Why I Believe In A Pre-Tribulation Rapture Pt. 5 - The First Resurrection

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VIDEO: WHY I BELIEVE IN A PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE - PART 5: THE FIRST RESURRECTION

It's easy to confuse the first resurrection with the Rapture. After all, they both involve resurrected bodies. The Rapture isn't exclusively a resurrection. By that, I mean that yes, the saints that have gone before us will be reunited with their bodies and have them transformed into immortal and incorruptible bodies just a moment before we, who are living, have our bodies transformed in like manner. It isn't described as the first resurrection, but as being caught up. "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with with trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 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." (1Thessalonians 4:16-17 KJV) 

The first resurrection won't involve the living, but the dead in Christ. Here we see both the living and the dead being "caught up" to be with the Lord forever. It's not known as a "resurrection Rapture," but only as the Rapture (the catching away of the living and dead in Christ). The Rapture won't be the first time that the dead have been resurrected either. If you remember, immediately after Jesus rose from the dead, others rose from the dead as well. 

"Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. 51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; 52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, 53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many." (Matthew 27:50-53 KJV)

It would be just as easy to confuse this with the “first resurrection” as it would be to confuse the Rapture with the "first resurrection."

So when does the "first resurrection" occur?

"And I saw thrones, and they that sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for their witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, nor in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years." (Rev. 20:4-6 KJV)

This scripture specifically mentions events that will occur only at the time of the Tribulation. Those who participate in the "first resurrection" were beheaded for their witness for Jesus and for the word of God, did not worship the beast, and did not receive the mark of the beast on their hand or forehead. It's clear that the "first resurrection" occurs AFTER the Tribulation, when Jesus returns to Earth along with those who had been raptured seven years prior. Nowhere in this portion of scripture does it mention that those alive in Christ will be caught up together with them. This event happens seven years AFTER the event known as the Rapture. 

Many will continue to support the idea of a post-Tribulation Rapture, but that just isn't the case. This "first resurrection" is exclusive to those who have experienced death and there is nowhere in scriptures of this kind that describe the catching away of those who are living as well. If you read the following verses, you'll see what I mean:

"And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the alter the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? 11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled." (Rev. 6:9-11  KJV - bold mine) There is nowhere in this scripture that even eludes to the fact that those who are alive will be caught up with them. This event coincides with Christ's return along with those who participated in the Rapture seven years before. 

God is very specific when He is describing those who are "under the alter." 

• They are the souls who were slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held.
• Christians will be killed during the Tribulation
• They are told to "rest yet for a little season."
• "little season" - Remainder of the Tribulation
• They are to wait until their fellow servants/brethren are killed as they were. 
• Their fellow brothers and sisters will be killed during the Tribulation in the same way they were

These souls aren't representative of every Christian who is waiting to be resurrected at a post-Tribulation Rapture. These are specific souls that have been persecuted and killed because of their faith and it is during the seal judgments that they are first mentioned, linking their persecution and deaths to the Tribulation. These souls mentioned here in Rev. 6:9-11 are the same souls mentioned in Rev. 20:4-6. They are the souls who are part of the "first resurrection" and who "lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years." The importance of the "first resurrection" cannot be understated. After the pre-Tribulation Rapture, the "first resurrection" will be vitally important. It will give those who had previously rejected Christ the opportunity to repent, believe, and be saved before their physical death. They are assured that even though they did not participate in the Rapture, they will participate in the "first resurrection" and live and rule with Christ for a thousand years! They have escaped the curse of the second death. The Rapture was their wake-up call, and many will heed that call.

Is there a second resurrection?

Well, yes and no. It's not specifically called the "second resurrection." It's called the "second death." It occurs at the White Throne Judgment after Satan is finally defeated and condemned to eternity in hell. It is at this time that those who died apart from God, are resurrected and stand before Jesus to be judged by the law of God, receiving the eternal destiny that they have chosen for themselves… eternity in the lake of fire and brimstone. This is why you need to repent and believe, so that you can be part of the experience known as the Rapture or, if you are left behind, be a part of the first resurrection. Just as those who take the mark of the Beast are automatically condemned to Hell, those who are part of the “second death” are destined to spend eternity in Hell.

If you'd like to read the other articles in this series, please click on a link below:

Why I Believe In A Pre-Tribulation Rapture - Part 1: The 24 Elders

Why I Believe In A Pre-Tribulation Rapture - Part 2: Noah, Lot, and Rabbit Holes

Why I Believe In A Pre-Tribulation Rapture - Part 3: The Slow Motion Replay

Why I Believe In A Pre-Tribulation Rapture - Part 4: The Apostasy or Falling Away

Why I Believe In A Pre-Tribulation Rapture - Part 6: The Bridegroom

Why I Believe In A Pre-Tribulation Rapture - Part 7: Timing Is Everything

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The Spirit Of Python Is A Spirit Of Divination And Nothing More

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VIDEO: WHAT IS THE SPIRIT OF PYTHON???

