PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE TAUGHT BY THE EARLY CHURCH: APPROACHING THE RED SEA MT. SINAI EXODUS DEPARTURE MOMENT

“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).

“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52).

Many of us who are watching the signs of the times that are indicating the arrival of the end times and eventual rapture of the true church have likely heard the refrain and doubt of its reality from the rapture skeptics before. Many who do not believe in the rapture under-gird their opinion by proclaiming that John Nelson Darby, who was a founder of the Plymouth Brethren Church, an author and an influential proponent of a dispensational view of Scripture, first came up with the idea of a pre-tribulation rapture in 1820.

Some confidently state that the whole idea of the doctrine of the rapture came from him, and him alone. Such skeptics will often assert that a pre-tribulation rapture was not taught by the early Church and that the doctrine cannot be found before Darby began teaching it in 1820. Therefore, as the thinking goes, the rapture cannot be a real future event. Perhaps you yourself are one of those skeptics who adhere to the Darby narrative. However, as we shall see, this idea was espoused by a man named Dave McPherson in his book The Incredible Rapture Cover-up. He claimed that Darby’s view came from a Scottish girl named Margaret MacDonald who supposedly had fallen into a trance and had a vision. The truth of the matter is that Margaret MacDonald said that her vision revealed a mid-tribulation rapture of “only the most holy.” This is a clear contradiction of scripture. The Apostle John warns us that we should test the spirits whenever anyone proclaims to have a vision or a trance or any other supernatural experience that contradicts scripture …

“Believe not every spirit but try the spirits whether they are from God because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (John 4:1).

How do you know if a spirit is from God? Compare what the supposed “angel,” “vision” or “trance” says with the Word of God. Just one serious discrepancy should be enough to discredit a message from a supposed angel, trance or vision.

John Darby had preached his view of the pre-tribulation rapture long before Margaret MacDonald had her so-called “vision.” On the other hand, another post-tribulationist, John Bray of Lakeland, Florida, wrote that a Jesuit priest, Emmanuel Laconza originally came up with the theory of a pre-tribulation rapture in his book titled The Coming of Messiah in Glory and Majesty, written in 1812 – eight years before John Darby espoused his view. According to Bray, McPherson’s attempt to pin the origin of the pre-tribulation rapture on John Darby was a bit too hasty. The fact of the matter is that both men were wrong. Early church leaders believed and taught a pre-tribulation rapture.

To prove the point, there are two sources from the early writing of Christian theologians. They were The Shepherd of Hermes, published in A.D. 110, and two books written by Ephraim the Syrian, published in A.D. 376. They are Antichrist and the End of the World and Cave of Treasures. These two books by Ephraim the Syrian were translated into English.

The Shepherd of Hermes (A.D. 110)

In 1844, a bound volume of New Testament books was found in an excavation at the Saint Catherine monastery located near the foot of Mt. Sinai. It is called the Sinaiticus. It contains all 27 New Testament books, plus two others – the Epistle of Barnabas and the Shepherd of Hermes.

In the Shepherd of Hermes, the author relates a vision. He said …

“I saw a huge beast [corresponding the beast of Revelation 13]. The beast has four colors [corresponding to the colors of the four Horsemen of Revelation 6]. It is 100 feet long. But I escaped, thanks to the grace and power of God.”

Then he meets a virgin dressed in white who says …

“Thou hast escaped a great tribulation because thou hast believed and at the sight of such a huge beast, have not doubted. Go therefore, and declare to the elect of the Lord His might deeds and say to them that this beast is a type of the Great Tribulation which is to come. If you therefore, prepare yourselves and with your whole heart turn to the Lord in repentance, then you shall be able to escape it.”

Regardless of the stylized circumstances related in his reported vision, Hermes, nevertheless, taught a pre-tribulation rapture. Though the book has never been accepted as inspired scripture, it at least shows the prevailing theology of one of the most prominent theologians in those few short years following the writing of the Apostle John’s last book of the Bible in A.D. 96 – the book of Revelation.

Furthermore, his view must have followed a reading of the book of Revelation. It was evidently a commentary on this last book of the New Testament. The Shepherd of Hermes was considered important enough to be included in the collection of New Testament writings at the Sinai monastery of Saint Catherine – built in the 4th century.

Ephraim the Syrian (A.D. 376)

Also in the 4th century, Ephraim the Syrian wrote a small book titled Antichrist and the End of the World. He published this and other works in A.D. 376. His works remained in relative obscurity throughout the centuries in their native language. In relatively recent history, they were translated into English.

In Antichrist and the End of the World, Ephraim said …

“We ought to understand thoroughly, therefore my brothers, what is imminent or overhanging. Already there have been hungers and plagues, violent movement of nations and sins, which have been predicted by the Lord. Prepare ourselves for the meeting of the Lord Christ so that he may draw us from the confusion which overwhelms the world. Believe you me, dearest brothers, because the coming of the Lord is nigh. Believe you me because the end of the world is at hand. Believe me because it is the very last time.

