Study Lesson 14
More Biblical Rapture Timing Evidences
Or
More Enduring To The End Admonitions
Something To Consider:
Daniel the prophet, concerning end time events, of whom Jesus mentions in Matthew 24, also revealed an evil agenda and deliberate move of end time persecution against God’s end time faithful enduring to the end occupiers of planet earth at the time of the end. In Daniel chapter 7 and in verse 25 Daniel reported what he received in a vision from God. “He [Antichrist or end time representative of Satan] shall speak pompous words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High, and shall intend to change times and law.
Daniel continued by announcing, “Then the saints [those alive upon planet earth during the tribulation of those end times] shall be given into his hand [the hand of the Antichrist] for a time and times and half a time [3-1/2 years].” Keep a close eye on the Christian persecution around the world as well as the nation of Israel of which God’s Word declares will eventually stand alone in a very hostile and evil world according to Zechariah 12.3.
Now if Daniel had stopped his vision there we may want to cry out there is no hope! But Daniel did not stop there. God did not allow Daniel to stop there because God is a God of hope and determines in the end to vindicate His saints. Therefore, Daniel makes an abrupt 180 degree turn by describing what we like to entitle as the Millennial Kingdom or the thousand year reign of Christ on earth.
End Time Event #9
In verses 26 and 27 of Daniel chapter 7, we are told the whole truth and the end of the redeeming story from God’s perspective. “But the court [the heavenly court] shall be seated, and they [God and Christ] shall take away his [Anti-Christ’s] dominion, to consume and destroy it forever. Then the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him.”
We saw in the closing moments of 2016, Friday December 23, the United Nations Security Council voted 14 – 0 with the previous president of America Barack Hussein Obama abstaining from a resolution vote against Israel, thereby allowing the betrayal of a longtime friend and ally of America. Mr. Obama, against advice of a majority of both the House and the Senate condoned the action of the United Nations in mandating Israel to return all land to Palestinian authority acquired in the 1967 six-day war of which Arab armies initiated against Israel.
This pompous appearing decision and calculated move on the part of the outgoing president of America is one end time event in a chain of end time events, that due to possible backlash in favor of Israel from America’s new presidential elect Donald Trump, may lead to Middle East peace negotiations that may also possibly allow or permit the re-building of a Jewish temple in Jerusalem as part of a peace for land deal! One way or another God is still in control even in the midst of an outgoing arrogant American president.
As of Wednesday, 12/16/2017, Donald Trump acknowledged Jerusalem as the capitol of Israel, and announced his declaration of moving the United States Embassy to Jerusalem, as he has since done. Though these dramatic decisions enraged the United Nations, they are extremely significant and they have moved us all one step closer to further end time events and biblical fulfillment of end time prophecy including the positioning of the nation of Israel and Jerusalem according to God’s true biblical last days time table. Therefore, look up, for our redemption draws near!
End Time Event #10:
We are nearing the end of our twelve [12] end time events exposed by the Word of God that appear to take place before the second coming of Jesus and His gathering of His saints both dead and alive to Himself. Again I want to reiterate that the sequence of these events is not as important as is the biblical consideration of their taking place prior to the rapture.
For instance, as we study the book of Revelation we find several end time events being discussed in more or less detail in earlier chapters of Revelation and then again they are discussed in greater or simply different details in a later chapter. But the bottom line is that Jesus, Peter, Paul, Daniel, John, and other biblical writers do not want us to be deceived by any means. Of that we can be very confident!
Jesus assured us in Matthew 24.14 that the preaching of the gospel message of enduring to the end rather than succumbing to the Antichrist’s demands to worship him, will be preached in all the world before the end of man’s rule on planet earth comes to an end. Several church denominations believe that man will bring about the preaching of the gospel to all the world thereby inducing the culmination of world history as we know it.
And though I believe whole heartedly in Christians going into all the earth to preach the gospel, I more so believe we should be teaching all disciples around the world to observe all things that Jesus has declared and taught.
If we were to teach that all things Jesus taught were to be observed we would include Jesus’ teaching our enduring to the end, denying ourselves, taking up our cross, and following Jesus which includes all of His teachings and not just those that lend themselves to protecting highly safe guarded false doctrines and traditions that when taught and learned make converts to denominations and not to Christ who in many cases become twice the sons and daughters of hell than those teaching their messages of demonic device.
But I am saddened to admit that the gospel of enduring to the end is not being preached in all the world. I wish it was the case! In Revelation chapter 14 verse 6 we are enlightened to the truth of this gospel of enduring being preached in all the world before the end comes and the pouring out of God’s end time wrath upon a Christ rejecting world of unbelievers.
In verse 6 John reported, “Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth – to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people – saying with a loud voice, ‘Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and the earth, the sea and springs of water.’” Angels will be dispatched by God to preach the gospel of enduring to the end before the end!
The above angelic message and the other two angelic messages preached in Revelation chapter 14 come on the heels of the abomination of desolation and the decree declared of the Antichrist to worship him and or the beast as God and to take the mark of the beast.
