Righteousness89:


The Antichrist is the lawless one, the man of Perdition, the Man of Sin. Having said that There are lots of people Possessed with the spirit of the antichrist on Earth today.
1john 4
1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

The Antichrist cannot take over to Perform Jos Enterprise until the Bride of JESUS Christ, The Church is Taken away in the Rapture!


As for the anti christ been Revealed, I Beloved he has been Revealed ! In the person of the Ex-president of the USA.

The False Prophet of Revelation 13 has also been upandan doing his work. I Believe is the Present Pope..

The Rapture is the Event holding them from taking over officially

No the antichrist has not yet being revealed but only the mystery of iniquity is at work.
Obama is not the antichrist but obama is one of many used to push in the new world order.

Go and search about the new world order, It is about socio engineering people to fit into ths luciferian ideology.

The antichrist will only be revealed after the rapture of the church, his main mission is to lead the whole world down towards complete rebellion and worship of Lucifer while the false prophets convince people that the antichrist is true with his false signs and miracles.

Before the rapture, there must be a massive world wide rejection of christianity which is already going on right now! The statistics of people professing to be christians are dropping, there is increase in atheism and other forms of philosophy/religion. The rapture should be any moment from now!
The antichrist is just by the door after the rapture.
I believe during the rapture, there would be a battle in the second heavens that would flush out all the demons there, confining them to the earth and immediately satan would crown his ruler to conquer the earth Rev 6v1 this is the man riding upon white horse with a bow to conquer the world.
Also there would be a third world war which would be short but claim the life of a fourth part of human race, and after that economy of the world would die totally except for some things.

The tribulation is not meant for the church but for people who dont know God and for the restoration of Israel.
The bible already gave us clue from where the antichrist is coming from and that is Rome.

Daniel 9:26
And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

Who are the people that destroyed Jerusalem after Jesus has died? They were the Romans lead by Titus and these are the people (tribes men) of the antichrist.

The bible gave us some clues as to who the antichrist is in Daniel.
1. He has Roman/Jewish origin
2. He is probably an homosexual because he will have no desire for women. Wonder why the sudden rise in gay rights and the destruction of the heterosexual relationship by using the feminist movement?
3. He probably is an atheist who believes in humanism, Hence the popularity of the belief that humans hold the solution to their problem/ humans are their own god (gnosticism) which is also satanism. Most people think satanism is about literally worshiping satan although there are some that do but what satanism is about is putting oneself above anything else/making onself a god, their symbol is the goat because the goat is a stubborn self willed animal unlike the sheep that is easy to lead. Part of this atheistic/humanist believe is what is known as gnosticism which is the belief that it is knowledge that will save man, according to luciferians, the serpent offering eve the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil was the serpent offering salvation to eve and to Adam from ignorance, according to luciferians yahweh was trying to enslave/ keep eve in ignorance but she was freed by the serpent hence yahweh becomes the villain and lucifer becomes the saviour. They display these things on movies all the time hence engineering the people to recieve the antichrist when he comes as a saviour.

The rapture is ver very close

Righteousness89:


You are Misquoting and Misunderstanding the Bible!

The Bible passage you Quoted buttresses what I said. The angel talked with Daniel . He was clearly talking about the Great Tribulation. Daniel is a Jew. And the angel what will happen to his people the Jews, The Isrealites.
That is Exactly what I said!

What I am saying is, Christians should be prepared to endure to the end and not plan to escape.
You cannot prove from scripture that the rapture before the tribulation. And what if you believed it was and it turned out it wasn't. Imagine the disappointment.

Righteousness89:


You are Misquoting and Misunderstanding the Bible!

The Bible passage you Quoted buttresses what I said. The angel talked with Daniel . He was clearly talking about the Great Tribulation. Daniel is a Jew. And the angel what will happen to his people the Jews, The Isrealites.
That is Exactly what I said!

Daniel 7:21.." I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints , and prevailed against them. 22. Until the ancient of days came and judgement was given to the saints...

Daniel 7:25, ..."and he shall speak great words against the most high God, and shall wear out the saints of the most high, and think to change times and laws, and they shall be given unto his hand until a time, and times and dividing of time"

Revelation 13:7... "And it was given unto him to make war with the saints and overcome them, and power was given unto him over all kindreds, tongues and nations....

2 thess 2:1-4... ".......2. that ye be not soon shaken in mind or be troubled, neither by spirit ......as that the day of Christ is at hand. 3. Let no man deceive you by any means, for that day shall not come except there come a falling away first, and then the man of sin , the son of perdition be revealed ......7. for the mystery of iniquity is at work already; only he who now letteth will let until he his taken out of the way. 8. And the wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming..

Matthew 24:3.... " And his disciples said unto him, tell us when shall these things be and what shall be the signs of your coming and the end of the word...

Matthew 24:5-9..." For many shall come in my name saying, I am Christ, and shall deceive many, 6. And you shall here if Ward and rumours of wars: see that you are not troubled for all these things must come to pass but the end is not YET. 7. for nation shall rise against nation, and there shall be famines and pestilences and earthquakes, in divers places. 8. All these are the beginning of sorrows. 9. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you and ye shall be hated of all nation's for my name's sake...

Matthew 24:21-25: "For then shall be a great tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22. And except those days be shortened, there should no flesh be saved, but for the elect's sake, those days shall be shortened. 23. Then if any man shall say unto you. Lo, here is Christ (false prophet and Antichrist combined), or there, believe it not. 24. For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders, insomuch that of it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 25. Behold , I have told you before (the Lord's warning and advice)

Matthew 24:29:.." immediately after the tribulation of those days.......... 30. And then shall appear the son of man in heaven, and the Earth shall mourn, and they shall see the son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with great power and glory 31. And he shall send his ANGELS with a great sound if TRUMPET , and they shall gather together is elect from the four winds of the ends of heaven to the other (Rapture of the saints- the dead in Christ Jesus shall rise first, and we left shall be caught up with them in the clouds- 1thess 4:16-18)

Jesus advices us in Matthew 24:13: "but he that shall endure to the end , the same shall be saved"

From these chapters, and verses, it is clear that the church would partake in the tribulation, buh the Lord Jesus Christ will wash our robes white as snow as we endure to the end...

Finally ,in Revelations 7:13-14..." And one of the elders answered saying unto me, what are these which are arrayed in white robes? And whence came they? 15. And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said unto me, these are they which came out if great tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the LAMB ............ Read up to verse 17.

Amen

Jokerman:


Daniel 7:21.." I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints , and prevailed against them. 22. Until the ancient of days came and judgement was given to the saints...

Daniel 7:25, ..."and he shall speak great words against the most high God, and shall wear out the saints of the most high, and think to change times and laws, and they shall be given unto his hand until a time, and times and dividing of time"

Revelation 13:7... "And it was given unto him to make war with the saints and overcome them, and power was given unto him over all kindreds, tongues and nations....

2 thess 2:1-4... ".......2. that ye be not soon shaken in mind or be troubled, neither by spirit ......as that the day of Christ is at hand. 3. Let no man deceive you by any means, for that day shall not come except there come a falling away first, and then the man of sin , the son of perdition be revealed ......7. for the mystery of iniquity is at work already; only he who now letteth will let until he his taken out of the way. 8. And the wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming..

You say it mentions saints.” Yes, but remember in the Old Testament, the Jewish people are called “saints.” That word simply means “holy ones.” Old Testament Jews were saints also. But you will not find a mention of the Church in all of the book of Revelation during that time known as the Great Tribulation.

donnie:


What I am saying is, Christians should be prepared to endure to the end and not plan to escape.
You cannot prove from scripture that the rapture before the tribulation. And what if you believed it was and it turned out it wasn't. Imagine the disappointment.