Because all saints and the elect of the Lord are gathered together before the Tribulation which is about to come and are taken to the Lord in order that they may not see at anytime the confusion that overwhelms the world because of our sins. And so brothers most dear to me, it is the eleventh hour, and the end of this world comes to the harvest and angels armed and prepared holds sickles in their hands awaiting the empire or kingdom of the Lord …

“When therefore the end of the world comes, that abominable, lying, and murderous one who is born from the tribe of Dan … He is conceived from the seed of a man and from a most vile virgin mixed with an evil or worthless spirit.

“Therefore, when he receives the kingdom, he orders the Temple of God to be rebuilt for himself which is in Jerusalem who, after coming into it, he shall sit as God in order that he may be adored by all nations. Then all people from everywhere shall flock together to him and the holy city shall be trampled on by the nations for 42 months. Just as the holy apostle says in the Apocalypse which becomes 3 and 1/2 years – 1260 days.

“Then when the 3 and 1/2 years have been completed, the time of antichrist through which he will have seduced the world, after the resurrection of the two prophets,in the hour which the world does not know and on the day which the enemy or son of perdition does not know, will come the sign of the son of man. And coming forward, the Lord shall appear with great power and much majesty with the sign of the word of salvation going before him.”

Ephraim the Syrian also wrote another book called Cave of Treasures, in which he elaborated upon the Antichrist …

“The Jews have no longer among them a king or priest or prophets or Passover. Even as Daniel prophesied concerning them saying, ‘after two and sixty weeks Christ shall be slain and the city of holiness shall be laid waste until the completion of things decreed.’ At the end of the world and at the final consummation, suddenly the gates of the north shall be open. They will destroy the earth and there be none able to stand before them. After one week they will all be destroyed in the plane of Joppa. Then will the Son of Perdition appear of the seed and tribe of Dan. He’ll go into Jerusalem, will sit on the throne, etc.”

First, please note that Ephraim the Syrian taught a pre-tribulation rapture. Evidently, he was not encumbered with the writings of Roman theologians, Origen (185-254) and Augustine (354-425). Origen was the first to become discouraged with prophecy, turn from a literal interpretation of the Bible, and espouse an allegorical method of interpretation, thus corrupting early Christian theology in Rome.

Church historian A.H. Newman wrote …

“Origen was the first to reduce the allegorical method of interpretation to a system … His method of scripture interpretation was soon adopted throughout the church, and prevailed throughout the middle ages. In this particular, Origen’s influence was bad, and only bad.”

Augustine followed Origen’s theology and developed the allegorical view into a theology that has dominated European Christianity until this very day.

Irenaeus (130 A.D. – 202 A.D.)

Indisputable evidence confirms that this biblical doctrine traces all the way back to a man named Irenaeus.  Irenaeus gets it from John the Apostle himself. Irenaeus (130 A.D. – 202 AD) was a bishop of the church in Lyons, France. Irenaeus himself could easily trace his message to the apostle John, whose student Polycarp was Irenaeus’ teacher and a disciple of Polycarp. In fact, Polycarp was the first of the Apostle John’s disciples.  Irenaeus is most known for his five-volume treatise, “Against Heresies” in which he exposed the false religions and cults of his day along with advice for how to share the Gospel with those who were a part of them. Irenaeus describes the church leaving the sinful world just before unprecedented disasters. Note the Apostle Paul’s use of the term “caught up” which is Rapture terminology as that is the meaning of the word “harpazo,” the term used in the original Greek of the New Testament passage of 1 Thessalonians 4 for “caught up” in the King James Bible and its description of the rapture.

He then quotes Matthew 24:21 where Jesus Christ says:

“For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.”

And it is during this time that those who convert to Christianity during the final years will receive the incorruptible crown mentioned by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 9:25. In Irenaeus’ belief, the Rapture took place prior to the end times Great Tribulation. Again, this is Irenaeus, the cat who was a student of Polycarp, who was a disciple of the Apostle John himself – the Apostle who wrote the book of Revelation. Painfully for the rapture doubters, Irenaeus ends up being a big, giant, filthy, foul, odorous, vile, abhorrent cataclysmic stink bomb. That same pain extends to the mid-tribulationists (the view that the rapture occurs in the middle of the Tribulation), the post Tribulationists (the view that the rapture occurs at the end of the Tribulation) and the Preterists.

Cyprian (200 AD – 258 AD) – Cyprian was Bishop of the church in Carthage. During his short stint as leader of the church, he guided the flock through intense persecution at the hands of the Roman Empire. In 258 AD after spending seven months of confinement to his home by order of Roman authorities, he was beheaded for his faith. Several of his works still exist today. In Treatises of Cyprian he wrote in describing the end times Great Tribulation:

“We who see that terrible things have begun, and know that still more terrible things are imminent, may regard it as the greatest advantage to depart from it as quickly as possible. Do you not give God thanks, do you not congratulate yourself, that by an early departure you are taken away, and delivered from the shipwrecks and disasters that are imminent? Let us greet the day which assigns each of us to his own home, which snatches us hence, and sets us free from the snares of the world and restores us to paradise and the kingdom.”

Again we see use of language commonly found in reference to the Rapture as Cyprian describes the judgments of the end times as “imminent.” And he makes his belief on the timing of the Rapture when he wrote that Christians will have an “early departure” and be “delivered” from the devastating global judgments that come during the Day of The Lord. In line with the Apostle Paul who wrote that “God has not appointed us to wrath, but salvation…” Cyprian expressed joy and encourages the believing reader to rejoice that the Church will be “taken away” before the disastrous Great Tribulation – just as Jesus in Matthew 24 used the same language of one “taken away” and the other “left.” Additionally, Cyprian references the mansions which Christ promises to come back and take His believers to in John 14.

Simply put, many people have bought into a huge deception by believing the now-provable falsehood that the rapture was a man-made doctrine from the 1800s.  In fact, scripture promises a special reward or place in the coming Kingdom for those who “love his appearing” …

“Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:8).

Over the centuries, however, some have continued to hold to the original view – a literal interpretation of scripture in which the Jews are promised a literal return to their land in the last days. With the reformation over 400 years ago, theologians began to return to a literal interpretation and, eventually, the pre-tribulation rapture view was revived.

APPROACHING THE RED SEA MOMENT – A MT. SINAI EXODUS “DEPARTURE”

In previous articles, we have explored some of the more recent signs that this impending event is about to transpire (see here, here, here, here and here). As we watch the world around us begin to implode and the evil forces of the New World Order bear down upon us, we are reminded of the ancient Israelites’ supernatural escape from the ancient Egyptian Pharaoh and his army that were bearing down upon them as they were trapped between Pharaoh’s army and the Red Sea in front of them. With nowhere to go, suddenly, God parted the Red Sea through Moses in a supernatural display as Moses stretched forth his staff toward the water.

This created a firm ground on the sea floor on which the Israelites could escape across to the other side. As Pharaoh and his army pursued, the water fell in upon Pharaoh and his army. It was a true miracle with precise timing.

In like manner, as we observe the end times and the end of the Church Age, the body of Christ and the world finds itself in grave and growing danger as deadly vaccine shots are beginning to be mandated. Although currently at a holding pattern, the plan will move forward as the world will soon be forced to receive a mark in their right hand or forehead to be able to buy or sell. We commonly know this mark to be the Mark of the Beast. As the Bible reveals that the true born again Church will not be here to have to face this situation, we know that Christ will soon lift his bride off the earth in a repeat of the Exodus miracle.

In looking at the Israelites Exodus from Egypt and their eventual arrival at Mt. Sinai wherein Moses was summoned by the Lord to the top of the mountain to meet with him face to face and receive the Ten Commandments, the picture we see is that of Moses “going up” and the Lord “coming down.” This is a clear demonstration and representation of the future rapture of the Church wherein the Lord will descend from Heaven with a shout and the born again believers in the body of Christ will ascend, or go up like Moses did at Mt. Sinai. To buttress this point, it has been accurately said and demonstrated over and over again throughout history – particularly in more modern history – that the Old Testament is the New Testament concealed while the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed. In scripture, this phenomenon is called types and shadows. It is a phenomenon that we see played out time and time again throughout scripture – thus showing us the Divine inspiration of this holy writ.

The very fact that the story of Moses, which is among other things a picture of the future rapture of the Church, should be found in the book of Exodus should give the most hardened of skeptics something to raise their eyebrow over. The word “Exodus” means “a going out; a departure or emigration, usually of a large number of people. Interestingly, when we go to various other English translations of the Bible before the 1611 version of a well known New Testament rapture passage, we see this same wording used. It is found in the book of 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 …

“Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition” (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3).

When one reads the Greek text of the phrase “a falling away,” we discover that the word “a” is not used. Rather, the word “the” is used – as in, “the” falling away, not “a” falling away. Obviously, there is a big difference between “the” falling away and “a” falling away. The word “the” is the definite article, whereas the word “a” is an indefinite article in the English language. “A” falling away could mean “any” falling away, whereas “the” falling away denotes a specific falling away, or a specific time-marked event. It is that one small word that changes the whole entire meaning of the passage.

Further confusion is seen when most assume the “falling away” to mean the falling away from the faith. However, this Greek word “Apostasia” that is seen for the English “falling away” can be used as a Greek noun to describe a physical falling away. Additionally, we see that a more literal translation of the “falling away” means “departure” – as in, a physical departure from one place to another.

The use of the article in this context is meant to denote a one-time event, which the rapture fits into. It is hard to think of how the process of apostasy at the end of the church age could be viewed by believers around the world as an identifiable, one-time event. However, this would not be a problem if that event were the rapture. Further, how could an apostasy be a sign to the church since many New Testament Epistles warn about apostasy in the first century and Jude said it has arrived in his day (Jude 3–4). Apostasy is a moving target while the Rapture will be a clear event. The verb is used fifteen times in the New Testament. Of these fifteen, only three have anything to do with a departure from the faith (Luke 8:13; 1 Tim. 4:1; Heb 3:12). The word is used for departing from iniquity (2 Tim. 2:19), from ungodly men (1 Tim. 6:5), from the temple (Luke 2:27), from the body (2 Cor. 12:8), and from persons (Acts 12:10; Luke 4:13). 4 The mother of all Greek lexicons, Liddell and Scott, defines apostasia first as “defection, revolt;” then secondly as “departure, disappearance.

