Rapture and End Times

“And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” (Luke 21:25-28)

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America in Last Days Prophecy Oneplace, May 29, 2020

When you study end-times, you will read of Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome. We know of the important role of Jerusalem and Israel. But what about the United States of America? Where is America in Last Days Prophecy?

Only by the greatest expanse of ingenuity can you read of the USA in the Bible. Granted, it is not hard to find those with that kind of creativity, but no tenable method of interpreting Scripture finds a specific reference to the United States in the pages of the Bible.

What happened to the greatest venture into democracy the world has ever known? Surely a nation as large, powerful, and prominent as the United States would have some quality role in the last day’s government, wouldn’t it?

When the rapture occurs—and nothing is keeping its occurrence save the mercy and patience of Almighty God—large sections of America will be left decimated. Of all the nations of the world, perhaps the United States will be more negatively affected by the rapture than any other. Sadly, some nations will scarcely notice the rapture.

America, on the other hand, still has a sizable population base of born-again believers. While some areas will stand less affected by a loss of the Christian population, some communities and regions would lose a large share of the population, including key figures in their government and perhaps a greater part of their teachers, first responders, and businessmen and women.

In a recent sampling, 82 percent of those surveyed identified themselves as Christians. While few would contend that these 82 percent have a saving relationship with Jesus Christ, the number is nonetheless large enough to merit an argument for an enormous and rapid breakdown of our national strength following the removal of the born-again community, instantaneously and without notice. Make no mistake, should the USA remain until the day of the rapture, it will develop into a Third-World country in an instant. This country—then ravaged by crime, hunger, lawlessness, and chaos—will long for a “savior” of its own. It is easy to imagine a scenario in which America quickly succumbs to the leadership of anyone who can help.

Even if that person is the Antichirst.

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The Great American Eclipse

On April 8, 2024, a remarkable celestial event will occur – the first total solar eclipse to cross over Mexico, the United States, and Canada in the 21st century.

Our Sun-Moon system is very special. The sun’s diameter is about 400 times larger than that of the moon – but the sun is also about 400 times farther from Earth. The two therefore look the same size in the sky – a unique situation among our solar system’s eight planets and 166 known moons. Science calls it a remarkable coincidence, but as Christians, we know that the precision of the Lord is 100% design, from an omnipotent Being.

As believers, we must consider the potential prophetic significance of this sign in the heavens. While we must be cautious about setting dates, the Bible clearly states that celestial signs will precede the Day of the Lord. In Luke 21:25, Jesus warned, “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea.”

This upcoming eclipse, dubbed “the Great American Eclipse,” will traverse the continent from the southwest to the northeast, forming a giant “X” with the path of the August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse. Astonishingly, the intersection of these two paths, marking the spot of the longest duration for both eclipses, is a region of southern Illinois known as “Little Egypt.” With cities named after ancient Egyptian places like Karnak, Cairo, and Thebes, one cannot help but wonder if this is a subtle nod to the Biblical plagues that devastated the land of the Pharaohs.

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Moreover, just as the 2017 eclipse was known as “the Seven Salem Eclipse” due to its path crossing seven U.S. locations named Salem (the Biblical name for Jerusalem), the 2024 eclipse will pass over seven American towns named Nineveh, as well as a Nineveh in Canada. The timing speaks of judgment coming upon the earthly, fleshly Jerusalem in order to allow the heavenly Jerusalem to bring forth the inheritors of the Kingdom.

Hurricane Harvey hit a few days after the 2017 eclipse, causing 89 deaths and over $125 billion in damages.

Houston saw unprecedented amounts of rainfall—up to 60 inches—by the time Hurricane Harvey had run its course. Damage exceeded $125 billion, second only to Hurricane Katrina’s level of damage. More than 30,000 people were displaced and 200,000 structures destroyed as a result of the flooding. According to John Nielsen-Gammon, regents professor at Texas A&M’s department of atmospheric sciences, Harvey was beyond the scope of what anyone could have imagined in terms of rainfall and severity. “Harvey was just so outside of the box it isn’t even something that we would expect to see again for quite some time,” he said.

It appears that the eclipse of 2017 was the start of a countdown the culminates with the eclipse in 2024.

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Intriguingly, an ancient solar eclipse, the Bur-Sagale eclipse, passed over the Assyrian capital of Nineveh in 763 BCE, around the time when the prophet Jonah called the city to repentance. Jonah 3 records the Ninevites turning from their evil ways, and God relenting from the disaster He had threatened.

