And God Will Send Them A Strong Delusion

READ THE BLOG OR WATCH THE VIDEO!!!

VIDEO: AND GOD WILL SEND THEM A STRONG DELUSION

As the millennial reign of Christ approaches, so do the ominous hoof beats of the coming Tribulation. Biblical prophecy makes it clear that God's going to send a powerful delusion upon an unrepentant population. (2 Thess. 2:8-12)

Ever since sin entered the garden, mankind has chosen self over God. It's the result of our fallen nature. The desire to live our own lives apart from God is just as strong today as it was in the beginning, the evidence of which we can find in the myriad of false religions and belief systems in the world. We have Wicca, Scientology, Humanism, Buddhism, Shintoism, Universalism, Rastafarianism, Agnosticism, Atheism, Islam, etc... Mankind's attempt to bring meaning to their lives apart from the One True God continues to occupy the minds of the majority of the population as they spend their time fulfilling their own desires and seeking their own "truth"... a truth that fits their own individual moral code. Christians know there is only one "truth," and that is Jesus. 

What happens when an individual, group, city, nation or worldwide population becomes stiff necked, hard-hearted, and turn their backs on God, choosing instead to satisfy their own fleshly desires and worship their own false gods? The bible is full of examples of the consequences of these actions. Here are just a few you may be familiar with:

- The fall of mankind in the Garden of Eden. (Genesis 3)

- The great worldwide flood. (Genesis 6-7)

- The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and their inhabitants. (Genesis 19:1-25)

- The fall of Nineveh (Nahum 1-3)

- 40 Years of God's people wandering in the desert, denying an entire generation entrance into the promised land. (Numbers 14)

... and numerous incidences of God's chosen being taken into captivity.

After these judgments, mankind, as a whole, has still refused to repent. Lessons learned are soon forgotten as time passes and memories fade, taking what was once a mighty work of God and diminishing it to the point where it's seen as just an old fable. So here we are today, in what people would like to believe is a more enlightened age. As mankind continues to push God away, they are unwittingly setting themselves up for the consequences to follow, just as those who have lived before us have done. This time, the consequences will involve falling under a strong delusion that God's going to send during the Tribulation.

What exactly is the definition of a delusion?

Strong's: Delusion(4106) plané Error, delusion, deception

Oxford Dictionary: "an idiosyncratic belief or impression that is firmly maintained despite being contradicted by what is generally accepted as reality or rational argument..."

Cambridge Dictionary: "something a person believes and wants to be true, when it is actually not true"

Mirriam Webster: "something that is falsely or delusively believed or propagated"

Some of the consequences of this "delusion" will be:

- Being ensnared by a one world religion and one world government/economic system

- Receiving the mark of the Beast, which will mean declaring themselves an enemy of God, suffering God's wrath during the Tribulation, and sealing their ultimate fate.

- Being deceived into believing that Christians are the enemy and participating in the worldwide persecution and execution of born-again believers.

So, who exactly are these people who will fall under this strong deceptive influence? Read Romans 1:18-32, John 8:42-47, and 2 Thess. 2:8-12. As you can see, mankind hasn't changed throughout the course of human history. Mankind's increase in knowledge has allowed us to invent new and convenient ways to sin, but our sin nature has not changed. Sin also challenges born-again believers, who continue to live in these fleshly tents and experience daily battles.

Man's heart is wicked, God's word tells us so (Jeremiah 17:9, Matthew 15:19). Being under the influence of this strong delusion will cause reason and sound logic to fly out the window. As a result, most, if not all, will never experience a repentant heart as they endure the judgments of God during the Tribulation. No. Instead of coming to God on their knees, they will do just the opposite. They will shake their fists at God, curse Him, and reject Him. (Rev. 16:8-11)

God will be sending this strong delusion at a time when born-again believers have already been raptured, rescued in the blink of an eye from the 7-year Tribulation to come. Those remaining on the earth will be in one of two groups:

- Those who repent and believe (yes, it is still possible to become a born-again believer during the Tribulation).

- Those who will continue to reject God.

Unfortunately, with the Holy Spirit no longer holding back the full force of evil in the world after the rapture, Christians during this time will suffer worldwide persecution. That would include the United States as well. Even now, Christians are being persecuted all over the world. Even in the United States, bible believing Christians are being classified as radicals and possible terrorists. We are in the first stages of worsening persecution.

During the Tribulation, those living under this strong delusion will honestly believe that they are performing a beneficial act for the good of mankind and world peace by persecuting, incarcerating, torturing and killing those that they deem "intolerant," "racist," "judgmental," "divisive," "dangerous," "phobic," and, believe it or not, "delusional." But that's not all. Sin's ferocity, no longer restrained, will be multiplied many times over. If the unsaved are willing to try and beat down the doors of the Supreme Court, riot and burn down and destroy neighborhoods, physically attack and "cancel" those who disagree with them, and label truth as lie while ignoring or distorting the evidence, as we've witnessed in recent history, if they snap at a moment's notice and verbally and/or physically attack someone who doesn't support their cause to murder babies in the wombs of their mothers, if they are willing to flaunt their hatred by holding up and effigy of a president's bloody, severed head, if they can go on television or stand on their soap box in public to incite groups of other individuals to harass law abiding citizens, if they can call for the death of those who don't agree with their sinful beliefs, if they can do all this and more in the name of what they deem is "right" in their eyes at this moment in history, then when the full force of sin is released, the harassing, beating, torturing and killing of Christians will become the answer to their "prayers." 

