Page 116 - Ecclesiology Textbook Masters

The casual reading of the daily news clearly indicates that most of the world has rejected God. The
world’s greatest scientists can even figure out the difference between a boy and a girl. The gay and
lesbian voice proudly taunts and insists that their debased morality be respected and protected as a
fundamental human right. Since Row vs. Wade (just over 50 years) over 60 MILLION babies have been
murdered in the wombs of women in the US. To make this even more frightening, over 56 million
abortions occurred worldwide each year in 2010 to 2014 and the rate has been static since then. Many,
if not most, of these unwanted children is a result of promiscuous behavior. Currently it is estimated
that over 30 million women and girls are slaves within the human marketing industry in the world. The
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“forced labor” statistics indicate that over $150 BILLION is made in illegal profits per year.

Can you see that 2 Timothy 3:1-5 is as true today, and more so, than any time in history?

The Next Biblical Event in History

While we don’t know all the events that will take place shortly, we do know that the next unfulfilled
event to take place with the church is the Rapture. We do not know when it will happen. The
expectation of Paul was that it could happen at any time.

We believe that this event will take place preceding the revelation of the Antichrist and the events of
the tribulation as described in the book of Revelation.

What we know about the rapture is that it will happen very quickly and unexpectedly. I Thessalonians
4:13-18 are probably the most clear and complete presentation of this event in all of Scripture.

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 (NIV84)13 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those
who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 14 We believe that Jesus died
and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in
him. 15 According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till
the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord
himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and
with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still
alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.
And so, we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage each other with these words.

In several places in Scripture, we are told that a sound of the trumpet will initiate this event. Once the
trumpet is heard, the dead who have died during the church age will be raised from their graves, then all
living believers will instantly, “in the twinkle of an eye” disappear to meet Christ in the clouds.

The Rapture is initiated by the sounding of the shofar or trumpet.

In both the I Thess. 4:16 and I Cor. 15:52 the Bible states clearly that trumpets will
sound to initiate the event of the Rapture. The sound of trumpets announces
Christ’s coming in the clouds for all believers.

Leviticus 23 is the single chapter in the Scriptures that sums up everything. God’s
eternal plan from chaos to eternity is ingeniously revealed through the nature

41 https://www.safehorizon.org/get-informed/human-trafficking-statistics-facts/#statistics-and-facts/

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