Volume 33, Issue 4 _____________________________________________________Bible Prophecy Ministry



Ready for the Rapture? Missed the Rapture?


The world long ago entered the Rapture Zone:
It will occur suddenly someday soon. It hasn’t yet happened as of “May 14, 2001”
But it is Imminent: Jesus is due anytime now;
Perhaps you find yourself Left Behind?
The purpose of this article is twofold: perhaps it is for YOU……..

(a) First of all, it is to warn those who read this series prior to the "rapture" of the soon to occur events that will take place in the "Last Days" as foretold in the Bible. Based on what the Bible has to say about future events, nobody in their right mind would want live on earth after the rapture. Hopefully you will read, believe, seek God, repent and be saved. Salvation is very simple, so simple to attain that most people cannot accept it. ( see the Graceroom ) However, it is complex because it is life changing and based on that which we cannot see; it is based on faith. Simple, because Jesus does all the work. If you want to be saved and have eternal life, simply pray in belief and humility to the Lord Jesus:
"Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and ask you to forgive me of my sins and prepare for me a new heart. I surrender my life to you." I now realize my need of your saving Grace! Now change the way you live your life so that it is in accordance with God's laws. (Bible) If you have done this prior to the rapture, get a Bible and start reading and studying it. Go to the Lord in prayer every day asking for guidance as to how to live.

      ( b) Second, to those left behind after the rapture, this is indeed a survival manual. You still have an opportunity to repent and have eternal life. The same prayer of salvation is applicable to you; the only difference is that you will spend a little time experiencing a taste of hell while you remain on earth. Let me be really honest with you. If you are reading this manual and the rapture has already occurred, then you probably are not going to physically survive; you most likely will die. This article is about the survival of your soul. The Holy Spirit of God will still be upon the earth to sustain and guide “YOU” through all you are about to experience, if you will only accept Jesus as your Savior! You are going to go through a terrible suffering. ( seven years maximum ) But the most important thing is whether you will go to Heaven or go to hell when you die. You will be offered a “mark” after the Rapture event. You will be compelled to worship an “Image of the New Christ”. “Do Not Participate in these Practices”! You will be flooded with explanations about the sudden disappearance of many people. Do Not Believe these explanations! The Rapture has actually occurred!

1. Definition: Rapture- This is the event that will occur when Jesus calls His followers (both gentile and Jewish believers) with a trumpet blast, and in the "twinkling of an eye" they will be removed from the earth and transported to be with Jesus in the heavens. For those of Jewish heritage who are familiar with the seven feasts of the Old Testament that are celebrated each year, the rapture is portrayed by the feast of trumpets described at Leviticus 23:24. The Jewish feast of trumpets symbolized a re-gathering. At the trumpet call of the rapture, it will be a re-gathering of believers to be with Jesus, and for those Jews left behind on earth it will be the final re-gathering to the physical nation of Israel. Interestingly, those who have died and are followers of Jesus will respond first to the call (I Thess 4:16). It very well may be that, as it happened when Jesus was crucified and resurrected, when the dead saints arose from the dead and walked amongst the living (Matthew chapter 27), that at the rapture the dead saints may walk briefly on earth again.

2. Biblical Foundation for the Rapture

"Take notice, I am telling you a secret. We shall not all die but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet call. For the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall all be changed." I Corinthians 15:51-52 "For with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and the trumpet of God, the Lord Himself will descend from Heaven, and those who died in Christ will rise first. Afterward we, the living who remain, will be caught up along with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we shall forever be with the Lord." I Thessalonians 4:16-17

"...For I am going away to prepare a place for you. And when I have gone and have prepared a place for you, I will come again and take you to Myself so that where I am, you also will be." John 14:2-3

      This article will be addressing two audiences: those of you who read this page before the rapture, and those of you who read it after the rapture. My focus here will be on those of you who have found this page after the rapture of the Church. For anyone reading this material before the pre-trib rapture, I highly recommend that you ponder the negative consequences of being left behind, and seriously consider committing your life to Jesus, if you have not already done so.


What's Happened? Where has everyone gone?

      Right now, I'm sure there's a tremendous battle going on, with various points of view trying to explain why millions of people have just suddenly disappeared into thin air. Because it's likely that the world media will be teaming with possible explanations for the disappearances, I can only try to guess at what they all might be. What I will do is tell you what caused this supernatural event. The mass disappearance of all these people was the result of the Lord Jesus Christ removing all believers that were spiritually ready, from off the earth. This catching up of the Christians into heaven is referred to as the rapture of the Church.

"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words."
(1 Thes 4:16-18)

"Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality."
(1 Corinthians 15:51-53)


Why Didn't He Take Me? Why am I still here?

      If you are reading this after the rapture, you need to realize that that you have been left behind because you have never received Jesus Christ as your Savior. At this time you may be feeling rejected by God. You might be saying to yourself, "Why didn't he take me?" or I don't understand; I've led a good life." The problem wasn't that God rejected you; the problem is that you have not accepted him. By not committing your life to Jesus and by not following after him, you have left him with no other choice but to leave you behind.

"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."
(Matthew 7:21)

"For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother."
(Matthew 12:50)

"Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."
(Isaiah 1:18)


Is There Hope For Me? Can I Still be Saved?

