Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

The Rapture / an essay
Freerepublic | 6/12/2014 | Self

Posted on 06/12/2015 8:30:49 PM PDT by MHGinTN

There is coming soon a stupendous supernatural event. Some will die because of the chaos it causes. Some will cry out to God because of what it causes them to realize. It really is coming upon the Earth, soon.

In 1217 AD a German Rabbi of great devotion, Rabbi Judah ben Samuel, was given a vision from Elijah regarding the city of Jerusalem. It went something like the following, expressed in Jubilee periods of 50 years, not actual Jubilees but periods of fifty year increments.

Six Jubilees from 1217 AD and Jerusalem will come under rule by the Turks. [In 1517 The Ottomans took Jerusalem.] Eight Jubilees will the Ottomans hold Jerusalem and then give it up to be a no man's land for one Jubilee. [In 1917 during part of the first World War campaign, the British General Allenby flew a British bi-plane over the city. Turks misunderstood the name Allenby to be a messenger of Allah and fled from the city; Allenby had sent word to the Crown that he would not fire on God's Holy city. British occupiers posted signs all around Jerusalem and in the Gaza to restrain Arabs from wandering into mine fields and free fire zones or arguing over tribal claims. Those signs read simply 'No Man's Land'.] Elijah went on to tell the Rabbi that at the end of that Jubilee Israel would once again have possession of Jerusalem, for one more Jubilee. [One of the outcomes of the 1967 Six Days War was that Israel took possession of Jerusalem rather than it being under UN controls.] At the end of Israel's Jubilee period, the Jews would make a seven year compact with someone, declaring Peace and Safety, but the one with whom they made treaty would violate the treaty midway in the seven years period, and that Jerusalem would be no more.

The Bible gives specific instructions regarding the End Times. The period is called the Tribulation, and it is seven years in length, hallmarked by The Wrath of God upon men and the Earth. It is also expressly shown as a period in which God will deal with Israel as His focus, to make an end to sin (Daniel 9). The end of this seven years has The Lord returning to set foot on the Earth, to make-over the planet and establish a one-thousand year reign of Peace and God's presence with the Earth and mankind.

One can read about the prophecies for Israel in Daniel, Ezekiel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and throughout Paul's writings in the new Testament and John's Revelation. Tribulation is a period when life on Earth will become rapidly, and with increasing ferocity, unbearable. But The Bride of Christ will not be here for the wrath poured out upon the planet and the followers of the antichrist who will be running amok for seven years. This little essay is a short message on The Rapture, offered it to friends because God has 'laid it on my heart' to speak and write of it since it is imminent and Christians as well as wannabees need to make ready for what is coming quickly.

The English word 'rapture' is derived from Jerome's Latin word, 'rapio' used to translate the Koine Greek word 'harpazo' (pronounced harpadzo) used in the New testament most pointedly in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. But this passage in the Letter to the Thessalonians is not the only place it is used. It is also found in the Septuagint rendering of the Old Testament, a compiled Greek translation nearly three hundred years before Jesus came. Jesus quoted from the Septuagint.

Rapture is for the living. There are at least seven places in the Bible where a 'rapture' happens. I'll list them but not detail them here: Enoch walked with God and was not; Elijah was taken away in a firy chariot; Isaiah was taken to the throne room of God, but returned with a message; Jesus ascended into Heaven in Acts 1; Paul was taken twice to Heaven as he says in 1 Corinthians 12; the Church will be taken to the Father's House, 1 Thessalonians 4; the two witnesses during the Tribulation will be resurrected then raptured into Heaven; Philip was raptured to the Gaza from the Judean wilderness where he was instructed to go to evangelize the Ethiopian.

There are many voices now rising to discuss or deny The Rapture of The Church, The Bride of Christ, the Body of Christ. What is important is to be a believer in Christ as Savior and Lord. That is absolute Justification of the unrighteous by His Righteousness. Those who are His will be raptured before the Tribulation begins.

How long the Rapture before Israel's signing of the treaty with the antichrist is anyone's guess. The Bible gives not one hint to it that I have found. But if 2017 is the year the treaty is signed, we have less than three years until the seven years of Tribulation begin. The Church will be snatched away in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye (1 Corinthians 15:51-53), because believers are sealed by the Holy Spirit earnest of our inheritance, and the Holy Spirit is the restrainer of lawlessness. The Restrainer will be taken out of the way (2Thess2:7) in order that the man of Sin can emerge. We are given a foreshadowing in Ezekiel, when the Glory of The Lord had to depart the Temple before the Babylonian armies could take Jerusalem. Interestingly, Ezekiel (Ez 10&11) witnessed the Glory departing from a vantage point on the Mount of Olives.

The Rapture is a real event spoken of first by Jesus in the Upper Room (John14), prophesied in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, 1 Corinthians 15:51-53, Revelation 3:10 and 4:1, and 2 Thessalonians 2:3. It is hinted at in the Old Testament and we see a foreshadowing, of Enoch taken away before the flood. The Rapture of The Church -the believers in Christ as Savior- is not the Second Coming detailed in the Olivet Discourse Jesus gave to James, John, Andrew, and Peter (Matthew 24, Mark 13; Luke 21). The Rapture is Christ returning in the Air not setting foot on Earth, to take to Himself The Church, which will return with Him in the Second Coming. The Rapture removes His Church before God's wrath falls upon humankind, while the Second Coming is Jesus coming as the warrior fulfilling promises to Israel, and Revelation cites those Raptured will be coming with Christ in the Second Coming.