I am saying you are Wrong! From the Bible The bride of Christ, The Church will be taken away before the Great Tribulation

solite3:
No the antichrist has not yet being revealed but only the mystery of iniquity is at work.
Obama is not the antichrist but obama is one of many used to push in the new world order.

Go and search about the new world order, It is about socio engineering people to fit into ths luciferian ideology.

The antichrist will only be revealed after the rapture of the church, his main mission is to lead the whole world down towards complete rebellion and worship of Lucifer while the false prophets convince people that the antichrist is true with his false signs and miracles.

Before the rapture, there must be a massive world wide rejection of christianity which is already going on right now! The statistics of people professing to be christians are dropping, there is increase in atheism and other forms of philosophy/religion. The rapture should be any moment from now!
The antichrist is just by the door after the rapture.
I believe during the rapture, there would be a battle in the second heavens that would flush out all the demons there, confining them to the earth and immediately satan would crown his ruler to conquer the earth Rev 6v1 this is the man riding upon white horse with a bow to conquer the world.
Also there would be a third world war which would be short but claim the life of a fourth part of human race, and after that economy of the world would die totally except for some things.

The tribulation is not meant for the church but for people who dont know God and for the restoration of Israel.
The bible already gave us clue from where the antichrist is coming from and that is Rome.

Daniel 9:26
And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

Who are the people that destroyed Jerusalem after Jesus has died? They were the Romans lead by Titus and these are the people (tribes men) of the antichrist.

The bible gave us some clues as to who the antichrist is in Daniel.
1. He has Roman/Jewish origin
2. He is probably an homosexual because he will have no desire for women. Wonder why the sudden rise in gay rights and the destruction of the heterosexual relationship by using the feminist movement?
3. He probably is an atheist who believes in humanism, Hence the popularity of the belief that humans hold the solution to their problem/ humans are their own god (gnosticism) which is also satanism. Most people think satanism is about literally worshiping satan although there are some that do but what satanism is about is putting oneself above anything else/making onself a god, their symbol is the goat because the goat is a stubborn self willed animal unlike the sheep that is easy to lead. Part of this atheistic/humanist believe is what is known as gnosticism which is the belief that it is knowledge that will save man, according to luciferians, the serpent offering eve the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil was the serpent offering salvation to eve and to Adam from ignorance, according to luciferians yahweh was trying to enslave/ keep eve in ignorance but she was freed by the serpent hence yahweh becomes the villain and lucifer becomes the saviour. They display these things on movies all the time hence engineering the people to recieve the antichrist when he comes as a saviour.

The rapture is ver very close

You are right that the church will be taken away before the Great Tribulation
You are Right that the Rapture is close

You are Wrong from your description of the lawless one.

Revelation 13 describes him as being of a Gentile Nation ( out of the sea! The sea Represents Gentile Nation)

Righteousness89:


You are right that the church will be taken away before the Great Tribulation
You are Right that the Rapture is close

You are Wrong from your description of the lawless one.

Revelation 13 describes him as being of a Gentile Nation ( out of the sea! The sea Represents Gentile Nation)

Rome is a gentile nation.

solite3:
Rome is a gentile nation.

You said Jewish Orgin.,

Anyway, I am not concerned about the antichrist as I am not looking for him. I am looking To The Coming of JESUS CHRIST..

If I am asked, with my little Spirtual insight I'll say it's Obama and his false Prophet/Fore runner is the Present pope

[img][/img]

Righteousness89:


I am saying you are Wrong! From the Bible The bride of Christ, The Church will be taken away before the Great Tribulation

Give your bible references.

That's a dangerous teaching because if by any chance you are wrong what will happen, disappointment, fear and tragedy. We should rather be ready to endure whatever the case may be. If he comes before... fine, if not, we are ready to stand for truth.

Righteousness89:


You said Jewish Orgin.,

Anyway, I am not concerned about the antichrist as I am not looking for him. I am looking To The Coming of JESUS CHRIST..

If I am asked, with my little Spirtual insight I'll say it's Obama and his false Prophet/Fore runner is the Present pope

I said probably but it certain that the antichrist is from Rome according to the bible.

@bolded you are wrong, Obama is not the antichrist. Any Spiritual insight should be throughly scrutinized with the bible.

solite3:
I said probably but it certain that the antichrist is from Rome according to the bible.

@bolded you are wrong, Obama is not the antichrist. Any Spiritual insight should be throughly scrutinized with the bible.

Obama has Revealed himself severally , just that Man of I didn't know!

The pope is the Fore runner and false Prophet of the antichrist. He has been doing his work openly!

Open your eyes bro..

donnie:
[img][/img]

Give your bible references.

That's a dangerous teaching because if by any chance you are wrong what will happen, disappointment, fear and tragedy. We should rather be ready to endure whatever the case may be. If he comes before... fine, if not, we are ready to stand for truth.

Go through the part2 of the teaching of this subject

https://www.nairaland.com/5775158/church-go-through-great-tribulation#88114623

Righteousness89:


Obama has Revealed himself severally , just that Man of I didn't know!

The pope is the Fore runner and false Prophet of the antichrist. He has been doing his work openly!

Open your eyes bro..

There are many people who has reveal themselves as antichrists throughout history that does not mean they are the antichrist spoken of in the bible.
Are you following the bible or you are just following mere gesture?
Study the antichrist from the bible and you will see that it is clearly not Obama.
Any spirituality that does not agree with the bible is fraud, the bible must be the authority for truth especially when it comes to spiritual matters.
If Obama is the antichrist prove it from the bible.
As for the pope, I know that the office of the pope is that of the false prophet but as for the identity of the false prophet, it is still unknown.

None of these would be revealed untill after the rapture.

Righteousness89:
Incrizz

This is the verse referenced for rapture:

Mathew 24:
40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

But check verse 37 of that same Mathew 24,

The rapture described in verses 40-41 was caused by verses 37

Mathew 24: 37

"36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

37 But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,

39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

The rapture in verses 40 & 41 is caused by the COMING OF THE SON OF MAN.
Without Jesus apperance, there can be no rapture!

As also described in Thessalonians 4:16,

"1 Thessalonians 4:16
"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."

Without Jesus apperance, there can be no rapture!


The tribulation is what will cause the love of many, who aren't watching to wax cold.

Revelation 3:10,
Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I will also keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell in the earth.

We shall all be tested!

Pass your test!

We get raptured when Christ appears and we get caught up with Him in the air (for those of us still alive by then).

Because from the Bible, we get caught up, or vanish, when we get caught up with Him in the air.

If Jesus doesn't show up, there CANNOT be a "rapturing"!

OR, are you suggesting Jesus will come three times?
By three times I mean:
-His birth
-before tribulation and
-after tribulation?

Because, everytime -Scripture refers to rapture, it is in connection with the appearance of JESUS!

solite3
donnie
Jokerman


The rapture will not happen till after the tribulation as stated clearly in verse 3 below:

2 Thess 2:1-3

Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,

2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.

3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

Incrizz:


This is the verse referenced for rapture:

Mathew 24:
40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

But check verse 37 of that same Mathew 24,

The rapture described in verses 40-41 was caused by verses 37

Mathew 24: 37

"36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

37 But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,

39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

The rapture in verses 40 & 41 is caused by the COMING OF THE SON OF MAN.
Without Jesus apperance, there can be no rapture!

As also described in Thessalonians 4:16,

"1 Thessalonians 4:16
"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."

Without Jesus apperance, there can be no rapture!


The tribulation is what will cause the love of many, who aren't watching to wax cold.

Revelation 3:10,
Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I will also keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell in the earth.

We shall all be tested!

Pass your test!

We get raptured when Christ appears and we get caught up with Him in the air (for those of us still alive by then).

Because from the Bible, we get caught up, or vanish, when we get caught up with Him in the air.

If Jesus doesn't show up, there CANNOT be a "rapturing"!

OR, are you suggesting Jesus will come three times?
By three times I mean:
-His birth
-before tribulation and
-after tribulation?

