Tag: 1 Corinthians 15:50-55

Light in the Last Days – Day 31

On By KateIn Devotionals, Light in the Last DaysLeave a comment

The sun’s rays remind me of the coming Rapture! While the world’s leaders will try to explain away our disappearance, we need to be clear about the truth now. Like my friend Bruce says, the world needs a warning so they’ll recognize exactly what’s happening when we are gone.

Let’s look at what the Bible says about the Rapture versus the Second Coming. It’s vital to study this personally instead of just ‘consuming’ what others have already processed for you. You have access to the Author Himself! I don’t want you to rely on my insights alone; I want you to get into the Word and experience the Holy Spirit teaching you truth firsthand.

2 Peter 1:21  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

The Apostle James tells us that we CAN know and we CAN ask for wisdom from the One who provides it liberally!

James 1:5  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Let’s ask the Lord for wisdom as we look at what the Bible actually says. What are the real differences between the Rapture and Christ’s Second Coming? While we look at both the Old and New Testaments, keep in mind that the New Testament specifically describes the Rapture as a ‘mystery’ revealed to us.

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

In the King James Version, the word ‘mystery’ is found exclusively in the New Testament. These were truths mentioned but not fully revealed in the Old Testament. To help clarify how a mystery works in scripture, consider this quote:

The New Testament is in the Old concealed; the Old is in the New revealed. ATTRIBUTED TO ST. AUGUSTINE (EARLY 400’S AD)

Believers today have the benefit of hindsight; we see Christ throughout the Old Testament in ways the Jewish people didn’t and still don’t. To them, these truths were veiled because they were, and still are, looking for a Messiah to come. They missed His first arrival and are waiting for the second. Hopefully, that clears up why ‘mysteries’ exist in Scripture!

As a former Pharisee, Paul was an expert in the Old Testament. Once he followed Christ, he saw that the Hebrew Scriptures were actually the preface to the Messiah’s story. Since the New Testament hadn’t been written yet, Paul and the Apostles used the Old Testament to prove Jesus was the Savior. You won’t find the Rapture in those older books, though, because it was a mystery specific to the Church. God temporarily set Israel aside due to their disobedience, creating a ‘pause’ that allowed the Gentiles to receive grace. We can thank God that Israel’s rejection led to our opportunity for salvation!

These verses are a personal favorite of mine because they beautifully reflect the hope of the Rapture. Though the Old Testament writers didn’t yet have the full picture, we can now see these truths ‘hiding in plain sight.’ Whether or not everyone agrees they are prophetic of the Rapture, they certainly offer a powerful perspective on God’s plan for His Bride.

Song of Solomon 2:10-13  My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.  (11)  For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;  (12)  The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;  (13)  The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.

Zephaniah 2:2-3  Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you, before the day of the LORD’S anger come upon you.  (3)  Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD’S anger.

Isaiah 26:19-21  Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.  (20)  Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.  (21)  For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.

If you’re a believer in the Pre-Tribulation Rapture, don’t these verses just get you excited? This is an event that could happen at any moment. It’s a time no one knows, not even Christ Himself. If you’re still on the fence, remember it’s all about the timing. Jesus was clear that NO ONE knows the day or the hour. That makes the Rapture ‘imminent.’ If it were set for the middle or end of the seven-year Tribulation, we’d be able to calculate the exact day, wouldn’t we?

Mark 13:32  But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.

Friend, the Second Coming isn’t a mystery when it comes to timing. Once the Antichrist establishes a covenant with Israel, the seven-year Tribulation officially kicks off. That specific event marks the beginning of the final countdown to the Messiah’s return.

Daniel 9:27  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, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

God’s judgment on Israel, known as Daniel’s 70th week, begins with a seven-year treaty. Using the 360-day Jewish year, that’s a total of 2,520 days. If the Rapture was in the middle or at the end, we’d have a predictable date. But because the Rapture is a ‘surprise’ event with no set date, it must happen before the Tribulation clock even starts ticking!

Israel will be enthralled with the Antichrist. They will be deceived by him and will be fooled to think that he is their Messiah. For those of you who believe that Christians will go through the Tribulation or that we are currently in the Tribulation, you have set a date. That means that you must know more than the Lord because He does not know the hour He is coming for His Bride. Mark 13:32 says otherwise “But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.”

Daniel 7:13-14  I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.  (14)  And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

Jesus’ Second Coming is a global event where He stands on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem to begin His reign as King. Don’t confuse this with the Rapture, where He meets believers in the clouds. One is a visible return to earth; the other is a meeting in the sky!

