Q&A: Bible Prophecy & End Times

Will The Antichrist Be Revealed Before The Rapture Or After The Pre-Tribulation Rapture?

Don Gerrity Q&A: Bible Prophecy & End Times
Will The Antichrist Be Revealed Before The Rapture Or After The Pre-Tribulation Rapture?

 

“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;” (2 Thessalonians 2:3 KJV)

This one verse of Scripture has been taken out of context by many teachers who say that it proves that there will be a falling away of belief by believers and that the Antichrist must be revealed BEFORE the Rapture takes place. Others teach that it is proof that the Rapture event happens at the Second Coming of Christ to setup His Earthly Kingdom age. If we were to read just this one verse out of context, one may think this is so. But add the previous verses to verse 3 and the truth comes into sharper focus by reading the words closely. Remember, that chapters were added later and were not found in the letter Paul wrote. It is one continuous letter and that is how we must read it in proper context.

The last verses of the previous chapter in 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 (KJV) Paul writes,

“For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; 10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which DELIVERED US FROM THE WRATH TO COME.”

We need to start here because Paul is giving the Thessalonian church (and all of us) a hope and a comfort that believers will not face the 7 year Tribulation Period spoken of by Daniel the prophet. Believers will not face the wrath of God on the people of Earth during the Tribulation Period. This is why the Rapture is our blessed hope. Paul’s goal is to comfort. Now the very next two verses are critical to understanding verse 3:

“1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the COMING OF OUR Lord Jesus Christ, and by OUR GATHERING TOGETHER >UNTO< HIM,

 

2 That ye be NOT soon SHAKEN IN MIND, OR BE TROUBLED, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter AS FROM US, AS THAT THE DAY Of CHRIST is at hand.

 

3 Let NO MAN DECEIVE YOU BY ANY MEANS: for THAT DAY shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;” (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 KJV)

In verse one, Paul is revealing that there are two events to take place when Jesus returns. There is The Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ to Earth to begin His 1000 year reign on Earth and there is The Gathering UNTO Christ, which we call The Pre-Tribulation Rapture of the Church Age.

The Rapture happens before the Tribulation Period. So why is Paul mentioning the Second Coming of Christ before the Rapture in verse one? Why does this seem in reverse order? The next verse shows us why Paul mentioned the events in what seems as a reverse order. Paul is telling the Thessalonians to not be ‘shaken’ by his previous teachings on the Rapture and Second Coming and ‘not be troubled’.

But why are they troubled? Paul mentions not to be troubled even by “letter AS FROM US”. Notice closely that it is not saying a real letter from Paul! Apparently, there were some false teachers writing fraudulent letters as if they were written from Paul, but they were not! These letters were instilling fear into the Thessalonian church because they were teaching (as if by Paul) that the troubles they were going through are the Tribulation Period and that they had ‘missed’ the Rapture event! It was a deception that Paul is addressing to clear up the mess these false teachers instilled by fear into the Thessalonian church. The church was losing their hope believing they were left behind at the Rapture!

Verse three reads, “Let no man deceive you by any means”. Now we are getting the proper context. Paul is refuting the false teachers and showing the Thessalonians that they were not living in the Tribulation Period and to return to the hope they have in the Rapture of believers. And Paul is assuring them that  believers in Christ will be taken in the Rapture before the wrath of God to come during the Tribulation Period to the people living on Earth at that time.

In this context we can now read and better understand verse three:

“Let NO MAN DECEIVE YOU BY ANY MEANS: for THAT DAY shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;” (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 KJV)

Paul is simply telling the Thessalonian believers that the Second Coming is not going to come until there is a falling away from the faith and that man of sin (the antichrist) be revealed. And continuing reading in this proper context Paul writes,

“Remember ye not, that, when I WAS YET with you, I told you these things? 6 And now YE KNOW what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. (Don: until the believers on Christ, the church is Raptured)

 

 AND THEN shall that Wicked (Don: the antichrist) be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:”
(2 Thessalonians 2:7-8 KJV – brackets Don are my added comments for clarity)

So we know that that antichrist is not going to be revealed until AFTER the Rapture of the Bride of Christ; which is all believers from our current Church Age here prior to the Rapture event.

Instead of refuting a Pre-Tribulation Rapture of the church 2 Thessalonians 2:3 actually fully supports the Pre-Tribulation timing of the Rapture of believers in Christ Jesus, in Salvation.

Will The Holy Spirit Be Taken Off Earth At The Rapture?

Don Gerrity Q&A: Bible Prophecy & End Times
Will The Holy Spirit Be Taken Off Earth At The Rapture?

“For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only HE WHO NOW LETTETH WILL LET, until he be taken out of the way. And THEN shall that Wicked BE REVEALED, whom the Lord shall consume WITH THE SPIRIT OF HIS MOUTH, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,”
( 2 Thessalonians 2:7-9 KJV)

This passage is telling us that once The Rapture happens and believers are taken off the Earth, the Holy Spirit will no longer RESTRAIN THE GROWTH OF EVIL through believers because we are no longer here. Once all true Christians are Raptured there will be NO BELIEVERS on the Earth for a period of time. This vacuum of time allows the Antichrist to deceive the world and take control without resistance, at first. However, that does not mean the Holy Spirit will have no ministry whatsoever in the Tribulation Period. Scripture shows us this is not correct, though some teach so.

Every Believer Has The Spirit Indwelling

Every believer has the Holy Spirit indwelling and those who become believers during the Tribulation period are also born-again believers. The New Covenant and Gospel of Jesus Christ is still true and promised to whosoever shall believe on Christ alone for Salvation – even for those in the Tribulation Period. The Holy Spirit will be working and the 144,000 Jewish evangelists from each tribe of Israel along with the Two witnesses, with great signs and wonders, will preach the Gospel. Is the Holy Spirit not working through these Tribulation believers?

“And I heard the number of them WHICH WERE SEALED: and there were SEALED an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.” (Revelation 7: 4 KJV)

⇒ Doesn’t The Holy Spirit SEAL Believers?

“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also AFTER that YE BELIEVED, YE WERE SEALED with that holy Spirit of promise,” (Ephesians 1:13 KJV)

However, even as it is now, the regeneration of a believer is the work of the Holy Spirit. Without God revealing to people, in or out of the Tribulation Period, that Jesus is the Christ, God in the flesh, no one is saved.

“He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for FLESH AND BLOOD HATH NOT REVEALED IT UNTO THEE, BUT MY FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN.” ( Matthew 16: 15-17 KJV)

Jesus said this to Peter BEFORE He was crucified and before the New Covenant started because it started at the death of Jesus on the cross (not at His birth). So this is how God drew people in the Old Testament and even now for all non believers. If the Spirit were not present during the tribulation, no one could be saved. But the fact is that a multitude that no one can number is saved during the tribulation including both Gentiles and Jews (Revelation 7:9–14)! Once saved they too will be indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Otherwise, they are not saved and they could not enter Heaven at their death.

Multitudes will come to Salvation by the preaching of the 144,000 Jewish evangelists and the Two Witnesses.

Those martyred for their faith in the Tribulation die and their newly created Spirits are seen in Heaven (Rev. 6:9-11) while the Tribulation continues on Earth and they will be resurrected at the Second Coming. No one without the Holy Spirit can even enter Heaven right? Those who survive the Tribulation Period who are believers will continue and start repopulating the Earth.

God Is Omnipresent

Our God is a Spirit and the Bible teaches us His attributes. One of God’s attributes is that He is Omnipresent; that is He exists everywhere and at all times.

“Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. “ (Psalms 139:7-10 KJV)

“Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord. “ (Jeremiah 23:23-24 KJV)

“The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. “ (Proverbs 15:3 KJV)

GOD IS SPIRIT and He is everywhere at all times. And so, He must be in the world during the tribulation as well. It is how the Holy Spirit operates that changes just as He has changed in how He operates from Old Covenant times to New Covenant times, from Old Testament times to New Testament times. God’s focus now turns from the gentiles and back to Israel as He promised He would do.

End Time Prophecy For The Tribulation Period Agrees

End Time Bible Prophesy even says the Holy Spirit will be working in the Tribulation Period – just differently than here in the Age of Grace we are currently living in.

“Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord God.” (Ezekiel 39:29 KJV)

“And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.” (Zechariah 12:10 KJV)

Both show the Holy Spirit working in Daniel’s 70th week, also known as the Seven Year Tribulation Period. After the Rapture happens to believers here in the Age of Grace (The Church Age), The Day of the Lord, Daniels 70th week, begins. God now turns His focus on promises made to Israel and will fulfill them all and Israel will return to God.

The Holy Spirit will most certainly be working on the Earth after the Rapture but He will work as He did in Old Testament days to save all of Israel and as many people whosoever will receive the FREE GIFT of Salvation through the only atonement for sins, provided by Jesus The Christ, God in the flesh, who took the punishment for our sins to the cross and paid the penalty we deserved, IN FULL.

Much better to be saved here in the Age of God’s grace than to endure the Tribulation Period! It will be the worst time period in all of history. Natural disasters like never before seen. And an Antichrist leader that will make Hitler look like a choir boy in comparison.

Related:

What Are The Types of God’s Books And Two Judgement Seats

Don Gerrity Q&A: Bible Prophecy & End Times, The Judgment Seats
What Are The Types of God’s Books And Two Judgement Seats

Is there a difference between the Book of the Living (The Book Of Life) and the Lamb’s Book Of Life?

Some teach that they are the same book. But when you look at context closely, it appears they are NOT the same book at all. If you look at Psalm 139, we see the Biblical reason that our human existence is from our very conception – not our physical birth. God knows us, even in the womb! And in great detail, before our actual body parts were even formed in the womb!

“Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was NONE OF THEM.” (Psalm 139:16 KJV)

Notice it says that we were written in God’s Book of the Living, before we were formed in the womb. But does that mean that every person conceived will find themselves in Heaven? No. Does it mean every person is written in the Lambs Book Of Life from their conception? No. But God FOREKNEW EVERYTHING, you see?

God foreknew you before you were physically born. He gives us all FREE WILL to choose the gift of Salvation through Christ or to reject the gift. In John 3, Jesus is clear, that it is “WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH ON HIM HAS ETERNAL LIFE”. The word ‘whosoever’ is clear yes? There is a choice to be made by our FREE WILL. God did not create a person to be damned before they were created. He created a person with a free will to choose.

God may already know the choice they will make, but the person makes that choice; not God. Jesus had Judas join the disciples. God foreknew what Judas would do. God foreknew that Judas rejected Christ as Messiah, as God in the Flesh. God knew that Judas would do this thousands of years earlier in Bible Prophecy. And Judas did what God foreknew that He would. God put what he would do in Old Testament Bible Prophecy regarding the coming Messiah to prove He is the true God. But that does not mean that God predestined Judas to hell before he was created!

Judas was lost, but it was his own choice. Peter denied Jesus three times right? Jesus told him he would. See, God knows everything a person will do before they do it! But Peter is seen earlier proclaiming Jesus is the Christ, God in the flesh. By this belief he was saved eternally (John 3:18) that very moment.

And God FOREKNEW ALL that would accept and reject this great gift through Christ crucified and risen, before you we were even born. It is simply that God knows everything you will do in your life. EVERYTHING. NOTHING TAKES HIM BY SURPRISE FOLKS! There is fear and coomfort in that. Fear if you are unsaved and comfort if  you are saved!

God already knows who will be saved and who will be lost. God exists outside of time, because He created time. He is the Alpha and Omega; the beginning and the end. God sees all time as NOW. To God, believers are already with Him in Heaven. To us, we are inside of TIME and things are playing out. And in this thing called ‘time’ we live within, He gives everyone the choice and opportunity to choose Him in wisdom. But He also gives free will to choose.

