Closer

Every prophecy revealed in Scripture has come true. There are still prophecies to be fulfilled and we are seeing some being fulfilled in our present time – birth pangs which include wars and rumors of war and extreme weather all over the globe. We are promised a blessing when we understand the prophecies regarding the Book of Revelation.

“Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.”

Revelation 1:3

I hold to the Pretribulation Rapture view occurring anytime before the beginning of the 7 year tribulation because of what Jesus Himself promised, to keep those who are His from what is to come upon the whole world (Revelation 3:10). 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4  also shows us when “the gathering” occurs,

“Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, ² not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. ³ Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, ⁴ who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.”

The Comfort of Christ’s Coming

¹⁵ For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. ¹⁶ For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. ¹⁸ Therefore comfort one another with these words.

1 Thessalonians 4:15-18

1 Thessalonians 4:17 – caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord
2 Thessalonians 2:1 – our gathering together to Him

It is consistent with God’s character of abounding mercy that although the tribulation is seven years as prophesied in Daniel 9:27, for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation at that time, God’s wrath will be administered immediately after the image of the antichrist is set up (Revelation 13:14-15), shortened and occuring in the latter half of the seven years (Daniel 12:1, Daniel 12:7, Daniel 12:11)

The Great Tribulation

¹⁴ “So when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not” (let the reader understand), “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. ¹⁵ Let him who is on the housetop not go down into the house, nor enter to take anything out of his house. ¹⁶ And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. ¹⁷ But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! ¹⁸ And pray that your flight may not be in winter. ¹⁹ For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be. ²⁰ And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days.

²¹ “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, He is there!’ do not believe it. ²² For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. ²³ But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand.

Mark 13:14-23

The whole world is experiencing Verse 21 with the Australian Jesus, Filipino Jesus, Japanese Jesus, Russian Jesus and who knows wherever else. No one counterfeits a counterfeit, that is why you don’t see people pretending to be Zoroaster, Muhammad etc.

But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand – This matches with Isaiah 46:10, “Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,’” The completion of the Bible is God-ordained. People may question the accuracy of the historical accounts but those who do so only prove they are doubting God’s sovereignty. If Jesus says His word is truth (John 17:17), you can trust that God oversees the accuracy, collation and sequence of the complete revelation that we have today. Either you believe the Bible is trustworthy or you don’t. What’s written in the last book is not there to scare us. It’s there to warn us of what’s to come (John 16:13).

“You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.”

James 5:8