Because, everytime -Scripture refers to rapture, it is in connection with the appearance of JESUS!

solite3
donnie
Jokerman

Mathew 24:40-41 is not rapture.
Those are abductions. Some translations use the word "seized" or "taken captive". That has already been happening but we will see more in these last days. Then they asked him to where?

Luke 17:35-37
[35]Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
[36]Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
[37]And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.

Some translations render verses 37 even more correctly as "where the carcasses are, there the vultures will be".

Our people have been through this and are still going through such. This time, even in our country, it will be worse except for the mercy of YAH.

Incrizz:


This is the verse referenced for rapture:

Mathew 24:
40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

But check verse 37 of that same Mathew 24,

The rapture described in verses 40-41 was caused by verses 37

Mathew 24: 37

"36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

37 But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,

39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

The rapture in verses 40 & 41 is caused by the COMING OF THE SON OF MAN.
Without Jesus apperance, there can be no rapture!

As also described in Thessalonians 4:16,

"1 Thessalonians 4:16
"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."

Without Jesus apperance, there can be no rapture!


The tribulation is what will cause the love of many, who aren't watching to wax cold.

Revelation 3:10,
Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I will also keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell in the earth.

We shall all be tested!

Pass your test!

We get raptured when Christ appears and we get caught up with Him in the air (for those of us still alive by then).

Because from the Bible, we get caught up, or vanish, when we get caught up with Him in the air.

If Jesus doesn't show up, there CANNOT be a "rapturing"!

OR, are you suggesting Jesus will come three times?
By three times I mean:
-His birth
-before tribulation and
-after tribulation?

Because, everytime -Scripture refers to rapture, it is in connection with the appearance of JESUS!

so.lite3
don.nie
Joker.man


The rapture will not happen till after the tribulation as stated clearly in verse 3 below:

2 Thess 2:1-3

Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,

2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.

3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

Very well written.
The remnant church (meaning the wheat--those who have sincerely served Christ in spirit and truth) will have to go through the great tribulation, but will come through triumphant.

If the martyrs of old had to go through the horrific "Dark Ages", (persecution by the Roman Church), the disciples and reformers had to endure persecution and death, why would that be any less for God's people today?
Even Christ Himself had to endure suffering and death for the greater cause of humanity.

The Lord will not return until this momentus event occurs.
I think that Hollywood's "smooth, comfortable and erroneous version" of the Biblical rapture has confused many sincere children of God.
The Holy Spirit revals truth and understanding to those that really seek for it.

[s]

Eviana:


Very well written.
The remnant church (meaning the wheat--those who have sincerely served Christ in spirit and truth) will have to go through the great tribulation, but will come through triumphant.

If the martyrs of old had to go through the horrific "Dark Ages", (persecution by the Roman Church), the disciples and reformers had to endure persecution and death, why would that be any less for God's people today?
Even Christ Himself had to endure suffering and death for the greater cause of humanity.

The Lord will not return until this momentus event occurs.
I think that Hollywood's "smooth, comfortable and erroneous version" of the Biblical rapture has confused many sincere children of God.
The Holy Spirit revals truth and understanding to those that really seek for it.

[/s]

Madam , you are Misunderstand the Bible!

Did you see like in the days of Noah!

Don't be Deceived my dear! But as u say with your mouth , so be it for you!


In The History of Humanity GOD ALMIGHTY has never punished the righteous with the Wicked!

Like in the days of Noah! Did u see Noah suffer with the ungodly!

Like in the days of lot! Did u see lot Perish with the Ungodly!

Wake up my dear and Read the Bible with your eyes open!

If it were to be like you profess, that indirectly you know when JESUS Will come.

The Bible records the Great Tribulation is for 7years

At the Midst of the 7Seven years, the antichrist will break the Covenant! That simply you can predict when your Rapture comes!

But JESUS tells you that no man knows the day of his Coming!

Receive Divine Help for Understanding and don't be carried away with so called Revelation and Prophecy!

GOD Has not Changed! And Cannot Change!
His Word is the Guide not Revelation or Prophecies! devil gives Revelation also!

All the same , u can choose to Remain here

Chosen1984:
[s][/s]

Madam , you are Misunderstand the Bible!

Did you see like in the days of Noah!

Don't be Deceived my dear! But as u say with your mouth , so be it for you!


In The History of Humanity GOD ALMIGHTY has never punished the righteous with the Wicked!

Like in the days of Noah! Did u see Noah suffer with the ungodly!

Like in the days of lot! Did u see lot Perish with the Ungodly!

Wake up my dear and Read the Bible with your eyes open!

If it were to be like you profess, that indirectly you know when JESUS Will come.

The Bible records the Great Tribulation is for 7years

At the Midst of the 7Seven years, the antichrist will break the Covenant! That simply you can predict when your Rapture comes!

But JESUS tells you that no man knows the day of his Coming!

Receive Divine Help for Understanding and don't be carried away with so called Revelation and Prophecy!

GOD Has not Changed! And Cannot Change!
His Word is the Guide not Revelation or Prophecies! devil gives Revelation also!

All the same , u can choose to Remain here

It's ok sir.
A lot of people here on Nairaland think I'm confused on a lot of scripture.
All I can hope is that people allow the Holy Spirit to guide them into ALL truth..
There aren't supposed to be 1 million different interpretations for scripture passages.

Anyhow, I don't like to argue or debate anyone on this platform..especially not followers of Christ.
I can only say state my convictions.
I saw this thread and was gonna be silent until I saw someone who rightfully interpreted the scripture passages.
I was compelled to speak.
I am well aware that brethren will disagree.
I don't like when it becomes combative.

So let me explain it a little more clearly.
Noah was safe in the ark WHILE the flood was occurring. Yes, he and the (7) others--his family-- were not harmed. But they did go through the flood.
God's faithful few--in the last days-- who have not been murdered for their faith will be alive and present through the tribulation, however they will not be harmed.
God will shield them.
There is no scriptural evidence of a "secret rapture" nor a rapture of the church--God's faithful-- BEFORE Christ comes.
People have misinterpreted this important scriptural issue--I believe unknowingly.

Eviana:


Very well written.
The remnant church (meaning the wheat--those who have sincerely served Christ in spirit and truth) will have to go through the great tribulation, but will come through triumphant.

If the martyrs of old had to go through the horrific "Dark Ages", (persecution by the Roman Church), the disciples and reformers had to endure persecution and death, why would that be any less for God's people today?
Even Christ Himself had to endure suffering and death for the greater cause of humanity.

The Lord will not return until this momentus event occurs.
I think that Hollywood's "smooth, comfortable and erroneous version" of the Biblical rapture has confused many sincere children of God.
The Holy Spirit revals truth and understanding to those that really seek for it.

God bless you Sis.
Kindly explain also to your siblings and loved ones so that they can watch and pray.

Eviana:


It's ok sir.
A lot of people here on Nairaland think I'm confused on a lot of scripture.
All I can hope is that people allow the Holy Spirit to guide them into ALL truth..
There aren't supposed to be 1 million different interpretations for scripture passages.

Anyhow, I don't like to argue or debate anyone on this platform..especially not followers of Christ.
I can only say state my convictions.
I saw this thread and was gonna be silent until I saw someone who rightfully interpreted the scripture passages.
I was compelled to speak.
I am well aware that brethren will disagree.
I don't like when it becomes combative.

So let me explain it a little more clearly.
Noah was safe in the ark WHILE the flood was occurring. Yes, he and the (7) others--his family-- were not harmed. But they did go through the flood.
God's faithful few--in the last days-- who have not been murdered for their faith will be alive and present through the tribulation, however they will not be harmed.
God will shield them.
There is no scriptural evidence of a "secret rapture" nor a rapture of the church--God's faithful-- BEFORE Christ comes.
People have misinterpreted this important scriptural issue--I believe unknowingly.

