There’s a Great Day Coming :: By Daymond Duck

Published on: February 6, 2022 by RR7

I didn’t see a lot of prophetic news that I wanted to write about early this week, so here is my understanding of a famous Pre-Trib Rapture passage (I Thess. 4:13-5:9).

I have omitted the Chapter divisions because they were not in the original texts.

I have capitalized some of the pronouns because the verses are a contrast between believers and unbelievers; the saved and the lost.

“But I would not have YOU to be ignorant, BRETHREN, concerning them which are asleep, that YE sorrow not, even as others which have no hope” (I Thess. 4:13).

God doesn’t want YOU, the brethren (believers; brothers and sisters in Christ), to be ignorant about what happens to those that have died (those whose body is in the cemetery; the word cemetery means sleeping place).

“For if WE [the believers] believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him” (I Thess. 4:14).

If WE believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus, even though OUR body is in the sleeping place (the cemetery), Jesus will still bring OUR soul and spirit with Him.

“For this we say unto YOU [believers] by the word of the Lord, that WE [believers] which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep” (I Thess. 4:15).

Paul said we are telling YOU (the believers) what the Lord (Jesus) wants YOU (the believers) to know about these things.
We (the believers) that are still alive on earth when Jesus comes with the soul and spirit of those whose body is in the cemetery (sleeping place) will not prevent Jesus from raising deceased believers from the dead.

“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” (I Thess. 4:16):

Jesus will personally come out of heaven and raise the deceased believers from the dead before He does anything about the believers that are still alive and on earth at that time (see Jn. 11:43; Rev. 4:1).

“Then WE which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (I Thess. 4:17).

After Jesus has raised the deceased believers from the dead, all believers (those that have not died, and those that died but have been raised from the dead) will be caught up (Raptured) at the same time to meet Jesus in the air and be with Him forever (He doesn’t touch down on earth. Believers will fly away to meet Him in the air).

“Wherefore comfort one another with these words” (I Thess. 4:18).

Believers should discuss these comforting words with others.

“But of the times and the seasons, BRETHREN, YE have no need that I write unto YOU” (I Thess. 5:1).

Concerning when the Rapture is near, BRETHREN (believers), YOU don’t need me to tell YOU (the brothers and sisters in Christ) anything about that.

“For YOURSELVES know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night” (I Thess. 5:2).

YOU are well aware that the Rapture will catch some people by surprise.

“For when THEY [the unbelievers] shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon THEM [the unbelievers], as travail upon a woman with child; and THEY [the unbelievers] shall not escape” (I Thess. 5:3).

When the unbelievers declare Peace and safety on earth, sudden destruction will come upon the unbelievers, and the unbelievers will not escape (they will be left behind to go through the Tribulation Period).

“But YE, BRETHREN, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake YOU as a thief” (I Thess. 5:4).

But YOU, the believers, are not in darkness so that day will not catch You by surprise (you have the Word, and you can see the day approaching).

“YE are all the children of light, and the children of the day: WE are not of the night, nor of darkness” (I Thess. 5:5; Matt. 5:14; Jn. 8:12; Col. 1:12-13).

You have been enlightened by the Scriptures, called out of darkness, and won’t be surprised like those that don’t believe (I Pet. 2:9).

“Therefore let US not sleep, as do others; but let US watch and be sober” (I Thess. 5:6).

Because WE (the believers) are the children of light, WE should stay awake spiritually, watch what is happening in light of the Scriptures, and use good judgment.

“For THEY [the unbelievers] that sleep sleep in the night; and THEY [the unbelievers] that be drunken are drunken in the night” (I Thess. 5:7).

Unbelievers are like people that sleep and get drunk at night.
They are not aware of what is happening in light of the Scriptures.

“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” (I Thess. 5:8).

Let us, the children of light, use good judgment, have faith, love God and others, and cling to our hope that Jesus will come out of heaven to raise deceased believers, change living believers, give all believers a new body, and take us to heaven.

“For God hath not appointed US [the believers] to wrath [the Tribulation Period is a day of wrath; Zeph. 1:15; Rev. 6:16], but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Thess. 5:9).

God hasn’t appointed believers to go through the day of wrath.
God has appointed believers to be saved by our Lord Jesus Christ.

Here are some indications that a great day is coming soon.

One, on Jan. 27, 2022, it was reported that New Hampshire State Representative Leah Cushman, a registered nurse, has proposed a bill to permit pharmacists to dispense Ivermectin as an over-the-counter treatment for Covid-19.

