"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy;having their conscience seared with a hot iron;"1 Timothy 4:1-2

sábado, 13 de outubro de 2012

“The King is coming, the King is coming Praise God, He’s coming for me”


THE KING IS COMING: THE RAPTURE.
The King is Coming2One of the greatest truths in the entire Bible is the second coming of our Lord Jesus back to this planet. It’s a doctrine which gives us courage and hope.Martin Luther once said: “I hope the last day will not be long delayed. The darkness grows thicker around us...But a voice will soon be heard thundering forth: ‘Behold, the Bridegroom cometh.’ God will not be able to bear this wicked world much longer, but will come, with the dreadful day, and chastise the scorner of His word.” Great Fundamentals, p. 26.
And Hebrews 9:28 adds:  “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” The good news, dear friends, is that our Lord Jesus Christ is coming again very soon. He’s coming again to receive those that are looking for Him. What a day that will be, to be finally with the Lord Jesus! But unfortunately for the unbeliever, the day of the Lord’s coming will be an unexpected surprise.
The apostle Paul says to the believers, to the church of our time, in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6:  “ But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.  For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.  For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.  But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.  Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.  Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.”  Friends, we may not know the exact hour of the Lord’s appearing, but the apostle Paul says that we should not be ignorant of the Lord’s coming.  We may know when it is near for we are the children of light and not of darkness.  Study to shew thyself approved and we will know when the Lord’s coming is near.  In fact, as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be in the days of the coming of the Son of Man.  And it is very clear that the patriarch Noah knew the year when the flood was to come.  The Lord had cautioned him that “My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.”  Genesis 6:3.  Friends, we are not in darkness in our day. 
2 PETER 3:10-12 says: But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness. Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?” Yes, for the unbeliever, the Lord’s coming comes as an absolute surprise, and their pursuit of business and pleasure will be shattered by the sudden and rapid destruction of this planet as the broom of destruction will sweep them all away. The last day of planet earth, the Bible says, will come as a thief in the night, unexpectedly. And all of this will come despite a worldwide warning message.  The Day of the Lord will be a surprise to the unbeliever, but to those who love the appearing of our Lord, the Bible assures us that the wise will understand and they will be prepared not only for the Day of the Lord, but for the second advent of King Jesus.  We are speaking of two events here.  First, the announcement of the Day of the Lord which will bring with it destruction upon all our cities, and then the sudden appearing of King Jesus in the clouds of heaven.  We are on the very verge of these two events.
On September 21, 1938, a hurricane of The King is Coming4monstrous proportions struck the East Coast of the United States. William Manchester, writing about it in his book, The Glory and the Dream,says that “the great wall of brine struck the beach between Babylon and Patchogue (Long Island, New York) at 2:30 p.m. So mighty was the power of that first storm wave that its impact registered on a seismograph in Sitka, Alaska, while the spray, carried northward at well over a hundred miles an hour, whitened windows in Montpelier, Vermont. “As the torrential forty-foot wave approached, some Long Islanders sensed an “emergency” and jumped into cars and raced inland. No one knows precisely how many lost that race for their lives, but the survivors later estimated that they had to keep the speedometer over 50 mph all the way.” For some reason the meteorologists, who should have known what was coming and should have warned the people seemed strangely blind to the impending disaster. Either they ignored their instruments or simply couldn’t believe what they read. And, of course, if the forecasters were blind, then the people were too.
And many scoffed at the warning signs of the coming storm. “Among the striking stories which later came to light,” says Manchester, “was the experience of a Long Islander who had bought a barometer a few days earlier in a New York store. It arrived in the morning Post September 21, and to his annoyance the needle pointed below 29, where the dial read ‘Hurricanes and Tornadoes.” He shook it and banged it against the wall; the needle wouldn’t budge. Indignant, he repacked it, drove to the post office, and mailed it back. While he was gone, his house blew away.” That’s the way we are. If we can’t cope with the forecast, we blame the barometer. Or ignore it. Or throw it away! We become scoffers, unbelieving even if we have the soundest evidence. We will not believe and friends, there is no greater sin than unbelief.  Our Lord said that at His coming “unbelief” would prevail in our world.  Jesus said in Luke 18:8:  “I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?”The King is Coming6  And so the believer needs to take courage, study the Word and by faith push forward and do the work that Jesus wants us to do.  It is by faith that we are saved.  The promises of God will be fulfilled.