My sister, The Ark of Noah was the ark of Safety..

JESUS CHRIST Represents that Ark Today!

The Great Tribulation is not a safe place or time for Anybody!
All killings and Persecutions of Believers all these while on Earth is the Persecution that we pass through as Belivers on Earth! Many have died because of being Believers! Many have lost their homes !

The Grace of GOD will not be here anymore during the Great Tribulation!

The Great Tribulation is for 2 purposes
1. For the Isrealites ( The very Elect)to direct them to the Messiah JESUS CHRIST.

2. For the Nations and people who Have Rejected GOD..

It's not for the people of GOD! Don't aspire for that if you have Heaven in your mind!

You may not be able to Survive it!

The Bible says for the sake of the Elect( Isreal) it will be Shortened!

Eviana:


Very well written.
The remnant church (meaning the wheat--those who have sincerely served Christ in spirit and truth) will have to go through the great tribulation, but will come through triumphant.

If the martyrs of old had to go through the horrific "Dark Ages", (persecution by the Roman Church), the disciples and reformers had to endure persecution and death, why would that be any less for God's people today?
Even Christ Himself had to endure suffering and death for the greater cause of humanity.

The Lord will not return until this momentus event occurs.
I think that Hollywood's "smooth, comfortable and erroneous version" of the Biblical rapture has confused many sincere children of God.
The Holy Spirit revals truth and understanding to those that really seek for it.

Thank you my sister.
While I do not support speaking against what powerful men like Pastor Chris are doing in speaking up, we should also prepare ourselves and our brethen to go through whatever it takes and to remain in the faith, resisting evil, especially this evil mark.

Messiah preached and emphasized endurance, not escape. If we are raptured before the tribulation, great, if we are not, we endure until the end.

Mathew 24:13
"But he who endures to the end shall be saved."

Incrizz:


God bless you Sis.

Kindly explain also to your siblings and loved ones so that they can watch and pray.

God's blessings to you as well...

donnie:


Thank you my sister.
While I do not support speaking against what powerful men like Pastor Chris are doing in speaking up, we should also prepare ourselves and our brethen to go through whatever it takes and to remain in the faith, resisting evil, especially this evil mark.

Messiah preached and emphasized endurance, not escape. If we are raptured before the tribulation, great, if we are not, we endure until the end.

Mathew 24:13
"But he who endures to the end shall be saved."

Blessings to you too ...
At the above bolded, I really don't know much about the pastor above. Only learned about him through Nairaland.
Have never listened to any sermon by him..although I can look him up on Youtube.
There are many controversial headlines regarding him today here on the Religion section...and quite a number concerning him on a regular basis.
Not sure of his theology..only that he appears to be very popular and has a "mega church" (in terms of members).
I have many thoughts about "certain" controversial topics pertaining to the biblical end times, but I don't speak about them openly for now. I think, we, Christians have to be very wise when dealing with matters such as those...but properly understanding "how" and "when" prophecy is to be fulfilled.
I was just viewing these troublous times we live in, in light of a "pestilence(s)" (which the Bible states will occur) causing havoc.

Chosen1984:


My sister, The Ark of Noah was the ark of Safety..

JESUS CHRIST Represents that Ark Today!

The Great Tribulation is not a safe place or time for Anybody!
All killings and Persecutions of Believers all these while on Earth is the Persecution that we pass through as Belivers on Earth! Many have died because of being Believers! Many have lost their homes !

The Grace of GOD will not be here anymore during the Great Tribulation!

The Great Tribulation is for 2 purposes
1. For the Isrealites ( The very Elect)to direct them to the Messiah JESUS CHRIST.

2. For the Nations and people who Have Rejected GOD..

It's not for the people of GOD! Don't aspire for that if you have Heaven in your mind!

You may not be able to Survive it!

The Bible says for the sake of the Elect( Isreal) it will be Shortened!

I would like to share this link to a short 11 minute message (by a sola-scriptura) pastor entitled, "Will The Church Go Through The Great Tribulation?"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7gq7e1TkYU


I know people are skeptical about clicking links here on Nairaland...because of fraudsters and hackers. I totally understand, because I, myself, was a victim (by innocently clicking on a few links) when I first joined the site.
I can promise you, with God as my witness, that this is no scam, hack, fraudulent link.

This is very pressing, important and critical for this time right now.
While I am praying that multiple people will view the message, someone in particular, has been praying, searching and needs the truth.
All I know is that God has impressed me to do this today.

Praying for the Holy Spirit to guide and instruct in this critical truth.

Eviana:



I would like to share this link to a short 11 minute message (by a sola-scriptura) pastor entitled, "Will The Church Go Through The Great Tribulation?"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7gq7e1TkYU


I know people are skeptical about clicking links here on Nairaland...because of fraudsters and hackers. I totally understand, because I, myself, was a victim (by innocently clicking on a few links) when I first joined the site.
I can promise you, with God as my witness, that this is no scam, hack, fraudulent link.

This is very pressing, important and critical for this time right now.
While I am praying that multiple people will view the message, someone in particular, has been praying, searching and needs the truth.
All I know is that God has impressed me to do this today.

Praying for the Holy Spirit to guide and instruct in this critical truth.

My Sister , The Bible is My Guide! Not a Man's! I have gone through the Bible and I have listened to Teachings also..

GOD I Know is not an author of Confusion!
By the Grace of GOD ALMIGHTY not by my Power , I am an Ardent Reader of The Holy Biblr( King James Version). I will Confidently tell u that the Bride of JESUS CHRIST will be taken away before the lawless one officially takes over!
Read the Book of Revelation Prayerfully..
Read Daniel
Prayerfully Read also Apostle Paul admonition

Many of u are Confused about the Rapture and the Second Coming of JESUS. These are 2 Different things!

Ponder on these;
What is the purpose of GT?

Has anyone read this view of the Tribulation and the Second Coming of Christ. It is not my view. I just want you Bible experts to take the view into cognizance in your discussion

https://www.christsreligion.com/Volume-7-html/index.html

This view is the belief that both the Second Coming of Jesus and the Great Tribulation took place in the first century after Christ when General Titus lead the Roman Army to destroy Jerusalem.


What do you brothers think?

The Secret Rapture



Table of Contents
1. Why Would Jesus Promise?
2. Will It Be Secret?

The Secret RaptureBy Joe Crews |

Why Would Jesus Promise?

There is a theological question that has disturbed millions of Christians and has lent untold doctrinal confusion to the modem religious world. That question revolves around the manner of Christ's coming back to this earth at the end of the world. Multitudes have been led to believe that Christ will return secretly. What about the so-called secret rapture? A large number of Christians have been exposed to this "dispensationalist" or "futurist" interpretation of prophecy and have been hopelessly confused.

According to this view, the coming of Jesus will be in two separate events. First, He will come secretly to take the church to heaven, and then, seven years later, He will come in an open demonstration of power and glory. In between those two events, the Antichrist is supposed to come into power and the great tribulation period takes place.

But the truth is that the Bible nowhere speaks of these two separate comings of Jesus. There is no second stage of His coming that occurs seven years after the so-called "rapture." By the way, that word "rapture" is also an invention of theologians. It can't be found in the Bible in even a single instance. It is a word coined for the second advent of Jesus.

Now here is what we find in the Scriptures: Christ's coming, the resurrection, and catching up of the saints to meet Jesus in the air, all take place at the same time, at the end of the world. This is why Jesus said, "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world" (Matthew 28:20). Now why would Jesus promise to be with the church until the end of the world if He intended to come seven years before the end to take them out of the world? The promise would have no meaning.

Will It Be Secret?

The secret rapture doctrine contradicts the words of Christ in Matthew chapter 13 when He said that the wheat and tares would grow together until the "end of the world" and then would be separated. According to the two-stage teaching of His coming, both groups would not grow together until the end of the world. The righteous would be separated from the wicked seven years before the end. And what about the promise of the resurrection? Christ said, concerning the righteous, "And I will raise him up at the last day" (John 6:40). No one denies that this means the last day of the world. Yet Paul declares that the saints are caught up to meet the Lord at the same time the dead in Christ are raised. He says, "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air" (1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17).