This strong delusion will help the Antichrist affirm his position as the head of the New World Order, a one world government. Those unsaved individuals who are under this strong delusion will see the Antichrist as mankind's savior, during a time of economic and social upheaval. When the Antichrist is killed and then "resurrected" a few days later during the middle of the Tribulation and at the start of the Great Tribulation, he will secure his place as their temporary "god." 

To recap:

- Biblical prophecy reveals that God is going to send a strong worldwide delusion during the Tribulation.

- This delusion will affect everyone who is not a true born-again believer.

- Those under this delusion will eagerly and willingly take the mark of the Beast and even worship him and his image.

- Christians will be persecuted and martyred by those who believe they are actually doing what is right in their eyes.

- Biblical history reveals a multitude of examples of God's righteous judgments against a wicked, rebellious and unrepentant individual, group, city, nation and world population.

- This delusion will help cement the position of the Antichrist as the head of the one world government and as mankind's "savior."

- This is just the precursor to their eventual defeat and eternal punishment.

Don't leave yourself open to this delusion. Repent and be forgiven! Believe and be saved!  

All scripture, unless otherwise noted, is quoted from the New American Standard Bible

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

The Burial and Resurrection

As we discovered in my previous article, “The Beating, The Whipping And The Crucifixion,” the injuries Jesus suffered most assuredly led to His death. From His death, we move to His burial and resurrection.

THE BURIAL

Day 1 – Jesus died at approximately 3PM. The Sabbath was quickly approaching and His body needed to be buried before sunset (Deut. 21:22-23 / Gal 3:13). Everyone had to move quickly. Joseph of Aramathea sought and received permission from Pilate to claim Jesus’ body. The nails used to pin Jesus hands and feet to the roughly hewn cross, the Roman’s execution device, were removed so that Jesus could be freed. His limp and lifeless body was quickly carried to the tomb that Joseph of Aramathea had originally built to house his own body. The tomb was located among the gardens, close by the site of Jesus’ execution (Jn. 19:41-42).

The act of ensuring a proper burial was regarded as one of the greatest acts of benevolence one could bestow upon another. Great care was taken when preparing a body for burial, but there was barely enough time to provide such care for Jesus. They had to move quickly!

It was customary in Jesus’ time to use great quantities of spices for embalming the dead, especially for those held in high esteem. Joseph of Aramathea and Nicodemus brought with them about 100 pounds of aloe and myrrh.

“In preparing a body for burial according to Jewish custom, it was usually washed and straightened, and then bandaged tightly from the armpits to the ankles in strips of linen a foot wide. Aromatic spices, often of a gummy consistency, were placed between the wrappings or folds. They served partially as a preservative and partially as a cement to glue the cloth wrappings into a solid covering…” Tenney, Merrel C., The Reality of the Resurrection, Chicago: Moody Press, 1963.

After wrapping Jesus’ body, Joseph and Nicodemus left the tomb. The stone was rolled over the entrance, leaving Jesus’ body to lie alone in the dark.

Day 2 – It was the Sabbath and the chief priests and Pharisees weren’t done with Jesus just yet. They went before Pilate to request that guards be placed at the tomb. They told Pilate that Jesus had declared He would rise from the dead in three days and the chief priests and Pharisees didn’t want Jesus’ followers to steal His body and then falsely claim that He had risen. Pilate granted their request.

The chief priests and the Pharisees headed to the tomb, taking with them a few Roman soldiers. At the tomb, the chief priests and the Pharisees “sealed” the tomb (most likely using clay, in order to leave their mark by pressing their signet rings into it). This, of course, would have been done in the presence of the Roman soldiers. Why? The soldiers were posted to make sure the disciples didn’t gain access to the tomb and the seal was used to ensure that there would be no collusion between the Roman soldiers and the disciples. If the seal was broken, both the disciples and the soldiers would be held responsible.

Throughout that day and throughout the long, chilly night, Jesus’ body lay in the tomb as the guards stood watch just outside the entrance.

Day 3 – Jesus’ lifeless body remains in the sealed tomb. The guards have kept watch all night. No one has approached the tomb. Sunrise was moments away.

THE RESURRECTION

It was the beginning of a new week. While it was still dark, Mary Magdeline and Mary the mother of James and Salome gathered the spices they had prepared to anoint Jesus’ body. They made their way to the tomb in the early morning light. As they fought off the chill of that early hour, they wondered if they would be able to find help to move the stone from the entrance of the tomb.

At the tomb, the guards kept watch. Without warning, the earth trembled and then shook. The earth quaked as an angel of the Lord descended. The guards stood in astonishment as the angel, by himself, easily rolled the stone away from the entrance of the tomb, breaking the seal. This angel, whose had the “appearance of lightening” and who had clothing “as white as snow,” then took a seat on the top of the stone. The Roman soldiers, seeing this mind-boggling site, either passed out or were slain in the spirit, almost mimicking the incident that occurred in the garden of Gethsemane just days before (Jn. 18:4-6).

