Rapture and End Times

“Write to the angel of the church in Laodicea:

“The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Originator of God’s creation says: I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I’m rich; I have become wealthy and need nothing,’ and you don’t know that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire so that you may be rich, white clothes so that you may be dressed and your shameful nakedness not be exposed, and ointment to spread on your eyes so that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be committed and repent. Listen! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and have dinner with him, and he with Me. The victor: I will give him the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I also won the victory and sat down with My Father on His throne. (Revelation 3:14-21)

The church age is outlined with Jesus’s message to the seven churches, using actual churches that were located in the region we now know as the country of Turkey:

Apostolic Age (33 to 100 AD) –  Ephesus: From this church, those “who overcome are granted to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” (Revelation 2:1-7). Praised for not bearing those who are evil, testing those who say they are apostles and are not, and finding them to be liars; hating the deeds of the Nicolaitans; having persevered and possessing patience. Admonished to “do the first works” and to repent for having left their “first love”.

Age of Persecution (100 to 312 AD) – Smyrna: From this church, those who are faithful until death, will be given “the crown of life”. Those who overcome shall not be hurt by the second death. (Revelation 2:8-11). Praised for being “rich” while impoverished and in tribulation. Admonished not to fear the “synagogue of Satan”, nor fear a ten-day tribulation of being thrown into prison.

Imperial Church Age (312 to 600 AD) – Pergamon: From this church, those who overcome will be given the hidden manna to eat and a white stone with a secret name on it.” (Revelation 2:12-17). Praised for holding “fast to My name”, not denying “My faith” even in the days of Antipas, “My faithful martyr”. Admonished to repent for having held the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel; eating things sacrificed to idols, committing sexual immorality, and holding the “doctrine of the Nicolaitans”.

Age of the Papacy (600 to 1517 AD) – Thyatira: From this church, those who overcome until the end, will be given power over the nations in order to dash them to pieces with the rule of a rod of iron; they will also be given the “morning star”. (Revelation 2:18-29). Praised for their works, love, service, faith, and patience. Admonished to repent for allowing a “prophetess” to promote sexual immorality and to eat things sacrificed to idols.

Reformation Age (1517 to 1700 AD) – Sardis: From this church, those who overcome will be clothed in white garments, and their names will not be blotted out from the Book of Life; their names will also be confessed before the Father and His angels. (Revelation 3:1-6). Admonished to be watchful and to strengthen since their works haven’t been perfect before God.

Missionary Age (1700 to 1900 AD) – Philadelphia: From this church, those who overcome will be made a pillar in the temple of God having the name of God, the name of the city of God, “New Jerusalem”, and the Son of God’s new name. (Revelation 3:7-13). Praised for having some strength, keeping “My word”, and having not denied “My name”. Admonished to hold fast what they have, that no one may take their crown.

Age of Apostasy (1900 to 2020 AD) – Laodicea: From this church, those who overcome will be granted the opportunity to sit with the Son of God on His throne. (Revelation 3:14-22). Admonished to be zealous and repent from being “lukewarm”; they are instructed to buy the “gold refined in the fire”, that they may be rich; to buy “white garments”, that they may be clothed, so that the shame of their nakedness would not be revealed; to anoint their eyes with eye salve, that they may see.

The seventh and final letter to the churches of ancient Asia Minor is to the church in the city of Laodicea. This last message is found in Revelation 3:14-22. Laodicea was a wealthy, industrious city in the province of Phrygia in the Lycos Valley.

In contrast to the other six churches, the Laodicean church has nothing to commend it. Jesus begins the message with condemnation: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I’m rich; I have become wealthy and need nothing,’ and you don’t know that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked” (Revelation 3:15-17).

Jesus emphasizes their “lukewarm,” apathetic nature three times. As a result of their ambivalence to spiritual things, Jesus would have nothing to do with them. He would “vomit them out,” as the people of Laodicea would spit out the tepid water that flowed from the underground aqueducts to their city. With their apathy came a spiritual blindness; they claimed to be rich, blessed and self-sufficient. Perhaps they were rich in material things. But, spiritually, the Laodiceans were in a wretched, pitiful condition, made all the worse in that they could not see their need. This was a church filled with self-deceived hypocrites.

Jesus calls the Laodicean church to repent of its sin: “I advise you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire so that you may be rich, white clothes so that you may be dressed and your shameful nakedness not be exposed, and ointment to spread on your eyes so that you may see” (Revelation 3:18). Their material wealth had no eternal benefit, so Jesus commands them to come to Him for true, spiritual riches (see Isaiah 55:1-2). Only Christ can supply an everlasting inheritance, clothe us in righteousness, and heal our spiritual blindness.

Jesus then notes His concern for His church in Laodicea: “As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be committed and repent. Listen! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and have dinner with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:19-20).

His rebuke is not born of animosity but of love. “the Lord disciplines the one He loves” (Hebrews 12:6). The desired response to God’s reproof was zealous change and true repentance.

Verse 20 is often used as an evangelistic appeal, yet its original context communicates Christ’s desire for fellowship with His lukewarm church in Laodicea. The church is nominally Christian, but Christ Himself has been locked out. Rather than turn His back on them, He knocks, seeking someone to acknowledge the church’s need and open the door. If they would repent, Jesus would come in and take His rightful place in the church. He would share a meal with them, a Middle Eastern word picture speaking of closeness of relationship.

Jesus then makes a promise to the believers in Laodicea: “The victor: I will give him the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I also won the victory and sat down with My Father on His throne” (Revelation 3:21). The “victor” refers to any believer, and the promise is that he will share Christ’s future kingdom.

