After the Rapture

 After the Rapture - Nathele Graham - twotug@embarqmail.com The Rapture is a wonderful promise from God. Though many Christians cannot believe it will happen, Scripture says it will. “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hathappeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; whogave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” Titus 2:11-14. I do look forward to that wonderful family reunion around the throne of God. Jesus told us signs to watch for; He spoke of the coming Tribulation, not the Rapture. The Rapturewill happen prior to the Tribulation. As we see the wars, famine, earthquakes, pestilence, and more growing more frequent and stronger, we know those final seven years will soon begin. We also know that Christians are not appointed to wrath, and that alonetells us we will not face the extremely troubled time of the Tribulation. As I see signs that it’s approaching, I do get a bit frightened. There is so much wickedness and evil all around. There’s wickedness in the thoughts of people, among government leaders,the World Economic Forum, and much more. The horrid war in the Middle East is alarming. Not only because of the pure evil that Hamas inflicted on Israel, but the astonishing fact that so many people blame Israelfor the atrocity. Even many Christians seem blind to the truth. I can only assume that they either only repeat mistruths without studying Scripture for themselves, or they don’t really believe Scripture at all. Either way, it’s a sad comment on what is beingtaught from the pulpits. As I see the events leading up to the Tribulation, and knowing that the Rapture will be first, I have a strong desire to share the Gospel. For those who are left behind, it will be a time of unfathomable horrors. What will happen after the Rapture? The answer to that question depends upon whether or not you have truly accepted Christ as your Saviour. If you have any doubt about that,don’t delay in settling the issue now. If you think you’re a Christian, then you need to understand what it is you believe. “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God;” Romans 3:23. You need to understand that Jesus was God incarnate. He left His place in Glory to step into His creation – yes, He created everything – and to give His life for our salvation.Only God’s pure, untainted blood could purchase our redemption. Jesus was crucified, buried, and on the third day He arose from the grave and conquered death! What perfect love He showed us. If you don’t believe this, then you need to talk to a true Christian,repent, and believe. This decision must be made prior to your death and prior to the Rapture. “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shallhe appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” Hebrews 9:27-28. There is no second chance…no purgatory, no “lesser place of punishment” that you can work your way out of. In fact, works can in no way earn you the right to live eternallyin Heaven. It’s only faith in Christ that brings salvation. The Book of Revelation is a book of hope for all of us who have truly accepted Christ for salvation. Jesus dictated seven letters to the Apostle John written to seven churches.These seven letters describe the various eras of church history. The first letter describes the first Christians. who were commended for their faith and patience. It describes how they stood against evil and how they rejected false teachers. It also says theyneeded to repent and return to their first love, which was Jesus. The final letter is written to our time period. A time when Christ is left outside of a Christians life. They aren’t hot nor cold, but have a very lukewarm faith. These people think they neednothing from God, but they’re wrong. They have all the money they need to buy all the things they want, and they think they don’t need Jesus. “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and willsup with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:20. It’s an individual choice. With this last letter, the Christian era on earth is finished. That’s not the end of the story. Today we are in the last days, and very soon alltrue Christians will hear the call to come up here. “After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things whichmust be hereafter.” Revelation 4:1. The Greek words for “after this” and “hereafter” are “meta tauta” which denote a sequence. First something happens, and after that the next thing happens. In this case, firstthe church age happens, then the Rapture. First the Rapture, then the wrath of the Lamb. John was told to “Come up hither”. The Greek word used is “anabaino” which means ascend. So, after the church age, we ascend to Heaven, then there’s tribulation on earth. The Apostle Paul also wrote about the Rapture. “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: andthe dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. The call to John to ascend, and the followingverses, all precede Revelation chapter 6, which begins describing the wrath that will fall upon the earth. The Apostle John saw what Christians will see after the Rapture. “And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting,clothed in white raiment, and they had on their heads crowns of gold.” Revelation 4:2-4. What a sight to see. Christians truly have a blessed hope in Jesus. Although Christians will be judged, we have no part in the wrath of God. Jesus took the full punishmentfor our sins upon Himself when He was crucified. The judgment we face will be more of a rewards ceremony. The works we do for Christ on earth will earn us crowns, “The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him thatliveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for they pleasure they are and were created.” Revelation 4:10-11 The elders, who represent the redeemed, give all the rewards (crowns) to God. These crowns are not