{"id":1249,"date":"2020-08-26T11:53:10","date_gmt":"2020-08-26T16:53:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/?p=1249"},"modified":"2020-08-26T11:53:10","modified_gmt":"2020-08-26T16:53:10","slug":"thief-in-the-night","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/thief-in-the-night\/","title":{"rendered":"Nearing Midnight: Thief in the Night"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
Nearing Midnight: Thief in the Night<\/strong> – Terry James –<\/p>\n
https:\/\/www.raptureready.com\/category\/nearing-midnight\/<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Authors note:<\/b> This article was first posted a number of years ago. The Bible Truth here was never more relevant than right this moment. Thus it is timely as a reminder of just how near must be the great event called the Rapture.<\/div>\n
—————–<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
No scriptural proof-text in God’s Word more clearly points to the first of the two phases of Jesus Christ’s second coming than does the following: “For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night” (1 Thess. 5:2).<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
We who hold to the pre-trib rapture viewpoint are often accused of being deceivers. We are condemned by our detractors as leading astray Christians alive now -if they live to see it- who will be required to endure the tribulation, thus to wash their robes clean in preparation for inheriting God’s Kingdom.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
We are castigated for foisting upon innocent, gullible believers a “secret rapture” that will somehow lead these Christians to take the mark of the beast(Rev. 13:16-18).<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
I’m not precisely sure of their “reasoning,” but I think they claim this because they are convinced that the ones who fall for the rapture viewpoint won’t be able to recognize Antichrist when he comes to power. We who teach the pre-trib rapture, so the accusation goes, would have falsely led these people to think the Church would not be here when Antichrist is on the world scene.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Almost all who are antagonistic to the pre-trib rapture doctrine teach that the “elect” will have to endure part or all of the seven-year tribulation era.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Those who hold to a post-tribulation rapture, or a no-rapture position, believe that Christ will come back at the end of the tribulation, at Armageddon.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
They hold to the notion that that is His only return in the second coming. There are other views of the second coming that have Christ returning when the earth is perfected and made ready, but we won’t go there in this essay.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Let us look at only the pre-trib rapture and the post-trib rapture positions for the purpose of exploring what is meant by the “thief in the night” references in 1 Thessalonians 5:2 and 2 Peter 3:10.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
These two viewpoints-the pre-trib, and the post-trib-offer the greatest contrast to examine in consideration of the second advent of Jesus Christ, within the overall belief that rapture will, according to Bible prophecy, happen before Christ’s foot actually touches down on Planet Earth.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
The pre-trib view of rapture says that Christ’s second coming is in two phases, separated by at least seven years. The post-trib rapture view says that the rapture and Christ’s coming back to the Mount of Olives will occur almost simultaneously-certainly with no more than a matter of days separating the two events. The post-trib position says there is no “secret” rapture. Christ’s coming again will be fully seen in the heavens by all, including Christians who will be watching for Him to break through the darkness of that hour.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
We agree that the rapture of the Church (all born-again believers in Jesus Christ for salvation since the Church Age began at Pentecost) will be anything but a “secret”. The world will instantly go into cataclysmic chaos at the moment that stunning event takes place. The imagination is hard-pressed to fathom the ramifications of what will happen when millions suddenly vanish. Every child below the age of accountability will be gone in that mind-boggling instant of time. I am convinced that all babies (including those in the wombs of their mothers) will be instantly in the presence of Christ in the clouds of glory. Every corpse of every dead Christian will be raised to join with his or her soul to meet Christ in the air in that atomos of time.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
The rapture will be mystifying, and to some an inexplicable phenomenon, but it will not be a secret. It will happen before the eyes of a stupefied planet of left-behind earth-dwellers. This declaration that Jesus will call His Church to be with Him seems audacious to many. But, it didn’t seem so to the Apostle Paul. He was quite confident-even adamant-in his prophecy concerning the “mystery” he had been given by the Holy Spirit to instruct all believers down through the Age of Grace (Church Age).<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (1 Cor. 15:51-52).<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
