RAPTURE RHAPSODIES
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
–2Timothy 4:3-4
The end times are certainly a time of itching ears, deception and flesh-pleasing fables.
Leaving the Evangelical Rapture Obsession Behind – There is a gathering together of believers: that is 100 percent biblical–regardless of how many faux Christian articles are penned to the contrary.
“Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.”
–2Thessalonians 2:1-2
“Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”
–Matthew 24:29-31
“And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.”
–Revelation 14:14-16
Oh, there surely IS what the church-goers call a “rapture.” However, it is not the Get-Out-of-Tribulation FREE card the lost and deceived have promoted.
But there most certainly is a “gathering together.”
The Bible is absolutely clear about that.
- Pre-Tribulation Rapture Promoted by Enemies of Jesus Christ
- Great Falling Away is NOT the Rapture
- RAPTURE: The Bible is Clear on the Rapture
So WHY has the pre-tribulation rapture deception been promoted so heavily among the pagan churches?
After all, it’s clearly a fable with a shelf life: it will be plain enough to see through once things begin to go bad and no one has disappeared à la Left Behind and Late Great Planet Earth.
It’s not like one can continue to cling to this myth once the man of sin begins to wear out the saints and the pew-sitters are still earthbound.
There are several likely answers as to why this deception has been so heavily-promoted (especially in America).
1- Arguing over the TIMING of the gathering together assumes a seven-year tribulation–which is unbiblical. A seven-year period is not found anywhere in the Bible outside of the higher math problem (the so-called “Daniel’s 70th week“) passed off as Bible studies by the deceitful workers in the churches.
Great Tribulation: Periods of Time in Revelation VS Claims of Man
2- Because the pre-tribulation rapture has NO support in Scripture, it will be very easy to attack. The entire idea of a gathering together will be simple to discredit once things get tough among those who placed their faith in such fables.
Satan is a tricky guy.
3- Another likely answer is: there are a great many who are NOW promoting the notion that there is NO gathering together (Which is as unbiblical as the pre-tribulation story).
But think about all the millions of people (especially in America: ground zero for pre-tribulationism) who will be stuck in a world of chaos without their magic escape.
Worse still, these sad folks will be “left behind,” the one outcome they’ve been taught is practically a death sentence.
These frightened, rudderless, UNPREPARED souls will be easy pickings for the worldwide satanic church (which LOOKS like Christianity; sort of like today’s churches.) and it’s “We told you so: there is NO rapture. You better listen to us! We won’t steer you wrong.”
The deceived will STILL be deceived. They will only have exchanged one deception for another: the pre-tribulation rapture for no rapture at all.
And it will be an easy transition.
After all, IF they had had the Holy Spirit, they would not have been deceived in the first place.
Taught they would never have to face what the Bible clearly declares they must, persecution and tribulation will be appear to be overwhelming to the unprepared.
Yet, true believers face persecution and tribulation every day. The Word of God GUARANTEES it.
“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”
–2Timothy 3:12
“we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.”
–Acts 14:22
Believers KNOW it will become much harder during the 42-months of the man of sin’s reign. One of the reasons God gave us His Word is to prepare believers for what is to come to pass.
IF the reader is not enduring both persecution and tribulation at this present time, it might be a good idea to make his calling and election sure.
Make Your Calling and Election Sure: End Times Survival
Time is Running Out: Today is the Day of Salvation
“But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:”
–2Corinthians 4:3
THE GOSPEL
“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. ”
–1 Corinthians 15:1-8
“But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”
—John 20:31
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
-–Romans 1:16
[Portions of this piece appeared originally in End Times Prophecy Headlines: April 19, 2016.]
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by Jeremiah Jameson
–with Mondo Frazier
image: Stuart Miles, FreeDigitalPhotos.net/ETPR
© Jeremiah J. Jameson and End Times Prophecy Report, 2012-16. © Mondo Frazier and End Times Prophecy Report, DBKP 2007-2016. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Jeremiah J. Jameson and End Times Prophecy Report with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
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