After fifteen installments in this series, some may find the messages anything, ranging from informative to interesting to boring to nonsense. To the extent that I have been able to keep them true to the Word of God, I believe they have the potential to transform, especially when we get to the place where the Word intersects our daily lives. Last time I pointed out that the Rapture (when believers are changed in the twinkling of an eye, receiving glorified bodies and are snatched away to be with the Lord forever, with the short-term benefit of being removed from the earth and its unbelieving inhabitants who are about to experience the judgment and wrath of Almighty God) will take people out of the ordinary activities of life. The illustration was one of two men standing in a field, one taken and the other left.
Most of the books and movies about the subject in the last 3-4 decades have been based on a pre-tribulation Rapture theory, where the Rapture could take place any moment, even NOW! This theory can be a good incentive to live in holiness, watching, praying and waiting. However, it paints a picture of somehow being ready at every moment without knowing what that means. Beyond that, we have been given a picture of those "left behind" becoming "the tribulation saints" where the Rapture gets them off the fence and propels them to true faith in Christ. In this scenario the Rapture serves to encourage them to live a life described in Revelation 12:11, "They overcame him (the devil) by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death." Many of the authors and theologians who espouse this theory also label the 144,000 sealed Jews in Revelation 7:1-8 as evangelists. Books and videos have been produced for believers to leave behind for their unsaved loved ones to help them to faith in Christ.
I believe I have shown in the previous fifteen installments why this theory does not line up with Scripture. It's a nice theory, which allows believers (especially westerners who have a tendency to equate health and prosperity with the Gospel and who eschew suffering for the Gospel) to enjoy all of their stuff until things get tough on planet Earth. If, somehow, we have been a little too carnal, we'll know that when we miss the Rapture and we'll no doubt get it right from that point forward. But the Bible strongly indicates that the church (true believers and not so true believers, the wheat and tares of Matthew 13:24-30) will enter Daniel's 70th week, often called the 7-year tribulation. The church will still be here when the Antichrist is revealed and begins his undaunted persecution against Jews and Christians. The church will have her faith tested like never before (at least in terms of scale) and life and death choices will have to be made. Living as described above in Revelation 12:11 will be a choice made by faith in God's Word. The Rapture will not have happened yet, but will remain the "blessed hope" of the believer.
However, because of the Great Tribulation now occurring on the earth, the love of many will grow cold. Many "believers" will opt for the ecumenical world-wide church which will have as part of its liturgy "tolerance and diversity" rather than "righteousness and holiness." We can see the stage being set for that even now. "The wrath of God is being revealed even now against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness." The courts and the legislatures in the land are being used as instruments for people, "Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they do not only continue to do these very things, but also approve of those who practice them." (Romans 1:18, 32) Political correctness demands that nobody be offended, except those who stand on the unchanging truth of God's Word.
So we are standing at a place in history when Peter's inspired words are more relevant than ever. The Rapture, which will immediately followed by the Day of the Lord will happen, after there have been several signs (birth pangs and buds on the fig tree) but they will be of such severity that they will try the faith of many, and under such trials, many will abandon the faith. At that time, "the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming." (2 Peter 3:10-12)
From this same passage of Scripture, there are words of encouragement, which I think we could all use at this point. "Therefore dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever! Amen." (2 Peter 3:17-18)
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