1 Corinthians 15:52 “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
As a youth back in 1982, I remember being told about something called ‘the Rapture.’ Mainly that it would be a time when Christians are ‘snatched away’ in the blink of an eye before the Great Tribulation comes upon the whole world! As a kid, it sounded like a ‘terrifying time’ of having to decide whether a person would take the ‘666 Mark of the Beast’ (accepting that they would go to Hell for all eternity for doing so), or deciding to refuse the Mark of the Beast and willingly getting their heads chopped off (realizing that they would go to Heaven for all eternity instead)!
Revelation 13:16-18 “And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number [is] Six hundred threescore [and] six.”
It all sounded like some ‘ethereal event’ that would happen way far off into the future, so during my teen and young adult years, I kind of just ‘stored it all away’ and went about my life by starting a family and raising kids. Seeing how the churches we attended throughout those years barely, if ever, spoke on the subject of the Rapture or the Tribulation, which in turn only helped to make it easier to put it all ‘on the back burner,’ if you will. Easier to forget, easier to not watch for the signs, and easier to live a ‘more secular’ kind of life, such as a life of ‘carnality’ with one foot in the church and the other in the world.
1 Peter 4:12-13 “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.”
Only when things ‘started unraveling’ in our family did the topic of the Rapture and the End Times come back into focus again. ‘Focus’ in the form of a vision while yet asleep. It was a Spring morning in 2012 – when ‘sleeping in was the norm’ due to suffering from deep depression – when this ‘vision’ all of a sudden came to me. Just for the record, I have not had a vision before or since this occurrence, and I am also not one to say, “God told me thus and thus” either. All I know is that I had all but forgotten about this subject of the Rapture. Even when this vision manifested, I did not immediately ‘relate it to the Rapture’ until I started subsequently growing in the Lord and learning more about Bible Prophecy. Only then was I able to eventually ‘connect the Biblical dots,’ as it were.
The Vision:
{Out of nowhere, Jesus walked up and took me by the right hand to walk away from the computer screen and to follow Him into a long, dark tunnel. To walk step by step by following the Lord, not being able to see (walking by faith and not by sight) as He was leading me by the right hand through this obscure place. Occasionally, there were shallow water puddles along the way, which made for some discomfort, but still I kept on following Him every step of the way until we came upon some metal doors at the end of the tunnel.
At this juncture, Jesus opened one side of the doors for me so we could step out into the beautiful sunlight of day and onto some fresh green grass, along with the sounds of birds’ cheerfully chirping’ nearby (just as things humming along as business as usual). The Lord then led me a few more steps onto a hill to set our eyes towards the right and onto a ‘golden city,’ which was Jerusalem! Jesus then gestured with His hand towards Jerusalem and said, “The Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand.”
Luke 13:23-25 “Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are.”
At that saying, and for some reason, I looked down upon the valley below that was straight ahead and saw this long, winding road, one that inevitably led to the golden city. For whatever reason, I perceived (by leaning unto my own understanding) that I somehow still had 20-40 years until I would get to the Heavenly Kingdom. Although, before I knew it, I was already standing in front of the ‘city of gold’ before an arched double wooden door! Suddenly, one side of the doors opened up, and something like a ‘huge invisible hand’ seized my entire being! Just as a child who ‘hurriedly snatches up’ its beloved rag doll because it is time to go home, so as by this hand, I was furiously ‘ushered into the narrow door’!
John 10:9 “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”
Once the door slammed shut and I was on the inside, I immediately said, “Whoa!” for it all happened so violently fast! Then there were immediate sounds of ‘fierce pounding’ on the outside of the door (in hindsight, reminiscent of the foolish virgins). Not knowing who or what it was, I just assumed it was the Devil. Then upon turning around, I saw Jesus as God standing on a type of stage or platform up ahead and discerned that He was waiting for me! Instinctively, I ran towards Him, and as soon as I reached the platform on where He was standing, the Lord received me into His loving arms. And while He held me in this long-awaited embrace, it was then that I knew I was ‘Finally Home’!
After what seemed like an unmeasured amount of time, Jesus then took me into a large Banqueting Hall and seated me at one of the many long banqueting tables that were there. Then the Lord hurried off, for He had much to do. Across the table, there was a young lady who resembled my youngest who was so happy to see me. There was also a man coming to sit down next to me who resembled my husband, and there were several others who were coming to sit down and fellowship at this banqueting table as well. Needless to say, I was overwhelmed by all of the excitement, and the last thought I remember having as I paused to myself in this vision was, “I am exhausted!” Then, just like that, this ‘spectacular vision’ ended; and truth be told, I have not been able to get it out of my mind ever since!}
Luke 12:37 “Blessed are those servants, whom the LORD when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.”
Luke 12:37 Commentaries: (biblehub.com)
Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Shall make them sit … – Shall place them at his table and feast them. This evidently means that if we are faithful to Christ and are ready to meet him when he returns, he will receive us into heaven – will admit us to all its blessings, and make us happy there – as if “he” should serve us and minister to our wants. It will be as if a master, instead of sitting down at the table “himself,” should place his faithful “servants” there, and be himself the servant. This shows the exceeding kindness and condescension of our Lord. For “us” poor and guilty sinners, he denied himself, took the form of a servant (Philippians 2:7), and ministered to our wants. In our nature, he has worked out salvation, and he has done it in one of the humblest conditions of the children of men. How should our bosoms burn with gratitude to him, and how should “we” be willing to serve one another! See the notes at John 13:1-17. – Source
There is soon coming a day when we shall see Jesus face to face and look into His wonderful eyes and feel His loving hands wipe away every tear from our crying eyes. Are you ready for that day? Are you waiting and watching for His soon return? Luke 12 says blessed are those who will be found watching, because the Lord will gird himself and make them to sit down to dine, and He will come and serve them! Oh, what a glorious day that will be when our Jesus we shall finally see!
Isaiah 25:8-9 “He will swallow up death in victory; and the LORD God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it. And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”
Until next time… Maranatha!
JESUS = THE WAY, THE TRUTH, & THE LIFE!
Jesus Will Come!
Candy Austin is an Ambassador for Christ/Freelance ASL Interpreter/Writer, just passing through on this Narrow Path with her Beloved Husband and Best Friend Doug, along with their 2 fur baby cats Harley (12) and Dallas (9). (Instagram: kingdomofheavenisathand21)