By: Dale Weckbacher
1 Corinthians 15:52
in a moment, in the
twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the
dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
NKJV
When Jesus left to be with the Father, the angels gave those
that watched him ascend to heaven the promise that He would return just as he
left. This promise is how Christians are
to comfort one another, the promise of the return of Christ (1 Thessalonians4:13-18). The Jewish feast of Rosh
Hashanah (Feast of Trumpets) is a look forward to this event.
Rosh Hashanah literally means head of the year. In modern Judaism, it is considered the
Jewish New Year. Modern Rabbinic Judaism
considers it the day God began creating the world. (1) However, the original name for the feast was
Yom Teru’ah or the Feast of Shofars or Blowing (A day of Sounding). This feast is accompanied by the sounding of
a shofar or trumpet. Those who believe
in Jesus Christ and anticipate his return look forward to the sounding of the
last trumpet that will signal the return of Jesus to take his church away, what
Christians call the rapture.
Even though the word rapture does not occur in scripture, it
is derived from the Greek word harpzao, which means to snatch or take
away. (2) Even though the term rapture does not occur
in scripture, it is what 1 Corinthians 15:52 speaks of. Just as Jewish people look forward to the
start of a new year with the sounding of a trumpet at Rosh Hashanah, Christians
anticipate hearing the trumpet sound that means it is time to meet the Lord in
the air, forever to live in eternity with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:17).
For those ready to meet Jesus in the air, the prospect of
the rapture is exciting. However, for
those that are not ready, it will signal the beginning of a time of great
trouble on the earth the first of which will be dealing with the loss of
friends and family who are now with the Lord.
We can imagine churches filled with people knowing they missed it.
Most of us who were alive on September 11, 2001, remember
how that event impacted the United
States , and the world. Now imagine the impact of literally millions
of people suddenly disappearing. I am
sure the conspiracy theorists will have a field day but many, who heard the
Gospel and rejected it, will know the truth about what has just occurred.
This event will occur as 1 Corinthians 15:52 tells us in a
moment or twinkling of an eye. In other
words, the event will occur without warning much like September 11. However, just as there were signs pointing to
an eminent attack on September 11, there are signs pointing to the eminent
rapture of the church.
In the United
States , we have the Constitutional right to
freely practice Christianity or any other religion. Since the ratification of the Constitution,
government has protected that right.
However, we are beginning to see that protection vanish with government
either turning its back to persecution of Christians or even condoning it.
Christian owned businesses that cater to weddings must now
face the real possibility a gay couple will enter their business establishment
and force them into court where they will be fined, putting them out of
business. (3) CEO’s who do not back
gay marriage may find themselves out of a Job with government turning its back
to the illegal religious discrimination this firing is based upon. (4) The United
States also turns its back on the brutal execution of
Christians by ISIS (5) and even enters in
to deals with countries vowing death to Israel
and America . (6) Many will know they have missed it after the
Rapture occurs but many will also happy those annoying Christians are finally
out of the way.
The good news is there is no need to be here when things go
bad and the Great Tribulation begins.
You can instead be with Christ in eternity. All you need to do is accept Jesus now by
praying with me.
Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know
that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23). I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse
me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).
I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now
declare you Lord of my life.
You are now ready to meet Jesus in the air when the Rapture
occurs. You can now find comfort in
these troubling times knowing that they are only temporary and that you have
eternity with the Lord to look forward to.
Now, share this with someone else so they too can be caught up with the
Lord Jesus when the trumpet of God sounds.
2. Bible.org. Where
did the term 'rapture' come from. https://bible.org. [Online] Bible.org.
[Cited: August 26, 2015.]
https://bible.org/question/where-did-term-8216rapture%E2%80%99-come.
3. Smith, Samuel. Oregon christian Bakers
Ordered to Pay $135K After Refusing to Work Gay Wedding; Told to Stop Speaking
About 'ObeyGod, Not Man'. www.christianpost.com. [Online] The Christian
Post, July 3, 2015. [Cited: August 26, 2015.]
www.christianpost.com/news/oregon-christian-bakers-ordered-to-pay-135k-after-refusing-to-work-gay-wedding-told-to-stop-speaking-about-obeying-god-now-man-141137/.
4. Hannity, Sean.
Was Mozilla CEO Ousted For Stance on Gay Marriage. nation.fox.com. [Online]
Fox News, April 8, 2014. [Cited: August 26, 2015.]
http://nation.foxnews.com/2014/04/08/was-mozilla-ceo-ousted-stance-gay-marriage.
5. Hall, Wunton.
Obama Goes Golfing Again as World Mourns Christian Martyrs. www.breitbart.com.
[Online] Breitbart News, February 16, 2015. [Cited: August 26, 2015.]
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/02/16/obama-goes-golfing-again-as-world-mourns-christian-martyrs/.
6. Krauthammer,
Charles. The fatal flaw in the Iran deal. www.washingtonpost.com.
[Online] The Washington Post, February 26, 2015. [Cited: March 7, 2015.]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-fatal-flaw-in-the-iran-deal/2015/02/26/9186c70e-bde1-11e4-8668-4e7ba8439ca6_story.html.
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