A Biblical Rapture Perspective

Study Lesson 8

Saved From The Wrath Of God
Or
Persevering Even Unto The End

Something To Consider:
A cursory study of the wrath of God will reveal, beginning with John 3.36, as mentioned earlier, according to John the Baptist’s testimony; “He [or she] who believes [present tense believes] in the Son [Jesus] has everlasting life; and he [or she] who does not believe [present tense believe] the Son [His teachings] shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

The apostle Paul began his thesis on the wrath of God in Romans 1.18, by announcing for the biblical record; “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness, and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness.”

Paul reinforced his opening remarks in Romans relating to the wrath of God, by declaring in Romans 5.8-9; “For God commends [reveals] His love toward us [true present tense believers in Jesus], in that, while we were yet sinners [while we were in total rebellion against God and His Word], Christ died for us. Much more then, being justified by His blood, we [born again present tense believers] we shall be saved from wrath [God’s wrath] through Him [Jesus Christ, the Way, the Truth, and the Life].”

Therefore, let me repeat an already mentioned biblical precept that brings hope and comfort to all who are faithfully awaiting the end time appearing of our Lord, Savior, and rightful ruling King of kings, ruler of our hearts, conqueror of our minds, and sustainer of our lives, Jesus Christ! “For God has not appointed us [end time present tense believers] to wrath [God’s wrath], but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Something Else To Consider:
In this study lesson we want to examine one more final Old Testament divine example filled with exceptional lessons of a lifetime for all who have been given by God, spiritual ears to hear, and spiritual eyes to clearly see the importance of a biblical rapture perspective. We have already investigated the truth associated with two Old Testament examples of divine deliverance and protection of those willing to persevere even to the end of perilous times, yet times divinely appointed and orchestrated by an all knowing God and heavenly Father.

In the true story of Noah and the God ordained flood filled wrath of God upon a wicked and adulterous world, we were introduced to God’s principle of preserving the righteous even in the total destruction of the wicked and unrighteous, though they lived side by side. Also in the biblically accurate account of the warnings of God’s wrath upon Sodom and Gomorrah, we better understand the justice of God in not subjecting the righteous to the judgment and wrath deserving of the unrighteous.

From the solemn scene of the smoke and ash filled destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, let us fast forward approx. 400 years to a famine stricken desert scene of a traveling caravan of seventy souls [few among so many] of the house of Jacob, Isaac’s son, of whom was Abraham’s son. They are headed for Egypt in search of relief from a severe famine in the land and in hope of Jacob once again seeing with his own eyes, his long left for dead and sold into slavery son, Joseph.

Joseph who had been cruelly mistreated by his brothers and sold to some descendants of Ishmael because of envy and the jealousy of his older brothers, and yet, due to God’s divine direction and providence, Joseph found his way to second in command under Pharaoh in Egypt. Therefore, God’s chosen people, though small in number, were provided for during a most severe famine that spread its destruction far and wide.

After four generations [430 years], the few among so many seventy Jewish occupiers of the land of Goshen in the realm of Egypt, grew to a mixed multitude of approx. 600,000 men besides women and children according to the Word of God.

Something More To Consider:
Our focus in this study will be the ten plagues sent against Egypt by God according to Exodus chapters 7-12. It is important to understand that the first three [3] plagues [wrath of God or warning against Egypt] were also experienced by the Jewish God fearing people living in the land of Goshen. The first plague God sent against Egypt for not letting His people go into the desert to worship Him, was that all water avenues were turned into blood in all of Egypt as well as in the land of Goshen where God’s people were living.

The second plague unleashed by God was the nuisance of frogs appearing everywhere and in great quantities over all of Egypt as well as all of Goshen, again, the home of God’s people. The third plague allowed by God to permeate the occupied space of both Egypt and the land of Goshen was the creation of lice or as in some translations gnats everywhere according to the record of Exodus chapter 8 and verse 16. Many have asked why God would inflict His wrath or judgment upon His people as well as the Egyptians who were not believers.

It is crucial for us to understand that these first three [3] plagues were not life threatening. Therefore, could these first three [3] plagues be better considered as warnings from God rather than His wrath? It is indeed something more to consider!

And if so, could these first three [3] plagues also be considered as shots fired over the bow of their nation’s spiritual ship? It is also critical for a proper perspective of this judgment or warning being experienced by God’s so called people, for us to realize according to the Word of God, those living in Goshen, though Jewish by descent, they are entitled later in the narrative as a mixed multitude. A New Testament synonym might be wheat among tares or tares among the wheat. After 430 years in Egypt, could it be possible that compromise and or complacency had settled in among the people of God?

A Few Final Words:
What becomes so fascinating to me and should to others also is, that as we study these more severe remaining seven [7] historical plagues, that the first six [6] were entirely experienced only in the land of Egypt. Whether it was; flies, severe pestilence, biological boils from ashes, armies of locusts covering the earth, and three [3] days of thick darkness, God was in total control of who were and who were not affected by each and every plague. God was also in total control of who was to escape His wrath filled judgments or who were to be protected even surrounded by His wrath.

God’s promise and explanation to Moses as it pertained to the final plague of the death of all first born males in every household throughout the land of Egypt, was; “That you may know that the LORD does make a difference between the Egyptians [unbelievers] and Israel [children of God]. Then God instructed Moses and the elders of Israel to sacrifice a Passover lamb without blemish [a picture of Jesus the true Lamb of God to be slain for the sins of mankind], and to take some of the blood of the lamb and to apply it to the side posts and overhead lintel of every entrance door to their homes.” Therefore, God called for a simple act of obedience!

By doing so, as the overhead blood ultimately due to the nature of gravity, dripped down to the threshold of the door, it symbolically formed and represented the sign of the cross of Christ. This Old Testament portrait of no greater love, was reflected in God’s precise commands which if obeyed would result in the death angel passing over their homes and new life experienced as if restored, while death had been restrained.

Have we too experienced new life in Christ Jesus because of our obedience to His commands? When the time comes for us to pass from this life into eternity through the portal of death, or the gathering of His saints, will the death angel pass us over and will we enter into the presence of our Lord? Or will we experience all of the eternal pain and suffering of hell for all of eternity because we were not willing to rightly obey the commands of the Word of God?

Something that is often missed in this very emotional life and death biblical drama is the fact that the application of the blood as prescribed by God, had to be acted upon by those Old Testament believers in Goshen in order for the divine protection and deliverance from the death angel to be personally experienced. The present tense faith of those living in Goshen, these early children of God, had to be exercised through unconditional obedience to the Word of God. The same will be true for all those living in the spiritual replica of Goshen at the time of God’s final judgment and wrath.

Our only hope of being counted worthy of escaping the wrath of God is to be found through our unconditional obedience to God’s Word, among the few faithful who have willingly entered into and through the narrow gate of Jesus and His Word. Jesus proclaimed in Revelation 3.10; “Because you have kept My commandment to persevere [endure to the end], I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world [as it did upon Egypt] to test those who dwell on the earth.”

In Closing:
Are we truly observing the teachings of Jesus as commanded by Him? Will we escape the wrath of God which is to be revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, women, and young people who hold what they think is the truth and yet is nothing but unrighteousness that has been taught and wrongly communicated by false prophets as warned of by Jesus over and over again in the gospels?

Have we heard and or seen the warning shot fired by God over the bow of the so-called church’s spiritually sinking ship? Will we be kept from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world because we have kept Christ’s commandments and because according to Him, we are willing to persevere and or endure to the end of our lives and or to the end of this age? These are all questions we best answer correctly and before it is too late!