Category: pre-Tribulation rapture

Iniquity Not Yet Full #11

Thursday, May 22, 2014

“But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full” (Genesis 15:16 KJV).

Today’s Scripture expressly declares why the God of the Bible “takes His time” when dealing with sinful mankind.

Beloved, this Dispensation of God’s Grace is the greatest time in all of God’s dealings with mankind. JEHOVAH God has never been more generous. His love for lost and dying man—demonstrated at Calvary (Romans 5:6-8)—has never been more evident (Titus 3:4,5). His grace for lost and dying man—demonstrated at Calvary (2 Corinthians 8:9)—has never been more obvious (Titus 2:11). For 20 centuries, God has offered the riches of His grace, love, mercy, and peace to unloving, prideful, helpless, idolatrous, ungrateful humanity.

Many have willfully ignored the Gospel of His Grace, preferring their sins of the spirit (religious works) and their sins of the flesh. As Israel’s program fell away (albeit, temporarily) when no one else wanted to trust Jesus Christ, so our program will eventually conclude. Our dispensation will end when we, the Church the Body of Christ, are raptured into heaven, when this agency is complete (Romans 11:25). Israel’s program will resume where it paused (God’s wrath!).

Romans 2:3-6,8,9 warns: “And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds: … them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil….”

Paul, writing about the seven-year Tribulation period, says those who “received not the love of the truth” in our dispensation, “God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie” (2 Thessalonians 2:10,11). They will follow the antichrist in his rebellion against God, thereby receiving God’s wrath for participating in Satan’s “mystery of iniquity….”

A Heart Transplant for Israel #12

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26 KJV).

The Great Physician must perform this surgery if His beloved patient is to live forever!

Read today’s Scripture within its context: “For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God” (verses 24-28).

After our dispensation closes with the rapture, and after the seven-year Tribulation, Jesus Christ will return to earth to fulfill today’s Scripture. He will regather Israel’s believing remnant scattered worldwide (Matthew 24:29-31). He will spiritually and nationally circumcise them (separate them from the Gentile nations and Adam/sin). With His shed blood (the New Covenant’s inauguration), He will pay the sin debt they accumulated under the Old Covenant (Mosaic Law) and He will save them (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Romans 11:25-29; Hebrews 8:8-13; Hebrews 10:15-17).

The Great Physician, wielding the Sword of the Spirit, God’s Word, will extract Israel’s “stony heart [of sin unto eternal death]” and replace it with “an heart of flesh” (today’s Scripture). In her kingdom, redeemed Israel will have a heart God can mold, a heart of faith in and obedience to His Word. She will truly be JEHOVAH’S nation, alive with eternal life! Throughout the countless ages to come, she will reach the nations with the salvation He first gave her. Rest assured, saints, in God’s own timing, Israel shall live again! 🙂

Bible Study 101 #8

Sunday, January 12, 2014

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV).

The only verse that tells you to study the Bible also tells you how to study the Bible!

Ephesians 2:11,12 explain that the “Old Testament” Scriptures (Genesis through Malachi), Matthew through John (the Four Gospels), and Acts chapters 1-8 are “time past,” and thus have no direct application to us. Verse 13 says we are in the “but now,” and that distinction between Jew and Gentile is currently rescinded (Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon). Ephesians 2:7 speaks of the “ages to come,” the future (discussed primarily in Hebrews through Revelation [for the nation Israel], but also throughout Paul’s epistles [for us, the Church the Body of Christ]).

Thus, we cannot steal Israel’s Old Testament passages and promises and pretend they belong to us. We cannot go into Christ’s earthly ministry and follow His teachings as though He was speaking to us Gentiles (when He said He was speaking to Israel only; Matthew 10:5-7; Matthew 15:24; cf. Romans 15:8). We cannot grab passages in Hebrews through Revelation and conclude they are talking to or about us, when their contexts indicate they are not. And yet, the professing Church has done just this for the last 2,000 years, and created over 38,000 rival denominations in the process!

In the context of today’s Scripture, Paul writes that false teachers, Hymenaeus and Philetus (verse 17), “concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some” (verse 18). These men were mixing our mystery program with Israel’s prophetic program. They had misled Christians to believe that they had missed the rapture (“the resurrection”) and caused them to believe that they were now living in Israel’s seven-year Tribulation (cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:1-14). Even today, many do not “rightly divide the word of truth” (today’s Scripture)—that is, they fail to recognize the distinction between prophecy and mystery—so, they confuse doctrines (here, confusing the timing of the rapture).

