Hurricane season brings the phenomenon known as a “steering mechanism.” I’m no meteorologist, of course, but know enough to understand that, in the United States, winds aloft blowing from west to east have an effect on hurricanes approaching our mainland from the Atlantic.
I could not have written this article several months ago. Although I had no doubts about the biblical truth of premillennialism, I did not fully comprehend the perils of denying Jesus’ thousand year’ reign over the nations of the world as described in Revelation 20:1-10 and Zechariah 14. The denial of Jesus’ rule over a restored Israel is known as amillennialism.
We can’t know the exact date, but the date the Son of God hung on a cross, died, was buried and rose again has touched the world like no date before or after. The date the King of kings and Lord of lords returns will have no equal, and this is another date we cannot pinpoint at this time. Yet, there is a third date that falls between the cross and the return of Jesus Christ at the end of the seven year period commonly known as the Tribulation. This date is known as the Rapture.
It might be good for us to remember some Tribulation Scriptures and past events as we discuss some of the current events.
In his sermon on Pentecost, Peter referenced Joel’s message from God as saying, “And I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord com
I have often said (and heard people say), “I think the Rapture is close,” “We are SOOO close,” “I don’t see how the Rapture could not be close,” and more.
To bring this to a close, this writer believes most of Matt. 24 is about Israel and the Tribulation period not the Rapture, or the Church or the Church Age. Jesus answered the three questions that He was asked including the one about the end of the world (or age).
Wondering about the end times and the rapture can cause confusion, worry and fear for a lot of people, even Christians! For ages people have tried to figure out the exact time that the prophecy of Jesus’s return will happen. The best place to turn for answers about the rapture is Scripture! God tells us everything we need to know in the Bible. There are some things that God has left a mystery for us, but has given us enough information in His Word that we should have complete confidence and hope in the Hope of our Salvation. The above verses speak of a time when those who are found in Jesus Christ will stand before Him and receive what has been done in our body, either for Him, or for ourselves.
There are those who say that prophecy has been fulfilled in the year 70AD and that we are doing nothing but waiting for the return of Jesus Christ. These folks are what are called Preterist and discount prophecy as not for our time, or that we are living in the ends of days.
There are no words to describe how bad the Tribulation period is going to be; one-fourth of earth’s population will die (Rev. 6:7-8); one-third of those who are left will die (Rev. 9:13-21).