So, the question is do the unsaved get blotted out of the Lambs Book of Life? Not according to Scripture. In fact, the Bible tells us that all who accept the gift of Salvation in Christ are the only one found in the Lamb’s Book of Life. And Jesus says that He will NEVER blot a person out of the Lambs Book Of Life, as an encouraging promise in Revelation 3. Yet, we see people are blotted out of the Book of the Living (The Book of Life)

Therefore, it is easy to conclude that these are two separate books God keeps. Let’s have a closer look into this to see the truth about these two separate books.

.:: God’s Book Book of the Living

Some call this the Book Of The Living as well. This Book is clearly NOT the Lamb’s Book of Life because Rev 3:5 tells us that no one’s name will be blotted out of the Lamb’s Book Of Life. But we can see that people can and are blotted out of God’s Book Of Life.

All people born since Adam are added in The Book Of The Living (The Book Of Life). It lists all who are living on Earth physically. If a person has not accepted the free gift of Salvation as a means to give the required payment for their sins, their name is blotted out of this book at the unbeliever’s death.

We see God’s Book of the Living in the Exodus story. Moses knew about this Book kept by God. When coming back down from receiving the Ten Commandments, he found that they built a golden calf and were worshiping it. After all the miracles God performed for them, after freeing them from slavery in Egypt, after walking across the Red Sea on dry land, after God parted the sea. They did this wicked thing of idol worship and God said,

“Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.” (Exodus 32:10 KJV)

And then we see that Moses asks God to forgive them. Remember that Moses was once a leader in Egypt, treated as a true son of Pharaoh. He had major guilt over using the Hebrew slaves, especially once he knew that he too was a Hebrew. Moses even killed a fellow Egyptian for mistreating a Hebrew. He truly cared for the people so much that Moses said to God in response,

“And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin–; and if not, BLOT ME, I pray thee, OUT OF THY BOOK which thou hast written. And the Lord said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I BLOT OUT OF MY BOOK.” (Exodus 32:31-33 KJV)

It is as if Moses said to God.. “I know they sinned wickedly – but take my physical life instead, in their place”. God surely understands that! He sent HIS only begotten Son, Jesus to do that for us! God also tested Abraham in the same way right?

We see that God, “…repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.” The Lord CHANGED HIS MIND, the very Biblical definition of the English translated word ‘repent’.

So it seems that the Book of Life, or the Book of the Living, contains the names of every person God creates in physical birth, and when they die physically, their name is blotted out of this book because they have sinned.

And by the way, we all have sinned right (Romans 3:23)? So why are humans still here alive if they have sinned? Are they not blotted out of the Book of the Living by God? God decides the WHEN of this judgment. We see in Hebrews that

“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” (Hebrews 9:27 KJV).

God has set a DAY and appointed a specific time, to the very second, for every single person’s physical death. Death exists because we have sin. If there were no sin, there would be no death you see? So, this blotting out of the Book of the Living is gonna happen for every person who rejects Salvation in Christ. As I will explain below in this article, those who have accepted the free gift of Salvation have already had their sins forgiven and paid in full.

Is it so hard to believe that God delays judgment? Not at all! We see it throughout the Bible. Even the unbeliever who dies, is ‘reserved for judgement’ (Job 21:30) and one day, after the 1000 year reign of Christ on Earth, after Christ returns, the Great White Throne Judgment will be held and the unbelievers will be resurrected to face condemnation. That is a long delay between judgment and sentencing right? And even if you look at when Lucifer and those angels that sided with him against God rebelled and were kicked out of Heaven, are they already judged? Yes. But what about their sentencing? That has been delayed. They are still here affecting and ruling the Earth right?  But a DAY IS APPOINTED for their sentence to take place and they will be cast into the Lake of Fire on that day.

If a person accepts the free gift of Salvation through Christ their name remains in this book after their death and there name is also added to the Lamb’s Book Of Life (see below). God’s view is that He wants ALL to come to Salvation through Christ. But ultimately, the choice to accept the free gift of Salvation is ours to make because to God free will is important. He does not want robots with Him in eternity; instead He wants real relationships.

.:: The Lamb’s Book of Life

The names of people in this book are all of the eternally saved who have believed on Christ’s atonement alone (without works required) to save them from the eternal punishment of their sins.

“He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I WILL NOT BLOT OUT his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” (Revelation 3:5 KJV)

This verse tells us clearly that NO ONE IN THIS BOOK will be blotted out of this book – they are eternally saved. I know that those that do not believe in the eternal Salvation of a believer will immediately go to the passage and point out that it says only “He that ‘overcometh'” that will be found in this book. To such, I ask you, can we overcome Satan on our own efforts? Can we overcome sin that so easily entangles us with our mind still corrupt by the old DEAD sin nature thoughts? Through our own self righteous efforts? If you answer honestly, the answer must be a resounding No!…We Cannot! What does this ‘overcometh’ mean then? As with everything in Scripture, let’s look to the Bible to answer itself! In 1 John 5:4-5 we see who it is that overcometh:

“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:4-5 KJV)

Notice that Salvation is not by works but by faith and belief in the atonement for our sins provided by the ONLY begotten Son of God, Jesus The Christ, who paid the price for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2). Paid through Christ, the once for all sacrifice for our sins (Hebrews 10:10).

Ephesians makes it clear that justification positionally before God in Salvation is not something we work towards in our own self righteous efforts (doing so is called pride). Salvation is instead a FREE GRACE GIFT from God to be received!

“For by GRACE are ye saved THROUGH FAITH; and that NOT of yourselves: it is the GIFT of God: NOT OF WORKS, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV)

.:: The Bema Seat Judgement Of Believers In Christ

All found in The Lamb’s Book Of Life will find themselves Raptured when Christ returns in the air. And each will attend the Bema Seat Judgement Of Believers By Christ. This is not a judgement of making it to Heaven or being condemned to Hell. All at this event are already in Heaven with new eternal resurrected bodies (with no more sin nature) with all their sins already forgiven and paid for by Christ on the cross. In fact, in Scriptures the word ‘sin’ is not even mentioned in the description of this judgement event. This judgement is about the service of believers for Christ AFTER Salvation. It is a judgement of rewards. It is a judgement of our works done for Christ AFTER Salvation. There will be rewards given and rewards lost. Some will weep because they lived carnally after their moment of accepting the free gift of Salvation through Christ and have no rewards. They will realize the lost opportunities they had. We all should think about this regarding our service to God. Are we working to bring people to the truth of the Gospel and allowing the Holy Spirit to work within us? Are we walking by the Flesh and not reading the Word of God to allow the Holy Spirit renew our mind by God’s truth?

We all should be to some extent, right? Work while their is daylight in the love of Christ because the Rapture event is coming very soon folks.. VERY SOON. The signs foretold in the Bible for the Great Tribulation period are starting to happen. The stage for the Psalm 83 war and Ezekiel 38-39 war in the Middle East is nearly set now. Israel became a nation again in 1948 as foretold thousands of years ago and is the number one big sign that we are now living in the last days. And if the Tribulation Period is almost upon us, the Rapture is even closer to being fulfilled!

.:: Individual Books God Keeps

God keeps perfect records of every moment and every thought we have had or will ever had. Although with our amazing brains we can forget what we have done or not done in the past, God’s memory is perfectly clear and God knows it all and remembers the sins of every person. Does that scare you? It should!

But isn’t God perfectly loving? Yes, God is perfectly loving which is why He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross so that we could be redeemed and forgiven our sins. However God is perfect in every way and that includes perfectly just and Holy. God loves us but He must judge our sins because God is perfect in EVERY WAY, including perfect in justice. God never changes and he must meet His own perfect character in every way.

If a person rejects God’s free gift of Salvation through the atonement provided by Christ on the cross then that person has chosen God’s judgment for their sins. This is pure PRIDE, boasting in our goodness all the while we are sinning.

Sound familiar? It is the sin of pride that made Satan and his fallen angels turn against God. If you believe you are good enough to get to Heaven (a perfect place where no sin can enter) based on our own ability and goodness, you are VERY WRONG. Sure, you can compare yourself to other people and say to yourself, ‘I am not as bad as that person’ and ‘I feel like I am a fairly good person’. But your feelings have NOTHING to do with your justification before God. Your feelings would be deceiving you and you are deceiving yourself.

Do not compare your goodness to other people. The Bible tells us clearly that “…all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Romans 3:23 KJV). Instead, compare yourself to our perfectly Holy God. Look at just the Ten Commandments and see how miserably you have failed to keep them. That is the fair comparison and I can tell you, we all FAIL MISERABLY. Only the Son of God Himself kept the Ten Commandments perfectly. In fact, all the Law of Moses! As the Son of God, Jesus NEVER sinned in thought nor deed. He was the perfect sacrifice for OUR sins on that cross (Hebrews 10).

.:: The Great White Throne Judgement Of The Unredeemed

In Revelation 20, at the Great White Throne Judgement of the unredeemed, all the dead unredeemed are bodily resurrected and their souls reunited. The Individual Books Of each person’s earthly life that contain all their deeds are opened. The Lamb’s Book Of Life of the redeemed and saved is also checked and their name is not found in it (they never accepted the free gift of Salvation through Christ) and so they are judged by their own personal Individual Books full of their deeds and works in their lifetime. Even if they had many good works they do not erase the sinful works and deeds they committed in their lifetime. In fact, let’s be honest that the size of that list will pale in comparison with their sins not paid for. And remember that Heaven is a perfect place where sin cannot enter. Even ONE sin is enough to disqualify a person from Heaven because that sin must be paid for and the Bible tells us that the wages of sin is eternal death:

“For the wages of sin is death; BUT the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23 KJV)

Please pay attention to the word ‘BUT’ in that verse because what follows that word in this verse is the solution for us sinners! Accepting the free gift of Salvation through the atonement of Christ! And without having accepted Christ, they have chosen to stand on their own ‘self righteous goodness’ and will be very mistaken in that choice. They have sided with the devil and his fallen angels which hell was prepared for (Matthew 25:41). And by siding with Satan and his fallen angels in pride, they too will take part in their fate which is being thrown into the Lake of Fire.

How horrible for the unredeemed who reject Christ!

The thought of it makes me shiver. And at this judgement will also be those who claim they have done many works for Christ and even in His name but they relied on their good works to save them and not by receiving the free gift of Salvation. Those who believe in Christ but rely on their good works to save them (the false works based Salvation that is running rampant in church organization in these modern times!) are also still not saved because they rely on their works to save them in pride. They will hear the most fearful words of all when Christ tells them,

“And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matthew 7:23 KJV)

Are you saved? Are you found in the Lamb’s Book Of Life?

Do not choose wrong and end up in the same place as the devil and his fallen angels in torment when Jesus came to save you from that! God wants NO ONE to perish in this way but He gives us all the free will of choice.

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all SHOULD come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9 KJV)

⇒ What Must I Do To Be Saved?

Only one thing which is not of your own self righteous efforts in any way; BELIEVE the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who paid your penalty for the sins you have committed. When a person believes this they are from that very moment saved eternally, even without saying a prayer (it is good to give Him thanks in belief, do not get me wrong!), the Holy Spirit of God indwells the person and they are SEALED and saved for all eternity!

“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye BELIEVED, ye were SEALED with that holy Spirit of PROMISE, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:13-16 KJV)

And this Scripture below shows just how much God has saved such a person for all eternity. To be with God in Heaven we must be without sin debt. In belief of the atonement provided by Christ, the person actually becomes the very righteousness of God, in Christ. An amazing truth to be so thankful for, yet many believers have not grasped how powerful our Salvation is!

“For he hath made HIM to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be MADE the righteousness of God IN HIM.” (2 Corinthians 5:21 KJV)

Because Jesus paid the penalty for our sins and has imputed the righteousness of God to us, in God’s eyes He sees us through the filter of Christ! To Him we are Holy, righteous and redeemed for all eternity. To God, all your sins (past/present/future) have all been fully paid for (1 John 2:2) and so there is now no condemnation for them that believe on Christ alone in faith and belief.

