Rapture

Are You Really Rapture Ready?

Marcus Walker Van EveryLeave a comment

“Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.”

[Revelation 1:7]

The past few weeks I have seen the usual chatter about the very predictable and highly irresponsible “rapture of the church” prophesies circulating on all the big social media platforms. It seems like these “predictions” happen every few years, creating an enthusiasm for Christians who are hoping to be translated out of this world without warning and escape the coming days of great trouble.

There is only one problem.

Every single pre-tribulation rapture prediction in my lifetime has been proven false, and these so-called prophets are left scrambling to justify their false prophecy and adjust their timelines one more time. If we haven’t learned anything over the last 40 years, it’s that sensational rapture claims without Biblical substance has become the boy who cried wolf one too many times.

This latest craze of rapture predictions have been connected to Yom Teruah — or the Day of Shouting — otherwise known as the Feast of Trumpets. Yom Teruah began yesterday (September 23) at sundown at the sighting of the new moon. The Feast of Trumpets is one of God’s divine appointments (Leviticus 23) that has been intertwined within the fabric of creation to bless all of God’s covenant people and point us to the redemptive work of Jesus Christ.

The irony is that I actually believe the Second Coming of Christ will almost certainly occur on or around a future Yom Teruah – just not this one. The difference is that I see the return of Jesus Christ and the rapture as being one-in-the-same event, not two separate events separated by a “7-year” tribulation period.

Defining our Terms — The Gathering

For clarity, when I speak of the “Second Coming” of Christ, the dispensational camp is thinking of a totally separate event, completely distinct from the pre-tribulation rapture. The pre-trib doctrine teaches the sudden, secret, invisible “return” of Jesus to whisk away the church to heaven before God unleashes hell on the world during the great tribulation.

Separating the Second Coming of Christ into two “phases” or “comings” has created confusion and an unhealthy preoccupation with the pre-tribulation rapture. At the same time, this doctrine has provided a convenient loophole to make a square peg fit into an otherwise round hole.

Just for the record, I believe the Bible clearly teaches a “rapture” event in the future. I just disagree with the conventional timing that is being proposed by the pre-trib camp. I believe a better description of this event is what the Bible calls the “gathering” of God’s people, which provides a more accurate interpretation of what happens at the end of this age when Christ returns to resurrect our mortal bodies and translate us into His glorious image to inherit the Kingdom.

Here are just a few Scriptures that describe the gathering (aka rapture). Notice the timing element.

“In that day the Lord will extend his hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that remains of his people, from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the coastlands of the sea. 12He will raise a signal for the nations and will assemble the banished of Israel, and gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.” [Isaiah 11:11-12]

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days: ‘The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.’ 30At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.“ [Matthew 24:29-30]

“Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to Him, we ask you, brothers, 2not to be easily disconcerted or alarmed by any spirit or message or letter seeming to be from us, alleging that the Day of the Lord has already come. 3Let no one deceive you in any way, for it will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness—the son of destruction—is revealed.” [2 Thessalonians 2:1-3]

He replied, “The One who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38The field is the world, and the good seed represents the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, 39and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest (gathering) is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. 40As the weeds are collected and burned in the fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will weed out of His kingdom every cause of sin and all who practice lawlessness. 42And they will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” [Matthew 13:37-43]

In other words, it’s not a matter of “if” the rapture takes place but rather “when.” And as I said earlier, the notion that there will some type of secret rapture for the “church” prior to the great tribulation is Biblically indefensible.

If only God’s people would take off their pre-trib rapture-colored glasses and read their Bibles with a fresh set of eyes and an open mind, they would see that not only is it careless and useless to predict the very day or hour of Christ’s return, but also that the pre-trib rapture is nowhere to be found in the pages of Scripture.

Top 3 Reasons the Gathering (Rapture) Cannot Be Pre-Tribulation

I have written extensively on the timing of the rapture, so I won’t belabor the point. Here are my top three reasons from Scripture that the rapture cannot be a secret, invisible event prior to the tribulation.

Reason #1 – Prophetic Signs that Precede the “Rapture” Must First Be Fulfilled

I could spend multiple blogs just discussing all the prophetic signs that must first occur before Jesus Christ Returns to gather His people. Here is just a sample size.

  1. Birth pains must rapidly increase in intensity and frequency, including war, famine, pestilence, natural disasters, cosmic phenomena, and overt persecution of God’s people.
  2. The rise of the final Beast empire and the revealing of Beast himself, who will blaspheme God, establish a global surveillance and economic system, muster an army, and martyr the saints.
  3. The reestablishment of some form of the Levitical priesthood in Judah and the resumption of the sacrificial system in Jerusalem.
  4. The abomination of desolation must take place in or on the holy place in Jerusalem (aka Temple Mount), where the Beast declares Himself to be the god of this world.
  5. The world is deceived by Satan with many false signs and wonders, and the mark of the Beast is required for everyone who surrenders allegiance to the Beast and rebels against God.
  6. The testimony of the Two Witnesses who call the world to repentance and who come working great wonders and with supernatural signs to validate their message.
  7. The siege of Jerusalem, when all hostile nations will surround her and trample the city underfoot, killing many and taking many into captivity.

I will share just one passage to prove that there are specific signs that must be fulfilled prior to the Return of Christ and the rapture.

“Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to Him, we ask you, brothers, 2not to be easily disconcerted or alarmed by any spirit or message or letter seeming to be from us, alleging that the Day of the Lord has already come. 3Let no one deceive you in any way, for it will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness—the son of destruction—is revealed. He will oppose and exalt himself above every so-called god or object of worship. So he will seat himself in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God … And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the breath of His mouth and annihilate by the majesty of His coming.” [2 Thessalonians 2:1-4, 8]

Reason #2 – The Rapture is a Supernatural, Public, and Universally Visible Event Connected to the Return of Christ to Earth

There is nothing secret or mysterious about the rapture. The Scriptures tie the rapture (gathering) to the glorious return of Jesus to the earth, which is described as the unique Day when heaven is opened, the elements melt in fervent heat, the earth will be shaken, the great trumpet blast of God is unleashed (aka Yom Teruah), the angelic army descends to fight, the archangel shouts and a cry of a command is given, and every eye will see Jesus riding the clouds in glory as He descends to earth to wage war against the Beast and all the forces of darkness that is gathered in Jerusalem to fight.

There is nothing secret or invisible about the Biblical description of this event. Just consider the most famous “rapture” passage used by the pre-tribulation camp to support their view and ask yourself if it fits the “secret rapture” profile?

“For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, we also believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him. 15By the word of the Lord, we declare to you that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will be the first to rise. 17After that, we who are alive and 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.” [1 Thessalonians 4:14-17]

Reason #3 – The Rapture Is Simultaneous With the Resurrection of Dead

There is no way to dispute the fact that in every single passage of Scripture that describes the “rapture,” or gathering of God’s people, it is always connected to the resurrection of dead – specifically the first resurrection. Scripture is replete with references that remind us that the resurrection of the dead occurs at the end of the age, when Christ returns to earth in glory. This one reason alone is enough to debunk any notion of a pre-tribulation rapture.

If you notice in the passage above (1 Thessalonians 4), the catching up of believers coincides with the resurrection of the dead – except the dead in Christ are raised first, and then those who have survived the great tribulation and remain will receive their immortal bodies.

Allow me to leave you with a few more passages that demonstrate the timing of the resurrection, which is the same as the timing of the final gathering (rapture) of God’s people.

