|
Asa-Ministries
International
Bringing The Good News Of Jesus Christ
To All Nations
Making
Disciples Since 1992
These lessons are sent to you free of charge;
however we are supported by your generous donations.
Please pray about sending a love gift offering to help
keep these lessons going out.
Removal instructions at the end of this lesson.
THE RAPTURE AND THE TRIBULATION
Matthew 24
I. Basic idea of Rapture - 1 Cor 15:50.
A. Happens in the Last Days of the
earth.
B. A trumpet will sound.
C. Our bodies will be changed.
D. It will happen in an instant, in
the twinkling of an eye.
E. Death will finally be defeated for
us.
II. Great topic,
but not an easy sermon for me.
A. My views are controversial.
B. They are in minority, at least
among laypeople.
C. Issue is important, if we are last
generation.
III. I believe
Rapture will happen, but at the end of the Tribulation.
A. If we are the last generation, we
will enter the Tribulation.
B. We will see the Antichrist...
C. We will be persecuted, and perhaps
killed...
1) Ever seen the movie, "A
Thief In The Night"?
2) It won't be just a dream.
IV. Why do I
believe it?
A. I used to believe Rapture was
before Tribulation, like you.
B. I studied it further, and came to
this conclusion.
C. Don't be led by emotions, or what
you want to believe,
but by
what you honestly believe the Bible teaches.
V. Key Passages:
A. Daniel 7:9-14 and 12:1-3
B. Matthew 24
C. 1 Corinthians 15:50-57
D. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11
E. 2 Thessalonians 1:4-10 and 2:1-12
F. Revelation 3:10; 4:1; 14:14-20; and 19:6-21
VI. 1
Thessalonians 4:13-18.
A. Rapture is a hope for believers.
1) Especially applies to departed loved ones.
2) Reunited.
B. Order of events:
1) Jesus comes down from heaven
2) A loud command
3) Voice of the archangel (only
Michael)
4) Trumpet call
5) Dead in Christ rise first
6) Those left - survivors - join
them
7) We meet Jesus in clouds, remain
with him forever.
C. When?
1) 5:1 - day unknown
2) 5:2 - like a thief in the night
3) 5:4 - but believers are not
surprised!
a) Godly people will be aware
b) Wicked will not
4) 5:9 - Christians do not suffer
wrath.
VII. Matthew 24
A. Paul referred to "the Lord's
own word". This passage in
view.
B. Details:
1) 24:7 - Birthpains
2) 24:14 - Gospel preached to
whole world
3) 24:15 - Abomination of
Desolation - Antichrist
4) 24:21 - Great Tribulation
5) 24:29 - Immediately after:
a) Sun darkened (heavenly signs)
b) Jesus comes on clouds with
great glory
c) Loud trumpet
d) Angels gather elect
C. Apart from this, there is no
Rapture in Matthew 24.
1) Note similarities -
Jesus on clouds, trumpet,
gathering of elect.
2) No other rapture, because this
is rapture.
VIII. 2
Thessalonians 1:4-10
A. Details:
1) 1:4 - Church is already in
persecution and tribulation
2) 1:6 - God will pay back
persecutors
3) 1:7 - And will give rest to
Christians
a)
When?
1> When Jesus is
revealed from heaven
2> With angels
3> In flaming fire
b) Wicked are punished,
righteous are glorified.
B. "Rest" of believers is at
end of tribulation, not at beginning.
Happens same time wicked are
wiped out.
IX. 2
Thessalonians 2:1
A. "Coming" and
"gathering" are tied together.
B. Day is not at hand yet
1) First must be apostacy
2) Antichrist (Man of sin)
X. Revelation 3:10
A. Promise to Philadelphia - "I
will keep thee from the hour..."
1) Require rapture before
tribulation?
2) Same phrase in John 17:15 -
"...not that thou shouldest take them out of the world,
but
that thou shouldest keep them from the evil
one."
a) Not removal, but
preservation in view.
B. Not clear-cut.
XI. Revelation
4:1
A. Rapture of John?
1) Voice like trumpet - "Come
up here."
2) "Church" not
mentioned again until chapter 22.
B. Problems:
1) John is mentioned alone - if it
refers to rapture, it is
figurative
at best.
2) The language is typical of a
prophets encounter with an
angel
- compare Ezekiel 3:12.
