Triumph of Christ’s Kingdom (Daniel and Revelation)- 3d

The Rapture of the Church

Wednesday, September 27, 2023 (Started August 30, 2023)

Study Text: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11

Open:

First of all...

[soo-KOAT] Sukkot (Jewish Festival) in 2023 is THIS Friday, 29th of Sep (9/29/2023).

Sukkot is a Jewish festival and one of the biggest holidays celebrated by the Jewish all over the world.

It is a week long festival that combines family, religion and their native country together.

Typically, Sukkot is an eight day long harvest festival.

Unlike more well-known holidays such as Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah where people ask for forgiveness of their previous wrong doings and fixing relationships, Sukkot is an occasion to celebrate pure happiness and joy.

I wrongfully thought since it was one of one of the 7 Feasts God told Israel to observe that it was a Israel’s High Holy Day.

Teresa pointed out my error when I asked her about telling the boys that Yom Kippur was the last of the High Holy Days.

The Jewish Publication Society dictionary of Jewish words: High Holy Days

The holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and the days in between. together these make up the solemn period of repentance, prayer, and redemption, known as the Days of Awe, that are the most important dates on the Jewish calendar.

Leviticus 23:42–43 (LSB) ‘You shall live in booths for seven days; all the native-born in Israel shall live in booths, 43 so that your generations may know that I had the sons of Israel live in booths when I brought them out from the land of Egypt. I am Yahweh your God.’”

Interestingly, the High Holy Days are not required attendance for the Jews

Deuteronomy 16:16–17 (LSB) Three times in a year all your males shall appear before Yahweh your God in the place which He chooses, at the Feast of Unleavened Bread and at the Feast of Weeks and at the Feast of Booths, and they shall not appear before Yahweh empty-handed. 17 “Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of Yahweh your God which He has given you.

Feast of Unleavened Bread (people were in Jerusalem for the Crucifixion of Jesus)

Which speaks not only of the sinless life of Jesus, but also of being ready to leave in a hurry.

Deuteronomy 16:2–3 (LSB) “And you shall sacrifice the Passover to Yahweh your God from the flock and the herd, in the place where Yahweh chooses for His name to dwell. 3 “You shall not eat leavened bread with it; seven days you shall eat with it unleavened bread, the bread of affliction (for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste), so that you may remember the day when you came out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life.

Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) - people were in Jerusalem for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the church

Feast of Tabernacles (Booths) - Wouldn’t it be interesting is this one is where the Church celebrates being delivered from Egypt?

Let me remind you that:

Brother Jay will be teaching 3 lessons starting October 4.

The lessons will be on the Dragon, the AntiChrist and the false Prophet:

The Terrible Trio of the Tribulation

Why did God put all the information He did (especially about the AntiChrist)?

Think about that.

Why study and yet not get obsessed?

This, is the final lesson (of 5 lessons!) concerning what the Apostle Paul called The Blessed Hope in:

(ME READ) Titus 2:13 (LSB) … looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, …

First of all, do you remember what Biblical hope is?

A confident expectation based on solid certainty.

How can we have solid certainty — faith birthed and bolstered by God.

Not just hope, but BLESSED hope.

What that event looks like is described in:

(ME READ) 1 Thessalonians 4:16–18 (LSB) For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up [snatched away] together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Complete Biblical Librbary 720. ἁρπάζω harpazō [har-PAHD-zo] verb Carry off, take (or) snatch away, catch up, catch away, seize.

(ME READ) 1 Corinthians 15:51–53 (LSB) Behold, I tell you a mystery: we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 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 will be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on the incorruptible, and this mortal must put on immortality.

Focus:

So, the Rapture will usher in the fulfillment of Daniel’s prophesy of 70 weeks in Daniel 9.

Again, we believe that 69 of those 70 weeks have been fulfilled.

That we are living in a “pause” between the 69th and 70th weeks.

So, we are continuing to look at a significant event that will jump-start that 70th

The Rapture

I have asked Brother Jay to teach 3 lessons to prepare us to study that final week.

