Summary of Bible references on the Rapture
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if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought:
Acts 5:34 Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space; 35 And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men. 36 For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought. 37 After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed. 38 And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: 39 But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.
I have taken this attitude towards many of the sites I visited and shared. If you have followed this blog you can see that some of them have come to naught. We don't always know ahead of time who that will be. Think of the coworkers that Paul had that abandoned him, abandoned the faith, etc. Also, some like Mark will return, so you never know. But this is why I am not quick to judge a ministry whether or not it is of God. I have heard things that very much surprised me, like the things that Vicky Goforth Parnell shares, but I figured she would crash and burn if this were of men, what she is speaking almost daily is impossible for a fraud to do. The fact that she is under withering attack and yet continues to speak, that is a big testimony to me. People have tried to overthrow her speaking and can't. That is incredible and a confirmation that she is speaking from God.
I have noticed that many of the sites have "dried up". They have withered under the intense sun. That reveals that they were quick to spring up but didn't have the roots in the Lord to support their ministry.
Acts 5:34 Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space; 35 And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men. 36 For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought. 37 After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed. 38 And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: 39 But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.
I have taken this attitude towards many of the sites I visited and shared. If you have followed this blog you can see that some of them have come to naught. We don't always know ahead of time who that will be. Think of the coworkers that Paul had that abandoned him, abandoned the faith, etc. Also, some like Mark will return, so you never know. But this is why I am not quick to judge a ministry whether or not it is of God. I have heard things that very much surprised me, like the things that Vicky Goforth Parnell shares, but I figured she would crash and burn if this were of men, what she is speaking almost daily is impossible for a fraud to do. The fact that she is under withering attack and yet continues to speak, that is a big testimony to me. People have tried to overthrow her speaking and can't. That is incredible and a confirmation that she is speaking from God.
I have noticed that many of the sites have "dried up". They have withered under the intense sun. That reveals that they were quick to spring up but didn't have the roots in the Lord to support their ministry.
When you make an agreement with the kingdom of darkness, and when you sin you are making an agreement with the kingdom of darkness, when you do this you give them a perimeter within which they can work.
However, when you confess that sin, take the Lord's blood and fully repent. (You can't rob a bank and then say "I'm sorry Lord, I confess". You have to also repent and that means returning the money. According to the law you have to pay back what you stole double, and if you don't repent but get caught by the police view that as God giving you one last chance to repent, in that case you have to pay back five fold). So then, when you confess, take the Lord's blood and repent, then you also annul that agreement with the kingdom of darkness and that perimeter they could operate in gets annulled.
However, when you confess that sin, take the Lord's blood and fully repent. (You can't rob a bank and then say "I'm sorry Lord, I confess". You have to also repent and that means returning the money. According to the law you have to pay back what you stole double, and if you don't repent but get caught by the police view that as God giving you one last chance to repent, in that case you have to pay back five fold). So then, when you confess, take the Lord's blood and repent, then you also annul that agreement with the kingdom of darkness and that perimeter they could operate in gets annulled.
Learn to interpret prophetic speaking
22 Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me. 23 Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?
This is so common, everyone hears what they want to hear and they pretend this is what the Lord said. I have seen so many times when someone is attacked for being a false prophet and when you dig down the issue is not that anything they said was false, but that the interpretation that this person has is false. Why does this happen? I think it is clear that the person "interpreting" the speaking is allowing their flesh and their biases to dictate. What is really a false prophet is your flesh and your biases.
22 Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me. 23 Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?
This is so common, everyone hears what they want to hear and they pretend this is what the Lord said. I have seen so many times when someone is attacked for being a false prophet and when you dig down the issue is not that anything they said was false, but that the interpretation that this person has is false. Why does this happen? I think it is clear that the person "interpreting" the speaking is allowing their flesh and their biases to dictate. What is really a false prophet is your flesh and your biases.
Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!
Psalm 81:1 Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob. 2 Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery. 3 Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.
About 20% of Americans claim to go to church (or some other religious service) each week. In the 1950s church attendance was about 63% of the population.
4 For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob.
We used to have a statute concerning Sunday and those were called "Blue laws".
5 This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out through the land of Egypt: where I heard a language that I understood not.
This is why the US was called a "Christian nation". I grew up when everyone went to church. You simply assumed this is what everyone does. Then when I visited England and Taiwan I found out that was not true.
6 I removed his shoulder from the burden: his hands were delivered from the pots.
So consider the US history, in the 1950s we had this rapid development of appliances that washed our clothes and our pots, and which did the heavy work of digging, and hauling stuff.
7 Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee; I answered thee in the secret place of thunder: I proved thee at the waters of Meribah. Selah.
The Day of Trouble for America was WW2 and the bombing of Pearl Harbor. FDR had fireside chats and the whole nation called on the Lord to save after Pearl Harbor.
8 Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me; 9 There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god.
