THE RAPTURE

Photo by B Smith from the Patio

176 - THE RAPTURE

August 28, 1972 - TV

Pastor Henry F. Kulp

 

Matthew 16: 1 - 3 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven. He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?

The people wanted to know if Jesus were the true Messiah. They had the Old Testament and should have known. The Old Testament told when He would come, where He would come, how He would live, and what He would do. So they were without excuse.

I am told by those who lived in Cripple Creek, Colorado, famous gold-mining camp, when men looked for gold, they examined the ground, and when they saw certain conditions they knew that gold must be near, but could not tell the exact spot.

Acts 1: 10, 11 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

Christ is coming back to this earth. He has been absent for 2,000 years. Some people love to set dates. When the year 1,000 AD was reached, many thought that was the time. The Millerites set 1844. They were sadly disappointed when He did not come. The Irvingites in England set the date 1847, and claimed the son of Napoleon to be the Anti-Christ. When he died the movement died. 

The Russellites, a Jehovah Witness group, set 1914.

Mark 13: 32, 33 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. 

There is something we need to know, and that is, there will be a Rapture before the Second Coming, and this is not the Second Coming.

I Thessalonians 4: 16 - 18 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: 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. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

THE PEACE SIGN

I Thessalonians 5: 3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

This passage does not say men will bring in a just and durable peace—it will be all talk, nothing but talk.

Sudden destruction means the Tribulation. There is no hope for peace.

Matthew 24: 6, 7 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

THE LAWLESS SIGN

II Thessalonians 2: 7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

This lawlessness was working in Paul’s day. It is of far greater intensity in our day—defiance of law. Only keep good laws. Lawlessness to be headed up in the coming of the Anti-Christ.

MORAL SIGN

II Timothy 3: 1, 2  This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

Was morality ever any lower than today? Nations can survive a political or military, or financial collapse, but no nation in history has ever survived a moral crash.

II Thessalonians 2: 3 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;

PERDITION

II Peter 3: 3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,

The next event on God's Timetable is the Rapture, the catching away of His Body the Church, those who have put their faith and trust in His finished work on the Cross of Calvary. It can come at any time...in a moment in a twinkling of an eye. Keep your mind alert and listen for His Trumpet Call. It is eminent! 

May be morning, may be noon, may be evening and may be soon...Jesus is going to APPEAR IN THE HEAVENS to take us Home and we will escape the wrath which is to come. THE TRIBULATION!

AMEN

Ref: 08/28/1972 / TV 176 - THE RAPTURE / 05/02/2022