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“The saddest words of tongue or pen
are the gripping words, it could have been.” (Unknown). The
multitude that suddenly realizes that Jesus Christ has raptured
the Bride and that they are “left behind” will experience an
utter feeling of hopelessness. Despair and gloom will be so
shattering that great numbers of men and women will commit
suicide. Millions of knowledgeable people that knew the Bible
well, but rejected “the love of the truth” (II Thessalonians
2:10), will immediately experience the complete withdrawal of
Holy Ghost conviction. Instantly, they will know that they are
damned to spend eternity in the Lake of Fire. Millions of others
that rejected Truth will be so deluded that they will actually
worship the new false Christ.
Evil of the darkest form is
presently held behind the omnipresent wall of the Holy Ghost.
The devil and his cohorts are working; they are deceiving,
creating havoc, and spreading diseases of every description. The
level of their activities is great but they are still limited.
Just as soon as the Rapture occurs, this wall of restraint will
be gone. If you are sickened by the vulgarity that pervades the
world now, please know that the present is mild compared to the
future. Laws against anyone with moral outrage will soon protect
sodomy in public. There will be no restraints against sin.
Multitudes will be heard screaming
in fear and dismay, “I could have gone in the Rapture if I would
have listened to the call.” The last echoes of those confused
about the Rapture and the coming baptism of filth will have
faded. The days for debate will be over. The whole world will be
divided between the lovers of the new “christ” and the great
company of those left behind who are now ready to be martyred
for Jesus Christ. The countdown to Armageddon will begin.
Preachers that were deceived by the One World Religion will lead
the armies that are determined to establish the kingdom of their
god (the false god) on earth. The crusades of the past, which
were led by Jesuit priests, will pale compared to this brutal
onslaught for the “New Inclusive Religion.”
Preachers and leaders that would not
hear the truth about the Pre-tribulation Rapture, but hated
those of us that preached and taught that truth, will now know
how wrong they were. Jesus will only Rapture those saints of God
and Bride-ready believers looking for Him. The Word of God is
plain, “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and
unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time
without sin unto salvation.” (Hebrews 9:28) If you are not
looking for Him and longing for Him with great passion, do not
expect Him to come for you. Apostle Paul wrote to Titus and
encouraged him by declaring, “Looking for that blessed hope, and
the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus
Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from
all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous
of good works.” (Titus 2:13-14)
Can you imagine the anger of
careless souls that were taken in by the vicious haters of the
Biblical Rapture before the great Seven Years of Wrath? The
Rapture haters that I deal with on the radio, the internet, and
in person are not even kind about this debate. The spirit that
motivates them to fight against this hope is extremely loud and
dark. In almost every case, they are also anti-Semitic and have
an equal desire to trash everything and everyone that is Jewish.
A great company of previous lovers of the Pre-tribulation
Rapture has been affected by these confused souls. I believe
there will be such anger against these deceivers that it will be
like war between many of those “left behind.”
Multitudes “Left Behind”
I do not believe that most ministers and Bible teachers have any
conception of the millions that are within “Christian” ranks who
are going to be “left behind.” The cheap grace that is presently
being preached is scary to consider. Sin has been so coddled by
this generation that “Raptured Saints” in most minds are nothing
but a conglomerate of a mixed multitude. Why don’t we consider
what the Lord Jesus and the Holy Ghost-filled writers of the
Holy Bible said? Grace never covers sin; grace cleanses sin, and
this one statement is the answer. Every soul that has been
cleansed from sin, preserved by His sanctification, and kept by
the Holy Ghost will be gone in a single moment.
Jesus told beautiful parables about
the Bride and the coming of the Bridegroom. He stated, “And when
the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had
not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how
camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was
speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand
and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness;
there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are
called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:11-14)
How can we doubt the clear
requirement for a pure Bride dressed in the white garments of
holiness? This Bride is made up of the unspotted company of
totally dedicated saints that have forsaken all to follow Jesus.
He goes even further in a latter parable in Matthew’s Gospel.
His words are shattering. “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 25:1-13) There will be no place in this great Rapture
for those that are lukewarm and without the oil and fire of the
Spirit.