So here, we see a rather telling connection of the Exodus (departure) of the Israelites with the Exodus (departure) of the Church in 2 Thessalonians 2. That one word connects these two events as being pictorially related to each other. The meaning of the word “Exodus” in the Exodus event of the ancient Israelites again seen in a rapture verse from 2 Thessalonians 2 should give us something to ponder – particularly for the rapture skeptic.

In a previous article titled AMERICA THE VINEYARD AND THE YEAR 2020: THE 400 YEAR PROPHETIC CYCLE, it was demonstrated that America shares a Divinely and Providentially orchestrated parallel with ancient Egypt. For various reasons, it is my contention that this parallel is crucial to understand when considering the Lord’s purpose for America as the nation to declare the Gospel message of salvation through Christ and his eventual return to the nations of the earth as the fulfillment of Jesus’ Vineyard prophecy of Matthew 21. As the Vineyard, it can be clearly demonstrated that America shares an undeniable prophetic pattern and parallel to ancient Israel. Interestingly, at the same time as it relates to the 400 year prophetic timing cycle that the Vineyard reached in the year 2020, it shares an intriguing parallel with ancient Egypt.

With that thought planted firmly in your mind, we note the fact that in the year 2017, we witnessed the “Great American Eclipse” cross the seven Salem towns and end in Makanda, Illinois. The second eclipse will occur in 2024 and will converge with the first eclipse once again in Makanda. In the early 20th Century, Makanda used to be called the “Star of Egypt.”

Here, we can see a rather telling and stark picture of the rapture taking place here. We can now see that there is a demonstrable prophetic thread that connects the rapture picture in ancient Egypt as seen in Moses’ ascent to the top of Mt. Sinai in the book of Exodus and the meaning of the word “Exodus” itself with the rapture exodus/departure event in 2 Thessalonians 2. Thus, the rapture message and picture will be displayed in the second Great American Eclipse in 2024 as its path crosses over a town that represents the Egypt name as it converges with the path of the first American eclipse of 2017 in that same “Egypt” town. This will have the effect of forming an “X” over America, but more specifically (and to repeat as it bears repeating), the paths of the two eclipses will have formed an “X” over an Egypt-represented town of the nation. We might say that it is a prophetic sign that represents a modern repeat of the Exodus rapture, but on a more massive scale obviously.

The bottom line here is that there is an Egypt theme connected with the soon “departure,” or rapture, of the Church. This is not to say that the rapture occurs in 2024, as the eclipse may be indicative of America’s day of reckoning brought on by the rapture that already occurred the previous year perhaps. Or perhaps it does indeed mean that we are looking at a 2024 rapture. Regardless of which of these scenarios is correct, the completion of her prophetic assignment – thus resulting in the rapture – seems to be in view here with these heavenly American eclipse signs.

Additionally, it is important to make note of the fact that America the Vineyard (Matthew 21:33-43) has already entered into a prophetic Egypt/Exodus theme beginning in 2009 with the installment of Barack Obama into the presidency, although we know that these “leaders” are really nothing more than figureheads. Nevertheless, it has been demonstrated many times that these figureheads serve to give us prophetic hints and clues by Divine orchestration. The details of the prophetic significance of his installment into the presidency were covered in the above-linked article concerning America’s crossing of the 400-year Egypt cycle, which I strongly encourage you to read. The Egyptian typological prophetic outcomes at the initiating of that cycle seen in the life of the nation ever since, which was started in 2009 and crossed an important prophetic threshold in 2020, not only continues to this very day first under former President Trump and currently under President Biden, but is growing more intense as the months pass by. In other words, the theme of the Pharaoh persecution of the ancient Israelites right on up to their red sea moment is a theme that has continued from the year 2009 to the present in the modern Vineyard – the U.S.A. Furthermore, it is no accident that we should now see a world situation in which the Western nations led by the United States finds itself embroiled in conflict with a major nation whose symbol is the bear. We all know this nation to be Russia. In previous articles here and here, it was revealed that when Elijah’s rapture occurred in 2 Kings 2, it was accompanied with the narrative, or theme of a bear that attacked and mauled 42 mockers of the rapture of Elijah in the original Vineyard – ancient Israel (Isaiah 5).

It is no accident that we should see the rise of an unsettling world situation in the theme of a bear begin to run parallel with the rise of an ancient Egypt rapture theme emerging in the form of a highly significant 2024 solar eclipse that will form an “X” over America in an Egypt-named town of the chief Gentile nation on Earth – a nation with a specific calling like what ancient Israel had. Not only that, but to have these two themes running parallel with each other as the world has now approached the suspected time frame of the Matthew 24 fig tree generation is quite telling of where we find ourselves in end times prophecy. It is indicative of the fact that, just like the prophet Elijah departed the earth in his rapture event, we too are now witnessing the signs of our imminent departure, or rapture, from the earth as the bear theme intensifies.