Over the past few weeks, I've heard references regarding something called the "spirit of python." This teaching has obviously been around for a few years, so I thought I'd take a closer look at what this is all about. I've taken the time to read what people have had to say online and I've watched some videos on the subject. I've been sitting on this article, tweaking it here and there and waiting for someone to respond to my social media posts, offering up some information that I haven't yet considered; something... anything that would add to what I've already learned about this subject. None has been forthcoming, so here is my opinion on this subject.

The teaching I've heard starts off, simple enough, with a scripture that makes mention of the subject of this article:

"And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: 17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. 18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour. 19 And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains were gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers, 20 And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, 21 And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans." Acts 16:16-21

The first thing someone will tell you when discussing this subject is that the word "divination" that is found in verse 16 isn't the proper translation of the Greek word being used here. The Greek word is puthón.

Vine's Expository Dictionary describes the word puthón this way: 

(Eng., "python"), in Greek mythology was the name of the Pythian serpent or dragon, dwelling in Pytho, at the foot of mount Parnassus, guarding the oracle of Delphi, and slain by Apollo. Thence the name was transferred to Apollo himself. Later the word was applied to diviners or soothsayers, regarded as inspired by Apollo. Since demons are the agents inspiring idolatry, 1Cr 10:20, the young woman in Acts 16:16 was possessed by a demon instigating the cult of Apollo, and thus had "a spirit of divination."

What does that mean? It means that spirit of puthón is associated with a false religion. This demonic spirit has a major role in the protection and assistance of those who practice divination. So in Acts, when it's said that the woman had a spirit of puthón, it's referencing the demonic spirit that protected and assisted those who practiced divination. That's why KJV translates that word as divination instead of the word python. Although python is the English translation of this word, it's difficult, scripturally, to connect it's behavior with that of an earthly python.

Let's look at the behavior of this woman. We know that she:

• is possessed by a demon.
• can tell people about things in their personal lives and predict their future.
• is a slave being used to make money for her masters.
• is exalting Paul and Silas instead of God.
• is making herself equal with them by associating with brethren who exhibit supernatural abilities just as she does, and with no official rebuke from them.

How does Paul handle the situation? Well, at first he does nothing but ignore her. Why is that? Scripture isn't clear about why he waited to cast out that demon, but an educated guess would be that it was probably because the Holy Spirit was instructing him to wait.

Days later, Paul's heart becomes grieved. Again, why? Once again, scripture isn't clear why, but we can take another educated guess. I can think of several reasons:

• Here we have a slave woman who Paul can see is under a demonic influence. Her greedy masters, are using her spiritual state to make themselves rich. 
• The demon who is possessing this woman knows who Paul and company are, and declares it openly. Do her masters repent and ask for forgiveness and for the Apostle to drive the demonic spirit from her? No.
• This demon tries to blend in with the Jesus crowd in order to deceive the populace. If he can make himself out to be a spirit of light, when he is in fact a spirit of darkness, he can deceive an even greater number of people and pollute the message of salvation with it's own brand of false religion.
• Like Satan in the Garden of Eden, this spirit of puthón mimics it's master and speaks just enough truth to deceive people into believing that it's the author of truth. God alone is the source of all prophecy and revelation. He alone is the Author of truth.

Whether it was one or a combination of these things, or something else entirely, that caused Paul's heart to grieve, he takes care of the situation by casting out the demon. Once the slave woman's masters realize what's happened, they panic. They've just lost their moneymaker and they're not happy about that. They complain to the local authorities, who then punish Paul and Silas by whipping them and throwing them into prison.

"And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. 23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charing the jailor to keep them safely: 24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks." Acts 16:22-24

The spirit of puthón is a demon that protects and assists those who practice the sinful act of divination. This demon, under Satan's direction, seeks to displace God as the author of truth. Satan knows that mankind responds more readily to something that is seen than something (or someone) that is unseen. We see examples of that in the scriptures all the time. One that sticks out in my mind is 1 Samuel chapter 8, where Israel rejects an unseen God in favor of being led by a king that they can actually see. 

Satan takes advantage of this human desire by providing mankind with a flesh and bone individual who practices divination under the influence and protection of what cannot be seen, the spirit of puthón.

I guess I interpret this scripture differently than the mainstream python crowd. I see this as a warning. It's an example of how the enemy wants to destroy mankind's faith in God. Satan attempts to deceive us by demonstrating his power through humans, who don't understand that these false "prophets" are operating under the influence of the spirit of puthón. This demonic spirit speaks enough truth to be believable while still deceiving the victim. This is what we see in this portion of scripture. This demon possessed woman was making a lot of money for her masters. Business was good because her clients believed she had the supernatural power of prophecy. This demon was proving itself to be successful in its purpose... to take people's eyes off of an unseen God, who alone is the source of all prophesy and revelation, and instead focus their eyes on him.

