When Does A Church Cease To Be A Church?

NEVER

Photograph: Ryan Mcvay/Getty Images

“And I also say to you that you are Peter, 
and on this rock (Jesus), I will build My church, 
and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it,” 
Matthew 16:18.

“The Church is not the one restraining the mystery of lawlessness. It is the works of the Holy Spirit through the Church, (2 Thessalonians 2:7)”

In this commentary, I will attempt to explain who is holding back the mystery of lawlessness mentioned in (2 Thessalonians 2:7). The Church or the Holy Spirit?

I believe that those who are part of the event called rapture are redeemed believers, who accepted the blood of Jesus and therefore are saved.  They received the gift of eternal life and are sealed by the presence of the Holy Spirit. Then why do so many assume that the rapture is limited only to the members of the Philadelphia Church? Only believers will be part of the rapture. Jesus’ Church consists of believers sealed with the Holy Spirit, (2 Corinthians 1:22, Ephesians 1:13, 4:30) in all seven Churches.

The mystery of lawlessness

Many teach that the Holy Spirit must first be removed before the Antichrist is revealed. Many come to conclude that the Church must be removed since the Holy Spirit abides in them. Is it so?

“For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only 'He' who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way,” 2 Thessalonians 2:7 NKJ.

Does ‘He’ refer to the Holy Spirit? Is the Holy Spirit restricted to abide only in the body of believers – the Church? The Holy Spirit is He not also omnipresent?

“Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?” (Psalm 139:7). Can anyone hide himself in secret places, So I shall not see him?” says    the Lord; “Do I not fill heaven and earth?” says the Lord.” (Jeremiah 23:24)

The Holy Spirit is He not abiding in our presence?

“the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you,” John 14:17.

“According to the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so My Spirit remains among you; do not fear!” Haggai 2:5.

Most importantly, isn't the Holy Spirit required for believers to receive before entering the kingdom of God?

“Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God,” John 3:5.

The Holy Spirit isn't He protecting us from evil spirits?

“But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the Lord troubled him,” 1 Samuel 16:14.

“And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!” 2 Timothy 4:18

We see the works of the Holy Spirit all around us. He is the keeper of all life. He keeps nature in order. Remove the Holy Spirit and the law of physic cease to keep everything together.

“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,” Romans 1:20.

 “But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men,” 2 Peter 3:7.

Let us examine 2 Thessalonians 2:7 NKJ

“For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.”

Why did Paul describe lawlessness as a mystery? He could have simply stated, “For the lawlessness is already at work.” Let us view it in a different version using the Easy-to-Read Version (ERV), this is a children's version:

“The secret power of evil is already working in the world now. But there is one who is stopping that secret power of evil. And he will continue to stop it until he is taken out of the way.”

Many interpret the ‘He’ as ‘the Holy Spirit in the Church’. So let us read 2 Thes 2:7 this way: “Only He, [the Church] who now restrains will do so until He, [the Church] is taken out of the way. Is it really the Church? Don’t you think that it is a bit pretentious on our part to think that the Church brought stability and security throughout all the churches' eras? From the Church's early beginning until this day, the Church has been persecuted. Please read: “The Frightening Rise Of Christian Persecution.” 

Did the Church stop any wars? Are we not living in the time of the gentile, and that it will be so until Jesus establishes His reign? We are described as having little strength, and that goes for all the Church eras through centuries. We are to be a light and the salt, by witnessing the gospel of the resurrection, and not for saving our country. The Holy Spirit, not the Church is restraining evil, the mystery of lawlessness.

The mystery of lawlessness is not the abomination of desolation spoken of in the Book of Daniel 12:11. “Mystery of lawlessness’, ‘The secret power of evil’, and ‘Mystery, Babylon The Great’, all refer to secret societies' plan for the New World in dis-Order, which consist of the Jesuit, the Illuminati, the Freemason, the Night of Columbus... and many more.  

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places,” Ephesians 6:12.

Satan is their master and he is planning the destruction of mankind before Jesus returns to establish His Kingdom. There is no New World Order. What is coming soon is a world in disorder. Satan concluded that since He couldn’t have this kingdom, he might as well destroy all things and bring as many deceived victims with him to hell. Isn’t that what Hitler did? That is what I call a diabolical secret plan, the mystery of lawlessness. Please watch, “The New World Order- Secret Societies and Biblical Prophecy,”http://youtu.be/HL6v8nzFiUk

“For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.”

