WHY ARE THERE GAPS IN PROPHECY?

by Jack Kelly

Scattered throughout the Scriptures are prophecies that contain references to both the first and second coming of the Lord in what appears to be a single thought. These dual reference prophecies could only be identified as such after the first coming had already taken place. That's because they were written in such a way that it was impossible to tell beforehand that the Lord's first coming would only partially fulfill them. Often the writers switch from the first coming to the second coming in the middle of a sentence without so much as a punctuation mark to alert the reader.

 

In this study I want to share some thoughts on why I believe God had them written this way. But first, here are a couple of examples of these dual reference prophecies so you can see for yourself how cleverly they were written.

 

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.  And he will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace  (Isaiah 9:6).

 

When the Lord had Isaiah write this prophecy 750 years before the fact, no one could have known from reading it that when the Messiah came, He would only fulfill a portion of it. The child was born and the son was given, but the government has never been on His shoulders, and in Israel, to whom He was sent, He has never been called by the names Isaiah attributed to Him.

 

"But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times" (Micah 5:2)

 

This prophecy calls for a ruler of Israel to be born in Bethlehem but gives no indication that 2,000 years would pass between the ruler's birth and His ascension to the throne of Israel. When the Parthian priests called Magi arrived in Jerusalem, they asked, "Where is the one who has been born King of the Jews?" (Matt. 2:2).

 

King Herod asked the Jewish leaders where the Messiah would be born, and they used this prophecy to confirm that He would be born in Bethlehem (Matt. 2:4-6). The Magi hastened there believing they were going to anoint a boy king who would grow up to rule over Israel. For his part, Herod had all the young boys in Bethlehem killed in an unsuccessful effort to eliminate what He perceived to be an imminent threat to his rulership. But while the coming king was born, He has yet to take His place on the throne in Israel.

 

The Secret Revealed

 

30 years later, it was Jesus himself who revealed the fact that there was more to these prophecies than meets the eye. Standing in the synagogue in Nazareth at the beginning of His ministry, he called for the scroll of Isaiah and read from what we know as Isaiah 61:1-2.

 

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor" (Luke 4:18-19).

 

Then He said He was the fulfillment of the Scripture He had just read. Comparing this to what Isaiah 61:1-2 actually says shows that He stopped before the end of verse 2, leaving out the phrase "and the day of vengeance of our God."

 

Without the benefit of Luke 4:18-19, a reading of Isaiah 61:1-2 would lead us to the conclusion that the day of vengeance, what we now call end times judgments, would take place directly after the Lord had finished preaching the good news, freeing the prisoners, giving sight to the blind and proclaiming the year of the Lord's favor. By stopping where He did and saying He was its fulfillment, He indicated He hadn't come to fulfill the part He hadn't read. There would be a separation of time between the year of the Lord's favor and the day of His vengeance.

 

There are several other dual reference prophecies that we who already know about the first coming can identify. Perhaps the most obvious is Daniel 9:24-27, the 70 weeks prophecy, where if you didn't already know that 2,000 years have passed since the fulfillment of the first 69 weeks of the prophecy (Daniel 9:24-26) without any fulfillment of the 70th week portion (Daniel 9:27) you wouldn't be able to tell just by reading it, because there's not even a hint of a gap between them in the text.

 

Why Didn't You Say So?

 

But our purpose is not to identify all these prophecies. The question we want to answer is why did God hide this dual reference aspect of Messianic prophecy so completely that it could only be discovered after the fact? Knowing the end from the beginning, He knew that Jesus was only going to partially fulfill the prophecies that spoke of His coming, so why didn't He have the prophets present them that way?

 

Some say He did it to provide "hidden" clues to the Church that He always knew about our time and place in history without alerting Israel to the fact ahead of time.

 

But as a result of some of my recent studies, I've concluded that God had these prophecies written in this particular way to show Israel that they could have been fulfilled just the way they were written. For generations, Israel had been reading and interpreting them to mean that the Messiah would come once and when He did He would fulfill all the prophecies written about Him. In fact it would have been impossible for them to interpret them any other way.

