How Close Are We?
May 3, 2020 22:42:44 #
How Close Are We?
When will Jesus appear?
Everyone who desires to know God’s truth must look to God’s Word.
What is written there as compelling evidence for the soon return of Christ?
“But and if that servant shall say in his heart, My Lord delayeth his coming…. The Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for Him” (Matthew 24:48-50).
“When the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him…. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh”
(Matthew 25:5,6,13).
How close are we to the Lord’s return?
There appear to be contradictions:
He comes at a time of peace.
He comes in the midst of war.
It is written, in 1st Thessalonians 5… “When they shall say peace and safety,”
Luke 12, says, “What and if that evil servant shall say, My Lord delayeth His coming….”
The Rapture should appear to be imminent, for if we count on it being delayed — inevitably, it will allow many of us to drift into evil because the emphasis upon keeping our lives in order right now… is absent, “I’ve got time.”
Those who symbolize God's Word and refuse its literal meaning, allow themselves to belief in a post-Tribulation Rapture, and those theoretical seven additional years become even more of a snare in which to wander astray.
Luke 17:26 - “As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the days of the appearing of the Son of man. They were eating and drinking and buying and selling and building and planting and marrying,” - a time of peace and prosperity.
However, God's Word also tells us He’s coming in the midst of Armageddon to rescue Israel, so these have to be two different events, both involving Jesus Christ.
He’s coming at a time, in Matthew 24:33-34, “When you see all these signs fulfilled,” “then you know He’s at the door.”
But verse 44 further complicates, “At such an hour as you think not the Son of man cometh.”
Now, He’s coming at a time when - as when the Bridegroom tarried, in Matthew 25:5, “they all slumbered and slept.” Lest we forget there were ten virgins—five wise, five foolish - but we are told even the wise virgins are slumbering and sleeping because the Bridegroom is tarrying.
So, if we have somehow survived the Great Tribulation, and we haven’t been massacred by the Antichrist for refusing to bow down and worship his image, and we had been able to subsist from enough garbage bins to remain alive (after rejecting the mark of the beast, and as a result, being unable to buy or sell anything anywhere), but we have miraculously managed to survive to the very end, we would hardly all be slumbering and sleeping and not expecting the Lord to come.
These considerations indicate there is a distinct difference between the Rapture and the Second Coming to earth of Jesus Christ.
So the question now poseth itself...
"He comes when no one expects Him,” as opposed to
“He comes when everyone is aware He’s coming” (certainly at Armageddon), but also
He comes when judgment is the farthest thing one expects.
And He comes when judgment is in process!
Again, two (seemingly) contradictions.
So, - two different comings, the last thing anyone is expecting… just as Jesus has said — it is as the time of the flood, for no one anticipated the flood (except God and Noah).
Previous bumper stickers: “Ride at your own risk: I’m leaving in the Rapture!” have been laughed right off the vehicles by generations of scoffers. They’re now worn out.
In 2nd Peter 3:3-4, Peter prewarned future believers “In the last days scoffers shall arise saying, Where is the sign of his coming?”
We are in that day. Hardly anyone believes… in a quick view of church services on a Sunday morning in the United States, one in a thousand might preach about the Rapture.
Many would be ridiculing it, just as did Presbyterian Dominionist, Gary North, when he called it a “helicopter escape to heaven.” ...And claimed that he would have the last laugh.
Up until the last few weeks certainly, the majority of people, outside Evangelical Bible believing circles, not only don’t expect the Second Coming, they laugh!
To this day, it is very popular for those who believe themselves sophisticated to laugh at the thought, and they still ridicule it as the “helicopter escape.”
Their accusation is: “You want to engage in easy escapism by getting out of here! You’re shirking your duty to care for the earth, or to face your responsibility to enforce equal social justice, and to help the poor,” etc.
That is not the case, however; devout Christians want to be with our Lord, because we are the Body of Christ!
We are eager to be with our Lord Jesus Christ!
