Will Christians
disappear around the world
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before a seven-year period
of tribulation hits this planet?
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That's our topic
on His Voice Today.
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Welcome to
another His Voice Today
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with Steve Wohlberg.
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Our message today is called,
"The Rapture Controversy"
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and with a title like that
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we can expect that
this is going to be
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a controversial half
hour that we spend together.
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First of all I want to say
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that I am one of the millions
of Christians around this world
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who strongly believe that
Jesus Christ is coming again.
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We believe that we're
living in the final days,
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that we are in the time
of the Book of Revelation
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that the apocalypse is
ahead of us... not far away,
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and that these are the last
days of the earth's history.
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I believe that
because the Bible teaches that
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when you
carefully study God's book.
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And along with millions of other
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Bible-believing Christians
in many different denominations,
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I also am longing... I'm
looking forward to the day
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when Jesus Christ
will come down from heaven
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and catch up His
people and take us home.
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Paul talks about that in
1 Thessalonians chapter 4
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verse 17 which
we'll look at shortly
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and I believe that this
event is often referred to
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as "The Rapture"
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and again, I can't
wait to get off this planet,
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and to go up to see my
Savior and to look into His eyes
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into the face of the one
who died on the cross for me.
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But when it comes to
the timing of this event,
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that is really the issue,
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that's where the
controversy comes in.
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Exactly when is
Jesus going to come down
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and pick us up
and take us up there?
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There are many different views,
a lot of different options,
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and I'll show
you... to start out...
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one of the options,
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and that has been
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very appropriately or at
least skillfully presented
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in a
best-selling series of novels
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and some movies called
the "Left Behind" series
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co-authored by Tim
LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins
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published by Tyndale Publishers.
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The "Left Behind"
series basically teaches
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that at some
point in the future,
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and here's a video jacket
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on my screen in front of
me and I'll read this to you,
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it says, "In an instant,
millions of people will vanish.
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For those who are left behind,
the apocalypse has just begun. "
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The "Left
Behind" series of novels,
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basically presents a
sequence of end-time events.
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Yes, it's a
novel but it presents
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what millions of
people sincerely believe,
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and the idea is that the
rapture will take place first
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and that will be followed
by a period of seven years
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of tribulation and
that will be followed
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by the visible
second-coming of Jesus Christ.
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So, it's rapture
first, then... seven years...
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then the second
coming of Christ.
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Now, I don't know if
you remember this or not
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but in the year 2004 and 2005...
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"Left Behind" readers
were absolutely shocked
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when the Publisher of
the "Left Behind" series
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Tyndale Publishing,
came out with another series
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of novels about Bible Prophecy
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that took a completely different
position than "Left Behind. "
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And here I've got, on
my screen in front of me,
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an advertisement for the
book called "The Last Disciple"
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written by Hank
Hanegraaff and Sigmund Brouwer
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and here's a... an
editorial or a review
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from "Publishers Weekly,"
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"Tyndale House, the Publisher
of the 'Left Behind' books,
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the
mega-selling Christian series
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about the end of times,
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now presents a new series,
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with a very
different interpretation
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of Biblical prophecy.
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Christian radio show
host, Hank Hanegraaff,
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and best-selling CBA
novelist Sigmund Brouwer,
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take readers back to the time
of Nero in the first century
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and it goes on and on
describing the view of this book
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"The Last Disciple"
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so you've got
"The Last Disciple"
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on the one side, and
you've got "Left Behind"
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on the other side.
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Here is an article that came
out in The Dallas Morning News,
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November 6, 2004,
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and the title was
pretty interesting
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it says, "New take on Rapture
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puts Authors in
Apocalyptic Feud"
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the "Left
Behind" series basically
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says that
Christians will disappear
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and then there'll be
seven years of tribulation
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and that's when the
antichrist will come.
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"The Last Disciple"
doesn't accept that at all.
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"The Last Disciple" says that
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the antichrist
was a long time ago,
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it was actually Nero,
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and they don't believe
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in a disappearing event
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where Christians
just are gone with a poof
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before seven
years of tribulation.
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So, here's "Left Behind,"
and here's "The Last Disciple"
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published by the same Publisher
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creating a controversy over
what is the truth in this area.
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And then there's Billy Graham,
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I'm sure you know
who Billy Graham is.
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He wrote a book called,
"Answers to Life's Problems"
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and Billy, in his book,
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actually takes
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a different view
from both of them.