A similar disaster as in the days of Noah awaits this present generation.  God Himself told Noah to warn the world of a global world-wide flood. Noah showed his own faith in the forecast by beginning at once to build a huge ship in which all who believed the warning could escape. Just a handful accepted that warning, but it had to be given. And human nature hasn’t changed much from Noah’s day. The people laughed at Noah then, called him a fanatic, a man deranged, made his boat a tourist attraction, but in the end they were all caught by surprise and they lost their lives. That’s how it will be at the return of the Lord Jesus. People will laugh at The King is Coming7the warning signs and they too will be caught by surprise and lose their lives. Despite world-wide warnings, the unsaved will be surprised and they will be deceived as well. You know, in this confusing, unstable world of ours, the prophecies about the coming of Jesus are many. And many are confused about the Lord’s Second Advent.  But my friends, Jesus is coming back to this planet.  And He is coming very soon.  Will His coming be in secret or is the Lord coming in another way?
I am sure that you are aware that a large number of sincere Christians believe that the coming of Jesus will be in secret and in two separate events. First, they say, He will come secretly to take the church to heaven and then, seven years later, He’ll come in an open demonstration of His great power and glory. In between, these two events, the antichrist will come in power and the great tribulation will take place. And so it’s important to study how Jesus will come back to this planet. One of the first things I want you to notice is that when Jesus spoke of His own second coming, He emphasized to His disciples that there would be great deception concerning this very point. Many people, He said, would be deceived concerning His second coming.
The Bible says in MATTHEW 24:3-5: And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, tell us, when shall these things Be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? And Jesus answered and said unto them, take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, The King is Coming8saying, I am Christ; and shall deceivemany.
One of the main concerns that the Lord Jesus had with reference to His second coming was that many would be deceived, but friends, the Bible is clear concerning Christ’s second coming and we do not need to be lead astray on this very important point. Let’s look at five great facts concerning the second coming. The first is that the Lord willliterally return just as He left. Acts chapter 1 beginning with verse 9 says: ACTS 1:9-11: “And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in hike manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” Friends, the Bible says “in like manner.” In the same way that Jesus literally ascended into heaven, so shall He return to planet earth. “In like manner” Christ will return, the Bible says. Slowly, ascending up into the sky, that’s the way the Lord left and that is how he will return...”in like manner” He slowly ascended into heaven and a cloud received him out of their sight. The second coming of Jesus will be a literal event in which every one will see with their own eyes. This same Jesus, the Bible says, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.It will be a literal second coming.
The King is Coming9
The second fact about the second coming is that He is coming in PERSONAL way. The second coming will also be a personal coming. 1 THESSALONIANS 4:16 says: 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. Verse 17:  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. Friends, our Lord is not sending someone else to take His place, but He cares enough about us that He Himself will come. He will personally come to rescue us from this sin-cursed earth and take us back to heaven. What a wonderful promise this is! That same Jesus who healed the sick and raised the dead cares enough about us that He Himself is coming back for us. How great the love of God is for us! And so it will be a literal second coming and it will also be a personal second coming. And third, the Lord’s coming will be a visible event, not just to the disciples, but to the entire world.
REVELATION 1:7 says: Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him... The Bible says that “every eye shall see him.” What a mighty miracle will be performed by the Lord when He comes the second time so that “every eye shall see him” in the eastern sky “for as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of The King is Coming10man be.” MATTHEW 24:27.  Every eye means every eye.  At Christ’s second coming He comes for judgment, judgment of the entire world.  Matthew 25:31-33 says:  “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:  And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:  And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.”  John 5:28 says:  “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,  And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of  Judgment.” 
