Amos 8:9 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord GOD, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day:
Amos 8:10 And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring up sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head; and I will make it as the mourning of an only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day.
Amos 8:11 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD
Amos 8:12 And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.
God wants us to make a STAND. To PROCLAIM HIS GLORY. To fight for the right. To spread HIS WORDS. His desire is that ALL COME TO REPENTANCE. Therefore, basic common sense tells us that taking 'the church', his army on the earth, built up over 2000 years, who is responsible for doing just that, away WOULD not be the way to get every last souls to come to repentance.
Let's remember His first chosen people didn't want the whole world to hear. So what did God do? He brought in a nation that would spread HIS TRUTH. A nation that would come in faith. HOW DOES ONE COME IN FAITH? What is written?
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?
and how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?
and how shall they hear without a preacher?
15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent?
as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
TO THE END OF THE WORLD
19 But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.
A foolish nation I would agree especially IF THEY THINK that Gods Plan has changed from what it has always been.
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
GOD HIMSELF IS AND HAS SUFFERED THAT ALL SHOULD COME TO REPENTANCE. GOD HAS DIED FOR OUR SINS TO BE FORGIVEN. GOD HAS DONE EVERYTHING FOR US and He asks us to SPREAD THE WORD AND DON'T DENY HIM and ENDURE TO THE END. Is that really asking to much? Hey, they can only kill you the one time and that time IS PRECIOUS in the eyes of God. It carries weight with Him. Surely He knows, that to love someone that much that you would willingly give your life for them, is the greatest sacrifice of all. Why would He deny us that opportunity. He tells us He will never give us more than we can handle. Doesn't that tell you that those who can will and those who can't won't. How do you remove from those willing and able for those who aren't?
I have heard tell 'the rapture' will make the believers repent. BUT what GOD SAYS tells us a lot about how GOD feels about that
Matthew 16:1 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired Him that He would shew them a sign from heaven.
2 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.
3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?
4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And He left them, and departed.
1 Timothy 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
6 Who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
I hope this explains.