Now is the Time!

Photo by Donatas Dabravolskas 2024

One day, I believe very soon, Jesus Christ will meet with His church, or His called-out assembly of believers, in the clouds. Without warning, we will instantaneously be changed into immortal, glorified bodies that will never sin, die, age, sin, or experience death, pain or sorrow. In these bodies, we will rise to meet Him and all our loved ones in Him, and live with them in Heaven throughout eternity. Praise God for this glorious promise and living hope (1 Peter 1:13) of the Rapture! (1 Corinthians 15: 35-57).

As students of history have seen proven over and over, any attempt to predict the date of Christ’s second coming only makes the self-proclaimed “prophet” look foolish. Just recently, a pastor in South Africa convinced his flock that the Rapture would occur on September 23 or 24, and urged them to quit their jobs, sell their homes and all their possessions. 

He even issued instructions for how to be Raptured, which did not mention the necessity of being saved by faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6). Instead, he told his followers to stand up, hold their arms out to the sides, relax and look up, for if they looked back at the Earth, they would turn to a pillar of salt, as did Lot's wife (Genesis 19:26). Not only does this fail to rightly divide the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15), but it seems incredibly time-consuming for an event that Jesus told us would happen in the "twinkling of an eye!" (1 Corinthians 15:52)

Sadly, such false prophecies discourage and even devastate those gullible enough to believe them, while discrediting and making a mockery of Christians’ well-placed faith in the Rapture. As Christ so clearly told His disciples,

Matthew 24:36: But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

Nonetheless, Christ clearly wanted us all to be aware of the signs that would precede and build up to His second coming, as He further described to His disciples in the Olivet discourse (Matthew 24), including men falsely claiming to be Christ (v. 5); wars and rumors of wars (v. 6-7); famines, diseases, and earthquakes in varied and unexpected places (v. 7), persecution of Christians (v. 9), false prophets (v. 11), and spread of the Gospel message to all nations (v. 14).

These general signs will culminate in a very specific sign, the “abomination of desolation,” (v. 15). The Antichrist, who will have been regarded as a peacemaker and messiah, will desecrate the holy temple in Jerusalem, most likely by slaughtering a swine on the altar, clearly revealing that he is not the promised one the Jews are awaiting, but quite the opposite. This ushers in the great tribulation (v. 21) and ultimately Christ’s second coming (v. 30).

As we hear of all that is going on the world today we must realize that all these general signs are present and increasing, suggesting that the second coming will be very soon. Even more exciting is the realization that before Christ returns with His armies of believers to fight the battle of Armageddon (Revelation16:16), the Rapture must happen at least seven years before! So, as close at it seems the second coming must be, based on the signs of the times, it is actually seven years closer!

Of course, even the disciples who watched as Christ ascended into Heaven believed, as we do, that Christ’s return is imminent, meaning that it could occur at any time. God’s timing is always perfect, and His sense of time is very different than ours (2 Peter 3:8). We can thank Him for what we experience as a delay in His return, because it gives more souls an opportunity to be saved (2 Peter 3:9), and because it gives us more time to lead others to him and to win crowns to lay at His feet.

The world mocks Christians for believing that Christ will come again (2 Peter 3:3-4), but we can be blessed by knowing that we can have the crown of righteousness to lay at His feet just by eagerly looking forward to His second coming! (2 Timothy 4:8). Although we don’t know what day or hour the Rapture will occur, we do know for certain that it is closer today than it was yesterday, and that we should live each day as if it were our last before He comes again!

Matthew 24:44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

And we also know that for those who don’t yet know Christ, that now is the time for salvation. We’re not promised tomorrow, so let’s be ready for His sure, imminent return, and waste no time in telling others about Him. Let's make sure that we and our loved ones are saved, that we are yielding to the Holy Spirit daily, following His Word and doing His work!

 

2 Corinthians 6: 2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

Copyright Laurie Collett 2011 

Reposted from the archives, edited and expanded 

Super Blue Blood Red Moon

Photo by Abajar 2018

A few days ago the earth experienced a conjunction of lunar phenomena so rare that it has not occurred since 1866 – a blue moon, supermoon, and lunar eclipse, or blood red moon, all on the same day!

