In September, I posted an excerpt from a chapter in a book I am working on: A Warning to The Church, Israel, and The World. This post is another excerpt from that same chapter.
“For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short” (Mathew 24:21-22, ESV).
Israel
As said: Jesus prophesied specifically to the nation of Israel in Matthew 24:9-31, after giving them warning in Matthew 24:6-7 what it would be like leading up to the beginning of their 70th week period. Some of the tribulations Israel will face during their 70th week will be severe persecution by the Antichrist, the global leader. At the beginning the global leader will allow Israel to build a third temple (Rev. 11:1-2), and the Jews will be allowed to resume temple sacrifice (Dan. 9:27b; 12:11). The act of allowing the Jews to build their 3rd temple by the global leader will convince many Jews that he is their ally, even believing he is from God (Jn. 5:43). But in the middle of their 70th week the Antichrist will turn on the Jews after Satan and his angels are cast out of the heavenly realm to the earth (Rev. 12:9, 13). This is about the same time the Antichrist defiles the 3rd temple (Dan. 9:27c; Matt. 24:15; Mk. 13:14). It is recorded in the Gospels that Jesus warns the Jews to head to the mountains (Matt. 24:16; Mk. 13:14b; Lk. 21:21)—it is believed by some that Jesus was referring to the hills in Jordan. It is prophesied that God will have a place of refuge prepared for the Jews who heed his warning (Rev. 12:6, 14b)—this protection will last until the last day of the Tribulation Period; 1,260 days. It will be very stressful for the Jews during this time. When it is time for the remnant of Israel to escape the Antichrist’s government, they must go quickly. Jesus warns them not to try to salvage any of their belongings (Mat. 24:17-18; Mk. 13:15-16). The pregnant women and those who will be nursing their infants will be in misery during this exodus (Matt. 24:19). The tribulation the Jews will experience once the global leader turns on them will be greater than any hardship they have ever experienced (Matt. 24:21). Even Gentiles during those days will experience tribulation like never before. But for the sake of the remnant Jews, God will limit the time of this enormous tribulation (Matt. 24:22; Mk. 13:20; Rom. 11:26-31; Isa. 65:8-9; Zech. 13:8).
Hatred for Jews is common. The reader knows what happened to the
European Jews during World War II. Between the years 1941 to 1945 Hitler systematically killed
about 6 million Jews.[1]
More recently, since the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre,[2]
hatred for the Jews in the West has increased. But once the Antichrist forces
the Arabs to sign a covenant with Israel the hatred for them will be even
more. Because it is known that Israel is God’s chosen people, his treasured
possession, the world (pagans) along with the people from a certain religion
(Islam) will persecute the Jews and kill them (Matt. 24:9; Mk. 13:13a). Many
Jews during the Tribulation Period will renounce their Judaism and turn their
back on one another. They will betray each other because of the persecution
they will experience during this time (Matt. 24:10). Their love for one another
will be tested, many will fail (Matt. 24:12). But the remnant Jews will not
turn their back on their brothers or God, and they will be saved when Jesus
returns at the end of Israel’s 70th week (Matt. 24:13; 10:22; Mk.
13:13b; Rev. 19:11-14).
When Israel flees the persecution of the Antichrist after he defiles the
3rd temple, God will get them to the place of refuge by: αἱ δύο πτέρυγες
τοῦ ἀετοῦ (ai dýo ptéryges toú aetoú) “the two wings of the eagle” (Rev.
12:14a, mGNT). Is this an allusion to military cargo planes? Or is it an
indirect reference to a mighty miracle of God? How Israel will be delivered
from the Antichrist and his government during this time, sounds similar to how
Yahweh said he delivered their ancestors from Egypt; he carried them on eagles’
wings (Ex. 19:4). Maybe the Lord will send an army of angels to assemble the Jews
and lead them to the place in the desert that he will have prepared for them.
