Chapter 3
The Blessed Hope
   It is commonly believed among many who
consider themselves Evangelical Christians (the
group I like to call Mainstream Christianity,
those with the most correct beliefs), that the rapture
could have happened since the days of the
Apostles. I will attempt to convince the reader,
with the Lords help, that this is an incorrect conclusion
about God's program.
   There are numerous passages in the Bible that
prove beyond a doubt the rapture could not possibly
have happened during any generation since
the time of Christ. The Lord told Peter in John
21:18, Most assuredly, I say to you, when you
were younger, you girded yourself and walked
where you wished; but when you are old, you will
stretch out your hands, and another will gird you
and carry you where you do not wish. So Jesus
prophesied here that the rapture could not occur
until after Peter became old. As I stated earlier,
all Christians will go up in the rapture. And there
are several passages in the Book of Acts (23:11,
27:24) that also prove the rapture could not happen
until after those things came to pass. Matthew
24:14 states, And this gospel of the kingdom will
be preached in all the world as a witness to all the
nations, and then the end will come, has been
cited to prove this fact but it can be successfully
argued (in and of itself) that this could have happened
in each generation. So if the rapture was
not imminent (a theological term meaning about
to happen) in Peters day, which is clear, I am not
aware of anything that has changed concerning
prophecy (that is, that has yet to be fulfilled), from
that time until, say, the early 1900s.
   Rather, a prophetic event that had to happen
before the rapture could occur, the re-birth of
the nation of Israel in unbelief, is clearly shown
in the 37th chapter of Ezekiel. Ezekiel 37:8 states,
Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came
upon them, and the skin covered them over; but
there was no breath in them. The word breath is
used in Scripture to refer to the Holy Spirit, which
all Christians have in them, that is, God Himself!
For almost 2000 years the Jews were a people
without a nation. That changed on the historic
day of May 14th, 1948, when the state of Israel was
born. Though some have become believers in the
Lord, as a nation they continue in unbelief.
   At the end of that prophecy of Ezekiel
37:1-14, we learn that time of unbelief changes,
I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live,
and I will place you in your own land. Then you
shall know that I the Lord, have spoken it and performed
it, says the Lord. As of this writing there
are approximately 7 million Jews now living in
Israel with more joining their ranks regularly. The
Great Tribulation, which will be discussed in more
detail later, is described in Jeremiah 30:7, Alas!
For that day is great, so that none is like it; and it
is the time of Jacobs trouble, but he shall be saved
out of it. The mention of Jacob here is a reference
to Israel because Jacob, who is the grandson
of Abraham, fathered the beginning of the twelve
tribes of Israel. In Zechariah 13:9 we are told by
God, who knows the end from the beginning (Isaiah
46:10), I will bring the one-third through the
fire, will refine them as silver is refined, and test
them as gold is tested. They will call on My name,
and I will answer them. I will say This is My people;
and each one will say, The Lord is my God.
So Israel will be saved as a nation during the last
three and a half years of the then broken covenant
period! They, in fact, will be the nation to reign on
earth during the Millennial Reign of Christ.
   One of the most compelling reasons (aside
from the fact that Almighty God told me of His
imminent return), that the rapture could not have
occurred in any generation before this one (after
Peters day as explained earlier), is the plain fact
that it hasnt! In Scripture it is clearly outlined
that there were prophecies not yet fulfilled and
therefore the rapture could not have been about to
happen as many claim today. It is a passage most
often misunderstood, I think by many because of
the incorrect view that the rapture will happen
before the signing of the seven year covenant (this
will be explained in more detail later).
   In Pauls day the Thessalonians were concerned
that the Day of the Lord, also called the Day of
Christ, had already come. God lovingly through
the Apostle Paul, set this false notion aright. And
he told them what had to happen first before the
rapture, and therefore the Day of the Lord, could
occur. This is clear from 2nd Thessalonians 2:1-3,
Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our
Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to
Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind
or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter,
as if from us, as though the Day of Christ had
come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for
that Day will not come unless the falling away
comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son
of perdition.