Please keep in mind that Jesus called this resurrection the "last day." But how could it be the "last day" if this gathering of the saints takes place seven years before the end of the world? And how could the "last trump" sound if it really wasn't the very last moment of time?

Can you imagine the graves opening and the righteous rising and no one knowing that it had occurred? And consider this additional testimony of the Word of God:

Revelation 6:16,17 When the wicked see Christ come, they cry out to the rocks and mountains, "Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?"

Matthew 24:27 "For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be."

1 Corinthians 15:52 "For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised."

Psalm 50:3 "Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence."

Revelation 1:7 "Every eye shall see him. "

Matthew 24:30 "Then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory."

Matthew 24:31 "He shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." (This is clearly the time when Christ comes to gather His saints.)

To say that the second coming of Christ to gather His saints will be secret, in view of these clear texts of Scripture, and in the absence of any text that even hints at His coming being secret, is to deny the Bible as the Word of God. In an attempt to uphold their contrived theory, the rapturists quote Matthew 24:40, 41 out of context. Notice this entire passage:
"But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating

and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left" (Matthew 24:37-41).

Jesus is clearly drawing a parallel between the second coming and the days of Noah. Those who entered the ark in Noah's day were saved, and those who refused to enter the ark were left outside. But what were they left for? For another chance? No, obviously they were left to be destroyed by the Flood. So, says Jesus, will it be when He comes at the end of the world. One will be taken to heaven with Jesus, and the other will be left for destruction. Verse 51 makes clear what will happen to those who are left: "And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Read Luke 17:26-37 for Luke's parallel account of these same words of Jesus. In verse 36, this statement is made: "Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left." Now notice verse 37 and the question the disciples asked: "And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord?" They wanted to know where those who didn't go to heaven were going to be left. Notice Jesus' clear answer: "And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together."

Take note how Jesus taught that the bodies of the wicked are going to be left on the ground for the eagles to consume. Scripture is too plain to be misunderstood. Only as we accept all that the Bible says can we be safe from such deceptive teachings that are confusing millions of sincere Christians today concerning this most glorious event of all ages, the second coming of Jesus Christ.

Now, I realize that the rapturists hang onto the texts that liken the Lord's coming to "a thief in the night." They assume that this must be a quiet, secret coming. But does it really mean that? Let's show that it definitely does not. Here is one of those texts in 2 Peter 3: 10: "The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat." Obviously the "thief' part has nothing to do with secrecy because the heavens will pass away with a great noise! And if coming "as a thief' is the secret rapture which takes place seven years before the end of the world, how can the heavens and earth "pass away," as Peter describes it? The heavens and earth could not pass away seven years before the world ends - that is the end!

The fact is that Jesus Himself explained clearly just how a thief's coming could be related to His coming: "Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up" (Matthew 24:42, 43). There it is, so plain and simple! The thief would come unexpectedly when the owners were not looking for a thief. In the same way, His coming would take people by surprise. They would not be watching or looking for it.

Part 2 Continued....

The Secret Rapture




Table of Contents
3. Will Christ Return in Two Phases?
4. The Seven-Year Tribulation

The Secret Rapture By Joe Crews |




Will Christ Return in Two Phases?

The dispensationalists teach that the two separate stages of Christ's coming are indicated "in the Greek." They argue that there will first be the rapture (parousia), a secret coming; then seven years later will be the revelation (apokalupsis), His coming in power and glory. But, actually, instead of teaching two separate events, the Greek terms are used interchangeably in the Bible. They give no indication of a seven-year interval.

For example, Paul uses the word "parousia" in the famous rapture chapter of 1 Thessalonians 4 in speaking of the coming of our Lord and our gathering together unto Him. He then goes right on to show that this "parousia" will destroy the man of sin. Speaking of the Antichrist, Paul says, "whom the Lord shall ... destroy with the brightness of his coming [parousia]" (2 Thessalonians 2:. These texts clearly describe the coming (parousia) of Christ as taking place after the reign of the man of sin, not as an escape rapture before the reign of the Antichrist begins.

The other Greek word "apokalupsis" (revelation) is used in a way that indicates it is not a separate coming from the time the believers are gathered up. Peter said to "be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation [apokalupsis] of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:13). Why would Christians be exhorted to keep hoping to the very end of the world for the grace brought through the revelation of Christ if their real hope was a secret rapture seven years before the revelation?

Now look at some verses that prove beyond a doubt that the two words "parousia" and "apokalupsis" refer to the same event. In Matthew 24:37 we read, "But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming [parousia] of the Son of man be." Luke's account of the same passage says "As it was in the days of Noe ... Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed [apokalupsis]" (Luke 17:26, 30). This shows that the coming (parousia) of Christ and the revelation (apokalupsis) of Christ are the same event. There is absolutely no basis for placing seven years in between.

Many dispensationalist teachers actually claim that the rapture is not really the "coming" of Jesus at all. They say His coming is when Christ returns in power seven years after the rapture. But what a contradictory, confusing explanation that is! The fact is that there are many Scriptures that admonish Christians to wait and watch for the coming of the Lord. For example, James 5:7 says, "Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord." But why should Christians need to be patient unto the coming of the Lord if there is to be a secret rapture to take them to heaven seven years before His coming?

Strange as it may seem, this whole counterfeit secret rapture is built upon a constant repetition of words and ideas that are not found in the Bible at all. But they have been repeated so often that millions have assumed that they must be soundly biblical. Let's take a look at some of the texts that have been used to support the doctrine of a two-phase coming of Christ. And please notice that none of the verses actually say what some try to read into them. In fact, it is only after a person has already assumed that Christ will return in two separate comings that these verses could even suggest the idea.

Revelation 3:10 is often quoted to try to prove that the righteous will be taken out of the world before the tribulation. "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth." It is immediately obvious that this text does not speak of the righteous leaving this world at all. Jesus completely clarified the meaning by something He said in John 17:6, 15 which sounds very similar. "They have kept thy word. O I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil." Don't miss the significance of the term "kept the word" in both these texts. Both statements are talking about the same group of people - the faithful ones.

Now if those who "kept the word" can be "kept from the evil" of the world without being taken out of the world, why should we suppose that a special coming and secret rapture is required for those who "kept the word" to be "kept from the hour of temptation"? Whatever else may be taught in Revelation 3: 10, it is evident that no extra coming of Christ is indicated.

True biblical doctrine must be based upon clear statements of what the entire Bible teaches on a subject and not upon verses that offer only veiled inferences. Luke 21:36 is an example of that very thing. Jesus said to His disciples, "Pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass." How? By a secret rapture to take them to heaven seven years before the end of the world? Definitely not, for in the prayer of Jesus we read, "I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil." When He told them to "pray ... to escape," He must have meant the same as when He prayed, "I pray not ... take them out of the world but ... keep them." This rules out a secret rapture entirely. The text that is used to prove the rapture is seen actually to forbid the saints being taken out of this world during the time of trouble.

The Seven-Year Tribulation

Since so much rapturist theology revolves around the seven-year period, one would assume that the Bible must speak frequently of such a time period. But not so. There is not one single scriptural reference that ties the seven years to the end of the world or the coming of Christ. Most rapturist literature mentions the seven-year tribulation period without offering any Bible proof or explanation. Millions have assumed that it must be so well documented that no proof is needed. In fact, the opposite is true. There just isn't any evidence to give.