Cushman believes making Ivermectin readily available will save lives.
She believes it will pass in New Hampshire and go into effect in 60 days.
A group of physicians called the Front Line Covid-19 Critical Care Alliance (FLCCCA) is advocating the use of Ivermectin, and a group of almost 2,400 physicians has endorsed this group’s recommendations.
A similar bill has been introduced in at least 3 other states.
Readers may want to ask their legislators to pass a similar bill.

Two, concerning deceit: it is not unusual to hear someone say they do not think Pres. Biden is running things in the U.S.

On Jan. 21, 2022, Biden’s Press Sec., Jen Psaki, was on “The View,” and Joy Behar said, “A little bird told me that you said you might be retiring, resigning the job this year. Say it isn’t so.”

Psaki replied, “I don’t know when I’m leaving. This is an honor and a privilege, and I love working for Pres. Obama—Biden.”

There is now so much deceit in Washington, it is difficult to know what to believe.

(More: On Jan. 30, 2022, a group called “True the Vote” released video of people allegedly putting thousands of illegal ballots in ballot boxes after midnight in Georgia. According to a spokesperson, this is the first video they have released, but the group has compiled evidence of organized voter fraud in 6 states.)

(More: On Feb. 1, 2022, it was reported that political commentator and filmmaker, Dinesh D’Souza, has joined “True the Vote” to produce a movie that proves widespread voter fraud. The movie will be released this spring. According to D’Souza, they tracked about 2,000 people that stuffed ballot boxes, and they have filmed one person that made 53 trips to 20 different ballot boxes.)

Three, concerning deceit and the Mark of the Beast: even though the Center for Disease Control (CDC) is on record as saying it will not change the definition of “fully vaccinated,” on Jan. 26, 2022, it was reported that the CDC will replace the words “fully vaccinated” with the words “up to date.”

A patient that has had two vaccinations and a booster shot and been deemed “fully vaccinated” in the past will not be considered to be “up to date” if the CDC orders more vaccinations or booster shots.

This is why some prophecy teachers believe the government will keep adding to or changing the requirements until their requirements turn into the Mark of the Beast.

Four, concerning world government, deceit, corruption, and betrayal of the U.S.: on Jan. 26, 2022, Tucker Carlson aired a video (on the Tucker Carlson Tonight TV program) that was caught on a police bodycam of a Biden administration contractor saying, “If this gets out… the government is betraying the American people.”

The man that made this statement was supervising a program to fly planeloads of illegal aliens into various parts of the U.S.

The contractor explained to the police officer on video that it is his job to keep the American people from knowing what the Biden administration is doing (probably because they are traitors for betraying the U.S. by breaking federal law).

Five, concerning the return of rain to Israel at the end of the age: on Jan. 27, 2022, residents of Jerusalem woke up with about 7 inches of snow on the ground that was expected to be melted by rain that would start later in the day.

Six, concerning the Battle of Gog and Magog: on Jan. 26, 2022, it was reported that Russia has recently taken 2 steps that are pro-Iran and anti-Israel.

Russian and Syrian military jets have started joint air patrols over the Golan Heights along Syria’s border with Israel (where the Battle of Gog and Magog will take place).
Russian special forces have started round-the-clock patrols of the Syrian seaport at Latakia where Iran is delivering advanced weapons to Hezbollah.

The co-operation between Russia and Iran is growing stronger.

The danger is that Israel must be careful not to shoot down a Russian jet over the Golan and not to kill Russian troops while trying to destroy Iranian weapons that are being unloaded at Latakia.

The death of Russians by the hands of Israelis could be used as an excuse for war.

(Update 1: On Jan. 26, 2022, it was reported that Russia has taken a third pro-Iranian and anti-Israel step by permitting Iranian planes to land at Russia’s airbase at Latakia.)

(Update 2: Joint air patrols by Russia and Syria over the Golan Heights have not stopped Israel from attacking targets in Syria. On Jan. 31, 2022, Israeli jets fired missiles from Lebanese airspace at targets near Damascus, the capital of Syria.)

Seven, concerning reprobate minds: Iran is financing the Houthis that are attacking Saudi Arabia, Hezbollah that is attacking Israel, Hamas that is launching rockets into Israel from Palestine, and terrorists inside Israel that are attacking Jews, but Iran is not paying her dues to the UN and is so far behind, the nation has lost its right to vote.

