Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Session 78: Christ's Return
The alarm clock went off at 5:45 AM this morning. I layed in the bed and snuggled with Ella while Crystal took a shower. After she walked into the bedroom, I went to the shower. Got the kids ready, and off to the "races" we went. Another routine day! Dropped Trey and Tori off at my moms so she could take them to school. I then went through the drive thru at McDonald's for a little jumpstart of coffee and a burrito. Reported to work at 7:30 and delivered a route with two sets of occupants. Man that was hard work! (Sometimes I can't believe they actually pay me to do this job) Back on the highway at about 3:45. Stopped to fill up with gas. Praise the Lord it was cheaper today than yesterday. Back on the road and my next stop was the barber shop in Patterson. Quick $12 haircut. What a miracle. Nobody was in the chair! On the way to get the kids. We just left mama's house and are now at home. Routine? Ordinary? What will you be doing when HE comes back? Will it be another routine day? Will you be doing things that are pleasing to our Lord? Will you and your students be ready for His return? HE IS COMING BACK!!!!! Let's show them in God's word why we believe He is !
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I predict if he comes soon I will be at home, church, taking my girls somewhere, my mama's house, or at Walmart. I confess that I don't think about this as much as I should. I just get "busy" with daily routine life. I look forward to his return, but there are some people that I would love to see get saved first.
Vickie
I feel that it will not be long he comes too --but I am scared for my lost family members and friends and hope they will have a change of heart before it is too late.
Crystal
I seem to just do the same old same old thing day after day. When i stop to think about his return i get excited. I feel like he will return before I die provided I live an average life span. I live my life most of the time as if I am not ready. I do not give hime the respect he deserves, but I will say that most of us do not give him the respect he deserves. One day we will be held accountable and if we only knew exactly how much each little thing we do on this earth mattered then i think we would all act differently. We get caught up in this world and forget about Christ and that one day he will be back to get us.
Jerry
I'm not worried about it, because I can get saved in the tribulation.
When reading the Bible it is good to remember that we are Greeks. To get a deeper understanding you have to recall that Christ was born a Jew, lived the life of a Jew, and died a Jew. Therefor we, at times need to think like a Jew(middle eastern) when reading the Bible. Read the following in the context of this weeks lesson, some of you probably already know this;
It was the first century marriage custom for the Groom to come to the Brides village and the Father of the Groom would negotiate a marriage price. They would seal this with the groom pouring a cup of wine to signify him giving his life for his Bride. At this point they were officially married; however, the Groom would go back to his father's house to prepare a place for his Bride. The families lived in an insulae. A building around a small courtyard with many rooms. The Groom would build onto the insulae, sometimes taking up to a year to prepare a place for him and his new bride. When the place was ready the Groom would come back to the Brides house with his family and friends. As they came into town they would blow the shofar and the bestman would walk in front shouting "He has come for His Bride". The Bride never knew when the Groom would return, but was suppose to spend this time in preparation, sewing, learning home maker skills etc. so she would be ready at his return. He would claim his bride and initiate a week long celebration.
The Bible over and over, warns Christians to look for and expect the Lord to come back. This will happen! That is why it’s important we know where we stand, regarding the sequence of events leading to His coming back. The rapture could be compared to Thanksgiving, and the second coming to earth could be compared to Christmas. There are very few signs connected with Thanksgiving. People do not put up "THANKSGIVING TREES" or decorate their houses with "THANKSGIVING LIGHTS," etc. There are many signs connected with Christmas: lights, decorations, Christmas trees, Santa, etc. When you see the signs of Christmas then you know that Christmas must be approaching, but you also know that Thanksgiving must be even sooner! The signs of Christmas are usually seen even before Thanksgiving. Thus, when we see the signs of the Lord’s second coming to earth, then we know that the rapture must be very soon indeed. Although most of us agree that there will be a rapture, there are differing opinions concerning the time of the rapture, relative to the seven years of the Great Tribulation. Some believe in a pre-tribulation rapture, others believe in a mid-tribulation rapture, and yet others a post-tribulation rapture. I think most believers in our local body support the pre-trib position, as do I. That simply means that we believe the rapture will take place before the seven years of tribulation. We believe that the church will go through tribulation, but the church won’t experience “The Tribulation”. The Tribulation is not Satan pouring his wrath out, and persecuting Christians. It’s the wrath of God, judging non-believers, Satan, and Israel. God doesn’t pour out His wrath upon His children, therefore we (God’s children) must be gone prior to the Tribulation. “And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come”. (1 Thessalonians 1:10) I wonder what wrath Paul’s talking about. Didn’t God rescue Noah…………before the wrath? Didn’t God rapture Enoch……………..before the wrath? How about Lot……………….before the wrath?