Again, we must stop mixing the dispensations in God’s Word if we are to understand God’s Word….

Big Brother Versus Heavenly Father #6

Saturday, November 9, 2013

“…for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me” (Hebrews 13:5c,6 KJV).

Big Brother is watching; Heavenly Father is, too!

Ever since Adam sinned, Father God has watched the world’s governments degrade. God loves freedom so much that He has permitted man to do just about anything he wants, even though He foreknew man would screw up creation! (In His wisdom, thankfully, God will still set it all straight one day, too.)

For 6,000 years now, but especially the last 2,000, Satan has operated earth’s governments. Paul, discussing the future seven-year Tribulation and the culmination of Satan’s domination over earth, wrote 20 centuries ago: “For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way” (2 Thessalonians 2:7). Our Dispensation of Grace is preventing Israel’s program from resuming, but once our program concludes (at the rapture), Israel’s program will recommence where it paused in Acts (Romans 11:25-29).

The final week of years of Daniel 9:27, the “Tribulation,” will be the last time a world empire oppresses Israel. God will allow the antichrist, a smooth-talking politician inspired of Satan, to institute a global regime, thereby claiming to be the fulfillment of the Old Testament Messianic prophecies. The antichrist will deny Jesus as Messiah, and claim the title for himself (Daniel 11:36-38; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12; Revelation 13:1-18).

Once Satan’s policy of evil climaxes, God will purge Israel of its unbelieving Jews (those following the antichrist’s satanic religious system; Zechariah 13:8,9; Matthew 13:37-42; Revelation 14:9-11). Believing Jews—who accept Jesus as Christ—will be beheaded for rejecting the antichrist (Luke 21:12-18; Hebrews 12:1-4; 1 Peter 4:12-19; 1 Peter 5:6-10; Revelation 6:9-11; Revelation 20:4; et al.). Today’s Scripture is God’s comforting words to believing Israel: do not fear the antichrist’s fury (cf. Matthew 10:16-42).

When those seven years expire, Jesus Christ will return to earth, destroy the antichrist (2 Thessalonians 2:8), and (finally!) establish His kingdom with believing, redeemed, and resurrected Israel (Daniel 2:44; Revelation 11:15; Revelation 20:4; et al.).

Until then, God is doing something else today….

Unfathomable Distances, Unsearchable Speeds #4

Friday, June 7, 2013

“For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself” (Philippians 3:20,21 KJV).

The vastness of space is mindboggling; today’s Scripture is equally mind-blowing….

When no one else wants to trust the Lord Jesus Christ alone as his or her personal Saviour, He will return to conclude the Dispensation of Grace. The “rapture” (“catching away”) is the event whereby the Church the Body of Christ is removed from Earth, thereby allowing Israel’s program to resume where it is currently paused. Unless we understand the Bible dispensationally—that the nation Israel and her prophetic program are separate and distinct from us the Church the Body of Christ and our mystery program—we will never understand the rapture (this is why many professing “Christians” either confuse the rapture with the Second Coming, or deny it entirely).

Scripture mentions “the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and… our gathering together unto him” in 2 Thessalonians 2:1. In 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17, we learn, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up [in Latin, ‘raptured’] together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” The rapture is best illustrated by a magnet (the Lord Jesus Christ) attracting iron shavings (the Christians)—it is a forceful plucking or yanking.

In 1 Corinthians 15:51,52, Paul tells us about this secret resurrection (never revealed prior to him): “Behold, I shew you a mystery; we shall not all sleep [die physically], but we shall be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye…” (cf. today’s Scripture). We Christians will receive our glorified bodies instantaneously, soaring through Earth’s atmosphere, and zooming into the heavenly places with Jesus Christ….

A Papal Prophecy? #13

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

“And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time” (2 Thessalonians 2:6 KJV).

The recent resignation of Benedict XVI as pope is being greatly discussed within “Christian” circles in light of eschatology. Are we seeing Bible prophecy fulfilled today, or is this simply the (usual) failure to “rightly divide the word of truth?”

This is (deliberately) the thirteenth and final study of this devotional arc: the number 13 in Scripture symbolizes rebellion (Genesis 14:4), and the antichrist is the epitome of Satan’s evil policy aimed at rebelling against God.