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1 KJV)

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH in him should not perish, but have EVERLASTING LIFE. For God sent NOT his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world THROUGH HIM might be saved. He that BELIEVETH on him is NOT condemned: but he that BELIEVETH NOT is condemned already, because he hath not BELIEVED in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:16-18 KJV)

RELATED ARTICLES….

Who Was The New Covenant Given Made To?

Don Gerrity Q&A: Bible Prophecy & End Times, Q&A: Israel
Who Was The New Covenant Given Made To?

I can see that some Christians, many actually, believe the New Testament is mainly for the church and the Old Testament for the Jewish peoples. However, in reality, the church has no Covenant with God of IT’s OWN. The New Testament is basically the New Covenant WITH THE JEWISH PEOPLE; with Israel.

In Jeremiah is a prophecy about the then to come New Covenant:

“Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:” (Jeremiah 31:31 KJV)

See it says ‘with the house of Israel’. That seems pretty clear right? Yes, it is.

Jesus did not make the New Covenant directly with the Church. He made it with the Nation of Israel. If you think about it a minute, when Jesus was talking with Nicodemus about having to be born again, He was a Jew, not a gentile right?

The Bible tells us that the Gospel first went to the Jews and later the Gentiles. Jesus the Christ, the anointed one, the only begotten Son of God was born a Jew through the Jewish Virgin Mary. Born in a Jewish town of Bethlehem. His ministry was in the land of Israel as we see in the book of Matthew. The New Covenant is with Israel. Christians really need to understand this because the Nation of Israel is vitally important to the world, especially for believers in Christ!

A read through Romans 11 shows that the Gentile believers are grafted in and now also heirs to the promises of the New Covenant with Israel. Believers are to stand with Israel and more so in the time in which we live!

Why would such a small piece of land in the world (it is like the size of New Jersey!) be causing all this grief? Why is the Islamic world so threatened by it? I tell you why! Because God’s prophecies tell us that when Jesus returns, Israel will be a nation!

It became a nation again on May 14, 1948! Prophecy fulfilled. From that very day Satan has been attacking Israel to thwart the physical return of Jesus Christ. Gods prophecies must be 100% accurate as God cannot lie.

Now look what is happening here in 2017. Big things regarding Israel directly tied to Islam and Satan wanting Israel and all Jews wiped off the face of the Earth. They seem to have really ramped up efforts starting on December 23, 2016 with the UN resolution to divide Israel. With that in mind, how close is the Rapture and the Second coming?

Time is short. Israel is Very Important gentile believers. Watch world events about Israel, very closely.

“Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” (Revelation 16:15 KJV)

Daniel 9:27, Antichrist: Peace Treaty or Alliance Against Israel?

Don Gerrity Q&A: Bible Prophecy & End Times
Daniel 9:27, Antichrist: Peace Treaty or Alliance Against Israel?

“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 until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.” (Daniel 9:27 KJV)

I keep hearing people say the Antichrist will make a peace treaty with Israel, yet I do not find this in Daniel. What I see is the Antichrist making a STRONG alliance (see original Greek) , an alliance WITH MANY. Even in the original Greek a peace treaty just with Israel is not what Daniel 9 is saying.

“The Hebrew Tenach says “ he will forge (give strength to) a covenant (alliance) with the great ones (Hebrew: rabim – many, strong ones) for one week. So who are these strong ones? If he is giving strength to the alliance against Israel, this alliance may already exist.” (source: https://heavenawaits.wordpress.com/what-kind-of-covenant-will-the-antichrist-really-confirm/)

Notice that even though Daniel 9 gives a timeline to 70 weeks, it does not say Israel is in agreement with the Antichrist. Israel is not really mentioned. A covenant is just an agreement or alliance. It may have nothing to do with peace. Looking at how Muslim nations are ganging up on Israel in this light is quite interesting to me!

Each time Israel has been attacked they win. We are still waiting for the Ezekiel 38 war, where the Bible Prophecy shows us that Israel will win miraculously by God. An alliance against Israel may be the result of such defeat.

When Jesus returns at the Second Coming all the nations He attacks are ALL MUSLIM NATIONS. The entire Book of Zephaniah is about the future Day of the Lord’s return and His judgment on the nations that will be going to war against Israel at that time. This is the Battle of Armageddon.

Zephaniah lists these nations and they can all be found in the Middle East today. In other words, none of them are European. (see http://p2alm.com/2013/09/23/zephaniah-names-the-nations-christ-defeats-upon-his-return-and-none-of-them-are-european/ for details)

The Antichrist will persecute Jews and Christians and all that oppose the Antichrist. How? By beheading. Does that sound like any Middle East group of peoples? Saudi Arabia..ISIS…. yes.. the rising Radical Islam.

Eyes wide open..the stage for this alliance is already starting to form. Israel’s enemies are Muslim nations. Turkey wants to head a Islam Caliphate ..so does Iran. Revelation mentions Turkey (Pergamos is in modern day Turkey) as the seat of Satan:

“And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges; I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.” (Rev 2:12-13 KJV)

The Bible tells us it all starts in Syria. Damascus will become a ruiness heap (Isaiah 17:1). Watch the news. Syria, Russia.. Turkey.. Iran..ISIS… radical Islam.. my oh my how God’s prophecies are coming to pass before our very eyes!

Yet most of the world, even in Christian circles, are unaware.

Matthew 24:37-42: Is This Really About The Rapture?

Don Gerrity Q&A: Bible Prophecy & End Times, Q&A: Difficult Passages
Matthew 24:37-42: Is This Really About The Rapture?

“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 24:40-42 KJV)

There are many people who interpret this passage of Scripture as referring to the Rapture. However, Matthew 24 is not addressing the Bride of Christ. The disciples asked Jesus when would be the time of his Second Coming and what would be the signs it is near?

Verse 29 shows us that from that verse onward Matthew is talking about the time period just after the Tribulation period and what will happen to believers and non believers.

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:” (Matthew 24:29 KJV)

So that is the context and the context is AFTER THE TRIBULATION PERIOD. Because of this Matthew 24:37-42 cannot be referring to the Rapture.

“But as the days of Noah 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 KJV)

Because verse 29 is obviously discussing events after the Tribulation Period then the reference to the “days of Noah”,  in verse 36 shown above, is also not about the Rapture as many are teaching today. The reference to the Days of Noah is being addressed to the Nation Israel just before the Second Coming.

Who Are The Taken And The Left Behind? Doesn’t That Sound Like The Rapture?

Many refer to the Rapture by the believers being taken and the unbelievers being left behind on Earth. However, in 1 Thessalonians 4 the word ‘taken’ is not the word used. The word is instead ‘caught up‘.

“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.” (1 Thessalonians 4:17 KJV)

Believers who accepted Christ’s atonement during our present church age will be caught up and off the planet swiftly at the Rapture. The Original Greek for ‘caught up ‘ in 1 Thessalonians 4: 17 is  ‘harpázō’ which means ‘properly, seize by force; snatch up, suddenly and decisively – like someone seizing bounty (spoil, a prize); to take by an open display of force (i.e. not covertly or secretly).’ 

The word for the English word ‘taken’ in the above passages of Matthew 24 is the Greek word ‘paralambanō’.  In John 14:3,  John is referring to the Rapture and he uses the same word ‘paralambanō from Greek. Because of this, this has some believing that this passage in Matthew 24 is referring to the rapture.

But Wait A Minute. A closer look at this Greek word ‘ paralambanō ‘shows that it can also have a negative meaning and that the context of the passage determines whether it is positive or negative. Let’s look at a few other Scriptures in the Greek that use this same word:

“Then the devil taketh (paralambanō) him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,” (Matthew 4:5-8 KJV)

“Then the soldiers of the governor took  (paralambanō) Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers.” (Matthew 27:27 KJV)

“Then goeth he, and taketh  (paralambanō) with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.” (Matthew 12:45 KJV)

Some Scriptures use this word in a positive manner while other Scriptures in a negative manner. So the Greek word  ‘ paralambanō ‘  being the same as in John does not in any way prove Matthew 24:40 is using the word ‘taken’ to describe when the believers are snatched away at the Rapture.

Let’s see who the ‘other left’ will be. The word ‘left’ in the original Greek is the Greek word ‘aphiēmi‘ and has the meaning of  ‘to send away, to bid going away or depart of a husband divorcing his wife’.  

This is an interesting word! Jesus referred to believers in the church age as ‘The Bride of Christ’ and as being married to Christ from the very moment of a person’s Salvation. Here the ‘left’ are just the opposite and are sent away. Also, note that in the Rapture believers are snatched away off the Earth, but those left behind are just left on Earth to live in the Tribulation Period. There will be people coming to faith in Christ during the Tribulation Period. The left behind are not all sent away in death to judgment. Many from the 7 year Tribulation Period will die in the faith of Christ as we see them arriving in Heaven in Revelation 7:13-14. But here in Matthew 24, those left are sent away in judgement.

Matthew 24:40-41 is a perfect picture of what will happen to people who survive the Great Tribulation. Those that came to faith in Christ during the Tribulation that were not martyred by beheading from the Antichrist system will be taken (paralambanō) into the 1000 year millennial reign of Christ to repopulate the Earth. While the unbeliever survivors will be killed and left/sent away (aphiēmi) in judgement to one day be resurrected at the Great White Throne judgment of non believers at the end of the 1000 year reign of Christ.

The context is clear that Matthew 24, beyond verse 29,  is speaking about a time period just after the Great Tribulation Period. That is, the last 3 1/2 years of the Tribulation Period. It is a warning of judgement for those who have not accepted Christ in faith at the Second Coming.

“But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;  And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;  The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,  And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”  (Matthew 24:49-51 KJV)

What About Daniel ?

The Second Coming is known to be at a certain day from the time the signing of the covenant with many in Daniel 9:27. Doesn’t that mean the people in the Tribulation will know the day Christ will return at the Second Coming? And if so, how can Matthew 24 be talking about anything but the Rapture?

It is true what Daniel 9:27 and Daniel 12:11-12 says,

“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 until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.” (Daniel 9:27 KJV)

“And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.” (Daniel 12:11-12 KJV)

Remember though that in the Tribulation Period the Antichrist had deceived even Jews into thinking he was the Messiah already come. A great deception will happen after the Rapture to explain what happened when millions of people disappeared from the Earth.

Those who come to faith in Christ during the Tribulation Period (because of the 144,00 Jews Evangelizing and because of the Two Witnesses God sends) will know  Christ will return. They will look toward it with anticipation. However, Matthew 24:40-41 is a WARNING to the unbelievers. To them they think the Antichrist is the Messiah already come and they will not be looking for the Second Coming of Christ and it will take them by total surprise.

Matthew 24:40-41 is not referring to the Pre-Tribulation Rapture of the church. Again, this is not to say that the Pre-Tribulation Rapture is not Biblical. It is VERY Biblical and not in debate in this article. Just that, Matthew 24: 40-41 is not referring to the Pre-Tribulation Rapture, yet many others Scriptures do.

Matthew 24:1-9, is addressed to those just before the Tribulation Period starts. It is not directly about the Rapture but we know believers are Raptured prior to the Tribulation Period so it contains signs for us today. It describes our current world time period very well in fact! And verses 10-28 are talking about what will happen once the Tribulation Period starts and has specific warnings for Israel.

But from beyond verse 29, too many believers are using Matthew 24 in reference to the Rapture when this particular book of Scripture is mainly addressing Tribulation believers and unbelievers and is a WARNING to the unbelievers of coming judgment unless they repent and accept Christ.

Matthew 24:36-37: Is This Really About The Rapture?

Don Gerrity Q&A: Bible Prophecy & End Times, Q&A: Difficult Passages
Matthew 24:36-37: Is This Really About The Rapture?

“But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.“ (Matthew 24:36-37 KJV)

These two verse of Scripture are used by many Christians to describe the Rapture of the Church, The Bride Of Christ. Am I saying there is no Pre-Tribulation Period Rapture? I am NOT saying that! In fact, The Pre-Tribulation Rapture is FULLY SUPPORTED in Scripture. I am saying that the passage of Scripture in Matthew 24:35-37 is not about the Rapture. This may come as a surprise to many because many pulpits teach Matthew 24 completely out of context and fail to understand that in Matthew 24 Jesus is talking to the Jewish peoples, the nation of Israel. You see, the church did not even exist when he told this to His disciples.