Most Bible students are amazed to learn that the rapturists try to justify their seven years by lifting a prophecy of Daniel completely out of its context. In Daniel 9:24-27 God made a daring prophecy concerning the probation of the nation of Israel. He said to Daniel, "Seventy weeks ['weeks of years' RSV] are determined upon thy people ... to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins" (v. 24). Please notice that God was going to allow Daniel's people seventy weeks to see what they would do with the Messiah when He appeared. The seventy weeks are prophetic time, and each day represents a literal year (Ezekiel 4:6). So the seventy weeks would be a literal period of 490 years, after which the Israelites would no longer be God's people. They would be rejected as a nation because of their rejection of the Messiah.

Don't miss the point in Daniel 9:25 that the prophecy of the seventy weeks was to begin with the decree to restore and build Jerusalem. That well-known date is 457 B.C., when Artaxerxes sent out the decree (Ezra 7:13). From that date, 457 B.C., the Jews would have exactly 490 years to finish filling up their cup of iniquity by rejecting the Messiah. That 490-year probation ended in A.D. 34, and the Jews ceased to be God's chosen people. Daniel 9:25 says that the Messiah would be anointed after sixty-nine of those prophetic weeks had passed by. That would be 483 years from the decree date of 457 B.C. It takes no mathematician to figure the end of that prediction. It brings us to the year A.D. 27, the very year that Jesus was baptized by John and the Holy Spirit anointed Him for His ministry. Since "Messiah" means" Anointed One," this had to be the fulfillment of Daniel's prophecy that the Messiah would appear in A.D 27.

Now mark this fact: seventy weeks were assigned to the Jewish probation, but Christ appeared as the Messiah after sixty-nine weeks. That leaves the seventieth week for Christ to minister before the Jews' probation ended. What was to happen in the seventieth week? Daniel 9:27 tells us, "And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease."

The midst of the week would be three and a half prophetic days (literal years) from His baptism. And according to the Bible, the ministry of Jesus lasted for three and a half years. In the spring of A.D. 31 He was crucified. The veil of the temple was rent (Matthew 27:51), signifying the end of sacrifices. By His death He caused them to cease. Another three and a half years would lead up to the end of the seventy weeks and the end of Jewish probation. During that three and a half years the disciples labored largely for the Jews. But in A.D. 34 the seventy weeks ended; Stephen was stoned and the gospel began to go to the Gentiles (Acts 8:4). The Jews had rejected the gospel message and were no longer God's people - just as Daniel had predicted. Henceforth they could be saved only as individuals, in exactly the same way as the Gentiles. As a nation, they had been rejected as the chosen people. Here is the way the Bible describes that rejection:
Matthew21:43 "The kingdom of God shall be taken from you."

Matthew 21:19 "And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away." (The fig tree was a symbol of the Jewish nation.)

Matthew 23:38 "Behold, your house is left unto you desolate."

Galatians 3:28 "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus."

Galatians 3:29 "And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

Romans 10:12 "For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him."

Romans 9:6-8 "For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children; but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, They which are ... the children of the promise are counted for the seed." (The New Testament teaches the acceptance of spiritual Israel, and the rejection of physical Israel and the children of the flesh.)

Romans 2:28, 29 "For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter."

Acts 13:46 "It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles."

The rapturists get their seven years' tribulation by lifting that seventieth week of Daniel's prophecy completely out of its context and shoving it far into the future. They claim it will be fulfilled after Christ comes to snatch away the righteous secretly. Incredible? Absolutely! But they must grasp desperately for some text to support their seven years. They agree that the sixty-nine weeks of Daniel 9:25 refer to the period before Christ's first advent, but then they insert a 2,000-year gap before the seventieth week is fulfilled. They allot 69 weeks plus 2,000 years plus one week, or a total of 2,490 years. By this devious manipulation of God's Word, the rapturists believe they have extended the Jewish probation; and based upon this, they teach that all the fleshly Jews will be saved in a great second chance after the "secret rapture" takes place.

The tragedy of the rapture theory is that it takes these beautiful verses of Daniel 9:24-27 that predict the coming of Jesus, His baptism and crucifixion, and apply them to Antichrist. They do this by stating that it is Antichrist that causes the sacrifice and oblation to cease after three and one-half years. But Daniel states that it is Jesus who caused the sacrificial system of the Jews to cease when He died on the cross. A misinterpretation that confuses something Christ has done, and applies it to the devil instead, is certainly a tragic occurrence. And yet this is the only way one can arrive at a seven-year tribulation period. How sad!

Eviana:
The Secret Rapture



Table of Contents
1. Why Would Jesus Promise?
2. Will It Be Secret?

The Secret RaptureBy Joe Crews |

Why Would Jesus Promise?

There is a theological question that has disturbed millions of Christians and has lent untold doctrinal confusion to the modem religious world. That question revolves around the manner of Christ's coming back to this earth at the end of the world. Multitudes have been led to believe that Christ will return secretly. What about the so-called secret rapture? A large number of Christians have been exposed to this "dispensationalist" or "futurist" interpretation of prophecy and have been hopelessly confused.

According to this view, the coming of Jesus will be in two separate events. First, He will come secretly to take the church to heaven, and then, seven years later, He will come in an open demonstration of power and glory. In between those two events, the Antichrist is supposed to come into power and the great tribulation period takes place.

But the truth is that the Bible nowhere speaks of these two separate comings of Jesus. There is no second stage of His coming that occurs seven years after the so-called "rapture." By the way, that word "rapture" is also an invention of theologians. It can't be found in the Bible in even a single instance. It is a word coined for the second advent of Jesus.

Now here is what we find in the Scriptures: Christ's coming, the resurrection, and catching up of the saints to meet Jesus in the air, all take place at the same time, at the end of the world. This is why Jesus said, "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world" (Matthew 28:20). Now why would Jesus promise to be with the church until the end of the world if He intended to come seven years before the end to take them out of the world? The promise would have no meaning.

Will It Be Secret?

The secret rapture doctrine contradicts the words of Christ in Matthew chapter 13 when He said that the wheat and tares would grow together until the "end of the world" and then would be separated. According to the two-stage teaching of His coming, both groups would not grow together until the end of the world. The righteous would be separated from the wicked seven years before the end. And what about the promise of the resurrection? Christ said, concerning the righteous, "And I will raise him up at the last day" (John 6:40). No one denies that this means the last day of the world. Yet Paul declares that the saints are caught up to meet the Lord at the same time the dead in Christ are raised. He says, "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air" (1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17).

Please keep in mind that Jesus called this resurrection the "last day." But how could it be the "last day" if this gathering of the saints takes place seven years before the end of the world? And how could the "last trump" sound if it really wasn't the very last moment of time?

Can you imagine the graves opening and the righteous rising and no one knowing that it had occurred? And consider this additional testimony of the Word of God:

Revelation 6:16,17 When the wicked see Christ come, they cry out to the rocks and mountains, "Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?"

Matthew 24:27 "For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be."

1 Corinthians 15:52 "For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised."

Psalm 50:3 "Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence."

Revelation 1:7 "Every eye shall see him. "

Matthew 24:30 "Then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory."

Matthew 24:31 "He shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." (This is clearly the time when Christ comes to gather His saints.)

To say that the second coming of Christ to gather His saints will be secret, in view of these clear texts of Scripture, and in the absence of any text that even hints at His coming being secret, is to deny the Bible as the Word of God. In an attempt to uphold their contrived theory, the rapturists quote Matthew 24:40, 41 out of context. Notice this entire passage:
"But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating

and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left" (Matthew 24:37-41).

Jesus is clearly drawing a parallel between the second coming and the days of Noah. Those who entered the ark in Noah's day were saved, and those who refused to enter the ark were left outside. But what were they left for? For another chance? No, obviously they were left to be destroyed by the Flood. So, says Jesus, will it be when He comes at the end of the world. One will be taken to heaven with Jesus, and the other will be left for destruction. Verse 51 makes clear what will happen to those who are left: "And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Read Luke 17:26-37 for Luke's parallel account of these same words of Jesus. In verse 36, this statement is made: "Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left." Now notice verse 37 and the question the disciples asked: "And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord?" They wanted to know where those who didn't go to heaven were going to be left. Notice Jesus' clear answer: "And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together."

