The Rapture of the Church Explained
Dear Uncle Brock,
This is Marshall Taylor, your Nephew. Right now you’re probably in shock or maybe you aren’t. I know that you used to be a Christian. Please, if you already haven’t, accept Christ as soon as possible. You most likely know what is to come. Your family is in heaven with Jesus. Please don’t be discouraged.
-Marshall Taylor
Dear Forgotten One,
I know it hurts. I know why the tears stream down your face and your hand clenches your child’s jacket. The shock keeps piercing your insides like huge thunderbolts, filling your soul with the horror at all the madness you see in the streets. It is not a dream, my friend, it is the beginning of an age long ago foretold – an age when the millions would vanish and there would be chaos on the earth. Welcome to the nightmare, welcome to the Tribulation.
Let me explain to you what is happening to your world. Your children are not forever lost – they are in the comforting arms of Christ, taken with all the believers of the Lord into heaven. This is called the Rapture. It was an ascension, you see, beyond the bounds of this world into the primal home where the Lord resides. Paul in the New Testament spoke of such a time as this, in certain chapters in First Corinthians and First and Second Thessalonians. They are now before the Throne of God, your little ones of innocence and all those who gave their hearts to Jesus. Do not listen to those that would explain what has happened. It is the Lord who has taken the souls from this earth, to keep them from the time of testing (Rev. 3:10) already engulfing the whole earth.
Understand this, my friend, I speak to you from the other side of this world, even now I whisper to you from the great glory of God’s kingdom – this letter I leave to you as a roadmap to the coming perils and as a jolt of inspiration from the lands of joy. The message is this: You are not alone, the time is now at hand.
Please, stop your weeping and release your memories for the confusion will soon pass. A time is coming, a leader who will unite the world and ask for your allegiance. The chaos you now see, it is but a precursor to the horror to come. Look to the far lands, look to Israel and the signing of a covenant guaranteeing peace in the region for seven years. It is the start of the period spoken of so passionately in Daniel chapter 9 and by the Hebrew prophets – it is called the Tribulation, a period when evil will roam this earth as in the days of Noah. Do not trust anything you see or hear. Trust only in the living power of God’s Word, the Bible you always keep hidden under layers of useless items in your desk drawer. Pick it up and read of the prophecies. Read the book of Revelation and let your eyes SEE what the Lord has in store. Let all else leave your mind and bend down now in your room and accept the whisperings of the Lord into your heart.
He is moving now, the Holy Spirit through all the earth looking for souls to stand against the coming evil. I speak to you with all my heart – accept the promises that God has given. There is no possibility for a future without Christ, and there is no chance you will ever see your children again without the grace of God in your heart. It is an ancient story, this drama you see unfolding before you. What is madness now is but the greater plan of salvation. It is the judgment that all souls knew was coming – including you. What you see before you will lead to the final battle of this age – in a plain in Israel called Megiddo, also known as Armageddon.
Understand this one thing, friend, even though you cry now, with the Lord’s power in your heart you can live with joy. Christ has come for his believers, but He is coming again to destroy the man about to take over the earth – the Antichrist. All these things I tell you as warning, open your heart to the Lord now so you can walk without fear and without tears in the days that remain. It will be seven years after the mysterious man helps forge a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians before the Lord returns in all His glory and the kingdom is established for 1,000 years. Hear what I am saying to you! Arise and cease your weeping!
What you have seen does not even compare with the madness of the Antichrist’s reign. He will issue a mark (a chip to be inserted under the skin) that will be forced upon everyone in the world (Rev. 13). It is your task now and throughout the Tribulation to resist every evil that comes upon you and to join with others against this tyranny. The world will accept this evil empire, but you must not. For it means the damnation of your soul and a place so dark and empty you will never hear your children’s voices again.
I do not wish to scare you, but the time for small talk is long gone. You must believe no matter what else happens that Christ is Lord of all creation and He is in control no matter how insane the world becomes. And it will get insane – Christians will be slaughtered and the world’s people will become slaves to a Man (the Antichrist) who will deceive many with philosophies that tickle the ear and signs that seem wondrous. Yet is all a sideshow, my friend, a last ditch effort by Lucifer to control the world and annihilate mankind.
But I give you a promise – this period of utter darkness and madness will end. You will see many wars and many terrible natural disasters and demons will walk the earth as with eyes of fire, but gaze beyond the flames of the world to the land that waits beyond. For He destroyed evil on the cross at Calvary- He died so that all could live. His Kingdom is more glorious than I can describe. I see all my friends here, all those that have Christ’s radiance on their faces. I swim as in golden dawns and feast on the great glory of God. Listen to me, friend, He knows your pain, and He knows the darkness that you see around you now. But listen, turn your heart through all the searing pain into the still small voice of God and know that He is all creation, He is all meaning and He will come back and consume those ravaging this world. It is beauty beyond description in His Face. I have seen the glory of the Living One, and I tell you He is coming with light as of a billion suns to light the world and proclaim His majesty! It was always His world, friend. Do not fight Him: fight those who oppose Him.
