The Rapture is Close, Right at the Door...

 The Rapture is Close, Right at the Door... - By pastor Mike Taylor- https://pastormiketaylor.blogspot.com/2023/02/when-rapture.html Revelation 3: "New King James Version" The Faithful Church 7 “And to the [e]angel of the church in Philadelphia write, ‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”: 8 “I know your works. See, I haveset before you an open door, [f]and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. 9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make themcome and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept [g]My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 11 [h]Behold,I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. 12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, theNew Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name. As the times, and the clouds of end of this Age grow and become dark and more ominous, people wonder if the Tribulation has already begun. Emails sent to me discuss the comingTribulation and their views. With so many different variations of men’s beliefs and interpretations, based on the curious minds of human beings that “want to know”, as all variations can’t be true, as there is only one truth. To understand the truth of God’sWord and know why it is what we believe, and why we believe it, I have encouraged people to not believe any tradition, denomination, or their favorite preacher or evangelist in church or on TV’s Christian based programs, but to believe their bible. It is atendency for men to take a passage of scripture and try to line it up with current events, much like a newspaper reporter, and make a doctrinal thesis on that investigation. Now, I don’t believe God has a problem with men being curious and investigating whatGod’s Word means, as if they rely on the Holy Spirit to lead them, they will come to the knowledge of the Truth. He uses that time to make the belief of the Truth more solid within their spirit and in their minds. So it has been as some question the following: “are we approaching the 6th seal judgment and 5 seals have already been opened?” They postulate that is it possible that withthe wars, famine, pestilence of old diseases coming back and new ones being formed, and the mess the world is in today with this “Coronavirus”, are those seal judgments being fulfilled right now as we speak? Are they? I look to the whole of God’s Word, notjust one passage to deny their premise. We are not in the middle of the tribulation and here is why. Dispensationalism, God dealing with Israel and the Church Separately. What I feel my brothers and sisters in Christ fail to recognize is that God is dealing with men as a plan of redemption by working with men in dispensations, called Dispensationalism. Whatis Dispensationalism? The short definition and you can find a full explanation in places such as Wikipedia or Google it, but Dispensationalism is an approach to biblical interpretation which states that God uses different means of working with people (Israeland the Church) during different periods of history, usually seven chronologically successive periods. However, dispensational division of history varies among its adherents from three periods, to four, seven, and even eight dispensations. For brevity, I’mgoing to cut that down a bit, as God has worked with two sets of people for nigh 4000 years, the nation of Israel and His body, His Bride, the True Church of the Living God.. From the Beginning...short version From the time that God made Adam and Eve and their subsequent fall from grace, God has dealt with created mankind known as the Nations. Everyone knows the history from thereto Noah, and beyond Noah and the flood until He called out a man called Abraham and made an everlasting covenant with him and his descendants. The nation of Israel was God’s focus to be a Holy Nation, a kingdom of priest until the coming of their Messiah anda fulfillment of righteousness. But as men are imperfect, Israel transgressed God’s law (given to Moses) and fell into idolatry, until God sent them into captivity to Babylon. There God made a promise to the prophet Daniel : 24 "Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity,and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. 25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescoreand two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. 26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary;and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined."(Daniel 9:24-26) The ark angel, Gabriel, as a messenger of God came to Daniel and told him what the future would hold for the nation of Israel. From the time of their captivity, as Gabrielspoke, there would be 490 years that would bring Israel to behold their Messiah and the Kingdom Age offered, thus righteousness restored and the end of transgressions against God's law. This promise was given to Israel and no one else of humanity. Historyshows that exactly 483 years transpired when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a foal of a donkey and the people proclaimed Him their Messiah King crying “Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.” Within just a few short days, Jesus would be falsely charged with religious crimes, tried in a kangaroo court, and sentenced to death on a cross. At that moment when Jesusdied that clock of that dispensation, the Age of the Law, stopped. After His resurrection, Jesus would be with them 40 days and tell them to tarry in Jerusalem until the Comforter would come, God's Holy Spirit. The Feast of Pentecost, 10 days later, is whenthe Church was born, and God’s focus turned to building His church, to take a people who were not His people of the nations, the Gentiles and a few believing Jews, and build the Body of Christ. He has been doing that now, for near 2000 years. Thus was thebeginning of the Age of Grace found in Jesus. But in the Age of Grace that we are in is fast approaching completion, God still has made a promise to Israel for a complete 70 weeks, or 490 years to complete and make an end to transgressions. God does not changeand He does not go back on His Word. WHEN THE RAPTURE? As we approach the coming end of the Age of Grace, and the Tribulation draws closer to beginning, the matter of God focusing on His church will abruptly stop and His Bridewill be removed. That will leave the final seven years promised to Israel to be carried out. Understand one thing, my reader, God has never focused on Israel and the Church at the same time. When His work is complete and that last soul is safely aboard theark of salvation, known as Jesus Christ, that ark will leave port of this earth, and we will forever be with the Lord Jesus....Then and only then, will God turn His focus back to Israel. To include the church in the first half, or any part of the first 3.5years is to change the way God has been dealing with the redemption of mankind in dispensations and is not what God promised to Israel. Further understand, that the coming Tribulation is designed for 2 things, and 2 things only and that is God will refineIsrael as silver is refined in the furnace until purified, and to destroy completely, all rebellion against His Holy Name and His Son, Jesus Christ. 2 “But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap: 3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offeringin righteousness. 4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years.”(Malachi 3:2-4) God has previously worked with Israel solely, or with the church exclusively, but NEVER at the same time. When the first seal is broken in Chapter 6 of Revelation, God theSon begins to open the title deed to what He has bought with His own precious blood, redemption of the earth and His creation of mankind. Some try to state that the first 5 seals are the wrath of man and Satan, and the that God’s Wrath does not start untilthe 6th seal. But notice that it is God that is causing these events to come to pass by each seal He opens. It is not man or Satan who is causing these events, but Jesus, the Son of God Himself. It is the beginning of His righteous wrath upon a rebellioushuman kind against His laws, and against His only payment for that rebellion, Jesus Christ. It is a time of famine and wars that God will use men to enact His righteous judgment, just like He used Assyria and Babylon to bring judgment on Israel when they weredriven into exile. The doctrine is completely pre-tribulation in it’s view and the ONLY one that makes sense, as we will see as we go along. ISRAEL AND THE COMING TRIBULATION Of all the books of the Bible, Revelation gives the Christian the most problems with it's symbols, word pictures, and prophetic messages of the time we are fast approaching.One must divide the books into two distinct populations. I believe that God is speaking of the Church at the beginning of the book, and then makes a dramatic shift of focus to the rebellious Gentile nations and the nation of Israel. I see a common thread thatflows through the whole of Revelation and that is God putting down all rebellion during this period of 7 years and the refining of Israel and making her ready to accept her Messiah, at long last. After chapter 4, the churches and those redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ during the Age of Grace, are not mentioned again till chapter 19, not one time. Suddenly, thefocus is turned to judgment of a world devoid of God and violating willfully His commandments. Then in chapter 7, God by His Holy Spirit reveals to John the main characters of this book. Let us take a look at a common thread that follows in the coming chaptersthat point to only one set of people....the nation of Israel or God's elect. 144,000 EVANGELIST ORDAINED BY GOD In chapter 7, God names the tribes of Israel that are symbolically 12,000 coming from each of the 12 tribes of Israel. In the bible, numbers are used as signs of perfection.Three is the sign of Divine perfection, seven is spiritual perfection, ten is the sign of ordinal perfection, and the number 12 is the sign of government perfection and is used throughout the bible as that sign of perfection. The number 144,000 from 12 tribesis 12x12 or 144 and thousand is given as a great number. Will it be just 144,000 when Israel and the scattered Jewish people amount to approximately 13 million people? I think that the symbolism points to Israel a nation as a whole. This symbolism is carriedout numerous times within your bible, to emphasize that the focus of this book is on Israel. Apart from Israel, the rest of the nations are in divine judgment and we read horrific descriptions of the devastation brought on by this Divine wrath. Notice in thelatter parts of chapter 7, we see a vast number of saints innumerable standing before the throne of God. 9 “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before theLamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; 10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. 11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, 12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. 13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? 14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the bloodof the Lamb. 15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. 16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. 17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.”(Revelation7:9-17) John is introduced to the nation of Israel and the evangelist that were being sealed with the seal of God, 12,000 from each of the twelves tribes. He then sees a great multitudethat are standing in white robes and “palm fronds” in their hands. They speak different languages and come from all portions of the earth. These are the martyred saints of God from all the people of Israel or of Jewish birth that have believed in their Messiahthrough these seven terrible years, called the Tribulation. As I have identified in past sermons, palms fronds in the hands of these saints are a sign noted of Israel exclusively. Not the church, but saints of God or Tribulation saints, nonetheless. But also notice that they will serve in the Temple of God, night and day, and He that sits on the throne shall dwell among them. They are not kings and priests unto God asnoted in chapter 4 and the 24 elders pictured as the glorified Church saints are, but are to serve God in His temple unlike what John then writes in chapter 5 about the church saints ruling and reigning on the earth, 5:9 "And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out ofevery kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth."(Revelation 5:9-10) Notice the difference? But let’s us jump to Revelation, chapter 14, where this same group of people are examined again and John describes them. 14:1 "And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads. 14:2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: 14:3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and fourthousand, which were redeemed from the earth."(Revelation 14:1-3) Only these people can sing this song. They are the tribulation saints, the elect of God or the nation of Israel who have embraced their Messiah at long last and have diedfor that belief, much like the 12 apostles before them. They died preaching the Gospel to all who would listen. The church cannot sing this song, as we are not Israel. We are not of the 144,000 saints as a symbol of the martyred nation of Israel. Some willsay, in error I might add, that we are Israel. That is Replacement Theology and Israel has never been cast away. God has not replaced Israel, just set them aside, as noted in the opening verses of this message, till this time in history to turn His attentionto them solely, as the church has been completed. God has promised that He would save ALL of Israel, not losing one! As the Apostle Paul wrote in Hebrews: 15 "Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, 16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; 17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more."(Hebrews 10:15-17) Again in Romans a sole promise to Israel, 25 "For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, untilthe fullness of the Gentiles be come in. 26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. 28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sake: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father's sake."(Romans 11:25-28) (the promise God madeto Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.) Returning to Revelation: 4 "These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men,being the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb. 5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God."(Revelation 14:4-5) Some say, ahah, see? It says being first fruits to God and to the Lamb. It can't mean that we arrived prior to them, as they came as first fruits. What they fail to understand,is that I believe and there is good evidence to support this, that God works in what I proposed at the beginning of this message, in dispensations. The church age has ended 7 years before. This is the time of Jacob's trouble and God turning His focus on Israel,as the time of the Gentiles has ended...We are the Gentiles that have been saved out of the earth. We are a people that were not His people, but because of Israel's unbelief and rejection of their Messiah, the Kingdom was given to another. We are the peopleof the Kingdom of God, or the children of the living God....., 42 "Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing,and it is marvellous in our eyes? 43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof."(Matthew 21:42-43) Paul makes a startling statement by the power of the Holy Spirit in Romans, 24 "Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? 25 As he saith also in Osee, (Hosea), I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. 26 And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God."(Romans 9:24-26) We are the first fruits at the coming of the Lord for the Gentile Age, or the age of the Church, a dispensation also called the Age of Grace. When these who stand on Mt. Sionare considered first fruits of the Trials of Jacob, also known as Jacob's troubles and will be called Tribulation Saints during the end of the Age of the Law. This is re-emphasized in chapter 15 in the following: 2 "And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number ofhis name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. 3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways,thou King of saints."(Revelation 15:2-3) Now this is not to say that some besides only Jewish people will heed the call of the 144,000 evangelist, but the likelihood of that fact grows smaller and less likely, asthe focus is on Israel, not on the Gentile nations. God will save many left behind Gentiles, but this time is not His focus...it is Israel and the extinguishing of all rebellion on this earth and to reclaim His creation. Both Jew and Gentile will be savedout of this period of the Age of the Law, but many will die a martyrs death. THE CHURCH RETURNS WITH OUR LORD IN VICTORY As we progress into the prophecy and the events that will destroy upwards of 80% of all mankind by divine wrath, we come near to the end of God's judgment and John's visionof the marriage supper of the Lamb and the revealing of the bride of Christ. Until this time, the church and it's saints have not been mentioned, not one time since beginning chapter 6. Here John writes so of the bride by these words: 7 "Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. 9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God."(Revelation19:7-9) Then at the culmination of the great feast in Heaven, where the bride is presented in linen white and clean, one final judgment is still in need of fulfillment. We, His chosenbride, the saints of the most High, come back to earth with our Husband, our King, our God which comes in full war cry and as a roaring Lion to avenge the earth for treatment of His people and to squash completely the rebellion on this earth. 11 “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fiercenessand wrath of Almighty God.” (Revelation 19:11-15). Almighty God, our Savior and King, will make short work of rebellion on this earth of the final battle called Armageddon. Why is His vesture dipped in blood? It is not Hisblood, but the blood of those He has slain in divine wrath and beaten down in the wine press of His righteous wrath for the last 7 years is what I believe. Here He will finish the slaying of unrepentant, lawless mankind till blood rises to the bridles of thehorses they ride in a valley that is 200 miles long by 30 miles wide. This is His final coming to rule and reign with a rod of iron. He will rescue His people Israel that have endured to the end. 19 “And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.”(Revelation14:19-20) Thus ends the Wrath of God when Jesus takes total control of this earth, and sets up His Millennial Kingdom to last for the next 1000 years, and a Sabbath rest imposed forSatan and his evil and a rest for the earth. Then all of Israel will be reconciled unto their King and Lord, Savior and Almighty God. 21 “And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side,and bring them into their own land: 22 And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall theybe divided into two kingdoms any more at all. 23 Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of alltheir dwelling places, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God. 24 And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them. 25 And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children,and their children's children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever. 26 Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary inthe midst of them for evermore. 27 My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 28 And the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.” (Ezekiel 37:21-28) TRIBULATION LOOMS ON THE HORIZON Tribulation for Israel has ended. Jesus made a promise to Israel to loose not one, but save them all. If you are reading this, can you say the same? If you be Gentile, meaningnot of Jewish heritage or birth, have you the same promise? No, you do not. The end of a dispensation of the church comes quickly. Tribulation is at our doorsteps. Jesus is right now still at the door knocking waiting for those who hear to open the door toHis call. When that final call comes out, and He proclaims, “Come up here”, then time for the church will have stopped as we have entered eternity. Won't you join us? When Tribulation comes in earnest that makes these hard times pale in comparison, then hopeof an eternal reward in Heaven to be with our Lord and Savior becomes less and less likely. I want to repeat this fact. Tribulation is designed to do two things, and two things only. That is to purify Israel to prepare them for their coming Messiah, and todestroy all aspects of lawlessness and rebellion of a sinful Gentile nation. Tribulation is coming, and the times are dark, but the coming time is a time beyond any of our imaginations when God said that with His full wrath unleashed, that if it were not stopped,NO MAN would survive, but for the elect, it will be stopped short of total annihilation. The Church is NOT part of this wrath. 9 "For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. 11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do." (1st Thessalonians 5:9-11) Or when Jesus spoke: 36 "Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." (Luke chapter21:36) 10 “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon theearth. 11 Behold, I come quickly hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” (Revelation 3:10) 9 “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” (1st Corinthians2:9) Will you be in that number, the ones destroyed for eternity and thrown into a Lake of Fire burning with brimstone and sulfur? Don't let that happen. Make that decision forJesus Christ to come into your life right now. Pray the Holy Spirit to guide you into believing on the Name that is above every name, Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God. The Tribulation hour is coming, as the salvation clock is seconds before Midnightand the end of the age, the Age of Grace will end. Wrath is coming. 16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”(John3:16-18) 8 “But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:8-13) This is pastor Mike Taylor, praying God's salvation come into you life today. If there be any need for prayer, counseling or just a listening ear, email me today at pastormiketaylor@yahoo.com. God bless you all,