As were the days of King David when he prayed for divine protection, the Holy Spirit is restraining the secret plan of Israel's enemies:

“Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked, from the rebellion of the workers of iniquity,” Psalm 64:2.

The Holy Spirit is presently protecting the nation of Israel from the secret counsel of his surrounding enemies, Psalm 83.

The Church is taught to pray for protection against evil, Matthew 6:13 “But deliver us from the evil one.”

And

“that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,” Ephesians 4:14

The Holy Spirit is holding back the secret plot of the lawlessness and will do so until the Holy Spirit removes His restraining power upon them, not the Church. Fulfillments of God's prophetic plans are the Holy Spirit's domain. It is not the Church, which is restraining the mystery of lawlessness. It is the Holy Spirit's power over the mystery of lawlessness, the secret society's agenda.

The Rapture

The event called the rapture is imminent. Will all Christians be part of it and qualify?

If the Church consists of believers sealed with the Holy Spirit and the church of Laodicea is left behind, what criteria is therefore required to be part of the Rapture?

Is keeping His word and not denying His name, the only criteria required to be part of the rapture? In verse 10 of Rev. 3 shows that we are to keep His instruction to persevere.

“Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth,” Revelation 3:10.

Therefore, is “to persevere” the criteria? Is this command from Jesus required to be part of the rapture: Obedience and perseverance? Obedience to His command to persevere. To persevere in what? Is it to persevere in keeping His word and not to deny His name?

In Revelation 14:12 it is written, “Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus,”

This does sound like lots of work to qualify for the rapture. If it is so, no one qualified. We are all doomed. There are too many Christians as I am, who believe in the rapture and are just sitting around with their arms crossed and waiting. We conclude that since we are guaranteed to escape God’s judgement, then there is nothing to do but kill time. There are many who do not overcome personal sins and strive to become Holy as Jesus is Holy. Many do not bother to share the gospel of salvation with anyone. Many do not take care of the widows and the orphans. Many do not visit the sick and look after the homeless. Many do not take time to fellowship with God in prayers and bible study. Too many observed pagan holidays, Christmas, Halloween, and Easter and lie to their children. Many are not upset and outraged at the increase of sin and injustice in their neighbourhood and in the world. Many do not even show up to church service to mingle with Christians. We make an annual offering, which we conclude suffice to guarantee a burial plot in our denomination cemetery. By our conduct, you cannot tell the difference between us and the seculars. This does describe the Laodicean Church which I also am part of?

“Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus,” Revelation 14:12.

Yes, we are saved by grace and by faith alone and are sealed with the Holy Spirit. We do not receive salvation from bearing good fruit. Yet,  these Christians are part of the soon-coming event called the rapture? They all have the attribute of the Laodicean Church, lukewarm. Some teach that the Laodicean church will not be taken part of the rapture. Some profess that the Laodiceans are the New Age movement. I have a problem with that. Remember, the Church consists of believers. We are either saved or we are not saved. If not saved and just play Christian, they are not going to be part of the rapture.  

Some teach that all Christian believers are saved by grace only and will be kept from the hour of trial regardless of their lifestyle, regardless of their Christian inspiration, really? They believe that they will receive a reward in the form of crowns for their good works. I agree with the rewards, and they are right we are saved by grace so that we do not perish (go to hell) but instead receive the gift of eternal life. However, does this mean that they will avoid God’s judgement coming to the whole earth and will be part of the rapture? Yes.

If we are living in the era of the Laodicea Church which is considered the lukewarm Church, why would they not be viewed as Christians and therefore not be part of the rapture?

“And to the angel of the church of the Laodicea write:” Jesus is clear, the church consists of Christians defined as believers of Christ and followers of Christ. Hebrews 11:6, “for he who comes to God must believe that He is” and John 3:16.  Jesus could as easily address this matter, “and to the angels of believers of Laodicea write.”

Let us go through the message given to them using the Easy-to-Read Version (ERV).

Revelation 3:14-22

14 “Write this to the angel of the church in Laodicea:

“Here is a message from the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of all that God has made.

Reproach

15 “I know what you do. You are not hot or cold. I wish that you were hot or cold! 16 But you are only warm—not hot, not cold. So I am ready to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say you are rich. You think you have become wealthy and don’t need anything. But you don’t know that you are really miserable, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.

