Left Behind

Will the Jews and Gentiles left behind by the Rapture have any idea what’s actually going on?…They will if they read this.

06/15/2019

A storm is coming, or maybe it has already arrived. This is a message to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. It is to be read after the Christian Church has been Raptured off of the Earth; an event that will be triggered once the fullness of the Gentiles has been accomplished. The fullness of the Gentiles is effectively another name for the end of the Church Age on Earth.

When God completes His work with the Church, He will remove it from Earth, and then His focus will turn back to Israel; His chosen people and the apple of His eye. Some of the descriptions and conditions described herein will not accurately apply until that time.

Something unprecedented in the history of mankind has occurred. Hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people have disappeared mysteriously, all around the globe. This article is a humble attempt to explain to those unfamiliar with Christian end-time teachings just what has happened, what is going on, and a little of what you may expect.

The talking heads of the media have rushed to reassure the masses that everything is OK; not just OK, but great! They have likely trotted out New Age gurus to explain the disappearance by ascribing it to the work of benevolent

space aliens who have arrived to save mankind from its self-destructive path at a time when the nuclear threat, combined with run-away climate change seemed certain to wipe us out. I am not pulling your leg. It is possible, even likely that representatives from some race of space aliens will arrive and be interviewed. They will likely not appear as little green men, but as angels of light; beautiful humanoid beings with funny ears or odd foreheads like something from Star Trek.

Those missing people will be characterized as evangelicals resistant to the wonderful gift of ascension offered by our new friends from space. “Those folks have been relocated to a deluxe off-world reeducation facility. Don’t worry, they’re fine and will be rejoining us later. Nanu nanu.”

Someone on Fox News will likely report on the possibility that the outlandish claims made by this group that they would be taken to Heaven have actually occurred. It will at least be considered as a possibility. Representatives from the most respected religions will also appear and point out that almost none of their flocks are missing and, outraged, will condemn as ludicrous the idea that God had raptured His people and they were not included. The ridiculous Rapture claim will be dismissed in favor of the benevolent alien theory. *

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Enough of that. We can only guess how the Rapture will be explained away by those in power.  Here is the truth: Jesus Christ is the Messiah whose coming was prophesied throughout the Tanakh (the Hebrew Bible that Christians refer to as the Old Testament). As prophesied, He came to Earth over 2,000 years ago, lived a perfect life, and was rejected by the leaders of Israel in Jerusalem at that time. They plotted to have him crucified and murdered, and when He was resurrected three days later, they scrambled to cover it up.

Some weeks later, a faction in the temple decided to deal with Stephen, one of Jesus’ disciples who had been preaching the resurrection and performing signs and wonders. They detained him and recruited false witnesses to accuse him before the council which included the high priest, claiming the following:

“For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place, and will change the customs which Moses delivered to us.” Acts 6:14 WEB

In defense of the Gospel, Stephen delivered a lengthy, detailed, Spirit-filled review of scripture and outlined how that Israel, throughout their history had repeatedly resisted the leading of God, ending with this indictment of them:

“51 “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit! As your fathers did, so you do. 52 Which of the prophets didn’t your fathers persecute? They killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, of whom you have now become betrayers and murderers. 53 You received the law as it was ordained by angels, and didn’t keep it!” Acts 7:51-54 WEB

It was then that these leaders of the nation of Israel totally lost it:

“54 Now when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. 55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, 56 and said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”

57 But they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and rushed at him with one accord. 58 They threw him out of the city, and stoned him. Acts 7:54-56 WEB

Imagine being gnashed on by the high priest of Israel. It sounds like something out of The Walking Dead. The murderous rejection of the Holy Spirit described above sealed the judgment of the nation of Israel, and it was then put aside by God until this day. In the following passage, the Apostle Paul, speaking to Christians, explains what God is doing with Israel and the timing of it:

“24 For if you were cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree, how much more will these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? 25 For I don’t desire you to be ignorant, brothers, of this mystery, so that you won’t be wise in your own conceits, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in, 26 and so all Israel will be saved. Even as it is written,

“There will come out of Zion the Deliverer,
    and he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob.
27 This is my covenant to them,
    when I will take away their sins.”

