Another Look at The Rapture - Hicks

Another Look at the
Rapture
Another Look at the
Rapture
by
Roy H. Hicks, D.D.
HARRISON HOUSE
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Unless otherwise indicated,
all Scripture quotations are taken from
the Kin !ames "ersion of the #i$le%
Another &ook At 'he Rapture
IS#N ()*+,-.),./)0
1op2riht 3 0+*, $2 Ro2 H% Hicks, 4%4%
00(( 5lendale #oule6ard
&os Aneles, 1alifornia +((,/
7u$lished $2 Harrison House, Inc%
7% O% #o8 9:(9:
'ulsa, Oklahoma -.09:
7rinted in the United States of America%
All rihts reser6ed under International 1op2riht &aw% 1ontents and;or
co6er ma2 not $e reproduced in whole or in part in an2 form without
the e8press written consent of the 7u$lisher%
Contents
Foreword
Acknowledgments
Introduction
0 Somethin Has 'o Happen Soon%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%09
, 7aul<s Special Re6elation of the Rapture%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%,0
9 Rapture and Resurrection%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%90
. , 'hessalonians ,%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%9+
: 'he 1hurch =ill Not #e Surprised%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%:9
/ 1onfusion Surroundin >atthew ,.%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%/9
- 'he #ook of Re6elation%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%-9
* As 'he &ihtnin %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%*:
+ America In 7rophec2%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%+9
0( #elie6in ?or Our &o6ed Ones%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%0(0
Summary
Foreword
Recentl2 4r% Hicks shared with me his ideas a$out the
Rapture of the 1hurch and his plans to present some new
scriptural insihts a$out a @pre)'ri$ulation Rapture%@
Some of his ideas were completel2 new insihts to me,
which made me wish I had $een the one to see them in
7aul<s teachin% Other ideas he ad6anced, I had read 2ears
ao in a paper written $2 a renowned 5reek scholar, $ut
had not seen in print in recent 2ears%
I $elie6e that 4r% Hicks is renderin a 6er2 6alua$le
ser6ice to the whole #od2 of 1hrist $2 presentin these
insihts so clearl2% Another Look At The Rature should $e
read $2 e6er2 $elie6er who is interested in the @$lessed
hope%@
1onratulations, 4r% Hicks, on this addition to 2our
man2 helpful writinsA
Nathaniel >% "an 1lea6e, 4%4%
'hat !esus< comin is the happ2, imminent hope of the
1hurch has alwa2s $een m2 con6iction and m2 teachin%
4r% Hicks< interestin restatement of this truth is essential
in this hour when flam$o2ant commentar2 is confusin to
man2%
Another Look At The Rature is a clear road sin, sa2in,
@&ook upA He ma2 come toda2A@ #est of all, it i6es
7
Another Look at the Rapture
practical teachin on positi6e preparedness%
!ack Ha2ford
7astor, 1hurch on the =a2
?irst ?oursquare 1hurch, "an Nu2s, 1alifornia
8
Acknowledgments
A special word of appreciation is owed to 4r%
Nathaniel >% "an 1lea6e and 4ick >ills for the resource
material the2 supplied in the preparation of this $ook%
9
Introduction
If this work, Another Look At The Rature, is nothin
more than Bust another $ook on the su$Bect, then $oth
author and reader will $e disappointed% I $elie6e that 2ou,
the reader, will reBoice as 2ou read in these paes some
important new re6elations ne6er $efore pu$lished
concernin the pre)'ri$ulation Rapture of the $orn)aain
saints, $oth dead and ali6e%
I ha6e checked with man2 of m2 peers, and not one of
them has had his attention drawn $efore to the fact that of
the New 'estament writers onl2 the Apostle 7aul was
shown the truth of the Rapture $2 special re6elation from
our &ord !esus 1hrist% 'his special re6elation was i6en to
him at the same time as was the doctrine of sal6ation $2
race apart from the &aw, works, and circumcision%
In m2 tra6els man2 people ha6e e8pressed to me their
disappointment concernin the neati6e presentation
from some well)known 1hristian tele6ision personalities
reardin the imminent return of our &ord for His own%
'he moti6e $ehind this $ook is not to chane the minds of
those who $elie6e that the 1hurch will $e here on earth
when the Antichrist is re6ealed in mid)'ri$ulation, or of
those who $elie6e that the 1hurch will $e here when the
wrath of 5od, or !aco$<s 'rou$le, comes upon the world
Cthe post)'ri$ulationD%
'he purpose of this $ook is two)foldE to reatl2
encourae those of us who $elie6e that $efore the worst
11
comes, !esus will take us homeF and to stimulate us to
witness to, and pra2 for, our lo6ed ones and neih$ors%
'he Rapture is not an @escape hatch@ from our
responsi$ilit2, $ut rather an answer to our hearts< cr2,
@&ord !esus, we want to $e with Gou % % % so come
quickl2A@
I realiHe that this small $ook is not an e8hausti6e stud2
of such an important doctrine% Howe6er, I hope that not
onl2 will 2ou $e inspired to $e that dilient saint for
whom 1hrist is comin, $ut that 2ou will continue to
stud2 the =ord on this su$Bect%
12
1
1 Something Has To Happen Soon
1
Something Has To Happen Soon
'here was a period of time in the #i$le that was 6er2
similar to the last half of the twentieth centur2, a time
when unodl2 men pooled their scientific resources and
knowlede% 'he2 dreamed a$out carr2in out their
unlimited imainations and $ean to e8cel in attemptin
and achie6in reat thins%
In 5enesis 00 we read of this time% All the people of
the world at that moment in histor2 spoke the same
lanuae% 'he2 were $rilliant% >an2 historians $elie6e
that the 1haldaic nation of that era had e6en rasped the
principles of aerod2namics and had fashioned the first
airplane% 'here are sufficient findins to pro6e that
difficult $rain surer2 was accomplished durin the
period%
As their crownin achie6ement, the 1haldeans
proposed to $uild a tower whose heiht would reach into
5od<s sacred area% =hate6er the2 intended to do could
ha6e $een done if 5od had not stopped them%
And the Lord said, !ehold, the eole is one, and
they ha"e all one language# and this they begin to do$
and now %&THI%' will be restrained (rom them,
which they ha"e imagined to do.
'enesis ))$*
5od did a wonderful, creati6e work when He a6e
15
man the ood mind he possesses% It has $een said that the
most intellient person who has e6er li6ed has used less
than one)tenth of his $rain potential% =hen fallen man
$ean to use his mind, historicall2 it has alwa2s $een used
aainst 5od% So 5od must continue to do what He did in
5enesis 00F that is, stop man from achie6in the
fulfillment of his $ase desires%
=hat a$out toda2I >an is more intellient and
creati6e than at an2 other time in histor2% Knowlede is
dou$lin e6er2 fi6e 2earsF and at the present rate of
increase, in a few more 2ears knowlede will dou$le
e6er2 fi6e months% Alread2 most manufacturers are afraid
to put new products into production $ecause $2 the time
the2 are read2 for the market, the2 could alread2 $e
o$solete%
=hen man can land on the moonF del6e far enouh
into the secrets of the uni6erse to split the atom and in6ent
a h2droen $om$F e8plore the secrets of 4NA and control
creati6e life in determinin se8, heiht, color of e2es and
hair Cand do it all outside the wom$ $efore the seed is
implantedADF there will $e nothin that man cannot do
unless 5od stops him%
Recentl2 m2 wife and I were listenin to three
scientists who were discussin the imminent possi$ilit2 of
$ein a$le to cause a man to row a new hand if he lost
one% 'he2 also made the statement that if a person can li6e
another fi6e to eiht 2ears, he stands a ood chance of
li6in for si8 to eiht hundred 2ears% #ionic lim$s are
alread2 in useF so is a mechanical heart% One scientist has
predicted that soon man will $e so health2 and free from
16
disease that accidents will $e the chief cause of death%
Get another scientist has stated, @1ontrol of human
ain is somethin that is oin to happen%@ Scientists
plan to step up the process of oran transplant and will
e6en $e usin more animal parts% Gou no dou$t ha6e read
that an artificial pancreas is on the drawin $oard% 'here
is a new heated sureon<s knife that seals off $lood 6essels
as it cuts into delicate $od2 tissue% In the latter part of 0+*0
there came a $reakthrouh makin economicall2 feasi$le
the cure)all wonder dru, Interferon, which appears to $e
effecti6e aainst cancer%
One scientist has said that $2 the earl2 part of the
twent2)first centur2 man ma2 $ecome $ioloicall2
immortal% He will pro$a$l2 $ecome more careful a$out
enain in contact sports, hih)speed racin, and other
hih)risk acti6ities $ecause of the daner of $ein killed
accidentall2% 'his has prompted one scholar to comment,
@One of the first thins that will come tum$lin down is
reliion, $ecause man will not ha6e the fear of d2in he
now has%@
Gou can easil2 see with me that 5enesis 00 is $ein
duplicated, and 5od will ha6e to step in, as He did then%
'his time, howe6er, it will not $e a temporar2
inter6ention, $ut an e6erlastin one% Not Bust $ecause of
surin human $rilliance will 5od ha6e to take action, $ut
also $ecause of the Budment He has promised%
5od Buded Sodom, 5omorrah, and Nine6ah% He will
alwa2s Bude sin% E6er2 nation that has turned its $ack on
5od has $een harshl2 Buded% =hat a$out AmericaI #ill2
5raham once said, @If 5od failed to Bude America, He
17
would ha6e to apoloiHe to Sodom and 5omorrah%@ 5od
teaches in EHekiel that when the land sins aainst Him $2
trespassin rie6ousl2, He will Bude it% E6en if rihteous
people like Noah, 4aniel, and !o$ were li6in in the land,
He could not spare itF the2 should deli6er $ut their own
souls $2 their rihteousness CEHek% 0.E0.D%
4ear 1hristian, America has now Boined the rest of the
world in its headlon plune into the stream of despica$le
filth and sin% 'he thins $ein done in the kindom of
darkness are unspeaka$le, and the =ord of 5od for$ids
us to talk a$out them%
Homes and marriaes are no loner considered
sacred% =omen take to the streets to strike for equalit2
with men, e6en if it means oin to war and fihtin to
show their equalit2% 1hildren, alon with adults, are $ein
e8ploited in pornoraph2% Restricted and J)rated mo6ies
are filled with se8, 6iolence, and profanit2Ke6en usin
5od<s name as a 6ile e8pleti6e% Soon, a 1hristian will not
$e a$le to rela8 and turn on his fa6orite '" proram
$ecause of the moral disinteration displa2ed%
'he 1hurch, howe6er reliious, will $e deli6ered from
5od<s sure and impendin Budment% 'his deli6erance
will come in the form of the RaptureF the &ord will take
His people home%
A reat twentieth)centur2 prophet, speakin under
hea62 anointin, prophesied, @=hen the 1hurch Ae is
o6er, Budment will fallF $ut Budment will not fall on the
1hurch $ut on the world% 'he onl2 Budment the 1hurch
will face is the !udment Seat of 1hrist%@
No, dear saint, 2ou do not ha6e to et read2 for the
18
wrath of 5od to $e poured out on the earth% Gou do not
need to store up deh2drated food and @head for the hills%@
!ust et read2 for the Rapture% It must happen soon% 4o
not look for it as an @escape hatch@ from the world and
responsi$ilit2, $ut it is encourain to know that we will
not come under 5od<s harsh Budment on sin and the
hapless sinner% Not that e6ents force 5od to act more
quickl2 than He had oriinall2 plannedF He, $ein aware
of this da2, e6en as He was aware of Noah<s da2, is
prepared to do a reat work in the 1hurch, sa6in our
lo6ed ones as we $elie6e, e6en as He sa6ed Noah and his
famil2% =e are to witness as ne6er $efore, li6e odl2 li6es,
and $e much in pra2er $efore Him%
19
!aul"s Special Re#elation o$ the

Rapture

!aul"s Special Re#elation o$ the
Rapture
7aul<s letter to the church at 'hessalonica was written
to $rin re6elation to the 1hurch concernin the
resurrection da2 and the takin out of the world Cthe
rapturin ofD the redeemed saints who will $e ali6e at that
time%
'here was reat sorrow in the 'hessalonian church
$ecause the2 had $een tauht, and rihtl2 so, that !esus
would return at an2 moment% Gou will need to recall with
me that after His resurrection our &ord !esus had
appeared, disappeared, and reappeared to the disciples
man2 times o6er a period of some fort2 da2s% 'he2 ne6er
knew when He would suddenl2 appear, talk to them, and
then disappear% 'he last time this happened was the last
time the2 would see Him% As He was talkin to them
a$out recei6in the Hol2 Spirit, He $ean to disappear
from their siht% 'he2 no dou$t thouht it was another of
those disappearances, and that He would soon reappear
$odil2 as He had done $efore% So the2 Bust stood there%
'hen two men C$elie6ed to $e anelsD, dressed in
white apparel, stood $2 them and told them that the same
!esus whom the2 had seen taken up from them into
hea6en would, in like manner, come $ack% CActs 0E00%D
#elie6in the words of the anels, the2 went from there
23
full e8pectin !esus to return at an2 moment%
A few da2s $ecame a month, then months $ecame
2ears, and still He had not returned% Gou can imaine
their deep sorrow and reat frustration when their lo6ed
ones $ecame sick and died% Here the2 were, full2
$elie6in what !esus had tauht them when He said, As
the lightning cometh out o( the east, and shineth e"en unto the
west# so shall also the coming o( the Son o( man be C>att%
,.E,-D, $ut then seein their lo6ed ones die $efore His
e8pected returnA
=hat a$out those lo6ed ones who had e8pected to $e
ali6e when He returnedI =hat would happen to themI
Now the2 were dead, and their $odies would o $ack to
the dust% Had the2 misunderstoodI =as there somethin
lackin in the faith of those who had diedI Gou can
imaine the sorrow of those who remained% =hat a time
of fear and frustrationA 'here was no New 'estament, and
those earl2 1hristians knew nothin a$out the Rapture of
the #ride, which would $e made up predominantl2 of
5entiles% 'he2 had no teachin concernin the
resurrection of the dead%
!esus, therefore, seein this trou$le and sorrow in the
1hurch, tauht the Apostle 7aul personall2% He cauht
him up into the hea6ens and showed him man2
wonderful thins, some of them unlawful for him to utterE
For I neither recei"ed it o( men, neither was I taught
it, but by the re"elation o( +esus ,hrist.