king’s crowns, but “stephanos” which is a victor’s crown, such as an awardgiven to the winner of a race. When we are before our Lord and Saviour, we will realize that He gets all the glory for the good we have done in this life. It has to be understood that the good things we have done in order to bring glory to ourselves, willbe burned like wood, hay, and stubble. “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for theday shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss:but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” 1 Corinthians 3:11-15. The wood, hay, and stubble will burn. Things you’ve done for your own glory will be burned up. The gold, silver, and precious stones will survive the judgment fire and willbe crowns to cast before the Lord. What a wonderful blessing for Christians who give more than lip-service to Christ. When Christians are called Home, the Restrainer, who is holding back the pure evil of Satan, will be taken out of the way. Christians are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. The HolySpirit has been active in the world since the beginning, but not indwelling people. That is a unique blessing for Christians. In Old Testament times, the Spirit would come upon people and help them, but then leave them. When David committed great sin, he wrotea beautiful Psalm of repentance in which He makes this plea “Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirit from me.” Psalm 51:11. After the Rapture, the Holy Spirit will still be active in the world, but He won’t indwell people who come to faith during the Tribulation. Paul wrote “For the mystery ofiniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him,whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved.” 2 Thessalonians 2:7-10 This may be difficult to understand in the King James translation, but what it means is that the Holy Spirit, indwelling Christians, is a barrier holding back total evil fromtaking over. We see evil today, but it will be much worse during the Tribulation. After the Rapture, the most evil man who has ever lived, whom we call the Anti-Christ, will make himself known. He will step in and it will seem that has all the answers to stopthe chaos. What if you don’t have true faith in Christ and the Rapture happens before you truly repent and place your faith in Christ? At first you will be confused. People you knowand love will suddenly be gone. Things you are used to in this life won’t work as they always have. Television, radio, airplane travel, and more will be interrupted. Many of the people who made these things work, are gone. When you get to your job, many ofyour co-workers will be missing. It won’t take long for the reality to set in. The people who had witnessed to you and tried to convince you to give your life to Christ, are gone. You’ve probably heard of the Rapture, but now you really understand. Theywere right, faith in Christ was the most important decision you should have made. From this point on, things will only get worse as the Tribulation progresses. Major judgments are beginning. John saw a scroll with seven seals which needed to be opened. Theonly one worthy to open the scroll was Jesus. As the seals are opened, judgments begin on earth. “And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.” Revelation6:2. This rider isn’t a good guy, but starts the judgments. The second seal is opened and a rider on a red horse goes out and takes peace from the earth and people kill each other.The third seal is opened and a black horse goes out and judgment on food is inflicted…famine. The fourth seal sees a pale horse and his rider is Death, and Hell followed with him. They were given power to “…to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death,and with the beasts of the earth.” Revelation 6:8b. The judgments are just getting started. The next seal sees martyrs crying to God for justice, and the sixth seal sees an earthquake, and the sun becomes black and the moonlooks like blood, stars fall to earth. Heaven is rolled up like a scroll and the mountains and island are moved from their places. The rich and powerful men try to hide from the judgment. “And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from theface of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand?” Revelation 6:16-17. Only Christians who have been taken Home in the Rapture are safe from the wrath. More and more judgments follow, including demons being released. “And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall fleefrom them.” Revelation 9:6. It keeps getting worse. When we reach chapter 13, we read about the Beast, a hideous creature who blasphemes God and then we see that any person who has survived thus faris required to take a mark. “And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or thenumber of his name.” Revelation 13:16-17. This mark happens quite a while after the Rapture, so today if you’ve been concerned that somehow, you’ve taken the Mark of the Beast, you haven’t. Eventually, the Beast willbe sent to the lake of fire along with all who have taken his mark. Jesus wins, Satan loses. The wrath and judgments keep going, but through all of the turmoil on earth, Christians are safe in Heaven. “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvationby our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thessalonians 5:9. What a comfort that we can depend upon God’s word. How can you avoid the wrath? How can you avoid being a part of the Great Tribulation? The only way is to place your faith in the death, burial, and resurrectionof Jesus Christ…the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Don’t just say “I believe”, but truly repent, turn away from the sin that is condemning you, and turn to Jesus. He gave His life so that you can live eternally with Him. What happens after the Rapture? It’s up to you. 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.