Be sober, be vigilant ... The Rapture & the Seventh Trumpet

I would like to begin this piece with excerpts from a letter written by —Corrie Ten Boom-1974 from a post at The Hiding Place Message Board ((a more detailed article can be found: CORRIE TEN BOOM and the RAPTURE (endtimepilgrim.org)). My purpose for writing this is the same as her, warning the Church to not be deceived. We should be preparing ourselves for the persecution to come and as she states, we are not to be afraid.

"Jesus said, “In the world you shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome

the world.” We too, are to be overcomers—bringing the light of Jesus into a world filled with

darkness and hate.

Sometimes I get frightened as I read the Bible, and as I look in this world and see all of the

tribulation and persecution promised by the Bible coming true. Now I can tell you, though, if you

too are afraid, that I have just read the last pages. I can now come to shouting “Hallelujah!

Hallelujah!” for I have found where it is written that Jesus said, “He that overcometh shall inherit all

things: and I will be His God, and he shall be My son.” This is the future and hope of this world.

Not that the world will survive – but that we shall be overcomers in the midst of a dying world.

There are some among us teaching there will be no tribulation, that the Christians will be

able to escape all this. These are the false teachers that Jesus was warning us to expect in the

latter days. Most of them have little knowledge of what is already going on across the world. I

have been in countries where the saints are already suffering terrible persecution. In China, the

Christians were told, “Don’t worry, before the tribulation comes you will be translated – raptured.”

Then came a terrible persecution. Millions of Christians were tortured to death. Later I heard a

Bishop from China say, sadly, “We have failed. We should have made the people strong for

persecution rather than telling them Jesus would come first. Tell the people how to be strong in

times of persecution, how to stand when the tribulation comes – to stand and not faint.”

I feel I have a divine mandate to go and tell the people of this world that it is possible to be

strong in the Lord Jesus Christ. We are in training for the tribulation, but more than sixty percent of

the Body of Christ across the world has already entered into the tribulation. There is no way to

escape it. We are next.

Since I have already gone through prison for Jesus’ sake, and since I met the Bishop in

China, now every time I read a good Bible text I think, “Hey, I can use that in the time of

tribulation.” Then I write it down and learn it by heart.

When I was in the concentration camp, a camp where only twenty percent of the women

came out alive, we tried to cheer each other up by saying, “Nothing could be any worse than

today.” But we would find the next day was even worse. During this time a Bible verse that I had

committed to memory gave me great hope and joy. “If ye be reproached for the name of Christ,

happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you; on their part evil is spoken of,

but on your part He is glorified.” (I Peter 3:14) I found myself saying, “Hallelujah! Because I am

suffering, Jesus is glorified!”

In America, the churches sing, “Let the congregation escape tribulation”, but in China and

Africa the tribulation has already arrived. This last year alone more than two hundred thousand

Christians were martyred in Africa. Now things like that never get into the newspapers because

they cause bad political relations. But I know. I have been there. We need to think about that when

we sit down in our nice houses with our nice clothes to eat our steak dinners. Many, many

members of the Body of Christ are being tortured to death at this very moment, yet we continue

right on as though we are all going to escape the tribulation.

In the coming persecution we must be ready to help each other and encourage each other.

But we must not wait until the tribulation comes before starting. The fruit of the Spirit should be the

dominant force of every Christian’s life. Many are fearful of the coming tribulation, they want to

run. I, too, am a little bit afraid when I think that after all my eighty years, including the horrible

nazi concentration camp, that I might have to go through the tribulation also. But then I read the

Bible and I am glad.

When I am weak, then I shall be strong, the Bible says. Betsy and I were prisoners for the

Lord; we were so weak, but we got power because the Holy Spirit was on us. That mighty inner

strengthening of the Holy Spirit helped us through. No, you will not be strong in yourself when the

tribulation comes. Rather, you will be strong in the power of Him who will not forsake you. For

seventy-six years I have known the Lord Jesus and not once has He ever left me, or let me down.

Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him, for I know that to all who overcome, He shall give the

crown of life. Hallelujah!"

I write this blog as an exhortation, call to sobriety and an encouragement for the Ekklesia to be prepared for trials, tribulation and the coming of our LORD; be His return in seven years, seventy or seven hundred. If we be called Home tomorrow, we as His Bride, should be ready, our lamps full, our relationship with Him sure and our walk righteous, pure and holy. As note, inferred in Miss Ten Boom's letter, the belief in 'pre-tribulation rapture' can be a deterrent to one's being prepared for tribulation, persecution and standing for the Word of God (D). My second reason is to address the pre-tribulation rapture's fundamental beliefs in comparison to my belief in the raising of the dead in Christ and the catching up of the Ekklesia at the Last Trumpet, Christ's return. I believe all of this is relevant as we may not know the day and the hour, but we can be aware of the season.

As the world seems to be heading into the Consummation (the word used in the transliteration of the original text of the Olivet discourse in Matthew 24:6, 13, 14 and Mark 13:7, 13 ... G5056/telos: *the end or completion of the present system of things, the end of the world. It is also the word used in Daniel 9:27 ... H3617/kalah). Let us look at scriptures where Messiah presents several events which must take place prior to the Ekklesia (2) being caught up to meet Him in the air.

Jesus, speaking privately to His disciples in Matthew 24 & Mark 13, relates these events: the great deception, the beginning of birth pains, preaching of the gospel to the whole world, tribulation, the abomination of desolation and great tribulation.

Matthew 24:5-8; 9-11 &14; 15, 21-22 (Mark 13:5-23)

"For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will mislead many

people. And you will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for

those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. For nation will rise against nation, and

kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. But all

these things are merely the beginning of birth pains.

“Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel

the prophet, standing in the holy place (Daniel 9:27, 11:31, 12:11) —let the reader understand ...

For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the

world until now, nor ever will again. And if those days had not been cut short, no life would have

been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short."

I had my ten-year-old grandson read the following scripture, after which I asked him what the scripture was telling us ((1) highlighting was added afterwards; also, the translation my grandson read used the phrase 'great falling away' not *apostasy)) ... Viktor said, 'Jesus wouldn't return until there is a great falling away, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, acting and claiming to be God.'

2 Thessalonians 2:1-5:

Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, regarding the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ

and our gathering together to Him, that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be

disturbed either by a spirit, or a message, or a letter as if from us to the effect that the day of the

Lord has come. No one is to deceive you in any way! For it will not come unless the *apostasy

comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and

exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the

temple of God, displaying himself as being God. Do you not remember that while I was still with

you, I was telling you these things?

If the brothers and sisters (Paul writing to the Church in Thessalonia) are raptured prior to the time of tribulation, how can 'our gathering together with Him' be at His coming? He is warning them not to be deceived in this way. I was taught the 'pre-tribulation rapture' as an adult while attending an independent-fundamental Baptist Church. Each church I attended since has also taught pre-tribulation rapture. This is not uncommon in the West.

I began questioning this theory about twenty-two years ago. In or around 2006, I came to believe there was no pre-tribulation rapture, leaning toward a mid or post tribulation catching-up. I did and do believe no one has it all figured out, especially after seeing Father instructed John to seal up what the seven thunders had spoken (Revelation 10:1-4). Whatever we glean from our digging into eschatology (3) is revealed in part. Only Father knows it all; therefore, I say I am a Pan-millennialist ... It will all pan out the way Father wants it to. My understanding of scripture is we will be caught up with Christ as He returns to earth at the Last Trumpet (the Seventh Trumpet) prior to His administering judgment (the final woe), the seven bowls of His wrath. The dead in Christ will rise just prior to us:

1 Thessalonians 4:12-17:

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who are asleep

so that you will not grieve as indeed the rest of mankind do, who have no hope. For if we believe

that Jesus died and rose from the dead, so also God will bring with Him those who have fallen

asleep through Jesus. For we say this to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and

remain until the coming of the Lord will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord

Himself will descend from heaven with a shout (shout of command Revelation 10:1-3), with the

voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we

who are alive, who remain, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in

the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore, comfort one another with these words.

Jesus' return will not be secret nor quiet! He will come with kel'-yoo-mah/G2753; a cry of incitement: - shout and in Revelation 10:3a 'And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth' ... Our King's return my come unexpectedly 'like a thief in the night' but it will not be as a mild-mannered mouse.

Revelation 1:7

Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced

Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen.

Now we may say the 'rebellion/apostacy' (the great falling away) is occurring, but we cannot say the 'man of lawlessness' has been revealed by his setting himself up in the temple, nor has the gospel been preached in all the world, and we have not all been turned over, betrayed or kill (there are many in the world who have been or are living in the reality of this threat today ... our time is coming and has come see links below (4)).

What is holding back the Anti-Christ

Another reason given for the pre-tribulation rapture is the Holy Spirit is holding back the Anti-Christ. We, the Chosen are indwelled by the Holy Spirit at the time of salvation, therefore we would have to be removed before the Anti-Christ comes. Nowhere can I find a scripture which states the Holy Spirit is removed. What I did find is scripture stating Satan will be removed from Heaven on God's command and God has in past removed His grace allowing sinners to be turned over to the result of their sinning and deluded.

