Welcome, believers!
Hell YES
I was tossed between writing a newsletter on the existance of hell, and one on the logical proofs of rapture prophecy, and I stumbled into a good article on a friend's website, called 'eternal hell-no'. My point was to point out there is no doubt that HELL exists, and will be a place where people will be punished, and the ONLY route to avoid it).
I read 'hell no' before, but had actually forgot about it. I have always told people that I have a hard time believing that God, who most certainly has unlimited power of forgiveness, and grace, would damn people to hell for eternity, just because they are too stupid to believe in him the first time around. Very very smart article, the note that that eternal LIFE is what is mentioned in the bible, not eternal damnation. Coupled with the verses that say that every knee will bend... I never really understood that verse, because why would somebody worship the one who is going to damn him to hell for eternity?
Well, I'm not willing to jump whole-hog into that nobody will be damned forever. I wouldn't be surprised if hell will exist for eternity, and that people will always be there, but I can't help but be moved by the three verses that say that 'every knee will bend'. Well, I do have a very hard time believing that everybody will come to be a true believer, since God gave us free will that only those who will love him by our choosing will follow. There simply MUST be a distinction. I can see that somebody who rejects HIM may be thrown into hell until he will figure out it really sucks, and yadda yadda. I'm not willing to bet my or anybody else's eternal life on it. I know that MY eternal life is sound. It is some very refreshing new thoughts about it though.
Rapture Happens!I keep telling people how the bible, being the best teaching aid of eternity, it only makes sense that it would use the best method ever devised for memory; REPETITION repetition repetition. I LOVE finding repetition in the bible that correlates to prophetic events. My absolute favorite is this ONE: that there is the verse that says a day is like a thousand years..., and then Jesus telling his disciples that he will RETURN ON THE THIRD DAY! If you don't see that means that AFTER 2000 YEARS, he will return, and logically also meaning that on the DAWN of the third day (EARLY IN THE THIRD MILLENIUM), I think you need to re-read your bible.
I also love the sense of perfection in a 6-millenniums for man, and a 7th (day off) for God. When I first saw these correlations, the Holy Spirit started jumping up and down in my head, saying YES, YES YES, you got it. Without even knowing anything about Abraham It was revealed to me that the 6000 years of man was split evenly in 3 segments, only to figure out it was adam to abraham, abraham to Jesus, and Jesus to Jesus. It would not surprise me to find out that those three segments of time will end up to be exactly the same length of time, and with GOD running the show, to the day, minute, even second. (recent revelations show that there may have been gaps in time; i.e. 2000 years from the FALL to the BIRTH of Jesus, but the next 2000 years started when Jesus died. this is speculative, but interesting to note that 2000 'prophetic years' (360 days) from Jesus' death on the cross is in the middle of 2000 or 2001. (I don't know enough about these short v. long years; using 'normal' years, from Jesus' death, 2000 years won't be for another 30 or so. I'm hoping I don't have to wait that long, but I am fully prepared.
The scripture tells me that rapture is inevitable, being prophecy of Jesus, it is a NO BRAINER that it will happen, however, I have seen scriptural support of numerous 'rapture theories', including before, middle, after. I see the 144,000 as 'first fruits', the few elect, chosen to preach the gospel during the tribulation; remaining on earth to help people through the tribulation; the obvious scripture does of course say that there will be a great number of people coming to Christ during the tribulation, and it doesn't make sense that the entire strong believing church (wise virgins) will be taken away, leaving the weak believers (foolish virgins) to run the show. I don't find scripture to make logic of why the church wouldn't be here to evangelize; at the greatest time of need of ALL HISTORY, doesn't it make sense for these people to be here to help raise believers?! Of COURSE it makes sense we will be HERE to help the KINGDOM of God, and what a glorious duty that would be. I will gladly be here for you Jesus!
I have come to see something very important regarding the concept of 'rapture'recently, and this is it: If there is to be a pre-tribulatoin rapture it is HIDDEN in the scripture. Jesus told us in Mk 13:23 that he didn't hide anything from us; lit. he 'told us all things beforehand'. Now, don't get all bunched up if you are of the belief of a pre-trib rapture. I am NOT one of those type who are proclaiming that it's a satanic deception and you will go to hell for believing it. I know there is an EXTREME danger of teaching a pre-trib, 'blessed hope' rapture, and here is why: if you are WRONG, you are guaranteed to lead people to HELL. Now, that sounds pretty harsh, doesn't it? This is based on truth; people who taught pre-trib rapture in China got to watch people they were preaching to, blasthpemy God just before they were murdered for their belief in Chiristianity, because they were expecting to be removed from tribulation, not be prepared to go through it. Think about this!
