“The Road to the Rapture and Beyond” - Author and Writer Ronald Nelson

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 4:17

ENCOURAGING WORD:

This topic about the Rapture of the church is highly debated among the denominational churches of today. There is no question in my mind as to the legitimacy of the Rapture. It is completely Biblical to those that study the Bible with the Holy Spirit as their guide. But let me make one thing clear before I jump into the scriptures that prove the rapture is immanent. Believing in the Rapture has no bearing on your salvation. Believing in the Rapture just brings you to the knowledge of how close we truly are to the soon return of Jesus Christ. Without the knowlegde of prophecy, we would have no idea where we are on Gods prophetic calendar and everybody would be wonderring what is going on. If you believe and understand how close we are to the rapture of the church, it will give you an urgency to bring as many people as you can to the saving grace of Jesus Christ. The big problem that I see is that those churches that don’t teach about the rapture also have a very diluted version of many other scriptures in the Bible. Most of the theology of the denominational churches explain away a lot of scriptures that may very well have a bearing on your salvation. For example, the number one lie from the churches of today is this, they believe that we are saved by works. We are saved by Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone. Salvation comes by way of a relationship with Jesus Christ and there is absolutely no other way. Keep this in your mind, Christianity is not a religion, Christianity is a relationship with Jesus Christ. It is a very dangerous doctrine to believe that we are saved by works. Here is one verse that should close the case on saved by works.

Ephesians 2:8-9; “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Case Closed)

Now, with this short introduction, let me share scriptures in the Bible that clearly teach the imminent (ready to take place at any time, happening soon) return of Jesus Christ in the rapture.

1 Thessalonians 4:16; “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.”

This is obviously a rapture verse. I’ll explain why. Jesus is coming twice in the near future, once for the church and then when He comes to the earth with His Saints to set up His one thousand year millennial kingdom, which is another highly debated belief in the denominational churches. When Jesus literally returns to the earth, He will return with those that were raptured which includes the living and the dead. The dead in Christ will rise first and then those that are on the earth will be snatched away just as the Bible says.

1 Thessalonians 4:15; “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 not precede those who have fallen asleep.” (Died in Christ)

This is clearly a rapture verse. When Jesus returns to the earth after the tribulation, He will have all the Saints with Him at that time. All those that were taken up to meet the Lord in the air. When Jesus returns physically, we won’t meet Him in the air because Jesus will be returning on a white horse with all the believing saints with Him to the earth. Saints are those who have been set apart or consecrated by God for His purposes and glory. 1 Peter 2:9; “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” The chosen people that Peter is referring to are those that believe in Jesus Christ and have a personal relationship with Him. It has nothing to do with saints that are ordained in the Catholic faith or any other religious sect. Those are the ordained saints of Roman Catholicism, not the saints of Gods heavenly kingdom. Man cannot ordain saints, only God can ordain saints.

Then two verses further we read: 1 Thessalonians 4:17; “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.” Every body that doesn’t have a clue what the Bible teaches say, the word rapture is not in the Bible. The words (Caught up) are derived from the Greek word;  (Harpazó, which means to seize, snatch, take away by force) There are many versions and differeent languages that the Bible was written in. We use the words "Caught Up" where other languages use other words, such as (Harpazó,-Greek) Rapiemur (which is in the Latin Vulgate) and others. So, when people say the word rapture is not in the Bible, its because they haven’t done their homework. (Side Note: The word Trinity isn’t in the Bible either, but nobody has a problem believing in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit referred to as the Holy Trinity.)

Let’s move on to a few more verses that are clearly rapture verses. 1 Corinthians 15:52;

“In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.”

Does anybody know how fast a twinkle of an eye is. It is quicker than a blink. Its as fast as a sun beam going through the lenz of your eye. When Jesus comes for His saints at the rapture of the church, only loving eyes will see Him, When He returns to the earth at His second coming all eyes will see Him. (it won't be in a twinkle of an eye.) At the Rapture, you may be talking to someone and in an instant (in the twinkle of an eye) you will be talikng to yourself. Two totally different events.

Matthew 24:30; tells us this; “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.” When this verse says “then,” it is referring to what will happen right after the tribulation. The only ones that will see Jesus at the rapture are those that will be taken up. There is no way that you can take the (Rapture of the Church) and the (Second Coming of Jesus) to the earth and make it the same event.

Here is a verse that has the same concept of the rapture. 2 Corinthians 12:2; “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a man was caught up to the third heaven.” This is the Apostle Paul speaking of when God (raptured) took Paul up into the seventh heaven. He was “caught up,” which once again, refers to as being raptured.