I have asked him to teach on the antagonists that will be at the forefront of that time.

According to 1 Thessalonians 5:4–10, Christians need to be ready for the Rapture

1 Thessalonians 5:4–10 (LSB) But you, brothers, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief, 5 for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; 6 so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be awake and sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. 8 But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not appointed us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.

HOW SHOULD I PREPARE?

According to 1 Thes 5: 2 Jesus is coming like a thief in the night.

Echoing Jesus: Luke 12:39–40 (LSB) “But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have allowed his house to be broken into. 40 “You too, be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect.”

20. According to 1 Thessalonians 5:3, some will not be prepared for the Rapture OR the (Day of the Lord). What will be the consequence of being unprepared for this important event?

Once the trumpet blows, there will be no way for those unprepared to stop it.

The individual's previous relationship with Christ will determine the rewards and judgments which await.

Last week in my studies, I came across another thought about needing to be ready.

One commentator believes that backslidden believers will not only miss the rapture, but be eternally lost. Based on:

2 Thessalonians 2:8–12 (LSB) And then that lawless one will be revealed—whom the Lord Jesus WILL SLAY WITH THE BREATH OF HIS MOUTH and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming— 9 whose coming is in accord with the working of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, 10 and with all the deception of unrighteousness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11 And for this reason God sends upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, 12 in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in unrighteousness.

Hixson, J. B., & Fontecchio, M. (2013). What Lies Ahead: A Biblical Overview of the End Times say:

There is no question that there will be untold multitudes of every nation, tribe, tongue, and language who come to salvation in the Tribulation (Rev. 7:9–17; Matt. 24:14). Yet, this does not include those who rejected Christ before the Rapture. Instead, they will be led astray by the Antichrist. God will send strong delusion in order that they believe the lie of the Antichrist (2 Thess. 2:11). This underscores the importance of unbelievers not putting off the decision to trust in Christ. Today is the day of salvation!

We are to live in the light of God's presence, the light of God's Word, the light of the Holy Spirit, and the light of Christ (Ephesians 5:14).

22. Paul gave some things to do to prepare in (1 Thessalonians 5:4-8)? What other things should we do to be ready?

Every one of these preparations quote scriptures that are tied to the coming of Jesus.

Lagniappe: We must not deny the coming of Jesus or His rule and reign for 1,000 years (Millennium).

2 Peter 3:1–13 (LSB) This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, 2 that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles, 3 knowing this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.” 5 For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, 6 through which the world at that time was destroyed, being deluged with water. 7 But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. 8 But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. 9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some consider slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be found out. 11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens burning will be destroyed, and the elements will melt with intense heat! 13 But according to His promise we are looking for NEW HEAVENS AND A NEW EARTH, in which righteousness dwells.

Attend church

Hebrews 10:25 “ not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”

2.Observe the Lord’s Supper with the Rapture in mind

1 Corinthians 11:26 “26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until He comes.”

3. Love believers and all people

1 Thessalonians 3:12–13 “12 and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you, 13 so that He may strengthen your hearts blameless in holiness, before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.”

4.Be patient

James 5:8 You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.”

We need to be patient with one another.

Human relationships in this fallen world are difficult.

Let’s remember that JoHari Window — we all have blind spots.

So let’s be patient with one another

5. Live a sanctified (separate) life

READ 1 John 3:2–3 “2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not been manifested as yet what we will be. We know that when He is manifested, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”

[ALREADY READ] Titus 2:12–13 “12 instructing us that, denying ungodliness and worldly desires, we should live sensibly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,”

1 John 2:28 “28 And now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He is manifested, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming.”

6.Refrain from judging others

1 Corinthians 4:5 “Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and make manifest the motives of hearts. And then each one’s praise will come to him from God.”

Back in May of last year:

Matthew 7:1 “Do not judge, so that you will not be judged.”

FIRE BIBLE: 7:1 Do not judge. Jesus condemns the habit of criticizing others while we ignore our own faults.

Believers must first submit to God’s righteous examination and to the standards of his Word before attempting to evaluate and influence the conduct of others—particularly other Christians (vv. 3–5).

