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Apologetics

THE RAPTURE ACCORDING TO JESUS

[10] After that tribulation, they will see the Son of Man, Jesus, coming in the clouds and He will send forth the angels and will gather believers from the farthest end of the earth [the rapture]–from the Gospels of Mark 13:24-27 and Matthew 24:29-31 in the Bible. The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air [the rapture]–from 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 in the Bible.

What is the truth? Will believers be raptured (carried by angels into the clouds to meet the Lord Jesus at His second coming) before the great tribulation to escape all suffering, or like Noah, will they go through the global “flood” of destruction on earth as Jesus prophesied?[1] Does Jesus’ second coming occur before the Antichrist’s great tribulation or after it?

What Does Jesus Say?

            Here are the exact words in the Bible on this topic. Jesus’ words are quoted from the gospels of Mark and Matthew. Since He is the one who comes back and raptures people, He is the ultimate expert on the topic. Paul’s words are in Thessalonians. Scripture quotes are in italics.

Mark 13:24-27            After that tribulation, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken . Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.  And then He will send forth the angels, and will gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of heaven.

            The darkening of sun, moon, and stars is Old Testament (OT) symbolism for a time of great destruction (Isa 13:10-11; Ezek 32:7-8; Joel 2:31; 3:15; Rev 6:12). “Elect” means chosen by God and refers to every believer in God across all nations and all time who is saved by Jesus (Romans 8:33-35; Ephesians 1:4; Revelation 5:9). Gathering Christians from the earth is called “the rapture.”

Matt 24:29-31, 37, 39-41        Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens         will be shaken. And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds       of the sky with power and great glory.  And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other . . . for the coming of the Son of Man . . . the coming of the Son of Man . . . Then there shall be two men in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left

            His second coming is visible to the whole world. When the angels carry believers from earth into the sky to meet with Jesus at His second coming this is called “the rapture.”

Matt 24:9-13, 21-22    Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many.  Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold.  But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. . . . For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will.  Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.

            Jesus was talking to His disciples who would lead churches; this message was for all churches (aka “the elect”—those chosen by God for salvation, Eph 1:4).

1 Thess 4:14-17  God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.[2]  For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first.  Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air [aka “the rapture” and the great gathering].

            The second coming is loud and will wake up the world.

2 Thess 2:1-3   Regarding the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to Him,  that you may not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.  Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction. 

            The great “gathering” is when all believers from all nations and all ages meet with Jesus in the clouds as His second coming. His second coming is preceded by signs (the apostasy and the Antichrist come before Him). He says to keep looking for these signs: “When you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door,” (Matt 24:33). When you see the Antichrist kill the two prophets in Jerusalem followed by a huge earthquake (Rev 11), then it will be two to three years before Jesus’ second coming (a spectacular arrival that is loud and visible to the whole earth).

            If you simply believe at face value the clear and direct words of God written in these passages, then you can stop here. This means you believe like a child what God says (Matt 11:25) and you understand clearly the Bible facts on the rapture. We all need to believe God our heavenly Father like a small child: He says it. We believe it.

            The Bible says explicitly that “after that tribulation” Jesus will return with a loud, visible, glorious second coming. He will bring all believers from heaven and send angels to gather all believers left on earth up into the clouds (the rapture) to gather with Him where the resurrection occurs before everyone descends to earth. There is only one second coming. It’s that simple. Every one of these points is supported by the literal words of Scripture.

            The name of this doctrine is the post-tribulation rapture (aka post-trib). It means that the one-and-only second coming of Jesus occurs after (“post”) the great tribulation. “After the tribulation,” He brings all believers from heaven and raptures all believers from earth in the great gathering in the clouds with Him for the resurrection. Then He and everyone else returns to earth. However, that also means that just like Noah went through the flood, Christians will go through the great tribulation. Jesus said, “The coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah . . . for this reason, you must be ready,” (Matt 24:37, 44). Noah built an ark. Each of us must build our ark (a metaphorical “ark” needed for a metaphorical “flood” of devastation that is going to hit this planet little by little[3]).

            If you simply believe what God says in the Bible, then feel free to stop here (because I am going to explore a popular opposing view that is not only very confusing—because most of its points are not found in Scripture—but very deceptive, dangerous, and will do great harm to the progeny of those who believe it).

            There is another popular opposing view. It is called the pre-tribulation rapture (aka pre-trib). It is complicated. Most of its points are not in the Bible. It is taught by great religious authority figures (including some of our most beloved pastors), churches, and seminaries. It is held in place by the same dynamics that the Catholic Church used down through the centuries to cement doctrines on Mary, salvation by works, and bowing before idols. It directly contradicts the explicit words of Jesus. And I BELIEVED IT FOR YEARS.

            It took me more years of reading my Bible and ALL the relevant passages on this topic over and over and over to realize some religious leaders I greatly admired (and still do, except I now disagree on this one issue) were contradicting the words of Jesus. I went into shock. I tried to shut out these Bible passages. It took time.

            When we are overwhelmed with evidence contradicting a strong belief we hold, the unpleasant feeling is called “cognitive dissonance.” It is normal to be angry, upset, retreat, or fight when someone contradicts a strong belief we hold. It takes time to set everything aside and simply seek the truth—no matter where it leads or what the cost. As a one-on-one evangelist, I have worked hard over the years to learn to stay calm, loving, and patient with people from other religions who disagree with me; just as God was patient with me for years as I argued against the truth, before I finally gave my life to Jesus.

            So if you are where I was and believe that Jesus will come before the tribulation to rapture all believers so they will not suffer, then I strongly encourage you to continue reading. Please read to the end where the dangers that you and your family will face by following this doctrine will be presented.

End-Time Deception

            The worst end-time deception for believers will come not from the Antichrist or Satan but from NOT believing Jesus’ clear, exact words on what is going to happen and what to do about it. Every falsehood weakens. Every truth strengthens. The church will be so weak, so far from the truth that she will be in apostasy (2 Thess 2:1-3). What does Jesus say about His second coming and the rapture?

Summary of Post- and Pre-tribulation Rapture Views

            The post-tribulation rapture view (aka post-trib) says that Jesus’ one-and-only second coming takes place—according to His exact words in two gospels–“after that tribulation.” At His return to earth, He sends out His angels to carry Christians up from earth into the clouds to be with Him. This is called the rapture.[4] His second coming is loud, visible, and glorious to the whole world.[5] Both the rapture and the resurrection occur at His return to earth.[6] The great tribulation is executed by the beast of Revelation (the Antichrist) against all believers in every nation on earth. Numerous Bible verses clearly and directly support each of these points in this view and will be written out for you to peruse.

            The pre-tribulation rapture view (aka pre-trib) says that there are two parts to the second coming of Jesus. That means Jesus comes twice; once to the clouds of earth and years later down to the ground of earth.

            In the first part, Jesus comes for the Christians on earth to rapture them before the tribulation. In the first part, His coming is invisible, silent, and hidden as He raptures Christians from earth to take them back to heaven. The world is left in total confusion having no idea what has happened. Hollywood captured this view in the popular Left Behind series. Then God executes His wrath through the great tribulation against unbelievers.

            However, there is no secret, silent, invisible first coming of Jesus for the rapture in the Bible. This first-part idea contradicts numerous clear verses.

            In the second part of Jesus’ two-part second coming, the pre-trib view says He comes with all the believers from heaven to earth. This second part in the pre-trib view is loud, visible, glorious, and known to the world. These ideas have scriptural support (and were used in the post-trib view).[7] However, the rapture has been separated from this loud, visible, glorious and spectacular second coming, which directly contradicts Scripture, especially 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, Mark 13:24-27, and Matthew 24:29-31.[8]

            The post-tribulation rapture view follows simple, direct facts from the Bible. Few to no assumptions are added. The view is simple and supported by Scripture. Even a child could read or listen to the verses and end believing the post-trib view (Matt 11:25).

            The pre-tribulation rapture view has no biblical support for a two-part coming with a secret, silent, invisible first part for the rapture. It uses some of the post-trib verses for the second part, but contradicts Scripture on the timing of the rapture. It leaves out the two parallel gospel passages (Mark 13:24-27 and Matt 24:29-31) that clearly and directly state Jesus is seen by all the tribes on earth as He comes back in the clouds “after the tribulation” and raptures all believers left on earth.

            The extremely creative and complex explanations believed by pre-trib theologians to not only negate these post-trib verses found in two gospels for Christians–but to change Jesus’ word of “after” into “before”–absolutely stagger the imagination, befuddle normal hermeneutics, and is beyond the scope of this paper. To cut to the chase, simply ask a pretrib expert (pastor or professor) one simple question: Can you please show me one clear, direct verse that describes the secret coming in the pretribulation rapture view?

Not Even ONE?

            When I asked one brilliant elder-teacher (who has memorized hundreds of verses, dozens of which roll off his tongue every week as he teaches) can you please show me one clear verse supporting the pre-trib view? He stated, “Well, that’s the problem; there isn’t one.” Yet, he believed it and taught it. “There isn’t ONE!”

            I have written paper after paper against the quagmire of complex theological explanations used to defend the pre-trib view (since there is no secret, silent, first-part coming in the Bible) and sent them to beloved and highly respected pastors and elders.

            Yes, pre-trib theologians use verses—but their verses do not mention the great end-time tribulation anywhere in the context or chapter. They use vague, out-of-context passages, often change commonly understood definitions, and add many assumptions to support the pre-trib view. Their support passages do not talk about the second coming, two parts to a second coming, a secret second coming, much less the rapture! (Revelation 3:7-13 is a favorite; the past historical church of Philadelphia becomes an allegorical future end-time church without evidence or support—only conjecture that all end-time churches will be raptured.) Sometimes they use Romans (a book on soteriology, not eschatology or end-time doctrine) to indirectly, vaguely, and obscurely support the pre-trib end-time view.

            R. C. Sproul once asked “a good friend” who was a “national Christian speaker” (a description that fits John MacArthur who is a strong pre-trib advocate), “Can you please show me a verse that supports the pretribulation doctrine?” The friend answered, “There isn’t one.” R.C. then asked, “Then why do you teach it?” The friend replied, “Because that is what I was always taught in Sunday school when I was growing up.” Later, R.C. lectured about the great dangers of believing church teaching that contradicted the Bible.

            I checked out MacArthur’s Commentary on Matthew covering chapter 24:29-31 where Jesus says explicitly that He comes “after that tribulation” and in the parallel passage of Mark 13:24-27 says He raptures the church (angels gather the elect from the earth and carry them into the clouds) at His visible-to-the-world second coming.  Here’s what MacArthur did with this clear “after-the-tribulation” second coming and rapture passage: HE COMPLETELY AVOIDED ALL THE FACTS OF THE PASSAGE AND GAVE NO EXPLANATION FOR ANY OF THESE WORDS OF JESUS. INSTEAD, HE DESCRIBED THE PRE-TRIBULATION DOCTRINE WITHOUT ANY REFERENCE TO THE PASSAGE. I remember him giving a reference (in the spot where he was supposed to be explaining Matthew 24:29-31); it was something like 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (which makes no mention of the tribulation), but he did not quote it or explain it either. The deflection was absolutely astonishing.

            Why do these wonderful, often brilliant pastors teach a doctrine that is not taught in the Bible? That’s what they were taught by religious authority figures in childhood, by their home churches, by their seminary, and/or by their families. They would lose their jobs as pastors in pre-trib churches, if they started quoting Jesus’ words and simply let Jesus speak for Himself. The price of truth would be too high.

Pre-Trib Sounds Good

            The most frequent argument for the pre-trib view that I have heard from Christians is that God will not allow us to suffer in the great tribulation, so He raptures us before it starts. Who wants to suffer? Not me! Sounds good. Sounds great! It’s a happy doctrine. It is the epitome of deception.

The Greatest End-Time Deception for Believers

            “The serpent deceived me.” The tree looked good for food and was a delight to the eyes” but it was evil for “the day that you eat from it you shall surely die,”  (Gen 3:6, 13; 2:17). It was the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. The key word is “and.” Mixing good and evil is confusing. Those who stop listening to God (or stop checking out the Bible) are easily deceived—they choose a lesser good and unleash a greater evil.

            The pre-trib view promising the end-time escape from the worst tribulation in the history of humankind really sounds good. But Jesus says His second coming and the rapture of believers from earth is “after that tribulation.” To disbelieve the words of Jesus will lead to evil. In the pre-trib view we choose a lesser good that will eventually unleash a greater evil.

            Peter wanted Jesus to live; sounds good—life sounds good! Jesus rebuked him; it was evil. “Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s,” (Mark 8:33). Peter saw the little picture with man’s eyes. Jesus saw the big picture with God’s eyes.

            Believers without number will go through the great tribulation and lose their lives in martyrdom in the great tribulation but rise again in great victory in Christ (“a great number which no one could count . . . come out of the great tribulation . . .are in heaven rejoicing and praising God, Rev 7:9, 14-17; 20:4).

            So Jesus says that He is coming back after the tribulation and we must get ready just like Noah did. Believing the post-tribulation rapture view encourages us to get ready, prepare, and build our “arks” because we will be going through a great world-wide “flood” of devastation before He returns. (“Ark” and “flood” are metaphorical. See Chapter 15 for how to prepare.)

            Believing the pre-tribulation rapture view mocks at the tribulation and does no preparation. “They did not understand until the flood came and took them all away,” (Matt 24:39). If we believe in false safety, we are dancing on the Titanic instead of building our arks. The total lack of preparation makes the pre-trib view the greatest end-time deception for believers.

