📡✞ Rapture Theory [5-Part Series]: In-Depth Bible Study

 📡✞ Rapture Theory [5-Part Series]: In-Depth Bible Study 

📡✞ Rapture Theory [1 of 5]: In-Depth Bible Study 🔗 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ga6pkOGSCxQ&list=PLcK3ZkGY_ffrGHwpd41VlqSDYIHCBzfHt&index=1

The video explores the Rapture Theory, focusing on the distinction between our fleshly and spiritual bodies, as explained by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15.

Highlights
📖 The term "rapture" is not explicitly in the Bible, but the concept of a "catching away" is discussed.
🔔 The gathering to Christ will take place at the seventh trumpet.
🏺 Paul explains we have two bodies: a corruptible flesh body and an incorruptible spiritual body.
🌱 A seed analogy is used to describe the transformation from a natural to a spiritual body.
⚖️ Understanding the difference between corruption and incorruption is crucial to the Rapture Theory.
🌌 The spiritual body is eternal, whereas the flesh body is temporary.
✝️ Acceptance of Christ is essential for immortality and overcoming judgment.

Key Insights
📜 Distinction of Bodies: Paul stresses the importance of recognizing both the fleshly and spiritual bodies to fully understand resurrection and our purpose.
⏳ Resurrection Timing: The resurrection occurs at the last trumpet, where all will be transformed, not just believers, showing God’s universal plan.
🌾 Seed Analogy: Paul uses the metaphor of a seed to illustrate that death leads to transformation and renewal beyond physical existence.
⚡ Corruption vs. Incorruption: The flesh is corruptible and destined to decay, but the spiritual body is eternal and incorruptible, pointing to the believer’s everlasting future.
🛡️ Mortal vs. Immortal: Understanding the contrast between mortality (subject to death) and immortality (eternal life) is key to spiritual growth and a relationship with God.
🌍 Earth as a Testing Ground: Earthly life is a test for the soul, with decisions shaping one’s spiritual destiny, emphasizing the importance of free will in God’s plan.
🎇 Victory Over Death: The transformation into an incorruptible body signifies triumph over death, providing believers with hope and the promise of eternal life with God.

📝 Transcribed:

