Tick Tock Time Is Running Out – Part 1

We’re in between studies right now, so I thought I would change things up a little bit. We are two months into the New Year now, but the possibilities within this year are still new and fresh for us. What will happen in 2023? I can’t give you an answer because I don’t know the future, and I can’t tell you what will happen tomorrow, next week, or 10 months from now. But one thing is for sure, something new is happening every day.

Who really knows what tomorrow brings? God knows. God knows the past, present, and future of the world, as well as for each and every one of us. As humans, we have this natural propensity in us that wants to know just what the future holds… what’s going to happen to us? As students of the Bible, we should know what the future holds through God’s Word and through His prophecies, we just don’t know the details, like dates or the specific times of the things that are to come.

It’s important for us to know and understand God’s prophecies. Charlie Kirk likes to say, “Prophecy poorly understood creates paralysis and cynicism, whereas, prophecy properly understood, creates urgency and optimism.”

I would agree with that.

John Walvoord: “The study of prophecy is an impossibility for an intelligent liberal who denies the inspiration of the Bible, for to him there can be no certain prophetic Word.” (1959)

As believers, we need to always examine the Scriptures. It’s imperative for us to study God’s Word and allow it to minister to us. Such as…

John 10:27
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.”

This simple truth tells us that we are God’s very own possession, and that He has purchased us with His own blood. We belong to Him, and no one, not even satan, can take us out of His hand. Now, looking into the future…

John 14:1-3
“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 you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”

When Jesus says to us, “I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also,” we know that our future is going to be with God, and that Jesus is going to come for us; this is a promise from Him.

This Scripture from John 14 is a reference to the coming Rapture of the Church, and is a prophetic word from Jesus.

Acts 1:6-7
“Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.”

Jesus’ disciples were curious about the future, just as we are. It was unnecessary and inappropriate for them to know the exact date of the Second Advent of Christ. The reason the disciples didn’t need to know at that time was because 2,000 years needed to pass. Their job was to carry out the Great Commission and to spread the gospel to the very ends of the earth, which is our job as well.

Actually, God does want us to know what the future holds.

Matt. 24:3
“Now as He (Jesus) sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

I imagine the disciples figured they had the inside track with Jesus, being that they were so close to Him, but Jesus first says to them…

Matt. 24:4
“Take heed that no one deceives you.”

This is a big statement for us, because when it comes to understanding the “End Times,” there are numerous teachings and opinions out there as well as false teachings. So, when someone comes out and tells you that they’ve figured out what day the Rapture will take place, run!

Jesus gives a specific warning to us, not to be deceived.

Eph. 5:6
“Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.”

What does it mean to be deceived? Today, we live in a world of information and dis-information, and it’s important that we know what the truth is and what is false information. There are lies all around us.

Jer. 29:8
“This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let your prophets and fortune-tellers who are with you in the land of Babylon trick you. Do not listen to their dreams,” (NLT)

The emergence of false and unreliable news on the internet is a cultural, political, and technological phenomenon that’s hard to get your head around, let alone fully understand. Conspiracy theories, misinformation, and disinformation run rampant on the internet and television, and it’s often difficult for people to tell what is true and what is not, as many things are outright lies. Social media companies are not exactly doing a bang-up job of addressing the problem, either. In most cases, social media is at the root of the problem. A word to the wise.

There are far too many people who think everything they see and read on the internet is true. The only real truth for us comes from God’s Word. (Can I get an amen?)

The Scriptures tell us that Jesus is indeed coming back, and Jesus even tells us this Himself.

Matt. 24:30
“Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”

This is a reference to the Second Coming of Jesus. The first time Jesus came to the earth He came as the Pure Spotless Lamb. The second time Jesus comes to the earth He will come as a conquering King, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Rev. 19:11-14
“And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself… He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses.”

The references to the Second Coming of Jesus far outnumber the references to His First coming by a factor of eight to one. Scholars have identified some 1,845 different biblical references to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. (ref. David Jeramiah)

Now, it’s important for us to understand that the Second Coming of Jesus Christ will come in two parts. We’ve just talked about the fact that Jesus will return to the earth physically as a conquering King, but before this happens, Jesus is going to come back for His Church first.