“And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that I shall lose none of those He has given Me, but raise them up at the last day. 40For it is My Father’s will that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” [John 6:39-40]

“For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23But each in his own turn: Christ the firstfruits; then at His coming, those who belong to Him. 24Then the end will come, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father after He has destroyed all dominion, authority, and power.” [1 Corinthians 15:22-24]

“Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53For the perishable must be clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.” [1 Corinthians 15:51-53]

Then I saw the thrones, and those seated on them had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or hands. And they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years were complete. This is the first resurrection. 6Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection! The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years. [Revelation 20:4-6]

So when we ask the question, “Are you rapture ready,” we are asking an entirely different question than our pre-tribulation brothers. We are asking, “Are you ready to be Christ’s witnesses in a hostile world, to suffer persecution and tribulation for His sake, to resist the strong delusion of rebellion coming upon the world, and to faithfully endure to the end?”

Can We Know “the Day or the Hour” of Christ’s Return?

Marcus Walker Van Every1 Comment

At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. … No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

[Matthew 24:30-31, 36]

One of the most misunderstood verses in all of Scripture comes from the teachings of Jesus known as the Olivet Discourse. When referring to His second coming, Jesus says that “no one knows the day or the hour” of His return (see Mark 13:32 and Matthew 24:36).

Unfortunately, this one phrase has been lifted out of context and seriously mishandled as a prooftext to support the idea that Jesus can return at any moment without any necessary signs to precede His coming. Many in the dispensational camp call this teaching imminence, which suggests that the rapture of the church will be a secret, surprise event that could happen at any minute in the indefinite future. As a result, many have proposed that is impossible to discern the prophetic signs associated with the second coming of Christ and therefore a futile exercise altogether.

But what if this one phrase actually is teaching God’s people something radically different? What if Jesus was teaching us the exact opposite of “imminence,” and instead giving us a critical clue to discerning the signs and the general season of His return. After all, the entire Olivet Discourse is a master class on discerning the signs that precede the end of the age and the coming of Christ. Just a few verses before Jesus declares, “no one knows the day or the hour,” He also says, “So also, when you see all these things, you will know that He is near, right at the door” (Matthew 24:34).

So which is it? Will the generation alive at the end of the age recognize these signs and know that the return of Jesus is near, even at the door? Or is it impossible to know the timing of Christ’s return?

I don’t think we can accuse Jesus of making contradictory statements to His disciples, only to leave them unsatisfied and confused. So there must be a better explanation. Maybe we are missing something from the historical context of this passage that is essential to understanding what Jesus actually meant.

I suggest that Jesus was using an idiom from His day to connect His listeners to a very familiar concept and a very specific day of the year — namely Yom Teruah, or the Feast of Trumpets.

Yom Teruah — A Day and Hour that No One Knows

Tonight (Wednesday, October 2, 2024) upon the sight of the new moon the Feast of Trumpets, or Yom Teruah, will begin. Also known as the Day of Shouting, Yom Teruah is the first of the fall festivals established by God to serve as annual divine appointments for those in covenant with the God of Israel.

Trumpets is unique when compared to every other Biblical feast in that it is the only divine appointment that is not predetermined and fixed by a set day on the calendar. Yom Teruah begins of the first day of the seventh month (Tishri 1), and the only way to determine the first day of the month is visibly to observe the new moon in the night sky.

Obviously with the advent of modern technology and the accuracy of astronomical algorithms, we can more precisely predict the timing of each new moon; however, in Biblical times, the only way to identify the first of the month was to observe the night sky and watch for the sign of the new moon to emerge. Of course, our ancient ancestors had sufficient knowledge of the heavenly bodies as they followed their courses and would have known when the first day of the month was near — within a day or two. Consequently after their exile in Babylon, the Jewish rabbis dedicated a two-day window for the Feast of Trumpets just to ensure the new moon was accurately sighted.

To learn more about this two day window, read here.

So the official sign of the Feast of Trumpets was the sighting of the new moon, which then followed by a command from the High Priest to begin sounding the trumpet blasts, or shofar, and announce the beginning of the festival. Historically Yom Teruah has been celebrated with shouting, singing, candle lighting, and feasting with joy.

But if Jesus was using His teaching to draw a connection between the Feast of Trumpets and His return, perhaps this holy day — like all appointed feasts — is providing a prophetic shadow picture of the ministry and mission of Jesus.

The Biblical Imagery and Purpose of the Shofar

“God has gone up with a shout,
the LORD with the sound of a trumpet.
Sing praises to God, sing praises!
Sing praises to our King, sing praises!
For God is the King of all the earth;
sing praises with a psalm!”

[Psalm 47:5-7]

The shofar — or ram’s horn — is a prominent symbol throughout Biblical history.

The trumpet was sounded on Mt. Sinai when the LORD came down in flaming fire to meet with Moses and enter into covenant with Israel (Exodus 19).

The shofar was blown under Joshua’s command during the conquest of Jericho (Joshua 6).

The shofar was sounded by Gideon as he led Israel to defeat the Midianites (Judges 7).

The trumpet was sounded at the coronation or procession of the King (Psalm 47, 98).

The shofar also was blown as a battle cry against the enemies of God.

But beyond all that, the trumpet has always been connected to the return of Christ our King to the earth the judge the living and the dead. Just consider the following verses.


The great day of the LORD is near, near and hastening fast; the sound of the day of the LORD is bitter; the mighty man cries aloud there. A day of wrath is that day, a day of distress and anguish, a day of ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness,
A day of trumpet blast and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the lofty battlements.

[Zephaniah 1:14-16]

Blow a trumpet in Zion; sound an alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming; it is near; a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness…

[Joel 2:1]

Then the LORD will appear over them, and his arrow will go forth like lightning; the Lord GOD will sound the trumpet and will march forth in the whirlwinds of the south.

[Zechariah 9:14]


For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, 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.

[1 Thessalonians 4:15-18]


Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.

[1 Corinthians 15:51-52]

Then the seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and loud voices called out in heaven: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever.”

[Revelation 11:15]

As we can clearly see, the blowing of the shofar is a significant and central sign that is connected to the return of Christ. Furthermore, Jesus mentions the blowing of the trump of God in Matthew 24:31 when He says, “And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet call.”

And let us not forget that Jesus perfectly fulfilled the first four spring feasts during His first coming. He was crucified on Passover, buried on the first day of Unleavened Bread, raised to life on the Day of Firstfruits, and poured out the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost.

It only stands to reason that Jesus will fulfill the fall feasts through His second coming, beginning with the day and hour that no one knows — the Day of Trumpets!

Not only can we know the season of Christ’s return to this earth, He expects us to know. He is telling us to observe the signs, keep watching, stay awake, and lift up our heads for our redemption draws near. Just like with the Feast of Trumpets, we may not know the precise day or hour Christ returns, but we will know when His coming is near, even at the very gates of heaven!

I hope that you will celebrate this amazing feast this year with joy and anticipation of the return of our King and to shout His victory over sin and the grave!

Signs of the End Times — An Introduction

Marcus Walker Van Every1 Comment

While Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?” [Matthew 24:3]

What is a sign?

A sign generally is defined as an object or event whose presence or occurrence indicates the presence or occurrence of something else to come.

Signs grab our attention. Provide information. Give us direction. Warn us of danger. And perhaps most importantly, signs compel us to take decisive action. Signs can be heeded or missed. Obeyed or ignored. All depends upon whether or not we are looking in the first place.

For those who operate on a spiritual plane and value Biblical knowledge and understanding, it is imperative to identify and discern signs as they apply to God’s personal revelation, prophetic prognostication, and ultimate intervention in the affairs of mankind.

So signs can be of tremendous value to those who are able both to clearly perceive and properly interpret them.

Before delving into God’s intended purpose for providing signs to His people, it must be said that sign seeking should never be the foundation of our relationship with God, but rather the sufficiency of truth as revealed in Scripture itself. Obsessive sign seeking can become a fruitless distraction and cause many to waiver in their faith. Jesus condemned the leaders of His generation for demanding a sign on their own terms, while at the same time willfully denying the self-revelation of God in their very presence.

Jesus replied, “A wicked and adulterous generation demands a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.”