Here are a few verses that are once again, clearly rapture verses. Matthew 24:36-44; “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.  So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

The rapture clearly teaches that Jesus can come at any moment, at the second coming Jesus can’t come until after the tribulation. If you believe that Jesus only comes at the end of the tribulation, you are saying that He can’t come back today. How dangerous is that! As a matter of fact, if you are here during the tribulation, and you have any knowledge of His second coming, you will know the exact day that Jesus will return to the earth, just as Daniel prophesied the exact day that Jesus would proclaim himself to be Messiah. The only event that is uncertain as to when it will take place is the rapture of the church, everything else is in the scripture for our learning. I've heard someone say once, "Sad day, Sad day, Jesus can't come back today." If you believe that the rapture and the second coming are the same event, then you take away the immanent return of Jesus and you are calling Him a lier. I'll tell you why this is so dangerous. If you believe Jesus can't come back until the end of the Tribulation, then you can live anyway you want, and when the tribualtion is over, then you can repent and come to Jesus. Good luck with that one! You better come to Jesus now while there is still time, tomorrow may be to late.

Daniel 12:11-12; “From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days.”

Here is a quick summary of events that are in the very near future.

Sometime after the rapture of the church, the Antichrist enters into a seven year peace treaty with Israel. This begins the seven-year tribulation. If you are here when that happens, buckle up your seat belt, it will be a very rough road, the one that you chose to take!

At the midpoint of the tribulation (1,260 days later), the Antichrist breaks the treaty, desecrates the temple, and begins to persecute the Jews. At the end of the tribulation (1,260 days after the desecration of the temple), Jesus Christ returns to earth and defeats the forces of the Antichrist. This will not be like a thief in the night to those who are paying attention. Here is where the Bible tells us when Jesus will return. Right after the tribulation, Jesus will appear.

During the next 30 days (leading up to 1,290 days after the desecration of the temple), Israel is rebuilt, and the earth is restored. During the next 45 days (leading up to 1,335 days after the desecration of the temple), the Gentile nations are judged for their treatment of Israel. The dispensation of the millennium begins, and it will last for 1,000 years; Revelation 20:3; “And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.”

Also, on your own time, read Revelation , Chapters 5-6. It talks about Jesus being the Lamb of God, and only He can open the scroll that reveals the six seal judgements. These judgments along with the trumpet judgements and the bowl judgements will take place during the tribulation. I’m not sure when all these judgements will happen, but I do know it will be some time during the seven years of tribulation. The horses that are mentioned in Revelation, Chapter 6 tell of certain plagues that will take place during this time. 

According Daniel 9:27; “He (The Antichrist) will confirm a covenant with many (Israel) for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven year period ’he (Satan) will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he (The Antichrist) will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.”

The tribulation begins with the signing of a peace treaty between the Antichrist and Israel intended to be for one seven year period. But the seven year period is divided into two halves: Midway through the seven years, the Antichrist breaks the treaty and sets up in the temple a sacrilegious object (the “Abomination that Causes Desolation”). The phrase “in the middle” indicates that the first half of the tribulation lasts for 3½ years (1,260 days, using a “prophetic year” of 360 days). Likewise, the second half of the tribulation lasts another 1,260 days (another 3½ years), for a total of seven years.

The Antichrist will be granted a God-given authority to have dominion over the world for 42 months Revelation 13:5; “The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise its authority for forty-two months.”

These 42 months will be the last three-and-a-half years of the tribulation period. The power that Satan wields before the midway point of the period will be minor compared to the power he wields after it. The Antichrist will break his treaty with Israel and claim the Jewish temple as what we might think of as his personal palace. He will sit “as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God” 2 Thessalonians 2:4; “He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.’ (This is the Abomination of Desolation spoken of by Daniel the Prophect)

Revelation 11:3; “And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” specifically mentions 1,260 days, which corresponds exactly with Daniel’s prophecy of the abomination of desolation. In Revelation, we have an added detail: two divinely appointed witnesses will preach and perform miracles for half of the tribulation—the first half, according to the chronology of Revelation. These two witnesses which many believe are Moses and Elijah are killed at the midpoint of the tribulation; their bodies will lie in the streets for three and a half days as the world celebrates their demise; then they will be resurrected and taken up to heaven.

Revelation 11:7–13; “Now when they (The Two Witnesses) have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city—which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified. For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth. But after the three and a half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on. At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.”