   The phrase our gathering together to Him
is most definitely a reference to the rapture. And
Paul, inspired by God, was clearly not telling them
it was going to happen in their lifetimes, otherwise
he would have been bearing false witness.
He was without a doubt telling them (and us)
that something had to happen before the rapture
could come. Many think, as I once did, that the
apostasy, the falling away prophesied in 2nd Thessalonians
2:3, would come about just before the
signing of the seven year covenant, or possibly in
the first three and a half years. I am of the opinion
that we are experiencing this falling away in our
present day.
   Although the number going to Church is considerably
higher in the United states, it has fallen
to about half a percent in England! One only
has to travel briefly (as I recently did) to see the
religious heritage that once thrived there. And in
Western Europe Church attendance is even lower
by more than one hundred percent. These figures
are no less than staggering!
   For the sake of the younger believers and for
some older babes (and the many I hope will
come to salvation after reading this book by paying
attention to the hearing of the Word of God),
I will attempt to give a basic overview of Biblical
events that have already passed and some of those
that are yet to come. In a later chapter, I will go
into greater detail which I hope will intrigue the
more mature believer. And a further hope is also
to cause others to increase their Spiritual understanding
and draw near to God. James 4:8 says,
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
Cleanse your hands, you sinners: and purify your
hearts, you double-minded. This is a call to unbelievers.
And I will give the three major views of
the rapture.
   God created Adam and Eve in His image and
in His likeness (Genesis 1:26). In Deuteronomy
6:4 (this is part of Israels Shema) we are told,
Hear; O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is
one! Although the word Trinity is not found in
Scripture, the concept clearly is. There is God the
Father, God the Son (and the Son of God as well),
and God the Holy Spirit, three separate persons.
From the last part of Revelation 1:4 we find, and
from the seven Spirits who are before His throne.
And in Isaiah 11:2, God again tells us, The Spirit
of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of
wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel
and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear
of the Lord. So we learn that there are literally
seven Spirits of God! Just as the three separate
persons are together one Lord, the seven Spirits
are together the Holy Spirit. In the Bible seven
is the number of completion. The concept of
the trinity is a difficult one to grasp but nevertheless
true. They all agree with one another. The
trinity can be seen in 1st John 5:7, For there
are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father,
the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three
are one. The word Word in this verse refers to
Jesus who came to earth and dwelt among us (see
John 1:1, 1:14 )!
   So God created man in His image and likeness
with three parts, a body, soul and spirit. In the
1st Book of Thessalonians, verse 5:23 confirms
this fact, Now may the God of peace Himself
sanctify you completely; and may your whole
spirit, soul and body be preserved blameless at the
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
   God also created man and woman as wholesome
and good creatures. That is, at first without
a sinful nature but with the ability to sin. God also
created His angels with the ability to sin though
not all chose to do so. Lucifer, thought to be Gods
highest order of angelic creation (though Michael
might have been created as Lucifer was), fell from
his position by sinning in his heart. He became
known as the devil, satan and other names.
   In Ezekiel 28:12-15, satan is depicted as a king,
a practice of fallen angels ruling over areas that
is expressed more than once in Scripture. He is
also seen as he was in his original perfect state.
Son of man, take up a lamentation for the king
of Tyre, and say to him, Thus says the Lord God:
You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom
and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden
of God; every precious stone was your covering;
the sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx,
and jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with
gold. The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes
was prepared for you on the day you were created.
You were the anointed cherub who covers;
I established you; you were on the holy mountain
of God; you walked back and forth in the midst of
fiery stones. You were perfect in your ways from
the day you were created, till iniquity was found
in you.
   As the age-old story goes, man and woman
were in the Garden of Eden in their unfallen state
and along comes the devil (depicted as a serpent
in the Bible, see Genesis 3:1, also Revelation 12:9).
He managed to deceive Eve who in turn led her
husband into partaking of the forbidden fruit of
the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. By this
single evil act, satan amazingly plunged the entire
human race into sin (and probably still proud of
it). He managed to create a fourth part to Gods
wonderful creations called the flesh in Scripture.