[Matthew 12:39]

Those seeking and discerning signs, therefore, must be grounded in Scripture, attuned with the Holy Spirit, and walking closely with Christ to avoid being deceived and deluded. For we also are commanded to guard our hearts from being enticed by the convincing and dangerous appeal of false signs and wonders generated by the powers of darkness [see 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12].

As you can see, properly understanding the signs of the times is vitally important for the body of Christ, which is why I have been compelled to dedicate an entire series to this topic. Consider just a few passages that admonish God’s people to identify and interpret the prophetic signs associated with the last days.

“For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders that would deceive even the elect, if that were possible. See, I have told you in advance.“

[Matthew 24:24-25]

“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its branches become tender and sprout leaves, you know that summer is near. 33So also, when you see all these things, you will know that He is near, right at the door.“

[Matthew 24:32-33]

“Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning. 36Then you will be like servants waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks, they can open the door for him at once. 37Blessed are those servants whom the master finds on watch when he returns.”

[Luke 12:35-37]

‘Now about the times and seasons, brothers, we do not need to write to you. 2For you are fully aware that the Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3While people are saying, “Peace and security,” destruction will come upon them suddenly, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4But you, brothers, are not in the darkness so that this day should overtake you like a thief. 5For you are all sons of the light and sons of the day; we do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6So then, let us not sleep as the others do, but let us remain awake and sober.‘

[1 Thessalonians 5:1-6]

Most would agree that we are living in troubling times. Many feel a sense of heightened awareness and a spiritual heaviness unlike any in recent memory. More so, it is impossible to survey the current spiritual, cultural, and geopolitical landscape without recognizing signs of Biblical proportions.

Before we can accurately interpret the signs of the times, we first must be able to identify them. Once we properly identify and interpret Biblical signs, then we must acquire the godly wisdom to take decisive action.

So what should we expect to see if we indeed are the generation living at the end of the age? Fortunately, the Bible has revealed specific signs that are unique to the last days.

“Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened.”

[Matthew 24:34]

Birth Pains and Beyond

Jesus answered, “See to it that no one deceives you. 5For many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8All these are the beginning of birth pains.“

[Matthew 24:4-8]

In the most comprehensive and authoritative message about the end times, our Lord Jesus provides the foundational teaching describing the distinct signs that will precede His return. Popularly known as the Olivet Discourse, this teaching forms the central framework upon which all other end-times prophecies can be interpreted.

When His disciples asked about what signs will define the days prior to His return, Jesus answers without a hint of ambiguity. He obviously wanted all disciples of every generation to be certain about what to expect so that we neither would be in darkness nor surprised, but rather awake and ready.

Jesus first provides a general description of events that he calls “the beginning of birth pains,” and then he proceeds to reveal more specific signs in detail. My goal is to start this series by first examining the general birth pains and then dive deeper into more specific signs.

For now, I have compiled a working list (though not exhaustive) to serve as a guide. We can be certain, that the following signs will characterize the conclusion of this present age and precede the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Birth Pains

  1. Spiritual Deception
  2. Counterfeit Christs and Christianity
  3. Real time world-wide reporting about geopolitical conflicts
  4. Ethnic and social unrest
  5. Kingdoms at war
  6. Famine
  7. Pestilences
  8. Natural Disasters — Earthquakes, Floods, Hurricanes, Tsunamis, Volcanic Eruptions

Top 50 Signs

  1. Return of the House of Judah (aka Jews) to the Promised Land
  2. The Reestablishment of a Jewish Nation/State
  3. Resurgence of Jew Hatred Around the World
  4. Spiritual Apostasy and Mass Defection from the Faith
  5. Unrestrained Sexual Immorality and Lawlessness
  6. Intensification of Violence and Bloodshed
  7. Extreme Persecution of Christ Followers
  8. Genetic Engineering and Manipulation — Hybridization of Species, Cloning, Transhumanism
  9. Advent and Acceleration of Artificial Intelligence and Human Integration with Machines
  10. Explosion of Technology — Digital Currency, 24 Hour Surveillance, Cybernetics, Virtual Reality
  11. The Covenant with Death and Sheol
  12. The Rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem
  13. The Reinstitution of the Levitical Sacrificial System
  14. Supernatural War in Heaven
  15. The Dragon (Devil) and 1/3 of His Angels Being Expelled from Heaven and Confined to the Earth for
  16. The Emergence of the Beast and His Empire of a 10-King Coalition
  17. The Abomination of Desolation Set Up in the Holy Place
  18. The Wise Living in the Land will Flee and Find Refuge and Supernatural Protection in the Wilderness of Sinai
  19. A Chosen Remnant of 144,000 Faithful Youth (Possibly Boys) Representing All 12 Tribes of Israel Supernaturally Empowered to Serve God
  20. Mass Concentration Camps
  21. The Creation of the Image of the Beast
  22. The Development and Implementation of the Mark of the Beast
  23. The Supernatural Deception and Sorcery of the False Prophet
  24. The Ministry of the Two Witnesses
  25. Meteoric Impacts of the Earth — Wormwood
  26. Fresh Waters Poisoned
  27. Waters Turned to Blood
  28. Massive Ecological and Environmental Cataclysms
  29. Massive Wild Fires Consuming 1/3 of Vegetation
  30. Earth Knocked off Its Axis or Its Orbital Course Disrupting the Normal 24-Hour Day Cycle
  31. Satan Opens the Bottomless Pit and Unleashes the Gates of Hell
  32. Immense Columns of Smoke Darken the Sun and Turn the Moon to Blood
  33. Hybrid Army of 200 Million Manticore Beasts Emerge from Hell and are Commanded by Apollyon the Destroyer and His Four Commanding Angels
  34. Those who Take the Mark of the Beast are Plagued with Boils and Sores
  35. Solar Flares Scorch the Earth
  36. The Beast Empire is Plunged into Darkness
  37. The Euphrates River Dries Up for the Passage of the Kings of the East
  38. All Nations Surround Jerusalem and Gather for the Final Battle Against the Lord Jesus and His Armies
  39. The Earth is Shaken with the Greatest Earthquake Ever
  40. The Mountains Fall, the Islands are Moved out of Their Place, The Towers of all the Cities Fall
  41. Great Hail Stones Rain from Heaven to Crush the Ungodly
  42. The Great City of Babylon Falls and is Burned with Fire
  43. The Heavens are Opened and the Sky Recedes Like a Scroll, Dissolving the Veil between the Heavenly Realm and the Earth
  44. Last Trumpet is Sounded with the Battle Cry of the Archangel
  45. The Resurrection of the Righteous Dead
  46. The Gathering (Rapture) of Those who Survive and Remain to the End — Restoration of Both Houses of Israel (Joseph and Judah) into One Nation
  47. The Return of Christ Leading His Angel Armies to Battle
  48. A Second Exodus Event
  49. The War Path of Christ from Sinai to Zion
  50. The Battle of Armageddon — aka The Battle of Gog of Magog

The Feast of Trumpets and The Return of the King

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“And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other … But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.“

[The Lord Jesus — Matthew 24:31, 36]

We are fast approaching the fall Feasts of the LORD and the high holy days, beginning with the Feast of Trumpets at sundown on September 25.

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Just as the Lord Jesus fulfilled the spring feasts in astonishing detail during His first coming, I am convinced that Jesus also will fulfill the fall feasts at His second coming to the very day.

God’s covenant people were commanded to keep and celebrate these divine appointments each and every year as dress rehearsals in preparation for the prophetic fulfillments through Messiah. Furthermore, we get to continue to celebrate these amazing holy days in perpetuity as we gather together to worship King Jesus!

