The Timing of the Rapture

Transcript

GRM 1061
12/04/11
The Timing of the Rapture
Selected Verses
Gil Rugh

We're studying the matter of biblical prophecy, and just looking into what God says the future holds. Realize that when the Bible was written a large portion of it was prophetic and much of that was fulfilled with the first coming of Christ, but there is much yet to be unfolded associated with His return to this earth to establish His kingdom.

We've been talking about the time when the Lord comes to gather the church, His people, and true believers in Jesus Christ from Acts 2 down until the time the Lord returns in the air to gather the church into His presence. This is the chart we've been using and this is the church age, from Acts 2, just after the cross when Christ met with His disciples in Acts 1 and then ascended to heaven in fulfillment of the promises He gave in John 14-16 He said He would send the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit had been present, He is always present, but He was going to have the Spirit come from heaven with a new and special ministry. That began in Acts 2 with the establishing of the church. So this period of time here is called the church age. It will climax when Christ comes in the air and gathers the church to meet Him in the air and takes them to glory. That will be followed by a seven-year period called the 70th week of Daniel, coming from Daniel 9. There are 70 seven-year periods in God's program for the nation Israel. The first 69 weeks as we call them, weeks of years now, 483 years, were finished just before the crucifixion of Christ. And in effect God puts His program with Israel on hold. Obviously He is working in certain ways with the nation but His program in focusing on Israel in His work in the world, the focus of His saving grace is put on hold for Israel. It now focuses in the Gentile world primarily here in the church age. This will come to a conclusion at the Rapture, then we'll have the last seven-year period in God's program with Israel.

We've been talking about the scriptural reasons why we hold to a pre-tribulation Rapture. We talked about the Rapture, the Greek word is harpazo, we get the English from Latin, rapture. We're talking about the removal of the church from the earth, the catching away of the church. That will be followed by this seven-year period, followed by the return of Christ to the earth. Here He comes in the air and calls believers to meet Him in the air and takes them to heaven. When He returns the second time to earth He'll come to the earth and it will be to establish His kingdom, the first phase of which is 1,000 years.

There are different views on the Rapture and when it occurs. Some hold to a pre-tribulation Rapture like we do; some hold to a mid-tribulation Rapture, right in the middle; and some hold to a post-tribulation. This seven-year period called the tribulation. Some hold to the post-tribulation Rapture, it will occur in connection with the Second Coming of Christ to earth. In other words what will happen, Christ will descend, He'll call the church, they'll meet Him in the air and turn around and come back down with Him. I think the biblical view of this is that Christ will come before that seven-year period to gather the church and then the church will be taken to heaven and the pattern of the Oriental wedding that we talked about, to His Father's house. There the wedding, the marriage is formalized, then He returns after seven years with His bride to the earth, the bride is unveiled before all creation.

Some of the reasons we've given and this is a review of the review, I realize. First reason we looked at was the nature of the 70 weeks of Daniel. Those 70 seven-year periods are for Jews, Israel and Jerusalem according to Daniel 9. The church was not part of the first 69 weeks, the first 483 years, and there is no reason to think it would be part of the last seven years either. God is dealing with the nation Israel. A second reason we gave was the ministry of the Holy Spirit through the church. The Holy Spirit came on the Day of Pentecost. In 2 Thessalonians 2 we're told that the one who is restraining sin and the manifestation of the man of sin will be removed. We take it the Holy Spirit is taken from the earth in the way that He came here. That doesn't mean He is not present on the earth but He will not be carrying out the same ministry that He came to accomplish in Acts 2, particularly forming the Bride of Christ, preparation for the marriage of the Lamb, if you will, joining to Christ. So that removal of the Holy Spirit seems to fit there. The Holy Spirit is restraining sin and as we'll see in a little bit the manifestation of Satan's man of lawlessness. It's the work of the Holy Spirit that keeps us from getting to this point so far because God is not done with His work in completing the church. This is the time called the fullness of the Gentiles, this period from Acts 2 down to the Rapture, according to Romans 11. It's the time when God's work of salvation in the world focuses on Gentiles primarily. Some Jews are saved but primarily the church is comprised of Gentiles. God's work of salvation focuses on Gentiles. So the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the church will be complete and so He'll be removed in anticipation then of the 70th week of Daniel.

