Summary of Bible references on the Rapture

Revelation and the Feast of Atonement

1 The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

I want to look at the first four chapters of Revelation from the perspective of the feast of atonement and our judgement at the end of the age. Here I picked up this word “must”, it is not simply something that will soon take place but that must soon take place. Many things don’t have to happen, but the judgement is one that must take place. Also, notice this expression “because the time is near”. That is a warning for you to repent and to make yourself ready, this is the concept of the ten days before the day of Atonement, the time is near and you are to “prepare to meet your God” during this time.

4 John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen. 7 “Look, he is coming with the clouds,” and “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him”; and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.” So shall it be! Amen. 8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

The first thing that stands out to me is that this is to the seven churches. The Great White throne judgement is for unbelievers, for the sheep and the goats, but not for believers. So if this is a reference to the judgement at the end of the age it is the Bema judgement, Christ’s judgement seat.

The second thing that stands out is that this is from the one who is to come. There are four references to the Lord’s coming in this short section (I am counting the word Omega as one of the four) and if you throw in the two references to what must shortly come to pass then John is hammering this concept of the Lord’s coming again and again and again.

The next thing that stands out is that Jesus is the faithful witness, firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth. These are three things that we need to be constituted with. We talk about expressing Jesus, or “what would Jesus do”? First, He would be a faithful witness even unto death. Second He would be filled with the resurrection life and so would no longer be held in fear of death, and third everything is under His sovereignty, never forget that.

John’s Vision of Christ
9 I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, 11 which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.”

John is in the same boat as us. Quite exciting really, that we could have the same experiences as the apostles. We always focus on the miracles, the healings, the speaking, but kind of forget the suffering and patient enduring because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. The voice like a trumpet caused John to turn around, to repent and to write what he sees (speak the word of God as a testimony). Interestingly that is what the trumpets at the feast of Trumpets are supposed to do, cause us to turn around and reflect on the past year.

12 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.

It is quite amazing that despite all the failings of the seven churches this glorious Christ is in the midst of every church. The Lord is working on us, we are being processed into His image and His likeness, the question is whether or not we submit to and embrace this transforming work that He is doing.

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. 19 “Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. 20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

This is the first vision we need to see, how glorious is the Lord in the midst of the church, and how the church is a golden lampstand, and how every church has messengers that are in the Lord’s right hand. I love the fact that the one who is in our midst is the first and the last, who better to learn from, who better to train us and equip us? He holds the keys of death and Hades! What can Satan do to us? If Jesus has the keys to death and Hades then Satan is powerless!

2 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. 2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. 4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. 6 But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

This sounds exactly like the judgement you might hear from the throne of Christ at the Bema judgement. From what I can gather the judgement would be great except for one thing, they have left their first love! When we first got saved we had a first love, have we left that? You see that someone who got saved out of the world when they were twenty by the time they are sixty you would never know they were ever in the world. They can become very self righteous, holier than thou, stuffy and religious. This is nothing like the first love. They become dogmatic, legalistic., and judgemental. These are all the things that turn people off from the church. We need to repent of all these things.


To the Church in Smyrna
8 “To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. 9 I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown. 11 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.

This sounds very good, and there are some very nice parallels with the church in Philadelphia. There is a pre tribulation rapture where the dead in Christ rise first and then those that remain. I suspect that this church will rise first. Compare this church to Laodicea that thought they were rich and in need of nothing and yet the Lord told them they were poor, and this church which is afflicted and in poverty and yet the Lord says they are rich. Slander is a form of judgement, Satan in the accuser of the brethren so the “synagogue of Satan” is full of slander of the brethren. To be slandered by Satan or the synagogue of Satan is like getting the Lord’s “good housekeeping seal of approval”. They get tested in prison and even by being put to death and that is how they get the “victor’s crown”. Compare this with Philadelphia which is charged to not let anyone take their crown. I suspect that anyone in the church in Philadelphia has also been tested and given the victor’s crown. This brings up the big question what is “the second death”? Again, I think this refers to the Lord’s judgement on the believers. Some believers are sent to “outer darkness”. I know many confuse that with Hell, but they are two very different things. If you have trouble with that then remember Paul’s word in 1Corinthians that if we build with wood, hay and stubble our works will be burned up, we will suffer loss yet we will be saved but so as through fire. I think the reference here to not being hurt by the second death means we won’t suffer loss at the judgement seat of Christ.

