Shofar

The Rapture And The Feast of Trumpets

The New Covenant was written by Jews who also wrote that the coming of Messiah at the end of the age would be accomplished by the BLOWING OF THE HEAVENLY SHOFAR! So the season of Rosh Hashanah for the Christian is a season we look and watch for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ at what we term the "rapture," or "catching away" of the church. Yet despite this season being a time when we as the church should be looking for the Coming of the Lord, the church currently sinks into the greatest apostasy it's ever experienced since the time of the Reformation. We're in a season when the greatest assault upon Christendom concerning truth and sound doctrine has come against the Body of Christ, not necessarily from without, but from within. So-called preachers of the gospel controlled by Satan have assaulted fundamental truths of God's word and turned the grace of God into lasciviousness. We are living in the last of the last days and it behooves us to make our calling and election sure!

 

By Chris McDonald

 

 

TEXT: 1 Thes. 4:16-18  - For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: [17] Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. [18] Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

On Friday Night, Sept. 22, 2006, the Jewish people celebrated one of their most important religious holidays, Rosh Hashanah, which remembers the creation of the world and ushers in the Jewish New Year. In Hebrew, Rosh Hashanah means the "head of the year," and is also called the Feast of the Trumpets. The blowing of a ram's horn, a Shofar, proclaims Rosh Hashanah, and summons Jewish people worldwide to a time of introspection and prayer unlike any other feast does at any other time of the year. Sundown Sept. 22 marked the beginning of the year 5767 and the month of Tishri, when Jews used the ram's horn as a trumpet in Biblical times to announce the new moon, holidays, and war. Today, a variety of horns are used, including curved antelope horns. While it does have its festive side, Rosh Hashanah is not one big party, as the New Year's celebrations on Dec. 31 tend to be. Rosh Hashanah is a time for personal introspection and prayer.

The name "Rosh Hashanah" is not used in the Bible, but is referred to in Scripture as Yom Ha-Zikkaron (the day of remembrance) or Yom Teruah (the day of the sounding of the Shofar). The holiday is instituted in Leviticus 23:24-25.

 

Leviticus 23:24-25
Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a Sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation. [25] Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord.

The shofar is a ram's horn which is somewhat like a trumpet and is one of the most important observances of this holiday. Heard during the Rosh Hashanah services in the synagogue, there is a total of 100 notes sounded on the shofar each day. There are four different types of shofar notes: tekiah, a 3 second sustained note; shevarim, three 1-second notes rising in tone, teruah, a series of short, staccato notes extending over a period of about 3 seconds; and tekiah gedolah (literally, "big tekiah"), the final blast in a set, which lasts (I think) 10 seconds minimum. Click the shofar above to hear an approximation of the sound of Tekiah Shevarim-Teruah Tekiah. The Bible gives no specific reason for this practice even though one that has been suggested is that the shofar's sound is a call to repentance. The shofar is not blown if the holiday falls on Shabbat.
 

During Israel's celebration of the Feast of Trumpets as recorded in Numbers 10, two silver trumpets were used to herald the holiday as was the shofar, or ram's horn. The two silver trumpets were used to:

 

Another type of trumpet, or horn, was the shofar, which became the most important trumpet which the Lord used to communicate with His ancient people. It is mentioned 69 times in the Hebrew Bible. According to Encyclopedia Judaica, the word shofar is related to the word sapparu, which means "wild sheep." The shofar was made from the horn of a ram, although the horn from other kosher animals such as goats, antelopes, and gazelles could be used. The ram's horn was primarily used because it was a ram that the Lord provided for Abraham as a sacrifice in place of Isaac, as we learn in Genesis 22. When the priests blew the shofar, the people were reminded of the mercy of the Lord in providing the ram in the place of Isaac.


An interesting tradition says that the Lord preserved the two horns from the sacrificial ram given in place of Isaac. He sounded one horn at Sinai and will sound the other horn when he redeems His people by the coming of the Messiah at the end of the age. The New Covenant was written by Jews who also wrote that the coming of Messiah at the end of the age would be accomplished by the BLOWING OF THE HEAVENLY SHOFAR! So the season of Rosh Hashanah for the Christian is a season we look and watch for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ at what we term the "rapture," or "catching away" of the church.