The same “shadow of death” happened on August 21st, 1914 when a total solar eclipse crossed over Eastern Europe shortly after the outbreak of World War I. Interestingly, it crossed over the site of ancient Nineveh in Mosul, Iraq.

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Known as the “War to End All Wars,” — which, of course, it didn’t — World War I would introduce humanity to the horrors of modern warfare, including the introduction of armored tanks, aerial bombing and poison gas. And then there was the terror of trench warfare, with Allied and Central Powers slugging it out for years with little gain.

Could this be a call for America, like Nineveh of old, to humble ourselves and seek God’s mercy?

The timing of the Great American Eclipse also raises thought-provoking questions. Forty days after the eclipse, on May 18, 2024, we will celebrate Pentecost – the day the Holy Spirit was poured out on believers (Acts 2).

Some scholars believe the Holy Spirit is the Restrainer mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2:7-8, holding back the revelation of the Antichrist. While we cannot be dogmatic, could the eclipse be a sign that the Restrainer’s removal and the Rapture are drawing near?

It’s also noteworthy that on the day of the eclipse, the eight planets of our solar system and the moon will form a straight line across the heavens. Such an alignment is rare and reminds us of the precision and order of God’s creation. As the sun darkens and the moon turns to blood (Joel 2:31), let us remember that the Creator holds the universe in His hands.

At the same time, 12P/Pons-Brooks, a comet larger than Everest, has already been spotted by amateur astronomers. It should become increasingly visible to the naked eye as it approaches the sun over the next month.

This cosmic object visits us only once every 71 years. It could be the cherry on top for those lucky enough to see the April 8 solar eclipse, as it may pop up in the darkened sky when the moon blocks out the sun. It’s worth noting that this celestial visitor can surprise us. It recently made headlines when it unexpectedly became about 100 times brighter.

This rare flare transformed the comet’s gas cloud into a fleeting horseshoe shape. This earned the comet the nickname “the Devil Comet.”

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The path of the 2024 eclipse is also sobering when considering the potential for judgment on America. The eclipse path crosses major fault lines, and if God’s judgment were to fall, huge earthquakes could destroy much of the U.S. along these lines.

The New Madrid earthquakes of 1811/1812 followed two solar eclipses over the U.S., with the second one in 1811 just 90 days before the first quake hit. Several more huge earthquakes followed over the next few weeks, resulting in thousands of quakes in that area. Could this pattern repeat?

Furthermore, the 2024 eclipse comes at a time when America is ripe for judgment. Corruption, wickedness, lawlessness, and violence characterize our nation, things that the Bible says will bring God’s judgment. The Biden administration has also placed America on dangerous ground with its support of Israel’s enemies and insistence on dividing the Land of Israel to provide a state for the Palestinians. The Bible is clear that these actions will bring both a curse and the Lord’s wrath.

“To the leadership of Israel I say this: Humanitarian assistance cannot be a secondary consideration or a bargaining chip,” Biden said, adding, “As we look to the future, the only real solution is a two-state solution.”

It is a sad fact that every time the United States tries to appease the Arab and Muslim nations and give away Israel’s land, disaster strikes. Since 1979, the efforts of a U.S. President to diminish Israel have caused such judgments as the Three Mile Island accident, the “Perfect Storm”, Hurricane Andrew, the Northridge earthquake that hit southern California, Hurricane George, multiple huge tornado clusters, Katrina, and a half-mile wide EF-5 multiple-vortex tornado that ripped through Joplin, Missouri.

What could happen next?

The upcoming release of A24’s Civil War during a contentious presidential election year comes amid worry about the prospect of an actual civil war — or, at least, real-life political violence.

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While we must be cautious about making definitive predictions, the Great American Eclipse of 2024 serves as a vivid reminder that we are living in prophetically significant times. Just as the 2017 eclipse ushered in a devastating hurricane season, we may be on the cusp of even greater upheavals. Let us be sober, watchful, and ready, with our eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). For as He promised, “When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:28).

What could happen next?.

New Madrid Fault Line May One Day Divide the Country in Half / WKDQ-FM, September 20, 2017

Yes, there is something much worse than dividing the country in half politically. It is an earthquake, so strong, it could divide the US, literally, in half.