Judging in an unjust or unqualified manner also includes condemning or rejecting someone who is doing wrong without sincerely desiring to see the person turn to God and receive forgiveness (Lk 6:36–37).

It is an attitude that would prefer God’s judgment on people before they respond to his mercy.

(1) This passage is often abused and taken out of context to defend behavior that is immoral and clearly contrary to the instruction in God’s Word. However, Christ is not denying the need to exercise discernment or make value judgments with respect to sin in others. We certainly must do this in order to avoid the sin ourselves. There also are times when we must speak out against certain behaviors that defy God and corrupt society—especially when those behaviors make their way into the church. Jesus commands us to identify false ministers within the church—those whose message is not consistent with God’s Word (v. 15). He also expects us to consider how a person’s character compares with the standards of truth given in God’s Word in order to avoid associating with people who lack integrity and could influence us to disobey God (v. 6; cf. Jn 7:24; 1Co 5:12; see Gal 1:9, note; 1Ti 4:1, note; 1Jn 4:1).

Lenski: What he forbids is the self-righteous, hypocritical judging which is false and calls down God’s judgment on itself.

POSB: It is fault-finding; it is being picky. It is the habit of censorious and carping criticism. It is not the moral judgments that have to be made sometimes (cp. 1 Cor. 5:3-5, 12-13); not the specific occasions when value judgments have to be made; not the careful discrimination that is sometimes necessary (Matthew 7:6).

Christ-Centered Exposition: Jesus is not telling us to overlook sin in one another. Rather, Jesus is responding to Pharisees who have elevated themselves and demeaned others who didn't live up to their own particular standards. This was the Pharisees' way of life, their program of holiness.

And Jesus' response to that is not to tell them to forget about holiness or to stop pointing out sin; rather, His response is to exhort them to consider their own sin before they begin pointing out sin in others.

Undoubtedly, we should be willing to encourage one another and point out sinful habits in others, but only after a time of reflection on the ways that sin is present in our own life. And then, even when we do that, all of our correction, all of our admonition, and all of our encouragement should be seasoned with love, grace, and evident humility.

Pulpit Commentary: Parallel passage: Luke 6:37. Judge not. Not merely "do not condemn," for this would leave too much latitude; nor, on the other hand, "do not ever judge," for this is sometimes our duty; but "do not be always judging" (μὴ κρίνετε). Our Lord opposes the censorious spirit.

There are several reasons why no person should ever criticize.

1. All the circumstances and all the facts are never known.

2. All people—religious as well as non-religious—come short, fail, and fall.

3. All there is to know about a person is never known.

4. Judging others usurps God's authority.

**** (Start here) 7. Preach the Word:

2 Timothy 4:1–2 “ I solemnly 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 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and teaching.”

1 Peter 5:2 “2 shepherd the flock of God among you, overseeing not under compulsion, but willingly, according to God; and not for dishonest gain, but with eagerness;” 1 Peter 5:4 “And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.”

8. Comfort the bereaved

1 Thessalonians 4:16 “16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.” 1 Thessalonians 4:18 “18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.”

9. Win souls

Jude 21–23 “21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. 22 And on some, who are doubting, have mercy; 23 and for others, save, snatching them out of the fire; and on others have mercy with fear, hating even the tunic polluted by the flesh.”

10. Be concerned with heaven

Colossians 3:1–4 “1 Therefore, if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you died and your life has been hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, is manifested, then you also will be manifested with Him in glory.”

God's wrath against sin must come.

The Bible repeatedly states the Kingdom will come in through judgment, yet Christians are not appointed to wrath. Jesus will preserve ready believers from the wrath that is coming upon the world.

23. Read the following verses and summarize what they say about God's wrath awaiting those who do not know Jesus as Savior and Lord.

Revelation 6:15 “Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man HID THEMSELVES IN THE CAVES and among the rocks of the mountains;”

Revelation 6:17 “17 for the great DAY OF their WRATH has come, and who is able to stand?””