Zechariah 12:10  And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

Zechariah 14:4  And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

When the Lord returns at the end of the Tribulation, He won’t be alone: He’ll be coming with His Church! These are the same saints who met Him in the clouds seven years prior. As Christ’s Bride, the Church returns by His side because, from the moment of the Rapture on, we are never to be separated from Him again.

Jude 1:14-15  And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,  (15)  To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

The ‘ten thousands of his saints’ mentioned here aren’t angels. Since angels never needed to be redeemed, they aren’t called saints. This term specifically refers to those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Saviour and were saved by His grace. Since believers are seen descending with Christ, they had to have been raptured previously. Furthermore, a Rapture at the end of the Tribulation doesn’t work logistically—it would leave the earth empty of people to enter and start the Millennial Kingdom. The timing has to allow for a remnant to remain.

Revelation 19:6-8  And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.  (7)  Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.  (8)  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

I pray these devotionals have blessed you, especially if you’ve never studied the Rapture or Christ’s Second Coming before. It isn’t a coincidence that you’ve found this information today; I believe God brought you here specifically so you could understand His plan and be saved. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

Any Day Now – Day 31

On By KateIn Any Day Now, DevotionalsLeave a comment

Seeing the rays of sun in the picture above reminds me of what believers will see at the Rapture when we are caught up to be with the Lord forever! Who knows what leaders will say is responsible for this disappearance! But as my friend Bruce once said, the unbelieving world needs to be warned about what will happen so they can recognize what is happening!

So let’s dive into this topic so the Holy Spirit can teach us that there is a difference between the Rapture and Christ’s Second Coming. The Bible is clear on both points but it is up to you to study the matter out for yourself and not read after whomever agrees with your point of view. That is like a baby chick eating the mother’s regurgitated food! Feed yourself! The Holy Spirit wrote the Bible so why not get it from the Source Himself? I don’t want you to form an opinion based on what I write here. I want you to dig into your Bible and let the Holy Spirit of God teach you.

2 Pe 1:21  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

The Apostle James tells us that we CAN know and we CAN ask for wisdom from the One who provides it liberally!

Jas 1:5  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

So let’s ask the Lord for wisdom as we read the Scriptures and allow His Holy Spirit to reveal truth to us. What do the Scriptures say about the differences between the Rapture and Christ’s Second Coming? What does the Old Testament and New Testament say on the subject of the Rapture? The New Testament says that the Rapture is a “mystery.”

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

If you do a search for the word “mystery” throughout the Bible (I use the King James Version), you will find that the word appears only in the New Testament. A mystery was not revealed in the Old Testament. At times, a mystery was referred to but not revealed; as we see in Old Testament prophecy. I read a quote that explains it more clearly:

The New Testament is in the Old concealed; the Old is in the New revealed.

ATTRIBUTED TO ST. AUGUSTINE (EARLY 400’S AD)

Christians today can see some truths in the Old Testament Scriptures hiding in plain sight because Christ’s birth, death and resurrection have already occurred. It seems obvious to believers, but not so to the Jews. Israel didn’t have these truths revealed to them – it was concealed from them because to them, their Messiah was yet to come. They missed His first coming and are looking to His second coming! I hope that makes sense to you.

The Apostle Paul tells us that he’s about to explain to us a “mystery.” Paul was a Jew from the sect called Pharisees. He knew the Old Testament inside and out. After Paul became a Christian, he discovered that the Christians were not trying to eliminate the Old Testament but instead, they were embracing it as the preface to Messiah’s coming. After Paul received the knowledge of the Scriptures according to Christ, he taught his followers how Jesus fulfilled the prophecies of His first coming. We must remember that the New Testament Scriptures were not yet in written form at that time. Jesus and the Apostles all quoted from not the Old Testament. The Rapture was not taught in the Old Testament because Israel was not going to take part in it; individual Jews would get saved but the nation itself. They were disobedient and rebelled against God’s word and God paused Israel’s judgment to give the Gentiles a chance to be saved! Praise Him!! We have Israel to thank for the salvation that came to the Gentile world!

The following verses have blessed me as I read them with the Rapture in mind. At the time they were written, the reader had no idea that the verses would be speaking of the Rapture in the Old Testament. But as we believers look back at Christ’s first coming and look forward to the rapture of His Bride, the verses below have more meaning! Some may argue that they refer to the Rapture event, but that’s OK.

