Rapture and End Times

The Book of Ezekiel details the End Times, including the Rapture, the Gog battle, and the rebuilding of the Temple, and shows that the Rapture will occur first. Psalm 118 corresponds to the year 2018, and is an eye-opener:

I called to the Lord in distress;
the Lord answered me
and put me in a spacious place.
The Lord is for me; I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?
The Lord is my helper,
Therefore, I will look in triumph on those who hate me.

(Psalm 118:5-7)

The Ezekiel chapters 38-39 prophesy that Russia, along with Iran and several Arab and North African nations, will rally together in these last days and mount a massive military operation against the Nation of Israel. Ezekiel prophesies that a “hook in the jaw” will be placed in Russia’s mouth and she will be dragged into this war. This Ezekiel war is being prepared right now.

We can already see the Ezekiel timetable moving into position, as the Syrian civil war draws to a close, and the Shiite nations join with Russia to turn into a threat to Israel. All the players are moving into position now:

Iran military chief: Any new Mideast war will end with Israel ‘eradicated’ / The Times of Israel, November 24, 2017

Saudi Crown Prince: Khamenei is the Middle East’s ‘new Hitler’ / Israel National News, November 24, 2017

Iran prepared for WAR: World on brink as tensions with Saudi Arabia reach breaking point / Daily Express, November 23, 2017

What will happen next? Does the Bible give us clues?

There are shouts of joy and victory
in the tents of the righteous:
“The Lord’s right hand performs valiantly!
The Lord’s right hand is raised.
The Lord’s right hand performs valiantly!”
I will not die, but I will live
and proclaim what the Lord has done.
The Lord disciplined me severely
but did not give me over to death.

(Psalm 118:15-18)

The Bible describes the destruction of Israel’s enemies as total and complete. Workers will need to spend seven years just to clean the fields of bodies and weapons:

Then those who dwell in the cities of Israel will go out and set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and bucklers, the bows and arrows, the javelins and spears; and they will make fires with them for seven years.
(Ezekiel 39:9)

Many readers miss the fact that these seven years are the Tribulation years, and are a clue as to the timing and sequence of the End Times. The Book of Ezekiel provides other significant clues. In the previous chapter, we find references to the Rapture. (Note that these scriptures have double meanings, as they point to the Rapture and also to the birth of Israel after the horrors of the Holocaust).

The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

So I answered, “O Lord God, You know.”

Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! Thus says the Lord God to these bones: “Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.”‘”

So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them.

Also He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.”‘” So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.

Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!’ Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it and performed it,” says the Lord.'” (Ezekiel 37:1-14)

In the Book of John, he records what Jesus Christ said about this great event:

Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. (John 5:25-26)

In chapters 40 thru 42 following the Gog battle, the Book of Ezekiel describes the new Temple in great detail. Psalm 118 describes the people entering the temple on the “Day of the Lord”:

Open the gates of righteousness for me;
I will enter through them
and give thanks to the Lord.
This is the gate of the Lord;
the righteous will enter through it.
I will give thanks to You
because You have answered me
and have become my salvation.
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
This came from the Lord;
it is wonderful in our eyes.
This is the day the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.

(Psalm 118:19-24)

In summary, chapters 37 to 42 of the Book of Ezekiel details the End Times, including the Rapture, the Gog battle, and the rebuilding of the Temple, and shows that the Rapture will occur first:

Chapter 37 – Rapture

Chapters 38 & 39 – The Gog battle

Chapters 40 thru 42 – The new Temple

With the preparations for the Ezekiel battle being seen daily in our news headlines, our need to be prepared for the Rapture has never been greater!

He who testifies to these things says, Surely I am coming quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! (Revelations 22:20)

The key to understanding the timing of the Rapture is knowing that very soon there will be a dark seven year period called the Tribulation. Just prior to the Tribulation, Jesus will gather all true believers to him. This gathering is the Rapture!

Jewish wedding ceremony – This ceremony is the theme and model of the Rapture, and determines the sequence of events. The Jewish wedding is a type and shadow of the return of Christ Jesus, the Messiah, for His Bride (the Church).

Jewish wedding event / Jesus and Church

* Groom pays a Bride price (Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross).

* Bride prepares herself (wears white robe representing righteous deeds)

* Groom gives gifts to His chosen Bride (gifts of the Spirit)

* Groom prepares a place for the Bride and himself (New Jerusalem)

* Father tells the son when to get his Bride (God the Father has an appointed time)

* Groom comes with others at midnight with a shout! (the Rapture of the Church)

* Groom takes Bride to private chambers for 7 days (the 7 Tribulation years)

* Groom and Bride share a marriage feast (the marriage supper of the Lamb)

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

Matthew chapter 24 and Revelations chapter 6 – Next, we will compare the two most important chapters in the Bible relating to the Tribulation, side by side.

*  This describes when the Antichrist and his prophet comes into the world to offer a false peace and to conquer:

And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. (Matthew 24:4-5)

And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer. (Revelation 6:2)

*  These scriptures outline a period of great war:

And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. (Matthew 24:6)

Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword. (Revelation 6:4)

*  In this time period, there will be a deadly famine leading to massive death:

For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.  (Matthew 24:7-8)

When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.” When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth. (Revelation 6:5-8)

*  Now a period of widespread persecution of Christians will occur:

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. (Matthew 24:9)

When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. (Revelation 6:9)

These scriptures outline the actions of the Beast as he reveals his true nature:

“Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. (Matthew 24:15-16)

And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (Revelation 13:5-8)

Notice that the two most important chapters in the Bible relating to the Tribulation agree completely on this sequence of events: the Antichrist coming into the world to conquer, a great war, a deadly famine leading to massive death, widespread persecution of Christians, and the Antichrist finally revealing his true nature with people worshiping him as God. We believe that before this 7 year Tribulation period the true Christian believer will be Raptured. Why?

Jesus described it this way:

And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed. (Luke 17:26-30)

In both of His examples, the righteous people were saved first, then came swift destruction for the wicked. There was no apparent warning.

That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. (Matthew 24:39-41)

In other words, the Rapture will come as a complete surprise, and during normal activities. It will come before the Tribulation!

For those who think that the end is far off, here is a word from Peter:

First, be aware of this: Scoffers will come in the last days to scoff, living according to their own desires, saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? Ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they have been since the beginning of creation.” They willfully ignore this: Long ago the heavens and the earth were brought about from water and through water by the word of God. Through these waters the world of that time perished when it was flooded. But by the same word, the present heavens and earth are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

Dear friends, don’t let this one thing escape you: With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3)

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