**Dr. Pastor Arnold:** We're going to redo the Rapture theory. That is to say, the doctrine they seem to wear out, and then it's good to talk about it again a fresh, and see if we can't dig a little deeper and understand with clarity what it is our Father would have us know. Is, is the Rapture — which the word actually is not in the Word of God. I know there's a "catching away" — it's not "Rapture," that word isn't there. But there are places that if you weren't careful, you could think it was there, and we'll cover those places. But the important thing is this: to know what our Father has to say about it, His Word — not what this man, some book, or anyone else might say — but what does the Word of God have to say about it. Now, in the so-called Rapture, there's first let's answer one question: Are we going together back to Christ? Absolutely. Well, in what order? Well, exactly as it's written. There's no — I mean, there's no question with anybody that we will gather back with Him. But the question is, where? How does it come to pass? And so forth. And to understand, we're going to take Paul's teachings on it first and declare: first, we know at the seventh trump a certain thing happens. Is that the gathering back? Well, first you must know before you can understand the Rapture theory that we have two bodies. And if you don't understand that, you're not ready to be taught. The really deep study concerning that is to say, to go into the scriptures concerning the Rapture, so-called theory. Now, with that, we're going to go to 1 Corinthians chapter 15. And actually, Paul tells us about the seventh trump here and the change of bodies and so forth. But with that, he teaches very adequately — fantastic. He was a great teacher as to how many bodies we have, what they basically are, how they are formed, and so forth. So let's just get right into it. Open your Bibles with me to 1 Corinthians chapter — 15, and let's begin, if we may, with verse 34. And we have a flesh body that we know about, we can see that, but we also have another body. It's called a spiritual body. Verse 34, chapter 15, 1 Corinthians, and it reads: "Awake to righteousness" — and that means awake or wake up, or get some common sense about what's right — "and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God." I speak to your shame. And it is a shame to you if you're biblically illiterate. I'm sorry, that's just the way it is. It's to your shame, but then you can change that, you can stop it by simply studying His Word. You don't have to become a religious fanatic, but at least familiarize yourself with the plan of your Father. Verse 35: "But some man will say, How are the dead raised up?" Good question. Do you know? Well, let's learn. "And with what body do they come?" In what manner of body do they come in the resurrection with? It's important. Good question. He's going to answer it. Verse 36: "Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened" — that is to say, made alive — "except it die." Now, in other words, he's going to use the analogy of a little seed of grain. And when you plant that little seed of grain, the actual seed that you plant actually dies and becomes the nutrient for this small embryo inside that grows into a new, beautiful plant. And he would like for you to grab that analogy. And some might say, "Well, Paul called him fool." Now you must learn that the manuscripts, the word "fool" as it is used here is not "moros" as Christ said, "Call no man fool." The word is — He said call no man "moros" in the Greek, which means a person that is absolutely void of any desire to ever even believe on our Father or anything else. All right, so some people because they read English, they think they are deep Bible scholars, and sorry, that doesn't fly. So Paul — and I don't want to digress here, but sometimes we just have to explain these sort of things. "Quickened," of course, meaning to make alive, and that's the whole point — is to bring people into eternal life. Verse 37: "And that which thou sowest, that seed you put in the soil, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain" — in other words, you just sow the naked grain. It may chance of wheat or of some other grain. In other words, whatever that seed is (kind after kind), that seed is going to change, and that dry, bare seed is going to become a beautiful plant, a producing plant. And that one seed — let's use corn — may produce three ears of corn with many rows of numerous seeds. But first, that beautiful plant. So it is with the flesh body, is what he's implying. When this old flesh body dies — and it's got to die before you can put on the spiritual body — and to everything its time and place, we have duties here in the flesh that we must accomplish, doing our Father's work. But before you can put on that spiritual body, then the old body, the flesh, must return to the dust from whence it came. Now let's continue on. Verse 38: "But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body." When God accomplished the creation, yes, man has seed, animals have seed, and those seeds are as God intended. He doesn't like people bringing forth hybrids in plant life or anything else; He created the seed. Every body from that seed as it hath pleased Him, the way He wanted it. Verse 39: "All flesh" — I want you to think now — all flesh, we're not talking about anything spiritual here — all flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds. And you have all these various fleshes, everything in its own order, kind after kind, as God intended. Verse 40: Listen carefully. "There are also celestial" — that's to say heavenly — "bodies." I want to read that one more time: "There are also heavenly celestial bodies and bodies terrestrial" — that means earthly, made of earth. How many does that — can you count? Alright, and I'm not talking down to you. "But the glory of the celestial" — the heavenly — "is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another." And so it is: we have our earthly bodies, but we also have a heavenly body, a spiritual body. And which is the best? Well, it would appear, in as much as the longevity of the spiritual, that the spiritual would naturally be much better, because the flesh is perishable. It grows old, it can become diseased, things can happen to it, it can be injured. Can this happen to the spiritual body? The answer is no, it cannot. And so, needless to say, the point being — and we don't want to pull away from that, and we're talking about the subject here is bodies, okay? Not soul bodies. We have a spiritual body, we have a flesh body. That's what He has said. Verse 41: "There is one glory" or splendor "of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory." And many might say, "Well, what does that mean?" Well, in a sense, if you were to go to the 12th chapter of Revelation, you will find that the old dragon drew a third of the stars of heaven by his tail, which is: the stars of heaven are called children. And though there are billions of them, you will never find one person that's the same as another. They're all different. And God knows all of His children. That's just — He's supernatural, and that's just nature. You know your children, the shepherd knows his sheep. In other words, I don't care how many they are. And all bodies, whether it be celestial or terrestrial, they're all different in both bodies. Verse 42: "So also is the resurrection." Now here is where the question is being answered. "So also is the resurrection of the dead" — that's to say those that are dead in the flesh and spirit. "It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption." Now here you have an absolute, and remember the subject is the body. And you have an absolute, and I'm going to ask, if we may, that we pull up the word "corruption" as it is used in the manuscripts, and we will see there that — it comes from the prime root of 5351: decay, ruin, spontaneous or inflicted, literally or figuratively. And then as it is used in the Companion of the King James Bible, in other words, the corruptible died. That's what it means: it means to perish. And we live in bodies that must perish. Now it said there in that 42nd verse that it was sown in the ground or whatever the case — corrupt, corruption — but it's raised in incorruption. What is this Greek word? Let's call it up: it's *aphtharsia*, after it comes from 862: incorruptibility, in the genitive case, unending existence. In other words, it will last for eternity. And we're talking — remember, this is body, not soul. You — I must urge you that you keep up with the subject. The subject is body. Do we have two bodies? The answer is yes. We have one body that is corruptible — it's going to die, it's going to return to dirt, for that's exactly what it is. And as much as God made man flesh — also Genesis 6:3 — that the mother in her intake of organic matter (that is to say matter through vegetation in one form or another, many times carnivore inserted, be that as it may) but we intake those organic minerals, nutrients, and so forth, and it forms our body. But they're from the dirt, alright? That's why it must die. It's not eternal. Now your spiritual body, when it is raised again — we're talking about bodies, not souls. You know your soul is your intellect, so to speak, or that being the spirit. But it's got to have a house to live in. So it has two: the flesh, which was God's decree that we should all be born of a woman, that we would pass through this earth age, and also that we would put on this terrestrial body at the instant death of the flesh takes place. And then you're in a body that is — we can say — deathlessness. It doesn't die. Now God, after judgment, can cause it to perish, but of its own it won't wither. Had we gone to the prime root of that word, not capable of withering or being diseased or growing old — it is the spiritual body that God gave us, the incorruptible body that you will dwell in for eternity. And again, the subject being bodies, Paul does an excellent job in bringing forth the point: we have two bodies. How is it raised? He has answered the question. It is sown as a seed — in other words, the flesh returns to the dust from whence it came (documentation Ecclesiastes 12:6-7). But it is raised at the instant of death, as it is written in 2 Corinthians chapter 5, verses 7 and 8: to be absent from this flesh is to be present with the Lord. You immediately, instantly put on this incorruptible body and return to the Father who gave the soul to enter into the spiritual body to enter into this flesh body. I do not find that confusing at all, and I hope that you do not. And it's important that you remember the difference between corruption and incorruptible, and hopefully it will give you a little courage to look forward to that day and that you occupy the incorruptible body, but also that you look forward to seeing that you overcome, whereby God does not destroy the corruptible body — incorruptible body rather — in the lake of fire at the end of judgment, that's to say at the end of the Millennium. Many people get all nervous if you say that — well, we'll carry that farther. Verse 43: Let's go on with it, bearing in mind two bodies — bodies being the subject. "It is sown in dishonor" — flesh is sin, it's sinful, it really cries at you for this, that, or the other. "It is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power." And so it is. Now these things are essential to understanding the so-called Rapture doctrine. You've got to have a little knowledge concerning how a body is resurrected. That's what it's about: being resurrected and joining the Father. All right, so now it's planted or you're born weak, you are subject to the calls of the flesh, but it is resurrected raised very strong, willpower, so forth. Verse 44: "It is sown a natural body" — this one, alright, flesh. "It is raised a spiritual body." And it's essential — there's the diversity of the two bodies: natural, spiritual; natural, spiritual. There is a natural body and there is a spiritual body. Again, can you count? It's all brought forth for you right there. You got a natural body, and when you put that away, here the old silver cord should part as it's written in Ecclesiastes chapter 12, then the spiritual body slips away. Does it dwell within this man? I feel it does. We were created in His own image. God said, "Let us make man in our image." That's why Christ looked like the Father, and that's why other people look as they did as the spiritual body — no big deal in that. All right, it was a testing ground. When one-third of God's children failed, He didn't want to kill the children but to give a testing ground where they will either love Him or Satan. Now continuing, verse 45: "And so it is written, And so it is, The first man Adam was made a living soul" — that living soul was placed within him. "The last Adam" — that being Christ — "was made a quickening spirit." Quickening again means life-giver. By accepting on the cross what He did, He gives us life for repentance. Verse 46: "Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual." Why does God do it this way? That's a good question. Many people would say, "Well, why would He want to put us in these old flesh, perishable bodies?" Well, for the wise student of God's Word, you know that we were in spiritual bodies in the first earth age. I probably lose a few there — be that as it may, get the blinders off. Verse 47: "The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven" — Emmanuel, God with us. Verse 48: "As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly." In other words, if you're in a heavenly body, yes it's heavenly. If you're in an earth body, it's earthy. It's going to stay earthy, it's going to talk to you, it's going to try to get you to weaken in many things because it likes to look out for itself. Why? Well, it's organic matter, and that's just the beast of it, if you will. No, I didn't call people beast, but that's the way of the being. Verse 49: "And as we have borne the image of the earthy" — I mean, you can see them, they're walking all over the earth — "we shall also bear the image of the heavenly." And this bothers some Christians. They say, "Well, I don't want any sinner up there bearing the heavenly." Don't worry, they won't bear it long. They still have a heavenly body or an incorruptible body, and when the flesh dies, they automatically put it on, and it's like dressing up for the judgment, if you want to put it that way. And many people say, "Well, I thought they went straight to hell." There is nowhere is that written. The parable you must not misunderstand in Luke 16 of Lazarus and the rich man — Christ was painting you a picture of the order of things in God's presence: that they were all with Him, but some were on the other side of a gulf they could not cross. Were they in heavenly bodies? Of course they were, because many of them have been there for almost 6,000 years now, and they're in an incorruptible body, which is to say one that won't die. And that's also why it's written in the great book of Matthew: fear not those that can kill the flesh body, but rather fear your Father in heaven who can cause your spiritual body to perish. And I quote that in that way — we'll bring "mortal" into it, we haven't covered it yet — but I want you to understand "mortal" in its correctness in a moment. The subject is still corruption and incorruption, addressing bodies. The image — what does the word "image" mean? It looks like they may look the same, but one's earthy and the other is heavenly, spiritual. Alright, but they still look the same. Now verse 50: "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot" — I want to repeat that — "flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption." Everything in its order, in its place. In other words, there is no way one can walk in heaven in a flesh body. We have had one or two transfigurations, but that's a change also. Alright, but many actually want to go out here and raise the old flesh body right out of the ground and use it all over again, and they show their ignorance as far as God's Word is concerned, because that is not written. And we'll document that in this set of lectures on Rapture theory. It's important now that we look back upon this, because he's about to show us a mystery, and I want you to have all this locked in and certainly not suffer at any digression on my part, and realize we have two bodies. We have one that is natural and that walks upon the earth, that was birthed by our mother — God placed the soul that's brought into it into the flesh body, the spiritual body, the soul, the existence self, into the flesh to live its life in this earth stage (I will call it) and then to be planted and to grow forth in the incorruptible body. And there is no way you can return to God until you have put on that incorruptible body at the time that sickness — whatever might require. Again, we have a destiny and a purpose, and we live our lives in happiness, if you choose, by having Christ in us. Verse 51: "Behold" — you look here, that's what he's saying — "I show you a mystery. I'm going to let you in on something that you really need to know. We shall not all sleep" — that means we're not all going to die — "but we shall all be changed." Now some people would say, "Well, now he's just talking to the Christians here. The sinner doesn't change." I'm sorry, the sinner does change, because there is no way the sinner in flesh can walk before our Almighty God and be judged. All are changed, because the prior verse stipulated they cannot inherit nor go in before God in the flesh. Doesn't happen. But we shall all be changed, and it's going to happen. Verse 52: "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye" — zap — when? He's going to tell you when. "At the last trump." Now in the Greek, this is the farthest trump out, the ultimate, the last. Don't let some fluff ball tell you any different. Check it out yourself in your Strong's Concordance. For the trumpet — that's the seventh — this is the time. Now shall sound, not maybe it will sound. "And the dead shall be raised incorruptible" — this is to say those that are spiritually dead even will be raised also — "and we shall be changed." Every living being won't die, but they're going to be changed for what? For judgment, for the Millennium, and then judgment, I should say. Verse 53: Now this is very, very important. Listen carefully. "For this corruptible must put on incorruption." Now I've given you the Greek on this. This natural body must put on the body that's never going to die, okay? That's what corruptible (going to die), incorruption (not going to die, never die unless God so gives it the walk). "And this mortal" — woah, we have a new subject introduced here (in the Greek, not body here) — "mortal must put on immortality." Now what are we talking about? "Mortal" is always referred to, or most often referred to, as soul. And that's what we're talking about: the soul that God placed in the flesh body. Not the body, but the soul that was placed in it. In other words, what your soul deserves, it's going to get. It has the incorruptible body, but if the soul does not accept Yeshua, Jesus the Christ — if the soul does not please God by loving Him — then the soul is in a state called mortal. If we may, let's have the Greek word "mortal": it's *thnētos*, alright, and it comes from the prime 2348: liable to die. If you've studied with me very long, you've heard me say that the word "mortal" means liable to die — no guarantee. You know why? You got to earn it. Or we could even translate it — not translate it, but we can basically give the meaning in a figure of speech: instead of "liable to die," liable to go to hell, because that's what will bring about the death of the soul. When it is still mortal, it is dead. That's why it is written in Revelation: the dead must remain dead until the end of the thousand years. Why? Satan's got to be released before they can be tested, and God doesn't want anything that isn't tested and overcome Satan. So we see here then that also, as far as the soul is concerned, we have the two bodies. We know the flesh body's got to put off and put on the body that won't die, spiritual body. But we've all got a soul that is mortal, that's liable to die. Now let's pull up the word "immortality" here. It must put on what? *Athanasia*. And it comes from a compound: one is a negative particle and the prime 2288, but it's deathlessness. Deathlessness. Now to overcome totally and completely, you must put on incorruption — that is to say, change the natural body into a body that is eternal. But at the same time, to totally overcome, you must put off the mortal, and by accepting and repenting that happens, you put on immortality (*athanasia*), which is deathlessness of the soul and body. Then you're an overcomer. That's how the resurrection takes place. People are resurrected in both states. By that I mean, absolutely they're going to put on the spiritual body, but many of them will still have a mortal soul (meaning liable to die at judgment), and many will have immortality. That is the description of the soul that will live forever. The Millennium is an interesting time. So we see the new subject introduced that will give you probably one of the best teachings — this is to say by Paul — to help you understand, by his illustration of a grain seed and the various workings of the Greek language, when you hold to the subject that is given. Now I want to go through it one more time: we're all planted in a mortal, that is to say a corruptible body, that's natural. But we're all changed to a spiritual body that is heavenly. And then after that — that is just God's Word, that's going to happen regardless. But the most important thing is that this mortal put on immortality. Now let's finish by covering the next two verses. Verse 54: "So when this corruptible" — this flesh body — "shall have put on incorruption" — that is to say, has put on the spiritual body — "and this mortal" — that's to say my soul, liable to die — "shall have put on *athanasia*" — which is to say deathlessness, eternal life — "then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory." Verse 55: "O death, where is thy sting?" It has none if you have put on immortality. "O grave, where is thy victory?" It has no victory, for the grave only receives the corruptible and it returns to the dirt from which it came. The dirt that the grave is — it is a wonderful thing to understand the two bodies and the two conditions as well of the soul. We could oversimplify it simply by saying overcomers and those that want. But Paul has given an excellent lesson, and you will need that foundation as we go on into what about the Rapture theory. Okay? Don't miss one lecture concerning this, why? Because it inoculates you against deception. Nobody wants to be deceived. How do we avoid it? By learning from our Father's Word how it will be.