To the Church in Pergamum
12 “To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword. 13 I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives. 14 Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality. 15 Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. 17 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.

Out of Smyrna it seems that some of the survivors learn how to “go along to get along”. The faith was tested, would they remain true to the Lord’s name? Would they renounce their faith? Would they be a faithful witness? In this kind of pressure some will come to the conclusion that the persecution was self inflicted. Let’s ease off the gospel, compromise a little, be a little more agreeable. They listen to the slander of the synagogue of Satan and they want to adjust their stance to be a little more accomodating. This opens the door for Balaam to come in, “Here eat this, try that, etc.” Along with the compromise you start to make the Christian walk easier, hire a few professional Christians so the rest of us don’t have to do that much work. Let them teach us once a week and there you go, the church becomes a religion. This is a big deal, if someone is a “professional Christian” a hireling instead of a real shepherd, then he will be very concerned with numbers. You will have a board of directors who will look at attendance as one way to judge job performance. As you fill the seats with nominal Christians you are concerned with being completely honest and frank in your witness concerning the Lord. I would much rather be Antipas, the faithful witness, at the Lord’s judgement seat than to be anyone in Pergamum.

To the Church in Thyatira
18 “To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. 19 I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first.

20 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. 21 I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. 22 So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. 23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.

24 Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets, ‘I will not impose any other burden on you, 25 except to hold on to what you have until I come.’

26 To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations— 27 that one ‘will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery’[b]—just as I have received authority from my Father. 28 I will also give that one the morning star. 29 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Once again, it seems each one of these churches is about to appear before the throne and be judged and the Lord is giving them a heads up with these letters. The lessons I have learned so far are “hold on to your first love” and “be a faithful witness even unto death”. Do not listen to the slander of the synagogue of Satan, and do not compromise with Balaam. Do not hire someone to read the Bible for you or to spend time with the Lord in your place. What do these false teachers teach you? They teach you to tolerate Jezebel. Why? They are judged based on numbers, in order to increase the numbers they have made a number of compromises. They have agreed to tolerate sin in exchange for you joining the church. This is like adultery. You are not being faithful to the Lord even unto death, except in this case “death” for the hireling is to not reach his target for attendance. In Thyatira we learn that they have taken this fork in the road and it ultimately leads to the “deep secrets of Satan”. The enemy to believers are not atheists, in the Bible atheists are fools. The enemy, Satan, is a believer in the sense that he knows God is real, that Jesus is Lord and he trembles. No, our enemy can disguise himself as an angel of light, he can pretend to be a believer, a Christian, a Freemason who does all kinds of good works.

By compromising with the false prophet and tolerating Jezebel they have given an entrance to Satan to use this church as a front. Clearly some of those in this church do know the deep things of Satan, probably the leaders, the clergy, the Bishops, etc. We saw this with the Catholic church and their knowledge of the pedophile priests. However, I suspect the “secrets of Satan” are exceedingly evil and when they appear before the judgment seat they will be judged with the wicked.

Also look at the last point, to those who overcome He will give authority over the nations. This is a direct reference to the feast of atonement.

This is almost 2 years ago -- her dreams and Coverstone's dreams confirm each other and by sharing it she received attack after attack.

A society with no love, no fruit.