Similar to how Moses led them out of Egypt to the wilderness of Sinai. This
could be why when Satan tries to stop the Jews from fleeing the global
government's persecution they still get to their place of refuge (Rev.
12:15-16).
Before the 70th week of Israel/Tribulation
Period begins, the body of Christ will be miraculously snatched out of the
world and taken into eternity. However, Scripture does not reveal how much time
there will be between these two events. However, Scripture does make it clear
that the church is in heaven before the endtimes wrath of God begins (Lk. 21:34-36;
Rom.2:5-8; 5:9; Eph.5:3-7; Col.3:3-6; 1Thess.1:10; 5:9; Rev.3:10)—the 70th
week of Israel/Tribulation Period is referred to the wrath of God and of the Lamb
(Matt. 3:7; Lk. 3:7; 1 Thess. 1:10; 5:9; Rev. 6:16-17; 12:12; 14:10). In the
Prophets, the wrath of Yahweh sometimes is used to indicate Israel’s 70th
week (Zep. 1:7-18; 2:2; 3:8; Joel 3:2; Jer. 30:4-24; Isa. 13:6-13; Dan. 12:1).
Revelation 4:1-2 is a symbolic reference to
the rapture of the church. In these verses, the calling up of the apostle John
into heaven is symbolic of when the church is called up to meet the Lord in
the air (1 Thess. 4:16-17). John represents the body of Christ at the end of
the church’s salvation process—the proceeding work of salvation in the body of
Christ has an appointed day of completion, which is the day of the rapture
(Phil. 1:6; 1 Thess. 5:23). Revelation chapters 4-5, is allusive to the church
being in heaven right after being raptured. The Revelation indicates that the
church is raptured before the Tribulation Period begins (Rev. 6 - 19).
Revelation 6:1-2 insinuates that with the
opening of the first seal, the 70th week of Israel/ 7-year
Tribulation Period begins. However, some teachers do not believe this. Some
believe it begins, with the opening of the fourth seal (Rev. 6:7-8). I am convinced of the former rather than the latter. However, both views teach that the
Antichrist’s forced covenant (Dan.9:26b -27a) begins Israel’s 70th
week. Some that teach the latter view believe that Revelation 6:1-6 happens between
the rapture and the beginning of the 70th week of Israel. I do not. Therefore, I contend that the 7 years of God’s wrath are revealed
from, Revelation 6:1-19:21. And the body of Christ is in the eternal realm
throughout this time; until the last day.
The church is mentioned approximately nineteen
times in the Book of Revelation, all in the first three chapters—before chapter
four shows the church in the eternal realm. Not once does Revelation mention
the church in the chapters dedicated to the 7-year Tribulation; except the last
day. The Revelation makes references to the saints (about 12 times). But these
saints are both Jews and Gentiles who will repent of their sins and be martyred
during the 7-year Tribulation (Rev. 6:9-11; 7:9-10, 13-17). The bride of the
Lamb (the body of Christ), is mentioned allusively in heaven during the
Tribulation period (Rev. 19:1-10). Revelation 19:14 implies, that on the last
day of the Tribulation Period, the body of Christ comes out of the heavenly
realms with Jesus and his Holy angels to defeat the Antichrist and his
government—the body of Christ are those: ἵπποις λευκοῖς ἐνδεδυμένοι βύσσινον
λευκὸν καθαρόν (íppois lefkoís endedyménoi výssinon lefkón katharón) “white men
clothed in pure crimson white” (Rev. 19:14b, mGNT).
There is mention of another group of saints
who will be attacked by Satan after his 1,000-year captivity is over (Rev.
20:7-9). These saints are the remnant Jews who will be redeemed at their
Messiah’s 2nd appearance. They will live dedicated lives to God
during the Millennial Reign of Christ. The saints who will be martyred during
the Tribulation and then be resurrected after that period is over, after Satan
is cast into the ἄβυσσος (ávyssos) “abyss” for 1,000 years (Rev. 20:1-3), will also
reign with Jesus during his Millennial Reign (Rev. 20:4-6). They too will be
among the Revelation 20:9 saints. There will also be many people born during the
Millennial Reign who will be among the number of Revelation 20:9 saints.