 

1 Thes. 4:16-18 - For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: [17] Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. [18] Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

 

Yet despite this season being a time when we as the church should be looking for the Coming of the Lord, the church currently sinks into the greatest apostasy it's ever experienced since the time of the Reformation. We're in a season when the greatest assault upon Christendom concerning truth and sound doctrine has come against the Body of Christ, not necessarily from without, but from within. So-called preachers of the gospel controlled by Satan have assaulted three main areas of sound Biblical thought concerning:

1. The Atonement
2. The Holy Spirit
3. The Doctrine of the Rapture of the Church

I will but elude to the first two briefly since this journal concerns the third. The attacks on the atonement and total efficacy of the work of Christ have never been more pronounced nor violent. Entire denominations, even in Pentecostal and Charismatic circles, denigrate the work of the Cross calling the Lord’s finished work “past miseries,” and “the greatest defeat in human history.” One of the Word of Faith “pioneers” who passed away a few years back made that exact statement two years before he died stating that the church world need to “go beyond the Cross mentality and get into a ‘throne’ room mentality.

The problem with that thinking is that NONE of us are WORTHY to “come” into the throne room of grace UNLESS we first have come to the Cross and RESTED our faith in the finished work of Christ. As the beautiful song goes: “through the BLOOD into His presence, humbly before Him bow, laying my life before you, through Jesus our lives in your hands.” That concept is so foreign to most in the church it is not funny. When one has truly placed their faith there several things are evident in one’s life. One, there is tremendous humility and realization of our daily need for repentance and forgiveness before God. NO, I’m not referring to a “sinning” salvation where an individual lives their spiritual lives like a yo-yo – up and down – in and out – live right one day sin like the devil the next. God forbid.

People who say they have placed their faith in Christ and Him Crucified yet habitually and willfully sin every day are deceived and not born again. True salvation however does produce a realization that without CHRIST there IS NO grace, mercy, or ATONEMENT!

The second area of attack the church has faced is that against the baptism of the Holy Spirit in with the evidence of speaking with other tongues. Again, entire denominations stand against this mighty infilling of power for those who have come to Christ and seek a deeper work of the Holy Spirit in their lives for witnessing. I have a saying that sums it up as well as anything: ‘preach Acts 2:4 see the Baptists hit the door.’

What just said is not meant to draw a sword against the southern Baptists but they are the worst when it comes to denying and mocking this great experience from God. Speaking in tongues is not of Satan, the Holy Spirit didn’t stop filling believers after the apostles died out, there is more to this Christian life than just salvation, and if the machinery of our churches that produces pompous, bigoted, mossy back ‘baptists’ would be replaced with the freedom of the Spirit to produce Jesus-loving, people-caring believers, we’d be in a lot better shape.

A few weeks ago an inner city ministry in Knoxville baptized 6 new born Christians, many of which had come out of drugs and the worst sin known to man. When told about this a local pastor of one of Knoxville’s largest Baptist churches his response was “what were they baptized into,” insinuating that because they were not “baptized” into a Baptist church they were not “legitimaclly” baptized. This same pastor’s church is dying on the vine right now with people leaving and him having to hire outside entertainers to come in to “stir” his people as he put it.

MEMO to this pastor – GET THE HOLY GHOST IN YOUR CHURCH AND STOP MOCKING THE WORK OF THE SPIRIT AND YOU’LL SEE A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR CHURCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! STOP WORRYING ABOUT WHETHER PEOPLE ARE BAPTIST OR NOT AND BECOME MORE CONCERNED WITH WHETHER THEY LOVE JESUS OR NOT!

If speaking in tongues as a result of the baptism in the Holy Ghost is of the devil, then it’s the only thing of Satan that makes one love Jesus more!; it’s the only thing of Satan that produces a hunger for the Word of God and the things of God without having to have a 40-day of purpose seminar, or a John Maxwell church growth seminar, or a Bill Hybels 1500 programs you can install in your church to get people interested.