Russia has now invaded Ukraine and is seemingly on the verge of military confrontation with the United States and the Western alliance of NATO. It is surmised that Russia was goaded into invading Ukraine so that Egypt would economically collapse in order for the globalists to obtain documents that are hidden in the Sphinx put there by fallen angels that reveal survival instructions of the approaching Planet X system (see video in the “Recommended Reading and Viewing” section at the end of this article). Intelligence information reveals that these instructions hidden in the secret library within the Sphinx can only be read and understood by Nimrod. Reportedly, this is the reason why Iraq was invaded by the United States in 2003 – they needed to obtain the body of Nimrod (see here). According to new (and supposed) intelligence information, Planet X is set to arrive later this year in September. It is also being reported that the devastation that the Planet X system is going to administer to China is the very reason why the globalists are currently setting up America for a Chinese invasion. Is all of that true? Obviously, I cannot vouch for that intelligence information. I’ll report, you decide (also see this video in the “Recommended Reading and Viewing” section. But I will say that in the previous Revelation series studies, I have contended that the Planet X narrative is the likely method in which the judgments of the book of Revelation are going to occur.

The evil of this world is closing in on the Church and the world at large. Important to remember is that God is not going to allow this evil to overtake the true born again Church without evacuating and rescuing us just like he did with the ancient Israelites on their way to Moses’ rapture mountain (Moses went up, the Lord came down). In line with that thought, it is also no accident that in recent years, this intriguing mountain of God has been uncovered by explorers and brought to the attention of the world given its association with the Exodus/departure/rapture theme. In effect, this mountain called Mt. Sinai is a witness to the world that there will indeed be a rapture as described by the Apostle Paul in the New Testament. This fascinating mountain represents the Exodus, or departure, of each and every individual off the face of the earth who have personally received Christ i.e. the body of Christ.

The rapture skeptic or skeptic of the Bible’s historical veracity in general would do well to examine the evidence that the event of the Exodus did indeed occur in history and serves to provide us a picture of the soon-coming rapture for those who have personally believed on and received Jesus Christ. The archaeological evidence that exists to tell us that this event occurred is quite plentiful indeed as one can clearly see in the renowned documentation video below. This historical event points us to another mass “Exodus” just like the Exodus that occurred out of ancient Egypt and the event at Mt. Sinai wherein Moses went up as the Lord came down. That Egypt departure theme has emerged once again in the one nation that directly prophetically patterns ancient Israel as the Matthew 21 Vineyard (see here). Like the ancient Israelites, those who have personally received Christ will soon supernaturally “depart,” or “exodus” from this world while those left behind shall experience a world under Divine judgment.

Obviously, we do not need the reality of the early Church theologians teaching about the rapture for us to conclude that there will be one. We already know this fact from scripture itself even if no one from the early Church ever taught it. But the fact that we can now plainly see that they did indeed teach it underscores a complete lack of even the most basic and minimal standard of studied research on the part of those who hold to the false “Darby invented it” narrative.

A “Changed First” Time Gap – A Plausible scenario

In the opening words of this article, I quoted the two most prominent rapture passages found in scripture – although there are others. But I would specifically like to focus on 1 Corinthians 15:52-53 …

“In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality” (1 Corinthians 15:52-53).

There is an interesting and quite exciting prospect that I would like to bring out in the reading of this particular text regarding the rapture event. Some have wondered what the rapture will actually be like or look like. Often, the rapture is depicted as occurring suddenly and unexpectedly for those who have personally received Christ i.e. the true born again body of Christ. This may indeed prove to be the case in reality. As far as the timing is concerned, we do know that we will know when it is getting near according to the signs that are occurring in the world. However, will we actually be somehow Divinely warned, informed or experience “something” that lets us know beforehand right before it occurs.

In looking at the verse of scripture highlighted above in 1 Corinthians 15, we notice that all of the “dead in Christ” (those who received Christ who have previously died before the rapture down through the centuries) will rise first and be “raised incorruptible.” However, in looking at the very next five words, we do not see the same wording being used regarding our ascent into Heaven as is the case with the “dead in Christ.” Instead, what we see are the words “and we shall be changed” – implying that, perhaps, we who are alive and remain will have our bodies transformed from a natural flesh and blood body into a non-natural supernatural type of body for a period of time before we are actually raptured into Heaven. The idea here is one that holds an exciting prospect of being able to walk around on Earth as we are currently in supernatural bodies before being lifted into Heaven.

It seems that if we were to disappear immediately along with the “dead in Christ,” the above passage of verse 52 would tell us so. But it does not do that. It only tells us that “we shall be changed.” It does not tell us that we shall immediately ascend with the dead in Christ. This indicates that there may be a period of a short while that we’re walking around on Earth in our glorified bodies just before we ascend into Heaven to join the dead in Christ in the air to meet the Lord himself as is described in the other of the two prominent rapture passages – that of 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. This may, in fact, give us a tremendous witnessing opportunity to our closest circle of friends/family members for a very short period of time before we ascend into the air and into Heaven. If this is indeed the case (and admittedly, this is speculation), there seemingly aren’t any clues or hints that would tell us how long our “hang time” on Earth in our glorified bodies before our ascension would be. Would it be hours? Would it be one or a few days?

