Sunday 12-18-22 1st. Day Of The Weekly Cycle, Kislev 23, 5783 86th. Fall Day
Many people have been misled by a pseudo-rapture or variant rapture theory which does not hold water. When Christ returns, He returns just as He went to heaven (Acts 1:9-10). He went up in a cloud, once; He will return in the clouds of heaven – once – not twice. He marries the church when He returns to the earth, after He is upon the earth, before God’s throne (at His footstool – the earth).
Remember, the presence of the Father is EVERYWHERE (Psalm 139). The man who did not have on a wedding garment does not refer to some spirit being, fallen angel, or demon, but to a human being who did not qualify to be part of the marriage of the Lamb. The wedding garment is righteousness – “fine linen which is the righteousness of the saints” (Rev.19:8). This man was not obedient to God and His commandments; so He did not qualify, as he did not have on righteous garments – garments which typify righteousness, which is obedience (Psalm 119:172; I John 3:4). He had apparently not truly, in his heart, accepted Christ as His one true Saviour, and had not given himself to Him in total, abject surrender, to obey Him – to say, “I do” – to make the full “marriage commitment”!
.
He tried to enter the sheepfold by a “different door” (John 10:1-10). This individual may have “thought” he was a true Christian, but he will be cast in outer darkness – together with the wicked hypocrites (Matt.22:13). He will not enter the kingdom of God. He is like the ones Christ mentioned in Matthew 7 who say “Lord, Lord,” but don’t DO God’s will in their lives (Matt.7:21). He is like the ones who claim to be Christians – even various ministers, who preach and teach and even do “mighty works in His name” – but will be cast out of the kingdom because they “work iniquity” – which is sin, lawlessness (I John 3:4) in their lives, despite their claims of serving God and being ministers of Christ (Matt.7:22-23).
Let’s really understand this! The “secret rapture” theory espoused by Tim LaHaye and most “Christians,” today, is a serious and fatal error. It will likely cause immense multitudes to be unprepared for the diabolical reign of the Beast, or the Antichrist! They assume they will be taken up to heaven before the Great Tribulation, but God promises no such thing! Be sure to read our article, “The Secret Rapture – Fact or Fallacy?” They will be completely, utterly unprepared for the great travail and suffering that will come upon them!
Joseph Goode and other teachers claim that Christ will take His church up to heaven for a period of seven years. While there, the marriage feast will occur in heaven. The saints then will have to watch the horrible agony of the people “left behind” on the earth! They will have to see the poor Jewish Messianic believers go through savage hell on earth.
Is this what God really intends?
Others claim that the Messiah returns to take His flock up to heaven after 3 ½ years of the seven-year tribulation period have passed. Still others say the saints are taken to heaven for only a few months, and then return with the Messiah to this earth.
All these theories are DEAD WRONG! The “secret rapture” is a serious deception of Satan the devil, to destroy God’s people by misleading them into a totally false sense of security!
When Christ returns, it will be a loud, shining, shattering, incredible event. The archangel will blow a loud trumpet. Paul wrote, “Listen! I will tell you a mystery! We will not all die, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the LAST trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed” (I Cor.15:51-52, NRSV).
When the Messiah returns, there will be a mighty shout – the thundering voice of an archangel – which will shake up the nations (I Thess.4:16). It will be heard worldwide, and at that point the dead in Christ will rise, and the living saints will be changed and given a glorious new body, and rise to meet Him in the sky as He returns to earth.
When the Messiah comes, and the saints are resurrected, and meet Him in the air, it will be accompanied by THUNDER! And the nations will “SEE the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with POWER and GREAT GLORY. And he will send out his angels with a LOUD TRUMPET CALL, and they will gather his elect, from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other” (Matt.24:30-31, NRSV).
The saints will be with Him as He sets His feet on the Mount of Olives (Zech.14:4), “in that day” – that very day. Not 3 ½ or 7 years later! He will come in “clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matt.24:30), and “every eye shall SEE him” (Rev.1:7).
Does that sound like a “secret” coming? The only thing “secret” about it will be its TIMING! No one will know the “day or the hour” (Matt.24:36). In that sense, His coming will be like a thief – totally unexpected by the vast majority of people (v.42-44).
The Second Coming will not be a silent, clandestine, secretive, invisible event, with people “disappearing” suddenly from wherever they are, as rapturists proclaim. Such a theory is in denial of the plain scriptures. Such a hope is a false hope, a satanic delusion, a deception of the devil who seeks to entrap and seduce God’s people into a false sense of security. They will stumble unwatchful and heedless into the Jaws of Great Tribulation.