The Rapture is the antithesis of what is claimed by those who dismiss it as an escape theory… It is to prepare us to be always expectant of His coming.
Why did Jesus issue two solemn warnings?
He said “Behold, I come quickly.”
It has always been interpreted that His coming was very soon and should be expected at any moment, yet we have had two millennium pass since He made that declaration.
Actually, when He says, “Behold, I come quickly,” in Revelation, the word is tachéos…
This means swiftness (speed), i.e. done as quickly (speedily) as is appropriate to the particular situation. “Rapidly,” - after it begins.
However, …the church has always been called upon to expect His coming at any moment. He didn’t say that it would happen then, but we were to live in expectation of His return.
Jesus gives this example, “What and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My Lord delayeth his coming….” The Lord anticipated there would be a delay and that people would be tempted to think that it wasn’t going to happen.
He then says in Luke 18:8, “When the Son of man cometh will He find the faith on this earth?”
Whether He’s talking about the Second Coming or the Rapture, both are indicated, because at the Second Coming those who have been spiritually saved during the Tribulation, those in “the faith” have all been martyred, but even previously, at the Rapture, only a small percentage of those on earth will have entered by that straight and narrow gate, and be numbered among those Jesus called His "little flock," those who have remained true to Christ.
Before the Rapture, there will have been a great apostasy.
The world wide apostate church is organizing and in development now, and as soon as the church, aka, Body of Christ, is raptured from the earth, the remaining apostate CINO (Christians in name only) will take charge. Many professing Christians have deluded themselves to believe it is through their own "good works" they climb steps in the hierarchy of heaven, and not only does their self righteousness fail to benefit Jesus Christ, it contributes to the apostasy.
So, how close are we?
“One’s expectation of Christ’s return should be greater than one’s expectation of remaining here on earth.”
That, however does not appear to be true, especially for those pastors who thoroughly and proudly engross themselves in elaborate plans and funding schemes for their new buildings, as they talk about their five-year plan, their ten-year plan.
Almost never is there heard from anyone, even pastors, “If the Lord tarries," or "if the Lord wills.” or “God willing!” or “...if we are still here!”
This reflects the lack of expectancy of the Biblical "blessed hope," the Rapture by Christ, for which we should all be looking.
1st John 3, says, “Everyone that has this hope in him purifies himself even as He is pure.”
It says, “When He shall appear we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” And at the end of chapter 2, “Little children, you don’t want to be ashamed at His coming.”
We are forewarned against involving ourselves in anything we shouldn’t be doing or thinking, lest He then suddenly appear to our great shame.
We would indeed be ashamed because we will all be brought to the Judgment Seat of Christ.
So “everyone that has this hope in him purifies himself even as He is pure.” It means, “purifies right now,” because it also is a warning about our earthly death.
We may not be here tomorrow. What is our life? It’s a “vapor that appears for a while,” James tells us. “Don’t boast that we’re going to the city tomorrow and we’ll buy and sell and get gain.” He continues, “You don’t know what the day will bring forth. What you ought to say is: 'If the Lord wills, we will do this or that.'”
We will die, and we could be stricken in any number of ways at any moment, but our expectation, if we really believe that the Rapture could occur at any moment — not next week or next year or ten years from now — consistently impacts our life, and how we live it.
When we see what some preachers and evangelists say and prophesy —
There are certain things we have to do, -
“Unto me who am less than the least of all saints is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.”
But talk about love for the Lord, and a desire for His Word!
How close are we? When is this going to happen?
The Iranians are practicing now in the Caspian Sea or in the Gulf somewhere, launching missiles from container ships out of the hold so that it cannot be seen from satellites.
If they send one of them over the middle of the U.S. and create an atomic explosion, EMP, electromagnetic pulse — it will knock out all of the electrical installations permanently including the computerized motors of all manner of modern vehicles.
Would there be time and opportunity to somehow rebuild everything.
Is this related to the Scriptures?