I’m going to take this a step further. Allow the Holy Ghost in your church pastor and you won’t have your members telling you they don’t know how to witness. I have the answer to our “problems” with people not feeling “comfortable” with witnessing to others about Jesus: GET SAVED, GET SAVED, GET SAVED, GET SAVED, GET SAVED, GET SAVED, GET SAVED, GET SAVED, GET SAVED AND FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST, FILLED WITH HOLY GHOST, GET FILLED WITH HOLY GHOST, GET FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST! The reason we don’t know how to witness for Jesus is that we don’t KNOW the Jesus we claim we know! You can’t give something away you don’t own neighbor.

The Holy Ghost is the one who gives the power and grace to the believer to have Jesus so formed in our hearts that witnessing no longer becomes a issue of whether we “know how to” or not – neighbor it’s what we literally become!

Acts 1:8
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

We don’t teach that one has to speak in tongues to be saved, but speaking in tongues is one of the greatest joys the born again believer IN CHRIST can ever experience. Someone asked me the other day, “Well you don’t believe speaking in tongues is of the devil?” I said, “NO, I don’t because the HOLY GHOST is not of the Devil!!!!” Jesus said that when the Holy Ghost would come He would take of Christ and show it unto the church. Jesus said that if we as believers ask the Lord for bread, will He give us a stone or a serpent? If the believer asks the Lord Jesus to baptize them in Holy Ghost power we can be assured the Lord Jesus Christ will not give us a demon sprit as some erroneously and stubbornly teach and preach. How moronic to think such but neighbor there are preachers who preach that very thing from behind their pulpits.

John 16:7-11
Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. [8] And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: [9] Of sin, because they believe not on me; [10] Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; [11] Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

John 15:26
But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

John 14:22-26
Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? [23] Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. [24] He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me. [25] These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. [26] But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

The Spirit of God baptizes us INTO CHRIST when we get saved; the Lord Jesus Christ baptizes the believer in the HOLY Ghost AFTER we are born again. This great experience is shunned as either being irrelevant for today or of Satan by 95% of the denominational world at the present and sadly the percentage of those rejecting the Holy Ghost’s ministry within the believer in the Charismatic and Pentecostal world i.e. the Assemblies of God, Church of God, Pentecostal Holiness, is about as high and growing each day.

When the church rejects the Lordship of Jesus the first thing it does is push out the ministry of the Holy Ghost and exchange the Spirit’s ministry for man-made methods of ministry and operation i.e. humanistic psychology, church growth seminars, prophet “training,” and all the such. The current apostasy and the attack upon the church are great in this area.

And thirdly, the greatest attack upon the church is upon the doctrine of the rapture of the church. Even though the term “rapture,” is not mentioned by name specifically in scripture, there is no clearer and teaching in the New Covenant of a coming event in the future when the dead in Christ shall rise first, THEN we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together to be with “them” AND the LORD in the air forever and forever.

1 Thes. 4:16-17
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: [17] Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

There are about 50 scriptures in the NEW TESTAMENT. and some related ones in the OLD TESTAMENT. that reveal the fact and manner of the rapture. They also reveal when the rapture will take place, in connection with various end-time events. When the subject of the Rapture comes up, it’s natural that most people to want to jump right to the “when” question, which is also part of the present attack upon the truth of the Bible in these last days, though many do not understand the very definition of this all important doctrine.

Current events in our world have focused attention like never before on the question of what the future holds for the world, the church, and Israel. In this explosive, ever-changing atmosphere it’s only natural for people to wonder about the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Will Jesus come? When will Jesus come? What will happen when He comes? Most people, even those with little or no church background, seem to have a sense that this world is getting hear its “closing time.”

There’s an expectation that Jesus will come, possibly very soon, to rapture His rapture His people to heaven. It is the opinion of this writer that the Rapture will be the next event on God’s prophetic calendar. As late as May 2004, nearly 55% of Americans “think that the faithful will be taken up to heaven in the Rapture.” The Rapture is the blessed hope of the church. But if the Rapture is such a big deal we don’t find the word “rapture” in the Bible?

According to Mark Hitchcock in his excellent book, “Can the Rapture Happen Today,” he gives an excellent definitive reason why the word is not found in the Bible. If we were to read all 774,747 words in the King James Version of the Bible – or any other well-known translation for that matter – the WORD “rapture” simply is not there. However, we would also look in vain for the words “TRINITY,” “BIBLE” or “grandfather,” (In most translations). And yet we know that ALL of these things are very real and very true.

