April 25, 2015
All right, well let’s take our bibles and turn to Revelation chapter 6, you're definitely going to want to follow along in your bible. Revelation chapter number six and I’m just going to start out by reading the whole chapter. You can just follow along silently as I read in Revelation chapter number six the last book of the bible. Chapter number six starting at verse number one the bible reads, “I saw when the lamb opened one of the seals and I heard as it were the noise of thunder one of the four beasts saying come and see. I saw and behold a white horse and he that sat on him had a bow and a crown was given unto him and he went forth conquering and to conquer.”
“When he had opened the second seal I heard the second beast say, “Come and see” and then went at another horse that was red and power was given to him that sat there on to take the peace from the earth and that they should kill one another. There was given unto him a great sword and when he had opened the third seal I heard the third beast say, “Come and see” and I beheld and lo a black horse and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hands. I heard a voice in the midst of the four beast say, “A measure of wheat for a penny and three measures of barley for a penny and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.”
“When he had open the fourth seal I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, “Come and see” and I looked and behold a pale horse and his name that sat on him was death and hell followed with him. Power was given into him over the fourth part of the earth to kill with sword and with hunger and with death and with the beast of the earth. When he had opened the fifth seal I saw under the alter the souls of then that were slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. They cried with a loud voice saying, “How long oh Lord holy and true does thy not judge and avenge our blood on then the dwell on the earth.”
“White robes were given unto every one of them and it was said unto them that they should rest yet for a little season until their fellow servants also and their brethren that should be killed as they were should be fulfilled. Beheld when he had opened the sixth seal and though there was a greater earthquake and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair and the moon became as blood and the stars of heaven fell unto the earth. Even as a fig tree cast at their untimely figs when she’s shaken of a mighty wind ... The heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.”
“The kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men and the chief captains and the mighty man and every bond man and every free man hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him that siteth on the throne and from the wrath of the lamb. For the great day of his wrath has come and who shall be able to stand.” Let’s open up in a word of prayer. Father we thank you so much for your word Lord and we specially thank you now for the book of Revelation that reveals unto us things that would be happening in the last days.
Father I just pray to you’d feel me with your Holy Spirit as I preach and help every single person whose here to listen carefully and to also be filled with the spirit Lord that we could learn what you would have for us from your word today and in Jesus name we pray amen. Now if you would keep your finger in Revelation 6 and go to Mathew chapter 24 because we are going to go between these two chapters in Mathew 24 and Revelation chapter 6. Let me just start out by explaining to you what Mathew 24 is. This is a time when Jesus spends a whole chapter talking about the end of the world.
Talking about his second coming to this earth. The bible is really clear that there’s going to be a second coming of Jesus Christ and that’s what this chapter talks about. This information in Mathew 24 is so important that it’s also found in Mark 13 the whole chapter and it’s also found in Luke 21 the entire chapter. Mathew, Mark and Luke all three of them spend a whole chapter showing Jesus’ teaching on this important subject. Now the only gospel that it’s not found in is the gospel of John but that’s because John taught about in Revelation. All four of them Mathew, Mark, Luke and John give us this important information. This information is more important today than it’s ever been.
The bible says as we see the day approaching, this is close than it was yesterday and so we in the last days need to know the teachings of Mathew 24. Now let’s start out in verse number one in Mathew 24 it says, “Jesus went out and departed from the temple and his disciples came to him for to show him the buildings of the temple. Jesus said to them, “See ye not all these things barely I say unto you there shall not be left here one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down.” As he sat upon the Mount of Olives the disciples came unto him privately saying, “Tell us when shall these things be? What shall be the sign of thy coming and of the end of the world?”
I want to point out those two phrases there, “Thy coming” talking about the second coming of Jesus Christ and the “End of the world.” That’s what we are going to be talking about in this passage. Now look at the next verse, Jesus begins to answer says in verse 4 and Jesus answered and said to them, “Take he that no man deceive you for many shall come in my name saying, “I am Christ and shall deceive many.” The first thing that I want to point out is that there are going to be people who impersonate the second coming of Jesus Christ. People who claim to be the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ …
Now this person that comes and pretends to be Jesus Christ is commonly known as the antichrist and that word antichrist literally means in the place of Christ that’s what that word means. Coming as a substitute pretending to be the second coming of Christ but not only that the bible says that many people will do that … That’s why the bible says in 1st John 2, “Little children it is the last time and as you have heard that antichrist shall come” talking about singular antichrist shall come he said, “Even now are there many antichrists whereby we know that it is the last time. Even today there are people who have great followers I know there’s one I Russia, there’s one in South America all over the world people are popping up and claiming to be the second coming of Jesus Christ and amassing great followers under them.
Not only are there many people that are antichrist, there’s going to be one antichrist that will literally rule over the entire world the bible teaches. That all nations will worship and will believe that he is the second coming of Jesus Christ. Now flip back to revelations six because I want to compare these two passages and what I want to show you is that Revelation 6 goes through the exact same events as Mathew 24. The first thing that Mathew 24 brought up Jesus said, “That many shall come in my name saying, “I am Christ.” Let’s go to Revelation 6 and see what it teaches. It says in verse number one I saw when the lamb opened one of the seals and I heard as it were the noise of thunder one of the four beasts saying come and see.
“Watch, I saw and behold a white horse and he that sat on him had a bow and a crown was given unto him and he went forth conquering and to conquer.”When the first seal is opened in Revelation the first event that we see of the tribulation is that a guy goes out on a white horse to conquer. Now let’s go back to Mathew 24 keep your finger in Revelation 6. The next thing we see in Mathew 24 after verse 5 where it says, “For many shall come in my name saying I’m Christ and shall deceive many.” It says, “He shall hear of wars and rumors of wars, see that ye be not troubled for all these things must come to pass but the end is not yet.” Flip back to Revelation 6 and in Revelation 6 when he opens the second seal in verse three.
“I heard the second beast say, “Come and see” Revelation 6:4 and they went out another horse that was red and power was given to him that sat there on to take peace from the earth and that they should kill one another and there was given unto him a great sword.” What do we see here? The same thing as in Mathew 24. We started out in Mathew 24 with false Christ’s then we have warfare. Well when we go to Revelation 6 we see a guy coming on a white horse to conquer, that’s the antichrist he’s pretending to be Jesus that’s why he’s coming in on a white horse. Then secondly we see the same thing, warfare.
He said peace is taken from the earth and that they should kill one another a great world war. Okay back in Mathew 25 let’s see what’s next. It says in verse number seven, “For nations shall rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom and there shall be famines.” Okay so that’s the third thing so number one we have the antichrist going out to conquer number two we have wars and then number three we have famine. Now what is a famine? A famine is when people don't have enough food to eat they are starving, there’s not enough food to go around. Whenever there’s not enough of something to go around what happens to price of that item it’s going to go up. If there’s very little food around you are going to have to pay a lot of money to get that food because it’s a scarce resource. Look at Revelation 6 and that’s exactly what we are going to see with the third seal.