To launch their latest missiles which the Iranians get from the Chinese, they can get very close in their container ship, for we can’t examine every container ship out there; they are also aimed at Israel.
They are but one example of our enemies, for in recent years the North Koreans have practiced developing and launching missiles that would be launched without warning from their submarines off our shores.
Then, there are the Chinese, the Kings of the East, whose two million man army will invade the Middle East. Although it is not possible to be dogmatic “the land of Sinim,” conservative scholarship has generally agreed, is the ancient land of China.
Two important passages in Revelation, 9:13-21 and 16:12-16 conclude that one of the large armies employed in the final world conflict will be this military force of great power from the Orient.
The US is bankrupt, now more so than ever.
What prosperity we have — and Jesus said the rapture would occur at a time when "They are buying and selling and building and planting," - is all based on debt.
How much longer can this go on?
How much longer are we going to attempt to maintain peace in this world?
The Antichrist is the one who will bring peace, but it will be a false peace; and it will be for his own purposes. He will have the temple rebuilt so that he can put his image in it, and receive the worship due only to God.
So how close are we?
Armageddon is seven years after the Rapture, and we appear to be getting closer and closer to Armageddon with all the Muslim nations arming themselves, for the Antichrist will turn against Israel.
That is NOT the basis on which we should expect and long for the coming of the Lord. It should be love for Him, but we are getting very close.
There’s the Rapture…
At a time of peace.
"The Second Coming is going to be 1,260 days from the midpoint in the Tribulation, but the Rapture, - no man knows!" (Matthew 24:3-6)
We long for His return. But, we’re torn because we have unsaved loved ones, unsaved friends and neighbors.
We want them to be saved... and why does He delay His coming?
"The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2nd Peter 3:9).
He’s not willing that any should perish.
He loves us everyone!
When will Jesus appear?
Everyone who desires to know God’s truth must look to God’s Word.
What is written there as compelling evidence for the soon return of Christ?
“But and if that servant shall say in his heart, My Lord delayeth his coming…. The Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for Him” (Matthew 24:48-50).
“When the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him…. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh”
(Matthew 25:5,6,13).
How close are we to the Lord’s return?
There appear to be contradictions:
He comes at a time of peace.
He comes in the midst of war.
It is written, in 1st Thessalonians 5… “When they shall say peace and safety,”
Luke 12, says, “What and if that evil servant shall say, My Lord delayeth His coming….”
The Rapture should appear to be imminent, for if we count on it being delayed — inevitably, it will allow many of us to drift into evil because the emphasis upon keeping our lives in order right now… is absent, “I’ve got time.”
Those who symbolize God's Word and refuse its literal meaning, allow themselves to belief in a post-Tribulation Rapture, and those theoretical seven additional years become even more of a snare in which to wander astray.
Luke 17:26 - “As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the days of the appearing of the Son of man. They were eating and drinking and buying and selling and building and planting and marrying,” - a time of peace and prosperity.
However, God's Word also tells us He’s coming in the midst of Armageddon to rescue Israel, so these have to be two different events, both involving Jesus Christ.
He’s coming at a time, in Matthew 24:33-34, “When you see all these signs fulfilled,” “then you know He’s at the door.”
But verse 44 further complicates, “At such an hour as you think not the Son of man cometh.”
Now, He’s coming at a time when - as when the Bridegroom tarried, in Matthew 25:5, “they all slumbered and slept.” Lest we forget there were ten virgins—five wise, five foolish - but we are told even the wise virgins are slumbering and sleeping because the Bridegroom is tarrying.
So, if we have somehow survived the Great Tribulation, and we haven’t been massacred by the Antichrist for refusing to bow down and worship his image, and we had been able to subsist from enough garbage bins to remain alive (after rejecting the mark of the beast, and as a result, being unable to buy or sell anything anywhere), but we have miraculously managed to survive to the very end, we would hardly all be slumbering and sleeping and not expecting the Lord to come.
