1. The Rapture of the Church
(John 14:1-3, 1 Thess 4-5, 2 Thess 2, 1 Cor. 15)
Defensive Operation: Recall Ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20)
Offensive Operation: Create the world’s greatest crisis so that a fallen world unites into a singular government (Gen 11:1-9, Revelation 13).
What: The Rapture (Greek-harpazo, Latin- rapiemur, and English-catching up) of the Church was first taught by Jesus to His disciples in the Upper Room Discourse (John 14:1-3) the night before His crucifixion. The Holy Spirit, writing through the Apostle Paul, would later clarify this mystery in three of his epistles (1st and 2nd Thessalonians, and 1st Corinthians 15). The Rapture, as distinct and separate from the Second Coming, is the only truly signless prophetic event in Scripture. Its timing is the most highly classified secret in God’s prophetic arsenal.
Although it is signless, the actual event will be neither secret nor silent. It is, for all intents and purposes, a rescue operation for all born-again believers to be taken out of this world before it enters into the final seven years of God’s wrath and judgment. Although the Rapture sets the conditions for the Tribulation, it does not initiate the official start of the Tribulation (Dan. 9:27).
Who: The Church (Greek- ekklesia, English- called out assembly). The universal body of born-again believers in Jesus Christ, irrespective of when they lived, denomination, ethnicity, age, etc. It is also believed (although not universally) that children under the age of accountability (age varies according to maturity), as well as the mentally invalid and those unable to make a conscious decision for or against Christ will be taken up as well. The believer who is alive when it happens will be translated (changed instantly) from mortal, to immortal. The believer who has already died will come in their spirit bodies with Christ, and be resurrected into their glorified, immortal bodies.
When: This happens before the 70th Week of Daniel (aka…The Tribulation). It is an imminent event, and since the 70th Week is the most highly chronicled week mentioned in Scripture, it can only be imminent, if it happens prior to the event, not after. When it occurs, however, is known only to God the Father [it could be argued that Jesus now knows (Revelation 1:1]). Although the imminence is purely from the perspective of mortal humans, it is likely tied to a specific event, such as one of the seven Jewish Feasts like Pentecost (Shavuot), or the Feast of Trumpets. In His Death, Jesus fulfilled the following spring feasts in order:
The Feast of Passover- His crucifixion
The Feast of Unleavened Bread- His burial
The Feast of First Fruits- His resurrection
If keeping to the same pattern, the next Feast (Hebrew-moadim, appointed time), to be fulfilled is the Feast of Shavuot (Pentecost). This was the feast (back in 32AD) when the Church was conceived by the giving of the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem (Acts 1-2).
Where: Global and simultaneous
Why: The final seven years (from Daniel’s 70 Weeks prophecy- Daniel 9:24-27) is appointed to discipline Israel (for rejecting her Messiah Jesus), bring her back into a relationship with God, and destroy all the nations (Jeremiah 30:7-11). The Church does not fit into any of those categories. Furthermore, since the Church was not in the previous 69 Weeks, logic follows we will also not be in the 70th.
Takeaway: The reason the Rapture of the Church has remained such a mysterious, imminent event, is because God chooses not to reveal His game-changing hand to the enemy (the Devil). Sun Tzu once stated in his epic “The Art of War,” Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt. If Sun Tzu could figure out the value in keeping your movements a guessing game for the enemy, surely, God can.
If the Rapture happens just after midnight Jerusalem time (my personal theory), it would hit the western hemisphere right around 5:00 PM (or 1700 military time). The sudden removal of millions of people at rush hour would be devastating to a nation like the United States. While some nations would be impacted more severely than others by the loss of millions of citizens, the collapse of the United States would be an impact felt on a global scale (economically speaking). Aside from the immediate devastation caused by millions of driverless vehicles and pilotless planes, emergency services, as well as law enforcement, will be overwhelmed immediately. Furthermore, the Rapture also serves to remove the Holy Spirit’s restraint over evil in the world thus triggering a general and exacerbated period of lawlessness and societal unrest the world has never seen.
2. The War of Gog-Magog
(Ezekiel 38-39)
Defensive Operation: God supernaturally protects Israel against overwhelming coalition
What: Capitalizing on the collapse of the United States and the subsequent global chaos triggered by the Rapture of the Church, a multinational coalition led by Russia attempts a massive military invasion of Israel. Although Israel is unprepared, the coalition is supernaturally destroyed by God (Psalm 121:4).
Who: Ezekiel 38-39 lists the aggressor nations by their ancient names. The modern equivalents are as follows: Russia, Iran, Turkey, Libya, Ethiopia/Sudan, plus the former Soviet-satellite nations (aka…the Stans). By-standers who oppose the attack, but are helpless to stop it- Saudi Arabia, the US, and Western Europe.
When: This particular coalition of nations has never attacked Israel before, so this war is yet future, presumably between the Rapture and the official start of the 70th Week of Daniel.
Where: Geographically speaking, the invaders will come from the furthest parts north of Israel, as well as from the south. The furthest north of Israel is Russia. Interestingly, Russia, Turkey, and Iran are all militarily involved in Syria today and have built up forces there significantly in recent years. Turkey and Russia are also tied up in the reestablishment of Libya (Put). At present, Iran (Persia) is attempting to create a landbridge across Iraq so that it has direct access to attack Israel. The actual war takes place in the mountains north of Israel, potentially being in the vicinity of the Golan Heights and Mt. Hermon. This is where God destroys the enemy forces.
Why: The Iranian leadership want to destroy Israel and their hatred for the Jews is their motivation, pure and simple. However, the other nation’s motivations seem to vary. Both Russia and Turkey have been cut out of the energy markets since Israel’s recent discoveries of massive natural gas fields off their coast (Leviathan and Tamar). More recently, Israel has worked an economic deal with both Cyprus and Greece, to ship natural gas directly to Europe. Consequently, this cut both Turkey and Russia out of the energy game. As for the Libyans, Sudanese, and other nations, they are likely used as mercenaries meant to bolster this coalition’s overall numbers to overwhelm Israel.
Takeaway: Gog and Magog. The fact that we are seeing this coalition form before our very eyes in Syria is a sure sign that the Rapture of the church is extremely near. The reason why this is during this particular war is that God’s “full attention” turns back towards the nation of Israel (Ez. 38:16). Actions by the former Trump administration (halting the European Gazprom pipeline, Abraham Accords, Iranian sanctions, etc.) have financially put Russia, Iran, and Turkey into dire economic straits.
Russia, Iran, and Turkey (all former rival empires) have never, historically, collaborated economically, militarily, and politically together with a common goal in mind. Listed by their ancient names, modern-day Russia, Turkey, and Iran have formed an anti-Israel/US alliance that are currently building their forces literally tens of miles from the Israeli border (to her north). They are not there because they care about Basher Assad, or his regime. They are there because of their proximity to Israel and wealth (spoils). Two things about this stand out to me:
a. Israel’s allies are either unable or unwilling to help (Ezekiel 38:13)
b. God defeats this coalition so spectacularly, that spiritual Israel finally awakens, and the people finally demand to rebuild their third temple (Ez. 39:22, 28-29)
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