Intro

This is Dreamwalker1960. As a reminder you can read the transcripts of all my podcasts at dreamwalker1960.com. You can use most podcast platforms if you wish to listen. All you need do is do a search for Dreamwalker1960.

Discussion

Today I wish to look at the Rapture. Just for clarification’s sake I will say this and get it over with. There has not been a rapture at the time this is written. So those that say there has been, in any form, are teaching a false gospel. There will be a rapture, and again for the sake of making things clear I believe there will be multiple raptures, for there is evidence of this within the Bible. So, I am what is called a person that believes in the theory of a partial-rapture.

A thief in the night.

1 Thessalonians 5:2 – For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night.

Revelation 16:15 – “Look, I will come as unexpectedly as a thief! Blessed are all who are watching for me, who keep their clothing ready so they will not have to walk around naked and ashamed.”

No human will ever be told when our Lord Jesus Christ will return. Several generations have come and gone awaiting His return, but it has not yet happened. But we are told to be always ready and to live our lives as if it were to happen at any moment. As is seen in last verse which was just said.

The clothes referred to in verse fifteen of the sixteenth chapter of Revelation. Are not tangible clothes, but the white robes of salvation, as is witnessed in the letter to Sardis:

Revelation 3:4 – “Yet there are some in the church in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes with evil. They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy.”

This is exemplified in the last letter to the churches, which in reality describes the state of mind of most that profess to being “Christian” at this very moment:

Revelation 3:15-20 – “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! 16 But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth! 17 You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. 18 So I advise you to buy gold from me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see. 19 I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference. 20 “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.

“You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.”

The eye of the needle

Jesus Christ made if very clear how we are to approach Him and be prepared for His return in these lukewarm times we now live within. Yet most refuse to acknowledge this order.

Luke 14:25-33 – A large crowd was following Jesus. He turned around and said to them, 26 “If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. 27 And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple. 28 “But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? 29 Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. 30 They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’ 31 “Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000 could defeat the 20,000 soldiers marching against him? 32 And if he can’t, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace while the enemy is still far away. 33 So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.

“So, you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.”

As I said this last sentence most out there that are now living a lukewarm life and do not believe that Jesus Christ is being literal about this, but He is. For this is not the only time we are told by Him to do this. First off, we need to establish an important point.

2 Corinthians 13:1 – This is the third time I am coming to visit you (and as the Scriptures say, “The facts of every case must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses”).

Consequently, when the Bible states something two to three or more times. It is the truth and must be followed. I have just shown you once where it states we are to get rid of our worldly goods. Now I will show two more times.

Matthew 6:19-24 – “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. 22 “Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. 23 But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is! 24 “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.

Mark 10:17-22 – As Jesus was starting out on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good. 19 But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father and mother.’” 20 “Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.” 22 Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

Jesus Christ has made it very clear that we are to get rid of our worldly possessions once we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior. Yet most in this world that profess to being “Christian.” Especially those in what is called “wealthy countries,” live their lives in luxuries. Refusing to get rid of their wealth. Therefore, they are living their lives contrary to what Jesus Christ Himself has told them to do. They are walking away from Him in sadness like the young rich man.

As a result, they are not clothed in white robes, but are in actuality naked.

Returning to Mark 10 Jesus goes on to explain something few actually see from this encounter with the young rich man:

Mark 10:23-31 – Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!” 24 This amazed them. But Jesus said again, “Dear children, it is very hard to enter the Kingdom of God. 25 In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!” 26 The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked. 27 Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.” 28 Then Peter began to speak up. “We’ve given up everything to follow you,” he said. 29 “Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, 30 will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life. 31 But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.”

What needs to be keyed in upon in these verses is this:

“In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”

What was a camel used for in the time when Jesus Christ first walked upon this temporal plain of existence?

The answer: they were used to transport merchandise. They were used to transport worldly possession, wealth and luxuries.

We also need to understand one other point. Is the “eye of the needle.”

This was an actual gate in the walls into Jerusalem. The camel had to have the merchandise removed from its back and then would be made to get onto its knees and then was forced by the camel drivers through the small opening in the wall.

Where else is something narrow and small?

Matthew 7:13-14 – “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. 14 But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.

For only a few, like the twelve disciples, will be willing to surrender everything. Which leads us to the next part of today’s study.

The sounding of a trumpet.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 – For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever.

As you can see it is more than just a sounding of a trumpet. What is most important is that it will be a sound that is heard all over the world at that exact same time. None will be able to deny it occurs. Then those who were victorious and were awake at the moment this happens will be gone from the face of this earth. (Matthew 24:37-44; Luke 17:26-37)

Most believe that they will be included within these numbers. However, that is the furthest thing from the truth. This first coming of Jesus Christ, will as was shown earlier. Be like a thief in the night. Most will be unprepared and will be standing spiritual naked before God, and so will be left standing here upon the earth. In shock and bewilderment. That they, who were so righteous in their own eyes, were not taken into the heaven to be with who they thought was their Savior. This first rapture will lead to the next, which will be three and a half years later and will consist of billions of people from all over the globe. How do I know this?

Revelation 7:9-14 – After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. 10 And they were shouting with a great roar, “Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!” 11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living beings. And they fell before the throne with their faces to the ground and worshiped God. 12 They sang, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and strength belong to our God forever and ever! Amen.” 13 Then one of the twenty-four elders asked me, “Who are these who are clothed in white? Where did they come from?” 14 And I said to him, “Sir, you are the one who knows.” Then he said to me, “These are the ones who died in the great tribulation. They have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white.

These are the once that were left behind. Even of these there will be those that still reject Jesus Christ and will accept the mark and the chip.

 Revelation 13:16-17 – And 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: 17 And 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.

Many who would rather have their luxuries will take the mark and be lost forever. However, there will be those that had rejected God that will now turn to Him and accept the death of the martyrs and will stand before the throne of God at the middle of the tribulation at the second rapture. Then there will be a third rapture which is promised to the Jewish people just before Jesus Christ returns to set foot upon the Mount of Olives once again. (Daniel 12:1-3) For once the last martyr dies the antichrist will be allowed to fully be revealed for the last human being with the Holy Spirit within them will be dead, which will cause the second rapture to occur. For the Holy Spirit must be removed from the earth. (2 Thessalonians 2:7) That can only be done by the removal of any who have the Holy Spirit within them.

God Bless