Tag: clouds
Day 3–The Final Call–the Upper-taker!
Scripture reading for June 24: 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 “For this we declare to you by a Word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.”
Believers in the early church at Thessalonica were struggling to understand the return of Jesus Christ. Some teachers in the church were saying that Jesus had already come and others were not clear on how and when He would return as He promised in the clouds of heavenly glory. (Acts 1:11) Paul wrote this letter to bring understanding to all believers. Paul declared that this written Word was from the Lord, Himself. This was not Paul’s imagination or interpretation of some mystical message.
When the Lord Jesus descends from heaven, there will be a cry of an archangel and the sound of God’s trumpet announcing His appearance. Those believers who have already died and their bodies are in graves will rise up first in glorified new bodies. Next, those believers who are alive and left on earth will be caught up together with those resurrected from graves. As a great company we will meet the Lord Jesus in the air to join Him for eternal life in His glorious presence. This event is described as the ‘rapture’ or ‘catching up’ of the Church, Christ’s Bride.
Whether you are a first responder or not, God Himself wanted us all to understand the certainty of this final call from the archangel and the sounding of God’s trumpet. This can happen at any time so now is the time to make sure you are prepared by abiding in Christ as Lord and eagerly awaiting to respond to His call. We are to encourage one another with these words!
Prayer: Father God, thank You that You are a God of order and planning,, knowing all that will come. You give each person instruction and warning of coming events. We await with anticipation the fulfilment of Your promise to come for us. Amen.
The coming of the Son of Man!
Scripture reading for February 26th: Mark 13
As Jesus and His disciples were leaving the temple for the last time, the disciples were admiring the beautiful buildings. Jesus remarked that, “Not one stone will be left upon another, every one will be thrown down.” (Mark 13:2) This shocked the disciples and they asked Jesus when this would happen and what would be the signs that this prophesy would be fulfilled. Jesus proceeded to warn them about their need to be watchful and the signs to come!
“Watch out that no one deceives you.” (Mark 13:5) Jesus warned them that deception would come and many would fall for the false instead of waiting for Him. Many would claim to come as the Christ. Wars and earthquakes, conflict with nations, and famines would precede the coming as the ‘beginning of birth pains.’ (Mark 13:8)
“Brother will betray brother to death and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. All men will hate you because of Me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.” (Mark 13:12-13) Times would become perilous for disciples of Jesus. Persecution and hatred would be normal for His followers before the end and His return. Jesus warned them in advance!
“But in those days, following that distress, ‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And He will send His angels and gather His elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.” (Mark 13:24-27) We who believe in Jesus Christ long for that Day!
Get ready for the trumpet!
Scripture reading for February 5th: Matthew 24:29-51, Psalm 25, Proverbs 7:6-23
“When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound and time shall be no more, When the morning breaks eternal bright and fair, When the saved diverse shall gather over on the other shore, When the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.” (Gray)
This old hymn has a lot of theology in it from Matthew 24 and Jesus teaching His disciples what it would be like at the end of the age. “At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky and all the nations of the earth will mourn. they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.” (Matthew 24:30-31)
Jesus told the disciples that He would come back on the clouds of the sky in power and great glory. When this happened, the people of the nations of the earth would mourn. This event would happen suddenly and many will mourn because they know that they have not made preparations that they could have made. Those who were ready would be gathered by the angels from all over the earth. This event is what we call the “rapture” or “catching up” of believers.
It is described in 1st Thessalonians 4:13-18 in more detail. The trumpet will sound and first the dead in Christ will rise. Those who believe and are living on the earth will be caught up next to meet the Lord in the air. This will all happen in a moment, “in the twinkling of an eye” at the last trumpet. (1st Corinthians 15:51-53) We will then always be with the Lord.
Jesus warned His followers that they must be ready because this would happen suddenly and at a time when no one expected. No one would know the day or hour, but those who knew the Lord would live in a state of readiness. They would be trusting in Christ and doing what God had asked them to do. (Matthew 24:42-46) Those who were not ready and doing what Christ asked them to do when this event occurred would be left out! They would suffer with the hypocrites! Get ready for the trumpet!