 20:4, 20:6). The ‘man_child’ is two separate entities, one being Jesus Christ, the second being his Bride, the Church, the Child of Israel. Both Jesus Christ and the Child (Church and Christianity) were begotten by Israel, and will rule over the nations of earth with a rod of iron. I don’t know how the Holy Spirit can explain this in any simpler terms that what was stated in verses 12:1-5.
The child or Church is who is caught up and rescued to heaven before Satan can harm it. Literally, just as a human child is birthed and comes out of the birth canal, the physician or nurse, has to catch the infant as it enters the world. They quickly wrap the child to protect it and put it in some kind of incubator or heated birthing unit, to protect the infant and keep it warm and safe. They quickly identify the child and who its mother is and send the infant to the birthing ward or nursery (or whatever its called nowadays). Before the grandchild (raptured child) comes home (heaven), the Grandfather (God) and Father/Groom (Jesus Christ) prepare a special place for the Child/Bride of Christ, and ensure that any potential harmful things (Satan) are eliminated from the home (heaven and throne of God) and the surroundings (Satan and his evil cohort are cast out of heaven and down to earth). Thus, the Child or Bride of Christ is secure in heaven, in God’s throne room and has escaped any evil from Satan, and from any of God’s upcoming wrath for evil mankind on earth. This logical, this is common sense and is supported by Rev. 12:5, 7-12. Since Satan can’t capture his coveted prize (Christian Chruch, Bride of Christ, The Child), he goes after next best thing he can when he is thrown to the curb of the earth. He pursues or persecutes the Jews and Israel, itself.
The Church was conceived by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (a comforter who was sent) at Pentecost, 2,000 years ago. At some point, in the near future, the Church will be born when God says it is the right time. It has taken the Church over 2,000 years to grow, to have the gospel proclaimed to all nations. Verse 12:5 depicts the birth of the church, at just the right time, so Satan can’t destroy what God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit have been working on for 2,000 years, the redemption of sin-fallen men through the forgiveness of sins – the shedding of his blood – and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Only God know how many soulswill partake of Christ’s offer of salvation and will be included in his wedding invitation to participate in the blessed wedding supper with the Lamb. Only God knows how many souls will be needed to fill the wedding chapel/temple and banquet hall, or how many souls are needed to fill the mansions in the new, heavenly Jerusalem. The birth or catching up of the child, will not happen until God determines that the time of gestation is finally complete and the great multitudes that no one can count has reached it divine limit (dead Christians + alive Christians). Are you still worried that you have to endure the Tribulation? No need to worry. Let’s try adding another proof or axiom.
Axiom 4: There is no mention of church or churches after Revelation Chapter three (3). Christ specifically address his church; past, present and future, in his seven letters in Chapters 2 and 3 exclusively. There are no letters from Christ to his church or Bride throughout the rest of his Revelation. If his Bride exists on earth during the Tribulation period, wouldn’t it be logical for him at some point, to at least address her or acknowledge her throughout the rest of his Revelation? If she exists on earth during the Tribulation, why would he pay so much attention to her at the beginning and then just ignore her when the celestial sledgehammer of wrath starts hitting earth intended for someone else (evil mankind). His wife or bride (us) will not be collateral damage in God’s attempt to chasten evil men and win the souls of Tribulation Saints. What point is there in Jesus Christ chastising his Bride if she is already found ‘clean and righteous’ by the blood of the Lamb and has a white wedding dress or clothing? This is contradictory and God/Jesus Christ does not contradict himself. The chastising (understatement) is intended for evil mankind, those who garments are filthy rags. There is nothing, absolutely nothing in any of the seven letters to the Church to suggest that they (as a whole) will have to undergo the severe wrath that God will pour out on mankind for seven years. Put another checkmark on the logical list of scripture, and reasons why the Church is absent from the Tribulation period (pre-tribulation rapture). Let’s look at yet another axiom.