Since there is no mention in the Gospels about the women noticing the Roman soldiers on the ground, it can be assumed that they had quickly recovered as those at Gethsemane had and had fled the scene by the time the women arrived. The guards went to the chief priests and reported all that they had seen. After the chief priests discussed the matter, it was decided that the guards would say that they fell asleep at their post and that the disciples had come during the night and stolen away the body of Jesus. The guards were also told that if the news of the incident reached the ears of the governor, then the religious leaders would take care of the matter and the guards would not suffer punishment. Unfortunately, the guards agreed to participate in this deception.

When the women arrived at the tomb, the angel was still sitting atop the stone. He told them not to fear; that Jesus had risen from the dead. He instructed them to tell the disciples and Peter about Jesus’ resurrection and to let the disciples and Peter know that Jesus would meet them in Galilee. The women, at the angel’s prompting, entered the tomb where they found three angels. One was sitting on the right side of where Jesus had been laying. The other two were standing beside the women. The women fell with their faces to the ground in fear of the Lord at the glorious appearance of the angels. The angels repeated what the first angel had told them and revealed some of the prophecies that Jesus had to fulfill with His suffering and death. As the women left the tomb, they were filled with fear and joy.

The women ran from the tomb. Mary delivered the message to the disciples and to Peter. Peter and James raced to the tomb. James got there first and just peered in. He saw the linen clothes lying where Jesus’ body had been. Peter, upon his arrival, went into the tomb. He, too, saw the empty linen clothes. They both noticed, folded and placed by itself, the face cloth that had been on Jesus’ head. (This may be a good place to note that as I understand it, in Jewish custom, when a guest folded their napkin at the table and left, it meant that they were returning to finish their meal. Could the folding of the face cloth be seen as a message from Jesus that He would be back?) The disciples left the tomb.

Later Jesus appeared in the midst of the disciples. He even encouraged poor doubting Thomas to examine the wounds to His hands, feet and side so that he would be convinced that Jesus had truly risen from the dead. After forty days, Jesus gathered His disciples and was lifted up into the sky on a cloud until He had disappeared from their sight. Two angels appeared, standing beside them, and told them that Jesus would come back in the same manner in which He left.

DID JESUS DIE?

Now some may claim that Jesus never died, that somehow He managed to survive the beatings, the whipping and the crucifixion. Of course, this is nonsense. If He had survived, surely the disciples, Joseph of Aramathea, Nicodemus or one of the Roman soldiers witnessing His execution or removing Him from the cross would have noticed (Romans were experts in death). Even if Jesus had some small spark of life left in Him, remember that He was mortally wounded. Could He really survive all that time in a cold tomb with no medical attention for His injuries? Surely He would have died from shock, exposure, dehydration or blood loss. No. Jesus was dead.

SOMEONE STOLE HIS BODY

Could the disciples or some of His other followers have stolen His body? That’s highly unlikely and here’s why:

• His resurrection was still a mystery to the disciples at that time. That’s why they were grieving His death. They had not yet comprehended what he meant when He said that He would rise again.

• If the disciples or some of Jesus’ other followers had stolen His body, would they take valuable time trying to carefully remove the tight wrappings in one piece like a cocoon (which would have been very difficult because it would have been stuck to his body with the gummy spices that had been applied) or to carefully fold the linen cloth that covered His face? Wouldn’t they have taken Him, linen and all, so that they could spend as little time at the scene of the crime as possible?

• Could they have arrived, moved the stone and stolen Jesus’ body without making a sound or being seen by the guard?

• The official story that the Jewish leaders spread was that the guards said that they had fallen asleep and that Jesus’ disciples stole the body. Question: If they were asleep, how would that know who stole the body? The bible states that the Roman guards saw and reported what really happened and that they were bribed by the Jewish leaders to change their story.

• The chief priests and Pharisees did not go out to inspect the tomb. Their lack of concern for viewing the scene of the crime screams cover-up.

• Breaking the seal on the rock in front of the tomb was a punishable offense. None of the disciples were ever charged with such an offence.

• The Roman soldiers couldn’t have been in collusion with Jesus. Not only was their allegiance sworn to Caesar, Jesus (if He was just a man) could not have possibly known which guards would have been chosen to guard the tomb.

There is always the possibility that Jesus was never placed in the tomb to begin with, but that isn’t possible either. There would have been too many witnesses to His burial to try a stunt like that. If the chief priests and Pharisees weren’t sure of His presence in the tomb, then they never would have sealed the tomb and posted the guard. Groups, both for and against Jesus, witnessed His burial, we can be confident of that. He was a high profile and very controversial person. We can be sure that a crowd was at His execution and burial, including the chief priests and Pharisees.

So, if Jesus did not survive the crucifixion, if He wasn’t taken by His disciples or other followers under the cover of darkness, if He was in fact placed in the tomb on the first day and then sealed in by the chief priests and Pharisees, then what is the alternative?

“What does the critical historian do when the evidence points very strongly to the reality of an event which contradicts his expectations and goes against the naturalistic view of reality? I submit that he must follow his critically analyzed sources. It is unscientific to begin with the philosophical presupposition that miracles cannot occur. Unless we avoid such one-sided presuppositions, historical interpretation becomes mere propaganda. We have a right to demand good evidence for an alleged event which we have not experienced, but we dare not judge reality by our limited experience.” (Ronald Sider, A Case for Easter, HIS magazine, April 1972)

“We have no right to begin with the presupposition that Jesus can be no more than a man. For then, obviously, our conclusions may simply reflect our preconceptions instead of representing the actual content of the documents. We must, in other words, objectively try to discover the picture Jesus and his contemporaries had of him, whether we agree with it or not. The question of us is not whether Jesus is pictured as a man. Virtually no one today would question this, for the records tell us that he was hungry and tired, that he wept, that he suffered and died, in short, that he was human.

