The Rapture: Encouragement for Perilous Times :: By Jonathan Brentner

Published on: March 20, 2022 by RR7

Perhaps one of the most overlooked aspects of the Rapture is how it encourages believers during difficult and dangerous times. And we need its comforting salve now, perhaps more than ever before.

Where I live, gas prices are double what they were fifteen months ago, and the cost of natural gas has increased eighty percent. As the war rages on in Europe, we can expect these prices to continue their upward climb and accelerate the pace of rising food prices.

A Prophecy News Watch article, The Ukraine Conflict Could Further Breakdown Our Food & Energy Supply Chain, explains this emerging crisis much better than I can do. Food shortages will likely impact most people by the end of 2022. We live in perilous times that grow darker by the day.

The threat of the Ukraine war spreading beyond Ukraine looms as a distinct possibility. Could another world war erupt later this year?

China recently issued a dire warning for the US to stay away from Taiwan and implied that our warships would become “scrap metal” should America attempt to interfere with their upcoming invasion of the island nation.

Please know that I am not trying to scare anyone, but simply pointing out why we need the comfort and encouragement that comes from focusing on our “blessed hope” (Titus 2:13). All believers need to hear and grab ahold of the joyous hope we have in Christ regarding His imminent appearing.

New Testament Encouragement that Flows from Our Joyous Hope

Many times, after mentioning the Rapture, the writers of the New Testament either instruct us to use its truth to encourage others or as a reason for steadfastness in our walk with the Lord.

In 1 Thessalonians 4:18 and 5:11, Paul instructs the Thessalonians to “encourage one another” and “build one another up” with their hope in the Rapture. The apostle tells them, and us, that the expectation of Jesus’ appearing is to be a key source of comfort during difficult times.

In the verse that follows the wonderful promise of a glorified body in Philippians 3:20-21, we see these words:

“Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved” (Philippians 4:1). We possess a heavenly citizenship and look forward to receiving imperishable bodies at Jesus’ appearing.

These things help us persevere in our faith during turbulent times. It’s not a doctrine we can afford to toss aside in today’s world. It’s meant to comfort us as well as strengthen our resolve to remain faithful to our Lord Jesus.

After writing about our glorious hope in 1 Corinthians 15:50-57, Paul writes these words in verse 58:

“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”

Our focus on Jesus’ imminent appearing reminds us that a reward awaits us for faithful service. Along with the Rapture comes our appearance before the Bema seat of Jesus; it’s the time when He rewards us for faithful service, but that’s not all.

Revelation 3:10-11 is a passage that also refers to Rapture. Notice that Jesus mentions “patient endurance” ahead of the promise that His church will miss “the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world.” (Note: This “hour of trial: not a persecution of the church, but something that will impact the whole world and all those that “dwell on the earth.”)

I think of Jesus’ words about “patient endurance” when I become impatient with waiting for the Rapture.

After promising to come for us before this worldwide trial, the Lord says, “Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.” Just as Paul writes about in 2 Timothy 4:8, there’s a reward for those who love “his appearing.”

So not only do the truths of the Rapture encourage us and motivate us to remain steadfast in our walk with the Lord, but there’s also a special “crown” or reward for believers who use them in this way.

Our Blessed Hope is a Much-Needed Source of Comfort

I think of Jesus’ words about “patient endurance” when I become impatient with waiting for the Rapture.

Our Blessed Hope Comforts Us

I find much relief in knowing that the storm clouds we see gathering on the horizon tell us that we will soon be with Jesus. When we look realistically at what’s coming our way, it’s certainly not good news. But oh, the Gospel contains the best news imaginable for just such a time as this.

Paul refers to our joyous expectation of meeting Jesus in the air as our “blessed hope” (Titus 2:11-13). The Gospel is meant to train our hearts to look up in anticipation of Jesus’ appearing. As such, it comforts us when the world turns upside-down, such as now.

How did Jesus respond to the troubled hearts of His disciples who became deeply troubled at the thought of the Lord’s departure from them? He made this comforting promise to them that applies to us as well:

“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.”