Axiom 5: There is no mention for the church to repent after chapter three (3). Christ tells his church, to repent in verses (2:5, 2:16, 3:3, 3:19). These are the only four verses, throughout all of Revelation, where Christ admonishes the spirituality of his Christians and for them to repent. Nowhere else, in all of Tribulation, does Christ admonish his church to repent. However, all subsequent expectations to repent are directed towards Tribulation period evil men “who repented not and did not give glory to God.” (Rev. 9:20-21, 16:9, 16:11). Christ can’t admonish his Church to repent, if it is not on earth sinning or otherwise partaking in the Babylon system by worshipping the beast, his image and taking his mark. Since Christ’s Church is not on earth, during the Tribulation, there is no need for admonishment to repent. In Rev. 3:19, Christ specifically says … “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.” This rebuke is given to the Church of the Laodiceans (financially rich, spiritually poor) while their poor / bad / lukewarm spiritual manifestation of Christianity was still on display on the earth and causing Christ to want to wretch. Suddenly, mysteriously, there is no mention of Christ admonishing His Church(s) to repent of any poor or bad spiritual condition, throughout the rest of His Revelation. Did all of the redeemed men in Jesus Christ suddenly and mysteriously become as the Church of Smyrna or the Church of Philadelphia sometime during the Tribulation, and be in no need of rebuking to repent? Of course not, there are no verses or scripture to suggest that this ever happens. Thus, there is no need for Christ to rebuke the true Church or his righteous Bride, because she is no longer on earth. Place another check mark on the pre-tribulation rapture check-list. Verse after verse, axiom after axiom, proof after proof that Jesus Christ does NOT intend for his Bride to suffer horribly any time during the Tribulation. God’s wrath is not intended for Christ’s Bride A.K.A. the Child of Rev. 12:5.
Axiom 6: Jesus Christ indicates that the loyal and faithful Christians in His Church at Philadelphia, “who kept the word of his patience” will be spared from the hour of temptation that will come upon all the world, to try them that dwell on the earth. (Rev. 3:10). WOW! If one (1) simple sentence can scream pre-tribulation rapture/harpazo, this would be it. It is simple, eloquent, loving, truthfull, direct and to the point. The temptation referred to is the beast’s/antichrist’s Babylonian system of false worship, idol worship and all sorts of temptations, deceptions and blasphemies. Christ specifically he says he “will keep thee from,” all the evilness that will befall the world during the hour of temptation that will come upon all men to try them. I interpret this to mean, “to be spared from the wrath”, “to be kept from being tempted,” “to be protected and rescued from evil and God’s anger that will try mankind.” In other simpler words, to be raptured or caught up to God’s throne before the red dragon (Satan) can destroy you (us) through the beast/antichrist, false prophet and evil babylon system (city, mystery religion babylon). Here is an example of truth within truth and numbers within numbers and meaning within meaning. Count the following words… keep…thee…from…the…hour…of…temptation. There are just seven (7) very simple words. What do we know by the meaning of seven (7) in God’s divine mathematics? Seven (7) represents God’s divinly determined completeness to his purpose or plan. It is God’s divine purpose of plan, that the faithful in Jesus Christ will be kept from the hour of temptation otherwise known as the Tribulation. God’s divine mathematics to the rescue!, to help clear up any lingering confusion or doubt about the pre-tribulation rapture of the Church. If you have trouble counting, ask your seven (7) year old child to help you count. Did you you just finish putting another checkmark on your pre-tribulation rapture checklist?
Axiom 7: There are three (3) verses that describe the Bride of Christ, but in context, they clearly describe her in appearance as being in heaven. The reference is past tense, not in present tense duirng the Tribulation period. The three (3) verses are;
Rev. 19:7-9, … “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.”
The description of Christ’s “wife” does not remotely resemble someone who has endured seven years of living hell on earth. These verses say she has “made” herself ready. Notice, this does not mean she is in the process of getting ready, or will get ready, or is postponing getting ready. She isn’t in the process of picking out her wedding dress and getting it tucked and fitted. Nor, is she in the unfortunate position of not being ready and having to find and call a dress shop, at the last minute, to see if they have any nice dresses leftover after marriage season, and are still in the clearance bin. No, she is “ready” to go and attend the marriage supper with the Lamb. No current or future scrambling around to find and buy fine, clean white linens of righteousness. This doesn’t appear to be someone hanging around until the middle of the Tribulation to get married, or someone even unfortunate enough to be scurrying around at the very last second on the Day of the Lord’s return. Or, even someone lazy enough or evil enough to wait until her husband gets His “big job” of reigning over the nations of the earth, until she moves to get her act together enough to get her wedding dress. All intended puns aside, the whole point of these simple three verses indicate that the Bride of Christ or the Wife of the Lamb is already…ready. No preparation needed. She has already been judged and found to be righteous through the forgiveness of her sins from the shedding of Christ’s blood and his resurrection.