In these past one-dozen studies, we have studied the Holy Scriptures to briefly introduce the antichrist. You should have a better understanding of who he is and what role he plays in God’s dealings with mankind, particularly with Israel.

We leave you with some final thoughts.

  • Scripture never provides any dates or time frames for God’s dealings with us in the Dispensation of Grace. Contrariwise, the Bible does provide time frames for Israel’s program: regarding prophecy, the seven-year Tribulation is the concluding “week” (seven-year period) of a larger 490-year (70-week) period of time God deals with the nation Israel (Daniel 9:24-27). This further proves we, the Church the Body of Christ, cannot and will not experience the seven-year Tribulation.
  • This world is certainly preparing for the antichrist via false teaching, ecumenism (once-antagonistic denominations uniting), religious pluralism (uniting world religions), and increased technology and mass communication. However, the scriptural record is silent about papal resignations: Benedict XVI’s resignation is not Bible prophecy. Nevertheless, it does expose the dire condition—the scandals, perplexity, and desperation—of professing Christianity.
  • The rapture will occur at any time, so we cannot and should not set dates. However, you need to be ready for it! Jesus Christ died for your sins, He was buried, and He was raised again the third day to give you His life when you trust Him alone as your personal Saviour. Trust Him alone today, and in due time, you will be raptured out with the rest of the Church the Body of Christ, before the awful seven-year Tribulation begins, and before the antichrist is revealed.

A Papal Prophecy? #12

Monday, March 11, 2013

“And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time” (2 Thessalonians 2:6 KJV).

The recent resignation of Benedict XVI as pope is being greatly discussed within “Christian” circles in light of eschatology. Are we seeing Bible prophecy fulfilled today, or is this simply the (usual) failure to “rightly divide the word of truth?”

It is the usual failure to “rightly divide the word of truth!”

Bible study—especially eschatology (study of “end times”)—is usually very burdensome for most because they do not study God’s Word, God’s way. If each Bible verse is not left in its proper place on the Bible timeline, then we will confuse prophecy with mystery, Israel with the Body of Christ, and the Second Coming of Christ with the rapture. Sadly, these distinctions are often ignored, so heresies spring up (preterism—the belief that all Bible prophecy was already fulfilled; replacement theology—the belief system that the Body of Christ has replaced Israel; mid- (or post)-Tribulation rapture—the belief that the Body of Christ will endure some or all of the seven-year Tribulation; et cetera).

Today’s Scripture explains that the antichrist will not be revealed until after the Church the Body of Christ is removed. “And now ye know what withholdeth [the Dispensation of Grace, the Church the Body of Christ] that he [the antichrist] might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way [raptured]” (2 Thessalonians 2:6,7). As long as our Dispensation of Grace is operating, we, the Body of Christ, will remain on earth. When no one else wants to trust Jesus Christ as personal Saviour, the Body of Christ will be complete, it will be removed from earth via the rapture, and brought into the heavenly places. Israel’s program can then resume.

No Bible prophecy is being fulfilled today; otherwise our mystery program is over. To say that Bible prophecy is being fulfilled today is to invite the heresies— “follow Israel’s Scriptures,” “look for her signs of the times,” et cetera. We are living in a time period completely removed from Israel’s prophetic program….

A Papal Prophecy? #11

Sunday, March 10, 2013

“And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time” (2 Thessalonians 2:6 KJV).

The recent resignation of Benedict XVI as pope is being greatly discussed within “Christian” circles in light of eschatology. Are we seeing Bible prophecy fulfilled today, or is this simply the (usual) failure to “rightly divide the word of truth?”

According to 1 Thessalonians 1:6, 1 Thessalonians 2:14, 1 Thessalonians 3:2,3, and 2 Thessalonians 1:3-6, these believers were enduring intense persecution. Furthermore, heresy had slipped into their assembly. False teachers were corrupting these believers, causing them to believe that their suffering was the result of them missing the rapture and now living in the wrath of the Tribulation. Hence, Paul wrote the second chapter of 2 Thessalonians to delineate the distinction between Israel’s prophetic program and our mystery program. Most of today’s professing church is totally ignorant of that chapter!

