Don't Get Left Behind 10-17-14
No, I have not seen the Nicholas Cage movie, I will wait until it
comes out on Redbox. However, I thought it would be interesting to see what the
Bible had to say about it, since it may soon become a reality. Amen? Say about
what Ronnie? Oh, I'm sorry. Why, the Rapture of course. No, that word is not in
the Bible, but, the Greek and Latin rendition of the English word is. In order
to get a good look at the "catching away," a few verses must be looked at. The
first is in the Book of John.
1 " Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe
also in Me. 2 In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not
so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and
receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.
4 And you know the way where I am going."
John 14:1-4
(NASB)
John
14-17 concerns itself with a transitional period in the ministry of the Lord
Jesus. To begin, it describes a transition of His ministry as a prophet into the
ministry of High Priest. Also, it speaks of a change from Law to Grace. All that
Jesus had taught up until this point was seasoned with a perspective from the
Mosaic Law. Until His death on the Cross, He was still subject to the demands of
the Mosaic Covenant. Understand that while Jesus was in a mortal body,He could
not operate in the function of a priest, because He was of the tribe of Judah
and that would have violated the Law concerning the Levitical Priesthood. So,
the first act that Jesus performed as a priest was to offer His Blood on the
altar at Calvary. Speaking in the upper room of things to come, Jesus told the
Disciples that He was going away, but at some time in the future, He would
return for them. Not only them, but for all the saints. This is important for us
in this study because He says that He is going to take the saints to that place
that He is preparing for them. In His Father's House. This first promise is to
prepare a place. The second is to return for the believers to take them where He
is. This is not speaking of a return to Earth. He is coming to take the saints
to Heaven in preparation for a literal, physical return to the earth. Here is
a passage that speaks to the method of that return.
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.
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. 17 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 Thess
4:14-17 (NASB)
This passage is apparently answering a question that the church in
Thessalonica had concerning believers who had died. The concern of the church
was not one of whether there would be a catching away, but one of whether their
dead relatives would benefit from the Rapture or would have to wait in the grave
until some future time. Were those that had already died going to be taken to
that place that Jesus had prepared for them? Here's a couple more for
thought.
34 " Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down
with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not
come on you suddenly like a trap; 35 for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all
the earth. 36 But keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have
strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand
before the Son of Man."
Luke
21:34-36 (NASB)
Two phrases in this passage are germaine. Starting with"....for it will come
upon all those who dwell on the earth..." In this passage Jesus is speaking of
"that day." The Day of the Lord that the Old Testament prophets spoke so often
of is in view here. The Great Tribulation is another word for it. The structure
and wording leave no doubt that ALL who dwell upon the earth will have to endure
that day. There is no out for those who dwell upon the earth. But, then in verse
36 the Lord speaks of PREVAILING TO ESCAPE (caps mine) If you dwell upon the
earth at "that day" then you will go through all that will come upon the earth.
But, "keep alert...praying.....to escape all these things...about to take
place...." In order to escape, one must be a believer. The way of escape is to
"stand before the Son of Man" in that place that He has prepared.
There are many more passages dealing with this subject, but, for the sake of
time and space I will look at just six more.......just kidding. One more begs
our attention for a decent grasp of the subject matter.
9 For
they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and
how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, 10 and
to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is
Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.
1 Thess
1:8-10 (NASB)
It's all about that one word wrath. That word is the same word used
in Revelation about God's wrath in the Great Tribulation and in Romans 1 about His
general wrath against sin. Same word. In this verse, it is speaking of a future
wrath, the wrath "to come."
Because of this it cannot be speaking about God's wrath against sin as in Romans 1 for that is a
present reality.Neither can it be pointing to the wrath of Hell or the Lake of
Fire. The reason being that this was being written to a church of believers who
were waiting for the Lord's return.(vs.10) These believers, like the believers
of today have already been delivered from hell and eternal torment by our Lord's
shed blood on the cross of Calvary. Now, with all that settled, look at the last
few words. Who rescues us from the wrath to come. Only one period of God's wrath
remains. The wrath that will be poured out on the earth during the Day of the
Lord or the Great Tribuluation. Having been delivered from the wrath of Eternal
Damnation we have yet to be caught away and rescued from the future wrath of
that great and glorious Day of he Lord.
But, there is yet another matter to be taken up with this catching away we
label the rapture.
Folks, it isn't a matter of whether or not we are going to be caught
away....no,no...the great unanswered question is whether we, you and I are ready
for His appearing. Look around you, can it be far off? Surely it is nearer now
than it was when we were growing up. Let us take a minute and make sure that we
are ready.He's coming...ready or not.
11
Worship the Lord with reverence
And
rejoice with trembling. 12
Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the
way, For
His wrath may soon be kindled. How
blessed are all who take refuge in Him!
Psalms
2:11-12 (NASB)
God Bless
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