These considerations indicate there is a distinct difference between the Rapture and the Second Coming to earth of Jesus Christ.
So the question now poseth itself...
"He comes when no one expects Him,” as opposed to
“He comes when everyone is aware He’s coming” (certainly at Armageddon), but also
He comes when judgment is the farthest thing one expects.
And He comes when judgment is in process!
Again, two (seemingly) contradictions.
So, - two different comings, the last thing anyone is expecting… just as Jesus has said — it is as the time of the flood, for no one anticipated the flood (except God and Noah).
Previous bumper stickers: “Ride at your own risk: I’m leaving in the Rapture!” have been laughed right off the vehicles by generations of scoffers. They’re now worn out.
In 2nd Peter 3:3-4, Peter prewarned future believers “In the last days scoffers shall arise saying, Where is the sign of his coming?”
We are in that day. Hardly anyone believes… in a quick view of church services on a Sunday morning in the United States, one in a thousand might preach about the Rapture.
Many would be ridiculing it, just as did Presbyterian Dominionist, Gary North, when he called it a “helicopter escape to heaven.” ...And claimed that he would have the last laugh.
Up until the last few weeks certainly, the majority of people, outside Evangelical Bible believing circles, not only don’t expect the Second Coming, they laugh!
To this day, it is very popular for those who believe themselves sophisticated to laugh at the thought, and they still ridicule it as the “helicopter escape.”
Their accusation is: “You want to engage in easy escapism by getting out of here! You’re shirking your duty to care for the earth, or to face your responsibility to enforce equal social justice, and to help the poor,” etc.
That is not the case, however; devout Christians want to be with our Lord, because we are the Body of Christ!
We are eager to be with our Lord Jesus Christ!
The Rapture is the antithesis of what is claimed by those who dismiss it as an escape theory… It is to prepare us to be always expectant of His coming.
Why did Jesus issue two solemn warnings?
He said “Behold, I come quickly.”
It has always been interpreted that His coming was very soon and should be expected at any moment, yet we have had two millennium pass since He made that declaration.
Actually, when He says, “Behold, I come quickly,” in Revelation, the word is tachéos…
This means swiftness (speed), i.e. done as quickly (speedily) as is appropriate to the particular situation. “Rapidly,” - after it begins.
However, …the church has always been called upon to expect His coming at any moment. He didn’t say that it would happen then, but we were to live in expectation of His return.
Jesus gives this example, “What and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My Lord delayeth his coming….” The Lord anticipated there would be a delay and that people would be tempted to think that it wasn’t going to happen.
He then says in Luke 18:8, “When the Son of man cometh will He find the faith on this earth?”
Whether He’s talking about the Second Coming or the Rapture, both are indicated, because at the Second Coming those who have been spiritually saved during the Tribulation, those in “the faith” have all been martyred, but even previously, at the Rapture, only a small percentage of those on earth will have entered by that straight and narrow gate, and be numbered among those Jesus called His "little flock," those who have remained true to Christ.
Before the Rapture, there will have been a great apostasy.
The world wide apostate church is organizing and in development now, and as soon as the church, aka, Body of Christ, is raptured from the earth, the remaining apostate CINO (Christians in name only) will take charge. Many professing Christians have deluded themselves to believe it is through their own "good works" they climb steps in the hierarchy of heaven, and not only does their self righteousness fail to benefit Jesus Christ, it contributes to the apostasy.
So, how close are we?
“One’s expectation of Christ’s return should be greater than one’s expectation of remaining here on earth.”
That, however does not appear to be true, especially for those pastors who thoroughly and proudly engross themselves in elaborate plans and funding schemes for their new buildings, as they talk about their five-year plan, their ten-year plan.
Almost never is there heard from anyone, even pastors, “If the Lord tarries," or "if the Lord wills.” or “God willing!” or “...if we are still here!”
This reflects the lack of expectancy of the Biblical "blessed hope," the Rapture by Christ, for which we should all be looking.