We have educated Christians taking this portion of scripture and using the word "python" to create a whole new, and in my opinion un-biblical, teaching. We go from a bible study to story telling. We go from the word of God to the word of man. We go from discussing the spirit of puthón as being one that protects and assists in the act of divination and one that tries to create an alternate belief system, to being one that is blamed for many of the ills of Christians worldwide.

We leap out of the bible and take the physical nature of a python and transpose that into Christian teaching related to this portion of scripture. In any other circumstance, it would be considered a false teaching and maybe even the teachings of cults, but because it's being taught in the mainstream Christian community, it's being lauded as solid biblical teaching.

Here are some of the things I've read and heard:

"One of the only named spirits in the Bible, the python spirit is a coiling spirit that works to squeeze out the breath of life (the Holy Spirit) and cut off your lifeline to God (prayer)." Charisma Magazine - Sep 25, 2014

"It's not just natural things, you know, keeping you from prayer. I'm busy, I gotta do this, I gotta do that. It's a spirit called python that wants to choke your prayer time out of your life..." Jentezen Franklin. This gentleman has a teaching called, "Spirit of Python: Snake Eggs in Your Head." The description reads, "Sin begins in the mind. Not as an act of the body, not with the act of the soul. It begins with a thought that lies in the mind like a snake egg until it is hatched. What we continually think on, we eventually act on. In this message we learn that we may not always be in control of what enters our minds, but we do have control over how long it stays. But we can get victory. We can renew our minds and get the snake eggs out." 

That's right, folks. Scripture has been twisted to the point to where we're being told we have snake eggs in our mind, which, of course, means that this "spirit of python" is the sole reason for our negative thoughts. It doesn't come from any other demon or even from our own flesh. No, it's the dreaded python spirit. Sorry, I don't mean to be flippant, but spiritual snake eggs? Really? It seems like the spirits of fear, lust, anger, confusion, etc... are out of a job because all these attributes are now assigned to the spirit of puthón.

This demonic spirit seems to be receiving plenty of notoriety as of late. If there's one thing that this spirit has not been lacking, it's the attention that Christians have been giving it and the growing list of things that they have accused it of being responsible for.

This teaching states that this "spirit of python" doesn't strike outwardly with venomous fangs. On the contrary. It's reported that this demon quietly seeks out it's prey and warps itself around them and ever so slowly and subtly squeezes the spiritual life out of them. You know, like an actual earthly python. That is in direct conflict with what the bible says happened in this instance. This demonic spirit was everything but subtle when it had its run-ins with Paul and Silas. It made itself known immediately and it was large and in charge (until it was cast out, of course). Taking this attribute of an earthly cobra and trying to transfer it to this demonic entity just doesn't fit in with this particular scripture, now does it? Unfortunately, this entire teaching is wrapped around (no pun intended) this one portion of scripture because there aren't any other scriptures concerning this demon to support this false teaching.

This false teaching also includes the idea that this demonic spirit can choke a marriage, choke a ministry, choke your joy, choke your finances, choke your prayer life, choke your spiritual relationship with God... choke, choke, choke. An attribute of a python is once again erroneously transferred to the spiritual description of this demon in a way to make you believe that when you've reached a point of stagnation in your walk with the Lord or you become limited in other areas of your life, it must be because of this particular demon's influence.

It seems that this demon can slowly squeeze the Holy Spirit right out of you. Ready to jump some hoops? 

• An earthly python squeezes you until you have difficulty breathing. This attribute is incorrectly transferred to the spirit of puthón.
• Breath is symbolic of the Holy Spirit.
• Since the demon is supposedly squeezing the spiritual breath out of you, he's actually squeezing the Holy Spirit out of you.

I wasn't aware that any demon had authority over the Holy Spirit. In fact, I'm positive that none of them have the authority to "choke" Him out of our lives. 

As this false teaching reveals, anything that goes awry in your life can be attributed to this demonic spirit. Demons must love getting credit for things they don't do. Are we so busy trying to shift the blame for the negative situations in our lives that we're actually willing to give credit to a demon that has nothing to do with it? Just as the populace was giving credit to the demon for the prophecies it was giving through the woman in the related scripture, are we giving credit to him for things that he doesn't even do? Are we building up this demon to be more than what he is? I believe the Christian community is doing just that.

Don't feel like praying? It's not your own spiritual laziness, it's the fault of that python spirit who wants to cut off your breath and prevent you from speaking with God.

Feeling the financial squeeze and don't want to tithe? It's not your reluctance to rely on God to provide for your needs, it's that python spirit that's strangling your finances so that you can't tithe. 

The congregation of your church isn't growing? It can't be the perception that others have of your church, or that the Holy Spirit isn't providing the increase, it must be that python spirit strangling church growth.

Your children have become rebellious? It can't involve the spirit of rebellion or the fact that you're not paying enough attention to them or giving them proper discipline in their lives. It must be the spirit of python coming in to strangle all the joy out of your life.

You must see where I'm going with this. When we begin labeling the attributes of a python in the physical world and use those attributes to describe this spirit of puthón in the spiritual world, we're going a bit too far. Where does it end? Negative thinking, fear, depression, etc... it's all being attributed to this "spirit of python." What negative thing in a Christian's life can NOT be attributed to this demon?

I know I'm going to get some serious heat about this. Too many Christians are too invested in this teaching to stop and give what I have to say serious thought. There are Christians that I respect who are spreading this teaching throughout the body of Christ. I don't believe it's scriptural and because of that, I have to speak up. My concern can't be about how it will be received or whether people will block me on social media. Sometimes in a battle it's only you and the Lord. I've experienced that more than once in my lifetime. I know that there are others out there that just can't seem to make the connection between the story in Acts 16 and this teaching on the "spirit of python," but they are unwilling to go against the flow and speak out. That's okay. I'll do it for you.

To Recap

Here is what I believe the spirit of puthón to be:

• It is a demonic spirit.
• It's name is descriptive of its association with divination.
• It deceives mankind and takes their attention off of God by promoting a different belief system.
• It is bold, like it's master, Satan.
• It's main purpose is to entangle people in the occult (palm reading, tarot card readings, séances, occult rituals and chants, crystal ball reading, etc... which are all forms of divination). This can lead to participation in other occult practices, like voodoo, incantations, witchcraft, etc...
• It exhibits no other power or influence but that which is associated with divination.

Here is what I do not believe the spirit of puthón to be:

• It is not the cause of almost every negative thought.
• It is not a spiritual being with the attributes of a physical reptile.
• It does not operate in "restricting" or "choking" or "crushing" Christians in almost every area of their lives.

Personal Experience: I have to admit that I have had experience with this demon in the past. I now know what his name is, and that's a plus. As a young Christian, I experienced the temptation of becoming involved with something that would give instant gratification... the occult. I thought about it, purchased a book on the subject, tried to make contact with ghosts (which are just demons in disguise) and even purchased and used a Ouija board (with results). The answers I received frightened me, which prompted me to repent and throw all of that demonic stuff away. This preceded what was to happen years later...

Second Hand Experience: Twenty-six years ago, I was married. Three years later, my wife left me and the children for personal reasons that I won't get into here, except to say that she wanted to do what she wanted and when she wanted, and the family was holding her back, so she moved on. What I didn't find out until a few year later was that my wife, who was a new born again believer when we were married, had become involved in the occult. She was seeing a "witch" and was participating in tarot card readings. She eventually purchased a set of these cards for herself. From what I understand, she used them often.

Why am I sharing this with you? Because I know from personal experience that this "spirit of python" acts just like it did in the scripture quoted at the beginning of this article. It didn't come in quietly and start squeezing and choking me, nor did it seem to have that effect on my wife. The spirit of puthón's influence made us believe that we could have power of our own and have it in this world. It was a seductive temptation that both she and I fell to at different times in our lives. It is not difficult for me to understand how this woman described in Acts 16 made so much money for her masters. 

We fight against powers and principalities all the time. I just don't believe that this particular demon is responsible for everything that people want to attribute to it. I believe that it's function is clearly stated in scripture and that people have taken the "python" thing totally out of context and given it a meaning it was not intended to have. They have taken a spirit whose sole purpose is in protecting and assisting one who uses the satanic power of divination and has built that demon up to be more than what he actually is. 

If I had to boil all of this down to one sentence, it would be this: The spirit of puthón is a demon of the occult that exhibits no other ability other than those associated with divination.

Here is my hope, that either:

• I am right and that what I consider to be a false teaching will be shown for what it is.
• I am wrong and have somehow missed a mention of other scriptures that would reaffirm this teaching of a "spirit of python," at which point I will update or delete this article.

If you believe that I have the wrong end of the stick, then please share your thoughts below with scripture to back up your statements. These scriptures must apply to the subject of this article. All other comments may be deleted. I know that this subject can be a divisive one, so I'm hoping we can have a calm discussion about this subject.

If you like this article, or any of the other information on this web site, please consider following me. You'll be one of the first to be notified when I create new content! You'll find the section at the top of the right hand column on this page. It says, "Follow Tribulation Harvest by Email." After entering your email address, you may be prompted to sign in to your Google account. Thank you!!!

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Is The Word "Rapture" In The Bible?

Can the word "rapture" be found in the bible? Here is my answer short and sweet. "Honestly, it all depends on what language the English translation came from."

Let's look at the verse we're discussing: "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." (1Thessalonians 4:17 KJV)

From Greek to English

Let's take a look at the Greek word that's at the root of this discussion.

Harpazo (har-pad'-zo) 1) to seize, carry off by force 2) to seize upon, claim for one's self eagerly 3) to snatch out or away

Since the New Testament we know and love is translated from the Greek language, the word "rapture" doesn't appear in our English translation. The English translation from the Greek word "harpazo" is "caught up." The KJV translation is correct.  Greek (harpazo) = English (caught up)

The Middle Man

So then, where did the word rapture come from? It came by way of a middle man, the Latin language. The Latin translation of "harpazo" is "rapturo." The English translation of "rapturo" is "rapture."