John 14:3
“If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.”

I Thessalonians 4:16-18
“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord… therefore comfort one another with these words.”

If you’re looking for the word Rapture in the Bible, you won’t find it, but you will find the phrase caught up. The Greek word for caught up is harpazō which means to “snatch out” or to “snatch away.” Thus, the concept of the Rapture is in the Bible. It’s just like the word “Trinity;” you can’t find it in the Bible as well, but Scripture clearly states it.

We have a promise from God and He tells us that He’s going to come for us believers before He judges the world. He’s going to “snatch us away” from this crazy world. This is truly wonderful and amazing news for us.

As we remind others of this truth, or just talk about the fact that God is coming for us, this tends to give us a real sense of peace and comfort. As Paul says, “Therefore comfort one another with these words.”

John 14:29
“Now I have told you before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe.”

I believe things are starting to happen all around us, and we could soon be headed for heaven.

Phil 3:20 (Paul talks about our real home)
“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;”

Jesus is going to come for His Church and take her to her real home, heaven. But He will not come down to the earth physically to do this, we will meet Him in the clouds as Paul has told us.

There are differing views when it comes to just when Jesus’ Church will be “taken up” or Raptured. These views are known as Pre-Trib, Mid-Trib, and Post-Trib. There are numerous discussions and debates on this subject, and I’m not going to get into any of that here tonight. The view I am presenting is from the Pre-Trib point of view.

After many years of studying the Bible, the Pre-Trib view is the one I’m most comfortable with. Pre-Trib means that the Church will be raptured into heaven before the coming Tribulation begins. You on the other hand, have the freedom to study this subject and form your own opinion.

So, when will the Rapture take place? Like I said before, we don’t know the date or time, but we can know the season when Jesus will come for us.

I Cor. 15:51-53
“Behold, I tell 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 trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.”

The twinkling of an eye… this is instantaneous, you will be gone in a flash.

This means that the bodies we’re occupying right now, (for some of us, they’re referred to as “old worn-out tents” as Paul likes to describe them) will experience a transformation instantaneously into our new glorified bodies. One moment we’re on earth doing our thing, and the next moment we’re in the clouds with Jesus, it will be that quick. This is the Rapture, and as we’re raptured, we will receive our new glorified bodies.

Rom. 8:23 (Paul talks about looking forward to these new bodies)
“And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us.”

The thought of “new bodies” should give you a little bit of a thrill, I know it does for me. Our new bodies will be totally glorious, never again be subject to the curse. There will be no aging, no decay, no death, they will last for all eternity. These are the incorruptible and immortal bodies promised to us.

Incorruptible… meaning: uncorrupted, not liable to corruption or decay, imperishable, of things immortal, of the risen dead.

Why is putting on the incorruptible necessary for us?

I Cor. 15:50
“What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever.”

The bodies we have now were made to live on earth in this physical realm, and not for heaven and eternity.

R. A. Torrey writes, “We will not be disembodied spirits in the world to come, but redeemed spirits, in redeemed bodies, in a redeemed universe.”

Gen. 2:7
“Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.”

The Hebrew word for “living being” is neh-phesh, it’s often translated as “soul.”

The point at which Adam became “neh-phesh” is when God joined his body and spirit together. Adam wasn’t a living person until he had both the physical and spiritual aspects of his body. Thus, the essence of who we are isn’t just our spirit, but our spirit united with our body.

Randy Alcorn says, “Your body does not merely house the real you… it is as much a part of who you are as your spirit is.”

I say all this to make the point that God has designed us as body and spirit. The problem is that our earthly bodies would never survive heaven, let alone stand before God.

Remember when God put Moses in the cleft of a rock as He walked by? (Ex. 33:20) “But He said, “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!”

This is why we need a “new” resurrected and glorified body.

Randy Alcorn; “When we die, it isn’t that our real self goes to the present heaven and our fake self goes to the grave; it’s that part of us goes to the present heaven and part goes to the grave to await our bodily resurrection. We will never be all that God intended for us until body and spirit are again joined in resurrection.”

