Apocalyptic Hope

3 MAIN GROUPS IN BIBLE PROPHECY

There are three main groups to keep in mind when reading bible prophecy/apocalyptic writing.

The Gentile Nations

The Jewish Nation of Israel

The Church

Now, the reason that I bring this up as we get into the tribulation again today, because we want to keep each one of those groups and God’s purpose, plan, and design (prophetically) for those individual groups. So, it’s important to keep them in their proper place and proper category. Now, with that being said we’ll be looking at two different focuses before we get to our main text – just to sort of set us up mentally for today.

GOD’S PURPOSE/PLAN FOR THE CHURCH

The first thing that we’ll be looking at is for the Church, that’s capital “C” church – or the body of Christ, and that is the rapture. We’ve talked about that some last week and over the course of this series. While last week we mainly camped out in Matthew 24:15-24, we also covered a few different passages, like:

2 Thessalonians 2:4

Revelation 6:12-17

John 16:33

This week we’re mainly going to be mainly between Revelation and 2 Thessalonians – if you want to go ahead and get those ready. The rest of the verses will be on the screen (and there’ll be a few of them, and some I’ll mention and won’t read just as I’m being mindful of our time together today). First, to start us off in John 14:1-3, Jesus says:

“Let not your hearts be troubled.”

Now, there’s only one reason for someone to say that. I wouldn’t say to you right after lunch – “Don’t be hungry.” “Well, duh, I’m not hungry. Thanks for telling me not to be.” So here Jesus is saying, let not your hearts be troubled, as anxiety was filling the hearts of the apostles, moment by moment, during that meal. Because Jesus has made some announcements. A few verses earlier, in John 13:33, Jesus said, “Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’” Well there’s an announcement. “Oh, by the way, I’m leaving.” Go down to verse 36, Simon Peter says, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.” Well, okay. And I think like any rationally thinking human – Simon Peter asks a great question - He said, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for your sake.” See, you can almost feel the trouble in Simon Peter’s heart.

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s housethere are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.“

-John 14:1-3 (ESV)

Now, I believe that's the first disclosure in the New Testament concerning the rapture of the Church. No signs, nothing to look for, simply the coming again of Jesus Christ. That is the message to the church. And like I said last week, I’m well aware that there’s many different interpretations of how this could be read – I’m just sharing with you how I currently see it. But, there’s a huge truth to be taught here – so I just want to stress that if you get nothing else over these two weeks that I’ve had the joy of being here with you, get this:

If you are a child of God, you are to be living every day in anticipation Christ could come to take you home.

But after the rapture of the Church, which takes place in Revelation 4:1, where John says:

"Behold, I heard a voice in heaven saying, 'Come up here.'"

- Revelation 4:1 (ESV)

So, I believe the church is caught up in Revelation 4:1 to heaven – John’s experience here compares closely to the rapture as described in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 – teaching that the rapture occurs with a voice, the sound of a trumpet, and the Church (the body of Christ) being caught up from the earth.

Chapter 4 of Revelation: we see the rapture of the Church

Chapter 5 of Revelation: the church is in heaven worshiping around the throne.

Chapter 6 of Revelation: the antichrist comes riding on a white horse and the beginning of the tribulation.

GOD’S PURPOSE/PLAN FOR ISRAEL & GENTILE NATIONS

So, after the Church is removed and caught to heaven, then we focus on God's plan for Israel and the Gentile nations.