The first 3 1/2 years of the Tribulation Period may be hard times but the last 3 1/2 years is called The GREAT Tribulation. All hell will break lose on the Earth. In Matthew 24:29 is reads,

“Immediately AFTER THE TRIBULATION of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:” (Matthew 24:29 KJV)

Because verse 29 is obviously discussing events after the Tribulation Period then the reference to the “days of Noah”,  later in verse 36, is also not about the Rapture as many are teaching today. The reference to the Days of Noah is being addressed to the Nation Israel just before the Second Coming. Jesus continues telling the Disciples about what will happen AFTER the Great Tribulation and just before Christ returns at the Second Coming – not the Rapture in verses 30-31 saying,

“And THEN shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and THEN shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” (Matthew 24:30-31 KJV)

Jesus says “AND THEN” as in after these things He just spoke about happening. That is pretty clear right? Matthew 24 is NOT about the Rapture. It is addressing those alive after the 7 Year Tribulation Period and is addressing the Nation of Israel.

Who is the elect the angels are gathering?

First, when you look at the Rapture verses in 1 Thessalonians 4, no where is it showing angels gathering the elect from the the four winds of HEAVEN. Instead it says that Jesus Himself will give a SHOUT and believers will be raised from the dead, and those still alive who are believers will be changed and that we will meet Him in the air. It also shows that only believers will see Christ and that it will happen in a ‘twinkling of an eye’ (faster than a blink) . But here in Matthew 24, we see something different. We see angels gathering the elect. We see that the whole world will see Him coming. So this event is NOT the Rapture. It is about the Second coming as Jesus stated clearly in verse 29.

Who are ‘the elect’ mentioned here then?Well, in Daniel 12:1-2 we see a prophecy that is not about those Raptured. It is specifically for the time AFTER the Tribulation Period. It is the same time as spoken about by Jesus in Matthew 24.

“And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.  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.” (Daniel 12:1-2 KJV)

Notice the Elect are collected from the four winds (The Earth) , from one end of HEAVEN to the other. This is speaking about the fulfillment of the prophecy in Daniel 12. Old Testament Saints will be resurrected at this time and reunited with their new glorified bodies, as will those martyred believers from the Tribulation period.

These are those in Old Testament times and who were martyred in the Tribulation Period for their testimony, who have come to faith and belief in Christ.

Not all people will be saved in the Tribulation Period. Lots will! But most in fact will believe the Antichrist is the Messiah returned to Earth in the Tribulation. Many will fall for the great deception of the Tribulation period. This deception is likely some kind of explanation for what happened to those raptured previously. Yet there will also be a great number of people who will heed the 144,00 evangelized Jews and the 2 witnesses from the Tribulation period and will believe that Christ is Lord and will return. Most will be killed for their belief on Christ by the Antichrist (who will be Adolf Hitler on steroids). These are the ‘elect’ spoken of in this verse.

God will have His angels gather these believers saved in the Tribulation Period and relocate them to Israel in preparation for the 1000 year reign of Christ on the Earth. He has His angels gather them from where they are currently scattered all over the Earth and in Heaven. In contrast, Angels do not gather the believers at the Rapture. At the Rapture we are quickly snatched up into the cloud to meet Christ in the air. The gathering by angels and relocating them to Israel here is not about the rapture.

What Did Jesus Mean By Not Knowing The Day Nor Hour Then?

It is important to not just read Matthew verse 36 without reading the verse just before it. Again context is everything. Up until verse 34, Jesus is answering the question the disciples had of when will the Second Coming happen. At the time Jesus was telling His disciples this, they had no knowledge of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture. Information about the Rapture came later through the Apostle Paul and was revealed AFTER Jesus Ascended. Again, this answer of Jesus was for the Nation of Israel and Jewish peoples – not for the church which did not even exist at the time of Jesus answering them.

This phrase of ‘not knowing the day nor the hour’ was well known to the disciples and they knew exactly what Jesus meant by it’s use in answering their question of when the Second Coming of Christ will be.

The Jewish people have a feast called Rosh Hashanah and this feast is celebrated in our calendar month of September. The Jews used the Hebrew calendar and this Jewish feast was celebrated on the new moon. But the day nor hour was not known when that would be and they waited until the new moon appeared and then celebrated the feast. So they knew the month but not the day nor hour. And so, Rosh Hashanah is the feast where “no man knows the day or hour”! And if we watch the context in Matthew 24:29, “…the moon shall not give her light…”; the day nor hour for this will not be known. Also notice, Jesus did not say they would not know the month nor the year. It is not knowing the day nor hour only.

“For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.” (Romans 11:25 KJV)

We are living in the church age; a time period after the Jews rejected Christ and where God turned to the Gentiles. This is the dispensation of grace as Apostle Paul taught.  During the dispensation (Church Age) we now live in, Israel is blind in part to the truth. Both Jews and Gentiles can come to belief on Christ and become part of the Bride of Christ. However, Israel as a whole still does not believe Jesus’ is the Messiah foretold and they are still looking for the Messiah to come. But once the ‘fulness of the Gentiles’ happens (once every person to accept Christ does), the Rapture will happen and God will turn back to Israel, to keep His promises to them yet unfulfilled and to remove their blindness during the Tribulation Period.

The Pre-Tribulation Rapture is an ever imminent event. Once the last person who will accept Christ for salvation has been reached, it will trigger the Rapture. God foreknew all who will accept the free gift of salvation through belief on Christ and when that appointed time comes, the Rapture will happen and the Tribulation Period on Earth will begin. Daniel’s 70th week of his prophecy will begin. The church is taken to heaven and God turns back his focus to restore and save Israel who rejected Him 2000 years ago.

Remember that God is treating and fulfilling promises to Israel as well as to the Church Bride. We cannot mix this together as some do today with ‘Replacement Theology’.  Replacement theology is a teaching that states the church has replaced Israel. That is false and a very wrong teaching not taking into account dispensations. In Matthew 24, Jesus is talking strictly to the Jewish peoples and the Nation of Israel. In the end times, Israel will become a nation again and that has already happened and been fulfilled on May 14, 1948. The BIG sign that the end times have begun. That is how close we are to the Rapture folks. Very close!

“But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.“ (Matthew 24:36-37 KJV)

First, Jesus says here that at the time of His telling the disciples this, no man knoweth, no angels knoweth, but the Father only knoweth the time of Christ’s Second Coming back to Earth. Jesus Himself at the time of telling this does not seem to know the exact date either. Jesus was still in human form and His knowledge was limited. We see this in many Scriptures. Jesus only did what the Father told Him to do and say. Remember that Christ is both God and human; the God-Man. However, NOW Jesus does know the exact day and hour. He is risen and with the Father. The very start of the book of Revelation tells us this.

“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.” (Revelation 1:-2 KJV)

So Jesus knows now! He has been preparing a place for believers for 2000 years now! (John 14)

Some are teaching that Matthew 24 must be about the Rapture because it references the ‘Days of Noah’ and that the Ark was a foreshadowing of the Rapture. Well, that is true. But here it does not reference the Ark as the Rapture. The Second Coming is the focus of attention and the the focus is surely on those left behind, not those saved in the flood. Some also say this must be about the Rapture because after just going through the horrific Tribulation period, people will not be just going about as ‘business as usual’.

But just a minute here. Let’s look at what happened in Noah’s day. Noah was warning people that when his grandfather died that a flood will come. Noah knew the time the flood would come. God told him. Did Noah go about as business as usual or did that make him work at building the Ark and preach this truth to the people, while everyone else scoffed at him? You see, the day the flood came did not surprise Noah. It surprised everyone else! In the same way, during and after the Tribulation Period, the believers WILL BE looking for Christ’s return in belief. Yet those who chose to worship the Antichrist and who took the Mark of the Beast, think they already found the Christ returned and will not be looking for Jesus’ return.

We know today that when a specific event happens in the Tribulation Period, we have the time frame of the Second Coming. We do not know this today because the Rapture must take place before the Tribulation Period begins. It is what triggers the Tribulation Period beginning. But once the Tribulation Period starts, the 144,000 Jewish Evangelist for Christ will know the time frame of Christ’s return. We know  that the Second Coming will occur and it occurs  after the Abomination of Desolation during the Tribulation Period and after the Antichrist issues the decree to stop the Jewish sacrifices at the Temple. That is a very time specific prophecy from Daniel. So for the believing survivors of the Tribulation Period, they are anticipating the Lord’s coming!

But what about the unsaved survivors who were worshiping the Antichrist and his beast system of Government? They think the Antichrist; IS CHRIST already come. They are not looking for the Second Coming. The day of Christ’s Second Coming will come as a shock to them. After The Tribulation, the unbelieving world will be trying to get back to business as usual. The Tribulation hell they went through, which they will think were natural disasters almost destroying the entire world, are seemingly over. But then they will see Jesus coming. He is not returning in a flash like the Rapture. The whole world will see Him coming! Verse 30 shows this,

““And THEN shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and THEN shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.“

This is another proof that Matthew 24 is about the Second Coming and NOT the Rapture. The Rapture happens fast; faster than an eye blink! The Second Coming is something the world sees coming.  It will take them off guard just like it took those in Noah’s day off guard that did not believe Noah or God. Once the rain started, no one panicked initially until the waters started rising over the 40 days and nights. It was a progressive panic and judgement finally came.

It took a while for the waters to rise enough for their panic to set it didn’t it? But as the Lord approaches Earth from space, they will know that they were wrong. They accepted the Mark Of The Beast and there is no way of escape now. They will no doubt think that ‘the Christians were right, and we were wrong!’

“38For 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, 39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”

Now it is clear from verse 39 this is the case. Jesus says they KNEW NOT UNTIL THE FLOOD CAME. And what happened? God ‘took them all away’. The Rapture is God taking believers to Heaven. Here at the Second Coming God will ‘take them away’ in judgement and death as He did in the days of Noah. This is talking about the the Sheep and Goats Judgment explained in more detail in Matthew 25:31-46.

While answering the question about when the Second Coming would occur, Jesus answers them and then tells them that this will happen with CERTAINTY and tells the disciples,

“Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.”

Some teach this verse is telling us we cannot know the time of the Rapture. However, is that what is really being said here in proper context? I ask you this, ‘when’ will Heaven and Earth PASS AWAY? Is that to happen at the rapture? Not according to the Scriptures. There is still the Tribulation period and another 1000 years with Christ ruling on Earth right? That event was described by Peter as a time the people on Earth will not know.

“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.” (2 Peter 3:10 KJV)

This event happens at the END of the 1000 year reign of Christ on Earth. The Great White Throne judgement of non believers happens and the believers in Christ see the NEW heavens and the New Earth God creates for us. This current Earth and Heavens will burn!

Jesus is just telling the disciples that my answer to your question about WHEN the Second Coming will happen is as true as His Words NEVER passing away.  Heavens and Earth will pass away (there’s a major event!) but not Jesus words. Not the Word of God! Every word of God will be fulfilled to the exactness that only God can orchestrate.

Wait a minute.. did you miss verses 32-34?