Leave the cities and the false lies that are spreading. It does not matter where you go, so long as you are with a band of believers who have chosen to resist the Mark of the Beast. There is no New World Order; it is an ancient lie like the time men tried to reach to the sky at Babel. As for the Antichrist, even though he proclaims himself as God in the Temple in Jerusalem midway into this seven years, do not fear – for the terror will begin and signs such as the earth has never seen, but you can be at peace in the protecting shadow of the Lord’s wings. Have courage and turn to the hand of God and let him guide you to those that have chosen to believe. The fight is on, and we are behind you, singing and shouting for the victory to come. Jesus said, “In this world you will have tribulation, but take courage, for I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33). Remember these words and read all of the Lord’s precious sayings, especially Matthew Chapter 24. The Word of God is your greatest weapon against lies and deceit.
And now I tell you to rise, my friend, put down all that you are doing and walk in faith with the power of the Holy Spirit and the strength of a thousand believers. The time is short and He is coming with His glorious multitude of angels and believers. I send you this last promise – Paradise is all you can ever dream and so much more. The light is so brilliant and my heart leaps with unbelievable ecstasy! The beauty brings forth the praise; it gushes from us in shimmering waves. I wait for you and long to talk with you in the lands of glory. All of us are here, for as believers we are all your brothers and sisters in Christ. And He is here, the most beautiful Being in all creation. I keep lifting into His glory and the song keeps pouring forth from my lips, “Holy, holy, the Lord God Almighty!” It is so glorious!
Soon, my friend, after the nightmare is over and evil recedes to a memory, you will be singing with us. And I will greet you at the gates and take you to the Lamb at the center of the Throne, and He shall wipe away all your tears and all your sadness as He gently takes you into His eternal embrace.
You Friend in Glory,
Chad
It seems to me that the Devil is having his way with a number of preachers in the spotlight lately. I’m becoming more aware of an aire of bitterness and vindictivenss between popular theologians who disagree on some debatable issues like the Rapture. The term ‘false prophet’ and ‘false teacher’ seems to be flying both directions. What must the unsaved who are witness to these ego competitions be thinking? The only conclusion I would expect from the unsaved is one of being turned off completely or so confused that they don’t know who or what to believe. God help us.
January 17, 2005
Having just finished reading the Assemblies of God (AOG) “offical position” paper on the Rapture I was so impressed with the concise summary of the position and Biblical references that I though it a good idea to add a link.
January 12, 2005
In the wake of the Christmas Day Tsunami that has claimed more than 150,000 lives throughout Sumatra, Indonesia, Thailand, India and even the shores of NE Africa, there seems to be a sense of anticipation or expectation of what the next large scale tragedy might be or when it’ll happen. Another tidal wave? A devastating earthquake? Perhaps an unprecedented volcanic eruption? Maybe all of these things and more? Take notice of these ‘birth pangs’. Contrary to the headline repeated on NBC National News last night, the Earth isn’t trying to tell us something through these tragic events, but the one and only true, living God is…
Matthew 24:4-8
Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,[a]’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.
The End Times News headlines have been updated for 2004. Often times we tend to forget some of what has happened over the span of just few short years. The return of Jesus is nearer than ever. God has clearly been confirming a message through those who truly love him and serve him that it’s time to WAKE UP!
Early this morning Prime Minister Ariel Sharon ordered the assassination of the blind muslim terrorist, Sheik Yassin. Shortly after sunrise, an Israeli helicopter fired 3 missles directly at the Sheik as he left the Mosque…there wasn’t much of him left to put in the coffin that the Palestinians carried around town as they shouted obscenities and threats against Israel. Sheik Yassin was the founder of the terrorist organization known as Hamas. Most recently, the Sheik is blamed for the deaths of almost 300 Israelis who were at the wrong place at the wrong time when the brain washed muslim homicide bombers pushed the button to detonate the bomb strapped to their chest. In light of the Sheik’s status, this particular assassination could very well be a new spark that ignites another powder keg of violence.
I feel that the Lord is trying to tell us “Wake up from your slumber! The alarm is sounding! Be alert!”
You might not smell the smoke, but the fire is approaching.
Romans 13:11-12
The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
“When sinners are careless and stupid, and sinking into hell unconcerned, it is time the church should bestir themselves. It is as much the duty of the church to awake, as it is for the firemen to awake when a fire breaks out in the night in a great city. The church ought to put out the fires of hell which are laying hold of the wicked. Sleep! Should the firemen sleep, and let the whole city burn down, what would be thought of such firemen? And yet their guilt would not compare with the guilt of Christians who sleep while sinners around them are sinking stupid into the fires of hell.”