Theological Glue

            In order to merge all these pre-trib ideas together (some ideas that are not found in the Bible, some ideas that are found, and the rest of the ideas that contradict the Bible on the topic), not only are a lot of man-made explanations added, but huge church doctrines have been created as a complex “glue.” This glue includes the separation of the Church and Israel with a different plan of salvation (not needing Jesus) for Jews (which progressive dispensationalists now refute), the negation of huge portions of Scripture (Sermon on the Mount, Olivet Discourse, and most of Revelation to get rid of post-trib Bible verses) as totally unnecessary and unneeded by Christians, and a variety of other verses taken completely out of context breaking numerous sound hermeneutical rules.

            Because it has no direct support in the Bible, the pre-trib view is based on complex, conflicting, convoluted, confusing, erroneous theological explanations that befuddle the average Christian. It is impossible for a grass-roots Christian to find this view in Scripture (because it is not there), so it must be taught to them by beloved authorities in high places (“the wise and intelligent” in Matt 11:25). This teaching is replete with hundreds of unsubstantiated assumptions, contradictions to Scripture, an underpinning of labyrinthine doctrines that break every major rule of hermeneutics, as well as contradicting sound doctrine and beliefs (like saying huge portions of Matthew and Revelation are not meant for Christians, only for Jews, and that Jews can be saved without Jesus).

NOTE: Occam’s Razor (a principle for finding truth) can be applied for interpretations in theology. An interpretation founded on the greatest number of facts (from the Bible) and the least number of assumptions (from men) is most often the simplest and the most accurate interpretation. To the contrary, an interpretation founded on few facts and many assumptions is most often the most complex and least accurate.

            The post-trib view maximizes biblical facts and minimizes man-made assumptions.

            The pre-trib view minimizes biblical facts and maximizes man-made assumptions.

The Process of Indoctrination

            How does the pretrib doctrine take such hold of American churches? First, it has been taught by well-known and respected seminaries like Dallas Theological Seminary and Moody Bible Institute. (Seminaries I heartily agree with in their core doctrines, but not on this issue.) It has been taught from pulpits and written in books.

             Second, the underpinnings and foundation of the pretrib view are so confusing, complex, and convoluted that average Christians cannot understand them (because they cannot find them in the Bible).

            Third, these seminaries would persecute (expel, fire, blackball, and/or ostracize students studying for the pastorate from denominations where they might find pastoral jobs) any student who refused to agree with the pretrib view. (Some of this persecution softened later, but not the pre-trib view has already spread, taken root, and holds firm.) The persecution might continue down into some churches: those who disagreed would not be allowed to teach or preach, might be called a nonchristian, and if the person continued to quote Jesus (“after the tribulation”) such anger might cause a church split, loss of donations and financial hardship, or a coup d’pastor.

             In other words, these seminaries and their churches could not prove the pre-trib view through clear, direct verses in the Bible on the subject because there were none, so they created complex doctrines the average person could not follow and used fear and coercion against reformers. Once the masses believed it, an inertia cemented the view. The persecution stopped in some places and the few doubters were simply side-lined from ministries. The inertia of the masses will stabilize the doctrine.

            As an exception, in the last church (Baptist) where I fought the battle for Jesus’ words (“after the tribulation”), I wrote papers to the pastors and elders against the pre-trib view found in the church’s statement of faith, making sure not to disturb the congregation. Since these men could not find any supporting verses in the Bible for the pre-trib view, they photocopied the pre-trib arguments of renowned religious authority figures—like Charles Ryrie who was behind the Ryrie Study Bible and taught at DTS–whom I highly respect and agree with on other issues. I carefully analyzed every argument Ryrie presented on pre-trib and pointed out how he broke about 18 sound hermeneutical rules; rules which he himself wrote about in his seminary textbook that he taught to students. Paper after paper continued. It took three months. Finally, one elder-teacher went to his Dr. Dr. Rev. Pastor and said he could no longer teach that Jesus would come back “before the tribulation.”However, this Bible teacher was still afraid to quote Jesus’ “after the tribulation” second-coming words. This was one of the better churches. This elder could still keep teaching—as long as he did not teach what Jesus clearly stated on the issue (Mark 13:24-27 and Matt 24:29-31). (Try to understand the weakening of character and conscience that such a church rule inflicts in this member.)

Who Darkens Understanding? (Job 38:2)

            How do pre-trib teachers get around the clear words of Jesus in Mark 13:24-27 and Matthew 24:29-31 in the Olivet Discourse? First, the classical dispensationalists teach Christians that the Olivet Discourse (and other large portions of Scripture) are not meant for Christians; they only apply to Jews.

            To the contrary, there is a command of God given in the beginning, middle, and end of the Bible that states, “You shall not add to nor take away from (God’s words in the Bible).” (Deut 4:2; 12:32; Eccl 3:14; Rev 22:18-19). When a person takes away words from Scripture, either by destroying the paper or by destroying understanding through darkening knowledge (such as teaching that these books and passages in the Bible are not important for Christians–and are for all intents and purposes useless and unnecessary for Christians–but only apply to Jews), they are in a sin that God explicitly curses (Rev 22:18-19). This is serious.

“Man shall live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God,” (Matt 4:4; Deut 8:3). And “all Scripture is inspired by God and profitable” for every person (2 Tim 3:16).

            Second, some say the Olivet Discourse only applied to first century Christians. This is partly true. Christians who believed Jesus’ words written in the Olivet Discourse fled from Jerusalem before her fall in 70 A. D. and were saved. Over a million Jews died. Prophecy can have two fulfillments—one lesser fulfillment leaving out details and the other greater fulfillment using all or most of the relevant  details in the final fulfillment. The prophecy of Jesus’ birth had a dual fulfillment (Isa 7:14 and Matt 1:23). However, Jesus coming in the clouds (Mark 13:24-27 and Matt 24:29-31) is definitely referring to His second coming. There is no other explanation for these passages without a severe breech in normal hermeneutics.

            Third, reinterpret the passage. The last complex, confusing interpretation by pre-trib professors at Dallas that I read for these two passages in the Olivet Discourse was that it referred to Armageddon. The “wise and intelligent” can lead us down long, winding theological paths that no simple Christian could find on her or his own (because it isn’t there).

            When the Protestants took us out of the darkness of Catholic doctrines (which could only be interpreted and taught by popes, bishops, and church leaders), these reformers taught the “perspicuity of Scripture.” That meant that God had inspired the writers of the Bible to lay down His words in a simple, clear fashion that most believers would be able to understand. Even Revelation—if you know the Old Testament language and its symbols—is fairly easy. Example: If someone had the face of an eagle, it meant they led a great army across a vast distance (the eagle is a powerful predator that could fly far; this symbolism was found in Ezek 1:10; 10:14; 17:3-7, 12 and illuminated Rev 4:7).   

            Instead of the Protestant view that the Bible is the highest and final authority, beloved and respected religious leaders become the highest authority. Hundreds of years of church history showed how Catholics who trusted popes and bishops more than the Bible were gradually misled into idolatry (kneeling before idols and praying to Mary who is considered omnipresent—an attribute of God) and blasphemy (including Mary in salvation since Jesus was not enough). When people do not go back to the very words of God in the Bible as their highest authority, the chances of deception rise exponentially.

The Clear, Simple Truth

            Simply put according to the clear words of Scripture, Jesus will come again after the tribulation. At that time, angels will gather all believers from heaven and carry up all believers still alive on earth so every believer throughout history across all nations will meet Jesus in the clouds. Jesus’ one-and-only second coming happens in one loud, visible-to-the-world, glorious event. All the believers from heaven and from earth gather with Him in the clouds for the rapture and the resurrection and then come back down to earth with Him. That’s what the Bible literally says. That’s what will happen.

            Some of the signs and prophecies which must occur before Jesus returns are the following:

  • The gospel must be preached to all the nations.(Matt 24:14)
  • The apostasy of the church comes before the appearance of the Antichrist. (2 Thess 2:1-7)
  • The two Jewish-Christian witnesses in Jerusalem preach and do great plagues for 3½ years like the plagues done by Moses and Elijah to unbelieving nations. (Rev 11:3-7)
  • The Antichrist (beast, Abomination of Desolation, man of lawlessness, man of destruction etc.) first appears on earth and he alone is the only one who can and does kill the two witnesses. (2 Thess 2:1-7; Matt 24:15-21)
  • The Antichrist brings the great tribulation upon the saints (the remnant of the church left after the apostasy) and the Jews. (Matt 24:9-12, 15, 21-22, 24, 29-31; Mark 13:24-27; Dan 7:21, 25; Rev 12:12-13, 17)
  • Jesus will only return after the Antichrist (aka beast of Revelation, man of lawlessness, son of destruction) has had years to take over the earth and try to annihilate God’s people (believers in Christ from every nation) through the great tribulation.

            A summary of the two views (post- and pretrib rapture views) follows. The most important aspect of this summary is that all of the major, relevant Bible verses will be written out. Therefore, readers can check out these verses themselves. The Bible is always the highest and final authority.

The Pre-Tribulation Return and the Rapture

The Pre-trib View

Summary: There are two (2) parts to Jesus’ second coming. In the first part, Jesus comes before the great tribulation so no believers will suffer. He does not come back to earth, only to the clouds. His coming is secret, silent, invisible, and unknown. He raptures all of the believers left on earth and takes them all back to heaven with Him. Then the great tribulation occurs against all unbelievers. In the second part, Jesus’s coming is visible, loud, and known to all the earth. He brings all the believers with Him from heaven and comes back to the clouds of earth where the resurrection occurs. Then He and all resurrected saints descend to earth.

1. Jesus comes back before the tribulation.   (no direct supporting verses in the Bible)

            Pre-trib says that He comes to the clouds, but not to earth, before the tribulation.

2. Jesus raptures the saints before the tribulation.   (no direct supporting verses in the Bible)

            When He comes to the clouds, He raptures the Christians, and returns to heaven.

3. The tribulation is caused by the wrath of God on nonbelievers.             This idea displays a confusion of verses between Romans and Revelation. The wrath of God in Romans refers to God’s wrath in hell for all unbelievers, not the end-time great tribulation with His bowls of wrath on the land, oceans, waters, and skies (Rev 16).

            The pre-trib view reasons from Romans 5:9 which says, “Having been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.”

            The great, end-time tribulation is not mentioned in this verse, chapter, or book.

            Romans 5:9, in the context of the surrounding verses, chapter, and book is describing salvation verses condemnation (the wrath of God in hell) for any unbeliever in any generation.

4. The Jews (Israel) are completely and eternally separated from the Christians (the Church) and many parts of the Bible are only for Jews, not Christians. 

            (An Old Testament (OT) principle of the separation of Israel from the godless nations is misapplied to the New Testament (NT) by separating Israel from God’s church and contradicts many verses.)

            God has two different plans, two different purposes, two different methods of salvation for the Jews and the Gentiles. This is classical dispensationalism. Newer, progressive dispensationists are refuting this idea. However, its faulty ramifications are the underpinnings of the pre-trib view. They say that many parts of the Bible are useless and unimportant for Christians since they only apply to Jews. This negates the Sermon on the Mount and the Olivet Discourse in the gospels of Matthew and Mark and most of Revelation. (These are major places that support the post-tribulation rapture at the second coming as taught by Jesus.)

5. Jesus can come back to earth at any moment (the imminent return of Christ).

            The pre-trib view reasons from verses that urge Christians to be ready for Christ’s return. We must always strive to be ready, but that does not mean that Jesus will return at any moment.

            This view falsely holds that no end-time signs remain to be fulfilled before Jesus returns.

Rev 16:15        Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his garments, lest he walk about naked and men see his shame.”

            To the contrary, Christians should not be naked or asleep, but instead “when you see all these things [these signs], recognize that He is near, right at the door,” (Matt 24:33). 

6. The second coming has two (2) parts.   (no direct, supporting Bible verses)

7. The first part of the second coming is secret.  (no direct, supporting Bible verses)

8. The first part of the second coming is silent.  (no direct, supporting Bible verses)

9. The first part of the second coming is invisible.  (no direct, supporting Bible verses)

10. In the first part Jesus comes to the clouds (not to the land on earth), goes back to heaven, waits a few years, comes back to the clouds, then descends to earth. (Only the last part–the second part of coming back to the clouds then to the land–is found in the Bible.)

The Post-Tribulation Return and the Rapture

 The Post-trib View

1. Jesus says clearly that He will come back to earth after the tribulation.

Mark 13:24-27            After that tribulation, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken . Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.  And then He will send forth the angels, and will gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of heaven.

            The darkening of sun, moon, and stars is Old Testament (OT) symbolism for a time of great destruction (Isa 13:10-11; Ezek 32:7-8; Joel 2:31; 3:15; Rev 6:12).

            Who are the elect?

            Romans 8:33-35  Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? The “elect” are chosen by God to believe in Him through Jesus: they are Christians from every nation as well as believing Jews before Jesus’ first coming (Eph 1:4; Rev 5:9).

Matt 24:29-31, 37, 39-41        Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens         will be shaken. And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds       of the sky with power and great glory.  And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other . . . for the coming of the Son of Man . . . the coming of the Son of Man . . . Then there shall be two men in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left

2. Jesus raptures the saints after the tribulation.

Mark 13:24-27 After that tribulation, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.  And then He will send forth the angels, and will gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of heaven. Angels gathering up Christians from the farthest ends of the earth at the second coming of Jesus is the rapture.