The question we face today is whether he was depicted as no more than a man.” (John Warwick Montgomery, History and Christianity, Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1971)

Could He be who the scriptures say He is? We'll take a look at the validity of scripture in my next article.

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

The Beating, The Whipping, And The Crucifixion

This article was written with the expectation that readers, like yourself, have more or less come to the conclusion that Jesus is an actual historical figure and that your study of the Bible, the writings of other Christian authors, or the writings of secular scholars, historians and/or philosophers have convinced you of this. You are not alone. The majority of secular historians no longer argue this point. They, too, believe that Jesus was a real man who lived approximately 2,000 years ago. It is also becoming clear that the Bible can be relied upon as being accurate and reliable. More about that in a future article.

This article briefly describes the physical torture that Jesus endured from the moment of His betrayal to His death on the cross. Whether Jesus was just a man or was fully man and fully God is a personal decision that everyone needs to make for themselves. This is just one of a series of articles that will culminate in one or two articles that will bring all of this information together.

THE BEATING

Jesus had been betrayed (Ps. 41:9/Mt. 26:20-25). Judas singled Jesus out with a kiss on His cheek. And the price? Judas carried with him the 30 pieces of silver that had already been paid to him for his betrayal (Zech. 11:12/Mt. 26:15). Approaching were some of the chief priests, temple officers and elders. They arrested Jesus, which caused his disciples to flee into the darkness of the night out of fear that they, too, would be arrested.

Jesus was bound and brought before Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was the high priest that year. While being questioned, Jesus was slapped in His face for what they deemed a disrespectful response. This would be the first strike of many. Jesus was then brought before Caiaphas, the chief priests and the elders. As they proceeded, false witnesses were called forward to make known their accusations. Jesus was eventually declared guilty of blasphemy because He dared call Himself the Son of God. Those in attendance covered His face, spit on Him, struck Him, slapped Him and mocked Him. Even the guards beat Him (Isa. 50:6/Mt. 26:67-68).

Following this physical assault, Jesus was taken to Pilate, who spoke with Him. After refusing to respond to any of the charges made against Him by the Jewish leaders (Isa. 53:7/Mt. 27:12-14), Pilate sends Jesus to Herod questions Jesus as well, but again Jesus does not respond to the charges made against him (Isa. 53:7/Lk. 23:8-10). Herod and his men treat Jesus with contempt, mocking Him as they dressed Him up in fine clothing, like royalty. Jesus is then sent back to Pilate dressed in that manner.

Pilate is amused with Herod’s display of mockery. Their shared contempt of Jesus causes an instant bond of friendship between the two of them (Luke 23:12).

Pilate, since he could find no reason to give Jesus the death sentence, assumed that a severe whipping would be sufficient to placate the Jewish leaders, so Jesus is handed over to the guards, a full battalion, who gather together for what they consider the day’s entertainment.

One soldier fashions a crown of thorns and presses it into the flesh on Jesus’ head. They then strip Jesus and clothe Him in a scarlet robe. They put a reed, like a scepter, in His right hand. Then they begin saluting and bowing to Him, laughing and yelling, “Hail, King of the Jews!”

They blindfold Him, spit on Him and continue to mock Him. Then they begin beating Him with their fists. The Roman soldiers do their job well as they pummel Jesus (Isa 50:6/Mt. 26:67-68). Once they have had their fill of fun, they remove the scarlet robe that they had put on Him to mock Him, and they dress Him in His own clothing. After experiencing two physical assaults, being beaten about the head, face and body, Jesus is about to experience a more severe punishment.

THE WHIPPING

Sore and bleeding, His face swollen and bruised practically beyond all recognition, Jesus was bound to a pole or a stump. The whipping that Jesus was about to endure was more than just a few strikes with a leather whip. It was a brutal act meant to cause serious bodily harm and severe pain.

The instrument of punishment used by the Romans to scourge their victims was called a flagrum. Attached to the leather straps were pieces of sharp bone and metal, which would tear into and lacerate human flesh. It was created to do damage!

“…veins were laid bare, and… the very muscles, sinews and bowels of the victim were open to exposure.” (Bishop Eusebius of Caesarea, 3rd century historian)

Although Jewish law limited the number of lashings a person could receive, the Romans did not have such limitations. The victim was at the mercy of his punisher, however long he chose to extend the punishment.

The severe wounds Jesus received would never have time to close or to heal, because Jesus was never allowed to rest or recuperate. Shortly after they whipped Him, He was on the move again, being brought before Pilate and before the crowd. Then the judgment… “Crucify Him!” Wounds still fresh and being forced open as he moved, he was led away.

Jesus, being led through the streets to His execution, managed to carry the cross, but not for long. The blood loss and the physical damage to his body from the beatings, the whipping and the lack of food and water brought Him to the point of near death. Another man, Simon of Cyrene, was forced to carry the cross that Jesus was too weak to carry. All this torture was a prelude to the horror that was about to unfold.

