“The day of the LORD is great; IT IS DREADFUL. WHO CAN ENDURE IT? (Joel 2:11) “Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also KEEP YOU FROM THE HOUR OF TRIAL that is going to come on THE WHOLE WORLD TO TEST (peirasmos: by calamity, affliction) the inhabitants of the earth.” (Revelation 3:10) “For God DID NOT APPOINT US TO SUFFER WRATH but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 5:9) “God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by His blood, HOW MUCH MORE SHALL WE BE SAVED FROM GOD’S WRATH THROUGH HIM (Jesus)!” (Romans 5:8-9) “…the devout are TAKEN AWAY (raptured), and no one understands that the righteous are TAKEN AWAY to BE SPARED FROM EVIL.” (Isaiah 57:1)
So, what happens to the church? Won’t there be a lot of trouble on the earth in that day? “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I WILL COME AGAIN AND RECEIVE (paralambanō: to take away) YOU TO MYSELF; that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:1-3)
Jesus receives us to Himself, then the anti-christ is revealed, “Do you not remember that when I was still with you, I TOLD YOU THESE THINGS? And now you know WHAT IS RESTRAINING, that he (the anti-christ) MAY BE REVEALED IN HIS OWN TIME. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only HE (the Holy Spirit in the church) WHO NOW RESTRAINS (katechō: to hold back) WILL DO SO UNTIL HE IS TAKEN OUT (raptured) OF THE WAY… The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power THROUGH SIGNS AND WONDERS THAT SERVE THE LIE…” (2 Thessalonians 2:5-9) The Jews will be deceived into believing that the anti-christ is their Messiah. “Then he (the anti-christ) shall confirm a covenant with many (the Jews) for one week (7 years); But in the middle of the week, He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering…(THE TEMPLE WILL BE REBUILT AND SACRAFACES AND OFFERINGS RESTORED)” (Daniel 9:27) This is called “abomination of desolation.” When this happens the Jews EYES ARE OPENED AND THEY SEE JESUS AS THEIR MESSIAH, “So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea FLEE TO THE MOUNTAINS.” (Matthew 24:15-16) JUST AS THE RED SEA WAS PARTED ALLOWING THE JEWS TO ESCAPE, GOD WILL MAKE A PATH FOR THEM TO ESCAPE TO THE MOUNTIANS, WHERE GOD HIDES THEM… “and the woman (Israel) fled into the wilderness, where she has a place PREPARED BY GOD, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days.” (Revelation 12:6)
-Bill Stockham