There are not two Bridegrooms, two
Brides, or two Kingdoms in the Kingdom of God. Those that try to
remove these great parables from the study of the Rapture are
sadly confused. While I am a Biblical dispensationalist, I am
not a hyper-dispensationalist. The Bible is written as a simple
book. We do not need to be a Greek or Hebrew scholar to know and
interpret this great Book. Just take the Bible literally and let
each truth interpret itself. If He says Bride or Bridegroom, He
is talking about the Bride and the Bridegroom. Dispute that at
your own peril and confusion.
The Book of Revelation
The last Book in the Bible is a perfect chronological picture of
the prophetic end and the final word on the future. The Rapture
occurs at the beginning of Chapter Four and the saints are never
called the “Church” again. They are called “Elders” from
Revelation Four until they become His “Army” when they return
with Him to set up the Millennial Kingdom on earth. The only two
chapters that deal with the church are Chapters Two and Three.
The subject of the church in those two chapters has a very
narrow focus. The espoused Bride of Jesus Christ and the
promises relating to the Rapture and their connection is the
primary thought. All seven letters are a competed whole as it
concerns our holiness and faithfulness to Him. He clearly shows
us what He expects of us and what He requires if we are to be
His espoused Bride. He does not tolerate unfaithfulness.
Just like you and I would not allow
our bride to play the harlot, He does not allow His Bride to
play the harlot. Playing the harlot against our human bride or
bridegroom is extremely evil but nothing close to the evil of
playing the harlot against Jesus Christ, our Eternal Bridegroom.
Men in today’s world may champion the cheapness of grace that
has flooded the church world. That is close to blasphemy to the
Holy God and His Holy Son and it will not stand the fire of the
Judgment Seat of Jesus Christ.
These two chapters of Revelation are
all you need to study to prove that His Bride will be holy or
she will never be at the nuptial event in the Paradise of God.
The standard for that wedding is spotless purity. It would be
impossible to enter the Heavenly Jerusalem, where Holiness is
the transcending culture, in the dress of vulgarity and the
lifestyle of compromise dominating the church world. Imagine
transporting an entire “religious rock” church congregation and
performers en-mass right onto the streets of New Jerusalem. The
Holiness of God permeating that golden city would be a devouring
fire and all that would be left would be the smell of Shekinah
smoke.
These seven letters are the last
words of Jesus Christ to His church. They are intimate letters
of the glorified Christ, and they are perfect in declaring the
truth about the church. The Lord Himself by His Spirit is
walking in the midst of His church. Remember what He said, “For
where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I
in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20) These are not the words
of an absent landlord. He is the Head and we are the body, and
He knows every nerve of this body and every thought of our
minds. “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper
than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder
of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a
discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews
4:12)
This judgment of His church as is
written in these seven letters is as current as tomorrow. He
talks about our “faithfulness” three (3) times; our “works”
twelve (12) times; our “tribulation” three (3) times; our
“labor, patience, and poverty” one (1) time each. He commands
that we “hold fast” four (4) times, “repent” seven (7) times,
and promises every promise only to the “overcomers” seven (7)
times. These are not idle letters. It’s serious business and He
is willing to eliminate anyone that fails His test after He
gives them space to repent.
Three times He promises to remove
those that refuse His final warnings. In the letter to Ephesus
He said, “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and
repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee
quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place,
except thou repent.” (Revelation 2:5) In the Thyatira letter He
warned, “And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and
she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them
that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except
they repent of their deeds.” (Revelation 2:21-22) To the
Laodiceans He declared, “I know thy works, that thou art neither
cold nor not: I would thou wast cold or hot. So then because
thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee
out of my mouth.” (Revelation 3:15-16)
Preachers may preach that sin is
covered for the believers without repentance and forsaking of
these sins all they please, but they are false prophets and all
that believe them will be judged with them. These kinds of
ministers are spiritual dogs lapping up their own vomit. “But it
is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is
turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to
her wallowing in the mire.” (2 Pet. 2:22) All seven of these
letters are talking about nothing but the saints of God, His
church body, and His requirements for the Rapture and Brideship.
He is preparing His Bride and she will be holy. For two thousand
years, the great saints have sacrificed themselves on the altar
of an exceeding hope for this honor of being His Bride. This is
the first generation among those that claim to believe the
entire Word of God to live like the Bible is a fantasy book. It
will all end in insane despair when the “left behind” are
numbered.
The last words in each letter
clarify the Rapture and Bridal promises as well as warn of the
limited numbers of the triumphant ones. He almost begs His
espoused Bride “Hear what the Spirit is saying to the church.”