THE CRUCIFIXION

The Romans weren't unfamiliar with crucifixions or death. They were experts at both. The suffering endured on the cross was intense and severe. In Jerusalem, it began with carrying your own torture device, the cross, through the streets, out of the city and up a hill. Jesus, drained of blood and strength, could not manage this task for long. As I already mentioned above, that task was forced upon another.

At the crucifixion site, Jesus would have been stripped naked, the fabric of his clothing brushing over His open wounds causing Him additional pain. He would have then been laid on top of the cross, the wood pressed against the inflamed and swollen lacerations, causing fresh blood to seep from them.

Then the huge nails, driven into his hands and feet, brought the new pain of metal puncturing flesh, causing wounds that expel even more of His precious blood (Ps. 22:16/Lk. 23:33). Bleeding from His head, His body and the new wounds to His hands and feet, He’s lifted up until the cross is vertical and His body is displayed for all to see.

There He hangs, a man barely recognizable as human. His face disfigured from the beatings and His body torn apart (Isa. 52:14). Behind the scenes, the soldiers cast lots for Jesus’ clothing. (Psalm 22:18/John 19:23-24) On either side of Him hangs a thief, crucified for their crimes (Isa. 53:12/Mt. 27:38).

Suffocation, dizziness, cramping, thirst, hunger, shame of His nakedness, blood loss, raw exposed nerves… all endured by Him. Eventual death on the cross was inevitable, but His injuries and dehydration would quicken the process. Every breath was painful and laborious and He would need to use His legs to lift Himself up for every breath He took. Eventually, the loss of blood, the torture and anxiety He suffered eventually becomes too much for His human body to withstand. The centurion, standing in front of the cross, watched Jesus take His last breath. Jesus dies of what can be described as a *cardiac rupture (Ps. 22:14/Jn. 19:34)

Jesus hung from the cross, His life drained from Him. The Sabbath was quickly approaching. It was already the 9th hour (3:00 PM) and Jewish law demanded that He be buried before the Sabbath began. The Romans, seeing that Jesus was already dead, did not break His legs, but instead thrust a spear into his right side (Isa. 53:5, Zech. 12:10/Jn. 19:34), which caused blood and water to flow. The Romans, masters of death, recognized a dead man when they saw one. Pilate sent a guard to the crucifixion site to double check whether or not Jesus was truly dead. Pilate then released Jesus’ body to Joseph of Arimathea.

*An article in JAMA concluded from the Gospel accounts that Jesus certainly had died before He was removed from the cross: “clearly, the weight of historical and medical evidence indicates that Jesus was dead before the wound to His side was inflicted and supports the traditional view that the spear, thrust between His right ribs, probably perforated not only the right lung, but also the pericardium and heart and thereby ensured His death. Accordingly, interpretations based on the assumption that Jesus did not die on the cross appear to be at odds with modern medical knowledge.” (Edwards, PDJC 1463)

*Samuel Houghton, M.D., the great physiologist from the University of Dublin, relates his view on the physical cause of Christ’s death: “When the soldier pierced with his spear the side of Christ, He was already dead; and the flow of blood and water that followed was either a natural phenomenon explicable by natural causes or it was a miracle… Death by crucifixion causes a condition of blood in the lungs similar to that produced by drowning… A copious flow of blood, succeeded by a copious flow of water… would occur in a crucified person, who had died upon the cross from rupture of the heart… there remains, therefore, no supposition possible to explain the recorded phenomenon except the combination of the crucifixion and rupture of the heart.”

Part two of this series can be found by clicking HERE.

This article will be updated with more scriptural references and links to additional information as time permits.

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

Take Off Those Muddy Boots

I borrowed this analogy from a friend on another blog site. I liked what he had to say, so I expanded a little on what he wrote. It's very simplistic, but the message is still clear.

People often say, “God loves everybody just they way they are.” That may be true, but He also loves us too much to let us remain in our sin.

We cannot enter the kingdom of heaven in our present unsaved condition. We must be born again to enter the kingdom of God.

Those who are not born again believers in Christ continue living with their spiritual connection with God severed. It’s not until we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior that this spiritual connection is repaired, offering us a direct line of communication with God and giving us the opportunity to begin building a lifelong relationship with Him.

God has revealed to us that we are sinners and unless that condition changes, we can’t enter into His kingdom. Look at it this way... Just as you refuse to let somebody walk through your clean house with muddy boots on, God has a requirement for His home too. You love your child, but he isn’t coming in the house until he takes off those muddy boots, no matter how much he sweet-talks you or tries to use his intellect to convince you otherwise.

It’s the same with God. He’s pretty much saying, “Come to me dirty, just the way you are.” He even kneels down and takes those filthy boots off of us; all we have to do is let Him. But people still refuse to repent; still refuse to go through the trouble of taking off their dirty boots, claiming those boots will be coming into God’s house in spite of what He says.

We all have a choice. Do we take off those filthy boots or do we remain outside of God’s kingdom forever.

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

Eschatology And Misinterpreting Current Events - Enough Already!

As we get closer and closer to the Rapture, I find that many of my brothers and sisters in the Lord seem to be allowing current events to send them off on wild goose chases. There are many brothers and sisters who are so caught up in eschatology that they are looking for any bit of information, no matter how small, that they can use to confirm their own personal theories of where we are in end time events.