In October 2009, a team composed of University of Illinois and Virginia Tech researchers headed by Amr S. Elnashai, funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), considered a scenario where all three segments of the New Madrid fault ruptured simultaneously with a total earthquake magnitude of 7.7.

The threat of much larger earthquakes is a real danger. Here are some of the scenarios that resulted from a 5 day Federal Government simulation of a much larger earthquake.

“In May, the federal government simulated an earthquake so massive, it killed 100,000 Midwesterners instantly, and forced more than 7 million people out of their homes.”

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This is the time of testing for America. From a Biblical perspective, we are the United States of Nineveh. The Lord is sickened by our Laodicean complacency.

Those called of God NOW are under probation, or judgment, based on how they live by every word of God.

Our goal has been to provide solid Biblical teachings, with a focus on End Time events. The result has been a world-wide ministry of sowing the Good News and winning the lost for Christ. Today we are lead to encourage Christians in the United States of America and throughout the world to pray for this 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)

Let’s break it down.

First God says, “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves…” The Bible speaks in depth about humility and its opposite, pride. These are some key selections:

humble themselves

The humble He guides in justice,
And the humble He teaches His way. (Psalm 25:9)

Do not lift up your horn on high;
Do not speak with a stiff neck.
For exaltation comes neither from the east
Nor from the west nor from the south.
But God is the Judge:
He puts down one,
And exalts another. (Psalm 75:5-7)

Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD;
Though they join forces, none will go unpunished. (Proverbs 16:5)

Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before a fall.
Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly,
Than to divide the spoil with the proud. (Proverbs 16:18-19)

Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth;
A stranger, and not your own lips. (Proverbs 27:2)

Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3)

And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. (Matthew 23:12)

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. (Philippians 2:3)

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pray and seek My face

Lord, I bring my requests before your throne, and…

I ask you, Father, in Jesus’ name:
Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. (John 16:23-24)

I ask, believing that I have received the answer to my request:
Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. (Mark 11:24)

I ask for things that please you:
Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. (1 John 5:14-15)

I ask while obeying your commands:
And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. (1 John 3:22)

I ask that the Son may bring glory to the Father:
And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. (John 14:13-14)

I ask, while remaining in Jesus:  
If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. (John 15:7)

I ask, because you care for me:
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. (1 Peter 5:6-7)

I ask, because you will meet all my needs:
And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)

I ask, while confessing and repenting of my sin:
If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear. (Psalm 66:18)

I ask, while forgiving all others who have sinned against me:
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. (Matthew 6:12)

I ask, while offering a sacrifice of praise:
Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. (Hebrews 13:15)

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turn from their wicked ways

LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle?
Who may dwell in Your holy hill?
He who walks uprightly,
And works righteousness,
And speaks the truth in his heart;
He who does not backbite with his tongue,
Nor does evil to his neighbor,
Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend;
In whose eyes a vile person is despised,
But he honors those who fear the LORD;
He who swears to his own hurt and does not change;
He who does not put out his money at usury,
Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things shall never be moved. (Psalm 15:1-5)

Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD?
Or who may stand in His holy place?
He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol,
Nor sworn deceitfully.
He shall receive blessing from the LORD,
And righteousness from the God of his salvation. (Psalm 24:3-5)

“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. (Matthew 7:13-14)

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (Matthew 7:21-23)

But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him… (Colossians 3:8-10)

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things. (Philippians 4:8)

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world-the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life-is not of the Father but is of the world. (1 John 2:15-16)

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And so, putting it all together, we have:

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)

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Join us in praying for this country, and for a great harvest of souls. As “watchmen on the wall,” we believe that the time before the Rapture and the Tribulation is very short, and these 40 days are critical.

Rapture and End Times invite you to take part in our 40 Days for America prayer for the United States. We will focus our daily prayer on national repentance and revival, and on individual transformation, starting on the day of the Great American Eclipse. The national prayer will end on Pentecost day, May 19.

Because of our God’s merciful compassion,
the Dawn from on high will visit us
to shine on those who live in darkness
and the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace. (Luke 1:78-79)

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I will display wonders
in the heavens and on the earth:
blood, fire, and columns of smoke.
The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the great and awe-inspiring Day of the Lord comes.
Then everyone who calls
on the name of Yahweh will be saved… (Joel 2:30-32)

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Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
(Revelation 3:10)  

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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 into my life and heart to be my Lord and Savior.”

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Spread the Word:

Send any comments, suggestions, or prayer requests to raptureandendtime@gmail.com 

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