With the benefit of the Bible and the words of Jesus Christ,
it is certain that “Rapture day” is unknown to Christians. That is, the day
Jesus returns for His saints, His bride – the Church, with trumpet sound and
the voice of an Arch Angel. This particular day or hour is not generally known
to Jesus’ representatives or God’s people on earth.
But after studying the scriptures diligently, examining
Jesus words closely and taking cognizant of contemporary revelations as given
by the Holy Spirit, I am convinced and I can say that “true” Christians will
not be taken unawares on Rapture Day. I believe somehow we (individually and as
a body) will be pre-informed either by revelation or through the agency of the
Holy Spirit; and so by this “act of mercy” (the bible says, it is by His mercy
we are not consumed and His compassion faileth not) the church, the people of
God will be or make herself “completely ready” or make herself “ready without
encumbrance for take-off” to heaven, the city not made with hands or bricks
(Luke 17:21).
In many scriptures of the Bible, Jesus warns Christians of
His sudden return or unexpected appearance and as such there is the need of
having the attitude of being constantly ready or prepared. I believe, it is,
the complacent Christian or those who ignored or never paid attention to Jesus
words that will be hardest hit or stunned at His return and of course the
outright sinner, heathen or unbeliever who never believed, recognized or took
Jesus Christ seriously as the only way to God, heaven or eternal life (John
14:6-7).
Here is, to my mind one of Jesus’ profound and scary warning
to Christians or the church and mankind: “And
take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with
surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall
it come on all them that
dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch
ye therefore, and pray
always, that ye may be accounted
worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man” Luke 21:34-36.
Let’s examine the following words of Jesus; the statement He
made while answering His disciples’ curiosity on His return to earth and the
fate of Christians or the world. “And
they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them,
Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together” Luke
17:37.
The same statement is found in Matthew 24:28 “For wheresoever the carcass is, there will
the eagles be gathered together.” This statement is heavily pregnant and we
need to decode it. It speaks volumes and may as well have answers to our
questions.
In addition to the above, I believe the following scriptures
penned down by men full of the Spirit of God are other good proofs that explain
or let us know that “Rapture Day” will not take us, God’s children (John
1:12-13) unawares:
1. “Not
forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the
manner of some is; but exhorting one another:
and so much the more, as ye see the day
approaching” Heb 10:25.
2. “But
ye, brethren, are not in darkness,
that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are
all the children of light,
and the children of the day:
we are not of the night, nor
of darkness” 1 Thess 5:4-5.
3. By Jesus himself in Luke 21:28: “And when these things begin to come
to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh” and Revelations
3:10-11: “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I
also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou
hast, that no man take thy crown.”
So, if you ask me, I will tell you that the most striking,
stimulating and thought provoking proof is the one earlier quoted, that is, “And they answered and said unto him, Where,
Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles
be gathered together” Luke 17:37. And the one found in Revelations 19:7: “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour
to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come and his wife hath made herself
ready.”
Didn’t Jesus say or imply (as in above) that He was coming
for a READY (or PREPARED) bride. Is not also implied that the wife (i.e. the
church) on purpose makes herself ready? The key word is ‘‘hath made’’ and ‘‘ready’’.
So, it is a ready church or bride that will attend or
witness or participate in the marriage super of the Lamb of God and have the
privilege of wearing dazzling pure linen. Well dear reader, I leave you to draw
your own conclusions or arrive at your own summations. One thing is certain as
the existence of the heavenly Father, and it is that Jesus is coming back soon
and you had better be ready and prepared to meet your God (Rev. 22:7; Amos 4:12).
Hear what the Spirit is saying and be wise.
Maran’atha,
Ambassador RAY
NB. Bold and
underlined scriptures are for emphasis sake by author.
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