 

In the time leading up to the first coming, Israel believed when the Messiah came he would vanquish their enemies and restore their kingdom, because that's what these prophecies said He would do. In fact, even after spending three years with Jesus, the disciples still asked Him if the time had come for Him to restore the Kingdom to Israel (Acts 1:6). This tells us in all His time with them Jesus never mentioned an extended period of time during which Israel would be set aside while His attention would be focused on the Gentiles.

 

By the way, I think His uncharacteristically vague response to their question is a hint that restoring the Kingdom to Israel at that time was still a possibility. They had just presented Him with a perfect opportunity to lay everything out clearly to better prepare them for the years ahead. But instead, He left them hanging. "It's not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by His own authority" (Acts 1:7). To me that indicates the offer of the Kingdom to Israel was still open.

 

They didn't know for certain that Israel was being set aside in favor of the Gentiles until 20 years later when James told them (Acts 15:13-18) and even then they didn't know for how long. James only said that when the Lord had taken (carried away) a people for Himself from among the Gentiles He would turn back to Israel again. In other words, He would resume His focus on Israel after the rapture of the Church.

 

It Could Have Happened Just That Way

 

The dual reference prophecies were written in a way that would have made the total fulfillment possible at the time of the first coming. Had Israel accepted Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world and let Him die for them, the six objectives laid out by the angel in Daniel 9:24 could have been met within the prescribed 490 year period.

 

Seventy weeks are determined upon your people and your Holy City to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most Holy (place) (Daniel 9:24).

 

Sitting upon His heavenly throne, God decreed that six things would be accomplished for Daniel's people (Israel) and Daniel's Holy City (Jerusalem) during a specified period of 490 years.

 

We should be aware that in Hebrew these things read a little differently.  Literally, God had determined to;

 

1.  restrict or restrain the transgression (also translated rebellion)

2.  seal up their sins (as if putting them away in a sealed container)

3.  make atonement (restitution) for their iniquity

4. bring them into a state of everlasting righteousness

5. seal up (same word as #2) vision and prophecy

6. anoint (consecrate) the most Holy place (sanctuary)

 

In plain language, God would put an end to their rebellion against Him, put away their sins and pay the penalties they had accrued, bring the people into a state of perpetual righteousness, fulfill the remaining prophecies, and anoint the Temple. This was to be accomplished through their Messiah (Jesus) because no one else could do it.  Had they accepted Him as their savior their rebellion against God would have ended. Their sins would have all been forgiven, and the full penalty paid for them. They would have entered into a state of eternal righteousness, all their prophecies would have been fulfilled and the rebuilt temple would have been consecrated. It should be noted here that although it appears to have been accepted by Him, God never dwelt in the 2nd Temple, nor was the ark of the covenant and its mercy seat ever present therein.

 

Make no mistake about it.  Jesus had to die so these 6 promises could come true.  No one else in Heaven or on Earth could accomplish this.  We can only imagine how different things would have been if they had accepted Him as their Messiah and let Him die for their sins so He could bring them into everlasting righteousness with His resurrection.

 

The Sign Of The Prophet Jonah

 

And even though the religious leaders had fought Jesus tooth and nail throughout His ministry, He gave them one more chance by offering the clearest and most convincing sign possible. He promised that when they put Him to death He would come back to life three days later (Matt. 12:38-40). Since they wouldn't know if He fulfilled this promise until after the fact, He determined to wait for them to recognize that He had. I believe this is why He stayed around for 40 days after the resurrection.

 

Even though there were over 500 witnesses who could attest to having seen him after the resurrection (1 Cor. 15:6), there's no indication that any official inquiry was undertaken to confirm that He had fulfilled His promise to return from the dead. Finally He left, but only until they admit their guilt (Hosea 5:15). As soon as they do He will forgive them (Joel 3:21) and restore their kingdom as He always intended to do.

 

In the mean time the Church was born into the gaps in these prophecies. Not as an alternative fulfillment like the replacement theologians would have you believe, but as a parallel track. When time stopped for Israel, it began for the Church, and when it ends for the Church it will begin again for Israel.