In each case, He warns that the promises are reserved only for
“those that overcome”. “To him that overcometh…” (Revelation
2:7); “He that overcometh…” (Revelation 2:11); “To him that
overcometh…” (Revelation 2:17); “And he that overcometh…”
(Revelation 2:26-29); “He that overcometh…” (Revelation 3:5-6);
“Him that overcometh…” (Revelation 3:12-13); and “To him that
overcometh…” (Revelation 3:22). How could anyone doubt the
weightiness of these words? We would have to call the Bible
untrustworthy to deny that the Rapture is a very limited event.
Many writers and teachers make you think that the exodus from
the church will be massive and almost everyone. The church world
will be out of business but not out of people.
A majority of churches will be
dangerous as this new Christ is worshipped en-mass. That crowd
will be glad we are gone. The churches that accept the truth
that they have missed the Rapture will be outlawed shortly after
the saints are gone. They will be out of business as this new
“Christ” marshals his army of Secret Service agents to require
the “Mark” and sets forth his New World Religion. Millions of
Tribulation saints will be martyred and they will cry forth from
beneath the altars of death for the vengeance of God on the
cruel and bloodthirsty mobs that roam the earth. “And when he
had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of
them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony
which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How
long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our
blood on them that dwell on the earth?” (Revelation 6:9-10)
The Promises To The Raptured Saints
These seven letters give us the
perfect picture of all that awaits the Bride of Christ. Jesus
plainly promised this incredible future to us by His Spirit,
speaking through Apostle Paul. The Spirit said, “But as it is
written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered
into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for
them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his
Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep
things of God.” (I Corinthians 2:9-10) There is no doubt that
this is referring to the seven letters and promises given in
Revelation Two and Three. Our future is heavenly if we are
willing to forsake all and follow Him. Remember what Jesus with
His own lips said, “And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say
unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or
sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands,
for my sake, and the gospel’s, But he shall receive a
hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters,
and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in
the world to come eternal life.” (Mark 10:29-30)
Let me show you that all seven
promises are a part of the Bride’s future. The Bride of Christ
is the highest of all eternal rewards. The city of New Jerusalem
is prepared for the Bride so that her adornment may be for her
Bridegroom. “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 21:2) Those that are saved but not part of
the Bride shall enjoy the city, even glory in the city, and
bring their honor to the city; but it is not their eternal home.
John said, “And the nations of them
which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of
the earth do bring their glory and honor into it. And the gates
of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no
night there. And they shall bring the glory and honor of the
nations into it.” (Revelation 21:24-26)
Now, look at these seven promises to
His overcoming Bride:
“He that hath an ear, let him hear
what the Spirit smith unto the churches; to him that overcomes
will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of
the paradise of God.
“Fear none of those things which
thou salt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into
prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten
days; be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown
of life.
“He that hath an ear, let him hear
what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh
will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a
white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man
knoweth saving he that received it.
“And he that overcometh, and kept my
works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a
potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my
Father.
“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.
“Him that overcometh will I make a
pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and
I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the
city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of
heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
“To him that overcometh will I grant
to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set
down with my Father in his throne.” (Revelation 2:7,10,17,26-28;
3:5,12,21)
There can be no question but that
these seven closing statements are the heritage of His Bride
forever.
Left Behind
It’s up to you. “Irresistible Grace” is a doctrine of the
Calvinist, but it certainly flies to the wind in these seven
letters from the Lord to His church. There is no less than
forty-four words in these short letters that cry out for you to
“be faithful,” have “patience,” “repent,” “hold fast,” “faint
not,” and to be an “overcomer.” You cannot have rewards for your
faithfulness unless that faithfulness is out of your heart. God
is not a robot and He did not create us to be robots. You can be
fully committed and He is fully faithful to crown your
commitment with grace.
Jesus uttered some of His most
powerful words as recorded by Luke. The Lord said, “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) Jesus was concerned that
you would miss this Hope. If you are “left behind,” it will be
the greatest loss of your existence. Give up this world. Sell
all that you have to purchase the “Pearl of Great Price.” The
Son of God was speaking not only of Himself, but also of the
eternal promise of being His Bride when He spoke of this “Pearl
of Great Price.” He has called, but only a few will be the
chosen. What is your decision? His Bride is without spot or
blemish and she will soon be caught away. Malachi recorded words
from the Bridegroom when he said, “And they shall be mine, saith
the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels…”
(Malachi 3:17a) |