Bible prophecy is often confusing to people because they do not understand the dispensational layout of the Bible. In fact, Bible prophecy is impossible for many to grasp because they do not approach God’s Word, God’s way. Christendom’s negligence to “rightly divide the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15) causes even true, Holy Spirit-indwelt believers to confuse Israel’s program with our program as members of the Church the Body of Christ. Today, some professing Christians are terrified of accepting “the mark of the beast,” scared to death of God’s wrath during the Tribulation. Others point to current world events and exclaim, “Look, Bible prophecy is being fulfilled!” Beloved, if we claim that Bible prophecy is being fulfilled today, we are just as guilty of perverting God’s Word as the false teachers in Thessalonica.

As long as our mystery program—“which was kept secret since the world began” (Romans 16:25) is operating—Israel’s prophetic program—“that which God hath spoken by the mouth of his holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:21)—cannot be fulfilled. God is not fulfilling prophecy today: He is forming the Church the Body of Christ, something His prophets never spoke about, something He never revealed until the Apostle Paul’s salvation and ministry….

One Little Nation With a Big God #3

Saturday, November 17, 2012

“Lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth: render a reward to the proud” (Psalm 94:2 KJV).

Israel’s enemies are persecuting and destroying her, and today’s Scripture is her plea for JEHOVAH to shew Himself!

For the past 4,000 years—ever since her beginning with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the nation Israel has been harassed, oppressed, and mistreated by the Gentile world. This is partly due to her sins and God’s chastisement (Leviticus 26:31-39; Deuteronomy 28:48-53). Moreover, it is also due to Satan seeking to wipe out Israel (for in doing so, prophecy and God’s purpose and plan for the earth would be abolished).

Even today, little Israel battles her enemies to retain what small amount of real estate she has. Is not Israel God’s “chosen people?” Then, why has God not gotten rid of Israel’s opponents? Actually, God has temporarily set aside the nation Israel, and her program that operated in “time past” is paused: “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in” (Romans 11:25). When God is finished forming the Body of Christ, He will return to Israel, and then He will take care of her enemies.

After our Dispensation of Grace terminates with the rapture, and the Church the Body of Christ is removed from earth, Israel will experience “one week” (seven years; Daniel 9:27) of God’s wrath, during which He will separate believing Jews from unbelieving Jews (Zechariah 12:8,9). Also, the satanic antichrist will be ruling the world, and he will persecute believing Israel. His religious leader, the “false prophet,” will gather the armies of the world, in hopes of annihilating Israel (Revelation 16:13-16). In this last great battle, Armageddon, Gentile armies will assemble in Israel, eagerly waiting to defeat her once and for all (Revelation 19:18,19; cf. Psalm 83:1-4).

However, these haughty Gentile armies are unaware that the “judge of the earth” has left heaven’s glory, and He is rapidly nearing planet earth, to “render a reward to the proud….”

Israel’s Three Prophetic Baptisms #7

Monday, July 16, 2012

“I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:” (Matthew 3:11 KJV).

Do we in the Dispensation of Grace have any relation to the three baptisms of today’s Scripture?

BAPTISM #3: THE FIRE BAPTISM

Whether or not the Church the Body of Christ will go through God’s wrath—that is, part of or all of the seven-year Tribulation and Second Coming of Christ—is a third confused issue in Christendom. Will we believers in Christ experience the “fire baptism?”

The above confusion regarding the doctrine of the fire baptism is immediately dispelled when we, “Study to shew [ourselves] approved unto God, [workmen] that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). When we study God’s Word dispensationally, we understand that all of the Bible is for us, but not all of the Bible is to us or about us.

We are the Church the Body of Christ, so we must be careful to never confuse ourselves with the nation Israel (which the professing “Church” has done for almost 2,000 years!). All this talk in religion about “a mid-Trib rapture or post-Trib rapture” is predicated on the false presumption that the Tribulation belongs in our dispensation.

The seven-year Tribulation and Christ’s Second Coming (the “fire baptism”) do not belong in our dispensation: There is “one baptism” for our Dispensation of Grace (Ephesians 4:5). What is it? “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body…” (1 Corinthians 12:13). In Christ, God has saved us from His wrath (Romans 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:9; 2 Thessalonians 2:13,14). When someone places his or her faith in Jesus Christ alone as personal Saviour, the Holy Spirit baptizes that person into the Body of Christ. God has no controversy with us, the Church the Body of Christ. Christ Jesus suffered God’s wrath on our behalf: we have been “delivered from the wrath to come” (1 Thessalonians 1:10).