What is that all about if this is not about Israel becoming a nation and the pre-tribulation rapture as many are teaching today? First let’s compare two different Gospels of the same event when Jesus was asking the disciples about when the Second Coming would happen:

“Now learn a parable of THE FIG TREE; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.” (Matthew 24: 32-34 KJV)

“And he spake to them a parable; BEHOLD THE FIG TREE, AND ALL THE TREES; When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.” (Luke 21:29-32 KJV)

 

There are no contradictions in the Bible, only misinterpretations. Here we see that both Matthew and Luke are writing about the same event, yet Luke does not just mention the FIG TREE and he also mentions ‘ALL THE TREES’.  So this makes it clear that these verses in Matthew 24 are not only about Israel becoming a nation in 1948. Both describe the FIG TREE and that is also used in describing Israel in Scripture. That does certainly give this interpretation merit to be about Israel becoming a nation again in the Last Days time period.  However, even without this interpretation of it describing Israel becoming a nation again,  there are in fact other Scriptures that foretold of Israel becoming a nation again and they were fulfilled in our generation. (Amos 9:14-15,Ezekiel 37:10-14,Isaiah 66:7-8,Jeremiah 16:14-15 and others.) So understand that Israel becoming a nation is most certainly foretold for the End Times, and it exists again today! We are in the End times, make no mistake about that!

It seems a double meaning in this passage; (i) Israel will blossom as a nation (ii) all these things will happen before the generation of that time is complete. But here in Matthew 24, Jesus is just telling them in plain language that you see signs before summer comes right? Trees start to bud and leaves start showing and you KNOW “Here comes summer!” Right?  Because Luke reads “all the trees” ,  Jesus is saying the same thing. When you see these signs I just told you about, know that the Second Coming is near. Again, this is talking to the Nation of Israel and the Jewish peoples after the Tribulation Period because of the context Jesus provided in Matthew 24:29 and just before Christ Returns to Earth. So although there is merit in this verse being about Israel’s rebirth as a nation, we need to keep sharp focus on who this is addressed to specifically and that is not the Church age believers, but the Tribulation believers. It is not a prophecy for the Bride of Christ and those already Raptured. After all, we will be the ones returning WITH Christ at His Second Coming.

Where Will Believers Be During The 1000 Year Reign Of Christ On Earth?

Don Gerrity Q&A: Bible Prophecy & End Times
Where Will Believers Be During The 1000 Year Reign Of Christ On Earth?

“ In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” ( John 14:2 KJV )

The word ‘place’ in this passage of Scripture in the original Greek is the word ‘topos’ and is  a NOUN meaning  ‘a place, region, seat‘.  This is a real physical place  that Christ started preparing for us after His ascension 2000 years ago. It will be the physical dwelling place of Christ and home to the Saints (all believers from the Old Testament and New Testament times). The Bible calls this place the New Jerusalem, and the Heavenly City Of Jerusalem. At the Rapture event, believers will find themselves in this place, with new immortal bodies that are both physical and spiritual, just as Christ has (1 John 3:2).

“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.”
(1 Thess. 4:17 KJV)

At the Second Coming at the end of the Tribulation period, the Bride of Christ from our current dispensation come back to Earth with Christ leading them. Old Testament Saints will be bodily resurrected at this time.  When believers come then where do they come from? Heaven or the New Jerusalem?

“And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” (Rev. 21:2 KJV)

The New Jerusalem is “prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” (Rev 21:2). No coincidence there. Jesus calls all who believe and accept Him as Lord and Savior as the Bride of Christ to whom Christ is married in union forever.  And you see that it does not say the New Jerusalem is heaven, it says it is “coming down OUT of heaven”. It is clearly the physical dwelling place of the Bride of Christ. The New Jerusalem now resides in the third Heaven where God’s throne is located. This verse in Revelation 21:2 is going to happen when Christ begins His rule on Earth at His 2nd Coming. All on the Earth will see this place coming towards Earth. It will be the brightest thing in the sky! They will hide themselves from what they see coming from space. Previously raptured Church Age believers will find themselves in this ‘place prepared’ for us. It is where we will be going at the Harpazo Rapture event. It is the eternal dwelling place of Church Age believers. How blessed are we! Some teach the Heavenly City, The New Jerusalem, does not come down out of heaven until after the 1000 year Kingdom Age but it is a misunderstanding of reading. More info on that here.

We know the New Jerusalem is a physical place in our universe because this Scripture is telling us that after the Millennium it will land on the Newly created Earth. It is described as massive in size with length height and depth equally 1500 miles long each! (So it’s in our physical 3D universe). Likely a cube or possibly a huge pyramid. A massive place that would easily hold billions of believers with vast room to spare! Much too large to reside on the Earth in the Kingdom Age.

the New Jerusalem

If we look at Rev 20:9 it describes the final rebellion after Satan is released for a short time near the end of the 1000 year Reign of Christ on Earth.

“And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.” (Revelation 20:9 KJV)

Let us look at this verse as written in the Greek to gain a better understanding about this beloved city.

It says that those rebelling against Christ  and being led by Satan, “went UP on the BREADTH of the Earth”. The original Greek word for  ‘UP’ is ‘anabainō ‘ and means ‘to climb..ascend ‘. The original Greek the word ‘BREADTH’ is ‘platos ‘ and means ‘a great extent’. The original Greek word for ‘EARTH’ is ‘gē’ and means ‘the earth as a whole, the earth as opposed to the heavens’.

This verse mentions two locations. One is the camp of the saints and the other the ‘BELOVED city’. It does not state one place being attacked in this final rebellion led by the devil. It seems to indicate an attack on the camp of the saints on Earth and a Beloved City. Is this the city of Jerusalem on Earth? Is that the beloved city? Another question comes to mind and that is, won’t believers be found all around the globe and not just in this camp on Earth? So who exactly is the devil and the rebellious humans trying to attack? Well, who is ruling and reigning on Earth? Who is running the world system at that time? Jesus and the resurrected saints, that’s who! Everyone else is still mortal from the start of the Kingdom Age, who are the ones who repopulated the Earth in mortal human bodies. It seems like the devil and those siding with him, will attack two places where Jesus and the saints reside.

“…and compassed the camp of the saints about, AND the beloved city…”

Ephesians 1:6 shows believers are the ‘beloved’ and it is the very same word as used here in Rev 20 in the Original Greek. It is the Greek word ‘agapaō ‘.

The Camp of the Saints is not a place of permanence. The saints place of permanence that Jesus is preparing for us (John 14) is the New Jerusalem which is right now residing in Heaven.  At the Second Coming, glorified Saints will return with Christ from Heaven, where the New Jerusalem is now located and will be ruling and reigning on Earth with Christ. Apparently, we will be ruling and reigning from this ‘camp’, which is headquartered in Jerusalem where Christ rules on Earth from. Just like an army has stations around the globe, it is a remote camp that is away from the homeland. This is a camp on Earth where the Saints reside while away from home in the New Jerusalem, ruling with Christ on Earth.

Satan and those who side with him for this final rebellion are where? They are on the Earth. So what is this great distance to the BELOVED CITY all about then? It seems to be the very city where Jesus is sitting on the throne on Earth; the city of Jerusalem on Earth.  Those siding with Satan will come from all over the Earth, wherever they are, in a final rebellion against Christ and the Saints. And they will be utterly defeated as God send fire from Heaven (space) and kills them all physically.

Revelation 5 shows us that all glorified at the Rapture event may have been raptured to the third Heaven and the  New Heavenly Jerusalem, but we will also be made kings and priests and will be ruling and reigning with Christ in the Kingdom Age, which is the 1000 Year Reign of Christ and His saints on Earth.

“And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign ON THE EARTH.”(Revelation 5:9-10 KJV)

It may also be that ruling saints are able to travel between Earth and their real home in the New Jerusalem in Heaven during the Kingdom Age. We will already have been resurrected and have the same body characteristics that Jesus now has. That is a possibility too. Maybe, we go back and forth between the New Jerusalem and the temporary ‘camp’ on the Earth for our duties in the Kingdom Age as Kings and Priests. Whatever the case will actually be, God will give us meaningful and purposeful work in the ruling of the world during the Kingdom age; the 1000 year reign of Christ over the Earth. The Bible gives us some clues about what we will be doing in the Millennium Reign of Christ. The Saints will be judges (Psalms 149:9) and officers of peace (Isaiah 60:17). Some Saints will be made kings in helping Christ rule (Job 36:7) and some will be teachers (Jeremiah 3:15) likely all will teach to some degree). These Scriptures show us that these are very plausible ways working the Saints will perform in the coming Kingdom on Earth.

With in-corrupt bodies that never die, the Saints have the same kind of body that Jesus has since His resurrection. After His resurrection Jesus walked around on Earth for 40 days! He just appeared through a locked door when He greeted the Disciples and scared the gajeebies out of them at first. (Yes God does have a sense of humour!). Jesus could walk through locked doors. He appeared out of now where. He disappeared from one place and was in another place instantaneously. The Saints will have that same ability and will instantaneously be able to leave the New Jerusalem and appear on Earth to rule and reign. This is speculation though as the Bible is not really clear on this. We know that on Earth is a CAMP – not a place of permanence. It is a temporary dwelling.  That could be referencing just that we will be away from our real home, the New Jerusalem in the third Heaven until the end of the 1000 Kingdom Age when it will descend out of the third Heaven. Or it could mean we still reside there and go back and forth to the camp on Earth and it will still descend from the third Heaven later.  The Bible does not seem to be clear on this because the focus is the Kingdom Age and the fact that we will be ruling and reigning with Christ, and the final defeat of satan and his angels, and all who go alog with him will be done with and over.

There will also be vast knowledge about Christ and Salvation in Christ during the Kingdom Age. He is here RULING physically on Earth! The saints (believers Raptured) will be doing as Christ did in His first coming to Earth; teaching in love, the truth while also ruling in judgement to keep the Earth at complete peace. Toward the end of the 1000 years though we see that a massive number of people are rejecting Christ and Satan is released from his imprisonment to deceive them and gather them together for one final rebellion against Christ. They will be swiftly defeated and killed by Christ.

What About The Rebuilt Earthly Temple In Israel?

The Bible tells us that the Rebuilt Temple in Israel will be in full operation during the Kingdom period. During the Millennium Israel will perform daily sacrifices as was in Old Testament days. But didn’t Christ already pay for the sins? The Saints are already in their immortal perfect state of being now? Why go back to the Old Testament Sacrifices? For the same reasons the Jewish people did in the Old Testament days. It was never done to atone for their sins, but was done as a foreshadowing of what the Messiah (Jesus Christ) would do on the cross in their future. It was a remembrance of what Christ WILL DO to forgive them of their sins. Those in the Millennial Reign of Christ will do this, not to atone for sins; Christ already did that in the past tense. The sacrifices begin again as reminder to those mortal humans born in the Millennium Reign of Christ just how horrible sin is. As a remembrance looking back at what Christ did on the cross.

Christ will rule the nations with a ‘rod of iron’ (Revelation 2:5, Revelation 19:15). Jesus once came to us as a baby in a manager, as our Savior. At the Second Coming He comes as the Lion of Judah, in power. He comes to thwart Satan and take over the world. Believe me when I say that today Satan rules much of the world system. The media, the governments, religions, even many so called ‘Christian’ religions! Our music and television. The Internet. Advertising. Corporate marketing, corporate greed. Look closely and you can see how deceived we really are. Satan has deceived the whole world! (Revelation 12:9) The Bible is the only thing telling us the truth! And the truth in believing and receiving Christ’s atonement as Gods only begotten Son, is the only way out of receiving the wrath of God coming upon the world.

There will be swift and severe consequences for evil and disobedience to the mortal humans living in the Millennium.  Jesus will make the world such a wonderful place to be. There will be no more war (Isaiah 2:4). Mortal humans will live long lives. So long that living 100 years old will be looked at as a curse by God. (Isaiah 65:20-22).

Jesus is ruling in strictness now. Some who rebel against Him will be given short lives and others put to death even. Rebellion will not be tolerated. He will not allow vast rebellions any longer.

Satan has been bound for the entire 1000 years and can not deceive the people. Even though Satan is bound and unable to influence humankind, those born in the Millennium still have the fleshly sin nature. They can still sin. They still need to make a choice to accept the Salvation provided by Christ! They can also and will eventually die as mortals. The sacrificing  is restarted because they need to know how severe a consequence sin is. Blood is required. The blood of Christ! As the Old Testament Jewish peoples used the Sacrifices to remind them what Jesus would do on the cross in their future to forgive their sins, the Millennial people on Earth will have it to remind them the great sacrifice Jesus Christ accomplished in blood, in their past, to redeem them. To show them how terrible sin really is. To show them their need for Salvation.