'alatians )$)-
It is not e.edient (or me doubtless to glory. I will
24
Paul's Special Revelation of the Rapture
come to "isions and re"elations o( the Lord.
- ,orinthians )-$)
'he Apostle 7aul alone was tauht personall2 $2 our
&ord !esus the doctrine of the Rapture and the
Resurrection of the 1hurch sa6ed $2 race%
He wrote to the church in 'hessalonicaE For this we /I0
say unto you by the word o( the Lord C0 'hess% .E0:D% 'he
Amplified #i$le sa2s, 1by the Lord2s 3own4 word.1 'he other
disciples did not recei6e this teachin from the &ord
which 7aul was a$out to share with the $elie6ersF it was a
special re6elation to 7aul alone% =hat was this reat
re6elationI
... that we which are ali"e and remain unto the
coming o( the Lord shall not re"ent /recede0 them
which are aslee /dead0.
For the Lord himsel( shall descend (rom hea"en with
a shout, with the "oice o( the archangel, and with the
trum o( 'od$ and the dead in ,hrist shall rise (irst#
Then we which are ali"e and remain shall he caught
u together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in
the air$ and so shall we e"er be with the Lord.
5here(ore com(ort one another with these words.
) Thessalonians 6$)78)9
#ut wh2 was this reat re6elation not i6en to the
other disciples from the $einninI Remem$er, !esus was
reatl2 restricted in what He could sa2 to the !ews a$out
His #ride, the 1hurch, $ecause of their preBudice, since the
1hurch would $e predominantl2 comprised of 5entiles%
Had He talked to them a$out His plan for the sal6ation of
25
the 5entiles Capart from the !ewish ceremonies and the
'en 1ommandmentsD, the2 would ha6e stoned Him%
!ewish hatred for the 5entiles was that se6ere%
Howe6er, 7eter did clearl2 foresee the Second 1omin
of !esus when He returns to Bude the earthE
!ut the day o( the Lord will come as a thie( in the
night# in the which the hea"ens shall ass away with a
great noise, and the elements shall melt with (er"ent
heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall
be burned u.
Seeing then that all these things shall he dissol"ed,
what manner o( ersons ought ye to be in all holy
con"ersation and godliness,
Looking (or and hasting unto the coming o( the day
o( 'od, wherein the hea"ens being on (ire shall he
dissol"ed, and the elements shall melt with (er"ent
heat:
%e"ertheless we, according to his romise, look (or
new hea"ens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth
righteousness.
5here(ore, belo"ed, seeing that ye look (or such
things, be diligent that ye may be (ound o( him in eace,
without sot, and blameless.
And account that the longsu((ering o( our Lord is
sal"ation# e"en as our belo"ed brother ;aul also
according to the wisdom gi"en unto him hath written
unto you#
As also in all his eistles, seaking in them o( these
things# in which are some things hard to be understood,
26
which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as
they do also the other scritures, unto their own
destruction.
- ;eter <$)=8)*
Notice that in the same conte8t in which 7eter refers to
the Second 1omin of !esus, he also refers to the thins
7aul writes a$out Cno dou$t 7aul<s teachin a$out the
RaptureD as $ein hard to understand% E6identl2, 7eter
himself was ha6in difficult2 understandin the Rapture%
In another passae !ude refers to !esus< return to earthE
And >noch also, the se"enth (rom Adam, rohesied
o( these, saying, !ehold, the Lord cometh with ten
thousands o( his saints,
To e.ecute ?udgment uon all, and to con"ince all
that are ungodly among them o( all their ungodly deeds
which they ha"e ungodly committed, and o( all their
hard seeches which ungodly sinners ha"e soken
against him.
+ude )6,)7
Of course, this is not a reference to the Rapture, $ut
rather to !esus< return in Budment upon sinners%
!ames :E-)+ also talks a$out the comin of !esus as a
Bude, warnin that, !ehold, the ?udge standeth be(ore the
door.
?irst !ohn 9E,,9 also refers to the comin of the &ord,
$ut could $e a reference to the Rapture or to the Second
1omin, or to $oth%
#ut to none of these other disciples was the Rapture
27
re6ealed in such clarit2 as it was to the Apostle 7aul% !esus
tauht this apostle man2 reat truths concernin sal6ation
$2 raceF the warfare of faithF 1hrist as Head of the
1hurchF the #od2 $ein the 1hurchF and the reat hope of
the 1hurch that 1hrist would, in a moment<s time,
resurrect the dead and take the li6in saints out of this
world at some future timeE
!ehold, I shew you a mystery# 5e shall not all slee
/die0, but we shall all be changed.
In a moment /an atomic second0, in the twinkling o(
an eye, at the last trum$ (or the trumet shall sound,
and the dead shall be raised incorrutible, and we shall
be changed.
) ,orinthians )7$7)
Here, for the second time, 7aul positi6el2 affirms the
fact that there will $e a resurrection and that, at the same
time, li6in saints will recei6e new $odies and o to $e
with the &ord%
'his @atomic)second Rapture@ will catch the world $2
reat surpriseK$ut onl2 for a little while% !ust as toda2
when world)shatterin e6ents occur, such as massi6e
earthquakes, the2 are soon pushed off the front pae $2
some other newsworth2 item or e6ent% After the initial
shock of the Rapture has passed, people will continue to
eat and work and pla2% It will not $e lon $efore it will $e
rarel2 mentioned%
#ut what a$out our unsa6ed lo6ed ones and our
friends who ha6e reBected the 5ospelI =hat hope will
the2 ha6e after we are oneI 'here is still timeKwhile it is
28
toda2%
29
%
% Rapture and Resurrection
%
Rapture and Resurrection
Ha6in concluded that the Apostle 7aul alone
recei6ed special re6elation concernin the Rapture, let us
e8amine closel2 the =ord of the &ord to himE
!ut I would not ha"e you to be ignorant, brethren,
concerning them which are aslee /dead0, that ye sorrow
not, e"en as others which ha"e no hoe.
) Thessalonians 6$)<
'he concept of the Rapture, as tauht to 7aul $2 our
&ord, was i6en primaril2 to deal with the sorrow and
confusion e8istin in that da2 concernin the saints who
were d2in% No dou$t these deaths were a reat shock
$ecause the $elie6ers had $een e8pectin !esus to return at
an2 moment%
For i( we belie"e that +esus died and rose again, e"en
so them also which slee in +esus will 'od bring with
him.
) Thessalonians 6$)6
How $eautifull2 does this 6erse support 7aul<s reat
statement that to $e a$sent from the $od2 is to $e present
with the &ord% C0 1or% :E*%D 'he dead saints are with 5od
and !esus% 'he2 are no dou$t conscious of what is takin
place% 'his is not soul sleep, which would $e the same as
the unawareness of death% 'he2 are ali6e and will return
33
with !esus to claim their new spiritual and incorrupti$le
$odies%
In a moment, in the twinkling o( an eye, at the last
trum$ (or the trumet shall sound, and the dead shall
be raised incorrutible, and we shall he changed.
For this corrutible must ut on incorrution, and
this mortal must ut on immortality.
So when this corrutible shall ha"e ut on
incorrution, and this mortal shall ha"e ut on
immortality, then shall be brought to ass the saying
that is written, Death is swallowed u in "ictory.
) ,orinthians )7$7-876
=hat a reat hope the 1hristians ha6e o6er the
followers of all other reliions% =e $elie6e we will li6e
eternall2 in a lorified ph2sical $od2% =e will see with our
own e2es and hear with our own ears% =e will $e a$le to
eat, con6erse, and lead acti6e li6es eternall2% 'he Apostle
7aul sa2s it so well in 7hilippians 9E,0E 5ho shall change
our "ile body, that it may be (ashioned like unto his glorious
body....
For this we say unto you by the 5&RD &F TH>
L&RD, that we which are ali"e and remain unto the
coming o( the Lord shall not re"ent /recede0 them
which are aslee.
For the Lord himsel( shall descend (rom hea"en with
a shout, with the "oice o( the archangel, and with the
trum o( 'od$ and the dead in ,hrist shall rise (irst$
Then we which are ali"e and remain shall be caught
u together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in
34
the air$ and so shall we e"er be with the Lord.
) Thessalonians 6$)78)@
'his is one of the reatest doctrinal statements e6er
made $2 the Apostle 7aul% It is the first and onl2 statement
e6er uttered throuh a mortal man descri$in e8actl2
what will take place to clima8 the 1hurch Ae% 'his
announcement to the 1hurch and the world should stand
alonside all other maBor doctrinal statements of race and
faith% 'his declaration concernin the end of this
dispensation, which will clima8 with the resurrection of
the dead in 1hrist and the Rapture of the li6in saints,
i6es the 1hristian a hope that cannot $e matched $2 an2
other reliion of an2 ae%
'hese 6ersesKthe re6elation $2 our &ord to the
ApostleKha6e carried man2 a disheartened and
discouraed saint throuh unspeaka$le pain, sufferin,
and persecution% 'his is the $lessed hope thatKwhether
dead or ali6eKhe or she would rise to meet !esus% =hat
an announcementA Not onl2 does it i6e the 1hurch a
hope of e6entual and eternal resurrection of the dead in
1hrist, it also reassures herKthe spotless, $lood)washed,
pure, sinless #rideKthat $efore the wrath of 5od is
poured out on this world in the 5reat 'ri$ulation, she
shall $e snatched awa2 to hea6en to $e fore6er with her
5room, the &ord !esus 1hrist%
'his reat re6elation to the Apostle 7aul of the
Rapture and Resurrection ends with this note of
encouraementE 5here(ore com(ort one another with these
words C0 'hess% .E0*D% It would $e a$solutel2 no comfort for
the saints to $e told that the2 should foret their departed
35
lo6ed ones and prepare to meet the Antichrist, the wicked
destro2er that is to come%
An2one who e6en hints that we face the archenem2 of
5odKone who will control, ro$, and kill usK6iolates the
Scriptures, especiall2 0 'hessalonians .E0*% 'his 6erse
$eins with the word where(ore% In other words,
1Wherefore C$ecause of the aforementioned fact that the
dead in 1hrist shall $e raised to new life and that we who
remain will $e cauht up to meet them in the air to $e
with the &ord fore6erD, you can ha"e great com(ort, not only
(or yoursel"es, but also (or your lo"ed ones in ,hrist, whether
dead or ali"e, because we shall all rise to meet Him.1
!ut the rest o( the dead li"ed not again A%TIL
TH> TH&ASA%D B>ARS 5>R> FI%ISH>D. This
is the FIRST resurrection.
!lessed and holy is he that hath art in the FIRST
resurrection$ on such the second death hath no ower,
but they shall be riests o( 'od and o( ,hrist, and shall
reign with him a thousand years.
Re"elation -=$7,*
Scholars attempt to use 6arious passaes of Scripture
to pro6e to their satisfaction that the Rapture and
Resurrection will take place after the 'ri$ulation% 'he2
would ha6e reat proof if this interpretation areed with
the rest of the Scriptures%
And many o( them that slee in the dust o( the earth
shall awake, some to e"erlasting li(e, and some to shame
and e"erlasting contemt.
Daniel )-$-
36
Cerily, "erily, I say unto you, The hour is coming,
and now is, when the dead shall hear the "oice o( the
Son o( 'od$ and they that hear shall li"e...
Dar"el not at this$ (or the hour is coming, in the
which ALL that are in the gra"es shall hear his "oice.
And shall come (orth# they that ha"e done good,
unto the resurrection o( li(e# and they that ha"e done
e"il, unto the resurrection o( damnation.
+ohn 7$-7,-9,-E
If 2ou compare Re6elation ,(E:,/ with the 6erses
a$o6e, 2ou will find a contradiction if 2ou still $elie6e in
Bust one iantic, massi6e resurrection of all the dead% In
Re6elation ,( we see that there is a thousand)2ear period
$etween the resurrection of the rihteous and the
resurrection of the sinnerA
No, m2 friend, Re6elation ,(E:,/ cannot $e used to
pro6e Bust one resurrection% It can onl2 make sense if we
allow all the Scriptures to speak, and that can onl2 mean
that there will $e more than one resurrection which will
take place at different times%
It would cloud thins e6en more to hold to the concept
of one reat common resurrection if we tr2 to fit the
second death into the picture% !ust as there was one
har6est $ut two reapinsKthe firstfruits C0 1or% 0:E,(D,
and the chief or final fruits that were athered laterKso
there must $e more than one resurrection% Otherwise, we
find oursel6es contradictin the rest of the teachins on
resurrection i6en elsewhere in the Scriptures%
'he resurrection we look forward to now is the time
37
when 5od will Boin the li6in saints toether with the ones
who ha6e alread2 died% 'he li6in ones at the time of this
resurrection will $e cauht, snatched, raptured, out of this
world $2 a force reater than the force of ra6it2% 'he
5reek word that is translated @cauht@ in the Kin !ames
"ersion is haraFo% Accordin to "incent<s commentar2, it
means @$2 a swift, resistless, di6ine ener2%@ In his
E8positor2 o( New 'estament =ords, =% E% "ine sa2s,
@snatched for forceful seiHure%@
No matter what word we useKwhether rapture,
cauht, or snatchedGit will not chane the meanin of the
passae% =hen the dead in 1hrist are called from their
ra6es, we, the li6in ones, will Boin them to meet our
&ord in the air, and so shall we e6er $e with the Lord.