He explains what will take place next, in that stupendous fraction of a second: “For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:15-17).<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Jesus himself told of this “mystery” Paul refers to in 1 Corinthians 15:51. The Lord explains what happens after believers -both the bodies of the dead and those who are living- are caught up in the air to be with Him: “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (Jn. 14:1-3).<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
So, the rapture will take place. Believers and the bodies of those who died during the Church Age will be “caught up” in one single moment of time. “ALL,” not “some,” will go instantly to be with Jesus, who will then take them into heaven, where He has been preparing their dwelling places since He ascended from the Mount of Olives.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Again, the pre-trib position on this joyous event is that it is imminent (could happen at any moment), and will happen before the tribulation period begins.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
The post-trib position says that it happens at the end of the most terrible time in human history, just as Jesus Christ is returning from heaven at Armageddon.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
The pre-trib view holds that it will occur at an unknown time. It will be a stunning, sudden, and unannounced-to-the-world-at-large break-in upon business as usual on Planet Earth. The post-trib proclaims that it will occur following all of the horrors of the judgments outlined in Revelation.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
The pre-trib view says that the world at large (left-behind earth-dwellers) won’t see it coming. The rapture will cause all left on earth to wonder what has happened. The post-trib view says that all eyes will behold Christ’s coming again to a hellish planet, and the living and dead saints will then be gathered to Christ.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
The defining thing to consider in thinking on the two diametrically different views of the rapture and second coming is wrapped up in the term “thief in the night”. The Apostle Peter again uses this mysterious term, first used by Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:2: “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up” (2 Pet. 3:10).<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Peter is saying here that the day of the Lord-that time when God and His Christ, His Son, takes over this fallen planet-will begin like a thief in the night.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
It will be a sudden, catastrophic break-in upon a world doing business as usual. (Read Luke 17:26-29 to understand how things will be going along as usual when Christ comes back.)<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
This description hardly fits the post-trib view, or any other view that says Christ will rapture His Church during a time of unprecedented trouble (Jer. 30:7; Matt. 24:21). This indicates that it will be a total surprise, because a thief in the night doesn’t announce his coming with great, cataclysmic fanfare.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
The break-in is swift, stealthy-a totally unexpected event.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Peter foretells in these passages that the “day of the Lord” will then run its course, until the remaking of the heavens and the earth. The rapture will begin this “day of the Lord,” which will then run at least 1,007 years.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
This is the first phase of Christ’s second coming. The rapture occurs like a “thief in the night”. The second advent, when Jesus’ foot touches down on the Mount of Olives, is the second phase of His second coming.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
There are those who say with vehemence that it is blasphemous to equate Christ’s coming again as being like the break-in of a thief in the night. How dare we liken their Lord to a “thief”!<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Really? Here’s what Jesus, the Creator of all things, said about this matter: “But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh” (Matt. 24:43-44).<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Looks like a pretty good case for the Lord’s sudden intervention into the nefarious affairs of this increasingly wicked world, does it not? That thief-in-the-night moment could happen, literally, at any moment. Certainly, signals of the tribulation are beginning to come to pass.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
“And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh” (Lk. 21:28).<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

No scriptural proof-text in God’s Word more clearly points to the first of the two phases of Jesus Christ’s second coming than does the following: “For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night” (1 Thess. 5:2).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1112,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_s2mail":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"iawp_total_views":8,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[1135,435,77,1136],"class_list":["post-1249","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-terry-james","tag-post-trib-rapture","tag-pre-trib-rapture","tag-rapture","tag-thief-in-the-night"],"yoast_head":"\nNearing Midnight: Thief in the Night - Prophecy Forum<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"No scriptural proof-text in God's Word more clearly points to the first of the two phases of Jesus Christ's second coming than does the following: "For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night" (1 Thess. 