There are events taking place all over this earth at the same time that are unprecedented. A major pandemic; locusts; severe weather patterns; numerous earthquakes in diverse places (Matthew 24:7); famines; satanic activity increasing and out in the open, just to name a few. People are even arguing about what gender they are, or what they want to be referred to. We’ve always had issues, but the intensity today is over the top. (any emphasis mine)
Witnessing all this brought a Southern Gospel Song to my mind called “Second Time Around.” When I entered that title on YouTube, many songs with that same title were displayed; and the artists varied from Frank Sinatra to Lady GaGa. Needless to say, none of these were close to the one I wanted to hear. The song, released in 2000 by a North Carolina group called the Anchormen, is one that applies to what is about to take place at just about any moment now.
It starts by saying that there was “quite a happening, in a Little Jewish Town.” It speaks of angels and shepherds being there to mark the event. The end of that stanza states, “But He won’t be in a manger, The Second Time Around.”
The second part talks about an event taking place on a “hillside,” where the crowd that gathered there was calling for the Son of God to be crucified. The end of that stanza states, “He won’t be hanging on a cross, The Second Time Around.”
The chorus gives us a picture of harpazo (taking up), or also known as the Rapture:
“For He’ll be coming back as King of Kings, in His mighty power. Catching all the saints away, in the midnight hour. He’ll step on a big white cloud when the trumpet sounds, to take us Home when He comes – The Second Time Around.”
Though this song has been around for a while in human terms, we must remember that God is not bound by time as we are. To Him, this was released just a “finger-snap” ago. What He gave us through the apostle Paul will happen, and it’s getting closer by the hour. The Father knows the exact “second” that this world will be forever changed.
Consider 1 Corinthians 15:51-53, “Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep [die], 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 [in Christ] will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable; and this mortal body must put on immortality.”
Two points here: “Twinkling of an eye” has been calculated by experts as taking place in less than 1,000th of a second – and yes, God is able to do that. Also, the “trumpet” mentioned has nothing to do with the trumpet judgments of Revelation 8:6 – Revelation 9. This is explained further in the next passages.
Going to 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17, “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers/sisters, about those who are asleep; that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope [unsaved]. For since we believe that Jesus died, and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep [their spiritual souls]. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from Heaven with a cry of command; with the voice of an Archangel, and with the sound of the Trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first [bodies to be reunited with souls]. Then, we who are alive, who are left [all believers only], will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will always be with the Lord.”
This will be the “Second Coming” of Jesus, but not to step foot on the earth. It’s to fulfill verses such as 1 Thessalonians 1:10, “and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come.”
As stated, the souls that have been with Jesus from the time they died, will be reunited with their earthly bodies, no matter what is left of them. They will be converted into a forever, immortal body. Those who are alive at the time of the Rapture will be converted into their forever bodies on the way up to meet Jesus. We will be the absolute most fortunate ones, as we won’t be subject to the 7-year tribulation/wrath period, which will make today’s events seem easy. Our forever with Jesus will begin at that instant.
For those who remain, by the next time Jesus returns to actually step foot on the earth, at least 2/3 of the population will have been killed (Zechariah 13:8). This was presented to the Jews as to the fate of the ones who enter the Tribulation, but it will also apply to anyone who calls on Jesus to be saved during that time. Yes, people will still turn to Jesus to be saved, but with a very steep price to pay.
The “world leader” or final antichrist, will not tolerate any other worship as he will demand total submission of everyone. That’s where taking the “mark of the beast” will come in (Revelation 13:15-16).
During the Wrath, anyone who does not take the mark will be subject to martyrdom, and those who kill them will believe they’re doing the world a favor.
On the other hand, Revelation 14:9-11 tells what happens to all who willingly choose to take the mark, and swear allegiance to the beast; “And another Angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, ‘If anyone worships the beast and its image, and receives a mark on his/her forehead or on his/her hand, he/she will also drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of His anger; and he/she will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the Holy Angels, and in the presence of the Lamb’. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.”
Their fate is sealed at the Great White Throne Judgment in Revelation 20:11-15.
There are steps being taken today to “chip” large amounts of the earth’s population, with the explanation given of being able to track disease, and other such excuses. Also, there are “chips” available to have a person’s information inside their bodies so that they can do transactions by just passing that area over or near a scanner. At this time, none of this is the Revelation “Mark of the Beast.” When that is done, the person who receives the mark will be told exactly what it is for. What’s being presented today could be viewed as a “prelude” to that mark.
All the technology today is being geared up by the New World Order for the coming of the New World Leader. At this time, anyone who is a true believer in Jesus as their Savior does not have to be concerned that they are being marked for the antichrist. When the time approaches for him and his false prophet to appear, we will all be gone. Paul tells us in 2 Thessalonians 2:7, “For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work [and even more prevalent today]. Only He [Holy Spirit] who now restrains it [antichrist] will do so until He is out of the way.”
To remove the Spirit’s restraining power is to remove all those He indwells – true believers worldwide. You would think this would be a major portion of the population, but it’s estimated that only about 10% of the non-Jewish people, and only 1%-2% of the total Jewish population fit that category.
This is so sad, yet the Lord knew it would be this way (Matthew 7:13-14). He made the process of being saved so simple, yet humans try to add their own issues, making it hard. The “gift” has been totally bought and paid for by the precious sinless blood of our Jesus. Our part is to receive the gift and accept it as is; confess we are sinners and cannot save ourselves, or buy or earn that gift; and to call out to Him that we want Him to accept us as part of His Flock. We have the promise that “All who call on the name of the Lord, will be saved” (Acts 2:21 and Romans 10:13)
Jesus will turn no one away who truly calls on Him. God wishes everyone on this earth would accept His Son, as He wants no one to be condemned (2 Peter 3:9). To delay could cause a person to enter the worst time-period this earth will ever go through. Jesus could call for His “Church” today. He could just be here for “The Second Time Around” at any hour now.
Be Ready – Maranatha! (Come, Lord Jesus)