RAPTURE – PART XVI
PRE-TRIB RAPTURE SAFARI 2
Well, folks, we’re on a hunting trip and guess where the Holy Spirit is leading us today? Oh yeah, right into the end-time jungle of Matthew 24-25! But you can’t have a discussion of Matthew 24-25 without an understanding of the chronological setting in which Yeshua gives His ultimate private end-time prophecy intel briefing to His disciples. It was given during His Passion Week in 30 CE. Yeshua had just fulfilled Daniel 9:25, “Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks;” Exactly 483 years AFTER Persian King Artaxerxes Longimanus had issued that decree, Yeshua rode into Jerusalem on the donkey’s colt, presenting Himself as the Messiah of Israel on Palm . . . Shabbat, Saturday, Nisan 10, March 30, 30 CE!!! The Passover Lamb, according to Torah, is always selected on Nisan 10. Yeshua was selected and the religious folk immediately began to inspect Him with all kinds of questions. Read the story in Matthew 21-23. In Matthew 21:18, we see Yeshua going back into Jerusalem on Sunday morning, Nisan 11, March 31, 30 CE, for more questioning/inspection as the Lamb of God. In Matthew 22:23, we see it is still Sunday, Nisan 11. In Matthew 22:46, we see it is still Sunday, Nisan 11, as Yeshua was quieting those who were questioning Him and His authority. Then, in the last verse of chapter 23, we see Yeshua shutting Himself off from the religious people, “for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of Yahweh!” After this Olivet Discourse on Sunday, March 31, 30 CE, in Matthew 26:1, Yeshua tells us exactly what day it is, “Now it came to pass, when Yeshua had finished all these sayings, that He said to His disciples, 2“You know that after two days [Monday and Tuesday, April 1st and 2nd] is the Passover [on Wednesday, April 3, 30 CE, crucifixion day], and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.”” So now the stage is set for Yeshua’s private briefing with His disciples. What a great opportunity for Yeshua to launch His prophecy seminar career, with television, DVDs, books, internet videos, etc.!
Let’s get started; unpack your spotting scopes, load your weapons, sharpen your swords, slosh on a little bug repellant, clean your sunglasses, because the light is quite bright in here, and let’s slog into the jungle. Pre-tribbers may want to slip into your rubber chest waders, because it gets a little swampy in the next two chapters of Matthew. Yahweh told me to go through Matthew chapter 24 verse by verse, hunting for the pre-tribulation Rapture/Resurrection. We may not go through Matthew 25 verse by verse, but we’ll see.
So here we go. . . . Matthew 24, “1Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple.” Late Sunday morning, or early Sunday afternoon, Nisan 11, March 31, 30 CE, Yeshua left the Building, and His disciples came to Him to brag about the great Temple buildings. No pre-tribulation rapture in verse 1, but it is early in the hunt. And what is Yeshua’s response to His disciples?
“2And Jesus said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”” Yeshua responds with a prophecy of the destruction of the Temple, which did happen, by the way, about 40 years later! So now we know that Yeshua is a real prophet, since His prediction of the future did come to pass. No pre-tribulation rapture in verse 2.
“3Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”” The disciples, believers, the elect, the chosen, your representatives, ask Jesus three things as they sit down in private on the Mount of Olives, for the first great end-time prophecy intel briefing. The disciples considered the Temple’s destruction to be the end of their world. We all want to know when, that is the million shekel question, but look closely at their second question. The disciples want to know when Yeshua’s SECOND COMING WILL BE, WHICH THEY KNOW WILL CAUSE THE END OF THE AGE AS THEY KNEW IT. What signs precede the SECOND COMING? Notice that the disciples of Yeshua are not concerned about a pre-tribulation rapture. In fact, they don’t seem to know anything about a pre-tribulation rapture, they didn’t ask Him about their personal private catching up. No pre-tribulation rapture in verse 3.
“4And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you.”” If ever there was a word for the 21st century Christian believer, this is it. Also, take notice of that little word Y-O-U. You and I will see it a lot in this chapter. Yeshua is speaking to us, the last generation of Christian believers before His 2nd coming. He is NOT just talking to Jews, or Israelites, nor to unbelievers. No pre-tribulation rapture in verse 4.