A third reason we gave was the absence of the church in Revelation 6-19. Revelation 2-3 refer to the church 19 times, then in Rev 6-19 not at all on the earth. And Revelation 6-19 cover this seven-year period, starting with the seals, then to the trumpets, then to the bowls, the series of judgments that God will pour out on the earth. So the absence of the church in Revelation 6-19 explain why it's not on earth any longer. We have seen the church represented in heaven with the 24 elders during that period, but not on earth. Another reason that we gave for holding to this view of the Rapture, the church is promised deliverance from wrath. This is a time of God's wrath on the earth. God has promised the church that it will be kept from the coming wrath that He will pour out on the earth.

To be a post-tribulational rapturist, to believe that the Rapture will occur here and we'll just go up and meet Christ in the air and come back down, you have to say this period of time, the way they handle that, is not the time of God's wrath, it's the time of Satan's wrath. Then right here at the end there is a brief period where the church is caught up before it comes down. It's the time of God's wrath. But that does not seem to fit consistent with the way the Scripture unfolds this. This is a time of God's wrath, the whole seven years. You remember the scroll that is unfolded to be unsealed. It is the cry because who is worthy to take the scroll and to break its seals. And there is only One who is worthy, the Lamb is worthy. So Jesus Christ breaks the seals. This is the time of God's wrath, Jesus Christ is in charge, God is in charge. Not Satan. Doesn't mean that God won't use instruments, just like in the tribulation, in that seven-year period God will use what we call nature. There will be earthquakes, there will be famines and so on, what the world calls natural disasters. They are all caused by God pouring out His wrath. So even though Satan is active here, it's because the Holy Spirit has been removed and is no longer restraining that activity. But it's in the plan of God as He is pouring out His wrath on the earth. So the church is promised deliverance from wrath.

And then we left off, we were talking about there must be a gap between the Rapture of the church and the Second Coming of Christ to earth. All recognize to one degree or another, there has to be a gap. I mean, why would we even have a Rapture here if it's just to turn around and come back down to earth? Why don't believers just wait here and go into the kingdom? But there are certain things that must happen. We know that in this 1,000-year period there will be unbelievers but no unbelievers go into this 1,000-year period. We'll talk about this at a future study when we talk about judgments of Scripture.

How do post-tribulation people handle this? Well, they say, some unbelievers will go into the 1,000 years. But it seems the evidence and indication of Scripture is that they will not. So where do they come from? Because when you're raptured you get a glorified body and Jesus said in Matthew 22, when you get a glorified body you don't marry or give in marriage. In the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like the angels of heaven. So when we get our glorified bodies, we won't be having families. But we looked already in Isaiah 65 and there we are told that during this 1,000-year period if someone dies just being 100 years old they will thought to be accursed. It will be an act of judgment on them. At the end of this 1,000-year period, right here, there will be a great rebellion against Christ by a large number of people on the earth. Where do they come from if everyone going into the millennium, the kingdom, was in a glorified body? Glorified saints won't be rebelling against Christ.

So there has to be a time for some provision here. So that's a problem if you believe the Rapture occurs in connection with the Second Coming to earth right here because we have to have some people in physical bodies who will have children. And those children have to come to believe in the Messiah. We'll talk more about that in connection with the kingdom.

A second reason there has to be a gap between the Rapture and the Second Coming to earth is the church has to be judged before the Bema seat of Christ and rewarded, each person rewarded for their faithfulness to Christ. We looked at Revelation 19, why don't you turn there, we'll pick up here. Verse 7, and this is in connection, Revelation 19 is about this event right here, the Second Coming of Christ to earth to establish His kingdom. Because Revelation 19 you have the return of Christ to earth, you have Armageddon occur here. Then Revelation 20 opens up with the 1,000-year reign of Christ. Six times we are told that it is 1,000 years. We'll talk about the purpose of that 1,000 years at a future time.

