What if?

Monday, November 20th, 2023

by Ken Pullen

ACP

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

God breathed life into man made from dust.

God created woman from man.

Cain murdered his brother Abel.

There was a Tower of Babel.

There was a Great Flood and an ark built by Noah.

Joseph went from being thrown into a pit, and sold into slavery, to being the most important person in Egypt after Pharoh. Doing the Lord’s work.

David was a great king and he came to notoriety by slaying Goliath. David was chosen of God. He also is an example to us of a fallen man in need of God…always.

Jesus, fully truly man while also fully truly God was born of a virgin in Nazareth. To live, to die, to conquer death, and be resurrected on the Third Day and witnessed by no fewer than 500 people upon His resurrection.

Saul of Tarsus had a transformative spiritual experience on the road to Damascus on his way to persecute followers of The Way [Christianity] and the Lord met with him and Saul of Tarsus became the apostle Paul.

There is something tangible, known, and exhibited in the world called sin. For which there are eternal consequences.

There is forgiveness of this sin and salvation through faith in and obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Scriptures are the God-breathed words of God for man, woman, and child to know His will.

There is a heaven.

There is a hell.

There is physical death for all. The Second Death for many.

All these and more are definitive. True. Historical. Factual. Even among worldly scholars and a growing number of atheists [see Is God Real?].

But…

What if every person convinced there will be a rapture, a gathering in the clouds with Christ, of true believers, the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, prior to the Great Tribulation are wrong in their assumption? Their theory put forward by men and something that is not definitive in the Word of God?

I have mentioned it here more than a few times, now it has been years since I heard the words spoken on the radio by a prominent nationally known pastor, speaking on a Christian radio station that if there is not a pre-tribulation rapture that he would lose his faith. Yes, he said that. Those very words.

I ask, what faith is that then?

True Christians do not dispute or debate or have myriad beliefs regarding sin, salvation, that there is One True God, the Triune God of the Holy Bible, that Jesus is the Son of God, that He came to earth to sacrifice Himself as the only acceptable sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin and the only way to heaven, and that there is a heaven and a hell, and on and on and on we go in accord, in agreement.

But when it comes to when there will be a rapture? When true believers are caught up in the clouds with the Lord? In that, there are many, far too many beliefs, theories, and doctrines of man. Not something clear and definitive in the Word of God.

If honest in hearing or reading those subscribing to this belief it’s their definitive declaration that such will happen even though there is nothing found anywhere in Scripture to support this doctrine. They cite one verse in Scripture as the bedrock foundation of their belief in a pre-tribulation rapture;

Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 4:17

Even though the apostle Paul gives no definitive timeframe as to when that being caught up in the clouds occurs. Except for when Christ returns. Which, if going through Scripture from Genesis 1 to Revelation 21 it is recorded, often, that the Lord Jesus Christ returns one more time, a Second and Final Time. No more. No less. He is coming back. But when no one knows save the Father. And no one ought to venture into declaring a time or being definitive and unthinking in their belief that true believers will all be caught up in the clouds and spared suffering, witnessing for the faith, tribulation for the faith.

It greatly benefits a person to know context. The church at Thessalonica was obsessed with, in great debate as to when Jesus was going to return with many there at that time convinced He had already returned, others growing distressed wanting to know when, and on and on it went in that early church. Much of the context of the letters to the believers at Thessalonica is, when does Christ return?

I like to keep something Miles Cloverdale wrote a while ago;

“It shall greatly help ye to understand the Scriptures if thou mark not only what is spoken or written, but of whom and to whom, with what words, at what time, where, to what intent, with what circumstances, considering what goeth before and what followeth after.” 

Context is rather important.

So what do we know definitively?

And it was given unto him [the Antichrist] to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

Revelation 13:7

And the apostle John in his Revelation, saw and then wrote;

And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

Revelation 20:4-6

It is an assumption there will be a rapture of true believers prior to the swiftly coming Great Tribulation written of in God’s Word, in Daniel, Revelation, and other books in the Holy Bible. There are definitives in Scripture as mentioned above — Jesus being the Son of God and having been born of a virgin, and raised from the dead on the Third Day to ascend to heaven 40 days after His resurrection. Many are as convinced of a rapture of the Church prior to the Great Tribulation to be the same clear definitive but there is nothing in Scripture to substantiate such belief.

There will be a gathering by Christ of all those true believers alive on this earth upon His return, this is clear and easily discerned by reading, studying, and meditating — thinking deeply, faithfully, and prayerfully asking the Holy Spirit to instruct us revealing the Word beyond our feeble and finite abilities to do so — not adding or omitting anything and not using personal interpretations, only having the Word of God as the voice we hear, abide in, and obey.