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 📡✞ Rapture Theory [2 of 5]: In-Depth Bible Study 🔗 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PStX9jEE4xU&list=PLcK3ZkGY_ffrGHwpd41VlqSDYIHCBzfHt&index=2

The video discusses the Rapture Theory, focusing on its Scriptural basis and the importance of understanding the chronological order of prophetic events.

Highlights
📖 Importance of Biblical Study: Grasping the Rapture requires careful and intelligent study of God's Word.
⏳ Chronological Order: Misplacing prophetic events can lead to deception; the events unfold as prophesied in Scripture.
💀 Spiritual Transformation: 1 Corinthians 15 explains the shift from flesh to spiritual bodies.
🕊️ Assurance of Eternal Life: 2 Corinthians 5 affirms the eternal body promised by God.
⚠️ Caution Against Deception: 2 Thessalonians warns of the appearance of the son of perdition before Christ’s return.
☁️ Meeting the Lord: 1 Thessalonians 4 describes believers gathering to meet the Lord at the last trumpet.
📚 Importance of Knowledge: Understanding Scripture is crucial to avoid falling for false teachings.

Key Insights
📖 Foundation in Scripture: The Rapture Theory is rooted in Biblical texts, encouraging believers to deeply study God's Word for clarity and understanding.
⏳ Order of Events: Recognizing the sequence of prophetic events is essential, as misunderstanding them can lead to misconceptions about Christ's return and the Antichrist's role.
💀 Physical to Spiritual Transition: The transformation from a mortal to an immortal body is a key theme, emphasizing the hope of eternal life and spiritual readiness.
🕊️ God’s Promises: The promise of an eternal body highlights God's faithfulness and the Christian hope of life after death.
⚠️ Deception Warning: 2 Thessalonians stresses vigilance against false teachings and being aware of the signs of the end times, including the rise of the Antichrist.
☁️ Gathering of Believers: The concept of meeting the Lord at the last trumpet provides hope and assurance, reinforcing the unity of believers in faith.
📚 Value of Knowledge: A strong understanding of Scripture is emphasized to combat deception and ensure discernment regarding Christ's second coming.

📝 Transcribed:

