This article continues with the list of things that reveal, through words of opposition, a pre-tribulation rapture for those who are abiding in the name of Christ. I can’t emphasize enough the importance of keeping an eye out for these kinds of key words that illuminate the truth of His deliverance of the saints before the 7-year tribulation. It can be highly encouraging.
I’ll preface this list with the reminder that those who believe in and confess the name of Jesus Christ are sealed with His Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 1:22) and are set free indeed. The Spirit is a guarantee, and none can overcome God’s Spirit, so those who already have the seal of the promise of the living God can’t be unsealed and then marked by the antichrist, bringing death. No one can snatch us out of His Hand. The seal of the Holy Spirit is binding, and it binds us to Jesus. God keeps His promises, as He is faithful – we can’t be taken captive by the deceiver. This is something to be confident of and another reason not to fear. (Of course, we should always make our calling and election sure, and examine ourselves to make sure we are truly walking in step with His Spirit, and clothed in His salvation.)
First, in addition to “do not fear” and “be holy,” we’re also exhorted and commanded hundreds of times to rejoice! Those who are abiding in Christ will be rejoicing in His goodness and mercy always. He wouldn’t tell us again and again to rejoice always if we were appointed to take part in the tribulation, which begins with sudden destruction and is described as a time of constant terror.
I must say, it was difficult to narrow down which Scriptures contain this word to highlight here, as there are so very many. It’s a clear indication of who will be rejoicing and who won’t. I hope that even a quick glance at these verses and the flip side of them will leave no doubt in anyone’s mind of the great benefit to obeying this strong and repetitive exhortation, and the reason for the requirement to do it. As the Scriptures show, the flip side to rejoicing with Him will definitely not be good, and it won’t be safe!
Philippians 3:1 “Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe.”
Philippians 2:16 “Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain.”
Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!”
Psalm 31:7 “I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy, for You have considered my trouble. You have known my soul in adversities, and have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy; You have set my feet in a wide place.”
2 Chronicles 6:41 “Now therefore, Arise, O Lord God, to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your strength. Let Your priests, O Lord God, be clothed with salvation, and let Your saints rejoice in goodness.”
John 4:36 “And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.”
Isaiah 61:10 “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.”
Psalm 5:11 “But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name be joyful in You.”
Psalm 33:21-22 “For our heart shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His holy name.”
Here is the opposition: While we’re rejoicing with joy inexpressible in Heaven, the devil comes down to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea, having great wrath:
Revelation 12:12 “Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”
Isaiah 65:13 “Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Behold, My servants shall eat, but you shall be hungry; Behold, My servants shall drink, but you shall be thirsty; Behold, My servants shall rejoice, but you shall be ashamed.’”
Isaiah 14:29 “Do not rejoice, all you of Philistia, because the rod that struck you is broken; For out of the serpent’s roots will come forth a viper, and its offspring will be a fiery flying serpent.”
A prophetic word is tucked into this next verse. Those who will be buying and selling will not be rejoicing:
Ezekiel 7:12 “The time has come, the day draws near. ‘Let not the buyer rejoice, nor the seller mourn, for wrath is on their whole multitude.’”
Proverbs 28:12 “When the righteous rejoice, there is great glory; But when the wicked arise, men hide themselves.”
Proverbs 13:9 “The light of the righteous rejoices, but the lamp of the wicked will be put out.”
Proverbs 29:6 “By transgression an evil man is snared, but the righteous sings and rejoices.”
Second, those abiding in Jesus will not be naked or ashamed. The word “ashamed,” used in Philippians 1:20 and 1 John 2:28 (Strong’s G153), means “dishonored, disfigured, or to shrink back from Him.” We’ll be gloriously clothed in the beautiful white linen garments of righteousness of Jesus Christ, and through the strength and power of His Spirit, we will not shrink back.
1 John 2:28 “And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.”
Philippians 1:20 “According to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.”
Psalm 34:4-7 “I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them.”
Psalms 37:18-19 “The LORD knows the days of the upright, and their inheritance shall be forever. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time, and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. But the wicked shall perish; And the enemies of the Lord, like the splendor of the meadows, shall vanish. Into smoke they shall vanish away.”
The Hebrew word for “trust” (H2620) in this next verse means, “To take refuge, to trust, to seek shelter.” The word for “hope” (6960) in verse 21 means “expectantly and eagerly waiting.”
Psalm 25:20-21 “Keep my soul, and deliver me; Let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in You. Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for You.”
Here is the opposition: Those who have rejected His offer of salvation will be shamefully exposed. Once again, there are so many for this, and only a couple of them are listed here.
Revelation 3:18 “I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, white garments so that you may be clothed and your shameful nakedness not exposed, and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.”
Revelation 16:15 “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.”
In this verse, ashamed is repeated three times, which prophetically means it’s something to pay close attention to:
Isaiah 44:9-11 “Those who make an image, all of them are useless, and their precious things shall not profit; They are their own witnesses; they neither see nor know, that they may be ashamed. Who would form a god or mold an image that profits him nothing? Surely all his companions would be ashamed; and the workmen, they are mere men. Let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, they shall be ashamed together.
Psalm 35:26 “Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion who rejoice at my hurt; Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who exalt themselves against me.”
Jeremiah 17:12-13 “A glorious high throne from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary. O Lord, the hope of Israel, all who forsake You shall be ashamed.”
Third, Jesus promises He will never leave us nor forsake those who are saved by faith in Him. He promises to provide all we need.
Hebrews 13:5 “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’”
1 Samuel 12:21-22 “And do not turn aside; for then you would go after empty things which cannot profit or deliver, for they are nothing. For the LORD will not forsake His people, for His great name’s sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you His people.”
Matthew 28:20 “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.”
Here is the flip side of that: The LORD has already rejected and forsaken the generation of His wrath, who have forsaken His right way.
Jeremiah 7:28-29 “So you shall say to them, ‘This is a nation that does not obey the voice of the LORD their God nor receive correction. Truth has perished and has been cut off from their mouth. Cut off your hair and cast it away, and take up a lamentation on the desolate heights, for the LORD has rejected and forsaken the generation of His wrath.”
2 Peter 2:15 “They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness.”
As we see the Day of the Lord drawing near, it’s always good to remember His promises, but also to double check and make sure we’re on the straight and narrow path, so we won’t miss any of them. Blessings to all!
Angela
Psalm 106:4-5 “Remember me, O LORD,
with the favor You have toward Your people.
Oh, visit me with Your salvation,
that I may see the benefit of Your chosen ones,
that I may rejoice in the gladness of Your nation,
that I may glory with Your inheritance.” Amen!