Revelation 11:18 “ “And the nations were enraged, and Your rage came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and to give reward to Your slaves—the prophets and the saints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great—and to destroy those who destroy the earth.””

Revelation 15:1 “Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels who have seven plagues, which are the last, because in them the wrath of God is finished.” Revelation 15:7 “7 Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever.”

Revelation 16:1 “1 Then I heard a loud voice from the sanctuary, saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.”” Revelation 16:19 “19 And the great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the wrath of His rage.”

Revelation 19:15 “15 And from His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may STRIKE DOWN THE NATIONS, and He will RULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON; and HE TREADS THE WINE PRESS OF THE WRATH OF THE RAGE OF GOD, the Almighty.”

Followers of Jesus are not appointed to the wrath that will fall on a sinful, Christ-rejecting world. We are appointed to salvation.

Salvation means more than conversion.

The word "salvation" in 1 Thessalonians 5:9 refers primarily to the inheritance that will be ours in its fullness when Jesus comes again.

Faithful remembrance of these promises will give us the strength necessary to face [our current] trials.

24. Why not believe in a mid or post tribulation Rapture?

Some may wonder if they have to be perfect to be prepared for the Rapture.

We do not have to live in fear that we will somehow miss our eternal reward because of a sinful thought that happened to travel through our mind at the moment of Jesus' return.

The Holy Spirit's convicting and guiding power is able to preserve any Christian (John 16:8-14).

But the person is terribly mistaken who feels he can continue his sinful lifestyle, then somehow anticipate the Rapture and get right with God at the last moment.

Jesus is coming to receive a prepared Bride.

So, if we believe in a mid or post tribulation “catching away” doesn’t that negate everything Jesus said, that Paul said about needing to be ready?

SUMMARY

Old Testament foreshadowing:

A. Enoch

Avoided the Flood because He pleased God:

Hebrews 11:5–6 (NLT) It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying—“he disappeared, because God took him.” For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God. 6 And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

B. Lot

Genesis 19:15–17 (LSB) Now at the breaking of dawn, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Get up, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city.” 16 But he hesitated. So the men seized his hand and the hand of his wife and the hands of his two daughters, for the compassion of Yahweh was upon him; and they brought him out and put him outside the city. 17 Now it happened, as they brought them outside, one said, “Escape for your life! Do not look behind you, and do not stay anywhere in the valley; escape to the mountains, lest you be swept away.”

3. New Testament foreshadowing:

Jerusalem (Acts 8:1)

Acts 8:1 (LSB) Now Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death. And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

Conclusion

Paul's intent in providing information about the rapture of the Church was to provide comfort and encouragement.

Comfort for those who worry about the state of loved ones who have already died.

Encouragement for those who were discouraged because Jesus seemed to delay His coming.

Effect on those “left behind.”

A. Enoch

Did anyone notice?

Apparently someone did (it is written down) but otherwise it seems Enoch’s disappearance affected no one.

No one looked at what happened and said — let’s be like Enoch.

No!

Except for maybe Noah?

The rest kept living wicked lives and were destroyed in the flood

B. Elijah

2 Kings 2:15–18 (LSB) Then the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho opposite him saw him and said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him and bowed themselves to the ground before him. 16 Then they said to him, “Behold now, there are with your servants fifty excellent men, please let them go and search for your master, lest the Spirit of Yahweh has taken him up and cast him on some mountain or into some valley.” And he said, “You shall not send.” 17 But when they urged him until he was ashamed, he said, “Send.” They sent therefore fifty men; and they searched three days but did not find him. 18 So they returned to him while he was staying at Jericho; and he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?”

The rapture of the Church is closer today than it has ever been. We can be prepared by faithfully obeying the Word of God.

If you have not accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord, you can do so today. Don't get caught waiting until it's too late.

LET'S REVIEW

1. What were the two concerns circulating in the Thessalonian church which motivated Paul to write his prophetic message regarding the Rapture?

2. What does the word rapture mean?

3. What will happen to Christians who have already died when the Rapture occurs?

4. How can a person be sure he or she is prepared for the Rapture?

5. Upon whom will the wrath of God fall?