=hat comfortA =hat hopeA =hat e8citementA If 5od
sa6ed Noah and his famil2 from destruction, sa6ed &ot
from the fier2 wrath on Sodom, sent !oseph into E2pt to
prepare a place to sa6e !aco$ from famine, and $2
prophec2 told the !ews when to flee !erusalem from the
wrath of the in6adin Roman emperor 'itus so that the2
escaped to a man, then it is a$solutel2 unthinka$le that the
$orn)aain 1hurch will ha6e to face the wrath of 5od or
the Antichrist, who would do unspeaka$le thins to the
#od2 of 1hrist, His #ride% No, dear reader, if 2ou are
sa6ed and are li6in for !esus, 2ou ha6e a reat hope%
7urif2 2ourself and look e6er upwardA
38
&
& Thessalonians
&
Thessalonians
'here is pro$a$l2 more misunderstandin and
confusion surroundin chapter , of 7aul<s second letter to
the 'hessalonian church than an2 other of the writins
that deal with the last da2s%
In 7aul<s first letter to the 'hessalonians, the portion
dealin with the Rapture was to cheer them up concernin
the death of their lo6ed ones and to introduce them to the
Rapture and Resurrection doctrines which 7aul had
recei6ed from the &ord !esus% His first letter so e8cited
them that he needed to write another to et them @down
from the ceilin%@ His purpose was to let them know that
1hrist would not $e comin $ack as quickl2 as the2 had
thouht%
Also, some were reportin that 7aul was teachin that
the 4a2 of the &ord had alread2 come and that the
Antichrist was takin o6er% 7aul<s letter was to refute what
others were accusin him of sa2in% He wanted the
'hessalonians to know that he was not sa2in that the
Antichrist, the >an of Sin, had alread2 $een re6ealed, nor
that the 4a2 of the &ord Ci%e%, the 4a2 of !udmentD had
alread2 come% 7aul wanted them to know that he was not
Cin our present)da2 use of the wordsD @mid)'ri$@ or @post)
'ri$%@
He went on to pro6e that it would $e impossi$le for
that >an of Sin to $e re6ealed in mid)'ri$ulation or post)
41
'ri$ulation $ecause the Restrainer, the One keepin him
from takin o6er, would continue to hold him in check
until that 7erson was remo6ed $2 5od% 'hen, and onl2
then, could the Antichrist $e re6ealed and take o6er%
%ow we beseech you, brethren, by the coming o( our
Lord +esus ,hrist, and by our gathering together unto
him,
That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled,
neither by sirit, nor by word, nor by letter as (rom us,
as that day o( ,hrist is at hand.
Let no man decei"e you by any means$ (or that day
shall not come, e.cet there come a (alling away (irst,
and that man o( sin be re"ealed, the son o( erdition#
5ho ooseth and e.alteth himsel( abo"e all that is
called 'od, or that is worshied# so that he as 'od
sitteth in the temle o( 'od, shewing himsel( that he is
'od.
- Thessalonians -$)86
Notice in 6erse 0 of this chapter that 7aul is 6er2
careful to distinuish $etween the Second 1omin of
1hrist mentioned in , 'hessalonians 0E-)0(, and the
Rapture mentioned here and in chapter . of his first letter%
Our gathering together unto him is the ke2% In 1hrist<s da2 of
Budment and power He will come $ack with His saints
and His hol2 anels to punish those who do not o$e2% CIn
order to come $ack, the2 ha6e to first et to hea6en%D
In 6erse ,, 7aul $eins to write a$out two separate
e6ents% 'he first e6ent is mentioned in 6erse 0E our
gathering together unto him. 'he second e6ent is the 4a2 of
42
2 Thessalonians 2
the &ord, which includes the re6ealin of that >an of Sin%
'he @da2 of 1hrist,@ as it is called in the Kin !ames
"ersion, is understood $2 all 5reek translators to $e the
4a2 of the &ord, or the 4a2 of !udment%
7aul ne6erK$ut ne6erKsaid, as some ha6e accused,
that the 1hurch would e8perience reat sufferin and
tri$ulation from the >an of Sin $efore the &ord would
come for her%
In the third 6erse he addressed the $rethren who were
decei6ed into $elie6in that he, 7aul, was teachin that
the >an of Sin had alread2 $een re6ealed% He said, 1That
day shall not come, and the Son o( ;erdition will not be
re"ealed.1 'his rules out the mid)'ri$ulation position%
'hose who $elie6e in mid)'ri$ulation sa2 that we will
know the >an of Sin, for he will $e rulin half)wa2
throuh the se6en)2ear span foretold $2 4aniel in his
prophec2, and that if he has a mark, we will know whose
mark it is%
#ut 7aul is sa2in that he will not $e known% Also 7aul
said in this third 6erse that this >an of Sin cannot $e
re6ealed e8cept there come a (alling away (irst.
As a 2oun minister, I could ne6er $elie6e that Bust
prior to the Rapture, the 1hurch would completel2
$ackslide% It ne6er made sense to me that 1hrist would
return for a #ride who had fallen out of lo6e with Him%
C'hat interpretation is necessar2 if it is apostas2 to which
7aul is referrin here%D I admit that I did not understand
this 6erse, nor the meanin of the messae of 1hrist to the
se6enth church, the church of the &aodiceans, in
Re6elation% CRe6% 9E0.),,%D
43
#ut I ha6e since disco6ered that there are two wa2s to
interpret the 5reek word apostasia Ctranslated in this third
6erse as @fallin awa2@D% #ecause of that disco6er2, I ha6e
e8perienced a renewed interest in the thins the Apostle
7aul had to sa2 a$out the 1hurch durin the last da2s
$efore the Rapture%
Now this word apostasia is interpreted $2 some
scholars to mean @fallin awa2@ or @re$ellion%@ Howe6er,
the other interpretation of the word $2 e8cellent 5reek
scholars is @departure%@ '2ndale, for e8ample, translated it
this wa2 in his first translation from 5reek to Enlish%
5reek scholars aree that to pinpoint the true meanin
of the 5reek noun, it is necessar2 to look at the 6er$ from
which that noun is deri6ed% 'he 5reek noun apostasia
comes from the root 6er$ aphistemi, meanin @to o awa2,
depart, remo6e%@ 'his root 6er$ is used fifteen times in the
#i$le, and in onl2 three of those times does it speak of a
fallin awa2% It is most often translated @depart,@ and
usuall2 refers to @one person departin from another
person or place%@
I ha6e had the pri6ilee of consultin se6eral #i$les
from the fifteenth centur2% Some of them present ,
'hessalonians ,E9 as followsE
Let no man decei"e you by any meanes (or 3that day
shall not come4, e.cet there come a dearting (irst, and
that that man o( sinne be disclosed, /e"en the sonne o(
erdition... /'ene"a !ible0.
Let no man decea"e you by eny meanes, (or the
Lorde shall not come e.cete there come a deartynge
44
2 Thessalonians 2
(yrst, and that syn(ul man be oened, the sonne o(
erdicyon... /'reat !ible0.
Let no man decea"e you by eny meanes, (or the
Lorde commeth not, e.cete ther come a deartinge
(yrst, and that that syn(ull man be oened, the sonne o(
erdicion... /Tyndale0.
'hen we come to the translation of an e8cellent,
widel2 reconiHed commentator, Kenneth S% =uest%
In The %ew TestamentGAn >.anded Translation, >r%
=uest translates , 'hessalonians ,E9 as followsE
Do not begin to allow anyone to lead you astray in
any way, because that day shall not come e.cet the
a(orementioned dearture 3o( the ,hurch to hea"en4
comes (irst and the man o( the lawlessness is disclosed
3in his true identity4, the man o( erdition....
'he definite article occurrin $efore the word aostasia
makes it appl2 to a particular departure, one known to the
writer and the recipients of the letter%
'ohn (awson, A)*), indicates that apostasia means a
departure from an2 place%
' ohn Li ne+er r ,, *) A) , translates , 'hessalonians
,E9 thusl2E
Do not begin to let anyone beguile you in any way,
because the day will not come /day o( the Lord0 e.cet
there come the dearture /rature o( the ,hurch (irst0
and the man o( lawlessness be re"ealed /un"eiled,
unco"ered0 the son o( erdition /eternal misery, doom
and destruction0.
45
'he followin is a list of others who use the word
departureE
Co#erdale C0:9:D
Crammer C0:9+D
*e-a C0:/:D
Re#) ') R) .a/or, .)A) C0*90D
'ohn 'ames, L)L)() C0*,:D
Ro+ert *aker, *reechers *i+le C0/0:D
'ohn !arkhurst C0*:0D Le0icon1London
@7roperl2, a departure%@ 'hird meaninE @A di6orce
or dismission%@
Ro+ert Scott C0*00)0**-D O0$ord !ress
Second meaninE @4epartureF disappearance%@
'ames (onnegan, .)(), 2reek34nglish Le0icon
The Ampli$ied *i+le, 5ew Testament $ootnote
'hese e8cellent 5reek scholars and commentators i6e
us sufficient e6idence to know of a certaint2 that this
5reek word aostasia can $e rihtfull2 translated in more
wa2s than oneF @departure@ $est fits into this conte8t%
I will +e happ, to acknowledge that our hope in the
pre6Tri+ulation Rapture does not hinge on how one
2reek word is translated, +ut this translation certainl,
ties in +eauti$ull, with the rest o$ the chapter)
And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be
re"ealed in his time.
For the mystery o( iniHuity doth already work$ only
he who now letteth will let, until he he taken out o( the
way.
46
2 Thessalonians 2
- Thessalonians -$*,@
>ost #i$le commentators aree that @he who now
letteth@ Cthe One =ho now restrains the Antichrist from
appearinD is the Hol2 Spirit% It will not $e necessar2 to
take the space here to relate all those who $elie6e this, and
wh2, $ut there are man2%
'he Hol2 Spirit is the life CFoeD of the 1hurch% In !ohn
0.E0/ !esus promised the 1hurch that when the Hol2 Spirit
came, He would a$ide with you (or e"er. So, when He is
taken out o( the way C6% -D, we ha6e to o with Him, for
without Him we ha6e no life% !ohn /E/9 statesE It is the
spirit that 7uickeneth C5r% Foooieo, @to make ali6e, i6e
life, quicken@D% If the Hol2 Spirit stepped aside to allow the
Antichrist to $e re6ealed $efore the Rapture, then all the
spiritual life in the 1hurch would cease% And if the Hol2
Spirit left without us, the Scriptures would $e $roken, for
!esus promised that He, the Hol2 Spirit, would a$ide with
us fore6er%
Some ha6e held that the Antichrist is holdin himself
$ack from $ein re6ealed% In his commentar2 4r% '% !%
>c1rossan sa2s that an2one suestin such a thin is
utterl2 inorant of 5reek rammar% No, it isn<t the
Antichrist restrainin himself%
Others holdin the post)'ri$ulation position sa2 that
the @he@ of 6erse / refers to the Roman o6ernment% If the
Roman o6ernment had $een the one restrainin the
Antichrist, he would ha6e taken o6er when Rome fell%
'his restrainer is a person, not a form of o6ernment% In
order to $e a$le to hold $ack the Antichrist, this person
must $e $ier and stroner than the Antichrist%
47
'herefore, it must $e the Hol2 Spirit%
Neither could the restrainer $e the 1hurch% 'he 5reek
word for the 1hurch is ekklesia, which is of the feminine
ender% 5reek scholars tell us that there is a hard and fast
law in 5reek rammar which states that the article and
participle must aree in ender, num$er, and case with
the nouns the2 qualif2% Ho katechon Cthe one holdin $ackD
is masculine and therefore refers to the Hol2 Spirit Calso
masculineD and not to the 1hurch%
4r% >c1rossan<s e8act translation of 1olossians 9E.
statesE =hen 1hrist, the li(e o( us /he Foe hemonD, ma2 $e
manifested then shall ye /the saints0 be mani(ested together
with Him in glory.
Until that reat da2 in lor2 comes, we must rel2 on
the $lessed work of the Hol2 Spirit to sustain us% 'here
could $e no life if He were to step aside% #err2<s Interlinear
5reek)Enlish New 'estament i6es the literal meanin of
@taken out@ as @out of the midst he $e one%@ How could
He Bust step aside when His presence fills the earthI No,
when He is @taken out,@ He will $e taken out completel2,
and we will $e athered to the &ord with Him%
At that time, then, Satan will ha6e full power
CdunamisD in the world% As of now, since the 1ross, he has
onl2 limited power Ce8ousiaD% Satan will i6e his
unrestrained power to the Antichrist% 'he 1hurch cannot
$e here when that happens, $ecause it would 6iolate
>atthew 0*E0*E Cerily I say unto you, 5hatsoe"er ye shall
bind on earth shall be bound in hea"en$ and whatsoe"er ye shall
loose on earth shall be loosed in hea"en. 'he 1hurch left on
earth without the Hol2 Spirit could no loner ha6e the
48
2 Thessalonians 2
power to $ind and loose $ecause the Antichrist will ha6e
full power when he rules and decei6es%
It is reretta$le that so much confusion has risen from
7aul<s second letter to the church in 'hessalonica% !ust as
7aul was falsel2 interpreted in his da2, so the pro$lem
continues% 'here are man2 well)known radio and
tele6ision personalities proclaimin that the 1hurch will
either o half)wa2 or all the wa2 throuh the 'ri$ulation%
'he confusion arises when 7aul<s special re6elation of the
Rapture of the 1hurch is com$ined with >atthew ,.