Hope that this makes sense for you.

Theologian Anthony Hoekema; “Resurrected bodies are not intended just to float in space, or to flit from cloud to cloud. They call for a new earth on which to live and to work, glorifying God. The doctrine of the resurrection of the body, in fact, makes no sense whatsoever apart from the doctrine of the new earth.”

This pertains to the Millennium kingdom, which we’ll get into later down the road.

• Before the Rapture takes place, what will the conditions on earth be like?

II Tim. 3:1-7 (Paul gives us a good picture of the people at the end of the Church age)
“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! … For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

Have you seen any of these traits in people recently? It’s important to know that the people Paul is speaking of also includes the church as a whole. These characteristics listed in II Tim. 3 can very easily be found in the world and within church leadership, as well in congregations. It’s something to watch for.

The Bible refers to the Rapture as a mystery, and when we study God’s Word about the Rapture, it can become very exciting for us, and nothing to be anxious about.

II Tim. 4:3-4 (Paul gives us more conditions to look for)
“For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths.”

In the end times before the Rapture, we will see an increase in apostasy. The word apostasy comes from the Greek word a-post-a-sia, which means a “falling away.” People will be falling away from the truth of God’s Word. This speaks of someone who has been influenced in some way, they have made a conscious defection from their faith. Whether people are pulled away by money or the love of the world, they will be enticed away from their commitment to the Lord.

I Tim. 4:1-2
“Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons. These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead.” (NLT)

I think this Scripture accurately describes what’s going on in many churches today, as well as in society in general. This is a sad state of affairs for the world.

• How will we know when the Rapture is happening?

I Thess. 4:16
“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.” (NLT)

When you hear the “voice of an Archangel” do you think you’ll be able to recognize it? Or how about the “trumpet blast from heaven,” do you think you’ll know it when it comes?

Every believer will know it the moment it happens; in fact, you’ll be taken up before you even have time to think about it. I’m pretty sure that those who don’t belong to Christ won’t have a clue as to what’s going on, at least not right away. But, “the World” will know something has happened for sure, because all the believers will be gone from the earth, and the world will feel the effects of what has happened immediately.

Just imagine, every believer who is operating a car, truck, plane or ship will be gone in an instant, and nobody will be controlling those unmanned vehicles. You’ve heard of UAV’s, unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones as they’re called; they’re flown by someone with a keyboard and monitor. This will be the complete opposite, the car operated by a Christian will suddenly be without a driver and out of control.

The airline jet that has a Christian pilot will suddenly be without a pilot. Or perhaps, a Christian is having open heart surgery, in an instant the doctor has no patient on the table. If you’ve ever read the book or seen the movie “Left Behind,” then you know what I’m talking about.

From the book “Left Behind,”

“Local television stations from around the world reported bizarre occurrences, especially in time zones where the event had happened during the day or early evening. CNN showed via satellite the video of a groom disappearing while slipping the ring onto his bride’s finger. A funeral home in Australia reported that nearly every mourner disappeared from one memorial service, including the corpse, while at another service at the same time, only a few disappeared and the corpse remained. Morgues also reported corpse disappearances. At a burial, three of six pallbearers stumbled and dropped a casket when the other three disappeared. When they picked up the casket, it too was empty.”

I think it’s clear, at the time of the Rapture, the buzz word of the day will be “disappeared.”

It’s my thought that once the dust from this has settled, and the chaos has subsided, everyone will be is asking, “Where have all these people gone?” Quite possibly, the main stream media will report that all the Christians have been abducted by aliens (My personal opinion). Have you noticed an increase in UFO reports lately?

The key factor in all of this is, if a person is not a follower of Jesus Christ, meaning that they’ve never been born-again, they will be the ones “left behind” and will face God’s coming judgment. This is why it is so important for us that we tell anyone who will listen about God’s plan of salvation, how to be saved and not be left behind, especially to our family and friends.

The ones who have been left behind are doomed to face God’s judgment of the earth; this time period is known as “The Day of The Lord,” “The Wrath of God,” or “The Tribulation.”

