Sudden, Any Moment, As a Thief: The Imminency of the Rapture

[PrisonerOfHope]

Sudden, Any Moment, As a Thief: The Imminency of the Rapture and Then Gloom



The coming of the Bridegroom for His Bride will occur without warning or any prelude event.

Nothing will occur to enable anyone to prepare who is living carelessly and lukewarm. You must look for Him and even hasten for Him or you will be left behind.

The Pre-Tribulation Rapture is the one and single doctrine that clearly fixes the Bible model of this glorious moment. Every other teaching that our generation of lukewarm believers have adopted puts this event down the road yet untraveled. Let’s review this wonderful Bible lesson which leaves no doubt of the sudden time that will occur any moment. At the conclusion of this lesson, I will show you that only those looking, expecting, and living without spot and blameless will be raptured before hell covers this earth.

Imminancy of His coming is one of the Bible’s most beautiful mysteries. The Holy Ghost used one writer after another to declare this unmistakable truth. Let’s first consider the four primary attacks against the Pre-Tribulation Rapture.

First is the Mid-Tribulation View. This false doctrine has the Bride of Christ on earth for the first three and one-half years. Their main support is their misunderstanding of the rapture of the Tribulation saints. They totally deny the perfect outline that the Book of Revelation gave us. When John was caught up to Heaven in Chapter four of this masterpiece, he saw the saints now called elders around the throne. These raptured saints have on their robes of spotless purity and crowns on their heads. They are seen as a multitude in Chapter five before the Tribulation period even begins.

Second is the Pre-Wrath view. This places the primary rapture at the sounding of the last judgment trumpet which paved the way for the Seven Vials of Wrath. This suggests that the rapture will occur approximately five years and three months into the Seven Years of the Great Tribulation. This puts God’s most blessed saints on earth for some of the darkest times in human history. This view came from a man by the name of Marvin Rosenthal. I call this the results of human imagination.

Then we have the view of the Post-Tribulation doctrine. There is clearly a company of saints that are tormented and killed after the tribulation saints in Chapter seven. This doctrine believes this occurs at the end of the seven years and is seen in Revelation Chapter 20 (Revelation 20:4-6). These saints were left behind at the Pre-Tribulation and had not repented before the Tribulation saints were caught up in Chapter seven. These are indeed the last of the First Resurrection which occurs in Seven orders.

The last primary view puts the rapture at the end of the One Thousand Years of the Millennial Reign. Some say there is a rapture and this great company is caught up but immediately return with Christ to begin eternity. Others simply believe Jesus come to resurrect the earth and eternity begins. There are too many connecting views to fully explain this false idea.

The only great truth for our exciting future that allows for a little truth in some of these ideas, but settles the Imminancy question, is the Pre-Tribulation Rapture. Bible teachers are very adept at conjuring up human speculation that misses the picture of our “Great Hope” that floods the Bible. Jesus said, “Only the Father knows the hour” of our sudden triumph. “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” (Matthew 24:36)

What a glorious moment that awaits us. Look now at the absolute proof of His sudden and unannounced coming. The Imminancy is so radically true that nothing of warnings can preclude His coming. We often speak of sudden things as “out of the blue.” This is really true because He comes in the clouds and they are always lined with “Carolina Blue.” (That’s just a little pitch for my state of North Carolina.)

Apostle Peter declared in his second epistle that he was reminding the saints about this future time of judgment preceding His coming. He wrote, “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.” (II Peter 3:10) What a beautiful way to show how sudden this time will occur. A thief must depend on surprise to even have a slight chance of success. He does not text you to say “I’m coming.”

The Son of God explained this coming Marriage Supper and His sudden appearance to get His Bride as completely unannounced. “While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.” (Matthew 25:5-9) It is foolish to surmise that those foolish virgins were not perfectly surprised. There were “virgins” ready in every way except the fire had gone out of their excitement for Him. They were too busy with earthly things.