Take note how Jesus taught that the bodies of the wicked are going to be left on the ground for the eagles to consume. Scripture is too plain to be misunderstood. Only as we accept all that the Bible says can we be safe from such deceptive teachings that are confusing millions of sincere Christians today concerning this most glorious event of all ages, the second coming of Jesus Christ.

Now, I realize that the rapturists hang onto the texts that liken the Lord's coming to "a thief in the night." They assume that this must be a quiet, secret coming. But does it really mean that? Let's show that it definitely does not. Here is one of those texts in 2 Peter 3: 10: "The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat." Obviously the "thief' part has nothing to do with secrecy because the heavens will pass away with a great noise! And if coming "as a thief' is the secret rapture which takes place seven years before the end of the world, how can the heavens and earth "pass away," as Peter describes it? The heavens and earth could not pass away seven years before the world ends - that is the end!

The fact is that Jesus Himself explained clearly just how a thief's coming could be related to His coming: "Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up" (Matthew 24:42, 43). There it is, so plain and simple! The thief would come unexpectedly when the owners were not looking for a thief. In the same way, His coming would take people by surprise. They would not be watching or looking for it.

There is more evidence for a pretribulation rapture than for a post or a mid tribulation rapture.

First the rapture is about the coming of Christ for the church.

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.

The church is to met Jesus in the air.

The imminence of the rapture is a proof that pretribulation rapture is true.
The second coming of Christ to this earth only take place at a definite time, which is 7 years after the antichrist.

Thirdly, the church is not appointed to suffer wrath

1 Thessalonians 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

The day of the Lord is a time of wrath for the people of the world.

The book of Matthew 24 address the second coming of Christ to the earth and not the rapture.

The rapture was a mystery until it was revealed to paul after the ascension of Jesus.


Paul called it a mystery.

1 Corinthians 15:51
Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

Now a mystery is something that was previously unknown but newly revealed.

1 corrithinans 15 was about the rapture of the church was was a mystery before now because Christ didn't revealed it until after his resurrection.
The second coming of Christ to the earth is not a mystery because Christ already taught about it before leaving the earth.

The rapture is strictly for the church.

The sequence of events happens like this.
First the rapture
Second the antichrist revealed/the wrath of God unleashed
Thirdly, the second coming of Christ.
Fourthly, the millennium reign of Christ on earth during which satan is confined in hell (abyss)
Fifthly, the destruction of the heavens and the earth
Sixthly, the Judgment (white throne judgment)
Seventh, the unveiling of a new heaven and a new earth in which God would dwell with his people forever.

Eviana:
Part 2 Continued....

The Secret Rapture




Table of Contents
3. Will Christ Return in Two Phases?
4. The Seven-Year Tribulation

The Secret Rapture By Joe Crews |




Will Christ Return in Two Phases?

The dispensationalists teach that the two separate stages of Christ's coming are indicated "in the Greek." They argue that there will first be the rapture (parousia), a secret coming; then seven years later will be the revelation (apokalupsis), His coming in power and glory. But, actually, instead of teaching two separate events, the Greek terms are used interchangeably in the Bible. They give no indication of a seven-year interval.

For example, Paul uses the word "parousia" in the famous rapture chapter of 1 Thessalonians 4 in speaking of the coming of our Lord and our gathering together unto Him. He then goes right on to show that this "parousia" will destroy the man of sin. Speaking of the Antichrist, Paul says, "whom the Lord shall ... destroy with the brightness of his coming [parousia]" (2 Thessalonians 2:. These texts clearly describe the coming (parousia) of Christ as taking place after the reign of the man of sin, not as an escape rapture before the reign of the Antichrist begins.

The other Greek word "apokalupsis" (revelation) is used in a way that indicates it is not a separate coming from the time the believers are gathered up. Peter said to "be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation [apokalupsis] of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:13). Why would Christians be exhorted to keep hoping to the very end of the world for the grace brought through the revelation of Christ if their real hope was a secret rapture seven years before the revelation?

Now look at some verses that prove beyond a doubt that the two words "parousia" and "apokalupsis" refer to the same event. In Matthew 24:37 we read, "But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming [parousia] of the Son of man be." Luke's account of the same passage says "As it was in the days of Noe ... Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed [apokalupsis]" (Luke 17:26, 30). This shows that the coming (parousia) of Christ and the revelation (apokalupsis) of Christ are the same event. There is absolutely no basis for placing seven years in between.

Many dispensationalist teachers actually claim that the rapture is not really the "coming" of Jesus at all. They say His coming is when Christ returns in power seven years after the rapture. But what a contradictory, confusing explanation that is! The fact is that there are many Scriptures that admonish Christians to wait and watch for the coming of the Lord. For example, James 5:7 says, "Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord." But why should Christians need to be patient unto the coming of the Lord if there is to be a secret rapture to take them to heaven seven years before His coming?

Strange as it may seem, this whole counterfeit secret rapture is built upon a constant repetition of words and ideas that are not found in the Bible at all. But they have been repeated so often that millions have assumed that they must be soundly biblical. Let's take a look at some of the texts that have been used to support the doctrine of a two-phase coming of Christ. And please notice that none of the verses actually say what some try to read into them. In fact, it is only after a person has already assumed that Christ will return in two separate comings that these verses could even suggest the idea.

Revelation 3:10 is often quoted to try to prove that the righteous will be taken out of the world before the tribulation. "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth." It is immediately obvious that this text does not speak of the righteous leaving this world at all. Jesus completely clarified the meaning by something He said in John 17:6, 15 which sounds very similar. "They have kept thy word. O I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil." Don't miss the significance of the term "kept the word" in both these texts. Both statements are talking about the same group of people - the faithful ones.

Now if those who "kept the word" can be "kept from the evil" of the world without being taken out of the world, why should we suppose that a special coming and secret rapture is required for those who "kept the word" to be "kept from the hour of temptation"? Whatever else may be taught in Revelation 3: 10, it is evident that no extra coming of Christ is indicated.

True biblical doctrine must be based upon clear statements of what the entire Bible teaches on a subject and not upon verses that offer only veiled inferences. Luke 21:36 is an example of that very thing. Jesus said to His disciples, "Pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass." How? By a secret rapture to take them to heaven seven years before the end of the world? Definitely not, for in the prayer of Jesus we read, "I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil." When He told them to "pray ... to escape," He must have meant the same as when He prayed, "I pray not ... take them out of the world but ... keep them." This rules out a secret rapture entirely. The text that is used to prove the rapture is seen actually to forbid the saints being taken out of this world during the time of trouble.

The Seven-Year Tribulation

Since so much rapturist theology revolves around the seven-year period, one would assume that the Bible must speak frequently of such a time period. But not so. There is not one single scriptural reference that ties the seven years to the end of the world or the coming of Christ. Most rapturist literature mentions the seven-year tribulation period without offering any Bible proof or explanation. Millions have assumed that it must be so well documented that no proof is needed. In fact, the opposite is true. There just isn't any evidence to give.

Most Bible students are amazed to learn that the rapturists try to justify their seven years by lifting a prophecy of Daniel completely out of its context. In Daniel 9:24-27 God made a daring prophecy concerning the probation of the nation of Israel. He said to Daniel, "Seventy weeks ['weeks of years' RSV] are determined upon thy people ... to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins" (v. 24). Please notice that God was going to allow Daniel's people seventy weeks to see what they would do with the Messiah when He appeared. The seventy weeks are prophetic time, and each day represents a literal year (Ezekiel 4:6). So the seventy weeks would be a literal period of 490 years, after which the Israelites would no longer be God's people. They would be rejected as a nation because of their rejection of the Messiah.