But then what happened in the 1960s? You have a hippy movement, you have strange gods, you have fornication and drugs and chanting and rock and roll music. People get upset when you say this but the group Black Sabbath was clearly involved in the occult and pushing that with their music. Led Zeppelin musicians were known to be involved in the occult, the same is said of John Lennon with the Beatles, of course the Rolling Stones were very frank about having a strange god, and of course Bob Dylan has said he made a pact with the Devil. Meanwhile Grammies award shows have become worship of the occult.
10 I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.
This is the promise, God has made good on that promise, we should be able to see that God has been faithful to save when we called.
11 But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me.
And yet this is precisely what has happened. We have dropped from 63% of Americans attending church each week to 20%. Meanwhile we have seen divorce, abortion, drug addiction, and domestic abuse all skyrocket.
12 So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels.
All of the ills are a result of Americans walking in their own hearts lust.
13 Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!
Look at what has happened as a result of computers, the internet, AI, robots, fusion, and quantum computers. We understand that all these things are tools, extremely powerful tools. In the right hands the whole world could have become a paradise. But in the wrong hands this can be the fulfillment of demonic dreams like the Purge.
14 I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.
In the 1950s there was a fork in the road. One road leads to God quickly subduing our adversaries. The other road leads to where we are today.
15 The haters of the Lord should have submitted themselves unto him: but their time should have endured for ever.
Today the haters of the Lord have exploded like a plague of mosquitos.
16 He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee.
Psalm 81:1 Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob. 2 Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery. 3 Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.
About 20% of Americans claim to go to church (or some other religious service) each week. In the 1950s church attendance was about 63% of the population.
4 For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob.
We used to have a statute concerning Sunday and those were called "Blue laws".
5 This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out through the land of Egypt: where I heard a language that I understood not.
This is why the US was called a "Christian nation". I grew up when everyone went to church. You simply assumed this is what everyone does. Then when I visited England and Taiwan I found out that was not true.
6 I removed his shoulder from the burden: his hands were delivered from the pots.
So consider the US history, in the 1950s we had this rapid development of appliances that washed our clothes and our pots, and which did the heavy work of digging, and hauling stuff.
7 Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee; I answered thee in the secret place of thunder: I proved thee at the waters of Meribah. Selah.
The Day of Trouble for America was WW2 and the bombing of Pearl Harbor. FDR had fireside chats and the whole nation called on the Lord to save after Pearl Harbor.
8 Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me; 9 There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god.
But then what happened in the 1960s? You have a hippy movement, you have strange gods, you have fornication and drugs and chanting and rock and roll music. People get upset when you say this but the group Black Sabbath was clearly involved in the occult and pushing that with their music. Led Zeppelin musicians were known to be involved in the occult, the same is said of John Lennon with the Beatles, of course the Rolling Stones were very frank about having a strange god, and of course Bob Dylan has said he made a pact with the Devil. Meanwhile Grammies award shows have become worship of the occult.
10 I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.
This is the promise, God has made good on that promise, we should be able to see that God has been faithful to save when we called.
11 But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me.
And yet this is precisely what has happened. We have dropped from 63% of Americans attending church each week to 20%. Meanwhile we have seen divorce, abortion, drug addiction, and domestic abuse all skyrocket.
12 So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels.
All of the ills are a result of Americans walking in their own hearts lust.
13 Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!
Look at what has happened as a result of computers, the internet, AI, robots, fusion, and quantum computers. We understand that all these things are tools, extremely powerful tools. In the right hands the whole world could have become a paradise. But in the wrong hands this can be the fulfillment of demonic dreams like the Purge.
14 I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.
In the 1950s there was a fork in the road. One road leads to God quickly subduing our adversaries. The other road leads to where we are today.
15 The haters of the Lord should have submitted themselves unto him: but their time should have endured for ever.
Today the haters of the Lord have exploded like a plague of mosquitos.
16 He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee.
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
1 Corinthians 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
We have an interpretation of this based on 1 Thessalonians 4:16 that at the time of the rapture the dead are raised out of the ground first, and then those who are alive are also raptured at the same time. But that is not what 1 Corinthians says, rather it describes death being swallowed up in victory indicating that all of the ones being raptured, whether alive or dead are being referenced here and being described as "the dead".
1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 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.
There is an overwhelming case to that can be made and has been made by various Christian teachers that some people are raptured before the seven year tribulation and then that most are saved out of the seven year tribulation. If we examine this verse carefully "we which are alive and remain shall be caught up with them". It makes no sense to say that at the time of the rapture this is saying that the people in the graves are raised first and then those who are alive because why the use of the word "remain". That would make much more sense if it is referring to those who are alive (having not been martyred during the tribulation) and remain (after many other Christians were raptured). Then they are caught up together with them. Who is the "them"? Those that were raptured previously. In the first rapture we are caught up to meet the Lord in the air. However, there is no mention that after that event Jesus and the raptured return to heaven. On the contrary Jesus is very present in the air during the tribulation. The fallen angels were the principalities and powers in the air until they are cast down when the man child is caught up. From the time of the rapture on it is Jesus who is the principality and power of the air and the fallen angels are cast to the earth.
If we understand this then "the dead in Christ" refers to everyone who is raptured, not just those who are in the grave.
Romans 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
After we are saved we are baptized into Jesus' death. We are supposed to abide in the death of Christ. The reason our debt is paid and Satan has no claim on us is because we are dead in Christ. We identify with that death when we receive Jesus' redeeming blood. The reason many refuse to received Jesus' redeeming blood is because they refuse to identify with the Jesus' death and to abide in that death. Paul is saying there are two kinds of Christians, there are those who abide in the death of Christ and there are those who treat Jesus redemption as "life insurance policy". They don't want to go to hell but at the same time they are not willing to crucified with Christ.
Colossians 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Paul says that we are dead, so it is perfectly Biblical to say that the "dead in Christ" refers to all believers who have their life hid in Christ, not simply ones who are in the grave.
2 Timothy 2:11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:
Why use the word "if"? Why ask the believers if they understood that they were baptized into Christ's death? Again, there is a very clear Biblical truth that not all have the testimony that they have been crucified with Christ and that it is no longer they that live but Christ that lives in them. Not all believers are "dead in Christ". Some have very much not died to themselves.
This is very relevant to the rapture. The first feast of first fruits was for barley and that was when Jesus and others rose from the grave. The second feast of first fruits is of wheat and that was when Jesus ascended to the heavens to sit on the throne. The third feast of first fruits is for wine which depicts the "blood of the grapes". It is those who have died and poured out their blood for the Lord. Hence it is the feast of "the dead in Christ" and that is the first ones to be raptured. After the rapture some are locked out and the Lord tells them to go buy oil from those that sell. The next feast of first fruits is the feast of new oil. So that is the rapture for those who are alive and remain after the first rapture.
1 Corinthians 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
We have an interpretation of this based on 1 Thessalonians 4:16 that at the time of the rapture the dead are raised out of the ground first, and then those who are alive are also raptured at the same time. But that is not what 1 Corinthians says, rather it describes death being swallowed up in victory indicating that all of the ones being raptured, whether alive or dead are being referenced here and being described as "the dead".
1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 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.
There is an overwhelming case to that can be made and has been made by various Christian teachers that some people are raptured before the seven year tribulation and then that most are saved out of the seven year tribulation. If we examine this verse carefully "we which are alive and remain shall be caught up with them". It makes no sense to say that at the time of the rapture this is saying that the people in the graves are raised first and then those who are alive because why the use of the word "remain". That would make much more sense if it is referring to those who are alive (having not been martyred during the tribulation) and remain (after many other Christians were raptured). Then they are caught up together with them. Who is the "them"? Those that were raptured previously. In the first rapture we are caught up to meet the Lord in the air. However, there is no mention that after that event Jesus and the raptured return to heaven. On the contrary Jesus is very present in the air during the tribulation. The fallen angels were the principalities and powers in the air until they are cast down when the man child is caught up. From the time of the rapture on it is Jesus who is the principality and power of the air and the fallen angels are cast to the earth.
If we understand this then "the dead in Christ" refers to everyone who is raptured, not just those who are in the grave.
Romans 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
After we are saved we are baptized into Jesus' death. We are supposed to abide in the death of Christ. The reason our debt is paid and Satan has no claim on us is because we are dead in Christ. We identify with that death when we receive Jesus' redeeming blood. The reason many refuse to received Jesus' redeeming blood is because they refuse to identify with the Jesus' death and to abide in that death. Paul is saying there are two kinds of Christians, there are those who abide in the death of Christ and there are those who treat Jesus redemption as "life insurance policy". They don't want to go to hell but at the same time they are not willing to crucified with Christ.
Colossians 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Paul says that we are dead, so it is perfectly Biblical to say that the "dead in Christ" refers to all believers who have their life hid in Christ, not simply ones who are in the grave.
2 Timothy 2:11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:
Why use the word "if"? Why ask the believers if they understood that they were baptized into Christ's death? Again, there is a very clear Biblical truth that not all have the testimony that they have been crucified with Christ and that it is no longer they that live but Christ that lives in them. Not all believers are "dead in Christ". Some have very much not died to themselves.
This is very relevant to the rapture. The first feast of first fruits was for barley and that was when Jesus and others rose from the grave. The second feast of first fruits is of wheat and that was when Jesus ascended to the heavens to sit on the throne. The third feast of first fruits is for wine which depicts the "blood of the grapes". It is those who have died and poured out their blood for the Lord. Hence it is the feast of "the dead in Christ" and that is the first ones to be raptured. After the rapture some are locked out and the Lord tells them to go buy oil from those that sell. The next feast of first fruits is the feast of new oil. So that is the rapture for those who are alive and remain after the first rapture.