On Jan. 23, 2022, it was reported that the Biden administration just got $18 million of blocked Iranian funds released so Iran can pay its dues to the UN and start voting again (and the Iranians will continue to shout death to America).

Eight, concerning hyper-inflation and an economic collapse: on Feb. 2, 2022, it was reported that U.S. Treasury Dept. data shows that the U.S. national debt was $21.6 trillion when Biden took office, and it has now surpassed $30 trillion.

Biden’s spending binge is partly why the price of gasoline, food, lumber, utilities, vehicles, and everything else is soaring.

Biden has increased America’s national debt by about 8.4 trillion in slightly more than one year, and he has a $2 trillion Build Back Better Act stalled in the U.S. Senate because two Democrats won’t vote for it.

Finally, are you Rapture Ready?

If you want to be rapture ready and go to heaven, you must be born again (John 3:3). God loves you, and if you have not done so, sincerely admit that you are a sinner; believe that Jesus is the virgin-born, sinless Son of God who died for the sins of the world, was buried, and raised from the dead; ask Him to forgive your sins, cleanse you, come into your heart and be your Saviour; then tell someone that you have done this.

duck_daymond@yahoo.com

The Rapture Can’t Happen at the Same Time as the… :: By Jonathan Brentner

Published on: February 6, 2022 by RR7

The Rapture Can’t Happen at the Same Time as the Second Coming

The Rapture and the Second Coming are different events; they cannot happen at the same time.

In my previous post in this series, we established the Rapture as a biblical event; we have a firm scriptural basis for the series of closely related events that constitute our “blessed hope” (Titus 2:11-14).

This next step consists of presenting the Rapture in a persuasive and cogent way that establishes it as a unique event. Many insist that the Rapture happens when Jesus returns to earth, especially those who falsely dismiss biblical references to the Tribulation as allegory and deny that a time of God’s wrath is coming to our world.

You will not convince those who belong to this group of deniers that the Rapture is unique, but for those who interpret prophetic texts in the Bible according to the intent of the author, you will be able to make a solid case for separating the Rapture from the Second Coming.

The following points, which I have condensed from my book The Triumph of the Redeemed, demonstrate that we cannot combine the two events into one.

The Place of the Resurrection in the Sequence of Events

In 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18, Paul states that the “dead in Christ will rise first.” We see this same order of events in 1 Corinthians 15:52; when Jesus comes for His church, He raises the “dead in Christ” first. The resurrection of New Testament saints occurs first in the rapid sequence of events in the biblical event that we call the Rapture.

In Revelation 20:1–4, however, the resurrection of dead Tribulation saints occurs after Jesus’ triumphal return to earth, His defeat of the vast armies gathered against Jerusalem, His destruction of the False Prophet and Antichrist, the imprisonment of Satan, and the setting up of numerous thrones for judgment. After all these time-consuming events, the Lord raises the dead Tribulation saints from the grave (Revelation 19:11–20:6).

Do you see how the place of the resurrection in the order of events differs significantly during the Rapture versus the Second Coming? In the Rapture, Jesus raises the “dead in Christ” first before He does anything else. With the Second Coming, the resurrection happens after a series of events; it may not even occur on the same day as Jesus’ return to the earth.

It’s impossible to merge the two events into one based on the placement of the resurrection of the dead saints.

The Participants

Not only does the placement of the resurrection differ between the Rapture and Second Coming, but so does the identification of its participants. John wrote the following about the resurrection that occurs at Jesus’ Second Coming:

“Those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hand” (Revelation 20:4).

This group represents martyrs from the Tribulation whom we refer to as the “Tribulation saints.”

When Paul writes about the Rapture, he says that Jesus resurrects the “dead in Christ” (1 Thessalonians 4:16; 1 Corinthians 15:52). It’s clear that this applies to all New Testament believers that have died rather than just the subset of the saints that John attributes to the resurrection that occurs after the Second Coming.

The identity of the participants in the resurrections further distinguishes the Rapture from the Second Coming.

The Place Where Jesus Gathers the Saints

In 1 Thessalonians 4:17, Paul states that all living believers at the time of the Rapture will be “caught up…to meet the Lord in the air.” At His appearing, Jesus gathers us to Himself in the clouds and takes us back to the place He’s preparing for us in His Father’s house (see John 14:2–3).

The passages describing the Second Coming don’t mention a meeting in the air. Jesus arrives amid much fanfare as He defeats the armies of the world in a climactic battle. It’s only after conquering the vast army arrayed against Jerusalem that He sends out His angels to gather both living believers and unbelievers for judgment at a location on the earth (Matthew 25:31–46).