Don't miss the point in Daniel 9:25 that the prophecy of the seventy weeks was to begin with the decree to restore and build Jerusalem. That well-known date is 457 B.C., when Artaxerxes sent out the decree (Ezra 7:13). From that date, 457 B.C., the Jews would have exactly 490 years to finish filling up their cup of iniquity by rejecting the Messiah. That 490-year probation ended in A.D. 34, and the Jews ceased to be God's chosen people. Daniel 9:25 says that the Messiah would be anointed after sixty-nine of those prophetic weeks had passed by. That would be 483 years from the decree date of 457 B.C. It takes no mathematician to figure the end of that prediction. It brings us to the year A.D. 27, the very year that Jesus was baptized by John and the Holy Spirit anointed Him for His ministry. Since "Messiah" means" Anointed One," this had to be the fulfillment of Daniel's prophecy that the Messiah would appear in A.D 27.

Now mark this fact: seventy weeks were assigned to the Jewish probation, but Christ appeared as the Messiah after sixty-nine weeks. That leaves the seventieth week for Christ to minister before the Jews' probation ended. What was to happen in the seventieth week? Daniel 9:27 tells us, "And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease."

The midst of the week would be three and a half prophetic days (literal years) from His baptism. And according to the Bible, the ministry of Jesus lasted for three and a half years. In the spring of A.D. 31 He was crucified. The veil of the temple was rent (Matthew 27:51), signifying the end of sacrifices. By His death He caused them to cease. Another three and a half years would lead up to the end of the seventy weeks and the end of Jewish probation. During that three and a half years the disciples labored largely for the Jews. But in A.D. 34 the seventy weeks ended; Stephen was stoned and the gospel began to go to the Gentiles (Acts 8:4). The Jews had rejected the gospel message and were no longer God's people - just as Daniel had predicted. Henceforth they could be saved only as individuals, in exactly the same way as the Gentiles. As a nation, they had been rejected as the chosen people. Here is the way the Bible describes that rejection:
Matthew21:43 "The kingdom of God shall be taken from you."

Matthew 21:19 "And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away." (The fig tree was a symbol of the Jewish nation.)

Matthew 23:38 "Behold, your house is left unto you desolate."

Galatians 3:28 "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus."

Galatians 3:29 "And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

Romans 10:12 "For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him."

Romans 9:6-8 "For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children; but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, They which are ... the children of the promise are counted for the seed." (The New Testament teaches the acceptance of spiritual Israel, and the rejection of physical Israel and the children of the flesh.)

Romans 2:28, 29 "For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter."

Acts 13:46 "It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles."

The rapturists get their seven years' tribulation by lifting that seventieth week of Daniel's prophecy completely out of its context and shoving it far into the future. They claim it will be fulfilled after Christ comes to snatch away the righteous secretly. Incredible? Absolutely! But they must grasp desperately for some text to support their seven years. They agree that the sixty-nine weeks of Daniel 9:25 refer to the period before Christ's first advent, but then they insert a 2,000-year gap before the seventieth week is fulfilled. They allot 69 weeks plus 2,000 years plus one week, or a total of 2,490 years. By this devious manipulation of God's Word, the rapturists believe they have extended the Jewish probation; and based upon this, they teach that all the fleshly Jews will be saved in a great second chance after the "secret rapture" takes place.

The tragedy of the rapture theory is that it takes these beautiful verses of Daniel 9:24-27 that predict the coming of Jesus, His baptism and crucifixion, and apply them to Antichrist. They do this by stating that it is Antichrist that causes the sacrifice and oblation to cease after three and one-half years. But Daniel states that it is Jesus who caused the sacrificial system of the Jews to cease when He died on the cross. A misinterpretation that confuses something Christ has done, and applies it to the devil instead, is certainly a tragic occurrence. And yet this is the only way one can arrive at a seven-year tribulation period. How sad!

This is not correct.

Read this up

Question: "What are the seventy weeks of Daniel?"

Answer: The “seventy weeks” prophecy is one of the most significant and detailed Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament. It is found in Daniel 9. The chapter begins with Daniel praying for Israel, acknowledging the nation’s sins against God and asking for God’s mercy. As Daniel prayed, the angel Gabriel appeared to him and gave him a vision of Israel’s future.

The Divisions of the 70 Weeks
In verse 24, Gabriel says, “Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed for your people and your holy city.” Almost all commentators agree that the seventy “sevens” should be understood as seventy “weeks” of years, in other words, a period of 490 years. These verses provide a sort of “clock” that gives an idea of when the Messiah would come and some of the events that would accompany His appearance.

The prophecy goes on to divide the 490 years into three smaller units: one of 49 years, one of 434 years, and one 7 years. The final “week” of 7 years is further divided in half. Verse 25 says, “From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’” Seven “sevens” is 49 years, and sixty-two “sevens” is another 434 years:

49 years + 434 years = 483 years

The Purpose of the 70 Weeks
The prophecy contains a statement concerning God’s six-fold purpose in bringing these events to pass. Verse 24 says this purpose is 1) “to finish transgression,” 2) “to put an end to sin,” 3) “to atone for wickedness,” 4) “to bring in everlasting righteousness,” 5) “to seal up vision and prophecy,” and 6) “to anoint the most holy.”

Notice that these results concern the total eradication of sin and the establishing of righteousness. The prophecy of the 70 weeks summarizes what happens before Jesus sets up His millennial kingdom. Of special note is the third in the list of results: “to atone for wickedness.” Jesus accomplished the atonement for sin by His death on the cross (Romans 3:25; Hebrews 2:17).

The Fulfillment of the 70 Weeks
Gabriel said the prophetic clock would start at the time that a decree was issued to rebuild Jerusalem. From the date of that decree to the time of the Messiah would be 483 years. We know from history that the command to “restore and rebuild Jerusalem” was given by King Artaxerxes of Persia c. 445 B.C. (see Nehemiah 2:1-8 ).

The first unit of 49 years (seven “sevens”) covers the time that it took to rebuild Jerusalem, “with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble” (Daniel 9:25). This rebuilding is chronicled in the book of Nehemiah.

Using the Jewish custom of a 360-day year, 483 years after 445 B.C. places us at A.D. 30, which would coincide with Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1-9). The prophecy in Daniel 9 specifies that after the completion of the 483 years, “the Anointed One will be cut off” (verse 26). This was fulfilled when Jesus was crucified.

Daniel 9:26 continues with a prediction that, after the Messiah is killed, “the people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary.” This was fulfilled with the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. The “ruler who will come” is a reference to the Antichrist, who, it seems, will have some connection with Rome, since it was the Romans who destroyed Jerusalem.

The Final Week of the 70 Weeks
Of the 70 “sevens,” 69 have been fulfilled in history. This leaves one more “seven” yet to be fulfilled. Most scholars believe that we are now living in a huge gap between the 69th week and the 70th week. The prophetic clock has been paused, as it were. The final “seven” of Daniel is what we usually call the tribulation period.

Daniel’s prophecy reveals some of the actions of the Antichrist, the “ruler who will come.” Verse 27 says, “He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’” However, “in the middle of the ‘seven,’ . . . he will set up an abomination that causes desolation” in the temple. Jesus warned of this event in Matthew 24:15. After the Antichrist breaks the covenant with Israel, a time of “great tribulation” begins (Matthew 24:21, NKJV).

Daniel also predicts that the Antichrist will face judgment. He only rules “until the end that is decreed is poured out on him” (Daniel 9:27). God will only allow evil to go so far, and the judgment the Antichrist will face has already been planned out.

Conclusion
The prophecy of the 70 weeks is complex and amazingly detailed, and much has been written about it. Of course, there are various interpretations, but what we have presented here is the dispensational, premillennial view. One thing is certain: God has a time table, and He is keeping things on schedule. He knows the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10), and we should always be looking for the triumphant return of our Lord (Revelation 22:7).