Our Annual Review

To the Church in Philadelphia
7 “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. 8 I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. 9 I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. 10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. 11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12 The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. 13 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Once again, I am viewing this letter as being similar to the annual review from your boss, the Lord is telling the church how they are doing and where they stand. Two really key things: you have kept my word and you have not denied my name. This tells me there are many Christians and churches that have not kept the Lord’s word and they have denied His name, otherwise it would be a trivial point. Compromising with Balaam, the false prophet, is not keeping the Lord’s word and it is a denial to His name. The same is true of tolerating that woman Jezebel who calls herself a prophetess. Also, there is a nice contrast with Sardis, they make themselves out to be something they aren’t, here this church doesn’t pretend to be strong, or powerful. But they do know how to pray, they know to knock and it shall be opened, they know to ask and they shall receive. The key of David indicates they have frequent access to the Lord with their prayers. We also know that this church is being slandered by the synagogue of Satan who say that God has not loved this church. Why would they say that? Perhaps it is implied in the prosperity gospel, if gold rings, fancy cars and big houses indicates God loves you then not having these can be understood to indicate God doesn’t love you.

But here is the reason this church is raptured: “since you have kept my command to endure patiently”. There are “Christian” churches and phony churches like the FreeMasons who teach we don’t need to keep the Lord’s commands.

This church already has a crown! Is this the victor's crown? He says “never again will they leave it”, a clear indication they were forced to leave prior to this, I am going to hazard a guess that it was due to persecution like that of the Faithful Antipas.

Then look at the conclusion! He will write on them! Paul told us that His ministry was to inscribe on our hearts, Ezekiel told us that the New Testament was to have the law of God written on our hearts. But here it is the name, the person, the expression! Wouldn’t that be wonderful to actually meet these saints! They express Jesus! When you see them you see Him! They express the New Jerusalem! Meeting these saints would be better than having a rapture dream! They have a new name, they express the new dispensation, the kingdom age!


To the Church in Laodicea
14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. 19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. 21 To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Wouldn’t it have been wonderful if these letters ended with Philadelphia? But that is not the Lord’s plan, He is merciful. As terrible as Thyatira is, and as dead as Sardis is, I think most of us would view Laodicea as the worst condition. They disgust the Lord, make Him sick, and they have nothing. Even Sardis and Thyatira have somethings that commend them to the Lord. Actually they do have one thing, the Lord loves them and treats them as His children. There is a contrast between Laodicea and all the other churches but especially with Philadelphia. This church is boastful yet has nothing, and they don’t pray while Philadelphia does. How do I know? Jesus is knocking on the door and most of them are clueless. The Lord says knock and it shall be opened, Philadelphia has an open door, the Lord heard them knocking and has given them an open door, here this church is asleep and has no idea that the Lord is outside knocking.

But in every church it is possible to be victorious. Only to Philadelphia are we told they already have the victor’s crown, but to every other church they can overcome, they can be victorious, they can open the door to the Lord. But no one has anything to boast of. Just because you win the victor’s crown it doesn’t prove you are a champion. Every year the NFL has a superbowl. This means that every year one team will win. Even if every team is horrible one will still win. No, the proof you are a champion is if you win two Super bowls. Yes, some team has to win every year, but the only reason you would win it twice when there are 26 teams has nothing to do with chance or luck. This is why Song of Song’s talks about how the Lord’s army is “terrible as an army with banners”. Notice it is plural. The Boston Celtics have “banners”, the Los Angeles Lakers have “banners” and the Chicago Bulls have “banners”. Now just because you are on the Bulls it doesn’t mean you are a champion. I remember something Michael Jordan said to his teammate after they won some exhibition game in Europe. The guy was claiming that this made him a champion and Jordan pointed out he hadn’t won anything, all those banners the Bulls had, he wasn’t on the team, he can’t claim those victories. Same thing with Laodicea. Yes the church has many banners, many champions throughout the church age, but you weren't on that team, you have nothing to boast of. Each one of us will be judged for what we do, not for what others did.

How to cure depression

Exodus 7:16 And thou shalt say unto him, Jehovah, the God of the Hebrews, hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness

We have an inner need to serve others. If you serve others you will discover a joy, a peace, and a fulfillment. If you don't serve others you will be filled with mental and physical distress, anxiety, depression, and a sense of vanity.

In their affliction they will seek me earnestly

Hosea 5:15 I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me earnestly.

