What the Bible Says about the Rapture, pt. 4

PRE-TRIBULATIONAL VIEWPOINT
The Pre-Tribulation viewpoint teaches that the Church will be removed from the earth before the Tribulation begins. As stated previously, it is our view that true believers will be raptured from the earth to heaven before the Tribulation period begins.

The Pre-Tribulational viewpoint is based upon the literal interpretation of the Scriptures. We know that the Bible speaks both literally and figuratively. When we speak of a literal interpretation of the Scriptures, we are not eliminating the use of figures or types in Scripture, such as Revelation 13:1, “Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name.” Here, rather than being a literal description of the Antichrist, we see the nature of the Antichrist and his kingdom described.

When we speak of the literal interpretation of Scripture we are contrasting the literal view of scripture with that which is known as spiritualizing. The spiritualizing of Scripture is the reading into a passage much more that was ever intended and has led to many unbiblical teachings and doctrines (such as Replacement Theology, i.e., the United States being portrayed as the new Israel).

The doctrine of the Pre-Tribulational return of Christ for His Church is the outcome of the literal method of interpretation. It is only correct therefore, that we apply the same method of interpretation to the question of the Rapture, the Tribulation, and to the Millennial Reign of Christ as well.

In I & II Thessalonians we see believers suffering for their faith in Christ. Paul address their suffering in I Thessalonians 2:14, “For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Judeans,” and in I Thessalonians 3:3-4, “that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this. For, in fact, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened, and you know.” They were being persecuted for the Name of Christ, they were suffering for their testimony for Jesus Christ.

Because this suffering was so intense, some taught that the Rapture had taken place and that their loved ones, having missed out on the Rapture, would miss out on the Kingdom Age. So Paul was writing to correct this false teaching. Although they were suffering exceedingly for their faith, they were not in the Tribulation, but rather suffering even as he had told them that they would and even as Jesus predicted, "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world," (John 16:33).

Paul offered the Thessalonian believers hope, I Thessalonians 4:13-18, “But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” Those who are asleep in Jesus will go with Him; they will not be left behind. In fact, those that are asleep in Jesus have a place of privilege, as they will be the first to rise at the Rapture, ”…the dead in Christ will rise first.” The dead have not been forgotten. That gives the believer hope because many have been laid to rest in the sure and certain hope of the Resurrection of the dead. Having this hope, we have assurance from the Lord that they will rise from the dead and that we will see them in His Kingdom.

Paul declared that Jesus Himself is coming to the clouds, “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven…” Jesus is coming for His Church just as He said He would, "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also,” (John 14:33). This is the Blessed Hope that the believer has, that the Savior is coming for us, to receive us for Himself and we will be with Him forever. When He comes at the Rapture of the Church, He will not come to earth as at His Second Coming; rather, we will meet Him in the clouds, Paul said, “…And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” Paul concludes, “Therefore comfort one another with these words.” What comfort does it provide the believer if he is to endure the Tribulation? None. No, our comfort is knowing that Jesus is coming back to claim us as His own, at the Rapture of the Church, just as He said He would, before the judgment of God is poured out at the Tribulation, not during or after, but before. Now that is of great comfort! Paul writes in I Thessalonians 5:1-2 of the Rapture of the Church, “But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.”

Jesus, in His teachings, made a careful distinction between the Rapture of the Church and His Second Coming. He spoke of the Rapture of the Church in Luke 17:34-36, "I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed: the one will be taken and the other will be left. Two women will be grinding together: the one will be taken and the other left. Two men will be in the field: the one will be taken and the other left." He spoke of His Second Coming in Matthew 24:27, "For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be." At the Second Coming, every eye will see Him. At the Rapture of the Church, only believers will see Him.

Paul recognized this distinction, declaring that Jesus at the Rapture of the Church would come as a thief in the night, unexpected and without warning, even as Jesus had said, Matthew 24:43-44, “But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” The thief only surprises those who are unaware; however, the believer has been warned to watch and wait for the Lord’s return and will not be caught unaware.

God has not left us in spiritual darkness regarding His plan, I Thessalonians 5:3-4, “For when they say, ‘Peace and safety!’ then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.” Sudden destruction will come upon the unsaved, not upon the Church. We are not in darkness so that Day will not overtake us. They will be saying, ”…Peace and safety!’…” We are saying, Jesus is coming soon and with Him, Judgment. The Rapture of the Church will overtake the world, not the believer in Christ, as He has not left us in darkness regarding His plan.

