Well, if you will allow me a cut and past from a larger piece I wrote about the 'rapture', maybe this will explain. (While the timing of the rapture is the initiator of the piece, just recognizing that it is post-70 ad will be good for now).
Allow me to explain a moment here
WHY it is 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
[1]. 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 obedient and 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, ‘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, after all, being judged for disbelief and disobedience.
Jesus taught us to expect judgment and tribulation, and we’ve seen a multiple of others that back that up. Think about what will come: war, famine, disease, crippling pollution, lawlessness, mass earth upheavals, yada yada yada. If we expect to have to survive it all we’ll need to be prepared. So how might God have us prepare for this? Suppose He wants us to stockpile food, water, and medical supplies. That may not be so easy to get our cooperation with if we don’t think we’re going to need it. God told Noah to build a boat; maybe He’ll tell
you to buy a bus. 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.
And 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. Duh. Like the seed planted amid the rocks, and when the heat’s on those who are not prepared 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 (which is the mass turning away from and rejection of God) and the ‘antichrist’ is revealed. Everyone knows about the ‘antichrist’, but
few know about the apostasy.
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!!!
Sorry. It’s just
really important that
we all understand that.
In 1 Peter 4:12-13 we are told not to think strangely about the time of trial that is to come upon us. And Jesus Himself prayed that we not be taken from the world, but delivered from its evil
[2], and commanded us to pray for the strength to endure. Remember ol’ Noah? He was probably pretty glad he’d built the boat when those raindrops started falling and the waters started welling up. But he had to believe he was going to see it happen or he’d have never driven the first nail. Jesus says we will be in much the same boat.
[HR][/HR]
[1] Matt. 24:35-39
[2] John 17:15