Matt 24:29-31, 37, 39-41        Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky  with power and great glory.  And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other . . . for the coming of the Son of Man . . . the coming of the Son of Man . . . Then there shall be two men in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be leftAngels have gathered believers from everyone in heaven and on earth (“the four winds” is symbolic for “everywhere”) and they are flying in from all directions in the sky as they come together to be with Jesus. This is called the great gathering.

2 Thess 2:1-3   Regarding the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to Him,  that you may not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.  Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction.

1 Thess 4:14-17  God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.  For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and       the dead in Christ shall rise first.  Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord.

3. The tribulation is caused by the wrath of Satan (not by God).

Rev 12:12-13,17         The devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time.”  And when the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child. . . . The dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

4. The tribulation is against God’s people.

            God’s people include those by flesh and those by faith: the Jews (believers and unbelievers) and the Gentile believers in Christ. There are the Jews and Gentiles from every nation. The “saints,” the “elect,” the “chosen” are believers in Jesus Christ across all nations and all time.

Matt 24:9-13, 21-22    Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many.  Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold.  But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. . . . For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will.  Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.

Mark 13:19-20     For those days will be a time of tribulation such as has not occurred since the beginning of the creation which God created, until now, and never shall. Unless the Lord had shortened those days, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect whom He chose, He shortened the days. 

Eph 1:4,  He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world.

Dan 7:21-22    I kept looking, and that horn [under the beast] was waging war with the saints and overpowering them until the Ancient of Days came and judgment was passed in favor of the saints of the Highest One, and the time arrived when the saints took possession of           the kingdom.

Rev 7:9,14-15  Behold, a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, . . . These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.  For this reason, they       are before the throne of God [in heaven]; and they serve Him day and night.

            They were suffering in the tribulation before they could come out of the tribulation.

Rev 20:4   “The souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshipped the beast or his image.”

Rev 13:15  “As many as do not worship the image of the best [will] be killed.”

5. In Christ, there is no separation between Jew and Gentile and the whole Bible is for every believer from every nation across time.

            Jews who receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior are spiritual Christians and equal as  members with the Gentiles (believers from every other nation, tongue, and tribe) in the church. There is no division, distinction, or separation between Jews and other nationalities in the church. And believing Christians of any nationality are “sons of Abraham,”  “descendants of Abraham,” part of “the commonwealth of Israel,” partakers in “the covenants of promise,” “one new man,” “fellow members of the body,” “fellow citizens,” “fellow heirs,” “fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus,”  members “of God’s household,” “a holy temple,” “built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit,” and “God’s people.”

Rom 10:12      There is no distinction between Jew and Greek [example of a Gentile]; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him.

Gal 3:28-29     There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  And if  you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.

Col 3:11             There is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.

Rom 11:17      You [the Gentiles], being a wild olive, were grafted in among them [the Jews] and [Gentiles] became partaker with them [Jews] of the rich root of the olive tree.

Rom 4:16-17               It is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law [Jews], but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham [Gentiles], who is the  father of us all,  (as it is written, “A father of many nations have I made you”).

Gal 3:7-8         Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the nations will be blessed in you.”

Eph 2:11-22    Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision”  [Jews], which is performed in the flesh by human hands–remember that you were at that time separate from Christ,   excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.  But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.  For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups [Jews and Gentiles] into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which isthe Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself  He might make the two into one new man [Jews and Gentiles into one new body], thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. . . .  for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you [Gentiles] are no longer strangers and aliens, but you [Gentiles] are fellow citizens with the saints [believing Jews], and are of  God’s household,  having been built on the foundation of  the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone,  in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord,  in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit. 

Eph 3:3-6        There was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief . . . to be specific, that the Gentiles are  fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers [with the Jews] of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

Zech 2:11        Many nations will join themselves to the Lord in that day and will become My people. Then I will dwell in your midst, and you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you.

Hos 2:23         I [God] will say to those who were not My people, “You are My people!”And they will say, “You are my God!”

Rom 9:24-26               He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles.   As He says also in Hosea, “I will call those who were not my people, ‘My people,’ and her who was not beloved, ‘Beloved.'” And it shall be that in the place where it was said to them, “You are not My people, ” there they shall be called sons of the living God.”

Deut 8:3; Matt 4:4 Man shall live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God [that is written down in the Bible].

2 Timothy 3:16  All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness.

7. Jesus will come back to earth again, only after all the signs are fulfilled. These signs include the massive apostasy of the church, two witnesses testifying for 3½ years in Jerusalem, the arrival of the Antichrist on earth–the only one who can and does kill the two witnesses/prophets, the earthquake in Jerusalem destroying a tenth of the city and killing 7,000 people.

            The Antichrist is also called the man of lawlessness, the son of destruction, the Abomination of Desolation, the beast of Revelation, the horn and beast of Daniel.[9] These are some of the specific signs that must happen before Jesus’ one-and-only second coming to earth. We must stay awake, alert, and sober looking for these signs. Jesus says, “When you see all these things, recognize that He [Jesus Himself] is near, right at the door,” (Matt 24:33). “Near” can be estimated: The two witnesses prophesy and do great miracles like Moses and Elijah for over 3 years (Rev 11:3). After that the beast (Antichrist) will rise from the abyss and kill the two witnesses then he will have 42 months—3 ½ years to do his worst (Rev 13:5). That is 6 years. However, during that time he gathers the nations against Jesus who has come back and is ruling in Jerusalem. So after the 2 prophets in Jerusalem arrive, the second coming will occur 3 to 5 years later. That is “near.”

1 Thess 5:2-6  For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord [His second coming] will come just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief; for you are all son of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.

2 Thess 2:1-4  With regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus and our gathering together to Him . . . Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction [aka the beast of Revelation, the fourth beast of Daniel, the Antichrist of 1 John 2:18, 22]. Just as Jesus has many names, so the Antichrist has many names. Each name tells us something important about his character or mission.

Matt 24:14  This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come.

Rev 11:7-13     When they  [the two witnesses] have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them and kill them. And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which mystically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. Those from the peoples and tribes and tongues and    nations will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days, and will not permit their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb. And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over         them and  celebrate; and they will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth. But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell upon those who were watching them.  And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” Then they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies watched them. And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell; seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.

6. There is only one second coming. (It does not have two parts or two future comings to earth.)

Matt 24:3         What will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

Matt 24:30       The sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.

Matt 24:37       For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah.

Mark 13:26     Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.

Mark 14:62     Jesus said, “I am; and you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”

Luke 21:27      Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

1 Thess 2:19    In the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?

1 Thess 3:13    At the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.

1 Thess 4:15-17  We who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise      first.  Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord.

1 Thess 5:23    May your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Thess 2:1-3   With regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to Him, that you may not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed.

2 Thess 2:8      The lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth       and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming;

Rev 1:7            Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him.

Matt 24:33       When you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door.

Mark 13:29-30  When you see these things happening, recognize that He is near, right at the door.   “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.”

Heb 9:28        Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him

7. The one-and-only second coming is known by and visible to the whole world.

Rev 1:7            Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him.

Isa 53:5           He was pierced through for our transgressions.

Zech 12:10-12  They will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him, like the bitter weeping over a first-born.  In that day there will be great mourning in Jerusalem, . . . And the land will mourn, every family by itself.

8. The one-and-only second coming is loud and noisy.

1 Thess 4:16-17  The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.

1 Cor 15:51-52  We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.

Rev 11:15        The seventh angel sounded [his trumpet]; and there arose loud voices in heaven [sky], saying,             “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.”

Rev 14:1-2       I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion . . . . And I heard a voice from heaven [the sky], like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder, and the voice which I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps.

            In these two verses, the Lord Jesus with the 144,000 Jewish, Christian resurrected men (who will form His global central government located in Jerusalem) have just landed on earth during His second coming. The mass of people above are all the other saints who have just received their resurrected bodies and have had the joy of watching Him descend to Jerusalem, before they scatter to the four corners of the earth to serve Him and rule as His global web government (Rev 2:27; 5:10).

9. The one-and-only second coming of Jesus is glorious and spectacular.

            “Glory” is a heavy weight of great authority, power, prestige, popularity, or privilege well-known to everyone (OT Hebrew). It is also a radiant awesome beauty (NT Greek). Glory is seen by others, never hidden, but wondrous, even spectacular.

Dan 7:13-14   Behold, with the clouds of heaven one like a Son of Man was coming. And He came up to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him. And to Him was given dominion, glory and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and men of every language might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away; and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed.

Matt 16:27  For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels.

Matt 24:30; Mark 13:26; Luke 21:27   All the tribes of the earth will mourn and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.

Matt 25:31    The Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him.

10. All the Jews convert to accept Christ at His second coming.

Rev 1:7            Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him.

Zech 12:10-12  They will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him, like the bitter weeping over a first-born.  In that day there will be great mourning in Jerusalem, . . . And the land will mourn, every family by itself.

Zech 13:1-2     “In that day a fountain will be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for impurity. And it will come about in that day,” declares the Lord of hosts, “that I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, and they will no longer be remembered; and I will also remove the [false] prophets and the unclean spirit from the land.”

Rom 11:26-27  All Israel will be saved; just as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob. And this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.”

Rev 14:1   I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion [at the second coming].

The Worst End-Time Deception for Believers

            The pre-tribulation rapture doctrine sounds good—no Christians will suffer through the great tribulation. But it’s not good, because it is false. It contradicts the explicit words of Jesus–the Chief Director of the rapture. Pre-trib gives a false sense of safety. This is deception. It is a ride on the Titanic.

“While they are saying, ‘Peace and safety!’ then destruction will come upon them suddenly,” (1 Thess 5:3).

            “The imminent return of Christ” means Jesus can return at any second without having fulfilled any of the signs He said that would precede his second coming. So you do not have to get ready. You do not have to look for signs.

            If Jesus can return at any minute and will never let us suffer the great tribulation, then eat, drink, and be merry because we will be raptured. No need to get ready. The pre-trib view keeps us dancing on the Titanic instead of building our “arks” (metaphorical).

            This is false. Jesus told us to keep looking for the signs and be ready (Matt 24:33, “When you see these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door.”) According to the specific signs the Bible gives, that means once the two witnesses show up in Jerusalem–within 5 to 6 years Jesus will return to earth. Until they show up, the gospel must spread across the world, the first 4 trumpets are currently sounding loudly and the first 4 bowls are currently trickling out slowly as a strong warning to the world that eventually there will be a global collapse of civilization just as Jesus prophesied. In God’s mercy, this gives time for unbelievers to change their minds and follow Jesus and time for believers to wake up and build their arks.

            Noah was forewarned of the coming global collapse of civilization and he picked up his hammer. If Noah had not built the ark, he and his family would have faced the flood like everyone else. But he listened to God’s words (not men’s) and obeyed by picking up his hammer. The greatest deception would have been to refuse to prepare.

            Any time we go against Jesus’ clear, simple words, we are deceived and put ourselves and others in harm’s way. “The coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah   . . . they were eating and drinking” and partying and happy! “Until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away,” (Matt 24:37-38). Noah had preached it to them (2 Pet 2:5). They knew. They did not believe. So they did not understand. They did not prepare. They did not build their own boats or even get onto Noah’s. The lesser good (of “no worries”) would open the floodgates to the greater evil (destruction and devastation).

      The church is dancing on the Titanic today. Jesus says to build an “ark” (metaphorical for get ready both spiritually and practically) for yourself, your family, friends, church and any who will join you.

Matt 24:37-39, 44 “The coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. . . . They were eating and drinking    . . . until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so shall the coming of the Son of Man be, . . . For this reason you too must be ready.”

            To see both the physical and spiritual preparations for the current disintegration of the earth’s land, oceans, waters, and skies slowly leading us toward global collapse please see Chapter 15 in this website.

Mortal danger is coming,

which ship do you choose–

the party or survival?


[1] “Flood” is symbolic for catastrophic devastation (Dan 9:26; Psa 69:2, 15). Jesus’ prophecies are in Mark 13:24-27 and Matthew 24:29-31.

[2] All believers in heaven will come with Jesus when He returns to earth. “Fallen asleep” is symbolic for physical death on earth. Christians are alive and awake in heaven with Jesus, the angels, and all other believers.

[3] “Flood” is metaphorical for great terror or devastation in the Old Testament (OT); Psa 69:2, 15; Prov 17:24; Dan 9:26, “After 62 weeks the Messiah will be cut off . . . destroy the city . . . and its end will come with a flood . . . war and desolations are determined.”

[4] Mark 13:24-27. “After that tribulation, . . . then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And then He will send forth the angels, and will gather together His elect from the four winds of the earth to the farthest end of heaven.” Angels gathering Christians from earth and carrying them into the clouds to be with Jesus is called the “rapture.” C.f. Matt 24:29-31; 1 Thess 4:13-17.

[5] Visible (Mark 13:24-27; Matt 24:29-31; Rev 1:7, “Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him, and all the tribes of earth will mourn over Him.”) Loud (1 Thess 4:13-17, “The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain [on earth] shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air [the rapture].”)

[6] The new resurrected body is given to all believers while in the clouds with Jesus at His second coming. 1 Cor 15:35-57; 2 Cor 4:14; Phil 3:21;  1 John 3:2.

[7] See footnotes 2 and 3.

[8] Mark 13:24-27; Matt 24:29-31; 1 Thess 4:14-17, “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ (dead bodies in graves but souls went to heaven and came back with Jesus) shall rise first. Then we who are alive [on earth] and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air [the rapture].”