Cwhich descri$es the destruction of the !ewish templeD and
4aniel<s prophec2 of the end times%
4aniel +E,- descri$es the se6entieth weekKse6en
2ears of horror% 'his time period is also descri$ed in
Re6elationF the first three and one)half 2ears will $e
peacea$le, $ut the second three and one)half 2ears will $e
a holocaust reater than an2thin man has e6er witnessed%
7aul did not sa2 then, nor does the #i$le teach that
7aul was sa2in, that we, the 1hurch, will $e there when
the Antichrist is manifested% &uke ,0E9/ sa2sE 5atch ye
there(ore, and ray always, that ye may be accounted worthy
T& >S,A;> all these things that shall come to ass, and to
stand be(ore the Son o( man. 'he 5reek word ekheugo which
is translated here @to escape@ means @to escape clean awa2
from%@
No, dear reader, 2ou do not ha6e to head for the hills
with a se6en)2ear suppl2 of deh2drated food and uns to
protect it% Our &ord has ne6er thrown us to the wol6es,
and He is not oin to do so at the end of the 1hurch Ae%
And, no, the 1hurch is not perfected $2 sufferin, as
49
we hear some teach% Some sa2 that the 1hurch isn<t read2
to stand $efore 5od so it needs to $e pured $2 the
'ri$ulation% 4earl2 $elo6ed, don<t $u2 this nonsense% If
the $lood of !esus 1hrist, 5od<s Son, does not qualif2 2ou
for hea6en, then ha6in 2our head cut off, d2in of
star6ation, or sufferin in prison will not qualif2 2ou
either% Remem$er this truthE All the thief on the cross
needed to make himself worth2 to $e with !esus was to
sa2, Remember me C&uke ,9E.,D% In other words, @I $elie6e
in Gou and want to o with Gou%@ 'hat simple faith
qualified him for hea6en, and equall2 so, it qualifies e6er2
person who has accepted 1hrist for ,,((( 2ears%
All the dead saints who ha6e one on $efore us,
ha6in put their trust in !esus< $lood, will come $ack with
Him to et their $odies and will ascend ahead of us% 'he2
did not need the Antichrist to take o6er in order to et
them read2, and neither do we% 'he2 did not ha6e to ha6e
a special work done in them to read2 them for the
Rapture, and neither do we% 'here is no difference in the
e2es of 5od $etween a dead saint and a li6in one%
E6er2one there will $e present $ecause of the $lood
atonement of our &ord !esus%
Duch more then, being now ?usti(ied by his blood,
we shall be SAC>D FR&D 5RATH through him.
Romans 7$E
!ut as many as recei"ed him, to them ga"e he ower
to become the sons o( 'od, e"en to them that belie"e on
his name.
+ohn )$)-
50
2 Thessalonians 2
A$raham $elie6ed 5od and 5od counted him to $e
rihteous% CRom% .E9%D 'hat is all he needed, and it is all we
need%
Reader, $elie6e in Him%%% trust in Him%%% recei6e Him as
2our &ord and Sa6ior, if 2ou desire to o up with the
saints of all aes when He comes for His #ride%
One final word a$out the concept of usin the word
departure instead of fallin awa2% 7eter<s sermon on the
da2 of the outpourin of the Hol2 Spirit refers to !oel
,E,*,,+% He said, It shall come to ass in the last days CActs
,E0-D% =hat shall come to pass in the last da2sI A reat
fallin awa2I Ne6erF no, ne6erA =hat will come to pass,
e6en $einnin then, is a mighty outpouring of the Holy
Spirit on all flesh% A person who insists on the use of
@fallin awa2@ in , 'hessalonians ,E9 and who sees the
1hurch in re$ellion has contradicted 7eter<s sermon, the
Old 'estament prophec2 from !oel, and Bust ood common
sense%
No, do not prepare for the Antichrist% 7repare 2our
heart to meet !esus and witness, as ne6er $efore, to a
d2in world%
51
8
8 The Church 9ill 5ot *e Surprised
8
The Church 9ill 5ot *e Surprised
In 0 'hessalonians :, the Apostle 7aul continues to
e8pound on his re6elation from !esus concernin the
Rapture, a unique word of re6elation as fresh as that of
sal6ation $2 race apart from the law of >oses and
circumcision%
For yoursel"es know er(ectly that the day o( the
Lord so cometh as a thie( in the night.
For when they 3the world4 shall say, ;eace and
sa(ety# then sudden destruction cometh uon them, as
tra"ail uon a woman with child# and they shall not
escae.
) Thessalonians 7$-,<
'he world will think the2 ha6e trul2 attained earthl2
utopia% All is well at lastA 'he2 ha6e a new leader and
ha6e reall2 arri6ed% 'hat is when the $ottom will drop out
and the roof will ca6e in% 'he2, the 1hrist)reBectin ones,
will not escape% 4estruction will come suddenl2 upon
them without the slihtest warnin%
Notice carefull2 that Budment will come upon them,
the world, as a thief comes in the nihtKunannouncedA
*ut #erse . plainl, teaches us that it will not +e that wa,
with the Church:
!ut you are not in 3gi"en u to the ower o(4
55
darkness, brethren, (or that day to o"ertake you by
surrise like a thie(.
) Thessalonians 7$6 AD;
'hat da2 will not slip up on us% =h2I #ecause we are
children of the liht and of the da2% =e will not $e
drunken or asleep, neither will we $e surprised% Gou ma2
sa2, @=hat are 2ou sa2inI I ha6e heard all m2 life that
the Rapture will come on us as a thief in the niht% I ha6e
heard all m2 life that no man knows the da2 or the hourK
no, not e6en the anels, or the Son% Onl2 the ?ather
knows%@
'hat teachin is $ased on >atthew ,.E9/E
!ut o( that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not
the angels o( hea"en, but my Father only.
'his scripture is in the conte8t of end times and
/udgment) If it is not, then 2ou ha6e Bust found the first
doctrinal contradiction in the #i$le $ecause we ha6e Bust
seen where the Apostle 7aul sa2s in 0 'hessalonians :E.
that the 1hurch, the #ride of 1hrist, will not $e set upon
as the 6ictim of a thief%
#ut there is no contradiction $ecause these two
passaes deal with two entirel2 different e6ents and two
entirel2 different roups of people% 'he twent2)fourth
chapter of >atthew is an account of /udgment on the
'ewish nation for their reBection and crucifi8ion of !esus%
?irst 'hessalonians :E,,9 relates to /udgment on the whole
world which remains a$ter the Rapture% >atthew ,. is a
reat contrast to the time of the Rapture, and in no wa2
can $e compared to 0 'hessalonians :%
56
The Church Will ot !e Surprised
'he sins of the last da2 will $e 6er2 o$6ious to the
1hristianF the2 are compara$le to the sins in the da2s of
Noah and &ot% 'he 5entile 1hurch is promised a hea#enl,
kindom, and the2 will $e lookin for such to $e re6ealed%
'he !ewish nation, on the other hand, is not lookin
for the return of the >essiahF the2 are promised an
earthl, kindom% 4aniel<s 6ision of the si8t2)nine weeks
was !ewish% C4an% +%D 'he se6entieth week Cse6en 2earsD is
also allotted to the !ews and is called the @time of !aco$<s
'rou$le%@ 'he 1hrist)reBectin nation of Israel is headed
for that time of !aco$<s 'rou$le $efore the2 come $ack to a
da2 of lor2, their earthl2 kindom%
For thus saith the Lord# 5e ha"e heard a "oice o(
trembling, o( (ear, and not o( eace.
Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth tra"ail
with child: where(ore do I see e"ery man with his hands
on his loins, as a woman in tra"ail, and all (aces are
turned into aleness:
AlasI (or that day is great, so that none is like it$ it
is e"en the time o( +acob2s trouble# but he shall be sa"ed
out o( it /that is, the )66,=== o( Re"elation @0.
+eremiah <=$78@
And shall cut him asunder, and aoint him his
ortion with the hyocrites$ there shall be weeing and
gnashing o( teeth.
Datthew -6$7)
CSee also !oel ,E00)90 and Lephaniah 0E0.%D
'his future holocaust will $2 far surpass an2thin the
57
!ewish nation has e6er witnessed, includin the
concentration camps of =orld =ar II% Onl2 0..,((( of
them will $e sa6ed% CRe6% -%D
7ost)'ri$ulation interpreters do not foresee the
1hurch<s escapin the wrath poured out in the $ook of
Re6elation% I cannot accept this interpretation $ecause,
alon with man2 others, I $elie6e that !ohn<s 6isit to
hea6en in the spirit follows the Rapture of the 1hurch%
!ohn saw this 6ision s2m$olicall2, and it is recorded in
Re6elation .% He saw the twent2)four elders with old
crowns on their heads, C6% .%D 'his means that the Rapture
had alread2 taken place and the !udment Seat of 1hrist
had $een completed% 'he crowns and rewards had
alread, $een i6en to the faithful o6ercomers, the 1hurch%
In Re6elation :, the $ook is opened and the redeemed
sin that the2 will return to earth to rule and rein, and
the2 will num$er ten thousand times ten thousand, and
thousands o( thousands C6% 00D% 1hapters . and : no dou$t
occup2 the se6en 2earsF the last three and one)half 2ears
of the se6en $ein the time of !aco$<s 'rou$le and 5od<s
wrath $ein poured out on the earth, which is recorded in
the rest of the $ook of Re6elation%
For 'od hath %&T aointed us to wrath, but to
obtain sal"ation by our Lord +esus ,hrist.
) Thessalonians 7$E
'his 6erse makes it 6er2 clear that the 1hurch is not
appointed for the time of wrath, $ut to o$tain sal6ation
Cdeli6eranceD, as is indicated $2 !esus< own words in
Re6elation 9E0( A>7E
58
... I also will kee you /sa(e0 (rom the hour o( trial
/testing0 which is coming on the whole world....
The Li"ing !ible states this 6erseE
I will rotect you (rom the time o( 'reat Tribulation
and Temtation, which will come uon the world.
No, ood 1hristian $rother and sister, we ha6e reatl2
erred in mi8in toether the Second 1omin of 1hrist
with the Rapture% That glorious e#ent will not catch us +,
surprise) 9e, the redeemed o$ the Lord, will share His
secret:
Surely the Lord 'od will do nothing but he
re"ealeth HIS S>,R>T unto his ser"ants the rohets.
Amos <$@
Gou miht ask, @=hat do 2ou think we will know,
inasmuch as we are not oin to $e surprisedI@ 'hat
question cannot $e full2 answered% =e are not told what
we will know% =e onl2 know that we will not $e surprised
$2 the Rapture%
'he world will $e shocked% #ut we, as we rise, ma2
look at one another and sa2, @I am lad it happened
toda2%%% $ut I thouht it would happen 2esterda2A@ >a2$e,
as the da2 comes nearer, we will all Bust o around
witnessin for our &ord, $usiness as usual, $ut with a
special, distincti6e look on our faces% Our con6ersation
miht $e a$out whether we think it will $e toda2 that He
comes, or whether it will $e tomorrow%
7erhaps @Rapture parties@ of praise and worship will
$ecome dail2 or weekl2 e6ents amon $elie6ersA As that
59
da2 draws nearer and nearer and the time $ecomes
shorter Cas we run out of $oth time and distanceD, we will
$e walkin with 5od as Enoch of old, and 5od will take
us, and that not $2 surprise%
... and unto them that look (or him /wait (or Him0
shall he aear the second time without sin unto
sal"ation.
Hebrews E$-9
In the twent2)fourth chapter of >atthew our &ord
spoke these words to His disciplesE
5atch, there(ore$ (or ye know not what hour your
Lord doth come.
!ut know this, that i( the goodman o( the house had
known in what watch the thie( would come, he would
ha"e watched, and would not ha"e su((ered his house to
be broken u.
There(ore be ye also ready$ (or in such an hour as ye
think not the Son o( man cometh.
Datthew -6$6-866
E6en thouh it is 6er2 plain that !esus is teachin here
of Budment and punishment, it also $ehoo6es the 1hurch
in these last da2s to $e watchin her relationship with
5od and with each other so she will not fail to $e read2
for His return and thus suffer the dire results of
unpreparedness%
'his later warnin of !esus would perhaps, $e more
fittin for the 1hristian 1hurch as we draw near to the
RaptureE
60
5atch and ray, that ye enter not into temtation$
the sirit indeed is willing, but the (lesh is weak.
Datthew -*$6)
Remem$er also 7aul<s wordsE
5here(ore let him that thinketh he standeth take
heed lest he (all.