This is the purpose of the affliction, the purpose of the tribulation. So my suggestion is that you seek the Lord earnestly now. If the goal of the affliction is that you seek Him earnestly, remove that as a goal, seek God earnestly and you eliminate the need for the affliction.

"Let us cut them off from being a nation"

Is that a quote from Iran? Taliban? ISIS?

Psalm 83 O God, keep not thou silence:
Hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God.
2 For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult;
And they that hate thee have lifted up the head.
3 They take crafty counsel against thy people,
And consult together against thy hidden ones.
4 They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation;
That the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.

A few examples of Biblical prophecies

These are proofs given by God that the Bible is the word of God and a description of Jesus so that we would be without excuse if we did not recognize Him.

We were told:

Jesus would be born in Bethlehem

Jesus would spend a season in Egypt

a massacre of children at the time and place of Jesus’ birth’

Jesus would speak in Parables

Jesus would be betrayed

He would be silent before His accusers

He would be hated without a cause

He would be crucified with criminals

He would be given vinegar to drink

His hands and feet would be pierced

Soldiers would gamble for his clothes

His bones would not be broken

His side would be pierced

He would be buried with the rich

The year that Jesus would be crucified

He would appear as a lamb to be sacrificed for us

That Jerusalem would be destroyed after Jesus is cut off

Not one stone would remain upon another on the temple mount

The abomination of desolation would be built on the temple mount

Israel would be in bondage for 430 years in Egypt

The Jews would return again to Israel after being scattered to the four corners of the Earth

5,600% increase in the rate of earthquakes 4.5 or greater worldwide per day over the last 100 years.

Matthew 24:7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be famines and earthquakes in divers places.

In the last 135 days we have had 3,038 Earthquakes that were 4.5 or larger worldwide = 22.5 per day.


During the 5 year period

1922-1926 we had 799 earthquakes that were 4.5 or larger worldwide = 0.4 per day

1927-1931 we had 1525 earthquakes that were 4.5 or larger worldwide = 0.8 per day

1932-1936 we had 1379 earthquakes that were 4.5 or larger worldwide = 0.8 per day

1937-1941 we had 1257 earthquakes that were 4.5 or larger worldwide = 0.7 per day

1942-1946 we had 736 earthquakes that were 4.5 or larger worldwide = 0.4 per day

1947-1951 we had 1024 earthquakes that were 4.5 or larger worldwide = 0.6 per day

1952-1956 we had 1536 earthquakes that were 4.5 or larger worldwide = 0.8 per day

1957-1961 we had 1660 earthquakes that were 4.5 or larger worldwide = 0.9 per day

1962-1966 we had 2164 earthquakes that were 4.5 or larger worldwide = 1.2 per day

1967-1971 we had 2908 earthquakes that were 4.5 or larger worldwide = 1.6 per day

1972-1976 we had 13662 earthquakes that were 4.5 or larger worldwide = 7.5 per day

1977-1981 we had 17042 earthquakes that were 4.5 or larger worldwide = 9.3 per day

1982-1986 we had 20902 earthquakes that were 4.5 or larger worldwide = 11.4 per day

1987-1991 we had 20567 earthquakes that were 4.5 or larger worldwide = 11.3 per day

1992-1996 we had 22156 earthquakes that were 4.5 or larger worldwide = 12.1 per day

1997-2001 we had 22150 earthquakes that were 4.5 or larger worldwide = 12.1 per day

2002-2006 we had 31233 earthquakes that were 4.5 or larger worldwide = 17.1 per day

2007-2011 we had 36425 earthquakes that were 4.5 or larger worldwide = 19.9 per day

2012-2016 we had 37236 earthquakes that were 4.5 or larger worldwide = 20.4 per day

2017-2021 we had 36532 earthquakes that were 4.5 or larger worldwide = 20.0 per day

In the last 135 days we have had 3,038 Earthquakes that were 4.5 or larger worldwide = 22.5 per day.

Yes, we have had earthquakes throughout human history, but the frequency has gone off the chart. I use 4.5 as the cutoff because 1 4.5 earthquake is 100x more powerful than a 2.5.