Song of Solomon 2:10-13  My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.  (11)  For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;  (12)  The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;  (13)  The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.

Zep 2:2-3  Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you, before the day of the LORD’S anger come upon you.  (3)  Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD’S anger.

Isa 26:19-21  Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.  (20)  Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.  (21)  For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.

If you are born-again and a believer in the Pre-Tribulation Rapture, don’t these verses excite you? This event is to occur at a time that no one knows, not even Christ Himself. If you are not certain whether or not you believe in the Pre-Tribulation Rapture, remember that it is all about timing. Jesus said that NO ONE knows the hour of His return. That means the Rapture is imminent – to occur at anytime. If the Rapture were to occur in the middle or end of the Tribulation, then man WOULD know the day because the Tribulation lasts seven years.

Mar 13:32  But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.

Friend, we know the exact date of the Messiah’s return to earth at the Second Coming! The first day of the seven year Tribulation begins when the Antichrist signs a peace treaty with Israel. That starts the prophetic clock for the seven year Tribulation:

Dan 9:27  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, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

Daniel’s 70th week of God’s judgments on Israel for their rebellion against Him begins with a peace treaty with the Antichrist. The 70th week is comprised of seven years of 360 days each. The Jewish calendar consists of 360 days per year, not 365 like the West’s. The Tribulation will last a total of 2,520 days from the signing of that peace treaty. Therefore, if you believe in the post Tribulation Rapture, you would have an exact date. If you believe in the mid Tribulation Rapture, that would be 1,260 days after the signing of the peace treaty. Again, you have a date. Jesus is God and if the Rapture were to occur in the middle or at the end of the Tribulation, He would know the date! But the pre-Tribulation Rapture belief fits perfectly.

Israel will be enthralled with the Antichrist. They will be deceived by him and will be fooled to think that he is their Messiah. For those of you who believe that Christians will go through the Tribulation or that we are currently in the Tribulation, you have set a date. That means that you must know more than the Lord because He does not know the hour He is coming for His Bride. Mark 13:32 says otherwise “But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.”

Dan 7:13-14  I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.  (14)  And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

The Second Coming of Jesus will be to reign as the King of Kings. He will come to Jerusalem and will stand on the Mount of Olives. He will be seen by the entire earth! His coming for the Church happens in the clouds, not on earth.

Zec 12:10  And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

Zec 14:4  And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

When the Lord returns at the end of the Tribulation, He will be coming with His church, the saints, who met Him in the air, in the clouds seven years earlier! The Church, Christ’s Bride, will return with Him because she is never more to be separated from Him.

Jude 1:14-15  And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,  (15)  To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

The ten thousands of his saints cannot be angels. Angels do not need salvation and, therefore, cannot be saints. These saints refer to those who accepted Jesus Christ as their Saviour and Messiah.

Rev 19:6-8  And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.  (7)  Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.  (8)  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

If you never learned about the Rapture and the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray that these devotionals have been a blessing to you. Friend, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

The Rapture vs The Second Coming – Day 43

On By KateIn Devotionals, End Times, Rapture, Second Coming of Jesus Christ1 Comment

We have now reached the end of our study about the Rapture versus the Second Coming of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ! King Jesus will reign through the Millennium in Jerusalem. After the unsaved are cast into the Lake of Fire, Jesus will create a new Heaven and a new earth! How exciting!

Rev 21:1-8  And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.  (2)  And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.  (3)  And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.  (4)  And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.  (5)  And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.  (6)  And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.  (7)  He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.  (8)  But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

My last post covered the second death. But at the creation of the new Heaven and the new earth, there will no longer be unbelievers and sinners. All things will be made new and perfect! A new Jerusalem will also be created and only those who were found in the Lamb’s book of life will be able to enter in.

Rev 21:27  And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

What a glorious event this will be if you are born again!

Rev 22:3-5  And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:  (4)  And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.  (5)  And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

So dear reader, will you be present at this event? If you’re not 100% sure, please (I beg you) make sure before it’s too late! You don’t know when you will die! You could be commuting home from work and be involved in a deadly car crash. You just don’t know!

Rev 22:11-20  He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.  (12)  And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.  (13)  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.  (14)  Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.  (15)  For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.  (16)  I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.  (17)  And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.  (18)  For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:  (19)  And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.  (20)  He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

Friend, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

We have reached the conclusion of this series. The next series will be a condensed version of the Book of Revelation! My desire is that if this blog is still online during the great Tribulation, eyes will be drawn to these devotional series and will be an encouragement to all who read it.