**Dr. Pastor Arnold:** Rapture. Rapture theory: is it just a theory, or is it grounded in God's Word? That's what this lecture is all about. Why is it important? If you do not understand the chronological order of events that will transpire as written in prophecy — it is written, that's the way it's going to happen — then you could be deceived very easily by having things out of place. So it's important that you make an intelligent study to see not what man has to say, but what God's Word has to say about Rapture doctrine. Now we discovered in the last lecture that we have two bodies, in 1 Corinthians chapter 15. And that's very important because it lets you know the chronological order as to how this flesh body converts to the spiritual body — the terrestrial to the celestial — and it gives you the order how it takes place: that this one must die, that's to say the flesh return to dust, for that to transpire. Also, we found out a specific time that those even that are not dead — that even though all will not sleep or die — that in an instant, at the seventh trump, the last trump, the farthest trump out, all are going to be changed instantly at that time into that spiritual body, putting aside the flesh. It's very difficult for a human being to move themselves, when they're studying, from the flesh into that spiritual body in thought. That's how strong the flesh is. Seems that we have really a hard time turning loose of it. Example: fire does not hurt a spiritual body. Alright, it just has no effect on a spiritual body. Thus, that was taught us in the flesh body as a warning and so forth is simply for that reason: God is the consuming fire. Now let's pinpoint it down, if we may, further. When exactly does it take place? When a person dies, does the soul or spirit stay there for some time, or exactly how does it come to pass? And we find that written in 2 Corinthians chapter 5. And let's go there if we may: 2 Corinthians chapter 5. And as always, if you want to know, all you have to do is go to the Father's Word. Let's read it. Verse one, and it reads: "For we know" — for we know rather — "that if our earthly house" — that's to say this flesh body, this tabernacle, this house — "were dissolved, we have a building of God" — we have another body, we have another tabernacle and house — "not made with hands" — that's to say human hands — "eternal in the heavens." That body is eternal, unless our Father chooses to put an end to it. "Fear not," as it is written in Matthew, I repeat: those that can kill the flesh, but He that can cause your spiritual body, your soul, to perish. Verse two: "For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven." That's what every Christian works forward to: is that time when we leave the flesh and go to the Father. Naturally, one that teaches on this vein must always be cautious for those that have problems — mental problems — that want to cut some shortcuts. Take shortcuts: you must always allow God to part the silver cord, as it is written in Ecclesiastes chapter 12. Why? Because we have duties here. And until your duties are finished — and some might say, "Well, I didn't know I had duties" — then you've never studied our Father's Word. Some of you have known you had a destiny and a purpose, but we do it. This is God's way, that that is natural. And when it is that time, yes we do look forward to that time when we won't feel pain any longer, for there is no pain in the spiritual house, body. Verse three: "If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked." And naturally that means wanting — you're not going to want for anything, and you're not going to be found naked. Paul, being a scholar, knows that our righteous acts, as it is written in Revelation 19, weave the clothing that make the robes we wear in heaven. That is a metaphor if you like, but it says it quite well. Verse four: "For we that are in this tabernacle do groan" — in this flesh, especially when you begin to get a few years on you and you begin to stiffen up, you groan, especially early in the morning — "being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality" — now I taught you this word in the Greek in the last lecture: "liable to die" — that's what the word means — that this liable-to-die body might be swallowed up of life. And life, being of course eternal life — eternal life — that when this mortal puts on immortality (that is the soul and the condition of it), corruptible putting on incorruptible (that's the body). "Mortal" (liable to die) — for the only thing that will actually die concerning the spiritual body is the soul, and the dwelling, but it is the action of the soul (which is the thought process) which causes you to do things necessarily or allows the flesh to do things that would cause God to condemn you. So it is wise that with the righteous acts you put on the clothing that gives you eternal life. It's that simple. This is showing you the where, how, and why. Why? Because you're a good person. And we continue. Verse five: "Now he that hath wrought us" — that's God, that formed us for the selfsame thing — is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit." Now let's look at this just a moment. This word "earnest" is a legal term. It's like, if we were to bring it down to modern day, it's like you have to put up earnest money for certain things before it's a deal. Alright, well it is His earnest — God's guarantee — of the Spirit. That's to say the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, that is with us will always be with us, that it's our guarantee that His Spirit will always dwell with us if we choose to stand with Him. That's your choice. The entire life-and-death matter is strictly an individual's choice. You can either live or you can die. The choice is yours. I speak of the spiritual body at judgment. What you do today is what you'll be judged by. Verse six: "Therefore we are always confident" — and you can be, with God's guarantee — "knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body" — this whole flesh body — "we are absent from the Lord." In other words, we are in a different dimension. I just wish I hadn't used that word, but I did, but it's still a fact. That's true data, because the spirit is in a dimension that unless you're in the transition of dying, you can't see an individual that's in a spiritual body. If you're in the transition of dying, sometimes God allows one to recognize a loved one that is gone on before that's going to help them cross the bridge — that is to say into the spiritual body. That's not mystical. I, as a pastor, have witnessed it in people I knew very well, to see the recognition in their flesh eye. It usually always happens within not longer than a two-day, two-to-three-day period before they pass away, but usually just hours before. So to be — when we're in the flesh, we're absent from God as far as seeing Him, but He guarantees the Comforter, the Spirit with us. What is the opposite, then? To be absent from this body naturally is to be present with the Lord. So what does that say to you? When do you put on the new tabernacle, the new body? At the last breath. At the last breath. I have no doubt in my mind. This is why you hear people have near-death experiences: they're in that process, and sometimes perhaps the Father's not ready for them. Be that as it may. Verse seven: "For we walk by faith, not by sight" — we walk by believing, not by what we can see. In other words, this teaching you must understand and accept, but there are so many guarantees that it is true by the very words I have just mentioned that we can see, if you're alert, if you're intelligent, if you're familiar with your Father's Word, to witness those in that transition at the things they see and the things they say, and also to have the spirit of discernment. It is to be present at a deathbed; you can actually, if you really have spiritual discernment, you can tell when the spirit leaves. There's no big thing in that. And when you look upon them, you know it is only a shell. I'm talking of the earth body — only a shell that they, that this entity, dwelt within on their walk on this earth. So to be absent from it naturally is to be present with the Lord. So yes, we do walk by faith, not by sight, but at the same time, if you have your eyes open, it isn't too difficult to see the deeper things that we have even assurance or a guarantee in knowing they are true by actions and reactions of those that can see. Verse eight: "We are confident" — this is to say we are really sure — "I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." In other words, what Paul is saying here: we're not afraid to die. When it comes our time, we're ready. We're not afraid to die. For what reason? And again, I want to choose my words very wisely, because one of the greatest sins is for someone to take their own life, and I don't want anyone to misunderstand. It's saying we have God's work to do on this earth. It's important. It determines your eternal life, and to give up both on this life and the one to come really makes you a loser. And I want to say for those that might have experienced in their family, there are reasons: toxics, chemical imbalances, and other things that bring about innocency, and therefore impossible to discuss in an open format. What Paul is saying: "I'm ready when that time comes, but let God pick that time" — is what he's saying. Verse nine: "Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him." That's what's important: that you live your life in such a way that you are accepted by Him, because to be accepted by Him means you have eternal life. Verse ten: This being the reason, this being your answer here: "For we must all appear before the judgment seat" — how many? Just the good guys? Just the bad guys? No. All. All must appear before the judgment seat of Christ. The earlier manuscripts, many of them have "God" here — be that as it may, different subject, different time — "that every one may receive the things done in his body" — that's to say your flesh body — "according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." In other words, those that have done good, you have rewards. Those that have done bad, with full knowledge and knowing better — I'm sorry, it's a one-way trip most usually. But it is God that does the judging, and if there is any one thing that should make you feel good about it, it is that you have Christ and repentance. But also, God is fair. So you get what you got coming to you, and no one can ask for more than that. I say again, with the application of repentance installed, no one can complain about what they get, because it is what they have coming. Now let's go, if we may. Naturally, the Rapture theory is based basically upon 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. Let's go there if we may, and let's take a look at it now that we've learned these things and understand that we have two bodies — I would hope you would — a school child can understand the teachings of Paul. Let's go to the scriptures when we understand the change and everything, and see if we can understand what we should personally, from God's Word, think about the so-called Rapture. Now 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, let's begin if we may with verse 13. Let's pick up the subject and the object so that we know what our Father's talking about. Verse 13 of chapter 4, 1 Thessalonians: "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep" — those that are dead, those that are already gone (your grandparents, if they have, or whomever) — "that ye sorrow not" — we don't have to sorrow; that's what Christians look forward to — "even as others which have no hope" — that's to say heathen. Now I think it's very loving of Paul that he does not want people to be biblically illiterate; it causes anxieties and worries that there is no need of. He says, "I don't want you to be ignorant about where the dead are" — that's what he's talking about. Are you? Well, then stick around. Let's find out what it is he would have you know about it. Verse 14: "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again" — understand, He died, but He rose again — "even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him." That's to say Paul himself, Isaiah, Jeremiah, many of the greats. And many would say, "Well, my friend, he's going to lift us goody-goodies out and we're that army." Hey, you don't even hold Paul alive to see it, you know, and especially if you're teaching falsely. And that's not the subject. The subject is quite simply, and he doesn't want you to be ignorant about this: where are the dead? What he's saying is, if you believe Christ rose from the dead — and you better, or you're not a Christian — then you better believe the others have also. So Christ would even teach you in Luke 16, in the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, that the rich man also was taken to that place in paradise for holding for judgment, and was conscious — that he could see and that he could feel the pain of embarrassment and burning of disappointment that he had acted as he had on earth. I find that real simple. I don't see a subject of anybody doing anything other than knowledge being passed forth as to concerning the two bodies, the transfer, and that you'd better believe it. And he doesn't want you to be ignorant of it. Let's continue on — the subject is not changed. Verse 15: "For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord" — not Paul's, not someone else's, but of the Lord — "that we which are alive and remain unto the coming" — the what? The coming — "of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep." In no wise shall we prevent them. You know why? They're already gone. They're already there. They are with Him. The dead rise first? Christ rose first. Christ, even while He was in the tomb, released those all the way back to Noah (meaning the beginning) with salvation and the message of salvation, as it is written in 1 Peter 3:18. I hope you can follow. Can you read, then? The subject is simple. The object is simple: the coming, our gathering back to Him. Verse 16: "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven" — this is how it's going to happen — "with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump" — this is the seventh trump, of course — you know that we will be here through all trumps except the seventh? The seventh, the trump of God — "and the dead in Christ shall rise first." That's colon: "Dead in Christ shall rise first." That's what he doesn't want you to be ignorant of: they rise first. Why? They're already there. It's already happened. The dead do not rise at the seventh trump. He said, "I don't want you to be ignorant about that." So don't — they're gone. The flesh returns to the dust from which it came, as he stated. It is written in the Word of God, and by the Word of God in verse 15 — that's Ecclesiastes chapter 12, verses 6 and 7 — this body returns to dust, and we're through with it, because we have another body that we step into. And Paul himself would say, "Boy, how I look forward to that." Well, I would hope you would too, instead of following one of these — well, I don't want to say "perverted," those that would pervert the Word to make you think that some soil is going to push up out of the ground. That's just idiocy. They're gone. That's the beauty and the most beautiful part of being a Christian: that you're with Him. It's guaranteed. So simple. So very simple. Oh, but I can see some would say, "Just wait till he reads the next verse." Well, I'd be happy to. I enjoy every verse that I read. But let's read it with understanding. Verse 17: "Then we which are alive and remain" — I would caution you to remember back what Paul says: "Even we that will not sleep, in the twinkle of an eye" in Corinthians 15 — "we that are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds" — alright — "to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." And that is as it is. Paul would realize later this was a very confusing statement, and he attempts to correct it. First, Paul spoke colloquial Greek. Make a note of the word "clouds" there. Have you ever seen a cloud of locusts or a cloud of birds? And the terminology. And what about this word "air"? I want to call it up, if I may, in the Greek, and you'll have it there on your monitor. It comes from *aemi* — to breathe unconsciously. It has nothing to do with the sky. Respire, by analogy to blow, as air naturally, circumambient air that you breathe. It's your spiritual body. That's all it's talking about. We meet Him at the seventh trump when we all change into our spiritual body. And don't — I mean, there's nothing about sky, atmosphere in that Greek word that was spoken by Paul, delivered from Almighty God, as to how we would meet. How fantastic the Word of God — and that we can understand this. Let's finish the 18th verse of this: "Wherefore comfort one another with these words." Now, hanging on to that word "clouds," I want you to turn with me to the 12th chapter of Hebrews. You can read it on your screen if you prefer, because we're only going to do one verse. Chapter 12, verse 1, the book of Hebrews, Paul teaching: "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud" — this is the same word in the Greek as the "cloud" used in 1 Thessalonians 4 — of witnesses. A cloud of what? A cloud of witnesses. "Let us lay aside every weight" — that's to say every sin — "and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run" — we're running a foot race — "with patience the race that is set before us." There again, Paul used the word "cloud." Alright, so there you have it. Think about it. The subject is: where are the dead? "I don't want you to be ignorant about the fact that they're already with Him. If you believe Christ rose, you better believe they did. And there is a day coming at the seventh trump that we also will change into that breath-of-life body" — *air*, not sky, not atmosphere. So you see, as you're going to find out, a little lady in 1830 that brought forth the "any moment" doctrine — we got to wait till the seventh trump, not any moment. As it is written, it will come to pass. Paul was really kind of disappointed after having written that first letter to the Thessalonians, because he comes along in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 and nails it as to exactly how we meet Christ and what will happen just before and even afterwards. 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 — sharpen up. "Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him" — can you grasp that? Think about it. I mean, a child can understand it. "I want to talk to you about our Lord Jesus Christ coming back and we gathering to Him" — it's going to happen, it's got to happen. Well, that's what I call the Rapture. Call it anything you want to; we are going to gather back to Him, and we all look forward to it. But that's what he wants to talk to us about. Now listen to him as to how it will transpire. Verse 2: "That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us" — that's to say that first letter to the Thessalonians — don't let that disillusion you, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Not any moment. He's going to tell you the things that must transpire first. Verse 3: "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come" — shall not — do you understand? — "shall not come, except there come a falling away first" — this is the great apostasy, and you're going to be here when it happens; just make certain you're not a part of it — "and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition." Now you'll have yo-yos that will tell you, "Yes, that's dear brother Judas." No, it isn't. It's Satan, because the man has already been judged in the Word. "Perdition" — hey, let's call it up if we may in the Greek here, the word "perdition" — it's 684 in your Greek concordance, *apoleia*, and it should sound familiar to you from a presumed derivative of 622. Do you know what that is? To perish. And 623 is Satan's name: Apollyon. It's Satan. Ruin or loss, physical, spiritual, or eternal. And it would be eternal loss if you follow him. So my point being: God has only condemned one person at this point (and his lieutenants) to death. Who was it? It was Satan, Apollyon. Do you want to follow him? It is so simple when you take the time to do a little research and follow the subject and object instead of letting yo-yos stick in — subjects and objects are frivolously thrown or waffled all over the place with their own doctrines and traditions rather than listening to what God has to say. Up to date, Paul said: don't let anybody deceive you, not even the first Thessalonians, that Christ is not returning until after the son of perdition is revealed on this earth — which is none other than the spurious Messiah, Satan himself. Check it out for yourself — 622 and 623 — in your Greek concordance. Verse 4: "Who opposeth" — now we're talking about who? Son of perdition, Satan — "who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God." That will happen before you gather back to Christ. The point is: where are you going to be? Well, I never knew I had to study the Bible if I was saved. Well, then who are you saved by — the spurious Messiah or the true Messiah? God did not have pages to waste or babble to place on paper that was not extremely important to you. And for you not to absorb the Word of God is an insult to the living God. For you to listen to some yo-yo and not listen to your Father is almost enough to cause Him to disown one or disinherit one. And some will be. That's why it is so important. So we see, if you read Revelation chapter 9, you find Apollyon, or in the Hebrew tongues — so in both languages, Greek and Hebrew — that you can certainly get it if you have anything up here at all, that Satan will sit in and upon Mount Zion in the temple, claiming to be the Lord Jesus Christ, Christ returned. Exactly as Christ Himself would teach it in Mark chapter 13 and in Matthew chapter 24, when He said: one will be in the field, one taken and one's going to stay working. And some of these flippy-floppy fuzzy buttons say, "Oh praise God, I want to be the first taken." Well, fool — Antichrist does the first taking. And I'm not using *moros* in the Greek, so don't say — a person that can read a little English and no Greek — "go jump in my case; God said call no man *moros*." Well, a *moros* is one that doesn't care from coming out of the gate to start with. You do, or you wouldn't be studying or even trying to study God's Word. But a person is certainly a fool that will follow Satan and live and claim to have lived a Christian life because of their ignorance of God's Word. And as to where the dead are, it's a shame, with Paul speaking so plainly: "Let no man deceive you. Christ is not returning until after Apollyon stands in the holy place claiming to be God and to have everyone worship him as though he were God." Are you going to do that? That's what Matthew 24 and Mark 13 are about: the appearance of the antispous false Messiah. Christ said in Mark 13 — not maybe the false Christ would come first, but that he absolutely — you can guarantee it — he will come first. He is supernatural. Are you mentally and spiritually prepared for it? You see, the sad part is that many that teach the so-called Rapture doctrine are going to lead a bunch of people to this spurious Messiah thinking he is Christ come to rapture them out. You know? Now I know I offend some. I don't do it with pleasure, but let's stick to God's Word and let man's words fly where they should fly. Let's continue on. What does he do when he sits on this throne? And we pick it up then with verse 5: "Remember ye not, that, when I was with you, I told you these things?" When they walked and talked in private, he warned them. Verse 6: "And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time." You're going to know how to spot him — do you? You should. Who is this "he"? The son of perdition. So that you'll know the spurious Messiah from the true Messiah, that you'll know the false from the true, the good from the bad, that you'll be able to check the fruit tree and tell if the fruit's good or not, as Christ taught you in that very simplistic way. Can you? Well, let's see: He said the bad comes first. Well, you should have it made then. That shouldn't be too difficult, friend. This is how you reveal him in his time. Verse 7: "For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way." That's a lot of "he"s, but the verb is transitive, meaning the subject and the object remain the same. Who would we be talking about? How easily do you confuse? We're talking about the son of perdition. Hey, you're getting it. You're really sharpening up. Well then, think for a moment: how are you biblically illiterate? Or have you understood where Satan is now? Revelation 12:7 tells you Michael is the "he" that's holding him, has a lock on him. Even, but Michael will let him go. He's going to cast him out and that's onto this earth, as it is written in Revelation 12: "Rejoice, heaven, he's gone, but woe to you poor suckers on earth that are ignorant, because you're going to worship him." It's the three woes of Revelation. Have you read them? I would hate to be biblically illiterate in this generation, because this is the generation of the fig tree. And if you do not understand the simplicity of the chronological order of events, you're in bad shape. You're sucking air on the bottom, friend. But that beats worshiping Satan in ignorance. Think about it. It's so simple, it's so straightforward, that I do not see how anyone can be confused. Verse 8: "And then shall that Wicked be" — that's the wicked one — "be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth" — what's that? His Word. Revelation 1:16: his tongue is a two-edged sword — "and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming" — that is to say the true Christ. Now how are you going to be if you've been suckling along and hopped in bed with this first false Messiah at his wedding, and you look up and here comes the true Christ? And then maybe you'll understand why in Mark 13, that I've quoted several times in this lecture, it states there: "Woe to you that are with child when I return and are giving suck" — meaning we're supposed to be a virgin bride, spiritually speaking, waiting — that many are going to be impregnated with the lies that are taught from many religious cultures and traditions, where you'll be impregnated with a lie and look up and see the true Christ coming, and then be so ashamed you're going to pray for death, for mountains to fall on you, grinding teeth. Why go through that when your destiny is to stand against the spurious Messiah and make a difference? If you understand — if you don't sleep on sweet Charlotte — we'll see you in the Millennium. God's going to destroy him. Verse 9: "Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders." You know Satan has many roles: Antichrist, false prophet, etc. That's why those things are cast into the lake of fire. He's not afforded those roles. But his role as false Messiah will be destroyed. Verse 10: "And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish" — there's that word "perish" again — because why are they going to perish? Because they received not the love of the truth. They would rather listen to yo-yos, bimbos, misled stars gliding in the dark. Listen to God's Word. What is God's Word? Truth. Love the truth. Seek it. Seek wisdom, and it will find you. Love of the truth that they might be saved. That's the only thing that will save you: is the truth, which is the Word, which is the living Christ. Verse 11: "And for this cause" — because of this — "God shall send them" — what's God going to send us? What is our Father going to give us? "God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie." Friend, if you want to be deceived, God's going to make the deception even more so, that you'll be so tangled up in traditions of men because you could not read the simplicity that God's Word Himself — naturally He's a jealous God, and He does not like it when you start teaching traditions of men rather than teaching the truth of God's Word — and you get more steeped in the web of deception of the end times called religion. Why would God do that? Verse 12: "That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness" — that is to say in falsehood, in Satan, in the son of perdition. You've been warned throughout the Word of God about the son of perdition by his many names — his many (as 12 and more). Make sure you're not deceived by him, or God will send stronger yet delusion upon you. Sure easy to lose it there. "Well, why would God do that to His own?" He's jealous. If you would rather listen to some fuzzy-buzzy, some tradition by man rather than God's Word truth, why shouldn't He be angry with you? Do you think He's going to hand you out a white apparel and say, "Go to heaven"? Of course not. If you do not love Him enough that you can stay faithful, go whoring around and worshiping the spurious Messiah thinking he's Christ come to fly you out of here when God's Word absolutely denies it — that is to say that Christ Himself will fly anyone out first. The question is: where are the dead? We know, don't we? I hope you can understand now why it was important that you learn about the two bodies before we approached this subject. And hey, we're just getting started. Stick around. Don't miss any of these Rapture lectures. It could save you a great deal of embarrassment to know what God says rather than what men say. I do not teach this to hurt, but to save. For there is only one thing that will save, and that's truth. That's God's Word, for the living Word is Christ. Think about it, and think long. Pray about it. I'm concerned for the souls of our people. It's so easy to teach that which is popular than that which is true, because it's usually not all that popular. Think about it. I can—