As the phrase, “once in a blue moon” implies, a blue moon is relatively rare in and of itself. It refers to the occurrence of two full moons, instead of the usual one full moon, in a single month, which happens about once every three years. The year 2018 will be further distinguished by two blue moons, once in January and once in late March, which will not occur again for another 19 years, should the Lord tarry.

A lunar eclipse can occur only during a full moon, because the sun, earth and moon must be aligned exactly, with the earth in the middle. It is called a blood moon because of its reddish hue, caused by direct sunlight completely blocked by the earth's shadow, with the only light seen being refracted through the earth's shadow. For the same reason that the sunset looks red, this light looks red because of scattering of the more blue light.

The supermoon is so named because it appears to be 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter than normal, resulting from the full moon being at its closest point to earth while travelling on its elliptical orbit. This occurs approximately once every 14 months and is expected again in January 2019.

All of these signs in the sky are relatively uncommon, but the co-occurrence of all three, termed a Super Blue Blood Moon, is particularly unusual, and has not happened for more than 150 years! Jesus told His disciples of signs of His second coming, including signs of the times (Matthew 16:3), which should alert us to keep looking up for His return (Luke 21:28).

There are three Biblical references to a blood moon, all referring to the second coming of Jesus Christ as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Revelation 19:16), bringing judgment on those who rejected Him and attacked Israel, and yet offering salvation through His mercy, love and grace (Ephesians 3:8-9).

The first reference to a blood moon is the Old Testament prophecy of Joel 2:31: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come. This blood moon heralding the Lord’s return will occur around the same as a solar eclipse, another relatively rare event that occurred last August, visible across most of the United States,

Preceding this verse in Joel, the chapter speaks of trouble and destruction to the enemies of God’s chosen people, and great blessings to His favored nation, provided Zion repents and returns to worship, love and serve Him alone. Then He promises to fill His people with His Spirit, empowering His sons and daughters to prophesy, while the old men dream dreams and the young men see visions (v. 28-29).

He promises wonders in the heavens and earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke (v. 30) with deliverance for whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord (v. 32; Acts 2:21; Romans 10:13). Even today, the Name of Jesus Christ is the only Name by which we can be saved (Acts 4:12).

The blood moon prophecy of Joel is repeated nearly verbatim in Acts 2:20, in Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost, except that the word “terrible” is replaced by “notable.” Here the context is God’s judgment on those who rejected and crucified His Son Who rose from the dead, and yet the salvation and Spirit-filling of all who trust in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins (v. 21-38)

The final Biblical occurrence of a blood moon is in Revelation 6:12, describing the sixth seal judgment during the Great Tribulation, accompanied by a solar eclipse and great earthquake. The great day of God’s wrath is also heralded by stars falling from the heavens, moving of all the mountains and islands, and terror among all men (v. 13- 17).

Jesus said that no man or even angel would know the day or the hour of His return (Matthew 24:36; 25:13; Mark 13:32), but that we should be vigilant and look up, for each day that passes means that our ultimate redemption is one day closer! We should follow the signs of the times, not to predict a date, but to find joy in prophecies being fulfilled and in those yet to come.

Surely we can see in current events many of the signs of the end that Jesus referred to in His Olivet discourse: false Christs and false prophets who deceive many, wars and rumors of wars, famines, epidemics, earthquakes, persecution and hatred of Christians, widespread sin, and coldness and wickedness instead of love (Matthew 24:5-12).

May those who have not yet trusted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior do so before it is too late, believing in His death, burial and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only way to Heaven (John 14:6). And may those who are His children serve Him joyfully, knowing that He could return at any moment, blessing us with glorified bodies (1 Corinthians 15:35-54), and eternity in Heaven with Him and our loved ones in Christ! 

© 2018 Laurie Collett

 

Were the Mayans Right?

Were the Mayans right in their prediction of an apocalyptic event ending the world as we know it on December 21, 2012? As I see it, they were off by at least 1,007 years.

Despite all the hype about the world ending next week, some experts in ancient civilizations are disclaiming that such a prediction even came from the Mayans. Surprisingly, NASA has devoted a whole page on its website to debunking this myth, which may actually have the reverse effect of increasing its credibility.

There is no doubt that signs of the End Times, which Jesus spoke of in His Olivet discourse (Matthew 24) and on which Paul expanded (2 Timothy 3:1-13), are increasing almost daily. Wars, rumors of wars, famine, diseases, earthquakes, wickedness in high places, flaunting of sin, persecution of Christians, false prophets, and chilling indifference to human life and natural affection pervade every aspect of world culture.

All these signs refer to Christ’s second coming in power and glory to defeat Israel’s enemies at the battle of Armageddon (Revelation 19:11-21). This event must take place at least seven years after the Rapture (1 Corinthians 15:51-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17), in which dead and living believers receive glorified bodies and are caught up to meet Him in the air. This Tribulation period of seven years corresponds to Daniel’s seventieth week (Daniel 9:24).

The Rapture is indeed imminent, meaning that it could occur at any moment, and the signs of the times that warn of what Jesus referred to in the Tribulation are as birth pangs (Romans 8:22; 1 Thessalonians 5:3), becoming more intense and frequent as the event draws nearer.

The one condition to precede His second coming that has not yet come to pass is the spread of the Gospel message to every nation (Matthew 24:14). Yet even that would not stop the Rapture from happening at any moment. In this technological and Internet age, the seven-year period of the Tribulation is ample time for the Gospel to reach every tribe and kindred before the King of Kings and Lord of Lords appears in the sky with His armies of believers (Revelation 19:14-21).

After the Rapture, 144,000 Jewish male virgins will recognize that Jesus was the promised Messiah (Revelation 14:1-5). Empowered by the Holy Spirit, they, along with two witnesses (Revelation 11:3), will evangelize all nations so that no person left behind will have the excuse of never having heard the Gospel.

All will hear that Jesus was God in the flesh (John 1:14), the perfect sacrifice to pay our sin debt and to reconcile sinful man to Holy God, so that all who trust in His death, burial and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15) as the only way to Heaven (John 14:6) will have abundant, everlasting life (John 3:16; 10:10).

After the seven-year period of the Tribulation, Jesus Christ will preside over the Millennial Kingdom, a time of perfect peace, justice and harmony lasting 1000 years (Revelation 20:4). Only at its conclusion will the heaven and earth be burned up (2 Peter 3:10-13), as all is made new for the Eternal Kingdom in the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:1-2,10).

So if the alleged end of the Mayan calendar signifies the end of the present earth, their doomsday date of 12/21/2012 has to be off by at least 1,007 years, including the seven-year tribulation and the 1,000 year Millennial Kingdom.

But could the 12/21/2012 date apply to the Rapture? Certainly that will be a cataclysmic event, as living believers instantaneously vanish in the midst of critical operations such as driving school buses, piloting planes, or commanding armies. Soon thereafter will follow the devastating events of the Tribulation, including the trumpet and vial judgments (Revelation 8:2,6; 16:1-17).

It seems unlikely that the Rapture would occur on the date of a predicted apocalypse, as the Bible clearly indicates that it will come like a thief in the night (1 Thessalonians 5:2; 2 Peter 3:10), without announcement and when it is least expected (Matthew 24:44). My son and I had an interesting discussion about that -- because one would not expect the Rapture to occur on a predicted date, paradoxically, it might!

Jesus Himself said that no man knows the day or the hour (Matthew 24:36), as proven by Harold Camping and others who have foolishly attempted to predict the Rapture. Two things are certain, though – the Rapture is closer today than it was yesterday, and once it happens, there is no turning back.

Whoever has an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior will be caught up to meet Him in the air, with no more time to lead souls to Him or to consecrate every aspect of our lives to Him as a holy, acceptable living sacrifice (Romans 12:1). May we labor diligently to bring in the harvest (Matthew 9:37-38) before it is too late, so that we may hear Him say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:21-23).

And for those who are left behind, it will be too late. Those who heard a clear presentation of the Gospel but rejected it are unlikely to be saved during the Tribulation, as they will be sent a “strong delusion” preventing them from believing the truth about Jesus Christ (2 Thessalonians 2:10-13)

So don’t get caught up in worldly predictions of doomsday – know your Bible, trust Jesus as your Savior and the only Way to Heaven, and consecrate your life to His service! Your eternal destiny depends on it!

© 2012 Laurie Collett