The Rapture vs. The Second Coming – Day 42

On By KateIn Devotionals, End Times, Rapture, Second Coming of Jesus Christ2 Comments

Good morning, precious readers and friends! Today’s topic is alarming to me. I can’t imagine anyone wanting to go to Hell when they die. These same people will be brought up from Hell to experience the Great White Throne Judgment and then be cast into the Lake of Fire for all eternity. It’s like being burned so severely and then going to a place where you will burn forever!!! Please, if anyone reads this and is not saved, please don’t make fun of it. Search your heart and come to Christ as your Saviour. If you are reading this and the Rapture has already happened, don’t delay as your time on this earth is very limited! Please, I plead with you, get saved now before it’s eternally too late. Just click here and a new tab will open up that will show you how to be saved. Then come back here so we can continue with today’s post.

Now back to our topic… After the Millennium is finished, Satan will be cast into the Lake of Fire and all unbelieving souls since the beginning of time will be judged before the Great White Throne.

Rev 20:11-14  And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.  (12)  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.  (13)  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.  (14)  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. (15) And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. 

Can you imagine how this will go down? All those who have been in hell all those years since the beginning of time, will be released and will have to appear before the Lord Jesus Christ to be judged according to their works. Why works? They will be judged by their works because they did not accept Christ as their Saviour. Therefore, they will learn quickly that everything they did in life, by deeds or words, will be judged at this point. There will be nothing in their lives that will be equivalent to what Christ did on the cross for them. They chose to deny Him on this earth and He will deny them before the Father in Heaven. I picture it just as the tract called This Was Your Life depicts it. Take a moment to read it before continuing. It will open in a new tab so once you’re finished, come back here.

Once they are judged, Christ will look at the book of life and point out that their name is not written in it. Only those who were born again and accepted Christ as their Saviour have names written in that book. Christ promised these believers that their name would never be blotted out of the book.

Philippians 4:3  And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.

Revelation 3:5  He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

I can’t even begin to imagine that “good” person at this point. If you are one of those good people, stop now and think of what this means! You cannot be good enough. Even if you lived an honest life but didn’t believe in God, your name will not be found in the Lamb’s book of life. It doesn’t matter if you believed in God or not. I would not want to find out I was wrong all along when my time comes to die. It’s not too late to be saved at this point in time. But once you die, that’s it. Your time has run out and it’s too late to accept Jesus Christ as Saviour.

Heb 9:27-28  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (28) So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. 

You don’t want to be part of the Great White Throne judgment, friend. You want to be part of those who will not experience the second death.

Rev 20:14-15  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.  (15)  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Here’s a good quote to remember:

Chuck Missler Quote: "Those born once will die twice and ...

Those who won’t accept Jesus Christ as their Saviour are those who are born once, but they will die twice. Once upon their physical death and they go to Hell; then their second death is after the Great White Throne judgment when they are cast into the Lake of Fire for eternity. 😥 Those who have accepted Christ as their Saviour are born twice: once at their physical birth and the second birth is their spiritual birth when they are “born again.” This person will only die once (their physical death). After their death, they are present with the Lord in Heaven and live with Him for eternity.

Joh 3:3  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Friend, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

The Rapture vs. The Second Coming – Day 41

On By KateIn Devotionals, End Times, Rapture, Second Coming of Jesus ChristLeave a comment

Good morning, dear reader! We have just a couple more posts on this series! It seems as though I just started it yesterday! As you’re reading these devotional posts, do you feel anxiety or do you feel excited? I’ve always felt excited but I know people who are apprehensive about what is about to happen. One must ask oneself, am I anxious because I’m not 100% I’m going to Heaven or because I love life and am not ready to give it up? Only you can answer this. Are you 100% certain that if you were to die in your sleep tonight, that you would go to Heaven? If you are not 100% certain, please go here and read through it. It will open in a new tab. Then come back to this tab and let’s continue.

Once the Millennium comes to an end, Satan will be loosed from the bottomless pit for a short period. He will once again come against Israel only to be defeated once and for all. Those who have died without Christ from the beginning of time will not rise just yet. Their time will come to be judged at the Great White Throne Judgment.

Rev 20:1-10  And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.  (2)  And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,  (3)  And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.  (4)  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.  (5)  But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.  (6)  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.  (7)  And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,  (8)  And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.  (9)  And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.  (10)  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Satan’s army will be destroyed one and for all – forever! He will be cast into the Lake of Fire forever and ever. As you can see by the Bible verses above, Satan and his minions will be tormented day and night! His time is coming and those who love the Lord long for the day when there is finally peace and King Jesus is reigning!!

Friend, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

The Rapture vs. The Second Coming – Day 40

On By KateIn Devotionals, End Times, Rapture, Second Coming of Jesus ChristLeave a comment
Photography by Chris Michaud

Good morning! ☕ I’m sitting here with my coffee and excited to share today’s post with you. Nothing gets my spiritual self excited and motivated than writing about the Lord and His coming! We are nearing the end of our Rapture versus the Second Coming series. I praise Him for keeping us safe in Him and giving His Church a blessed opportunity! I pray for souls to be won to Christ and to give me boldness to share the beautiful Gospel of Jesus!!! King Jesus will be reigning on this earth soon – what a glorious day that will be!

Today’s post concentrates on the Second Coming and what happens after. If you recall from previous posts, the Church has already been raptured. But what happens to those saints who died during the Tribulation? The verses below explain:

Rev 20:4  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

We also see that Jesus will come with judgment for all who are still alive. He will judge the Jews and the nations. This is also known as the sheep/goat judgment.

Eze 20:33-38  As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you:  (34)  And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out.  (35)  And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face.  (36)  Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord GOD.  (37)  And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant:  (38)  And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

Mat 25:31-46  When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:  (32)  And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:  (33)  And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.  (34)  Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:  (35)  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:  (36)  Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.  (37)  Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?  (38)  When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?  (39)  Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?  (40)  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.  (41)  Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:  (42)  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:  (43)  I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.  (44)  Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?  (45)  Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.  (46)  And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

2Th 1:7-9  And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,  (8)  In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:  (9)  Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

After all the judgments are finished, the Millennium is ready to begin. The curse which had been placed on the earth after Adam and Eve sinned, is now lifted. The earth will again be perfect as it was in the Garden of Eden. Can you imagine petting a lion or playing with a boa constrictor??? I can’t wait!

Rev 22:3-5  And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:  (4)  And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.  (5)  And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

Isa 11:6-9  The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.  (7)  And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.  (8)  And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den.  (9)  They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

Isa 35:1-2  The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.  (2)  It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God.

Isa 35:5-6  Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.  (6)  Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.

Jesus deals with Satan, the false prophet and the antichrist and binds them for 1,000 years. Can you imagine what life will be like during this time? 😃 I see the believers blessing His holy name and praising Him!

Rev 20:1-3  And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.  (2)  And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,  (3)  And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

Can you imagine King Jesus reigning over the earth from Jerusalem? What an event that will be! The saints will rule with Jesus during that 1,000 years. Not having the devil’s influence over the hearts of man is something we have never experienced! At the end of the Millennium, Satan will be loosed for a short time to deceive the nations yet again. Another battle will occur that will be a great one. Satan and all the nations involved will go against the saints and Israel, particularly Jerusalem. But God will send down fire which will kill them all! Satan will then be cast into the Lake of Fire for all eternity.

Rev 20:10  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Once the millennium is finished, God will create a new Heaven and a new earth. As well, all those souls and those who have died from the very beginning through the end of the Millennium will be raised and judged. This is called the Great White Throne.

Rev 20:12-15  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.  (13)  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.  (14)  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.  (15)  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

The next post will be about the new Heaven and the new earth. Oh what beauty we will behold. It is truly something to look forward to!

Friend, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

The Rapture vs. The Second Coming – Day 39

On By KateIn Devotionals, End Times, Rapture, Second Coming of Jesus ChristLeave a comment

It’s a brand new day and we have the Lord to thank for our eyes opening this morning, Amen? We have another day to share the Gospel, discuss the upcoming events on God’s prophetic calendar, and to encourage one another as these days get darker! Paul exhorts us not to live in darkness because we have the light of the Word of God abiding in us! Thank You, Lord!!! So what’s next on this topic? Let’s take a look at what the Bible says will happen after the Rapture and the Second Coming. Today’s post will cover what comes after the Rapture.

As we saw in previous posts, the Rapture is a snatching away of the Church before the Tribulation begins. What does it involve? The Church (consisting of born-again saints) will instantaneously be changed from the physical body we have here on earth to a new resurrected body just as Jesus had at His resurrection. This event happens so quickly that Scripture says it happens in the “twinkling of an eye!”

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

Php 3:20-21  For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:  (21)  Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

So how fast is the “twinkling of an eye”? According to policedriver.com:

When you are driving 60 mph, literally in a blink of an eye, you move 17.6 feet.