Every person born since has inherited this sinful
nature through Adam from that fateful day. Please
be sure to read chapter six of this book to find out
how to overcome this tragic episode in the history
of man.
   Ever since, man has been in a struggle with
good and evil. In the society I grew up in (and
my guess is everyone else experienced this in one
way or another), this battle of good versus evil
could be seen in the movies as well as other areas
of life. God and satan have been in a universal
conflict with one another since his fall. This spiritual
(though this includes physical at times) fight
stretches from earth to the third heaven where
Gods very Throne is located. And the Holy Bible
wonderfully explains that God and His people will
come out the winners...forever! Though satan is
no doubt powerful and worldwide, there is just
no comparison there to God Himself. We are
told in Matthew 4:10 when Jesus told the devil,
away with you satan! For it is written, You shall
worship the Lord your God, and Him only you
shall serve.
   God has been trying everything He possibly
could for nearly six thousand years to draw people
to Himself. In the Old Testament He chose Israel
as His special nation. God told Moses in Exodus
19:5-6a, Now therefore, if you will indeed obey
My voice and keep My covenant then you shall
be a special treasure to Me above all people; for
all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a
kingdom of priests and a holy nation. God desires
both Jews and Gentiles to live with Him, a perfect
Creator, without sin forever. Contrary to what
some believe, the nation of Israel is still in Gods
plan. They will be ruling and reigning with Christ
during the one thousand year reign to come on
the earth. Also known as the Millennial Reign of
Christ. Gentiles who accept Jesus as their Savior
will be there as well.
   God also sent His Old Testament saints, the
prophets, to draw Israel to Himself so that they in
turn could bring some Gentiles to Him. And He
used other ways including Angels and Judges. In
the New Testament He came Himself to earth in
the flesh as was absolutely necessary. More on this
later. Jesus, Christ in the flesh, chose Apostles to
draw people (by God) out of the kingdom of darkness
and put them in the KINGDOM OF LIGHT!
He has since hired many, many laborers for His
kingdom. He has literally left no stone unturned
when it comes to salvation and will continue to do
so until that final call.
   The first sacrifice of His creation, God
Himself made to cover the nakedness of Adam
and Eve. Though there was nothing wrong with
their nakedness in and of itself, after their fall
because of their shame, the sacrifice became necessary
to point to Christ. The many Old Testament
sacrifices made by man all pointed to the
essential one time sacrifice Jesus made on the
Cross. After Jesus (God) came in the flesh and
shed His precious blood on the Cross, necessary
for the removal of sin, the sacrificial system was
ended. Jesus literally paid it all forever! During
the Millennial Reign, the sacrificing will begin
again but I think not to point to Jesus, as the Old
Testament sacrifices did, thereby appeasing God.
It will most likely serve as a reminder of the
indescribable gift of Christ, something similar to
our taking communion today.
  There have been a little less than four thousand
years since the birth of Christ and a little
more than two thousand since. There have been
just under six thousand in total (more on that fact
later). God has been very patient waiting for many
to come to repentance and accept Jesus as Savior.
In 2nd Peter 3:9 we learn, The Lord is not slack
concerning His promise, as some count slackness,
but is longsuffering toward us, not willing
that any should perish but that all should come to
repentance. A time is coming in the not to distant
future when God will call His people to Himself.
It is my hope that you, the reader, will be with us
when Jesus descends with a shout, with the voice
of an archangel and with the trumpet of God!
   There is coming soon the signing of the seven
year covenant with many by satans man, the
antiChrist. This is confirmed in the first part of
Daniel 9:27, Then he shall confirm a covenant
with many for one week... This will include Israel
but may possibly, and seems to indicate to include
other nations as well, perhaps in that area. In
Scripture days are often used to mean years. This
covenant will ensure Israel that they can build the
fourth temple and begin their sacrificial system
(they are presently either ready or very close to
being ready) in peace and safety once again.