The Bema Seat Judgement Of The Bride

Don Gerrity Q&A: Bible Prophecy & End Times, Q&A: Judgement Of Believers
The Bema Seat Judgement Of The Bride

Are All People Judged By God At The Same Time?

I see this many times where a person mentions that everyone will be judged and that those not found in the Lambs Book Of Life will not enter heaven. Where does this come from? What Scripture are they referring too? If you do a search for the phrase “Lamb’s Book Of Life” in the Bible there is only ONE VERSE containing this phrase. That makes it a very specific Scripture and we need to look at the context of the verse to see who this is speaking about.

” And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” (Revelations 21:27 KJV)

Where is it they will ‘in no wise enter’? What is Revelation 21 speaking about? Let’s go back a few verses to see. Let’s go to the very first two verses in Revelation 21 where we find the answer to this question.

“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” (Revelation 21:1-2 KJV)

It is very clear that Revelation 21 is talking about the NEW heavens and the NEW Earth that God sends us to AFTER the 1000 year reign of Christ on the current Earth on which we now live. This is not talking about those of us now living in the Age of Grace. It is also not talking about Old Testament Saints. It is talking about those after the 1000 year reign of Christ.

There Are Two Returns Of Christ

A time is soon coming that Jesus will return for His Bride, that is all believers in Christ. Those who have accepted His gift of eternal life through the atonement provided by Christ on the cross. He will return first in the clouds and will call all believers in the graves to rise again with immortal bodies and meet Him in the air. Then those believers that remain and are alive on Earth will instantly be changed to immortal bodies and will also meet Christ in the air. (see, 1 Thessalonians 4) This event is referred to by many as the Rapture of the Church, or the Rapture of the Bride. You can read more about this event in my other article The Rapture.

After a 7 year period on Earth for those left behind (known as the Tribulation Period in the Bible) Jesus Christ will return, along with His Bride that was Raptured. Christ will this time set His feet on the Earth. This event is called The Second Coming of Christ. There will be many events that take place in the Tribulation and the Second Coming of Christ that are too vast for the current topic but you can read up on these events as there is a lot of material on this subject. It is a fascinating topic and very relevant to our current time and on God’s timetable for history.

During the Tribulation time period many will come to Christ and be saved. Most will lose their life in doing so as the Antichrist persecutes them.(Revelation 6:9) Those believers who survive the Antichrist’s assaults will remain on the Earth to repopulate in the 1000 year reign of Christ on Earth. Christ will have His Arch angel grab Satan, bound him in chains, and cast him into the bottomless pit for 1000 years. (Revelation 20:1-3) Christ and His Bride return and take over the world governments and the world system. Christ will flip everything back to the way it was in Eden, before the fall of humankind. For 1000 years Satan will not be able to affect, nor infect, people with his deceptions of pride.

First The Rapture, Then The Bema Seat of Christ

After the Rapture of the Bride of Christ believers will find themselves at a ceremony called the Bema Seat of Christ.

At the Bema Seat Rewards Judgement (1 Corinthians 3) of believers by Christ Himself, you can see that believers may lose rewards and gain rewards by their good works for Christ. However, understand that this Bema judgement is similar to an athletic competition ceremony. It is not punitive against sins committed because those at this judgement are already Raptured and have new immortal bodies without the fleshly sinful mind present.

In fact, the words “sin or sins” is not even found regarding this judgement of believers. Their sins on Earth were already judged on the cross in Jesus Christ. The Bema Seat is where Christ will have us give an account of our lives after our moment of salvation and is based on our MOTIVES for the works we do for God.

God always looks at a persons motives. Those works that were done in the flesh (that is by us attempting to do them for the wrong human reasons) will mean a loss of reward. Those works done with the right motives for God and by the Holy Spirit through us will receive reward. That is, by what we do and why we did the works. So yes, it is important to want to please God and be involved in His work. Yet, even a person who accepted Christ with no works will still be saved and in heaven yet with little or no reward. (1 Corinthians 3:13) Everyone will suffer some loss of rewards and gain of rewards. Some may not receive a reward and feel some shame about it. But overall the feeling is like that of school graduation or an Olympic rewards ceremony. It is a positive event and all at this Bema Seat event are all in Heaven where joy abounds in ways that we cannot yet even comprehend fully right now here on Earth.

Paul describes life after salvation as a race to press toward knowing what awaits at the finish line. As a new believer, your number one goal is to learn about God and His ways (Here is a Quick start for knowing about what God is really like). Start reading the Bible. Use the free study guides found online – there are thousands! The more you know the Bible, the more the Holy Spirit is working in you and guiding you in your life. Your salvation happened in a single moment in time, appointed by God and now the Holy Spirit of God lives within you and will teach you all things. He will start to sanctify you which continues increasingly throughout your life until that day when you will be resurrected at the Rapture. Just pray to your heavenly Father for Him to help and He will. I guarantee you that!

Jesus says to believers,“And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” (Revelation 22:12 KJV)

The Great White Throne Judgement Of The Unredeemed

After the 1000 year reign of Christ that starts with The Second Coming Of Christ Satan will be set free from the bottomless pit for a short while. He will again start to deceive people and turn some against Christ. This is Satan’s last effort to take over the throne of God. Christ defeats Satan and all those with him and utterly destroys them all and they all die. Something that most in the reign of Christ will not do, that is be killed and die.

The next event we see is called The White Throne Judgement. This is what Revelation was speaking of when it tells us that only those in the Lamb’s Book Of Life shall enter the NEW HEAVENS and the NEW EARTH. At the White Throne judgement all the unredeemed and who the Bible calls ‘the wicked’ will be resurrected. But for these, it is too late. They never accepted the pardon for their sins through Christ and so they will be judged by their sins. The books of John and Mark make this clear,

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” (John 3: 16-19)

“He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” (Mark 16:16)

No one at this judgement will be the Bride of Christ. No one here being judged will be saved and enter the NEW HEAVENS nor the NEW EARTH that God has prepared for the redeemed. They all stand condemned. Some would say, how can a loving God condemn someone to a lake of fire forever? That is so wrong a question to ask. God punished us through Christ so that we would not perish an eternity in hell. A person asking this does not know God. Nor God’s never changing attributes.

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:14-18 KJV)

The deciding factor in being found in the Lamb’s Book Of Life is not whether you have ever sinned. We ALL HAVE SINNED! The deciding factor is not the works you do after you have been saved. The deciding factor is whether or not you have accepted Christ’s free gift and pardon for your sins through the atonement He provided on the cross 2000 years ago!

You see here that it mentions when ‘Moses lifted up the serpent’. What does that mean? This is referring to what happened during the Exodus of the Jewish people from Egypt as slaves. During the Exodus we can see how the Hebrews saved out of Egypt grumbled against God. They just seen some pretty amazing works of God to save them from Pharaoh right? Water turned to blood. Frogs gone wild. Grasshoppers galore. And let’s not forget the Red Sea PARTING and they went across it on DRY LAND! And yet we see this…

“And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.

Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.

And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.” (Numbers 21: 5-8 KJV)

Notice that it took an unpleasant event to make them come to their senses. In this case, it was such unbelief in RESTING in God, that God sent a severe punishment and it says ‘much’ died‘. How about your life? You know, God disciplines those He loves. What loving father does not discipline their children? If we do, how much more does God?

When they were remorseful they came to Moses and admitted they sinned. Then God had Moses do something you may not expect. He did not tell Moses to tell these people they had to do penance. He did not tell them they needed to ‘do this’ or ‘do good works’. No God instructed Moses to create and lift up a serpent and whoever was bitten by a deadly snake, shall live. God required only two things from the people. These two requirements are to admit your sin, and to look at the serpent (by doing so you are believing it can save you). Repent and believe. If you know the New Testament this should sound very familiar to you!

“And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.” (Mark 1:15 KJV)

Now you can see more clear what is being said in John 3, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”

What happened in Numbers 21 was a foreshadowing of what Christ would do at the cross and to be saved from eternal death we need to repent and believe in the COMPLETE and finished work of Christ on the cross to forgive us ALL our sins.

And that is done not by what you do. But by looking to Christ, in belief, that as the Son Of God He will save you.

Matthew 25: The Parable Of The Ten Virgins; Rapture Or The Second Coming?

Don Gerrity Q&A: Bible Prophecy & End Times, Q&A: Parables Of Jesus
Matthew 25: The Parable Of The Ten Virgins; Rapture Or The Second Coming?

Each of the four Gospels in the New Testament have a specific focus and different perspectives on the events during Jesus’ Earthly ministry showing us a complete package of truths about the Gospel. In Matthew, Jesus was primarily focused on the Jewish peoples who were believing that the way to be justified with God is by keeping the Law of Moses, which including the Ten Commandments has 613 rules to follow. Keeping them all is REQUIRED for justification and it is clear that it would be a most impossible task to keep them all. Jesus’ brother James even states so in James 2:10,

“For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” (James 2:10 KJV)

When we are reading Matthew 24 and 25, we need to keep this perspective in sharp focus to see the Prophecies correctly, watching the context closely. The Gospel according to Matthew is aimed primarily at Israel as God’s people, at the Jew, the person familiar with the Old Testament. In Matthew, we see time and time again, that the focus of Jesus teachings is to thwart the wrong idea that Law following will make a person righteous. That is why  Jesus is shown to be the Son of David in Matthew (Isaiah 11:1; Matthew 1:1). This unique title shows that Matthew is also about the Kingdom Age to come as Jesus will one day sit on The Throne of David as a fulfilled prophecy to Israel in particular. The Church has NOT replaced Israel as some are teaching in reformed theology today. God gave specific promises to Israel and they have not all been fulfilled. In fact, these promises are not for the Church Age believers but for Israel in the End Times.

In Matthew 24, Jesus was asked by His disciples,

“…Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” (Matthew 24:3 KJV)

At this point, all the disciple knew about was the foretold coming of Messiah and His Earthly Kingdom Age to come. This Kingdom Age is what the disciples were asking Jesus about. At that point in time, the idea of a Harpazo Rapture was not even known. The risen Christ did not reveal that until after His ascension when He gave the knowledge of the Rapture as a “mystery” revealed to Apostle Paul (1 Cor. 15:51). So Matthew 24 is not addressed to Church Age believers between the cross and the day of the Harpazo Rapture; the quick and forceful snatching away of Church Age believers to meet the Lord in the air. The very context shows this to be truth as well and so Matthew 24, and even Matthew 25, is NOT addressed to the Bride of Christ. Instead it is directed to the Jewish people (and all Gentiles alive at this future time) just prior to, during and after the time of Jacobs Trouble, what we refer to today as The Tribulation Period, and in specific the last 3 1/2 years called The Great Tribulation Period,  as foretold through Daniel’s 70 week prophecy from the Old Testament and the Book Of Revelation. The Rapture event will happen before this 7 year period of time begins. The Bride of Christ will be removed before we see the bulk of Matthew 24 and 25 even occurring. A close look at the context makes this truth even more clear. when we keep to a literal interpretation of Scripture.

There are many pulpits and believers teaching that Matthew 25 is all about the Rapture of Church Age believers. Yet, the context shows otherwise. The Parable of the Ten Virgins is not about the Bride of Christ nor the Rapture. The Sheep and Goats Judgment is not about the Bride of Christ either. Just one word, the very first word of Matthew 25 proves the context is not about the Rapture nor the Bride of Christ.

“THEN shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

 

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. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

 

Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

 

Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.”  (Matthew 25:1-14 KJV)

At first glance one might conclude this parable is talking about the Pre-Tribulation Rapture of believers in Christ. However, after closer inspection we can see clearly that this parable is given to those who were left behind at the Pre-Tribulation Rapture of church age believers and Israel left behind at the Rapture. It is referring to those living in what the Bible calls The Tribulation Period, the beginning of Daniel’s 70th week prophesy. A 7 year period of time in the end times between the Pre-Tribulation Rapture and the Second Coming of Christ with His Bride (saved church age believers; us today who believe on Christ for salvation).

