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• The shadow of the Bride of Christ in the Old Testament (excerpt #1)
• Who is caught up in the rapture and who isn't (excerpt #2)
• The significance of blasphemy of the Spirit in the end times (excerpt #3)
• The time life of the last 7 years prior to the second coming (excerpt #4)
• When the rapture occurs in the time line (excerpt #5)
• The mark of the beast (excerpt #6)
• Broad comparison of the Pre, Mid, and Post-Tribulation rapture timing theories (excerpt #7)

Excerpt #1

Revelation 19:7. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

There is going to be a wedding. The question is; who is getting married? God’s word states the Lamb is getting married. However, who is the Lamb?………

Just as many of God’s spiritual principles and pre-planned events are shadowed in the Old Testament, so is the marriage of the Lamb. However, the majority of the prophetic information found on this subject is devoted to the bride of the Lamb, or the bride of Christ, as Jesus is the Christ.

This is one of the most often referred to ‘shadow’ subjects in the Old Testament. We will begin by examining the 24th chapter of Genesis. The entire chapter is devoted to this subject, as Abraham sends the eldest servant of his house on a journey to find a bride for his son, Isaac…

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Excerpt #2

We learned the privilege of being considered the bride of Christ is reserved only for christians who attain extra oil. As oil represents a type of the Holy Spirit, having an extra measure of Him involves yielding to His influence every day to perform the appropriate works of God and successfully progressing through the sanctification process. The condition of yielding to the Spirit daily is referred to as blamelessness. This condition is motivated by a strong hunger or desire to patiently deal with all the hindrances that threaten to impede devotion to God. The next step is to find out why God symbolically uses the depiction of marriage to communicate so many of His spiritual truths.

Just as a husband and wife are intended to be exclusively devoted to each other, I believe God uses the depiction of marriage to illustrate the great devotion He desires to share with all human beings. This devotion transcends basic membership in His kingdom….

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Excerpt #3

Just like the Christians in Smyrna, I believe many Christians who refuse to worship the antichrist during the tribulation will be put in prison and given a second chance to do so. In addition, when Jesus tells the church at Smyrna He knows their poverty in verse 9, I believe He is making reference to the financial restriction of the mark.

As previously speculated, the financial restriction of the mark should come to pass before the death penalty can be successfully enforced. Thus, those refusing to take the mark will have to deal with the inescapable poverty caused by the financial restriction before the law eventually apprehends them for possible execution.

If they continue to resist after being put in prison, they will face the ultimate penalty of death. However, the penalty of physiological death associated with refusing the mark will be significantly preferable to the spiritual death associated with taking it, which involves eternal separation from God in hell.

Unfortunately, this penalty will also be imposed on any Christian left behind that takes the mark…..

According to scripture, two circumstances can cause eternal separation from God. One of those circumstances is never truly entering (or being born into) God’s kingdom. We learned in chapter 4 that entry into the kingdom occurs when someone genuinely accepts Jesus as savior and makes a confession of such.

The other circumstance that causes eternal separation from God is the sin of blaspheming the Holy Spirit. This is what will happen if a Christian submits to the mark of the beast. To understand how this happens, we must first understand what it means to blaspheme the Spirit……..

Excerpt #4

Much of the chronological detail of the end-times is found in the book of Revelation. The events mentioned in Revelation are mainly, but not exclusively, listed in chronological order. There is also parenthetic information for interpreting some of the symbolism and chronology associated with these events, such as the interpretation of the period described as a time, times, and half a time mentioned in Revelation 12.

Although much end-time information is found in Revelation, it is also scattered throughout the rest of scripture. Many of the periods mentioned in eschatological passages are applicable to the last seven years prior to the second coming. This seven year period is specifically mentioned in Daniel 9:27 that states, “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate”.

A period of one week is mentioned twice in this verse. The word “week” alludes to the number seven. How do we know this particular “seven” should be interpreted as seven years, as opposed to seven days, and that it is the last seven year period prior to the second coming?

The key to this interpretation is found in the reference to the abominations that shall make it desolate. The word “abomination” refers to something filthy or detestable. It is often used as a noun in reference to a false doctrine, false god, or particular sinful act. This abomination happens in the middle of the week and is mentioned in conjunction with the daily sacrifice…..

Excerpt #5

One of the passages that gives clues to the timing of the rapture is 2nd Thessalonians 2:1-8. The apostle Paul states the antichrist will be revealed at the proper time. Many believe the revealing of the antichrist will occur at the confirmation of the covenant.

Since the world community is involved in the Israeli/Palestinian dispute, the antichrist will surely receive worldwide recognition after he steps forward to confirm the covenant. Its logical to assume the antichrist is revealed at that moment.

However, after Paul states the antichrist must be revealed in 2nd Thessalonians 2:3, he goes on to describe the moment of his revealing in verse 4. This is the moment the antichrist commits the abomination of exalting himself, claiming to be God………………

Another passage of scripture that associates the rapture with this timing is 1st Corinthians 15:51-52. In verse 51, the apostle Paul states, “I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep”, using the word sleep as a reference to physical death. In verse 17, he states those who have already died will be raised.

This correlates with 1st Thessalonians 4:16, which states the dead in Christ will rise first. Whether dead or alive, those who go in the rapture will all be changed. In verse 52, Paul states this change happens “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump”.

In Revelation 10:7, John also records the angelic being speaking to him stating that the mystery of God should be finished at the beginning of this trumpet. There are a handful of issues referred to as mysteries in the New Testament. However, I believe this mystery is the rapture of the bride.

Excerpt #6

Satan will also use the false prophet to instigate a means to compel most of the world to submit to the antichrist. This means is referred to as the mark of the beast. In reference to the false prophet, Revelation 13:16 states he causes all to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads.

Verse 15 correlates this mark with the worship of the image of the beast, as does Revelation 14:9&11, 16:2, 19:20, and 20:4. Verse 17 states no one will be able to buy or sell without the mark. Obviously, the political authority exercised by the false prophet includes economic influence.

In all probability, the false prophet will present the option to take the mark at the same time the antichrist makes his proclamation in the temple. If the antichrist indeed explains the rapture as a an act of judgment against those who opposed him and threatens further judgment against any who will not worship him, the false prophet could endorse this claim and substantiate his threat by initiating the mark of the beast.

……..the mark will probably be presented as a document in electronic or paper form to be signed by all legal age individuals. The option might also be offered in the form of spoken consent to accommodate those otherwise unable to sign a document for whatever reason.

If so, it will have one or more of a handful of statements concerning the antichrist. It might contain a statement identifying him as God because of how the mark is associated with the worship of the antichrist. It might contain false information about Jesus or those taken in the rapture. I believe this document is mentioned in Zechariah 5:1-4.

Excerpt #7

Like most spiritual principles or subject matter, God lists information on eschatology throughout the entire bible, making it necessary to search both the Old and New Testaments to get a well-rounded understanding of it. Because of this, I liken the study of eschatology between the Old and New Testaments to the process of assembling a jigsaw puzzle.

To assemble a jigsaw puzzle, adjoining pieces must first be matched by the similarities found on each one. While no two pieces are exactly alike, those containing part of the same scene or color usually connect.

The same is true with prophetic scriptures between the Testaments. No two passages are exactly alike; however, if information in one passage looks similar enough to information in another passage, they often fit together………

Although there are numerous interpretations among those who study eschatology, there are 3 major schools of thought concerning the timing of the rapture, which is usually spoken of in context to its’ relationship to the period referred to as the tribulation.

Although there is disagreement concerning the timing of the rapture, most agree the tribulation period ends at the second coming of Jesus. Most christians believe the tribulation period to be 7 years long. Many also believe the rapture will take place immediately prior to the beginning of this period. Those who believe this interpretation are most commonly referred to as pre-tribulationists.

There are others who believe the rapture doesn’t take place until after the tribulation, immediately prior to the moment Jesus arrives on the earth at His second coming. Those who believe this interpretation are most commonly referred to as post-tribulationists.

The third group believes the rapture will take place in the middle of the last 7 year period, or 3 ½ years before the second coming. Those who believe this interpretation are most commonly referred to as mid-tribulationists.

About Author

Paul Bibbs, anointed Author and Founder of Truth In Action Ministries. Paul not only delivers the word of God to inmates in the Dallas County jail system but is available for speaking engagements, ministry, prayer requests.

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