   Although not found in Scripture, this seven
year period is most often incorrectly labeled as
the Tribulation. There is a Great Tribulation that
is referred to in several places in Scripture but not
a seven year period as such. I will go over some
details now and more in a later chapter. Though
the Great Tribulation period is most often considered
as lasting three and a half years, I am of
the opinion that this is incorrect as well. It seems
best to distinguish between the Great Tribulation
(by man and satanic activity) and the time of the
wrath of God. Jesus told us in Matthew 24:21, For
then there will be Great Tribulation, such as has
not been since the beginning of the world until
this time, no, nor ever shall be. More on the Day
of the Lord later.
   There have been periods of tribulation brought
on Jews and Gentiles alike for thousands of years
by satan ( ... the spirit who now works in the sons
of disobedience, Ephesians 2:2b). However, during
the Great Tribulation there will be horror beyond
ones imagination, as we do not having anything to
compare it to. It will be a time unparalleled in the
history of man, the likes of which will never again
be repeated. It will surpass the terrible times that
have come on earth including the feared Assyrians
flaying people alive by removing their skin all
over. Also, the horrible times of the inquisition,
Stalins evil reign and the almost unbelievable horrendous
times Hitler brought on the Jews known
as the Holocaust. In Matthew 24:22 we are told,
And unless those days were shortened, no flesh
would be saved; but for the elects sake those days
will be shortened. Almighty God will intervene!
   During the first three and a half years of the
covenant with death (Isaiah 28:18) there will be
a period of false peace, at least for Israel. He, the
antiChrist, will apparently guarantee their safety
so they may perform their sacrifices without any
worry from their Middle Eastern enemies or any
other enemies. According to Daniel 9:27, he will
break the covenant in the midst of the week and
bring an end to sacrifice and offering.
   In Revelation 12:7-8 the Bible states, And
war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels
fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his
angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a
place found for them in heaven any longer. Many
think that this war has already taken place. In
Luke 10:18 Jesus said, I saw satan fall like lightning
from heaven. Even if Jesus was referring to
this future war in that verse, keep in mind He was
(and is) a Prophet. It is clear from Revelation 12:12
that close to two thousand years have not elapsed
since the war but satan will have only a short time
before he is bound for a thousand years. That verse
states, Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who
dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth
and the sea! For the devil has come down to you,
having great wrath, because he knows that he has
a short time. He has fallen from his position and
this occurred before he deceived Eve. It is clear
from the Book of Job that he had access to heaven
after this. When he is defeated and cast out of
heaven, he will no longer be able to enter heaven.
Satan, at this time still thinks, amazingly, that he
can defeat the God of all gods, the Almighty! God
did confirm that, he has deceived himself into
believeing he can win.
   It is feasible to believe that this war will occur
at approximately the same time the man of sin
breaks the treaty with Israel and ushers in the
start of the Great Tribulation. The rapture will also
occur around this general time-frame with both
events likely to occur close together. The time of
Gods wrath will begin just after the end of the
tribulation. And the second coming of Christ to
earth will happen very soon! For more clarification
please refer to the chart and additional details
in chapter five.
   Although the Great Tribulation will have ended,
many will gather together to fight against the
Lord of lords and King of kings. In 2nd Thessalonians
2:8 we learn what will come of the beast:
...whom the Lord will consume with the breath of
His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His
coming. And in Revelation 19:20-21 we are given
additional details, Then the beast was captured,
and with him the false prophet who worked signs
in his presence, by which he deceived those who
received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped
his image. These two were cast alive into
the lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the
rest were killed with the sword which preceded
from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse.
And all the birds were filled with their flesh. The
Him who sat on the horse refers to none other
than Jesus!