Here are the things I'm hearing online:

• "Obama is the Antichrist"
• "Obama is the clone of pharaoh Akhenaten"
• "We are currently in the middle of the Tribulation"
• "The 7-year peace treaty was signed a couple of years ago in secret"
• "North Korea is going to trigger the events that will bring on the Rapture"
• "The Abomination of Desolation has already happened with Obama's recent visit to Israel"
• "The man who showed up in St. Peter's Square in sackcloth may be one of the two witnesses"

Are you serious, people? Have you thrown wisdom out of the window? Are you now ready to misquote and misinterpret scripture? You look left and you look right as you take in world events, but are you filtering all of this information through the Holy Spirit? Some of you think you are, but you are just deceiving yourself.

There have been other generation who thought that they were going to experience the Rapture, but they were misinterpreting the signs of the time. They weren't filtering that information through the Holy Spirit and they were leaning unto their own understanding of the situations around them. The same can be said for Christians today. Yes, the Rapture and Tribulation is closer than ever. Yes, I believe that the Rapture will happen soon. What I don't believe is that every news item out there is linked to biblical prophecy.

There is a brother online that I follow on YouTube. He's a great brother in the Lord and he has been used by God in healing the sick at church and encouraging his brothers and sisters through his YouTube videos. He happens to be 100% positive, by his own admission, that President Obama is the Antichrist. I don't believe this to be true, as you can see HERE in a separate article I wrote on the subject.

Since this brother believes that President Obama is the Antichrist, he now believes that we are already in the Tribulation. This is only one example how misinterpreting the signs of the time can alter your perception of scripture. Scripture says that the Antichrist will be revealed when he brokers a peace agreement between Israel and her enemies. To believe that Obama is the Antichrist would thus lead you to believe that some secret peace treaty was signed a few years ago and that we're about to reach the midway point of the 7-year Tribulation. Of course, scripture refutes that idea, but wisdom seems to be tossed out the window when worldly understanding takes over our mind.

Why is this happening? It's the work of the Enemy, of course. He is the creator of confusion and will use anything to send the elect spinning in different directions, using their valuable time on this earth to chase after false ideas, which result in conclusions that can in no way be supported by scripture. These brothers and sisters are falling down rabbit hole after rabbit hole, always looking for those precious pieces of information that will support their theory, but which, in the end, lead only to altering the word of God to fit their own desires for confirmation.

I'm writing this article out of love for you, my brothers and sisters. Please... PLEASE... think about what you're doing! You're being used by the Enemy to bring confusion to your own lives and to the rest of the body of Christ and you don't even realize it. Many of you have predicted that certain events would happen and they haven't come to pass. You admit you were wrong, but then go right on predicting what you believe will occur in the near future. Can't you see that the information you're using to predict future events is itself corrupt?  

• Obama is not the Antichrist!  The Antichrist will come as a man of peace, not a man who uses armed drones to kill innocent men, women and children overseas. He is a type of anti-Christ but isn't the true Antichrist.  Nor is he a clone of the pharaoh Akhenaten.
• We can't be almost at the midpoint of the Tribulation for many reasons, one of which is that the Jews haven't even begun construction of the Third Temple on the Temple Mount.
• If Israel is not currently at peace with her neighbors, then how could the 7-year peace treaty have already been signed?
• The man who showed up at St. Peter's Square can't possibly be one of the two witnesses because he recognizes the Pope's authority over him and he is a believer in Catholicism.

I could go on and on. Please, brothers and sisters, think about what you're putting out there, in real life and online. You're passing off lies as truths, you're using scripture improperly to substantiate your claims and you're allowing yourselves to be deceived by the Enemy who only wants to cause confusion among the brethren and keep you off balance. Even common sense is being ignored.

When an event happens, take a step back and compare it to scripture. Don't make scripture fit the event, check to see if the event fits scripture. The Enemy will continue to put information out there that he wants us to chase after in our vain attempt to somehow figure everything out. Don't be deceived! If you continue on, you'll be leading others astray just as Harold Camping did, who by-the-way was thoroughly convinced that he was correct in what he was teaching as well.

One final note.  In the past, I was guilty of this very thing that I'm writing about today, but the Lord corrected me. Will you give Him the opportunity to speak to you as well?

May the Lord guide your thoughts through His Holy Spirit. God bless!!!

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

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

READ THE BLOG OR WATCH THE VIDEO!!!

VIDEO: WHY I BELIEVE IN A PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE - PART 2: NOAH, LOT, AND RABBIT HOLES

The people laughed at Noah. He was building a huge ark, was going to fill it with animals and then just float away on some phantom flood. Seems ridiculous, right? Everyone went on with their depraved lives, shaking their head at the crazy old man and his family. Then the animals came to the ark, lead by God. Then Noah and his family entered the ark and God closed and sealed the door shut. Then, without warning, came an outpouring of water from the sky and from the depths of the sea!

People often say that the story of Noah isn't an example of the rapture, but of the tribulation. I understand that point of view, I just don’t agree with it. Why? Because I see the story of Noah as being more than just an ark floating on water. I see it as an example of being raised out of harm’s way. I see it as an example of the Bridegroom ushering His bride into the bridal chamber and sealing the door shut to protect her. I see it as an example of returning to a new earth, cleansed by God. There was an urgency to Noah’s entrance into the ark. He wasn't told to enter the ark by a certain time. God told him to move now, and he did. He was rescued from the tribulation that immediately came upon the world.

