Hi Everyone!
Just like the title says, what bible verses will prepare us for the Post-Tribulation Rapture and the Great Tribulation before that? Please no debate about whether the Rapture is Pre-, Mid-, Post- or non-existent (I'm fine either way with a rapture or gathering - doesn't matter to me as long as the Lord Jesus collects us!). There are plenty of other threads where you can debate about when the Rapture/gathering occurs ad nauseum.
Please post the verse and then do a little exposition or bible study on it or simply what it means to you in preparing for what's to come.
💗🌺🕊️🌺💗
I'll start:
When I first realized that the Rapture will be AFTER the Great Tribulation, I was honestly really afraid. I started looking at YouTube videos about prepping, growing food, purifying water, solar panels, etc. But all that just made me more anxious.
God set me straight though! He had me focus on what He instructs us in the Bible about how to prepare for the Post-Trib end times. It must start with our walk with the Lord, our trust in Him. Preparation starts spiritually, not physically.
There's actually a lot of verses, but right now I'm in Luke 12.
The first thing in this passage that pertains to the Post-Trib end times (for me anyway) is:
Luke 12:22 Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? 26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
27 “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! 29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
So this passage for me is God telling me to not focus on stockpiling and other physical preparation. Put God and His kingdom as first priority and He will somehow provide.
I can testify that He has caused me never to be rich, but miraculously, I've always had enough and even been given things that I want and not just need. It made me appreciate just how thoughtful God is that He'd even do that to consider the things I like that aren't necessarily essential. I experienced this early in my walk with Him and through out the rest of my walk with Him.
I wonder how the Lord will provide for me and all the other faithful Christians out there when our ability to buy and sell gets cut off by refusing the mark of the beast, but I'm actually very confident that He will. For some Christians, He will have specific instructions to stockpile, etc. as He did with Noah and Joseph. For others, He will provide what's needed like the ravens feeding Elijah during the 3-year drought or manna from heaven during Israel's 40 years of wandering in the desert.
This passage is extremely comforting to me and took a lot of the anxiety off me. I really think God put this passage in the Bible, not only to let us know that He will take good care and provide for us, but also to give great comfort to us as well. This passage was like a big warm, protective hug from the Lord, telling me not to get scared of the coming Great Tribulation!
🏖️