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He doesn't believe...
or at least, in his book
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he shows he
believes something different
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than "Left Behind" and
he certainly didn't believe
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in "The Last Disciple. "
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All right, here is a quote
from his book, page 300 and 301.
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Billy is asked a question
which he lists in the book.
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"Do you believe that
Jesus Christ is going to make
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a visible, physical
return to this earth?"
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And Billy answers in his book,
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"Yes, I believe
this with all my heart,
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not because of the
opinions of others,
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but based solely on what
the Bible plainly teaches... "
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"In the New Testament,"
Pastor Graham continues,
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"... we find more than 300
references to the Second Coming.
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For instance... " and
then he quotes John 14
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verses 2 and 3, and
Matthew 24 verse 30,
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and then Billy Graham said,
"... in 1 Thessalonians 4:16"
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which we'll look at
soon, which describes
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Jesus coming down from
heaven and us being caught up.
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"Paul wrote:
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That's: Answers
to Life's Problems,
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pages 300 and 301.
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And basically what Billy
is saying in his quote...
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he's quoting
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1 Thessalonians 4:16 and 17
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that talks about
Jesus coming down
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and believers being caught up,
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and he applies
that to the visible
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second coming of Jesus Christ.
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He does not
apply it to a rapture
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where Christians disappear
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prior to a
seven-year tribulation,
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which is then followed by
the second coming of Christ
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and Billy said
that we'll be caught up
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at the second coming of Christ
which will be a visible event.
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So, as you can see,
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there is a controversy
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and that's why
this message is called,
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"The Rapture
Controversy" you know...
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which one is it of
these different options?
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Is it what "Left Behind" says,
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that we'll be caught
up that we'll disappear,
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that people will just
vanish around the world,
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before the seven years,
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at the end of which
we have the second coming
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or is it what "The
Last Disciple" says
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that there isn't even
going to be a seven years
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and that the antichrist
was a long time ago...
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at the time of Nero...
or is it what Billy Graham
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taught in his book,
"Answers to Life's Problems"
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that 1 Thessalonians
4:16 and 17 really describes
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the visible-loud-command
second coming of Jesus Christ?
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Are you
confused? Well, I hope not,
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my goal is not to
confuse you but ultimately
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to shed light on
this subject and to do it
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not with my own opinion,
but to do it with the Bible.
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This Program is
called His Voice Today...
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and my goal in
every presentation
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is to stick to Scripture
and to look at the Bible
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very, very carefully to
find out what it really says.
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So, let's go to 1
Thessalonians chapter 4
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and let's take a close
look at what Paul actually said
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and this is
probably the "mother text"
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that is at the
heart of the controversy
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about the timing of the rapture.
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1 Thessalonians chapter 4
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verses 16 and 17
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and these verses
are extremely important
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and let me preface the
reading of these verses
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with a little illustration.
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Have you ever been driving
down the highway in your car
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and not realized
how fast you were going?
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I won't tell you how many
times this has happened to me
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and then you happen to
glance down at the speedometer
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in front of you and you realize,
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"Whoa, I am going too
fast, I'm going to get a ticket,
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unless I slow down and
line up with the speed limit. "
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Well the fact is
that my conviction is
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that too many
times, and this is a fact,
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too many times
people read 1 Thessalonians
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chapter 4 verses
16 and 17 too quickly.
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They're just moving too fast
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and it is time for us
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to slow down, to take
a very, very careful look
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at these verses and to find out
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what the Bible... and
what the Bible really says
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and what Paul actually wrote.
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So, if you're ready, let's
go... 1 Thessalonians chapter 4
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verse 16, Paul wrote:
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Now before we
even get to verse 17,
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let's just notice,
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clearly how Paul is
describing this event.
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He wrote that Jesus
Himself is going to come down,
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He's going to
descend from heaven
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with three things, the
first one is a shout...
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the second one is a
voice... and the third one...
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is with the 'trump'
or trumpet of God...
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and the trumpet is
going to be so loud
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that the dead in Christ
are going to rise first,
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even the dead around
the world are going to hear
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that trumpet.
00:11:07.83\00:11:09.16
Now if you think about
it, just look at the text
00:11:09.20\00:11:11.80
it just sure seems
like Paul is describing
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a very noisy event.
00:11:16.60\00:11:18.91
In fact, this is one of the
noisiest verses in the Bible.
00:11:18.94\00:11:23.04
Jesus is coming
down, not quietly,
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He's not just slipping down from
heaven so that nobody sees Him,
00:11:25.58\00:11:29.45
He's coming down with a shout,
with a voice and with a trumpet
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and then the dead in Christ
are rising from their graves
00:11:33.39\00:11:38.09
all around the world.