In Revelation 19 as Christ prepares to descend from heaven, verse 7, let us rejoice and be glad and give glory to Him for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready. The bride is the church, analogy given in Ephesians 5, believers from Acts 2 down to the Rapture. You'll note verse 8, it was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen bright and clean, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. We are saved by virtue of the fact we have placed our faith in Christ and His righteousness has been credited to us. But in the rewards given and the judgment given here the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. We have appeared before the judgment seat of Christ and been rewarded, and our garments reflect the judgment that has taken place. There must be time for that judgment between the Rapture and the return to earth. By the time we are ready for Christ to descend from heaven the bride is already clothed in the fitting garments and so can come. Because verse 11, heaven opens. But in anticipation of that we're told the bride is already ready, her judgment has already occurred.

So she doesn't meet Christ in the air here, go up and turn around and come back down. I was looking at a chart by a man who is a post-tribulational rapturist, believes the Rapture occurs here. And his chart showed the church going up, turning around right here and coming back down. The problem is while the church is still in heaven she is clothed in fine linen which is the righteous acts of the saints, has already experienced her judgment so to descend, be unveiled before all as the bride of Christ. And then heaven opens in verse 11. I think it's a real problem for those who hold to a post-tribulation Rapture. So I think it's another evidence. You need a gap between the Rapture of the church and the Second Coming to the earth.

Okay, those are so far six reasons. Turn in your Bible to 2 Thessalonians 2. Paul's letters to the Thessalonians, 1 Thessalonians and 2 Thessalonians are filled with matters regarding the future eschatology, last things. Eschatology is the study of last things, coming from the Greek word for last. In 2 Thessalonians 2 Paul says, now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, that you be not quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a messenger or a letter as if from us to the effect that the Day of the Lord has come. So there has been some confusion brought into the church at Thessalonica. Paul wrote his first letter to help resolve that and clarify matters. Remember at the end of 1 Thessalonians 4, his first letter written a few months before this second letter, Paul wrote about the Rapture of the church. We would be caught up to meet the Lord in the air and so we shall always be with the Lord. Comfort one another with these words. Then you came into 1 Thessalonians 5 and he began to talk about the Day of the Lord. And we are not of the night, so we won't be caught by that day, but the unbeliever will be caught off guard, not expecting it. But we've been promised deliverance.

Now the Thessalonian church is going through suffering, going through trials. 2 Thessalonians 1:4, we ourselves speak proudly of you. Among the churches for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure. God has not promised that the church will not have persecution, will not have tribulation. In John 14 Jesus told His disciples, in this world you have tribulations. Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. But that is not the Day of the Lord, the time of tribulation, in the full sense the day of God's wrath on the earth. That is a special, unique marked out time. That is the 70th week of Daniel.

Now because of the suffering and trials the church at Thessalonica was going through, some teachers evidently had come, some were purporting to have a letter from Paul that told them you are really in the Day of the Lord, you are in this period of time. You misunderstood. That's what he says in verse 7. When he talks about verse 1, we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, he's referring back to the Rapture in 1 Thessalonians 4, his first letter as we have it. He comes in the air and He gathers us to Him. That's the coming of our Lord and our gathering together to Him. Don't want you to be quickly shaken from your composure or disturbed, either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us. Doesn't matter if someone claims to have a prophecy, doesn't matter if someone comes to speak it, teach it, say they have a letter from us. You realize these were days when they didn't have the instant communication, as we've talked about. Might take weeks and months. I mean, just can't get on the phone, can't text, can't even send a letter quickly. So people come and say, you misunderstood Paul, all this suffering, your persecutions, your afflictions which you are enduring, you're in the Day of the Lord. Paul says, don't be shaken, don't misunderstand.

Verse 3, let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come. What he's talking about, it will not come, it refers to the Day of the Lord at the end of verse 2. Unless the apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction. The man of lawlessness is the man who will dominate this seven-year period. In fact this seven-year period will be marked, its beginning, the Rapture of the church and then the signing of an agreement according to Daniel 9 between this man, he's referred to as the coming Roman Emperor of the revived Roman Empire, the little horn of Daniel 7, the man of lawlessness of 2 Thessalonians 2, the Antichrist. That's what he's talking about here.