Greek (harpazo) = Latin (rapturo) = English (rapture)

Why do we use the word "rapture?"

The word "rapture" is used as verbal shorthand describing "the act of being caught up, snatched, taken suddenly by force." I mean, if we had to describe it that way every time we mentioned the event, our conversations could get pretty long-winded. After all, there are other examples of verbal shorthand that we use to describe things in the bible. One example is the word "Trinity." Do a word search and you won't find it anywhere in scripture. It's verbal shorthand. When we use that word, it's clear that we're referring to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 

THE RECAP

• The Greek verb "harpazo" translated into Latin is "rapturo" which is translated into English as rapture. 
• We often use verbal shorthand to describe something in scripture without having to fully articulate it's meaning. Example: Rapture and Trinity.

       Greek (harpazo) = English (caught up)

       Greek (harpazo) = Latin (rapturo) = English (rapture)

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Why I Believe In A Pre-Tribulation Rapture Pt. 3 - The Slow Motion Replay

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VIDEO: WHY I BELIEVE IN A PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE - PART 3: THE SLOW MOTION REPLAY

First, scripture:
“And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth. 4These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. 5And if anyone wants to harm them, fire flows out of their mouth and devours their enemies; so if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way. 6These have the power to shut up the sky, so that rain will not fall during the days of their prophesying; and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire. 7When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them and kill them. 8And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which mystically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. 9Those from the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days, and will not permit their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb. 10And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate; and they will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth. 11But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell upon those who were watching them. 12And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, ‘Come up here.’ Then they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies watched them. 13And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell; seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven."  Revelation 11:3-13

Some see this an an example of a mid-trib Rapture, using the two witnesses as examples of what will be happening in the rest of the world at this moment in time, but if that is the case, then where are the references to every other believer being raptured at that time?  There aren't any.  

Here we have a major event. These two witnesses cause a worldwide drought, turn fresh water in to blood, and cause all kinds of plagues to inflict those who have not accepted Yeshua (Jesus) as their Messiah. The Antichrist, now possessed by the Devil himself, is allowed by God to kill these two men and the Antichrist now becomes a 'god' to those who have been deceived and who will look to anyone else but Yeshua as their 'savior.' The world rejoices to the point of giving gifts to one another in celebration of the deaths of these two men who they blame for causing such suffering in the world. The world is so depraved at this point, that the corpses of these two men are left on the ground to rot.

Something happens three and a half days later that causes the unbelieving world to acknowledge God for who He is. The two witnesses return to life and God audibly calls them back to heaven, rising up to heaven just like Jesus did... on a cloud. If this truly is the rapture, why is there no mention of any other believer being raptured at this time? The reason there is no mention of the billions of Christians being raptured is because the two witnesses are the only ones who will be rising up to heaven during this mid-trib event. God wants the focus to be on the two witnesses at this moment in time. Why?

When the Rapture takes place, most people will refuse to believe that it has anything to do with God. Unbelievers will use their human intellect to devise a whole host of theories to explain away the disappearances. Some may blame aliens, some may say that our universe may have momentarily made contact with a parallel universe, some may say that the earth purged itself of excess humans to protect itself, some may say that those individuals who disappeared evolved to a higher form of consciousness... the list goes on and on. Most will do anything to reject the fact that Jesus came to retrieve His "bride" and whisk her to safety before the horror of what was about to happen on earth.

The Slow Motion Replay

So here we have a population that has devised theories about the disappearances and have rejected the notion of a "rapture." As the two witnesses do their thing, more and more people will begin to focus on them. It will take three and a half years before every individual in the world finally focuses their full attention on these two witnesses and call for their deaths. So what happens next? Well, if they don't want to believe that Yeshua raptured true born-again believers in the blink of an eye, then perhaps they'll believe what is about to happen in full view of the entire population of the planet.

The two men are raised back to life... right before their eyes! No quick disappearance for these two.  God is going to show the world that it was He that caused the disappearances 3.5 years beforehand and He's going to give the world a slow motion replay using these two men now standing before them. God then audibly... AUDIBLY... calls them back to heaven!  Everyone hears Him speak the words! Then these men don't just disappear like the millions that were raptured... no. They rise up to heaven in a cloud, just like Jesus did. Then, to put an exclamation point on the end of this event, God causes an earthquake that topples one tenth of Jerusalem and kills exactly 7,000 people. Do the people react as they did before, when the rapture happened? No. The scripture shared at the beginning of this article says that "the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven." Some will truly repent and believe, but most will go back to life as usual once the experience has worn off.

