House of Hope Online

July 30, 2023

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We have been talking about sin over the last couple of weeks, and the importance of respecting the Word of God as it relates to the matters of today and the determination of what sin is.  This has included a discussion of homosexuality and transgenderism, both of which are in violation of the Word of God, and therefore are effectively antichrist.  As Christians, we are called to love the sinner, and receive the person with God’s love, grace, and mercy, but we cannot compromise the Word, nor accommodate the sin.

Of emphasis last week was the consequence of sin, how Jesus did not abolish the Old Testament Law, but came instead to fulfill it.  By His crucifixion and resurrection, we are saved from the dire consequences of the Law, so long as we do what He says:

Luke 6:

 46 “And why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”

And what He says to do is:

John 8:

11 …” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go your way. From now on sin no more.”

However, instead of “sin no more,” what is happening today is many in the world, and even many in the Church, are compromising the Word of God by reasoning “Has God really said that?”  All of which is terribly similar to the twisting of the Word of God by the devil in the Garden.  Recall that Eve told the serpent that God said they would die if they ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and here is what the devil said in response:

Genesis 3:

 4 And the serpent said to the woman, “You surely shall not die!

 5 “For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

 6 ¶ When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make [one] wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.

As we walk in a world that is increasingly opposed to the Word of God, we must take care as Christians not to rationalize the Word, as Adam and Eve did at the urging of the devil.  Today that means standing firm on the Bible, which says God made them male and female (Matthew 19:4) and a man shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination. (Leviticus 18:22).

A Sign of His Second Coming

What I would like to emphasize today is that Jesus warns us in Luke 17 that issues such as homosexuality facing us today may be a sign of His Second Coming.

Luke 17:

 28 “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;

 29 but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.

 30 “It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed.

 31 “On that day, let not the one who is on the housetop and whose goods are in the house go down to take them away; and likewise let not the one who is in the field turn back.

 32 “Remember Lot’s wife.

 33 “Whoever seeks to keep his life shall lose it, and whoever loses [his life] shall preserve it.

A few things here: 

• Sodom was known for its evil and the Bible documents that homosexuality was part of its wickedness. 
• Lot was considered righteous, although that righteousness was not due to his own acts, it was due to God’s covenant with Abraham and Abraham’s intercession that God would save Lot even though he was living among the unrighteous in Sodom.
• Angels were sent to destroy Sodom, but before doing so they removed Lot and his family.  This is prophetic symbolism for the Rapture, when Jesus will lift us out of the tribulation and evil of this world before He comes to destroy all evil.
• Jesus’ reference to Lot’s wife is significant.  If we cling to this world and its thinking, and do not turn away from what God says is evil, we will perish with the evildoers.

And so Jesus is saying that what was happening in Sodom will be the way it is when He, the Son of Man, comes again (verses 29- 30).  That puts my antenna up that we may be nearing the Rapture.

Some Christians do not look forward to the Rapture, and some even fear it, but there is nothing to fear or regret because it is a rescue mission of Jesus to save us from the difficulties of the tribulation, the rule of the antichrist, the wrath of God, and the end time battle of Armageddon.

The Rapture is a day we should look forward to and anticipate with great joy.  It is not the end of our life; rather, it is an upgrade over the life we are living today.  In fact, one of the Dictionary.com definitions of the word “Rapture” is “ecstatic joy or delight; joyful ecstasy.”  Not only will we still be with our current Christian friends and family, but we will reunited with Jesus and with loved ones who have previously gone on to be with the Lord.

Jesus Himself indicates in John 14 that He will return for us:

John 14:

 1 ¶ “Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.

 2 “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.

 3 “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.

The Insight of Dr. David Jeremiah Concerning the Rapture

Dr. David Jeremiah is the founder of Turning Point, an international ministry committed to providing Christians with sound Bible teaching through radio, television, internet, live events, books, and other materials.  The author of more than 50 books, Dr Jeremiah also serves as senior pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church in San Diego, CA.

While there is some debate about timing, according to Dr. Jeremiah’s “The Book of Signs,” the timing of the Rapture at the beginning of the tribulation is indicated by Jesus’ word to the Church of Philadelphia in the Book of Revelation:

Revelation 3:

 10 ‘Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that [hour] which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell upon the earth.

 11 ‘I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, in order that no one take your crown.

The Spirit of the Lord is promising if we persevere in His Word, and not rationalize it like others are today, He will keep us from the worst of the Tribulation, which will test those who remain on the earth.  That is a promise of the Rapture and an indication as to its timing.       

Perhaps the most concise description of the actual event of the Rapture is given by Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians:

1^st Thessalonians 4:

 13 ¶ But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope.

 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.

 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep.

 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of [the] archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first.

 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord.

 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words. (NASB)

In the “Book of Signs,” Dr. Jeremiah lists seven Biblical truths about the Rapture.

1. The Rapture Is a “Sign-Less” Event:

Jesus teaches that we will see signs of the season of His coming, but there is no one sign that we can look for to know exactly when the Rapture will come.

Matthew 24:

 32 ¶ “Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender, and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near;

 33 even so you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, [right] at the door.

While we cannot know the exact time, we know there is no event that must take place before the Rapture can take place.  This means the Rapture should be considered imminent; that is, other things may take place first, but nothing must take place before the Rapture happens.  Therefore, we should be on the alert with joyful anticipation, as Paul encouraged Titus:

Titus 2:13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus;

• The Rapture Is a Surprise Event:

Again, Jesus’ words indicate a surprise event.

Matthew 24:

 36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.

 37 “For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah.

 38 “For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, they were marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,

 39 and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so shall the coming of the Son of Man be.

Matthew 24:

 43 “But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.

 44 “For this reason you be ready too; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think [He will.]

In the movie, “The American President,” Michael J. Fox’s character tells his girlfriend that all plans are tentative until she receives a confirming phone call from him 15 minutes prior.  That is what our attitude should be toward our life plans as we await the Rapture, but there will be no such confirmation phone call 15 minutes prior. 

Jesus is telling us in verse 44  to be ready because His coming will be a surprise event.  So, how can we be ready?  There is nothing to pack. You will not need your laptop, and you need not worry about retirement portfolio, or if your Last Will and Testament is up to date.  When Jesus says be ready, I believe He is referring to the condition of our heart.  Do we have a heart that desires to be with Him forever, or are we like Lot’s wife, who still has a foot in the waters of this life.?  Are we standing firm on the promises of the Bible?  Are we looking forward to His coming and all the events of biblical prophecy, or are we focused on the coming events of this life?

• The Rapture Is a Sudden Event:

Paul describes the Rapture as happening “in the twinkling of an eye.

1^st Corinthians 15:52  in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.

• The Rapture Is a Selective Event:

The Rapture is an exclusive event for Christian believers only.  We know this because Jesus said He would come for us, and Paul said it is for those who believe that Jesus died and rose again.

John 14:3 “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.

John 14:6 Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.

1^st Thessalonians 4:

14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.

There is one thing that qualifies us to be included in the Rapture:

Romans 10:

 9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus [as] Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved;

 10 for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

 11 For the Scripture says, “WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.”

• The Rapture Is a Spectacular Event:

To understand how spectacular the Rapture will be, Dr. Jeremiah encourages us to focus closely on Paul’s description of it.

1^st Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of [the] archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first.

First, realize that Jesus Himself will descend from Heaven; not an angel, not the Holy Spirit, but the Lord Himself, will arise from His seat next to Almighty God and return into the earth’s atmosphere as miraculously as He ascended into Heaven from the Mount of Olives.  Second, understand that Paul describes the sound in three ways, but Dr. Jeremiah points out that it is only one sound that is simultaneously like all three: a shout, a voice of authority of an archangel, and a trumpet.  It is three sounds in one, just like the Trinity is three in One.  Third, understand that only believers will hear and react to the sound, which will be a calling for believers to come forth, in the same way Jesus called Lazarus.  And finally, appreciate the miracle that will take place.  Graves will open and the spirits of believers who have been asleep in Christ will be reunited with reconstituted bodies.  At the same time, living believers who answer the call will be transformed and will meet them in the air and be with Jesus forever.

• The Rapture Is a Sequential Event:

The Rapture is going to be a sequence of events:

1. The return of the Lord Jesus Himself (1^st Thess. 4:16)
2. The resurrection of the dead in Christ (1^st Thess. 4:15)
3. The redemption of deceased believers as well as those who are alive and remain (1^st Thess. 4:15 and 1^st Corinthians 15:51)
4. The transformation of our bodies:
   1. Philippians 3:20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; 21 who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.
5. The Rapture, or the carrying off, of the resurrected and the living believers.  It will happen instantly.  We will be caught up and pulled out of the population, like particles drawn to our magnet, Jesus. (1^st Thess. 4:16)
6. The Rapture will be a series of reunions:  1) the reunion of resurrected bodies with their spirits, 2) the reunion of resurrected believers with living believers, and 3) the reunion of the resurrected and living believers with Jesus Himself.  It is going to be an awesome day full of joy. (1^st Thess. 4:17)

• The Rapture Is a Strengthening Event:

Rather than fear the Rapture, we as believers should be strengthened as the Lord reveals it to us.  Paul closes his description of the Rapture with these words: “Therefore comfort one another with these words.” (1^st Thess. 4:18)

Revelation 21:27 teaches not everyone will enter the city of God, “but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.”  Those of us who accept Jesus as Lord and Savior are written in the Book of Life, and all heaven rejoices when we do.

The coming Rapture should comfort us and strengthen our faith.  It is not the end of the world, but it comes at the beginning of the Tribulation.  The antichrist will then come into play and rule over the world.  The antichrist will have some global solutions to current day problems that will be popular and accepted by many.  The mark of the beast will be proposed as one of those mandated solutions.  There will be great suffering and persecution of those who come to Christ after the Rapture.  You want to be joyfully ready for the Rapture for this reason.

How do we become ready?  By committing to Jesus and asking His Holy Spirit to lead and guide us according to His word.  We must ask that He guard our hearts and minds, so that they will not become hardened in these end days.

In closing, the Book of Revelation prophesies the following sequence of event will follow the Rapture:

• The Second Coming:  Following the seven-year period of the Tribulation, Jesus will come again to the earth with the Church (that is, us).  This is referred to as the Marriage of the Lamb to His bride, the Church.  This will follow the gathering of demons and the kings of this world at Armageddon and the collapse of world markets.  Jesus will come on a white horse, and we will be His army, seated behind Him on white horses.  Revelation 19:3 says His name will be called the Word of God.  A great battle will ensue between Jesus and His army (us) against the kings of the earth, the antichrist, and their armies, all of whom gathered at Armageddon.  The antichrist and the false prophet will be seized and cast into the lake of fire and brimstone (Revelation 19:19-21).  Satan will then be bound and cast into the abyss for a thousand years (Revelation 20:1-3).
• The 1,000 Year Reign of Jesus Christ and all the saints, including you and me!  This will be a period of peace and righteousness.  Our bodies will have been reconstituted as part of the transformation at the Rapture.
• The Great White Throne Judgment.  After 1,000 years, Satan will be released to again deceive the nations, but will then after a short time be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, along with all unrepentant sinners, all demons, and fallen angels.  This group will be eternally separated from God (Revelation 20).
• The Establishment of the New Heaven and the New Earth.  This will be a beautiful place where we will live out our eternal salvation.  The peace and righteousness of Jesus Christ will reign.  There will be no more tears, no pain, no longer any grief (Revelation 21-22).  Praise Jesus!

Let us pray.

Father God, thank you for your hand of mercy which takes us from Sodom to the Rapture.  Guard our hearts and minds so that we will be ready for the coming of the Lord.  We look forward to being together with you and Jesus and all believers in the air on that great day and forever.  Amen.

Additional Sources:

1.  Dr. David Jeremiah, The Book of Signs, 31 Undeniable Prophecies of the Apocalypse (Nashville Tennessee: W Publishing, an imprint of Thomas Nelson, 2019), 155-167.
2. Dr. David Jeremiah, “The Revelation Prophecy Chart” (San Diego, CA: Turning Point Ministries, DAVIDJEREMIAH.ORG)