As said: It could be days, or weeks before
the Tribulation Period begins once the church is raptured. Some believe there
could be as much as two years between the two events. But I am not convinced it will take that long. What we witnessed during the 2020 lockdowns reveals that
the global government can take control of nations quickly. The establishment of
the Antichrist government has progressed since 2020. They saw how easily much
of Western society complied with its mandates. The globalist plan is to have
complete control of the West by 2030.[3]
While the events of Matthew 24:4-8 have been
occurring in the endtimes, the Spirit of the Lord is preparing the church of
Jesus Christ to be raptured. The Spirit of God has been preparing the body of
Christ throughout the age of grace to become a glorious church, having no spots
or wrinkles or anything like that (Eph. 5:27b). However, since the year of
Israel’s renewed statehood, he has been preparing the Father’s children who will
experience the rapture while still living in earthly bodies to be caught up to
meet Jesus in the air. The followers of Jesus Christ, before Israel’s renewed
statehood, would not have been focused on the rapture as much as the endtimes
church. Because, before Israel’s renewed sovereignty it was not the season for
the rapture to occur. But then in 1948, Israel’s renewed statehood changed all
that. This did not mean that the church prior was not to be ἁγία καὶ ἄμωμος (agía
kaí ámomos) “holy and innocent” (Eph. 5: 27c, TR). But because it was not the
season for the rapture before Israel’s renewed statehood, nor was it the season
for the 7-year Tribulation and the 2nd coming of Christ, the Spirit
of God would not have instructed the leaders of the church to teach these
doctrines as urgently as he does at this time. Some leaders obey the
instruction of the Holy Spirit, but many others do not. The latter teaches what
they desire, the former teaches what the Holy Spirit desires. The reason why
many leaders of the church refuse to preach and teach about endtimes prophecy
varies. Some refuse because they cannot comprehend it—they have no interest in
studying it therefore they cannot understand it. Some are afraid to teach eschatology
because they think they will look like fools if they get it wrong—pride comes
before a fall. Most leaders in today’s church willfully choose to ignore the
Spirit of the Lord. Because they choose to ignore the Spirit of God their eyes
cannot see and their ears cannot hear what the Spirit is saying. The Lord Jesus
commanded: “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to
the churches” (Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22, CSB).
Are Those Asleep Concerned?
I wonder: Are those asleep in Christ concerned about what day the rapture
will happen? Have you ever thought about that? The dead-in-Christ are in the ἐπουρανίοις
(epouraníois) “heavenly” [places] where Jesus is (2 Cor. 5:6-8; Phil. 1:23). However,
they are in the epouraníois [realm] only in spirit and soul, whereas Jesus is there
in spirit, soul, and body. When he was resurrected, his spirit went back into
his earthly body and he then spent 40 days with his apostles and more than 500
others (Lk. 24:39-43; Jn. 20:19-20; 1 Cor. 15:3-8). The church in heaven has an
earthly body that is dead/decomposed somewhere in this world. Since their
earthly body is not glorified yet they are naked. Not naked in the worldly sense, but naked in that they are not yet appareled with their heavenly
body. The church in heaven will not receive its spiritual body until the day of
the rapture.
Some Christians who have passed away since Israel’s statehood was renewed
(1948) had been directed by the Spirit of God to study endtimes prophecy.
Because of their studies and increasing devotion to God, they could discern the
times they lived. They could discern the shift in the spiritual realm that has
affected life on Earth. From 1948 until the day they passed away, they saw how
evil was increasing. They also increasingly sensed the coming of the Lord Jesus
within their spirit which would have been confirmed by the Spirit of God whom
they were sealed with—because they were listening. Day after day their spirits
would have groaned inwardly waiting for the redemption of their bodies (Rom.