Now, can we be saved during the Tribulation? The answer is “YES” . The possibility for persons to be saved does exist during the Tribulation. But, it is always dangerous to reject the truth, no matter when you live. The time to be saved is today, not tomorrow. If a person refuses to be saved today, what guarantee does he have that he will be willing to be saved in the future? If a person refuses to trust Christ today when it is easy (for many, little or no persecution), why should this person be willing to trust Christ tomorrow when it will be very difficult (great persecution for believers during the Tribulation). Those who reject the Gospel today are in danger of rejecting the Gospel tomorrow. The person who rejects the Gospel before the Rapture could very well be one of those who will worship the man of sin during the Tribulation. Those who are unbelievers today will probably be unbelievers tomorrow. The time to believe is now. "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:2). It is never safe to delay such a decision. The time to be saved is now, prior to the Rapture.
As I was studying this week, I kept thinking how important this lesson is – and how to get this message relayed to 6th and 7th graders. I agree with John. I don’t think we as Christians will live through the seven years of tribulation. I also agree with the fact that if you are not willing to get saved while it is easy you are surely not going to be first in line to accept Christ when your life is on the line. (I would not even mention that because not all of us will be alive when the rapture takes place). As for when will Christ will return not even the angels know but we know we are closer to his coming than we were yesterday. We are experiencing the wars, famines, earthquakes, etc. and we all know that things in this world are getting worse. Let us never forget the last red letter words in the bible “Surely, I come quickly.” We are one blow of the triumph from heaven – are you equipped for the trip?
Crystal
The wrath Paul is talking about is God's wrath. Remember, the first 42 months (3.5yrs)is world wide peace and prosperity brought on by the Anti-Christ. Gods Wrath does not start until just after the midway point of the tribulation. This is known as the Pre-Wrath position to add to the other 3 theories Pre-Trib, Mid Trib and Post Trib. After studying all 4 in the past I actually lean towards Pre-Wrath but pray Pre-Tribbers are right.
Although the pre-wrath tribulational view is not pre trib, or mid-trib, I believe it is a post trib view, in the sense that pre-wrath proponents believe that the rapture takes place after the great tribulation. The difference in the views is that pre-wrath supporters believe the great tribulation ends short of the seven year period. In other words they believe that the rapture takes place somewhere between the middle and the end. The problem I have with this view is that pre-wrath supporters believe that the first three and a half years of the tribulation is the wrath of Satan and the Anti-Christ, and not God. Revelation 5:3 says that no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth could open the book. No man was found worthy to open, read, or look at it even. Revelation 6:1 says that the Lamb opened one of the seals. This is where the tribulation period starts, with Jesus opening the seals. So, God’s wrath is poured out from the beginning of the tribulation. I may be totally wrong, as I haven’t spent a lot of time studying this subject. Paul, I would love to hear why you lean toward this view rather than the others
Let me preface my opinion by making sure you know this is an opinion. Eschatology has to be the most debated issue in the church, so here goes;
I don't know what all Pre-Wrathers think, but I have never heard them called post tribbers. They believe the rapture takes place just before God's wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:1-11)God's wrath being poured out during the opening of the Sixth Seal which contains the Trumpets and Bowls. The first 5 seals are judgment by God through events carried out by the Anti-Christ. Tribulation and the Great Tribulation are not synonymous. Tribulation being the entire 7 years and the Great Tribulation being the last 3.5 yrs.
“At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. Daniel 9:1
It appears Jesus was quoting Daniel in Matthew 24:21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. These 2 verses and a few others, Jeremiah 30:7, Daniel 9:26-27 talk about the Great Tribulation.
Remember, the Tribulation is about the Nation of Israel and those who do not believe, but mainly Israel, according to Daniel. It is the 70th week. That being the case, they are not persecuted until the Anti-Christ is revealed which is at the abomination of desolation which occurs at the half way point of the tribulation. Up until then he allows the Temple to be rebuilt and sacrifices to take place.
To shorten this up, I believe there is more Biblical evidence for the Pre-Trib position. However, Pre-Wrath is a strong position based on fewer verses and I lean in that direction. One thing is for sure, if the Pre-wrath position is correct think about the people you go to church with who do not have a clue about the tribulation period and would find them selves in it. They then will follow a delusion and the great falling away spoken of would happen.
My ernest prayer is that Pre-Trib is correct. As a matter of fact I pray for a Pre-Pre-Trib Rapture.
P.S. All fellow Teachers understand that Pre-Wrath is not the Doctrine of Screven Frist Baptist; therefore, I do not teach it or discuss it unless I had a student to ask (which would never happen). Pre-Trib is our Doctrine and that is the only one I would ever teach. I discuss mid trib and post to let them know they are out their, but make it plain we believe Pre-Trib. This is a non-essential for me.
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