1Samuel 23 -- The country becomes clear who the real problem is.

There are some chapters in the Bible which are just completely absurd. For example, 1Samuel 23 David is gone, he has fled, and yet King Saul is so concerned with killing David that he doesn’t care about the Philistines robbing Israel? This would be like in the midst of a pandemic that came from a bioweapons lab in China, that at this time our government was more concerned with impeaching Trump who has already left office. I know, absurd. The biggest crime in human history, millions of people dead, the world's economy in ruins, and our leaders think the biggest threat is some guy running for reelection in four years? No wonder people have a hard time believing the Bible.

Or here is another preposterous one. At the same time you have looney people on the internet screaming about committing mass murder against one race or another (Payton S. Gendron, Frank R. James), people who the FBI visited were ignored so they could commit mass murder. Meanwhile the FBI is labeling parents who complain at school board meetings as domestic terrorists and grandparents who took selfies in the Capitol building as insurrectionists. Who writes this stuff?

Saul brought his whole army there to catch David but not to protect the town from the Philistines? Come on, man! Can anyone believe this? It would be like politicians saying year after year after year that walls don’t work and you can’t use the military to maintain order in the US only to then surround Washington DC with barbed wire and 25,000 troops.

Or it would be like someone running for President talking about how crucial the transportation network is for maintaining a smooth running economy and then causing a complete collapse of this same network as president by mandating the vaccine so that truck drivers cannot go to the ports to pick up the containers.

My Rapture dream -- 2nd Passover?

I prayed for a rapture dream and then I had this very vivid dream.

I was in the garden of Gethsemane, (I have no idea how I knew that is where I was I just did) and a brother that I did not recognize came up to me. Even though I didn't recognize this person I knew he was with the church I used to meet with. [The story is quite long but in the end I confronted brothers in the leadership concerning the sinfulness of the President of their ministry who had been guilty of sexually abusing several sisters. They told me they did not want to address that right now, even though this was something that many had been coming to them over for 20 years and they kicked me out of the meeting hall. I felt like the Lord in Laodicea, outside of the church, knocking.] He asked me if I could help them clean up the yard, they had a lot of trees and stuff that were down from a storm. I told him that I had a job and thanked him. He asked why I was thanking him and I said I was thanking him for remembering me.

The way I understood this was that the church that was in the image and likeness of God, that was "bone of His bones and flesh of His flesh" would be raptured. Meanwhile the rapture would be a great storm that would leave many other Christian groups in a mess.

To be in the garden of Gethsemane, that would be the day of resurrection.

Thanks for remembering me would be a reference to keeping the Lord's table.

What is very interesting is that this dream indicated that the believers walked the same road the Lord walked, took up the cross just like Him, experienced the fellowship of His sufferings and so would also experience the outstanding resurrection. This is why I liken this to the 2nd Passover rather than Pentecost. I don't believe that Pentecost is Shavuot, rather I think it was the feast of new wine which would have been long after the budding and blossoming of various plants described in Song of Songs for the first rapture.

Also, for those who say that Passover was fulfilled already I would argue that isn't fair. Some were raised up on the feast of firstfruits, yet none of them were from the church or from the Gentiles. We, the Gentiles were dead in offenses and sins, why should we miss out? So for us the Lord has given us the 2nd Passover. I would point out that the Passover meal becomes the Lord's table so the reference to the Lord's table in this dream is also a reference to the Passover.

Tribulation

John MacArthur writes that "Thlipsis (tribulations) has the underlying meaning of being under pressure and was used of squeezing olives in a press in order to extract the oil and of squeezing grapes to extract the juice… In Scripture the word thlipsis is perhaps most often used of outward difficulties, but it is also used of emotional stress." (MacArthur, J: Romans 1-8. Chicago: Moody Press)


Figuratively thlipsis pictures one being "crushed" by intense pressure, difficult circumstances, suffering or trouble pressing upon them from without. Thus persecution, affliction, distress, opposition or tribulation, all press hard on one's soul. Thlipsis does not refer to mild discomfort but to great difficulty. In Scripture the thlipsis is most often used of outward difficulties, but it is also used of emotional stress and sorrows which "weighs down" a man’s spirit like the sorrows and burden his heart. Thlipsis then includes the disappointments which can "crush the life" out of the one who is afflicted.