I’m assuming we will be traveling upwards faster than 60 mph because the world will not see what is happening. I merely gave you this example so you could “see with your mind’s eye” how fast the twinkling of an eye can be. In fact, the word twinkling only appears once in the entire Bible (King James Version). I find that interesting, don’t you?

Some mistaken the “last trump” in 1 Corinthians 15:52 to be the one spoken of in Revelation 11. However, that cannot be the case as all the seals, trumpets and bowls are horrible judgments, not something to encourage the believer. The last trumpet is God’s trump, not angels.

(1Th 4:16)  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:

After we are taken to be with Jesus in Heaven, He will be waiting to hand out (or withhold) rewards to believers for their work here on earth while waiting for His coming. This is called the “Bema Seat” judgment. It is not judgment for our sins because Christ paid the price for those sins. It is to judge what we did for the Kingdom. Will the works we did be works that we took credit for or will they be for Christ? That will depend on whether they are burned (works for one’s own glory) or whether they will bring rewards (works done for Christ’s glory).

1 Co 3:12-15  Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;  (13)  Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.  (14)  If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.  (15)  If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

2 Co 5:10  For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

2 Tim 4:8  Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Rev 22:12  And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

While the Tribulation happens, the earth will suffer, as well as the people living on it. The world will dive into total lawlessness and Satan will take advantage of this. After the Rapture, the restraint of the Holy Spirit will be gone because He resides within every born-again believer. His role will return to that of the Old Testament where He empowered specific people. Without His restraint, the earth will not have all those Christians to bear witness of Christ and to object to the evils of this world. Instead, the devil will use his wicked power to guide the world into a one world church and one world government, where he will reign for seven years. If you think things are bad now, it will be hundreds of times worse during his reign.

The whole point of this series is to encourage the believers but it is also to alert those who are lost of what is to come! It will be the worse time to come upon the entire earth. There will be no escape unless the warnings from this blog lead you to Christ. You must heed this warning and settle where you will spend eternity today before it is too late. Friend, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

The Rapture vs. The Second Coming – Day 38

On By KateIn Devotionals, End Times, Rapture, Second Coming of Jesus Christ1 Comment
Photography by Bob Sabo

Good morning! It’s time to shake off the sleepiness and drink that morning cup of coffee or tea. I must admit that I wouldn’t mind waking up to the view above, wouldn’t you? 😃 On my last post, we covered God’s timing for the Tribulation period and why we believe the Rapture will occur before that great judgment. To sum that up, no man knows the day or the hour of the Rapture, but we can know the signs of the coming of the Tribulation. Christ’s return for the church is imminent: that means it can happen any time. Today, we will look at the Second Coming of Christ and when the Scriptures say that will happen according to the prophecies from the Old Testament.

The prophet Daniel, of the Old Testament, prophesied about this very thing.

Dan 9:24-27  Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.  (25)  Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.  (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.  (27)  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, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

Daniel prophesied that the antichrist would sign a peace treaty with Israel for one week, which is equal to seven years (he breaks that treaty half way through). It stands to reason that there has to be a reason for the need for a peace treaty; there must be wars and conflicts so bad that Israel longs for peace and will give anything to achieve that peace. Remember, Daniel’s 70th week revolves around Israel. From that point on, the Tribulation begins and God’s prophetic clock starts to tick for the seven years. This tells us that the Second Coming of Jesus won’t happen until those seven years are finished. Therefore, the date of the Second Coming will be known to believers during those seven years! God is very specific and when He says seven biblical years, He means it. A biblical year is 360 days, not 365 as we know it in the West. So all one has to do is to multiply 360 x 7 and you get 2,520 days. Half way through is 1,260.

The Bible continues to tell us that more signs will appear before Christ comes to end the Battle of Armageddon. Read on:

Dan 9:27  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, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

Dan 11:31  And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.

Dan 12:11  And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.

Half way through the Tribulation, the antichrist will break that treaty with Israel and he will remove Israel’s ability to do sacrificing in their temple. Therefore, we know the Tribulation has not started yet for two reasons: (1) there hasn’t been a need for a peace treaty yet, and (2) Israel does not have a temple in Jerusalem. Once Israel realizes that the antichrist is not their Messiah, they will flee to the wilderness:

Rev 12:6  And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.

It is not until these seven years of judgment upon Israel (see Daniel 9:24 above) are over that their true Messiah, King Jesus, will come. Those who fled to the wilderness will be cared for by God and they will recognize their true Messiah when He returns!