“Jesus shall come, and the angels of God with him; and the glory of his appearing shall flash on human eyes as the vivid lightning or as a consuming fire. He will descend with a shout and with the voice of a great trumpet, and those that hear that vivifying voice will spring rejoicing from the grave. And they will recognize the voice that awakens them to immortal life as that of Him who said, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." It is the voice of Him who stood with tear-dimmed eyes at the grave of Lazarus, and who wept over Jerusalem, saying, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not." The last thing that the dying saint recognized as he fell under the power of the destroyer was the pangs of death; but as he springs from his dusty bed he exclaims, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" It is then that Christ is admired of all them that believe.”  {BEcho, January 15, 1889 par. 10}
“More than eighteen hundred years have elapsed since He who spake as never man spake, and could utter only truth, declared: "The hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth." The trump of God has not yet sounded; that voice so full of power has not yet penetrated the sepulchers; that hour so full of promise to the people of God has not yet arrived; but it must come, it is not far in the future. Some of us will doubtless be living when the voice that is heard everywhere, even to ocean depths and the sunless caverns of earth, The King is Coming12shall be heard, echoing from sea to sea, from valleys and from mountains, calling to life the sleeping dead. There will be a reappearance of every human being that has gone into the grave. The aged who sank under the hand of death with the burden of years upon them, manhood in its prime, youth in the early bloom of life, and the little child,--all shall awake, and shake off the fetters of the tomb. But not all shall awake to everlasting life. "Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection; on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years."  {BEcho, January 15, 1889 par. 12}
And notice back in Revelation 1:7 that a special resurrection will also occur when He comes the second time. The Scriptures say that “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him and, they also which pierced him.” They also which pierced Him will see Him come in the clouds of heaven and this will be a world-wide event. Now, who were the ones who pierced the Lord when He was here? Why, it was the Roman soldiers and those who managed to cruelly put Him on the cross. Notice the words of Jesus when He was brought before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin. MATTHEW 26:64 says: “Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.”
The King is Coming13Friends, at the second coming those that mocked and derided Christ’s dying agonies, and the most violent opposers of his truth and His own people are raised to behold Him in His glory and to see the honor placed upon the loyal and the obedient...those that pierced him will be raised then. And when Jesus lamented over Jerusalem notice His words: MATTHEW 23:37: “0 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! 38. Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. 39. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.” Jesus tells the Scribes and the Pharisees and the nation of Israel that they will see Him when He comes the second time. There will be a resurrection of the wicked at the second coming of Jesus. Ye shall not see me henceforth, he tells them, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord and that’s talking about the second coming.

Now, just one more text on this subject of the resurrection and just who is resurrected. It’s located in DANIEL 12:2: And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” How clear the Bible is friends. Jesus second coming will be accompanied by a  resurrection of those that pierced Him as well.  The wicked as well as the believer will be raised at the second coming to see the Lord of glory.  The words of Jesus when He spoke to Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin and to the ones who put Him on the cross will come to pass. They will resurrected in a special resurrection to behold the one whom they pierced. The Bible says “Every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced him.” Every eye on planet earth will behold the great King of kings and Lord of lords come in the clouds of heaven. There will be a reappearance of every human being that has gone into the grave. The aged who sank under the hand of death with the burden of years upon them, manhood in its prime, youth in the early bloom of life, and the little child,--all shall awake, and shake off the fetters of the tomb.  It will be the greatest spectacle and miracle that anyone has ever seen. The Lord will come in a literal way, in a personal way and in a very visible way when He comes back to planet earth. We will also be able to hear Him as well according to the Bible.
The King is Coming15Jesus’ second coming will be AUDIBLE: PSALM 50:3 says: “Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about Him.” The Lord is not coming back in secret because we will be able to hear Him. He will not keep silent at the most stupendous and important event in all of human history. And at last, when the Lord comes, it will be a glorious coming.  As Psalm 50:3 has mentioned “a fire shall devour before Him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about Him.” The Lord is coming with a fire around Him showing His great glory. At the second coming He does not come like He did when He came the first time, as a little baby and in obscurity, but the second time He comes in a glorious way and He will judge the people “from above” the Bible says in Psalms 50. No, Jesus will not touch this earth, but every eye will see Him in the clouds and he will judge from above.  With all the power that He possess He comes with a burning fire around Him and that fire will destroy the wicked who cannot bear to look upon Him. MATTHEW 25:31: “The Son of Man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him.” The Lord Jesus is not only coming in His own glory, but also in the glory of his Father with his angels. And I believe that when the Bible speaks of “glory” it’s speaking of power. When Jesus comes He is coming with great power and glory.