She believed in him, and had faith in him for over 2,000 years. He loved her so much, that he died for her.. went to hell and back for her and has been waiting for her for 2,000 years. What a romance! What a marriage supper! What a wedding outfit! What a blessing to be part of this heavely event, 2,000 years in the making! Does this special, unique and astounding event appear to be like something God will just let slip in anytime during the Tribulation or Millenium. No, I don’t believe so. From the perspective of God and Jesus Christ, there is no further refinement by fire needed for the bride or wife. She is already (past tense) found righteous and to be arrayed in fine linen and not dirty rags. I don’t find ANY verses in the Bible to even remotely suggest that this blessed hope or event is just a footnote occurance during the Tribulation (7 year period) or Millennial Kingdom (1,000 year period directly following the Tribulation). It’s promise is too important for all concerned, God, Jesus Christ and us (Church, Bride, Wife, Child) to have this event squeezed in between seal openings, trumpet wraths and vial plagues. Nasty, nasty, nasty stuff going on in the backdrop of the world. Not a good backdrop for a wedding so important to Jesus Christ and his faithful. However, not to worry. The wedding does not take place on the earth during the Tribulation or after. It takes place in heaven before the earth is overrun with the extremest of evil and God’s ensuing anger and manifestions of his wrath. Jesus Christ’s wedding and marriage supper takes place in the light, glory and beauty of heaven. Not in the dark, smelly, slop of evil on earth. The earth is quickly transformed into a dark, smelly, slop or cornicopea of evil once the Bride/Wife/Child is raptured to God’s throne and the Tribulation period begins. Are you running out of room for check-marks on your pre-tribulation rapture checklist?
Axiom 8: Almost the entire focus in Jesus Christ’s book of Revelation is; the refinement, protection and restoration of Israel, the fulfillment of God’s promised convenants with Israel’s founding ancestors, the redemption of men known as the Tribulation Saints, the destruction of evil and Jesus Christ’s enemies on the Day of the Lord, the restoration and re-population of the earth, the establishment of the millenial reign of Christ, and the Tabernacling of God/Jesus with redeemed men/glorified saints in the new, heavely Jerusalem. Tucked away in the front of Revelation, (Chapters 2 and 3) are the only references to the church and then…nothing, nada, zip, zero, zilch. It is if the church has suddently disappeared or that Jesus’ promises to spare his Bride from God’s wrath has already been fulfilled. Why is there no verse, command, statement description of the Church in the rest of Revelation? What is the point of Jesus addressing his Bride, if she is not on earth during the Tribulation Age? Check-mark.
Axiom 9: … “Blessed in he that readeth” (Rev. 1:3). What is the blessing for keeping the words of prophecy? Knowing you won’t have to face the hour of temptation and tribulation that will try all men on earth. You won’t be stressed, anxious, having panic attacks, or worried about your eternal destiny. You will be comforted in knowing that you won’t be here and that the wrath of God is not reserved for you. You will be anxiously awaiting Christ’s hidden, sudden, “in-the-twinkling-of-an-eye” appearing for us and preparing to meet him instead of trying to work your way into heaven. You do not have to invest your money (if you have any) in underground bunkers in case of nuclear attacks. You don’t have to invest in stockpiling foods, water and medicines if you are saved and forgiven by the shedding of Christ’s blood and the forgiveness of your sins. Instead, you can invest your time, money and efforts in the kingdom of Jesus Christ where it will be bear fruit for eternity and not be destroyed by fire, earthquakes, wars or 75 pound hail stones during the Tribulation Age. The blessings for reading and keeping (believing in) the prophecy of this book are many and could be discussed in an entirely separate book. Yes, there are that many blessings. The more you read, understand and discern prophecy and the book of Revelation, the more aware and conscious you will become as to what awaits you as a faithful Christian. Some are obvious, some not so obvious, but all are very real. If you read Revelation and its prophecy, you should and will be blessed in knowing that your (our) blessed hope is coming very soon and we will not be forced to be tested by the perfection of deception (beast/antichrist) or have to suffer the divine sledgehammer of God’s wrath(s). Check-mark.