God, throughout the entire Tribulation period, continues to give unbelievers the opportunity to repent and be forgiven, believe and be saved. It's kicked off by the Rapture and is followed by the seven seal judgments and trumpet judgments. After that, the two witnesses are raised back to life, are called by God Himself, and rise to heaven in view of the entire population of the planet (via media of course). Then the seventh trumpet sounds, there is silence in heaven for about half an hour, and the Great Tribulation begins, with the release of the seven bowl judgments over the next 3.5 years. After all this, most will continue to reject God and even look up and shake their fist at Him in defiance, blaspheming the God of heaven.

This, in addition to the other reasons I've given in my two previous articles, is why I believe in a pre-trib Rapture.

If you would like to read the other three articles in this series, please click on the links below:

Why I Believe In A Pre-Tribulation Rapture - Part 1: The 24 Elders

Why I Believe In A Pre-Tribulation Rapture - Part 2: Noah, Lot And Rabbit Holes

Why I Believe In A Pre-Tribulation Rapture - Part 4: The Apostasy, Or Falling Away

Why I Believe In A Pre-Tribulation Rapture - Part 5: The First Resurrection

Why I Believe In A Pre-Tribulation Rapture - Part 6: The Bridegroom

Why I Believe In A Pre-Tribulation Rapture - Part 7: Timing Is Everything

If you would like to read a more detailed article written about the two witnesses, please click here.

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REPENT, AND BE FORGIVEN!

BELIEVE, AND BE SAVED!

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The Battle Of Gog And Magog May Be Close At Hand

The battle of Gog and Magog.  It's a prophecy thousands of years in the making. Could the fulfillment of this prophecy be close at hand?  Why do I ask?  There is news today (February 17, 2015) of a force of fighters advancing on the Golan Heights.  This fighting force is said to be comprised of approximately 2,000 Hezbollah fighters and an equal number of Afghan and Pakistani Shiites.  They are being accompanied by Syrian tanks.  That's 4,000+ fighters in total.

First we have to discuss Damascus
Syria is in more desperate trouble than it's ever been.  The government backed military continues to battle the "rebels."  The Iranian High Command is based in Syria (not as far a reach as it would be from Iran) and is doing whatever it can to advance it's goal of the complete destruction of Israel.  You may ask why that should matter.  It matters because there is another prophecy... one that hasn't received as much attention as the Gog and Magog prophecy.  It's a prophecy mentioned very briefly in Isaiah 17:1.  It says: "The burden against Damascus. "Behold, Damascus will cease from [being] a city, And it will be a ruinous heap." I've written about this prophecy in a previous blog post.  It's a prophecy that is yet to be fulfilled, but one that we can see is close at hand.  Iran has a strong presence in Syria. Iran is also working toward creating nuclear weapons and ways to deliver that nuclear payload to the heart of Israel and the United States.  

Let's get hypothetical here for a moment.  What could bring the total destruction of Damascus?  A nuclear weapon fired by Israel.  What would make Israel fire a nuclear weapon at Damascus?  Surely it wouldn't be the attack on it's own soil by its enemies using conventional weapons.  Israel has shown great restraint in keeping its nuclear arsenal under control and I believe they will continue to show such restraint. We know that when Iran develops it's first nuclear weapon, they're going to want to be sure that it gets to it's target, Israel (probably Tel Aviv).  I don't think a missile strike is going to do it.  Iran will have Israel's Iron Dome defense system to deal with.  The only way they're going to get a nuclear missile through Israel's defense system is to overwhelm it by firing volley after volley, hundreds upon hundreds, of conventional missile at the country, hoping to either sneak the nuclear armed missile through or to wait until the Iron Domes stock of defensive intercepting missiles has been depleted.  Another option would be to transport the nuclear weapon through Syria in a vehicle, driving right into Israel's back yard where they can detonate it at will.  

So, who will Israel target for this act of terrorism and war?  Who will Israel target for immediate retaliation?  It will most likely be the country through which most terrorist activities have been sanctioned and funded.  It will most likely be the country through which Israel's enemies were able to launch their attack.  It will most likely be the country with the oldest surviving city in the Middle East... Syria.  More specifically, a city that has survived war after war but has been prophesied to be utterly destroyed...Damascus, Syria's capital.  Syria has been the main hot bed of terrorism in the Middle East and I believe it's demise will come at the hands of the Israelis in retaliation for it's complicity in Iran's attack on Israel.  The prophecy in Isaiah 17:1 will be fulfilled.

Before we get to the war of Gog and Magog, we need to briefly touch on what I believe to be a highly unlikely scenario.  That other scenario would entertain the thought that Damascus would remain unscathed until the war of Gog and Magog.  That could then be the point where Israel fires a nuclear weapon at the capital of Syria.  I don't see this being the case, because if Israel is going to be able to fire off that missile, then they would most likely be able to fire many more, defending itself and winning the war. I believe something is going to happen that prevents Israel from using her nuclear arsenal so that God will intervene to protect them and to display His power for the world to see. That's why I believe that the destruction of Damascus is going to happen before, and be the catalyst for, the war of Ezekiel 38 and 39.

The war of Gog and Magog
On the heels of that fulfilled prophecy, the world will see another biblical prophecy fulfilled... the war of Gog and Magog as described in Isaiah 38 and 39. What could fire up the other Arab countries enough to bring them together once again to destroy a shared enemy?  The destruction of Damascus.  The other Arab nations will boil with anger and this defensive move by Israel will be the catalyst to form a coalition whose sole purpose will be to wipe Israel off the map.  Russia will be dragged into the mix, which may cause the United States to sit this one out.  It's also possible that terrorist attacks may occupy America at this point in time.  

Once Israel uses a nuclear weapon, any last shred of support from the world will drop away, leaving Israel alone to fight it's own battles.  But we know that Israel is not alone, now don't we?  Finally, when Israel has no one to depend on, God steps in.  

The world will witness what happens when God's people are faced with annihilation.  He will deliver them in that hour and everyone will know that the Judeo-Christian God truly exists.

To get to that point, we have to remain vigilant and continue to be patient as the time approaches for the fulfillment of these prophecies.  I don't know about you, but an advance on the boarder of Israel by 4,000 armed forces along with Syrian tanks is enough to get me to sit up and take notice.  It's just one more piece of the puzzle that brings these prophecies closer to fulfillment.  As we are well aware, it only takes a moment for a powder keg to ignite in the Middle East.

I had always wondered if we would be here to witness the destruction of Damascus and the war of Gog and Magog.  I still wonder, because Yeshua could come at any time to snatch His bride away.  I just have more hope now that the rapture will occur after these incidents.  I have that hope because I'm beginning to believe that He will need us here to be part of that great spiritual awakening, that revival, that will occur as the world witnesses biblical prophecy unfolding and witnesses God's intervention on Israel's behalf.  

Oh what a day that will be if the Lord will tarry and we'll be able to turn to our friends, our family, our neighbors, our co-workers and the stranger on the street and bring them the salvation message of Yeshua!  May it be God's will.


If you like this article, or any of the other information on this web site, please consider following me. You'll be one of the first to be notified when I create new content! You'll find the section at the top of the right hand column on this page. It says, "Follow Tribulation Harvest by Email." After entering your email address, you may be prompted to sign in to your Google account. Thank you!!!

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Left Behind: I'm In The Minority Report

!!!SPOILER ALERT!!!  I have briefly described scenes in the movie in order to offer up my opinion.

As many of you may have already noticed, the film, "Left Behind: The End Begins," stirred up a lot of controversy among Christians. First there was the controversy between those who believe in a pre-tribulation rapture, those who believe in a mid-tribulation rapture and those who believe in a post-tribulation rapture.  Then there was the controversy between those Christians who liked the film and those who expected more. I will not attempt to address the former controversy in this post (I'm saving that for another time), but will instead attempt to address the latter.

As we all know, opinions are mainly subjective. In this case, either you liked the film, "Left Behind: The End Begins," or you did not.  I've read film-goers' positive and negative responses as well as online reviews from established Christian web sites and I can't seem to agree with the negativity that has been circulating throughout parts of the Christian community regarding this film.

Let's address some of the negative comments you may have heard about this film.

#1 This new film is not like the books or the original movie.

Since this is a "reboot" of the Left Behind series, complaints about straying from the original storyline found in the books and the original movie just don't seem to make sense to me. It's a reboot, not a remake. If anyone is going to see this film expecting to see an updated version of the original movie from opening title to closing credits or that it tells the story of the first book from cover to cover, then let me tell you that you will be disappointed.  

Star Trek had a "reboot." Among the changes made was the addition of Spock's romantic relationship with Uhura, Capt. Pike's altered future (he's alive and well), and the destruction of Spock's home world of Vulcan. This wasn't part of the original series or the original theatrical releases that resulted from the popularity of the series, but it didn't deter many people from going to see this film. The same should be true about the new Left Behind film. The changes in the storyline should not deter people from seeing this film. Here are a few of the changes that have been made:

• Hattie isn't the ditsy blond from the books
• Rayford's indiscretions are noticed by his daughter earlier on in the time line. 
• Raymie is raptured in Chloe's presence.
• Buck has use of his personal satellite phone on the plane.
• Characters on the plane actually have a story line and aren't just there to take up space.
• The film focuses only on the day of the rapture, beginning with Chloe's arrival at the airport as she returns home for her dad's birthday, and concluding with the dramatic landing of Rayford's aircraft.

I could go on, but I believe the point has been made. This is a REBOOT, not a remake of the original story line.  There is no mention of a Tribulation Force at the end of the movie, only the ominous statement by Chloe that this was just the beginning of what is to come.

#2 Christians are portrayed as lunatics.