[9] The beast (Rev 13); the man of lawlessness and son of destruction (2 Thess 2:3); the Antichrist (1 John 2:18, 22; 4:3; 2 John 1:7); the Abomination of Desolation (Dan 11:31; 12:11; Matt 24:15; Mark 13:14). Dan 7:21,  “I kept looking, and that horn was waging war with the saints and overpowering them.” All of these are the same man with different names.

[10] Golden Clouds. Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay.

[11] A photo of the Titanic from Wikimedia Commons. The Ark by Jeff Jacobs from Pixabay.

[12] “Iceberg below Water” on Wikimedia Commons. Storm Wave by Emillano Arana from Pexels. “Eye of the Storm from Outer Space,” by NASA from Pixabay and Pexels.

Categories
Teaching Revelation

Revelation Rap

(or Revelation Poem or Revelation Song
Found in Revelation 8 and 16 
words by B. A. Vannah 
guitar chords: Am, D   or   Em, B7 or D, A, G)
STRANGE THINGS ARE HAPPENING
AND
STRANGER THINGS WILL COME (2x)
 (1) First trumpet sounds--a third of earth will burn
 (2) Second trumpet sounds--a third of oceans die
[REFRAIN]
Strange things are happening      
and stranger things will come
See Jesus in the clouds           
His face is like the sun
(3) Third trumpet sounds--a third of waters dry
(4) Fourth trumpet sounds--darkness fills the sky
[REFRAIN]
          (1) First bowl pours out--the earth is filled with plagues
(2) Second bowl pours out--all the oceans dead
[REFRAIN]
(3) Third bowl pours out--from waters people die
 (4) Fourth bowl pours out--global warming high
[REFRAIN]
Land, seas, and lakes
And all the skies of earth
All bringing death
The nations are all cursed
Jesus is coming back
And lawlessness will burn
All Christians rule with Him
So Eden will return
[REFRAIN]
Strange things are happening and stranger things will come (2xs)
See Jesus in the clouds His face is like the sun
Strange things are happening (3xs) and stranger things will come

The END

P.S. Please feel free to copy, use, rap, sing, read or perform these words. The only limitation is please do not sell the song or change the author’s name. God bless.

          

Categories
Earth's System Dynamics

Chapter 7 – The Complex Global System of Revelation

God’s judgment affects global lands, oceans, terrestrial waters, and skies

Global collapse of civilization surrounds the Second Coming of Jesus. [7]

Revelation is a complex system, not linear events, portraying global collapse and world war surrounding the second coming of Jesus Christ.


Revelation is a complex system, not a simple, linear sequence of events. As an analogy, World War II was a complex system composed of protagonists (Eisenhower as overall commander of the Alliance) and antagonists (Hitler and the Axis), each with multiple armies across many nations across time. In books, an author may analyze the war from the perspective of key players, countries, continents, or oceans. In that system, everything affected everything in the struggle for world domination (democracy versus totalitarianism).

            In the same way, Revelation is a complex system composed of Christ (over angels and believers) and Satan (over demons and unbelievers, including the beast), each with multiple armies across all nations in massive interaction as they each struggle to rule the world (good versus evil). Revelation presents this war from numerous perspectives.

            One simple proof that Revelation is a system is that the second coming of Jesus is directly or indirectly included in every major part of the book. For example, His one-and-only second advent occurs in the seals, the trumpets, and the bowls, which by the way, are the primary locations of global warming events and their ramifications. Global warming surrounds the second coming.

            The bird’s-eye view of the seals, trumpets, and bowls displays the fact that the Lord Jesus alone is worthy to open the seals meaning that He alone is qualified before God to rule heaven and earth. The seals determine the rise and fall of nations during end-time events before, during, and after the Lord’s second coming.[1] Within the domain of the seals–under their umbrella–are the trumpets that gradually interact with and escalate to a tipping point–the bowls.[2] And yet, the fourth bowl (fierce heat) has already begun, will slowly escalate, spread, then fall of the cliff  (cross a critical threshold) igniting roaring destruction.

            Earth’s lands, oceans, waters, and skies along with population growth and limited resources, are in  a complex web of interaction existing in fluid states of constructive integration or destructive disintegration. This is a dynamic physical system. This physical world is controlled by the spiritual world.

            The Lord Jesus on heaven’s throne opens the seventh seal giving rise to the seven trumpets. Seven angels blow the seven trumpets.[3] Christ on heaven’s throne has authority and power over everything in the seals as well as over the seven angels with trumpets who are great commanders of massive angelic armies with specific missions.[4] Events portrayed in the trumpets gradually progress, amplify, and cross a critical threshold into nonlinear events; “The seven bowls” is another code name for seven more high ranking angelic commanders and their armies executing missions of global catastrophic proportions including “fierce heat.

            While the seals, trumpets, and bowls are the key passages on global disintegration, they function within the larger structure of the entire book of Revelation, which is simplified in the following chart presenting a literary structure found in seven sets of seven: 7 blessings; 7 churches; 7 seals; 7 angels with trumpets; 7 angels with bowls; 7 angels and the Son of Man; 7 angels of thunder.

            The most obvious key to unraveling this complex system is to note where and how many times the one-and-only second coming of Jesus is either explicitly or implicitly located. Scripture only records one second coming of Jesus to earth–not two comings, not two parts to a coming, not an invisible and visible coming, not a secret and a spectacular coming (sets of twos describing two comings are not found in the Bible). Jesus says that “after the tribulation” when He appears in the clouds, all the tribes of the earth will see Him, and then He will bring all the Christians from heaven (who previously died on earth) and gather all the Christians from earth (aka the rapture). (Combine Mark 13:27-29 with Matthew 24:29-31 for all these facts on His return explicitly and clearly stated by the Lord Himself; He is the ultimate expert on His second coming.[5]) The fact that this spectacular, one-time advent shows up in set after set reveals that these sets are not always sequential but often consecutive, overlapping, interacting, cycling, or revealing different facets of the same event, operation, or time. Thus, Revelation is systemic.

            In the Interrelation Chart of Revelation below, the second coming of Jesus is noted in bold print (2nd Coming of Jesus) approximately where it occurs in the timing in each set. Since Jesus stated that He would return “after the tribulation,” then His coming is placed accordingly. Har-Magedon (Armageddon) is marked in italics (Har-Magedon) with a symbol under it representing the war (the icon looks like a little explosion). Asterisks (*) indicate that one event is mentioned in two or more places, such as the fall of mountains shows up in the sixth seal and in the seventh bowl. Numerous arrows point out interrelationships of facts given for events across the sets. The circle of arrows indicates a complex feedback cycle of intensifying situations. 

            The first four trumpets, the first four bowls, and the first four seals in the chart below are interactive, create a vicious cycle, and worsen over time until a critical threshold (tipping point, hockey stick) drops them over a cliff of runaway global warming and adverse conditions for all life that no one can stop leading to the collapse of civilization in the sixth seal, the seventh trumpet, and the seventh bowl.[6]

Interrelation Chart of Revelation:

Seven Sets of Seven

            The purpose of the Interrelation Chart of Revelation is to point out that Revelation is a complex, dynamic system. The trumpets, seals, and bowls are massive angelic military operations in coordination with the saints under the Commander and Chief, the Lord Jesus Christ, in this great endeavor to retake planet earth from the global tyrant–the beast–who has murdered millions. (It must be noted that while God uses forces of good to accomplish His purposes, He can also allow Satan, his demonic hoards, and unregenerate mortals to play their part in the destruction of the world. He turns us over to our evil desires–a terrifying act in righteous judgment.) Each set of sevens looks at this overall system from a different angle.

            There is a general chronology of events within this system. A simplified timeline according to relevant verses throughout Scripture is given below:

The Chronology in Revelation

                [1] Seals are in Rev 5; 6; 8:1-6.

                [2] Rev 8:1-2, The Lamb broke the seventh seal . . . the seven angels . . . were given (seven trumpets).”

                [3] Trumpets – Rev 8; 9; 11:15-19.

                [4] Since Christ is over the first four seals (the four horsemen that are under the command of the four living creatures), then the horseman on the white horse cannot be Christ Himself as some believe.

                [5] Mark 13:24-27, “After that tribulation, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.  And then He will send forth the angels, and will gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of heaven.” Matt 24:29-31, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory, and He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.”

                [6] Rev 6:12-17; 11:15-19; 16:17-21.

                [7] “Jesus Christ Revelation” by pixundfertig on Pixabay. “Armageddon Disaster” by Pete Linforth on Pixabay. Pixabay: apocalypse.

Categories
Noah Now!

Chapter 15 – Surviving the Collapse of Civilization: Noah Now!

“Behold, the Lord lays the earth waste, devastates it, distorts its surface and scatters its inhabitants.”

Isaiah 24; Revelation 6:12-17


The Ark [108]

            With the decline of lands, oceans, and skies; resources are stressed, countries destabilized, and global collapse ensues. Are we dancing on the Titanic or building our arks? Jesus said His second coming would be just like the days of Noah (global collapse of civilization) so we must be ready (Matt 24:37, 44).


Overview

Today, nations are fiercely independent and will fight against sharing or losing sovereignty. Today, if any government or man tries to take over another nation, a war ensues. Hitler trampled down 13 nations, and the world stopped him with one of the greatest death tolls in history.

            What would it take for all the nations to willingly share their sovereignty and submit to one global order?[1] one global facilitator?[2] one global domination both economically and militarily?[3]

            It would take a global crisis so harmful to entire populations of every nation and so destabilizing to every government threatening national security in uncontrollable turmoil that with the disintegration of global economy, global banking, global communication, global food, and global transportation that no one could control the chaos. If one part of a system goes down, it can usually be fixed or compensated for with relative ease. If several interdependent parts go down with cascading effects throughout all the interdependent parts, the system crashes. Sometimes a coming crash is not an obvious slow linear progression, but like a volcano, the problems grow internally and unseen—we tend to ignore the rumblings, the dying trees from SO2 leakage through the soil, the dying fish in lakes from acidification of the water–until the underground problems reach a critical threshold and produce a pyroclastic blast wreaking destruction everywhere. By then, it is too late. Consider what happened within the last decades to Syria after years of the worst drought in remembered history leading up to an explosive war and massive migrations leaking over into the Arab Spring toppling governments. Then apply similar ramifications and consequences to global warming, increasing populations, the eventual decline of life-sustaining resources, and the struggle for survival, to view near-future global upheaval. This picture foreshadows scientific predictions, national security agency’s fears, and Revelation’s prophecy of the destabilization of all governments.[4]

            What can put nations in such turmoil? The first four trumpets and bowls of Revelation will tear down the land, oceans, waters, and skies of this planet reducing life-sustaining resources and threatening the existence of many peoples. The struggle for survival leads to population migrations, conquests, wars, famines, and massive death, the first four seals. At the center of this turmoil is global warming. The fourth bowl (“fierce heat”) has not yet come in full force, but it is revving up.[5]

The U.S. Intelligence Community

            In January 2019, the U.S. intelligence community (including the Director of National Intelligence, Dan Coats, and directors of the FBI, CIA, and Defense Intelligence Agency) testified on the Worldwide Threat Assessment before a Senate Committee.

Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats testified before Congress on the 2019 Worldwide Threat Assessment [110]

They warned of the global threats that climate change and other processes of environmental degradation create causing high risks to global stability because they will “fuel competition for resources, economic distress, and social discontent. . . . Climate hazards such as extreme weather, higher temperatures, droughts, floods, wildfires, storms, sea level rise, soil degradation, and acidifying oceans are intensifying, threatening infrastructure, health, and water and food security,” stated the report, which is a consensus view of top intelligence officials.[6]

            Six months later, a top Australian think tank, the Breakthrough National Centre for Climate Restoration, published a report concluding that human civilization could end by 2050 if climate change continues to accelerate. “The impacts of climate change “pose large negative consequences to humanity which might not be undone for centuries.”[7]

            On January 15, 2020, top directors from NASA and NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) released scientific reports in agreement that this past decade “was by far the hottest ever measured on Earth, capped off by the second-warmest year on record.”[8] We have not reached a global crisis yet, but scientists say we will, if we maintain “business as usual.” Revelation says we will drive the planet into crisis; it is the judgment of God unleashing the forces of nature, heavenly hosts, and lawless humanity onto this world.[9]

The Antichrist

            Who can stop the famines and wars? Desperate times will bring a desperate solution: unify the nations in order to reform global economy, banking, transportation, etc. and to control the chaos with military solidarity. Only one man will have the capability and the power; that “savior” will be the man of lawlessness, son of destruction, a monster (the beast of Revelation), the Antichrist.[10] He will dominate world politics, consolidate world economies, unify world militaries, and crush any who stand in his way–for “the greater good.”[11] Billions across the nations who have his mark will receive life-sustaining resources (water, food, medicine, protection, . . .). Millions who do not have his mark will hide or die. “It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him.” “The beast . . . will make war with (the saints), and overcome them and kill them.”[12] World population will drop. Resources per person will soar. “All [with the mark] who dwell on earth will worship him.”[13] Who will he be?