Interestingly, in Matthew 27, we find that after Jesus arose from the dead in the resurrection event, those saints who had died previously also arose with him and came out of their graves themselves along with Jesus. They then went into the city of Jerusalem and were seen by many …

“And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many” (Matthew 27:51-53).

We do know that after Jesus resurrected from the dead and also resurrected those previously dead saints, he remained on Earth for 40 days before ascending back into Heaven with those previously dead resurrected saints. So, is this a picture that we will be walking around on Earth in our glorified bodies for 40 days before we ascend into Heaven? Of this, we can only speculate. It is an exciting prospect to consider.

This seems to be a precedent that has already been set at Jesus’ resurrection. And now, lets turn to the Apostle Paul and the “possible” clue we may find from him …

“For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief” (1 Thessalonians 5:3-4).

Here, we see that sudden destruction will overtake the lost in that day when judgment arrives. But he says that we (those in Christ) will not be caught unaware. The usual interpretation of this scripture is that those “in Christ” who are watching world events will not be unaware that the rapture is soon to come – and this is certainly very true. However, could the Apostle Paul’s statement have been alluding to an idea much more specific than that – although it does include that? Could it be that the reason that we who are “born again” in Christ will not be “overtaken” by this day as a “thief” because we will suddenly be aware that our bodies have been suddenly transformed and we will have a short amount of time of walking around on the earth just before we ascend into Heaven? Could this phrase of “not overtaking us as a thief” be telling us that we will be aware that the rapture is just moments or days away as a result of our sudden body transformation? Could this phrase of Paul be more specific than what we generally assume it to mean? This would seem to be the case given that 1 Corinthians 15:52 tells us that we will be transformed into our heavenly glorified bodies first and not specifically stated that we will immediately get called up into Heaven. In line with this thought, let us be reminded that after the resurrection of Jesus, the story of the doubting Thomas’ conversion to Christ occurred after Jesus allowed him to put his finger in his side where the spear wound was located – received by the Roman soldier while he hung upon the cross.

In like manner, it is very possible that this same exact situation may repeat itself through the Lord allowing us to show off or sport about our new glorified bodies to the unsaved for the purpose of glorifying Jesus so that they too will receive Christ and be saved – and go up in the rapture when it occurs a short amount of time later – just like what we see in the story of the doubting Thomas.

As some may know, I’ve discussed the parallel of the bear theme that exists between the disappearance, or rapture, of Elijah during his day and the bear theme that has emerged today just before the disappearance/rapture of those born again in Christ (see the above links). Given that fact, we can also take note of the fact that in the story of Elijah’s disappearance, he knew on the very day that he was going to disappear before it occurred …

“And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me” (2 Kings 2:9).

There really is no logical reason to suggest why this parallel too will not be repeated since we know the bear theme between the two rapture events is also present. The story of Elijah knowing on the very day he would be raptured seems to buttress the Apostle Paul’s statement in 1 Corinthians 15:52-53 and his “we shall be changed” statement without actually mentioning our ascension.

The “Lily” of the Valleys

Below, I wish to now show you a video that has made the rounds since it was first posted back in 2015. It now has well over 1 million views. It is a video of a little girl prophesying of Jesus’ return in the rapture event. But there is a marvelous prophetic clue hidden within this video that few may have ever noticed. I will elaborate further below the video.

Notice anything prophetic about the little girl prophesying about the Lord’s return above? Yes, her name is “Lily.” To the rapture watching Bible student, this should ring a bell – loud, clear and unmistakable. In chapter 2 verse 1 of the Song of Solomon, we unmistakenly see a hint of Jesus mentioned before his first coming and the prophetic passage refers to him as the “lily of the valleys.” Just a few short verses later, we see an unmistakable hint or typology of the rapture of the true, born again believers of the New Testament Church. In fact, it has long been known that this chapter depicts the rapture (let’s just call it the “Lily rapture chapter”) …

“I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys. As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters. As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love. Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples: for I am sick of love. His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me. I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please. The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills. My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, shewing himself through the lattice. My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.

O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely. Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes. My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies. Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether” (Song of Solomon 2:1-17).

Highlighted in red is the well known rapture hint verse that says “rise up, my love, my fair, one and come away.” Further, also notice how the “fig tree” is mentioned within this rapture verse along with the “lily” of the Valleys. What have end time rapture watchers all been talking about lately – including here on this blog site in the last few postings? Yes, the Matthew 24 fig tree generation that suspiciously is pointing us to 2028/2029 for a likely candidate for the Second Coming and 2022/2023 for a likely candidate for the rapture. As intriguing as all of that is, it doesn’t stop there.

Notice then it begins to refer to the “vines” having tender grapes. Earlier in this posting and in previous postings, I have made mention of the fact that the United States of America is the “Vineyard” of Matthew 21 (see an article titled AMERICA THE VINEYARD: A PROPHETIC FOUR DIMENSIONAL TRIP THROUGH THE TABERNACLE OF MOSES). In fact, along with the mention of “vines” in this Solomon rapture passage, we also see the mention of “grapes” on those “vines.” Are you seeing a theme of a “vineyard” emerging here in this rapture chapter of Solomon? If you will recall, the colony of Connecticut is instrumental in the founding of America – the Matthew 21 Vineyard. Connecticut was a producer of wheat and livestock. It was a significant exporter of lumber and a major shipbuilder. Connecticut was an overwhelmingly Puritan state, with the Puritan Congregational church being the only official church in the colony. This colony reinforced the religious freedom and code of law that the Bay Colony had instituted in Massachusettes. The Vineyard theme carried over into this colony. The Connecticut State motto is “He who transplants still sustains.” The transplanted vineyard of America prophecy of Matthew 21:33-43 is seen here. The state seal of Connecticut has a picture of three grapevines representing a vineyard (pictured below).  