Axiom 10: The armies of heaven (which I believe include saints and angels) descend upon earth on The Day of the Lord, to glorify Christ in the slaying of his enemies and evil men. This occurs on the very last day of the Tribulation period. There is no reference, or any verse that suggests any group of men will be raptured or ascend to heaven on the Lord’s Day. Why would God rapture or catch up the Bride of Christ and then instanteously turn around and send her back down to earth? That isn’t logical and there is absolutely no biblical support for a Day of the Lord Rapture/Harpazo. The armies of heaven are described as wearing white garments. This implies that they have already been found (past tense) righteous in Christ and have been prepared to assist and join Jesus Christ on the glorious day of his second return to earth. God does NOT say, ‘Oops, I forgot and left my son’s beautiful and precious bride standing and waiting on the passenger-train-to-heaven-platform for seven years. She is getting beaten up by a molester, hail, demonic locusts, fireballs from space, earthquakes, so I better go get her so I can send her right back down again to earth immediately.’ This is illogical, makes no sense. What father would want his son to have a wife who just barely survived a 12 round boxing match? The Bride of Christ, (Child), is not a celestial yo-yo or meant to ride a heavenly elevator going up-and-down and up-and-down as some earthly children like to do when pushing elevator buttons. My grown children, when they were very young, would fight over who got to push the elevator buttons. Sound familiar?
The Bride of Christ is caught up to God’s throne room BEFORE the Tribulation, so she can receive her Bride’s gifts (Bema seat rewards), be given her white wedding dress, to participate in an absolutely fantastic wedding banquet and to prepare for her eternity with Christ. Why would Christ wait yet another seven years, after already waiting 2,000 years, to receive his Bride? Why would he want his Bride to endure seven years of being beaten up by God’s wrath. This is blasphemous. Jesus Christ does not allow his Bride to be harmed during the seven year Tribulation Period. This is why she is raptured/harpazoed BEFORE the Tribulation begins, and not midway or at the end, or even during the Millennium. Christ shed his blood for us, his Bride, 2,000 years ago, so we won’t be forced to shed our blood during the seven year Tribualtion period. It is that simple. Yet, some people twist and distort this fact. The army described coming with Christ, on his second coming, exists in heaven, is seen as “righteous” represented by their white clothing, they are prepared, they come in glory with Christ, they include his redeemed of the earth A.K.A. his Bride. This army does NOT exist on earth during the Tribulation, therefore, if the Bride of Christ is included in the army, it (us, we) have to be in heaven during the Tribulation in order to accompany the return of Christ on his Day of the Lord. My pen is getting low on ink from all the check-marks I’m making in my pre-tribulation rapture notebook. Do you have an extra pen I can borrow? By the way, how is our little marriage counseling session going? Are you feeling any better about your relationship with Jesus Christ and when his is coming for you (us). You don’t have to answer the question, I will keep giving you axioms or proofs until you tell me stop, enough is enough, you get the message, you get the point, you are convinced.
Axiom 11: Rev. 1:6 … “And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be the glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” This verse directly follows a verse, provided by the Apostle John, that identifies Jesus Christ as him who made us kings and priests by washing our sins in his blood. What could this verse possibly have to do with the rapture of the Church / Bride of Christ / Child? Let’s look at and state the obvious. Jesus Christ made us into kings and priests for him and God, the Father. We are made into kings and priests because we believe in Jesus Christ, that he is who he says he is, that we believe that he died for us so our sins could be forgiven, that he shed his blood for us so that we don’t have to shed our own blood. He died so that we would live. I stated an obvious truth, no Christian worth his salt would deny any of this. Now, I’m going to ask a question for you to ponder. If Christ went to hell and back for us, and shed his blood for us so we could become “kings and priests unto God”, and so that we wouldn’t have to die and shed our own blood … why would he subject his “kings and priests unto God” to die and shed our own blood during the Tribulation? The shedding of our blood for salvation is blasphemous and negates the work Christ did for us on the cross. Why would Jesus Christ negate his own work, for over 2,000 years, just so his “kings and priests unto God” could shed their own blood sometime (anytime) during the Tribulation?