If this is our humble, prayerful approach then we cannot come away saying with absolute certainty that Christ is coming part way back, prior to the Great Tribulation to spare true believers from the Great Tribulation. We ought not be so certain of those things in Scripture that are not clear and definitive. If anyone can provide me clear definitive Scripture declaring the Lord Jesus Christ, who is God, who was also fully truly a man when He lived on earth among us, He Who suffered more than any man that has ever lived taking the sin of every true believer upon Himself, as well as being crucified which is on of the most painful ways to die, if providing me clear and definitive Scripture that shows that the Lord is coming back prior to the Great Tribulation to spare true believers who ought to know and understand suffering, trials, persecutions and tribulations are part and parcel of living for and with Christ, then, please, in the comments area below provide me the Scripture that clearly tells us there will be a rapture of true believers prior to the Great Tribulation.

Because I have never found such a definitive in all my reading and study of God’s Word.

The Word of God teaches us contrary to the assuredness, the absolute unwavering position held by many that, if a true believer, and living in this fleshly realm prior to the appearance of the Antichrist and his false prophet and the fulfillment of all Bible prophecy they will be spared suffering and the Great Tribulation. What is clear, concise, and guaranteed for us to know with absolute assuredness and truth is;

Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

Revelation 13:6-8

Revelation 13

Couple of things here before we move on. If every true believer in Christ is caught up and removed from the earth prior to the appearance of the Antichrist and his false prophet, who are the saints the Antichrist goes to go to war with and overcomes? Because we’re also clearly told in God’s Word;

A Multitude from the Great Tribulation

After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying:

It is proclaimed from pulpits, in books, on podcasts, and throughout Christendom by many that Jesus comes and gathers every true believer up into the clouds with Him before the Great Tribulation, and that the only true believers on earth after that are the 144,000 pure, virgin Jews who are chosen and come to believe in Jesus as the Messiah. These are to spread the gospel of Jesus as the Messiah throughout Israel and to be the keepers, the protectors of the light and truth within Israel and these will be protected by God to carry out His work on earth during this time, the very last days of this earth’s history as it has been known;

For there is no clear, concise, concrete announcement, or statement of when the Lord will gather those true believers on earth in the clouds to join Him, save to mention it will be when He comes again, a Second and Final time. Since the Word of God is very clear and concise the Lord Jesus Christ is coming back to this sin-filled world a Second time. But there is no mention, not one word concerning an interim return. Only a Second time to conquer the evil armies of the world attempting to annihilate the Jews and the land of Israel from the face of the earth. For as in the days of Noah the violence, the evil over the earth, the sin and imaginings of men and women are evil all day and night long and there is no turning to God, only to self and sin. Anything goes. A seeming insanity overcomes the people — the people who are in darkness and are darkness devoid of the Truth and absent of any Light within them.

Oh, the Lord Jesus Christ is coming back to this earth again. One more time. The Holy Bible is very clear it is one more time, a Second Coming. A Final return. Very clear about that.

Nothing about an interim return before the Final and Second Coming. If knowing where that interim coming, that part-way return is written in God’s Word please let me know. Help me out, please.

What if all those so assured, so confident in their pronouncements and belief that they will be removed from this world before the coming times of tribulation such as the world has never witnessed and never will again, what if they are wrong? And if remaining alive, by God’s will, for it is God who is in control. Not individuals and whatever belief they concoct and promote and garner followers of — what if the pre-tribulation folks are dead wrong?

Are you, dear sister, brother, fence sitter, backslider, true believer, make believer prepared and equipped for that?

Where is it written that a person coming to Christ, born anew, renewed of spirit and mind, changed from within by the Supernatural power of the Spirit of God to be a true disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ ought not to endure suffering? Extreme suffering? Extreme sacrifice?

As our Lord, as the Lord did?

As the apostles and prophets did?

As countless true believers have in the past and are doing so this very day in places almost no one thinks of, prays about, is aware of, or truly cares about in their daily comings and goings and self-driven ways.

The Bible is very clear that this Antichrist goes to war with the saints. That the number of those beheaded during this time, the number of those killed for their faith is without number as witnessed by the apostle John in the Revelation.

What if?

Are you equipped? Prepared? I’m not speaking of boogie bags, pantries chock full of emergency foods lasting 25 years, or having an armory in your home, or having the means to move to some remote place vainly imagining an escape from it all. There is no escape. No place to go. But here. On earth. Where it’s all happening, all coming together in truth, in reality, just as the Word of God says.

What if?