3) The word "church" is
only used of local congregations in
Revelation.
a) The "Great
Multitude" in Revelation 7:9 is obviously
the
church, but is called another name.
b) If Christians are only
affected by chapters which use
the word
"church," they also miss out on the Wedding
Feast of the Lamb, the
Millennium and the Age to Come.
XII. Revelation 14:14-20 Harvest of the earth
A. Occurs after sixth trumpet, just
before climax
B. "Son of Man" comes on a
cloud
C. The earth is harvested
1) 14:16 - Jesus reaps Christians.
2) 14:19 - An angel reaps the wicked.
D. Just before passage, in 14:13, a blessing and promise of
rest are
given to Christians (especially martyrs).
XIII. Problems
brought against Post-Tribulation Rapture theory:
A. The Bible seems to describe two
comings - one sudden and
unexpected,
the other obvious and predictable.
1) Incorrect - no one passage
unambiguously teaches a
two-stage
coming.
2) It is unexpected for those who
are morally unprepared
(Matthew 24:48-50; 1
Thessalonians 5:4)
3) Even the "predictable"
coming in glory will be
unpredictable, because
"the days [of tribulation] will
be cut short" (Matthew 24:22)
B. The Rapture is supposed to be
"at any second."
1) Incorrect - the Bible says it
could be "soon" or "sudden"
but none of the words used
require an "any second"
interpretation.
2) Other passages require a delay
before Christ can return:
a) John 21:18 - Jesus says
Peter will live to an old age.
b) Luke 19:11-27 - Jesus gives a parable that
refers to a
delay
in the return of a king. (Note verse
12 -
because the people
thought the Kingdom was going to
appear
at once.)
c) Acts 15:19 - The risen
Jesus gives a long-range goal
for
the Apostle Paul.
d) See also Matthew 24:45-51;
25:5,19; Acts 22:21; 23:11.
C. Christians are saved from Wrath (1
Thess. 5:9). The
Tribulation is God's wrath on the
wicked world.
1) It is true that Christians do
not suffer wrath.
2) It is also true that there will
be (new) Christians in the
Tribulation. Do they suffer wrath?
3) Many verses in Revelation speak
of God's protection and
"keeping"
of his saints. They do not suffer
wrath like
the
world.
D. The Holy Spirit (in the Church)
must be taken out of the world
so the
Antichrist can be revealed (2 Thessalonians 2:6-7).
1) Problem with this view:
a) The Holy Spirit is required
for salvation (Rom. 8:9)
b) People will be saved in the
Tribulation (Rev. 13:7)
2) If the Holy Spirit is the
"restrainer" of the Antichrist,
this
is not his only function. His
removal cannot
require
a rapture of the church. (And in any
case many
doubt
the Holy Spirit is meant by this passage anyway.)
XIV. Application - What does it all
matter?
A. Christians need to have a realistic
view of suffering.
It is a natural part of this
life.
Acts 14:22 - "We must through
much tribulation enter
into
the kingdom of God."
B. Jesus does not abandon us when we
suffer.
John 16:33 - "In the world
you shall have tribulation;
but be
of good cheer; I have overcome the world."
C. The Christian duty is not to look
for the easy way out, but for
the way
of faithfulness.
Feel Free To Pass This
Lesson Along To Someone You Think Would Benefit From It’s
Teaching
If This Lesson Was Forwarded
To You And You Would Lint To Be Included In Our Weekly Mailings Simply
Click The Following Link To Be Placed On Our Mailing List; mailto:lessons@asa-ministries.org?subject=add
me to the list
This message is in
compliance with U.S. Federal requirements for commercial email proposed in
bill S1618 Title III, Section 301, Paragraph (a) (2) (C) passed by the
105th U.S. Senate and cannot be considered SPAM since it includes a remove
mechanism.
To unsubscribe your
email address, put "REMOVE" in the subject line and mailto:Director@Asa-Ministries.Org?Subject=REMOVE
Send the email from the
same email account that received this message. We will remove you from our
list and you will not receive any more material from us. This is an
automated process so it is important to follow the instructions precisely
for the process to work correctly. Tampering with our email only hurts
other's chances of being properly removed
Contact
Information
Asa-Ministries International
614 W Maple
St
Deming, NM 88030
Main Number:
(575) 546-9742
Fax
Number: (575) 546-9742
|
