Why I Believe In A Pre-Tribulation Rapture Pt. 4 - The Apostasy or Falling Away

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VIDEO: WHY I BELIEVE IN A PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE - PART 4: THE APOSTASY OR FALLING AWAY

How many of us have read 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5 and were confused when studying the subject of the Rapture? Some who read this portion of scripture are convinced that it shows that the Rapture cannot occur pre-Tribulation because the "day of Christ" comes AFTER a falling away and the Antichrist is revealed. Somehow, this didn't sit well with me because I believe in a pre-Tribulation Rapture. Could I be wrong? If not, how do I reconcile this scripture with my understanding of the Rapture?

I'm one for allowing my long held beliefs to be challenged. In fact, I find that many of those beliefs weren't even rooted in scripture, but were church traditions. Of course, some were based on incorrect understanding of the scripture itself.

This is a case of the latter. There are two things we need to focus on here. We need to discuss what the "day of Christ" is and we need to look at the original Greek word that has been translated "a falling away." Only then can we read this portion of scripture in context and see it's true meaning.

Here is the scripture being discussed:

2 Thessalonians 2:1-5 "Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, 2That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that day of Christ is at hand.  3Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;  4Who opposeth and exaulteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.  5Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?" KJV

There are only five verses here, but these five verses say so much. Let's take this in piecemeal. We have to begin in the middle, in verse 3, in order to understand the other verses wrapped around this one.

The Falling Away

"Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;"

The Greek word being used here is, "apostasia." It is being translated in English as, "a falling away." What if that isn't the correct translation? I have listened and read teachings on this particular subject and have come to the realization that my long held interpretation of this phrase is incorrect. In earlier versions of the bible, this word was translated not as "a falling away," but as "the departure." Whoa! Yeah... it blew my mind when I sat there and re-read the verse using those words instead. This is what I mean: "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come the departure first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;"

The first seven English translations of "apostasia" all rendered the noun as either "departure" or "departing." Wycliffe Bible (1384); Tyndale Bible (1526); Coverdale Bible (1535); Cranmer Bible (1539); Breeches Bible (1576); Beza Bible (1583); Geneva Bible (1608). Jerome's Latin translation known as the Vulgate from around 400 AD renders apostasia with the word "discessio," meaning "departure."

So if the true translation is "the departure" and not "a falling away," then that makes a huge difference in how this scripture, taken in context, is understood.

That Day Of Christ

Many look to the words "that day of Christ" as reference to the Rapture. Could this be true? Let's take a closer look.

What is the mental state of the believers in Thessaloníki at this point? Here's what Paul writes:

"Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, 2That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand." 

They were shaken down to their core. What would cause such a severe negative reaction in them? If they believed that the "day of Christ" was the Rapture that they were about to experience, then why would the body of believers be "shaken in mind" or "troubled?" That just doesn't make sense. Could it be that the "day of Christ" mentioned here is not referring to the Rapture but, instead, is referring to the time of Jacob's trouble... Daniel's 70th week... the Tribulation? Could it be that they believed that they had missed the great catching away and that they were living through the coming judgment, the day of Christ, that they had been warned was coming?

The believers in Thessaloniki at that time were worried that the "day of Christ" had come (the Tribulation) and Paul had to correct them. If I could be so bold as to paraphrase Paul, he basically told them, "Hey, we already spoke to you about the Lord's promise to gather together both those who have gone before us and for us as well, so don't fret about what you're hearing from people giving you false information or saying that we wrote letters to the fact that the Tribulation ("day of Christ") has begun. The Tribulation isn't going to begin until after "the departure" and after the Antichrist is revealed." He then briefly describes the Antichrist and then reminds them in verse 5 that while he was with them, he explained it to them.

If you go back to Paul's first letter to the church in Thessaloniki, you'll see that he never spoke to them about "a falling away," but he did speak to them about Jesus returning to gather together the saints: "For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then 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. 18Wherefore comfort one another with these words." (1Thess. 4:16-18)

So we can see that the saints in Thessaloniki were petrified that they had missed the Rapture and were now at the beginning of the Tribulation. Paul was calming them down by telling them that the promised Rapture had not yet happened, and that the Tribulation can't begin until it does happen, at which time the Antichrist will be revealed. Then, and only then, can the Tribulation begin. 

Important to note, is that in 1 Thessalonians 4:18, Paul told them that they were to comfort one another with the promise of a gathering together (Rapture). Why? Because they wouldn't need to worry about entering into the Tribulation. Jesus would come first to gather believers together to be with Him forever. It's no comfort to be promised a gathering together of believers AFTER suffering through the Tribulation, but it is a comfort to be promised a gathering together BEFORE such times begin.

So Paul's saying, "I already told you, we're going to be gathered together before the Tribulation, so don't listen to false doctrine and the twisted words of men, hold on to what you've already been taught. Remember what I told you before."

There is also the fact that the scripture doesn't contradict itself. Let's look at what Peter said in Acts 2:16-18 "But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters will prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: 18And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:" 

This does not sound like "a falling away," now does it?  People, even now, are saying that we are in the midst of the great falling away, but that conflicts with what is going on in the world today. Actually, it's the exact opposite. Thousands upon thousands of people are coming to Christ every day. Just look at what is going on in Asia and the Middle East and third world countries!

It seems that by interpreting the word "apostasia" as "a falling away" actually contradicts what God said He would do in the last days, and the proof is what is going on in the world today. Where Satan has made inroads into our nation's church system and those in Europe, God is more than making up for that with the influx of new born again believers worldwide. 

1 Tim 4:1 speaks of a departure from the faith, but it does not describe a great falling away: "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter time, some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;" There is a difference between what people expect as a great "falling away" and what Timothy described as "some." Some shall depart from the faith, and that is exactly what has happened, but there are more saints worldwide entering into a relationship with Jesus than there are departing the faith, so I can't support the notion that "a falling away" is the correct interpretation of the Greek word, "apostasia."

Here's another little nugget of information for you. 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 says: "And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 7For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way." 

Meaning? The Holy Spirit is holding back the reign of the Antichrist until He is "taken out of the way." Since God has already promised never to leave nor forsake us, and that we are born of the Spirit (and since scripture cannot contradict itself), the Holy Spirit will not depart unless we go with Him. Sounds an awful lot like the Rapture, doesn't it? 

I'm interested in your opinion. Please take the time to leave a comment below.

You can read the other parts of this series by clicking 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 3: The Slow Motion Replay

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 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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BELIEVE, AND BE SAVED!

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Rapture Date Setting And Paranoia

BIBLICAL PROPHECY! BLOOD MOONS! THE FALL FEASTS! THE RAPTURE! THE TRIBULATION! DESTRUCTION! DEVASTATION! THE END OF THE WORLD! ECONOMIC COLLAPSE!

Seeing the unsaved being influenced by their own fearful thoughts and gripped with fear about the possibility that mayhem and destruction is right around the corner is one thing, but when those who call themselves Christians let fear and uncertainty grip their heart and control their thoughts and actions, that's quite another. Yes, there are principalities and powers at work in this world, but Christians have One greater who lives within them... the Holy Spirit. We mustn't allow ourselves to get caught up in all of the hype of this season of change. For years, believers have predicted the date of the Rapture, and unbelievers have predicted the destruction of the world, oftentimes to the determent of those who believed those stories, but neither the Rapture nor the earth's destruction have occurred as feared.

We can excuse the unbeliever for predicting the ultimate demise of the planet and everything on it, but can we excuse the born again believer of sharing the false assumption that the date of Jesus return can be predicted? Jesus said, "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only." Matthew 24:36  He didn't say, "...knoweth no man, except those who were clever enough to figure it out." No, he said, "...knowth no man... but my Father only." Everything thrown out there by those born again believers who have studied God's word, Jewish tradition, and world history, doesn't really give us a clue as to when the Rapture will take place. These individuals have absolutely no idea when the Rapture will take place. It's all guesswork. There's not going to be that one believer in Heaven who will be able to say, "Yep, no one else figured it out except me." There's no crown, no special badge of honor, and no special seat at God's throne for such a thing, because God has already said that no one will be able to know the date and time of the Rapture. To say that it's possible to do so, would be to call God a liar.

There have been some famous, or infamous, date setters and those followers who believed in their prophecies and mathematical calculations. 

Do you remember Harold Camping? He continually invented new Rapture predictions, and no matter how many times they failed, he'd give an excuse and invent a new Rapture theory and date. Even though he was a false prophet, he had a worldwide following and earned millions of dollars in donations from them. His Rapture dates? Well, he predicted the Rapture would occur on or about September 6, 1994, and when that failed, he came up with two successive dates for that year (September 29th and October 2nd), both of which did not produce a Rapture. He had three more predictions for 2011, which by then included the destruction of the universe (which is not biblically sound when speaking about the Rapture). 

I could reach back into history and come up with many more examples of false prophets who predicted the Rapture, but why look to the past when we have individuals here on YouTube who explain their theories and calculations and machinations in order to convince a gullible audience of their authority and surety of a Rapture that can be predicted.

September 13, 2015 was thrown out there by some Christians who believed that this was the date of the Rapture. That date has since come and gone. These same Christians then claimed that the Rapture would occur on September 28, 2015 at the next blood moon. Again, no Rapture. 

Let me state this as clearly as I know how. If you are absolutely positive, and believe in your heart, and you know that you know that you know that the Lord will return on a specific date, then you can be positive that you are... completely wrong, because Jesus said that no man would know the day nor the hour of His return. If you don't agree with what Jesus said, then you're basically calling Jesus a liar.

Be honest... how many of us, in the past, have bought in to the idea that the year had finally come for the Lord's return? (I'm raising my hand) That year passed without the Rapture, then the next and the next until we now find ourselves here in 2020. Some are positive that this is the year. In fact, there's one brother on YouTube who states that he has serious doubts that we'll even be around for the election in November 2020. Really? I have a question for all the date setters. What happens if and when 2021 rolls around? Will you then be positive that the Rapture will take place in 2021? What if we reach 2022? How positive will you be then that 2022 will be the year of the Rapture?

Even though we don't know the day or the hour, we've been told that we will know the season. Many of us believe that we are in that season even now, but we have no idea how long this season will last. We know that Jesus' arrival is imminent and it could occur at any time, but that's not to say that this season won't last another five or ten years. I'm hoping that's not the case, though. I hope that the Lord does return this year, but I'm not going to listen to those false prophets who lead people on, and choose their words to carefully craft a prediction, while still weakly claiming that "it's just an educated guess." You know the kind of YouTubers I'm talking about. Some of them are pretty famous in the YouTube Rapture Prediction community.

While we're here, we have a war to fight. We're here to take back ground from the enemy and to advance the kingdom of God here on earth. We're here to rescue those who are unwittingly running headlong toward the edge of the abyss, and while we're doing this, the enemy continues to make his preparations for the coming of his Antichrist. God has Satan hemmed in so that he can only accomplish so much, but when the point is reached where the world is ripe for the great deception that will fall upon them, and the world system has been created for the Antichrist to take control of, then we'll be ripped from this world in a blink of an eye at the same moment that the full force of evil in this world is released and the Antichrist is revealed!

There are people out there in the Christian community and here on YouTube who will talk about the blood moons, the Jewish Feasts and the "last trump" and who will try to convince us that the blood moons signal catastrophe and that through their study they've concluded that the Jewish feasts and the scripture relating to the "last trump" show that the Rapture will occur on the last day of Rosh Hashanah. These individuals have received monetary gain from the books, videos, charts, posters, and anything else, that they've hawked online. Whether they receive monetary gain or not, they make these claims, all the while telling us that they're not date setting. If it's not Rosh Hashanah 2020, then all through next year the date setters will be talking about Rosh Hashanah 2021... but they're not date setting. Mhm...

What they don't tell you is that the Jewish calendar has gone through some changes since Jesus prophetically fulfilled the first four major feast days. Without getting into great detail, the Jewish calendar that was around when Jesus walked this earth isn't the same calendar that they use now. The Jewish calendar used to be based on the lunar cycle, and eye witness accounts of when the new moon appeared, but as I understand it, that was changed in the fourth century when it was changed to a fixed calendar. As you can imagine, those in Jesus' time would be celebrating a holy day on a particular day while those in the fourth century and beyond would be celebrating it on another, since they would be operating under two different systems of marking days and months. The modern calendar allows for the adding and taking away of days so that certain holy days don't fall back to back or on the "wrong day."

The point I'm trying to make concerning these two methods of marking time, is that it makes no sense to try to connect the "last trump" Jesus spoke of with the last trumpet blast of the modern celebration of Rosh Hashanah because it's more than likely that this holy day won't line up with the old lunar calendar. That's why if God was referring to Rosh Hashanah when He made mention of the "last trump," it would most likely be blown on the date that Rosh Hashanah would have ended in regard to the old Jewish calendar and not the last day of Rosh Hashanah that is marked on the modern Jewish calendar that they use today.

Many of us feel that we're in the season where we are to look up and expect the arrival of the Bridegroom, but it's not a time to panic and believe that every news story is going to lead to the immediate destruction of this nation. Not every urgent new article or broadcast is an imminent warning that the Rapture is days or weeks away. Neither is the existence of any virus a sign that the Rapture is at hand. Christians just need to calm down and remember that there was no urgency in the Apostle's actions as they shared the gospel, even though they initially thought Jesus was returning in their lifetime. We need to use them as an example of how we're to conduct ourselves. Panic and urgency aren't gifts of the Holy Spirit.  

Yes, the United States is most likely going to fall, because the greatest and most powerful nation that there has ever been on this planet is found nowhere in biblical prophecy. Will it be civil war that takes us down? Could a civil war be seen as a moment of great upheaval and confusion in our nation which would prompt our enemies to launch a limited nuclear or EMP attack on this nation that would exclude us from taking a major role in the Tribulation? A major EMP attack would wound our country immensely. Imagine, a country without electricity. No computers, no cell phones, no modern transportation, no satellite communication, no GPS, no television, no radio, no electric home appliances, no lights in your home or on the streets... you get what I'm saying. We'd be back to horses and wagons and getting our food in the wild and our water at the river or well. No longer would we hold the place of the most powerful nation on earth. We'd be out of the game and out of biblical prophecy. 

Instead of fearing what is to come, we need to prayerfully prepare for what we may need to go through before the Bridegroom arrives. We don't know how bad things are going to get in this world or how bad it's going to be for born again believers before the Tribulation begins. We are already seeing the leading edge of Christian persecution in this country and it's only going to get worse as we get closer to Yeshua's return. 

What's a Christian to do? We need to live each day in it's own time. We need to continue to believe, pray, share, witness, evangelize, teach, etc... We need to continue to depend on God to increase our faith, give us strength, and lead us by His Holy Spirit. Jesus said that His return would be as the great flood occurred in Noah's time. Everyone would be eating and drinking, getting married, and going on with their daily lives. His return will happen suddenly, as a thief in the night. In the blink of an eye we'll be ushered into His presence and our thoughts will no longer be focused on what is happening in the world, but will instead be focused on the One who saved us through His blood on the cross.

In conclusion, I want to warn you again not to fall into the date setting trap. Live your days one at a time while looking up in anticipation of the arrival of the Bridegroom. One day, when you least expect it, you'll hear that shout and that trumpet blast, and in that moment we'll be with Jesus!

Remember: Jesus said, "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only." Matthew 24:36

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!

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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

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 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.

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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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The World Won't Ever Be Void Of God's Chosen

Since the creation of mankind, there has always been someone on earth who has had a close relationship with God, even if that individual stood alone or acted without regard to their own personal safety. Adam, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Issac, Moses, David, Esther, Elijah, Daniel, Jeremiah, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, etc... No matter what Satan did to try and wipe God from the minds of mankind or to destroy God's people, he just couldn't accomplish that task. 

Then a marvelous thing happened. Jesus came into the world! Through His birth, sinless life, crucifixion, death and resurrection, He provided us access, in His name, to our Father in heaven. Although all believers rejoice in that knowledge, the unsaved, and their slave master Satan, wish that it was otherwise.

There never has been a time when God was not praised and worshiped on the earth, and there will never be a time when unbelievers will ever experience a world where God is not Lord of all.

Many unbelievers half-heartedly hope that the Rapture is a real event so that they can finally be rid of all those "intolerant," "hateful," and "judgmental" people who call themselves Christians. What they don't realize is that once Jesus returns for His bride and quickly whisks her away, there will be a whole host of born again believers to take their place.

That's right, there will be millions of men and women who will repent and believe and take up where the raptured saints left off. Who will they be? 

• Those who called themselves Christian, but did nothing more than play church on Sunday.
• Those who walked away from the faith, never truly giving their lives to the Lord.
• Those who were evangelized and witnessed to, but never made a decision for Jesus.
• Those who are ignorant of what a relationship with God truly is, and are evangelized and witnessed to during the Tribulation.

The first two groups will have a working knowledge of who Jesus is and what true Christianity is all about. They will most likely be the ones to teach and lead those who make up the last two groups.

What the world doesn't foresee is the chaos that is going to arise immediately following this worldwide event. The joyous hope of ridding themselves of every true born again believer will leave them desperate, petrified, horrified, and regretful. The world that remains after the Rapture won't be the world they envisioned. They believe they'll finally make the world a utopia, but it becomes just the opposite.

Many will develop a hate for God to the point of where it will consume them. They will shake their fists at Him in defiance and help to track down born again believers in order to hand them over to the authorities for re-education, and eventually, execution.

No, the unbeliever will never be rid of true men and women of God no matter how hard they try. From Adam's time on this earth to the moment Jesus returns as King of kings and Lord of lords at the battle of Har-mageddon, God will always have His chosen people here to spread His word and keep the faith alive in the midst of those who have not yet repented and believed. God has gone, and will go, to great lengths to make sure that mankind has every opportunity to hear the truth, repent, and believe.

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

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