I saw someone shudder a heard qiuck gasp. And now, I hear crickets, silence, pondering. I can see the wheels turning. ‘Uh, yeah, why would Christ shed his bloold for us, and then expect his “kings and priests unto God” to shed our own blood during the Tribulation?’ He shed his blood for us so we wouldn’t have to. That doesn’t make any sense or logic for us to be on earth, during the Tribulation, just so the beast/antichrist can kill us and shed our blood. That is completely preposterous and sounds and smells like some type of evil anti-salvation. My point is that God and Jesus Christ does not contradict himself or throw away his work for the past 2,000 years. Yes, I have stated this before and it should be stated again. Yes, there are Christians who shed their blood by beheading during the Tribulation, known as the Tribulation Saints, but these are not the same Christians that come from the Age of Grace, prior to and ending at the onset of the Tribulation. Revelation is very clear that there are two distinct group of Christians, those the come before the Tribulation and those that come from or during the time of the Tribulation. The Bride of Christ are those Christians (alive and dead) that come BEFORE the Tribulation, and the Tribulation Saints are those people who become Christians and are martyred during the seven (7) year Tribulation period. Revelation even provides us with further clarification by identifying the two different types of white clothing being worn by each group of believers. The Bride of Christ being on the earth, during the Tribulation, and being killed by the beast/antichrist, contradicts Christ’s work on the cross, over 2,000 years ago. Does this explanation work as an axiom or proof that logically explains why the Bride of Christ, the Church, the Child can’t and will not be on earth during the Tribulation? Does this support the theorem that the rapture/harpazo of the Church, absolutely, positively, unequivocably has to occur BEFORE the Tribulation. I think this deserves at least seven (7) checkmarks. Time to use the other side of your piece of paper keeping track of pre-tribulation rapture/harpazo check-marks.
Axiom 12: (Rev. 5:9)Twenty-four (24) Elders sing a new song before the throne, acknowledging that Christ redeemed them and shed his blood for them and also for people out of every kindred, tongue, and nation. This is a very key Bible verse that attests to the pre-tribulation rapture of the the Church, Bride of Christ, The Child. This verse takes place AFTER the seven letters to the seven churches. This verse then takes place immediately when John is caught up by the Holy Spirit and is in the throne room of God. John describes what he sees, “;for thou was slain and has redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation:” Jesus Christ has NOT yet even opened the seven book seals that start the Tibulation and introduce the four horsemen of the apocalypse! How can those who are redeemed already be in heaven if the Tribulation hasn’t started? Because they are raptured befor the start of the Tribulation. There is no logic or common sense for those redeemed by Christ’s forgiveness to be in heaven, before the Tribulation, and then have to be sent back down to earth to experience God’s wrath. Rev. 5:9 CLEARLY takes place in heaven, even before God starts his wrath by having the Lamb open the seven book seals. This axiom is a big checkmark for pre-tribulation rapture/harpazo. Those praising God and the Lamb are doing so becausde of Christ’s redemption of them. They are not praising God or the Lamb, because they survived the Tribulation. The Tribulation hasn’t even started yet.
Axiom 13: Twelve referenced wraths of God being poured out to the nations, Babylon and evil mankind (Rev. 16:16, 16:1717, 11:18, 14:8, 14:10, 14:19, 15:1, 15:7, 16:1, 16:19, 18:3, 19:15). No wrath is referenced as being doled out to the beast/antichrist, no wrath towards the false prophet, no wrath towards the Bride of Christ / Church / Child (Rev. 12:5). Wrath of the nations is inferred three (3) times, Wrath of Babylon is referred to twice (2), and lastly, wrath of mankind is referred to seven (7) times. No mention of wrath for the Bride of Christ or the Child of Rev. 12:5, because we are not on earth during the Tribulation. If God had intended for one of his wraths to be poured out on the Bride of Christ, a verse stating so would have included along with the wraths mentioned for the nations, Babylon and evil mankind. The Holy Spirit is very specific in mentioning whom the wraths are intended for. There is not one mention of the Bride of Christ, the Church or the Child having to receive said wraths. The beast/antichrist and false prophet eventually receive their wrath of God in the form of being tossed alive into the lake of fire. Satan also placed into the lake of fire at the end of the millennial period. No wrath is intended for the Bride of Christ, during the Tribulation, because she is not on earth. Period. Check-mark. Check-mate
Axiom 14: Through our redemption from Jesus Christ, God promises to deliver us from evil and/or wrath. God does not contradict himself. If the Church, Bride of Christ, The Child were on earth duiring the Tribulation period and experiencing God’s wrath and extreme evil, then we would not be delivered out of temptatation or wrath, and we would not be delivered from evil. God would not contradict himself by having his Son’s bride to endure these things. This is illogical. Therefore, if we believe these promises to be the rightful and true word of God, then we rest assured knowing that we WILL be delivered out of temptation, that we will be delivered and kept from every evil work. We can also know that God has not appointed us to wrath, during the Tribulation period. The pure and righteous nature (does not contradict himself or lie) of God indicates that the Bride of Christ will not be on earth during the Tribulation. This is the fourteenth (14) axiom in support of the theorem that the Church, Bride of Christ, The Child is ratpured/harpazoed BEFORE the Tribulation period.