   Around this time, God deals with the devil
but in a different sense than He did in the Book
of Job. We are told in Revelation 20:1-3, Then
I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having
the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in
his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent
of old, who is the devil and satan, and bound him
for a thousand years; and he cast him into the
bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal
on him, so that he should deceive the nations no
more till the thousand years were finished. But
after these things he must be released for a little
while. The following will happen after the thousand
years are over. God will allow him to deceive
the nations once again and to gather them for
battle. We find in Revelation 20:9-10, They went
up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the
camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire
came down from God out of heaven and devoured
them. The devil, who deceived them, was cast into
the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and
the false prophet are. And they will be tormented
day and night forever and ever. Then the dead,
small and great, will be judged at the Great White
Throne Judgment after which God will create a
new heaven and a new earth. The holy city, the New
Jerusalem, will come down out of heaven where
Christians will live with God throughout eternity.
See the Book of Revelation for more details.
   So Jesus will return to earth bodily with His
saints (the angels will come at some point according
to Matthew 24:31) and after destroying the
beast and the others who attempt to defeat Him,
He will judge the nations. Since Jesus is clearly in
control at this time, it seems evident the one thousand
year Millennial Reign of Christ has already
begun. In Matthew 25:32-33 the Bible tells us, All
the nations will be gathered before Him, and He
will separate them one from another, as a shepherd
divides his sheep from the goats. And He
will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats
on the left. We are further told that the goats (the
unsaved) will have to leave the earth (by death).
So the Millennial Kingdom at this point will only
have believers as far as the human race is concerned.
Those who are still in their natural bodies
will repopulate the earth and those saints who
returned with Christ will rule and reign with Him!
We will be in our resurrected bodies and will be
as the angels of heaven, not given in marriage and
thus not involved in the repopulation of the earth.
I so look forward to that time! Read your Bible or
get one!
   At this time I would like to relate briefly
the three major views of the rapture. They are
pretribulation, midtribulation and posttribulation.
The most popular view is that of the pretribulationists.
This view states that the Church will
be caught away just prior to the signing of the
seven year covenant by antiChrist with the many.
Although the term itself is indeed correct, the
timing is not as will be discussed later. The next
view, that of the midtribulationists, will no doubt
eventually become the most popular to be sure!
The folks that hold this view believe the Church
will be raptured in the first three and a half years
of the seven year covenant. And the third view is
that of the posttribulationists. They hold that the
Church will go through the Great Tribulation and
will be gathered to Jesus in the air just prior to His
return. One thing everyone can agree on is that
only one view is correct. I trust that I will be able
to convince many before that time, which view, is
in fact the right one.
   One of the most supporting verses for those
who hold the pretribulation view is Revelation
3:10. It states Because you have kept My command
to persevere, I also will keep you from the
hour of trial which shall come upon the whole
world; to test those who dwell on the earth. As
mentioned earlier, the seven year covenant is most
often incorrectly understood as being seven years
of tribulation. And with the hour of trial relating
to the seven years of tribulation, it is no wonder
that this view is presently the most popular. In
fact, that verse relates to the rapture as understood
but with the understanding that we will be kept
from the Great Tribulation which will occur in the
last three and a half years.
   The posttribulationists also use that same verse
of Revelation to support their view. It is believed
that the Greek construction in that verse allows
the words keep from to have a different meaning
than Jesus intended. They believe God will keep
us from the horrors here on earth while still living
here. While I think we may possibly experience
more intense tribulation (the tribulation Christians
can go through today) as we come closer to
His return, we will most certainly not go into the
Great Tribulation.
   There will be more discussion in the next
chapter about the correct view. Now I will explain
why I chose to name this chapter The Blessed
Hope. One of the main verses used by those that
believe the rapture could have happened in previous
generations is Titus 2:13. It states, looking
for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of
our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. The word
looking is, I think, what leads them to believe
it was possible for each generation to disappear
from the earth. It seems to me that if I take the
verse in that context, is to understand that God
was deliberately setting up each preceding generation
for disappointment. That just does not square
with the God I know. Even if I was sure that the
rapture would not happen for a hundred years,
I could still view the blessed hope as just that!
When I was younger, I tried to view the prospect
of getting older in a positive light, that of getting
closer to being with God. I rather believe that God
has kept it secret in such a way that most, if they
were completely honest, would have to admit they
really didnt know when the rapture will occur.
I am here to tell you it will be soon! To God be
the Glory!