ITRODUCTION TO POST RAPTURE.

 

Reading: Matthew 24:1-13.                                                                  5/11/06.

Intro:

 

I have entitled my message, “Post Rapture,” but before we look at what will happen after the rapture I think it is important for us to understand that the nearer we come to the Tribulation, the more violent the times will become. In our reading this morning we see Jesus’ disciples coming to him and asking what will be the sign of your coming and when will the end be. Jesus then goes on to tell them that there will be wars, and rumours of wars, he says nation will rise up against nation, there will be pestilences, and famines, and earth quakes, but this is not the end this is only the beginning of sorrows.

 

One thing we need to understand, is that the Disciples were expecting the great tribulation to take place in their lifetime. God’s plan for the ages, that was revealed in the Old Testament for the nation of Israel, was that a virgin would give birth to the Messiah, He would be cruelly punished for their sins, and rise again and rule over them for all eternity. However there would first have to be a time of refreshing when God’s wrath would be poured out upon the world for their total rebellion against God’s Chosen nation. This chosen nation is Israel. The disciples understood this, and they trusted totally in Jesus. However the nation of Israel did not trust in Jesus and therefore God allowed blindness to come upon them for a season. Please forgive me for repeating this again but I am doing it in case there is anyone that has not grasped it yet. Turn over to Acts 3:19-21 please. Here we see if the nation of Israel had repented God would have sent Jesus back, but He had to stay in heaven until the time of refreshing was completed. In other words, the Great Tribulation. Turn over to Acts 7:51-60. Notice verse 56. Jesus is standing on the right hand of God. He is waiting to return.

 

But now turn over to Colosians 3:1. Notice He is now seated on the right hand of God. How long will He remain seated? Turn over to Romans 11:25-27. Notice when the fullness of the Gentiles be come in then all Israel shall be saved. Now turn over to Matthew 24:14-31. Also Revelation 19:11-21. Jesus is going to come back and fight for Israel. He is no longer seated on the right hand of God. No He returns to this earth on a white horse.

 

One of the most important things for us to understand is that the Bible is made up of 1 third of prophesy, and we should read all of it. However the book of Daniel and Revelation give us God’s blueprint for what is going to happen on this earth at the end of time as we understand it. So over the next few weeks we will be referring to Daniel and Revelation quite a bit. Many people find Revelation a difficult book to understand, and this is because there is a lot of symbolism in it. However if we can understand the symbolism we are sure to understand the book.

 

The other thing that we need to understand about Revelation is that it is a book of urgency, and the reason for this is that God can bring the close of the time of the Gentiles at any time. The time of the Gentiles is not part of prophesy, and therefore no event needs to take place to augustrate it. Prophesy on the other hand works on a series of events, and as we look at Revelation over the next few weeks we will see that, but the snatching away of the Body of Christ needs no event to augustrate it but it will be the event that sets prophesy back in motion.

 

As I said Revelation is a book of urgency and we need to understand the reason for this is so that we will forewarn people of the pending danger. Turn over with me to Revelation 1:1. Notice these events are soon to take place. Now verse 3. notice he who reads and takes it to heart will be blessed, because the time is near. And we will finish off with the second last verse in the Bible. Rev 22:20.

 

Do you see the urgency? 

 

Let us pray.