A woman in the movie approaches Buck in the airport terminal and immediately begins to bible bash him. We all know the type. These people lack wisdom and humility and tend to be very judgmental. What I'm trying to say is that these people are real and their behavior, although well meaning I'm sure, is overbearing and just pushes people further away from Jesus. It may be difficult to watch a Christian movie that has a character that makes us cringe, but it's a part of our Christian culture and we can't run away from it. We can't shove it in a closet and pretend it doesn't exist. We have to own it. It's real. The film makers understand this and put it right out there for everyone to see right from the start. This scene not only instructs Christians how NOT to witness to unbelievers, but also helps us to understand how many non-believers view Christians. The film makers show empathy toward unbelievers who have had to deal with people like this in the past (which may have helped push them further from making a decision for Christ). This is a teaching moment, people!  

In another scene, as Chloe describes this incident at the airport to her mother, she lets slip that she believes the woman at the airport is just as crazy as her mother. Her mother is wounded, which makes Chloe regret her choice of words. Her mother tries to share God's word with her, to prepare her for what's coming, but before she can, Chloe makes an abrupt departure. Another missed opportunity to share God's word on wide screen? Some may see it that way. I just don't happen to agree with them. I'll explain why in the next section.

#3 The name of Jesus is never spoken and scripture is sorely lacking. It's a watered down version of the book meant to appeal to the widest Christian audience possible.

How many people know what Christians are going to say before they say it? How many unsaved know that we're going to tell them that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life and that no one goes to the Father except through Him... or that Jesus shed His blood for them to cover a multitude of sins... or that they need to be born again to enter the kingdom of God? How many of them have heard those words from church, on television, in secular movies, in soup kitchens, and yes, even at church? Yes, the words are out there, but the unsaved aren't falling to their knees in droves. They remain on the broad and easy path that leads to their destruction. The film makers decided to take a different direction. Gone is the in-your-face preaching that would drive many of the unsaved away from this movie, and in it's place is a real life example of what life is for many people.  

What do I mean by that? Here is Irene. She's the mother of Chloe and Raymie and is wife to her pilot husband Rayford. A year prior to the events of the movie, she became a born again believer in Christ. During the past year she's quoted all the scripture and shared her faith with her reluctant family, yet they still do not believe. Her daughter even goes so far as to say that her mother "drank the Kool-Aid." So what does Irene do? She doesn't press. She lives her life as a faithful Christian woman and surrounds herself and her family with symbols of her faith. She tries not to push them away from the truth, but attempts to gently draw them to Jesus by setting an example for them. Yes, she still tries to share her faith with them because she loves them and longs for their salvation as well, but she also knows that she can't go too far because that will just drive them further away from the truth. You can see that when Chloe comes home and Irene places her gardening gloves on top of her bible. She doesn't want to push.

We see Irene's faith by the jewelry she wears, the bible on the table (mentioned above), mention of her church attendance, the little reading nook she has set up with a pillow that says Pray and subtle artwork of Jesus on the cross.  Many people would look at this as a way to plug Christianity into a movie that has no Christian underpinning, but I disagree. I see the little nook she has set up, the one Chloe glimpses at as she searches the house for her raptured mother, as a subtle message. What is that message? Get alone with God, no matter where it is. Get to some small, quiet, private place where you can be alone with Him. Pray and confess your sins. Repent and give your life to Jesus. That's what I took away from that ever-so-short glimpse of Irene's little nook.

So, scripture doesn't play a major role in the movie, but Irene's faith does. That reflects real life. I don't beat my friends and family over the head with scripture. They know what I'm about and they've heard me say it all. How I live my life is my testimony to those who refuse to repent and believe. That's what this movie is to me... real life. It doesn't beat you over the head with something you already know. As a side note, scripture is presented on screen at the end of the movie before the credits roll. The closing credits roll with the beautiful voice of Jordan Sparks as she gives us her rendition of the song, "I Wish We'd All Been Ready."  

Some people want to draw a line in the sand with a detailed list of examples of what a Christian movie should contain. If it doesn't meet their demands, it's deemed a poor example of Christian film making and they automatically give it a thumbs down. I have to honestly disagree with that. There are Christian films that are made solely for Christian audiences and then there are those rare Christian films whose main purpose is to reach out to the unsaved. I believe that "Left Behind: The End Begins" is an example of the latter.  

The conversation, the questions and the scripture all come after watching this film, when you and those who have seen the film begin to share your thoughts. This film is a door that starts the conversation moving in God's direction. It's like handing a tract to someone. First they look at the cover and then they read what's inside. Look at the film as the tract cover that invites the one receiving it to want to read more. What's inside that tract is what we share when the movie's over. It's not the film's responsibility to witness to the lost, it's ours.  

Invite someone to watch the movie with you. They won't feel as if they're being force fed scripture, which may allow them to open up and begin asking those questions that they've been dwelling on for awhile.

If you like this article, or any of the other information on this web site, please consider following me. You'll be one of the first to be notified when I create new content! You'll find the section at the top of the right hand column on this page. It says, "Follow Tribulation Harvest by Email." After entering your email address, you may be prompted to sign in to your Google account. Thank you!!!

Repent and be forgiven! Believe and be saved!

TribulationHarvest.net