Jesus spoke again in a different message to show His saints the truth of His sudden return for them. He wanted them to have a constant joy in Him and stay ready for His return. He would absolutely accept no other level of love. “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. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. 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 21:34-36) Careless Christians are going to be disappointed.

Another way Jesus shows us His sudden return is His warning about the same problem Noah’s generation suffered. “But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” (Matthew 24:37-42) He named nothing that was a sin in its truest form. Much of the multitudes who miss the rapture will be good people that failed to listen to the truth and live a fiery devotion to Jesus Christ.

Apostle Paul never missed teaching the great truth of His Imminent Return. This apostle called it “a mystery,” which I spoke of at the beginning of this article. A mystery from the Bible is understood by “Divine Inspiration.” This is the reason so much darkness fills the prophecy streams. Listen to his wisdom that came by the Holy Ghost. “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.” (I Corinthians 15:51-52) What a powerful warning, “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.”

Apostle Paul further wrote to the church at Thessalonica, “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. 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.” (I Thessalonians 4: 15-17) Do not doubt that these words are by the Spirit and cannot be altered or changed. He will be here right on time, and you will be glad you were ready.

Looking for Him to come is an absolute command. Many are saying “I am watching for the antichrist” and they may indeed live to see him. You will never find in your Bible a command to look for the “man of sin,” and if you see him it will not be a happy sight. O, but looking for Jesus is the greatest joy in the world. Looking for Jesus is joy while you wait.

The Holy Ghost said, “…unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” (Hebrews 9:28b) Apostle Peter made this even more exciting, he said “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?” (II Peter 3:12) We do not speak of looking up in the clouds but living a life of total surrender and breathtaking expectancy. The word looking means “anticipation and expectation.” It carries the thought of “joyous expectation.” The word “hasting” suggests someone that is rushing toward the marvelous hour of His return. We actually want Him to come more than we want our necessary needs of life.

Simply speaking, He wants our love for Him to be a consuming part of our life. Nothing must be more exciting than to hear the trumpet sound and be gone with Him to the Marriage. If you love anything else better, you should pray until the love of Christ rises in you to a consuming level. He is coming for those that love him.

Radio program at link.

[Summergirl]

I have one question, which I asked my sister, who is a faithful Bible Study attendee, and she did not know the answer.

If the 'dead in Christ' rise first, then how does that correlate with 'to be absent from the body is to be in the presence of Christ.'??

In other words, when a Christian dies, is he/she with Jesus immediately, or is there as some believe, a 'soul sleep' in which time goes by as the dead lie dead, until the rapture of the saints, including the dead in Christ???

I am really wondering about this. I cannot get a grasp on the scenario.

[Berean]

Soul sleep is a heretical doctrine that is promoted by the Seventh Day Adventists.   When a believer dies, their spirit is in the presence of the Lord, but their bodies are left wherever they are until the resurrection.  Remember, Jesus told the thief on the cross, "TODAY you will be with me in Paradise."  The guy's body was probably put on the trash heap unless a family member claimed it, but it will be renewed and glorified when the rapture occurs.

Heresy of Soul Sleep

By Dr. Mike Johnston



“The heresy of one age becomes the orthodoxy of the next” Helen Keller -- Optimism (1903)

False teachers proclaiming false teachings have always existed in the church and will continue throughout the last days (1 Tim. 4:1; 2 Pet. 2:1-3). Why they aren’t spotted more often decries the shameful spiritual temperature of far too many Christians that are simply not equipped to discern between “the spirit of truth and the spirit of error” (1 John 4:6).

Hermeneutics vs. Heresy

Hermeneutics is the fancy name given to the science of Biblical interpretation. In laymen terms, it is formed from consistent Bible principles mandatory to a full and balanced approach to interpreting Scripture through studying: the original setting of both writer and recipient; the original language (to include vocabulary, grammar and style); the original intention of the Book or passage; and the narrower (immediate) and broader (canonical) context of a passage. In short, adhering to sound hermeneutical principles will feed your soul while protecting you from heresy.

Origin of the Soul Sleep Heresy

The phrase “soul sleep” per se is not a Scriptural term. In fact, you never find the soul linked to sleep anywhere in the Bible. It is actually a hybrid heterodoxy contrived from the Biblical euphemism for the sleep-like appearance of the body at death (2 Sam. 7:12; 2 Pet. 3:4) which has been hijacked by heretics.

A study of church history proves soul sleep has no roots in Christian orthodoxy, and no place in sound exegesis. And for the first three centuries of the church the immediate ascendency of the soul to Paradise (aka Heaven) at death (Luke 23:43) was never questioned. Then, according to historian Philip Schaff, soul sleep fomented in the mind of a specious fourth century pantheist named Arnobius. Since that time, poor exegesis has been the main mechanism soul sleepers have employed in the maintenance of their ruse. Today its champions are noteworthy indeed: atheists, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Christadelphianists, Old school Armstrongism, and Seventh Day Adventists. Talk about a spurious crew!

Since hermeneutics teaches us to examine historical and contextual settings when interpreting Scripture, we need to first understand the five separate divisions making up the 66 books: the books of law, the books of history, the books of prophecy, the epistles (history and doctrine), and the books of wisdom.

One place soul sleepers love to dance is in the wisdom books including Ecclesiastes. Ecclesiastes, while fully inspired, is written from an earthly—not an eternal (or Heavenly) perspective. It literally rips the mask off the wisest mortal, who from the opening words admits to being out of fellowship with God (Ecc. 1:1-3, 14). His thoughts often reflect the same fatalistic mindset so prevalent in OT Jewish times:

“For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion. For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten” (Ecc. 9:4-6). This verse gives hope to souls sleepers and others who ignore the context of Solomon’s opining as Albert Barnes wisely notes:

“The last clause of Ecc. 9:6 indicates that the writer confines his observations on the dead to their portion in, or relation to, this world.” (Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible)

Progressive Revelation

Someone once quipped: “The New is in the Old concealed; the Old is in the New revealed.” In hermeneutics, this is called “progressive revelation.” Here’s how it works.

While the 39 OT Books and the human penmen were fully inspired, their concept of certain doctrines was somewhat diffused behind types and shadows (Isa. 9:2; 42:16; Mark 4:16) not fully understood until the completion of the New Testament canon (Heb. 8:5). This of course included their knowledge of death. Were they wrong? No, they were merely expressing opinions based upon the light God gave them for disseminating His truth for that particular dispensation.

Death as understood in the Old Testament

As previously stated, by and large, Jews were fatalists believing in a future– albeit general- resurrection: “Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise . . . and the earth shall cast out the dead” (Isa. 26:19). To them death was lonely, somber, and somewhat fearful:

David mourned, “For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks” (Psa. 6:5).

Job anguished: “Are not my days few? cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little, Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death; A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness” (Job 10:20-22).

Even though these men loved the Lord with their entire being, they seem to have been almost smothered in a blanket of despair when contemplating their own death.

Death as revealed in the New Testament

By the time of Christ, the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead was a highly debated issue. Greek philosophers like Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, and Epicurus had launched circuitous philosophies that diverted focus from God to man, and from eternal to temporal.

As the NT was written- and a new dispensation unfolded– God began unwrapping the precious yet somewhat shadowy secrets stored in the OT (1 Cor. 2:7). Not surprising, this became startling revelation to Old Testament Jews, “who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage” (Heb. 2:15).

One person the Holy Spirit chose to reveal these mysteries to was a brilliant OT scholar we know as the Apostle Paul (1 Cor. 2:7; 15:51; Eph. 1:9; 3:3). Interestingly, while Paul’s teachings in some ways mirrored the OT thought regarding bodies falling asleep at death (1 Cor. 11:30; 1 Thess. 4:14), when God revealed as many as 14 Books of the NT to Paul, He also gave him a fresh understanding of what happens to the spirit and soul at death; that it becomes absent from the body and present with the Lord (2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:21). From that point forward Paul taught that death was not to be dreaded, but looked upon with anticipation and hope somewhat like a graduation (1 Cor. 15:54-55). This of course garnered the ire of his former Sanhedrin associates who now sought to kill him for teaching such things (Acts 9:23; 26:21).

5 Great Truths Refute Soul Sleep

There is an erroneous doctrine known as “general resurrection, general judgment” that teaches one day all the dead throughout history will be awakened from their sleep and summoned to the Great White Throne (Rev. 20:11-15) where they’ll stand before God to enter either Heaven or the Lake of Fire.

If that is true, and Scripture proves that it is not, every saint in history should be asleep somewhere awaiting judgment. And yet, such is not the case as we will see from the testimony of Jesus and several saints that died and yet were very much alive.

Note if you will, the following 5 great Scriptural truths that will easily repudiate the soul sleep heresy:

TRUTH #1: The Bible refutes soul sleep in that God is God of the living, not the dead! Since God is life and the source of all life (Gen. 1:20; Deut. 30:20; John 1:4; 14:6), apart from Him is considered death (Eph. 2:1,5). Toward the end of His physical ministry on earth, Jesus was confronted by the godless liberal Sadducees who had led the Jews to believe there was no future resurrection. Once while trying to trap Him, they disingenuously inquired about the status of marriage in the after life. Of course Jesus spotted the ploy and called them ignorant which not only sewed their mouths shut but no doubt helped seal His fate:

“Have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living” (Mat 22:31-32).

What does this mean? If you believe in soul sleep, it means nothing. If you believe Jesus, you understand that it means these patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) along with all the saints of history, have been alive– not asleep– all these years (see Luke 16:22-31; Rev. 4:4, etc).

TRUTH #2: Jesus refuted soul sleep by promising we would never die! In a public pledge Jesus promised: “He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24). Later Jesus said, “If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death” (John 8:51). Again, Christ’s integrity is at stake here. Every person who heard the Lord utter this promise died, and their bodies were buried. In light of that, if Jesus was referring to the death of the body as soul sleepers are forced to maintain– and in view of the fact that all those disciples bodies eventually died (fell asleep)- wouldn’t that make a liar out of our Savior?

TRUTH #3: Paul refuted soul sleep when he taught that absent from the body is to be present with the Lord! As we have stated previously, Old Testament writers operated under the disadvantage of limited light and therefore viewed the resurrection as a one-time future event.

Paul, a converted rabbi, was given additional revelation, adding light to what had been known regarding the intermediate state of the body and soul at death. Remember, he had experienced a trip to paradise so he knew first hand how real and magnificent it was (1 Cor. 12:2). He taught more about death and resurrection than any other Bible writer. Although he agreed with the Old Testament writers that death brought about the appearance of a body falling asleep (1 Cor. 15:6; 1 Thess. 4:14), he never implied that a sleeping body brought about a sleeping soul or spirit- ever. Please consider God’s Word here:

“Whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord (2 Cor. 5:6, 8). Did you see that reinforcement? So not to confuse his readers, he said it one way, then repeated it another way. In the body, away from the Lord. With the Lord, away from the body. How much clearer can it get? Then, three years later this captivating thought surfaced again in a letter to the Philippians. “For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you” (Phil. 1:23-24). Once again, to depart from earth (death) is to be with Christ. No soul sleep, no awaiting a general resurrection, and no confusion for those who are not bound by the fallacious traditions of religious rogues who continue to hold an eerie spell over their duped disciples.

TRUTH #4: Hebrews refutes soul sleep by teaching that the spirits of those who died exist right now in Heaven! “But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the Heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in Heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel” (Heb 12:22-24).

TRUTH #5: The Bible systematically refutes soul sleep on at least 15 separate occasions which again conclusively proves it to be a poorly concocted, grievous error!



Samuel the Prophet wasn’t sleeping (1 Sam. 28:7-19)

Moses and Elijah weren’t sleeping (Matt. 17:1-4)

The thief on the cross didn’t sleep (Luke 23:43)

When Stephen was stoned, his body slept but the Lord received his spirit (Acts 7:59-60)

The Spirit of Jairus’ daughter was not sleeping (Luke 8:51-54)

Abraham, Lazarus and the rich man were not sleeping (Luke 16:20-31)

The Old Testament saints weren’t sleeping (Matt. 27:52-53)

The souls in Sheol/Hades Christ preached to weren’t sleeping (Eph. 4:8-10)

The Great Cloud of witnesses aren’t sleeping (Heb. 11-12)

The Heavenly Saints are not sleeping at the Rapture (1 Cor. 15:51-53; 1 Thess. 4:16)

The elders in John’s Revelation aren’t sleeping (Rev. 4:4, 10)

The martyred tribulation souls aren’t sleeping (Rev. 6:9-11; 20:11)

The great multitude redeemed from the great tribulation aren’t sleeping (Rev 7:9, 14)

The returning army of Heavenly saints are not sleeping at the Revelation of Christ (Rev. 19:11-14)

Jesus Christ, the Firstfruits of the resurrection isn’t sleeping

SUMMARY STATEMENT: If soul sleep is true, Jesus was a liar, Matthew was a liar, Luke was a liar, John was a liar, Paul was a liar, Jude was a liar, the Book of Revelation, and in fact the entire Bible is nothing more than a collection of lies written by a prevaricating group of grievous wolves.

On the other hand, if what Jesus taught, John taught, and Paul taught time and again is as true as we believe it is, the clear choice for you will be to refute and reject the soul sleep heresy and embrace God’s Word which clearly promises us that “absent from the body is to be present with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:8).


link

If you're into physics at all, you know that we're limited to a single dimension of time, but God isn't.  Chuck Missler has an intriguing theory that every believer who ever dies and everyone who is raptured will reach heaven at the same exact moment.  I'll try and find that study; it's certainly food for thought!  

[Summergirl]

It would be logical to assume that when the mortal body lies in the grave, urn, or under the sea, etc. that the glorified body is with the soul in the presence of the Lord, and able to move about, greet the animals they loved and lost, and worship God.

Then... at the rapture of the saints, the mortal decayed body... what becomes of this
coil? (as Shakespeare would call it, the 'mortal coil.')

Does it become assimilated into the glorified body, does it become as discarded clothing, never to be seen again, or does it vanish into heaven's space,also -- never to be seen again, and the translated spend their eternity in the new body?

Just wondering. Not that it is an earth-shaking question, but some minds are more inquisitive than others. I am one of those who like to solve puzzles.


'

[Berean]

It would be logical to assume that when the mortal body lies in the grave, urn, or under the sea, etc. that the glorified body is with the soul in the presence of the Lord, and able to move about, greet the animals they loved and lost, and worship God

No, not at all - no one has their glorified bodies yet.  As 1 Co. 15:37 puts it, "And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain." Think about when you plant a seed; the ear of corn or the flower or whatever doesn't exist yet; the seed has to grow and develop into what it was always meant to be.  Same as with, for example, a caterpillar - it's just a lowly wormy thing, but then it metamorphosizes into a butterfly.  Metamorphosis is a biological process by which an animal physically develops after birth or hatching, involving a conspicuous and relatively abrupt change in the animal's body structure through cell growth and differentiation - and so shall it be at the resurrection - there will be a conspicuous and abrupt change. 

As for the souls/spirits that are in heaven, they're not yet in a physical state, only a spiritual one.  Think of it this way - the soul/spirit is the essence of the person or animal; the body is just the clothing for it - you might call it the "earth suit."

Hope this helps.