It is interesting that when Titus surrounded the city of Jerusalem with the armies of Rome in 70AD and subsequently destroyed the city and the Temple, only the Church escaped the destruction. That is because the Church heeded the warning of Jesus, "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled,” (Luke 21:20-22). God never leaves His people in darkness. Just as Jesus warned His people in the first century, so He has warned His people in subsequent centuries what to look for and how to escape.

At the Rapture of the Church the unsaved will be surprised because they will not hear nor heed the warning of our testimony of the Word of God. The world historically has ignored the signs of coming judgment. How many times has the world mocked the Church for it’s warning of the judgment to come upon the earth? Peter wrote of the attitude and the ignorance of the world towards the message of the coming of Christ to judge the world as a sign of the Last Days, II Peter 3:3-7, “knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.’ For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.“ They are willingly ignorant of the fact that all things have not continued as they have from the beginning. God destroyed the world in judgment through a flood; He will destroy the world once again, this time by fire.

Noah warned that the Flood was coming, yet only eight souls were saved (II Peter 2:5). Lot warned his sons-in-law that the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah was coming, but they would not listen (Genesis 19:14). Yet Jesus Himself used the examples of Noah and Lot to depict the times subsequent to the Rapture of the Church, Luke 17:26-30, “ And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.” Lot warned his sons-in-law, yet they thought he was joking. Noah warned the world, yet they no doubt mocked him. People mock the Church for its testimony of the coming judgment. And yet, here we see a world going about their regular activities not knowing that judgment is imminent, just as in the days of Noah and Lot, even as Jesus said.

No doubt, when fire began to fall on Sodom and Gomorrah, the people were terrified. No doubt when the rain began and the water began to rise the people were terrified. Perhaps they even began to pound on the Ark, begging to be let inside. They had the testimony of righteous Noah, for 120 years, yet they chose to ignore his testimony to their own peril. It was too late.

The Rapture of the Church will be a catastrophic event that will impact the entire world as the graves of Christians are opened and Christians all over the world disappear from the face of the earth. It will take the world by complete surprise and no doubt terrify many as they realize that the testimony of the Christians was true and they are too late.

I believe that on the day of the Rapture of the Church, churches will fill to overflowing with those who have ignored the testimony of Christian loved ones and friends seeking to be taken in the Rapture. Many will be filled with a regret that we can only imagine as they bemoan their decision to reject or put off their decision to receive Jesus and follow Him. Yet it will be too late for them and they will endure the suffering of the Tribulation because they refused to believe.

However, there is some good news. It will be possible to be saved during the Tribulation period. In fact, the Bible tells us the that the greatest evangelistic work in history will take place during the Tribulation as millions and millions come to know Jesus. John writes of them in Revelation 7:9-17, “After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’ All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: ‘Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, Be to our God forever and ever. Amen.’ Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, ‘Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?’ And I said to him, ‘Sir, you know.’ So he said to me, ‘These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’" Those that teach that the Church will endure the Tribulation also teach that God will protect the Church from the effects of the Tribulation, just as He protected Israel from the plagues that came upon Egypt. However, we notice here in these verses that those that come out of the Tribulation were affected by hunger, thirst, sun and heat. Thus the argument of protection is invalidated by the testimony of Scripture.

Paul tells us that we, in these Last Days, are to be alert and self controlled, I Thessalonians 5:5-8, “You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.” Sleep is used here metaphorically to indicate religious carelessness. Paul is telling us not to be careless with our faith, caught up in the world and in the things of this world. Alert here speaks of spiritual alertness. We are to be spiritually alert, on watch, waiting for Jesus to come for His Church.

Paul offers one of the strongest proofs for the Pre-Tribulational Rapture of the Church in, I Thessalonians 5:9, “For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” The Tribulation is the wrath of God and God has not appointed us to wrath. Jesus Himself promised us that we would not come into judgment, John 5:24, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.” And Paul declared the same thing in Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.” The believer is not condemned; the believer’s sins were judged at the cross, and because of his faith in Jesus he has passed from death to life and shall not come into judgment.

Paul encourages all believers in I Thessalonians 1:10, "…to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come." Another strong proof for the Pre-Tribulational Rapture of the Church.

We have seen that Revelation 6 (set in the first 3-1-2 years of the Tribulation) speaks of the seals being broken on the book and the results being the wrath of the Lamb. In verse 16-17, those on the earth declare, “…to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?" Clearly the first 3-1/2 years of the Tribulation as well as the last 3-1/2 years of the Tribulation are the wrath of God being poured out on those who dwell upon the earth.

Another very strong proof of a Pre-Tribulational Rapture of the Church is made to the faithful Church of Philadelphia, Revelation 3:10, “Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.”