This is what the Lord says:

 

"Only if the heavens above can be measured and the foundations of the earth below be searched out

 

will I reject all the descendants of Israel because of all they have done," declares the Lord (Jeremiah 31:37) You can almost hear the footsteps of the Messiah 05-16-15.

THE LAST OF THE LAST DAYS

 

by Bill Perkins

Ten Unmistakable Signs That We're in the Last Days of the Last Days

 

Today things are moving so fast it's helpful to just step back, take a breath and look at the numerous Bible prophecies being fulfilled all around us. Here are 10 big prophecies that should convince anyone with 2 brain cells that we're definitely living in the last of the last days!

 

1) Israel Back in Their Homeland "Say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I will take the sons of Israel from among the nations where they have gone, and I will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land" (Ezek. 37:21).

 

Bible prophecies regarding the latter days begin and end with Israel. Until God regathered Israel back to their homeland, most latter-days prophecies could not begin. But return they did. In the late 1800s, after almost 2000 years of worldwide dispersion, the Jews began filtering back to their original God-given land. In 1917, at the end of WW1, the Balfour Agreement gave the Jews a legal right of return. And on May 14, 1948, the United Nations declared Israel a sovereign nation.

 

2) Israel Is A World Problem "It will come about in that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will be severely injured. And all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it" (Zech. 12:3).

 

The Bible not only promised Israel would return to their God-given land, but that this tiny nation would also become a burdensome stone to the world. Hardly a day goes by that Israel's not in the news. Israel has a population of about 8 million, the Arabs about 450 million.

 

You can barely see Israel (red) in the middle of a Muslim dominated land.

 

Every American administration since Israel became a nation in 1948 has tried and failed to secure a lasting peace in the Middle East. The national news has a continuous dribble of problems regarding Israel and the Middle East, usually making Israel out to be the problem. This ultimately ends with every nation on earth coming against Israel in the Tribulation period. Toward the end of the seven-year Tribulation period, the Antichrist will bring together the world's armies to "kill the Jews." But their Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, will return to earth and save them from annihilation.

 

3) Homosexual Perversion "...and they called to Lot and said to him, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may have relations (intercourse) with them." Gen 19:5

 

"For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah" (Matt. 24:37).

 

"It was the same as happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building; but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed" (Luke 17:28-30).

 

The Bible says that the days before the Rapture will be "just like" the days before God destroyed the earth with a global flood. And also just like the days before He destroyed Sodom and Gommorah. One of the distinguishing characteristics specifically mentioned was widespread homosexual sin. God will again judge homosexual sin in the future.

 

Always know that homosexual behavior IS sin. Homosexuals are not born that way, rather they CHOOSE to be. Much like a thief can't stop stealing without the transcending power of God, a homosexual can't repent/turn from his/her sin without the power of God. Murder, stealing, adultery, homosexuality, etc., ARE clearly defined as SIN by God's Word.

 

God defines sin, not the government! Today, homosexual rights are on the front-burner of the politically-correct push to bring the perversion out into the open as normal, incorrectly equating their demands with the push for black rights in the 1960s.

 

But comparing homosexual rights to civil rights is not an apples-to-apples comparison because homosexual behavior is a choice and black skin color isn't. That fact seems to be lost in the rhetoric as God-given and constitutionally protected rights of Christians are tossed out the window while homosexual perversion is elevated to "normal" status.

 

4) Cashless Society "And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name" (Rev. 13:16-17).

 

A recent survey(1) said only 10 percent of Americans always carry cash. The worldwide movement toward electronic payments has been breathtaking. For most of those reading this article, if our bank unexpectedly froze our accounts, we'd be in deep trouble. With banking now tied worldwide we're obviously not too far from one person literally being able to control the world. And that's where we're headed... to a point where one person will have total control of all transactions on earth.

 

5) Russian / Iranian Coalition "Son of man, set your face toward Gog of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him" (Ezekiel 38:2).

 

"I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them splendidly attired, a great company with buckler and shield, all of them wielding swords; Persia, Ethiopia and Put (Libya in some translations) with them, all of them with shield and helmet" (Ezekiel 38:4).