Recommendation

18 I advise you to buy gold from me—gold made pure in fire. Then you will be rich. I tell you this: Buy clothes that are white. Then you will be able to cover your shameful nakedness. I also tell you to buy medicine to put on your eyes. Then you will be able to see.

Consequences

19 “I correct and punish the people I love.

Take action

This shows that nothing is more important to you than living right. Change your hearts and lives.

Invitation

20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and eat with you. And you will eat with me.

Reward Crown of Victory - Overcome

21 “I will let everyone who wins the victory sit with me on my throne. It was the same with me. I won the victory and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 Everyone who hears this should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Nowhere does Jesus say that they will not be part of the rapture and nowhere does Jesus say that they will.

Is the condition to the Church of Philadelphia to escape the hour of trial, which shall come upon the whole world, must be obedience to His command to persevere, by being faithful to Jesus, keeping His word and not denying His name.

Is overcoming the world, and its secular ways, the criteria for the church of Laodicea to be allowed to sit with Jesus on His throne? Jesus overcomes the world, and so is every believer.

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world,” John 16:33.

“For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” 1 John 5:4-5

The letters are not about Salvation

Jesus is talking about works, not salvation. Both churches will take part in the rapture. All believers are taken away. Only unbelievers are left behind. Now, why would theologians teach that the Church of Laodicea won’t make it? Do they imply that the Church would lose the presence of the Holy Spirit sealed in them? This is called by some denominations, 'back-sliding', Lordship Salvation. That my friend would make God a liar, which He is not.

“And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one,” John 10:28-30.

Some say that going through the great tribulation is God’s correction toward the Church,

19 “I correct and punish the people I love.

All God’s children are corrected at any given time. I can attest to that.

“9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. 10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise masterbuilder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are,” 1 Corinthians 3:9-17.

“God will destroy him,” doesn’t mean that he/she will lose his/her salvation. It means that God will call him/her early, “he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved.”

And:

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." John 16:33

We all go through life facing problems like all other previous church’s eras. Now we can see clearly that there is no difference between the Philadelphia Church and the Laodicean Church, the foundation is the same. The foundation is the gospel of salvation – Christ resurrected, therefore once saved always saved. What is built on it will be tested? What is built on it is your good or bad works. It is not to attain salvation but to obtain rewards. Is it works accomplished by your motivation vs. works stirred up by the Holy Spirit? Have you been obedient to the Holy Spirit?

Verse 14 “If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.” coincide with Rev 3: 21 “I will let everyone who wins the victory sit with me on my throne.

Whether Philadelphia or Laodicea Church, it makes no difference, both go through fire, which is God’s correction and all make it to the kingdom in heaven even with nothing, If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. We have an old saying; ‘he made it by the skin of it teeth.’

The Church consists of believers, that received salvation through Jesus Son of God. Therefore in the two letters to the church of Philadelphia and the church of Laodicea, Jesus is not talking about keeping our salvation, but rather to keep doing good works. I agree... the Church of Laodicea had a problem producing good works.

Some scholars omit to explain the words ‘I also’ in Revelation 3:10

“Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.”

It means that in addition to all other previous churches, the church of Philadelphia will also be part of the rapture. All eras of the church will be taken part in the rapture, dead or alive at the time of the rapture. 

“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 (past church era). 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. Then we who are alive and remain(Philadelphians and Laodiceans) 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,” 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17.

Therefore, who is left behind? We find the answer in Luke 13:23-30 when Jesus shut the door to unbelievers.

23 Then one said to Him, “Lord, are there few who are saved?”

And He said to them, 24 “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from,’ 26 then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’ 27 But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’ 28 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out. 29 They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God. 30 And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last.”

Who are those who are left behind? They are unbelievers, not the Church! Remember, the Church consists of believers.

“ They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us,” 1 John 2:19.

“And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many,” Matthew 24:4-5.

And

“For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist,” 2 John 1:7.

Please read my commentary title, “John 6:66 – The Unbelievers”

They are those who live as Christians but never confess that Jesus of Nazareth is Christ Son of God, therefore not saved. They are of those who received and teach a different gospel, “Receive Jesus in your heart and everything will be alright”

We are either saved or not saved, children of God or children of disobedience, we are either sealed with the Holy Spirit or not, but I can guarantee you this that once saved always saved and we will be taken part of the soon coming event called the rapture.

When is the rapture? There are so many signs to watch for. There is a lot of good commentary on that subject. It is not a “time” event. I will give you one verse only:

"For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in," Romans 11:25.

