1 Co 15:51-58 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
THE MYSTERY: WE SHALL NOT ALL SLEEP BUT WE SHALL BE CHANGED!
1 Th 4:13-18 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16 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: 17 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. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
THE MOMENT: WE WILL BE CAUGHT UP IN IT!
Col 2:16-17 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
Mat 24:32-36 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: 33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. 34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. 35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. 36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
THE MEANING: THERE'S SUBSTANCE BEHIND THE SHADOW!
The next great event in the believer's calendar is the return of Christ. The big question is: WHEN does He return? The most important question however is: ARE YOU READY???
FACT: JESUS IS RETURNING TO PLANET EARTH!
As believers we are exhorted and commanded to WATCH, WAIT, WARN OTHERS AND BE READY!
1. BE READY AND PREPARED FOR THE RETURN OF THE LORD! LIVE IN ANTICIPATION!
1 Jn 3:2-3 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
Mat 24:44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
Luke 21:34-36 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. 35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
1 Co 16:13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.
1 Th 5:1-11 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 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. 4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. 5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. 7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. 8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. 9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. 11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
1 Pe 4:7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
Rev 3:3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
2. WAIT FOR HIM AND DO NOT ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE DISTRACTED AWAY FROM HIM BY ANYTHING!
1 Th 1:9-10 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; 10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
Heb 9:27-28 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
1 Jn 2:28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
3. WATCH DILIGENTLY FOR HIS COMING WILL BE SUDDEN AND WILL BE UNEXPECTED BY MANY!
Mat 24:37-44 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. 43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. 44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
Mat 25:13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
Mar 13:32-37 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. 33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. 34 For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. 35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: 36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. 37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
1 Co 16:13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.
1 Th 5:5-7 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. 7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
1 Pet 4:7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
Rev 3:3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
4. WARN OTHERS OF HIS COMING REGARDLESS OF THEIR RESPONSE AND REACTION! IT IS OUR DUTY!
1 Th 5:14-22 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. 15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. 16 Rejoice evermore. 17 Pray without ceasing. 18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 19 Quench not the Spirit. 20 Despise not prophesyings. 21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. 22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.
Col 1:25-28 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; 26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: 27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: 28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
On September 28 2011 the Jewish community will begin celebrating what is referred to as Rosh Hashanah or the Jewish New Year. Rosh HaShanah is also referred to as "Yom Teruah" or the "day of the awakening blast". It is the first of the three fall feasts. The other two are Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) and Sukkot (The Feast of Booths or Tabernacles). These all take place in the 7th month of Israel's religious calendar.
Lev 23:1-4 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts. 3 Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings. 4 These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.
Deu 16:16 Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty:
The men of Israel were required to appear 3 times a year before Yahweh. In Biblical times they would travel to the temple in Jerusalem in obedience to this command. The months of the Jewish year were based on the lunar cycle with the beginning of the month coinciding with the new moon. The beginning of the day was counted in Jerusalem and was based on the sighting of the new moon in Jerusalem. It was critical to ensure the new moon was spotted in a timely manner. Because of the Jewish Diaspora after the Babylonian exile many were unable to return to Jerusalem and the feast of Yom Teruah was celebrated for two days.
These feasts have been shown to have prophetic significance covering the God's Redemption Plan for man. The Messiah's death burial and resurrection are celebrated in the first three spring feasts followed 50 days from the resurrection by the Feast of Pentecost when the Holy Ghost came. These feasts have an application to all mankind and whosoever will may come.
The final three feasts all take place in the seventh month Tishrei (sometime on September) and I believe these will be directly related to Yahweh's resumption of direct dealing with Israel as a nation. I believe that the church as we know it will be raptured leaving the stage set for the final movement in Yahweh's dealings with mankind and the summing up of all events in prophetic scripture.
If this is the case then it is likely that the rapture of the church will take place at a time aligning with the next feast (Holy Convocation) of Yahweh which will be Yom Teruah!
It has been taught that the rapture can occur in any given year and the apostle Paul lived in this expectation in his day when he said the "we shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed" and "we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air".
As time rolls on and knowledge increases more and more the significance of prophetic utterances become clear and many have examined the statement of the Messiah in Mat 24:36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. This is stated to be an idiom taken from the Jewish wedding where only the father of the groom knows when it is time for the groom to go and bring his bride back to the finally completed mansion as detailed John 14. Themes associated with Yom Teruah are the coronation of the king, the resurrection of the dead and the wedding of Messiah. It seems highly likely that the feast of Yom Teruah may have been in Messiah's mind when he uttered those words. When He returns for the church it will signal the approach of the time for the revelation of the antichrist, the 7-year covenant Israel makes with the antichrist, the return of Messiah to earth on the Mount of Olives after the 7-year covenant and the atonement of the Israel as a nation when they behold Messiah revealed, descending to their rescue, bringing redemption.
Rev 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
Zec 12:10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
Regardless of what may or may not be it is important for us to:
"...give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. 2 For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; 3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; 4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will? Heb 2:1-4
He is coming and we need to be ready! Will He find you ready and waiting if He should come today...if the trumpet should sound even NOW?
