Exodus 19:1-13 -- The rapture is our Graduation ceremony
It is fitting that the book of Exodus would discuss the rapture. The following chapters appear to discuss the other raptures as well but to simplify this topic I have specifically focused on the pre tribulation rapture. Many have likened the rapture to the Bema judgement and this feast (Shavuot) appears to be like a graduation ceremony. A high school graduation is a good analogy for a Bema judgement, everyone has fulfilled the requirements for their “exodus” from High school. The “valedictorian” is the one with the most honorable word, and this chapter focuses on us internalizing God’s word, His law.
The atheists love to refer to Darwin, the law of the jungle, survival of the fittest, as the “natural law”. This is true for millions of species, but not for 18. There are 18 species that are classified as “eusocial” and these do not follow the law of the jungle. These 18 species dominate the earth. Man is one of them, ants are another and I have heard that the total weight of all the ants on earth would equal the weight of humans. I saw a set of termite mounds in the Amazon that housed more termites than live in the UK. These 18 species change the environment for their good, they can live together in colonies greater than 100 individuals, they have diversified jobs, they can take care of others young. The atheists and FreeMasons want us live like apes. The problem is that the alpha male of the apes will kill all the young that are not his as soon as he takes power. You have these very intelligent creatures with opposable thumbs and yet they live like brute beasts. If the atheists have their way that is what we would live like.
The antichrist is this "alpha male" and the book of revelation describes how he will kill all the children of God as soon as he takes power.
Unlike ants and termites and bumble bees man is not born eusocial. We have to learn it. God gave the law to the Israelites on tablets of stone and they could not keep it because they are flesh. We are born with the natural man, born selfish, fleshly. That is why the New Testament is writing these laws on the tablets of our heart, on tablets of flesh. This is what Shavuot and the Bema judgement are all about, have you received that word, is it written on your heart?
1 In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai. 2 For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount.
God’s plan is to take us out of the bondage in Egypt, signifying this evil worldly system, and bring us into a good land where Jesus is King. It appears from this verse that this took place on the first day. The first day is a new moon and this will usually involve a two day interval where they study the sky to see the new moon. So this verse is somewhat vague, did they come out the day the new moon was spotted, or was it during the New moon sabbath (two to three days). The point is it was a new period of time. Right now if you are paying attention you will agree that we have entered a "new period of time". If we are walking by faith we will realize this period of time is "the third month", the month of resurrection. The month of the salvation of the triune God.
3 And Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; 4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.
Moses said that a prophet like unto him would come, prophesying concerning Jesus. Jesus was taken up unto God in the resurrection and ascension. This age of grace has been a time in the wilderness of Sinai where we remember the Lord, we remember what He did on the cross, we remember how He redeemed and brought us into fellowship with Him. For two thousand years grace has been imparted to us. Shavuot requires that you count 50 days, the number 50 refers to grace and to the jubilee. We have had much grace imparted to us during these 2,000 years and we need to remember that.
5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: 6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
This is our hope of glory. It depends on us obeying the voice of the Lord and keeping His covenant. The Shavuot also requires that we count seven complete sabbaths. These are seven times we are tested, will we obey the Lord’s voice, will we keep His covenant? Will we deny the Lord’s name? Will we keep His word? Philadelphia did not deny His name and they did keep His word.
7 And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the Lord commanded him.
This is what we have been doing for the last 2,000 years in the church. Jesus spent 40 days with the apostles prior to his ascension and after His resurrection laying before them all the words the Lord commanded them. They in turn shared that fellowship with us in the New Testament.
8 And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord. 9 And the Lord said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the Lord. 10 And the Lord said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes, 11 And be ready against the third day: for the third day the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.
One day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day to the Lord. The last two thousand years have been “two days” where we have been washed and sanctified in the word. You need to ready on the third day. According to the Jewish Calendar this is the both the year of Jubilee and the first year of Jubilee after the 2,000 years.
12 And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death: 13 There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount.
This appears to be a reference to the trumpet blast at the time of the rapture. Shavuot is a strange feast day in that God doesn’t tell us the day or the hour. The other feast days can be very precise as to the timing, but not this one. Even here all we know is that it is the third month, could be the first day, could be the third day, it seems intentionally vague. But graduation is like that, we don't graduate the day we complete all our assignments and tests. The ceremony can be a week later. Still, this is the basic teaching concerning the rapture, the trumpet sounds and you are called up to heaven. This is also how we do a graduation. The music plays and all the graduates march in. We honor the graduates, they are “called up”.