The Feast of Trumpets is unique in comparison to all the other appointed times because it is the only feast that does not have a predetermined date on the calendar. On the contrary, the Feast of Trumpets can only be announced upon the official sighting of the new moon in the evening sky, which designates the beginning of the seventh month. Because the observation of the new moon is required before Trumpets can begin, this appointed feast arrives “on a day and at an hour that no one knows.”

Does that sound familiar?

It should because those are the exact words that the Lord Jesus uses in His most popular teaching about His second coming.

Contrary to popular belief, when Jesus says that no one knows the day or the hour when He will return, He is not referring to some secret rapture event in which He could return at any moment to whisk away the church without a trace, leaving the rest of the world behind in bewilderment.

Many in the church have grossly misinterpreted this passage to say something that it does not, primarily because we have forgotten the Feasts of the LORD, and without a Biblical context, we cannot understand Jesus’ teaching.

Jesus was making a direct reference to the Feast of Trumpets in the Olivet Discourse, as the day and an hour that no one knows. Jesus tells His disciples to know the signs and the general season of His second coming, so that we should be aware when His return is very near — even at the door!

Jesus knew better than anyone that as the beginning of the seventh month drew near, there would be at least a two-day window of waiting and watching before the new moon would appear. So in regard to the Feast of Trumpets only, Jesus is saying that we may not know which day or the precise hour of His return, but on the other hand He commands us to know when His coming is near.

To learn more about this amazing Feast, Be sure to watch my latest video on Regeneration Radio by Clicking the link below!

Also, if you have enjoyed this study, please be sure to share it within you own network and help me spread the good news of the gospel.

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Maranatha!

WATCH MY YOUTUBE TEACHING ON THE FEAST OF TRUMPETS HERE ON REGENERATION RADIO

What the Bible Says about the Resurrection

Marcus Walker Van EveryLeave a comment

For I know that my Redeemer lives,
and at the last he will stand upon the earth.
26And after my skin has been thus destroyed,
yet in my flesh I shall see God,
27whom I shall see for myself,
and my eyes shall behold, and not another.
My heart faints within me!

[Job 19:25-27]

As I ponder the unsearchable depths of God’s mercy and love displayed on the cross of Christ this Good Friday, I also want to reflect on the immeasurable power of His resurrection. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of the Christian faith and the central event in history that validates the truth of the gospel and the divine nature of God’s Son.

Only Jesus has demonstrated power over the grave and declared victory once and for all over death. He stands alone and is without equal, and He alone is able to give eternal life to all who believe in Him [Romans 6:23, John 11:25-26].

No human in history has been able to beat death, and therefore Jesus in His resurrection power is the only hope for all mankind.

Volumes have been written on the ramifications of the resurrection, so I am not sure if I can add much to what has already been said. Having said that, here are a few thoughts on what the Bible says about the resurrection.

The Resurrection is an Expectation in the Old Testament

Many may be surprised to discover that before the New Testament witness about the incarnation of the Messiah — Jesus Christ — the resurrection was deeply established in the Hebrew Scriptures — or Old Testament. As in the opening passage above from Job, the expectation of a final resurrection of the body is not merely a New Testament idea. The patriarchs and the prophets understood that God’s grand plan of redemption would culminate at the end of this present age with the renewal of all things in the age to come.

Hebrews tells us that Abraham offered up Isaac in faith, believing that God would raise his beloved son from the dead [Hebrews 11:17-19]. Moses, David, Elijah, Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel all prophesied about the day of resurrection, and more importantly about the coming Redeemer who would raise and gather God’s people in the end.

Consider just a few of those prophetic passages that we discover in the Old Testament.

Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise.
You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy!
For your dew is a dew of light,
and the earth will give birth to the dead.

[Isaiah 26:19]

Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. 13And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people.14And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the LORD.”

[Ezekiel 37:12-14]

And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

[Daniel 12:3-4]

As you can see, the resurrection is not a New Testament idea, but it did take the first advent of Christ to bring it into an entirely new perspective.

Jesus is the Firstfruits of Resurrection

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

[1 Corinthians 15:20]
Golden wheat field and a beautiful summer sunset Wallpaper ...

The death of Jesus Christ on the cross can only be validated in light of His resurrection. Jesus was raised for our justification, proving that His sacrifice on the cross was acceptable to the Father and sufficient to save sinners. Without the resurrection of Jesus, our faith is futile and we are still in our sins [1 Cor. 15:17].

Beyond that, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is God’s demonstration of power over death that provides the blessed assurance and eternal hope that we too will live in Christ. Jesus makes the most definitive declaration about Himself in John’s gospel.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?

[John 11:25-26]

God has declared a Day when He has promised to redeem all of creation, including our physical bodies [see Romans 8:18-24]. Until that Day, all who believe in Christ receive the promised Holy Spirit as a deposit to guarantee our future resurrection. Jesus is the firstfruits, and all who believe in Him will be raised up on the last day as part of God’s great harvest!

If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

[Romans 8:11]

The Resurrection of the Righteous will Occur on the Last Day

For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.

[John 6:40]

From Job to Daniel to Jesus to Paul, the testimony of the Biblical prophets is in absolute agreement. The resurrection of God’s people takes place at the end of this age on the last day when Jesus returns in power and great glory. The 2nd Coming of Christ is the Day of resurrection [see 1 Cor. 15:21-26]. It is the Day of God’s final gathering of His people. It is the harvest of the righteous to inherit the Kingdom [see Matthew 13:36-43].

The resurrection is the most critical and distinguishable element and identifying marker in Scripture that determines the timing of the return of Christ to earth, the rapture of the church, the recompense for evil, and the restoration of all things. The Bible is clear. The resurrection of the righteous takes place on the last day of this present age.

But each will be resurrected in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 24Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.

[1 Corinthians 15:23-24]

Flesh and blood cannot inherit the coming kingdom of God. In other words, it is impossible for anyone to enter God’s kingdom in mortal flesh. No one can dwell in God’s holy presence on earth without first receiving a glorified, immortal body, and no one will receive their resurrected body until Jesus Christ returns to earth as King of kings.

I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 

[1 Corinthians 15:50-52]

It will be at that moment — when we receive our immortal, glorified bodies — that we finally will be conformed to the image of Christ and His likeness forever! Until that Day, we rest in the finished work of Christ upon the cross for us, and we rejoice in the hope of the future glory that will be revealed in us when Jesus returns!

For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God … And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

[Romans 8:19, 23]

Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus! Come!

Epiphany — The Appearing of God

Marcus Walker Van Every1 Comment

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ

[Titus 2:11-13]

Today is January 6th, 2021 — Epiphany.

On the traditional “Christian” calendar — especially in Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Eastern Orthodox persuasions — today is regarded as the holy day of the Epiphany, which is the celebration of the manifestation of the Messiah of Israel, the Son of God and Savior of the world. As one of the oldest Christian holidays — even predating December 25 — it would be well worth some time to discover more about the origin, history and meaning behind such a sacred festival. Here is a helpful article from the Catholic perspective.

Primarily, the Feast of Epiphany is associated with the visit of the wise men — magi from the east — who first interpreted and then tracked a star to Jerusalem to investigate the birth of the King of the Jews [Matthew 2]. After finding the newborn King in Bethlehem, the magi bowed down to worship Him, commemorating the initial manifestation of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, fulfilling the ancient promise that the Messiah of Israel had come to bless all the nations of the earth with His eternal salvation [Genesis 12:3].

While the visitation the Magi and the mystery of the gospel to the Gentiles is also a topic most worthy of discovery and discussion, I would like to take today’s post in a different direction — an eschatological direction. The word epiphany itself is revealing in that its Biblical expression is more closely connected to the second advent of Jesus Christ than to His birth.

As we are about to see, epiphany literally means “brilliant appearance” or “glorious manifestation,” as derived from the Greek word — epiphaneia [ἐπιφάνεια]. The Biblical authors used this word intentionally to describe the visible and awesome display of the glory of God when He comes from heaven in power at the end of the age. In other words, in light of His first appearing as the Suffering Servant, we should be living in hopeful expectation of the appearing of Jesus Christ as the Conquering King.