            The Bible presents enough details describing the beast of Revelation to fill a page. To identify the Antichrist would require a man fulfilling every single detail given about him in Scripture. Every piece of the puzzle must fit in perfectly. However, four (4) of those pieces are so big that they will disqualify 99% of the candidates, leaving only one man out of a few across history that some suggest might be the coming monster. (1) He was one of seven kings (a “king” refers to any head of state; premier, president, chancellor, emperor, etc.) who each ruled over seven mighty empires. All of those evil empires oppressed and often tried to destroy God’s people (the Jews and later Jews and Christians). (2) He received a fatal head wound that killed him. (3) He is a man who comes up from the abyss (the lowest part of hell). This means that like the Son of God, he was born a man (comes out of the “sea” of mankind), died, later comes back from hell (the abyss), and is resurrected as the empowered “son” of Satan copying God’s Son. (4) He will be the eighth king ruling over the eighth empire (the world) that will seek to destroy Jesus Christ when He returns to earth and rules in Jerusalem. [For references, more details, and even a little speculation, see FN13A.]

            Now we know how and why the destruction of our world (pollution, dwindling aquifers, overfishing, deforestation, global warming, etc.) is occurring–God is and will be removing life-sustaining resources and security of life from this planet as His judgment against the sins of humankind.[14] Instead of turning back to God to fix the planet, the world will vote in Revelation’s son of destruction (the Antichrist, the beast, the man of lawlessness).[15] This man will rise up to unify the nations against God.[16] He will succeed for a few years because he is empowered by darker forces.

The Second Coming of Jesus Christ

            In time, Jesus Christ will return to earth “with all His saints” from heaven and rapture all the saints left alive on earth to gather them together with Him in the clouds where the resurrection will take place.[17]

1 Thess 3:13; 4:14, 17 At the coming of the Lord Jesus with all His saints . . . God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Christ [18]. . . We who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them [all the believers coming from heaven] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.

            The return to earth of Jesus with all of His saints in heaven, at which time all the saints left alive on earth will be carried up to the clouds by angels, will bring all the Christians from every nation throughout history together in the Great Gathering (2 Thess 2:1).

            When Christ begins His rule in Jerusalem, the nations under the leadership of the man of lawlessness will be enraged at Him. God will pour out in full His bowls of wrath.[19]

Be Ready

            Being prepared requires foreknowledge of what will happen. God has given us that knowledge for good reason. The first four trumpets, seals, and bowls in a vicious hurricane of global destruction against the Antichrist and the world that chooses him, will bring the collapse of civilization. These geophysical and geopolitical forces of destruction will occur both before and after the second coming; partial collapse before causing global destabilization and total collapse after Har-Magedon (the greatest world war of all time between the Antichrist and Christ to determine who will rule the world) causing global collapse of civilization.

            How will we survive before His coming? There are two parts to preparation; spiritual and physical.

Spiritual Preparation

[112]
Salvation in Jesus Alone

            Salvation through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most important thing in our lives no matter when we walk this earth or what the planet is going through. Salvation is the paramount priority for preparation for the end of the end times. The good news (the gospel) message about salvation is so simple that a child can understand it, so complicated that libraries on the subject could circle the globe. Let us review to make sure we all know Jesus, because without Him, nothing else will matter. Here is the gospel, the good news of Jesus (Mark 1:1):

            God is love.[20] Love edifies.[21] God is holy, perfect, pure moral light in His character and all He does, so no sin or darkness will abide in heaven in His very presence.[22] His love is manifest in beautiful laws found in the Bible to build us, our families, and our society up.[23] All of His laws can be summarized in one word, “love.”[24] Love builds up.[25] Breaking God’s laws tears down and is called sin.[26] Every person who has ever lived has sinned, except Jesus, the Son of God.[27] Jesus is God who took on flesh to walk with men and women on earth so we could know Him.[28] Fortunately, He came “full of grace,” otherwise our sins would defeat us.[29]

            The punishment/payment for sin is death.[30] The first death is this physical death on earth and the second death is the soul burning in hell.[31] Jesus–the perfect Lamb of God–died on the cross to pay for the sins of anyone who believes in Him.[32] True belief knows the truth, accepts the truth, and commits to the truth. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”[33] He is the only way to God, the only truth about what will happen to us in life and in death, and the only trustworthy promise of eternal life. He said, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”[34] For those who believe in Him, death is only the first physical death while life is for the soul (you; your thoughts, feelings, will, . . . everything that makes you a person) in a new spiritual body lives on fully conscious in the spiritual dimension called heaven where Jesus, the angels, and other Christians who have gone before us reside.[35] The human body dies. The human spirit flies.[36]

            Everyone will die physically. Everyone goes into judgment in heaven.[37] Those who did not believe in Jesus during this physical life then go down into the earth to Hades to pay for their own sins.[38] After a just punishment for sin in Hades, they go into the lake of fire.[39] Those who believe in Jesus are given their citizenship to heaven and the free gift of eternal life bought and paid for by Jesus Himself (and a whole lot of other cool stuff).[40] Jesus died on the cross to pay the death penalty we deserved in hell for our sins.[41] Since the sins of anyone who believes in Him are washed away by “the blood of Jesus” (metaphorical speech for His death on their behalf to take their place) the Holy Spirit of God comes to live inside of the believer’s body with his or her own spirit.[42]

            Multiply by myriads the greatest love you will ever have for another human, and that is how wonderful the Holy Spirit is. He begins a new work in you (called sanctification) to slowly and gently re-create you into the image of the Son.[43] He replaces the weakness of depression with the power of peace, the darkness of deception with the light of truth, the insecurity of fear with the confidence of control, the poison of hatred with the health of love, the emptiness of meaninglessness with hope and understanding  . . . . God’s work of perfection in you will progress and culminate in the heavenly realm where Jesus is enthroned.[44]

            Then one day, the trumpets will sound across heaven. All the angels and all the saints (you! and every other believer across all the nations from all of history) will start the awesome journey with the Lord Jesus from heaven back down to the clouds of earth.[45] (Did I mention that your spiritual body in heaven can fly like the angels?[46]) In those clouds, in the twinkling of an eye, your heavenly spiritual body will be clothed with a fantastic new physical body–two in one (a spiritual body and a physical body[47]) so that, like Jesus, you can live and interact in both the physical and spiritual dimensions–through the resurrected body.[48]

            Why did God tell us about all the fantastically wonderful cool stuff He is going to do for us and give to us? One of many reasons was to help us get through the hard things on this fallen planet as He slowly does His good work in us to give us total victory in Christ and to glorify Himself.[49]

            Being saved is the first and greatest part of preparation, “What must I do to be saved?” “Believe in the Lord Jesus.” Then “you will be saved.” [50] “Lord” means you follow Him. “Savior” means He gave His life for you to save you from the poison of sin, the sting of death,  the fires of hell, and the nihilistic separation from God. You trust Him. He loves you. If you want the gospel in one word, it is “Jesus.”[51]

             If Jesus is your Lord and Savior, God is no longer against you, but for you.[52]

Share the Good News

            Knowing what God does through Jesus His Son for our salvation and is doing on this planet today for judgment against sin and telling others is the second most important thing in preparation. Prepare our unbelieving friends and families, neighbors and strangers, with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

            Prepare Christians for much more, for they will be walking through fire. Every truth from the Bible will strengthen their soul. Every falsity against God’s word–even the smallest–will weaken them. So let us take a moment to consider in truth just two of God’s many great and wonderful gifts God has promised that not only wow my kids, but many an adult. These gifts strengthen us with joy-filled hope against anything that might assail us.

The First Great Gift: Heaven (and Not Hell)

            One of those gifts is our citizenship in heaven. Citizenship gives the right to live there. “Our citizenship is in heaven.”[53] It is our home where we reside whenever we want: When the earth melts with intense heat as our sun turns into a red giant engulfing the inner planets in a blazing maelstrom in about 5 billion years, the spiritual heaven will be our home until we transition to another planet.[54] When Hubble’s ever-expanding, ever-accelerating universe portrays the work of God “stretching out the universe like a curtain” and the Big Rip eventually shreds space and time ending in the obliteration of all galaxies in a violent, universal fission bomb that could happen in a mere 22 billion years, the heavenly Jerusalem will still be our home.[55] Even when humankind finds a new planet with new skies, heaven will still be our home, our vacationland, or whatever we need (like U.S. citizenship, always there for us) providing rights, privileges, protection, and opportunities.[56] Heaven is eternal. This universe is temporal. Eternal beings need an eternal home, even if we come and go across planets and galaxies.

God’s glorious heaven is our home. Paul said, “I prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.”[57]

                Our citizenship is in heaven. Our home is in heaven. Here are a few clear direct verses on the spiritual realm of heaven where the angels and human families of God abide:

Phil 3:20          our citizenship is in heaven

Matt 5:11-12   Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great.

Matt 6:20         [You have] treasures in heaven.

Mark 10:21     Treasures in heaven

Eph 3:15          [You have a ] family in heaven.

2 Cor 5:6-9        Absent from the body . . . is at home with the Lord.

Luke 15:17      Joy in heaven.

Col 1:5            [You have] hope  laid up for you in heaven.

Heb 12:22-23   You have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels,  to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect. [All this is in heaven.]

1 Pet 1:3-5       [You will ]obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.

Rev 19:1         A great multitude in heaven, saying, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God. [Only saints praise God for salvation; angels are not saved by the blood of Christ.]

            There is another destination for those who do not believe Jesus.    

            I recently heard a sermon about a man who was telling his brother about Jesus. The brother responded, “I know I am going to hell, and I am okay with that.” It seems the Christian fell silent. Don’t. This unbeliever has no idea what hell will be like and probably believes in deceitful jokes like “all my friends will be there; we’ll have a party.” There are a lot of verses in the Bible describing hell; they are there for a reason. They tell him explicitly what he is choosing, and it will beyond Stephen King’s worst nightmare. No person in hell would ever want a friend to come down there. If it were possible, he would do anything to warn friend or family to stay away.[58] For the man who is okay with hell, start with Jesus’ story about the rich man who went to Hades.

            “So you want to go to hell? Hey, I know about a man who went there. This is what he said, . . . .”[59]

            After sharing the condemned man’s reaction to that place, then ask the brother if he wants to face pure justice for every wrong he has ever thought, said, or done while burning in flames drowning in utter weakness or does he want to rise up greater than Superman?[60] In hell, there is weakness and suffering.[61] In heaven, there is healing and power. In actual reality, there are only two places to go after death.

            Most of my nonchristian friends would say, “I just don’t want to believe in hell.”

            I respond, “This is America. You can believe anything you want. Thousands of people have thousands of beliefs. However, all our fictional thinking stops at death. Only God’s thinking will count. He created this universe. He will determine where you go after death.[62] He has clearly written to you in the Bible how He decides. He lays before us two paths; the path to hell and the path to heaven.[63] With the first path, you go your own way, make up your own rules, live in your own reality for this short life. No matter how good you are, God is holy and His standard is absolute perfection. He commands us to be holy and perfect like Him. The Bible says that “all have sinned” by breaking His laws from time to time. [64] Not one sin can abide in heaven with a holy God. No one has ever reached God’s standard of perfection on his or her own, except Jesus.[65]No one deserves to abide in heaven with God. So doing it our own way with our own beliefs always ends in death and hell. The only way to get on the second path to heaven–with the free gift of eternal life and forgiveness of all sin paid in full by Jesus–is through Jesus. It’s that simple: Your path or Jesus’ path.” One leads to hell. The other leads to heaven.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” [65A]

            After describing the consequences of the rich man’s choice that landed him in burning flames, describe Lazarus’ choice; he was a sinner, but he ended alive and awake in heaven with Abraham. Do not shy away from describing the wonderful gifts God has placed in our stellar dreams; dreams that can only come into reality through Jesus–eternal life, new powerful and immortal body, true friends, exciting adventures, flying with the angels in a city of wonderful people with streets of gold and gates of jewels, surrounded by a beautiful country in a wonder-filled universe. Sometimes wounded people learn to love the Giver through His gifts. God gave this knowledge, use it. Eventually, the greatest gift will be intimacy with God, our heavenly Abba Father, His beloved Son, and our wonderful Holy Spirit who is pure love.

            I teach my kids about the joys of heaven. I get back, “Can I skip school today and go to heaven instead?” They like school, but they love heaven. (I even get, “What can I do to die today so I can go to heaven faster?” They are not afraid of death! But I tell them to trust God’s timing; He knows best.) I weave stories into scriptural facts of what we will be like when we return with Jesus (distracting them from nonexistent superheroes like Harry Potter or Spiderman that storm millions of children’s minds and leave their lives in darkness and the empty futility of non-reality. This is in my series of realistic novels on the lives of simple Christians who after the resurrection become More Than Conquerors. Envisioning the future is part of getting ready and not being afraid.) I know that if death came for them, they would be ecstatic, “Wow! Heaven, here I come!” Like Paul, they would rather be there than here.[66] Whole congregations of churches should have this glorious vision. God has placed in our hearts the “hope in heaven,”–the place where Jesus Himself lives today; to be at home with Him–we must pass on that hope.[67]

            For those who do not believe in heaven or hell, remember some do not believe a man walked on the moon. How do we know he did? We apply the laws of truth to discern truth. Who is the expert on death and the afterlife; the religious leader in his grave, Mom, the scientist who cannot save himself from death, or the Man who was murdered, locked in a tomb, and conquered death rising in life three days later? Jesus is the greatest expert in all of humanity across all of history on the subject of death. He is the only man who conquered death permanently, not only for Himself, but for anyone who believes in Him. “Whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”[68] He proved His promise. He said He would be killed and rise again three days later. He was. He did. His words were true because they became reality. Jesus is the greatest expert in all of humanity across all of history on the subject of death. His resurrection is the proof of that truth.