Look at verse number five, “When he had opened the third seal I heard the third beast say, “Come and see” and I beheld and low a black horse and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, “A measure of wheat for a penny and three measures of barley for a penny and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.” You say, “What does that mean Pastor Anderson? A measure of wheat for a penny and so forth … We have to understand that the penny of the bible is different than the penny that we have today. We pull out a penny you can't buy anything with a penny it’s worthless.
In the bible there’s a story about some guys who go out and labor in a vineyard all day in the book of Mathew. They work for 12 hours in the heat of the day and they get paid a penny for that and that’s what they had agreed to be paid, That tells us that the biblical amount of money known as a penny is a day’s wages for a an unskilled laborer out in the field. If you think about it what would an unskilled laborer get paid to go work in a field for 12 hours? Maybe about 100 bucks, $150 something like that to put in a 12 hour day of had labor. What the bible is saying here in Revelation 6 is that a measure of wheat is costing something like100 bucks or 150 bucks a day’s wages.
Imagine going out and working in a field all day for 12 hours so that you could buy one measure of wheat just to buy some wheat, just to buy some flour. This is talking about very expensive food, that’s the point that’s being made. That is talking about famine so with the first seal we have the antichrist going out on a white horse. With the second seal we have warfare. With the third seal we have famine, expensive food, people don't have enough to eat. That’s exactly what’s going on in Mathew 24 so let’s go back to Mathew 24 and see what’s next. Verse number seven, “Nation shall rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom.” That’s the warfare of the second seal.
He says, “There shall be famine.” That’s your third seal where the food is expensive and then it says and, “Pestilence and earthquakes in diverse places.” Now pestilence is disease okay so these famines, these pestilence, these diseases, these are all leading to people dying at a massive rate. These are sorrows; the bible says in verse eight, “All these are the beginning of sorrows.” There’s going to be a terrible time on the earth. Go back to Revelation 6 and let’s look at the fourth seal because we are comparing the two Revelation 6 and Mathew 24 and they are teaching the same thing. Look at verse number seven it says, “When he had opened the fourth seal I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, “Come and see” and I looked and behold a pale horse and his name that sat on him was death and hell followed with him. Power was given unto him over the fourth part of the earth to kill with sword and with hunger and with death and with the beast of the earth.
That’s exactly what we saw on Mathew 24 there are going to be a lot of people dying because of warfare, because of famine and because of disease pestilence earthquake other things that are causing death. Keep reading there in Revelation 6 look at verse nine we are going to see the fifth seal. “When he had opened the fifth seal I saw under the alter the souls of then that were slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. That fifth seal is people being killed for the course of Jesus Christ. These are people that are being put to death because they believe on Jesus Christ and preach the name of Jesus Christ.
Let’s see if Mathew 24 teaches the same thing, back to Mathew 24 right after the war, the famine, the pestilence look what it says in verse nine. “Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted and to shall kill you and you shall be hated of all nations for my names sake. We see it’s the exact same thing isn't it that’s being taught in Mathew 24 and revelation 6 same order. You got the antichrist, you got warfare, you got famine, you’ve got a lot of people dying of disease and all different means and then you have people being murdered or killed for the cause of the Lord Jesus Christ. It all fits in the exact same order. Let’s keep reading there in Mathew 24.
It says inverse 10, “Then shall many be offended and shall betray one another and shall hate one another and many false prophets shall rise and shall deceive many. Because iniquity shall abound the love of many shall wax cold but he that shall endure unto the end the same shall be said.” The bible is talking about there’s a terrible time on this earth and this time is known as the tribulation. This time of tribulation is a time of warfare, starvation disease earthquakes all these terrible things that are going to be happening upon the earth. Look at verse 21, it says, “For then shall be great tribulation such as was not, since the beginning of the world to this time nor no ever shall be.”
In the past there had been great wars, there had been great famines and pestilences but the bible teaches that this would be worse than anything that is ever happened on the face of this earth, it’s going to be a terrible time. Now there’s a verse in this chapter that’s often misunderstood in Mathew 24. Because it says in verse 13 but he that shall endure unto the end the same shall be said. A lot of people misunderstand this verse and they think well in order to go to heaven you have to endure to the end to be safe. This is actually not talking about being saved in the sense of going to heaven when you die. Actually if you look down just a few verses to verse 22 it explains what that verse means. Because in verse 22 it says, “Except those days” what days are we talking about? The days of the tribulation, it says, “Except those days should be shortened there should no flesh be saved but for the elect sake those days shall be shortened.”
Now notice it says that the days of the tribulation are going to be shortened and if that they weren't, no flesh would be saved but for the elect sake those days shall be shortened. Now who are the elect? Well the elect are those that are safe, God’s people are elect. One of the most famous passages in the bible about the love of God in Romans 8 says, “Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect, it is God that justify it.” The bible teaches that those who are elect or chosen are the ones who are justified by the name of the Lord Jesus. The bible is teaching here that for the sake of those who are saved for the sake of the elect the days of the tribulation will be shortened.
He said if they weren't shortened then no flesh would be saved. The reason why I want to emphasize that word flesh there is because this isn't talking about spiritual salvation of your soul being saved. What this is teaching is that people, their flesh would be saved meaning their physical life would be spared. Because those of you who are Christians, those who are saved, if you remember just a few versus earlier what did he say in verse nine? Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted and shall kill you. If Christians are being killed for the course of Christ and they are being persecuted and they are being hated in all nations.
The bible says that people will deliver up even their own brothers and sisters to death during this horrible time. How could any flesh be saved, how could any Christians survive? Because the days would be shortened the bible says, meaning that Christ will come back in the midst of this okay. Now the reason that’s important is because a lot of people will take verse 13 and they will say, “Well when it says he that shall endure to the end the same shall be said. They will try to say that if you don't live a Christian life then endures to the end. If you don't stay in church and keep living a good live you are not going to be safe but the bible is real clear that being saved is by faith in Jesus not by our works.
It’s not by our deeds, the bible says, “For by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God, not of works less any man should boast.” You see we are not saved by enduring to the end or doing good deeds or working hard or joining a church. No the bible says, it’s not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost. It’s the blood of Jesus Christ that saves us, it’s not our works, the bible says, “Our righteousness are as filthy rags. The bible says as it is written, “There’s none righteous no not one, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is Christ Jesus …
See the word grace means you are getting something that you don't deserve and that’s why the bible says, “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” That gift was paid for by Jesus with his death, burial and resurrection and all we have to do is receive that gift by believing in Jesus. Once we believe in Jesus the bible says that we are sealed unto the day of redemption. The bible says that we are secure and sealed and Jesus said, “I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish. Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” Once you are saved, once you are in Christ, there’s nothing that can separate us from the love of God?
There’s nothing that will make Him leave us or forsake us we are eternally saved and secure. Now the bible when the bible says here that he that shall endure unto the end the same shall be saved you got to get the context because it says, “Their flesh shall be saved.” If the days weren't shortened then no flesh would be saved. What that saying is that if you survived if you can endure all the hardships if you endure the warfare, if you can endure the famines and the persecution and survive and make it into the end you are going to be rescued out of this.
Because the bible teaches that the Lord Jesus Christ is going to come in the clouds right and the bible says that we which are alive and remain, those of us who have endured and survived the bible says that we will be caught up together with him in the clouds. We are getting ahead of ourselves here so let’s go ahead and stay with the order of events here. Let’s go back to Revelation 6 because remember we are going to keep our finger in Mathew 24 and Revelation 6 those are the two chapters. Mathew 24 and Revelation 6 because they both teach the same exact thing …
Number one we’ve got, the antichrist is going to come to conquer. Number two you are going to have a world war, the whole world war is going to be a war. The bible says, “Peace will be taken from the earth and that they should kill another.” Now a question that people will often ask me is, “Are we already in the tribulation?” People say, “Is this the tribulation? Has it already started? Are we already in the tribulation?” The answer is no, because one of the first thing that happens in the great tribulation is a world war. We are not in a world war right now are we? The bible says that when the first seal is opened the antichrist goes to conquer.
When the second seal is opened there’s a world war. Third seal there’s a great famine, fourth seal there’s pestilence and people are doing because of earthquakes and other natural causes. Then with the fifth seal the bible says, “Christians are going to be delivered up to be killed and to be murdered for the course of Christ. Let’s pick up where we left off in verse 10 of Revelation 6. “They cried with a loud voice saying, “How long oh Lord holy and true does thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth.” White robes were given unto every one of them and it was said unto them that they should rest yet for a little season until their fellow servants also and their brethren that should be killed as they were should be fulfilled. “I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal and lo there was a great earthquake and the sun become black as sackcloth of hair and the moon became as blood.”
Let’s come back to that with the sixth seal, after this great tribulation and persecution. After Christians are being delivered up to be killed and hated of all nations and persecuted for their faith in Jesus. After that the bible said that when the sixth seal was opened the sun and moon would be darkened okay and they would not give their light. Then it said that the stars would fall from heaven like a fig tree if you shook the fig tree and the figs would start falling out of the tree. He said stars are going to be falling from the sky like figs out of a fig tree. Now that’s got to be a pretty major event isn't it? When both sun and moon are darkened and stars are falling from the sky like figs out of a fig tree.
This is a major event that’s prophesied all throughout the bible. Let’s find it in Mathew 24 because that should come next in Mathew 24 since we are following the same sequence. Let’s go ahead and pick up where we left off in Mathew 24. It says in verse 14, “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness onto all nations and then shall the end come.”Thank God that the word of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ is being preached in all nations today. It has been preached in all nations. It’s been translated into all languages of the world and the bible says, “When you therefore shall see the abomination of desolation.”
“Spoken out by Daniel the prophet stand in the holy place who’s so read it let him understand. Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains, neither let him which is on the house top not come down to take anything out of his house. Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his cloths and wow unto them that are with child unto them to give suck into those days. Pray that your flight be not in the winter neither on the Sabbath Day for then shall be great tribulation. Such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time nor not ever shall be.”
Verse 22, “Except those days should be shortened there should no flesh be saved but for the elect sake those days shall be shortened. Then if any man say unto you, “Lo! Here’s Christ or there” believe it not for there shall rise false Christ’s and false prophets and shall show great signs and wonders in so much that if it were possible they shall deceive the very elect.” Now let me point out to you that the bible says that these false prophets and false Christ’s that will perform miracles they will be so convincing that if it were possible they shall receive the very elect.” You know what that’s telling us that it’s not possible. Because he’s saying, “If it were possible the elect would be deceived but it’s not possible. Because the bible teaches that those who are truly saved, those of you have the Holy Spirit living inside of them will not be deceived by the antichrist they won't fall for them.
When the antichrist shows up on the scene and declares himself to be the second coming of Jesus those who are saved will not be deceived. He will be so convincing that it would even deceive the elect but God’s elect will not be deceived because the Holy Sprit the bible teaches will guide us into all truth. When we hear the antichrist speaking we are going to know this is not Jesus. This is not, you know why? Because Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice. They follow me and he said, “A stranger will they not follow they’ll flee from the stranger for they not know the voice of strangers.”
When we hear a false prophet speaking and when we hear somebody speaking and claiming to be Jesus and they are not the Holy Sprit manifests himself and he bears witness says, “Hey this is not the voice of the shepherd.” I can't tell you how many times when I was a kid and I was a kid I didn’t know the bible very well because I was just a child and I had not read the whole bible cover to cover. There was so many times when a preacher would say something and just something inside me just told me, “You know what, that isn't right, there’s something not right about that.”
I didn’t really know why but it was the voice of the shepherd and I could tell, “Wait a minute this is the voice of a stranger that I’m listening to.” That’s what the bible teaches so the elect are not going to be deceived. Now here’s what’s funny, a lot of people will try to say that the elect is not Christians. They will try to say, “Well the elect is Jews” that’s what is referring to, when it says the word elect it’s referring to the Jews. Let me ask you this, “Are the Jews deceived today?” Well let me ask you, “Do the Jews believe in Jesus?” No, if you talk to the Jews today and they follow the religion of Judaism they will tell you that the messiah is still coming.
That Jesus was not the messiah; in fact they say all kinds of horrible blasphemous things about Jesus. They actually say that he was born out of wedlock and that he was born of fornication, they don't believe that he is born of a virgin. They don't believe that he died and was buried and rose again from the dead, they don't believe that he’s the savior of the world. Therefore the Rabbis who speak unto them, the Jewish Rabbis are deceivers. Because if a rabbi gets up and tells people, “Hey, Jesus is not the messiah” he’s lying. The bible says who is a liar but he that deny it that Jesus is the Christ.
He’s antichrist that denyeth the father and the son. If the Jews today do not confess the father and the son they are deceived. If they don't believe in Jesus they are deceived because there’s none other name in heaven given amongst men whereby we must be saved. The bible says, “He that believeth on the son” the son is Jesus, “He that believeth on the son have the everlasting life and he that believeth not the son shall not see light but the wrath of God abideth on him.” That doesn’t matter whether you are Jew or Gentile. That doesn’t matter whether you are red, yellow, black, white if you do not believe I’m the son of God you are not saved.
If you do not believe in the son of God you are not elect. If you do not believe in the son of God and you get up and call yourself a religious leader and you don't believe in Jesus you are a false prophet at that point. When you are preaching salvation other than through the name of Jesus … Well the bible says here that the elect shall not be deceived. Well that proves that we are talking about believers there. Because the reason they are not going to be deceived is because of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Okay whereas the Jews they were already deceived because they are following all kinds of rabbis and false teachers that don't confess Jesus.
Let’s keep reading here. It says, “Behold I have told you before” verse 25. “Where for if they say unto you behold his in the desert go not forth. Behold his in the secret chambers, believe it not. For as the lightening cometh out of the east and shineth even unto the west so shall also the coming of the son of man be.” What the bible is telling us is that when the Lord Jesus Christ comes back you won't have to wonder about it. You won't have to sit there and say, “I don't know is this really him? Is this really it?” Because the bible says that the whole sky will light up from one end of the heaven to the other.