If you have received the “Mark of the Beast” during this time, you will be one of the millions that will be cheering, but you won’t be cheering long. The 1,260 days of the second half of the tribulation begins as the Antichrist breaks the treaty, occupies the third Jewish temple, and sets up a profane and sacrilegious object of worship. This 1,260-day period ends when the Antichrist is defeated at the battle of Armageddon upon Jesus’ return to earth. At that time, the tribulation will be at an end. Notice what I just said, the battle of Armageddon will be at the end of the tribulation. You can count the days until Jesus returns. 1260 days from the Abomination of Desolation to the battle of Armageddon Jesus will return. If you are here, count the days and you will know the exact Day that Jesus will return to end life as we know it know it, and then He will usher in His one thousand year millennial kingdom. You can bank on it! Daniel 12:11; “From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days.” This verse mentions 1,290 days, which is 30 days more than the second half of the tribulation. Different ideas have been put forward to explain what happens in those 30 extra days. One likely theory is that the land of Israel will be rebuilt in that month after the devastation it endured during the tribulation.Then, according to Daniel 12:11-12; “From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days.” there will be an extra 45 days, on top of the extra 30 days, after which something else will happen. Daniel does not say explicitly what will happen, but he says those who remain until the end of that segment (1,335 days after the breaking of the treaty and 75 days after the end of the tribulation) will be “blessed.” The blessing here is entry into the millennial kingdom. What will take place during those 45 days? Very likely, this is when the judgment of the Gentile nations, described in the following verses take place.

Matthew 25:31–46, “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger, and you invited me in,  I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry, and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty, and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger, and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes, and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

In this judgment, also called the judgment of the sheep and the goats, the Gentiles are judged for their treatment of Israel during the tribulation. Did they aid Jesus’ “brothers and sisters” Matthew 25:40; ““The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Or, did they turn a blind eye to the Jews’ troubles or, worse yet, aid in their persecution? Ask yourself this question, how are you treating the Jewish people. Are you a part of the antisemitism that is growing here in America, especially in our college campus's or are you supporting the Jewish people with their conquest to peace and safety. If you are listening to the social media sights, most likely you are hearing all the lies that they spread. The Jews are the most loving people on this earth. All they want is to be left alone, but the surrounding Muslim nations want to see their destruction. The Muslim nations hate Israel and want to see then annihilated. These nations do not want peace, they want the nation of Israel wiped off the face of the earth. So, what side are you on. Do you support Jesus’s chosen people or do you choose Satan’s people. Ther is no middle ground. So, those who survive the tribulation and survive the sheep and goat judgment will enter the millennium. This is a blessing, indeed.

But know this, Ezekiel 38:18-23; This is what will happen in that day: When Gog (Russia and the Muslim alliances) attacks the land of Israel, my hot anger will be aroused, declares the Sovereign Lord.  In my zeal and fiery wrath I declare that at that time there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel. The fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the beasts of the field, every creature that moves along the ground, and all the people on the face of the earth will tremble at my presence. The mountains will be overturned, the cliffs will crumble, and every wall will fall to the ground. I will summon a sword against Gog (Russia and the Muslim alliances) on all my mountains, declares the Sovereign Lord. Every man’s sword will be against his brother.  I will execute judgment on him with plagues and bloodshed; I will pour down torrents of rain, hailstones and burning sulfur on him and on his troops and on the many nations with him. And so I will show my greatness and my holiness, and I will make myself known in the sight of many nations. Then they (All Nations) will know that I am the Lord.’ 

God will personally intervene and destroy 5/6 of Israels enemies and Israel will be victorious without firing a weapon. God will do it all. I believe this will most likely happen after the rapture, but before the tribulation for obvious reasons. It could possibly be before the rapture, but I don’t think so. The reason that I think this happens before the rapture is this; as long as there are born again believers on this earth, this will not be aloud because it says that all nations will go up against Israel which includes America. As long as we are still a strong ally of Israel, this can’t and won’t happen for at least the next few years. Once the rapture takes place. There will be no one to stand with Israel. They will stand alone!

Let me end with what it will be like during the Millennial Kingdom.

Isaiah 65:20; “No longer will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, Or an old man who does not live out his days; For the youth will die at the age of one hundred And the one who does not reach the age of one hundred Will be thought accursed.”

Isaiah 11:6; “And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, And the leopard will lie down with the young goat, And the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little boy will lead them.”

So, my last question for you is this. When did these two verses take place since the creation of the world? I’ll help you…never! These two verses above are going to take place in the near future during the Millennial Kingdom. You can’t explain these two verse away, they are Gods Word and Gods Word will never come up void. What did Jesus say in the following verse?

Hebrews 13:8; “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

Matthew 5:18; “For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.”

Read this over, over, and over again until it sinks in!

Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.”