Jesus, our beautiful and glorious
I believe in a thing called the rapture as stated in 1 Thessalonians 4 …
"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. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words."
These verses speak of the Lord catching all who have trusted in Christ as their personal savior up to heaven before he judges the earth with some astounding and terrifying judgments for a period of seven years. Sound crazy doesn’t it!
Not all Christians agree on the rapture, its time frame, or that it will happen at all. I personally believe the rapture before the tribulation fits best in biblical interpretation and I know for a certainty Jesus is coming again to set everything right once and for all for all of eternity.
The one thing all believers agree on is that Jesus will return to judge the nations of the earth. You can see early signs with Russia trying to re-establish its power in a brutal, immoral, and forceful way.
The Ukraine is suffering at the hands of Putin’s aggression. Also China is growing in power and influence among the freedom loving nations of the world while they themselves engage in genocide of their own population.
America has allowed itself, through short sighted and greedy decisions, to become hamstrung by China and Russia through dependence upon them for oil and the production of goods and services, etc. Other signs that I believe point to the soon coming rapture of believers are the persistent pushes for globalization, a one world government, as well as the push to introduce programable digital currency that controls what one can purchase.
Just as prophesied, Russia and China will one day be on the verge of annihilating Israel and Jesus will return at the last moment and defeat them all in an instant. He will then set up his millennial kingdom ending ultimately in a new heaven and earth that will exist for eternity without the curse of sin. A perfect and redeemed world ruled by Jesus Himself.
This earth does have an expiration date that God has determined. The wonderful thing about it is that God sent His Son Jesus to make a way of escape from not only the curse of sin but also from the coming judgment of nations. The question is not why would God judge the nations but why has he not already done so due to our sin and wickedness?
Every second God gives the earth to continue to exist He is giving people yet another chance to be saved because He is a merciful and patient God. What unfathomable love that God would provide salvation through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. All we have to do is ask Jesus to forgive us of our sin and turn from our sin and receive Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior.
If you are not a believer in Jesus your future is bleak, it is scary. If you are a believer in Jesus your future is beautiful and glorious. The most wonderful thing is that Jesus welcomes all to come to Him and be forgiven and have the promise of eternal life. 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.
Pastor Jerry Favor ministers at Victory Church, 602 Gun Club Road, Sagle.