Let no one deceive you, the Day of the Lord will not come unless the apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction. So the man of lawlessness has not been revealed, the covenant between Israel and that man that starts this seven-year period has not been signed.

What about the first part of that, unless the apostasy comes first. There is discussion over the meaning of this word. It hasn't been translated, it's been transliterated. Certain words in our English Bible they didn't translate, they just transliterated, they just brought them over into English, giving them English letters. For example the word baptism, the Greek word is baptisma. They didn't translate it, they just transliterated it, they just brought it over into English. So instead of baptisma we have baptism. If they had translated it, it might have been said they were immersed or dipped, which was how the word was used. This word apostasia, apostsy. We've just transliterated it over. The discussion comes, what does it mean? Well for us apostasy means an abandoning of the truth, a leaving of the truth. But the word can just mean a leaving or a departure.

The noun which is used here, apostasy, is used only one other time in the New Testament. Come back to Acts 21, since there is only one of these we'll look at it, then we'll stay in Acts to look at another reference. But in Acts 21:21 you have the only other use of this noun, apostasy, in the New Testament. And here the Jews at Jerusalem are telling Paul what they say about him, that he is against the Jews. Verse 21, they had been told about you, that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses. And there is our word, the noun apostasy as we have it in 2 Thessalonians 2:3. Translated forsake here. To depart from Moses. Both places you have the departing from, here you have depart from Moses. Here it is talking about they are saying they are to apostatize from Moses, you are to depart from Moses, you abandon Moses, you have nothing to do with Moses. Paul still believed what Moses wrote was inspired Scripture, he believed that Christ was the fulfillment of some of what Moses wrote and the ultimate fulfillment of the Law, and so on. So he wasn't saying depart, but you'll note here, they qualified. The apostasy of the departure they are talking about is from Moses. Now part of it comes in our English word apostasy, we use it as a technical phrase. All you have to say is apostasy. If I say, we live in days of apostasy, you associate that, that means departing from the truth.

So we go back and since we can't look at the other nouns in the New Testament, the verb of this word from which we get the noun is used a number of times to refer to departing, to leaving. Go to Acts 12. We're going to look at the verb of this noun. Acts 12:10. And here Peter is being released from prison by an angel who appeared to him in the prison. And then verse 10, the angel is leading him out. When they had passed the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened for them by itself. And they went out and went along the one street. And immediately the angel departed, that's the verb form of the noun we are talking about, from him. He left him. We wouldn't say, he apostasized from him, but he does. He leaves him, he departs from him. You get an idea of how the verb form of this noun is used.

Come over to 2 Corinthians 12. Paul has been praying that the Lord would remove the messenger of Satan, evidently a demonic being that was permitted by God to bring affliction to Paul. We don't know what that was, perhaps some kind of physical difficulty. 2 Corinthians 12:8, concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me, depart from me. There is our verb that we are talking about, translated leave in the version I have, some of you may have depart. Leave me, depart from me. Again, the verb here. You can see the idea of what it means.

One other passage, there are others but we'll just go to Luke 4:13. This is after the temptation of Christ by the devil. Luke 4:13, when the devil had finished every temptation he left Him. That word translated left is that verb related to the noun that we are talking about. To depart. You can see whether they translate it depart or leave, the idea. He left him. So I think you could translate it that way in Acts 21:21 where you had the noun. You have that you are teaching people to leave Moses, to depart from Moses. That seems to be a valid view of the word and in the context of 2 Thessalonians that would seem to fit.

Come back to 2 Thessalonians 2. When Paul says in verse 3, let no one in any way deceive you for it, the Day of the Lord, will not come unless the apostasy, and the definite article the appears before apostasy, speaking of a specific apostasy. The apostasy comes first. But what apostasy, or if we translate the word, what departure has he talked about? Well, verse 1, we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him. Now the Day of the Lord will not come unless the departure comes first. So you can't be in the Day of the Lord, this seven-year period, because the departure has to come first. What departure? The coming of the Lord in the air and our gathering together to Him. So it fits. And then the revelation of the man of lawlessness, who will be made known by the agreement he'll sign with Israel at that same time. That starts the seven-year period. So two things have to occur, the departure has to come first and the man of lawlessness is revealed. Those two events, that some hold will take place simultaneously. If not, one shortly following the other. The departure, then the revelation of the man of sin because he's the one who signs the agreement with Israel that marks the beginning of the Day of the Lord, the 70th week of Daniel.