Rev 19:7-8  Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.  (8)  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

Rev 19:11-16  And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.  (12)  His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.  (13)  And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.  (14)  And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.  (15)  And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.  (16)  And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

Jesus and the Church will return at the end of the Tribulation after God has released His wrath upon the disobedient world. We know for a fact that the Church has been in Heaven because of the following verses in Matthew. Jesus said:

Mat 24:29-31  Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:  (30)  And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and 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.  (31)  And 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 not the gathering of saints on earth as some post Tribulation believers say. This is the gathering of the saints already in Heaven! Verse 31 doesn’t say from under heaven; no it is from one end of heaven to the other. Let God’s Word reveal to you the truth, reader.

Friend, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

The Rapture vs. The Second Coming – Day 37

On By KateIn Devotionals, End TimesLeave a comment
Photography by Chris Michaud

How excited are you about the Lord’s return for His Church – His Bride? Oh dear reader, I pray with all my heart that this blog has excited you and solidified why you hold to the Pre-Tribulation Rapture! I have to admit that this series has stirred the embers in my heart and started a fire within me to share this blessing for the Church! If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Saviour, I pray that you will find His peace here and now. I am amazed that there are churches out there that don’t even hear about the Rapture or the end times. It saddens me because we are to encourage one another with this knowledge that we will soon be with Christ!

The last post was about the “when” of the Rapture and this is a continuation of that post, although this post deals more on why we hold to that timing. The entire Bible revolves around God’s chosen people, Israel. I heard a message from a Jewish believer and evangelist, Amir Tsarfati, recently and he said that Jesus was a Jew (like we needed to be reminded, LOL), the Apostles were all Jews, AND none of them quoted the New Testament! I never thought of it that way before. Although there is no where in the Old Testament that speaks specifically about the Rapture, we can know the times of Christ’s return because of the prophecies. Jesus expounded on those prophecies during His time here.

The first of these prophecies that had to come to past to usher in the “end times” was:

Isa 43:5-6  Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west;  (6)  I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;

Jer 16:14-15  Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that it shall no more be said, The LORD liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;  (15)  But, The LORD liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers.

Jer 23:3  And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.

Jer 23:7-8  Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;  (8)  But, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.

Jer 29:14  And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.

Jer 31:7-8  For thus saith the LORD; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations: publish ye, praise ye, and say, O LORD, save thy people, the remnant of Israel.  (8)  Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither.

Eze 28:25-26  Thus saith the Lord GOD; When I shall have gathered the house of Israel from the people among whom they are scattered, and shall be sanctified in them in the sight of the heathen, then shall they dwell in their land that I have given to my servant Jacob.  (26)  And they shall dwell safely therein, and shall build houses, and plant vineyards; yea, they shall dwell with confidence, when I have executed judgments upon all those that despise them round about them; and they shall know that I am the LORD their God.

Amo 9:14-15  And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them.  (15)  And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God.

The Old Testament prophets spoke about a time when Israel would finally become a nation. That prophecy was fulfilled in our time, reader! In 1867, Mark Twain visited Zion (Israel) and had this to say about the land in his publication Innocents Abroad:

“….. A desolate country whose soil is rich enough, but is given over wholly to weeds… a silent mournful expanse…. a desolation…. we never saw a human being on the whole route…. hardly a tree or shrub anywhere. Even the olive tree and the cactus, those fast friends of a worthless soil, had almost deserted the country.”

God had a job to do to prepare the land for the return of the Jews so they could inhabit that land. One can Google pictures of that land during any time period from Twain’s visit to 1948 (even today) and you see a miraculous change from desolation to a lush, vibrant land. This is most certainly fulfillment of Bible prophecy, friend.

This is no big thing for God since He created everything in six days! May 1948 was a day of great joy for the Jews. They came from all over the world to inhabit their land, which God had prepared for them. Israel was known as the “fig tree” according to Jesus. He taught us to learn from the parable of the Fig Tree:

Mat 24:32-33  Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:  (33)  So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.

So what does this have to do with knowing we are close to Christ’s return? Jesus said in the very next verse. He said that the generation who would see that blessed event would not pass away before His return!

Mat 24:34-35  Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.  (35)  Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

Friend, we are that generation! Rejoice! We can take this to the bank because Jesus said that Heaven and earth shall pass away, but His words shall NOT pass away. That means you can believe His promise! From May 1948, anyone who was born would have the opportunity to witness His return, if death didn’t come first.