If anybody tries to convince you, “Oh this guy is the second coming of Jesus or this guy is Jesus don't believe them.” Because he says, “You’ll have no doubt if you have to ask yourself, “Is this Jesus?” Then it’s not because when it’s him he’s going to come in the sky and the whole thing is going to light up and you won't have to believe anybody there he is okay. What does the bible say here in verse 28, “For wheresoever’s the carcass is there were the eagles be gathered together.” Verse 29, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened and the moon shall not give her light ...”
Isn't that exactly what we saw over in Revelation 6 sun and moon darkened and stars falling? It says, “The sun and moon shall be darkened and the star shall not give her light and the star shall fall from heaven and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. If we look at that verse the bible is very clear that the sun and moon are darkened after the tribulation. First we have this period of great tribulation and what did that tribulation incur? Seal number one was the antichrist going forth to conquer. Seal number two warfare, world war, seal number three was famine, people are starving. Seal number four people are dying of disease and earth quakes and things like that. Seal number five was persecution of Christians a persecution of God’s people.
People being killed for the course of Christ that is the tribulation, that’s what the great tribulation consists of. It consists of famine, it consists of war and it consists of persecution of God’s people. Let me ask you this though, “Is that God pouring out His wrath on this earth any of those things?” No, because let me ask you this, “Who’s behind persecuting Christians, God or the devil?” The devil so when we look at this event of the antichrist going out to conquer who’s behind that? God or the devil? The devil, obviously it’s the devil that’s behind the antichrist. The bible says that the antichrist the dragon gave him his power and his seat and great authority.
The devil is behind the antichrist that’s where the antichrist gets his power. Well if we look at the second seal with warfare, who’s behind that? Do you think that God wants us to all be at war in this world? You think God loves warfare and he wants the whole world to be at war? No we’ve gone through some horrible world wars in the 20th century right. World War One tens of millions of people died, World War Two 50 to 70 million people died. Think about all the suffering in World War Two, all the wives who didn’t have a husband anymore and all the children whose dad died in World War Two.
Think about all the people who starved to death, you see all those pictures from World War Two of people that are so skinny because they are starving. All the people that have been killed and injured and maimed and it’s because of sin. The bible teaches that the love of money is the root of all evil. The bible says from whence come wars and fighting’s among you come thy not hence even from your last that war in your members. You kill and desire to have, you fight in war yet you have not, because you ask not warfare is a bad thing. People are dying, people are injured, people, families are ruined, people lose limbs and so forth.
The devil loves warfare okay and that’s why there’s so much warfare in the world today and so many people trying to fight, to steal somebody’s land or trying to make other people into slaves and take their natural resources, take their money. Warfare is not something that God wants us to participate in where we are just all killing each other and the whole world is fighting and at war that’s of the devil okay. Famine, what’s causing the famine in the third seal? It’s not God causing the famine, it’s the sin of mankind, it’s all the warfare. Whenever you have a war you end up rationing food, everything there’s a warfare they have to be lean on supplies back in the home front.
Then with the fourth seal disease, earthquakes, wars, famine he just said, people are just going to die from a multitude of causes. Okay but here’s the thing, we have earthquakes today that’s not really a supernatural pouring out of God’s wrath. That’s not fire and brimstone from heaven that’s something that we experience even now, these are just natural disasters. Earthquakes, tidal waves things of that nature. Then when we get to the fifth seal we have Christians being killed for the course of Christ. Who’s behind that? Obviously the devil right. So far when we look at the events of the tribulation, when we read Jesus describe the tribulation and he said, “This is the great tribulation.”
None of it is God supernaturally pouring out His wrath on this earth all of it is pretty much manmade. It’s war, its famine, it’s the antichrist, it’s persecution of believers, it’s all a bunch of man made things. Then after the tribulation, everybody look down at your bible there in Mathew 24:29. Then it says, “After the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened and the moon shall not give her light.” Now who’s doing that? That is God now, okay so basically God steps in now after the tribulation is over and He darkens the sun and moon and the stars fall from heaven and look at what the bible says in verse 30.
“Then shall appear the sign of the sun of man in heaven” the son of man is Jesus that’s what he called himself while he was in this earth. “Then shall appear the sign of the son of man in heaven and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn and they shall see the son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” Now what does it mean to mourn? Mourning is what you do at a funeral right. Mourning is crying weeping you’re sad, now let me ask you this, why are all the tribes of the earth weeping and mourning and sad when they see Jesus Christ coming in the clouds?
Why? Because they are not saved. Now let me just point out to you in Revelation 6, flip over to Revelation 6, Revelation chapter number six because remember everything in Revelation 6 is lining up perfectly with Mathew 24 tells the same story. With that sixth seal we see the sun and moon being darkened. Let’s see if we can find the mourning, from Mathew 24. It says in verse 12, “I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal and lo there was a great earthquake and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair and the moon became as blood and the stars of heaven fell under the earth even as a fig tree casts at their untimely figs when she’s shaken of a might wind.”
“The heaven departed as a scroll when it’s rolled together and every mountain and island were moved out of their places and the kings of the earth .The great men and the rich men and the chief captains and the might men and every bond men and every free man hid themselves in the dens. In the rocks of the mountains and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him that siteth on the throne and from the wrath of the lamb for the great day of his wrath has come and who shall be able to stand.” Let me ask you something; are these people happy to see Jesus? No way these people when they see Jesus coming in the clouds they are hiding and they wish that the mountains and rocks would fall on them to hide them from the face of him that siteth on throne and from the wrath of the lamb. Who’s the lamb? Jesus.
Behold the lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world so when these people see Jesus Christ coming in the clouds of heaven they are not happy to see him. They are mourning, the bible said in Mathew 24. They are crying they are scared is what they are and they are saying to the mountains and rocks fall on us and hide us from the wrath of the lamb. Now what does wrath mean? Wrath is extreme anger, intense anger. They don't want to be punished by Jesus. They don't want the wrath and punishment that the Lord Jesus Christ is bringing. Okay now back to Mathew 24. It said in Mathew 24:30, “Then it shall appear the sign of the son of man in heaven and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn.”
“They shall see the son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” Notice they are not rejoicing, they are mourning and they are not happy to see him they are trying to hide from him. They are scared of being punished by Him. Then look what it says in verse 31, “He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other.” Now what the bible is saying here is that the elect, God’s people those who are saved are going to be gathered at that time. The trumpet is going to sound and they are all going to be gathered together.
Okay now look, the tribes of the earth are mourning. The rich men and the bond men and the free men and the chief captains and the mighty man all the worldly unsaved people of this world they are mourning because they know that they are about to experience the wrath of Jesus Christ. God’s people are excited; this is a glorious day for us. In fact flip over to Luke 21, keep your finger there in Mathew 24 and look over to Luke 21. Because when that trumpet sounds the elect will be gathered from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other ... Luke 21 is where we are going because remember Mathew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21 are the three chapters that teach all of the same thing.
Look at Luke 21 and it’s worded just a little bit differently. It says in verse 25 and there shall be signs and in the sun and in the moon and in the stars” does that sound familiar. Upon the earth the strees of nations with perplexity the sea and the waves roaring men’s hearts failing them for fear. Now doesn’t that sound like those guys who are hiding in the rocks and they are scared. It says men’s hearts failing them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.” That’s exactly the wording used in Revelation 6; the powers of heaven shall be shaken in Mathew 24 it’s all used there.