) ,orinthians )=$)-
'he child of 5od must continuall2 resist e6il and ne6er
trust the flesh% 'he da2s prior to the Rapture will $e
perilous times% 'he Antichrist is read2 to take o6er, and
we must watch so we do not et cauht up in material
thins, too much entertainment and not enouh pra2er,
too much food and not enouh fastin% =atch for 2our
own soul, and sta2 close to !esus and 2our $rothers and
sisters in 1hrist%
=e, the 1hurch, will continue to occup2, e6en as !esus
instructed% =e will continue to witness, e6en more
couraeousl2% I ha6e noticed that those who are preparin
for the Antichrist $2 storin food, and e6en searchin out
ca6es in which to hide, ha6e lost their Heal for seein souls
sa6ed% 'he2 are thinkin onl2 of their own sur6i6al% &et us
who look for the Rapture not $ecome slack in our quest
for souls, $ut $e more Healous than e6er $efore%
61
;
; Con$usion Surrounding .atthew &
;
Con$usion Surrounding
.atthew &
'o the so)called prophec2 specialists, >atthew ,. is a
@sacred cow%@ It is not to $e touched in order that their
own 6iewpoints should not $e dispro6ed% Accordin to
them, it is a chapter that teaches reat fear $ecause of the
thins that are to come upon us prior to the Rapture%
'hese @e8perts@ sa2 that these dire prophecies pertain to
the 1hurchKthe #ride% I $elie6e the2 reatl2 err%
"olumes ha6e $een written on this chapter% Hundreds
of $ooks ha6e $een pu$lished on this su$Bect, and millions
of dollars arnered from their sale% Almost all speakers
and writers who teach that we, as a 1hurch, will o
throuh the 'ri$ulation Cthe time of 5od<s wrathKnot
persecutionD draw the $ulk of the material in support of
their 6iews from this chapter%
>atthew ,. $eins with a question)and)answer time
$etween the &ord and His disciples as the2 6iewed
Solomon<s 'emple and its man2 $uildins% 'he disciples
were 6er2 proud of their !ewish oriin% 'he2 were also
proud of the temple and what it stood forF and rihtl2 so,
for it represented the roots of the !ewish faith% Gou can
imaine the e8citement of the disciples as the2 talked with
!esus a$out the temple<s sacred histor2 and pointed out its
lor2 and $eaut2% 'his con6ersation ends with the solemn
65
announcement $2 the &ord !esus that all the2 were
lookin at, includin the cit2 of !erusalem, would $e
destro2ed%
Tell us, the disciples said referrin to the destruction,
when shall these things be: and what shall be the sign o( thy
coming, and o( the end o( the world: C6% 9D% In literal 5reek,
the @end of the world@ a$out which the2 asked is the
@completion of the ae%@ 'he2 e8pected this reat climactic
e6ent to em$race onl2 the !ews%
>an2 scholars $elie6e that these are $ut three
questions in one% 'he questions asked of our &ord
concernin the destruction and His return to e8ecute
6eneance upon the enem2 had nothin whatsoe6er to do
with the Rapture of the 1hurch or of the total 5entile
1hurch Ae of 5race% Our &ord ne6er talked directl2
a$out the 4a2 of 5race, when the 5entiles would $e
$rouht in and the !ews $roken off $ecause of their
un$elief, as referred to $2 7aul in Romans +)00% 'his
omission is understanda$le, considerin the e8treme
hatred $etween !ew and 5entile%
1an 2ou imaine !esus sa2in in the presence of the
!ews, @'hese same 5entiles from Rome, who will destro2
2our temple, ra6ish 2our women, crucif2 a thousand !ews
each niht for months and take the remainder into sla6er2
Kthese 6er2 same 5entiles will one da2 recei6e >e, $e
loriousl2 sa6ed, and $ecome a maBor part of >2 #ride@I
No, not e6en $2 the farthest stretch of the imainationA
Had He told the !ews such a thin, not onl2 would the2
ha6e refused His words, He could ha6e incited a riot% So
when talkin to the !ews, our &ord concentrated on what
66
Confusion Surrounding "atthe# 2$
was oin to happen within a 6er2 short time Ce6en
within fort2 2earsD to the eneration standin there $efore
Him%
'herefore, >atthew ,. must $e approached with the
!ewish disciples in mind% !esus answered their questions
with a close 6iew of what would happen in the near
futureF then He went on with a telescopic 6iew of end)
time truth, skippin o6er the 1hurch Ae% 'his does not
mean that our &ord e8cluded the 1hurch or 1hurch Ae
from His teachin on a odl2 life, turnin the other cheek,
the principles of the &ord<s 7ra2er Csee author<s $ook,
;raying !eyond 'od2s AbilityD, the #eatitudes and para$les,
or Kindom authorit2%
'here must $e a precarious $alance $etween the
superdispensationalist and the e8treme Kindom
theoloian% #ecause one<s theolo2 takes him
predominantl2 into the camp of the dispensationalist Ci%e%
Some $elie6e the da2 of miracles is o6erD, the messae to
the total 1hurch $2 our &ordKthat we possess the power
to $ind, loose, mo6e mountains of difficult2, etc%Kcannot
$e inored% 'here must $e a $alance $etween the two% #ut
we must accept that !esus was definitel2 limited in what
He could sa2 to the !ews a$out the 5entiles% It did not
dawn on them that when !esus a6e them !ohn 9E0/,
5hosoe"er belie"eth on him should not erish, the
@whosoe6er@ would include 5entiles, whom the2 called
dos%
=hile there could $e dou$le meanin in some 6erses
of this chapterK6erses that could relate to $oth the !ews
and the 1hurch AeKit seems to me that !esus skipped
67
completel2 o6er the 5entile 1hurch Ae of 5race in
>atthew ,.% He talked of the destruction of !erusalem and
referred to His Second 1omin in /udgment to Bude
those who had persecuted His people%
And then shall aear the sign o( the Son o( man in
hea"en$ and then shall all the tribes o( the earth mourn,
and they shall see the Son o( man coming in the clouds
o( hea"en with ower and great glory.
Datthew -6$<=
'here are man2 references in this chapter to the
destruction of !erusalem% !osephus, the !ewish historian,
descri$es the fulfillment of these passaes% 'he cit2 of
!erusalem was surrounded in >a2, A4 //% 'he temple was
$urned Auust 0(, A4 -(Kthe same da2 and month it had
$een $urned 2ears $efore $2 the kin of #a$2lon%
!esus warned, and I am sure His words were repeated
man2 times, that the !ews li6in in !udea were to flee to
the mountains% C6% 0/%D 'hose on the rooftops Cthe rooftops
of !ewish homes were flat, and the people retreated to
them in the cool of the e6eninD were not to stop to et
an2thin from their houses when the2 fled% C6% 0-%D 'hose
in the field were not to return to their houses for
additional clothin% C6% 0*%D !esus spoke woe to those
women with child and instructed all !ews to pra2 that the
destruction would not happen in winter or on the Sa$$ath
da2 Cas did the Gom Kippur =ar of 0+-,D% C66% 0+,,(%D
'hese warnins all referred to the fall of !erusalem, not
to the Rapture of the 1hurch, and so cannot $e applied to
toda2% E6en the da2s $ein shortened for the sake of the
elect C6% ,,D was fulfilledE If 'itus, the Roman emperor,
68
had not relented, no !ew would ha6e sur6i6ed%
!esus could ha6e $een lookin forward toward the end
of the 1hurch Ae, howe6er, and referrin to His comin
for the 1hurch when He said, For as the lightning cometh
out o( the east, and shineth e"en unto the west# so shall also the
coming o( the Son o( man be C6% ,-D%
Immediately AFT>R the tribulation o( those days
shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not gi"e
her light, and the stars shall (all (rom hea"en, and the
owers o( the hea"ens shall be shaken$
And then shall aear the sign o( the Son o( man in
hea"en$ and then shall all the tribes o( the earth mourn,
and they shall see the Son o( man coming in the clouds
o( hea"en with ower and great glory.
Datthew -6$-E,<=
In his $ook now out of print, 4r% '% !% >c1rossan
concludes from an e8amination of the 5reek te8t that
>atthew ,.E,-KFor as the lightning cometh out o( the east,
and shineth e"en unto the west# so shall also the coming o( the
Son o( man beGoccurs at a different point in time from
>atthew ,.E,+,9( Cquoted a$o6eD% 'his Second 1omin is
esta$lished $2 puttin the time a$ter the 'ri$ulation% C6%
,+%D
'he other time C@as the lihtnin flashes@Ksee 1hapter
* reardin the speed of lihtD is esta$lished $2 the word
that$ !ut o( that day and hour knoweth no man..% C6% 9/D% 'his
demonstrati6e 5reek pronoun ekeinos is alwa2s used to
desinate one of two persons or thins mentioned
pre6iousl2, which is farthest remo6ed from this pronoun%
69
'hat is wh2 the comin of the &ord for the 1hurch in an
atomic second is different from His comin a$ter the
Rapture% If His comin after the 'ri$ulation had $een
inferred, then the pronoun houtos CthisD would ha6e $een
used%
Space will not permit a 6erse)$2)6erse e8planation of
>atthew ,.% !esus simpl2 skipped o6er the 1hurch Ae $2
talkin a$out the destruction of !erusalem, the false
prophets Cwho did ariseD, the coldness and iniquit2 Cwhich
did occurD, and i6in warnins to the people not to take
time to return to their homes $ut to flee% 'hen
immediatel2 He referred to e6ents that were to happen
prior to His Second 1omin in Budment%
Notice in 6erses ,+ and 9( that He skipped o6er the
se6en 2ears of the 'ri$ulation and discussed His comin
in full power%
%ow learn a arable o( the (ig tree# 5hen his branch
is yet tender, and utteth (orth lea"es, ye know that
summer is nigh$
So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things,
know that it is near, e"en at the doors.
Cerily I say unto you, THIS '>%>RATI&% shall
not ass, til all these things be (ul(illed.
Datthew -6$<-8<6
In these 6erses !esus was referrin to the restoration of
the !ewish nation in 0+.*, sa2in that those who saw the
restoration of that nation Cthis enerationD would $e li6in
at the end%
>atthew ,.E9/K#ut o( that day and hour knoweth no
70
man, no, not the angels o( hea"en, but my Father onlyGcan $e
a reference to final Budment when 1hrist shall Bude the
kindoms of this world% It is not necessaril2 a reference to
the Rapture% CSee 0 'hess% :E. for a reference to the
Rapture and the fact that the 1hurch will not $e cauht $2
surprise%D "erses 9- throuh :0 refer to the Budment%
>atthew ,. could ha6e some dual applications% Some
references could appl2 to the 1hristian 1hurch, especiall2
those 6erses reardin our $ein read2 for His return and
those that prophes2 the 5ospel $ein preached in all the
world%
#ut, in m2 opinion, in this chapter !esus was clearl2
speakin to the disciples a$out !erusalem and its
destruction, His Second 1omin, and se6ere Budment% It
is not a chapter from which to teach fear and to ro$ the
1hristians of their $lessed hope%
71
<
< The *ook o$ Re#elation
<
The *ook o$ Re#elation
And I turned to see the "oice that sake with me.
And being turned, I saw se"en golden candlesticks#
And in the midst o( the se"en candlesticks one like
unto the Son o( man, clothed with a garment down to
the (oot, and girt about the as with a golden girdle.
His head and his hairs were white like wool, as
white as snow# and his eyes were as a (lame o( (ire#
And his (eet like unto (ine brass, as i( they burned in
a (urnace# and his "oice as the sound o( many waters.
And he had in his right hand se"en stars$ and out o(
his mouth went a shar two8edged sword$ and his
countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
Re"elation )$)-8)*
'his description of !esus, as !ohn saw Him in the
Spirit, is one ood reason wh2 one cannot pro6e an2
doctrine on the last da2s +, this +ook alone) =hat !ohn
saw in the Spirit and tried to relate in human terms can
onl2 $e understood s2m$olicall2%
'he $ook of Re6elation was not meant to $e taken
literall2% !esus, our &ord and Sa6ior, does not ha6e e2es
that are flames of fire% 1ertainl2 He does not ha6e a two)
eded sword shootin out His mouth, and I trust that
those se6en stars He holds in His riht hand are s2m$olic,
75
not literal%
5e#ertheless, certain truths e0pressed in s,m+olic
language can also ha#e de$inite literal meanings) !ohn
did see !esus 1hristF all the thins he descri$ed a$out Him
in s2m$olic lanuae do ha6e meanins that are literall2
true% !esus is the Son of 5od, He is a Bude, He speaks the
=ord as a two)eded sword, and He holds in His hands
the power of hea6en% Alread2 scripturall2 esta$lished
doctrine can $e confirmed $2 s2m$olic lanuaeF
howe6er, we cannot find the foundation for pet doctrines
in the $ook of Re6elation%
'he se6en churches addressed $2 !ohn were literal
churches in !ohn<s da2, and were pro$a$l2 under his care%
'o make these churches represent se6en 1hurch periods,
as the dispensationalist does, howe6er, will not $e
successful% >ost dispensationalists use the &aodicean
church, $ecause it is the last mentioned CRe6% 9E0.),,D, to
descri$e the 1hurch that will $e on the earth when !esus
returns for His #ride%
'his was m2 understandin from the man2 $ooks I
had read on the su$Bect, and, as a result, I $elie6ed it for
man2 2ears% 'herefore, I full2 e8pected the church I
pastored to $ecome lukewarm and $ackslidden, alon
with the other churches% 'his was further reinforced $2
the teachin I recei6ed on the @fallin awa2@E
Let no man decei"e you by any means$ (or that day
/the Rature0 shall not come, e.cet there come a (alling
away (irst, and that man o( sin be re"ealed, the son o(
erdition.