8:23). They knew that this was the generation he would come for his church
because of their study in endtimes prophecy. Some prayed diligently for Jesus
to come and rapture the church but they died before they experienced this glorious
event—the redemption of their body. They did not know the day it would happen
but knew it was the season.
Time is Different
The body of Christ in heaven is in a place where time is measured
differently than it is on the earth. The apostle Peter said: “Dear friends,
don’t overlook this one fact: With the Lord one day is like a thousand years,
and a thousand years like one day” (2 Pet. 3:8, CSB). Therefore, you can figure
that as every 1,000 years go by on the earth only one day has gone by in
heaven. That would mean the apostles have been in heaven for less than two days
according to eternal time—less than 48 earth hours. That would also mean that
any believer who has passed away since the year Israel’s state was renewed has
only been in heaven for just minutes. Maybe just seconds. Maybe just
milliseconds. My calculation may be far off, but you get my point. Since 1948,
the dead-in-Christ would feel like they have been in heaven for only
milliseconds to minutes while we who are alive have experienced up to 76 years
of earth time.[4]
So, since the apostles and the rest of the dead-in-Christ have had only milliseconds
to two days of eternal time in heaven I wonder if they give any thought to the
body of Christ still on the earth. Or have their eternal surroundings outshined us still here on earth?
On Earth, we usually focus on time in one way or another. I confess that
I do. I always wonder what time it is. The time on my clock always has to be
accurate. If it is not, I fix it. Did you know that God wants his church to
focus on the rapture? He wants us to focus on the day of the rapture even
though he does not reveal the day it will happen. He wants the church to pay
attention to the signs so that we are always watching, awake, and alert (Matt.
24:42; 25:13). He wants the church to be ready for the rapture because Jesus is
coming at an hour that we do not expect (Matt. 24:44; 25:10). He reveals the
generation the rapture of the body of Christ will occur but not the day or
hour. As you have read in my book, this is the generation the church will be
raptured. Then Israel’s 70th week will follow, and then Christ’s 2nd
appearance. Therefore, the rapture should be something those of us who are
still on the earth eagerly focus on with great expectation (Rom. 8:23; Gal.
5:5; 2 Tim. 4:8; Heb. 9:28). The church is also expected to warn the people of
the world that the rapture is near, to explain what will happen once the church
is extracted out of the earth so they can have the opportunity to escape the
Tribulation and the Antichrist rule. Since 2020, the world has been plunged
into the Global government agenda like never before. No President, or Prime Minister,
with the right intentions, can stop the elites and their Global agenda, because
Satan and his angels are the puppet masters. What is written in the Book of
Revelation will happen.
Evidence
Jesus tells the church that it cannot know the actual day and hour when the
rapture will happen. But he does reveal the season. God has wisely chosen a day
when the process of salvation will be completed in the body of Christ and he
prefers not to disclose it. Jesus said that only God his Father knows what day
the rapture will occur—I will explain this more below. He also stated that the angels
do not know what day it will be. This means that even the fallen angels do not
know the exact day and hour. There is a good reason for making this knowledge a
mystery. If Satan and his angels were allowed to know what the day the rapture will
occur then their effort to obstruct the church and also the world would be more
tactical. They would be able to strategize their deception differently. As it
is, they only know the season the rapture will occur just like the Christians
who study endtimes prophecy. Satan’s focus on the church is astute, but his
strategy is limited because he does not know the exact day the church will be snatched
out of this world. Therefore, the evil one’s sabotage endtimes doctrine. Sabotaging
this truth is a major part of their agenda in this generation. Seducing spirits
are released to confuse the church. Not only to turn Christians away from faith
in Christ but also to doubt the rapture. Evil spirits also hide the
significance of this extraction from many Christians. The reason for the rapture is the
body of Christ has its salvation complete. Some Christians give the impression
that they choose to live in their earthly body forever. Not me, brother! I want
to be clothed in my heavenly body today.