28 Concerning the Good News, they are enemies for your sake. But concerning the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sake. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” Rom 11:24-29 WEB (Emphasis added)

During the intervening millennia, the hearts of Israel remained partially hardened toward Jesus and the people of Israel were dispersed across the globe while God focused on the Christian Church. Though the Church performed no better than Israel in their apostacy and idolatry, a remnant was saved by faith in the grace of God, not works, lest any man should boast.

It was these believers, both living and the resurrected dead, who were taken to Heaven so that they might be spared from the coming judgments, fulfilling the promise of Jesus in this message directed to the Church at Philadelphia; a group that represents all of the faithful from the Church age:

“Because you kept my command to endure, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, which is to come on the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.” Rev 3:10 WEB

In order for God to keep His promises to Israel, He must first take away their sin. In fact, the removal of the sin of Israel is a part of the promise. That is the purpose of the coming judgments; the redemption, restoration, and exaltation of Israel as they receive the promised inheritance. Those who believe, will be saved.

By the miraculous power of almighty God, the Nation of Israel has reappeared among the nations of the Earth. After 2,000 years, they have been gathered back to their homeland, and Jerusalem has been restored to them as their capitol. With their prophetic enemies arrayed for war against them on their northern border, the stage is set for the onset of a period of judgment that will punish the nation for their repeated idolatries, wickedness and rejection of Messiah, and see them restored to God in preparation for the coming Kingdom on Earth.

Now, the time for Israel to be redeemed and reconciled to God has arrived. It is time for those olive branches to be grafted back into the vine, Jesus Christ. This fundamental shift in the focus of God in His redemptive work to save mankind is described in detail here. Israel, as a nation, must be judged for their rejection and crucifixion of the Messiah. God, in His mercy, has prepared a way of escape for a remnant of Israel. If slain, their souls will join Him in paradise until the resurrection when they too, will receive perfect, glorified bodies.

“9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been killed for the Word of God, and for the testimony of the Lamb which they had. 10 They cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, Master, the holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11 A long white robe was given to each of them. They were told that they should rest yet for a while, until their fellow servants and their brothers, who would also be killed even as they were, should complete their course.” Rev 6:9-11 WEB

Those who survive the coming judgments and remain faithful will be ushered alive into the Earthly Kingdom at the second coming of Jesus, as prophesied in the book of Revelation. As the children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, they will inherit all of the promised land and, along with the “sheep” nations, will replenish/repopulate the Earth during the final 1000 years of mankind’s sinful journey.

“But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. 32 Before him all the nations will be gathered, and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will tell those on his right hand, ‘Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;” Matt 25:31-34

What you need to know is that Jesus Christ is the Messiah that Israel has been waiting for; that He loves you, forgives you, and is offering you the opportunity to become an eternal member of the family of God. Every promise ever made to Israel will be kept.

You are facing the Time of Jacob’s Trouble prophesied in Daniel 12 and Jeremiah 30:7; the worst plagues ever to afflict the Earth. You are also facing unparalleled Satanic deception, the rise of a Satanic trinity, and the creation of an oppressive totalitarian one-world government such as the world has never seen. Satan will rule the Earth, unrestrained, and set up his imitation of Jesus’ Kingdom. These events were all prophesied in the Tanakh and repeated in the book of Revelation.

The Satanic trinity is composed of: Satan, unseen, as the imitation of God the Father; the Beast or Antichrist, a man who will be possessed by Satan; and the False Prophet, another man in a supporting role who promotes the worship of the Beast. The Antichrist will rise to world prominence, likely being hailed as the savior of mankind. The reality of this may not appear as I have described it, but the word of God does not lie and it will occur in some form.

Despite these unprecedented threats, God will save you and preserve you through all of this, or He will take you into His loving arms at death. Everything is going exactly the way that He said that it would. If you are martyred, a crown of life has been promised to you, and you will be taken to paradise to await the completion of the judgments of Israel.