 

"After many days you will be summoned; in the latter years you will come into the land that is restored from the sword, whose inhabitants have been gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel which had been a continual waste; but its people were brought out from the nations, and they are living securely, all of them" (Ezekiel 38:8).

 

Amazingly the Bible predicts that Gog/Rosh (modern day Russia) will invade Israel from the north with Persia (modern day Iran) as one of her principal allies. So it's not surprising that today Russia and Iran are becoming so militarily close. Also keep in mind that the above prophecies, written 2700 years ago, pinpoint this time to be after Israel comes back into their land in the latter days.

 

6) Nuclear Weapons "And another, a red horse, went out; and to him who sat on it, it was granted to take peace from the earth, and that men would slay one another; and a great sword was given to him" (Rev. 6:4).

 

"Now this will be the plague with which the LORD will strike all the peoples who have gone to war against Jerusalem; their flesh will rot while they stand on their feet, and their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongue will rot in their mouth" (Zech. 14:12).

 

How would you have described a nuclear bomb 2,500 years ago? John and Zechariah had to do just that! All they knew was that it was huge and quite destructive! So destructive that flesh melted off their bodies before their bones hit the ground! That sounds exactly like a neutron bomb that's designed to vaporize the people and leave the buildings intact.

 

7) Increase In Knowledge "But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase" (Dan.12:4).

 

"The chariots race madly in the streets, They rush wildly in the squares, Their appearance is like torches, They dash to and fro like lightning flashes" (Nahum 2:4).

 

The Internet has become the modern-day purveyor of information as you pretty much have access to anything and everything at your fingertips. Ease of local or worldwide transportation by car, plane, train or ship is considered normal. Nahum 2:4 sounds like the prophet is looking down on a busy intersection at night.

 

8) Mockers denying Jesus' Second Coming "Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation." (2 Peter 3:3, 4).

 

Denying the clear biblical doctrines of the Lord first returning in the Rapture is a SIGN of the Rapture. The dispensational model for scripture interpretation is the only consistent way to know what God says to us in His written word.

 

Yet over 80 percent of the "Christian Church" in the world is A-millennial in their theology, which is a basic denial of the Rapture. Notice this is not a verse talking about non-Christians, but because it mentions "fathers" and God's "creation," it's referring to Christians living in the last days!!

 

9) 144,000 Jewish Evangelists Identified "And I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred and forty-four thousand sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel" (Rev 7:4).

 

"And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one could learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been purchased from the earth. These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they have kept themselves chaste. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been purchased from among men as first fruits to God and to the Lamb." (Rev. 14:3, 4)

 

This puzzling prophecy says God will choose 144,000 Jewish men and reveal Himself to them on Mount Zion in Jerusalem (different from Mount of Olives and Mount Moriah). Most interestingly, these men are virgins. I wrote an article a few years ago identifying these men as the unmarried Rabbinical Jews between the ages of 18 and 30. Today they're estimated to number approximately 150,000, and their ranks are growing. 

 

10) Israel's Deserts Blooming "In the days to come Jacob will take root, Israel will blossom and sprout, and they will fill the whole world with fruit" (Isaiah 27:6).

 

"The wilderness and the desert will be glad, and the Arabah (desert) will rejoice and blossom; Like the crocus it will blossom profusely" (Isaiah 35:1, 2).

 

The Bible prophesies that the parched and desert land of Israel will bloom profusely. In the late 1800s, Mark Twain commented that there was hardly anything green in the land.

 

The Turks of Ottoman Empire who controlled the land for 400 years had heavily taxed trees on property. So most people cut down all their trees to avoid paying the tax!

 

Since the Jews began returning in earnest in the late 1800s, the Jewish National Fund has planted over 250 million trees throughout the country (which is roughly the size of Vermont).

 

One of the most amazing things we see in Israel today on our Bible trips is the incredible and colorful blooming vegetation in the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea-the lowest point on earth. Israelis invented the drip system that enables as little as a cupful of water to bountifully nourish a whole tree for a day. Using this method in the desert has literally caused it to bloom in the last 50 years. They now export fresh fruit and vegetables via plane to Europe every day but Saturday (Shabot).