Satan removed from Heaven:

2 Thessalonians 2:6-12

And you know what restrains him now, so that he will be revealed in his time. For the

mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is

removed. Then that lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will eliminate with the breath of

His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; that is, the one whose coming is

in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all the

deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not accept the love of the truth

so as to be saved. For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will

believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took

pleasure in wickedness.

Revelation 12:7-12

"And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. The

dragon and his angels waged war, and they did not prevail, and there was no longer a place

found for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is

called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and

his angels were thrown down with him. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the

salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come,

for the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down, the one who accuses them

before our God day and night. And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and

because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with

death. For this reason, rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and the

sea, because the devil has come down to you with great wrath, knowing that he has only a short

time.”"

We will not come under the wrath of God, but we will be given over to the wrath of the devil. Matthew 10:28 'And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both the soul and the body in hell.' We see in the following scripture God removes His grace and sends great delusion (and He does so without removing the Elect).

Romans 1:18-32 excerpts: (link for full reference)

Romans 1:18-32 NASB - Unbelief and Its Consequences - For the - Bible Gateway

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness

of people who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is

evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His

invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived,

being understood by what has been made, so that they are without excuse ... and although they

know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only

do the same, but also approve of those who practice them."

Quoted from Matthew Henry's Commentary on Romans 1:18-32:

"But in righteousness he sometimes withdraws his grace from such sinners as are here

mentioned; he gives them over to Satan or leaves them to be deluded by his instruments; he

gives them up to their own hearts’ lusts, and leaves them to themselves, and then sin will follow of

course, yea, the worst of wickedness, that shall end at last in eternal damnation. God is just when

he inflicts spiritual judgments here, and eternal punishments hereafter, upon those who have no

love to the truths of the gospel, who will not believe them, nor live suitably to them, but indulge

false doctrines in their minds, and wicked practices in their lives and conversations."

God's Wrath will not fall on the Chosen

A third 'reason' given for the pre-tribulation rapture is we, His Saints, have been promised to never come under the wrath of God. This is scripturally upheld; we will not come under the wrath of God:

Romans 5:8-10

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died

for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath

of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death

of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life

Tribulation of the Saints and the wrath of Satan

As stated above, we will not come under the wrath of God. He has however told us to expect to come under tribulation. I would encourage you to read Matthew 24 and 25. It begins with the disciples asking Jesus about the 'consummation of the age'. He speaks to the of the beginning of birth pains and then tells them in verse 9: “Then they will hand you over to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name." Jesus is speaking to His disciples; we are His disciples so there is no reason for Him to 'rapture' us out of tribulation (different from His wrath).

Revelation 12:7

So, the dragon was enraged with the woman and went off to make war with the rest of her

children, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

Revelation 13:7

It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority

was given to him over every tribe, people, language and nation.

The Wrath of God Poured Out After Christ's Return at the Seventh Trumpet

Revelation 10:1-7

I saw another strong angel coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud; and the

rainbow was on his head, and his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire; and he had

in his hand a little scroll, which was open. He placed his right foot on the sea and his left on the

land; and he cried out with a loud voice, as when a lion roars; and when he had cried out, the

seven peals of thunder uttered their voices. When the seven peals of thunder had spoken, I was

about to write; and I heard a voice from heaven, saying, “Seal up the things which the seven

peals of thunder have spoken, and do not write them.” Then the angel whom I saw standing on

the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever and

ever, who created heaven and the things in it, and the earth and the things in it, and the sea and

the things in it, that there will no longer be a delay, but in the days of the voice of the seventh

angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as He announced to His

servants the prophets.

Revelation 11:14-19

The second woe has passed; behold, the third woe is coming quickly. Then the seventh

angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has

become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.” And

the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God,

saying,

“We give You thanks, Lord God, the Almighty, the One who is and who was, because You

have taken Your great power and have begun to reign. And the nations were enraged, and Your

wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to reward Your bond-

servants the prophets and the saints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great, and

to destroy those who destroy the earth.”

And the temple of God which is in heaven was opened; and the ark of His covenant

appeared in His temple, and there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder, and

an earthquake, and a great hailstorm.

First Resurrection (Tribulation Martyrs) & the Thousand Year Reign

Revelation 20:4-6

And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw

the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and

which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their

foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 

But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first

resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second

death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a

thousand years. 