Jesus opened the mystery of the Church Age teaching His faithful disciples (Judas had left to betray Him) that He was going away to prepare a place then come to take them there. In the Church Age there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile. The Tribulation is God dealing with Israel, and Jews evangelizing the world in opposition to the antichrist, the false prophet, and satan.

Salvation preached by the Jews (144,000 will be chosen by God to evangelize during the Tribulation) necessitates the Church be gone because there is no distinction between Gentile and Jew in the Church Age. Rapture ends the Church Age where God's Holy Spirit indwells believers, so they are born from above then raised up in the way that they should go (John3, Jesus speaking with Nicodemus, then Proverbs in raising up a child in the way that they should go).

To any who remain behind after the Rapture, call upon the Lord and you will be saved, spiritually. The world-wide chaos that will ensue following perhaps hundreds of millions suddenly disappearing from machines in motion will be horrendous. In this chaos people will gladly embrace a 'man of sin' to set things in order.


TOPICS: Miscellaneous; Religion; Weird Stuff
KEYWORDS: rapture; thechurch; tribulation
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 141-157 next last
Okay non-believers, here's your chance to spittle out your objections. Come on Catholics, we know you don't believe.
1 posted on 06/12/2015 8:30:49 PM PDT by MHGinTN
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Alamo-Girl

kerping


2 posted on 06/12/2015 8:31:19 PM PDT by MHGinTN (Is it really all relative, Mister Einstein?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: imardmd1

Kerping


3 posted on 06/12/2015 8:32:50 PM PDT by MHGinTN (Is it really all relative, Mister Einstein?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RnMomof7

Kerping


4 posted on 06/12/2015 8:33:28 PM PDT by MHGinTN (Is it really all relative, Mister Einstein?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: metmom

Kerping


5 posted on 06/12/2015 8:33:54 PM PDT by MHGinTN (Is it really all relative, Mister Einstein?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Tennessee Nana

Pingalingaling


6 posted on 06/12/2015 8:34:30 PM PDT by MHGinTN (Is it really all relative, Mister Einstein?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MHGinTN

Who?


7 posted on 06/12/2015 8:36:29 PM PDT by doc1019 (Blue lives matter)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Springfield Reformer

Kerping


8 posted on 06/12/2015 8:37:32 PM PDT by MHGinTN (Is it really all relative, Mister Einstein?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hardens Hollow

pingalingaling


9 posted on 06/12/2015 8:38:28 PM PDT by MHGinTN (Is it really all relative, Mister Einstein?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MHGinTN
...There is no distinction between Gentile and Jew in the Church Age...

Evidently this why every holier-than-thou New Testament thumper who at least once recognized common differences in belief now says, even to those devoted to study of scripture,

"NOW not only am I saved, sorry Jew, but I'm a Jew, too! ...Grrrafted in!"
10 posted on 06/12/2015 8:39:23 PM PDT by golux
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: MHGinTN; All

There is no rapture, and the 7 years was shortened to a 5 month period.

God is coming HERE, why would we be leaving?

THAT message “I’ve come to fly you away” is gonna get ALOT of “Christians” serving Satan


11 posted on 06/12/2015 8:41:38 PM PDT by Shadowstrike (Be polite, Be professional, but have a plan to kill everyone you meet.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: golux

I’m still trying to figure out all the Kerping and Pingalingaling posts. Stupid me.


12 posted on 06/12/2015 8:42:35 PM PDT by doc1019 (Blue lives matter)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Shadowstrike

Show us your proofs.


13 posted on 06/12/2015 8:44:41 PM PDT by MHGinTN (Is it really all relative, Mister Einstein?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: doc1019

There’s no difference between Kerping and Pingalingaling in the post-Viking Kitty age.


14 posted on 06/12/2015 8:45:19 PM PDT by golux
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: doc1019

BTTT ... is that more to your liking?


15 posted on 06/12/2015 8:45:28 PM PDT by MHGinTN (Is it really all relative, Mister Einstein?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: MHGinTN

Why do you want Catholics on this thread? You already know where we stand. I’m going to lurk with a bag of popcorn as you guys disagree with each other. Have fun!


16 posted on 06/12/2015 8:46:30 PM PDT by pgyanke (Republicans get in trouble when not living up to their principles. Democrats... when they do.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: pgyanke

Mormons are welcome too. That popcorn sounds like a goooood idea. I think I have one microwave bag left in the pantry. *Shuffle shuffle*


17 posted on 06/12/2015 8:48:33 PM PDT by MHGinTN (Is it really all relative, Mister Einstein?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: golux

My bad, not familiar with either phase.


18 posted on 06/12/2015 8:54:01 PM PDT by doc1019 (Blue lives matter)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: doc1019

Phrase


19 posted on 06/12/2015 8:56:38 PM PDT by doc1019 (Blue lives matter)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: doc1019

Kerping and Pingalingaling are alternate forms of ping.


20 posted on 06/12/2015 8:58:40 PM PDT by matt1234
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 141-157 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson