Will the Rapture Be Today?

 Will the Rapture Be Today? - Nathele Graham - twotug@embarqmail.com For some reason, the Rapture is a very controversial subject. Scripture gives many signs of it happening, but many people seem to discount it or argue about the timing. Althoughit’s a blessing from God, the Rapture isn’t for everybody. The only people who will be taken away from the final seven years of earth as we know it, are Christians. That doesn’t mean we won’t face persecution or turmoil. In fact, Jesus promised we would havetroubles in this life. “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33. Jesus just had a very serious talk with His disciples. He told them some unnerving things they could expect, but also some very comforting words. He talked of His death, andthat upset His disciples. He told them of His resurrection, which they had no way to fully understand. He told of the Comforter and how He would guide them (and us). There is a big difference between the tribulation which Jesus had described to His disciples,and the Tribulation talked about by Daniel, Jesus, and described in Revelation. God is love, and that love makes sure people have every chance to avoid trouble. Unfortunately, we tend to go against God’s will. We need to understand that the rules Godhas given us are for our own good. We bring our own troubles about by not following His directions. That’s what happened in the Garden of Eden. God gave Adam only one rule. “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayestfreely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest there of thou shalt surely die.” Genesis 2:16-17. That’s pretty clear. Then Eve chatted with the evil being, ate the fruit, and in total disobedience, Adam also joined in the sin. God’s words were true and the couple wereexpelled from the Garden and lost Paradise. Life outside the Garden was filled with turmoil. Children were born, and those children had children. Soon the population on earth had grown. The forces of evil had their own plans; they wanted to corrupt the humangenome so God’s creation could no longer have hope of salvation. Rebellious angels mated with human women and the result of this ungodly union was hybrids called Nephilim. Unredeemable evil corrupted humanity, and the entire creation was corrupted. The only way God could bring life back to the way He created it, was to send judgment. This judgment was to flood the entire world. All of creation would drown except forthose few who were obedient to God and protected in the Ark: Noah, his wife, his three sons, and their wives, as well as some animals. Prior to God’s judgment being poured out upon a corrupt and disobedient world, there was a Rapture. Noah’s great-grandfathercame to a right place with God and was removed prior to God’s judgment. “And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.” Genesis 5:24. It’s so important for all of us to obey God. Are you walking with God? Or are you living in disobedience andrebellion? There are many signs given in Scripture that we need to pay attention to. These signs tell us that the time of God’s wrath will soon be poured out again. The disciples askedJesus about the end times. It’s interesting that the signs Jesus told them to look for are very Jewish in nature. He told them “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth,let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:” Matthew 24:15-16. The Olivette Discourse is not about Christians or the Rapture but about the time of Jacob’s (Israel’s) trouble. The temple was destroyed in 70 AD so by mentioning the “abominationof desolation” standing in the temple, we know the Temple will be rebuilt. In fact, Jesus says that Daniel had spoken about this, but when Daniel gave that prophecy, the first temple had been destroyed. Today the Temple Institute has been working diligentlyand faithfully to create the items needed for Temple worship as well as training priests to perform the rituals. The fact that they have red heifers that are required for cleansing just adds to the excitement of prophecy being fulfilled. This is all amazing,and very huge signs of the fact that we are nearing the Rapture. It’s not only one or two signs, but so many are happening. In the same passage in Matthew Jesus gives some “signs” that are just things that always happen, and aren’t reallyindications of the end, but they are becoming more frequent and stronger. “For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.” Matthew 24:7-8. There are wars between nations and civil unrest within nations. If you follow earthquake reports, the number of earthquakes is growing as well as the magnitude. Pestilences?Remember the trouble in 2019? Famines? Food is getting expensive, hard to afford, and it’s being genetically tampered with so it isn’t food like God intended humans to ingest. There are many food allergies and behavior problems in children, and I think foodtampering plays a part in the trouble. These signs are all just the beginning. Jesus didn’t stop there. He spoke of false prophets who will deceive many. He wasn’t just talking about woke pastors, but government organizations like the UN, WEF, WHO, andothers that are deceiving the world. Jesus began this discourse by warning against deception. “And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.” Matthew 24:4-5. If you’ve listened to any reports out of Israel, periodically someone claims to be the Messiah. The other day, I heard an interview with a woman who claimed to be an Arcturianhybrid. Don’t be deceived, brothers and sisters; study Scripture so you know the truth. “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” Matthew 24:12. It’s the agape love that grows cold. People just don’t care about others. Mothers can kill their children in the womb without a second thought, husbands have no problem sittingon the couch doing nothing while his wife works a couple of jobs in addition to cooking, cleaning, and running the kids to activities. Then there are the people who walk into a school or a parade and start shooting people. There are any number of other cold-heartedactions that happen daily. The word “iniquity” means wickedness, contempt and violation of law. We see it every day. People violate the law of the land, but more than that God’s law is violated. Jesus talked of the signs leading to the final seven years oflife on this fallen world. All the events that will be so terrifying are falling into place today. The Gospel of Luke also records this discourse by Jesus. Luke records two major signs of the end times. “And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the daysof the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.” Luke 17:26-27. Matthew also recorded this. It’s important to study all of Scripture in order to understand. Very few pastors preach about the iniquity happening during the days of Noah.They try to say that Seth’s sons married Cain’s daughters so God destroyed the world. That’s a false statement against God. He doesn’t just wipe out everything because humans married each other. The truth is that the fallen angels were mating with human womenand hybrids, called Nephilim, were created. There was genetic tampering happening and humans were no longer fully human. All of creation was corrupted and God couldn’t allow this to happen. Noah was directed to build an ark to save 8 people and some animalswith pure, non-genetically tampered with blood. As stated above, Enoch was taken away from the judgment of the flood because he “walked with God”. The other evil that Luke records, is perverse sexual activity. “Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; theydid eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.” Luke 17:28-29. Ungodly things were happening in the Days of Noah and in the Days o Lot, but people weren’t paying attention. They were “woke” and accepted all manner of sin. Enoch was takenprior to the judgment in Noah’s day, and judgment couldn’t happen until Lot was safely away from Sodom. Are we paying attention today? How many pastors stand firm upon God’s word and reject the homosexual agenda that is trying to corrupt God’s truth? How manyChristians keep silent about how it is an abomination to God? We can’t force truth upon an unbelieving world, but within God’s congregations, we can’t allow sin to rule. Our world is like the days of Lot, and Christians are going aboutnormal life, fully accepting or ignoring these ungodly lifestyles; not caring what God’s word says, but twisting His truth to condone sin. Likewise, genetic manipulation is destroying normal life. Not only are doctors mutilating people to change male to femaleand female to male, but the food we eat isn’t pure. Pesticides are genetically put into crops, cattle are injected with hormones, and synthetic meat is being sold. Genetic tampering happened in the Days of Noah, and we are much the same today. The good news is that God always takes those who are righteous away prior to judgment. As Christians, we are righteous only through our faith in Jesus. We can see that thedays are becoming more and more wicked. All nations are turning against Israel, which is prophetic. The same happenings of the Days of Noah and the Days of Lot are thriving in our day. Christians need to stand firm on God’s truth and not take part in any ofthe evil we see in our world today. Christians are promised that we will be taken to Heaven prior to the final seven years of history. Not because we are righteous, but that Christ is. “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we mightbe made the righteousness of God in him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21. We need to honor Christ by truly repenting of our sin. We can never be righteousness by our own efforts, but we are righteous through Christ. We need to be like Enoch andwalk with God. Christians will be taken away from the soon coming judgment. We can’t let fear of being ridiculed by others stop us from living for Christ. In fact, we need to use our voicesto witness to people around us. “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; and for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly,to make known the mystery of the gospel.” Ephesians 6:18-19. Christ will call us Home soon, and the works we have done for Him will be judged at the Bema Seat. That’s where I want to be while those who have rejected Christ are facing the evil reign of theAnti-Christ, and living with demons. Only faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ will allow you to be taken from the horrors of the Tribulation. Will the Rapture happen today? It could, but we can’t set dates. We can read the signs of the times, and it’s getting close. Brothers and sisters, be vigilant and stand firmon God’s word. God bless you all, Nathele Graham twotug@embarqmail.com Recommended prophecy sites: www.raptureready.com www.prophecyupdate.com www.raptureforums.com All original scripture is “theopneustos” God breathed. If you would like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries just drop me an email and let me know. “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.” Psalm 122:6.