“5For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many.” This is certainly a valid timely WARNING for the 21st century true believer in Messiah. Be careful whom you listen to. What? People can be deceived when it comes to Yeshua’s second coming? Yeshua said so. No pre-tribulation rapture in verse 5.
“6And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.” Yup, we’ve seen about 250 wars in just the last 100 years, and yup, it’s still not the end. Yeshua really knows His prophecy stuff. He’d make a great television preacher! Notice Yeshua is beginning to answer the disciples questions about the end of the world as we know it. Watch the signs and pray for the harvest. No pre-tribulation rapture in verse 6.
“7For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.” The Hebrew Matthew says in EVERY PLACE, meaning every place AT THE SAME TIME! Nations are ethnic groups or tribes. Kingdoms are political entities and I bet Yeshua is also implying spiritual kingdoms fighting each other for supremacy. Demons don’t get along with each other any more than humans do. We see famines, pestilences, and earthquakes increasing on a daily basis. The Arab Spring is rapidly turning into the dark, cold and deadly Arab Winter. Just read the daily headlines. Yeshua was specifically talking about the early 21st century!! More signs, but still no pre-tribulation rapture in verse 7.
“8All these [signs] are the beginning of sorrows.” Oh boy, the end-times are just getting started. Yeshua is talking about TODAY, October, 2012 CE!! Yeshua, this would be a great time for a pre-tribulation rapture!! No pre-tribulation rapture here at the beginning of sorrows in verse 8.
Ok, friends and enemies, let’s stop for a breather here in this clearing on the slopes of the Mount of Olives for a moment. Kick back and take a drink of your living water. Wouldn’t a pre-tribulation rapture be the perfect climax to the “beginning of sorrows”? Of course it would. IF Yeshua had wanted to establish a doctrine of a pre-tribulation rapture, it would be right here, right now. There would be a verse 8.5 that says something like this, “8.5Then I’ll return in the clouds to the lower atmosphere and resurrect the dead saints, transform you living saints into your immortal bodies, and catch you all up to me in the air, at my 1.5 advent.”BUT THERE IS NO VERSE 8.5 AND YESHUA SAID NO SUCH THING. So, what’s the problem? Once you reach verse 9 below, the pre-tribulation rapture theory is obliterated!
“9“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.”” Uh oh, there’s that dreadfully nasty word, thlipsis, tribulation. But let’s not get ahead of Yeshua. Look at the FIRST word in verse 9, the Greek word for “then” is a time stamping adverb modifying the verb in the sentence, deliver! What is Yeshua saying? AFTER the beginning of sorrows time is over, THEN, at the right time, YOU will be delivered up, surrendered to, TRIBULATION, in which YOU will be hated and killed. The Greek word thlipsis, tribulation, in this verse is a noun in the accusative case, meaning it is the DIRECT OBJECT of the verb, DELIVER UP. And whom is Yeshua speaking to in verse 9? He’s warning the people who survive the beginning of sorrows, in the early 21st Century!! Pre-tribbers have a real problem with verses 8-9, where’s the pre-tribulation rapture between verse 8 and verse 9?? I’m sorry, but Yeshua says NOTHING ABOUT A PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE here between verses 8 and 9. Can you imagine being hated by every ethnic group on this planet, just like Yeshua was? And remember, this word tribulation in Matthew 24:9 is NOT the word temptation Yeshua used in Revelation 3:10, which He promised the Philadelphia Church He would protect them from. What is the test in Rev. 3:10 that is coming upon the whole world? Will you take the Mark of the Beast, guaranteeing your damnation to the Lake of Fire? And, besides, the promise in Rev. 3:10 is to those who persevere, not to those who get pre-trib raptured. Ok, NOW WE ARE INSIDE THE 7-YEAR TRIBULATION, per Yeshua’s own words, not mine. Oh no, we’ve all been left behind!! We could stop this study right here with verse 9, where Yeshua has clearly debunked and shattered the pre-tribulation rapture theory, but let’s go on just to see what else is in this jungle. Sorry, pre-tribbers, no pre-tribulation rapture in verse 9.