- Thessalonians -$<
76
The !ook of Revelation
I ha6e since come to understand that the 5reek word
apostasia can $e translated @departure@ instead of @fallin
awa2@ Cand has $een $2 man2 scholarsD% 'his disco6er2
sent me $ack to the $ook of Re6elation to ree8amine the
se6en letters to the se6en churches%
=ill the 1hurch that is to $e raptured $e a &aodicean
church, or could it $e one of the other si8I S2m$olicall2,
the latter could $e true% 'he &ord instructed the church at
Sardis to watch, or else He, !esus, would come upon them
as a thief Cthis, of course, in BudmentD% CRe6% 9E0)/%D
An2 time the &ord likened His comin to that of a
thief, it was usuall2 a warnin of Budment, not
deli6erance% CSee Re6% 9E9F >att% ,.E.9F 0 'hess% :E,F and ,
7et% 9E0(%D
7aul told the 'hessalonians that the2, the 1hurch,
would not $e o6ertaken as $2 a thief% C0 'hess% :E.%D 'he2
would, therefore, ha6e to reconiHe somethin that would
precede His comin, otherwise the2 would $e surprised%
'here is onl2 one church of the se6en for which !esus
promised to come% 'his church had not denied His name
and was told to hold fast so the enem2 would not ro$
them% 'his one church was the church in 7hiladelphia
CRe6% 9E-)09D, and I $elie6e this one represents the da2 in
which we are now li6in%
'his last)da2 church e8periences reat re6i6al% 'here is
such a mo6ement of 5od that e6en the enemies from the
s2naoue Cmeetin placeD of Satan come and $ow in
defeat to the last)da2 church% C6% +%D =h2I So all will know
how much 5od lo6es these last)da2 $elie6ers% And, alon
with m2 $rothers, I am $einnin to e8perience this
77
re6i6al, and I full2 e8pect it to row%
Notice, too, that this church is also keepin the word
of His patience% C6% 0(%D 'hat is, the2 are lookin for His
comin% 'his sounds like man2 of us toda2 who are
e8pectin Him% !e atient there(ore, brethren, unto the coming
o( the Lord C!ames :E-D%
'he &ord also promised that the2 Cthe 1hurch which is
lookin for His cominD will $e kept from the hour or time
ChoraD of temptation or trial CpeirasmosD which is to come
upon all the world: #ecause 2ou ha6e patientl2 o$e2ed me
despite the persecution, there(ore I will rotect you (rom the
time o( great tribulation and temtation, which will come uon
the world to test e"eryone ali"e. CRe6% 9E0(, paraphrased%D
'he 5reek reads, ek tes horas, meanin @out of, or clean
awa2 from, the hour or time set@ for that 'ri$ulation%
Re6elation 9E0( also confirms , 7eter ,E+E 'he &ord
knoweth how to deli"er the godly out o( temtations, and to
reser"e the unBust unto the da2 o( ?udgment to be punished%
C'he same 5reek word eirasmos, meanin temptation or
trial or tri$ulation, is used here%D 7eter tells how the &ord
will do thisE $2 rhuesthoi, the present infiniti6e of the
deponent 5reek 6er$ rhuomai, meanin @to deli6er $2
drawin a person to one<s self out of harm<s wa2@
C>c1rossanD% ?rom what is 5od oin to deli6er His
peopleI ?rom the reat da2 of His wrathA
For the great day o( his wrath is come# and who
shall be able to stand:
Re"elation *$)@
'he 5reek word for wrath is orge, which means
78
@Bustifia$le 6iolent passionF ireF aner%@ Read the followin
to confirm that we will not $e here to e8perience the wrath
of 5odE
Duch more then, ha"ing been now ?usti(ied by his
blood /literal0, we shall be sa"ed (rom wrath /orge0
through him /,hrist0.
Romans 7$E
And to wait (or his Son from hea6en, whom he raised
(rom the dead, e"en !esus, which deli"ered Cliterall2, @the one
deli6erin@D us from the wrath to come /ao tes or ges tes
erchomenes, @from the wrath@ or @the comin wrath@D%
) Thessalonians )$)=
?or 5od hath not appointed us to wrath, $ut to o$tain
sal6ation Csoteria, @deli6erance@D $2 our &ord !esus 1hrist%
) Thessalonians 7$E
I $elie6e the church at 7hiladelphia represents the last)
da2 1hurch, to whom the &ord said, I come quickl2 CRe6%
9E00D% 'he &aodicean church, the unsa6ed church, is the
lukewarm church that makes 5od sick to His stomach,
and He spews them out% C6% 0/%D !esus stands outside the
door, knockin C6% ,(D, $ut the2 will not let Him in% 'his is
the church, alon with other unsa6ed churches, that will
ha6e to enter into the !ewish se6entieth week, not the
redeemed and $elie6in 1hurch% 'he redeemed 1hurch,
the #ride of 1hrist, is spared 5od<s wrath and is taken up
in the Rapture $efore the time of the 5reat 'ri$ulation%
Re6elation . pictures the 1hurch in hea6en, placin
the Rapture after chapter 9 and makin it precede all
79
e6ents to follow on earth, includin the openin of the
seals and the ensuin Budments%
One of the proofs, to me, that the 1hurch will not +e
on earth during the Tri+ulation is that !ohn sees the
twent2)four elders in hea6en CRe6% .E.D, and the2 are still
there in Re6elation 0+E.% Up to this point, elders ha6e
alwa2s $een on the earthF now the2 are in hea6en in their
new $odies% 'he 5reek word resbuteros Cmasculine
enderD, translated @elders,@ $2 its 6er2 definition
indicates those who are @elderl2, aed, senior%@ If that is
the case, then these $eins are su$Bect to ae% As such
then, the2 are definitel2 not spirit $eins $ecause spirit
$eins are aeless% 'hose who ascri$e to the post)
'ri$ulation position $elie6e that these are spirit creatures%
'his interpretation is necessar2 to support their $elief that
the 1hurch will $e on earth durin the 'ri$ulation
descri$ed after Re6elation 9%
Notice in Re6elation 00E0/ that these elders fall on
their faces and worship 5od% 'he 5reek word for faces
here is rosoon, meanin =human faces%@ In Re6elation
:E+, the saints sin that !esus hast redeemed us to 5od%
'he 6erse Cwell supported $2 the 5reek te8tD reads @hast
redeemed us)= Some who hold the post)'ri$ulation
position make it to read, @hast redeemed them,= as thouh
the saints were 2et to $e redeemed and not alread2 in
hea6en%
Notice, too, in Re6elation 0+E: that these elders are also
called @ser6ants@ CdoulosD% Spirit $eins are ne6er called
ser6ants% Onl2 the $elie6ers Cthe 1hurchD are called
ser6ants% CEph% /E:F 7hil% 0E0F 0 7et% ,E0/%D
80
'he four $easts mentioned with the elders appear to
$e s2m$olic of the 5ospel messae% CRe6% .E-%D 'he2 do not
seem to ha6e the same identit2 as the elders% 'he2 seem to
assist 5od in whate6er He is doin% In the Old 'estament
EHekiel saw these same creatures in hea6en, $ut not the
elders $ecause the2 were not 2et there% CEHek% 0E.),:%D
I also $elie6e that in chapter . the 1hurch, the #ride,
has alread2 $een to the !udment Seat of 1hrist, and has
alread2 $een rewarded% 'he2 ha6e the crowns on their
heads >stephanos, @6ictor<s wreaths,@ which are meant for
human, not spirit, $einsD and are wearin fine linen,
white and clean% In , 'imoth2 .E*, 7aul said, 'here is laid
up (or me a crown Ca Stephanos?) In 0 'hessalonians ,E0+
the redeemed saints are promised crowns%
'he !udment Seat of 1hrist will pro$a$l2 take place
in hea6en durin the first half of 4aniel<s se6entieth week
Cthe three and one)half 2ears durin which the Antichrist
rules in peace and full power, decei6in the whole earthD%
Remem$er, this week of se6en 2ears is for the !ews, not
for the 1hurch%
=hat a$out the 'ri$ulation saints mentioned in
Re6elation ,(E.I In his commentar2 Adam 1lark statesE
@'hese are the2 who represent all that ha6e $een mart2red
throuh the aes%@ 'he2 do not ha6e crowns of old% 'he2
were not o6ercomers, as were the true saints, and the onl2
reward for their mart2rdom is to rein with 1hrist for a
thousand 2ears% CSee 1hapter 9 entitled Rapture and
Resurrection%D 'he2 are not identified with the #ride in
an2 wa2%
I personall2 $elie6e that the 'ri$ulation mart2rs CRe6%
81
,(E.F /E+)00D are not $orn aain $ecause the2 do not seem
to carr2 the same spirit as the 1hurch% 'he2 cr2 out for
5od to a6ene them speedil2% C6% 0(%D 'he2 want to see
their enemies dealt with harshl2% 'he cr2 of the mart2red
$orn)aain saint Cfor e8ample, Stephen in Acts -E/(D was
the same as that of the &ord !esusE Father, (orgi"e them# (or
they know not what they do C&uke ,9E9.D%
=hat a 6ast ulf di6ides the 'ri$ulation saints from
the #rideA 'he2 don<t seem to ha6e a spirit of lo6e and
fori6eness as do the mart2rs in the New 'estament%
'hese mart2red saints seem to attain hea6en $2 d2in for
5od% I $elie6e the2 are mostl2 !ewish people who will
tenaciousl2 hold to their $elief in an eternal 5od, no
matter what the cost or whether the2 $elie6e as 1hristians
do% 'here will no dou$t $e some 5entiles amon them
$ecause of the witness the2 i6e% 'his, howe6er, should
not i6e a false hope to a $ackslider%
'he se6enth anel, soundin a trumpet in Re6elation
00E0:, is used $2 $oth the mid)'ri$ulation and post)
'ri$ulation proponents to support their $elief that the
Rapture takes place at this point rather than at the
$einnin of Re6elation .% Howe6er, a casual readin will
re6eal that this Budment of the nations is prior to the
>illennium, or e6en after all is o6er, $ecause 6erse 0*
speaks of the final Budment and destruction recorded $2
7eter in , 7eter 9E0()09%
Remem$er, when 1hrist returns to sit in Budment at
the se6enth trump, we are alread2 rewarded and come
with Him, as !ude records in 6erse 0.E !ehold, the Lord
cometh with ten thousands o( his saints.
82
&iterall2 6olumes could $e written as to what the true
interpretation of the $ook of Re6elation is% All sides in the
arument will tr2 to pro6e their points and make the $ook
sa2 whate6er fits their predetermined aruments%
Sometimes e6en the more clearl2 marked scriptures end
up $ein clouded and confused in the presentation%
'he 1hurch, as the #ride, and her Rapture can $est $e
understood $2 sta2in with what the Apostle 7aul wrote
from his personal re6elations as i6en to him $2 our &ord
!esus% He alone was shown the Rapture% He wrote a$out it,
thus settlin all 6arious and sundr2 opinions once and for
all% The Church is not appointed $or wrath, +ut to o+tain
deli#erance +, our Lord 'esus Christ) C0 'hess% :E+%D 'hese
were 7aul<s words of hope to the $elie6ers of his da2, and
thus to all of us who wait for His appearin% =hat a hopeA
So keep on hopinA
83
@
@ As The Lightning )))
@
As The Lightning )))
I tell you this, my brothers$ an earthly body made o(
(lesh and blood cannot get into 'od2s kingdom. These
erishable bodies o( ours are not the right kind to li"e
(ore"er.
!ut I am telling you this strange and wonder(ul
secret$ we shall not all die, but we shall all be gi"en new
bodiesI
It will all haen in a moment, in the twinkling o(
an eye, when the last trumet is blown. For there will be
a trumet blast (rom the sky and all the ,hristians who
ha"e died will suddenly become ali"e, with new bodies
that will ne"er, ne"er die# and then we who are still
ali"e shall suddenly ha"e new bodies too.
For our earthly bodies, the ones we ha"e now that
can die, must be trans(ormed into hea"enly bodies that
cannot erish but will li"e (ore"er.
5hen this haens, then at last this Scriture will
come trueG1Death is swallowed u in "ictory.1
& death, where then your "ictory: 5here then your
sting: For sinGthe sting that causes deathGwill all be
gone# and the law, which re"eals our sins, will no longer
be our ?udge.
How we thank 'od (or all o( thisI It is he who makes
87
us "ictorious through +esus ,hrist our LordI
) ,orinthians )7$7=87@ L!
7aul<s re6elation and authorit2 recei6ed from the &ord
!esus concernin the Rapture was shared with the
1orinthian church as well as with the 'hessalonians% It is a
thrillin comparison to read the a$o6e and then to recall
the &ord<s discourse in >atthew ,. where He compared
His comin to lihtnin% It is reasona$le that !esus should
compare His comin to liht, which comes from hea6en
and is as fast as lihtnin, inasmuch as in the $einnin of
our #i$le 5od said, Let there be light C5en% 0E9D, and 0 !ohn
0E: sa2s, 'od is light.
Scientists now know much more a$out liht, its speed
and its relationship to time, $ecause of Einstein<s
disco6er2 of the &aw of Relati6it2E E M >1
,
% Not onl2 was
it a maBor $reakthrouh for the in6ention and production
of the first atomic $om$, $ut it also re6ealed secrets of
creation%
=ith this increased knowlede, a new understandin
opened up concernin earth<s time relati6e to the speed of
liht% Simpl2 stated, time $ecomes a decreasin factor as
one $eins to approach the speed of liht%
As we ha6e seen, the #i$le pictures 5od as $ein
&iht% C0 !ohn 0E:%D 'he amaHin speed of lihtK0*/,,-,
miles per secondKis equal to / million million C:%**
trillionD miles in one 2ear% =e find this difficult to
6isualiHe unless we $rin it down to our measure of
comprehension%
&et me illustrateE If 2ou were to wind up an old)
fashioned alarm clock and count the tick)tocks for 9,
88
As The Lightning %%%
thousand 2ears, 2ou would count a total of 0 million
million% Get liht tra6els / million million miles in one
2ear% In one hour it tra6els /-( million miles% If 2ou were
to fire a rifle whose $ullet would tra6el the speed of liht,
it would tra6el around the circumference of the earth o6er
se6en times $efore 2ou could remo6e 2our finer from the
trier%
Acceptin the fact, then, that liht comes from 5od,
we can sa2 that if one were to tra6el at an acceleratin
speed approachin the speed of liht, he would $e
mo6in from the time dimension toward the eternal
dimension% As one continues to accelerate, time slows% If
2ou could tra6el at the speed of liht, time would stop%
'his is called the @time dialation@ theor2 and is $ased on
Einstein<s &aw of Relati6it2%
If 2ou were to tra6el in a spaceship at *- percent the
speed of liht, time would slow $2 :( percent% 'his could
$e illustrated with the help of a little imaination% 'hink of
2ourself in a spaceship tra6elin at *- percent the speed of
liht% Gou could tra6el into outer space for twent2 2ears,
turn 2our spaceship around and return to earth, ha6in
$een one a total of fort2 2ears% Imaine 2our surprise
when 2ou stepped out of 2our spaceship and disco6ered
that e6er2one on earth had aedKand those who had
$een 2our ae when 2ou left are now twice as old as 2ou
areA
If 2ou were to step this up until 2ou were tra6elin at
++%++ percent the speed of liht and tra6eled into outer
space for a total of si8t2 2ears, when 2ou returned 2ou
would find that fi6e million 2ears had passed while 2ou
89
were one%
Ges, if 2ou could tra6el at 0(( percent the speed of
liht, time would stop and the moment =now= would +e
$ore#er1for that is where 5od<s throne is and where the
timeless, eternal dimension e8ists%
If 2ou are wonderin what is faster than liht, 2ou
ma2 recall that the &ord<s return to take us out of this
world is oin to $e in an atomic second% As we read
pre6iousl2E
!ehold, I shew you a mystery# 5e shall not all
slee, but we shall all be changed,
In a D&D>%T /atomos0, in the twinkling o( an
eye, at the last trum . . . .