That's paralleled by what is said in verses 7-8 in 2 Thessalonians 2. Note, the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. So it's sort of like the tribulations that the church endures now, they are happening, but the tribulation is a yet future event. Lawlessness is already at work in the world, but the man of lawlessness and the full epitome of lawlessness awaits this seven-year period. Note the end of verse 7, only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. So there are tribulations, there are persecutions, there is lawlessness now. That will go on according to the end of verse 7, until he who now restrains is taken out of the way. As we have noted, the only one who can be restraining the intentions of Satan, restraining the full outbreak of sin in the world is the Holy Spirit. What is going on? When He came here to establish the church we put the brakes on God's program with Israel after 69 weeks, 483 years. And He is restraining lawlessness and sin while He builds the bride of Christ, but when He is removed from that ministry, now the restraint is lifted and we can have that last seven-year period, leaving God's program with Israel.

So the end of verse 7, he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way, that would parallel the departure comes first, verse 3. The end of verse 7, the restrainer is taken out of the way, he is taken out of the way with the departure of the church. When did He come? He came with the establishing of the church, He leaves with the removal of the church and that restraint then. Now we can complete the program of God with Israel, we can have the last seven-year period and with it all the lawlessness and all that goes with it.

Then look at verse 8, then that lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming. The one who is coming is in accord with the activity of Satan. What is keeping him from coming now? The restrainer. Who can hold back Satan? I was reading one man who is saying restraint here, hard to say, it's probably human government. When I look around at human government in the world, I don't know that you would say that's the restraint. We're going to have a lot of government here, we're going to have a revived Roman Empire, we're going to have one-world rule. It's not government that is holding back sin. We as believers ought to recognize that.

The lawless one will be revealed, that parallels the second part of verse 3, the man of lawlessness would be revealed. So you see he says things parallel, different way of saying it. Verse 3, let no one deceive you, the Day of the Lord will not come unless the departure comes first. The end of verse 7, only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. We're saying the same thing, the departure, the removal of the restrainer, the Holy Spirit. The second thing that has to happen, the end of verse 3, the man of lawlessness is revealed. The first part of verse 8, then that lawless one will be revealed. So you see he says the same thing here to emphasize the point—the departure, the coming of our Lord and our gathering together to Him, the removal of the restrainer, that must come first; the man of lawlessness will be revealed. He will be revealed, he says that twice. So these two things have to happen before you can have the Day of the Lord. I take it here it seems that that's what he is telling the Thessalonians very clearly, you can't be in the Day of the Lord. The departure hasn't occurred that I wrote you about in 1 Thessalonians 4 where the Lord descends in the clouds and we're caught up to meet Him in the air. Why do we have to be caught up to meet the Lord here? He's coming to earth. This is different here.

Come back to Matthew 13. There is a break in Matthew between chapters 12 and 13. In Matthew 12 you have the final rejection of Christ by Israel. With Matthew 13 you have a change in the book. Now the direction is set to Jerusalem for the crucifixion and He tells them additional material about the kingdom He will establish on earth and much of this is in the form of parables. We want to pick up just to see how He interprets some of this and we're going to pick up just at the end, verse 41. What happens when Christ comes here, at the Second Coming to earth to establish His kingdom. That's where we are as He interprets this parable, right here before the 1,000-year kingdom. The Son of Man will send forth His angels and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks and those who commit lawlessness and throw them into the furnace of fire. Verse 43, then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom.

When He comes here what He does is remove the unbeliever and now the believer is left to go into the kingdom. The believer doesn't have to be caught up here in the Rapture, he can be left to go into the kingdom while the unbeliever is removed. Down in verse 49, so it will be at the end of the age, the angels will come forth and take the wicked from among the righteous and throw them into the furnace of fire. You have to remove the wicked here, you don't have to remove the righteous because the righteous are going into the kingdom. But the wicked are not, so to keep them from going into the kingdom the angels come and gather the wicked out, and we'll talk about their judgment there, so the righteous can go into the kingdom.