 
MATTHEW 25:31: says: When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory.” What a day that will be! Think about the glorious day of Christ’s return. Think about it over and over again and let it mold your life and what you do. Let it give you something to live for. Could anything be more exciting to contemplate? Seeing first a small, black cloud in the eastern sky. Watching it move nearer and nearer till it becomes a glorious white cloud. A cloud like none of us has ever seen before. And there are a cloud of angels-uncounted angels…Hearing a sound like none have ever heard before.  There is the sound of the trumpet echoing around the world. Matthew 24:3 1 says: “And he shall send forth His angels with a great sound of a trumpet. And you hear a voice like none you have ever heard before. It’s the voice of Jesus calling the dead to life. The earth shakes. The tombs burst open.  There are Angels everywhere carrying little children from broken tombs to their mother’s arms. There are shouts of joy as loved ones long separated by death are reunited, never to part again! And then, together with those resurrected ones, we who have waited through the long night are caught up TOGETHER into that glorious cloud of angels to be with the Lord forever. What a day that will be!
And why are these facts on the second coming so important? Because there will be great deception concerning the second coming. And when will all of this take place? When does the second coming and the resurrection take place? Let the Bible speak to us: JOHN 6:40 says: “And this is the will of Him that sent me, that everyone which seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.”  No one denies that the last day is the end of the world. Jesus says that the one that believes in Him will be raised “at the last day.” And this is not referring to the last day of that person’s life but the last day of human history.
And the apostle Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 and 17 connects the catching up of the saints, the rapture, with the resurrection which occurs at the last day. Let’s read it: 1 THESSALONIANS 4:16: “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and he dead in Christ shall rise j. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air...! Thessalonians 4:17.
The King is Coming18Please follow carefully what takes place here. First, Jesus returns with a shout, a loud command. Then the dead in Christ are resurrected. Next, 1 Thessalonians says that we who are alive and are left will be caught up together with the dead in Christ to meet the Lord in the clouds TOGETHER. First, Christ comes, then the dead in Christ are raised up and together with them we who are alive will be caught up in the clouds to go home with the Lord. Any system of the second coming must include the resurrection of the dead first. Verse 15 of 1 Thessalonians 4 confirms this: 1 THESSALONIANS 4:15: “For this we say unto you by the Word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.” In other words, those who are alive will certainly not precede or come beforethose who have fallen asleep. The Bible says that the dead go first, then we which are alive and this is not going to be in secret. Can you imagine the graves opening and the righteous rising and no one knowing that it has occurred! It sounds out of the question doesn’t it?
But someone says: “Doesn’t the Bible tell us there in Matthew 24:37-42, that Jesus is coming in secret and that ONE SHALL BE TAKEN, AND THE OTHER LEFT?” Well, yes the Bible does say that one will be taken and that one will be left, but those texts are not speaking of His second coming or the rapture but instead they speak of the close of probation when one name is taken or marked for eternal life and the other is left or marked for destruction! Friends, right now we are being investigated to see if we are worthy to take to heaven and very soon that process will be complete. Let’s take a little closer look at what is really to occur at the second coming.  MATTHEW 24:37 SAYS: “But as the days of Noe so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”  MATTHEW 24:40: “Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 41. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 42. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” LUKE 17:28 tells us the same thing: “Likewise also as it was in the days of lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded.”
Now, let me ask you a question. Here are the descendants of Adam and Noah, they are drinking, marrying and giving in marriage until the day that Noah enters the ark. In other words, they were just living their regular lives, drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah enters the ark. Now, in that awful judgment of the entire world with Noah and his family and the rest of the world, whose name was taken or spared for eternal life? Whose name is taken and whose name is left? Why Noah and his family are taken. They are marked for eternal life and those who did not get inside the boat are left here on earth, marked for destruction. They were too busy just living their lives and they did not get inside the ark and so the Bible says they were left, marked for destruction. They missed the boat in the judgment day.  They were “left” outside the ark and were not saved.
A parallel passage in Luke 17:27 confirms for us that the ones who are left are the The King is Coming20ones marked for destruction. Let’s look at it in LUKE 17:27: “They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all...Now look at verse 35: “Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be TAKEN, and the other LEFT, 36. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 37. And they answered and said unto him, WHERE LORD? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.”
Now, one is taken or marked for eternal life. His or her name shall stand in the book of life, the other is left and they will be marked for separation from God. “Where Lord” was the question from the disciples. Where are the ones left and then the Lord tells them where they will be left. It will be “wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.” That’s talking about death and destruction. The ones that are left will be marked for separation from God and will find eternal death.  They will be destroyed.  They will not be saved.