Satan Loosed for a Time

Revelation 20:7-10 

And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall

go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to

gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up

on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city:

and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.  And the devil that deceived

them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and

shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. 

Second Resurrection and Judgment Before the Great White Throne

Revelation 20:11-15

And I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the

heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 

And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and

another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things

which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which

were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged

every man according to their works. 

And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.  And whosoever

was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. 

New Heaven and New Earth

Revelation 21-22

Be sober, be vigilant ... Satan knows his time is short and when Father removes him from Heaven, he will attack with a vengeance.

Why write this post? Because Revelation 1:3 demands it: 'Blessed is the one who reads, and those who hear the words of the prophecy and keep the things which are written in it; for the time is near.' Again, Christ's return may not be for seven, seventy or seven hundred years, but the times and the seasons certainly seem ready. Therefore, my spirit cries out to all to you who don't live with that kind of urgency: 'But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is demanded of you; and as for all that you have prepared, who will own it now?’' Luke 18:20a. He did not call us to attain stuff, spend our time seeking leisure, 'working for the weekend, vacation, retirement, fill-in the blank'! He told us the following:

Matthew 28:18-20

'And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has

been given to Me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the

name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to follow all that I commanded

you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”'

God called us to be prepared. According to Noah Webster's 1828 dictionary to be prepared is to be ' 'to fit, adapt or qualify for a particular purpose, end, use, service or state, by any means whatever'. He has given to His servants His authority, gifts, time and talent; it is given for a purpose. Read, study, memorize, pray, worship and praise much ... then repeat. Look at the seven churches in Revelation chapters 1-4, ponder how we are like them as individuals, what do we need to repent of and lay aside? What do we need to pick up and embrace? What in this article challenges you, infuriates you, draws you? Dig in and ask Holy Spirit to bring clarity, peace of proofs I am wrong or right, let or make yourself intermeddle with the Word.

So, you don't have time to invest in your walk with God, then make it. It is of the utmost importance. I was reading in 'The Christian in Complete Armour' by William Gurnall 1655-1662, 'Grace is the commencement of our war against sin, not the culmination of it.' When we receive the Grace of God upon repenting of sin, accepting the forgiveness of Christ our propitiation and receive the Holy Spirit we begin a daily battle against our old nature. We can be 'comforted, although our corrupt nature is the elder, yet it shall serve the younger; Genesis 25:23.' How truly wonderful it would be, to be taken out of here prior to the Tribulation but again we have been promised tribulation.

If we truly want to be like the first century church, glorifying Father. we must welcome persecution (D). Let us be like Stephen, Peter, Paul, James, Polycarp and Perpetua counting it all joy even to the point of running to the lions and may our witness, lives be the testimony leading multitudes to Christ for they are the only 'things' we can bring into eternity with us.

Matthew 24:45-51

  “Therefore, be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. For this reason you must be ready as well; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.

“Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household slaves, to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But if that evil slave says in his heart, ‘My master is not coming for a long time,’ and he begins to beat his fellow slaves, and he eats and drinks with those habitually drunk; then the master of that slave will come on a day that he does not expect, and at an hour that he does not know, and he will cut him in two and assign him a place with the hypocrites; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' 

Footnotes

(1) Comments contained in parentheses are mine for clarification; bolding is added for

emphasis and directing reader to previous statements.

(2) Ekklesia/Ecclesia ... Church ... Assembly ... Disciples ... Saints ... Called Out ... Elect ... Chosen ...

Christians ... Holy ones ...

(3) Eschatology: a branch of theology concerned with the final events in the history of the world or of

humankind

(4) Anti-Christian Sentiments:

a. An Atheist's view: The Anti-Christian Movement - American Thinker

(5) Grammer, punctuation and spelling in quoted portions, both scripture and secular have been left as

in original/s.

(6) All scriptures taken from New American Standard Bible except as noted.

King James Bible noted as KJV; Concordant Literal Version noted as CLV

Video Links

A) Preacher imprisoned by FBI in Florida: (59) Preacher locked up for NO reason! We urgently need your help! - YouTube

B) Christianity being OUTLAWED in Canada: Pastors will be imprisoned while the government promotes LGBT pedophilia and exploitation of children - Gospel News Network

C) Right is wrong and wrong is right: The constitutionality of conversion therapy bans | The Colleges of Law

(D) Preparing for Persecution: (91) Preparing for Christian Persecution - YouTube

(E) The Impact of Humanism: Organized Humanism Produces a Growing Anti-Christian Society (thebible.net)