If the seduced believe there is a rapture, they doubt it will happen in
this generation. And as many of you know, Jesus prophesied it would (Matt.
24:32-25). Evil spirits have convinced many in the church that believers who
talk about the rapture should be shunned. The seduced choose to distance
themselves from the truth about endtimes prophecy and avoid and even reject the
believers who share it. Seducing spirits lead many leaders astray, convincing them
to teach doctrine that contradicts endtimes prophetic Scripture. The truth of
endtimes prophecy is taught in some churches, but in most a false doctrine of
the church defeating darkness is taught. This theology is that once the church
has defeated darkness through revival, Jesus can come to the earth. This false
teaching is leading many of its hearers into error. The seduced in the pews do not
understand that they are hearing and accepting false doctrine because they are
not serious about Scripture. They have adopted feel-good messages. If it feels
good it must be true. Scripture does not play a role in what many in the church
believe. The seduced that teach from the pulpit have personal agendas therefore
the truth has been hidden from them.
Some translations of Matthew 24:36 say that the Son of God does not know
the day or hour the rapture will happen. And some translations of this
Scripture do not. Some have the footnote: “Some manuscripts omit nor the Son.” Many
more translations of Mark 13:32 say that the Son of God does not know the day
and hour than Matthew’s record. In all the translations of Mark that I looked at,
I did not see the footnote that omits “nor the Son.” I do not know the reason for that. Some Greek
translations record that the son of God does not know the day and hour in both
Matthew and Mark, therefore this could be why some English translations have
followed suit. However, the Textus Receptus (TR)[5]
does not record this statement in Matthew’s record. The Amplified Bible (AMP)
reads: “Nor the Son [in His humanity],” which would be a more logical and correct
way of understanding this statement.
The reader of this statement in Matthew and Mark’s records should use
common sense and wisdom when interpreting what Jesus said and what he meant.
When he said that like the angels, he does not know the day and hour the
rapture will occur (if he did say that), would he not have meant that he did
not know while he was still in his earthly body? I argue that once he ascended
into the eternal realm and sat at his Father’s right hand, he at that time received
all the wisdom and knowledge that he once possessed before he became a man—he sits
at the right hand of his Father and all the fulness of God dwells in him again
(Col. 1:15-19).
Luke recorded: Ἰησοῦς προέκοπτε σοφίᾳ καὶ ἡλικίᾳ καὶ χάριτι παρὰ θεῷ καὶ ἀνθρώποις
(Iisoús proékopte sofía kaí ilikía kaí cháriti pará theó kaí anthrópois) “Jesus
advanced in wisdom and age and grace before God and men” (Lk. 2:52, TR). This
means, Jesus increased in sofía (wisdom) while he was in his earthly body. The knowledge
and insight we see him function within the gospels had to start from scratch.
He had to grow in intelligence like any other human being. But once he ascended
back into his true domain his omniscience would once again be equal to that of
his Father. Before Jesus became a man, he was an omniscient deity. He was God,
a Supreme Being like his Father and the Holy Spirit. Therefore, his knowledge
of what day and hour the rapture will occur is not a mystery to him now. I have
heard some preachers in ignorance say that the Lord Jesus Christ does not know
what day the rapture of the body of Christ will occur. I think they say this
because they do not know how to interpret the Scriptures which gives them a
reason not to teach endtimes prophecy. Another reason they make this statement could
be to discredit believers who claim to know the season or generation, that the
rapture will occur.
Picture: Pixabay (SuttleMedia)
Free for use under the Pixabay
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[1] Timeline of Events
https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/timeline/holocaust
[2] Israel-Hamas War
https://www.britannica.com/event/Israel-Hamas-War#ref1320682
[3] Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development
[4] 2024
