Thursday, September 29, 2011

When I Disappear

(updated by recent events)

If you find that I, and many other Bible-believing Christians, have disappeared from the earth, leaving behind all our earthly possessions, even the clothes we wear, you will wonder what has happened. What has happened is the Rapture (snatching away) of believers that the Bible has predicted. Believers that have died will be resurrected and joined by those alive, all receiving in an instant new bodies like the resurrection body of Jesus, meeting Jesus in the air and going to heaven with Him. 

1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 -- “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep [dead]. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” 

1 Corinthians 15:51-53 -- “Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed -- 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” 

We believe this will happen shortly before God pours out His wrath to judge the earth, because the Bible says: 

1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 -- “For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.“ 

Those resurrected and raptured will include all those that trust that the death of Jesus Christ on the cross is entirely sufficient to pay for all their sins, not relying on anything that they do; not those that call themselves 'Christian', but follow the traditions of men rather than the Word of God, the Bible. Some time later (perhaps a few weeks), a leader in Europe will come to prominence and "confirm a covenant" with Israel for seven years, bringing peace to the world.

Notice that the Bible says "confirm" (or strengthen), not "make" a covenant.  Recently, President Trump brokered peace agreements between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and between Israel and Bahrain that many believe will soon lead to a more complete agreement.  So now (or soon) we have a covenant that can be confirmed or strengthened. 

This leader will be welcomed as the Messiah by many so-called 'Christian' leaders, and as the Mahdi by Muslim leaders, but the Bible says he is the Antichrist (false Messiah) and also calls him “the beast”, and the Bible calls the leader of the 'Christian' world that endorses him the “false prophet”. The real Messiah (Jesus Christ) will not come to the earth until after the seven years. In the middle of the seven years, the Antichrist will break his covenant with Israel, and world calamities will increase greatly as never before, as God judges the earth. The Antichrist will do miraculous things, but he is controlled by Satan, not God. It will be far better to trust the real Jesus and die (but have eternal life after resurrection) than to worship the image of the Antichrist or to accept the mark that the Antichrist will require: 

Revelation 13:15-17 -- “He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. 16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, 17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.”  

In recent years, the technologies for such a "mark" have been developed, but are not yet combined into the "mark".  One is the technology of digital currency, which is absolutely resistant to counterfeiting, but is not yet required to replace traditional currency.  The other is the technology of ID tagging (embedded chips), which absolutely prevents identity theft.  The embedded chips need a source of energy to recharge their tiny batteries.  The chip inventor decided that the energy would come from changes in body temperature.  The inventor's research showed that the best places for this are the right hand and the forehead.

Revelation 14:9b-11 -- “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name." 

Revelation 20:4b -- “Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.” 

As Jesus said in Matthew 10:28 -- “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” 

Call on the name of Jesus (the name means savior) for salvation: 

Romans 10:13 -- “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” 

Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that [grace] not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.” 

If you read this before the Rapture, trust Jesus now to save you. If you have questions, see http://www.GotQuestions.org .