This explains that Israel still has a commission to fulfill. This will happen only after the Church is taken away. The Church will be taken away when specific numbers of believers have been reached. Only God knows that number. Therefore, keep sharing the gospel. You never know, it could be that the person you are sharing the gospel with might be the last one.

Left Behind

To those who are left behind, they will go through the worst time of evil ever in the history of mankind. There is still hope to be part of the kingdom in heaven. The same condition applied to them as it applied to all believers throughout centuries. They must believe and be sealed with the Holy Spirit. I believe that this verse is oriented to those left behind:

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world,” 1 John 4:1-3.

And

“Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God,” John 3:5.

All believers of the past Church era are gone, all seven Church eras. However, those who go through the 7 years of God's wrath must be sealed with the Holy Spirit, and this is coming out of the month of our Lord Jesus.

“Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God,” John 3:5.

Anyone who believes in the gospel of the resurrection will also receive the Holy Spirit to guarantee his or her citizenship in heaven. It will not be the Church's era anymore. It will be Israel’s era to profess the gospel to the whole world.

“For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.” 2 Thessalonians 2:7

The Church is not the one restraining the mystery of lawlessness, the secret society's agenda. It is the work of the Holy Spirit.

Massage to those left behind.  

You were not left behind because your works were rejected, or because you were not good enough but because of your unbelief. Now, there are only two things left to do to receive salvation; believe Jesus is your Lord and God, and reject the mark of the beast.

To the Church:

Our attitude as we wait for Our Lord Jesus should be with anticipation and appalled by all the injustice and the hurt that is taking place in the entire world.

Psalm 10:1-3

“Why do You stand afar off, O Lord?

Why do You hide in times of trouble?

The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor;

Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised.

For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire;

He blesses the greedy and renounces the Lord”

Ezekiel 9:4

“and the Lord said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it.”

2 Peter 2:7-8

“and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked 8 (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)”

Malachi 3:16

“Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another,

And the Lord listened and heard them;

So a book of remembrance was written before Him

For those who fear the Lord

And who meditate on His name.”

Psalm 119:136

“Rivers of water run down from my eyes,

Because men do not keep Your law.”

Psalm 119:158

“I see the treacherous, and am disgusted,

Because they do not keep Your word.”

1 John 2:15-16

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.”

Rev. David Wilkerson - When Jesus Shuts The Door http://youtu.be/r9JywTliIVA

The Greatest Words in All of Scripture (Paul Washer)

http://youtu.be/9W2fuFWUIL0

Pray, Thy Kingdom Come... soon, please hurry.

c u @ d rapture all you saints

abdelage@outlook.com

Understanding Bible Prophecy

Matthew 16:2-3

Why is it important?

"Because the testimony of Jesus is in the Spirit of Prophecy," Rev 19:10

What are the next prophetic events?

Jesus did not keep us in the dark concerning the plan He has towards His Church and His people Israel, Romans 11:25.  He prophesied, which mean that He foretold, the future events that will take place before His return. Jesus loves us.  He love to reveal to those who love Him and who seek Him, 1 Cor 2:9, Hebrews 11:6.  Jesus doesn't want to keep us ignorant.  To please Jesus it is important to take Him by His word. Therefore, it is important to take prophecies seriously.

To His Church and His people Israel, Jesus instruction is to watch.  "Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming," Matthew 24:42.  That is not an instruction to Christians to be sinless for His return, because we know that Jesus paid for the penalty of all our sins, past present and future, on the cross.  "If we are not faithful, he will still be faithful, because he cannot be false to himself," 2 Timothy 2:13. To be watchful has nothing to do with your salvation? 

Jesus instructs us to be watchful for three reasons:

·        So that we may not be taken by surprise,

·        So that we would not worry,

·        So that we may give testimony by using God's prophecies to bring others to salvation

"The time is near when all things will end. So keep your minds clear, and control yourselves. This will help you in your prayers," 1 Peter 4:7.

"And you will hear of wars and rumours of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet," Matthew 24:6.

If you are a reader that has not yet accepted Jesus as your personal saviour, you have no time to spare. Jesus return for the church is imminent. If Jesus doesn't return today, what guarantee do you have that you'll live another day?  Please read this article title, "To become a Christian, that is easy".

