Finale

God bless you.

I strongly disagree with you, Stan. Ask yourself why Revelation is even in the book if we don’t need it. I have done a lot of research on this “rapture” hoax. I don’t mean to say there isn’t a resurrection. What I’m saying is that the bus you plan to take is on a different schedule from the one you’re looking for. We have an opportunity to find out who is for the Lord and who isn’t. The hearts on many will wax cold. It’s already in the churches and has been for decades. Folks thinking they will escape persecution are deluding themselves. Look around the world. Christians are being persecuted and murdered every day. What makes you think America deserves a pass. Stand up and be counted. It’s going to be a rough ride. Buckle up and hold on.

The church in Thessalonia was an exemplary church concerned about the believers who had physically died not being able to be alive to see and experience Christ’s second coming.
1 Thessalonians 4:14-15 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent (Gk. phthanō) them which are asleep.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.
The verb [phthanein4] … means to anticipate someone in doing something. Presumably the Thessalonian Christians had wondered if those of their number who had died would suffer any disadvantage through not being alive to witness the Parousia and participate in its attendant glory.… Hence the readers are assured that their departed friends will suffer no disadvantage when the Lord comes.5
On a more popular level, William Hendriksen says,
[1 Thessalonians 4:15] … shows that in no sense whatever will those who are still on earth at the return have any advantage over those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. The inspired writer expresses it this way: For this we say to you by the word of the Lord that we, those who remain alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, shall have no advantage at all over those who fall asleep.6
Ancient Macedonians had an over-emphasis on their dead and many pagan funerary customs persisted even unto the fourth century…”At a time when Christianity was struggling to achive final victory, the faith of the Macedonian Christians was testified by the multitude of martyrs they produced. Apart from Saint Demetrios, the inscriptions, martyrologies a synaxaria mention many other martyrs: Nestor, Dominos, Akakios, Alexander, Theodoulos, John Agathopous, Anysia, Matrona, the sisters Agape, Chioi and Irene and many more” https://ancient-medieval-macedonian-history.blogspot.com/2008/06/social-and-intellectual-life-in.html
This has no effect on the timing of events surrounding tribulation (pre/post). Why warn your people of something they should never see? Jesus warns his people of what is to come, for even the elect:
Matthew 24
7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come..21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened…44 Therefore BE ye also READY: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

…The man of sin will be revealed FIRST…

2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 2 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2 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.
3 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;
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

John describes an innumerable amount of believers that have come out of the tribulation:

Revelation 7:13-14
13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

The time for milk sermons is gone… We need to really study the WHOLE Word in a way that we haven’t really had to in the past, lest we be deceived. We must understand context and translations that haven’t always been taught in church and discern the truth without just believing what we have been parroted for generations. Sharpen your swords, fill your lamps and PREPARE FOR BATTLE!

Ephesians 6:10-20: 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

On a logical side note…what harm comes to one who physically, emotionally, and spiritually prepares for these events? none… but for those who do not prepare, they may be caught off guard during a time when being caught off guard may weaken one’s emotional and spiritual resolve…
Matthew 24:43-44 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

I hope this finds you well… There is a peace in preparation that we are meant to have right now, and a freedom that comes from the intentional resistance to worldly systems.

Hebrews 13:6: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever”; that’s where the “comfort is. ”
“But of that day or hour no man knows, not even the angels of heaven”…Matthew 24:36 and following. Is your faith in Jesus’ Word going to fail if you “have to go through Revelation”? Really? Is your love for and commitment to Him him conditional…? So if the Groom doesn’t happen to show up when the Bride demands, is the Wedding called off…? Golly.
Commit to the Lord, Church, through whatever we may have to endure, whenever His return is determined by the Father. Be ready to occupy til He comes. Strengthen your faith. “Not my will, but yours be done”. Praying He comes tonight, but if not, He’s still our Loving Lord, and His Kingdom is coming!