What Christian in
their right mind
does not like to
read about future
prophesies? It is
definitely
exhilarating to
think on those
things. The next
event on God’s
calendar is the
Rapture, then the
Tribulation, then
Christ’s thousand
year reign, then
eternity onward.
Unfortunately, I
think there is a
trend for most
Christians to get
all excited about
these future events
at the expense of
the here and now.
There is certainly
nothing wrong in
getting excited
about Jesus coming
for us in the
Rapture. He
encourages us to be
looking for Him.
However, while we
are here, He also
wants us to know
Him, via His Word,
and share Him with
those who do not.
It reminds me of
employees in the
work force who look
forward to lunch
time and long for
the five o’clock
whistle to go home,
or children in
school who long for
recess, lunch, and
the last class. The
actual “work” part
of the day is like
our having to eat
our spinach.
I’ve noticed that
when articles are
written about future
prophecies and
especially how they
relate to today, all
the children come
out to play, but
when issues are
covered about living
the here and now,
for example, they
would rather stay
inside and watch
television. When
topics of
sensationalism are
on display,
everyone’s ears are
tuned in. Wasn’t it
true also with
Jesus? As long as He
was healing the sick
and afflicted, or
providing food,
everybody showed up,
but when that was
over, they went
away.
The same is true in
local churches.
Provide
entertainment and
food, and the crowds
will come, but
provide only
preaching/teaching
of God’s word, they
stay home. Does this
not show where the
interest of the
people lie? We are
shallow indeed.
Jesus said, “Because
strait is the gate,
and narrow is the
way, which leadeth
unto life, and few
there be that find
it.” (Matthew
7:14) He also said,
“Then
saith he unto his
disciples, The
harvest truly is
plenteous, but the
labourers are few;”
(Matthew 9:37)
Only a few will find
the narrow way to
Christ, perhaps due
to their superficial
interests. Only a
few, who call
themselves
Christians, will
labor in the fields,
perhaps for the same
reason.
Hoards of people
will drive for hours
and fight the crowds
to watch a ballgame,
but won’t walk
across the street to
listen to the Word
of God being
proclaimed, unless
entertainment and
food are being
provided, and even
that may not coax
them out.
A day is coming,
maybe in the very
near future that
everyone will flock
to the churches, at
least for awhile, as
it was after the
Twin
Towers were attacked.
I think the greatest
cataclysmic event to
happen next, since
the flood of Noah’s
day, will be the
Rapture of the
Church. Millions of
people (the Church)
will instantaneously
disappear. Following
are some things I
feel will take
place:
·
Thousands and
thousands of
accidents from
driverless
transportation
vehicles (land,
rail, and air)
·
Countless injuries
and deaths from
these accidents
·
Insurance failures
·
Companies going
“belly-up” due to
the loss of
employees
·
A panic in the
hearts of man that
cannot be described
·
Sheer terror from
expectations of what
will happen next
·
Some who will “catch
on” to what
happened, and
experience a
hopelessness that
man has not known
until that day
·
Others will think we
have been invaded by
UFOs
·
Heart failures from
the sheer weight of
it all
·
Panic in the streets
·
Looting the world
over
·
Murder and rampage
this world has not
seen
·
Martial law
·
The rise of hope in
a false god
·
Wars as prophesied
in Ezekiel 38-39
If the Rapture of
Christ’s Church
isn’t sensational
enough, what follows
will certainly get
the world’s
attention. Isn’t it
tragic that this is
what it will take to
bring the remainder
to Christ? It would
be so much easier
now, before all
this takes place,
but apathy reigns.
“Tickle my fancy” is
our cry. “Don’t bore
me with anything in
the epistles of
Paul, Peter, John or
Jude. The Gospels
and Acts are not for
me, and all that
stuff in the Old
Testament is just
old stories that
happened long ago.
Tell me about
Revelation though,
and I will pick out
what I like, but we
both know that even
if it’s true, it
won’t be in my
lifetime … will it?”
The world, right
now, is falling down
around our ears, and
still so many people
just don’t get it.
Some want to hear
about it, but they
don’t believe it.
How do I know that?
If they believed it,
they would act on
it.
The people of Noah’s
day watched for 120
years while Noah and
his sons built the Ark. The rain, which they had never seen
before, began
falling around their
ears, and yet they
scoffed. Then the
flood came. "When
the Son of Man
returns, it will be
like it was in
Noah's day. In those
days, the people
enjoyed banquets and
parties and weddings
right up to the time
Noah entered his
boat and the flood
came and destroyed
them all.” (Luke
17:26-27 NLT) God
first removed Noah
and his family.
The people of Lot’s day were warned, but they went on about their
perverted affairs as
God prepared for
their destruction. "And
the world will be as
it was in the days
of
Lot.
People went about
their daily
business—eating and
drinking, buying and
selling, farming and
building—until the
morning Lot left
Sodom.
Then fire and
burning sulfur
rained down from
heaven and destroyed
them all.” (Luke
17:28-29 NLT) God
first removed
Lot and
his family.
The people of our
day are mocking, and
going about business
as usual, but God is
getting ready to
send the Bridegroom
for the bride. “Yes,
it will be 'business
as usual' right up
to the day when the
Son of Man is
revealed.” (Luke
17:30 NLT) God will
first remove His Own
family.
Would you like your
fancy tickled? Then
get this. Ignore Him
now if you like, but
you won’t ignore Him
then. The world will
long for the “good
old days”, but they
will be gone
forever. The Church
that is despised now
will be gone. The
Holy Spirit of God
will be very
limited, perhaps
even more so than in
the days of the Old
Testament. Here is
one last plea from
our Lord God, “For
he says, In the time
of my favor I heard
you, and in the day
of salvation I
helped you. I tell
you, now is the time
of God's favor, now
is the day of
salvation.” (2
Corinthians 6:2 NIV)
“He
which testifieth
these things saith,
Surely I come
quickly. Amen. Even
so, come, Lord
Jesus.”
(Revelation 22:20)
Grant Phillips
grantphillips@windstream.net
My articles are
posted at
“Pre-Rapture
Commentary”
http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com
and many are also
posted at “Rapture
Ready”
http://www.raptureready.com/featured/phillips/phillips.html.
