PROPHETIC SIGNS THAT WE ARE IN THE END TIMES [A good summary of SOME key evidences--QX]

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The Bible gives many examples of signs that should warn us of the coming end of the age. Six such signs are given by Jesus, two characteristics are given by Paul, and eleven other occurrences are given by the prophets to occur prior to or soon after the end of the age. While we are also told we will not know the time of the End, God obviously wanted us to know when that time was getting closer. As the Christian church is increasingly drawn into the interfaith movement, and as more and more churches go into isolation, preparing to sleep through the growing attacks on their faith, perhaps God knew it would take a few signs to wake us up and remind us that we have work to do.

Unfortunately, many Christians take the verses that tell us we won't know the time of His coming to mean they should ignore any and all scripture that might warn us of this time of tribulation. Others have fallen into the trap of fearing being labeled a "conspiracy theorist" should they display an interest in the Biblical prophecies about our future on Earth. My philosophy is simple. God included it in the Bible and, since God is all knowing, we should trust that it is something we should know and study along with the rest of His Word.

It is increasingly obvious that the time of our Lord's coming is drawing near. Prophecy is being fulfilled daily, and at a faster pace than ever before. Whether you believe in a pre-tribulation rapture, or believe Christians will be witness to the full tribulation, wrath, and final judgments, matters not. The beginning of birth pains and the signs of the times should have the same effect on all of us. It should motivate us to save as many souls as we can in the time that we have left. The Great Commission tells us to be disciples to all nations, bringing the message of salvation through Christ to all people. If the Church is raptured before the tribulation, it is important that we leave behind an explanation for the trials and judgments those left behind will face. How else will they recognize the deception of the anti-Christ and seek instead the truth of the Bible? If we are to endure the tribulation along side them, we will need to be prepared to not only share the message of salvation, but share with them the reasons for God's judgment and hold it up as further proof of their need to be saved.

Below is a study of the prophetic signs God gave us as a warning of the approaching end of the age. Many of them are being fulfilled now and many will be fulfilled in the near future. I would encourage you to study prophecy, know what is coming and be prepared to share it with others.

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In Matthew24:3 Jesus was asked, "Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?" Jesus told his apostles to look for the following signs prior to his second coming and the end of the age.

Matthew 24:5 "For many will come in my name, saying, I am Christ, and will mislead many."

In the last several years many have claimed to be the Messiah. Jim Jones and David Koresh are examples of these false christs as well as countless others who are not as newsworthy. These false prophets are a prelude to the ultimate false christ, the antichrist. Many New Age groups, some even NGO's working for the United Nations, are anxiously awaiting the antichrist, preparing the way for his acceptance as the head of the hierarchy of gods and the one who will usher in world peace.

Matthew 24:6 "And you will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end."

Rumors of wars in all areas of the world now occur frequently thanks to instant media coverage and the availability of a multitude of 24-hour news sources.

Matthew 24:7 "For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes."

More people have been killed in warfare in this century than at any other time in history. As the death toll rises in the Middle East, more and more countries work feverishly to develop devastating weapons of mass destruction. Add to that the expanding threat of terrorism and unpredictable dictators such as Saddam Hussein, and the potential for the outbreak of war exists in nations, kingdoms and places across the globe.

Matthew 24:7 "For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes."

As white, Christian farmers are driven out of Africa in increasing numbers, and foreigners move in to replace life-sustaining crops with poppies that now supply 25% of the worlds drugs, famine spreads across the African continent. The undernourished are not limited to Africa, however. A large portion of the worlds 5 billion people suffers from a shortage of food.

Matthew 24:7 "For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes."

The number and intensity of earthquakes this century is at a level higher than any other time in history. A staggering number of seismic events occur around the world daily. The earthquake seismic monitor IRIS shows all major earthquakes for the last year. Indicated by yellow and red circles, the seismic events of the last 15 days provides strong evidence of the fulfillment of Matthew 24:7 in our day. By contrast, in the years from 1890 to 1900 there was only one major earthquake in the world.