The term “rapture” is taken from the 1 Thessalonians 4:17 where the words “caught up” are translated from the Greek word harpazo, which means “to snatch, seize, or take suddenly or vehemently.” The word “harpazo” occurs 13 times in the New Covenant and in each case defined as “”take forcibly,” “snatch,” or “caught up.”

1. Matthew 11:12
2. Matthew 13:19
3. John 6:15
4. John 10:12
5. John 10:28
6. John 10:29
7. Acts 8:39
8. Acts 23:10
9. 2 Corinthians 12:2
10. 2 Corinthians 12:4
11. 1 Thessalonians 4:17
12. Jude 1:23
13. Revelation 12:5

Our English word “rapture” as with so many English terms, derives from the Latin. Here’s how it happened: in the fourth century AD, the great scholar Jerome translated the New Covenant from the original Greek language to Latin. His translation is known as the Vulgate. In 1 Thessalonians 4:17, Jerome rendered the Greek word “harpazo” into Latin with the word “raeptius” The Latin word “rapio” means “to seize, snatch, or seize away.” This was eventually brought over to English as “rapture.”

So while it is true that the word “rapture,” does not occur in most English translations of the Bible, the concept or doctrine of a catching away of living believers to meet the Lord is clearly stated in 1 Corinthians 15:51-55 and 1 Thessalonians 4:17. As with so many divisions over doctrinal issues in the church today it always seem to come down to logistics or “terminology” depending on how each individual denominations state things.

We could term the doctrine of the rapture “the catching away of the church,” the “snatching away of the church,” the “translation of the church,” or the “Harpazo of the church.” Changing terminology doesn’t change the TRUTH of what is coming neighbor! The rapture of the church is the next great event on the prophetic calendar of the Lord’s timetable for Planet Earth and the Church.

No matter what you’re hearing by most in the Body of Christ don’t be led astray. The Rapture IS in the Bible and confirmed by the Holy Ghost

Key Rapture Passages

While New Testament writers refer to the Rapture many times in the pages of the New Covenant, three main passages provide the most detail. From these we get a basic overview of the Rapture directly from Scripture:

John 14:1-3
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. [2] 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. [3] 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.

1 Cor. 15:50-57
Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. [51] Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, [52] In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. [53] For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. [54] So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, and then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. [55] O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? [56] The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. [57] But thanks be to God, which gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Thes. 4:13-18
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. [14] For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. [15] For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. [16] For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: [17] Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. [18] Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

The attitude of the New Covenant writers from Jesus Christ Himself to Paul to Peter to Jude to John to Titus was one of alertness, soberness and WATCHFULNESS, always warning those the Lord’s return FOR His children was going to be sudden and violent! This was the attitude of the apostles of old even though the rapture has not taken place nearly 2,000 years after the Holy Ghost penned their words to a watching church.


Christ warned ALL, including those of us in THIS GENERATION especially, to watch and pray. There are four reasons the believer must watch:

Every man, but especially believers are commanded by God:

Mark 13:33-37
Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. [34] For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. [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: [36] Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. [37] And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

The term “watch,” means to keep awake, to stay alert, to be watchful and sleepless, to be vigilant. It also includes the idea of being motivated, that is, of desiring, of holding and keeping one’s attention (mind) upon a thing. Watching also has the idea of being alert at the right time. It is at night that one really needs to stay awake and watch for the thief always without exception COMES AT NIGHT when people SLEEP (cp. 1 Thes. 5:4-9)

1 Thes. 5:4-9 - But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. [5] Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. [6] Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. [7] For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. [8] But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. [9] For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

The Lord said, “Watch.” Yet, the modern church world is doing everything else BUT watching for the coming of the Lord brushing aside this teaching of the imminent return of the Lord Jesus Christ for the church and the catching away of the saints for a haystack of lies and assumptions that man can somehow change this world into a utopia paradise fit for the Lord's return. Fallen man cannot even make his own LIFE a paradise and for SURE will fail in a bid to make the world a "better" place. 

About six months ago one of TBN'S bright lights declared over television the Lord told him He was delaying His coming “because the church was having too much fun on earth” and He enjoyed seeing us having that fun. I know some of you read that and don’t believe that a so-called spirit-filled man who proclaims himself to be a prophet from God would say such but he did. It’s the spirit of this age that has not just affected the Charismatic world but also the evangelical community as a whole. Men like Rick Warren, Ted Haggard and Peter Wagner formulate doctrines and theologies that repudiate and reject this teaching while at the same time declaring the church has been called to “take over the earth” and bring the Kingdom of God to earth. Rick Warren's "P.E.A.C.E." initiative is nothing more than a glorified wrapped up pill for the removal of the true church and the appearance of the apostate church seeking to usurp authority over the Lord Jesus Christ, the HEAD of the TRUE CHURCH!

All of this is a bastardized version of the old “Kingdom Now” theology that became very popular in the late 1970s through the 1980s. It waned a bit in the 1990s with the advent of holy laughter and other things that swept the church but has made a devilish and huge comeback in the last few years as the church has decided that the way to win society is no longer preach the gospel but take over governments and pass “conservative” agendas and laws. Neighbor, that sounds really good on the surface to most of us, including me to be frank. Who doesn’t want godly laws to rule our land or godly leaders to lead us? But we should have gotten the lesson these past six years under President Bush as to how ungodly men react when a righteous man seeks to rule a nation. It has not made America better or more unified but instead just divided us more and made the nation sink into a "cultural" war as some call it with an ever growing hatred and venom for all those who name the name of Jesus Christ. It's not by accident this is happening either because of the times we live!

 

Democracy never truly works unless those under democracy's rule have righteous hearts! That  is why the President's view of bringing democracy to the Middle East, though noble and right in many ways, will never work. You can never bring democracy to any people who first do not honor God because those with freedom will always choose a path of wickedness and sin instead of righteousness. We witnessed that in January 2006 when the freely "liberated" Palestinian people went to the polls and voted in one of the world's worst terrorist organizations Hamas to rule over them. That was a great example of what happens when a people want to throw off the restraints of godliness and righteousness and serve their own gods. America teeters on such a situation at the present time in late 2006 as national elections loom in November. Many believe a godless party will take control of both the House and Senate because of the nation's desire for "change." We're FREE to vote in change no doubt but this vote is not just about the nation being tired of the Republicans; it's a case of the nation turning its back on God!!!!!! As God did to Israel so long ago when it rejected Samuel's righteous rulership, God gave Israel a Saul and He will give us a Saul very soon if we so wish it to be so!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Godless politicians and pundits constantly label President Bush as a failure while labeling former President Clinton as a “hero” and “success.” However, in the scheme of eternal events coming upon the Earth, the view that matters and ONLY matters is what God thinks about these men!!! President Bush has made mistakes but he has done everything possible to keep a heart towards God. Godly men can make mistakes and still be considered godly. Clinton had a wicked heart yet he did good things for many people thus the majority of people you ask about him always have a favorable view. Wickedness always applauds wickedness no matter how ugly that wickedness may be!

Clinton’s global initiative has raised $7 billion for humanitarian aid and is labeled by many as the ultimate "good Samaritan." His goodness was a smoke screen to a black heart that unleashed the powers of darkness over this nation through abortion, homosexuality and lust unlike any President in our history going back to George Washington. Yet because the nation’s economy boomed during this tenure, men labeled him as “a good President,” despite the fact that during this time of prosperity our enemies were planning their wicked schemes which they unleashed at various times without our nation responding in a proper way.

President Bush on the other hand has faced more danger and a tougher enemy than any President probably before him, but because he led our nation into an unpopular war in Iraq and the nation has had to make sacrifices and the economy is not that great as a result, most label him a “failure,” and a “bad President.”

Remember this fact about history: Men who have been labeled by godless men as “failures,” have probably more than likely been labeled as “heroes of faith” in heaven; on the same token, many whom the same godless world has labeled “successful” or “good,” are seen as wicked and evil through heaven’s ever watching eternal glance.

We are living in days when evil is being labeled as good and good evil! It’s a sign we’re nearing the end of the church age and the rapture is soon to take place!

Isaiah 5:20-24 - Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! [21] Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! [22] Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink: [23] Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him! [24] Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumes the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.