With the Second Coming, there’s no meeting in the air; everyone stays on the earth. With the Rapture, we will meet Jesus in the clouds.

The Destination of Believers

The accounts of Jesus’ Second Coming in the Gospels and in the book of Revelation do not include a return to heaven. During Jesus’ return to earth, the feet of those alive never leave the ground. The account of the Second Coming in Revelation 19:11–20:4 doesn’t include a trip to heaven; everyone remains on the earth.

Such is not the case according to the passages from God’s Word regarding the Rapture. In John 14:2–3, Jesus said:

“In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”

The Greek word for “place” in John 14:2–3 denotes a physical residence. Jesus is preparing a special “place” for us in His “Father’s house.” And, why would He mention rooms within His “Father’s house” in this context if He didn’t intend to take us there at His appearing?

Consider again the words of Paul in Colossians 3:4:

“When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”

When Jesus appears, we “appear with him in glory”; we depart from this earth to be with Jesus and witness His glory. This is the Rapture!

The Rapture and Second Coming cannot be the same event because, in one case, the saints go to glory with Jesus, and in the other instance, everyone remains earthbound.

The Transformation of Living Believers

In 1 Corinthians 15:51–54, Paul emphasizes the transformation of living believers that takes place at the moment Jesus appears to take us home. The Lord not only raises saints from the dead with immortal bodies but also gives imperishable bodies to those alive at the time. The apostle again highlights the aspect of our new bodies in Philippians 3:20–21, where He promises that when the Lord comes for us, He “will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body.” This is the Rapture.

The passages that describe the Second Coming do not contain any reference to the transformation of living believers. Although Jesus sends His angels to gather the elect, the text does not say that He gives them imperishable bodies. This only happens during the Rapture.

The Presence of Rebellion During the Millennium

Since Jesus gives all believers—whether alive or dead—glorified, resurrected bodies at His appearing (Philippians 3:20–21; 1 Corinthians 15:51–55; Romans 8:23), combining the Rapture with the Second Coming would signify that no one would enter the millennial kingdom in natural bodies, which would make sin impossible during the thousand-year rule of Jesus, since everyone would possess glorified and imperishable bodies that are free from the presence of sin.

Such a premise, however, directly contradicts what the Old and New Testaments tell us about the Millennium. Zechariah 14:9–19 reveals that during Jesus’ earthly reign, people will have the capacity to disobey Him by refusing to go to Jerusalem to worship.

Furthermore, why would Jesus need to rule over the nations “with a rod of iron” during the Millennium (Psalm 2:9) if everyone has a sinless and immortal body? Who would rebel at the end of Jesus’ thousand-year reign (Revelation 20:7–10) if everyone enters the Millennium as a glorified saint incapable of sinning or reproducing?

The Rapture must happen well before the Second Coming takes place to allow time for people to come to faith in the Savior and survive the Tribulation.

The sin and rebellion that occur during the Millennium can only happen if people enter it with their natural bodies. This necessitates that a significant amount of time must transpire between the Rapture and Second Coming.

The Differing Emphasis of Each

The emphasis of the Second Coming is judgment. During Jesus’ return to earth, He destroys the armies gathered against Him, throws the Antichrist and False Prophet into the lake of fire, locks up Satan for a thousand years, and gathers those who survive the Tribulation before His throne for judgment (Revelation 19:19–20:4).

The message of the Rapture, however, is one of comfort and encouragement (1 Thessalonians 4:18, 5:11); it’s something that we can use to build up each other in the faith, and this applies to today as much as in any previous time in church history.

Our sudden departure from earth will signify judgment for the world, but for those of us in Christ, it constitutes our joyous anticipation and comforting hope.

The uniqueness of the Rapture, as demonstrated by the above differences between it and the Second Coming, does not by itself confirm that the Rapture must happen before the Tribulation, but it does require that it must take place well before the Lord’s return to earth at the end of this time.

Because the scoffers of our hope in Jesus’ imminent appearing continue to bring up church history as their way of refuting the Rapture, I will discuss this matter in my next post. My intent will be to give you a sure defense against such attacks and establish that early in the history of the church, theologians regarded Jesus’ appearing for His church and the Second Coming as two separate events.

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My new book, The Triumph of the Redeemed-An eternal Perspective that Calms Our Fears in Perilous Times, is now available on Amazon.

Jonathan C. Brentner

Website: Our Journey Home