5:2).\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/thief-in-the-night\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Nearing Midnight: Thief in the Night - Prophecy Forum\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"No scriptural proof-text in God's Word more clearly points to the first of the two phases of Jesus Christ's second coming than does the following: "For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night" (1 Thess. 5:2).\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/thief-in-the-night\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Prophecy Forum\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-08-26T16:53:10+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/download-1.jpg?fit=169%2C127&ssl=1\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"169\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"127\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"nexxus\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"nexxus\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/prophecyforum.com\\\/bible-prophecy\\\/thief-in-the-night\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/prophecyforum.com\\\/bible-prophecy\\\/thief-in-the-night\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"nexxus\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/prophecyforum.com\\\/bible-prophecy\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/aad48b1e9bc8f127f6b1c1eab35f765e\"},\"headline\":\"Nearing Midnight: Thief in the Night\",\"datePublished\":\"2020-08-26T16:53:10+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/prophecyforum.com\\\/bible-prophecy\\\/thief-in-the-night\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1696,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/prophecyforum.com\\\/bible-prophecy\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/aad48b1e9bc8f127f6b1c1eab35f765e\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/prophecyforum.com\\\/bible-prophecy\\\/thief-in-the-night\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/prophecyforum.com\\\/bible-prophecy\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2019\\\/10\\\/download-1.jpg?fit=169%2C127&ssl=1\",\"keywords\":[\"post-trib rapture\",\"pre-trib rapture\",\"rapture\",\"thief in the night\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Terry James\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/prophecyforum.com\\\/bible-prophecy\\\/thief-in-the-night\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/prophecyforum.com\\\/bible-prophecy\\\/thief-in-the-night\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/prophecyforum.com\\\/bible-prophecy\\\/thief-in-the-night\\\/\",\"name\":\"Nearing Midnight: Thief in the Night - Prophecy Forum\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/prophecyforum.com\\\/bible-prophecy\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/prophecyforum.com\\\/bible-prophecy\\\/thief-in-the-night\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/prophecyforum.com\\\/bible-prophecy\\\/thief-in-the-night\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/prophecyforum.com\\\/bible-prophecy\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2019\\\/10\\\/download-1.jpg?fit=169%2C127&ssl=1\",\"datePublished\":\"2020-08-26T16:53:10+00:00\",\"description\":\"No scriptural proof-text in God's Word more clearly points to the first of the two phases of Jesus Christ's second coming than does the following: \\\"For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night\\\" (1 Thess. 5:2).\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/prophecyforum.com\\\/bible-prophecy\\\/thief-in-the-night\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/prophecyforum.com\\\/bible-prophecy\\\/thief-in-the-night\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/prophecyforum.com\\\/bible-prophecy\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2019\\\/10\\\/download-1.jpg?fit=169%2C127&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/prophecyforum.com\\\/bible-prophecy\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2019\\\/10\\\/download-1.jpg?fit=169%2C127&ssl=1\",\"width\":169,\"height\":127,\"caption\":\"Getting prepared for the Rapture\"},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/prophecyforum.com\\\/bible-prophecy\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/prophecyforum.com\\\/bible-prophecy\\\/\",\"name\":\"Prophecy Forum\",\"description\":\"Bible prophecy and current events from a biblical perspective.\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/prophecyforum.com\\\/bible-prophecy\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/aad48b1e9bc8f127f6b1c1eab35f765e\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/prophecyforum.com\\\/bible-prophecy\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":[\"Person\",\"Organization\"],\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/prophecyforum.com\\\/bible-prophecy\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/aad48b1e9bc8f127f6b1c1eab35f765e\",\"name\":\"nexxus\",\"logo\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/prophecyforum.com\\\/bible-prophecy\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/image\\\/\"},\"description\":\"Rev. Larry W. Cockerham is best known for his prophetical teaching ministry based on the inspiration and authority of the Bible. The foundation of his ministry is helping others understand the Scriptures as they relate to the \\\"blessed hope\\\" (Tit. 2:13). Bro. Larry graduated from Andersonville Baptist Seminary with a Master of Theology degree. He has been teaching and preaching Bible prophecy, typology and related studies in churches for over forty-one years. He has written one book: Revelation: Prophetic Addresses to the Seven Churches, Vol. 1, The Rapture, and Ten Major Signs of the Lord's Return in Our Generation. He has listed over 40 books on Amazon, including novels, puzzle books, coloring books and other items. Larry is also listed in the Who's Who in Bible Prophecy and Top 100 End-Times Prophecy Teachers.\",\"sameAs\":[\"http:\\\/\\\/www.prophecyforum.com\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/larrywcockerham\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/prophecyforum.com\\\/bible-prophecy\\\/author\\\/nexxus\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Nearing Midnight: Thief in the Night - Prophecy Forum","description":"No scriptural proof-text in God's Word more clearly points to the first of the two phases of Jesus Christ's second coming than does the following: \"For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night\" (1 Thess. 5:2).","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/thief-in-the-night\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Nearing Midnight: Thief in the Night - Prophecy Forum","og_description":"No scriptural proof-text in God's Word more clearly points to the first of the two phases of Jesus Christ's second coming than does the following: \"For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night\" (1 Thess. 5:2).","og_url":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/thief-in-the-night\/","og_site_name":"Prophecy Forum","article_published_time":"2020-08-26T16:53:10+00:00","og_image":[{"width":169,"height":127,"url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/download-1.jpg?fit=169%2C127&ssl=1","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"nexxus","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"nexxus","Est. reading time":"8 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/thief-in-the-night\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/thief-in-the-night\/"},"author":{"name":"nexxus","@id":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/#\/schema\/person\/aad48b1e9bc8f127f6b1c1eab35f765e"},"headline":"Nearing Midnight: Thief in the Night","datePublished":"2020-08-26T16:53:10+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/thief-in-the-night\/"},"wordCount":1696,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/#\/schema\/person\/aad48b1e9bc8f127f6b1c1eab35f765e"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/thief-in-the-night\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/download-1.jpg?fit=169%2C127&ssl=1","keywords":["post-trib rapture","pre-trib rapture","rapture","thief in the night"],"articleSection":["Terry James"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/thief-in-the-night\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/thief-in-the-night\/","url":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/thief-in-the-night\/","name":"Nearing Midnight: Thief in the Night - Prophecy Forum","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/thief-in-the-night\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/thief-in-the-night\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/download-1.jpg?fit=169%2C127&ssl=1","datePublished":"2020-08-26T16:53:10+00:00","description":"No scriptural proof-text in God's Word more clearly points to the first of the two phases of Jesus Christ's second coming than does the following: \"For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night\" (1 Thess. 5:2).","inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/thief-in-the-night\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/thief-in-the-night\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/download-1.jpg?fit=169%2C127&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/download-1.jpg?fit=169%2C127&ssl=1","width":169,"height":127,"caption":"Getting prepared for the Rapture"},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/#website","url":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/","name":"Prophecy Forum","description":"Bible prophecy and current events from a biblical perspective.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/#\/schema\/person\/aad48b1e9bc8f127f6b1c1eab35f765e"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":["Person","Organization"],"@id":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/#\/schema\/person\/aad48b1e9bc8f127f6b1c1eab35f765e","name":"nexxus","logo":{"@id":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/"},"description":"Rev. Larry W. Cockerham is best known for his prophetical teaching ministry based on the inspiration and authority of the Bible. The foundation of his ministry is helping others understand the Scriptures as they relate to the \"blessed hope\" (Tit. 2:13). Bro. Larry graduated from Andersonville Baptist Seminary with a Master of Theology degree. He has been teaching and preaching Bible prophecy, typology and related studies in churches for over forty-one years. He has written one book: Revelation: Prophetic Addresses to the Seven Churches, Vol. 1, The Rapture, and Ten Major Signs of the Lord's Return in Our Generation. He has listed over 40 books on Amazon, including novels, puzzle books, coloring books and other items. Larry is also listed in the Who's Who in Bible Prophecy and Top 100 End-Times Prophecy