Now, I like to picture it this way. Those inside the ark were taken by the Lord for eternal life. Those outside the ark were left and marked for destruction. We’re talking about the judgment here and not the secret rapture. Before the flood, Noah and his family entered into the ark and then God shut him in, and shut the ungodly world out. After Noah and his family were safely inside the ark, God shut the door (Genesis 7:16) and for seven days (Genesis 7:10), the people didn’t know that their doom was fixed and that everyone’s destiny was decided and they still continued their careless, pleasure-loving life and they even went so far as to mock Noah and his family.  While Noah and his family were safe inside the ark, they were taken for salvation, the ungodly where outside, left for the destroying waters to do their job.  So will it be in our day.  Friends, great destruction is coming in our day as well.  On the 9th of October, 2008, the great Day of Atonement occurs.  All cases will be decided on that day.  But for seven more days, destruction will not come.  All of God’s people will be sealed or taken for salvation, but on the 17th of October 2008, destruction will come from the sea and from earthquakes.  Jesus will roar from Mt. Zion, His voice will move this earth and the heavens and the waters will come and destroy.  The broom of destruction will do its job and this world will be a wilderness, almost destroyed awaiting for the Lord’s second coming.
And that is how Jesus says His second coming will be. Silently, unnoticed, as the midnight thief, the destiny of every human being will be decided and one will be taken or marked for eternal life while the other will be left or marked for destruction. The one will be taken or sealed for life while the other one will be left or marked for death. Friends, the seal of God is the keeping of the 7th day Saturday Sabbath and the mark of the beast is the opposite of that…it is the keeping of Sunday, a day which has no Scriptural authority.  In our day, in the final day, one is  taken or marked for eternal life  and one is left, marked by the mark of the beast… “left” and  marked for destruction.  And very soon, on or about 19 September 2008, Satan will instigate a world-wide Sunday law and then we shall see who will be taken and who will be left.  Each one will decide and that decision will determine our eternal destiny.  All will be tested and that time is right upon us.
Turn to Genesis 7:23 and let’s read that text: GENESIS 7:23: “And every living The King is Coming22substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven: and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.”  The righteous were taken.  Noah and his family wee inside the ark, marked for life.  They were taken and so shall it be in the day of the coming of the Son of man.  Friends, in these last days, we are all under judgment.  We live in the Day of Judgment and no one knows exactly when his own individual case will be decided in the heavenly sanctuary. And that is why it is important to be ready at all times. And when the heavenly tribunal comes to your name you will not know it.  The judgment will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night and you may be “taken” or marked for eternal life or you may be “left” or marked for destruction. The Judgment comes unexpectedly. As MATTHEW 24:43 says: “But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. 44. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.”

My dear friends, we need to be ready at all times, because we do not know when the Lord is coming to our name in the judgment. And so these texts that speak of one “taken” and one “left” are not talking about the secret rapture, but they are speaking of the judgment, when one name will be taken, his name shall stand in the book of life, while the one that is “left.”  His name will be found marked for destruction. “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come” Matthew 24:42 says.
A THIEF IN THE NIGHT.   Now I realize that many people hang on to the texts which compare the Lord’s coming to “a thief in the night.” And they assume that this must be a quiet, secret coming, like a thief sneaking into your house, but does the text really say that? Let me show you that it definitely does not mean that. Here is one of those texts: 2 PETER 3:10: “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” Obviously the “thief’ part here has nothing to do with secrecy because the heavens pass away with a great noise! What the text is saying is that the day of the Lord will come unexpectedly. It comes when we least expect it to come...suddenly, without warning. And that is why we have been given the instruction to “watch at all times”, because we do not know the time of the Lord’s coming to our name in the investigative judgment. And if “coming as a thief’ is the secret rapture which takes place seven years before the end of the world, how can the heavens and earth pass away as Peter describes it here? The heavens and the earth could not pass away seven years before the world ends because that is the end!
The King is Coming25The secret rapture doctrine also contradicts the words of Jesus in Matthew 13. Remember that according to the secret rapture theory those who are saved will mysteriously disappear and be caught away to be with Christ and they will be in heaven with Him, and those who are not ready will remain behind wondering, “Where did they go?” Friends, this is a two-stage coming of the Lord with one group departing to be with the Lord before the other. But read carefully God’s Word in Matthew 13 and you will see that the wheat and the tares grow together until the harvest which is the end of the world. Jesus says in MATTHEW 13:30: Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. Verse 39. The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.” And Matthew 13:39 confirms for us that the harvest is “the end of the world.” The Bible says that both the wicked and the righteous will grow together until the end of the world and any interpretation of the Lord’s second coming must include this vital fact...that both grow together until the harvest or the end of the world where the gospel will be given and then the end will come.
