by:
Jon C. Randall, Adm.
JOSHUA COMMUNICATIONS

THE PURPOSE

In this specific look at the return of the Christ for the "rapture" of the elect or remnant, this is not to be confused with the return of Christ with His saints to establish His thousand-year reign. Something simple for you to remember: the RAPTURE FOR the remnant; the RETURN WITH the saints. Real simple! The "rapture" will be open and plainly visible for the entire world to see. As far as I am able to determine, there are five purposes for the open "rapture", giving evidence of God's great and merciful love. One is for the open removal of the elect (both dead and alive), the remnant who have waited patiently watching for His return. Another is the gathering of the Jewish "first fruits," the 144,000 Jewish male virgins (we'll look in-depth at the 144,000 a bit later.). The third is the separation between tribulation and the wrath, wherein the above-mentioned groups will be taken out before the Wrath of the Lamb and of God is poured out upon this earth. The fourth is the setting of the conclusive time clock for the final period of the Antichrist, beast, and false prophet. And finally, the indelible measure of God's true love. As I mentioned this earlier in this article, this had to do with the "church" which turned its back and fell away from the faith.

This final purpose will be the showing and teaching the remaining "church" that is left here of the error in their thinking and teachings. When the wrath is poured out, many of these (like those in the world of ungodly discipline), will harden their hearts against God. Though you may cry out that we are not destined for wrath, or may say that God desires that none may perish, you misunderstand the "language of the word". It is true that we are not destined, and that God desires none to perish; but recognize that we are free-willed agents, and we make the final decision!

If you are having a hard time understanding that we are going through Tribulation, how will it be that you can understand that there are some who are going through the Wrath? If anything, it should drive you to shut out all the ungodly teachings handed out today and to spend much of your time in His word and on your knees. Instead of pursuing worldly pleasures and prosperity, you may then understand what His word is truly saying. If you find this hard to accept, hang around for a while; for the ultimate test of a Man of God is if his word will come to pass. You be the judge. I wouldn't bet your life on the strange teachings being passed around as doctrine today, especially by those well-known radio and television personalities who claim they are instruments of God. "See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ."(20)

While we are on the subject of evangelists, preachers, and major religious media personalities, there is something else I want you to look at; especially in this present day of turmoil between the different ministries you may be exposed to, along with the infiltration of New Age thought. Just look briefly at Matthew 24:4-5 (you will find the same set of Scriptures throughout the New Testament or similar to it). It states: "And Jesus answered and said to them: See to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name, Saying, 'I am the Christ', and will mislead many." We should know and understand that this applies to the great deception against the elect or remnant during the times of tribulation where false reports of the Christ's return will be widespread, bringing death to those who foolishly go in search of His alleged return. Now, asking God to open your mind to understanding by His Holy Spirit, let us look once again at this train of thought we just read in Matthew. Apply it to the different radio/television ministries and churches; see what Jesus is truly saying. Many of these media ministries and churches do say that they come in the name of Jesus, and that Jesus (I am) is the Christ. Yet their teachings and ministries run contrary to the meat of God's word. I use, for example, the following teachings: Positive Confessions, Possibility Thinking, The Kingdom Dominion Principle, and a host of others. You might re-look at Colossians 2:8 and Matthew 24:4-5 again. Just a thought I give to you.

GATHERING THE LEFTOVER FRAGMENTS

Getting back to the "church" that is left behind, we must remember that we are now viewing far into the future during the time of the Wrath, which occurs after the "rapture" of the elect or remnant. I wrote far earlier: "Yet, you are going to discover that God, in His great and wondrous mercy, has made a provision for you in a brilliant display of quiet mercy,". This is what you are going to see now. When this wrath is poured out, there will be some who will recognize the error of their heart, and repent, offering their lives as a sacrifice to God (considering most have hardened their hearts against Him). You must remember that the day of grace of over, and now it will become an act of works (go to God for wisdom if you don't understand).