The phrase “Day of the Lord” usually identifies the events that will take place at the end of history, and is often closely associated with the phrase “that day.” Besides being a time of judgment, it will also be a time of salvation, as God will deliver the remnant of Israel during the Tribulation, fulfilling His promise that “all of Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:26), forgiving their sins and restoring His chosen people to the land He promised to Abraham.

The purpose of the Rapture is to remove God’s children (the Church) from the earth so they will not face the “wrath” of God’s judgment that is coming. Some people do not agree with this, they feel that the Church needs to go through some kind of a purification process first. (If we are made righteous through the blood of Jesus, I don’t see how we can be made any cleaner than that).

I Thess. 1:10
“And to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.”

• How is it that we will be rescued from God’s wrath? Through the Rapture.

Rev. 3:10
“Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.”

The “hour of trial” is referring to the Tribulation period.

Rom. 5:9
“Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.”

I Thess. 5:9
“For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,”

The wrath of God is a fearsome and terrifying thing to go through. Only those who have been covered by the blood of Christ can be assured that God’s wrath will never fall on them. What a gift we have in Jesus!

The Rapture can happen at any time, Jesus could come for us at any moment, nothing prophetically needs to take place before this occurs. The last prophecy to be fulfilled happened on May 14, 1948, when David Ben-Gurion, the head of the Jewish Agency, proclaimed the establishment of the State of Israel. Then the U.S. President, Harry S. Truman recognized the new Nation of Israel on that very same day. The Jews have been moving back to Israel ever since.

Jer. 16:15
“Instead, they will say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the people of Israel back to their own land from the land of the north and from all the countries to which he had exiled them.’ For I will bring them back to this land that I gave their ancestors.” (NLT)

Tick-tock, time is running out…

Rom. 13:11
“This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.” (NLT)

Again, we have a reminder to tell others about Jesus before it’s too late. The nearness of the coming Rapture is also hinted at in James 5:7-9 (we just studied this) he says…

“Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. You, too, must be patient… Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near. Don’t grumble about each other, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. For look – the Judge is standing at the door!” (NLT)

Now that we know that Jesus could come back at any moment, how should we be conducting our lives? Number one would be that if we have a sin that we’ve been holding on to, we must confess it and move on, thus enjoying a close fellowship with God. It’s important for us to know that the moment we harbor any sin in our heart is the moment our communion and fellowship with God is broken, we haven’t lost our salvation, but God will not hear our prayers in this condition. It would also be embarrassing to meet Jesus in the clouds in a sinful condition.

I John 3:2-3
“Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but He has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like Him, for we will see Him as he really is. And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as He is pure.” (NLT)

Everyone who has the hope of seeing Jesus and being like Him realizes that He is morally pure. This realization helps us to always pursue our purity and holiness even more.

II Peter 3:14
“And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in His sight.” (NLT)

We know Jesus is coming back, but there are many who don’t have a peace about this. Believers should keep their values, actions, priorities, and behaviors in check all the time, and make sure that they line up in accordance with God’s will.

Luke 12:37-38
“The servants who are ready and waiting for His return will be rewarded. I tell you the truth, He Himself will seat them, put on an apron, and serve them as they sit and eat! He may come in the middle of the night or just before dawn. But whenever He comes, He will reward the servants who are ready.”

We always want to be ready for Jesus’ return… don’t be caught in any kind of habitual sin!

Mark 8:38
“If anyone is ashamed of Me and My message in these adulterous and sinful days the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when He returns in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”

I know it would break your heart to even think that Jesus would be ashamed of you when you see Him for the first time.

Most generations before us have anticipated the Rapture of the Church. Today, many credible Bible teachers sense that we’re in the “end times,” and that the Rapture is near. Live your life with the expectation that Jesus is coming soon!

As we come to a close, with the knowledge of our possible soon departure from this world, how should we conduct ourselves in the meantime?

Phil. 2:14
“Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,”

Yes, we live within a crooked and perverse generation and the world is going crazy all around us, so we need to be salt and light to everyone around us, and when the Holy Spirit gives you the opportunity, spread the gospel. The only way we can make sure we are ready for the Lord’s return is to stay ready every day.