            As five-year-old Seth said after I asked him the definition of truth, “Truth is what really happens.” A lot of other religions and personal belief systems have made up their own after-death stories, but they are fantasies without the power to do what they say or the proof that their ideas are true. When Jesus says you have a choice between heaven and hell and it depends on believing Him or not, that is the truth. He raised others from the dead.[69] He raised Himself from the dead.[70] He can and will raise anyone who believes in Him from the dead.

The Second Great Gift: The Resurrected Body

            Jesus faced one of the most excruciating deaths of all time, not only because of the torture, but because He stood between you and me and all the forces in hell battling to bring us down. He took upon Himself all of our sins, died in our place, and went down in death in utter defeat for everyone who believed in Him (for three days). He knew all this horror was coming, and yet “for the joy set before Him, (He) endured the cross, despising the shame.”[71]

            What was that joy? Jesus rejoiced in our salvation, the destruction of the works of the devil in our lives, His coronation, and the coming resurrection–first, His resurrection claiming victory over death, sin and Satan; and second, our resurrection.

              Of this great and glorious story, only two of many important aspects will be considered for our joy: When does the resurrection occur and what will our new bodies be like? These two are  important for a tenacious hope in the face of demonic adversity and global collapse.

When does the resurrection occur?

                “When” is simple. Simple if we believe Jesus’ clear direct words on the subject. Unfortunately, many Christians (such as me for many years) have been taught by beloved religious authorities the exact opposite of what Jesus said. The vast labyrinthine theological explanations used to contradict the Lord’s plain and simple words are mind boggling. (Eventually, in New Post, I’ll put up one of my apologetic papers defending the face-value words of Jesus on this topic.) The consequences of contradicting Jesus put us and our families in harm’s way; it would be as dangerous as Noah believing God’s words, preaching God’s words, but never picking up a hammer to get ready by building an ark according to God’s words.

                 Here are Jesus’ simple words in Mark 13. The “four winds” is symbolic for “everywhere.” Gathering all Christians from earth into the clouds is called the “rapture” (aka the “gathering” [72]).The events with sun, moon, and stars are symbolic for the catastrophes destabilizing the planet (as seen in the OT as well [73]). His “elect” are all Christians throughout history [74].

Mark 13:24-27 “After that tribulation, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken [OT language for cataclysmic catastrophic destruction as in the first four trumpets and bowls]. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.  And then He will send forth the angels, and will gather together His elect from the four winds, from THE FARTHEST END OF EARTH [the rapture from earth up to clouds] to the farthest end of heaven” [Christians living in heaven flying down to the clouds of earth with Jesus].

           At one time, one event–one second coming–Jesus will gather together all the born-again believers living in heaven and living on earth to meet with Him in the clouds for our resurrection (getting our fantastic new bodies that can function in both heaven and on earth). All of the elect from heaven (you and I) and from earth (those raptured) gather with Jesus in the clouds of earth where we receive our new, resurrected, immortal bodies so we can return to earth with Him at His second coming. This is the second great gift. Jesus says it happens “after that tribulation.”[75]

            In preparation for what is coming on this planet (God’s judgment and widespread death), God has wonderfully provided us with a lot of goodies to get us through those dark days.[76] Let us look at the second fantastic gift bought by the blood of Jesus, which is going to be a stellar blast for everyone who loves Him. The trumpets and Olivet Discourse herald hard times ahead with massive loss of life. [77] We may be martyred–many Christians will lose their lives, but at the end of the night is a glorious dawn! This super gift is going to make it all worth it.

The Resurrected Body

            The newly resurrected follower of Jesus will fly down from the clouds onto a world having suffered the holocaust, into the throes of the worst-case scenario of global warming, to face a global tyrant empowered by Satan himself, into nations mobilizing for Har-Magedon, into the soon-coming wrath of God decimating the planet beyond recognition. How ever does the returning Christian not just survive, but stand victoriously? [78] The resurrected body!

            In the “flood” of God’s judgment on earth, the saint (according to the Bible, “saint” is any and every believer in Jesus) has an ark; the resurrected body! This new body–“for you do not sow the body which is to be”–is immortal, powerful, and pure.[79] We will have a resurrected body like Jesus’ body: “When He appears [at the second coming] we will be like Him.” “The Lord Jesus Christ . . . will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has.”[80]

            What is the resurrected body of Jesus like? He could fly.[81] He could interact with both the spiritual and the physical worlds–talk to angels and talk to men. He has spiritual and physical senses: eyes to see and ears to hear angels and men. He can pass between both worlds, vanish from one and step into the other.[82] We will have resurrected bodies like His.[83]

            Wow! WOW! This is not Marvel Comics figments of imagination. It is far better. It will be the marvelous, fantastic, awesome reality of God’s creation in us!

            Most people do not know that the fiction character of Superman was based on biblical characters, especially Jesus.[84] Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel created the quintessential fiction superhero whose name was Kal-El, which is Hebrew for “vessel of God” (his middle name was Joseph), but who was known to the public as Superman. His pretend origin was from the house of El (the house of God). His early life was copied from Moses; both babies–Superman and Moses–were placed in small capsules, sent out by a parent(s) to escape certain death, adopted by kind Gentile parent(s), and both became types of saviors.[85] Where did Shuster and Siegel come up with Superman’s powers? The Psalms say we will fly.[86] Sampson had incredible strength. Elijah outran King Ahab’s horse.[87] Elisha’s special eyes saw into the spiritual world.[88] Samuel’s special ears heard beyond normal men.[89] Moses, Joseph, and many biblical heroes were bountifully good, saving others. These Bible characters were real people in true stories.[90] Their amazing powers not only glorified God, but were foreshadows of the resurrected body. How do we know? Jesus could and will do all of these things and more (like not die or suffer injury) and so will we.[91]

            Yet, down through the decades of imaginary superheroes who might have reminded us of what we once had in the first Adam and will one day regain–even surpass–in the second Adam, Jesus Christ, fallen men fell asleep in fantasy forgetting fact. God “set eternity in the heart of men.”[92] I believe He also set the desire to be strong again, to be smart, to even fly; a desire to have a body that surpasses this failing frame which is “fading” and “withering” with time.[93]After the end of one’s life, how horrifying to realize that God could have made our most fantastic dreams (set in our hearts by Him) come true, but without Jesus, only the descent into weakness trudges on to its mortal conclusion.[94] In a resurrected body, we will be “more than conquerors” in Christ.[95] We will have bodies greater than Superman’s. When Christ returns, we will return with Him, with bodies like His, and hearts after His own heart. [96]

            For the millions of Christians who will die as the planet disintegrates or will be martyred in the great tribulation, remember even the smaller of the great things God has promised us (like a new body surpassing Superman’s). “Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.”[97] Walk in the steps of Jesus “who for the joy set before Him endured the cross.”[98] He knew that after temporal defeat a glorious eternal victory was coming.

            Our “ark” through this flood of catastrophes that is coming upon this earth is a place of safety and victory. It includes:

                        1.  Our salvation in Jesus

                        2.  God’s promises to us of the spiritual heaven where Jesus is enthroned and myriads of angels fly, Christian families live today, eternal life, and the resurrected body                           

                        3.  Biblical truths like knowing what happens to you and where you are going after death–giving great meaning to life–God’s will, word, and way for us whether we are in the body or “at home with the Lord.”[99] It includes sharing those truths with others to offer them hope.

                        4.  Building a practical ark, like Noah “for the salvation of his household.”

            Before that glorious day, before the second coming, even before “we fly away,” today, we must build another type of  “ark” as well; a temporal, practical ark in order to increase the probability of physical safety for our family, neighbors, church, and ourselves. We must get ready for the first four trumpets, bowls, and seals that are going to devastate this planet and eventually bring civilization to its knees.

            Noah prepared in practical ways. “By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household.” Jesus said, “The coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah [global collapse of civilization] . . . For this reason, you also must be ready.”[100]

Practical Preparation

            Let us begin with Location, Life-sustaining Resources, Material Needs, Social and Governmental Support Systems, and Spiritual Needs in Extreme Hardship. I’ll start. You finish. A brief definition and a few examples of each should ignite ideas, but they will be different for everyone. It will be up to you to investigate your location and situation, to brainstorm, to plan, and to build that ark for the coming global “flood,” for yourself, your children, or perhaps your grandchildren. [101]

Location        

            How are the first four trumpets, bowls, and seals going to affect you; where you live and what you can do to prepare? Here are a few examples to encourage us to start thinking seriously in these areas, if we have not already.

Fire Areas

            If you live in California, Australia, or other dry, fire prone areas, here are a few brain-storming ideas:

1. Monitor weather reports and fire-danger indexes on a regular basis.

2. Set up a telephone chain line for warnings among friends, church, and community. Be sure to look out for the more helpless people in your neighborhood. (What you do to them is what you do to Jesus (Matt 25:40-45).

3. Sell your house and rent.

4. Have bags or backpacks ready at all times.

5. Have escape routes with predetermined places to go, family plans for emergencies, survival, and relocation.

6. Back up computers, file important documents in several safe places, some far away.

7. Always carry first aid kits, water, food, tools, and other necessities in the car. Take first aid and CPR courses.

8. Take a course in urban and wilderness survival. If you have to drive long distances to get out of harm’s way, you might not end up where you expected.

9. Simplify the stuff in your life. The more you hoard, the more you lose. Put your time, treasures, and talents into things and plans that can go through “the fire.”[102]

10. Always have a Bible. (I carry a small zippered one with me at all times.) Let the living words of God speak to you wherever you go.[103]

Coastal Areas and Major Rivers

1. Refit “Fires”1 through 10 to apply to floods.

2. Be aware of what cities like Miami, London, and Tokyo are doing today (spending millions of dollars fighting off storm surges, rising tides, receding shorelines, and building up streets in ordinary neighborhoods where flooding from the ocean is occurring). They are learning that rising waters may not just come down the street, but flood sewer lines, make fields salty, or eat away underground rock and soil creating caverns and sinkholes. Study the history of Sandy, Katrina, and other extreme weather incidents to understand what can happen to you. (If you climb into the attic to get away from rising water, can you get out of that attic onto the roof? If your escape route is located on a flood plain with levees, do you have an alternate route?)

3. Take swimming lessons, buy life vests, buy a blow-up boat, buy wetsuits, carry a whistle in your purse or pocket. (Actually, young adults who are good at swimming can teach swimming, get into search and rescue, learn first aid and CPR, or get into police. Coast Guard or military organizations that have these specialties. It would be good to have one or more people in the family who are experts in the water. This will be a booming job market! So will carpentry, electricians, plumbing, . . . rebuilding after disasters as well as EMTs, nurses, and doctors.)

4. Have a few weeks to months supply full of food and fresh water in your house at all times.

5. Buy a life raft.

6. Other areas affected by the first four trumpets, bowls, and seals include the following. If you, family, or friends live in any of these areas or might end up there, analyze survival strategies like we did above.

[111]

Drought Areas

Hurricane Areas

Tornado Areas

Earthquake Areas

Blizzards

How much is air, land, water, or ocean pollution affecting you, your water, your food?

Urban Areas with Complicated Infrastructures, Crime, Heavy Pollution, Large Populations, and Limited Resources

Rural and Wilderness Areas with Limited Resources, Potential Exposure

Heat Wave and Water-Shortage Areas

A heat wave is defined as three or more days above 90°F in the shade. The survival rate is dependent on a number of factors. According to NOAA, heat waves are the most deadly of all extreme weather killing 130 people each year in the U.S.

Life-Sustaining Resources & Material Needs

       Survival can be measured in 3s to determine how fast you will die:

                        3 minutes without oxygen (water or fire can limit O2)

                        3 hours in extreme cold (without shelter or in water)

                        3 days without water

                        3 weeks without food

            When lost in the wilderness, “the first few decisions that you make will determine life or death,” according to my wilderness survival instructors.

            When stranded in the cold wilderness, the first thing you do is to build a shelter. In a fire or flood area, the first thing you do is evacuate. In a mega-drought area, sell your cattle. (The Southwest U.S. is now officially in a mega-drought.) In pollution areas with high rates of cancer in the population, move.       

            How vulnerable is the water, food, and energy (for heating or air-conditioning, cooking, and freezing food) in your area? What can “touch” it in your area? Earthquake, hurricane, tropical storm, flooding, migrant invasion, tornado, fires, energy blackouts? What can touch you? Lyme, locusts, covid-19, PCPs in water, polluted air leading to lung disease, mosquitoes, heat stoke, hypothermia?

            Maybe your area feels safe–New Englanders don’t worry about fires or floods, droughts or earthquakes. However, when central California burns and Florida drowns there go fresh fruits and vegetables for everyone. When American’s breadbasket is scorching in the day and sweltering at night, there go wheat and corn for everyone. When another ocean dead zone emerges, there go fish. (I can rarely afford beef in our stores, much less anything but swai.) What else are we depending on that is enmeshed in the global economy, global transportation, global food, and global communication that when another part of the world gets hit, we too will suffer?

            Do you or someone near you have a little land to grow your own food? Can you raise a few chickens in your backyard without the raccoons getting to them first? Do you have a store of peanut butter, vitamins, and water in the pantry to last you a month or more? (Peanut butter is close to the perfect food.)

            If this is not important to you, it may be for your children. Can they learn farming skills, survival skills, organizational skills for moving quickly and settling temporarily?

            Start brainstorming possible catastrophes and plans for survival by determining whether you will store up three weeks of food and water; have a small cabin or friends’/family home to take you in (make sure they have supplies); know FEMA emergency plans for your area; grow your own vegetables; save seeds; check out local churches, synagogues, mosques, schools, or libraries to see if they would welcome you in an emergency.           