These are those who are killed because they refused to take the mark, worship the name or image of the beast.(21) They will become broken fragments, as an offering unto God. Yet God, in His deep mercy and love, will "gather up the leftover fragments that nothing may be lost."(22) They will be made whole, restored to life, and given great responsibilities alongside those who had returned with Christ Jesus to establish His Millennial Reign. If you look at Revelation 20:4, you will find it divided into two parts (remember to watch the "language of the word"). Part one concerns those who had returned with The King of kings and Lord of lords (these parts separated by a {.} period in the NASB, and a {:} colon in the KJV). Part two concerns those resurrected upon His return. You must pay attention to the literal "language of the word."

Ever wonder why Jesus told His disciples to "gather up the leftover fragments that nothing may be lost" (in stories concerning the fish and loaves)? I have heard it preached and taught that God was showing that He would take a small portion of something we have, use it, and return it multiplied. Yet I find it hard to believe that the lad (in one set of Scriptures), who had five good loaves, would want broken crumbs and fragments. Would you? Ever try to put peanut butter on crumbs? Makes a great sandwich, doesn't it? Why should this lad get shortchanged, when everyone else in the Bible usually got things back whole?

Furthermore, there is no mention that the lad ever got anything back, period! And since we can't trace the natural purpose of that particular incident (knowing that Jesus always did things with or for a purpose), we would have to seek the true meaning of what He was doing; that being what we have read concerning Revelation 20:4. There is an entire message in that story of the fish and loaves (perhaps in another article), as there is more concerning this. This doesn't deal in a "prosperity message", but of human life.

If you had read the surrounding scenario in John 6:2-43, you would see Jesus rebuking the "easy prosperity" line of thinking. What you should pay attention to are His words "For I have come down from heaven not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. And this is the will of Him who sent me, that of all that he has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him, may have eternal life; and I Myself will raise him up on the last day."(23) Remember when God speaks a thing twice, know that it will come to pass. Also understand the "last day" He was speaking about. This is the last day of Satan's rule on earth before he was bound for a thousand years.

Now do you see the picture? Understand how God's word works by His Spirit? Beautiful, isn't it? This is the provision that God has made to those who turned their back on Him during the apostasy (under specific conditions do they return back to Him). Though they will be resurrected on the last day (as He will not lose them), they will be given different functions or responsibilities in the millennial kingdom; and much later during the creation of the new heavens and a new earth. But we'll not go into that now, because we still have a lot of ground to cover concerning the "rapture" of the elect.

Now concerning the 144,000 we spoke of earlier when we first saw them in Revelation Chapter Seven, this is what is truly shown. At this time no wind is blowing anywhere in the world.(24) Angels are now sealing the 144,000 Jewish male virgins.(25) If you understand Revelation Chapter Seven, the scenario follows the opening of the sixth seal, which is the sign of the Son of Man. Chapter Seven is a "focusing narrative" between the sixth and seventh seal in Chapter Eight. These 144,000 are first sealed, and then the panorama shows a scene in heaven.

The confirmation of this scene in heaven can be seen if we look with understanding at Revelation Chapter 14:1-5. This is a "focusing narrative" section, which highlights or accentuates a specific thing. What many do not understand is what these verses are showing. Looking at them correctly, you will see that during the time of the "rapture" Jesus steps briefly on Mount Zion to gather the 144,000, then they next appear in heaven in verse three as they are now "before the throne." It is further emphasized that they "had been purchased from the earth," at the end of verse three

TOO MANY HAVE BEEN PREACHING AND TEACHING THAT THESE 144,000 WILL BE GIVING A MESSAGE OF THE GOSPEL OF SALVATION, CAUSING A MASSIVE "REVIVAL" THROUGHOUT THE EARTH. THEY ARE WRONG!!! They have tried to marry verses six and seven with the first five verses without understanding what verses six and seven are stating. The angel that had the eternal gospel didn't preach salvation at that time, but said: "Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and springs of waters."(26) That angel was speaking of both God the Father, and of Jesus, his words of direction clarified by the semi-colon; and further gave indication of the time frame by his words "because the hour of His judgment has come;" That hour of judgment is not tribulation, but the Wrath the Lamb and of God. "...and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come."(27)

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