) ,orinthians )7$7),7-
'he Kin !ames "ersion translates the 5reek word
atomos C@atomic@D as @moment@ or @twinklin of an e2e%@
'he &ord will take us out of this world so fast that time
will stop and the moment @now@ will $e fore6er for us%
'here will $e no ain in hea6en, no more of time<s
depredations% =hen the trumpet shall sound, time will $e
no more for the saint of 5od% 'he dead shall o first, and
then the li6in shall $e chaned% =hat a lorious e6ent
that will $eA
7aul told the 1orinthians the same thins he tauht
the 'hessaloniansE the dead o first, then the li6in% I
$elie6e, with 2ou, that @we who are still ali6e@ refers to us
li6in toda2% Gou miht sa2, @All 1hristians ha6e $elie6ed
this since the fathers fell asleep,@ which is true, $ut then
technolo2 had not 2et de6eloped the h2droen $om$
90
As The Lightning %%%
and Israel was not in her homeland, 7alestine% 'he scene
was not set for the take)o6er of the Antichrist, nor was
there an alinement of ten nations in the European
1ommon >arket as there is toda2%
=e must $e drawin 6er2 close to that last trump,
which will sinal the first comin of our &ord for His
1hurch% 'his trumpet sound differs from the last trump in
Re6elation% As 5reek scholars e8plain, if it were the last
trumpet to sound, there would ha6e to $e a definite article
precedin the word trumpet% Also, the last trumpet in
Re6elation is a sinal for other e6ents to follow% In 0
1orinthians 0:E:,, the trumpet $last and the Rapture are
simultaneous e6ents% 'his is $rouht out $2 the 5reek
preposition en, meanin @riht then%@
In an atomic second we will rise to meet our
wonderful &ord% I $elie6e it is worth2 of note that in the
histor2 of the 1hurch, there has $een reat po6ert2 and
sufferin, and it was onl2 natural for the $elie6ers to want
their &ord to rescue them from their sufferin% E6en toda2,
man2 saints who suffer $ehind prison walls anticipate the
Rapture as a $lessed release%
Howe6er, in the last of this twentieth centur2, the
maBorit2 of the saints li6e in reat ease in a land of plent2%
Get, in the midst of the lu8ur2, the 1hristians I know are
watchin for the &ord<s return, not to escape persecution
or sufferin, $ut Bust $ecause the2 lo6e Him and so desire
to $e with Him% 'his modern, twentieth)centur2 st2le of
eas2 li6in does not satisf2 our hearts% 'he lonin and
huner to $e with Him, our &ord, is in our spirits and
cannot $e filled $2 thins that are onl2 temporal% 'he
91
Rapture is not meant to $e an @escape hatch@ $ut a iantic
step from the ph2sical into that lorious spiritual realm%
All distance is measured $2 time% If 2ou are oin
toward a destination, as 2ou run out of time allotted, 2ou
run out of distance% 5od<s plan of the aes is runnin out
of time, thus we are runnin out of distance% E6er2 da2
$rins us closer to our &ord<s comin and eternit2 in His
presence%
92
A
A America In !rophec,
A
America In !rophec,
It has ne6er seemed pro$a$le to man2 1hristians that a
nation as reat as America would $e without mention in
the Scriptures% It ne6er seemed riht to me that 5od
would not mention a nation that has done so much for
missions and also for His people, Israel%
E6en as a 2oun minister I $elie6ed that America must
$e mentioned somewhere in prophec2F and $ecause of this
$elief, I made a dilient stud2 of all $i$lical references that
could possi$l2 allude to our reat land% If America is
mentioned, it would, of course, ha6e to $e in s2m$olic
lanuaeF and if it is in prophec2, then, in m2 opinion, it
would ha6e to $e in Isaiah 0*%
5oe to the land shadowing with wings, which is
beyond the ri"ers o( >thioia$
That sendeth ambassadors by the sea, e"en in
"essels o( bulrushes uon the waters, saying, 'o, ye
swi(t messengers, to a nation scattered and eeled, to a
eole terrible (rom their beginning hitherto# a nation
meted out and trodden down, whose land the ri"ers
ha"e soiledI
All ye inhabitants o( the world, and dwellers on the
earth, see ye, when he li(teth u an ensign on the
mountains# and when he bloweth a trumet, hear ye.
For so the Lord said unto me, I will take my rest,
95
and I will consider in my dwelling lace like a clear heat
uon herbs, and like a cloud o( dew in the heat o(
har"est.
For a(ore the har"est, when the bud is er(ect, and
the sour grae is riening in the (lower, he shall both
cut o(( the srigs with runing hooks, and take away
and cut down the branches.
They shall be le(t together unto the (owls o( the
mountains, and to the beasts o( the earth$ and the (owls
shall summer uon them, and all the beasts o( the earth
shall winter uon them.
In that time shall the resent be brought unto the
Lord o( hosts o( a eole scattered and eeled, and (rom
a eole terrible (rom their beginning hitherto# a nation
meted out and trodden under (oot, whose land the ri"ers
ha"e soiled, to the lace o( the name o( the Lord o(
hosts, the mount Jion.
Isaiah )9$)8@
=h2 do I $elie6e that this particular chapter relates to
AmericaI ?irst, $ecause Adam 1lark and >atthew Henr2
$oth aree in their commentaries that the countr2
mentioned in 6erse 0 as $ein $e2ond the ri6ers o( >thioia
is difficult, if not impossi$le, to traceF i%e% the2 don<t
$elie6e it was a countr2 known in that da2, which helps us
to recei6e that it could $e a countr2 of our da2% Adam
1lark statesE
@'his is one of the most o$scure prophecies in the
whole $ook of Isaiah% 'he su$Bect of it, the end and the
desin of it, the people to whom it is addressed, the
histor2 to which it $elons, the person who sends the
96
America &n Prophec'
messeners, and the nation to whom the messeners are
sent are all o$scure and dou$tful%@ Its description does not
fit an2 countr2 or reion of that da2%
One cannot $e literal in all methods of interpretation%
'here must $e some s2m$olic meanins inferred% >ost
$ooks on prophec2 written throuh the 2ears that set forth
as literal all passaes of Scripture ha6e lon since $een
discredited% So let us e8plore this chapter from the 6antae
point or s2m$olism and see what conclusions can $e
reached%
?irst, notice that this land must send am$assadors $2
sea $ecause of its location% C6% ,%D 'hat is, it does not ha6e
access to Israel $2 land% 'his would rule out most of the
nations that were known in Isaiah<s da2% 'hus, the land is
far awa2% Also this land is shadowed with wins C6% 0D,
which calls to mind the fact that America has alwa2s $een
s2m$oliHed $2 eales%
Second, notice that it is a land di6ided, or @spoiled,@ $2
ri6ers% C6% ,%D Spoiled can also mean @nourished%@ America,
a land of ri6ers, is the onl2 lare landmass that is
crisscrossed $2 man2 ri6ers% >ost nations are known for
their one outstandin ri6erE in #raHil, the AmaHonF in
1hina, the GantHeF in E2pt, the Nile%
'hird, notice the people% 'here are a nation of leaders%
'he nation was terri$le CawesomeD (rom its beginning and
was alwa2s successful in war% C6% ,%D America, o6erniht,
was a leadin nation of the world% She defeated Enland
and took her destin2 into her own hands% She $ecame a
nation which demanded attention when she spoke C6% 9D, a
nation to $e reckoned with%
97
?ourth, the inha$itants are tall, $ronHed, and @peeled@
or clean sha6en% C6% ,%D It is said that America was the first
nation to make the raHor part of the standard equipment
in the militar2 man<s kit% A nation meted out and trodden
down C6% ,D suests a land of reat population% America
has one of the larest populations in the world toda2%
?inall2, 6erses . and : speak of the reat har6est and
producti6it2 of this reat nation in the 6er2 heiht of its
achie6ement and how at the peak of its producti6it2
Cwhen the $ud is er(ect0 it is cut down% America has now
reached its Henith, and in some respects, is showin the
first little indications of a decline in leadership as an
industrial nation% 'he nation mentioned in Isaiah 0* as
$ein at the heiht of producti6it2 is so utterl2 destro2ed
that there are not enouh people left to $ur2 the dead%
'he2 shall $e le(t together unto the (owls o( the mountains,
and to the beasts o( the earth C6% /D% 1ould this refer to the
aftermath of a neutron $om$I
'he news media has made it clear that Russia
possesses enouh h2droen $om$s, and the hardware to
deli6er them, to de6astate America% Russia knows that
America, if i6en a few more 2ears with her present
re$uildin proram, will equal her in the arms race% =hen
will she attack usI Of course, this must $e in the
knowlede and timin of the &ord, $ut her threats to $ur2
us cannot $e inored% Neither can the fact that when
Russia comes down from the north, there is no one to help
IsraelF America must $e out of the picture as the &ord is
the One =ho steps in to help her%
'he last 6erse of Isaiah 0* is the one which con6inces
98
America &n Prophec'
me that this chapter not onl2 refers to America, $ut also
makes reference to the 1hurch% "erse - mentions a
present, a ift that will $e i6en to the &ord of Hosts from
this nation that is so utterl2 destro2ed there are not
enouh sur6i6ors to $ur2 the dead% 'his has ne6er
happened% A completel2 destro2ed nation is in no
condition or position to $rin a ift to the &ord%
#ut it will happen when the Rapture occurs% =hat a
ift to the &ord of Hosts to recei6e so man2 of His people
comin homeA =hat a $lessed e6ent it will $eA 'he
trumpet will sound, the ift Cthe redeemed 1hurchD will
rise to meet the &ord, and so shall she e6er $e with HimA
=hat will then happen to AmericaI Use 2our
imaination% If 5od allows our present)da2 re6i6al to
continue and all our lo6ed ones are sa6ed, there will $e so
man2 people oin home that there won<t $e man2 left%
'he ones who are left miht not $e in strateic positions to
defend or lead AmericaF she will $e 6ulnera$le to a
de6astatin missile attack%
=h2 do I $elie6e thisI #ecause Russia has threatened
to $ur2 us% She is desperate for oil and industrial world
leadership% She cannot risk $ein counterattacked $2 a
stron nation% #ut when she hears of the confusion caused
$2 the Rapture, she will strike quickl2%
=hen the Antichrist takes o6er, he will ha6e no
opposition% Israel will $e defenselessF she will ha6e no
friends% America will $e one%
Ges, reader, $elie6e on and recei6e the &ord !esus
1hrist as 2our Sa6iorA 5et read2 for a reat home)oin%
Gou do not want to $e here after the 1hurch and the Hol2
99
Spirit are remo6ed and America is destro2ed% #elie6e now
and recei6e Him% Gou ha6e a choiceE Gou can o with the
1hurch, or $e left to the fowls of the mountains as 2our
onl2 $urial%
100
1B
1B *elie#ing For Our Lo#ed Ones
1B
*elie#ing For Our Lo#ed Ones
'his $ook on the Rapture would ne6er ha6e $een
written if its purpose was to et people e8cited or to
propose the Rapture as an @out@ for people who want to
a6oid pa2in their $ills, ettin up and oin to work, or
facin another da2 of housecleanin or school% >2 moti6e,
a$o6e all else, is to stir 2ou, to rouse 2ou to $elie6e and
pra2 as ne6er $efore for the sal6ation of 2our lo6ed ones%
No promise from 5od is e6er automatic% Gou will $e
5od<s partner in e6er2 spiritual transaction, or there will
$e none% !ohn =esle2 has $een quoted as sa2inE @5od
does nothin $ut $2 pra2er%@
If, as some theoloians teach us, sal6ation is $2
election and not for @whosoe6er will,@ then all of us ha6e
wasted our time in thinkin we ha6e a chance to make
hea6en our home% If 5od pre)selects those He wants to $e
with Him fore6er and those who are destined for hell,
then wh2 would He send !esusI His sufferin would $e of
no 6alue%
5od is $i enouh to do as He wants without us% He
could ha6e i6en a $lanket pardon for the ones to whom
He is partial and, in one fell swoop, could ha6e swept all
others into hell% #ut, no, it is 2et whosoe"er belie"eth in him
should not erish, but ha"e e"erlasting li(e C!ohn 9E0/D, and it
alwa2s will $e% 'here must $e the $elie6in and the
recei6in of 5od<s plan of redemption% 'here has to $e, in
103
the human heart, a lo6e for 5od, a lo6e for His people, a
lo6e for the thins He lo6es, and a hatred for the thins
He hates%
5od is so6erein in His kindom and in the choosin
of nations% He, lookin ahead, chose a nation when He
chose !aco$ o6er Esau% C5en% ,:E,9%D He saw, $2
foreknowlede, that Esau would despise his $irthrihtF
and e6en thouh !aco$ was a conni6er, 5od saw a
spiritual huner in him% He saw !aco$ wrestlin with the
anel and refusin to let o until he had recei6ed a
$lessin% C5en% 9,E,.),/%D
'he ke2 6erses which teach us that we ha6e somethin
to do with 5od<s decisions are found in Romans 00 and
Acts 0/E
5ell# because o( unbelie( they /the +ews0 were
broken o( ( , and thou standest by (aith. !e not
highminded, but (ear$
For i ( 'od sared not the natural branches, take
heed lest he also sare not thee.
