Revelation, the Rapture, and What Jesus Says

Today we see events continue to unfold in a manner which has placed us at a perfect jumping off point for end time prophecies to begin being fulfilled. These are the events which will ultimately lead to Jesus' second coming. But what does that even mean?

What would it mean for us if the events being watched for in Bible prophecy started happening now?

What will we see when these things start to take place?

How will people react to them once they start to unfold?

Will the world even notice? Will they care? Or will they turn their backs and ignore it?

Worse yet, is it possible we will be considered pariahs and pushed to the side as not politically correct in today’s “cancel culture”?

Look at what is happening in our world today. Look at the movements taking place on the college campuses and in political circles. Look at the censorship taking place on in the news and on social media. Look at the values being instilled in our young children by teachers in the school systems. Look at the laws being passed in different states and in other countries that are putting Christians in a box or worse yet trying to shut them down completely.

MOST of these changes have taken place in my parents’ lifetime. I’ve personally watched the worst of these changes unfold over the last thirty years of my life. Events are now moving so quickly that I can barely keep up. Worse yet, things seem to be accelerating. If this truly is the case, where will we be by the time we reach the end of MY generation? What will the world look like thirty years from now?

There is a term “eschatology” which means the study of last things. In this case it is the study of the last things in the Bible. Primarily the study of the “end days”, the return of Jesus, and God’s punishment of the wicked still living on earth. Basically, it is the study of the end of the world as we know it and the new kingdom which will be established.

Part of the study of eschatology covers an event known as the “rapture”. It is an event where upon Jesus’ return, He gathers His believers to protect them from God’s final punishment which is coming on the earth for unbelief and sin. The word “rapture” is derived from a Latin word “raptus” or “rapere” which means “abducted” or “to snatch”. In Greek the word is “harpazo” which means “caught up”.

All of that aside, the main thing here is understanding the CONCEPT of what the bible teaches.

Jesus came as prophesied in the Bible

He was crucified and paid the price for our sins

He was resurrected and later ascended into Heaven

He is coming again!

When he returns, he promises to gather his believers to protect us from the wrath which is about to take place on earth and from that point onward, we will be with him forever.

When I watch the pace at which the world is turning its back on God, I can only imagine that we aren’t far from His return to execute judgement on an unbelieving world. The prophecies regarding Jesus’ return to gather us to Him will be the primary focus of this book.

If you believe God exists…

If you believe Jesus is his son…

If you believe he was crucified for our sins and was resurrected…

If you have asked Him for forgiveness and accepted his gift of everlasting life…

If you have repented (turned from your old ways) and strive earnestly to keep his ways…

There is a place already prepared for you in heaven. (John 14:1-4)

If you don’t believe in these things and aren’t living for Christ, then you need to know the alternative is eternity of suffering, pain, and punishment in Hell. Keep this in mind, you don’t have to BELIEVE it to EXPERIENCE it.

Here is the bottom line. We could at this very moment be moving into the last days. If this is the case, it is possible that we will be alive to see everything written about in the Bible unfold in OUR lifetime.

If you aren’t a believer, or if you are a believer who isn’t living right with God, there is a chance that YOU will see the punishments that are to be meted out on this earth in a very up close and personal way.

If Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection which provides for our salvation is the MOST important message in the bible, then his return to gather his believers and judge the wicked must surely be the SECOND MOST important message. How is it that the second most important topic in the Bible is one that many churches either now fully avoid or refuse to look at in the full light of scripture?

By letting Jesus use his own words and comparing what He says to other verses in the Bible, it is a topic which I hope to better help you understand.