Are you ready? Equipped, prepared, of sound doctrine, and in such a degree of faithfulness to enter into this possibility? Or are you as many, as so many, as some nationally known famous pastors and preachers who proclaim that if they are not taken up by Jesus in the clouds — ahh, could the rapture be when He returns a Second and Finalt time and all of those true believers living on earth then are caught up with Him, to join Him and the legions from heaven to defeat the armies of the world?

The point of all of this?

Is it not better to prepare for the very worst and horrible to come and thus be better equipped for that event than to be among the Pollyannas that are so convinced they will not have to endure great tribulation, to stand boldly and firmly in the faith or face death, to not take the mark of the beast and therefore not be able to buy, sell, live life on earth? To have to live like the Resistance in World War II or as numerous people of God through the ages.

Is it not better to be as prepared, sound, equipped, increased in faith, and strengthened by the Holy Spirit to face whatever may come to contend, fight for the faith knowing the reward that is to come and that anything and everything here on earth, even our flesh, is temporary and not the lasting reality — why do so many place emphasis on personal protection, avoidance of adversity, pain, tribulations, and trials when it is clear in so many places in God’s Word these are required and necessary things for a true person of God!?

Not that we should seek them or wallow in them, making them in reality an idol. Oh, woe is me!

No, but is it not better to be equipped and prepared than to be caught unawares or complacent, or believing something in error put forward by men, by women, and not definitively found in Scripture as so many other things are?

Why all the debate and differing viewpoints on this one topic?

To consume people. To make some complacent and caught unawares — such as the nationally known paster mentioned early on in this that declared on national radio if the rapture doesn’t occur prior to the Great Tribulation he would lose his faith.

Again, what faith is that then?

Paper thin. Weak. Worldly. 20th and 21st century faith.

Brother, sister,s friends — we need the faith of the prophets of the Old Testament. We need the faith of the First Century believers, who endured great tribulation and suffering for the faith — we do not need to continue to adopt and spread like a virus making one ill philosophies, theories, and weaknesses, the debates of men and women of the 20th and 21st century over and above the Word of God. The clear, precise, definitive Word of God on all the main things, the plain things, and the plain things are the main things [I know a pastor who says that often and he is spot on in preaching such].

We prepare and equip ourselves for daily life every day do we not? For the changing of seasons? For taking a trip? For securing our homes? Educating children and ourselves? We live in a constant state of preparation and equipping ourselves one way or another in countless ways.

Why do we then so casually prepare and equip ourselves for the spiritual war we’re in and this world hurtling towards its end and the return of the Lord — not knowing for certain if that truly comes before the Antichrist and his false prophet and the Great Tribulation, or after that, or at some time between as many others believe?

How about we become certain, definitive in what is sound and true found in the Word of God and live and prepare ourselves as if the Lord is coming back a Second and Final time AFTER the Antichrist and his false prophet rise to world power? That way no matter what may come, when, we are ready.

Rather than being caught as the five virgins without oil in their lamps at the appearance of the Bridegroom.

Preparation and awareness. Equipping ourselves in the full armour of God and never removing it and maintaining it continually, faithfully, prayerfully.

Making ready. For whatever may come. Not being fearful and weak. But placing our trust in the Lord in all things to overcome all things.

Even if there is no pre-tribulation rapture…

Imagine that…

…because the Word of God is not definitive on when the Lord returns. Not only the year or day but also if it is before the Great Tribulation or after.

So why depend on the words of man or woman over the Word of God?

Imagine being caught naked as there is a raging house fire, or apartment fire where you live and it’s the dead of winter and there are 100 neighbors outside and four fire stations reporting to the fire and you must run outside in the cold, in front of everyone, naked.

Now imagine being caught complacent, unawares, unprepared, ill-equipped, confident in things not definitive and that which never imagined happening.

I hope and pray you dear ones, never find yourselves in either of those scenarios.

Is it not better to prepare than to be caught unawares and off guard — thus easily conquered?

I cannot say or know with certainty, as so many others appear when the Lord Jesus Christ is returning. I do know with certainty that He is coming back again. And I am of the belief and mind it is far better to prepare and be equipped, made ready, for whatever may come — including having to be among those slain in the Great Tribulation for my faith in Jesus than to be thinking it can all be avoided, I’m going to a big dinner party in the sky before all the dung like never before in world history hits the fan and I must not only contend, defend, the faith, but perhaps give up my fleshly life for my faith.

What if all those who contend with such conviction that the Lord is coming back to spare them the Great Tribulation and having to stand firmly in the faith in the face of such are in error? And there is no pre-tribulation rapture, but the rapture occurs at a later time? What then? Will those then be counted along with the nationally known pastor mentioned above losing their faith?

Better to prepare in that manner is it not than to be caught unawares and unprepared and not caught up in the clouds when you thought you would be?

Humm…