America is wanting the "righteous" taken away from her right now and it's a dangerous attitude that continues to draw us closer to the rapture of the church!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are commanded to WATCH and WATCH is what we must do child of God! And that is not the attitude of those who believe in a mid-tribulation rapture or a post-tribulation rapture! Watching is an attitude of those LOOKING FOR THE COMING OF THE LORD JESUS FOR THE CHURCH OF THE LIVING GOD AT ANY MOMENT!

In addition to watching, Jesus said we are to PRAY that we may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

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.

“All these things” that worthy (THOSE IN CHRIST, THE ONLY ONE WORTHY) saints will escape are the events of all the signs of the second advent listed in Luke 21:4-11, 25-33; Mt. 24:4-28; Mk. 13:4-27; 2 Th. 2:1-12; and Rev. 4:1 - 19:21.  This means that “all these things” which saints escape by being raptured to stand before the Son of man (a reference to the Judgment Seat of Christ) will all take place after they are raptured to the place where the Son of man is.  First we will meet with Him in the air (1 Th. 4:13-18), and then go to heaven to meet with the Father in heaven itself (Col. 4:4; 1 Th. 3:13; 5:23; Jas. 5:7-8; Rev. 5:8-10; 19:1-10).

 

Col. 4:4
That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.

1 Thes. 3:13
To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

1 Thes. 5:23
And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

James 5:7-8
Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. [8] Be ye also patient; establish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

Rev. 5:8-10
And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. [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; [10] And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

If we are going to be received by Christ to Himself; if we are going to be received into the Father’s house to live in mansions so that where He lives we may live also; and if all of this takes place at the time Christ comes from heaven to take us up to heaven, then there WILL TRULY BE a rapture before the second advent. It is absolutely necessary in order for us to eat a supper—the marriage supper of the Lamb in heaven (Jn. 14:1-3; Rev. 19:1-21)—before the second advent begins, before we are predicted to come back with Him at the time of His second advent.

When Christ came out of the tomb, there were some who were resurrected with Him right then, which was a foreshadowing of a greater event coming at the end of the church age we refer to as the rapture of the church:

1 Cor. 15:23
But every man in his own order: Christ the Firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at His coming (THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH.
When this scripture is fulfilled the saints will be raptured to meet the Lord in the air (1 Th. 4:13-18), and then they will be taken on to heaven to be presented before God (1 Th. 2:19-20; 3:13; 5:23; Jas. 5:7-8; Col. 3:4).

Ephes. 5:27
That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

The Lord Jesus will present to Himself a “GLORIOUS CHURCH” at the rapture of the Church and prior to His Second Coming where this same GLORIOUS CHURCH will be WITH HIM to fight at the Great Battle of Armageddon!

Rev. 19:8-12
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. [9] 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. [10] And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. [11] And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. [12] His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.

As stated before, there are about 50 scriptures that teach the rapture of all saints to heaven in the first resurrection (1 Cor. 1:8; 2 Cor. 5:1-10; Phil. 3:10-11, 21; 1 Th. 1:10; 2:19-20; 3:13; 5:23; 2 Th. 2:1-12; 1 Tim. 6:14; 2 Tim. 4:1, 8; Tit. 2:13; Heb. 11:10-16; 12:22-23; 13:14; 1 Pet. 1:5, 7, 9, 11, 13; 4:13; 5:1-8; 2 Pet. 1:3; Jude 24; 1 Jn. 2:28; 3:2; Rev. 5:8-10; 11:7-12; 12:5; 14:1-5; 15:1-4; 19:1-10; 20:4-8; Dan. 12:1; Isa. 66:7-8; Ps. 73:24; 23:6; 102:16; Rom. 8:18).

When Jesus said “all these things,” He was referring to the events spoke of AFTER Revelation 4:1 and before Revelation 22:5, as well as the prophetic verses of Daniel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Zechariah, Joel and Ezekiel, concerning Israel’s time of travail during the Great Tribulation period.