1st John 3, says, “Everyone that has this hope in him purifies himself even as He is pure.”
It says, “When He shall appear we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” And at the end of chapter 2, “Little children, you don’t want to be ashamed at His coming.”
We are forewarned against involving ourselves in anything we shouldn’t be doing or thinking, lest He then suddenly appear to our great shame.
We would indeed be ashamed because we will all be brought to the Judgment Seat of Christ.
So “everyone that has this hope in him purifies himself even as He is pure.” It means, “purifies right now,” because it also is a warning about our earthly death.
We may not be here tomorrow. What is our life? It’s a “vapor that appears for a while,” James tells us. “Don’t boast that we’re going to the city tomorrow and we’ll buy and sell and get gain.” He continues, “You don’t know what the day will bring forth. What you ought to say is: 'If the Lord wills, we will do this or that.'”
We will die, and we could be stricken in any number of ways at any moment, but our expectation, if we really believe that the Rapture could occur at any moment — not next week or next year or ten years from now — consistently impacts our life, and how we live it.
When we see what some preachers and evangelists say and prophesy —
There are certain things we have to do, -
“Unto me who am less than the least of all saints is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.”
But talk about love for the Lord, and a desire for His Word!
How close are we? When is this going to happen?
The Iranians are practicing now in the Caspian Sea or in the Gulf somewhere, launching missiles from container ships out of the hold so that it cannot be seen from satellites.
If they send one of them over the middle of the U.S. and create an atomic explosion, EMP, electromagnetic pulse — it will knock out all of the electrical installations permanently including the computerized motors of all manner of modern vehicles.
Would there be time and opportunity to somehow rebuild everything.
Is this related to the Scriptures?
To launch their latest missiles which the Iranians get from the Chinese, they can get very close in their container ship, for we can’t examine every container ship out there; they are also aimed at Israel.
They are but one example of our enemies, for in recent years the North Koreans have practiced developing and launching missiles that would be launched without warning from their submarines off our shores.
Then, there are the Chinese, the Kings of the East, whose two million man army will invade the Middle East. Although it is not possible to be dogmatic “the land of Sinim,” conservative scholarship has generally agreed, is the ancient land of China.
Two important passages in Revelation, 9:13-21 and 16:12-16 conclude that one of the large armies employed in the final world conflict will be this military force of great power from the Orient.
The US is bankrupt, now more so than ever.
What prosperity we have — and Jesus said the rapture would occur at a time when "They are buying and selling and building and planting," - is all based on debt.
How much longer can this go on?
How much longer are we going to attempt to maintain peace in this world?
The Antichrist is the one who will bring peace, but it will be a false peace; and it will be for his own purposes. He will have the temple rebuilt so that he can put his image in it, and receive the worship due only to God.
So how close are we?
Armageddon is seven years after the Rapture, and we appear to be getting closer and closer to Armageddon with all the Muslim nations arming themselves, for the Antichrist will turn against Israel.
That is NOT the basis on which we should expect and long for the coming of the Lord. It should be love for Him, but we are getting very close.
There’s the Rapture…
At a time of peace.
"The Second Coming is going to be 1,260 days from the midpoint in the Tribulation, but the Rapture, - no man knows!" (Matthew 24:3-6)
We long for His return. But, we’re torn because we have unsaved loved ones, unsaved friends and neighbors.
We want them to be saved... and why does He delay His coming?
"The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2nd Peter 3:9).
He’s not willing that any should perish.
He loves us everyone!
May 4, 2020 09:27:38 #
Zemirah wrote:
How Close Are We? br br When will Jesus appear? b... (show quote)
Amen, well written, researched, and factual. Amen
May 4, 2020 10:41:24 #
Zemirah wrote:
How Close Are We? br br When will Jesus appear? b... (show quote)
Amen and Amen excellent there Zemirah thanks for this ell thought ought message. I believe we are very close to the Rapture and it may occur this year at the feast of horns in November.
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