The English word "tribulation" is derived from the Latin word tribulum (literally a thing with teeth that tears), which was a heavy piece of timber with spikes in it, used for threshing the corn or grain. The tribulum was drawn over the grain and it separated the wheat from the chaff. As believers experience the "tribulum" of tribulations, and depend on God’s grace, the trials purify us and rid us of the chaff.

https://www.preceptaustin.org/tribulation-thlipsis_greek_word_study


The Greek word for Tribulation is suggests being squeezed and pressed the way olives, or grapes or even the way wheat is separated from the chaff. This is not the way that Barley is harvested. Barley is tossed into the air and the wind will blow the chaff away.

Either it is very meaningful or it is meaningless.

I believe that it is very meaningful.

Joel 2:31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of Jehovah cometh.

1. The Bible tells us that God placed the Sun, Moon and Stars in the heavens for signs and Joel is very clearly telling us that this solar eclipse followed by a lunar eclipse is a sign.

2. It is not typical to have a lunar eclipse immediately follow a solar eclipse (span of two weeks). It will happen 4 times during the span from 2019 to 2025.

3. However, we know more than that. By all accounts the pre tribulation rapture should take place before the tribulation begins and before the AntiChrist is "released". Most agree that the 9th of Av is when the Antichrist gets released and Tishrei 1 is when the tribulation begins (70th week of Daniel). If we add that to our mix then there are only 2 possible times when we will have a solar eclipse followed by a lunar eclipse prior to these other events, this time in 2022 and a year from now in 2023.

4. However, we also have many prophecies that tell us the rapture should take place this year prior to Tishrei 1 and that the tribulation should begin this Feast of Trumpets. So then if we add that into the mix then we only have one time when a solar eclipse immediately precedes the lunar eclipse, and that was 5/16/2022.

5. I refer to the solar eclipse two weeks ago as a solar eclipse but in reality it was a partial solar eclipse. That is significant (I think). A solar eclipse is supposed to be a sign of judgement on the world. We had a solar eclipse in July of 2019 that went over Washington DC and a few years later there will be a second that makes an X with that one and the intersection is directly over something known as "little Egypt" in Illinois. This could easily signify a judgement on the world (Egypt) and the US in particular. However, the rapture would be a "partial" eclipse because some people will be raptured and the judgment will be on those who are left behind.

6. Also, Ken Potter did a chart of all the eclipses from 2019 thru 2025 covering a 200 day span and they make a remarkable symmetry around this blood moon 5/16.

7. One other thing quite interesting about this blood moon is that it is centered over a world famous statue of Jesus in Brazil and also centered over the most densely Christian countries.

8. According to the prophecy this will take place "before the great and terrible day of the Lord". So this is perhaps the most notable sign that appears "before" this day. What else do we know that takes place "before" the day of the Lord? Ezekiel 38 Gog and Magog invasion of Israel is very likely one of the things but that also would be "great and terrible". The other thing is the rapture of the church in Philadelphia. A sign will show up on the highway before the exit. However, the last sign will be immediately before the exit. It would appear that that is what this sign is, the one immediately before "the exit".

9. This blood moon took place on the second Passover. I have shared a number of posts about how this event could definitely refer to the rapture of the church. Paul says that these feasts are a shadow of things to come, so they are prophetic. However, the rapture of the church is not a feast for the Jews, they are not required according to the Old Covenant to partake, so like 2nd Passover I would expect it to be a relatively trivial mention in the Old Testament.

10. If this is our experience of the Passover that we missed the first time because we were dead in sins then May 15th is when the Lord's table was, the 16th is the trial and crucifixion. Jesus is in the tomb on the 17th and 18th and resurrections on the 19th. The Feast of First fruits would be the day after the sabbath or May 24th. (The full moon would always be on the Sabbath).