Matthew 24:8-9 "But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations on account of my name."

Christians are under attack throughout the world today. In the United States Christians still enjoy freedom to worship God without suffering much more than ridicule, hatred, or discrimination at work and school. However in many other countries such as China, Sudan, Africa, Saudi Arabia, Korea, Russia, and many Muslim nations, Christian suffer much greater persecution and often times death for their faith. During the tribulation this suffering will be worldwide and will continue even to the point of martyrdom. These first 5 signs will increase in intensity and severity as the tribulation approaches, much like the birth pangs or contractions of a pregnant woman worsen as the delivery time approaches.

Matthew 24:14 "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come."

This prophecy has already been fulfilled through television, radio, missionaries, the translation of the Bible into many languages, and the internet. People all over the world now hear the message of Christ from missionaries who have the means to travel the globe, and via technology that allows us to communicate with people on the other side of the world right from our own homes, churches and offices.

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II Timothy 3:1-5,7 "But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of god; holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."

For anyone who has watched television, read a newspaper, lost a retirement to corporate greed and corruption, or just walked outside their front door, it is obvious this prophecy has been fulfilled by our generation. Our leaders are often corrupt; our cities are filled with crime, brutality, and neon signs proclaiming our sinful, godless nature. The New Age Movement brings in increasing numbers of mystics who claim to be the enlightened ones. They are some of the most educated and influential people in our societies, and yet the most lacking in real truth.

I Timothy 4:1-3 "But the spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons. By means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth."

Churches today are becoming more and more ecumenical, embracing the New Age interfaith agenda, and denying Christ as the only way to salvation. Giving in to the politically correct media and a corrupt society, they have embrace homosexuality as an acceptable alternate lifestyle and preach tolerance and compromise in place of God's truth for the salvation of the world. The environmentalist movement within the New Age movement lures them into a worship of mother earth, belief in past lives, reincarnation, and Karma while demonizing all those who would eat the meat God gave us as nourishment for our bodies.

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Revelation 9:16 "And the number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them."

An army of that size had never existed until China's army reached that number in the 1960's.

Daniel 2:32-33 "The head of the statue was made of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay."

Daniel 2:40-43 "Then there will be a fourth kingdom as strong as iron; inasmuch as iron crushes and shatters all things, so like iron that breaks in pieces, it will crush and break all these in pieces. And in that you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of iron, it will be a divided kingdom; but it will have the toughness of iron, and partly of pottery, so some of the kingdom will be strong and part of it will be brittle. And in that you saw the iron mixed with clay, they will combine with one another in the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, even as iron does not combine with pottery."

The fourth kingdom of iron is the Roman empire according to Daniel's interpretation of King Nebuchadnezzar's dream. The two legs are the division of the Roman empire into an eastern portion called the Byzantine empire which ended in the 1400's and a western portion based in Rome which ended in the 400's. The nations of Europe since the Roman empire dissolved have never adhered or formed one empire but continue as separate nations, however, the European Union now has 15 Member States and is preparing for the accession of 13 eastern and southern European countries.

Zephaniah 3:9 "For then I will return to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent."

Prior to the restoration of Israel in 1948, Hebrew was a dead language. Now Hebrew is spoken throughout Israel.

4. REBUILDING OF THE TEMPLE, RESTORATION OF TEMPLE WORSHIP AND ANIMAL SACRIFICES IN JERUSALEM

For several end time prophecies to be fulfilled, the temple will have to be rebuilt.

Revelation 11:2 "Leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will tread under foot the oly city for forty-two months."

Daniel 9:27 "And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolation, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate."

Daniel 9:26 "Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary."

Some archeologists believe that the temple mount is actually 340 feet south of the Dome of the Rock site, putting the Dome of the Rock within the Court of the Gentiles. This may be the court outside the temple that is left out.

There are many groups already working on preparations for the new temple. The blueprints are already done, the temple garments have been made, and there have already been attempts to lay the cornerstone of the temple. The only thing standing in the way of the construction of the new temple is Islam's third holiest site, the Dome of the Rock and government support for such an undertaking. Some possible scenarios for the rebuilding of the temple are as follows:

1. The persuasion and performing of miracles by the Antichrist and False Prophet convinces the Islamic world to approve the rebuilding.

2. The United Nations will negotiate the rebuilding of the temple following a war with the armies from the North (Russia and Islamic forces). This assumes that the war with the armies from the North is not the battle of Armageddon as some feel and that this attack occurs before the rapture or tribulation period begins. The supernatural destruction of the Russian army and Islamic forces will cause an outpouring of Christian worship and zeal amongst the Jewish people who will reconstruct the temple.

3. It is determined that the site of the first two temples is actually south of the Dome of the Rock, and the court of the gentiles (Dome of the Rock) will be left out of the 3rd temple.

A group in Israel called the Temple Mount Faithful have obtained most of the clothing, instruments and other equipment required for temple worship and are actively preparing for the laying of the third temple's cornerstone.

Numbers 19:2-7 "This is the statute of the law which the Lord has commanded, saying, "Speak to the sons of Israel that they bring you an unblemished red heifer in which is no defect and on which a yoke has never been placed. "You shall give it to Eleazar the priest, and it shall be brought outside the camp and be slaughtered in his presence. Next Eleazar the priest shall take some of its blood with his finger and sprinkle some of its blood toward the front of the tent of meeting seven times. "Then the heifer shall be burned in his sight; its hide and its flesh and its blood, with its refuse, shall be burned. "The priest shall then wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterward come into the camp, but the priest shall be unclean until evening."

A red heifer will be required to be used in the process of purification described in the book of Numbers. In May 1997 the first Red Heifer was born in 2000 years. Another red Heifer was born in Israel in March of 2002.

Daniel 12:4 "But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase."

Billy Graham was quoted as saying, "ninety percent of all the engineers and scientists who have ever lived are alive today." Air travel, space travel, DNA research and human cloning are all examples of the rapid increase in knowledge in our generation.

Zephaniah 3:10-11 "From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia My worshipers, My dispersed ones, will bring My offerings. In that day you will feel no shame because of all your deeds by which you have rebelled against Me; For then I will remove from your midst your proud, exulting ones, and you will never again be haughty on My holy mountain."

In 1984, Operation Moses saw the airlift of 15,000 Jews who had already fled to refugee camps in Sudan to escape starvation. In 1991, Operation Solomon flew 20,000 Jews to Israel from Ethiopia itself. A further airlift began in June of 1999, aimed at transporting the last 3,000 members of the Quara Jewish community from northeastern Ethiopia to Israel.

Ezekiel 38:2,4,8 "Son of man, set your face toward Gog of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him. I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them splendidly attired, a great company with buckler and shield, all of them wielding swords. After many days you will be summoned; in the latter years you will come into the land that is restored from the sword, whose inhabitants have been gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel which had been a continual waste; but its people were brought out from the nations, and they are living securely, all of them."

In order for some end time events to occur Russia will have to be a strong nation with a strong military.

Jeremiah 23:7-8 "Therefore behold, the days are coming declares the Lord, when they will no longer say, as the Lord lives, who brought up the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt, but as the Lord lives, who brought up and led back the descendants of the household of Israel from the north land and from all the countries where I have driven them. Then they will live on their own soil."

In the 1970's and 1980's there was a mass exodus of Russian Jews out of Communist Russia. In 1999 the Associated Press reported a dramatic increase in the number of Jewish immigrants from Russia, bringing the largest number of Russian Jews to Israel since the early 1990's.

Revelation 13:16-17 "And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name."

On May 10, three members of a family in Florida became the first people to receive the biochip implant. Each device, made of silicon and called a VeriChip, is a small radio transmitter about the size of a piece of rice that is injected under a person's skin. It transmits a unique personal ID number whenever it is within a few feet of a special receiver unit. VeriChip's maker describes it as "a miniaturized, implantable, radio frequency identification device (RFID) that can be used in a variety of security, emergency and healthcare applications."

Is the biochip the mark of the beast to be used by the antichrist? We can't really know. What is significant is that people are being softened to the idea of a mark or an implant as a means of maintaining security, providing medical information, and regulating a more interdependent world. As attitudes change, fears subside, and people are convinced of the need for such a mark, the true mark of the beast will be easily introduced to the world by the antichrist.

The United Nations, World Trade Organization, International Criminal Court, UN peacekeeping/police force, numerous UN NGO's, and other agencies are preliminary steps to the formation of a one world government. We now have the communications technology, transportation, and the pro-globalization media necessary to usher in the one world government headed by the antichrist. The increasing terrorist threat and the middle east conflict will only speed up the formation of this governing body as fear and promises of better security make more people willing to give up their national sovereignty for global governance.

Revelation 11:3, 7-10 "And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophecy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth. When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them and kill them. And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which mystically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. Those from the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days, and will not permit their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb. And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate; and they will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth."

Television and the 24-hour news networks make it possible for people around the world to see the dead prophets and rejoice at their deaths.

Luke 21:28 "But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."

Luke 21:32 "Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all things take place."

I was thinking about that last night before I finally turned in.

I think you're correct.

However, from my perspective, I won't be one of those.

I will be here for the Final Battle.

Why do I think that? I'm a maverick. A wild card. I won't stand for unfairness, or seeing others treated badly.

I've been fired for standing up for others.

God has a job for me, I'm just not sure what it is.

You're a good debater, and a good person. Thanks.

There evidently are those . . . meek sorts . . . who live through tribulation and repopulate the earth in their mortal bodies.

Plenty of mysteries.

Have often speculated about multiple raptures as people and events are RIPE?

Don't believe that believers IN GENERAL (or at all, really) are appointed unto GOD'S WRATH which clearly begins mid trib. But God could well and likely will have some 'special sorts' slated for . . . Special Forces work the last 3.5 years.

Have wondered for years if I was so slated. Have felt it was optional to some significant degree. Have suffered enough the last 30 years have asked to opt out. Yet, IF GOD were to strengthen me AND ABSOLUTELY ENABLE ME TO BE TOTALLY CONFIDENT OF HIS BEING WITH ME IN THE MIDST OF WHATEVER . . .

I suppose I could change my mind. A growth area. Some sorts of sufferings can be pretty hard on one's faith and confidence. I realize the refiner's fires are hotter and more relentless for a lot of us than ever before.

Anyway--much appreciate your postings. Much. Please keep up the great work.

I don't really think anyone has it all figured out. Don't think it's God's time for having it all figured out, yet. I don't think Christ setting foot on the Mt of Olives is the great 'catching away.' I think that's when He returns with 10 thousands of ten thousands of His saints to wrap evil up in an imploding ball and lock it away for a thousand years.

Anyway--it's still increasingly 'buckle seat belts' time.

LUB, LUB, LUB,

Thanks for the ping! I'm sorry it has taken so long to get back to you, but we've had company and still do, were gone today and will be gone again tomorrow.

Angel-Gal--what have you come up with that is unimaginable?

There are many different answers depending on what the subject might be, for instance:

A lot of Christians and scientists find the incidents spoken of in book of Enoch to be "unimaginable". Scientists typically object to all miracles and prophecies as "unimaginable" because their approach, aka "scientific materialism" cannot accept that some things can never be explained. The notable exception is in math and physics where "unimaginable" things such as wave/particle duality, non-locality and the uncertainty principle have to be accepted as an axiom.

Many Christians find the things spoken of in Enoch to be "unimaginable" because Enoch is not part of thier canon. Some, no doubt, find them "unimaginable" because of differences in versions of Enoch in Ethiopa v Slavic origins v the Dead Sea Scrolls.

I can't answer any further without knowing the subject.

Wow... I don't know what to say!
I'm humbled by your comments.
I will say this... Thanks... but to God be the Glory.

I couldn't get back on last night after midnight... FR was locked up big time... I learned a great deal from your arguments... and I cannot tell you how much I have enjoyed speaking with you about this.
Example... It never occurred to me before last night that there will be two mass translations. I was under the general assumption is that there is and will be only one. Your knowledge and interpretation of the scriptures you referenced were not incaccurate. They inspired me to further challenge my own understanding. I did learn a lot.

However, from my perspective, I won't be one of those.

If you have the Holy Spirit in you (born again), You don't have that choice... and you don't want it either. The tribulation period is God's fight. "vengeance is mine says the Lord"

I will be here for the Final Battle.
Yes! you will be... 1 Cor 6:1-2, 1 Thess 3:13, Rev 19:14
(but where will you be during those 7 years prior? see Rev 19:7-9)

Why do I think that? I'm a maverick. A wild card. I won't stand for unfairness, or seeing others treated badly.
I've been fired for standing up for others.
You are in good company. Jesus defined the word Maverick

God has a job for me, I'm just not sure what it is.
That's the nice thing about working for God... you don't have to know what your mission(job) is... you just have to follow Him and trust in His guidance. Standing up for others is a perfect example.

God Bless You!

Good morning. :) This is my fault. I was referring to the events surrounding the run-up to the Flood.

Quix had posed a question, and I had repsonded that if we knew exactly what happened during the time of Noah, we'd have the answers.

Quix and I kicked this around a bit, and I mentioned that you had some interesting views on that time period.

I ended by saying that no one was prepared to believe the unimaginable.

I think someone had said it had to do with wickedness and evil, and my response had been, if Christ had meant that, He could have picked any moment in recorded history.

The time of Noah is unique. My post also included a question

What was happening during the time of Noah, that only ocurred during the time of Noah that is happening now?

I wasn't playing guessing games, Q. I was asking a legitimate question.
I have been reading as much as is available regarding "the time of Noah", but the KJV, and the IL only have about 6 verses that say anything, and what is said is cryptic at best.
The Book of Enoch covers the "time of Noah" fairly well, but translations are questionable.
Alamo_Girl has it pinned down, as far as what happened, and why.

No one is prepared to believe the un-imaginable.

AG, here is the post where I used your name. Hope I didn't cause any problems.

and here is the repsonse to the original question:

Abuse, murder, rapes have always been around. Thats just evil.

The signature of the time of Noah, and the relation to now, is unique.

If all Christ had been referring to was wickedness, He could have picked any time in history.

What was happening in Noah's time, that ONLY ocurred in Noah's time, and is happening NOW?

Answer that question, and you will know more than you want to.

"and nowhere does it say anyone is going to be exempt from the tribulation"

The letter to the church at Philadelphia:

Rev 3:10 Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth

JM

Oh, I don't know that in 100% of the cases of Believers . . . that there would be NO CHOICE of going in the first or whatever numbered CATCHING AWAY. I don't think we have enough info to say emphatically one way or another.

I just know that Father sometimes has special arrangements with this or that bird of rare plumage created for whatever purposes. AND, that SOMETIMES, God offers unusual OPTIONS to some individuals particularly close to His heart and/or for whom He has some special, potential glories if the person cares to rise to such an occasion.

Based upon God's promises, I believe that you can know 100% in the case of believers. God doesn't break his promises.