Peter 2:9 … “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgement to be punished.” (Emphasis added).
2 Timothy 4:18 … “And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (Emphasis added).
2 Thess. 3:3 … “But the Lord is faithful, who shall establish you, and keep you from evil.” (Emphasis added).
1 Peter 4:17 … “For the time is come that judgement must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” The entire book of Revelation is the answer to this question. Christ judges the seven (7) churches FIRST, in chapters one through three. The entire rest of the book of Revelation is God’s judgement of evil mankind.
1 Thess. 5:9 … “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Emphasis added).
As a member of the Bride of Christ, are you more assured and resting knowing that Christ comes quickly for us, and before the evil one shows up at the heavenly train station platform? Good! Excellent! Keep being patience and occupy, knowing that you will rescued from a time that will never be again. One last hidden number within a number. As stated, I have provided fourteen (14) axioms which prove a pre-tribulaiton rapture. Fourteen (14) denotes a doubling – or double emphasis of a matter of seven (7) denoting God’s divine purpose or plan. 2×7=14. Put into simpler terms, it is as if God is giving us fourteen (14) divinely determined reasons NOT TO WORRY about having to be on earth duiring the Tribulation period. We should all take GREAT COMFORT in believing this promise from God.
Matthew 24:42; Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
Matthew 25:13; Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
Mark 13:35; Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning.
Luke 21:36; Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man
Luke 12:37-39; Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.
‘Increasing Like Labor Pains.’ ‘Fearful Sights.’ ‘Perilous Times.’ ‘Men’s hearts failing with fear.’ Great Convergence of Signs.’ REDEMPTION IMMINENT.
In His Service,
Night Watchman
Paul Rolland
Night Watchman Ministries
Make Your Decision for Christ NOW!!!!!!! Time is Up!!!!!!!
Jesus Christ’s Offer of Salvation:
The ABCs of Salvation through Jesus Christ (the Lamb)
A. Admit/Acknowledge/Accept that you are sinner. Ask God’s forgiveness and repent of your sins.
. . . “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23).
. . . “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.” (Romans 3:10).
. . . “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8).
B. Believe Jesus is Lord. Believe that Jesus Christ is who He claimed to be; that He was both fully God and fully man and that we are saved through His death, burial, and resurrection. Put your trust in Him as your only hope of salvation. Become a son or daughter of God by receiving Christ.
. . . “That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (John 3:15-17). For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13).
C. Call upon His name, Confess with your heart and with your lips that Jesus is your Lord and Savior.
. . . “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:9-10).
. . . “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” (John 1:8-10).
. . . “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. (John 2:2).
. . . “In this was manifested the love of god toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.” (1 John 4:9, 14-15).
. . . “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” (Romans 5:8-10).
. . . “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23).
. . . “Jesus saith unto them, I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6).
. . . “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth.” (Romans 1:16).
. . . “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts: 4:12).
. . . “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth for there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 2:4-6).
. . . “For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 5:9).
. . . “But as many as received him, to them gave the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” (John 1:12).
True Church / Bride of Christ Spared from God’s Wrath:
Romans 5:8-10. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”
Romans 12:19. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 1:10. And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
1 Thessalonians 5:9. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
Romans 8:35. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Jeremiah 30:7. Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble, but he shall be saved out of it.
Revelation 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
Categories: Child or Bride of Christ, The Final Generation, Those Left Behind