Then it says, Then shall they see the son of man coming in a cloud with great power and glory and when these things, watch these when these begin to come to pass then look up and lift up your heads for your redemption draws nigh.” What’s interesting is that in Luke 21 it says, “Your redemption draws nigh” and then he talks about the fig tree. In Mathew 24 he says he’ll gather the elect from the four winds and then talks about the fig tree. Why because when he says that he’s going to gather the elect from the four winds that’s the same as when he says, “Look up for your redemption draws nigh.” Now think about what this is saying, if this happens in our lifetime we don't know when this is going to happen.
The bible doesn’t tell it and anybody who tries to predict the date is a false prophet. Because the bible tells us, “Of that day and hour knoweth no man, know not the angels in heaven but my father only.” People will say, “Hey, it’s going to happen in 2015 or hey it’s going to happen in 2017” You should never listen to those people because they’ve always been proven to be false, because the bible says, “At such an hour as you think not the son of man cometh.” It’s not going to be a day that anybody predicts; we don't know when this is going to happen. This could happen in our lifetime. This could happen 100 years from now, we don't know when it’s going to happen.
Now I personally think that it will probably happen in my lifetime just because we see a lot of the signs of the times and we see the stage being set. The bible said that in the days of the second coming of Christ it would be like it was in days of Sodom and Gomorrah. We are seeing Sodom and Gomorrah begin to abound around us in the United State. He also talks about how nobody will be able to buy or sell without the mark of the beast. Well we can see that technology in place where you don't really use cash as much anymore you just scan your hand and it will just … Whereas people in the past might not have been able to picture that.
When we look at this event if it would have happened in our lifetime what is it going to look like? We don't know if this could start happening in a few years we have no idea but let’s say it starts happening in our lifetime what would it look like? The first thing we would see is basically this great world war and then we would see famines and we see all the suffering and warfare. We wouldn’t really know for sure that it’s it until we see that abomination of desolation which is where the antichrist sits in the temple of God and declares himself to be God and sets up a great image for people to worship.
After all the persecution, after all the warfare and the famines and the earthquakes, the bible says that the signal that you are looking for, the sign that you look for is that when the sun and moon are darkened and the stars fall. Nobody is going to miss that. Think about, you could look at warfare and say, “Like I don't know is this it?” You could see famine and say, “I don't know is this it?” You could see disease and say, “I don't know is this the end really though?” You know when the sun and moon are darkened and the stars are falling from heaven that’s when you know this is it.
Then when the bible says when you see that, when you see those things begin to pass, the sun and moon darkened and the stars fall, he said, “Look up.” Then look up for your redemption draws nigh. This is going to be the greatest day of our lives. Those of us that are alive and remain unto this, this could be the most exciting day. Think about we’ve already, if we’ve made it to that point we would have already gone through a lot of this hardships of warfare and famine and suffering persecution and think about how exciting it’s going to be when you are in the midst of all this persecution and trials and trouble.
Then all of sudden you see boom the sun and moon are darkened and you see the stars falling. Just imagine how exciting you are going to be, you’ll say, “This is it we made it, we endured to the end, we survived.” You are going to look up and you are going to be look for what? Jesus in the cloud and when you look up he says, “Lift up your heads” and you know lifting up your head in the bible too has to do with being a good cheer also … Because when people have a bad spirit, what’s going on? They are depressed, the bible says, “Hey lift up your head, your redemption draws nigh.” Isn't it interesting that this day when Jesus Christ comes in the cloud.
The second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ for the world is the worst day ever. They are mourning, they wish they were dead. When you are saying to the mountains and rocks fall on us and hide us they are wishing for death. This is the worst day they are mourning they are weeping and then we as Christians we are going to be like, “Glory.” We are going to be excited our redemption draws nigh, this is the greatest day ever we are about to be caught up in the clouds with Jesus, we are about to go to heaven to be with the Lord and to ever be with the Lord. This is going to be the greatest day, what a privilege if we could be alive when this happens.
Would it be great to be in that generation because the bible said we shall not all sleep but we shall be changed in a moment in a twinkling of an eye. He’s saying that those of us that are alive and remain under the coming of the lord we are going to be changed within a moment in the twinkling of an eye we are going to be caught up together with Jesus how exciting. Now the bible says, a few verses down, let’s go back to Mathew 24 where we were. Mathew 24 but in Mathew 24 when we finish up talking about Jesus gathering the elect with the sound of the trumpet and so forth, look at verse number 36. It says, “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, know not the angels of heaven but my father only.” The bible says, “No man knows the day or the hour when this will take place only the father knows.” Here’s what a lot of people will do to misinterpret this verse. They’ll take this verse that says no man knows the day or the hour and they’ll say, “It could happen today.”
Now here’s the thing, the reason we know that it’s not going to happen today is the fact that the bible says it’s going to happen after the tribulation and the tribulation hasn’t happened yet. In order for it happen today or at any moment then the tribulation would have to have happened which has not happened. If the sun and moon have not been darkened and the stars haven’t fallen it’s not going to happen. Because the bible says that the sun and moon will be darkened after the tribulation and then will they see Jesus come in the clouds and the trumpet sound and the elects gathered together.
That’s when we look up and our redemption draws nigh okay. A lot of people say, “It can happen at any moment even today” but I’m sorry it’s not going to happen today because these other things have to happen first. It’s like this, if I said to you, “I’m going to come up and visit in Winslow Arizona, I’m going to come up and visit you sometime after the summer is over. I’m real busy all summer but after summer is over I’m going to come visit you up here.” You don't really know when I’m visiting, do you? Because I’m not giving you a day or an hour I’m not giving you a time.
I’m just saying, “Look I don't know when I’m going to come to Winslow but it’s going to be sometime after the summer time I’m going to come up there okay.”Now wouldn’t it be silly if I told you that and then you went around saying, “In April he might come today.” He’s coming today.” In May you are saying, “He’s coming today this could be the day.” Its like, “Well wait a minute; he says he’s coming after summer.” Now it would make sense when you get into September to start saying, “This could be the day.” In October to say, “This could be the day.” It makes zero sense to say it in April, May, June July because I clearly said that I’m coming after summer.
Here’s the thing, just because you don't know the day or the hour it doesn’t mean it’s happening today. Because he clearly said that it happens after the tribulation of those days then Jesus Christ will come in the clouds. Now let’s keep reading here because this is an important part of Mathew 24. It says in verse 36, “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, know not the angels of heaven but my father only. But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the son of man be. For as in the days that they were before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and getting in marriage until the day Noah entered into the Ark and knew not until the flood came and took them away so shall also the coming of the son of man be.”
“Then shall too be the in the field the one shall be taken and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill, the one shall be taken and the other left. Watch therefore for you know not what hour your Lord that come.” Flip over to Revelation 6 where we were, Revelation 6. Just to get a timeline we have the tribulation which involves a lot of suffering, famine, pestilence, warfare and mainly persecution of Christians. After that tribulation the sun and moon are darkened then Jesus comes in the clouds with the sound of a trumpet and the believers, the saved they are caught up into the clouds with him to meet the Lord in the air.”