AND, that SOMETIMES, God offers unusual OPTIONS to some individuals particularly close to His heart and/or for whom He has some special, potential glories if the person cares to rise to such an occasion.
This -May- be true of certain tribes of Israel... particularly the Elect that are spoken of in Revelations. It's not real clear to me if the 144,000 are new christians born again after the rapture, or born again believers left behind for the purposes you speak of.

This subject goes very deep, and I do have a lot of info on it. A full understanding of why 100% of believers will be caught away pre-tribulation requires an in-depth understanding of what actually happened to Adam and Eve, why God expelled them from Eden, what happens when we are spiritually reborn, and what a 'completed' salvation entails. It also helps to understand what the purpose of the great tribulation is. I think it's a good topic for a new thread ... this one is gettin kinda long.

I am not sure of this but could SCO also fit Gog an Magog??

You would be correct...that is the main reason why the Ukraine is so important to Putin, he is trying to rebuild the Soviet Union, who will join the organization with the other countries listed. He pulled an election stunt in Belarus as well:

Oct 28, 2004 - Last week, Belarus held a referendum on making strongman Alexander Lukashenko, who already has agreed to reunite his country with Russia, the equivalent of president-for-life. An exit poll conducted by the Gallup Organization showed that the proposition failed. But when Belarusan authorities announced it had passed with 77 percent of the vote, Russia quickly pronounced the vote free and fair.

Source

We need to watch Putin closely.

Not necessarily disagreeing with the general facts you outline.

Am mostly saying that God is God. He writes the rules. AND He writes the exceptions.

And SOMETIMES He seems to like giving His kids choices for His glory and to bless them EVEN MORE.

Sometimes it's the difference between chocolate vs vanilla ice cream. Sometimes it's the difference between jerkey and Filet Mignon . . . or between silver and gold.

If God offered YOU a choice between being caught away on the first elevator up vs stayin X weeks, months or the whole 3.5 years more and doing great exploits for Him and The Kingdom--if HE guaranteed your safety and eternal safety IN HIM . . . what would you choose?

In terms of the thread getting long . . .

If you feel so inclined, feel free to start a new thread.

There ARE several very long threads . . . is it the Hobbit one? Up to 60,000 or some such and never started over. Or is that another one. The THREAT MATRIX thread starts a new section every 5,000 posts.

Sooooooo, as you see fit is fine with me. Either way.

Blessings,

What was happening in Noah's time, that ONLY ocurred in Noah's time, and is happening NOW? Answer that question, and you will know more than you want to.

Hmmmm...did a search and came up with this website. Although, from first impression, the guy sounds somewhat like a nutcase in most respects, especially since he calls the Noah's Ark story a myth and I firmly believe it to be true. However, the Sychronicity and Signs from Above sections are chilling.

we may be looking at two raptures... one at the beginning of the tribulation, and one at the end. The pre-tribulation rapture is much more like the instant removal of a dam,

Actually, there are three different rapture or translation scenarios listed in most study bibles: Pre-tribulation, mid-tribulation, and post-tribulation. Note- "tribulation" refers to the period of the anti-christ's reign,even though the first 3.5 years will be a time of peace. There are a lot of denominations that only mention the pre-tribulation rapture scenario. I think this is unwise...Christians may face the ultimate testing during the tribulation period.

There is certainly plenty of evidence in the Bible which suggests that God does give people choices... believers and non-believers alike. He has even been known to grant requests of the enemy (granting Legion demons possession of the pigs). However, God is NOT known for making exceptions to His Word, or going back on unconditional promises he has made.

As for a choice concerning when one is translated if at all, that is very clearly established as a non-choice issue. We often do not realize that the choices we might THINK we want to make are NOT in our best interest, and may not be granted anyway because they would force God to break or circumvent His own Word. Our mission on earth is evangelism. No one wins a single sole to the Kingdom of Heaven without the Holy Spirit's involvement. The Holy Spirit is NOT going to be around during the tribulation. What christian would want to stick around to do what cannot be done without the Holy Spirit?

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