So back here it's different. We talk about when we're going to be gathered together to the Lord, we can't be in this period because the departure has to come first and the man of lawlessness has to be revealed, the one who signs the covenant with Israel that begins the seven-year period. Totally different event, different things happening. Before that seven-year period the church is caught up to meet Christ in the air, at the end of that seven-year period with Christ coming He sends the angels to gather the wicked out. So only the righteous are left to go into the kingdom. So I think the departure in 2 Thessalonians 2 is an indication that that would be further support that the Rapture will occur before the tribulation.

One other reason that I have, these aren't the only reasons. If you read different writers, they'll have different reason lists, some have 10 reasons. John Walvoord at the end of his book, The Rapture Question, gave 50 reasons for the pre-tribulation Rapture. Obviously they are not all of the same weight but they've been reprinted in some more recent books. So if you want a full list you can sort through and make your own list. I've selected seven because seven is the number of completion, perfection. So we'll just stop at seven.

The seventh reason I think that we have to have a pre-tribulation Rapture, a Rapture before the 70th week of Daniel is the imminent return of Christ for the church. I think the clear indication of the New Testament is that Christ can come back at any time for the church. This is the hope, the anticipation we have as believers. If the church has to go through this period of time, then we have something to look forward to before we look forward to this, we have something to prepare for before we prepare for the final event. It can't be imminent. I mean, God has seven years to go in the program for Israel before we can have the kingdom. If the church is not going to be raptured until the end of that seven-year period, His return cannot happen at any time. From what we just read, and we didn't read all of 2 Thessalonians 2, it's expected that the man of lawlessness will be recognized. The Scripture clearly identifies him. If the church is going through that period, the Rapture is not imminent. Don't expect the Lord today or tomorrow, don't expect Him next week or next month or next year. In fact we better be doing some things to prepare the worst which is yet to come. We saw God's promise to spare the church from the coming wrath.

So the imminent return. Now note, imminency does not mean soon. Paul believed in the imminent return of the Lord, but it's been 2,000 years, Paul wasn't right. The Lord could have come from the standpoint nothing He has revealed that has to happen, has to happen. As we talked about, all prophetic things happen in this period that haven't been fulfilled except for the new revelation of the Rapture of the church. And not surprising that that has not been revealed before the New Testament epistles, because this is a time for Israel. The church beginning in Acts 2 and down to the Rapture was not revealed to the Old Testament prophets. So Old Testament prophecy picks up here and goes down to here. New Testament revelation about the church and its beginning, Paul says the fullness of that revelation didn't happen until he had his revelations in Ephesians 2-3. And then additional material was given regarding this so the church could understand more fully what God would be doing.

That imminent return, the Lord can come at any time. Go to Philippians 3, and this section we've been in before talking about the Rapture. Verse 17, Paul encourages them to follow his example and others who walk, have a pattern of life like he does, living godly lives. For many walk of whom I often told you but now tell you even weeping, they are enemies of the cross of Christ. And the way he has put it, these are evidently people who profess to belong to Christ but their walk and conduct of life evidences they are not. They are really enemies of Christ. Whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things. Remember that emphasis on the earth, the wrath of God poured out on those connected with the earth in Revelation 6-19. But for us, for our citizenship is in heaven. So we ought to be living differently. We are not citizens of the earth, we're citizens of heaven. That's our ultimate residence, our ultimate home. Our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Incidentally, Israel is constantly looking for what in the Old Testament? The kingdom, the kingdom, the kingdom. Our citizenship is in heaven from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself. This is what we are waiting for, our Savior from heaven, the transformation He'll bring to our bodies. That's different than what we're talking about here, we're not even talking like the Jews did—we're waiting for the Lord to come to earth to establish the kingdom. We're waiting for the Lord to come from heaven and transform our bodies. Do you know what Israel will be looking for in this time? Ultimately we get down to here, the Messiah. When will the Messiah come according to Zechariah the prophet? When Israel finally says, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. They recognize that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ, call for His coming. They are looking for Him to come, deliver them from all that is going on here so they can have a kingdom that was prophesied. We're looking for our Savior, we are eagerly waiting, verse 20 says, for a Savior. If He's not coming until after the seven years, I'm glad He's coming but right now I'm eagerly preparing for the worst time that earth will ever see. But I'm not, I'm preparing for the greatest of events that will deliver me from wrath to come on this godless earth and the people connected with this earth.