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📡✞ Rapture Theory [3 of 5]: In-Depth Bible Study 🔗 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DJLktFOdFQ&list=PLcK3ZkGY_ffrGHwpd41VlqSDYIHCBzfHt&index=3

The video examines Rapture Theory, highlighting the importance of understanding biblical teachings over traditional beliefs, particularly regarding Christ’s return and the church’s role.

Highlights
📖 Distinction Between Flesh and Spirit: The video explores the difference between flesh and spiritual bodies.
⏳ Timing of Gathering: The gathering to Christ happens after the son of perdition appears in Jerusalem.
⚠️ Warning Against Deception: Christ warns of false teachers who will deceive many.
🌍 End-Time Signs: Wars, famines, and a spiritual famine for God’s Word are signs of the end.
🔥 Church’s Role: The church is called to stand firm and share the truth during tribulation.
💔 Betrayal: Family members may betray each other due to differing beliefs about the Messiah.
⚡ Holy Spirit’s Empowerment: During trials, the Holy Spirit will provide believers with words of defense.

Key Insights
📜 Understanding the Two Bodies: The distinction between flesh and spiritual bodies is crucial for understanding life after death and judgment. The flesh returns to dust, while the spirit returns to God for evaluation, laying the foundation for the resurrection and eternal life.
🔍 Satan’s Deception: Many false teachers will claim to come in Christ’s name. Discernment is vital to distinguish true teachings from false ones. Personal study of Scripture is necessary to avoid being misled by church traditions alone.
🌪️ Signs of the End Times: Christ gives specific signs like wars and famines to alert believers of His imminent return. Recognizing these signs helps believers stay vigilant and spiritually prepared.
🛡️ Role of the Church: Beyond worship, the church’s mission is to endure trials and spread the gospel. Believers must stand firm, even in persecution, as their testimony is a key part of God’s plan.
💔 Betrayal by Family: During the end times, family members may turn against each other over conflicting beliefs about Christ. This emphasizes the need for unshakable loyalty to God’s truth, even when it strains familial relationships.
🔥 Empowerment by the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit will guide believers during trials, giving them the words to defend their faith. This provides comfort, ensuring that God empowers His followers in their moments of need.
⏳ Preparedness is Key: Believers are urged to educate themselves in biblical teachings to avoid being deceived. Staying true to Christ’s teachings is a recurring theme, stressing the importance of vigilance against false doctrines.

📝 Transcribed:

**Dr. Pastor Arnold:** I can tell you what you'd better believe, though, and pray that God not send delusion that you're caught up in the web of religion, but that you have enough common sense to stay in His Word. All right. Bless your heart. J, listen a moment, please. Good day to you. God bless you. Say, "Welcome to the Shepherd's Chapel. Welcome to this family Bible study hour." We're ready to get back into our Father's Word. Rapture theory — is it just a theory? We know from God's Word we're going to gather back to Christ. We, in our first lecture on this subject, learned there are two bodies: we have the flesh body, we have the spiritual body. We learned that the flesh body goes back to the dust from which it came — that is to say, organic matter that we consume — but that the spirit body instantly returns to the Father that gave it. The spirit, of course, also being the intellect of the soul, meaning returning to the Father in the spiritual body for what? For judgment, of course. The judgment does not take place until the end of the Millennium, except those that overcome, His first fruits — that's to say, take part in the first resurrection. The others will wait for the second resurrection, as it is mentioned in Revelation chapter 20. We learned also that Paul, in his teachings then as he continued on in the book of Thessalonians — 1 Thessalonians 4 — that it was important that a Christian believe that Christ rose. He would not have us to be ignorant of that, that Christ rose. If you believe He rose, you better believe that everyone else has — meaning that all the dead have already raised in a spiritual body. Some of them still have mortal souls for judgment, as Christ would teach in Luke chapter 16. But that we would meet Him in that body, which is to say "breath of life" or spiritual body — from *ruach* in the Hebrew, which is simply spirit or wind. Now it's important that we learn when does this happen. And of course we went to 2 Thessalonians. Then it discouraged Paul that so many had been deceived by his first letter — and it would seem they still are to this day — that he wrote another hurriedly, because Silas and Timothy were still there. And with that he wrote the second letter and declared, "Hey, it's not going to happen. We're not going together back to Christ until after the son of perdition stands in Jerusalem claiming to be Jesus, claiming to be God, Emmanuel, God With Us." And I don't know why — isn't that taught? I don't know. I really don't. It would seem that traditions of men cloud the picture. So it's time then. We know now that it's the seventh trump, the last trump, as we learned in both Corinthians and Thessalonians, that we gather back to Him. But how does that come to pass? Whose word could you better trust than Christ Himself? So we're going to begin today in the 24th chapter of Matthew. We have sister chapters to this one — we'll be going to the 13th chapter of Mark, and then Luke 21 gives you kind of a profile shot of the same instant happening. But it's important that you know He was on the Mount of Olives. They had just been in the city of Jerusalem, and they marveled at these great buildings, and then He told them they're going to be turned to dust — not one stone on top of another, which means sand. So the reason we go to Matthew 24:3 — I want you to get the question. Probably we're going to turn then to Mark 13, be that as it may, but I want you to get the full question as it is asked here in this 24th chapter. Then Christ would proceed to tell us seven things which are exactly as the seven seals, the seven trumps, and the seven vials. Have you read it? Are you familiar with it? It gives you the chronological order of events that transpire which consummate the end of this age. Let's take that question. Verse 3, Matthew 24, and it reads with a word of wisdom from our Father in Yeshua's name: "And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be?" — that is to say, Jerusalem turned to sand, the top of Mount Zion — "and what shall be the sign of thy coming" — that's to say Christ's return — "and of the end of the world?" — that's the *aeon*, the end of this earth age. And the reason — I want to take both chapters. Go with me now to Mark chapter 13. We'll pick up the same question, the same event, same Mount of Olives. And we go to Mark 13 and pick it up in verse 4: "Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?" — His coming, the sign of His coming, and the end of the world. So Christ is going to tell us. Never deviate from these words of Christ. Christ is going to tell you how it is when He gathers back to us, and no one should misunderstand or be deceived if they understand this. So let's go with it. Verse 5: "And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you." And He's cautioning here that you not listen to man — that is to say, the traditions of man. People seem to love to do so without checking them out in the Word of God. And man will deceive you, and God — as we learned from Second Thessalonians — will even heap upon it strong delusion. If you want to believe the lie, have at it. But Christ will never lie to you. Verse 6: He explains. "For many" — not a few — "many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many." There are many going to come to you saying, "I'm a Christian preacher, I'm a Christian teacher, I belong to a Christian church." Now thank God for those that do teach God's Word chapter by chapter and verse by verse instead of traditions of man that deceive. But He warned you that where does the main deception come from? Those that come in the name of Christ. Be careful. I know that might shock some that Christ would say something like this, but I assure you it is true. Those that claim to come in Christ's name and do not teach the gospel of Christ are shallow, unprofitable, will not produce fruit in the service of the King. Why? Well, if you don't have the Word, you really don't have anything except deception. Verse 7: "And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars" — He's giving you the signs — "be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet." Now we have had world wars, but what basically do you hear in this generation? Peace — world peace, new world order — even though we have conflict. And all of them religious, basically. Practically every conflict that's going on this earth today is a religious conflict when you look at it closely, analyze it, you'll find it is, whether it's in Bosnia or whether it's in the Middle East at this time. But the main cry is peace talks, travel ambassadors, peace, peace, peace, new world order. That has come to pass. Then what's the opposite of war and rumor of war? Peace. So you better sharpen up. That's what He's saying. Verse 8: "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginning of sorrows." Naturally, what is the famine of the end times? Have you ever read Amos 8:1, where it stipulates that the famine of the end times — which that's the question, that's the subject — is not for bread but for hearing the word of God? That's what the famine is about. And that's why men will deceive, because they say they come in Christ's name but they never quite get around to teaching the Word. Now what are these "sorrows"? I think I must call this up in the Greek for you. It is *ōdin* — kind of an old Celtic god name, but not — it is a pain or a throe, especially of childbirth. It means there's going to be the birth of a new age. These are like labor pains that come closer and closer together, and prophecies begin to come to pass closer and closer together. If you're not asleep and if you're familiar with God's plan, you certainly see those prophecies as they come to pass in this generation at this particular time — monthly, weekly, sometimes daily. Verse 9: "But take heed to yourselves" — that's pretty plain, isn't it? — "for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake" — for whose sake? You know, Christians say, "I wonder what my duties are." Well, have you never read? "For my sake, for a testimony against them" — the testimony of this Word, these deeds, and how these things come to pass. Let's go one more verse: "And the gospel must first be published among all nations." And that's how it is published. What are these synagogues that you're delivered up to? The synagogue of Satan when he is cast out upon this earth. And so it is that many — you know what many are going to say to you, the men? "Well, this is after the Rapture. This doesn't apply to the church. It applies to God's elect." Well, who, please pray tell me, do you think the true church is other than God's elect? And to document that it is written to the church, so that you would pay closer attention perhaps if that were your vein — if you've been listening, let's go to the book of Revelation for a moment. Revelation chapter 2, and let's document that this is written to the church, that man cannot rob you nor deceive you. As a matter of fact, concerning the synagogue of Satan, it's written to two specific churches. The rest are left out — why? Because Christ found something lacking in them. And if I were a Christian and did not understand what Smyrna and Philadelphia had among the churches — and these are types — I'd be trembling in my boots. I really would. That's how important this is. So we go to that church of Smyrna. Did you hear me use the word "church"? It is written to the church. The church will be here. It is the duty of the church. It will be one of the final duties of the church and obligations. Is it any wonder that Christians will say, "Well, I wonder what I'm supposed to do"? Well, read the Word. Educate yourself from the gospel, the true Word of Jesus Christ, and stop listening to fluffballs, and you'll be a lot better off. Now, am I saying all ministers are fluffballs? Thank God, no. You have some men and women of God that dedicate their lives to bringing truth. See that you're with one of those. Alright. Revelation 2:8: "And unto the angel of the church" — well, isn't it unusual? There's the word "church" in Smyrna — "These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive." Who is that? Well, you know who it is. Christ may have been crucified, but He's still alive. Verse 9: "I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich)" — rich in what? Truth, knowledge, word, God's Word — "and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan." Speaking of Kenites. This brings our brother Judah considerable consternation. This has nothing to do with our true brother Judah. It's written to the synagogue of Satan in his own offspring, the Kenites. Verse 10: Listen carefully, because this is the true church, one of the only churches Christ found no fault with. And look what they have. Look what's going to happen to them. "Fear none" — I want to repeat that — "fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil" — that Satan, in his synagogue — "shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried" — why? To bring forth the gospel — "and ye shall have tribulation ten days" — that's to say Satan's tribulation. "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." That means that's the trial, that's the delivering up, that's why you are delivered up. And this puts the fear of God in so many people, saying, "Well, I'm a nobody. I don't know anything." All you have to do is know the simplicity of the plan of God, because as we return to Mark chapter 13 and we pick it up with the 11th verse, it should set you at ease. What did He say? Fear not. You don't have anything to be afraid of. We have the power. Listen to it. Verse 11: "But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate" — don't even worry about it; it's almost a sin, too — "but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Spirit" — called by some the Holy Ghost. What is this hour? Well, it's the hour of temptation. It's the hour that the son of perdition is on this earth as the spurious Messiah. It's drawn very clearly and brought out in detail in Revelation chapter 17 following, about verse 7 and 8, as to how the son of perdition along with the New World Order will have control for one hour. Of course that's a figure of speech, simply known as the hour of temptation. Do you have to worry about the hour of temptation? I would think not, because the temptation is Satan trying to play the role of God. And when you know better, it's not tempting. It's real easy to escape it. When to us he is an abomination, we can't stand him. When you have the seal of God in your forehead, as it is written in Revelation chapter 9, he can't bother you. Why? What is the seal of God? This gospel, this truth — what the church is supposed to understand. Then they are not deceived by men that would have you play into the hand of the spurious Messiah, thinking it was Christ come to rapture you out of here. That's what's dangerous about it. Men will deceive you. That's a very late teaching that did not begin until the year 1830, and in a lecture very soon I will document that for you — 1,830 years of our Lord AD, the year of our Lord. That's when it began. And it's a sad story when you see the fullness of how it started. I'll document it for you. But again, how could a Christian considering themselves a part of the church not want to know these things and feel comfort in it, to find their purpose, to find their destiny, and know what being a Christian is about? But you've got some that are like this little kid that carries around the blankie: "My blankie, this is my safety net. I don't know anything about God's Word, but that man, that preacher told me all I got to do is believe and I'm going to make like a butterfly and fly out of here — zippo, and I'm gone." Better not be any bug lights in that day. But be that as it may, this is what Christ teaches. This is the way it will be, not some what some man tells you. Christians have a purpose. Christians have a destiny. What does it mean "delivered to death"? "Oh, that just frightens me." Who is death? Have you never read Hebrews chapter 2:14? Christ came to this earth in the flesh to be crucified, whereby in so doing He had the right to destroy Satan, which is to say death. You're simply delivered up in front of Satan. It's written in Luke 21: they can't harm a hair on your head. Fear none of those things. We have authority over them. And when the Holy Spirit speaks through you during that hour of temptation, then the truth will go through the world. And some of you will be used — most of you that have ears to hear. For the rest, it doesn't really matter. That's why we have the Millennium. Let them sleep on, but you be awake and be alert. This is the tongue that the Holy Spirit spoke on Pentecost Day by Peter and the other apostles when they were forming the church. That was, and it was written by Peter: "These men are not drunk. This is that which was spoken of by Joel the prophet." Do you know what Joel the prophet was talking about? About God's elect, both sons and daughters, being delivered up before our enemy. That's what was spoken on Pentecost Day: that when you're delivered up, that's how the Holy Spirit speaks through you — not in an unknowing tongue as it is written in Acts chapter 2, verse 7, but clarity in every tongue of the world, which is the evidence of the presence of the Holy Spirit. Don't be afraid. We've got the victory. Verse 12: "Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death." What's it talking about? Is it natural or normal that one brother would betray another brother to death? What's it talking about? Well, unfortunately, those that feel that the spurious Messiah has come to get a load together to fly them out, they're going to believe he is the true Christ, and they're going to start saying, "Oh Lord Jesus, forgive my brother, he's Mr. Death," and they're going to deliver you up to him. Put it in this light: what mother or what father, if they could get an audience, would say, "Tell the Lord my son is really a good boy. He's been reading the Word on his own, and he feels that this is the spurious Messiah, but he's really at heart a good person"? They're going to deliver you up and ask for mercy. And that's how the testimony begins. Those of your own house many times will betray you, and unfortunately that's why Christ would say, "I bring a fire, not peace." It puts peace in the hearts and the minds and the souls of those that have eyes to see and ears to hear. And for others, I'm sorry, they would rather be deceived by men and men's traditions and stories in the night of flyaway. Don't miss any of the lectures on this subject, because I'm going to document to you that God dislikes that teaching. I'll document it from the Word of God, not my word. I know that may offend some. Be that as it may, I teach in love. Do you want to be prepared, or do you want to listen to fairy tales? This is Word, not mine. And Christ says this is how it will be for the church. They will be on trial before the synagogue of Satan. Well, I've never heard — well, you've probably never heard a Bible teacher before. You've probably never read these scriptures with understanding. Trust the Lord Jesus Christ or you're in trouble. Verse 13: "And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." Boy, I guess, first fruits. You know, it isn't popular today to teach the real truth, and there will be some that will even hate you maybe because of the Pentecostal tongue as spoken of by Joel the prophet in its proper time and place — not unknowing, but knowing to everyone in their own dialect of where they were born. Even this oftentimes can bring forth hate — the real truth. But don't let that shake you. Don't get shook up on your first cruise. We have the victory. And naturally people hate to hear the truth if they're wrapped up in some cult or deception of whatever the method or means might be. There are two Messiahs, and this is the tribulation of Antichrist. Are you set for it? Well, I only thought there were one. There are two tribulations. You don't have to worry about either one of them. Christ protects us. He's the only tribulation you would have to worry about in the first place is the one that Christ Himself brings, as we'll find in this same chapter — but if you were His enemy. But when you're His loved one, then His Holy Spirit isn't a burning fire but a warm glow to your heart that makes us feel good all over. Verse 14: "But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not" — and then there's a parenthesis: "whoso readeth, let him understand" — then "let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains." Where is Judea? He gives you a valuable piece of information there. It's the state wherein Mount Zion lies, zeroing in on the geographical location whereby you will not be deceived. What is this abomination of desolation? Many people would teach you the book of Daniel doesn't belong — even if you get among certain scholars. Well, it does. Christ mentioned it. Christ is quoting here from Daniel chapter 9, verse 27. But do you know what the Hebrew manuscripts read there? And do you know why Dr. Moffatt translates it "where he ought not"? Because the "he" is Satan, and he's standing in the holy place claiming to be God. Because Daniel 9:27 as it is written in the Hebrew manuscript states: "He shall come in on the wings of a bird" — that is to say, the desolator will come in on the wings of a bird in the middle of the week, and he shall bring desolation, for he is the desolator. So desolator is an entity; desolation is a condition. The subject is "he" that comes. It just so happens that the Greek word which is translated in the English "it" — the subject and the object declare the value of the word, for it is the same word in every case of whether it is she, him, or an object. It's the same Greek word, not as in English where we have little words for every little thing. It's a fixed language, and it can be translated "it" or "he," and it's according to the subject. And the subject happens to be the desolator in the 9th chapter, the 27th verse. So there you have it. "Where he ought not" — when you see — let's tell it like it is. Then when you see the desolator (that's one of Satan's names) standing where he ought not in the land of Judea, on top of Mount Zion to be more specific, flee to the mountains. In other words, what's about to transpire is that which was warned of back in the beginning about the place being turned to sand. Verse 15: "And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house." You're so close to the end, you're not going to need a change of clothes. In other words, you're so close to the end at that time that it's breathing down your neck. And I probably shouldn't use that; that'll frighten some people. Frighten so easy, and it's sad in a way, because we are champions. We are God's elect. We don't have to be afraid of anything. We take charge. We are can-do type people. The very thought that God Himself would use you to stand up, to allow the Holy Spirit to speak through you — the church, the real church, if you have ears to hear — as happened on Pentecost Day, then how precious it is and what a destiny, what a joy. Never let fear take away the joy of being a servant that God can use. Alright. Verse 16: "And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment." You don't need any baggage. You're at the end. Verse 17: "But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days." It's very important that you understand that verse. This just frightens — I even receive questions: "Should we not bear children when we get near the end, because it says woe to those?" That's not what it's talking about. It's speaking in a spiritual vein, drawing back from the sorrows, the labor pains if you would, of the birth of a new age. Christ wants you to know how He feels emotionally about this, for the subject is His return. And when He finds at the return, rather than a virgin bride waiting — I mean, that's what He wants. Paul would write in 2 Corinthians chapter 11: "I'm really worried about you that Satan will seduce you" — *exapataō* in the Greek — you can check me out; I wish you would, because you'll find it's accurate — "holy seduced Eve. I don't want you to be deceived." And in within this, she lost her virginity, because I want to present you as a virgin. Christ says woe to you that are no longer virgins spiritually when I return. Why? They've fallen off to the spurious Messiah. They've fallen off to the traditions of men to accept the spurious Messiah. And what does "to give suck" mean? Not only believing upon the false one, but doing his work. Because someone would tell you this does not apply to the church, then you excuse it from your mind and you're not spiritually prepared to serve God, because you've been deceived by traditions, by church systems. And don't ever, ever let anyone tell you this doesn't apply to the church, because this is what happens to the church of Smyrna as well as Philadelphia, and that's the only two churches that Christ found no fault in. So it is absolutely a part of the church — a very important part, because this is what the church points to: is this day, this time. In other words, so that you can maybe better understand: how would you feel if you had been on a trip for two or three years — whether you're a man or a woman — and you came back and found your wife suckling a child? You know, usually it takes nine months. In that case it would have been two years; it would mean she had been unfaithful. Naturally, or vice versa if you wish to put the shoe on the other foot. He's jealous, and He wants you to remain true to Him. That's why you must put the seal of God in your forehead when this one — about this one, Apollyon, perdition, the son of perdition — and know what you're doing. You see, Christ spoke these things in such a simple way that a child can understand it, using the very emotional thing such as jealousy that we should be able to relate to. That's why He used it. He wants you to know that He is jealous for us. And when He comes back, do you know what He will say to those that come up and say, "Oh Jesus, Jesus, we got the Rapture theory and doctrine all lined up, and we taught in your name"? And He's going to say, "Get out of my sight. You led the whole congregation you were responsible for to worship the Antichrist when he tried to get a load together, and you didn't warn him. I don't know you. I never knew you." Because you were teaching a wrong Messiah. It's a pretty serious thing. Pretty serious statement. I find it sad. I find it really sad that people feel their words are more important than the teachings of Christ to teach the church the truth whereby they are spiritually prepared. It hurts this teacher to see truth mocked and to see those that are tempted by tickling words, soothsayers, to mislead my brothers and sisters. Therefore I make the stand. I hope that a lot of you will make that stand with me. I hope that you know God is calling you, and He's calling out a people that will pay attention to His Word rather than the traditions of men. Amen. All right. Bless your heart. Don't miss any of these lectures. Listen a moment on—