When the Holy Ghost had John write down the story of the end times, He showed John the Revelator several companies of raptured saints in heaven by John:

• Rev. 5:8-10
• Rev. 6:9-11
• Rev.7:9-17
• Rev.12:5
• Rev.14:1-5
• Rev.15:14
• Rev.20:4-6
• The two witnesses of Rev. 11:7-12

In Rev. 19:1-10 all these companies of raptured saints are seen in heaven eating a marriage supper with Christ just before the Second Advent begins (Rev. 19:11-21). They are the ones who will come with Christ all the way between heaven and earth (Zech. 14:5; Rev. 19:14)

Rev. 19:14
And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

Zech. 14:5
And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.

The Rapture Is the Resurrection But Not Part Of the Second Advent, Or Physical Return of Christ To Earth

1 Cor. 15:50-57
Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. [51] Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, [52] In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. [53] For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. [54] So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. [55] O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? [56] The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. [57] But thanks be to God, which gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Despite what scripture clearly says many still refuse to believe. But if we deny the validity of the rapture, then we deny the validity of the resurrection!

In Phil. 3:11 the rapture is called “the resurrection of the dead,” or literally, “the out-resurrection,” meaning the resurrection of some of the dead from among the dead. A general resurrection of all the dead at one time without a time between the resurrection of the just and the resurrection of the unjust seems to be taught in Dan. 12:2; Jn. 5:28-29; Acts 24:18; but in the final revelation on the subject we learn that there will actually be one thousand years between the first resurrection of the just, and the second resurrection of the unjust (Rev. 20:11-15).

We can now, at the present time, have a choice regarding which resurrection to be in—whether we want to be saved and in the first, or lost and in the second (Mk. 26:15-16; Jn. 3:16). This is what Paul had in mind when he wanted to be in the “out-resurrection” from among the wicked dead (Phil. 3:11)

Philip. 3:11
If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

The common theory that the second coming of Christ is in two parts and that it will take place in two stages, or in two phases, and that there is only one coming of Christ out of heaven, is completely false and unscriptural. There are two definite comings of Jesus Christ out of heaven and not two parts of one coming. The rapture is the coming of Christ from heaven to the clouds surrounding the earth, but He does not come to the earth at that time. He simply resurrects the righteous dead and catches them up to Himself in the clouds and then takes them on into heaven with Him to remain there during the tribulation period after which He and the resurrected righteous ones will return to the earth and land on the earth at the Second Advent.

At His first coming He literally landed on earth to live here and die for men. At His Second Coming He will also literally land on the earth again, and live here to reign (Zech. 14:4). The rapture, then, could never be the second coming, and it should never be called the second coming of Christ. Furthermore, no one will be raptured at the second coming. The rapture is a complete round trip for Jesus—from heaven to the clouds around the earth, and back again to heaven. It is the time when He comes for the saints in the air, and when they are caught up to the clouds with Him.  As stated, He then returns with them to heaven to live there at least seven years before the Second Advent begins. All raptures will be completed before the Second Advent begins. They will take all the saints to heaven whereas the Second Advent will bring them all back from heaven to the earth to set up a kingdom to be ruled by Christ, His angels, and the raptured saints.

This is clearly outlined and stated in Scripture! Why then do men try to tinker with the Word of God and come up with so much false teaching and doctrine? It’s because we’re living in the last of the last days and Satan has unleashed his greatest attack upon truth in this area as he has upon the atonement of Christ and the infilling of the Holy Ghost!

The Timing of the Rapture

As we close this message let me address the “timing” of the rapture briefly which we will deal with in depth in a future message. The exact hour and/or day of the Lord’s return for the church, as well as the day of the second advent when the Lord comes WITH the church, is not definitely known to any man!

What we DO know from Scripture PLAINLY is that it will take place before the tribulation, before the reign of Antichrist, before the fulfillment of Mt. 24-25; Rev. 4:1 - 22:5, and before the fulfillment of many other prophecies such as those in Daniel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Joel. The Tribulation is the time of JACOB’S TROUBLE, when God will turn His focus fully once more upon National Israel to bring her back to Himself. It will be the greatest time of outpoured wrath on this earth known to man and it will be Israel’s darkest hour under the hands and rule of the Antichrist. Yet despite the darkness, God remains faithful throughout even the Tribulation period to His own.