            Carry life-sustaining supplies (food, water, medicine, first-aid, cool or heat rescue materials such as sleeping bags, tents, extra shoes and socks, matches, flashlights, hand warmers, etc.). P.S. Don’t forget a bottle of multivitamins.                              

Are You Ready for Life-and-Death Decisions and Actions?

            What if you don’t face months of slow starvation, but only have days or hours to make life-and-death decisions?

            I took a course on wilderness survival and more training on map, compass, and orienteering with first aid, CPR, and EMT. Eventually, I led rescue groups along side of police and rangers depending on what state I was in. This was a hobby. My supplies were condensed for carrying and considerable for survival and helping others. Everything from waterproof matches and a handful of dry fire-starting material to a camel pack for water, dry socks, dehydrated food, and safety pins to make a tent with a waterproof sheet . . . . I also trained dogs for search and rescue. One thing for certain–most people who died did not think in advance or prepare for a new environment. With global warming, environments everywhere are undergoing radical changes: In 2003, 70,000 died in Europe from a summer heat wave. In 2005, 1,833 died in Hurricane Katrina.

            If you drive away from a fire or flood, do you have what it takes to survive overnight, a fortnight, a month? If you run out of gas or were forced out of your car, could you survive on foot?

            Are all your bank records in that one little town? Spread them out.

            Do you have at least two cloth diapers for the baby–in case you need to use a stream for laundry? Professional SAR workers always bring along an extra pair of socks.

            I know at least one of you is smiling and thinking, “A credit card will do.”

            And I’m thinking back at you, “You still don’t understand the extent of destruction that Revelation and science agree is coming.”

            “Ahh,” you retort back, “not in my lifetime, not to me, not today.”

            “Wow,” I’m thinking back, “you must start reading the news. I have boxes of files with scores of categories how towns and cities are being wiped out, torn down, desolated, burned, shaken to bits, evacuated, plagued, poisoned, and polluted in an ever-increasing rate in our country and Canada (much less across continents . . . Australia is burning; Bangladesh is flooding), over the last few decades! And it is getting worse! I’ll bet most of those people said, ‘Not me . . . not today.’ Then that day came for them.

            And we haven’t even started on a global plague like Covid-19 with 76,000/day catching it and close to 1,000/day dying from it (7/20/20). What this plague does to health, families, churches, jobs, social structures, financial crises from individuals to the nation . . . is but a shadow (Luke 21:11) of the reality to come (Rev 15:1)–a tap on the shoulder, a wakeup call, a distant trumpet in the night sounding alarm of coming destruction at dawn.

            “By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household.”[104] Noah believed without seeing the storm clouds and he picked up a hammer. He prepared for one hundred years. We can see the storm clouds. Who believes? Answer: The one who has “a hammer” in his or her hand.

            Unfortunately, there are many false prophets who say, “Peace, peace, nothing will happen to us,” just like Hananiah said to the people against the words of Jeremiah.[105] God was not happy with him for he “made this people trust in a lie.” So “Hananiah the prophet died in the same year.” Jeremiah’s words from the Lord of the coming catastrophe came true–came into reality–just as God had forewarned; some listened and avoided much agony. Many were not prepared and suffered along with their families far, far worse because they did not believe God and get ready by doing what He said.

Social and Governmental Support Systems

            In the case of catastrophe (the new norm), what do you and your family, neighbors, town, and church need to do to survive? Can a couple of people or the whole family have group meetings to set up plans with backup contingencies? Has your town done this?

            Pastors, teachers, family leaders you should be leading the exodus; preparing your people to leave a life-style of comfort and be ready for a life-style focused on survival–if not for this generation, for the next. Teach them the Scripture and the science so they have knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. Help mobilize think-tanks, planning teams, support groups. Do courses—not only for your congregation, but for the town—on Red Cross First Aid, Orienteering, Urban and Wilderness Survival. Would you know what plants and bugs in the forest you could eat and what to avoid? Set up Bible or Christian history lectures and courses on what God’s people did to survive during great loss, stress, or challenges (David, Elijah, or Moses alone in the wilderness; intense prayer; Paul living through prison, lean times, or persecution).

            If you are leaving solutions to governments, you are cutting out 90% of your survival options when a natural disaster or unforeseen catastrophe occurs. Please look at what happened during Katrina and how many days it took FEMA (five days) to get water to rescue stations with thousands of people stranded. (I called 911 one time and they took 10 minutes with four phone transfers to figure out who to send to me. Later, I squawked about the delay! They revised the system across my state!)

            Can you form a committee in your church to start talking, brainstorming, planning? How about your community, your mayor, the politicians, your pastors, priests, and rabbis who are suppose to be protecting you? Do you have a nurse, a plumber, a carpenter, a fireman, a forest ranger in the congregation? How would you all help each other in a crisis? Do you have neighborhood watch? How about watching the weather? How about neighborhood search and rescue? Has anyone near you trained a dog to search for lost or wounded people? (The Massachusetts State Police helped me train my dog! They were fantastic!)

            Instead of playing charades at a church or birthday party, play “Survival.” One person stands up and presents a disaster scenario for their area. Two teams shoot out solutions–one solution at a time going back and forth. The teams with the most solutions (no matter how solid or silly, because brainstorming considers “crazy” ideas for extreme solutions to extreme situations) wins.

            For kids into Minecraft, have them help you brainstorm how to rebuild your living space for survival whether it be a shelter in the woods when you are on the run, a new home that can float on rising waters (like they do in Holland), a place to live underground in tornado alleys, or mobile homes in fire areas. Make a year plan (if the catastrophe hit this year), a five-year plan, a twenty-year plan . . . or how to get the next two generations ready (in case our generation does not see it).

         The power of music can teach some faster, better, and longer. I wrote a poem/song to teach children (and adults) about Revelation’s forewarnings of global disintegration. (“Revelation Rap” in New Posts. It’s free to use–my way of helping our kids and yours to understand and remember what God has said is coming.) Just like in the song found in the movies of “The Hunger Games,” strange things–extreme things, horrible things, things most will not expect or understand–are coming. However, they are also the prelude to the greatest event in modern history, the return of King Jesus.

            What technical or college education would help your child and family to survive his or her adulthood at the end of this world and the commencement of another without the blessings of God?

Spiritual Needs When in Extreme Hardship

            If your house burns to the ground, your town washes away, your food withers or water dwindles, you lose your job . . . meaning your life falls into extreme hardship, is your spiritual community ready? Are you ready for extremes, trials, tribulations, persecutions, and out-of-the-ballpark challenges?[106]

            Has the mother church been training pastors, teachers, helpers, rescuers, and preparing for small house churches? Do you have a Layman’s Seminary where solid doctrines at a seminary level are taught to men and women whose hearts are stirred by God so that they might serve in the house churches? Do you have underground railroads, Corrie-Ten-Boon secret rooms, a church with open doors to sleeping bags. Are you mobilizing all spiritual gifts in the power of the Holy Spirit?

            Have evangelists set up evangelism support groups to continue learning about the hundreds of alternative belief systems that have come into our country, how to reach them, witness to them, always praying for one another as they storm the front lines.

            When Bibles are burned, do you have a secret stash?

            When Bibles are outlawed, have you  memorized biblical stories, verses, and principles to continue spreading the Good News as the darkness descends, to protect yourself, your family, your friends, even strangers with the truth of what God is doing? Can you give real hope, show extraordinary courage, and keep loving even those who betray you–neighbors who take the implant to buy or sell, church leaders who lead an apostate church, or family members who sell you out?

            Do elders in your church greet you by name in church with caring conversation, visit you, call you, care for you, protect you, pray with you and for you regularly, ask you what your spiritual gifts are and try to set you up for success in a ministry, even now, while the tree is still green? Do they treat you like Jesus treated His disciples? If they don’t now, what will happen when the tree is burning? (Luke 23:31; Rev 8:7)        

            Keep a small Bible with you at all times. Pray at all times. Meet regularly with even one other believer (like Jeremiah and Baruch; Jer 36:26).

            Remember the great truths God gives you. Practice the truth. It will cost, but follow in the footsteps of Jesus who declared to His enemy, Pilate, “I have come into the world to testify to the truth.”[107] He died for the truth. Do we love the truth more than our lives? our jobs? our popularity, prestige, or personal gain? Have we studied God’s words to prepare us for such times to stand in the truth?

Psa 46:1-2       God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea . . . the nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered . . . the Lord of hosts is with us. Come, behold the works of the Lord, who has wrought desolations in the earth.

Isa 24 Behold, the Lord lays the earth waste, devastates it, distorts its surface, and scatters its inhabitants. . . . The world fades and withers, the exalted of the people of the earth fade away. . . . a curse devours the earth, and those who live in it are held guilty. Therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left.

Rev 16:19 The cities of the nations fell.

Rev 6:15-17 The kings of the earth . . . (and all their people great and small) hid in caves.

Heb 11:7         By faith  Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world.

Matt 24:37,      For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah 44 . . . For this reason you also must be ready.

           God’s judgment is spreading fast. And everyone, including Jews and Christians, rich and poor, young and old, are in its path because the Revelation of Jesus is global. He has forewarned anyone who reads His words in Revelation. You cannot stop the prophecies of Scripture and the predictions of science, so ‘You must be ready!’ to minimize the harm to those you love and to yourself. It is the difference between dancing on the Titanic and building an ark.

            Noah had a hundred years to prepare for global judgment. We have less.

NOAH NOW!

Summary

1. Are you saved in Jesus?

2. Are your friends and family saved in Jesus?

3. Are you and those you love prepared for death, no matter when it comes, with great hope in God and all He has and is doing for you, hope in heaven, and even in a fantastic new super body? If this temporal body faces fire, flood, earthquake, extreme wind, or murder, can you make the transition from earth to heaven singing praises to God for the joy He has set before you? (You might want to get your song ready. When heavy crisis hits, I usually regress to “Jesus Loves Me This I Know.”)

4. The first four trumpets, bowls, and horsemen of Revelation are going to bring worldwide judgment; the global collapse of civilization. Governments will disintegrate and kings will hide in caves (Rev 6:12-17). How will your area be hit? Are you ready? How will the fall of distant areas affect you? If central California goes up in flames or down in floods, so will a quarter of U.S. vegetables and fruits. When more ocean dead zones appear, more fish will disappear. When the Amazon forest is gone, and the Antichrist returns, will you be ready to see Jesus?

Revelation is now–we must be ready!


The Second Coming of Jesus Christ [109]

                [1] A  pact of all nations under the leadership of one man, the Antichrist.

                [2] Rev 13:7-8, The beast will have authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation and everyone not chosen by God will worship him. Rev 16:13-14, Yet, the beast must use demons to convince the kings of the earth to go to war with Him against Jesus Christ ruling over Israel from Jerusalem. So he is not a world dictator, but so powerful in persuasion and deception that the world will agree.

                [3] Rev 13:4, “Who is able to wage war with him?” This is a rhetorical question. If any nations rebels against him (such as Israel under the rule of Jesus Christ), he will turn the other nations against the rebel. No one dares to defy  him, except Jesus. He turns the most powerful against Jesus (Rev17:12-14; 16:13-16). Rev 13:17-18, No one can buy or sell without 666–global economy has been consolidated.

                [4] Rev 16:19, “The cities of the nations fell.” Rev 6:15, The kings  hid in caves (governments dissolved).

                [5] Rev 16:8-9 is the fourth bowl declaring that humankind (Revelation is global) will be scorched with fierce heat.

                [6]  Neela Banerjee, “U.S. Intelligence Officials Warn Climate Change Is a Worldwide Threat,” January 30, 2019. “Retrieved from https://insideclimatenews.org/30012019/worldwide-threat-assessment-climate-change-intelligence-agenies-national-security.

                [7] “Climate change could pose ‘existential threat’ to humanity by 2050.” Retrieved from https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather-topstories-climate-change-ccould-end-human-civilization-by-2050-according-to-thingk-tank-report/ar-AACokQ3?ocid=spartandhp.

                [8] James Hansen, “Storms of My Grandchildren: The Truth About the Coming Climate Catastrophe and Our Last Chance to Save Humanity,” (New York: Bloomsbury, 2009). Dr. Hansen is NASA’s best-known scientist for testifying before Congress in the 1980s about the coming danger of global warming. Washington Associated Press, Seth Borenstein, AP Science W, “Fever chart: Earth had its hottest decade on record in 2010s.” Retrieved on 1/15/2020 at https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/fever-chart-earth-had-its-hottest-decade-on-record-in-2010s/.

                [9] Rev 6:12-17, the sixth seal. Rev 16: 17-21, the seventh bowl. Rom1:24-32, God stops hindering evil and allows us to destroy ourselves in sin. In Revelation 14:7, His judgment on this earth is both passive and active.

                [10] A.k.a. the beast of Revelation (Rev 13); the Antichrist of 1 John 2:18, 22; 4:3; the son of destruction and man of lawlessness in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, the fourth beast of Daniel 7:7, 19. Like Jesus, he has many names.

                [11] Rev 13:4, The beast will stop the wars. Rev 13:17-18, The beast will unite the world economically stopping the famines. Only those with his mark can join his club for survival.

                [12] Rev 13:7; 11:7.

                [13] Rev 13:8.