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📡✞ Rapture Theory [4 of 5]: In-Depth Bible Study 🔗 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=du1Rz984JHc&list=PLcK3ZkGY_ffrGHwpd41VlqSDYIHCBzfHt&index=4

The video discusses the Rapture Theory, focusing on the importance of following Christ’s teachings in Mark 13 and warning against deception from false prophets.

Highlights
📖 Christ’s Teachings: Emphasizes the importance of adhering to Christ's words in the Bible.
🙏 Prayer and Vigilance: Urges Christians to pray and remain watchful for signs of His return.
⚠️ False Prophets: Warns against being deceived by false Christs and their misleading messages.
🌍 Spiritual Affliction: Discusses an unprecedented tribulation that will afflict the world.
📅 The Fig Tree Sign: Marks the reestablishment of Israel as a key sign of Christ’s return.
🔍 Study of Scripture: Encourages deep engagement with the Bible to avoid falling prey to false teachings.
🛡️ Stand Firm: Calls believers to put on the armor of God and resist spiritual deception.

Key Insights
📖 Importance of Scripture: The video stresses the need to ground oneself in the Bible to distinguish Christ's true teachings from human traditions, which is vital for spiritual integrity.
🙏 Active Vigilance: Believers are urged to pray and remain vigilant, prepared for the signs of Christ’s return, which can easily be missed amid the distractions of daily life.
⚠️ Recognition of Deception: It highlights the certainty of false prophets and Christ figures, reminding believers to be equipped to recognize and reject these deceptions.
🌍 Understanding Tribulation: The video explores the coming tribulation as a significant eschatological event, encouraging believers to prepare their hearts and minds for what lies ahead.
📅 Prophetic Signs: The reemergence of Israel is cited as a key prophetic event, signaling the approach of the end times and Christ’s return.
🔍 Encouragement to Study: The speaker urges personal, in-depth study of Scripture as essential for combating false teachings and securing salvation.
🛡️ Call to Action: Christians are encouraged to engage in spiritual warfare by putting on the armor of God, with a focus on standing firm in faith during times of deception.

