I didn’t see a lot of prophetic news that I wanted to write about early this week, so here is my understanding of a famous Pre-Trib Rapture passage (I Thess. 4:13-5:9).
I have omitted the Chapter divisions because they were not in the original texts.
I have capitalized some of the pronouns because the verses are a contrast between believers and unbelievers; the saved and the lost.
“But I would not have YOU to be ignorant, BRETHREN, concerning them which are asleep, that YE sorrow not, even as others which have no hope” (I Thess. 4:13).
- God doesn’t want YOU, the brethren (believers; brothers and sisters in Christ), to be ignorant about what happens to those that have died (those whose body is in the cemetery; the word cemetery means sleeping place).
“For if WE [the believers] believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him” (I Thess. 4:14).
- If WE believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus, even though OUR body is in the sleeping place (the cemetery), Jesus will still bring OUR soul and spirit with Him.
“For this we say unto YOU [believers] by the word of the Lord, that WE [believers] which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep” (I Thess. 4:15).
- Paul said we are telling YOU (the believers) what the Lord (Jesus) wants YOU (the believers) to know about these things.
- We (the believers) that are still alive on earth when Jesus comes with the soul and spirit of those whose body is in the cemetery (sleeping place) will not prevent Jesus from raising deceased believers from the dead.
“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first” (I Thess. 4:16):
- Jesus will personally come out of heaven and raise the deceased believers from the dead before He does anything about the believers that are still alive and on earth at that time (see Jn. 11:43; Rev. 4:1).
“Then WE which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (I Thess. 4:17).
- After Jesus has raised the deceased believers from the dead, all believers (those that have not died, and those that died but have been raised from the dead) will be caught up (Raptured) at the same time to meet Jesus in the air and be with Him forever (He doesn’t touch down on earth. Believers will fly away to meet Him in the air).
“Wherefore comfort one another with these words” (I Thess. 4:18).
- Believers should discuss these comforting words with others.
“But of the times and the seasons, BRETHREN, YE have no need that I write unto YOU” (I Thess. 5:1).
- Concerning when the Rapture is near, BRETHREN (believers), YOU don’t need me to tell YOU (the brothers and sisters in Christ) anything about that.
“For YOURSELVES know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night” (I Thess. 5:2).
- YOU are well aware that the Rapture will catch some people by surprise.
“For when THEY [the unbelievers] shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon THEM [the unbelievers], as travail upon a woman with child; and THEY [the unbelievers] shall not escape” (I Thess. 5:3).
- When the unbelievers declare Peace and safety on earth, sudden destruction will come upon the unbelievers, and the unbelievers will not escape (they will be left behind to go through the Tribulation Period).
“But YE, BRETHREN, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake YOU as a thief” (I Thess. 5:4).
- But YOU, the believers, are not in darkness so that day will not catch You by surprise (you have the Word, and you can see the day approaching).
“YE are all the children of light, and the children of the day: WE are not of the night, nor of darkness” (I Thess. 5:5; Matt. 5:14; Jn. 8:12; Col. 1:12-13).
- You have been enlightened by the Scriptures, called out of darkness, and won’t be surprised like those that don’t believe (I Pet. 2:9).
“Therefore let US not sleep, as do others; but let US watch and be sober” (I Thess. 5:6).
- Because WE (the believers) are the children of light, WE should stay awake spiritually, watch what is happening in light of the Scriptures, and use good judgment.
“For THEY [the unbelievers] that sleep sleep in the night; and THEY [the unbelievers] that be drunken are drunken in the night” (I Thess. 5:7).
- Unbelievers are like people that sleep and get drunk at night.
- They are not aware of what is happening in light of the Scriptures.
“But let US, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation” (I Thess. 5:8).
- Let us, the children of light, use good judgment, have faith, love God and others, and cling to our hope that Jesus will come out of heaven to raise deceased believers, change living believers, give all believers a new body, and take us to heaven.
“For God hath not appointed US [the believers] to wrath [the Tribulation Period is a day of wrath; Zeph. 1:15; Rev. 6:16], but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Thess. 5:9).
- God hasn’t appointed believers to go through the day of wrath.
- God has appointed believers to be saved by our Lord Jesus Christ.
Here are some indications that a great day is coming soon.
One, on Jan. 27, 2022, it was reported that New Hampshire State Representative Leah Cushman, a registered nurse, has proposed a bill to permit pharmacists to dispense Ivermectin as an over-the-counter treatment for Covid-19.
- Cushman believes making Ivermectin readily available will save lives.
- She believes it will pass in New Hampshire and go into effect in 60 days.
- A group of physicians called the Front Line Covid-19 Critical Care Alliance (FLCCCA) is advocating the use of Ivermectin, and a group of almost 2,400 physicians has endorsed this group’s recommendations.
- A similar bill has been introduced in at least 3 other states.
- Readers may want to ask their legislators to pass a similar bill.
Two, concerning deceit: it is not unusual to hear someone say they do not think Pres. Biden is running things in the U.S.