A Point-by-Point Sequence of Events FIRST!
Before Christ returns, there are many things which must occur on earth first! Notice!
In the prophetic chapter of Matthew 24, the Mount Olivet prophecy, Yeshua gave His disciples a point by point sequence of events which must take place BEFORE His second coming. Read the entire chapter very carefully.
Yeshua’s disciples wondered about the return of the Messiah and the end of the world. “Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, ‘Tell us, when will these things be? And what shall be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?’” (Matthew 24:3, NKJV). They were referring to the end of this present evil age, not the end of planet Earth itself, but the end of this present evil civilization under the sway of Satan the devil.
What did Jesus tell them?
“And Jesus answered and said to them, Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am Christ,’ and will deceive many” (verses 4-5).
Can you imagine that? The very first thing Yeshua warned His followers was to beware of deceivers – false prophets – who would deceive MANY! How true His words have become! Millions are deceived, confused, today, even about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ! His words have been misinterpreted, misunderstood, misconstrued, and manhandled by many who simply refuse to believe He meant exactly what He said!
There are many deceivers on earth today – many false prophets – and many of them even come “in His name,” – that is, claiming to be His ministers, His servants, His prophets. They claim to worship Him. The apostle Paul warned about such Christians leaders who preach Christ while they deny His true teaching, His true message: “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their words” (II Cor.11:13-15, KJV).
Yeshua Himself had severe words for those ministers who claim to represent him, but in truth deny Him. He warned: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. You will know them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:15-16, NKJV).
Consider these weighty warnings of Jesus. Let us then read very carefully His own words in Matthew 24, about His second coming, and not listen to the pied pipers of modern religion!
Yeshua clearly indicated God has not told us the day or precise hour of His coming! If anyone claims to know the day or hour, then, I would conclude he is a false prophet. Jesus meant what He said! Guessing games with prophecy will do us no good. Speculation will not help. But, notice what Jesus did NOT say. He did NOT say we couldn’t know the approximate time of His return. In fact, He gave us signs to watch for. He said: “So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors” (verse 33).
To Be Continued
By William F. Dankenbring
Love, Walter and Debbie
Many people have been misled by a pseudo-rapture or variant rapture theory which does not hold water. When Christ returns, He returns just as He went to heaven (Acts 1:9-10). He went up in a cloud, once; He will return in the clouds of heaven – once – not twice. He marries the church when He returns to the earth, after He is upon the earth, before God’s throne (at His footstool – the earth).
Remember, the presence of the Father is EVERYWHERE (Psalm 139). The man who did not have on a wedding garment does not refer to some spirit being, fallen angel, or demon, but to a human being who did not qualify to be part of the marriage of the Lamb. The wedding garment is righteousness – “fine linen which is the righteousness of the saints” (Rev.19:8). This man was not obedient to God and His commandments; so He did not qualify, as he did not have on righteous garments – garments which typify righteousness, which is obedience (Psalm 119:172; I John 3:4). He had apparently not truly, in his heart, accepted Christ as His one true Saviour, and had not given himself to Him in total, abject surrender, to obey Him – to say, “I do” – to make the full “marriage commitment”!
.
He tried to enter the sheepfold by a “different door” (John 10:1-10). This individual may have “thought” he was a true Christian, but he will be cast in outer darkness – together with the wicked hypocrites (Matt.22:13). He will not enter the kingdom of God. He is like the ones Christ mentioned in Matthew 7 who say “Lord, Lord,” but don’t DO God’s will in their lives (Matt.7:21). He is like the ones who claim to be Christians – even various ministers, who preach and teach and even do “mighty works in His name” – but will be cast out of the kingdom because they “work iniquity” – which is sin, lawlessness (I John 3:4) in their lives, despite their claims of serving God and being ministers of Christ (Matt.7:22-23).
Let’s really understand this! The “secret rapture” theory espoused by Tim LaHaye and most “Christians,” today, is a serious and fatal error. It will likely cause immense multitudes to be unprepared for the diabolical reign of the Beast, or the Antichrist! They assume they will be taken up to heaven before the Great Tribulation, but God promises no such thing! Be sure to read our article, “The Secret Rapture – Fact or Fallacy?” They will be completely, utterly unprepared for the great travail and suffering that will come upon them!
Joseph Goode and other teachers claim that Christ will take His church up to heaven for a period of seven years. While there, the marriage feast will occur in heaven. The saints then will have to watch the horrible agony of the people “left behind” on the earth! They will have to see the poor Jewish Messianic believers go through savage hell on earth.
Is this what God really intends?
Others claim that the Messiah returns to take His flock up to heaven after 3 ½ years of the seven-year tribulation period have passed. Still others say the saints are taken to heaven for only a few months, and then return with the Messiah to this earth.
All these theories are DEAD WRONG! The “secret rapture” is a serious deception of Satan the devil, to destroy God’s people by misleading them into a totally false sense of security!
When Christ returns, it will be a loud, shining, shattering, incredible event. The archangel will blow a loud trumpet. Paul wrote, “Listen! I will tell you a mystery! We will not all die, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the LAST trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed” (I Cor.15:51-52, NRSV).
When the Messiah returns, there will be a mighty shout – the thundering voice of an archangel – which will shake up the nations (I Thess.4:16). It will be heard worldwide, and at that point the dead in Christ will rise, and the living saints will be changed and given a glorious new body, and rise to meet Him in the sky as He returns to earth.
When the Messiah comes, and the saints are resurrected, and meet Him in the air, it will be accompanied by THUNDER! And the nations will “SEE the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with POWER and GREAT GLORY. And he will send out his angels with a LOUD TRUMPET CALL, and they will gather his elect, from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other” (Matt.24:30-31, NRSV).
The saints will be with Him as He sets His feet on the Mount of Olives (Zech.14:4), “in that day” – that very day. Not 3 ½ or 7 years later! He will come in “clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matt.24:30), and “every eye shall SEE him” (Rev.1:7).
Does that sound like a “secret” coming? The only thing “secret” about it will be its TIMING! No one will know the “day or the hour” (Matt.24:36). In that sense, His coming will be like a thief – totally unexpected by the vast majority of people (v.42-44).
The Second Coming will not be a silent, clandestine, secretive, invisible event, with people “disappearing” suddenly from wherever they are, as rapturists proclaim. Such a theory is in denial of the plain scriptures. Such a hope is a false hope, a satanic delusion, a deception of the devil who seeks to entrap and seduce God’s people into a false sense of security. They will stumble unwatchful and heedless into the Jaws of Great Tribulation.
A Point-by-Point Sequence of Events FIRST!
Before Christ returns, there are many things which must occur on earth first! Notice!
In the prophetic chapter of Matthew 24, the Mount Olivet prophecy, Yeshua gave His disciples a point by point sequence of events which must take place BEFORE His second coming. Read the entire chapter very carefully.
Yeshua’s disciples wondered about the return of the Messiah and the end of the world. “Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, ‘Tell us, when will these things be? And what shall be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?’” (Matthew 24:3, NKJV). They were referring to the end of this present evil age, not the end of planet Earth itself, but the end of this present evil civilization under the sway of Satan the devil.
What did Jesus tell them?
“And Jesus answered and said to them, Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am Christ,’ and will deceive many” (verses 4-5).
Can you imagine that? The very first thing Yeshua warned His followers was to beware of deceivers – false prophets – who would deceive MANY! How true His words have become! Millions are deceived, confused, today, even about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ! His words have been misinterpreted, misunderstood, misconstrued, and manhandled by many who simply refuse to believe He meant exactly what He said!
There are many deceivers on earth today – many false prophets – and many of them even come “in His name,” – that is, claiming to be His ministers, His servants, His prophets. They claim to worship Him. The apostle Paul warned about such Christians leaders who preach Christ while they deny His true teaching, His true message: “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their words” (II Cor.11:13-15, KJV).
Yeshua Himself had severe words for those ministers who claim to represent him, but in truth deny Him. He warned: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. You will know them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:15-16, NKJV).
Consider these weighty warnings of Jesus. Let us then read very carefully His own words in Matthew 24, about His second coming, and not listen to the pied pipers of modern religion!
Yeshua clearly indicated God has not told us the day or precise hour of His coming! If anyone claims to know the day or hour, then, I would conclude he is a false prophet. Jesus meant what He said! Guessing games with prophecy will do us no good. Speculation will not help. But, notice what Jesus did NOT say. He did NOT say we couldn’t know the approximate time of His return. In fact, He gave us signs to watch for. He said: “So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors” (verse 33).
To Be Continued
By William F. Dankenbring
Love, Walter and Debbie