Today, Friday December 24
After the Rapture, What’s Next?
1 Thessalonians 5:1-3
“But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.”
Today we want to discuss a few events that will take place shortly after the rapture of the church. First we need to remember that only true believers will be raptured and only the dead in Christ will be resurrected at the event we call the rapture which will close the church age. This means that only lost people will remain on earth at that moment, and you can only imagine what they must be thinking when millions of earth’s inhabitants suddenly disappear! By the way, an interesting question is, “What about the children, will any of them be raptured?” I will answer this in one of the upcoming chats.
Shortly after rapture, which could be a few days or even weeks, the “Antichrist” will be revealed. The clearest passage in the New Testament that addresses this is found in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-8. “Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him… Let no one deceive you by any means…. And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed…”
Right now, the church, which is all believers, are the “restrainers”. Our very presence with the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, retrains evil from taking place on earth around us. At the moment we are all gone from earth, the “One who now restrains is taken out of the way.” And then the “lawless one” will be revealed, who is also called in this passage, “the man of sin” and the “son of perdition”, and better known to us as the “Antichrist”.
Revelation 6:2 seems to indicate that he comes on a white horse which signifies that he comes promising peace and unity. “And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.” You can imagine the chaos and confusion that will take place immediately after the rapture with the world already in a condition of wars and rumors of wars. And with tremendous divisions already within countries, like now, people are almost willing to do anything to have peace and safety. I believe this what 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 is talking about: “But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.”
The whole world will accept the Antichrist’s leadership and follow him. He will immediately begin to set up a global economy, a global political system and a one world religion. And when he signs a peace treaty with Israel, the seven year tribulation officially begins. I believe it is at this same time that the “two witnesses” appear. “And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth." (Revelation 11:3) By the way, if you divide 1,260 by 360, (the number of days in the Jewish calendar), you get exactly 3 ½ years! When these two witnesses start preaching the Gospel with divine protection, I also believe that 144,000 Jews, 12,000 from each tribe, will be saved through their preaching and will join them in preaching the Gospel to every tribe, every language group and every nation, fulfilling the prophesy of Jesus that He will not come back till this takes place. (Revelation 7:2-11) This all will take place in the first 3 ½ years of the tribulation.
Goodness, I’m out of time and space! Please listen to the attached chat for the rest of this discussion! But know for sure this old world is getting ripe and ready for these events! Are you prepared?
God bless!
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