Allow me to explain a moment here why the gifts of the Spirit, and the timing of the ‘rapture’, are so important.
Does it really matter whether the ‘rapture’ (a misnomer) occurs before or after the tribulation? Jesus told His disciples that the time of tribulation would be as in the days of Noah. Noah was not taken out of the world during it’s judgment, but provided the means by which to survive it. But it was dependent upon Noah being faithful to prepare for it as the Lord instructed. Suppose that, having been warned of the coming flood and told to build the ark, Noah decided that it wasn’t important, not gonna happen, ‘God will save me’, and he didn’t build the boat. Maybe God would have enabled Noah to dogpaddle those 40 days. Or maybe ol’ Noah would have drowned with the rest. Mankind was and will be, after all, judged for disbelief and disobedience.
Jesus taught us to expect judgment and tribulation. Think about what will come: war, famine, disease, crippling pollution, lawlessness, mass upheavals, yada yada yada. If we think ‘thank God we’re not here to see it’ we won’t prepare for it. If we expect to have to survive it all, we’ll need to be prepared. So how might God have us prepare for this? God told Noah to build a boat; maybe He’ll tell you to buy a bus. But again, “eh, we don’t really need it” may keep you from following thru. How we view the timing of the ‘rapture’ will make a BIG difference in how willing we are to respond to what God would have us do, to physically prepare for the judgment He tells us we’re going to see.
BUT more importantly – it will affect how we’ll respond to be spiritually prepared. Jesus said evil will increase, that we will be hated, persecuted, betrayed by friends and family, and hauled off to be killed. It is little wonder that He also said many of us will turn away from Him (Matthew 24:10). Duh. Like the seed planted amid the rocks, when the heat’s on those who are not functional in the Gifts of the Holy Spirit will not be strong enough to stand - much less fight back. End time prophecies show spiritual persecution and warfare on levels unseen since Old Testament times. Those who aren’t trained and versed in such things are going to get slaughtered, or worse, turn away.
In 2 Thessalonians 2:3, Paul talks about the coming of the Lord and our gathering to Him, and he says that day will not come until after the apostasy and the ‘antichrist’ is revealed. Everyone knows about the ‘antichrist’, but few know about the apostasy, the en-mass turning away from and rejection of God. Paul put them on an equal footing.
Jesus says it’s going to happen, that we will see it happen, and that we need to be prepared or we will fail Him!!!
That’s why it’s important.
Does it really matter whether the ‘rapture’ (a misnomer) occurs before or after the tribulation? Jesus told His disciples that the time of tribulation would be as in the days of Noah. Noah was not taken out of the world during it’s judgment, but provided the means by which to survive it. But it was dependent upon Noah being faithful to prepare for it as the Lord instructed. Suppose that, having been warned of the coming flood and told to build the ark, Noah decided that it wasn’t important, not gonna happen, ‘God will save me’, and he didn’t build the boat. Maybe God would have enabled Noah to dogpaddle those 40 days. Or maybe ol’ Noah would have drowned with the rest. Mankind was and will be, after all, judged for disbelief and disobedience.
Jesus taught us to expect judgment and tribulation. Think about what will come: war, famine, disease, crippling pollution, lawlessness, mass upheavals, yada yada yada. If we think ‘thank God we’re not here to see it’ we won’t prepare for it. If we expect to have to survive it all, we’ll need to be prepared. So how might God have us prepare for this? God told Noah to build a boat; maybe He’ll tell you to buy a bus. But again, “eh, we don’t really need it” may keep you from following thru. How we view the timing of the ‘rapture’ will make a BIG difference in how willing we are to respond to what God would have us do, to physically prepare for the judgment He tells us we’re going to see.
BUT more importantly – it will affect how we’ll respond to be spiritually prepared. Jesus said evil will increase, that we will be hated, persecuted, betrayed by friends and family, and hauled off to be killed. It is little wonder that He also said many of us will turn away from Him (Matthew 24:10). Duh. Like the seed planted amid the rocks, when the heat’s on those who are not functional in the Gifts of the Holy Spirit will not be strong enough to stand - much less fight back. End time prophecies show spiritual persecution and warfare on levels unseen since Old Testament times. Those who aren’t trained and versed in such things are going to get slaughtered, or worse, turn away.
In 2 Thessalonians 2:3, Paul talks about the coming of the Lord and our gathering to Him, and he says that day will not come until after the apostasy and the ‘antichrist’ is revealed. Everyone knows about the ‘antichrist’, but few know about the apostasy, the en-mass turning away from and rejection of God. Paul put them on an equal footing.
Jesus says it’s going to happen, that we will see it happen, and that we need to be prepared or we will fail Him!!!
That’s why it’s important.
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