      Depending on how early you read this article, you may have heard people say, "Because we've missed the rapture, we are lost forever." If you do hear something like this, whoever they are, their assumption is wrong. The only way you can find yourself eternally lost is to receive the mark of the Beast on your right hand or forehead. Barring that, as long as you have breath in your lungs, you can gain salvation by trusting in Jesus Christ as your Savior.
"... him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."
(John 6:37)

"Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
(Matthew 11:28)

"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name:"
(John 1:12)

According to Revelation, there will be a huge number of people saved during the tribulation. Some scholars have predicted that tribulation believers would grow to out number the saints that were just raptured.
"After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;"
(Revelation 7:9)

"And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."
(Revelation 7:14)


Why do I need Jesus Christ to be my Savior?

      To be allowed to pass through heaven's gate you need to have all your sins removed, and the only cleansing agent that is strong enough to thoroughly remove sin stains is the blood of Jesus Christ. The sin de-condemnation process is very simple, you simply ask Jesus Christ, the Son of God, for it. First you admit your sinful state, then you ask Jesus to forgive you of your wrongdoings, and then you make him Lord of your life. By dying on the cross, Jesus has made it possible for each of us to be granted a full pardon from the punishment of eternal damnation. The reason so few people take God up on the offer of being pardoned is that most people don't think they need a Savior or they want to find their own way of salvation.

"Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"
(Matthew 16:24-26)

"...if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
(Romans 10:9-10)

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
(John 3:16)


Changing Your Direction

      After making Jesus the Lord of your life, you need to change the direction of your life. You cannot just mouth a few words, and then continue on your merry away. You need to make a full commitment to Jesus Christ by reading his words and following his examples of holy living.

"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."
(Matthew 7:13-14)


There Will be Strong Delusion On the next Sunday, after the rapture takes place, every church on earth will be filled to overflowing. Suddenly, everyone left behind will discover a need to renew their faith. Unfortunately, the revival is going to be very short lived. The apostle Paul in Thessalonians predicts, because most men's hearts will still love unholy living, they will turn and follow after a deception that God himself will send. Jesus foretold that the false prophets would arise using "great sign and wonders" to trick people into believing satanic lies.

"And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."
(2 Thes 2:10-12)

"For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if [it were] possible, they shall deceive the very elect."
(Mat 24:24)

During the next few years, there is going to arise a world leader, which the Bible calls the Antichrist. At first he will seem like the most benevolent leader that has ever held office. However, by the end of the tribulation, he will easily put the likes of Hitler and Stalin to shame. Because the lies of the Antichrist and false prophets will be so pervasive, you will need to assume everything and anything in the mass media is tainted doctrine. Your only source for the truth must now exclusively come from the Bible.


Do Not Trust So-called Christian Leaders

      In the coming days, you are going see and hear messages from some of the biggest names in Christendom on radio and TV, and these messages won't be ones recorded before the rapture. The broadcasts you'll be hearing will be either live or taped after the rapture. They will be from Christian leaders that have also been left behind. Millions of people will be reassured by the fact that their favorite Christian celebrity is still here on earth. I expect most of these well-known leaders, possible out embarrassment, will be working feverishly to disprove the rapture event. They may say things like, "I don't know where or why those people disappeared, but I will tell you this - That was not the so-called rapture of the Church." I'm sure it will be quite confusing to hear men that were regarded as the leading authorities on the pre-tribulation rapture, now proclaiming contradictory theories. Don't listen to them no matter how well respected they appear. Many religious and political leaders will be attempting to persuade you into believing some logical explanation for the rapture. All of their lies will be contrary to the Word of God. If they give you any doubt, just remember they were left behind just like you, so what business do they have instructing you?


Enduring to the End

      Well, my friend, here comes the unpleasant news. Most of you will likely have to choose martyrdom if you wish to maintain your commitment to Jesus Christ. There will be no middle ground. During this tribulation hour, you will have to choose between two masters, the Antichrist or Jesus Christ. Your decision to follow Jesus will not be a popular one. The majority of the world's populous will soon be falling captive to the Antichrist's hypnotic words. Because true believers will refuse to join the chorus of praise, the Antichrist will demand that all nonconforming Christians be put to death. "And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. If any man have an ear, let him hear. He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints."
(Revelation 13:7-10)

"And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled."
(Revelation 6:9-11)

      At first it may seem rather easy to secretly be a follower of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, very soon the Antichrist will be requiring everyone to receive a mark in their right hand or forehead. Probably this mark will be the means by which everyone buys and sells goods and services. If you do not have this mark, it will be very obvious.

"And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name."
(Revelation 13:17)

Because the Bible says that everyone who receives this implant (mark of the beast) will be eternally lost, I'm going to highly advise you to decline the offer when the government informs you, they have your implant ready for insertion.

"And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name."
(Revelation 14:11)

      In the coming persecution, you will likely be faced with the greatest amount of trials that Christians has ever had to endure in world history. You will know how long you will have to endure. From the time the Antichrist declares himself to be God, there will be only 1260 days until Christ returns to earth. As time passes and the sufferings of the tribulation grow more severe, your desire to see Christ should grow all the more, stronger. If you are required to lay down your life, I promise you, the moment of pain, regarding your death, will be nothing compared to the pleasures of an eternity in God's glory.


I hope that you will Seek the Lord while HE may be found:

Remember:
Jesus shall return to the earth just a short seven years after the great disappearance of Believers! He will subdue the deceptive wicked world ruler that is enticing YOU into joining his one world system of Worship, and cast him into prison. Why would you join up with this Loser and be forever lost? Trust in Jesus…….HE IS COMING BACK SOON……..


Darrell G. Young
copyright©2000




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