Yet again, this all goes back to what was previously mentioned earlier in this posting. America the Vineyard entered into an Egypt/rapture theme starting in 2009 and crossed an important 400-year prophetic “Egypt/Exodus cycle” in the year 2020. This is important because the U.S.A. is the nation that was assigned the task of bringing in the harvest of souls and producing the fruits of the kingdom to close out the Church Age concluding with the rapture.

And finally, take note of the wording of verse 17 in this “lily of the valley” rapture verse. Specifically, note the reference to the timing when this “arising” rapture chapter takes place … it is the “day break” when the “shadows flee away.” In the previous posting titled AT THE TIME OF DAWN ON THE MORNING OF THE THIRD DAY – THE 1984/48 “TERMINATE” CODE?, the point was made that, prophetically speaking, since 2001, it seems that we have been in the waning moments of the shadows before the breaking of day arrives in the form of the return of Christ – first in the rapture event and then at the ending of the Tribulation Period that will see the Second Coming with the previously raptured Church i.e. when the “shadows flee away.”

Interestingly, the Lily prophesying video was recorded in the year 2015 – the year in which the blood moon tetrad concluded with a super blood moon being the final eclipse in the tetrad. In a previous posting, it was shown that in 2015 a picture of two cows that were born with a number 7 on their forehead were born on the first day of the Shemittah year on the Feast of Trumpets, indicating a sign of a coming famine upon the world. To many, this was a sign that, from 2015 forward, the world only had 7 years of plenty left – after which, famine will hit the earth for 7 years, corresponding to the 7-year Tribulation after the rapture. Interestingly, we see that the pale horse of the Apocalypse in Revelation 6 rides forth bringing famine with it. We know that these horses ride forth after the rapture has occurred. Here in the year 2022, we are now in that 7th year. Was the Lord warning the world through a two-year old girl named “Lily” (Song of Solomon 2) that the rapture is getting ready to occur this year given that she prophesied in the very same year as the final blood moon in the tetrad? (see more about the blood moon tetrad here). (See more about the two cows here).

In closing, may I suggest heeding the words of little Lily and the Spirit of God working within her … and whatever it was the Lord was visually showing her that day. There is very little time left. Make yourself a part of that number that shall soon experience its glorious escape from the judgment to come.

GOD’S REQUIREMENT FOR YOUR INCLUSION IN THE RAPTURE AND ESCAPE FROM THE COMING WRATH

The demonstrably divinely inspired text that we call the Bible promises a coming horrendous seven-year Tribulation period of judgment upon Earth for all of mankind, no matter what your religion, belief or creed is, and even to those who don’t believe anything spiritual at all.  We can now clearly see the signs of this approaching nightmare.  However, as we’ve already seen, this same divinely inspired text that we call the Bible promises a dramatic escape from off the face of the earth before this horrendous time of judgment only to a certain category of people.  

Put simply, an event is coming that will be so stupendous that it strains the mind to contemplate such an event happening.  It is an event that will see millions upon millions of people across the globe suddenly disappear without warning.  The millions of disappeared will have literally ascended into Heaven itself after instantaneously receiving a new glorified body fit for Heaven.  A body that will be able to withstand the atmosphere and glory of Heaven.  This event is known as the “Rapture.”  But the promise of escape is only to those who are “born again” in Christ.  This is why it is crucial to understand what Christ meant when he declared in no uncertain terms that only those who are “born again” in him will enter the Kingdom of God.  For the explanation of this, keep reading below.

In order to accept the offer of God’s grace and his salvation, you must take the crucial three steps of …

1. Agreeing – A belief and agreeing with God in all that he says in his word, the Bible, about the fact that you are separated from God, as every man and woman on the face of the earth are before accepting his salvation.  The Bible reveals that all are separated from him in a spiritual state of death, or said another way that the Bible reveals it, in a state of sin, that will result in damnation in the afterlife.  Agreeing with God in your heart that you are in need of his salvation.  The Bible reveals that God looks upon the heart of a man or woman, and thus, responds accordingly to the person who comes to him for salvation in recognition of his inability to save himself.  The Bible makes these facts very clear – “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).  “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).  The Bible describes these three kinds of death:  