I find great comfort in knowing that Jesus has not only saved me but loves me so much that He’s preparing a special place for me in His Father’s house. We have a glorious forever home beyond the violence and lawlessness of our current world.

Our Blessed Hope Calms Our Fears

Our “blessed hope,” along with the other details we find in Scripture regarding our future, calms our fears as nothing else can. When we compare these prophetic texts with world events, we see that God remains sovereignly in control of everything in our world. He said the world would look like this as we near the end of human history as we know it, and it does.

Vladimir Putin can huff and puff all he wants and perhaps resort to nuclear weapons in the future, but he cannot thwart God’s plans for us or the world. Everything will happen just as God’s Word says that it will. The Lord will keep all His promises to us!

Isaiah 46:8-13 tells us that it’s God’s character to tell us what is going to happen far, far in advance. Does it not calm our fears to know that God can predict what will happen thousands of years in advance? He is absolutely sovereign, and as such, He will keep His promise to keep us out of the wrath of the day of the Lord (1 Thessalonians 5:9-10) that we find detailed in Revelation 6-18.

Our Blessed Hope Versus the War in Ukraine

I do not know the long-term (or even the near-term) impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Apart from truths related to our “blessed hope,” I cannot imagine remaining calm amid Putin’s implied threat to use nuclear weapons.

I do not know how much suffering might come my way before Jesus appears, but I know future shortages of food and wars cannot take away my joyous expectation of seeing Jesus someday soon with an immortal and incorruptible body!

Although the reference to “Gog” in Ezekiel 38 might possibly refer to a future leader of Russia, I personally believe it refers to Putin. In verse 4, the Lord says to Gog that He “will turn you around and put hooks into your jaws.” I do not know what will happen next in Europe, but at some point, Russia will join with Iran in their invasion of Israel.

In this short video, Jimmy Evans explains the possible connection between the current war in Ukraine and China’s invasion of Taiwan, as well as the coming Gog/Magog war. I believe he presents a credible scenario. If his analysis is correct, the world may be much closer to the events of Ezekiel 38 than most people can even imagine.

Also, consider that in just the past week from the time of my writing this article, Putin openly condemned Israel’s possession of the Golan Heights and sent combat aircraft and additional military equipment to Syria.

Unless a great many world events that foreshadow the coming Tribulation take a most unexpected and dramatic one-eighty turn, the world will continue its rapid advance to the time when the judgments of Revelation 6-18 commence. Our world may grow darker before then, but we know that Jesus is coming for us before the start of the Tribulation.

The good news for us does not stem from things getting better in this world, but in our blessed hope of Jesus’ appearing to take us to the place He’s preparing for us. Amid the chaos and uncertainty of our world, we can find much comfort and strength from the Words of Scripture that tell us about Jesus’ soon return for us and promise to us of a future where we will reign with Jesus and dwell forever in the eternal state.

I believe that Paul’s instructions to “seek the things that are above” and set our minds on them (Colossians 3:1-2) applies to focusing on the hope before us. Maintaining such a focus requires a fierce battle at times, to be sure, but one worth fighting.

I find considerable encouragement and peace in my expectation of Jesus’ appearing; I hope you do as well.

Maranatha! Come quickly, Lord Jesus!

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

Move Over Sodom; Here Comes the World! :: By Gene Lawley

Published on: March 20, 2022 by RR7

It is blatantly apparent that the world is embracing the sexual immorality down-slide. It is said that we must keep up with the trends of history, so many major corporations are eager to recognize claims of transgender activists and promoters. It has established the greatest confusion among people that the world has ever seen.

The demands of the so-called LBGTQ+ movement are put in first place as if any other response would be worse than death itself.

Yet, that part of our population is less than ten percent. Why is this happening?

One of the major happenings that signal the approach of the return of Christ for His body of believers is that there will be a “falling away from lawfulness,” and that means people will turn to immorality, injustice, crime, murder, and any other unrighteous activity that evil man can devise. Abortion and the sexual revolution are topping the list, for certain.