Yes, many Gentiles will more than likely be saved during this time. It is this writer’s opinion that the greatest revival to hit Planet Earth will take place after the rapture for a brief time as backsliders across the world will wake up and realize the dire situation they find themselves in. Many so-called preachers will come home to Christ who have read the Bible and because of unbelief have rejected this I write to you but one day will realize it’s all true!

Yes, there will be false prophets and false ministers still. Many will be on “Larry King Live” or “Fox News” explaining away the disappearance of millions of people from off the earth with some sort of humanistic reasoning. But neighbor, no humanistic psychology or reasoning will protect humanity for what is ahead following the rapture of the church! Mark these words down today. As we celebrate the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, the Feast of Trumpets, a type of the rapture of the church on God’s prophetic calendar, the hour is late, the sun is setting and the day is growing dark neighbor. It’s imperative you know the Lord Jesus Christ today and that you have made your calling and election SURE!

If Jesus Christ plainly urged us to “watch . . . and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things [i.e., things of the tribulation of Lk. 21:1-11, 25-33] that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man” (Lk. 21:36), then it would have been a false promise of Christ to His disciples of this whole church age if no “worthy” saints were to escape the last day events of the tribulation. It would have been and be truly needless and give a false hope for anyone to pray to escape “all these things” if nobody is to escape them. The promise is clear here that all worthy ones will escape going through all these things and will literally be “caught up” to meet the Lord in the air and “to stand before the Son of man.”

Saints could not possibly stand before the Son of man until the time when He comes to receive us to Himself (Jn. 14:1-3), and to “meet the Lord in the air,” which will be at the time of the rapture (1 Th. 4:13-16). To be accounted “worthy,” means that we are found to be IN CHRIST, believing in Christ and Him Crucified, having all sins forgiven, under His precious blood, covering our lives, hearts, souls and minds through the office of the Holy Ghost.

Second, Paul said that the church—the hinderer of lawlessness—will be removed before the revelation of the Antichrist (2 Th. 2:5-10). Some teach that this “he” is the Holy Spirit but that is not true because the Holy Ghost will be very much at work on behalf of bringing many in National Israel as well as others to Christ after the rapture during the Great Tribulation. Salvation will certainly be harder after the church is gone, but never impossible as some teach.

I remember a dear friend of mine asking me this question one day in a car as he was battling doubts about his salvation. I turned to him and said, “don’t be a fool and play Russian roulette with your soul; TODAY, not tomorrow, not during the Tribulation period, is the day of Salvation! Neighbor that goes for ALL who read this message today as well!

Thirdly, John was definitely told by Christ to “come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter,” that is, after the advent of the churches as recorded in Revelation 2 and 3. When John heard that voice, a DOOR was opened in heaven and he was taken before the throne of God, a type of the rapture when a DOOR will be opened in heaven and we will meet the LORD JESUS CHRIST, the DOOR of the SHEEP, the Great Shepherd, in the air to be with Him forever and forever.

This is why we honor and celebrate Rosh Hashanah, the Feast of Trumpets. It points us to the blessed hope of the church. I pray you know this Christ today who is coming SOON for His own. I leave you with the words of an old hymn, “We shall see the King when He comes.”

 

Refrain:

There’s a blessed time that’s coming, coming soon (coming soon),
It may be evening, morning or at noon (or at noon),
The wedding of the bride, united with the Groom,
We shall see the King when He comes.

We shall see the King, We shall see the King,
We shall see the King when He comes;
He is coming in power, we’ll hail the blessed hour,
We shall see the King when he comes.

Are you ready should the Savior call today? (call today)
Would Jesus say, “Well done” or “Go away”? (Go away)
My home is for the pure, the vile can never stay,
We shall see the King when He comes.

Oh, my brother, are you ready for the call? (for the call)
To crown your Savior King and Lord of all? (Lord of all)
The kingdoms of this world shall soon before Him fall,
We shall see the king when He comes.
 

Words & Music: Variously attributed to John B. Vaugh­an (1862-1918?) or James D. Vaughan (1864-1941)

They don't write songs like this anymore but it expresses our heart today as we prepare our hearts for the coming of the King! Jesus is Coming very soon neighbor; I pray you know Him today so you won't be left behind to face an awful fate waiting those who miss the rapture of the church!

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