I personally am quite prepared for any possibility, because what you believe (rapture-wise) won't affect your salvation, as long as the important faith is still there. I look at the bible like this: it's a letter to US, it's a direct Word of God. If you gave the book of Revelations to a child, who could understand the words, but has a clean-slate, no presuposition at all about it's meaning, he will undoubtely see that the book is written for everybody, and it speaks of everybody (besides the spirit of John, and the 2 witnesses) either making it to the end or dying in the middle.
I'm not going to try to convince you with verses of scripture, or get into any sort of debate on the subject. My view is like my view on evolution; if you want to believe in something, you had ought to ask yourself WHY. The direct 'read' of revelations speaks of ONE (first) ressurection immediately before rapture, and a second at the end of the millennium. I will give you some links to some incredible sites with in-depth reasoning for the logical reasoning behind this viewpoint at the end of this letter.
I believe there is NO DOUBT that the tribulation will happen by complete surprise (like a thief in the night), and that in-fact will initiate the end times. I currently believe that the beginning of the end will be an asteroid strike, represented as 'something 'like' a firey mountain thrown into the sea'. A very key element to your spriitual survival is to be prepared every minute of your life; the precursor to the asteroid strike would be burning rocks falling with NO WARNING into the earth. With this description I just gave you, read the following lines of scripture:
Re 8:7 ¦ The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up. 8 And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;
Tell me this doesn't sound like the small pieces near an asteroid (meteorites), I believe that the word 'hail' is just used because falling, firey rocks isn't a normal event. Mingled with blood I see because these would be striking people, animals, and the fire would burn up 1/3 of the trees. Than the major portion of the meteor would strike earth, that's the thing that is 'like a great mountain'.
What would be the point of the mention of the firstfruits and the 144,000 if that wasn't a special case? Of course there wouldn't be a point in having it be part of God's word if it wasn't important (duh). I am of the belief that something 'like' the rapture (pretrib) is the sealing of the 144,000, but clearly NOT the 'rapture'; they are going to stay and witness all the corners of the earth. I heard somebody talk about these people being sealed=getting their spriitual bodies; this makes a lot of sense; this would keep them from harms way; harmful thinks like fire, bullets, would go right through them. They will witness people en masse being killed, and be in the thick of it and not die. I don't know enought about this, but I 'like it'; sound theory to me.
So, where does that leave us? Well, Rapture happens, no doubt at all. I can tell you the point-blank truth, that I just don't see a 'total, pre-trib rapture' of the church before the 7-year tribulation, it just doen'st make sense in God's lessons. Think of the people God saved from egypt; oh YEA, they were tossed from the frying pan into the fire in a way; a 40 year trek through the desert. 7 yearss or 3 1/2 will be a breeze. Jesus prayed for us, that specifically we wouldn't be removed from harms way, but be faithful enough to live THROUGH our tribulations. Think of daniel in the lyon's den. It wasn't a 'rapture' that saved him, it was his FAITH. God tells us NOT to fear, and not to worry. He did NOT say, don't worry until the dung hits the air-circulating device. God is was and will always be, and HE never changes.
I see the 144,000 'first-fruits' (which I believe will be on earth as missionaries of Jesus), being sealed from harm, so they can witness to the truth of the gospel; that will happen at the beginning of the tribulation. Being kept through the hour of tribulation just means to me that those meant to survive will just be led to safety. God says that people WILL survive, somehow. Do NOT fear the end; imagine goind into battle; if you are fully prepared, you will be excited to win, you won't be afraid. Lord, Jesus, I am your warrier servant. I give my LIFE to you (1jn 3:16; spiritual life=servidude), and I excitedly await your return! I am preparing every day for your return!
Some links for reference:
End Times Hypothesis (New world order, the mark, rapture, roman catholic apostasy, aliens)
New Wine for the End Times (Getting out of Sin!, rapture, the 3rd milliniium (third day))
Bread Upon the Waters Ministry
(the new Babel, UFOs, Jesus is really coming, great tribulation)