The question is what happens next? After the believers are caught up to be with the Lord what comes next? Well Mathew 24 compared it to Noah and he said it was like Noah the day he entered into the Ark what happened the day that Noah entered into the Ark. It began to rain and what did that rain do? It was judgment; it was wrath from the Lord to actually punish the people living on the earth. He actually wiped the entire world with the flood didn’t He? Well here’s the thing. The bible also says that the second coming of Jesus Christ will be like into the days of Lott. The bible says that the same day Lott left Sodom that God rained fire and brimstone from heaven.
Right so think about this in Noah’s day, Noah was saved from the punishment so he was taken into the ark for safety. The Ark only had one door because Jesus said, “I’m the door, I’m the way, the truth and the life no man cometh to the father before me.” Noah gets onto the Ark and safety and the same day Noah got on the Ark it starts raining and the punishment from God came. Then with Sodom and Gomorrah, the same day Lott was brought out of Sodom was the same day that God’s punishment when he rained fire and brimstone. That’s exactly what’s going to happen when Jesus Christ comes back that same thing.
After we are ruptured, after we are caught up in the clouds and brought to be with the Lord, then God is going to pour out His wrath on this earth. God’s going to rain fire and brimstone just like he did with Sodom and Gomorrah. Let me just prove it to you in the bible in Revelation 6, because in Revelation 6 we see the sun, moon darkened we see the weeping and wailing. In chapter seven we should see the rupture come next. Because if we just finished up with the tribulation sun and moon being darkened and if the bible said, “After that Jesus would gather the elect” then we should find the rupture in chapter seven as the next thing shouldn’t we?
Lets see if we can find the rupture in chapter seven, it says in verse one and “After this things” so after the sun and moon darkened, “I saw four angels starting on the four corners of the earth holding the four winds of the earth that the wind should not blow on the earth nor on the sea nor on in any tree. I saw another angle ascending from the east having the seal of the living God and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom that was given to hurt the earth and the sea saying, “Hurt not the earth, neither the sea nor the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God and there forth.” The thing I want to point out here is that God has not yet hurt the earth of trees yet has he? Because he says, “Wait don't hurt the earth of the trees until we’ve sealed the servants of our God in there forth.”
Now if you would jump down to verse nine, verse number nine says, “After this I beheld and lo a great multitude which no man could number of all nations and kindred’s and people and tongues stood before the throne and before the lamb clothed with white robes and palms in their hands.” Let me ask you something, where is that throne located? Where is that? It’s in heaven, so what we see here in Revelation seven is a great multitude appears in heaven before the throne of God. The bible says, “This multitude is so great that no one could number it.” That it was all nations, all kindred’s, all tongues all types of people and they are all standing there.
They cried with loud voice, verse 10 saying, “Salvation to our God which siteth upon the throne and unto the lamb and all the angels stood round about throne and about the elders and the four beasts and fell before the throne on their faces and worshiped God. Saying, “Amen blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be under our God forever and ever amen.” One of the elders answered saying unto me, “What are these which red and white robes and whence came there.” Let me just put that into our modern vernacular.
Here’s what he said, “Who are all these people and where did they come from? Where did this people come from?” I said unto him, “Sir thou knowest.” He said unto me, “These are they which came out of great tribulation and I have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb. Therefore they before the throne of God and serve in day and night in his temple and He that siteth on the throne shall dwell among them. It doesn’t make sense that at the time of rupture a great multitude would appear in heaven saying, “Hey these people came out great tribulation and now here they are, they are up in heaven now to be with the Lord and to serve the Lord.”
“It says they follow the lamb with whatsoever He goeth and the lamb shall lead them and feed them” The bible says in verse 17 and “Shall lead them under living fountains of waters and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” Now here’s an amazing thought when you stop and think about it, John in the book of revelation he sees this great multitude that appears in heaven of all nations and kindred’s. One of the elders asked him, “Who are these people? Where did they come from?” He says, “You tell me, you know I don't know.” He tells them, “These are they that came out of great tribulation.” Now when John is looking at that great multitude, did you know that you are going to be in that multitude? Isn't that amazing? Actually John has seen you before, the apostle John has looked at you. Because back when he was seeing all these he was seeing the future right …
Because in Revelation he’s shown all of the things that are going to be here after and when he saw that great giant multitude appear he looked at me, he looked at you, he looked at every saved Christian. That’s why it’s such a huge number because the bible number is some pretty big multitudes. The bible numbers multitude of 100,000,000, 10,000 times 10,000 and thousands of thousands. The bible number is great multitudes of people. This is a huge multitude that nobody could number. Because it’s all the saved, all the saints of all time that have all been caught up together and that would include me and you …
It’s people from all nations, all tongues, all families of the earth and we are going to be in that number. It’s like the song go, when the saints go marching in I want to be in that number. That crowd right there is going to be you me and every believer that’s ever lived. Here we are, we are caught up in heaven, what comes next on the earth. Because we’ve only seen six seals so far right? We saw all the tribulation and then at the sixth seal sun and moon were darkened and Jesus came in the clouds, what’s going to happen with the seventh seal what’s next? We are up in heaven at this point, we are rejoicing and praising God before the throne what comes next look at chapter eight verse one, let’s see what comes next.
“When he had opened the seventh seal there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.” The bible is telling us here that a long time isn't going by here; it’s just 30 minutes that have gone by. There’s silence for half an hour and “I saw the seven angels which stood before God and to them were given seven trumpets. Another angel came and stood at the alter having a golden sensor and there was given any much incense that he should offer what the prayers of all saints before the golden alter which was before the throne. The smoke of the incense which came with the prayers of the saints ascended up before God out of the angels hand and the angel too the sensor.”
Watch this, “And filled it with fire of the alter and cast it into the earth.” What happens after the rupture? After we are caught up to be with Christ and we are in heaven with the Lord, the next thing that happens just 30 minutes later is that God pours our fire and brimstone on the earth. Fire is cast to the earth now isn't that exactly what happened in the days of Lott. The day that Lott left Sodom God rained fire and brimstone. The day that Noah got on the Ark it rained from heaven and the flood took them all way and killed them all. What’s going to happen the day after or the day of the rupture when we are caught up together to be with the cloud? When we are removed from this earth the very same day God is going to begin to pour out His wrath on this earth. That’s why they are weeping, that’s why they are hiding, that’s why they are morning. It’s a terrible day for them.
Isn't it interesting that under the unsaved it’s called the Day of the Lord and it’s a great day of wrath and darkness and punishment. For us we think of it as the day of Jesus Christ and we look forward to it. We are going to have great joy on that day so really it just depends on which side of the gospel you are on. If you are saved, if you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ then it’s a great day for you. If you do not believe on Jesus Christ it is the worst day in the history of mankind it’s going to be horrible. That’s how God is, see a lot of people today they have an image of God where they think God is just loving and nice to everyone.