• physical death (the state experienced when life leaves our bodies).
• spiritual death (spiritual separation from God caused by our state of spiritual death inherited from the first man Adam – the state of sin that results in our daily outward acts of sin, whether deliberate or not, whether omissive or not; and finally …
• the second death (the fixed state entered into by the individual who dies physically while he or she is dead spiritually). This state is entered into after the death of the body which results in punishment in the afterlife until the event of the Great White Throne Judgment occurs wherein the damned are resurrected from Hades, or Hell, and are judged according to their works and finally destroyed and cease to exist after being cast into the Lake of Fire. Revelation 14 refers to this tragic end of the unsaved as the “Second Death” (verse 14). It is this state of suffering entered into after physical death and then final destruction at the Great White Throne Judgment in particular which is the horrible result of receiving the wages of sin (unforgiven due to unbelief and rejection of Christ). The Lord Jesus Christ frequently described such a death as being irrevocable in a destiny which he called Hell.  He described Hell as a literal place of judgment (Matthew 13:42); a place of everlasting fire (Matthew 18:8); a place of torment (Luke 16:24,28); a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 13:50); a place of remorse (Mark 9:44-48); of bitter memory (Luke 16:25), and a place originally prepared for the Devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41).  In fact, Jesus more often warned about Hell than he spoke about Heaven.

It is not God’s will or desire that any person should be consigned to perish in Hell (2 Peter 3:9), but rather that all should come to repentance of unbelief toward him and believe on him for the salvation of the individual’s soul.  But God’s justice requires that the “soul who sins” (remains in it’s state of death or state of sin) is the one who will die a second time after a long period of torment (Ezekiel 18:4).  So, agree with God, admitting that you are unable to save yourself and in a state of sin under God’s just condemnation for that sin and that you are in need of his salvation.

2. Believing – Then, believe that God does not want you to suffer this fate because of your sin.  Believe that God loves you so much that he provided a way whereby he could still be a just, holy and righteous God, and yet pardon you.  Believe that God did not just overlook sin, but that he sent his only begotten son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to provide salvation by personally paying the penalty for sin.  Believe that Jesus Christ, whose life, death, burial and resurrection is the best-attested fact of antiquity, did come to earth to live, die, rise again and ascend to Heaven in order to provide justification and salvation for all who trust him.  Believe that he, and he alone, can save you because he has fully satisfied the just demands of God.  Believe that you can’t become righteous in God’s sight by your own effort.  Believe that he wants to save you and that he will save you.  The Bible provides a solid basis for such belief …

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:16-17). 

“But God demonstrates his love toward us in this:  while we were yet sinners,  Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). 

God presented him (Jesus Christ) as a sacrifice of atonement through faith in his blood.  He did this to demonstrate his justice because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished – he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies the man or woman who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3:25-26). 

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;  And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures … ” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). 

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). 

“Jesus answered, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).  “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

“All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out [drive away]” (John 6:37).

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20).

3. Calling – It is not enough to agree with God, admit your need, and believe that Christ can and will save you.  You must act upon those facts. God’s requirement is that you repent of your unbelief toward him and actively call upon him for the salvation of your soul based on the fact that you cannot save yourself. It is unbelief in particular that damns the soul to its horrible fate …

“He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18).

“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36).

“And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15).

You must be willing to completely turn from your own efforts to save yourself or from any other hope.  You must come to Christ, calling upon him for salvation and counting on the fact that he will do what he has promised.  This means simply taking the gift of pardon and eternal life which he offers.  Merely believing about Jesus Christ without coming to him makes as much sense and is as effective as believing that a medication can successfully treat a fatal disease, but failing to take it.  Yet again, the Bible emphatically and authoritatively provides the basis for such statements.

The word translated “believe” here means to “rest one’s entire weight and trust on the object or person in which the belief is placed.”  It requires action in keeping with the intellectual assent of that belief.

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).

” … but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

The logical question you may be asking at this point is:  “how do I come to Christ and call upon him?”  The answer is that “calling upon the Lord” is just another term for praying, or talking to God.  To talk to God is not a complicated process, dependent upon some special rituals.  God has invited people to approach him through his Son in simple, straightforward terms.  In fact, Jesus approved of the dishonest, despised tax collector who simply prayed, “God be merciful to me, a sinner.”  While the exact words of your prayer to God are not of vital importance (since God sees and knows the attitude of your heart), the following is the kind of prayer that you could pray in calling upon God for salvation …

“Dear Lord Jesus:  I realize that I need you.  I admit that I have sinned and that I deserve your just, eternal punishment for that sin.  But I am sorry for my sin and I am turning to you and asking for forgiveness.  I believe that you died and rose again to pay sin’s penalty on my behalf.  I come to you and open my heart to you.  I ask you to come into my life, forgive me for all of my sin and make me your child.  I invite you to take control of my life and to cause me to be the kind of person you would have me to be.  I thank you for doing this because you have promised that whosoever calls upon you, as I am doing now, shall be saved.  I pray this in the name of your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.”

If this prayer expresses the desire of your heart, I urge you to sincerely and genuinely express it to God as your prayer.  The Bible makes clear that when we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ in our heart, God forgives our sins and counts us righteous, and that when we openly confess with our mouth what we have done in our heart,  God gives us assurance of that salvation (Romans 10:9-10).

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again” (John 3:3-7).

Recommended Reading and Viewing:
SINAI PENTECOST: CALENDAR CALCULATIONS – DETERMINING THE END OF THE CHURCH AGE

ZEPHANIAH’S PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE