Bible Answers
A THIEF IN THE NIGHT
KEPT FROM THE HOUR OF TEMPTATION
ESCAPE ALL THESE THINGS
ONE SHALL BE TAKEN OTHER LEFT
A THIEF IN THE NIGHT
Will the Rapture be Secret and Unnoticed until after it Happens?
"But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief."
(if the day surprises us, catches us off guard like a thief we are in darkness, i.e. not walking in the light of God's word. Notice that the scripture is speaking of the timing of the "day" being like a thief, not the "way" or manner being like a thief. The angels told the disciples that Jesus would come again the second time in a visible way.
The Bible describes the second coming of Jesus and the rapture of His saints as a very loud event. Notice the following passages:"For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 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: 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. Wherefore comfort one another with these words."
1 Thessalonians 4:15-18
Furthermore, the angels told the disciples that Jesus' second coming would be visible and similar to His departure: "And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." Acts 1:10-11
"...and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the the other." Matthew 24:30-31
The obvious conclusion for those who want to know the truth is that there will be nothing secret about the return of Jesus and the rapture of His saints, but when the final events of end of the world are actually over, many will realize that they have been surprised and waited too long to repent of their sins and live Godly lives through the power of Jesus.
"Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation...The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness." 2 Peter 3:3-4, 9-11
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KEPT FROM THE HOUR OF TEMPTATION
Some Preachers Say that Christians will not Have to go Through Any Tribulation is this true?
"Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth." Revelation 3:10 However the meaning of the word "keep" is more like 'guarded' such as in the "keep" of a castle rather than the meaning to be taken away from something.
In the next verse we find some additional clues that show the fallacy of the idea that God's people won't have to go through the tribulation. "Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown." Revelation 3:11
It is obvious that the saints are not with Jesus yet, He is encouraging them to be faithful and trust in Him as they witness some amazing things prior to His return. (Read Psalm 91 for an example)
All through the Bible we have seen that God keeps (protects His people) through the midst of trials and temptations. Noah was in the world during the great flood but God protected him in the ark. Daniel's friends were thrown into a Fiery Furnace, but they were kept in the secret place of the most High. Jesus was with them in their trial, not a hair on their head was burned.
David walked obediently with God and had a deep experience and trust in his Lord's ability to protect him. David wrote these assuring words:
The LORD [is] my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; The God of my rock; in him will I trust: [he is] my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence. 2 Samuel 22:2-3
We need to be trusting and obeying God today so that we will have the faith we need to get through the coming crisis.
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ESCAPE ALL THESE THINGS
"Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and [so] that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." Luke 21:33-36.
What does the Bible mean by "escape all these things" does it really mean
being 'raptured' out before the last time of trouble? No, the verse is talking about escaping the trap of being so absorbed in the world, cares of this life, etc. that the day of Jesus comes to you as a surprise and your not ready to meet Jesus "in peace, without spot, and blameless." 2 Peter 3:14
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ONE SHALL BE TAKEN THE OTHER LEFT
In speaking about His second coming, Jesus gave us many descriptions and example so that if we compared scripture with scripture we would see a perfect harmony of meaning? Here are some related Bible passages on this topic:
“Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.” Matthew 13:24-25, 30
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 13:47-50
“But as the days of Noe [were], so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two [women shall be] grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” Matthew 24:37-42
“When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth [his] sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.” Mathew 25:31-33
The message of these texts is clear, when Jesus returns there will only be two groups of people, the wheat and the tares, the sheep and the goats, the saved and the lost. The saved will go to be with Jesus, and the wicked will be destroyed, there will not be any second chance. Certainly, now is the time to make our calling and election sure! (2 Peter 1:1-12)
Read Jesus’ own explanation: “Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked [one]; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.” Matthew 13:36-43
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