They don't understand the wrath of God, they don't understand God’s punishment, they think that he’s just going to be nice to everybody no matter what. The thing about God is that it depends on which side of God you are on. If you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ if you are saved then God is going to treat you very well and he’s going to comfort you and take care of you and bless you. The bible teaches that if you don't believe on the son of God the wrath of God abideth on you. Think about that, the wrath of God abides on the unsaved. God is a God of great love and compassion and long suffering and goodness but he’s also a God of wrath and punishment to those that reject the gospel of the Lord Jesus that’s what the bible teaches.
A lot of people will say, “Well that’s how God was in the Old Testament.” Wait a minute is Revelation in the Old Testament or the New Testament? It’s the New Testament and God is pouring out his wrath on the unsaved. Let’s keep reading in chapter eight there, look down at your bible. It says in verse six and “The seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound the first angel sounded and they are followed hail and fire mingled with blood. They were cast upon the earth and the third part of trees was burned up and all green grass was burned up.” Remember how God said that he wasn’t going to hurt the earth of the trees until the servants of God had been sealed?
Well now He is hurting the earth and the trees isn't he? Fire and brimstone are coming from heaven and the bible says that all the green grass was burned up. A third of the trees are burned up, think about that. In order to burn up a third of the trees on this earth and in order for all the grass on the earth to be burned up, the whole earth is going to be rained with fire and brimstone from heaven. Now let me ask you this, do you think people are going to notice that? Think of, when all the grass in the whole world is on fire, when one third of the trees in the world are burning up and God is raining fire and brimstone. Look this is what the bible says it’s going to happen. You think people are going to notice?
Now the question is, is this what Hollywood teaches that the rupture is like? Now let me explain something to you about Hollywood. Every biblical movie is always going to twist the truth. Any biblical movie you watch is always going to change things. For example there’s a really famous Jesus movie it’s called the Jesus film, have you ever heard of that? In the Jesus film when Jesus get’s baptized, John the Baptist never baptizes him. He just gets on his knees and bows down to John. Instead of John taking him and baptizing him it’s like why did they change that?
They always change things you watch the old movies of Moses and the 10 Commandments or you watch the old movie of Samson and Delilah. The Hollywood movies change what the bible actually teaches and what bible says. When you actually read the bible you say, “Wait a minute this a lot different than the movie.” We need to make sure that we get our beliefs from the bible not from movies okay. Well there’s a really popular movie that was about to rupture and is called left Behind. Who’s ever heard of that movie Left Behind? Well this movie Left Behind well guess what it’s a Hollywood movie it’s not going to be accurate.
When you look at the left behind movie everybody just disappears and nobody knows where they went. They are little piles of clothes everywhere and, “Where did they go? They are gone.” Everybody is perplexed and they don't understand where did everybody go? Why did everybody disappear? You know what they don't show at all they don't show any fire and brimstone raining. I didn’t see all the grass burned up in that feeling, where one third of the trees burn up. That stuff the bible says it’s going to happen the same day of the rupture. What they are teaching is in that movie, they are teaching that we are just going to be going through our lives …
Just living out life and then all of sudden poof we are gone. Is that really what they bible said? No, the bible said that first you are going to go through all these sorrows and you are going to through trials and tribulations and then you are going to go through this great period of tribulation. Where there’s a lot of persecution and warfare and famine and you are going to be suffering and struggling. He says once you go through all of that and then you see the sun and moon darkened and the stars begin to fall, he says, “Then you look up and your redemption draws nigh.
Then he said, once you are in safety in heaven He’s going to rain fire and brimstone on the earth. Then there are going to be a lot of other plagues also we don't have time to go through all the plagues but He’s going to turn water into blood. He’s going to turn waters into worm wood and people are going to be eating very bitter, disgusting, drinking bitter water that makes them sick to their stomach and die. He’s going to send locusts that are going to torment them. He’s going to send all kinds of fore breathing creatures and I mean the book of Revelation paints a very scary picture for those that are upon this earth during that time when God’s pouring out his wrath on the earth. Thank God we will be removed from this earth before that.
Let me ask you this; is that the same thing that the movie shows? No, because the movie doesn’t show any fire and brimstone and the people in movie are wondering like, “Where is everybody? What’s going on? I don't understand why everybody disappeared.” You know what the people are doing in the bible story? They are not wondering, I wonder where everybody went, there are running for cover. Because there’s fire and brimstone coming out of the sky and they are trying to hide under rocks and hide under things to not get destroyed by the hail and fire and blood that’s raining out of the sky.
Again you have to study your bible to get this teaching and this idea of people just disappearing with no warning, no signs, no sun and moon darkened, no tribulation where we just one day to the next just in the middle of preaching right now. Before this service is over we might all just disappear that’s not a biblical teaching it’s not found in the bible. Now flip to one last place 1st Thessalonians 4 this is the most famous passage about what we commonly refer to as the rupture okay. The rupture is what we call that event where we are caught up together with Jesus in the clouds.
It’s that event where the trumpet sounds and Jesus gathers up those that are alive on this earth. The bible says before that the dead in Christ shall rise first. Let’s look at 1st Thessalonians 4 together. 1st Thessalonians 4 verse 13 says, “But I wouldn’t be happy to be ignorant brethren concerning them which are asleep.” Now let me ask you this when he says those which are asleep you think he’s talking about people that are just snoozing in their bed? No, when the bible says those that are asleep it’s talking about those that who died and gone on to be with the Lord is what that’s referring to.
Christians who have gone on to be with the Lord are referred to here as being asleep and so the bible says, “I would not be happy to be ignorant brethren concerning them which are asleep that you sorrow not even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus will god bring with him. What’s he saying in these two verses? He’s saying if you have loved ones that are sleeping in Jesus, if you have maybe your parents, brothers and sisters friends who died and gone to be with the Lord if they were saved.
He says, “Don't sorrow like those who have no hope.” Because if we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him. You see if an unsaved person loses their wife or loses their husband or loses their best friend they don't have any hope of seeing that person again the bible says. He says that we as believers we know that we will see that person again if we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. With the second coming He’s going to bring them with Him. Let’s keep reading, “For this we say unto you” verse 15.
“By the word of the Lord that we which are alive and remain under the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.” We are not going to go before those that are asleep. “For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shut and with the vice of the ark angel and with the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord where for comfort one another with this words. The bible teaches here that the dead in Christ shall rise first.
Here’s what’s going to happen, Jesus comes in the clouds, the trumpet sounds and the dead in Christ rise first. All the bodies of the saved that are in the graves will literally rise from the graves. The dead in the Christ shall rise first and then we which we are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord. I heard one person say that the reason that the dead in Christ had to rise first because they had to go six more feet of descents because they are below, they are buried so they have to go a little bit further and then we are going to catch up to Him meet Him in the air.
The bible says that we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the cloud. That is where we get the term rupture because rupture means to be caught up. We could call it the catch up but this doesn’t sound as good as rupture. Rupture is just a better word and a lot of people say, “Well rupture is not in the bible.” It’s easier to say rupture than to say the catching up together with him into the clouds its long … That’s like we were talking about before the service how in Navaho you can't explain things what they mean because there’s always not a word for it. You have to explain it in a lot of words so I guess that’s how they say rupture in Navaho would be like, “The catching up together with the Lord in the clouds.”