We are to be curious and open-minded. The Jews at the time of Jesus didn't recognizes the signs of His coming as a redeemer. They refuse to accept and to test the prophetic signs.  They were not even curious. Here is one example:

Jesus birth: during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?   King Herod had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born.  “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel," Matt 2:6. Quoting Micah 5:2,4

Be like the wise man. Notice that the priests and teachers didn't take prophesies seriously.  None of them were ready for Him; none were interested to see for themselves if the child was the promised King (Messiah).  As it is today, many church members do not take prophecies seriously. So many do not teach or research the scripture to understand God's plan.  Too many believe that the kingdom of God is in the heart, only, and do not literally believe in the resurrection of the body, but instead believe that once dead everyone goes to heaven.  Many do not believe in Jesus return, therefore are not watching.

During Jesus ministry, Jesus made a remark that the Pharisees, the Sadducees and the high priest couldn't discern the signs of time.

"Hypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern this time?" Luke 12:56"

Jesus even warned them of the consequence that they will suffer for not recognizing the signs of His coming:

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!  See! Your house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!" Matthew 23:37-39.

In Matthew 21:1-11, is the best example of how the Jews were ill prepared to receive their Messiah.

 "Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples,  saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me.  And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.”

All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:

The King Enters Jerusalem

“Tell the daughter of Zion,

‘Behold, your King is coming to you,

Lowly, and sitting on a donkey,

A colt, the foal of a donkey.’”

So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them.  They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him[d] on them.  And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road.  Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:

“Hosanna to the Son of David!

‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’

Hosanna in the highest!”

And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, “Who is this?”

So the multitudes said, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.” 

Did you notice that the multitudes didn't recognized Him as the Promised One, the Messiah, but instead accepted him as a prophet? He fulfilled all the prophecies mentions in the book of the major prophet, John 1:45, yet only a few recognized Him. John the Baptist recognized Him, so is Andrew the brother Simon (Peter) at the beginning of Jesus ministry, John 1:35-50.  Even gentile believed in prophecy concerning the Messiah, the example of a Samaritan woman,

"The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things,” John 4:25.

Let us not be like the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law. Signs of Jesus soon return are everywhere in the news.  What is going to be the soon coming events which will be reveal to the nations of the world as proof that God had sent His Son Jesus to judge and to rule the world.

What are the next prophetic events?

To The Church: it is a secret event revealed by Paul  "The Rapture"

"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. 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,"  1 Thessalonians 4:16-17.

As for Israel, since it rejected Jesus as the Messiah the truth was partially taken away from them.

"For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in," Romans 11:25.

This partial blindness started 70 year after Jesus predicted the destruction of the Temple.

"Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple.  And Jesus said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.” Matthew 24:1-2. 

And, in Matthew 23:38 Jesus warned them that the land of Israel would be left to the gentile, deserted and wasted. This happens in the year 70 AD. Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed and the Jews were force out of their land.

Do you see the importance of taking prophecy seriously? God do exactly what He said He would do. Therefore, the church has a responsibility to read the scriptures of prophecy for understanding so that it may teach it.  God have chosen some among the Church with the gift of prophecy.

"Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy," 1 Corinthians 14:1. "for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit," 2 Peter 1:21.

Everything that we need to know has been revealed by the Spirit to God servants. The scriptures reveal its interpretation.

"Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation," 2 Peter 1:20.

We may not know the Day or Hour of His return but He gave us signs.

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect," Matthew 24:36-44.

To be ready has nothing to do with salvation unless you are not save. For Christians, it all about our mind set.  Do we desire with all our heart the return of the Most High?  Is it not part of the Lord Prayer that Jesus taught us, "Let Thy Kingdom Come?

There are signs that we can observe which will warn us that the time of Jesus return is near.  The Jews returned to their homeland is the most well known sign that His return is near.

The Parable of the Fig Tree

“Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors!  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away." Matthew 24:32-35

Matthew 24, describes an increase of signs at the end time such as earthquakes, extreme weather conditions, famine on the raise, diseases escalating, and an increase in political turmoil. 

What are the next coming prophetic events pertaining Israel?

Ezekiel 37 - In 1947, we witnessed Israel restored as a nation, yet still partially blind.

Psalms 83 - describes the continual development of a coalition among the Muslim countries to war against Israel.

Jeremiah 49 is a message from God to the surrounding Muslims coalition. I wonder if this message has been delivered to each one of these nations.

