Taken or Left Behind?

 

Taken or Left Behind?

 

    Many folks today believe that Satan is here on this earth now. This is just not true! Only his evil spirits are here now. Satan will return to this earth, in his very own body, yes he does have a body, when he is booted out of heaven, by Michael the Archangel as it says in Revelations chapter 12. When this SUPER-NATURAL being returns to this earth he will look just like Jesus, act just like Jesus, perhaps even have nail-scars in his hands and feet. So complete is his deception, that most Christians and yes even preachers are not mentally equipped to handle this deception. That is the GREAT FALLING AWAY, or APOSTASEY, as described by the Apostle Paul in 2^nd. Thess. chapter 2.

    I am going to talk about why this will happen, and Jesus plainly teaches us that this will happen. So let us ask ourselves the question Why would someone or some church, or denomination, be so completely deceived? The answer must lie in what is commonly being taught.

    Many preachers tell us today, “You don’t have to study the book of Revelations, or be concerned about the end-times, because we won’t be here anyway. We are going to be RAPTURED!” First of all the word “rapture” does not appear in the Bible anywhere! At least not in the King James version. The word “rapture” as in the Webster’s Dictionary means to be so ingrossed or over-joyed by one thing that one doesn’t know what is happening around oneself. Give that definition some long hard thought! It means DELUSIONAL.

    Let us study some of the scriptures commonly being taught as the “RAPTURE”. When studying Gods word to begin with the subject and learn the object, like in English class in school. You can’t take a verse here and a verse there and make a religion out of it. It takes ALL of Gods word to make it complete.

    With that in mind, let’s go to 1^st. Cor. Chapter 15 where Paul is teaching us about our bodies and the resurrection. Sometimes the word “resurrection” is mistakenly called the “rapture”. In verse 50 it says flesh and blood cannot inherit or enter into that dimension called Heaven, The KINGDOME OF GOD. Paul says, “Behold I shew you a mystery, we shall not all sleep,[meaning to die, for some will still be alive when the &th. Trump sounds, some will be alive and remain at the coming of the Lord] but we shall all be changed [that means every one not just the church, no rapture here] Verse 52 tells when this will happen. AT THE LAST TRUMP! THE 7^TH TRUMP!] for the trump shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible [this means ALL]

And we shall be changed, as in the verses that follow. I did this for you in another lesson.

    Now let us go to another book in the Bible that is commonly taught in the “RAPTURE” theory. 1^st. Thess. Chapter 4 verse 13 where Paul has been teaching us about where the dead are, NOT A RAPTURE! It says: I would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep. [meaning have died] that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. Verse 14: for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so them also which sleep,[ in Jesus these words do not belong here. It simply means that because Jesus suffered on the cross for your sins once and for all it is him that will do it.] Will God bring with him. [We will all be in the same dimension.] for this we say unto you, by the word of the Jord, that we which are alive and remain, unto the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent them which are asleep.

    Let’s take just a moment and talk about this word prevent in verse 15. There is no rapture here. This word in the Greek language is precede or go before. The people were concerned that those who were alive would leave behind those in the grave. Even though Paul had already taught them that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord as in Ecc. Chapter 12 concerning the silver cord. So it is not possible for those who are alive to go before them that are dead because they are already there. When you die your soul goes instantly back to the Father who gave it to you.

    Let us go now to 2^nd. Thess. as Paul wraps up these different teachings dealing with different subjects and let’s get to the “MEAT of the subject, of the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. The so-called rapture. First of all, we need to recall that Peter taught us in 2^nd. Peter chapter 3 that one day with the Lord is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day.

    2^nd. Thess. Chapter 2 verse 1 Paul tells us, Now we beseech you brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us [referring to his first letter by which some had become confused ] that the day of Christ is at hand [remember that when this was written many of the prophesies were not yet fulfilled] Let no man deceive you by any means for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first [the apostasy] and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exaulteth himself above all that is called God, or is worshipped, so that he as God, sitteth in the temple of God showing himself that he is God. Remember ye not that when I was yet with you I told you these things! [the son of perdition is not Judas as some teach. Perdition means Apolluon, which is one of Satans names. Verse 6: and now you know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work; only he who now letteth will let until he be taken out of the way. [Daniel chapter 10 verse 14-21] Many teach that this is saying that the Holy Spirit is being withheld during the time just before Christ return and even during the millennium, but this is not what is being said. The Holy Spirit will never leave us! What the scripture is saying is that Satan and his Fallen angels, are now being held my Michael the Archangel until the time he is told to kick Satan out of Heaven back to this earth. This will begin Satans reign on this earth, DEFACTO! Pretending to be God, thereby causing the great apostasy. This includes the church also for the church will be here. It may not have the full gospel armor on, but it WILL be here!

    Let us continue: and then, shall the wicked one be revealed whom the Lord shall consume, with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming; [LISTEN UP NOW] whose coming is after the workings of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders[ meaning Satan lying signs and wonders. Yes he will be able to do miracles and magic.] It said the Lord is coming AFTER Satan.

    Now we have established through the scriptures that the Lord will not return not even to rapture you away, until AFTER the Abomination of the DESOLATOR sits where HE ought not, in the Holy temple of God pretending to be God! So if there were to be any kind of rapture it would have to take place at the return of our Lord Jesus Christ which will be at the seventh trump. The church will be here. The bible teaches us that there are 2 tribulations. One where Satan trys to make you believe he is God and the other is against Satan.

    If you are a child of God , Satan will not and cannot harm even one single hair on your head. You can be tattooed with 666 all over your body but it will not make a bit of difference. So what is the churches hurry to FLY out of here? What is to fear but fear itself? What is your Gospel armor for? Would God build an army, to withstand the firey darts of Satan and then FLY them out of here? What kind of an army is that? Let us get realistic about what God expects from us. Do you have a destiny? Is there something God wants you to do? Read and study the precious word of God and show your self approved. And most of all, DO NOT BE DECEIVED!