That’s how you explain it alright, is that how you say it? That’s literally what you say, I was just guessing. You caught up together with him to be with the Lord in Clouds. That’s the rapture now look this is the most famous passage in the whole bible about the rupture. 1st Thessalonians 4, if you wanted to just point to a passage on the rupture this is where people are going to take you, this is the most famous one. What’s interesting about this passage when we look at it is that he talks about the trumpets sounding, the voice of the ark angel and the believers being caught up together in the clouds to meet the Lord but I want to point out a very important phrase in verse 15 that a lot of people overlook when the look at this. It says in verse 15, “For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord that we which are alive and remain unto the what? The coming of the Lord.
When the bible talks about the coming of the Lord or what we would call the second coming we are referring to the rupture if we take a biblical definition. Because He calls this the coming of the Lord that’s what it is it’s his coming. Now a lot of people will say this, Pastor Anderson you are mixing up the rupture in the second coming, you are mixing up those two things.” “Well wait a minute no; the bible said those were the same thing.” Because the first coming is when? When Jesus came as a baby in Bethlehem’s manger that was the first coming right … That was what’s known as the first advent or the first coming of Christ when Jesus came in human bodily form.
He physically was born in the flesh, He lived a sinless perfect life, He was tempted in all points like as we are yet without sin. He went about doing good the bible says, He preached the word of God he performed many miracles. He healed the sick and the deaf and the blind he raised the dead back to life. He performed all these miracles he preached the word of God then he offered Himself as a ransom for many, the bible says. He died for the sins of us all, he was buried and then three days later he rose again from the dead. After Jesus rose again from the dead, do you remember when he reassembled with the disciples on the Mount of Olives?
He said, “I want you to meet me at this Mount of Olives.” They all met him there and then he gave them that great commission where he told them, “To go ye therefore and teach all nations.” Baptizing them in the name of the son and of the father and of the Holy Ghost and teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded and “Lo I’m with you all the way even to the end of the world.” He said and I’m, “Go ye therefore” He said, “Into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” When he was done saying those words what did he do? He ascended up to heaven ion a cloud didn’t he?
You remember that day when He was on the Mount of Olives and he gave that great commission for us to go out and preach the gospel to all the lost and when He had spoken these words while they beheld, while they looked on He was taken up and a cloud received him out of their sight do you remember that? That’s known as the ascension of Jesus. After he died, was buried and rose again, after He’d showed himself alive, showed them the holes in his hands, showed them the hole in His side and he had given them the great commission. Then the bible says that he ascended up to the right hand of the Father in heaven.
Now after Jesus ascended up in the clouds, do you know what the disciples did? They just looked up into heaven, the watched Him get further and further away. He’s ascending up now and once He get further and further away and then he’s gone. They just keep looking, just trying to catch a glimpse and then an angel came and told them. He said, “You men of Galilee why stand ye gazing up into heaven? What are you doing staring up at the sky?” He said, “You men of Galilee why stand ye gazing up in heaven? This same Jesus which was taken up from you into heaven shall so come and in like manner as you’ve seen Him go into heaven.
How did they see Him go into heaven? In a cloud, how is He going to come? In a cloud he’s coming … That’s why the bible says behold he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see Him and they are also which pierced Him and all kindred’s of the earth shall wail because of Him. Wailing is mourning, wail because of him even so amen. The first coming was when Jesus came and did all of those things then he ascended up in a cloud. They say He’s coming back again and He’s coming the same way that you saw Him go He’s coming in a cloud. Now let me ask you this, when Jesus left that day, did he leave on a white horse?
Did he say preach the gospel to every creature hop on a horse and ride up to heaven? No he ascended up in heaven in a cloud that’s how he went up to heaven. He said, he’s going to come the same way he went. At the second coming of Christ what we call the second coming, the coming of our Lord, the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ that’s what 1st Thessalonians 4 is talking about and it’s talking about when Jesus comes in a cloud . Then the trumpets sounds were caught up together to be with him in the air. Now there’s another event later, later where Jesus comes in on a white horse and defeats the antichrist at the battle of Armageddon.
That is not the coming of the Lord that is a later event because that is something that comes in Revelation 19 but in this first event that we see here where Christ comes in the clouds and gathers the elect. That’s what’s known as the second coming but a lot of people here’s what they’ll do, they look at Revelation 19, Armageddon white horse they’ll say that’s the second coming. Well but what’s the bible say? The bible never calls Revelation 19 the coming of the Lord but it sure calls the rupture the coming of the Lord. I’m just going to close on that point in 1st Thessalonians 4 and just to help you understand that, you know what?
They are going to be trials and tribulations in our life even if this doesn’t happen in our lifetime we go through trials and tribulations all the time do we? The bible says, “Ye unto all that will live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” We all go through persecution trails tribulations but Jesus said this, “These things that have I spoken unto you that in me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation but be of be good cheer for I have overcome the world.” The bible tells us that we shouldn’t be depressed or upset about the things that are coming in the end of the world. It shouldn’t scare us, the bible says, “Fear none of those things which thou shall suffer. Behold the devil shall cast some of you into prison and you shall have tribulation in 10 days be thy faithful under death and I will give you the eternal life.
The bible tells over here, “Fear not, don't be afraid, don't dread it, don't worry about it because greater is he that is in you than is he who that is in the world.” The bible says, “He’ll never live us nor forsake us and if we are alive during the great tribulation if that’s God’s will then God’s going to see us through. If we end up going to prison for the cause of Jesus Christ that’s okay as long as we are in the will of God … If we end up suffering or being killed you know what? God knows what He is doing and we just need to trust in the Lord and the bible says, “Be of good cheer.”
Don't be depressed or down or offended about the fact that these things … Now look if somebody is not saved they have a lot to be afraid of. They have a lot to be scared of a lot of horrific things coming but for those of us that are saved, the bible says, “That the trials and tribulations that we endure on this earth are not worth to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us.” I don't want this message to come across to you as something that is depressing or gloomy because you know what the rupture the second coming of Christ is something to be excited about and look forward to.
It is not something to dread or fear as far as the things leading up to it because you know what, God knows how to protect and deliver his people. We need to just trust in the Lord and be of good cheer and look forward to that great day when our redemption is going to come and the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. It’s going to be the greatest thing that any of us has ever experienced, let’s bow our heads and have a word of prayer. Father we thank you so much for you word Lord and for the things that have been taught so clearly in the bible.
Lord I pray that you would help us to just get into our bibles and study not just to listen to a Hollywood movie or just what people have told us all our lives. Lord I pray that every person who’s here would search the scriptures whether these things be so and to read Mathew 24 and to read Mark 13 and to read Luke 21 and the book of Revelation Lord. Help us to learn the truth so that we cannot be asleep like a lot of people around us are just asleep and they don't know what’s happening. Lord help us to be awake and to watch for these things Lord. We love you and thank you for your salvation in the lord Jesus Christ and it’s in His name we pray, amen.