A SECOND CHANCE. There’s no second chance here in this world. The secret rapture theory claims that during the tribulation, those who are not raptured will be given another chance to be saved. It’s very dangerous to believe that anyone will have a second chance after the rapture of the church. Jesus Himself says in REVELATION 22:11: He thatis unjust, let him be unjust still:…and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.   Before Jesus comes again, He will have issued the eternal decree that the wicked will remain wicked and the righteous will remain righteous.  There will be no changing over after that point.  Human probation is ended and this takes place BEFORE Jesus returns.  Someone, Satan, would like for us to believe that we will have a second chance.  The Bible teaches that “today is the day of salvation.”  There is no second chance in this life.
MATTHEW 24:23 says: “Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 24. For there shall arise false Christ, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 25. Behold I have told you before. 26. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.” Jesus says that when He comes again, He will not be found anyplace here on earth. If the Jews say that He has arrived in Jerusalem there outside the city by the Mount of Olives, or that He has set up a kingdom there, you may know it is not Jesus. If there is ever an announcement of the whereabouts of any Christ, it will not be Jesus. It will be a false Christ. If someone says that He’s on the streets of St. Louis or New York, or that He has appeared in a temple in Salt Lake City or anywhere else, you can say it cannot be true. Why? Because Jesus told us so in His Word. For if anybody says that He is here or there or that He has come somewhere on the earth, “believe it not.”  Our Lord Jesus will not TOUCH this planet when He comes again, but He will judge the world from above as Psalms 50 says.  Listen to the Word of God.  Psalms 50:3, 4 says:   “Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him.  He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people.”  Our Lord Jesus judges His people “from above” and He will not touch this earth at His second coming.
THE SEVEN YEAR TRIBULATION. You know, many of the rapture theories revolve around a seven year period of time. The Lord will first come secretly to take the church to heaven, and then, seven years later, He will come in an open demonstration of power and great glory. But do you know where this seven year period of time is taken from? It’s taken from the prophecy of Daniel chapter 8:14.  Friends, this is the only prophecy in the entire Bible which pinpoints for us that Jesus of Nazareth was truly the Messiah.  The prophecy foretold the exact year of the Lord’s coming in the year 27 A.D.  It foretold the date of His death in the year A.D. 31 and it foretold the year of the giving of the gospel to the Gentile nations.  This is the Bible’s most amazing prophecy
Remember, we studied this prophecy in depth in the study entitled:"The Bible's Longest and Most Amazing Prophecy." And specifically, the seven year period is taken from Daniel 9 verse 27. This is the forbidden prophecy--the prophecy that was locked up by the Jewish leaders so the people could not understand the exact time the Messiah was coming and in our day Satan seeks to do the same thing.  He seeks to hide from us the true significance of this prophecy.  In the Jewish Talmud it says: “May the fingers and the bones of the hands decay and decompose, of him who seeks to know the times from the book of Daniel.”  Daniel 9:27 reads: “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even unto the consummation...This was the forbidden prophecy of the 2300 days or years of Daniel 8:14. The prophecy that read: “Unto two thousand three hundred days then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” And the people didn’t study it and we all know the result...the Jewish people rejected the real Messiah! And we need to be careful students of this prophecy today. Remember that our Lord was baptized there in the River Jordon in the year 27 A.D. Galatians 4:4 said: “When the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son.” And three and a half years later the Bible predicted that the Lord would cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease. This means that our Lord Jesus would put an end to all animal sacrifices by becoming the ultimate sacrifice Himself.
