When I was raised a Catholic in New Orleans I wasn't taught anything about a "rapture", of course I wasn't taught much about the Bible either. Then, when I was 27 I committed my life to the Lord and began going to Bible studies taught by people who had graduated from Dallas Theological Cemetery (yes, that is a play on words) and going to Bible churches. They all taught that we would be raptured out of here before the Great Seven Year Tribulation Period began. I remember so many people who used to tell me that they were "waiting for the Rapture". They all believed that they would not be going through the Tribulation. They were all lied to.
The Rapture doctrine is a lie. The Bible promises that some of us will, in the last days, be persecuted, imprisoned, tortured, sawn in two and put to death - HE THAT ENDURES TO THE END WILL BE SAVED.
Rev 6: 9-11 - When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. 10 They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” 11 Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been. - Verse 11 clearly states that many brethren will be killed during this time.
Rev 7:9-17 - 9 After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne,and to the Lamb.” 11 All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying: “Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!”
13 Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?”
14 I answered, “Sir, you know.” And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore, “they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. 16 ‘Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them,’ nor any scorching heat. 17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’ And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’” - I don't know how much clearer God can make it that we will not be raptured before the Tribulation.
Rev 2: 10 - Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.
Rev 13: 5-10 - The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise its authority for forty-two months. 6 It opened its mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. 7 It was given power to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. 8 All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear 10 “If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity they will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword they will be killed.”This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God’s people.
Rev 14:12-13 - This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus. 13 Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.
Rev 20:4 - I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
The Rapture doctrine is a lie. The Bible promises that some of us will, in the last days, be persecuted, imprisoned, tortured, sawn in two and put to death - HE THAT ENDURES TO THE END WILL BE SAVED.
Rev 6: 9-11 - When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. 10 They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” 11 Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been. - Verse 11 clearly states that many brethren will be killed during this time.
Rev 7:9-17 - 9 After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne,and to the Lamb.” 11 All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying: “Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!”
13 Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?”
14 I answered, “Sir, you know.” And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore, “they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. 16 ‘Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them,’ nor any scorching heat. 17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’ And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’” - I don't know how much clearer God can make it that we will not be raptured before the Tribulation.
Rev 2: 10 - Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.
Rev 13: 5-10 - The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise its authority for forty-two months. 6 It opened its mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. 7 It was given power to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. 8 All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear 10 “If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity they will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword they will be killed.”This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God’s people.
Rev 14:12-13 - This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus. 13 Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.
Rev 20:4 - I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Shalom Brother Cliff,
ReplyDeleteI would like to add to this entry a scripture the Father gave me through the Holy Spirit. When I first was saved I was listening to a couple who loved the LORD and were on fire for HIM. They taught me their understanding and belief on the rapture. Then one day I was shown these scriptures by Yahweh through the Holy Spirit that changed my view. I felt great peace about it. Matthew 24:29-31 Immediately AFTER(emphasis mine) thee tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from the heaven, and the power of the heavens shall be shaken:(30) And then shall appear 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 glory.(31) And he shall send his angels with a great sound of the trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from one end of heaven to the other. I too was in the RC church. I heard the gospels read but waited for the understanding. There was none. Then the still voice said to me. "Come out of her" That is when I KNEW Yeshua not of HIM. Amen.
Cliff when you wrote that you believed that once the USA is destroyed then the Great Tribulation will begin, did you mean to say the tribulation or Great Tribulation because the Great Tribulation begins halfway through the seven year tribulation which means we would be in it now. I don't know that anyone knows if we are truly in the 7 year tribulation right now or not. I'm not disputing what you're saying. I was just asking because I don't know if we are actually in the 7 year tribulation period or not. It sure seems like it but who really knows?
ReplyDeleteThe seven year tribulation period will begin after the USA has been destroyed. How long after? No one knows.
ReplyDeleteYears ago when I was a young believer, I gullibly believed in "the rapture" because that is what the churches taught. Now I think it sounds so silly to be whisked away without suffering for the cause of Christ. Even now, believers across the globe are suffering intense persecution, torture, and death because they refuse to deny the name of Christ. Many have had everything taken away from them and cling to what they do have left, their deep faith. We pampered, spoiled, self-entitled "Christian" Americans need to learn what it means to be committed to Christ. The time will come when everything will be stripped away and like them, we will be tested. Will we deny the faith because the "rapture" didn't take place? Or will we be like Queen Ester who said, "If I die, I die." I believe in my heart of hearts that if we stay close to the Lord now, then when the great tribulation happens, we'll have the strength, peace, and courage to endure whatever comes, even death.
ReplyDeleteDear Mr. Cliff:
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with you.
Rapture? Really?
No. Exactly as you have written, 'He who endures to the END shall be saved"
I never really got into the rapture.
If it happens and it is a reality, thats fine by me and probably millions. But, I believe that HaShem would want us to live EACH day as if he is coming back, as he promised.
We fail this all the time, I know I do, so, I am, as usual, speaking to ME.
Be prepared for this NOT happening. All we have to be a little 'fearful' of, is death, because that is just a natural emotion. Jesus IS POWER OVER DEATH.
They can take away everything we've got, but they cannot take our souls.
Amen.
:D
BE BLESSED!
-Pauli