Page 173 - Eschatology - Masters revised

Jesus’ disciples often asked Him when the end times would occur, and He always reminded them that it
was not for them to know. We are not to set dates for the Rapture. First, whenever mankind has set a
date for the Rapture, he has always been 100% wrong. Second, those who set dates for the Rapture
usually end up in a cult which denies key Biblical truths and insist on loyally following a cultic leader
even though he or she is wrong.

The Rapture is imminent for a good reason. The expectation that Jesus Christ could call us as believers to
meet Him in the air at any moment should motivate us to be ready to meet Him at all times.

My parents used to warn me against doing certain things when I was a teenager. They would say, “Make
sure you don’t involve yourself in anything that you would be ashamed of if the Rapture occurred.” Of
course, Jesus knows everything we do, say, think and feel. But the admonition from my parents was
good for me to think about as I became a teenager and then, a grown man.

Our curiosity is awakened as we watch the world events around us. As we have seen from Scripture,
there are no signs leading up to the Rapture. Many believers are confused about this issue. The Bible is
clear that the signs Jesus gave in Matthew 24-25 are signs leading up to the Second Coming of Christ,
not the Rapture.

The only thing we can do is observe our world as it prepares for the Tribulation Period. There are certain
things we can observe and conclude. We do know that our world is now more prepared for the
Tribulation Period than it was several decades ago.

Allow me to illustrate what I am saying. In western culture the stores begin to prepare for Christmas in
October and November, putting up Christmas decorations, playing Christmas music, and advertising
Christmas gifts. The stores are trying to get everyone in the Christmas mood early so that they will buy
more and more Christmas gifts. When we observe this preparation for Christmas in October, we are
reminded that Christmas is coming. We also know that the Thanksgiving holiday is celebrated one
month before Christmas. While there are a very few preparations for the Thanksgiving holiday in the
stores, the Christmas preparation reminds us that because Christmas is so close, the Thanksgiving
holiday is closer!

As we observe things happening in our world which could be preparations for the Tribulation period, we
can assume the Rapture is getting closer still.

General Preparations

During the Tribulation period, we will see an extraordinary increase in catastrophes. Some of them will
be things we are already experiencing, but to a greater degree during the Tribulation period. Others will
be clearly supernatural judgments sent by God to get people’s attention. Our earth is already
experiencing greater activity, both in number and in intensity, of things like earthquakes, hurricanes,
volcanic eruptions, flooding, weather extremes, etc.

Newly developed technology increases the possibility of certain events prophesied to occur during the
Tribulation period. The Bible reveals that the antichrist will be able to control commerce all over the
earth through his one-world government. This is now technically possible with internet economic
transactions.

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