Isaiah 17 - describe destruction of Damascus.  Have you noticed how much Syria is in the news lately? 

Watch: The Fate of Damascus and the Psalm 83 War produce by Prophecy Update Videos  https://youtu.be/utWQjChjUrI

The Rapture is imminent. Although the rapture is not a date and time event, we understand that Israel cannot fulfill its last day's commission as long as the Church is still here present.

"For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in," Romans 11:25.

Ezekiel 38 - I do not know if the church will be around to see the fulfilment of the war of Gog and Magog against Israel. But I do know that  as long as the Church is present, Israel will continue to be partially blind and the anti-christ will not be made known.

"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, - For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way," 2 Thessalonians 2:3,7.

After the defeated armies of Gog and Magog, this man of peace will show up into the world seen as one who can bring a settlement in the Middle East conflict.

"Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate,” Daniel 9:27.

Conclusion

Let us be watchful.  The hour is near. All the prophetic events mention in this bible study are at hand.

Jesus instructs us to be watchful for three reasons:

·        So that we may not to taken by surprise,

·        So that we would not worry,

·        So that we may give testimony by using God's prophecies to bring others to salvation

"But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him," John 4:23.

If not save, repent and accept Jesus as Lord 'NOW', the day and hour, no one knows.  When the rain start falling it's to late...as were the day of Noah.

Christ Return Very Soon

The undisputed return of Jesus is the next prophetic advent…..soon as IMMINENT!

As we understand the law of physics and we would see a heavy mass hanging by a fine thread over our head, we would conclude that the mass is ready to fall at any moment.  When we see a heavy mass hanging by a steel cable, we conclude that it would take some time before it falls. It will take some changes in the mass or in the wear of the cable before we can conclude that it will fall at any time.

If we know, how to discern the sign of time we can, therefore, predict the soon return of Jesus, not His return but the state of its imminency, or condition nearby pertaining to the event of His return. The study of bible prophecy should be considered a science of discerning the sign of His instant return and not the time of His return.

Many students of bible prophecy including myself concluded that we are living in the immediate return of Our Lord. The establishment of the nation of Israel in 1948 seems to be the final event before His return predicted in Ezekiel (which is the rapture for the church and judgement to all nations).  His return is hanging by a thread.

Imminency and the Any-Moment Rapture 

By Dr. Thomas Ice - www.pre-trib.org

We believe that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ could come in the clouds at any moment and take His church to be with Him to His Father's house (John 14:1-3). What a great hope, that while you are reading this article, our Lord could return and rapture His church. We have come to call this any-moment hope of the rapture an imminent event.

The English word "imminent" (of Latin derivation) can be used in many ways, it is used to note the New Testament teaching that Christ could return and rapture His church at any moment, without prior signs or warning. Use of the term "imminency" entered the lexicon of American Evangelicalism around the end of the last century in contrast to the dominant, but waning, postmillennialism which taught that Christ's coming was not imminent. Postmillennialism held that Christ's return must first await the Christianization of the world by the Church. By the 1930s, it was common to pack into one theological expression - imminency - all of the many New Testament ways in which Christ's coming for His Church is said to be possible at any moment. Thus, imminency and the any-moment return of Christ became synonyms for the pretribulation rapture of the church.

In fact, imminency is such a powerful argument for pretribulationism that it is one of the most frequent and fiercely attacked doctrines by our opponents. Non-pretribulationists sense that if the New Testament teaches imminency, then pretribulationism is virtually assured.

Definition of Imminency

What is the biblical definition of imminency? Four important elements contribute to a pretribulation understanding of imminency. 

First, imminency means that the rapture could take place at any moment. While other events may take place before the rapture, no event must precede it. If prior events are required before the rapture, then the rapture could not be described as imminent. Thus, if any event were required to occur before the rapture, then the concept of imminency would be destroyed.

Second, since the rapture is imminent and could happen at any moment, then it follows that one must be prepared for it to occur at any time, without sign or warning.