“10And then [think sequence of events over time] many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.” Ok, if you are not pre-trib raptured, will you be offended? Will you betray your remnant persevering, enduring to the end brethren? Will you hate those who told you so, beforehand? I guess these things will happen INSIDE THE 7-YEAR TRIBULATION. Everything Yeshua is, says, and does, offends some humans. Will you be one of those offended ones, here, now, in the last days? I hope not. No pre-tribulation rapture in verse 10.
“11Then [think sequence of events over time] many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.” You don’t have to look far into Church circles to find these guys and gals. Pick your favorite prophet flavor, you’ll find him/her. Surely, they would not think to deceive us in regards to the rapture? No way, can’t happen. Yeah, right. No pre-tribulation rapture in verse 11.
“12And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.” Ouch, and what does Yeshua consider lawlessness? You do the study for yourself, but Yeshua considers NOT FOLLOWING TORAH as lawlessness. Not fair, you naughty Jew Messiah!! How dare you, Jesus, expecting 21st century Christians to have to follow that “legalistic” stuff. You do the study, but there is a world of difference between being legal and being lawful. The Tanakh is the foundation of Christianity, not vice versa. You, dear disciple, were grafted into a Hebrew faith. Study it out, you replacement theology buffs. The Hebrew Root supports you, you don’t support the Hebrew Root! Study it out for yourself. Yeshua opened my eyes to this paradigm shifting truth about 9 years ago. My life has not been the same since. My flesh life has gone down the toilet since then, but in the Kingdom of Yahweh, I’m a rising star!! Father, open the spiritual eyes of my friends, enemies, and family!! No wonder the old Christian Church is dying a cold, loveless death. No pre-tribulation rapture in verse 12.
“13But he who endures to the end shall be saved.” See here’s the promise from Revelation 3:10. Yeshua’s Second Coming is all about securing our final salvation for all eternity, we get immortal bodies, which CAN NEVER DIE! It’s a pretty good deal, but look what you have to do between now and then, ENDURE TO THE END. End of what? Your personal tribulation. Paul taught that our Christian life is like a race, and one of the qualifying heats is to endure to the end of your very own tribulation. That word end nips the pre-tribulation rapture theory in the bud. I think it’s pretty clear, we do not see a pre-tribulation rapture in verse 13.
“14And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” Please, please notice that this gospel of the kingdom does not include a pre-tribulation rapture theory. Is the gospel being preached to all ethnic groups on earth? I’ve heard we’re pretty close, with satellite TV, internet and radio, etc., the gospel is reaching every corner of this planet. So what does an all-encompassing gospel preaching mean? We’re ready for the end of the world as we know it. So here we are on the brink of the END, and we still do not see a pre-tribulation rapture in verse 14.
“15“Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand),” Wow, this appears to be right in the middle of the 7-year tribulation, when the Antichrist will stand in the next Temple and tell himself that he is God. Yeshua is making reference to the end of Daniel’s 70-week prophecy, in 9:27, “Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate.” My precious pre-trib friends, notice how Yeshua states matter-of-factly that His disciples WILL SEE the abomination of desolation, “when you see”. And we know from Daniel, that this is in the middle of the 7-year 70th week of Daniel. Definitely too late for a pre-tribulation and a mid-tribulation rapture, which we do not see in verse 15, but we do see the abomination of desolation!!
“16“then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.”” Why do people assume that the only people in Judea are Jews? We know that there are at least Muslims, Christians, AND Jews in Judea today. So, are these folks fleeing to the tops of the mountains to await a rapture or Yeshua’s return? I don’t think so. They are fleeing to the mountains to be where Yahweh wants them to be so He can protect them from His wrath, as He promised many times in Scripture. This verse relates to the vision in Revelation 12. Yahweh’s people will be protected from Yahweh’s wrath during the last 3 ½ years of the Tribulation. Fleeing is not rapturing. No pre-tribulation rapture in verse 16.
“17Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house.” Time is of the essence and so is obedience. Make haste. Get saved today. No pre-tribulation rapture in verse 17.
“18And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes.” The fields may still be white unto harvest, but now the gig is up. Christians no longer work the fields. Run baby run. No pre-tribulation rapture in verse 18.
“19But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!” Like it was in the days of Noah, many will still be making and raising families. Some will feel the distress of the tribulation more than others. Remember to help those more vulnerable than you. No pre-tribulation rapture in verse 19.
“20And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath.” I don’t think Yeshua is referring to a rapture here, or a friendly skies trip with United Airlines. And then there’s that nasty word Sabbath that Christians continue to choke on. Do you get the underlying premise here? Yeshua naturally ASSUMES you, dear Christian disciple, will be faithfully observing His Sabbath DURING the Tribulation!! That is a stunning statement by our Master. Men may have changed the Sabbath to Sun-god-day, but Yahweh never has and never will. Yahweh will not share His glory with anyone, not a demon, an angel, or a pompous pious papal man. Yeshua will answer our prayers anytime, but ask Him to let you flee on any day other than the Sabbath. The solemn regard and respect Yeshua has for His own word astounds me. I didn’t see that in any Left Behind movie, nor do I see a pre-tribulation rapture in verse 20.
“21For then there will be great tribulation [mega thlipsis], such as has not been since the beginning of the world [not since the creation of the cosmos] until this time [until now, present tense time], no, nor ever shall be.” Notice that with the word “then”, Yeshua is continuing His end-time chronological timeline of events. What’s up next? GREAT TRIBULATION, the last 3 ½ years of Yahweh’s wrath against wicked men. Yeshua is saying that this will be the darkest time in all of human history before or after these 3 ½ years. It’s now past time for a mid-trib or pre-wrath rapture. BUSTED. There is certainly no pre-tribulation rapture in verse 21.
“22And unless those days [of GREAT TRIBULATION] were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.” That is an amazing statement, if the Great Tribulation were allowed to play itself out, without Yahweh’s direct intervention, NOT ONE SINGLE HUMAN would be left alive on planet earth. Yeshua is not talking about soul salvation, by grace through faith in Him, He’s talking about physical deliverance, protection, or salvation from Yahweh’s wrath. So, dear pre-tribbers, some humans will be left alive to repopulate the earth after the Great Tribulation. Well, since we’ve all been left behind, I’m glad Yeshua said He will shorten the days for our sakes. This statement begs the question, do we really need to count the 1260, 1290, or 1335 days? Yeshua is going to shorten the days down to something less than a perfect 3 ½ years!! Oh no! There goes a bunch of Christian timelines. Yeshua, you can’t sell DVDs with a teaching like that! Well, with Judas Iscariot as His media marketing manager, Yeshua did the best He could. Cut the Master some slack, will ya? No pre-tribulation rapture in verse 22.
“23“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it.” Isn’t Yeshua amazing? Towards the END of the Great Tribulation, many false Messiahs are going to show up and claim to be the Master! That is wild. That competition for claming to be number one is really going to upset the Antichrist. You’d better know Yahweh and His voice, so YOU won’t be deceived! Too late for a pre-tribulation rapture in verse 23.
“24For false messiahs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” To claim that Yeshua is talking only to Jews, as Yahweh’s elect people, in Matthew 24 is absolutely ludicrous, outright heresy. Only a spiritually saved person will have the Holy Spirit’s discernment at the END of the Great Tribulation, in order to NOT be deceived by all the religious nuts running around then. And you thought we had a lot of religious nut cases running around the planet today! And why aren’t all these religious nuts DEAD by then? Here’s a thought, maybe those false messiahs and false prophets are made up of lukewarm demon influenced Christians that Yeshua is going to spew out of His mouth!?! Well what did Yeshua say to the end-time Laodicean Church in Revelation 3:16, “So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.” The Laodicean Church in the end-times considers itself to be Yahweh’s people, but Yeshua says He will upchuck them out of His inner belly! They USED TO BE part of His body, close to His heart even!! Repent and figure it out. No pre-tribulation rapture in verse 24.
“25See, I have told you beforehand.” So, why would Yeshua take His precious time, just two days before His crucifixion, to enlighten and warn His DISCIPLES about this end-time scenario, if they weren’t going to have to walk THROUGH it? Why not just tell them they’d be raptured off the planet and not have to even think about it? He certainly didn’t want them to worry about it, but He did want them to prepare beforehand for it, physically, mentally, and spiritually. Yeshua is the First Prepper. He’s first in everything! No pre-tribulation rapture in verse 25.
“26“Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it.” Can you imagine the insanity running rampant during the last days of the Great Tribulation? People of all faiths and backgrounds, with demons pushing them, will be SEARCHING FOR THE MESSIAH! They want a Messiah. They need a Messiah to save them from this kook known as the Antichrist! Like I’ve said a couple times before, don’t be a lemming following the crowd over the cliff. Let the lost souls and the undiscerning oil-free virgins do that stuff. Follow Yeshua, He’ll keep you safe. Nope, no pre-tribulation rapture in verse 26.
“27For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” QUICK, SUDDEN, BRIGHT, FLASHING LIKE A TWINKLING IN THE EYE, will Yeshua’s SECOND COMING be. Notice the timeline, it’s too late to call this a pre-trib, mid-trib, or pre-wrath rapture verse!! This is Yeshua announcing His own Second Coming!! Good grief, how much plainer could the Master speak? Sorry, no pre-tribulation rapture in verse 27.
“28For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.” This is a mysterious verse. Could the carcass be a dead pre-trib rapture theory? A dead Laodicean Church? Do eagle-eyed believers have discerning eyes yet? Fly high in the Holy Spirit and get an eagles-eye view of the whole end-time picture Yeshua is drawing for YOU, disciple. The enemies of Yeshua will be dead and dying at the end of the Great Tribulation, literally being put under His feet and made into His footstool. Could that include the lies of false doctrine, heresy, false churches, false religion, stupid Christian books, and hatred of the truth? Sure, they are His enemies also. Let your talons out and claw for the truth, it’s here for those willing to die to self and seek the truth with pure motives. Huh, lots of truth, but still no pre-tribulation rapture in verse 28.
“29“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”” One thing is for sure by now, Yeshua has NO DOUBT in His mind about the future timeline of the Tribulation period. Is it too difficult for you dear disciple, to see what point in time Yeshua is referring to in verse 29? Looky here, the 7-year TRIBULATION IS NOW OVER!! Notice that the powers spoken of here are not spiritual powers, but literally the physical powers of the heavens will rock to and fro, including the earth reeling like a drunkard, like Isaiah prophesied in Isaiah 24. Read that chapter in Isaiah, he was talking about this exact same day as Yeshua was here in verse 29. It’s way past time for a pre-tribulation rapture in verse 29, but maybe soon we’ll see a post-trib rapture/resurrection!!
“30Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” Is Yeshua speaking clearly, or not? The word “then” continues the itemized sequence of events in their PROPER ORDER, even AFTER the Great Tribulation is over! Yeshua is no dummy, though some of His so-called disciples continue to act like dummies today. Notice that there are still at least a few people still alive from every ethnic group/tribe on this planet, who will observe and be able to testify to, Yeshua’s SECOND COMING!! This is not Yeshua’s 1st coming, this is not Yeshua’s unheard of 1.5 coming, this is Yeshua’s SECOND COMING! No pre-tribulation rapture in verse 30.
“31And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” Remember Yeshua’s parables during His ministry when He taught that His angels are the reapers of the harvest? Look at the timeline again. Here, now, AFTER the Great Tribulation is OVER, the angels begin to gather the living and resurrected saints from all over heaven and earth. These angels have a tremendous job to do, for they must collect EVERY saint from all time past and present, making sure there is not one sinner among them. And pre-tribbers, cover your ears again, because right here we hear that noisy trumpet of Yahweh!! Since we are past the Tribulation now, could it be that this really is the LAST TRUMPET that Paul spoke about in 1 Corinthians 15? There’s a real good possibility, even a great probability that this is the last trump. You really have to twist the Scriptures, or outright deny them, to miss Yeshua and Paul’s teaching on the Trumpet of Yahweh at the END. No pre-tribulation rapture in verse 31.
“32“Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near.”” Anyone who has been studying the Bible for awhile knows that Yeshua uses the fig tree to picture the Nation of Israel. Well, the fig tree of Israel put forth its branch in 1948 CE, it is still tender and putting forth leaves, but to this day, the modern humanistic secular State of Israel has NOT PRODUCED THE SPIRITUAL FRUIT that Yeshua is looking for. Spiritual blindness must totally amaze the host of heaven. How can our Jewish brethren still not recognize their Messiah after all He has done for them? Maybe DURING and AFTER the Tribulation Yeshua will finally be able to collect some saintly fruit from the Israelite fig tree. He’s been patient for a few thousand years. This is one of the few verses in chapter 24 where Yeshua even hints at the Israelites, or Jews, and then He uses the picture of their spiritual climate as an indicator of His Second Coming. He also uses Israel as His timing element, is it the season for spiritual fruit to appear in modern Israel? Sure it is. Is the mention of summer an indicator that Yeshua will return on the Feast of Shavuot, or Pentecost? It’s always possible. He started the Church Age on Pentecost, why not end it on Pentecost? But still, no pre-tribulation rapture in verse 32.
“33So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors!” Know what is near? The final harvest of souls? The Great Tribulation? Yeshua’s Second Coming? The Rapture and Resurrection of all the saints? Yes. No pre-tribulation rapture in verse 33.
“34Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till [until, the time element] all these things take place [are prophetically fulfilled].” If by this generation, Yeshua means the folks who saw Israel become a nation in 1948, then these things will have to happen real soon, because it has already been 64 years, almost one whole generation, since that prophetic event occurred. If Yeshua means the generation that sees the beginning of sorrows take place, then the end may stretch out for quite a few more years. But since He just mentioned the fig tree, I do believe we are very close to seeing Yeshua’s Second Coming and the Rapture and Resurrection. A generation may mean 40, 70, or even 100 years, so you’ll have to study it out and make up your own mind. No pre-tribulation rapture in verse 34.
“35Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.” Yahweh is going to remake and replenish the heavens and the earth several more times before eternity, but Yeshua’s more sure words of prophecy are more sure, more solid, more reliable, than the physical universe! Yeshua’s written and spoken words will stand forever, outlasting anything physical. This is the King’s oath. What Yeshua has prophesied in the first 34 verses of Matthew 24 will happen, just as He said. No pre-tribulation rapture in verse 35.
“36“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.” What day and hour is Yeshua talking about? Look down at verse 37, He’s talking about His Second Coming! Only One Person in all the Realm knows on what day and at what hour He will send Yeshua back to earth to collect His bride and set up His Kingdom on earth. Yahweh has His own calendar, and it’s very precise and apparently very private. So, all you geeks in heaven and earth, hack that. I hear that China recently hacked into the White House military nuclear computer network. Good grief, has America really been dumbed down that much? Yahweh is about to humble this once great nation and His former servant. It seems Yahweh is the only One Who can keep a secret anymore. Here is one not so well-kept secret that is out now, no pre-tribulation rapture in verse 36.
“37But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” In Noah’s day, there was a whole lot of sinning going on. Today, there is a whole lot of sinning going on. Noah was a prepper, at Yahweh’s command. Unfortunately, there is not a physical ark that you can build today to protect you from the kinds of destruction coming upon this earth during the Tribulation. Billions of people are going to die. You need to be prepared spiritually to meet your Maker face to face. We all should be shaking in our waders now. Everyone needs to repent of their sins and get right with Yahweh now, this minute, today. Don’t put it off. Noah was protected from the Flood, you will be protected from the Great Tribulation, if you are Yahweh’s on that day. Obviously, no pre-tribulation rapture in verse 37.
“38For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,” Normal life appeared to be going on in Noah’s day. The markets were open, the churches were open, people were partying and getting married, normal, everyday life. Then Noah went into the ark and Yahweh sealed the door. When Yahweh does that sealing of the saints thing, look out world. You need to be sealed in the Holy Spirit NOW. You need to practice saying no to the New World Order now. You need to practice saying no to RFID chip implants, and bio-metric control of your life now. You need to learn to say no to tyrannical governments today. You need to learn to say no to CatholIslam now. Once the saints are electronically locked out of the world system, Yahweh will be our only hope. He will help you endure to the end. The day is coming, on Yahweh’s time schedule, according to His calendar. I hope you’re ready. Sorry, no pre-tribulation rapture in verse 38.
“39and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” For humans that are not spiritually prepared, Yeshua’s Second Coming will come upon them as a thief in the night. It will be sudden, it will be blindingly bright, it will be violent, it will be with overwhelming force. Yeshua is coming to destroy evil nations who have turned against Him, have fought against Jerusalem, and who have divided up His land. He is coming back to take back His title deed to this planet and set up His headquarters in Jerusalem. Do I feel sorry for those arrogant idiots who think they control the destiny of Jerusalem? Naw. They’re finally going to get their just due. Yahweh is simply using Jerusalem and the next Temple to bait Satan into his final defeat. And Satan is taking the bait, hook, line and sinker. And please take notice of the fact that it’s the sinners who are taken away, not the saints! No pre-tribulation rapture in verse 39.
“40Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left.” Don’t forget our context here. This is at the Second Coming of Yeshua, not a pre-tribulation rapture of the saints. That word then clues us in immediately that we’re continuing Yahweh’s timeline. This is a harvest, but it’s a harvest of the grapes to the wrath of Yahweh. You may want to go back and reread Matthew 13 and Revelation 14. This is the separation of the sheep and goats, the wheat and the tares. I’m telling you folks, YOU WANT TO BE LEFT BEHIND HERE. It’s the folks who are taken that are thrown into the furnace and into the wine vat to experience the wrath of Yahweh. Being left behind is a good thing. No pre-tribulation rapture in verse 40.
“41Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.” Yeshua continues the harvest tale in verse 41. Aren’t you glad that it’s the angels doing the harvesting? At least they know how to read the names in the Lamb’s Book of Life. They know who’s who in the world. Can you imagine what the final harvest would be like if it were left up to humans, even to Christians? We’d be frying the lowly saints and exalting the rich and famous. Admit it folks, Yahweh cannot trust humans to know who belongs to Him. We don’t even have access to read the Book of Life today. I pray that there will be a great spiritual awakening in these last days, but today is the day of salvation. I do not recommend waiting until we are in the Great Tribulation, or God forbid, AFTER the Great Tribulation to get saved. Once Yeshua and the angels begin that sickle thing in Revelation 14, it’s too late baby. No pre-tribulation rapture in verse 41.
“42Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Master is coming.” Today is the day to be diligent about your spiritual life. Get saved today. Watch and pray today. Don’t wait until it’s too late. If you don’t have a Bible, buy one. If you can’t afford one, go to church this Sun-god-day and steal one from that church. God knows they aren’t doing much with that Bible stuck in the back of a pew. Get into the Scriptures and get saved! Read the Book of John first. Yeshua is coming back on Judgment Day soon. You must get ready to meet Him. No pre-tribulation rapture in verse 42.
“43But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.” Trust me, you do not want Yeshua to break upon your life without you having prepared your soul to meet Him. He is the Great Rock of Salvation. You must fall upon Him and let your heart be broken open and cleaned out, before Judgment Day. Otherwise, the Rock will come back and crush you to pieces, and you will face an eternity apart from Yahweh in eternal torment in the Lake of Fire, not cool, not cool at all. No pre-tribulation rapture in verse 43.
“44Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” How many warnings do we need, to see that Yahweh is fair and impartial? Yeshua is coming back, not unexpectedly, for the true church has been waiting and watching for Him for about 2,000 years now, but at a time we do not expect. He’s coming back right on time, at the world’s DARKEST hour. When He says be ready, He doesn’t necessarily mean get yourself into an underground doomsday bunker. He means get your heart ready and trust Him to come at the right time. It’s too late for Yeshua to come back early, and He is never late, so we know He’ll come back right on schedule!! Yeshua is ALWAYS on time, not late like some people I know. No pre-tribulation rapture in verse 44.
“45“Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season?”” Ah, now we know what Yeshua is looking for in your heart, what He is expecting, faithfulness and wisdom. Are you a faithful shepherd over Yahweh’s flock, feeding them relevant spiritual food at the right time? Or are you just fleecing the flock of God, hawking your religious wares to increase your personal empire? Why did Yeshua turn over the moneychangers tables in the Temple – TWICE!?! There is no room in the Kingdom of Yahweh for merchandising His holy things. What was it He said? Oh yeah, freely you have received, freely give. Notice what Yeshua said here, give them food in due season, NOT SELL THEM FOOD IN DUE SEASON!! The Church still misunderstands the simplest teachings of the Master. That’s another reason He’s coming back angry. Good thing the Church season is about up. No pre-tribulation rapture in verse 45.
“46Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.” You want to be His servant. You want to be blessed by Yahweh. You have to do His work, His way. There is nothing wrong with taking an offering before, during, or after a sermon. Everyone needs to learn to give freely, selflessly to Yahweh’s work, but who needs another Christian book or DVD sitting on the shelf collecting dust? We are to busy ourselves giving, planting, cultivating, and harvesting souls, until He does come back. Let’s be faithful about His business. There’s your blessing. No pre-tribulation rapture in verse 46.
“47Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods.” There is tremendous opportunity for advancement in the Kingdom of Yahweh, but you get there through faithful service by the wisdom of Yahweh, in His time. No pre-tribulation rapture in verse 47.
“48But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’” It only appears that Yeshua is delaying His return to earth. On Yahweh’s calendar, it’s not even been two whole days yet, when you consider the day is as a thousand years principle. Yeshua promised in Hosea to raise us up on the third day. Hosea 6:2, “After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His sight.” He will raise us up is Resurrection speak!! Yeshua really has no obligation to return for us until AFTER 2,000 360-day biblical years have passed, since His ascension. If you were into Bible chronology, you could calculate that out and come pretty close to a day and hour when Yeshua might return. I’m just waiting for the angel to say there will be no more time delay, Revelation 10:6. Not even a delayed pre-tribulation rapture in verse 48.
“49and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards,” This is no time for family infighting or partying. It’s the end time for staying sober, thinking clearly, discerning events wisely, and trusting Him wholeheartedly. This verse sounds like Noah’s day again. But there is no pre-tribulation rapture in verse 49.
“50the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of,” Man, how many times does Yeshua have to tell us about His Second Coming for us to really get it? And these continuous references to an unknown day and hour could be clues that Yeshua is talking about the New Moon on a soon coming Feast of Trumpets, a Tishri 1 date that will be one like we’ve never seen before! Notice, that it’s the evil servant who will be surprised on that day and hour! No pre-tribulation rapture in verse 50.
“51and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” This sure sounds like some servants of the Most High will be spewed out of His mouth on that day. For hypocrites, it will be a sad day of weeping and gnashing the teeth. For faithful servants of Yahweh, it will be a day of unspeakable joy. That there will be no hypocrites in the Kingdom of Yahweh is a truly frightful, though comforting, thought. Well, we’ve hunted long and hard for a pre-tribulation rapture, but there’s not one in verse 51 either.
We now end our Matthew 24 rapture safari, without bagging one single pre-tribulation rapture verse!! I feel a little disappointed, because I really DESIRE to be raptured out before the Tribulation, but I’d rather know the truth that sets me free than to think I might have believed in something that is not based on the truth of Yahweh’s word.
We’ll continue in the Olivet Discourse with Matthew 25 next post, but our study may not be verse by verse. We’ll see how the Lord leads then.
Gene Benjamin II
October 13, 2012 CE
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