The Last Generation (Part 3)

THE DAILY WORD
By Jim Seekamp

Monday May 18, 2009

Let's take one more look at the time of the rapture:

1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 (NIV)
15. According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
17. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

As pointed out last week, this being "caught up together" in the clouds (the rapture) that Paul tells us about happens right BEFORE the antichrist is "revealed" to the world:

2 Thessalonians 2:4-7 (NIV)
4. He (the antichrist) will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God. 5. Don't you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? 6. And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time.
7. For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.
8. AND THEN the lawless one will be REVEALED, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming.

As explained last week, the Church has to go before the antichrist can take over. But the antichrist will already have his roots down BEFORE the rapture so he can take over smoothly.

The word "revealed" in verse 8 is "apokalupto"; which means "to take off the cover, or disclose"!!! In other words, the antichrist will already be on the earth, but will not be generally revealed to BE the antichrist until the church is "taken out of the way".

But what often throws off Christians is the first part of 2 Thessalonians 2:

2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 (NIV)
1. Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, 2. not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. 3. Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.

Notice that Paul mentions the "Day Of The Lord" in verse 2, after mentioning the rapture in verse one!!

As pointed out last week, the "Day Of The Lord" is NOT THE RAPTURE!! The Day Of The Lord is always mentioned in the Bible as a dark day of destruction and judgement, when the antichrist is overthrown by Jesus as He returns to the earth to reign from Jerusalem during the Millennium.

The rapture, on the other hand; our "being gathered to Christ" happens BEFORE the antichrist takes over at the start of the 7-year tribulation period.

I've heard people try to explain that Daniel 11,12 says that the rapture doesn't happen until AFTER the 7-year tribulation; but Daniel's own writing clearly states that it could not!!

Here is the LAST VERSE of Daniel 11:

Daniel 11:45 (NIV)
45. He (the antichrist) will pitch his royal tents between the seas at the beautiful holy mountain. Yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.

According to Revelation, the antichrist comes to an end AFTER the tribulation, when Jesus returns on the Day Of The Lord to start reigning from Jerusalem at the Millennium:

Revelation 19:11-21 (NIV)
11. I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. 12. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.
14. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
17. And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, "Come, gather together for the great supper of God, 18. so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and mighty men, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, small and great."
19. Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army. 20. But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.
21. The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.

There is absolutely NO DOUBT that this is talking about the Day Of The Lord, when Jesus returns and the antichrist is thrown into the "lake of burning sulfur."

So... how then could Daniel 12 be talking about AFTER Christ returns on the Day Of The Lord???

Daniel 12:1,2 (NIV)
1. At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people--everyone whose name is found written in the book--will be delivered. 2. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.

There is NO DOUBT that this is talking about the rapture!! Yes, Daniel 11 ends with the fall of the antichrist, but even in the original manuscripts, there is a space before Daniel 12:1 starts. "At that time" refers to the time of the end that Daniel was talking about in chapter 11 verses 21-45.
Then he says there "WILL BE" a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. That's going back to BEFORE the tribulation, since there is no such time of trouble AFTER the antichrist comes to his end!! After the antichrist is thrown into the lake of fire, the Millennium begins!!

Revelation 20:1-4 (NIV)
1. And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.
3. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time. 4. I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

Also, Daniel 12:1 tells us that those whose names are in the book of life will be DELIVERED:

Daniel 12:1,2 (NIV)
1. At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people--everyone whose name is found written in the book--will be DELIVERED.

How can people be delivered if there's nothing left for them to be delivered from???

So don't let anyone tell you that the rapture won't happen until after the tribulation! There is no scriptural basis for such a belief!!

PRAYER
Thank You Lord for Your awesome Word, that tells me how You will deliver me from the time of tribulation. Help me see how near the end is, so I can be a light to those around me who are still open to the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

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