Teachers.","sameAs":["http:\/\/www.prophecyforum.com","https:\/\/x.com\/larrywcockerham"],"url":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/author\/nexxus\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/download-1.jpg?fit=169%2C127&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2058,"url":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/pre-trib-trigger-points\/","url_meta":{"origin":1249,"position":0},"title":"Pre-Trib Trigger Points","author":"nexxus","date":"May 13, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Many within the Pre-Trib Rapture belief camp understand that the Rapture is dealt with in Jesus\u2019 Olivet Discourse. My dear friend, the late Dave Hunt, gave an excellent session on the subject, which he was assigned to address at a conference.","rel":"","context":"In "Terry James"","block_context":{"text":"Terry James","link":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/category\/terry-james\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/angel.png?fit=281%2C262&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":995,"url":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/nearing-midnight-gog-magog-on-automatic-pilot\/","url_meta":{"origin":1249,"position":1},"title":"Nearing Midnight: Gog-Magog on Automatic Pilot\u00a0","author":"nexxus","date":"January 2, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Most who will read this commentary are certainly at least cursorily familiar with the term \"Gog-Magog.\" This is the prophecy most who look at end-times matters from the pre-Trib perspective believe is the first foretold event that will likely be the prophecy to be fulfilled following the Rapture of the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Terry James"","block_context":{"text":"Terry James","link":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/category\/terry-james\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2153,"url":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/reset-or-rapture-by-terry-james\/","url_meta":{"origin":1249,"position":2},"title":"Reset or Rapture? By Terry James","author":"nexxus","date":"July 21, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Rather than making the great progress toward instituting their much-ballyhooed Great Reset, those powers are, while God restrains, bumping in a lurching fashion against one barrier after another to their blueprint to Build Back Better.","rel":"","context":"In "Terry James"","block_context":{"text":"Terry James","link":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/category\/terry-james\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"clock","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/clock.png?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/clock.png?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/clock.png?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/clock.png?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/clock.png?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":206,"url":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/nearing-midnight-egypt-in-prophetic-perspective\/","url_meta":{"origin":1249,"position":3},"title":"Nearing Midnight: Egypt in Prophetic Perspective","author":"nexxus","date":"July 16, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"The current focus for rumination is on Egypt and the chaos that doesn't yet rival that of what has been happening in Syria, but which is obviously building toward a similar level of trouble.","rel":"","context":"In "Terry James"","block_context":{"text":"Terry James","link":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/category\/terry-james\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":506,"url":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/nearing-midnight-how-not-to-be-deceived\/","url_meta":{"origin":1249,"position":4},"title":"Nearing Midnight: How Not to Be Deceived","author":"nexxus","date":"April 14, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"There isn't a more important decision in life than to make Jesus Christ the Lord of your life. We were all born into sin, and nothing but the blood of the Lamb of God can save us from damnation. Sadly, most people will die lost because they were deceived into\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Todd Strandberg"","block_context":{"text":"Todd Strandberg","link":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/category\/todd-strandberg\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":104,"url":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/rapture-answering-the-critics\/","url_meta":{"origin":1249,"position":5},"title":"The Rapture – Answering the Critics","author":"nexxus","date":"April 10, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"This generation is full of scoffers, mocking the prophesied return of Jesus Christ to Planet Earth.","rel":"","context":"In "Terry James"","block_context":{"text":"Terry James","link":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/category\/terry-james\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1249","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1249"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1249\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1112"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1249"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1249"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prophecyforum.com\/bible-prophecy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1249"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}