– Charles Finney
The church of Jesus Christ is largely sleeping, like a great bedroom and you have all the Christians in bed and they’re all sleeping … and they’re saying “Please, don’t wake me up! I want to sleep on!” And of course when God starts to operate a revival people cannot sleep, you can’t sleep in church when the Spirit of God awakes the people. Look at the 1st verse of this 52nd chapter (Isaiah 52) …”Awake! Awake! Put on strength!” Wake it up! You sleepy Christians! Awake thou that sleepeth, Arise from the dead! Christ will give you life!
-Ian Paisley
March 8, 2004
Much has been happening in the last few months. The decline of morality in our country seems to be accelerating, taking us all ever nearer to the edge of the cliff which leads to the depths of destruction.
First of all, the liberal media is doing a fine job of promoting the growing trend of city mayors endorsing “Gay Marriage”. San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland Oregon and other large cities are deluged with homosexual couples who are going to city hall to get “married”…never mind that marriage has always been and always will be a covenant created by God between a man and a woman as a symbolic union of Jesus coming for His church, and for the purpose of procreation. The defiance of State Law by these mayors and other elected officials is not an act of civil disobedience, but a breech of contract for which they should be removed from office. They each took an oath to abide by the law and now they are defiantly breaking both their sworn oath and the law with no regard for the chaos that these unholy unions will lead to under the guise of “marriage”.
Secondly, the Episcopal Church has officially installed the first openly gay Bishop in New Hampshire. Sunday night on 60 Minutes, V. Gene Robinson said during an interview that “God is doing something new” by allowing practicing homosexuals to hold positions of leadership in the church. All I can say is that his god is his appetite for sin, not the Holy God of the Bible.
Thirdly, Mel Gibson’s movie ‘The Passion of the Christ’ is a blockbuster so far. In only two weeks time the movie has generated box office receipts of over $200 million showing Hollywood how much people really want to see movies which depict the Truth. Having seen the movie during it’s opening weekend I can say that yes it is incredibly intense and the depiction of the violence that Jesus was subject to is very real. I think all Christians should see it to sharpen their understanding of how high a price Jesus paid for our sins so that we might be with him in paradise one day. Many people see the movie as a “Last Call” before the Lord returns for His church, and it might be. Certainly the day of the Rapture is one day closer than it was yesterday, and can happen at any moment, so we should all live our lives accordingly.
Other noteworthy events of the last few months include the capture of Saddam Hussein on December 14, 2003. It was only a matter of time. This evil man’s world has come crashing down all around him and God ordained it be so. His sons were shot full of holes by US Troops and their ugly corpses were displayed on TV and the Internet for the world to see. Everything this tyrant had “control” of has been ripped away leaving a painful, ugly wound that will never heal.
The capture or death of Osama bin Laden is just a matter of time as well. I pray that it happens sooner rather than later so that the fanatical Muslims who view Osama as a hero can see that the true Living God’s justice will always prevail over evil.
October 4, 2003
In light of the recent blackout in the United States its interesting that the entire country of Italy experienced their worst blackout since World War II on September 28th. Whats even more interesting is that the Italian blackout happened on the Sunday that the Pope announced a new set of cardinals. Speaking of popes and cardinals, a new movie called ‘Luther‘ starring Joseph Fiennes, which chronicles the beginning of the Protestant Reformation by Martin Luther has just been released and it’s a ‘must see’. I had mediocre expectations of this movie and was gratefully surprised at what a gem it turned out to be. Even Catholics should see this movie, ( especially Catholics ).
August 18, 2003
The latest?
BLACKOUT… a time when people can’t see the Light.
4 days later after the largest blackout in history and we still don’t know the exact cause. Al Qaeda is claiming responsibility, but that doesn’t mean anything since lying and deception are such an instrinsic part of their culture. Millions of people were affected; some were simply inconvenienced while others suffered greatly. People were trapped in elevators for hours, each grocery store probably had to trash in excess of $ 1 million in perishable food, people slept in the streets because they couldn’t get home or were evicted from the hotels they had been staying in. Thankfully looting wasn’t a big problem, despite the summer heat. In the Book of Exodus one of Lord’s judgements against Egypt was darkness that covered the land.
Exodus 10:22
So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and total darkness covered all Egypt for three days.
Could this be seen as a warning? I think it can. Here are some of America’s greatest cities, New York City, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Detroit, but they’re so dependent on electricity which is delivered on an unreliable system that is out of their control. The day is coming soon when darkness will cover the land again:
Revelation 6:12
I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth…
Revelation 16:10The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was plunged into darkness.
Men gnawed their tongues in agony and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done.
However, those who acknowledge the name of the Lord will be kept from harm…read this psalm:
Psalm 91
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD , “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.
If you make the Most High your dwelling- even the LORD , who is my refuge- then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
“Because he loves me,” says the LORD , “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation.”
It seems true that interest in the 2nd Coming of Christ has waned in these recent months, despite record breaking temperatures, the largest blackout ever, the ordination of homosexual priests, and the push for Israel to give up their land. The appointed time only draws nearer.