In summary, the church at Laodicea had become apathetic in their love for Christ. They were allowing “the seduction of wealth, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.” (Mark 4:19). Christ called them to repent and live zealously for Him, to “choose for yourselves today the one you will worship” (Joshua 24:15). The Lord Jesus issues the same call to those who say they follow Him today.

The Christian understanding of apostasy is a willful falling away from, or rebellion against, Christian truth. What is happening here is a rebellion against Christianity by society at large. The apostasy reaches the point where the “man of lawlessness” declares himself to be God.

We have witnessed a growing apostasy led by the Pope, who calls for a world religion. Essentially, the “Christlam” movement (a culturally designed combination religion of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism in the interest of peace) is a rejection of salvation by Jesus Christ alone.

Chrislam is our 21st century act of syncretism, by trying to promote a culturally designed combination religion of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism in the interest of peace.

There is a plan to make a one-world religion that would harm us in ways that we do not perceive.  God is warning us to not become a part of this fellowship of apostate Christianity, Islam, Judaism and other religions melded together to form a one world religion that all must follow.  All this is supposed to be done in the name of PEACE.

We believe that the Beast (along with the Dragon), assisted by the False Prophet, will soon finalize the Israeli-Palestinian “land for peace” treaty, which will allow the Third Temple to be built. This will begin the dark 7 year period called the Tribulation.

 

What has happened to Christianity in the last 120 years? How far have we fallen?

Witness the results:

Divorce and cohabitation…

 

Abortion…

 

Rampant pornography…

 

Homosexuality, lesbian and transgender lifestyles celebrated…

 

The bankruptcy of our Nation…

 

We must pray for forgiveness and for our land to be healed! It is time to wake up, repent, and get spiritually ready.

The Lord tells us:

If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

As Christians, we obtain our peace and security through Jesus Christ. The fact is that there are irreconcilable conflicts between Christianity and all other religions. Christianity alone makes provision for man’s basic need – the forgiveness of sin.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

“Let not your heart be troubled; you 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 to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.”

Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?”

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.“

(John 14:1-6)

The Laodicean “Age of Apostasy” has been degenerating the Church for almost 120 years now. We have reached the same point as the days of Noah, leading up to the Flood.

And the Lord said, “My Spirit will not remain with mankind forever, because they are corrupt. Their days will be 120 years.” (Genesis 6:3)

The door of Noah’s ark is an example of the finality of a door closing:

In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the sources of the watery depths burst open, the floodgates of the sky were opened, and the rain fell on the earth 40 days and 40 nights. On that same day Noah along with his sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth, Noah’s wife, and his three sons’ wives entered the ark with him. They entered it with all the wildlife according to their kinds, all livestock according to their kinds, the creatures that crawl on the earth according to their kinds, all birds, every fowl, and everything with wings according to their kinds. Two of all flesh that has the breath of life in it entered the ark with Noah. Those that entered, male and female of all flesh, entered just as God had commanded him. Then the Lord shut him in. (Genesis 7:11-16)

When the Lord closed the door, He pronounced a death sentence on all of the people who drowned. The Lord knew beforehand that they would never believe Noah’s preaching.

Clearly, the period of testing is over, and judgement is about to begin.

As Christians, it is time for us to make the decision to enter into His presence.

Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!
Serve the LORD with gladness;
Come before His presence with singing.
Know that the LORD, He is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. 
         
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise. 
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
For the LORD is good;
His mercy is everlasting, 
And His truth endures to all generations! (Psalm 100:1-5)

The Lord Jesus Christ has given us the way to a closer more intimate walk with our Father in heaven. The tabernacle has also given us the pattern to a closer more intimate walk with our Father in heaven.

Jesus would step away from the groups of people and spend precious time alone with His Father. He would often put on His tallit, pull it around His face and enter into a tabernacle of prayer, leaving the world around Him out of His private time with the Lord.

There are some things you can do to help enter into His presence:

• Ask for forgiveness and thank Him for all He has done.
• Praise Him with song or words of your love for the Lord.
• Worship Him with all your heart.  Offer yourself wholly to Him!

Blessed is the man You choose, And cause to approach You, That he may dwell in Your courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, Of Your holy temple.
(Psalm 65:4)

Go where He Goes!  Follow the Leading of the Lord!

And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” 
Then he said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us? So we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth.” (Exodus 33:14-16)

Having the Presence of the Lord with you is most important. You can have this by setting aside the worldly problems, worldly goods and money as your main priority and MAKING GOD FIRST.

And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” Moreover God said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.’ Go and gather the elders of Israel together, and say to them, ‘The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared to me, saying, “I have surely visited you and seen what is done to you in Egypt…
(Exodus 3:14-16)

When we seek the presence of God, He the Great I AM becomes a part of us, part of our very DNA.

The outer court is the court of Salvation

The inner court is the court of Pentecost

The court behind the veil is the court of the Holy of Holies.

This is the court of the Presence of the Lord.

The veil that prevented His people (who were not priests) from entering was rent from top to bottom at the moment that Christ pronounced “It is finished!”

When He gave His life on the cross for our transgressions, we were then able to enter into the secret place of the Most High God!

Here is the good news for the Feast of Trumpets: Jesus the Messiah has put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  (Ephesians 2:4-7)

If you are not sure that you are saved, you can accept Christ into your life right now, by praying:

“Lord Jesus, I believe you are the Son of God. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins.  Please forgive my sins and give me the gift of eternal life.  I ask you in to my life and heart to be my Lord and Savior.”

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