Third, imminency eliminates any attempt at date setting. Date setting is impossible since the rapture is signless (i.e., providing no basis for date setting) and if imminency is really true, the moment a date was fixed then Christ could not come at any moment, destroying imminency. Fourth, Renald Showers says, "A person cannot legitimately say that an imminent event will happen soon. The term 'soon' implies that an event must take place 'within a short time (after a particular point of time specified or implied).' By contrast, an imminent event may take place within a short time, but it does not have to do so in order to be imminent. As I hope you can see by now, "imminent" is not equal to 'soon.'" [1] A. T. Pierson has noted that "Imminence is the combination of two conditions, viz.,: certainty and uncertainty. By an imminent event, we mean one which is certain to occur at some time, uncertain at what time." [2]

Imminency in the New Testament

The fact that Christ could return, but may not soon, at any moment, yet without the necessity of signs preceding His return, requires the kind of imminence taught by pretribulationism.

What New Testament passages teach this truth? Those verses stated that Christ could return at any moment, without warning and instructing believers to wait and look for the Lord's coming to teach the doctrine of imminence. Note the following New Testament passages:

• 1 Corinthians 1:7 - "awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,"
• 1 Corinthians 16:22 - "Maranatha."
• Philippians 3:20 - "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;"    Philippians 4:5 - "The Lord is near."
• 1 Thessalonians 1:10 - "to wait for His Son from heaven,"
• 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 - "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, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. 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. Therefore comfort one another with these words."
• 1 Thessalonians 5:6 - "so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober."
• 1 Timothy 6:14 - "that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,"
• Titus 2:13 - "looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus;"
• Hebrews 9:28 - "so Christ . . . shall appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him."
• James 5:7-9 - "Be patient, therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. . . . for the coming of the Lord is at hand. . . . behold, the Judge is standing right at the door."
• 1 Peter 1:13 - "fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ."
• Jude 21 - "waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life."
• Revelation 3:11; 22:7, 12, 20 - "'I am coming quickly!'"
• Revelation 22:17, 20 - "And the Spirit and the bride say, 'Come.' And let the one who hears say, 'Come.'" ..."He who testifies to these things says, 'Yes, I am coming quickly.' Amen. Come, Lord Jesus."

It is significant that all of the above passages relate to the rapture and speak of the Lord's coming as something that could occur at any moment, that it is imminent. This is why believers are waiting for a person - Jesus Christ - not just an event or series of events such as those related to the tribulation leading up to Christ's second advent in which He returns to the earth and remains for His millennial reign.

Imminence and Pretribulationism

Contemplation of the above passages indicates that Christ may come at any moment so that the rapture is actually imminent. Only pretribulationism can give a full, literal meaning to such an any-moment event. Other rapture views must redefine imminence more loosely than the New Testament would allow. Dr. Walvoord declares, "The exhortation to look for 'the glorious appearing' of Christ to His own (Titus 2:13) loses its significance if the Tribulation must intervene first. Believers in that case should look for signs." [3] If the pretribulation view of imminence is not accepted, then it would make sense to look for signs related to events of the tribulation (i.e., the anti-Christ, the two witnesses, etc.) and not for Christ Himself. But the New Testament, as demonstrated above, uniformly instructs the church to look for the coming of Christ, while tribulation saints are told to look for signs.

The New Testament exhortation to be comforted by the Lord's coming (John 14:1; 1 Thess. 4:18) would no longer have meaning if believers first had to pass through any part of the tribulation. Instead, comfort would have to await passage through the events of the tribulation. No, the church has been given a "Blessed Hope," in part, because our Lord's return is truly imminent.

Maranatha!

The early church had a special greeting for one another, as recorded in 1 Corinthians 16:22, which was "Maranatha!" Maranatha consists of three Aramaic words: "Mar" ("Lord"), "ana" ("our"), and "tha" ("come"), meaning "our Lord, come." As with other New Testament passages, Maranatha only makes sense if an any-moment or imminent coming is understood. Such an understanding supports the pretribulationism.

No wonder these ancient Christians coined such a unique greeting which reflects an eager expectation of the Blessed Hope as a very real presence in their everyday lives providing a motivation for godly living, evangelism, and worldwide evangelism. The life of the church today could only be improved if "Maranatha" were to return as a sincere greeting on the lips of an expectant people. Maranatha!

Endnotes

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[1] Renald Showers, Maranatha Our Lord, Come! A Definitive Study of the Rapture of the Church (Bellmawr, N.J.: The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry, Inc., 1995), pp. 127-28.

[2] Arthur T. Pierson, Our Lord's Second Coming as a Motive to World-Wide Evangelism (published by John Wanamaker, n.d., cited in Showers, Maranatha, p. 127.

[3] John F. Walvoord, The Rapture Question: Revised and Enlarged Edition (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1979), p. 273.