The King is Coming30Our Lord died on Calvary’s tree in the year 31 A.D. In the midst of the week, the Bible prophecy had predicted, He shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease. After the year 31 A.D. God would no longer accept animal sacrifices because His dear Son had become the ultimate sacrifice. For 3 1/2 years the Lord had ministered to a rebellious nation, and then He was crucified. The remaining 3 1/2 year of the seven, or the last week of the prophecy of the 490 year period was to be the responsibility of the disciples, but as you well know, the Jewish nation still did not accept Jesus as the Messiah and in the year 34 A.D. the Gospel went to the Gentile nations. From that time, the Jewish people were no longer considered God’s chosen people.  Now here is where the 7 year tribulation period comes from...from the prophecy of Daniel 9. This last week of this prophecy is The King is Coming31lifted out of its context and shoved far into the future. There is a 2000 year gap before the 70th week is fulfilled. And that’s not all friends. The tragedy of the secret rapture theory is that these beautiful verses which predict the first coming of Jesus, His baptism, His crucifixion and the giving of the Gospel to the Gentile nations, these verses are applied to the Antichrist, not our Lord Jesus.  This is how completely Satan has blinded God’s so called people in our day, just like he did with the Jewish people.  And we know the result of a misunderstanding of this most precious prophecy.  The people rejected the true Messiah and His message.  So shall it be in our day.  Can you see why Satan would want to tamper with this prophecy and deceive as many as he could. The fact is that the secret rapture theory is a misinterpretation that confuses something that Christ has done, and applies it to the devil himself.
“As the message of Christ's first advent announced the kingdom of His grace, so the message of His second advent announces the kingdom of His glory. And the second message, like the first, is based on the prophecies. The words of the angel to Daniel relating to the last days were to be understood in the time of the end. At that time, "many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." "The wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand." Dan. 12:4, 10. The Saviour Himself has given signs of His coming, and He says, "When ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand." "And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares." "Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." Luke 21:31, 34, 36.  We have reached the period foretold in these scriptures. The time of the end is come, the visions of the prophets are unsealed, and their solemn warnings point us to our Lord's coming in glory as near at hand.  {DA 235.1}.  Friends, the time of the end came on March 9 2005.  Since that time we have been in a countdown of the prophecies of the 12th of Daniel.  Soon, the prophecies will be fulfilled. 
The final specification of the Messiah’s work is found in Isaiah 61:2 where the Day of Vengeance is mentioned.  This is the announcement of the Day of the Lord when our Lord Jesus comes as a lion of the tribe of Judah.  Revelation 5:5.  He comes to render recompense to His enemies.  The time is coming when the people of God shall be exalted to pre-eminence over all the nations and our Lord will establish his kingdom of glory above all the other nations.  Daniel 2:44 says:  “And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.”  Friends, the time is coming when the mountain of the Lords’ house shall be the one on top of all the other nations.  This occurs when the Lord establishes His everlasting kingdom.  That time is near at hand.  The Bible says in Isaiah chapter 2:2, 3  “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.  And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.”  Prophecy will soon be fulfilled.  On October 17, 2008, great destruction is coming world-wide and on that date “the LORD's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.  And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob.”  Prophecy will soon be fulfilled and the Lord Jesus and His people will be exalted.       
Friends, Jesus is coming again and He is coming in power and great glory and every eye shall see Him. As John Milton the poet once said: “Come forth out of thy royal chambers, 0 Prince of all the kings of the earth; put on the visible robes of The King is Coming34Thy imperial majesty; take up that unlimited scepter which thy Almighty Father hath bequethed Thee.” Great Fundamentals, p. 27.  The second coming of Jesus! The Bible is quite descriptive and clear about how Jesus is coming back. One out of 30 verses speak about His soon coming. That’s over 2,500 times that it is mentioned. Together, all these verses give us a dazzling picture of how Jesus is coming back to our planet. Matthew 24:27 says of His coming: “FOR AS THE LIGHTENING COMETH OUT OF THE EAST AND SHINETH EVEN UNTO THE WEST, SO SHALL ALSO THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN BE.” The second coming friends, is going to be one of the greatest miracles ever to take place here on earth. It is the climax of all history and every eye will see the Lord come. “BEHOLD HE COMETH WITH CLOUDS; AND EVERY EYE SHALL SEE HIM” Revelation 1:7 says: And not only our eyes shall see Him but it says that we will hear Him as well. It will be an audible coming, one that on one can mistake. 1 THESSALONIANS 4:16 declares: FOR THE LORD HIMSELF SHALL DESCEND FROM HEAVEN WITH A LOUD COMMAND, WITH THE TRUMPET OF GOD: AND THE DEAD IN CHRIST SHALL RISE FIRST. (NIV) The second coming will be the most impressive sight ever to meet man’s eyes and ears.
