Apr 15 2024 25 mins
Case of the missing Church (The Rapture)
(1 Thessalonians 4)
It is difficult at best to say with any real certainty when or where in the eschatological timetable God will remove the church. It is not hard to imagine, however, that probably what few there are in America who remain alive will be evacuated before God signals the destruction of Babylon the Great, along with all others in a global “snatching up” of the deceased and the living. At any rate, remove it He will, be it immediately before the Apocalypse, before the Russians attack Israel, or before the collapse of Babylon the Great, which will doubtless fall before God utterly pulverizes the Russo/EU/Muslim confederacy.
During the days of the interlude–whether it is for seven years or, for seven years plus (one would think 10.5 years minimum)—unquestionably, tensions will mount, a thirst for revenge will reign until finally tempers will flair as the world vies for what it will likely view as a final desperate bid to rid itself of any vestige of the influence of Almighty God—Jew and Christians (protestants) being its primary focus. Why do the heathen rage, as they (the pagans) imagine vain or worthless things; taking council together (as they do) against the Almighty and His Messiah, the Psalmist queries in Psalm 2? God has already made Himself real in their thinking by the now defunct Russo-Arab alliance. However, but for the lingering scars of that reality, the only tangible, visible sign of that Presence is the Christian and, of course, the Jew. Behind the scenes the Lord will stoke the fires of doubt, so as to coax a yet God hating, Christ rejecting world to still another banqueting table and feast, set for the birds and wild animals, upon which they (the gentiles of the world) are the main entree. As bad as the Russo-Arab defeat was, the adage some folks never learn, will now take on new meaning, as all hell is about to break loose within the confines of this bubble housing our terra firma. Before this can take place, however, God has other plans, special plans, for His church. Actually, it is not clear, so that one cannot be absolutely certain whether this, the Rapture, will take place after the fall of the Russian/Arab coalition, or before. The reality is, the rapture could (and most likely will) very well take place prior to God’s toppling of Babylon the Great, which must fall before the Russians feel confident that they can launch their incursion into Israel without significant interference from other foreign powers (Rev. 18). The 4.65 million Ashkenazim here in the U.S. now, having significant ties in all areas of government and business, could pretty much preclude any such occurrence (a Russian incursion into Israel), for the time being.
Where the world at large is concerned, nothing much can or will happen—in the course of everyday living—to change his mind with regard to the Apocalypse, whether or not it will occur; its proximity. They simply do not believe, and/or could not care less. The clearest warning bell will be sounded, however, when they awaken one sweet morning to find that the hated Christian, and many a Jew, is no more; vanished and that without a trace! Although there will be Christians during the Apocalypse period, these will actually be saved after this period of hell on earth begins. No Christian living prior will enter that time of testing (one uses the term Christian here with reference to those who actually are such, not to nominal Christians who, being religious, are so chiefly in name and by church affiliation only).