!ehold there(ore the goodness and se"erity o( 'od$
on them which (ell, se"erity# but toward thee, goodness,
i ( thou continue in his goodness# otherwise thou also
shalt he cut o( ( .
And they also, i ( they abide not still in unbelie(,
shall be gra(ted in$ (or 'od is able to gra(t them in
again.
Romans ))$-=8-<
And they /;aul and Silas0 said /to the ;hiliian
?ailer0, !elie"e on the Lord +esus ,hrist, and thou shalt
104
!elieving (or )ur Loved )nes
be sa"ed, and thy house.
And they sake unto him the word o( the Lord, and
to all that were in his house.
And he took them the same hour o( the night, and
washed their stries# and was batiFed, he and all his,
straightway.
And when he had brought them into his house, he
sat meat be(ore them, and re?oiced, belie"ing in 'od
with all his house.
Acts )*$<)8<6
'hese sinificant 6erses teach us that if the head of the
house $elie6es on the &ord !esus, there is a promise that
all the house will $e sa6ed% In the case of the 7hilippian
Bailer, this was so%
@#ut,@ 2ou ma2 sa2, @I<m not the head of m2 house% >2
hus$and is%@ 'hen 2our promise is found in 0 1orinthians
-E09)0/E
And the woman which hath an husband that
belie"eth not, and i ( he be leased to dwell with her, let
her not lea"e him.
For the unbelie"ing husband is sancti(ied by the
wi(e, and the unbelie"ing wi(e is sancti(ied by the
husband$ else were your children unclean# but now are
they holy.
!ut i ( the unbelie"ing deart, let him deart. A
brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases$
but 'od hath called us to eace.
For what knowest thou, & wi(e, whether thou shalt
sa"e thy husband: or how knowest thou, & man,
105
whether thou shalt sa"e thy wi(e:
'hese scriptures confirm 5od<s reat compassion for
the famil2% He does not want to see one mem$er sa6ed
and another lost% >ake no mistake, 5od is a famil2)lo6in
?ather%
&et us deal with 0 1orinthians -E09)0/ first, and then
o $ack to Acts 0/E90)9.% 'he promise that the unsa6ed
hus$and or wife is sanctified $2 li6in with the 1hristian
counterpart is a precise and straihtforward declaration of
what will happen% Not ma2$e, pro$a$l2, possi$l2K$ut
will happen% 'he onl2 condition here is that the sa6ed wife
or hus$and lead a odl2 life% CSee also 0 7et% 9E0)-%D Ges, in
two places 5od has promised that the hus$and and wife,
if the2 sta2 married and are pleased with their marriae,
shall $oth $e sa6ed% 5reat emphasis should $e placed on
the word pleased% #oth hus$and and wife must watch
their con6ersation% 'he2 must talk like a child of 5od%
'here should $e no nain, scoldin, or faultfindinK
and there certainl2 should not $e preachin in the home%
Gou, a hus$and or wife li6in with a mate who is not
presentl2 sa6ed, should et on 2our knees and thank 5od
for His =ord and for the assurance that 2ou will see 2our
mate in hea6en% Now o 2our wa2 reBoicin and actin as
thouh 2our mate is now a 1hristian% 'alk like it, act like
it, and $e happ2 a$out it% 5i6e thanks for it now as 2ou
will on the da2 it happens%
5od considers the unsa6ed spouses to $e alread2
sa6ed when He declares the children of such marriaes to
$e sanctified, else were your children unclean# but now are
they holy C0 1or% -E0.D% Onl2 $2 one mem$er of the
106
!elieving (or )ur Loved )nes
marriae desertin the other would the promise $e
$roken% If one partner lea6es, 5od declares the marriae
to $e $roken, and the $orn)aain spouse is free from the
$ondae of that union% C'here are a$solutel2 no rounds
scripturall2 for a 1hristian spouse to e6er seek a di6orce
e8cept for desertion or infidelit2%D C>att% 0+E+%D
1oncernin the children of a $roken home, the ones
sta2in with the 1hristian parent will $enefit from 5od<s
promise% 'he ones choosin to o with the unsa6ed parent
and li6e that lifest2le will reap the uncleanness
accompan2in their decision% Howe6er, if the children
were forced to o with the unreenerate parent, the sa6ed
spouse can claim sal6ation for them%
Gou miht ask C$ecause 2ou are not the head of 2our
houseD, @=hat a$out m2 unsa6ed parentsI@ If 2ou are the
first mem$er, or the onl2 mem$er, of 2our house to $e
sa6ed, then 2ou can act in authorit2 as the priest of that
house until others are sa6ed%
'he followin, $ased on Acts 0/E9(,90, is how to pra2
for the unsa6ed mem$ers of 2our famil2% Gour famil2 Cor
houseD includes onl2 those under 2our direct influence,
such as hus$and, wife, dauhter, son, sister, $rother,
parents, or randparents% In the Old 'estament, when the
destro2er smote the first$orn, all that were in the house
where the $lood of the lam$ had $een applied to the
doorposts were sa6ed% Gou, too, must enter into a
co6enant promise, a contract, $2 $ecomin part of its
stipulations% Gou must, at a specific time and place,
declare 2ourself to enter into this areement% No promise
is automatic% Gour name must $e present in the
107
areement%
1all on a $elie6er to aree with 2ou in pra2er when
2ou enter into this specific contract with 5od concernin
2our lo6ed ones%
Gour pra2er could $e somethin like thisE
Dy dear Hea"enly Father, in +esus2 name, I come to
Bou on behal( o( my lo"ed ones. I thank Bou that Bou
ha"e romised me in Acts )*$<) o( Bour 5ord /oen
your !ible and read it aloud0 that i ( I would belie"e on
Bou, not only will I be sa"ed, but all the members o( my
house. I thank Bou that I know Bou kee Bour 5ord,
and I now enter into this co"enant.
I am trusting Bou, dear Holy Sirit, to do Bour
work, and I belie"e I will see them in hea"en. Amen.
=hen the Rapture takes place, there will not $e the
normal time of natural death with time for repentance%
Our lo6ed ones must et sa6ed now) =hen the trumpet
sounds, it will $e too late%
If 2ou ha6e raised 2our children in the wa2 of the
&ord, $ut the2 seem to $e wanderin from His path at this
time, let this scripture $e a comfort to 2ouE
Thus saith the Lord# Re(rain thy "oice (rom
weeing, and thine eyes (rom tears$ (or thy work shall be
rewarded, saith the Lord# and they shall come again
(rom the land o( the enemy.
And there is hoe in thine end, saith the Lord, that
thy children shall come again to their own border.
+eremiah <)$)*,)@
108
Summar,
7aul<s letters to the church in 'hessalonica were more
than a lifeline of hope% 'he2 imparted reat re6elation
concernin 5od<s attitude toward the 1hurch and toward
the human famil2, as a famil2 unit% 'he2 also re6eal His
attitude toward a man comin into power who will $e
completel2 possessed $2 Satan% 'he one called the @man of
sin%@ C, 'hess% ,E9%D
5od<s re6ealed attitude toward His 1hurch, His
people, is one of unsurpassed lo6e% Not onl2 does He lo6e
us, He reatl2 desires for us to $e with Him fore6er%
Some people, aruin aainst the hope of the Rapture,
$elie6e that $ecause the 1hurch has not alwa2s tauht and
emphasiHed this truth, it is onl2 a @!ohnn2)come)latel2@
doctrine% It has e6en $een hinted that this is an American
theoloical dream%
'he doctrine of the Resurrection of the dead and the
Rapture of the li6in has alwa2s $een $elie6ed and
written a$out% It was not emphasiHed for man2 centuries,
and rihtl2 so, $ecause the 1hurch then was hundreds of
2ears awa2 from the time it would happen% Also, then, as
now, there was confusion $etween the Rapture and the
Second 1omin of our &ord% In the Rapture we rise to
meet HimF in the Second 1omin He comes to the earth to
rule and to rein%
In reard to this reat truth of the Rapture not $ein
emphasiHed in certain periods of 1hurch histor2, we must
109
acknowlede that other reat truths were also su$mered
at times% !ustification $2 faith, $aptism of the Hol2 Spirit,
glossalalia, and di6ine healin in the Atonement were
hidden from 6iew durin some periods of histor2% It is
onl2 riht and proper for the Hol2 Spirit to reatl2
emphasiHe this reat truth now $ecause of the imminence
of e6ents leadin up to a catastrophic clima8%
In this summar2, let me emphasiHe chapter . which
deals with the 5reek word aostasia% 'o sa2 that it can onl2
$e translated one wa2 Ci%e%, @fallin awa2@ or @re$ellion@D,
reatl2 conflicts with 5od<s =ord which sa2s that in the
last da2s He will pour out His Spirit on all flesh% CActs
,E0-%D 'o translate this word as @departure@ coincides
$etter with the rest of 7aul<s messae which a6e reat
hope to his readers when all hope was one%
?or 7aul to write that the 1hurch, prior to the comin
of the &ord !esus in the skies, would completel2 re$el and
$ackslide, would ha6e further added to the 'hessalonians<
sorrow and con$usion, and would ha6e taken awa2 what
little hope the2 had%
=hile I stated that we cannot $uild a doctrine on how
one 5reek word is translated, it certainl2 must $e
reconiHed $2 the post)'ri$ulation writers as ha6in some
meanin pertinent to the interpretation of 7aul<s
re6elation recei6ed from our &ord !esus and to other
promises concernin reat re6i6al in the last da2s%
'he interpretation of Scripture can $e compared to
skating on thin ice) At $est, one is alwa2s in daner of
$reakin throuh into a cold $ath, or e6en death% If one is
too much of a literalist, he $ecomes too hea62 and will
110
Summar'
surel2 $reak throuh% If he is too s2m$olic, he is too liht
and will $e $lown off his course% If he is a firm
dispensationalist and can onl2 skate in one direction, he is
$ound to fall into some of the 6er2 same theoloical holes
that others ha6e fallen into%
If he is an antidispensationalist, he does not know
where he has $eenF therefore, he cannot know where he is
oin% If he leans too hea6il2 on hiher education, he will
$e a$o6e the reater percentae of the people to whom he
will $e ministerin% If he is aainst academic achie6ement,
he ma2 not $e open to more illumination and, therefore, in
daner of $ecomin unteacha$le%
All of us must $e open and recepti6e, and stri6e for
more $alance% If a weakness can $e pointed out in that
which we ha6e so stronl2 $elie6ed, let us $e hum$le
enouh to admit that further liht has come and that we
are open to chane%
I trust that I will alwa2s remain open to further
enlihtenment% After dilient stud2 and research on this
reat su$Bect, I firml2 $elie6e that +e$ore the worst is to
come, what 7aul so wonderfull2 descri$ed $2 the impulse
of the Hol2 Spirit will take placeE
The Lord himsel( shall descend (rom hea"en with a
shout, with the "oice o( the archangel, and with the
trum o( 'od$ and the dead in ,hrist shall rise (irst$
Then we which are ali"e and remain shall be caught
u together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in
the air$ and so shall we e"er he with the Lord.
) Thessalonians 6$)*,)@
111
Re$erences
The Amli(ied !ible. 7u$lished $2 Londer6an
7u$lishin House, 5rand Rapids, >ichian% Used $2
permission%
An >.ository Dictionary o( %ew Testament 5ords. =% E%
"ine% 7u$lished $2 ?lemin H% Re6ell 1ompan2, Old
'appan, New !erse2% Used $2 permission%
Interlinear 'reek8>nglish %ew Testament. 5eore Ricker
#err2% 7u$lished $2 #aker #ook House, 5rand Rapids,
>ichian% Used $2 permission%
The Li"ing !ible. 7u$lished $2 '2ndale House
7u$lishers, =heaton, Illinois% Used $2 permission%
The %ew Testament GAn >.anded Translation.
Kenneth S% =uest% 7u$lished $2 =illiam #% Eerdmans
7u$lishin 1ompan2, 5rand Rapids, >ichian% Used $2
permission%
113
Ro, H) Hicks is a successful
minister of the 5ospel who has
i6en his life to pastorin and
pioneerin churches throuhout the
United States% He has ser6ed the
&ord in 6arious forein fields,
ha6in made missionar2 Bourne2s to
South America, the Orient,
Australia, and New Lealand%
As a dedicated man of 5od, 4r%
Hicks ser6es toda2 as 5eneral Super6isor of the
?oursquare 5ospel 1hurches and has $ecome a popular
speaker at charismatic conferences%
7erhaps the thin that most endears 4r% Hicks to
readers is his warmth and his a$ilit2 to reach out as the
true $elie6er he isKa man of stron, positi6e faith, sharin
a refreshin ministr2 throuh the power and anointin of
the Hol2 Spirit%

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