00:11:38.13\00:11:39.76
Now, let's go to the
key text, verse 17...
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what happens at that
time? In verse 17, Paul wrote,
00:11:44.53\00:11:49.87
"Then... " "then"
meaning at the same time,
00:11:49.90\00:11:52.61
"we which are alive and remain,
00:11:52.64\00:11:56.61
we shall be... "
00:11:56.68\00:11:58.28
and the words there are:
"we shall be caught up...
00:11:58.31\00:12:01.38
caught up to meet
them in the clouds...
00:12:01.42\00:12:05.19
caught up together
with them in the clouds"
00:12:05.22\00:12:08.92
and "together" means,
those that have been resurrected
00:12:08.96\00:12:11.29
where then being
"caught up together with them"
00:12:11.33\00:12:14.63
and we're going up...
literally we're going up...
00:12:14.66\00:12:18.03
"with them in the clouds
to meet the Lord in the air:
00:12:18.07\00:12:21.27
and so shall we
ever be with the Lord.
00:12:21.34\00:12:24.61
Wherefore comfort one
another with these words. "
00:12:24.64\00:12:27.41
So, Paul
describes Jesus coming down
00:12:27.48\00:12:30.85
and we're going up
and it is at that time
00:12:30.88\00:12:33.85
when there's a shout,
a voice and a trumpet.
00:12:33.92\00:12:36.82
A very, very loud event.
00:12:36.89\00:12:38.65
Now, if you keep
reading in chapter 5,
00:12:38.69\00:12:41.26
Paul continues right on,
00:12:41.29\00:12:42.62
"But of the times and
the seasons, brethren,
00:12:42.66\00:12:44.39
you have no need
that I write to you. "
00:12:44.43\00:12:46.39
In other words,
we don't know exactly
00:12:46.43\00:12:48.10
when this is going to happen,
00:12:48.13\00:12:49.46
whether it's winter,
spring, summer or fall,
00:12:49.50\00:12:51.07
we just don't know... we
don't know what time of the day,
00:12:51.10\00:12:53.37
or what season of
the year it will be,
00:12:53.44\00:12:55.07
but verse 2 says,
but we do know something,
00:12:55.10\00:12:57.31
"For yourselves
do know perfectly
00:12:57.34\00:12:59.31
that the day of the Lord... "
00:12:59.34\00:13:01.04
this day when Jesus comes
down and we are caught up,
00:13:01.11\00:13:03.21
"will come as a
thief in the night. "
00:13:03.24\00:13:05.48
Now, this
expression, "thief in the night"
00:13:05.51\00:13:08.65
when we look at the context,
00:13:08.68\00:13:10.02
doesn't mean that it's going
to be a "quiet return of Christ"
00:13:10.09\00:13:13.36
it means that it's
going to be a sudden event
00:13:13.39\00:13:16.42
because verse 3 says,
"For when they shall say,
00:13:16.46\00:13:19.46
'Peace and safety!'"
00:13:19.49\00:13:20.83
those are the people of
the world who aren't ready,
00:13:20.90\00:13:22.36
"then sudden destruction
shall come upon them,
00:13:22.40\00:13:29.80
as travail upon
a woman with child
00:13:29.84\00:13:31.81
and they will not escape. "
00:13:31.84\00:13:33.51
So, when you look
at the whole context,
00:13:33.58\00:13:35.61
there are really two groups.
00:13:35.64\00:13:37.65
Jesus comes down
from heaven with a shout
00:13:37.68\00:13:39.91
and with a voice with a trumpet,
00:13:39.95\00:13:41.28
the dead in Christ rise,
00:13:41.32\00:13:42.65
and believers are caught up
to meet the Lord in the air.
00:13:42.68\00:13:44.95
Those that are not
ready for this event,
00:13:45.02\00:13:47.92
they will experience
this "Day of the Lord"
00:13:47.96\00:13:50.96
that will come like
a thief in the night
00:13:51.03\00:13:54.00
and they will experience it
in a very sudden and tragic way.
00:13:54.03\00:13:58.00
Verse 3 again says,
00:13:58.03\00:13:59.53
"for when they
say 'Peace and safety'
00:13:59.57\00:14:00.94
then, sudden
destruction will come upon them
00:14:00.97\00:14:03.71
as labor pains
upon a woman with child
00:14:03.81\00:14:05.84
and they will not escape. "
00:14:05.91\00:14:08.51
So one group goes up
00:14:08.54\00:14:10.35
and one group doesn't
escape "the Day of the Lord,"
00:14:10.38\00:14:15.75
that's what the Bible says.
00:14:15.78\00:14:17.49
As we look at these
verses, there really is no hint
00:14:17.52\00:14:20.56
that this is a
quiet return of Christ,
00:14:20.59\00:14:23.56
there's no hint that
believers just disappear,
00:14:23.63\00:14:27.00
it says, "we're
going to be caught up"
00:14:27.03\00:14:28.36
In Acts chapter 1, the Bible
says that Jesus was taken up
00:14:28.40\00:14:32.13
but He didn't disappear,
He was taken up literally
00:14:32.20\00:14:34.60
and the disciples who watched
Him go up into the clouds
00:14:34.64\00:14:37.91
and then two angels that were
standing by the disciples said,
00:14:37.94\00:14:41.51
"Ye men of Galilee, why
are you looking up into heaven?
00:14:41.54\00:14:44.48
this same Jesus, who was taken
up from you into heaven... "
00:14:44.51\00:14:47.42
and they saw Him go up...
00:14:47.45\00:14:48.78
the angel said that the
same Jesus will come back down
00:14:48.82\00:14:52.09
in the same way that you
have seen Him go into heaven
00:14:52.12\00:14:55.12
and I believe those angels
have their theology straight
00:14:55.16\00:14:58.16
that Jesus was
taken up literally
00:14:58.19\00:15:00.03
visibly... they saw Him go up...
00:15:00.10\00:15:01.86
and they said that
He's going to come down
00:15:01.90\00:15:04.17
in the same way,
00:15:04.20\00:15:05.53
and that's what the Bible
is teaching in 1 Thessalonians
00:15:05.57\00:15:09.20
chapter 4 verses 16 and 17
and there really is no hint
00:15:09.24\00:15:13.11
at least from the text
that this "catching up"
00:15:13.14\00:15:17.25
is the beginning of a
seven-year period of tribulation
00:15:17.28\00:15:20.85
for those who are left behind.
00:15:20.92\00:15:23.49
We don't see that in the text.
00:15:23.52\00:15:26.02
I've got a very interesting
article in front of me
00:15:26.09\00:15:30.13
that came out in Time Magazine,
00:15:30.16\00:15:32.39
see the date
here is July 1, 2002,
00:15:32.43\00:15:36.06
it's called, "The
Bible and the Apocalypse
00:15:36.10\00:15:38.70
why more Americans are
reading and talking about...
00:15:38.73\00:15:41.24
about the end of the world. "
00:15:41.27\00:15:43.00
Here is the front cover,
it's a rather old edition,
00:15:43.04\00:15:45.47
I've used it many times
and in a heart of this...
00:15:45.51\00:15:47.91
this particular
issue of Time Magazine,
00:15:47.94\00:15:50.75
there's a whole article dealing
with the "Left Behind" series.
00:15:50.78\00:15:54.12
You can see all
the different books,
00:15:54.15\00:15:55.48
and they're analyzing
the different interpretations
00:15:55.52\00:15:58.99
and the view that
"Left Behind" is teaching
00:15:59.02\00:16:01.39
and on the next page
after all those books are listed
00:16:01.42\00:16:04.93
there's an article by a
man named David Van Biema
00:16:04.96\00:16:08.06
and it's called, "The
End: How It Got That Way"
00:16:08.10\00:16:11.17
and right in the
middle of this article,
00:16:11.20\00:16:12.77
you see a picture
there, if you can see it,
00:16:12.80\00:16:15.30
and there's Billy Graham and
00:16:15.34\00:16:17.31
a little younger Billy
Graham and he's preaching,
00:16:17.34\00:16:19.17
and this article is called,
"The End: How It Got That Way,"
00:16:19.21\00:16:21.81
it's written by a
journalist named David Van Biema
00:16:21.84\00:16:25.58
and I read this
with great interest
00:16:25.65\00:16:27.92
and he talks about 1
Thessalonians chapter 4
00:16:27.95\00:16:31.02
verses 16 and 17
that we just read
00:16:31.05\00:16:34.42
and then he talks about a
man named John Nelson Darby
00:16:34.46\00:16:37.46
who lived in the 1800s
00:16:37.53\00:16:38.86
there's a picture of
Darby over on the side here
00:16:38.89\00:16:41.93
and it talks about his
preaching and his teaching
00:16:41.96\00:16:45.13
and then it talks about
Darby's most striking innovation
00:16:45.17\00:16:49.34
and I'll read it
to you right here.
00:16:49.37\00:16:51.51
It says that Darby's
most striking innovation was
00:16:51.54\00:16:55.14
the timing of a concept called,
00:16:55.18\00:16:57.45
"The Rapture drawn from
the Apostle Paul's prediction
00:16:57.48\00:16:59.58
that believers would fly
up to meet Christ in heaven"
00:16:59.61\00:17:02.68
which we just
read from our Bibles.
00:17:02.72\00:17:04.72
"Most theologians...
" listen to this...
00:17:04.75\00:17:07.46
"Most theologians
understood that event
00:17:07.49\00:17:10.13
as part of the
resurrection at time's very end"
00:17:10.16\00:17:13.19
which is what
Billy Graham believed
00:17:13.23\00:17:15.56
and I trust... still believes,
00:17:15.60\00:17:19.27
but Darby
repositioned that event
00:17:19.30\00:17:22.17
at the
apocalypse's very beginning...
00:17:22.20\00:17:25.04
a small shift...
with large implications
00:17:25.07\00:17:27.38
it spared true
believers the tribulation
00:17:27.41\00:17:29.64
leaving the horror
00:17:29.68\00:17:31.01
to non-believers and
the doctrinally misled
00:17:31.05\00:17:34.42
which is basically what the
"Left Behind" series teaches,
00:17:34.45\00:17:36.79
that we go up and
then everybody left behind
00:17:36.82\00:17:38.55
has to go through this period.
00:17:38.59\00:17:39.92
Now, David Van Biema, with
the picture of Billy Graham
00:17:39.95\00:17:42.36
right in the
middle of the article,
00:17:42.39\00:17:43.73
says that most theologians,
00:17:43.76\00:17:45.09
down throughout the
history of Christianity,
00:17:45.13\00:17:46.70
they didn't believe that,
00:17:46.73\00:17:48.06
most theologians
including Billy Graham
00:17:48.10\00:17:50.47
have interpreted
1st Thessalonians 4
00:17:50.50\00:17:53.00
verses 16 and 17 as
applying to time's very end
00:17:53.03\00:17:56.94
and the final resurrection
when Jesus comes in the clouds
00:17:57.01\00:18:00.18
with power and great glory
00:18:00.21\00:18:01.84
and it's going
to be a loud event
00:18:01.88\00:18:03.45
which is referred to
as "The Second Coming. "
00:18:03.55\00:18:08.52
So, these are... these
are some of the issues...
00:18:08.55\00:18:13.56
that we need to unravel...
00:18:13.59\00:18:14.92
now there are a
couple of other texts
00:18:14.96\00:18:16.29
I want to look at in the
time that we've got left,
00:18:16.32\00:18:19.36
1st Corinthians 15 verse
52, let's take a look at that
00:18:19.39\00:18:22.63
1st Corinthians 15:52
00:18:22.66\00:18:24.97
is probably the
second most quoted passage
00:18:25.00\00:18:28.17
about the rapture and
it's used to support the idea
00:18:28.20\00:18:34.54
that Christians are going to
disappear before the tribulation
00:18:34.58\00:18:37.95
In 1st Corinthians
15 verse 52, Paul wrote,
00:18:37.98\00:18:42.22
"... in a moment, in
the twinkling of an eye"
00:18:42.25\00:18:44.02
in the moment... in the moment,
in the twinkling of an eye,
00:18:44.09\00:18:47.56
and people
interpret that and they say,
00:18:47.59\00:18:49.26
"See, people are going to
blink and all of a sudden,
00:18:49.29\00:18:52.66
all the Christians
are going to be gone,"
00:18:52.69\00:18:54.03
but is that what
Paul is really saying?
00:18:54.10\00:18:56.90
Is he describing a
disappearing moment
00:18:56.97\00:18:59.87
that the world then wakes up
and wonders, "What happened?"
00:18:59.90\00:19:03.04
And seven years have begun...
00:19:03.07\00:19:06.01
well, let's look
at the whole verse...
00:19:06.04\00:19:08.11
Verse 52 says, "... in a moment,
in the twinkling of an eye,
00:19:08.14\00:19:12.48
at the last trumpet.
For the trumpet will sound,
00:19:12.51\00:19:16.35
and the dead will be
raised incorruptible,
00:19:16.38\00:19:19.02
and we shall be changed. "
00:19:19.05\00:19:21.36
So, Paul says, "this moment"
00:19:21.39\00:19:23.66
that takes place in
the twinkling of an eye
00:19:23.73\00:19:25.36
is actually at
the "last trumpet. "
00:19:25.39\00:19:27.80
and there are seven trumpets
in the book of Revelation
00:19:27.83\00:19:29.96
and the last
trumpet is at the very end
00:19:30.00\00:19:32.93
when Jesus Christ comes...
His visible second coming.
00:19:32.97\00:19:36.71
So, when Paul talks about,
00:19:36.74\00:19:38.74
"in a moment, in
the twinkling of an eye"
00:19:38.77\00:19:41.54
he's not talking about
Christians just disappearing
00:19:41.61\00:19:43.95
he's actually talking
about how instantly our bodies
00:19:43.98\00:19:46.48
are going to be
changed to have new bodies
00:19:46.51\00:19:49.88
at the return of Jesus Christ,
so, let's look at one more...
00:19:49.92\00:19:54.36
the third text which is so often
used... is in Matthew chapter 24
00:19:54.39\00:20:00.33
where Jesus talked
about one being taken
00:20:00.40\00:20:03.20
and one being left.
00:20:03.23\00:20:04.93
One taken... one
left... Matthew 24,
00:20:04.97\00:20:10.54
At the end of the
world... at the end of time...
00:20:10.61\00:20:13.48
Jesus said:
00:20:13.51\00:20:16.28
I want you to know
that I believe this.
00:20:19.88\00:20:22.85
I believe the
Bible, not a liberal...
00:20:22.88\00:20:25.55
but the question
is: "When is then...?"
00:20:25.59\00:20:28.79
When will one be
taken and one be left?
00:20:28.82\00:20:31.96
Will it be when
Christians just disappear
00:20:31.99\00:20:34.60
seven years
before the second coming,
00:20:34.63\00:20:37.20
or will it be at the
time of the second coming
00:20:37.27\00:20:40.57
at the end of the world?
00:20:40.64\00:20:41.97
That's the issue.
Well, I think the answer...
00:20:42.00\00:20:44.41
I know the answer
is in the context.
00:20:44.44\00:20:47.48
In verse 27 just
backing up, Jesus said,
00:20:47.51\00:20:50.15
So, here He
describes a visible coming
00:20:57.32\00:21:00.36
that's going to be just like
00:21:00.46\00:21:01.79
lightning
flashing around the world.
00:21:01.82\00:21:03.86
Verse 30... He describes what
it will be like when He comes...
00:21:03.93\00:21:09.33
they will see... "
even unbelievers will see...
00:21:14.64\00:21:17.14
And He will send His angels with
a great sound of the trumpet"
00:21:21.04\00:21:23.95
there's that trumpet again,
00:21:23.98\00:21:25.31
"and they will gather together
His elect from the four winds,
00:21:25.35\00:21:28.18
from one end of
heaven to the other. "
00:21:28.22\00:21:29.78
This is
definitely the second coming,
00:21:29.82\00:21:31.89
no question
about it, verse 36...
00:21:31.92\00:21:33.96
Verse 37...
00:21:38.96\00:21:41.36
"For as the days that
were before the flood,
00:21:43.77\00:21:45.97
they were eating and drinking
marrying and giving in marriage
00:21:46.00\00:21:48.54
until the day that
Noah entered into the ark
00:21:48.57\00:21:51.14
and they knew not"
the world knew not...
00:21:51.17\00:21:53.04
"until the flood came
and took them all away. "
00:21:53.07\00:21:55.84
"... so shall also the
coming of the Son of Man be. "
00:21:55.88\00:22:00.22
So when Jesus comes,
00:22:00.25\00:22:01.58
it's just like
the sudden destruction
00:22:01.62\00:22:03.69
that hit the
people in Noah's day
00:22:03.72\00:22:05.62
around the world,
when the water came down
00:22:05.65\00:22:08.12
and then Jesus said,
00:22:08.16\00:22:09.69
"... so shall also the
coming of the Son of Man be. "
00:22:09.72\00:22:12.16
the one shall be
taken and the other left.
00:22:17.97\00:22:19.80
Two women shall be
grinding at the mill;
00:22:19.87\00:22:21.67
one shall be taken
and the other left.
00:22:21.70\00:22:23.07
Watch, therefore, for
you know not what hour
00:22:23.10\00:22:26.31
your Lord doth come. "
00:22:26.34\00:22:28.21
So, when He said,
"Then... two are in the field,
00:22:28.24\00:22:31.01
one's taken, one's left... "
00:22:31.05\00:22:32.38
the context is verse 27
00:22:32.41\00:22:34.45
just like... lightning flashes
from the east to the west,
00:22:34.48\00:22:37.49
so shall His coming be.
00:22:37.52\00:22:39.12
Just like Noah's day
when the water came down
00:22:39.15\00:22:41.76
and the people
didn't know about it,
00:22:41.79\00:22:43.22
until the flood came
and took them all away.
00:22:43.29\00:22:45.56
So shall His coming be
when He comes in the clouds
00:22:45.59\00:22:49.63
with power and great
glory and the trumpet sounds
00:22:49.66\00:22:52.07
and Jesus gathers His
people from around the world.
00:22:52.10\00:22:55.47
Verse 40 says, "Then
shall two be in the field
00:22:55.50\00:22:58.74
one shall be taken
and the other left. "
00:22:58.77\00:23:00.48
So, based upon the context,
based upon the clear evidence
00:23:00.51\00:23:05.05
as I read my Bible,
it's very obvious to me
00:23:05.08\00:23:09.48
that the "then"
00:23:09.52\00:23:12.69
"when two are in the field,
00:23:12.72\00:23:14.62
and one's taken
and one is left... "
00:23:14.66\00:23:15.99
that "then" is at the
second coming of Jesus Christ.
00:23:16.02\00:23:20.70
That's visible...
that's like lightening
00:23:20.73\00:23:23.13
or the trumpet sounds
and billions of angels
00:23:23.16\00:23:26.27
come down from the sky
at the end of the world.
00:23:26.30\00:23:29.34
The Rapture Controversy...
00:23:29.37\00:23:35.24
I'm a strong
believer in the Bible,
00:23:35.28\00:23:39.51
I'm a strong
believer in the Book.
00:23:39.55\00:23:43.72
I strongly believe
that Jesus Christ came once
00:23:43.79\00:23:48.19
2,000 years ago, that
He was born in Bethlehem,
00:23:48.22\00:23:52.59
that He lived a
quiet, humble life,
00:23:52.63\00:23:55.90
for 33 years,
00:23:55.93\00:23:57.30
in the Land of Israel,
00:23:57.37\00:23:59.07
He suffered in the
Garden of Gethsemane,
00:23:59.10\00:24:02.17
and He died a
cruel death on a cross
00:24:02.20\00:24:05.21
for your sins and for mine
and then He rose from the dead.
00:24:05.24\00:24:08.91
And it's a sad fact
that one of the reasons
00:24:08.98\00:24:11.81
why so many of God's people...
00:24:11.88\00:24:14.12
so many of God's
professed people...
00:24:14.15\00:24:15.58
Jewish people... had
turned away from Jesus
00:24:15.65\00:24:18.79
was because their
understanding of prophecy
00:24:18.82\00:24:21.96
was that when the Messiah came,
00:24:21.99\00:24:23.56
He was going to
conquer the Romans
00:24:23.63\00:24:27.20
and be a
victorious, loud leader.
00:24:27.23\00:24:29.93
But Jesus
didn't come to do that.
00:24:29.96\00:24:32.63
He came in a quiet
way, in a humble way,
00:24:32.67\00:24:34.80
as the lamb of
God to die on a cross
00:24:34.87\00:24:36.81
and because they misunderstood
the nature of His coming,
00:24:36.84\00:24:41.24
many of them rejected
their Messiah which is tragic.
00:24:41.31\00:24:45.68
The New Testament also teaches
00:24:45.71\00:24:48.55
that Jesus is
going to come back again
00:24:48.58\00:24:50.19
and I believe
that with all my heart.
00:24:50.22\00:24:52.52
I believe He's
coming back very soon
00:24:52.55\00:24:54.82
to take His people
home and as I read my Bible,
00:24:54.86\00:25:00.20
I don't believe that
Jesus is coming quietly
00:25:00.23\00:25:05.50
the second time around.
00:25:05.53\00:25:06.87
Many Jewish people,
in the days of Christ,
00:25:06.94\00:25:09.64
believed that He was coming
loudly... but He came quietly
00:25:09.67\00:25:13.48
and they missed
the truth of who He was
00:25:13.51\00:25:17.08
and we can make
a similar mistake,
00:25:17.15\00:25:20.52
we can believe that
at his second coming
00:25:20.55\00:25:23.49
He's coming... or at
least at the end of the world,
00:25:23.52\00:25:25.02
He's going to come quietly.
00:25:25.05\00:25:26.39
Well, now it's not time
for Him to come quietly,
00:25:26.42\00:25:28.99
it's time for Him to
come loudly and visibly
00:25:29.02\00:25:32.59
as a triumphant
warrior to pick up His people
00:25:32.66\00:25:36.20
and to take us home.
00:25:36.23\00:25:37.57
There's a man named Tom
York who once made a statement.
00:25:37.60\00:25:40.37
He said, "Someone
needs to tell the truth
00:25:40.44\00:25:41.84
but it shouldn't be my job. "
00:25:41.87\00:25:44.14
Well, I don't feel
that way about my calling.
00:25:44.21\00:25:48.38
My calling is to tell
the truth, it is my job
00:25:48.41\00:25:53.21
and that's what I'm
doing the best I can
00:25:53.28\00:25:55.68
to do with you right now.
00:25:55.72\00:25:58.15
I'll close with
1st Thessalonians
00:25:58.19\00:26:00.26
chapter 4 verse 16 and 17,
00:26:00.29\00:26:01.96
the Bible says,
"That the Lord Himself
00:26:01.99\00:26:04.26
will descend from
heaven with a shout,
00:26:04.33\00:26:06.36
with the voice of the archangel
and with the trumpet of God,
00:26:06.39\00:26:09.60
and the dead in
Christ shall rise first.
00:26:09.63\00:26:12.63
Then we who are alive and
remain will be caught up... "
00:26:12.67\00:26:15.97
we're going to be
caught up when He comes down
00:26:16.00\00:26:17.74
with a shout, a
voice and a trumpet,
00:26:17.81\00:26:19.31
"we'll be caught up
together with them in the clouds
00:26:19.34\00:26:22.61
to meet the Lord in the air,
00:26:22.64\00:26:23.98
and so shall we
ever be with the Lord. "
00:26:24.05\00:26:27.12
Hallelujah, may
that day come soon.
00:26:27.22\00:26:29.62
"Wherefore... " Paul said,
00:26:29.65\00:26:31.15
"comfort one another with
00:26:31.22\00:26:33.49
these words. "
00:26:33.56\00:26:35.46
These are God's
words for you and me.
00:26:35.49\00:26:37.83
You have just
heard His Voice Today.
00:26:37.86\00:26:41.20
Hope you have
enjoyed this timely message
00:26:41.23\00:26:43.47
from Pastor Steve
Wohlberg and we want you to know
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that White Horse
Media is deeply committed
00:26:46.20\00:26:48.67
to bringing you
many more simple messages
00:26:48.70\00:26:51.14
straight from the Bible,
designed to educate the mind,
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inspire the heart and
help bring our Viewers
00:26:54.18\00:26:56.54
and their
families closer to God.
00:26:56.58\00:26:58.51
To learn more
about White Horse Media,
00:26:58.58\00:27:00.25
or to watch more
of Pastor Steve's
00:27:00.32\00:27:02.82
television programs online,
00:27:02.85\00:27:04.32
including his powerful
new series of two-minute talks
00:27:04.35\00:27:07.49
visit hisvoicetoday. com
00:27:07.56\00:27:09.92
If you've been
blessed by His Voice Today
00:27:09.96\00:27:12.46
with Steve Wohlberg and would
like to have his timely messages
00:27:12.49\00:27:15.13
to share with
family and friends,
00:27:15.16\00:27:16.87
you can now
order these programs.
00:27:16.90\00:27:18.90
The first 26
programs are packaged
00:27:18.93\00:27:20.94
into two 13-part DVD
series for only $34.95 each set,
00:27:20.97\00:27:25.84
plus shipping and handling.
00:27:25.87\00:27:27.21
To order, call 1-800-78-Bible,
00:27:27.28\00:27:30.28
or order online at
whitehorsemedia. com
00:27:30.35\00:27:32.35
or write to White Horse Media,
PO Box 1139, Newport, WA 99156.
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If you've been
blessed by today's program,
00:27:38.49\00:27:41.12
and would like to
help White Horse Media
00:27:41.16\00:27:43.86
with your financial support,
00:27:43.93\00:27:45.26
you can call our toll-free
number listed on the screen,
00:27:45.29\00:27:48.06
or donate online at
whitehorsemedia. com
00:27:48.10\00:27:50.97
We solicit your
prayers for our ministry
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and we thank you for
any gift, large or small
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to help us reach
people with the gospel.
00:27:57.34\00:27:59.34