In response the third angel said with a loud voice; “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his [or her] forehead or on his [or her] hand, he himself [or herself] shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His [God’s] indignation. He [or she] shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb [Jesus].”
We have all been warned in advance! What will be our decision concerning enduring to the end? Will we therefore endure or will we believe the lie and be deceived into worshipping the enemy of God? Will we be among the few who enter into that straight and narrow gate of Jesus Christ and possibly suffer for our allegiance to Christ, or will we be among the many who sell their eternal souls to Satan and his earthly representative for that physical food that feeds our flesh? Be assured, our answer has eternal consequences!
End Time Event #11:
Prior to Jesus discussing the rapture or the gathering of His saints in Matthew 24.37-51, He mentioned end time events in Matthew 24.29 that coincide perfectly with Revelation chapter 6 and the opening of the seven [7] seals which reveals the final days of man’s existence on earth before the wrath of God is poured out. The opening of the seven seals is the revealing of the culmination of human history and end time events on the earth.
Jesus in Matthew 24.29 declared, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”
John in Revelation 6.12, after five of the seals have been opened, records; “I looked when He [Jesus] opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind.” We know believers will be upon planet earth at that time due to the conversations that are revealed by John just prior to verse 12 of Revelation chapter 6 which describes the opening of the sixth seal.
In verse 9 of Revelation chapter 6 John gives us a glimpse into the future and a front row seat to a conversation that takes place in heaven prior to the opening of the sixth seal but after the opening of the fifth seal. “When He [Jesus] opened the fifth seal, I [John] saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the Word of God and for the testimony [concerning Jesus] which they held. And they cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?’”
These saints died during the tribulation because they refused to worship the Antichrist and or the beast. They boldly refused his means of earthly provision by not compromising their faith in Jesus. Therefore, they also refused to worship the beast and or the Antichrist. This we know because of what follows in verse 11 of Revelation chapter 6.
John continued his eye witness account of this future end time event, by stating, “Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.”
Do we fully understand what is being described here in Revelation by Jesus to the apostle John? I do not know how Jesus could present end time events and end time scenarios more clearly than He has already done in advance for the sole purpose that we are not to be taken by surprise by the unfolding of end time events quite differently than they have been proclaimed by most of the many mainstream denominations for many decades. Who are we going to believe, the Word of God or the deceitful misleading words of man?
My prayer is that the deception of the many false end time messages begin to have less of a strangle hold upon the hearts and minds of men, women, and young people. Oh, that the Word of God would take precedence in our lives! Oh, that we could be rightfully convinced of becoming Berean end time believers and approved of by God as true students of the Word of God.
Therefore, let us study these important end time events with open hearts and receptive minds as the Holy Spirit of God directs our thoughts. Let us be willing to admit we do not know everything about all things as it pertains to end times. But let us be willing to be taught by God’s Spirit and the Word of God as we attend the life long and beyond classroom of the Holy Spirit together.
End Time Event #12:
Though there are other end time events that could be written about and discussed, we have reached the end of our list of twelve [12] end time events that biblically appear to must come to pass prior to the second coming of Jesus and His gathering His enduring to the end people of God to Himself.
The last end time event we want to focus our attention upon before bringing these study lessons to a close is found in Matthew 24 and verses 30-31. In these last two verses to consider Jesus instructed those who desire to understand and who have spiritual ears to hear what the Spirit of the living God has to say to the church of these last days.
Jesus emphatically declared beginning in verse 30 of Matthew 24; “Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather His elect [enduring to the end believers in Jesus] from the four winds [from the farthest part of the earth according to Mark 13.27], from one end of heaven to the other.”
And is that not what all true born-again present tense enduring to the end believers are looking for? Is that not exactly what Jesus has explained in His Word to take place? And does this not, and will this not give us hope and comfort our hearts even in the midst of end time persecution, affliction, human betrayal, and tribulation? If not, it should!
The record is clear and cries out from the pages of much sacred Scripture. Will we be among the many who will be led astray and deceived by the many false end time messages proclaimed by many of the forewarned of by Jesus false end time prophets? Or will we be found overcoming the temptation to believe the lie as we endure to the end, abide in Christ, continue in His Word, and anticipate His coming and His gathering all true believers both dead and alive to Himself forever and ever?
In Closing:
There is much too much at stake to not take very seriously the teachings of Jesus, Daniel, Peter, Paul, John, and other biblical scribes. We have been adequately warned! There will be no excuse that will lessen the punishment and the warned of judgment that faces all who reject the gospel of enduring to the end that will be preached in all the world before the end will come.
Maybe this will be your final opportunity to become a believer in the Word of God and the teachings of Jesus on this subject. My heart’s desire is that all come to repentance and the saving knowledge of Jesus and to observe all things He taught and commanded! And in doing so, let us not be deceived by any means nor by anyone as we approach the end of this age.
According to Jesus 