Then there’s the comparison with Lot. Some say that Lot’s flight from Sodom and Gomorrah was an example of God bringing Lot through that tribulation and not out of it. Again, although I understand that point of view, I just don’t agree with it. I see Lot’s flight as God taking Lot out of the situation, rescuing him and his family from the tribulation to come. Before the destruction of those two cities, people were living their lives as always, unaware that their moment of judgment was upon them. There was a sense of urgency when Lot left Sodom.  He was removed from the city just before the tribulation began.

Some Christians seem to think that we must go through the Tribulation in order to be refined, like somehow we can make ourselves more worthy to enter the Kingdom of God by participating in that final period of suffering. That way of thinking sounds a lot like the Catholic version of purgatory, except it’s experienced in the flesh here on earth. It also sounds like Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross wasn't enough to satisfy God’s anger and judgment against us; that somehow we must refine ourselves through that bitter trial of the Tribulation in order to be made complete.

But all this revolves around the timing of the Rapture. If you’re a pre-trib believer, then things are pretty much settled in your mind. You believe that the Rapture will happen just before the Tribulation and that, as the bride of Christ, you will be sheltered in the bridal chamber with the Lord until the Tribulation reaches it's end, at which point, you will return with Jesus and the rest of the saints to witness the defeat of Satan and all who still reject Jesus as Lord.

If you’re a mid-trib or post-trib believer, then you have to deal with a field of rabbit holes. What do I mean about rabbit holes? The rabbit holes that Mid-Tribulation and Post-Tribulation proponents would have us follow them down are these:

• They would have us believe that the Tribulation has already begun and offer up "proof" that we're at a specific point in the Tribulation. That includes proof such as:

• "There’s a secret peace treaty already in place between Israel, America, and Israel's enemies." This "secret peace treaty," although there is no proof it even exists, is used as proof that we're in the first half of the Tribulation.
• "The President is the Antichrist." This was said about Presidents Bush, Obama, and now Trump. They even offer mathematical calculations based on imaginary theories that result in the sum of 666, which, to them, is "proof" that a specific person, whether it's the president or not, is the Antichrist.
• "We're already at such and such a place in the Tribulation." They state that we're at a particular point in the Tribulation, and then offer up "proof" that their claims are accurate, bringing us down a rabbit hole as we try to follow their logic. 
• We need to refine ourselves through the suffering of the Tribulation. Every Christian has to go through this type of refining process in order to be found worthy to enter the Kingdom of God.

• Then there's the unscriptural logic of some of these so-called born again believers:
• "There's going to be a new rise of Nephilim as angels will once again have intimate relations with human women."
• "We're encoded with alien DNA."
• "Nuburu is real, and it factors in to biblical prophecy."

Image: findfreegraphics.com

There is so much speculation going on in this part of the Christian community, from which seals have been opened, to who the Antichrist could be, and even some way-out-there speculation on the strangest things. Some of these speculations are coming from people who I thought had their act together. They’re great brothers and sisters in the Lord, lead by the Holy Spirit, but they've allowed themselves to be taken down rabbit holes that they can’t seem to find their way out of. Instead of investigating these claims and praying about them, they just announce it openly on the internet, causing others to head down that rabbit hole with them. Some of them even say they have been led directly by the Holy Spirit to the conclusions that they have made, only to have those conclusions be proven false days or weeks later. So what does that make them? False prophets? Liars? If there's a spirit guiding you in prophetic utterances, and these prophecies don't pan out, then what kind of spirit are you allowing to influence you? It's definitely not the Holy Spirit, that's for sure!

The main issue that Mid-Tribulation and Post-Tribulation proponents have to deal with is speculation. Everything that they believe in, as far as already being in the Tribulation, is speculation. Everyone will have a different opinion as to where we are in the Tribulation timeline. Pre-Tribbers are all of one mind... that no matter what happens, no matter when it happens, Jesus will return as a thief in the night to rapture His bride and take her safely out of the way at the very moment that the Tribulation begins and the Antichrist is revealed. No speculation. No questions. We wait with hope, and know that these things prophesied for the Tribulation will not begin until we are taken out of the way along with the Holy Spirit. Those who believe in a Mid-Tribulation or Post-Tribulation have to constantly deal with where we are in the Tribulation timeline and speculate on who the Antichrist is (when scripture already states that he'll be identified at the onset of the Tribulation), and what judgment we're in the midst of. As I look at all of the information out there that they post on social media, I can see that there isn't even consensus within those groups on exactly where they are in the Tribulation timeline, meaning there's massive disagreement among those who believe in the same type of Rapture.

In all love and concern, I ask all my brothers and sisters who are looking for the Antichrist and looking for the two witnesses and looking for any other little tidbit of information to justify their theories to just stop! Think about what you’re doing before you affect the lives of those who are reading what you're posting. Understand that anything except a Pre-Tribulation Rapture leads to nothing but false speculation that does nothing but take your mind off of REAL bible study and REAL interpretation of current events. 

• We do not have to go through the Tribulation to refine ourselves. Jesus suffered and died for us. There is no other sacrifice that we can make on our own to be worthy of receiving salvation.
• There is no secret peace treaty. If that were so, Israel wouldn't be on the receiving end of constant missile attacks and attempted terrorist attacks.
• We are not encoded with alien DNA. Aliens don't exist.
• Niburu has never been proven to exist. It's not even part of biblical prophecy!
• Fallen angels are not going to return and have sex with human women to create a new race of Nephilim in this day and age.
• We are not yet in the Tribulation timeline, so stop trying to use current events to support your false assumptions.