In II Thessalonians Paul writes again to strengthen his first letter as the believers were continuing to suffer and needed encouragement, “Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come,” (II Thessalonians 2:1-2).

Paul goes on to write that the Day of the Lord cannot occur until the falling away occurs and the lawless one (the Antichrist) is revealed, II Thessalonians 2:3-4, “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” Paul tells them that the Antichrist will set up his image in the Temple declaring himself to be God and demanding worship as such.

Now this word of falling away is the Greek word, apostasia (ap-os-tas-ee'-ah) which means a departure or removal. It is used correctly of an apostate, one who has departed from the true faith. It can also be used correctly of a departure from one place to another. What is this falling away? It can be a massive defection from the Church (which we are currently seeing in America today). It can also refer to the Rapture of the Church as a departure.

There is a massive defection from the faith prophesied in Scripture promised in the Last Days, I Timothy 4:1-2, “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron.” In their teachings they are departing from the true faith and teaching doctrines of demons, i.e., teachings inspired by Satan.

We have seen this come to pass in our lifetime as men continue to reject the orthodox teaching of the Scriptures and substitute the teachings of men for the truth of God. Those who teach these doctrines became callused to the truth with the result being that their conscience becomes insensate, unable any longer to feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit.

Paul continues in II Timothy to write of the rise of those who would follow these teachers in the Last Days, II Timothy 3:1-7, “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

Never in history has there been more resources available to men of the things of God and never in history has there been so much ignorance of the things of God. These here are lovers of themselves and money, lovers of pleasure and entertainment. And that is just what these false teachers are giving them, all the while enriching themselves at the expense of those that follow them.

Paul here is speaking of those who claim to be Christians but are not, declaring of them that they have, “…a form of godliness but denying its power…” They are religious, but do not know Christ. There is no power in what they are being taught to produce real change in their lives. And true believers are told to turn away from such who teach and who follow such teachings.

We are indeed living in perilous times, times that the Prophet Amos wrote of, Amos 8:11-12, “‘Behold, the days are coming,’ says the Lord GOD, ‘That I will send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD. They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the LORD, but shall not find it.’” We live in a time where it has become increasingly difficult to find true, orthodox teaching from the Scriptures. We live in a time in which men have replaced the Gospel and the Word of God with feel good books that address felt needs instead of dealing with the problem of sin and the need for genuine repentance and faith in God.

The Apostle Peter also wrote of the rise of false teachers in the Last Days, II Peter 2:1-3, “But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.” Peter tell us that they will secretly bring in heresy under the guise of truth, even to the point of denying Christ and His redemptive work.

One of the so-called faith teachers has declared that God spoke to him and told him that he could of done what Jesus did, that any born again man armed with the Word of God could do what Jesus did. Not only is this heresy, this is blasphemy of the worst kind. An yet this is what is being taught in the so-called faith movement as truth, literally fulfilling the words of the Apostle Peter.

The great tragedy is that they have no shortage of followers as they appeal directly to the covetous nature of the people who follow them. Yet the truth is that the only one’s who are getting rich is the false teachers who are using their teachings to mask a covetous lifestyle. Paul said of them that they were, “…men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself,” (I Timothy 6:5). Their end is to be condemned in judgment from the Lord.

Consider carefully what Jesus said in Matthew 7:21-23, “Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'” These are very sobering words from Jesus. These are those who think that they are serving Him, but are not. They think that they know Him, but He does not know them! (This reminds me of the words of the Demon possessed man to the seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, Acts 19:15, “And the evil spirit answered and said, ‘Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?’” The demons know who Jesus is and they tremble, James 2:19, “…Even the demons believe — and tremble!” Yet these in Matthew 7 who profess to know Him, do not know Him). They have a passion, “…'Lord, Lord.” They have works, “…have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?'” Yet they have no relationship with Jesus. All that they do is in reality, not for Jesus, but rather for themselves, to satisfy themselves.

Peter goes on to describe their methods and motives, II Peter 2:18-19, “For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.” They use religious jargon as a profession, but they in reality say nothing to profit their hearers. They use words which are of excessive weight and unrestrained or arrogant speech, with the result being emptiness. Their allure is to catch the unstable by enticement, appealing to the fleshly desire of their audience. Lewdness refers to their absence of restraint in teaching and in their lifestyles. They promise liberty, but they themselves are in bondage to the desires of the flesh and seek to entice others to the same.

The question for many is if these were ever of the true faith? I believe, from Scripture, that the answer to that question is an unequivocal no, they weren’t. John writes in I John 2:19, “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.” They came out of the true Church because their false teachings were recognized as false by the Church. Just as it is a sign of a healthy body to repel disease, so it is the sign of a healthy Church to repel false teaching. Which makes one wonder at the health of the Church in America with so much false teaching readily being accepted into the Church without question. These false teachers were never really a part of the Church. If they were they would have continued in the Church. Their departure demonstrates that they were never part of the true Church and their teachings, which are a departure from the truth, clearly demonstrate such.

Paul goes on in II Thessalonians 2 to speak of a present restraining influence at work in the world holding back the flood of evil, II Thessalonians 2:6-7, “And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.” The use of the masculine pronoun “He” indicates that “He” is a person. He will continue His work of restraining evil until He be taken out of the way. It is evident that “He” is the Holy Spirit working in the world though the Church.

The Church historically has had a purifying, restraining effect on the world. The Holy Spirit has worked through the proclamation of the Gospel by the Church to reach the lost, turning them to faith in Christ. Jesus said of the Holy Spirit’s work in the world, “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.” (John 16:8-11).


However, the time will come, Paul tells us, when He will be taken out of the way, i.e., that He will no longer be restraining evil through the Church. Then and only then will the Antichrist be revealed, II Thessalonians 2:8, “And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.” Notice that He will be taken out of the way, not taken away.

Two questions now need to be addressed. #1. If God does indeed move His Spirit out of the way, no longer restraining evil through the Church, what then will the ministry of the Holy Spirit be? #2. What will happen to the Church, when the Holy Spirit is no longer restraining evil through it?

Let’s look at question #1. If God does indeed move His Spirit our of the way, no longer restraining evil through the Church, what then will the ministry of the Holy Spirit be?

The Scriptures declare that God will once again pour out His Spirit upon the nation Israel. Paul writes of a partial blindness that has come upon Israel, Romans 11:25, “For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in." After Israel had rejected Jesus as Messiah, God turned away from dealing exclusively with the nation Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles would come in. And so, the Holy Spirit is going throughout the world calling out a bride for Christ from the Gentile nations (Matthew 21:43).

Jesus said, Luke 21:24, “And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled." In 1967, during the Seven Day War, Israeli forces recaptured the City of Jerusalem, so that the city is now no longer under Gentile occupation, i.e., is no longer trampled by the Gentiles. So the time of the Gentiles has indeed been fulfilled.

Then why hasn’t the Rapture occurred? II Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” We are living in a time of unprecedented grace, whereby Jesus could come at any moment, but the Father has chosen not to send him.
God is still working among the Gentile nations, giving them an extended opportunity to come to Jesus. However, His patience is not unlimited.
God has not cast off His people as those who teach Replacement Theology declare. There remains one final seven year period of God’s dealing with the nation Israel, according to Daniel 9:24-27. 69 seven year periods have been completed. The Temple was rebuild in 49 years (seven weeks). 434 years later, Jesus came and was crucified (sixty two weeks). 62 weeks + 7 weeks = 69 weeks, leaving one week yet unfulfilled.

At the end of 69 weeks (7+62) the Messiah was cut off, Daniel 9:26, “And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself…” Rejected and crucified, Jesus died for the sins of the world. Soon thereafter (70AD), Jerusalem was destroyed and Israel ceased to be a nation on the face of the earth, Daniel 9:26, “And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, and till the end of the war desolations are determined.”

So there remains one final week (a final 7 year period) to be fulfilled. Daniel tells us of that week, Daniel 9:27, “Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate." The Antichrist will make a covenant with Israel, allowing them to remain in the land and allowing them to rebuild the Temple.

It is interesting that in order for this prophecy to be fulfilled, Israel had to become a nation once again. May 15, 1948 Israel became a nation once again, a nation born in a day, as prophesied by Isaiah, Isaiah 66:8, “Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion was in labor, She gave birth to her children.”

However, in the middle of this week (3-1/2 years) the Antichrist will bring an end to the sacrifices and offerings in the rebuilt Temple, set up his image in the Temple, and demand that he be worshipped as God. Jesus foretold this, Matthew 24:15, “Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" (whoever reads, let him understand).”