The Scriptures predict that the falling away will include turning away from God, giving Him no recognition at all, as if He has never existed. In Proverbs 9:10, it says, “The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

The proponents of abortion-at-will claim that what happens at conception results in a mere particle of tissue having no life. Then somehow, mystically, it takes on life with a heartbeat and continues on into a fully developed person to be born and nurtured by its mother. The Bible, however, clearly tells us that God is very present at the time of the conception, in His infinite knowledge, and causes the conception to occur, giving the new person a name and recording it in His book. Here is the Scripture that tells that truth as the psalmist addresses the issue before God:

“For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them” (Psalm 139:13-16).

The real battle is that eternal one between God and Satan. The attack upon God’s highest creation, the creation of mankind in his own image, is reaching a critical but terminal level, for the devil knows his time is short. Abortion has become an industry, most surely indicated by the dark-sided sale of those body parts taken in an abortion. No wonder those people are determined to see abortion approved up to the time of birth! Now also, the gigantic confusion of gender identity and sexuality issues.

“No one by taking thought can add one cubit to his height,” Jesus said (Matthew 6:27-KJV). Neither can a person, man or woman, change their gender as they were born by taking thought. It is a deception of the devil to distort the image of God in which he or she was created in the beginning. Satan has taken up the creation of mankind as a battleground to slap God in the face, actually, just as he wanted to do when God allowed him to test Job. You recall that account, where the devil was sure he could cause Job to do as his wife did. She told Job, after he had lost everything but his own life, to “Curse God and die!” But Job had a very deep fear of God that consisted of a recognition of God’s justice. But we see in James 5:11 that God wanted to instill in Job His attributes of compassion and mercifulness.

(I take this “rabbit trail” to show that Satan’s wiles are not new, but these of today are hitting God’s highest creation with a stunning blow. And, unfortunately, the world seems to be buying the whole package, even many church leaders, as well as nations.)

In a 2018 address to the LBGTQ+, the now current president of the United States spoke with glowing terms of the lifestyles of those who have embraced that immoral deception. More than a few of the large church leaders have succumbed to that evil and ungodly claim of equality with morality and righteousness and are accepting them into their churches as members without restriction. Surprisingly, many of those large congregations are Southern Baptist denominations. It is bringing a crisis to the existence of that body of believers.

Where is it headed? The shoulder-shrug that says, “This is not new; this has happened before,” must want to think it will pass without any meaningful intervention by God. I am thinking of judgment.

God is not silent on the issues of the gender and sexual revolution. In Romans 1:18-32, His Word makes an awesome declaration of His position on this direction in which the world is fast-moving. It is a word picture of raw carnality in opposition to His very existence:

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.

“Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves, who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up to vile affections, for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature. And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

“And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful, who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”

There is a passage in Luke 17:28-30 that tells us of a coming time when… well, let’s see the passage:

“Likewise, as it was in the days of Lot, they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brim-stone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.”

When you read Genesis 18 and 19, it tells us of the saturation of Sodom with homosexuality involving every male of the city. They all, every one of them, banged on Lot’s door, demanding that he turn out those two “men” (angels) that they might “know them”!

You see the result in the Scripture report—the city was destroyed, and every person in it died. God saw the evil of the people and sent the two angels to bring judgment upon them.

Note further, however, that this passage speaks of a future time, the time of the return of the Son of Man, Jesus Christ. This cannot be at the time of His Second Coming, for at the time, the judgment of the seven years of tribulation will have closed down almost all activity of “eating and drinking, buying and selling, etc.” At that time, the major concern of any people left on earth will be for survival. Read about it in Revelation chapters 8-19—hardly anything is left intact, having been devastated by the judgments of God.

It leaves us with the obvious question for this world that is plunging into the likeness of Sodom with devasting certainty: “Will you repent and accept the forgiveness of Jesus Christ, or continue into a like destiny of the people of Sodom?” The Scripture is clear that “God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

Contact email: andegetmercy@gmail.com