Epiphany in the Prophets

There are so many prophetic references in the Old Testament that describe the visible and glorious appearance of the LORD when He comes to judge the nations. All of these Scriptures emphasize the conspicuous nature of the Day of the LORD. For brevity, I will only share a few here.

Then the LORD will appear over them,
and his arrow will go forth like lightning;
the Lord GOD will sound the trumpet
and will march forth in the whirlwinds of the south.

[Zechariah 9:14]

God came from Teman,
and the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah
His splendor covered the heavens,
and the earth was full of his praise.
His brightness was like the light;
rays flashed from his hand;
and there he veiled his power.

[Habakkuk 3:3-4]

And all the people who are on the face of the earth, shall quake at my presence. And the mountains shall be thrown down, and the cliffs shall fall, and every wall shall tumble to the ground … So I will show my greatness and my holiness and make myself known in the eyes of many nations. Then they will know that I am the LORD.

[Ezekiel 38:20, 23]

Now let’s take a look at how the Apostles used the word epiphany in the New Testament to further develop this doctrine of God’s future appearing.

Epiphany in the New Testament

Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.

[Revelation 1:7]

The appearing of Jesus Christ is inextricably connected to several key eschatological events. The Apostle Paul was exclusive in his use of the Greek word, epiphaneia, though other Apostles used a similar Greek word — phaneroó φανερόω — to describe the appearing of Christ. These words, along with the words “coming” and “revelation,” are used interchangeably throughout the New Testament.

Jesus will appear to destroy the lawless one

In his second letter to the Thessalonians, the Apostle Paul provides a significant detail about the “appearing” of Jesus Christ — namely that it will be the precise moment He destroys the antichrist [aka the lawless one]. It is also worth considering that Paul connects the appearing of Jesus with His “coming” and the Day of the LORD.

Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.

And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming.

[2 Thessalonians 2:1-4, 8]

We know from other passages like Revelation 19 that the Beast (antichrist) is destroyed at the end of the great tribulation, therefore, the appearing of Jesus Christ must be at the end of the great tribulation.

Jesus will appear at the appointed time

Paul encouraged Timothy to remain faithful and fight the good fight of faith to the end, which he correlates with the appearing of Jesus Christ.

I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession,14to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen

[1 Timothy 6:13-16]

Jesus will appear to establish His kingdom

In Paul’s second letter to Timothy, he connects the epiphany of Christ to His coming kingdom on earth. Again, God’s kingdom will be established at the end of this present age.

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom …

[2 Timothy 4:1]

Jesus will appear to reward the saints

In the very same passage, Paul links the final rewarding of the faithful saints to the appearing of Christ.

Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

[2 Timothy 4:8]

Jesus will appear in glory

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

[Titus 2:11-14]

Paul, in one of the most profound statements in the New Testament, says that our blessed hope is the appearing of our “great God and Savior Jesus Christ!” And because we interpret Scripture with Scripture, we now know that this appearing will take place at the end of the age when Jesus Christ comes in visible glory to destroy the antichrist, establish His kingdom and reward His saints.

It is critical in understanding that the appearing of Christ IS NOT a secret, phantom event but rather the most profound display of God’s glory the world has ever seen! The appearing of Jesus Christ will be LITERAL, VISIBLE, PHYSICAL, and UNMISTAKABLE!

In closing, I would like to remind everyone reading this post that the epiphany of Jesus Christ is much more than the story of His birth — as glorious as it was. The epiphany of Jesus Christ is the story of the coming Day when He returns in power and great glory for all the world to see. It is this appearing that we must be prepared to face. It is this appearing that we cannot escape.

The Apostle John leaves us with a reminder of how sobering this appearing will be. Are you prepared to meet Jesus Christ? Is your soul yearning for the appearing of our great God and Savior? Or will you shrink back in fear on that Day when His glory is revealed?

And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.

[1 John 2:28]

Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

[1 John 3:2]

Even so, come Lord Jesus!

The Big Reveal

Marcus Walker Van EveryLeave a comment

Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence.

Isaiah 64:1

Reality consists of two worlds — two realms — separated by a veil. The physical dimension here on earth is but a shadow — a dim reflection of the spiritual realm — and in this present age we are unable to see behind the veil. Although the heavens are the true substance of things to come, they remain hidden from us — invisible to the naked eye.

For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

1 Corinthians 13:12

Fortunately, the Bible provides some interesting glimpses into heaven when the veil is partially lifted and man is able to peek behind the curtain, as it were.

Think of Jacob and the stairway to heaven [Genesis 28]. Ezekiel, Isaiah, and John and their visions of the LORD on His throne [Ezekiel 1, Isaiah 6, Revelation 4-5]. Elisha and his servant surrounded by the armies of heaven [2 Kings 6], and Stephen’s vision of Jesus as he was being stoned to death [Acts 7:54-56].

As intriguing as these glimpses into heaven may be, they were limited in scope and vision, but one day that will all change.

This day is what I like to call the Big Reveal!

This is the revelation of Jesus Christ. The day of God’s visitation. The arrival of the King. There is coming a day when the heavens will be ripped open and the Lord Jesus will come down in all His power and glory and every eye will see Him for who He truly is.

It is a singular day — the culmination, crescendo and climax of history. It is the end, the finale. That is why the prophets always refer to this unique day as “the” revelation of Jesus Christ [see Luke 17:28-30, 1 Peter 1:5-7, 13, 4:13]. It is a day like no other.

The return of Jesus is THE BIG REVEAL! For believers … it is the moment we all have been waiting for. For the rest of the world, however, it will be the most dreadful day imaginable.

So how will this Big Reveal go down?

Let’s see what the Bible says.

The Veil will be Torn

Instead of thinking of the heavens as empty “space,” we must understand that the heavens consists of some form of material substance, though invisible to us. This what is known as the very fabric of space. The Bible repeatedly describes God the Creator as the One who “stretches out the heavens” like a tent or a curtain. [see Job 9:8, Psalm 104:2, Isaiah 40:22, 42:5, 44:24, 45:12, 48:13, 51:13, Jeremiah 10:12, 51:15, Zechariah 12:1]

So if heaven can be stretched out like a tent or curtain, then it stands to reason that it also can be rolled up like a scroll or torn apart. That is precisely what will happen during God’s big reveal. The veil between heaven and earth will be ripped open to reveal the LORD Jesus, and He will at that moment come down in all His power and glory.

Consider the overwhelming testimony of Scripture that describes this unique moment when the veil is torn and Jesus comes down from heaven to earth and treads upon the wicked in judgment.

Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down,
that the mountains might quake at your presence—
2as when fire kindles brushwood
and the fire causes water to boil—
to make your name known to your adversaries,
and that the nations might tremble at your presence!

Isaiah 64:1-2

In my distress I called upon the LORD;
to my God I cried for help.
From his temple he heard my voice,
and my cry to him reached his ears.

7Then the earth reeled and rocked;
the foundations also of the mountains trembled
and quaked, because he was angry.
8Smoke went up from his nostrils,
and devouring fire from his mouth;
glowing coals flamed forth from him.
9He bowed the heavens and came down;
thick darkness was under his feet.
10He rode on a cherub and flew;
he came swiftly on the wings of the wind.
11He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him,
thick clouds dark with water.
12Out of the brightness before him
hailstones and coals of fire broke through his clouds.

Psalm 18:6-12

Bow your heavens, O LORD, and come down! Touch the mountains so that they smoke! 6Flash forth the lightning and scatter them; send out your arrows and rout them!

