Revelation Revisited

 
One of the great blessings the Lord God has for all the earth is His desire to have every person with Him eternally. His magnificence as a loving parent requires only one thing from His children. Each one who desires to spend eternity in His glory must decide whether they will choose to believe in Him and then, believe in His Son, who was sent to save the world from its sinful nature.
 
The believer of and in Jesus as the Christ/Messiah, is the sole caveat decision God demands from each member of humanity. His unconditional love provides each of us an opportunity to recognize Jesus for who He is/was (God incarnate). Understanding His redemptive role as savior (‘the way’ Jn 14:6) for spiritual reconciliation back into the arms of spiritual origination by the grace of God’s Holy Trinity is both the blessing and the reward for belief in Jesus as savior and redeemer.
 
For those who have made this choice and decision to accept and acknowledge Jesus as the Christ/Messiah, should they perish prior to the Rapture, their ascendency to heaven is promised (Jn 11:25-26). All those who have accepted and invited Jesus and His spirit to dwell within will be ‘caught up’ to meet the Lord Jesus at the moment the Rapture occurs (1 Thes 4:16-17).
 
The question becomes, how does one acknowledge this recognition that Jesus is the Christ? What must one do to receive the Holy Spirit of Christ? In His benevolence God the Father has made acquisition of His Spirit through Christ as easy as it is to receive his love. Simply invite Jesus into your life by doing the two steps described in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, or Romans 10:9,10,17. Do these and the Lord Jesus Christ will be with you from that moment, into eternity. It couldn’t be easier! Do it today, and when the Rapture happens you are promised to be part of its magnificent occurrence.
 
The “Rapture” (Dan 12:10) is the one prophecy most people have heard about, seen movie or video depictions of, or are familiar with as an End Times event. The questions surrounding the Rapture are, ‘How, What, When and Why’? To wit: What is the Rapture? How does it happen? When will it occur, and more importantly, Why will it take place? And finally, the question that will be on every set of lips when ‘all the Jesus Freaks are gone’? What will happen to those “Left Behind?”
 
Let’s look at all these questions and try to explain and understand the answers. The term “Rapture” is actually described as the act(ion) of being “caught up” in the air to meet Jesus Christ. Bible prophecy explains that before the trouble and turmoil of the “Last Days” (the second three - and one-half years of the Tribulation period) ‘Jesus followers and believers’ will be caught up in the air as their spirits are taken out of harm’s way from the impending imminent events and consequences about to take place globally that will plague all inhabitants of earth with death and destruction (1Thes 5:9-10).
 
Now that you know how and why the Rapture will occur the most important question is, “What will happen to those ‘Left Behind’?” If you’ve ever seen one of those ‘End of Days’ movies or videos where the Rapture is depicted, you’ve seen the focus is on those Left Behind, not those missing. The story is about those who weren’t ‘caught up’ in the Rapture experience.
 
Rest assured, whatever mayhem and destruction was portrayed in the movie doesn’t even come close to the actual terror and death that will occur when all those raptured ‘Jesus Freaks’ vanish. Think about the chaotic results of every Jesus believer in motion at that moment. When every ‘driver’ of any vehicle, plane, train, bus, or other mode of transportation goes missing. When every believer in the middle of doing something that could be dangerous to others around them disappears. What will be the immediate outcome? Death and destruction will ensue worldwide.
 
For non-believers, those “left behind” that’s just the beginning. The economic, social, political, and religious fallout will be devastating. Fear and trauma will be off the charts. Any type of recovery will be near impossible in the short term. The despair and despondency will reach levels never imagined. Many will take their own lives. Many others will be killed by rampaging and marauding groups or individuals taking advantage of the chaos.
 
Government services at all levels will be incapable of responding to the dread and danger rampant in every community. Resources, particularly emergency aid will be stretched beyond its breaking point. Those left behind (still alive) will literally be on their own. People who have never had to struggle at this level of survival mode or emergency will be challenged as never before. Most will not know what to do, what has happened or understand why, because they are not familiar with biblical prophecy and scripture.
 
Others may realize what has taken place but won’t understand the immediate or long-term ramifications. If the fallout effects from the Rapture aren’t enough to contend with, those with weapons or access to weapons will go into survival or aggressive modes and no-one will be safe. Sadly stated, those left behind will be on their own. These extreme situations will eventually be dulled by the one who steps up to take control with promises of restoring peace and safety.
 
Those in authority will advance a variety of explanations as to what happened and why so many ‘others’ are gone. Their promises and excuses will mollify the masses still alive, but the worst is yet to come, for God will have turned His back on all but the Israelites.
 
When will the Rapture happen? This is the End Times’ quintessential question because its occurrence will literally affect every person on the planet. The Rapture will remove from earth all who have chosen to believe in Jesus as the Christ, whether dead or alive. Its purpose is to save all believers from the inevitable Last Days events and prevent them from experiencing the terrible consequences. When will it come to be? “No one knows the day or hour” (Mk 13:32, Mt 24:36).
 
Remember, when the Rapture happens if you’re left behind the first thing you must do is described for you here;  Romans 10:9-13, 17! Go there now:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+10&version=NIV
 
When will the Rapture occur? Join me next time in Part 5 for the answer.