Stop chasing after every vain thought and imagination. Stop cherry picking scripture to support your rabbit hole theory, while you ignore those scriptures that would prove your theory false.

There are some things we will not know while we are here on earth, and God has not promised to give us fore-knowledge of the intricate details of His plans. He has given us an overall view of what is going to happen and has definitely filled in some blanks, but the actual fine details of it are in God’s hands.  Just as believers in Paul’s time were mistaken that the Tribulation had already begun, so some of us are mistaken that we are firmly planted in the first half of the Tribulation at this moment.

Don’t make the same mistake our brothers and sisters have made throughout Christianity’s history. We look back and wonder how they could have believed some of the things they did, but some of us are operating under the same misconceptions that the saints before us dealt with. Those dealing in speculation and working to convince other believers to follow their misleading doctrine need to repent of this type of behavior.

I confess that I have been a victim of this way of thinking as well. I am not better than anyone else. I am better off than some because I have learned to temper my desire to post something online until I have researched it both online and through the word of God. If it doesn't line up with God’s word, then it’s not fit to be shared.

Remember, God separated Noah from His judgment upon mankind. God separated Lot and his family from the judgment He was about to mete out on Sodom and Gomorrah. These are just two of the most talked about instances where God has protected His own. There are more examples throughout biblical history. Be assured that He will take us out of the way and separate us from what is to come BEFORE it happens. 

I hope none have taken this as a personal attack. Everything I have said was out of love and concern (and yes, a little frustration). Keep your eyes on the Lord and keep pushing forward, ignoring those who would convince you to believe in false doctrine that would take you away from God's word and toward false prophecies and biblically inaccurate understanding of where we are in biblical history. Don't be lead down a rabbit hole. Take the bible as a whole, study all the instances where God has separated His own from the tribulation at hand, and understand that it will be the same for us.

You can read the other parts of this series by clicking on the title of the article below:

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

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 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

To God be the glory and honor and power forever and ever!  Amen!

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

Some Good News About The Tribulation

Image: international.uni-halle.de

Yeah, you read that right. I just finished an article for my blog and while searching the scriptures, I found a nugget… a big fat nugget. I thought you might want to know about it, so here we go!

I found this nugget while reading chapters 13 & 14 in the book of Revelation.  Here is the scripture for those of you who aren’t running to get your bible or clicking on your desktop icon to pull up your favorite bible software. I apologize in advance for copying chapter 13 in its entirety, but I wanted to put the underlined portion of scripture in context. You can just read the underlined portion if you prefer, because that’s the portion I’ll be referring to.

Chapter 13 (KJV)

¹And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. ²And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. ³And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. ⁴And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? ⁵And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. ⁶And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. ⁷And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. ⁸And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. ⁹If any man have an ear, let him hear. ¹⁰He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. ¹¹And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. ¹²And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. ¹³And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, ¹⁴And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. ¹⁵And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. ¹⁶And 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: ¹⁷And 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. ¹⁸Here 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.

So we see here a picture of the Beast and the False Prophet in the last half of the Tribulation, which is known as the Great Tribulation. He orders an image of the Beast to be made. He then “gives life” to this image so that it speaks. This image demands to be worshiped, using death as a punishment for disobedience. Everyone is then commanded to receive the mark of the beast in their forehead or right hand. Anyone who refuses this mark will be prohibited from purchasing or selling anything.

You may be asking yourself where the good news is in all of this. Hold on, it’s coming. It’s found in Revelation 14.

Chapter 14 (KJV)

¹And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads. ²And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: ³And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. ⁴These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. ⁵And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God. ⁶And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, ⁷Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. ⁸And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. ⁹And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, ¹⁰The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: ¹¹And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. ¹²Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. ¹³And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them…

Did you see it? The good news? For those of you who missed it, here it is:

Our loved ones and friends who remain after the Rapture will be given absolute 100% proof that God exists, thus giving them another chance to repent! 

Chapter 13 describes what’s going to happen, but chapter 14 lets us know that God is going to send angels to shout with a loud voice warning the inhabitants of the earth to fear God and give Him glory! Read the underlined portion of chapter 14 again. These are the words that will be heard by everyone on the earth at this point and time in the Tribulation. They’re encouraged to give their lives to God and to reject the mark of the Beast and to refrain from worshiping the Beast. 

How do I know that what is written about in Chapter 14 will take place before, or just as, the mark of the Beast and the worship of his image is made mandatory as described in chapter 13? If that wasn't the case, then the warning would be moot.

Chapter 13 reveals to us what Satan’s plan will be, but chapter 14 shows us that God has a plan to warn everyone on the planet before these new laws can be instituted by the Beast.

So there it is. Take comfort in knowing that even when we’re gone, the Lord has prepared so much for those who remain here on the earth during that time of Tribulation. He has prepared the two Witnesses, the 144,000 Messianic Jews, and he will send angels to audibly warn the entire population of the planet against worshiping the Beast and taking his mark.

Thank you, Lord God, for tempering Your anger during the Tribulation and allowing those who are lost opportunity upon opportunity to repent during this time of Tribulation. May all glory and honor be to You Lord God, forever and ever!  Amen!

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