 

The drip system allows Israel to export $65 million in dates each year from trees grown around the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth.

 

And the next big prophecy to be fulfilled:

 

Israel Discovering Great Riches

 

"Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish with all its villages will say to you, 'Have you come to capture spoil? Have you assembled your company to seize plunder, to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to capture great spoil?" (Ezek 38:13)

 

The Bible says there will be great riches discovered in the land. The riches are so great that sovereign nations band together to invade and take the riches. This is unfolding before our eyes!

 

Israel has discovered huge gas fields inland and off-shore her coasts. And as they say in Texas, "where there's gas, there's oil." So it's only a matter of time. Over 500 oil wells have been drilled in Israel to no avail. But recently Israel struck oil, and it's a whopper. It's over 10 times the average size of oil wells in the world and will provide billions of gallons of oil a year, far exceeding the needs of Israel.

 

As more wells are tapped into this massive reserve, Israel will become a major oil supplier to Europe and North America. Do you think this will sit well with the Arabs? They already seethe at Israel's success in rebuilding a great nation in only 50 years. They're going to go bonkers!

 

And the prophecy also mentions gold and silver riches. As the Dead Sea dries up, could it expose more and more unseen riches?

 

Trust me, when Israel is able to supply oil at a lower price from a closer delivery point (the eastern edge of the Mediterranean Sea), the Muslims will go nuts.

 

And if Israel also discovers gold and silver, the Arabs will wet their collective pants. So Israel's discovering great riches is closely tied into prophecy #2 above, Israel being a burdening stone to the world!

 

BDS Anyone?

 

Another point of contention worth mentioning between Israel and the world is the ridiculous attempt to pressure Israel through BDS, or Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions of Israel movement.

 

This laughable campaign by brain-dead liberals fails to make sense when one realizes how many incredible products Israel contributes to the world. Who would want to give up their smartphone?

 

Thankfully, many states are now passing anti-BDS laws. Colorado has recently joined Florida, Tennessee, New York, Indiana and Pennsylvania in passing anti-BDS legislation. Another 30-plus states are reportedly considering similar legislation.

 

BDS makes ludicrous claims! The bottom line is that you have to be dumb as dirt to support BDS. If you're not up to speed on the stupidity of the BDS movement, watch this short video called "BDS or the Bible?"

 

Therefore, yes, I obviously believe we're living in the last of the last days. These 10 prophecies (there are of course a lot more!) prove the end of the current dispensation, the Church Age, is near. It will end with the believers' exhilarating exit, shedding our present sinful containers.

 

To a trusting-the-blood believer, seeing so much Bible prophecy coming together should be an exciting incentive to ask the Lord for His wisdom for being sensitive to the leading of His Spirit to reach our lost family, friends and co-workers with the Good News. And Good News it is!

IN PROPHECY, WE LOOK THROUGH A GLASS DARKLY

by Pastor Mike Taylor

9 “For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.” (1^st. Corinthains 13:9-10, 12)

There are many interpretations out there concerning Bible prophecy and all can't be right, and all can't be wrong. Nobody who is truly a Christian is trying to teach false doctrine, or doing the work of the “adversary”.

All those preachers, evangelist and pastors are reading the same Bible that I am reading and I assume all of them are sincere. It is beyond comprehension of myself to believe that one who has believed in the atonement of Jesus Christ through His sacrifice on a cross, and subsequent resurrection to a glorified man/God, would teach deliberate error.
Now we know tha there are false teachers in the world, as Jesus told us that the end times would produce those who seek to deceive.

23 “Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.

24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

25 Behold, I have told you before.

26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.

27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” (Matthew 24:23-27)

But I don't believe that those who are “sincere” Christians are preaching error deliberately. I also, have been accused of preaching false doctrine when I propose anything on Dispensationalism, or the Pre-Tribulation Rapture, but from that perspective, not wanting to deceive anybody, I have often prayed that God would show me if I error in teaching the same. What God has done in the past, and continues to do for me, is to re-inforce these doctrines and to preach them more earnestly, as the time is short.