Now, in Ezekiel 39, God has destroyed the enemies of Israel and, as a result, has been shown holy through them in the sight of the nations. Ezekiel tells us, Ezekiel 39:27-29, “When I have brought them back from the peoples and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and I am hallowed in them in the sight of many nations, then they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who sent them into captivity among the nations, but also brought them back to their land, and left none of them captive any longer. And I will not hide My face from them anymore; for I shall have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel,' says the Lord GOD.” After bringing them back into the land and destroying their enemies, there will be a tremendous revival in Israel, as the nation turns back to God once again. At that time, God will have poured out His Spirit on the house of Israel once again, turning to them and dealing with them for the final seven year period prophesied by Daniel (Daniel 9:27). The purpose for this final seven year dealing with Israel was outlined by Jesus almost 2,000 years ago, when He declared to Israel, “for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’” (Matthew 23:39). At the end of the Tribulation the nation Israel will be ready for the return of their Messiah, declaring to Him when He comes, “…‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’”

Let us now look at question #2. What will happen to the Church, when the Holy Spirit is no longer restraining evil through it?

John was told in Revelation 1:19, “Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this." The word for after this is the Greek word, meta (met-ah') tauta (tow'-tah), hereafter, lit., after these things. After what things? In Revelation 4:1, we read, “After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, ‘Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.’" Again, the word for after this is the Greek word, meta (met-ah') tauta (tow'-tah), hereafter, lit., after these things. And again, the question is, after what?

John wrote of seeing a picture of Jesus in His glory (Revelation 1:12-18). He had just wrote of the things of the Church (Revelation 2-3), and now he was to write the things after the Church, the Tribulation (Revelation 6-18).

In Revelation 4:2, John is caught up to heaven (just as the Church will be), “Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne.” Some scholars believe that he was witnessing the Rapture as a event yet future to him. Notice that in verse 1 a door is open in heaven and a voice spoke to him like a Trumpet, saying “Come up here.” Compare this with I Thessalonians 4:16, “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first." Many see Revelation 4:2 and I Thessalonians as one in the same event, the Rapture of the Church.

John tells us that he saw a throne with someone sitting on it surrounded by 24 Elders, clothed with white robes and they had crowns of gold on their heads. Only the Church can wear white, Revelation 19:14, "And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses." And Revelation 19:8 declares, “And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” The fine linen represents the righteousness of the saints. Only the Church can wear crowns, I Peter 5:4, "and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away." (Throughout the New Testament crowns are promised to those who believe: an incorruptible crown, I Corinthians 9:25; a crown of rejoicing, I Thessalonians 2:19; a crown of righteousness, II Timothy 4:8; a crown of life, James 1:12, Revelation 2:10; a crown of glory, I Peter 5:4; a crown of Gold, Revelation 4:4; which will all eventually be cast before Christ, Revelation 4:10).

The 24 Elders sing a new song before the Lamb, Revelation 5:9-10, “And they sang a new song, saying: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; For You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, And have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth." Only the Church can sing this song, and only the Church is promised to reign with Jesus (II Timothy 2:12, Revelation 20:6, Revelation 22:5).

What will be the order of these things? It would appear that several events will take place at once or almost simultaneously. The Church is Raptured and God takes His Spirit out of the way (II Thessalonians 2:7). Russia and the states confederated with her will attack Israel and be destroyed (Ezekiel 39:27). And God will have once again poured out His Spirit upon the Nation Israel (Ezekiel 39:27).
What of the Church until these things come to pass? Revelation 3:7-13, “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, 'These things says He who is holy, He who is true, "He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens": "I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie — indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name. ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’” Jesus knows our works. He has set before the Church a door that no one can shut. That door is the door of opportunity for us to witness for Him with our lives and with our words, to share the Gospel with others. He says, “…you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.” Paul asked, “…And who is sufficient for these things?” (II Corinthians 2:16). In and of ourselves, we are not sufficient. Paul wrote of the secret of our sufficiency, “…our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant…” (II Corinthians 3:5-6).

If we would be like the Church in Philadelphia we must stay on their foundation. They studied the Word; they kept the Word; they gave the Word great place in their lives. They would not deny the Name of Jesus; they remained faithful to Him. He has written His name upon you because you are His and He will come for His own, even as He has promised, “…I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.

I believe that it is going to become increasingly difficult for the Church to teach and proclaim the true Gospel, the true Word of God. I believe that pressure is going to be placed upon us, upon you and I, to compromise the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The pressure in the United States and in Europe, Canada, and Australia is already there. It is only going to get worse as the end comes.

Already the Church is being pressured into accepting lifestyles as normal that have long been held as sinful by the Church. Already the Church has caved in to the pressure to water down the Word of God and to recognize that all roads lead to God (which they do not). Political correctness is destroying the Church as the Church continues to compromise in order to accommodate the world and the philosophies of the world. And if we are going to remain faithful to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we may very well find ourselves increasingly alone and under pressure.

We do not fear what man can do to us. Jesus told us who to fear, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell,” (Matthew 10:28). Will we have the strength to do what is right? Certainly for, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” (Philippians 4:13).