Try to imagine what that day will be like. The sky will be ablaze with shining glory, while God stages the most stupendous sight and sound spectacular that the human eye or ear has ever gazed upon or heard. 1 THESSALONIANS 4:17 says: THEN WE WHICH ARE ALIVE AND REMAIN SHALL BE CAUGHT TOGETHER WITH THEM IN THE CLOUDS TO MEET THE LORD IN THE AIR.  The out flashing, awesome splendor of the personal, visible, audible coming of Christ will dazzle every eye. The saved of the earth will look up with joy, their hearts thrilling with great joy at the moment of their deliverance. The whole heaven will sing and break forth into songs of  joy. Mothers will be reunited with their loved ones and the resurrection of the righteous takes place. JOHN 5:28, 29 says: ALL THAT ARE IN THE GRAVES SHALL HEAR HIS VOICE AND SHALL COME FORTH, THEY THAT HAVE DONE GOOD, UNTO THE RESURRECTION OF LIFE.
Jesus comes not only for the righteous who have died, but also for those who are still living when He comes again. And what about the wicked? The Bible tells us that when they first see Jesus coming, they will scream and scramble for the mountains and they will say FALL ON US, AND HIDE US FROM THE FACE OF HIM THAT SITTETH ON THE THRONE, AND FROM THE WRATH OF THE LAMB. To those who have turned away from Christ, His second coming will be a day of utter dread and judgment. And the brilliant glorious light of the Lord will be the force that destroys the wicked. 2 THESSALONIANS 2:8 says: AND THEN SHALL THAT WICKED BE REVEALED, WHOM THE LORD SHALL CONSUME...WITH THE BRIGHTNESS OF HIS COMING. Oh how important it is for each one of us to be ready for that day.
Friends, we must have the faith of Paul if we are ever going to make it. He says in 2 TIMOTHY 1:12:  “1 KNOW WHOM I HAVE BELIEVED, AND AM PERSUADED THAT HE IS ABLE TO KEEP THAT WHICH I HAVE COMMITTED UNTO HIM AGAINST THAT DAY.” In that day, the earth will be absolutely unlivable. REVELATION 6:14: says: EVERY MOUNTAIN AND ISLAND WERE MOVED OUT OF THEIR PLACES. The greatest earthquake ever to hit this earth will occur then. REVELATION 16:18 says: THERE WAS A GREAT EARTHQUAKE, SUCH AS WAS NOT SINCE MEN WERE UPON THE EARTH, SO MIGHTY AN EARTHQUAKE AND SO GREAT. Every city in this world will crumble under its tremendous force because REVELATION 16:19 SAYS: AND THE CITIES OF THE NATIONS FELL. And then as if to complete the world-wide destruction, the Bible adds in REVELATION 16:2 1: THERE FELL UPON MEN A GREAT HAIL OUT OF HEAVEN. So wicked and so corrupt had the earth become in the sight of God.
From these verses we can easily see that planet earth will be no place to live. Christ’s second coming will not be a quiet affair, but it will be accompanied by the greatest manifestations of earthly destruction since the world-wide flood of Noah. Luke 21:27 then says: AND THEN SHALL THEY SEE THE SON OF MAN COMING IN A CLOUD WITH POWER AND GREAT GLORY. Yes, the Old Testament prophets repeated almost 1,500 year ago that HE WILL COME. The New Testament writers announced that HE HAS COME. And now the Word of God promises us that HE WILL COME AGA1N.
As we grow in our relationship with Him each one of us will be able to say: LO, THIS IS OUR GOD, WE HAVE WAITED FOR HIM AND HE WILL SAVE US. (Isa. 25:9). Each one of us can repeat in that day: WE HAVE WAITED FOR HIM, WE WILL BE GLAD AND REJOICE IN HIS SALVATION. And my question for you today is: Will you be there? Each and every day we are strengthening that resolve and decision by what we are saying and doing. Friends, it’s worth every effort to get ready for that day. I hope and pray that everyone studying this study will be found ready for Jesus second coming.

I Then Shall Live

I'll walk with joy to know my debts are paid. I know my name is clear before my Father; I am His child and I am not afraid. So, greatly pardoned, I'll forgive my brother; The law of love I gladly will obey. I then shall live as one who's learned compassion. I've been so loved, that I'll risk loving too. I know how fear builds walls instead of bridges; I'll dare to see another's point of view. And when relationships demand commitment, Then I'll be there to care and follow through. Your Kingdom come around and through and in me; Your power and glory, let them shine through me. Your Hallowed Name, O may I bear with honor, And may Your living Kingdom come in me. The Bread of Life, O may I share with honor, And may You feed a hungry world through me. Amen, Amen, Amen