Personally, I have pointed out errors of the “New Age” type of Christianity that focuses on your “Best Life Now” type of motivational speaking, that looks to numbers that fill their church, and money for their pet building programs they can afford from “fleecing the flock” ...There are plenty of TV evangelist, and you know who they are, who are willing to bend the message to their advantage.
So it is with the Prosperity Gospel that tells you to send them $100 and God will turn right around and send you $1000, which reminds me of the last political election and the mantra “Pay to play” that leads many people to send all their money to these TV preachers and forsake taking care of their family. God is NOT about riches in this life, but the riches of the life to come. God has a habit of taking care of His children, and giving them what they need, but it doesn't include multi-million dollar mansions and driving around in a Rolls-Royce and jet-setting to foreign lands in your private jet.



But even with that, the fact remains that there are sincere Christians who read the same scriptures as everybody else and come up with entirely different interpretations and we are reading the same messages. When it comes to the future of Bible Prophecy and what God has promised us in the near future, you have people who discount much of it. The preterist believe that everything of prophecy was fulfilled in 70AD with the destruction of the Temple and the dispersion of the Jews into exile.



To a futurist, Bible prophecy has yet to be completely fulfilled. But even amongst these folks there is disagreement on when these events will take place. Some believe the Rapture, the HARPAZO of the church will be at the end of the Tribulation. Others believe it will happen at the mid-point of the Tribulation, or even Pre-wrath believers.
Others, this minister included, believe that the “Removal of God's Church” will take place before the Tribulation starts in earnest and God's wrath pours down on rebellious mankind in a wave after wave of ever increasing crescendo of events.
But again, we are all reading the same passages and coming to different conclusions. I praise God that I was able to show a prior post Tribulation believer that Revelation 3:10, when taken in the original Greek, shows that God will “take us out of” not take us through the coming Tribulation. Pointing to Isaiah 26:19-21 coupled with Matthew 14:2-4, its sister verse, the brother was able to see what he had read many times, but failed to discern that the church is not present during this horrific time of Jacob's trouble. My brother told me that he had read those passages many times, but it never made sense until he looked up the original Greek meaning of the passage.



ARE ALL SINCERE?



We presume that all of those who read Bible prophecy are all sincere and believe that their understanding is the correct one. After all, things that are different are NOT the same, as the Rapture can only occur ONCE.
The question is, “is the rapture before, during, or after the Tribulation?”...Speaking of a fellow brother in Christ, Hal Lindsey would be sincere and confident that the Rapture happens before the tribulation and we would agree. But there are others, such as Marv Rosenthal who teaches something called “Pre-Wrath and reading his commentaries, I believe he is sincere in that belief.



I have also been aware of post Tribulation teachers, and there are whole denominations that believe in such a theory when related to Bible Prophecy. I recall that the Church of God, when H. Armstrong was alive and his son, Garner Ted were both Post Tribulation believers and there are off-shoots of that denomination since the split of the Church of God who still believe it. But reading these still active preachers work convinces me that they too, are sincere about their position of Bible prophecy.



Although there are many different interpretations of the coming of our Lord, when and where it will happen, there is one doctrine that a true Christian believes and we can all agree on. It is that we are all saved by Grace through Faith in the shed Blood and bodily resurrection of our Lord to become a glorified spirit being of flesh and bone. Jesus became what we will be in the “sweet by and by” a glorified man, immortal, and in the same image as our Lord Jesus Christ.
“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” (1^st John 3:1-3)

That is the ONLY doctrine, in the final analysis, which really and truly bears eternal consequences. Preterist that trust Jesus for their salvation through faith, will meet up with futurist who also trust Jesus, who will fellowship with Pre-Tribbers, and post Tribbers that will fellowship with other protestants and Catholics who actually believe that only Jesus saves.

Because in the final analysis, if you trust Jesus, and in Him alone for your hopes of salvation, then you will go to that blessed place of eternal existence, we call “heaven”.