Down in Philippians 4:5, let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near, is at hand. That's what we're looking for. It shapes our conduct. People say, why do you study prophecy? It doesn't matter to me. If the Rapture is going to occur here, what do I care about what occurs here, occurs here, occurs here? Because God says I ought to be concerned about it. He doesn't just write for something to do. This is to shape our conduct. That's what he's talking about here. We don't live like the people of this earth because our citizenship is in heaven. We're waiting for the Lord from glory so we conduct ourselves differently, we behave differently, we live differently. If we don't, it's a sign you are a part of this earth and all that is associated with it. The Lord is near. That was 2,000 years ago, Paul, you blew it. No, He was near then. Nothing had to happen before the Lord comes. And how much nearer now than then. We'll see that in a moment.

Come to 1 Thessalonians 1, a verse we keep referring to, we've looked at several times. And he talks about the church at Thessalonica just as we saw in the second letter. They are in tribulation, they are in trial. Verse 6, you received the word of the Lord in much tribulation. There's no doubt the church endures tribulation and tribulations, but it doesn't endure the tribulation, the great tribulation, the time of God's wrath on an unbelieving world. But the Thessalonians, verse 9, were those who turned to God from idols to serve a living God, to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, Jesus who rescues us from wrath to come. What are we waiting for? Well you know what's coming. I'm stocking food, going to be a time of famine. And I'm looking to buy a cave, as we talked about, in Petra where there will be a hiding place for the Jews. My wife has some Jewish blood so I'm planning on squeezing in with her and we'll be hiding out there. So I'm offering my resignation because we don't know. No. What are we doing? We're waiting for His Son from heaven who rescues us from wrath to come. So you are in tribulation, but you're not going to go through that wrath to come. Keep it in perspective and live accordingly.

So that waiting for His Son from heaven, not anticipating the tribulation. Old Testament prophets warned Israel much about what they were going to go through because of their rejection of the Lord. Promised them a kingdom at the end of their trials. That's not what He talks to the church—wait for His Son from heaven who rescues us from wrath to come. That's what Paul had to clarify with his second letter.

Come over to Titus 2:11, for the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires, to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus. You see that's what we're looking for, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. We live in light of that blessed hope when He'll appear for us. He gave Himself to redeem us. You know this stuff, study of prophecy, why study prophecy? The church abandons prophecy, they abandon one of the provisions God has given to motivate us to holiness of life, to godliness of life, to purity of life. Instructing us, verse 12, to deny ungodliness, worldly desires, to live sensibly, righteously, and godly in the present age. Literally, in the now age. Looking for the blessed hope. So we live a certain way because we were looking for something. If you know that Jesus Christ is coming at 3:00 this afternoon are you going out to indulge in an adulterous relationship? No. The Lord is coming at 3:00, I have to be ready, I want to be doing exactly what I should be doing. Are you going out to commit another kind of sin? No, not if the Lord is coming. Are you sure He is coming at 3:00? That expecting Him, looking for Him motivates us in our behavior. The tragedy and travesty for the church to abandon its study of biblical prophecy, future things.

Come over to 1 John 3. See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us that we would be called children of God. Such we are. For this reason the world does not know us because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him because we will see Him just as He is. That's our hope. You see what we're looking for. When He appears for us and we see Him we become like Him. That glorification of the body. We just read about that in Philippians 3, you transform us into conformity with the body of His glory by the power that He has. That's what we're looking for. And everyone who has this hope on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. That gives you that driving passion to live a pure, holy, godly life. That is lacking in some people, yet they profess to be believers. They really don't have their hope fixed on Him, they really are not citizens of heaven. That's why Paul said, I tell you weeping. They are enemies of the cross of Christ, not friends, not fellow soldiers, fellow citizens. They are enemies in spite of their professions. That's what causes weeping. Of course the world is lost but these people that make a profession live a lie. You see how this truth grips our hearts and minds. As the church moves away from the truth, it moves away from the interest and says, I'll just be satisfied to be with the Lord. That's the attitude that is not spoken of in the Scripture because there is a driving passion to be like Him, to be faithful to Him, to anticipate seeing Him.

Come back to Romans 13, a passage we have been to several times. Verse 11, and Paul is talking about our conduct and our behavior. Then he says, verse 11, do this knowing the time that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep. Now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. The night is almost gone, the day is near. Therefore, let us lay aside the deeds of darkness, put on the armor of light, behave properly as in the day, and so on. Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, make no provision for the flesh and its lusts. You see how Paul lived expecting, you have to live with this expectancy. Salvation is nearer to us than when we first believed. Paul is talking about within the framework of when he got saved, when the Romans got saved. We're closer than we were then. How much closer are we today? And yet we muddle around, caught up in the things of this life and this world and worried about this and concerned about that and involved in this, involved in that. He says, wake up. It's time for you to waken from sleep. You know you've gotten closer to that day.

The night is almost gone, the day is near. You see that sense of urgency that characterized Paul. I'm getting close to that day, every day brings me closer. We are a week closer to the coming of the Lord than we were last week. I know, but maybe He won't come in 50 years. Maybe not, but He may come today. That's how we live. That's what this is to do for us.

One more portion from Scripture and we're done. Three verses from Revelation. Revelation 1. This is serious business. For Christ who is the Lord of all believers, who is the head of the church. Here is what He says in Revelation 1:3, blessed, His happiness, His joy, the fullness of His salvation blessings, is for he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy and heed, keep, put them into practice, the things which are written in it. For the time is near. You see that. This is Christ speaking. The time is near. We say, wait a minute, the church is raptured here, what do we have to know for? We are to learn from it, we are to have a fuller understanding of the person and work of Christ. We'll see in Revelation 19 the spirit of prophecy is the message of Christ. It's all about Jesus Christ, learn more of Him and His purpose and plans and what He is doing, the blessing of God pronounced on those who study and put into practice what they learn from the prophetic book of Revelation. It is sad, that's one of the most confusing and unstudied books among professing Christians.

Come over to Revelation 22. That's the way he starts out the book and it's the way he ends the book. Verse 7, behold, I am coming quickly. See that emphasis. Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book. He said the book of Revelation was given to be understood. How can I heed something I don't have any idea He is talking about? But He pronounces blessing. Isn't it amazing? The only book of the Bible that pronounces a blessing on those who read it, hear it and heed it. And yet, I don't know, God's blessing. I'm excited He wants us to know and understand what He plans for the future. You'll note He says in verse 7, I am coming quickly. He repeats that down in verse 12, I am coming quickly. And a warning, My reward is with Me to render every man according to what he has done. Down in verse 20, he who testifies to these things says, yes, I am coming quickly. And John adds, amen, come Lord Jesus.

That's the way we are living, expecting. He says He's coming quickly, that would be imminently. Doesn't mean necessarily soon, it's been 2,000 years. I believe He is coming and we are 2,000 years closer to that event. How much longer? I don't know, but I know He will come in fulfillment of His word and the study of what is going to come to pass should be shaping our lives. And we of all people ought to be living differently than the world that doesn't know the Savior. Isn't it exciting to be a citizen of heaven, for my citizenship is in heaven. We are strangers and pilgrims here, Hebrews 11. We are waiting the bridegroom to come and call us, the bride, to meet Him in the air, to come to His Father's house to be joined to Him and be prepared for that time when we will return with Him when He comes to this earth to establish His kingdom.

Let's pray together. Thank you, Lord, for being a merciful and gracious God. We are a sinful people. We could not work or earn our way to acceptance with you, but you did for us what we could not do for ourselves. You provided a Savior, your Son who loved us and died for us. Thank you for the unfolding of your plan for future things. How privileged we are to live in this world of darkness, but to live as children of light, knowing you the God who is light, living, manifesting the beauty of your character. May we live with expectancy today, anticipating the imminent return of our Lord and Savior to call us to meet Him in the air and take us to your presence. We pray in Christ's name, amen.