I want to give you one more golden nugget for you to get excited about and that can be found in:

Rev 3:10  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.

According to Strong’s Concordance, the word “from” in this verse is “ek” in Greek. Ek means “out of.” Therefore, Jesus will keep the Church “out of” the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world! I have this note in my Bible: “Encourage one another – there is hope, not doom and gloom”! This verse cannot be referring to the Church when John was speaking of the church at Philadelphia because during that time no judgment since the Great Flood had come upon the entire earth to try them; and neither to date. We’ve seen flooding, pestilence, earthquakes, etc., but not a severe judgment (as in Noah’s day) upon the entire earth.

If you never learned about the Rapture and the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray that these devotionals have been a blessing to you. Friend, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

The Rapture vs. The Second Coming – Day 36

On By KateIn Devotionals, End Times, Rapture, Second Coming of Jesus ChristLeave a comment
Photography by Bob Sabo

Good morning, dear reader! What a beautiful picture!!! Doesn’t this picture fill you with expectation? What is your expectation for today? The Rapture of Christ’s Bride, the Church, could happen today! What a wonderful expectation it is indeed! It gives you something to look forward to! There is nothing on God’s prophetic clock that has to happen before the Church is raptured forever to be with the Lord! Some people keep saying the Rapture will happen in the middle of the Tribulation or at the end. So let’s take a look at what God’s Word says, not what “people” think! God’s Word is final, after all.

Because we are expecting the Rapture to occur at any time, this indicates that Jesus’ return is imminent. How do we know this? Let’s open the Bible and read for ourselves:

Matt 24:36  But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

Oh but Kate, that’s only one verse! Dear reader, encourage yourself and learn of God 😊

Mar 13:32-37  But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.  (33)  Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.  (34)  For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.  (35)  Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:  (36)  Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.  (37)  And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

What do you see as the criteria here? I see two things: no one knows when and He will come suddenly when you least expect Him to. The other Rapture views cannot answer to this. Why? Their beliefs are tied to actual dates. Once the antichrist signs the peace treaty with Israel, one only needs to count the days: 1,260 for mid-Tribulation and 2,520 for post-Tribulation. What did Jesus say above? He said no one knows the day or the hour. Their belief makes Jesus a liar. How can one trust anything in the Bible if this one point isn’t true?

Why do you think there are different viewpoints? When a believer holds to the pre-Tribulation Rapture, he is busy working to lead as many people to Christ before it is too late for them. If the Rapture would not occur until mid or post-Tribulation, the believers would be focusing on the antichrist, the judgments and how to survive; they wouldn’t be as diligent to lead others to Christ. Instead, the Church is eagerly awaiting her Groom, the Lord Jesus! Comfort yourselves, Church!

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11  But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.  (2)  For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.  (3)  For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.  (4)  But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.  (5)  Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.  (6)  Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.  (7)  For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.  (8)  But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.  (9)  For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,  (10)  Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.  (11)  Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

Paul spent time with the Thessalonians and taught them all about the Rapture. He said, “For yourselves know PERFECTLY that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night! If you were to know the day, as mid and post-Tribulation believers do, you wouldn’t be expecting a thief but the Lord Himself on a specific day! However, when believers don’t know the day, as pre-Tribulation believers, we are comforting each other and encouraging one another that it could be any day now! We’re not appointed unto wrath whether we are awake or asleep so why would those who are awake go through the Tribulation??? What would those comforting words be if the Church would go through the Tribulation? Paul didn’t write this for nothing! For God hath not appointed us to wrath! Noah Webster defines “wrath” as:

WRATH, n. [L.] Violent anger; vehement exasperation; indignation;
The effects of anger. The just punishment of an offense or crime.

Friend, the Book of Revelation is filled with the wrath of God toward the disobedient world so why should the Church be subjected to that wrath when we are promised that God’s wrath is not upon the saved:

Rom 5:9  Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

Those who enter the Tribulation are those who were willfully disobedient and did not accept Jesus Christ as their Saviour! The unsaved who have been disobedient to God’s Word are the ones who will receive His wrath. Granted, there will be some who will get saved during the Tribulation; however, they will have to experience the judgments and possibly death.

Eph 2:2  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Eph 5:6  Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
Col 3:6  For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

We are not to experience this horrible time that is to come upon the whole disobedient earth. Luk 21:35-36  For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.  (36)  Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. Friend, why would Jesus talk about an escape for the worthy if we were to go through the Tribulation?

If you never learned about the Rapture and the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray that these devotionals have been a blessing to you. Friend, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!