Preparing for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ and the Rapture

It seems inconceivable that at any moment Christians around the world could simply disappear. Nevertheless, those of us who study and understand the word of God are anxiously looking forward to the rapture and the second coming of Jesus Christ.

Those who try to attack the word of God will quickly tell us that the word "rapture" doesn't appear in the Bible. The Greek term where it appears is "harpazo" which means to be caught up or snatched away.

Before Jesus was seized by the religious leaders he said to the disciples, "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 unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." (John 14:1-3)

This will be a secret event (a thief in the night) when Christ takes the believers from the earth which is commonly referred to as the rapture. "Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come." (Matt.24:40-42)

Scriptures associated with the rapture are in line with ancient Jewish marriage traditions where the groom leaves to prepare a place for his bride. In the parable of the ten virgins, the virgins are the bride's maids who are watching and listening for the groom. Five of them were foolish and had to go buy more oil. Consequently, they were left behind.

The church is the bride and Christ is the groom. He has gone to the Father to prepare for his bride and when he returns, he will take her to his father's house where there will be a glorious celebration.

The second coming is when the Lord comes back with his bride (true believers) to set up his kingdom. Meanwhile, those who were left behind will go through what Jesus called the Great Tribulation, which is when the Antichrist will be revealed.

This will be a time unlike any other since the world began. Those who are left on the earth will see some incredible things. There will be a great deception and those whose names are not written in the Lamb's book of life will eagerly receive it.

"For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." (Matt. 24:24)

God is going to send them a strong delusion and they will believe it because they want to believe it. Those who turned away from the living God to embrace a one world religion, among other things, will also readily embrace the Antichrist.

"Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." (2Thess. 2:9-12)

Halfway through this seven-year period, the Antichrist will set up the abomination of desolation. Those who take the mark of the beast will be acknowledging the beast as Lord and thereby denying Christ. Many of those who don' take the mark of the beast will be martyred. Things will only get worse as the Great Tribulation progresses.

"When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be." (Matt.24)

"And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." (Luke 21)

The second coming of Christ and the rapture is getting closer with each passing day. The Holy Spirit is holding back the wrath until the last soul to be saved is added to the Kingdom.

"For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." (Luke 21:35-36)

"Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty." (Rev. 1:7-8)