Matthew 25 starts with the very first word being, “–THEN–“.  I ask you, when is the then?  The very first word is showing a very clear context not to be ignored. Remember that the book of Matthew was one continuous work and chapters were added later to the Bible for our referencing. So when is the then? We need to go back into Matthew 24 and follow it back to verse 29:

“Immediately —AFTER THE TRIBULATION– of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:” (Matthew 24:29 KJV)

Matthew 25 and The Parable of the Ten Virgins is all about and addressing the survivors of the Tribulation Period and not the Church. The parable is not referring to the Pre-Tribulation Rapture at the end of the Church Age, even though many pulpits are teaching such. They are ignoring the very context of the very first word in Matthew 25.

A Quick Brief Overview From Daniel’s Timeline Prophecy Of Human History

If we look at Daniel’s End Time Portion of the 70 weeks that God revealed to him to write down for us today to understand (Daniel did not understand the prophecy but God said it is for those living in the last days to understand), we see that Messiah would be ‘cut off’ and this happened at the exact time Daniel wrote down when Christ died on the cross and paid for the sins of the whole world. This happened at the end of the 69th week of Daniel’s prophecy.  Israel had rejected Jesus as the Messiah and crucified Him. Jesus died and paid for the sins of the whole world on that cross (1 John 2:2) and He rose again, and sent His disciples to preach the Gospel of salvation and ascended to the Father.

Jesus later met Saul, the persecutor of Christians, showed him the truth and Paul was saved.  Jesus then sent Paul to preach the Gospel of Grace to the Gentiles. The Jews rejected Christ and so now God turns to save the Gentiles (all non Jews).  Of course, in the church age, whether a person is Jewish or Gentile; they can both be saved and become part of The Bride Of Christ. The CHURCH AGE had begun, which is a pause in  Daniel’s 70 weeks of years prophecy timeline of human history. This age is the age we presently still live within and we are actually living in the very last days of the Church Age.

After the Pre-Tribulation Rapture of church age believers happens, this Church Age will end and Daniel’s 70th week will start. This will be the start of a 7 year period of time known as the Tribulation Period in which is the time of ‘Jacob’s Trouble’.  (Jacob means Israel so it is Israel’s trouble’). Once Church age believers are taken off the Earth by the Lord Himself at the Pre-Tribulation Harpazo Rapture Event, He then turns back to save the remnant of Israel and anyone living at that time who will believe Christ is still to come.

We must remember that God made covenants and promises to the Jewish people. He will deliver these promises to Israel after the Rapture as well. God is handling the people of Israel (Jewish peoples) differently than the Christian believers in Christ from our current dispensation and Church Age of Grace. Believers in Christ’s act of atonement on the cross as the only means of receiving salvation will be Raptured 7 years prior to the end of the Tribulation period of the last days. The Tribulation period starts with the Antichrist making a covenant with many nations and not necessarily right at the Rapture.

Because the Jewish people are still looking for their Messiah (that is they do not recognize Jesus as the Messiah yet) they will be left behind at the Rapture just as any person that has not accepted the pardon for sin that Christ offers each of us. God will raise 144,000 Jewish believers in Christ during the Tribulation Period who will start evangelizing those left behind who will announce that Christ’s Second Coming is soon upon them.

It is to the end of the Tribulation Period that this parable in Matthew 25 is referring. Now, I know many people think this parable is all about the church and the soon coming Rapture event. Maybe you were taught that? However, it is not talking about that event. It is talking about a time AFTER the Rapture and at the end of the Tribulation Period. It is talking about those from the Tribulation Period that will be permitted (or not be permitted) to enter the Kingdom Age on Earth (the 1000 year Millennial reign of Christ on Earth starting at the Second Coming.)

Reason Why This Parable Is NOT About The Rapture Event

⇒ First, the parable is talking about “virgins” not the “Bride of Christ”.

Jesus Himself makes it very clear that believers in Christ are the BRIDE OF CHRIST. Believers are married to Christ in a very intimate way. The Holy Spirit resides within a believer and you can’t get much closer.

Many Scriptures in the Bible show the relationship between believers and Christ in our church age as a marriage relationship:

“For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.” (Ephesians 5:23 KJV)

And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.” (Matthew 9:15)

“He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.” (John 3:29)

“And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” (Revelation 21:2)

“Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.” (Revelation 19:9)

Paul speaking about how believers in Christ are liberated from the curse of the Law says this,

“Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man. Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye SHOULD BE MARRIED TO ANOTHER, EVEN TO HIM (Jesus) who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.” (Romans 7:1-4 KJV, “(Jesus)” added for clarity)

In Matthew 22, Jesus in another parable talks of a king (God) which made a marriage (with believers, the Bride of Christ), for His son (Jesus):

“The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding:… ” (Matthew 22:3 KJV)

After the Tribulation period and at the Second Coming of Christ there will be a “Marriage Supper” Of The Lamb (Christ is the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world). In Revelation 21, believers Raptured are called the Bride and Lamb’s wife.

“And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” (Revelation 21:9 KJV)

There are many more examples in the Scriptures making it clear that our relationship with Jesus is that of a Bride and the Bridegroom being Jesus Christ.

⇒ Second, Believers Are Already Married to Christ at the moment of Salvation.

The parable of the Ten Virgins references “Virgins” and “Bridesmaids” but not “The Bride of Christ”. This is a key point to understanding that this parable of Jesus is not intended for the church age of grace but for the Tribulation Period of time in the last days AFTER the Rapture has already occurred.

Believers become married to Christ at the moment of Salvation when the two, become one.

“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.” (John 14:16-20 KJV)

Seeing that believers are married to Christ, they are NOT virgins nor Bridesmaids. Throughout the Bible, Believers are called the Bride of Christ and not the Virgins of Christ.

Who Are The Virgins Then?

The interesting fact is that while the believers in Christ, the saved, are called The Bride Of Christ throughout the New Testament, Virgins talk about being Israel in the Old Testament, the Jewish peoples.

In fact, in Jeremiah 31 is a prophecy about the rebirth of Israel as a nation in the end times. Israel was reborn as a nation on May 15, 1948 in our present day and age and is a fulfillment and big sign that we are living in the last days of the age of grace RIGHT NOW! And since that is true, the Pre-Tribulation Rapture is even closer.

“Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O VIRGIN OF ISRAEL: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry. Thou shalt yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria: the planters shall plant, and shall eat them as common things. For there shall be a day, that the watchmen upon the mount Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto the Lord our God. For thus saith the Lord; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations: publish ye, praise ye, and say, O Lord, save thy people, the remnant of Israel. Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither. They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn. Hear the word of the Lord, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock. For the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he. Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all.

 

(Verse 13=>) Then shall THE VIRGIN rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.” (Jeremiah 31: 1-13 KJV)

You can see in the 13th verse it says “THEN SHALL THE VIRGIN REJOICE…”. That is all inhabitants of the end time reborn Nation of Israel are called “virgins”. The Virgins are clearly people left behind at the Rapture. This includes, the Jewish peoples and proclaiming Christians, (went to church, did good works but never accepted Christ’s atonement by faith).

Jesus warned proclaiming Christians sternly that their good works will not save them in Matthew 7:21-23, not even ‘many wonderful works’ they did in their life will save them. Instead, at the Great White Throne Judgment Seat they will hear the scariest words of all by Christ, “I never knew you” as they are condemned for rejected Christ’s gift of salvation (Eph. 2:8-9) and eternal life by belief on him (John 3:14-18, 36, John 6:37-40) and HIS ‘once for all’ final blood atonement (Hebrews 10:10) for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2).

They will have believed Satan’s greatest deception; that we are saved because we were a  ‘good person’. Because they attended church services and did many wonderful works and even used the name of Jesus. Outwardly they looked like saved people but they never trusted in Christ alone for salvation. We see this is rampant in these last days in organized church religions.  The false ‘Works for Salvation’ false gospel.  Yes, true believers have good works but those come only from Christ living within us (Ephesians 2:10) by the new creation in our Spirit (2 Cor. 5:17-21).  Our wonderful good works never save us nor keep us saved (Galatians 3, 5:4-5); only belief on Christ and HIS FINISHED WORK paying for or sins on the cross saves us.

During The Tribulation Period (after the Rapture event has occurred) the Bible describes how the Antichrist will take control of the world with a worldwide government and will eventually proclaim himself to be God. He will deceive the world into believing He is the Messiah come as prophesied. There will be Jewish and Christian (in profession only) peoples that will be deceived into believing this. Bible prophecy gives us a very clear timetable of when the Second Coming of Christ will happen but not to the precise day from the signing of the Antichrist’s covenant with many.  So why is this event taking them by surprise?

God will be sending up 144,000 Jews, who become believers in Christ and Two high profile Witnesses (Moses and Elijah), with great signs and wonders, who are sent to proclaim the truth about Christ and His soon Second Coming.  To preach that the Antichrist is NOT God. So to this group of believers during the Tribulation Period, it will not come as a surprise when Christ returns to the Earth.

However, for the vast majority alive during the Tribulation Period, who were deceived by the Antichrist and turned not to Christ in belief, His Second Coming will come as a complete SHOCK. They won’t be looking for Christ because they believe the Antichrist is the God-man, already come. They will in fact be shocked and later when Christ “closes the door” to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb they will realize the truth and in desperation knock on the door to enter. But it is too late and they will hear instead the words of Christ “I never KNEW you” on their judgment day.

Lamps, Oil and Extra Oil

LAMPS: The Prophetic Word Of God

To understand the parable you need to understand that the LAMP is the WORD OF GOD, or to the Jewish peoples called the “Torah” and all the prophecies about what will happen in the time of the Tribulation – just as Jesus stated in Matthew 24. Again for real understanding in God’s word, we must look at other Scriptures to see what is meant by the word LAMP.

Here is two verses telling us what the LAMP represents from the Old Testament (Torah):

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Psalm 119:105 KJV)

“For thou art my lamp, O Lord: and the Lord will lighten my darkness.” (2 Samuel 22:29 KJV)

A lamp is a LIGHT. The prophetic word of God is the lamp that shows us the truth in the darkness of the world. The Psalms have lots to say about the Tribulation period for Israel and so it is a PROPHETIC LAMP.  Here in Matthew 24 and 25 it is all about the darkness of the Tribulation Period. To watch and NOT be deceived by the Antichrist. So the lamp is the PROPHETIC Word of God. Many will fall for the lie that Antichrist is God returned; their Messiah. They will think they were right that Jesus was not the Messiah 2000 years ago.  And instead be deceived into believing the Antichrist is God.

The Holy Spirit within believers and working through believers, leaves Earth at the Pre-Tribulation Rapture. After that the Holy Spirit works with men as in the days of the Old Testament. Tribulation believers will not be indwelt by the Holy Spirit as we are today in the Church Age of God’s Grace, as Apostle Paul taught. And for those in the time of the Tribulation prophetically they will be taught by the 144,000 evangelists to not fall for the lie of the Antichrist.

OIL: The Holy Spirit & The Need For Enduring In Belief

What does the oil reference then? Are they willing to take heed to the PROPHETIC TRUTH of Scripture (The LAMP) regarding the Second coming of Christ or not? The LAMP holds the oil. The Lamp IS the prophetic Scripture. The 144,000 evangelists will be preaching the true prophetic Scripture to show the people not to worship the Antichrist nor take the Mark of the Beast. To tell the people not to believe the twisting of the Prophetic Scriptures which the Antichrist has been preaching. The Prophetic Scripture that Jesus is the true Messiah and He will still be coming soon. I believe that how much oil is related to how much is the nation Israel heeding the prophetic Scripture regarding this time during the Tribulation and after the Tribulation (Matthew 24:29).

You can see in Matthew 25:3 that the “foolish virgins” took their lamps. That is they studied and know that in the Torah, are PROPHETIC SCRIPTURES about the event of the Second Coming of Christ. They have the PROPHETIC WORD. But do they believe He is coming back or is the Antichrist God returned already?

In the Tribulation Period, the 144,000 Evangelized Jews believing Jesus is the TRUE Messiah, and NOT the Antichrist, will be sharing the truth of the PROPHETIC SCRIPTURE, warning the people to not be deceived by the Antichrist to take the Mark of the beast nor to worship him!  That is, they were presented with the Gospel of Christ and His soon coming 1000 year Kingdom Age on Earth and believed on Christ as Lord and Savior.  The foolish virgins did not believe until the end when Christ actually returns at the Second Coming event but it will be too late and they will find themselves shut out of the 1000 year Kingdom Age, the 1000 year rule of Christ on Earth.

Throughout Scripture OIL is a term used to represent the Holy Spirit. For us today, living in the Church Age, when we believe in Christ for Salvation, we are SEALED with the indwelling Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14, 2 Corinthians 1:22, 2 Cor. 5:17-21, Colossians 2). However, after the Rapture, the church age will end and those left behind and living during the 7 year Tribulation Period, and afterwards, will have the Holy Spirit working with them as it was before the church age began in Old Testament times. Those who become believers during the Tribulation Period and before Christ’s return will need to endure the persecution of the Antichrist, and yet remain believing to be spared. They will need to ‘endure to the end’ as we see in Revelation 14:12 and 16:15.

“Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” (Revelation 14:12 KJV)

“Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” (Revelation 16:15 KJV)

Some are teaching these verses apply to The Church Age believers today but that is not correct by Paul’s teachings of the Gospel of Grace for our current dispensation of time. These verses are about those living in and after the Tribulation Period. Apparently, some will believe on Christ but with such tremendous persecution and pressure from others they know who are worshipping the Antichrist as God, will not endure in their belief in Christ and His soon return. They have knowledge of the LAMP (prophetic Word of God) but they ran out of OIL (the Holy Spirit in Belief) !

Those Jews that believe the Antichrist is the Messiah returned have ALREADY TAKEN the Mark of the Beast. They have no hope now. That is why the wise Virgins (those who heeded the prophetic Scriptures) tell the foolish to go and BUY MORE OIL for themselves. The Antichrist made it so that no man could buy or sell unless they had the mark of the beast right?  The wise will be saying to them, you had your chance and you left us and chose Antichrist. In the end of Matthew 24, we see they will actually smite their fellow Jewish wise virgins! The foolish people, separated from the wise believing people and choose the Antichrist.  They have been duped into believing the Antichrist is the Messiah returned.

So these are the people who did not endure and eventually took the Mark and then here in Matthew 25 they find that they see the Second Coming of Jesus coming from the Heavens. And in panic they go back to the wise Virgins (those who heeded the prophetic Scriptures and remained obeying the truth and belief on Christ) asking them for help because they do not have enough oil to make it when Jesus returns in judgment. But the Lord returned while they left to follow the Antichrist and when they came back they found everyone was gone inside and the door was SHUT. Just as in the time of Noah and the flood, the day came when GOD SHUT THE DOOR and all left outside in unbelief, were swept away into judgment. Just as Jesus said in Matthew 24,

“But as the DAYS OF NOAH were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” (Matthew 24: 37 KJV)

When Christ returns at the Second Coming after the great Tribulation period the foolish virgins have run out of the required oil of enduring in their faith in Christ. The 5 foolish Virgins have not endured in their belief and instead went to the ‘dark side’ of the Antichrist, deceived and now lost forever.

Today, here in the age of grace, before the Rapture, a person who comes to believe on Christ is eternally saved by the Grace of God. Such a person is from the very moment of belief on Christ, SEALED until the day of the Rapture. That is we have an “earnest” which is a ‘guaranteed down payment’ until our bodily Resurrection (see Ephesians 1:13-14 KJV).  But during the Tribulation period, those left behind at the Rapture have no such guarantee and must endure in their faith in God’s prophetic Word, through all the hardships of the Tribulation Period, until the day of the Second Coming of Christ to rule and reign on Earth (Revelation 14:12,  16:15).

EXTRA OIL

The wise virgins are those in the Tribulation Period that have the Torah prophetic Word of Truth (lamp). They are people who are the remnant of Israel; true believers in Christ who have endured to the end in belief in Christ’s  Second Coming and the prophetic Scriptures.  They have the oil in belief. Notice that all Ten Virgins fell asleep, and they were all being pressured and persecuted by the Antichrist. But only the 5 Wise Virgins have the one extra required item that permits them access to the Kingdom of God; extra oil. The Extra oil is the enduring belief and trust in the Bible and the Gospel of Jesus Christ until the end when the Second Coming event actually happens. These wise virgins are the people that received the teaching of the 144,000 Jewish Jewish believers and the Two Witnesses that will be clearly seen by the whole world. They are believers in Christ who have enough oil, who endured until the end and kept the faith in Christ despite all that has happened to the world and to them personally during the Tribulation Period and shortly afterwards, before Christ’s Return.

The foolish Virgins who did not endure and keep their belief on Christ alone for Salvation have chosen the Antichrist and will see that Christ is coming but it is too late. They ask the true remnant believers for their oil. The remnant believers refuse because it is theirs and their Salvation is at hand.  The wise Virgins cannot give them the extra oil that saves because they already rejected it. The foolish virgins go to get more oil but by the time they try to come back to belief it is too late. They likely (just speculation by me) already took the Mark of the Beast, a badge of servitude to the Antichrist.

Both the wise and unwise HAD THE LAMP! They both HAD and knew the prophetic Scriptures and warnings about the Antichrist as taught by the 144,000 Jewish Evangelists. It was a CLEAR DECISION MADE for both the wise and unwise.

God has an appointed specific date for the Rapture of believers, beyond which anyone who has not put their faith on Christ alone for Salvation will be left behind to endure the Tribulation Period. Likewise, God has also set an appointed specific date for the Second Coming Of Christ Event; beyond which a person living in the time of the Tribulation Period, who did not endure in believing on Christ alone for Salvation, will not be permitted to enter the 1000 year Kingdom age.

The End Game. Time Is Very Short!

The Parable of the Ten Virgins spoken by Jesus is NOT about the Rapture, although the Rapture must happen before the event described actually occurs. The Pre-Tribulation Rapture was revealed by Paul as a mystery unknown in 1 Thessalonians 4.  Matthew 24 is about the Second Coming and addresses the Jewish people, and any gentile who come to belief on Christ in the Tribulation Period. This parable in Matthew 25 is a continuing on that truth. Jesus spoke this to the Jewish people of Israel, the disciples, and it applies to the Jews in the end times.  At the time they asked Christ when He would return, they knew nothing about the Pre-Tribulation Rapture as that was a ‘mystery revealed’ by Apostle Paul after Christ ascended. In Matthew 24, they were asking Jesus about the Second Coming Event and the Kingdom Age to come, which is all they knew about.

The Bible talks about the 10 lost tribes of Israel. The 10 virgins are being regathered into modern day Israel right now from all four corners of the world into which they were dispersed. A Bible Prophesy that is the number one sign that the time period called the “End Times” and “Last Days” is the time in which you and I are living in.

The Five Wise Virgins is speaking about the remnant of Israel who will believe on Christ and any gentile living in the Tribulation Period  that will believe.

Jesus gives a strong warning to those who will be living in the time of the Tribulation Period and in specific to the Nation of Israel, the Jewish people of THAT future time.

“Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” (Matthew 25:13 KJV)

1. WATCH. What the prophetic Scriptures state MUST happen (Matthew 24:6), and will happen. Jesus said it MUST happen.

2. When Jesus comes at the Second Coming, they will know the season by the prophetic Word of God. But they will not know the exact Day nor Hour. But Jesus WILL return shortly after the Tribulation Period ends. Jesus is warning them to heed the prophetic Scriptures regarding this event and that Jesus is the REAL Messiah and Lord.

But What About The 1260 Days & Abomination Of Desolation Daniel Wrote About?

From Daniel’s Prophecy of timeline of human history, we know that the first half of the Tribulation Period is 1260 days from when a covenant is confirmed with the Antichrist as we read in Daniel 9:27. From this point on will be another 1260 days, giving us 7 years (two 3.5 year time frames within the Tribulation Period). Because Daniel tells us that once the covenant with many is confirmed, it seems to show that Christ will return in 1260 days from that point. Yet, if Matthew 24 and 25 are about the Second Coming, why would it state that no one knows the day nor hour?

No where does this state that Christ returns the very moment the Tribulation Period ends. This is showing when the Tribulation Period Ends only. Also if we continue reading Daniel’s Prophecy we see this prophetic statement,

“And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.” (Daniel 12:11 KJV)

We see here that from the time of the abomination of desolation being setup to some unnamed point there will be 1290 days. Not 1260 days. It continues and states that those who are alive on the 1335th day from this event are going to be blessed. I personally believe this is the start day of the promised 1000 Year Kingdom Age.

So there seems to be a time gap here after the Tribulation Period. So during this 75 days (maybe less, we do not know) most will not have any idea the true Christ is returning. Also, true believers will be looking for Christ’s Return as the 144,000 Evangelists and Two Witnesses were preaching during the Tribulation Period. But they are not the only ones who survived the Tribulation Judgments and there are also those (Jews and Gentiles) who took the Mark believing the Antichrist is the Messiah. The fact is, that there will be way more in the Antichrist camp than the believer camp. The general consensus, even to Jews who chose the Antichrist, is that they will not even be looking for the Second Coming of Christ. They believe he already came in the Antichrist. However, Believers will know that the Second Coming Event could come at anytime after the Tribulation Period ends. They know He is coming but will have to remain in that belief until He actually does appear in the clouds. Notice Jesus stated that at that time ‘no man will know the DAY NOR HOUR’ of the Second Coming Return of Christ. He did not mention YEAR! Even so, some believers will falter in their belief and not endure until the end (the 5 unwise virgins) and we see that in the parable of the Ten Virgins in Matthew 25. But again most on Earth who survive the Tribulation will not even be looking for the Second Coming Event!

“And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” (Matthew 24:30 KJV)

Notice it reads ALL THE TRIBES Of THE EARTH – that means everyone alive regardless of where they live or what tribe they belong too. When this happens and they see Christ coming, it is not in an instant like the Rapture event, they have time to mourn because most have chosen the Antichrist wrongly as God and now they see what the 144,000 and to witnesses were preaching is true. All the unbelievers have then will be fear and they will try to hide themselves.

Remember, Matthew 25 is just a continuation of Jesus’ answer to the disciples in Matthew 24. At the end of Matthew 24, we see a warning for the unwise virgin in the parable that Jesus is about to mention starting in Matthew 25,

“48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord DELAYETH  his coming; 49 And shall begin to smite his FELLOWSERVANTS, and to eat and drink WITH THE DRUNKEN; 50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he LOOKETH NOT FOR HIM, and in an hour that he is NOT AWARE OF, 51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 24:48-51 KJV)

Do you see it now by context? A servant who believed the 144,000 evangelists that the Antichrist is not God, but who did not ENDURE in that belief but instead changes to belief in the Antichrist! Why? Because he believes the Lord’s Second Coming is being delayed, falters in their belief and then instead ‘smite his fellowservants’ and ‘drink with the drunken’. That is to say, that they turned from the belief in Christ coming soon and instead go and join the Antichrist in worship and start persecuting the believers in Jesus’s soon coming. They have rejected the true Christ! It is after this statement that Jesus tells the Parable of the Ten Virgins. This is what triggered me to understand the parable better and believe me I struggled with this parable a long time.

This is exactly how Jesus goes on in the parable of the Ten Virgins in Matthew 25 in describing the ‘unwise virgins’.  They did not have the required ‘extra oil’, to enter the Kingdom Age that God prepared for all who would believe on Him under such great persecution and judgments of the Tribulation Period.