Second Coming of the Lamb of GOD
The Second
Coming of the Lamb of God is an interesting topic indeed so lets get
straight into it.
Did you know that many churches in the world universally
believe and promote that the manner of the Second Coming will be by a
secret rapture?
They believe that Jesus will come secretly to take the
righteous into heaven, but the wicked and those left behind on earth
will be given a second chance within a period of seven years to repent
and be saved.
According to this view, the coming
of Jesus will be in two separate events. First, He will come secretly
to
take the church to heaven, and then, seven years later, He will come
again in an open demonstration of power and glory. In between those two
events, the Antichrist is supposed to come into power and the great
tribulation period take place.
But the truth is that the Bible
nowhere speaks of these two separate comings of the Lamb of God.
So what does the Bible say about
Secret Rapture?
Jesus Christ warned there will be great delusions and
deceptions in the end times and to be wary when you hear people say
Jesus has returned secretly. Christ warns us that:
"if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is the Christ,
or, Here; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and
false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; so as to lead
astray, if possible, even the elect. Behold, I have told you
beforehand. If therefore they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the
wilderness; go not forth: Behold, he is in the inner chambers; believe
it not". Matthew 24:23-26(ASV)
The Bible
warns us that Satan will try to impersonate
the Lamb of God and counterfeit His Second Coming. Satan's deceptions
will be so convincing, that even the elect of God will be deceived.
So where is the idea of a secret
rapture coming from?
As with all of Satan's deceptions, the Second
Coming by
a
secret rapture theory, is based on two main Bible verses
which are
taken out of context. The
first one is that the Lamb of God will come
as "a thief in the night." The secret rapture theory
assumes that the
Second Coming will be secretive, to steal away the righteous and carry
them quietly to heaven.
The Second Coming of the Lamb of God is described as "a
thief" several times throughout the New Testament.
Let's look at
these passages and see if it describes a secret rapture.
"But the day of the Lord will come
as a thief in the
night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great
noise, and
the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works
that are therein shall be burned up." 2 Peter 3:10(ASV)
Does that sound like a secret
rapture
to you?
In describing His Second Coming as a "thief", the Lamb
of God
did
not intend to show that His Coming would be quiet, but that it
would be sudden
and unexpected, the wicked are surprise. He said, ". . . if
the master
of the house had known in what hour the thief was coming, he would have
watched, and not have left his house to be broken through. Be ye also
ready: for in an hour that ye think not the Son of man cometh". Luke
12:39,40 (ASV).
Paul also told the Christians in Thessalonica, "But
ye,brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as
a thief." 1 Thessalonians 5:4 (ASV). God does not want His
followers
surprised. He wants us to be watchful and ready.
The second
misinterpreted text used to support a
"secret" Second Coming is in Luke 17:34-36 (Web): "I tell you, in that
night there shall be two men in one
bed; the one shall be taken, and
the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one
shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the
one shall be taken, and the other left."
Secret rapture proponents say this passage proves the
saints will suddenly disappear from the earth when the Lamb of God
returns. But let's take an honest look at the evidence and see what
these verses teach. In Luke 17:34-36, Jesus is saying there will be
just two groups of people living on the earth, the lost and the saved.
Two men in one bed
A bed implies sleep, and Jesus used sleep as a symbol of
death. We know this because He said to the disciples, "Our friend
Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep." "Then
said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead." John 11:11, 14 (Web).
At the Second Coming (the last day), there will be two
kinds of people sleeping in the grave, the lost and the saved. Two
women grinding together. In Bible prophecy, a woman is a symbol of a
church (Jeremiah 6:2). Grinding grain (or seeds) represents working
with the Word of God.
Two kinds
of Churches
At the Second Coming, there will be two kinds of churches, the false
and the true. Both will be outwardly doing the same, but only one
redeemed. Two men in the field. The field represents the world (Matthew
13:38). At the Second Coming of the Lamb, there will be two kinds of
missionaries laboring out in the field, the false and the true. This is
why He said,
"Many will say to me in that day,
Lord, Lord,
have we
not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and
in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto
them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." Matthew
7:22, 23 (Web)
Why is the devil pushing the
secret
rapture theory vigorously?
The devil knows about the Second Coming and that his
time is short (Revelation 12:12). He has been sharpening his skills of
deception for 6,000 years, and his last all out effort will be his
masterpiece. One day soon, Satan is going to try to impersonate the
Lamb of God Himself. And Jesus warns that he will do such a convincing
job that, if it were possible, even the elect deceived.
"For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and
shall show signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the
elect will be deceived." Mark 13:22 (Web).
Satan is not an ugly
creature running around in a red leotard with a couple of horns
sticking out of his head. He is a beautiful and powerful angel. And the
Bible makes it clear that he is able to transform himself in many
different forms.
For such are false apostles, deceitful workers,
transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for
Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light." 2 Corinthians
11:13, 14. We must not underestimate how convincing and overpowering
Satan's final deception will be. I'm sure he will even quote Scripture,
as he did while tempting Christ in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-6
The devil also has the ability to create bogus miracles.
He is in the business of deception. And we know that he is saving his
greatest deception of all for the last days. We need to know about the
manner of the Second Coming of the Lamb of God, or we will be deceived.
The
Bible is clear that
when the
Lamb of God comes back, His feet
never touch the ground. It says the
righteous will meet Him in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:17).
Jesus warns us,
"Therefore if they say to you, 'Look, He is in the
desert!' do not go out; or 'Look, He is in the inner rooms!' do not
believe it. . ." Matthew 24:26, 27, NKJV.
Satan cannot reproduce the real
Second Coming. But if he can seduce Christians into believing the
secret rapture theory, he won't have to. He can simply show up around
the world in various places, perform great miracles, appear on TV, and
deceive the entire world.
The Satan has always wanted to be god.
His last gesture against heaven will be to impersonate
the Lamb of God and receive the worship of all those who have been
deceived into believing that there will be a SECRET RAPTURE. Beloveds
of
GOD, do not be
deceived.
Second
Coming of the Lamb of God will not be a secret