Psalm 144:5-6

Hear, you peoples, all of you; pay attention, O earth, and all that is in it, and let the Lord GOD be a witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple. 3For behold, the LORD is coming out of his place, and will come down and tread upon the high places of the earth. 4And the mountains will melt under him, and the valleys will split open, like wax before the fire, like waters poured down a steep place.

Micah 1:3-4

Draw near, O nations, to hear, and give attention, O peoples! Let the earth hear, and all that fills it; the world, and all that comes from it. 2For the LORD is enraged against all the nations, and furious against all their host; he has devoted them to destruction, has given them over for slaughter. 3Their slain shall be cast out, and the stench of their corpses shall rise; the mountains shall flow with their blood. 4All the host of heaven shall rot away, and the skies roll up like a scroll. All their host shall fall, as leaves fall from the vine, like leaves falling from the fig tree.

Isaiah 34:1-4

When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, 13and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. 14The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.

Revelation 6:12-14

Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.

Revelation 19:11

Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Matthew 24:29-30

There will be no mistaking God’s Big Reveal when the veil between heaven and earth is ripped open and the Lord Jesus Christ returns to earth in all His glory!

If that weren’t enough, here are a few more supplemental details that help put this monumental event into perspective.

The Angel Armies will Descend

Once heaven is opened and the veil is lifted, the entire host of heaven will be exposed for all to see.

[God will] … grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

2 Thessalonians 1:7-8

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne

Matthew 25:31

It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones.”

Jude 1:14

And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.

Revelation 19:14-15

The Nations will Mourn

There will be collective wailing and mourning by all who have rebelled against the God of heaven on that day.

Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.

Revelation 1:7

The great Day of the LORD is near— near and coming quickly.  Listen, the Day of the LORD!  Then the cry of the mighty will be bitter. 15That day will be  a day of wrath,  a day of trouble and distress, a day of destruction and desolation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness, 16a day of horn blast and battle cry against the fortified cities, and against the high corner towers. 17I will bring such distress on mankind that they will walk like the blind, because they have sinned against the LORD. Their blood will be poured out like dust and their flesh like dung.

Zephaniah 1:14-17

Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, 16calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”

Revelation 6:15-17

And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, 26people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

Luke 21:25-27

Fire will Consume the Wicked

The final outpouring of God’s wrath is always associated with an all-consuming fire to be poured out on the wicked.

For behold, the LORD will come in fire,
and his chariots like the whirlwind,
to render his anger in fury,
and his rebuke with flames of fire.
16For by fire will the LORD enter into judgment,
and by his sword, with all flesh;
and those slain by the LORD shall be many.

Isaiah 66:15-16

Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the heat of his anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken into pieces by him.

Nahum 1:6

When the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 

2 Thessalonians 1:7-9

But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly … But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed … waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 

2 Peter 3:7, 10, 12

The Lord Jesus will Come Down to Wage War

God’s Big Reveal culminates with the Lord Jesus coming down from heaven to earth in bodily form to crush the Beast and his armies in the war to end all wars!

Behold, a day is coming for the LORD, when the spoil taken from you will be divided in your midst. 2For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be taken and the houses plundered and the women raped. Half of the city shall go out into exile, but the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city. 3Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. 4On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east … Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.“

Zechariah 14:1-3, 5

And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast. 13These are of one mind, and they hand over their power and authority to the beast. 14They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.

Revelation 17:12-14

And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming.

2 Thessalonians 2:8

And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. 20And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.21And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh

Revelation 19:19-21

Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus!

Simplifying the Second Coming of Christ

Marcus Walker Van EveryLeave a comment

As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

Matthew 24:3

Over the last century, a majority of Christian churches in America have taught that Jesus Christ can come at any moment for His church — otherwise know as the rapture. But is the rapture the same thing as the 2nd Coming? Well, apparently it depends.

Few would argue that the 2nd Coming of Christ is one of the most essential, non-negotiable doctrines of the Christian faith. Christ has come. Christ will come again. Sounds simple, right?

Unfortunately, because of a man-made doctrine — namely dispensationalism — the 2nd Coming of Christ has been distorted into a convoluted belief system that unnecessarily complicates the clear teaching of Scripture. For example, when dispensationalists say “second coming” they don’t really mean second coming. What they mean is that Jesus can “come” at any moment to rapture His church back to heaven, but also that He will “come” again to judge the earth.

In other words, the dispensational belief system has to divide the coming of Christ into two “phases” or “stages” in order to make sense of it all. Taken to its logical conclusion, there are not two “comings” of Christ, but rather … three!

Having been raised on the dispensational doctrine of the pre-tribulation rapture of the church, I once affirmed this man-made system without question.

But then one day … I started reading the Bible for myself.

What I discovered was that the Scriptures did not align with dispensational theology, especially the notion that the church would be whisked away to heaven before the great tribulation. Nothing could be further from the truth!

I began to see that the Scriptures plainly teach that the “coming” of the Lord immediately follows the great tribulation at the end of the age on the Day of the LORD [see Matthew 24:27-31, Mark 13:24-27, Luke 21:25-28]. In other words, there is only one 2nd Coming of Jesus Christ. The 2nd coming of Christ is one event, one advent. Not one verse in all of Scripture presents the Second Coming of Christ in “two phases” or “two stages.” Once I came to that very important conclusion, the Scriptures began to make perfect sense.

Since dispensationalists refer almost exclusively to the writings of the Apostle Paul to support their view of a pre-tribulation rapture of the church, I thought it would be worth some print to demonstrate how the Apostle Paul actually destroys the pre-tribulation argument in his epistles.

Using only his letters to the church in Thessalonica, I will demonstrate how Paul understood and taught the essential doctrine of the 2nd coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Parousia

The Greek word used predominantly in regard to the 2nd coming of Jesus Christ is the word — parousia [παρουσία] — which means “coming, presence, arrival, advent.” Jesus Himself used this word to describe His return, as did Peter and John, but Paul used parousia more than any other New Testament writer.

For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

Jesus Christ — Matthew 24:27

By using this very specific and technical term as a thread in Paul’s letters to the church in Thessalonica, all the unnecessary confusion about the 2nd Coming of Christ becomes crystal clear. Let’s take a closer look.

1 Thessalonians

For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

1 Thessalonians 1:9-10

Paul’s message to the saints in Thessalonica was one of encouragement and hope due to the intense persecution the church was suffering at the time. Here in the first chapter of his letter, Paul commends the church for turning from idolatry to the “living and true God,” and he encourages them to wait for His son “from heaven.” Although parousia is not used here, clearly Paul is referring to the 2nd Coming of Christ when He returns from heaven to earth. Notably, it is at this time that Jesus will deliver the saints from the wrath to come.

For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? 20For you are our glory and joy.

1 Thessalonians 2:19-20

Paul first uses the term parousia here in chapter two. He says that the church has become his crown of boasting, which he will present before the Lord Jesus “at his coming.” Paul invokes the very same imagery in his second letter to Timothy, when he says, “Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing. [2 Timothy 4:8]

So Paul is expecting to receive his reward from the Lord “on that day” — the Day of the LORD and of His appearing.

May the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, 13so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

1 Thessalonians 3:12-13

The next time Paul uses the word parousia he provides more detail. He says that the coming of Jesus is “with all his saints” — or holy ones. The 2nd coming of Christ is often characterized by the heavenly host, dressed in white robes of righteousness, coming with Jesus to earth. [see Matthew 25:31, Jude 1:14-15, Revelation 19:11-16]

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17Then we who are alive, who are left, 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. 18Therefore encourage one another with these words.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

The passage above has been branded as the “classic” rapture passage in all of Scripture, and while it certainly describes the catching up [Greek harpazó] and gathering of believers to meet Christ in the air, we interpret this event within the context of the passage. This “rapture” event is connected to the parousia — the 2nd coming of Jesus Christ [see 1 Thessalonians 4:15]. This is the visible, public, glorious return of Jesus Christ from heaven to earth with loud shouts from heaven and the sound of the trumpet of God.

Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. 2For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-5

Staying consistent with the theme of his letter, Paul finishes by encouraging believers that the parousia — the coming Day of the Lord — will NOT take believers by surprise! As children of light and of the day, true believers will be ready in hopeful expectation and will be aware of the signs and seasons preceding the coming of the Lord.

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

Paul concludes his letter by reminding us that our complete redemption will take place “at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,” which includes our “bodies” to be resurrected on the last day at the end of the age.

Before we move to 2nd Thessalonians, let’s recap Paul’s teaching about the second coming.

  1. Jesus is coming from heaven to earth.
  2. Jesus is coming with his reward.
  3. Jesus is coming with the saints.
  4. Jesus is coming down visibly on the clouds.
  5. Jesus is coming with loud shouts from heaven and the voice of the archangel.
  6. Jesus is coming with the trumpet blast.
  7. Jesus is coming to raise the righteous dead.
  8. Jesus is coming to gather all believers who remain alive until His return.
  9. Jesus is coming like a thief in the night to surprise those in darkness.
  10. Jesus is coming to judge the wicked.

2 Thessalonians

Paul’s second letter to the church in Thessalonica picks up right where it left off in his first letter, emphasizing the coming of the Lord Jesus and the Day of the LORD. We can begin to complete our list of details with Paul’s words.

This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— 6since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.

2 Thessalonians 1:5-10

Paul opens his letter by providing one of the most comprehensive accounts in all of Scripture of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. He says that God ultimately will grant relief to believers when “the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire!” No one can dispute that this is the second coming of Christ. He goes on to describe both the judgment of the wicked and the triumph of the saints “when he comes on that day.”

Up until now, Paul has been speaking about the same singular event when Christ comes in glory — the day of the Lord. This is the parousia — the very same coming that Jesus Himself predicted. The language only allows for one event, and Paul will drive the proverbial nail in the pre-tribulation coffin in the next chapter.

Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, 2not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-4

Once again, Paul wants the believers in Thessalonica to make sure there is no confusion concerning the coming of the Lord Jesus and the rapture of the church — “our being gathered together to him.” Paul is adamant that believers will not be deceived or surprised at the coming of the Lord because there are several clear signs that must take place before the day of the Lord and the rapture of the church.

Paul could not be more straightforward. He says, “for that day will not come, unless the rebellion (apostasy) comes first, and the man of lawlessness (Beast) is revealed.” The reason believers will not be deceived or surprised is because we will know that the Lord will not come until these two major signs take place. First there will be a great falling away from the faith in the last days and then son of destruction — aka the “antichrist” — will be revealed and will enter the temple to set up the abomination that causes desolation [see Matthew 24:15].

And if that weren’t enough, Paul ties a massive bow on his teaching about the 2nd coming of Christ by giving us the precise element of timing. That’s right. Paul tells us exactly when Jesus is coming back — speaking of the parousia.

And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming.

2 Thessalonians 2:8

Jesus Christ will destroy the lawless one — the son of destruction — how and when?

Jesus will kill the Beast with the “breath of his mouth” by the “appearance of HIS COMING!“

It could not be more clear. Paul builds His entire case of the singular event — called the coming of the Lord — and he provides as many possible details connected to this singular event to help believers understand the key elements of timing that accompany the return of Jesus and the day of the LORD.

The final detail Paul provides is the most telling. Jesus Christ will destroy the Beast when He comes on that Day in flaming fire with His mighty angels to be glorified in His saints!

Case closed! This happens at the end of the great tribulation, which means that there is no “pre-tribulation” or “mid-tribulation” rapture of the church. The rapture of the church coincides with the 2nd coming of Jesus, which is precisely when Jesus kills the antichrist by the breath of His mouth.

The book of Revelation describes this very even in more detail, which again supports the timing of the post-tribulation rapture of the saints during the 2nd coming of the Lord at the end of the age.

And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. 20And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. 21And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.

Revelation 19:19-21

Types and Shadows — Trumpets

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For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

1 Thessalonians 4:16

Today at sundown [September 18, 2020] designates the new year on the Jewish civic calendar. This day is called Rosh Hashanah and initiates the two-day Feast of Trumpets.

The Feast of Trumpets is one of the seven appointed Feasts of the LORD, given to the people of Israel to observe faithfully each year as holy convocations [see Leviticus 23]. The Feast of Trumpets is called Yom Teruah — the Day of Shouting — and traditionally is known as the hidden day because it is the only feast day that must be determined by the observation of the new moon.

The Lord Jesus makes a direct reference to this “hidden” day by using a common idiom, “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows” [Mark 13:32]. As witnesses were told to observe the night sky for the first sighting of the new moon, it was difficult to know the precise day or the hour the moon would appear, and yet they still knew when the day was near. The whole nation would be waiting and watching in quiet expectation of this “sign” in heaven, but once the moon was sighted, the people were to make a collective shout of celebration and begin the trumpet blasts to announce the new year!

The Feast of Trumpets is the first of three fall feasts that constitute the most solemn time of year for the Jewish people. The high holy day of Israel — Yom Kippur — follows 10 days after the Feast of Trumpets. For a more detailed account about the Feast of Trumpets, feel free to read the following posts — PART 1 & PART 2.

The Theophany at Sinai

When the LORD instituted His appointed feasts and commanded Israel to observe them each year, He had a two-fold purpose. First, the LORD wanted His people to always remember and never forget how He redeemed Israel from Egypt with mighty signs and wonders and entered into covenant with them on the holy mountain — Sinai.

Second, the LORD also designed the appointed feasts to be prophetic “dress rehearsals” by establishing patterns and symbolic pictures that provide detailed depictions of the coming Messiah. Once you understand the prophetic significance of these appointed feasts, you will be astonished to discover how intentional and precise God’s word truly is.

When the LORD initiated the Feast of Trumpets with Israel in Leviticus 23, He commanded them to sound the trumpet blast on the first day of the month. The significance of the trumpet blast would have been quite fresh for this original audience because of what Moses and the Israelites had just witnessed at Mount Sinai.

This amazing encounter is worth another look.

On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled. 17Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. 18Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the LORD had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly. 19And as the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him in thunder. 20The LORD came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. And the LORD called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.

Exodus 19:16-20

The Feast of Trumpets is a dedicated day to remember the greatest manifestation of God ever witnessed on this earth. The trumpet blast was so intense that the people trembled and feared for their very lives in the presence of the God’s power and glory.

This was the day that the LORD God of Israel “came down” and showed Himself to His people. A day never to forget.

On the other hand, the theophany at Sinai serves as perhaps the most obvious allusion to the second coming of Jesus Christ. Just as the LORD gathered his people and came down on Mount Sinai in a cloud and with fire and lightening and trumpet blasts, so Jesus will return in like manner.

The language of the New Testament draws directly from this event to describe the return of Jesus from heaven to earth.

Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Matthew 24:29-31

For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17Then we who are alive, who are left, 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.

1 Thessalonians 4:15-17

The Battle of Jericho

Although there are so many types and shadows I could draw from, I want to close with another fascinating episode involving the trumpet blast — Jericho.

Many of us grew up singing the old Sunday school song, “Joshua fought the battle of Jericho, Jericho, Jericho … and the walls came a tumbling down.” But the truth is that it was the LORD Himself who gave Israel the victory at the stronghold of Jericho, and He did so in a most unconventional way. Once again, what may have seemed like a bizarre command from God at the time was actually another prophetic picture God was painting in real time to point us to the final Day of the LORD!

Let’s take a closer look.

First we can’t overlook the encounter that Joshua has with the LORD just prior to the battle at Jericho. I am persuaded that this was an encounter with God the Son — the Lord Jesus — in a pre-incarnate manifestation [see Colossians 1:15-17].

When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” 14And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the LORD. Now I have come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, “What does my lord say to his servant?” 15And the commander of the LORD’s army said to Joshua, “Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.

Joshua 5:13-15

The commander of the LORD’s army is standing with His sword drawn and is clearly God in human form because of Joshua’s response in fear and worship. Now listen to what the LORD told Joshua to do.

And the LORD said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor. 3You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days. 4Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. 5And when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, when you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people shall go up, everyone straight before him.”

Joshua 6:2-5

Once again, the theatrics are intentional for prophetic purposes. The LORD was taking Israel through a dress rehearsal that in many ways will mirror the Day of the LORD. The fighting men were commanded to march around the city for 7 days with seven priests leading the way before the ark of the covenant, blowing 7 trumpets. Then they were to march around the city 7 times on the 7th day.

And then upon God’s command the priests were to make a long blast with their shofars and all the people were to give a great shout! Then earth would quake and the walls would crumble and their enemies would be given into their hands for total destruction.

The imagery is astoundingly prophetic. First of all, Joshua is one of the most obvious types of Christ in the Old Testament — even sharing the very same Hebrew name with Yeshua. The symbolism beyond that is simply amazing. Consider …

  • The repeated use of patterns with the number 7
  • The role of the ark of the covenant
  • The sounding of the last trumpet
  • The shouting of the people
  • The walls of the city falling down
  • The wrath of God poured out on His enemies
  • Israel conquering and inheriting the Promise Land

Both the 7th Trumpet and 7th Bowl from the book of Revelation draws directly from this event.

Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, 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 shall reign forever and ever.” 16And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God,17saying,

“We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty,
who is and who was,
for you have taken your great power
and begun to reign.
18The nations raged,
but your wrath came,
and the time for the dead to be judged,
and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints,
and those who fear your name,
both small and great,
and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.”

19Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.

Revelation 11:15-19

The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” 18And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake. 19The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath.

Revelation 16:17-19

Finally, we know that the Apostle Paul also makes a direct reference to the last trumpet on the last day when Jesus returns.

I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.

1 Corinthians 15:50-53

So as we recognize and celebrate the Feast of Trumpets this weekend, may we first remember the mighty acts of God on behalf of His people, and may we also wait in hopeful expectation for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ when the final trumpet blast is sounded!

Maranatha!

A Deep Dive into Daniel — Part 24 — The Last Day the Dead are Raised

Marcus Walker Van EveryLeave a comment

“And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.“

Daniel 12:2-3

One of the most convincing proofs of the supernatural origin of the Bible is discovered in the mystery of how all 66 books of the Bible — written by 40 different human authors in at least 3 languages, on three different continents, and spanning nearly 2000 years — create an multidimensional, integrated message system from God that coalesces into one divinely inspired Book. The Bible is the true account of all things past, present, future. That is why by definition it is inerrant, infallible, and authoritative.

Few of the Biblical writers ever knew one another, much less lived contemporaneously with one another, and yet when you put all the pieces of Scripture together you begin to see no mere human invention. You see the living Word of God! Ponder for a moment the ways God has validated His message to the world …

  1. Unsearchable complexity
  2. Powerful simplicity
  3. Internal consistency
  4. External corroboration
  5. Historical integrity
  6. Living testimony
  7. Prophetic accuracy
  8. Clear design

You realize that the Word of God is unparalleled and unprecedented and unequalled among the works of men. It is the true lens through which we view reality. More amazing still — from beginning to end — the testimony of the Holy Spirit points to one Person — the Creator of the Universe — and reveals the One True God in the Lord of Jesus Christ.

Daniel 12 provides an opportunity to take a Biblical subject like the resurrection of the dead and demonstrate how the testimony of Jesus, the prophets, and the Apostles not only are in perfect agreement but also form a comprehensive and coherent picture of this future supernatural event.

Notice how I said future?

That is called an element of timing, which is significant when studying Biblical prophecy because either something has already happened and been fulfilled in history or it is still yet future. And to make matters even more fascinating, sometimes it’s both!

So how can I say definitively that the resurrection of the dead is a prophetic event that has not yet occurred?

And what else can we learn about the resurrection from the testimony of Jesus and the Biblical prophets? [For some deeper background material on the topic of the Resurrection feel free to check out this post]

The End of the Days

Notice how Daniel correlates bodily resurrection to everlasting life and contrasts it with everlasting death. God provides white robes of righteousness as coverings of glory and praise for His people, while those who have rejected The LORD and His Anointed will be ashamed and lay naked before the LORD and His divine judgment.

Before we turn our attention to the words of Jesus — our Authority on the resurrection — I would like to point out that the Lord Jesus told personally told Daniel when the resurrection would occur [Daniel 10:1-9 & 12:1-13]. First of all, the resurrection of the dead clearly follows this time of great tribulation — called Jacob’s Trouble. Despite the many tragedies that have beset God’s people historically — from the Babylonians, to the Romans, to the Mohammedans, and on to the holocaust of Nazi Germany — none of them will equal this time of distress. It is unprecedented and will be accompanied by signs and wonders on earth and in the heavens that cannot be mistaken.

The LORD’s very last recorded word to Daniel was in regard to his future hope of resurrection when he will one day again stand upon the earth to receive his inheritance. The LORD told Daniel this would happen at the “end of the days.“

“But go your way till the end. And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days.”

Daniel 12:13

And of course we would expect Jesus to confirm this, since He was the one that informed Daniel to begin with.

So what do we find?

“For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day … No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.”

Jesus Christ — John 6:38-40, 44

For emphasis the Lord Jesus mentions the timing of the resurrection of the dead three times in 6 verses. The resurrection occurs “ON THE LAST DAY!”

Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,  and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”

[John 11:23-27]

The Return of Jesus and the Resurrection of the Dead

Now that it has been established that the resurrection of the righteous will occur on the last day at the end of the age, let’s find out what else coincides with the resurrection of the dead. Few people realize that Jesus’ parable of the wheat and the tares is a direct expansion upon Daniel’s prophecy about the resurrection of the dead. Consider the parallels.

Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” 37He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one,39and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, 42and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.”

Matthew 13:36-43

Notice both Daniel and Jesus link together the resurrection the dead and the day of recompense, as the wicked will receive their punishment and the righteous their reward, which is nothing short of the Kingdom! Jesus reminds us that this is the end of the age.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.”

[John 5:25-29]

Interestingly enough, Jesus also uses descriptive terms in his parable like “harvesting” and “gathering” at the hands of the angels, who are called “reapers,” which should invoke all kinds of images from the Scriptures. For sake of time I will share three.

“And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.“

Mark 13:26-27

“Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, 2not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction“

2 Thessalonians 2:1-3

Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand.15And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, “Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.” 16So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped.17Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 18And another angel came out from the altar, the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe.” 19So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse’s bridle, for 1,600 stadia.

Revelation 14:14-20

The Biblical record is exhaustive.

The resurrection of the dead takes place on the last day — at the end of the age — when the Son of Man comes on the clouds in all His glory to harvest the earth by His holy angels. The resurrection of the dead is inextricably connected to the triumphal return of Jesus Christ to the earth to judge the living and the dead, reward His saints, and establish His Kingdom.

And if you can affirm everything I have said up unto this point, then you must affirm that the Rapture of the church must also take place at the end of the age on the last day when Jesus returns from heaven in power and glory!

How can I be so sure?

Because in the same way that the harvest of the earth and the judgment of the wicked and the rewarding of the saints are inextricably linked to the resurrection of the dead, there is another event that coincides with the resurrection of the dead — namely the rapture — which you will see is simply another name for the “gathering” of God’s people at the end of the age.

I leave you with two crucial passages to ponder.

“I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.”

1 Corinthians 15:50-53

“But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17Then we who are alive, who are left, 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. 18Therefore encourage one another with these words.”

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18