On Jan. 21, 2022, Biden’s Press Sec., Jen Psaki, was on “The View,” and Joy Behar said, “A little bird told me that you said you might be retiring, resigning the job this year. Say it isn’t so.”
Psaki replied, “I don’t know when I’m leaving. This is an honor and a privilege, and I love working for Pres. Obama—Biden.”
There is now so much deceit in Washington, it is difficult to know what to believe.
(More: On Jan. 30, 2022, a group called “True the Vote” released video of people allegedly putting thousands of illegal ballots in ballot boxes after midnight in Georgia. According to a spokesperson, this is the first video they have released, but the group has compiled evidence of organized voter fraud in 6 states.)
(More: On Feb. 1, 2022, it was reported that political commentator and filmmaker, Dinesh D’Souza, has joined “True the Vote” to produce a movie that proves widespread voter fraud. The movie will be released this spring. According to D’Souza, they tracked about 2,000 people that stuffed ballot boxes, and they have filmed one person that made 53 trips to 20 different ballot boxes.)
Three, concerning deceit and the Mark of the Beast: even though the Center for Disease Control (CDC) is on record as saying it will not change the definition of “fully vaccinated,” on Jan. 26, 2022, it was reported that the CDC will replace the words “fully vaccinated” with the words “up to date.”
A patient that has had two vaccinations and a booster shot and been deemed “fully vaccinated” in the past will not be considered to be “up to date” if the CDC orders more vaccinations or booster shots.
This is why some prophecy teachers believe the government will keep adding to or changing the requirements until their requirements turn into the Mark of the Beast.
Four, concerning world government, deceit, corruption, and betrayal of the U.S.: on Jan. 26, 2022, Tucker Carlson aired a video (on the Tucker Carlson Tonight TV program) that was caught on a police bodycam of a Biden administration contractor saying, “If this gets out… the government is betraying the American people.”
The man that made this statement was supervising a program to fly planeloads of illegal aliens into various parts of the U.S.
The contractor explained to the police officer on video that it is his job to keep the American people from knowing what the Biden administration is doing (probably because they are traitors for betraying the U.S. by breaking federal law).
Five, concerning the return of rain to Israel at the end of the age: on Jan. 27, 2022, residents of Jerusalem woke up with about 7 inches of snow on the ground that was expected to be melted by rain that would start later in the day.
Six, concerning the Battle of Gog and Magog: on Jan. 26, 2022, it was reported that Russia has recently taken 2 steps that are pro-Iran and anti-Israel.
- Russian and Syrian military jets have started joint air patrols over the Golan Heights along Syria’s border with Israel (where the Battle of Gog and Magog will take place).
- Russian special forces have started round-the-clock patrols of the Syrian seaport at Latakia where Iran is delivering advanced weapons to Hezbollah.
The co-operation between Russia and Iran is growing stronger.
The danger is that Israel must be careful not to shoot down a Russian jet over the Golan and not to kill Russian troops while trying to destroy Iranian weapons that are being unloaded at Latakia.
The death of Russians by the hands of Israelis could be used as an excuse for war.
(Update 1: On Jan. 26, 2022, it was reported that Russia has taken a third pro-Iranian and anti-Israel step by permitting Iranian planes to land at Russia’s airbase at Latakia.)
(Update 2: Joint air patrols by Russia and Syria over the Golan Heights have not stopped Israel from attacking targets in Syria. On Jan. 31, 2022, Israeli jets fired missiles from Lebanese airspace at targets near Damascus, the capital of Syria.)
Seven, concerning reprobate minds: Iran is financing the Houthis that are attacking Saudi Arabia, Hezbollah that is attacking Israel, Hamas that is launching rockets into Israel from Palestine, and terrorists inside Israel that are attacking Jews, but Iran is not paying her dues to the UN and is so far behind, the nation has lost its right to vote.
On Jan. 23, 2022, it was reported that the Biden administration just got $18 million of blocked Iranian funds released so Iran can pay its dues to the UN and start voting again (and the Iranians will continue to shout death to America).
Eight, concerning hyper-inflation and an economic collapse: on Feb. 2, 2022, it was reported that U.S. Treasury Dept. data shows that the U.S. national debt was $21.6 trillion when Biden took office, and it has now surpassed $30 trillion.
Biden’s spending binge is partly why the price of gasoline, food, lumber, utilities, vehicles, and everything else is soaring.
Biden has increased America’s national debt by about 8.4 trillion in slightly more than one year, and he has a $2 trillion Build Back Better Act stalled in the U.S. Senate because two Democrats won’t vote for it.
Finally, are you Rapture Ready?
If you want to be rapture ready and go to heaven, you must be born again (John 3:3). God loves you, and if you have not done so, sincerely admit that you are a sinner; believe that Jesus is the virgin-born, sinless Son of God who died for the sins of the world, was buried, and raised from the dead; ask Him to forgive your sins, cleanse you, come into your heart and be your Saviour; then tell someone that you have done this.