by:
Jon C. Randall, Adm.
JOSHUA COMMUNICATIONS

Jesus is implicit that we are to keep on the alert. In this worldly system, it is much too easy to fall into a lull or sleep concerning our walk with the Lord. When all this tribulation takes place, it would appear natural for everyone to keep their eyes on this worldly system, scrambling for food, shelter, and survival under a repressive and violent system. That would be a mistake! "Be on guard, that your hearts may not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day come on you suddenly like a trap; for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all the earth. But keep on the alert at all times, praying in order that you may have the strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man."(15) The lull or sleep is in great evidence in this nation, the world, and in the "church" today.

That is the story of the foolish virgins. Our eyes should be on only one thing, the soon return of The Christ who will "rapture" His elect. If you miss it by going back into the world as you walk away from the faith, there is not enough words to describe the type of hell you'll have to go through, especially after the "rapture". As expressed earlier, we will go into greater depth of the Tribulation Period in another article.

THE BOOK OF REVELATION

Another misunderstanding of the Scriptures occur in the preaching or teaching of THE BOOK OF REVELATION (The Revelation to John), as many leaders in the "church" do not have an understanding of that Book in the Bible. In reality, it is really simple! To give you a short quick study, this is my suggested guide concerning REVELATION. Chapters One through Three concerns the earlier churches in his day, and yet addressing the doctrinal problems of today's churches. Though Jesus was using John to address those and current churches, He also speaks of the future. An example which supports this return of Jesus for the "rapture" of the church (which we'll go into more depth later), is found in Revelation 1:7: "BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. Even so. Amen."

Just a side note: in that verse is a key to show the difference between Jesus returning for the "rapture" and for the "Millennial Reign." Everyone usually attributes this to the return for the Millennial Reign. They're wrong, and you'll see why. Chapter Four is the scene in heaven prior to Tribulation. Chapters Five and Six concern Tribulation. Chapter Seven through Eight (verse one), concerns the "rapture" and the period of the time of silence prior to the period of Wrath.

Chapters Eight, (verse two), through Eleven concern the Wrath of the Lamb and of God. Chapters Twelve through Eighteen are what I call "focusing narratives" that narrows our view to a particular occurrence. Chapter Nineteen is the return of The Christ to establish His Millennial Reign. Chapter Twenty concerns that reign. Chapters Twenty-one through Twenty-two concern the new heavens and the new earth. I do believe that what you have just seen is really simple, isn't it? All of these chapters dovetail into other Scriptures to present an accurate and concise picture of the future. Yet Revelation gives a more expanded view in a short space of time, allowing us to see the picture more clearly.

For example, in Chapter 5:1, we see that the Father is in control of the book, and it has now come time to have it opened. It is our Lord and Savior Who is The One to open the seals at their appointed time, in obedience to His Father's will. You go to the Lord God in prayer for confirmation, and be sure that you are up to the answer that He gives you. If you cannot handle it from a mature viewpoint, then prepare to see your lives drastically changed, for time is of the essence. There is so much to give concerning tribulation, the two returns of the Christ, and the Time of Wrath, but we'll save that for other articles lest we go too far off course.

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who opens these seals during this time of Tribulation on this earth. Why? It concerns refinement and testing, and to bring the Days of Grace to a close. The four horsemen are released when Jesus opens the first four seals. The fact that they are riding on horses denotes the speed and swiftness with which these events take place. They are successive sorrows during the time of Tribulation, and before the Time of Wrath. With the opening of the fifth seal, we see underneath the altar of God the souls of those who were killed because of the word of God and their testimony. To those of you who think that the Christians will take over the world and hand it over to Jesus, you have another think coming. To those of you who teach that we will go and eternally stay in heaven, you didn't read far enough. We come back to this earth, once again, at the return of Christ to establish His Millennial Reign.

Those under the altar were given white robes and told they had to wait until more were to be killed.(16) I sometimes wonder where those preachers and evangelists get their ideas from for their sermons of escape, ease, and comfort. Life certainly isn't easy, and it is assuredly going to get tougher. I have found that the ultimate testimony of Christians will be the fact that they are willing to give up their lives. Some think that this means going into service for God (i.e. missionary work). But I mean literally to give up your life (to face death). You must couple this with complete faith in the Resurrection of Christ, and your own resurrection from the dead!

THE CORRECT SEQUENCE OF EVENTS

Before we go on, we should pay particular attention to the key of knowing when the "church" will be "raptured." There are particular signs in sequence that occur just before this great event. One such sequence you should have read is in Revelation Chapter Six, and listed in the opening of the sixth seal. First, a great earthquake (not that of the one in Ezekiel Chapters 38 and 39 in reference to the coming cleansing of Israel). This earthquake is followed by the sun becoming black, and the moon like blood (not like that of the Period of Wrath wherein only one-third of the sun, the moon, etc., are affected look for yourself!).(17) What is going to surprise you is WHY THE SUN WILL BECOME BLACK AND THE MOON LIKE BLOOD! We'll see that reason later near the end of this article. Then the stars of the sky fell, symbolic of the fall of Satan and his angels from heaven. Many still seem to forget that Satan now traverses between earth and heaven to accuse the brethren before the Throne of God, wherein Jesus is now at the right hand of God interceding for us.

NOW WATCH THIS! The sky splits open (as every mountain and island are moved), and the earth sees Him Who sits on the throne. You've got to remember that Jesus is now in front of the throne opening the seals at this time; therefore it is not Jesus Who is on the throne that everyone sees. That is why those left on this earth will cry out for the rocks and the mountains to fall on them and hide them, as the great day of wrath has come.(18) THAT IS THE SEQUENCE!!! There is no mistake about it.

Remember reading earlier Revelation 1:7? Later in this article you will see the confirmation through His word that this sequence of events will be the key prior to Christ's "rapture" of the elect or saints, before the wrath is poured out on this earth. I would suggest that you not take this lightly as God always confirms His word. The Scriptures always supports and confirms itself, and what you are reading is not distortion or taken out of context. Therefore you have no excuse for not knowing what is before you, and you have the same access to the throne of God that I have. He will confirm His word to you, if you ask Him. Now that we have laid the foundation, let us go into the meat of it.

THE FIG TREE

First, we'll get into the part that I have been waiting to write about for a long time, the fig tree. How often have you heard that the fig tree represented Israel, and once Israel became a nation, all this will take place (His return), in a generation? That generation at first was to be forty years after 1948. But lately it has been stated by some that it will be seventy years for a generation. Wrong! All Jesus was alluding to be the example of leaves coming forth on a tree as being a sign that summer was approaching. He stated a fig tree on one passage, and fig tree and trees in others.

What He was presenting is a picture of comparison, that when you saw the tribulation, signs, and others things taking place, His return was soon coming. He coupled His warnings of that description of the leaves with warnings of enduring to the end. Only God the Father knows the exact hour of Jesus' return.(19) We are to watch, to be awake, to be sober, and look for that return. The Scriptures speak much about world conditions prior to His return.

One thing I highly encourage you to do, is to not read just isolated texts, but entire sentences, paragraphs, and chapters, literally and straight through; just as you would read someone's letter to you. That is how God wrote it to us. Try cutting out an excerpt of your mother's letter to you and build a thought structure or belief out of that isolated excerpt. Silly, isn't it? Yet that is what most seminary instructors, denominations, preachers, and teachers do to the Bible's books in this day in age. They even discount part of it! What you are reading now in this article is information based upon the entire word of God, read and studied as I stated above.

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