            [13A] Rev 17:10-11, 14; 13:1. The Antichrist comes “out of the sea” means “out of the sea of humanity”–he is human–since “sea” often means symbolically “peoples” (Rev 17:15). He received a mortal wound to the head that killed him (Rev 13:3). He went down to the abyss, the lowest part of hell. He was dead and rose again: He “was, is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss” (a copy cat of the resurrected Christ who was on earth, is not on earth at this time, and will come again (Rev 17:8-11)). Note that Satan sometimes petitions God for a “level playing field,” and God sometimes gives it to him (Job 1:9-12). The Antichrist also comes “out of the abyss” meaning out of the lowest part of hell (Rev 11:7). People were absolutely amazed that the head wound that killed him healed; he died and came back to life–he was not and now is– (Rev 13:3). This means that between his “first coming” and his “second coming” new generations recognized him. There had to be a lot of photos of him. The only man in history among a few that could fit that description (ruling one of the previous 7 empires for only a few years (Rev 17:10), tried to destroy God’s people (6 million!) and later all the saints from every nation (Rev 13:7); was killed with a head wound, (certainly went down to hell), comes back to life to rule the 8th empire during the return of Jesus Christ, and is recognized by the masses (lots of photos) — is Hitler. Whether Hitler is THE Antichrist, just one of many antichrists, or an antitype (like John the Baptist was of Elijah) remains to be seen.

                If Hitler was to be the Antichrist, what might he look like? Would he have a new hairdo or different facial hair but still be recognizable? Here are three doctored photos and the original posted all over Germany in 1945 by the United States Secret Service in case he was still alive after the war. (Found on Wikimedia Commons, public domain, “Hitler without a mustache”)

The final proof is (1) whoever we suspect must fit every detail about the Antichrist given across the Bible and (2) when he appears, it will be obvious: “the whole earth was amazed [that he was alive again] and followed the beast,” (Rev 13:3).

                [14] Rev 14:7, “Fear God . . . because the hour of His judgment has come; worship Him who made the (skies), the earth, the sea, and the springs of waters.”

                [15] A.k.a. the beast of Revelation, the Antichrist of 1 John, the son of destruction in Thessalonians, the fourth beast of Daniel. Like Jesus, he has many names.

                [16] Rev 13:7, 1 (blasphemous names against God).

                [17] 1 Thess 3:13; Mark 13:24-29; Matt 24:29-31; 1 Thess 4:17; 1 Cor 15:51-54, 2 Thess 2:1; Rev 1:7.

                [18] “Fallen asleep” is a metaphor for “people who died on earth.” The saints are alive and awake in heaven–the heavenly Jerusalem with myriads of angels (Heb 12:21-23) where believers receive the following: made perfect (Heb 12:21-23); citizenship in heaven (Phil 3:20); rewards in heaven (Matt 5:11-12); treasures in heaven (Matt 6:20; Mark 10:21); alive and conscious in heaven (2 Cor 12:2-4; Rev 6:9-10); hope laid up for you in heaven (Col 1:5); family in heaven (Eph 3:15); inheritance in heaven (1 Pet 1:3-5). As the Catholics misinterpreted “this is my body” making communion bread literal instead of figurative, the doctrine of soul sleep misinterprets metaphorical verses as literal. Why? Because both hyperliteral interpretations (the bread is Jesus’ body and the dead Christian is in a coma ward someplace–either still in corpse or up in heaven) and contradict too many other clear, direct verses on the subject. There is not one verse in the Bible that says the “soul sleeps.” Jesus said that metaphorical sleep represented a dead physical body (John 11:11-14), not a sleeping soul. John Calvin wrote a treatise against soul sleep. Simply Google “John Calvin” and “soul sleep” to read his arguments against this view.

                [19] Rev 11:17-18, “You . . . have begun to reign. And the nations were enraged, and Your wrath came.” Rev 16, the bowls of wrath.

                [20] 1 John 4:7-16; John 3:16.

                [21] 1 Cor 8:1.

                [22] Rev 4:8; 1 John 1:5, “God is light.”

                [23] 1 Cor 8:1. Edification of a person or people involves building up through His beautiful laws (like don’t steal, don’t kidnap, don’t murder, etc.) and tearing down lawless destruction (like stealing, kidnapping, murdering, etc.) Justice–based on a foundation of truth and law–encourages good and discourages evil. Sin is lawlessness (1 John 3:4).

                [24] Gal 5:14.

                [25] 1 Cor 8:1.

                [26] 1 John 3:4.

                [27] Rom 3:23; 5:12; 1 John 3:5; 2 Cor 5:21.  

                [28] John 1:1, 14.

                [29] John 1:14.

                [30] Rom 6:23.

                [31] Heb 9:27; Rev 20:14-15. The resurrected body of the wicked also burns (John 5:29).                                   

                [32] 1 Cor 15:3-4; John 1:29, 36.

                [33] John 14:6.

                [34] John 11:25-26.

                [35] 2 Cor 5:6, Heb 12:22-24, Absent from the body is to be at home with the Lord in the heavenly Jerusalem with the myriads of angels and the church. 1 Cor 15:44, the spiritual body.

                [36] Psa 90:10; Eccl 12:7.

                [37] Heb 9:27; Rom 14:10; 2 Cor 5:10; Matt 25:32, 46.

                [38] Matt 11:23; Luke 16:23; Rev 1:18; Rev 20:14 (Hades and the lake of fire are different. The lake of fire is the final destruction according to Matt 10:28.)

                [39] Rev 20:12-15.

                [40] John 3:36; 1 John 5:11-12; Phil 3:20; Rom 6:19-23.

                [41] 1 Cor 15:3; 1 Pet 2:24; 3:18; John 1:29; Eph 4:9-10.

                [42] 1 John 1:7; 1 Cor 3:16.

                [43] Eph 2:10; Phil 1:6; Rom 8:29.

                [44] Heb 12:23.

                [45] Matt 25:31; 24:29-31; Mark 13:24-27; 1 Thess 3:13; 4:13-17. The word “asleep” is metaphorical for “those who died on earth but are awake in heaven.”

                [46] Psa 90:10; 2 Cor 5:1-4.

                [47] 1 Cor 15:44, 48, “Also” is the key word. First there is a natural (physical) body, then a spiritual body is added to it, so that we have two in one. Then–like Jesus–we are able to exist and interact in both the spiritual realm of heaven and the physical realm of earth.

                [48] 1 Cor 15:40-58.

                [49] 1 Cor 15:57-58; Matt 5:16; Rev 15:4. 

                [50] Acts 16:30-31.

                [51] Mark 1:1.

                [52] Rom 5:6-10.

                [53] Phil 3:20.

                [54] 2 Pet 3:10. David Appell, “The Sun Will Eventually Engulf Earth–Maybe,” Scientific American, August 18,2008. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-sun-will-eventually-enjulf-earth-maybe/ 

                [55] Isa 40:22; Psa 104:2; 2 Pet 3:10-12; The rate of expansion was precisely determined by NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope and published in October 2012. Credit: NASA/JPL–Caltech. “Space itself is pulling apart at the seams, expanding at a rate of 74.3 plus or minus 2.1 kilometers (46.2 miles plus or minus 1.3 miles) per second per megaparsec (a megaparsec is roughly 3 million light-years.) . . . And it’s getting faster all the time.” That is a speed of 283,320 mph in all directions; or about 6,800,000 miles per day (24 hours). Clara Moskowitz, SPACE.com Assistant Managing Editor, “Speed of Universe’s Expansion Measured Better Than Ever, October 3, 2012. www.space.com/17884-universe-expansion-speed-hubble-constant.html. C.f. “Fate of the Universe,” Hubblesite. http://hubblesite.org/hubble_discoveries/dark_energy/de-fate_of_the_universe.php. 

                [56] Isa 65:17; 66:22; 2 Pet 3:13; Rev 21:1.

                [57] 2 Cor 5:6-9. “Cross (Representing Jesus) in the Clouds (Representing Heaven)” Image by Jeff Jacobs from Pixabay.

                [58] Luke 16:27-28, The rich man who went to Hades, begged that none of his family would follow him.

                [59] Luke 16:22-31.

                [60] Luke 16:22-31, The man in Hades did not want anyone he knew to go there, it was so horrifying. Isa 14:10, In Hades (Sheol in the Hebrew) even the greatest sink into abysmal weakness. Those who go to heaven will eventually receive a new body “raised in power.” When you try to imagine power, think of God’s example of strength given in Samson, then multiply that strength. Matt 5:22, 29-30; 10:28; Mark 9:43-50; Luke 12:5.

                [61] Isa 14:10; Luke 16:22-31.

                [62]  Eph 1:4, “God chose us in Him before the foundation of the world,” but like Lazarus whom Jesus resuscitated from death (John 11), the person often needs a calling (“Lazarus, come forth”) to get him off the slab. Evangelism is that calling. The rebirth is all God’s work (John 3).

                [63] Matt 7:13-14;  John 10:1-9; 14:6.

                [64] Lev 19:2; Matt 5:48.

                [65] Rom 3:23; 6:23.

            [65A] Rom 6:23.

                [66] 2 Cor 5:6-9.

                [67] Col 1:5.

                [68] John 3:16.

                [69] John 11:1-44; Luke 7:11-17.

                [70] John 2:19-22.

                [71] Heb 12:2.

                [72] 1 Thess 4:15-17, “We who are alive [on earth] and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep [“asleep” is metaphorical for physical death, as in John 11:11-14. But the Christian (aka the soul in a spiritual body, 1 Cor 15:44) is alive and awake in heaven)]. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ [coming from heaven] will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air [the rapture].” 2 Thess 2:1-4, “The coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him.” 1 Thess 3:13, “At the coming of our Lord Jesus will all His saints.”

                [73] Isa 13:10-12, Sun, moon, and starts symbolize God punishing “the world for its evil . . . I will make mortal man scarcer than pure gold.”

                [74] “Elect” is defined by Rom 8:33; Luke 18:7; Matt 24:22-31 all referring to Christians from any nation.

                [75] Mark 13:24-27; Matt 24:29-31.

                [76] Rev 6:8-9; 7:9; 8:11; 9:15, 18.  

                [77] Matt 24 and Mark 13.

                [78] Mountains will fall. Oceans will rise. Cities will be wiped off the map. The earth will be laid waste. Manmade governments will cease to exist. (Isa 24; Rev 16:18-20; 6:15-16) 

                [79] 1 Cor 15:35-57; 2 Cor 5:1-9.

                [80] Phil 3:21; 1 Cor 15:35-57; 2 Cor 5:1-9.

                [81] Matt 24:30; Mark 13:26.

                [82] Luke 24:31, “They recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight.”

                [83] Phil 3:21; 1 Cor 15:35-57; 2 Cor 5:1-9.

                [84] Larry Tye, Superman: The High-Flying History of America’s Most Enduring Hero, book summary published in “Five Things You Never Knew About Superman,” (Washington, D.C.: The Magazine AARP, June/July 2013) 10. 

                [85]Ibid. 

                [86] Psa 90:10.

                [87] 1 Kgs 18:44-46.

                [88] 2 Kgs 6:17.

                [89] 1 Sam 3:2-19.

                [90] Spiritual ears (1 Sam 3:8-10); spiritual eyes (2 Kgs 6:17; incredible strength (Jdgs 13:24; 14:5-6; 1 Kgs 18:42-46; flight (Psa 90:10; Matt 14:25, 29; 24:30; Mark 13:26; 1 Thess 3:13; 4:14, 17; 1 John 3:2).

                [91] Phil 3:21; 1 Cor 15:35-57; 2 Cor 5:1-9. 

                [92] Eccl 3:11.

                [93] Psa 90:6; 37:2.

                [94] Isa 14:9-10,  “Sheol from beneath is excited over you to meet you when you come; it arouses for you the spirits of the dead, all the leaders of the earth; it raises all the kings of the nations from their thrones. They will all respond and say to you, ‘Even you have been made weak as we, you have become like us.'”

                [95] Rom 8:37, KJV.

                [96] 1 Sam 13:14; Psa 119:97; Heb 8:10; Rom 2:15. In God’s heart are His values, His thinking, who He is in His character which emanate into His laws. To love God is to love His laws (John 14:15). To obey His laws is to love and edify others (Gal 5:14). Ezek 11:19.

                [97] Col 3:2.

                [98] Heb 12:2; 1 Pet 2:21.

                [99] 2 Cor 5:6-9.

                [100] Heb 11:7; Matt 24:37-44.

                [101] “Flood” is metaphorical for a global holocaust caused by the Abomination of Desolation (the man of lawlessness, son of destruction, Antichrist, beast of Revelation). Dan 9:26-27, “Its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined.”

                [102] Matt 6:19-21. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth.”

                [103] Heb 4:12. “The word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword.”

                [104] Heb 11:7.

                [105] Jer 28.

                [106] Mark 13:24-27; Matt 24:29-31; 1 Thess 4:16-17.

                [107] John 18:37.

                [108] “The Ark” by Jeff Jacobs on Pixabay.

                [109] “The Second Coming of Jesus Christ” by pixundfertig on Pixabay.

               [110] Official portrait of the Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, March 10, 2017. Found on Wikimedia Commons.

               [111] “Children Running from Fire” Image by Ria Sopala from Pixabay. “Three Cars in a Flood” Bingley Floods, Bingley, Bradford, UK by Chris Gallagher (@chriswebdog) from Unsplash.com. “Tornado” in Wyoming, U.S. by Nikolas Noonan on Unsplash.com. “The Curse of Heat and Drought” by Tumius on Pixabay: climate change, drought, environment, desert. “Apocalypse; Industry” Image by icheinfach from Pixabay

               [112] “Praying Boy with Bible” Image by StockSnap from Pixabay