The entire Tribulation is prophesied to last for a period of seven years, culminating in the return of Christ, accompanied by the Church. It is at the midpoint of that seven-year period that the persecution of Israel will become most severe. A series of increasingly terrible plagues will also afflict all mankind during this period.

If you survive, God will provide you a haven of protection and sustenance. Many have theorized that a remnant of Israel will flee from Jerusalem to the city of Petra when their perceived Messiah, the Antichrist, reveals his true colors by defiling the temple. Israel, represented as a woman in the symbolism of Revelation, will be protected:

“The woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that there they may nourish her one thousand two hundred sixty days.” Revelation 12:5 WEB

No person can provide you with a roadmap to plot your way through the judgments that either will fall or have already begun to fall. I cannot begin to adequately address all that is happening except to urge you to obtain a Bible which includes the New Testament and search it earnestly.

The Holy Spirit will speak to you through its pages and provide you with all the guidance you need. The book of Revelation in the New Testament of the Bible will likely provide you with the most useful information available, plus it carries with it the blessing and power of almighty God to lead and sustain you. Revelation is easy to find, just flip to the back of the book.

The promises of God to ultimately restore Israel and the path to its salvation are perfectly laid out in Deuteronomy 30. Look at this small sample:

“Yahweh your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you will possess it. He will do you good, and increase your numbers more than your fathers. 6 Yahweh your God will circumcise your heart, and the heart of your offspring, to love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, that you may live.” Deu 30:5-5 WEB

Read the entire chapter, it’s wonderful! Turn to Him and “God will circumcise your heart.” The work of cleansing and changing you is His. He is eager to redeem you to Himself.

God will demonstrate His love and power to protect Israel by delivering them from overwhelming military attacks as prophesied in Ezekiel 38 and Isaiah 17. Based on popular interpretations of these Bible prophecies, it is widely expected that the united armies of Russia, Iran and Turkey will attempt to conquer Israel and loot its resources. Israel’s impossible deliverance will come irrefutably by the power of God as He makes it clear to Israel and the world that Israel is His chosen people and Jerusalem His possession.

What advice can I offer to those who will endure the coming Tribulation? I cannot warn about every deception or wade through the myriad articles and videos presenting possible scenarios. Your only safety lies in knowing Jesus, your Messiah; your Lord. Read His word, pray without ceasing, let your every breath praise and glorify Him. Again, devour His word and let Him write it on your heart. Learn His voice so that when you encounter deception, it immediately throws up a red flag.

“No temptation has taken you except what is common to man. God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the temptation also make the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” 1 Cor 10:13

The Lord knows your every need, your every weakness and will not allow you to be tested beyond that which you are able to bear. He will lead you and send shepherds to lead His flock. Submit to them and pray for them.

If you are a Gentile reading this after the Rapture, you can still come to Jesus, but the rules have changed, and your path will be the same as Jewish believers during this period. The Church age ended with the Rapture. Those believers are part of a defined group whose number will neither increase nor diminish. There will be no late arrivals.

The Church in Heaven will not be idly plunking on harps as they drift around on clouds. They have been called to become kings and priests to God (Rev 5:10). The function of a priest is to intercede between men and God, and it doesn’t take too much math to conclude that the Church will be actively interceding for their brothers and sisters as they walk with God through the Tribulation.

Keep your eyes on Jesus. He is able to save you and bring you through any extremity. Many of you will pay for your faith with your lives. Be of good cheer, for great is your reward in Heaven.

*The theory regarding the benevolent alien explanation for the Rapture has some strong support in that there are multiple signs that Satan has been preparing the minds of humanity to accept it through New Age doctrine and through the multiple science fiction franchises like Star Wars and Star Trek. American movies and programming are viewed the world over. For more on this, check out an excellent article recently written by my dear brother, Greg Lauer here.

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Photo Credits

  • Adapted from #91237724/Jankovoy-adobe stock.com
  • #69316070/James Thew-adobe stock.com
  • #39397274/Albert Ziganshin-adobe stock.com
  • #125136860/Micha Dannhauer-adobe stock.com
  • Don’t Mess With Israel by Greg Lauer @alittlestrength.com