THE GRACE AND MERCY OF GOD



This is the central message of the Gospel. It is the focus of the entire Bible that was written as a love letter to the world, that God would redeem us by the blood of His Son. The rest is the product of us longing to know more about God and know that we are blinded by our earthly existence as being mortal and bound to this world we live on. We are finite attempting to comprehend the infinite. We can only know the True God of the Bible, by believing in the only Begotten Son of God. To see Jesus is to see God the Father, as they are ONE.
As the opening scripture plainly tells us, we see “through a glass darkly”. Paul said we only know in part, but the part that really matters is the part that we are saved by faith in Jesus. Everything else in the Bible is a discussion of what we discern to be truth as we read it....but we must diligently study God's Word, because cherry-picking scriptures to confirm our pre-conceived ideas and doctrines will lead many into errors of interpretations.



A LESSON OF THE TOWER OF BABEL



In the story of the Tower of Babel, God explains how the various ethnic nations came to be.

"And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech." (Genesis 11:6-7)

By scattering mankind over the whole earth, God removed the common bond of one language and ethnicity. God was insuring that no man could ever rule completely over other men, as Nimrod did when he was constructing the Tower of Babel.

Down though the ages, no man has been able to dominate all mankind, at least NOT YET. Not that some have tried to do so. We speak of people like Hitler, Napoleon, or the many Roman Catholic Popes that ruled the known world, but never completely ruled mankind on a global basis.
To date, this has prevented one culture or one world view to dominate all mankind. That diversity has allowed Christianity to flourish to the point that is part of world history.
That is because Christianity is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, rather than an accepted cultural duty, or a doctrinal edict by a majority ruling denomination.
God built that same diversity into the Church, which accounts for how and why sincere Christians can read the same Scriptures and come up with such widely divergent doctrines as preterist historicism and pretribulationist futurism. It prevents any one teacher from becoming the only accepted source of information of the things of God.



WHY SO MAN DENOMINATIONS?



If everybody agreed on all point of scripture and Bible Prophecy, then the guy who articulated it the best could become the Great Oracle of God. (and what if he were wrong?)

There are so many denominations that have their own understanding of what the Bible says...Of course, we all can't be right. Someone has it right, and the others are wrong, but believe in their mortal understanding that they are right, but still wrong. We all have diverse teachings, but share the same salvation by grace through faith. And each are equally sincere because we all share the same awesome accountability before the Lord. So none of us who preach or those who hear the Word should take any of this lightly, but examine yourself to make sure you are in the faith of Jesus Christ.
4. “ For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.

5, Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” (2^nd Corinthians 13:4-5)

IN the end of all things of mankind's rule upon earth, we will be judged by how we used that doctrine that God delivered to us to lead others to the salvation which is found in no One, but Jesus Christ, our Lord. This is all true down through the Ages, but there is coming a time, when even this truth will be corrupted by two men who will lead those left behind in this world to destruction.



TIME OF JACOB'S TROUBLE, THE TRIBULATION



The necessity of understanding in the Church Age is demonstrated by a peek across the divide of the coming “Time of Jacob's Trouble” after the Church Age is concluded and this diversity will be replaced by a One World Religion that will be headed by one man promoting a mortal man, that many will look to as the “modern messiah”.



A false prophet will arise that will direct all mankind to worship at the feet of the prophesied religious beast, the Anti-Christ. Since there will be no living, saved Christians on this earth that are guided by the Holy Spirit at that time of man's history, then the results achieved by the False Prophet are amply rewarded with the results that were unattainable during the Age of Grace, or the Church Age.

7 “For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”(2^nd Thessalonians 2:7-12)

The diversity of thought will been changed to a distorted edict of a false religion that will be imposed on the whole world, and those that do not bow before this false religion will be at war with the coming One World Government headed by the coming Anti-Christ.
That diversity of understanding is replaced by a universal religion imposed by the false prophet and directed toward the worship of antichrist.

"And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." (Revelation 13:7-8)

I had a comment on my blog space from a reader who disagreed with my assessment that those who are in the Tribulation are not the Church. The quote was “ When we mention saints it's referring to us Christians found in numerous verses in revelation. So I kindly disagree with your article.” to that I responded.

