Could it be that this promise in God's Word will come to pass in 2026?
1 Thessalonians 4:17, for on that day (of His coming), it is written: "For the Lord Himself will come down from Heaven with a rousing cry, with God's Shofar; those who have died united with Christ will be the first to rise, and those who are left still alive will be caught up in the clouds (Raptured) to meet the Lord in the air and thus we will always be with the Lord. So, encourage each other with these words".
I happen to believe the Holy Spirit is calling us through these words written long ago for this generation. But can we hear Him? If so, how must we live in a way pleasing to Him in light of so great a promise?
2025 was marked by a shift and move away from the familiarity I was accustomed to, and it ended with a new duty station and a nudge by the Holy One to engage in a study of the Book of Revelation.
In all the studies I have done in all the books of the Bible, I have never taken the time to study the last book of the New Testament, and the last one that completes the cannon of scripture; line upon line, chapter and verse, word by word with the foundation of culture and context and with regard to the audience to whom it was originally given.
This was a book written by a Jew for the Jews of the day who were in effect "Born Again" believers in Jesus as Messiah. We know them today as Messianic Jews. The symbols John saw and wrote down were not as unfamiliar to his audience as they are mysterious to us today. We must not make the mistake of trying to understand these symbols according to our modern-day experience of things created by and through human imagination and modern technology.
I have listened to different teachers, expound on the mystery, with opinions and suppositions, commenting on bits and pieces but never sought to have the overview from an expository teaching method, something that provides a deeper understanding of the symbols John was told to write down as things he "saw".
Yahweh does not leave us in the total dark, without understanding of His word, but gives His students clues and cues as to His plan and purposes for Humanity.
As it pertains to the Body of Christ also known as His Bride, the next event with no other prophetic mile markers to be met, will be when He comes to pick us up as He promised before He left planet earth. We have understood this as described in Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians. 1 Thessalonians 4:17: "For the Lord Himself will come down from Heaven with a rousing cry, with God's Shofar; those who have died united with Christ will be the first to rise, and those who are left still alive will be caught up in the clouds (Raptured) to meet the Lord in the air and thus we will always be with the Lord. So, encourage each other with these words".
The reference to those who have "died united with Christ" was Paul addressing the concern of the early church who themselves were expecting to be raptured at any moment, that their beloveds would surely be taken up to be with Yeshua as well.
The importance of this promise cannot be underestimated even as we wait in anticipation of that glorious day. How we choose to live is influence by our belief in the imminent evacuation of the Bride of Christ before the 7-year tribulation period and before the "return of Yeshua". By our lifestyle we will attest and witness to the world around us the truth about our God and His eternal plans for us.
A "witness" to the truth is designed to produce a response: conviction or condemnation. It is not up to us what the outcome of our witness will be in the lives of those around us, but to be sure we must be a faithful witness to the life and existence of our Holy God and Savior Yeshua. If conviction occurs it will lead to repentance and to ultimate forgiveness in salvation. If not convicted, rebellion continues and will lead to judgement and ultimate punishment.
Elsewhere in Scripture we are told about the influence of the lifestyle of a remnant.
Ezekiel 14:22, as Yahweh planned a disaster for Israel, and as they suffered His rebuke, He tells Ezekiel, "There will still be left a remnant in it (Israel) to be brought out, including both sons and daughters. When they come out to you and you see their "way of life" (Lifestyle), and how they act, you will be consoled over the calamity I have brought upon Jerusalem, over everything I have done to it. vs 23 "You will Understand that it was not without good reason that I did what I did".
Let this be a constant reminder to us that our lifestyle is to bring glory and honor to Yahweh all our days here on earth until this chosen generation is raptured by His supernatural intervention and for such a time as this, or via the temporal death of our physical bodies.
We are not to fear anything but being outside of His grace and alienated from our Savior, Jesus, THE ONE who died that we might live with Him, eternally in the New Heaven and New Earth that is to come.
As the days unfold according to the prophecy in the book of the "Revelation of Jesus the Christ" given to His disciple, John the Beloved, let us learn to sit at His feet and hear His voice speaking His will for us, personally as given to us by the Holy Spirit of Truth.
It is my firm belief that Jesus will make good on His Promise to rescue us BEFORE the great and terrible "day of the Lord" when truly all hell will break loose; when evil will be unleashed because the One restraining it will leave the earth realm and bring all of us who are indwelt by Him with Him to the place where "we will always be with the Lord."
We are to choose this day "Whom we will serve" and that means modeling a lifestyle of love and loyalty to our Savior and Lord Jesus. What needs to change in my life so others will have an accurate picture of our God? What needs to change in yours for that same end?
The Holy Spirit is calling. Can you hear Him?
No comments:
Post a Comment