“Notice that those who go through the tribulation are called saints, but never called the church...they are called the elect...a saint is a saint if they believe on Jesus, no matter what the time period is. The Tribulation produces those who believe through much persecution from man, and dealing with the falling wrath of God. No where in scripture will you find God's people being subjected to His wrath, if they are following Him. Those who believe in Jesus during this horrific time of the Tribulation will be sorely tested and will not have the guarantee of God's Holy Spirit, save the 144,000 Jewish evangelist that preach the Gospel and it will cost them their lives and all who believe in the Name of Jesus...only a remnant will escape the Anti-Christ reign of terror and will most likely be those who escaped to the wilderness from Judea when the Abomination that causeth desolation reveals himself and proclaims himself, God. It will be as it was in 70 AD, when a remnant of Jewish people believed the Roman invasion of Jerusalem to destroy her, and escaped to Petra, which will most likely be where God will supernaturally protect them for a times, time and half a time...or 3.5 years...It may be the remnant of Jewish people that survive along with a remnant of Gentiles that did not take the mark of the Beast. “

Again, the success of the False Prophet in the final analysis, comes from the loss of spiritual diversity that is unique to the Church.
On doctrinal issues like the Rapture of the Church, for example, no matter what view one holds as doctrinal truth, the essential fact is that we all will obtain heaven's glory if we be found in Jesus Christ. The Rapture is called the Blessed Hope and I point all those who are “playing church” to its nearness. Why? Because if they are playing church, they may not be truly saved, just going through the motions and will be sorely surprised when they are “left behind”...my message to those who are not serious about Jesus Christ, is to warn them of the closeness of our eternal reward found in Jesus, and unless they just “hanker” for being subjected to the worst time in all of mankind's history, they had better get right with God right now....Because it will be exponentially harder to find Jesus Christ in the Tribulation..Oh, it's possible and many will, but it will cost them their life from the popular execution of being be-headed as described in Revelation.

“And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years “ (Revelation 20:4)

The hour of the coming of our Lord draws ever near. And I believe the Pre-Tribulation removal of the Church, in Greek, the HARPAZO found in 1^st Thessalonians:

16 “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:

17 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.”

and repeated again in 1^st Corinthians the same thought :

50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

52 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.

53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” (1^st Corinthians 15:50-53)

Both passages speak of us being changed and caught up....the Word for this is HARPAZO, or from the dictionary, “to be snatched away, by force”

Right now, we see through a glass darkly, because that is how God intended it to be on this side of eternity. I believe, and many others believe that the bible speaks of the Pre-Tribulation of the Bride of Christ. It is rather obvious, if you take a plain reading of scripture and don't inject your own bias. I don't believe that those who are truly God's people and don't agree with me, are preaching falsehood, but when the rapture happens, we'll all go at the same time. It's not a salvation issue, but it is a glorious belief that Jesus is coming for a Bride that is spotless and clean, and not from anything she has done, but what He has done.

For me, I will continue to preach and teach what I believe God has revealed to me. Those who belong to Him, truly, can believe or not believe as it will not matter when we are all raised into the air to meet our Lord Jesus and forever be with our Lord. The arms and hands of those who don't believe will be as mine, raised in praise to our God, and our Savior. I feel they will be just as thankful as I am, that they were wrong...

16“For God so loved the world, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17, God send not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through HIM, might be saved.

18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:16-18)

Belief with confession to others, what God has done for you. You believe in your heart and confess with you mouth, then my friend, you will join us at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, and to be forever with the Lord.

8 "But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;

9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.” (Romans 10:8-11)

Won't you join us, those who believe in Jesus Christ and Him crucified and resurrected and sits at the right hand of God waiting for His return. ? Believe these last two passages in your heart and mind, and you will. So come Lord Jesus..

This is pastor Mike Taylor, praying that I see you before our God and Savior, Jesus Christ. If you need prayer, counseling on salvation issues, or just a listening ear. Contact me at realteam1999@sbcglobal.net. God bless you all.

TILL WE MEET AT JESUS FEET