📝 Transcribed:

**Dr. Pastor Arnold:** Talking about the rapture doctrine — I'm sorry, the Rapture theory — as we get right into it here today and document. Now look: men say this and men say that. If you're going to follow Christ, follow what He says. And in this 13th chapter of Mark, He's telling us exactly — and I do mean precisely, in detail — how it will be at His coming. So never — you know, if I didn't believe Christ, I wouldn't even call myself a Christian. I really wouldn't. As He speaks, then you will have some Christians that would say, "Well, this was not written to the church, brother." Well, Revelation 2:9 documents that it is written to the church. As a matter of fact, the only two churches that Christ found no fault with — that they would make it — teach this very thing: the delivering up before the spurious Messiah. So hey, this is getting down where the rubber meets the road, and you've either got to make your mind up that you're going to follow Christ or men. The choice is yours. Traditions will always — most always — lead you astray from the true teachings of Christ unless you double-check them in the Word of God and let God's Word always rule over man. Got to do that. Now we know that we have two bodies from 1 Corinthians 15: a spiritual and a flesh. And we know that we have to make a choice, and the choice is ours: we must either love our Father or Satan. There's a great controversy in this world. Some people, especially in the Christian community, would say, "Stay away from controversy." Well, if you stay away from controversy and call yourself a Christian, you're not doing your work, because the controversy is between Satan — that is to say, the prince of the air — and Jesus Christ. Make your choice, friend, and make your stand, because Satan works overtime spiritually in the world today among humanism, the one-worlders, the new world order — not to say that any of those things would be bad were it Christ bringing in the kingdom, but no, he's trying to establish his own kingdom. And he certainly takes advantage of those that he can turn against the true Messiah through deception. And if you wish to listen to that stuff, then God will pile upon you the strong delusion that we read of in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2. So if you're a Christian, these words of Christ in the 13th chapter of Mark tell you exactly — as a matter of fact, He gives seven things here, and in Matthew chapter 24 — and there are the seven trumpets, there are the seven seals. So you get a better picture of what's happening in the trumpets and the seals by understanding this chapter. This is how it's going to be. He stated in the closing statement in the last lecture, in the 17th verse of this 13th chapter: "Woe to those that are with child when I return." Never has it been a sin — when God stated to man, "Replenish the earth" and kind after kind, people after people — never a sin to replenish the earth. That's why we were placed here. So we know then that He's speaking in a spiritual sense of His coming, expecting a virgin bride — someone that has not slipped, someone that has not fallen away to the spurious Messiah before He returns. And we pick it up then with the other signs of His coming and how it would be and what you should be watchful of. So verse 18 — let's ask — verse 17, 18 rather. We ask a word of wisdom from our Father. Let's go with it. It reads: "And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter." Well, what is it noted for when Christ returns? The harvest. Do you ever harvest in the winter? Of course not. The harvest around the world is either spring or fall, whichever — whatever the crop may be, it's one or the other of those times. And what He's saying is that make sure that you know when the true harvest is and don't get harvested out of season by a spurious Messiah. Verse 19: "For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning" — I want to read that to you again — "in those days there shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be." Now the word "affliction" here in the Greek is *thlipsis*, and it means tribulation. So if you're going to start your post-trib, mid-trib, or whatever trip you want — trip, trip — you better know first there's not just one tribulation; there are two. The first one is the tribulation, this affliction, a time that has never been like this. That is to say, after the false Messiah appears on this earth and deceives most of those people that they're ready to flutterbug, alright, and unfortunately they deserve it. I mean, they haven't read the Word. *Thlipsis* means — it will be used again as the tribulation of Christ, but most people overlook this simply because an English — a Greek word, the same word, was translated "affliction" rather than "tribulation," when basically, even in English, they're one and the same. Now a note of caution: many so-called scholars of God's Word — and note I said "so-called," because there are a lot of them that are only so-called — will tell you that this entire chapter (chapter 13 of Mark and Matthew 24) came to pass concerning the stones being toppled when the Roman general Titus marched into Jerusalem and finished it off basically, and took captive and scattered, dispersed. If you are a believer in your own Father and your Father tells you that when this tribulation comes to pass that it will be an affliction that was not from the beginning of the creation — and let some little Roman general pass it off when he didn't do anything — some of the walls, the stones in the West Wall still stand, meaning what? It has not come to pass. So don't listen to so-called scholars that make things fit their own agenda. If it had been Titus — if Titus had been this false one that God is speaking of, we would already be through the Millennium, because that was 2,000 years ago, 70 AD. So don't get caught up in would-be prognosticators of God's Word without checking them out in the simplicity in which Christ taught. Hey, these things that He is giving you as signs are very natural. "Pray that your flight be not in the winter" — that means don't be harvested out of season. Anybody that's ever done any harvesting knows that. That may be why some of your so-called scholars miss the mark, because they've never harvested anything other than maybe shekels for their hire — like hirelings usually do. So Christ writes in a way that anyone can understand, in that simplistic way. So don't be deceived. This is the first tribulation, and these are the events that shall transpire as reported. God's elect would be delivered up — the church, that is to say (I'm going to call it the church) because it will not accept the spurious Messiah. That's why Christ would write as He does in the next verse. Verse 20: "And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh" — I want to reemphasize — "no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days." Now what is he talking about? He's talking about the apostasy, those that think they're going to load up on the first bus and flit out of here. Then they're going to jump on the first bus that comes along, and unfortunately it's the wrong bus. And Christ makes it very plainly: if this first tribulation — that is to say, the magnificence (and he is magnificent as far as deception goes) — and as Daniel puts it, his arrival that he comes in peacefully and prosperously (that is to say, he's making it real good for everybody, claiming to be Savior) — as Paul would say in 2 Thessalonians 2, standing in Mount Zion claiming to be Jesus, that the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet that we read of back in verse 14 — the desolator standing where he ought not — that's when it happens, and that's when the tribulation. His miracles will be so fantastic, they are supernatural. You haven't seen anything like it in your lifetime, but you're going to. Christ is good enough to us that He even lets us know what He shortened it to: from seven years to five months. That is written in Revelation chapter 9, verse 21. And then — now I want you to note again, who did He tell you in verse 5? He warns you against deceiving — you, man. Watch out for man in his traditions. Then if any man shall say to you, "Lo, here is Christ" or "Lo, he is there," believe him not. Why? You're wise enough to know what happens when Christ returns: in the wink of an eye, at the seventh trump, we in the flesh bodies are instantly changed into our spiritual bodies. And when you see the big hero appear in this generation — it will happen, performing miracles that you've never heard of before — then make sure that you pinch yourself if necessary to make sure you're still in the flesh, because don't believe it. Don't believe man. Don't believe the man of perdition. Don't believe the man of sin. Believe your Father and believe the Lord Jesus Christ, or stop calling yourself a Christian. You will either believe the teachings of Jesus Christ or you might as well stop calling yourself a Christian. "Believe him not" — what does that say to you? That says to you that Christ is saying a false Christ shall come, no doubt about it. As a matter of fact, in the next verse: Verse 22: "For false Christs and false prophets shall rise" — not "maybe," not "perhaps," not "if and when" — "shall rise, and shall show signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect." I tell you this: the tricks that he can perform, like snapping fingers and lightning coming from heaven — Revelation 13 and many other things — it's going to be quite a show. And if you're not spiritually prepared with God's truth in your mind, the teachings of Jesus Christ (the real gospel), I'm sorry, you'll probably be very impressed. And it would be too late to teach you at that time. So you better get into your Father's Word now as to how we will actually gather back to Him. That's important. Verse 23: "But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things" — all things that you need to know to not be deceived and to understand the true returning of Christ. He's told you. And if you're deceived, I'm sorry, you haven't read the letter that He's written to you. Some of you have eyes to see and ears to hear, and thank God for you. The rest — it doesn't matter. It does matter in a sense, or we wouldn't be teaching, but we'll teach them later. Don't worry. Verse 24: "But in those days, after that tribulation" — what tribulation? The first one, the tribulation of the false Christ and the false prophets — "the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light" — why? Because of the brightness of the return of Christ will far overshadow it. Verse 25: "And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken." Verse 26: "And then shall they see the Son of man coming" — and then, then only will you see Christ coming, after the false Christ — "coming in the clouds with great power and glory." Now fantastic that He appears, but He is with us through the Comforter through this whole thing. As a matter of fact, remember the ninth verse that told you don't even premeditate what you're saying; the Comforter will speak through you. Verse 27: "And then" — and then only — "shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven." The four winds that are written of in Revelation chapter 7 — the four wind spirits that hold, if you would, the end from taking place until Christ returns at the exact moment. Daniel chapter 7: the four winds determine. In Ezekiel chapter 37, when Ezekiel was ordered to prophesy to those dead bones — which simply means a bunch of deadheads, spiritually dead — God said, "Preach to them," and what do you see? Some of them began to move around. There again, the four winds. At that time, the four winds are always present when we discuss the end of this dispensation. What a time that's going to be. Well, will it be frightening and rough? Not at all. Hey, bring it on. It's exciting. We're anxious. Well, what about that hour of temptation? I don't think you find Satan tempting — they will, because he's performing miracles, making great promises, paying all their bills, because he comes in peacefully and prosperously. They're going to love him, especially when he says, "I am Him. I'm the anointed one. I love you so much." You know, most Christians picture Satan as an old boy with horns wearing red long-handle underwear and a pitchfork. They're going to be all out of gear and strip a cog when they see this dude coming. He's beautiful — most beautiful of the archangels. It's written in Ezekiel 28. I don't know — did Jesus say he would come first? Absolutely. He has declared it. It is in the trumps, it is in the seals, it is in the vials of Revelation. But people like to deceive. Men like to sell short. Verse 28: "Now learn a parable of the fig tree" — He didn't say "maybe learn it" — "When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh." What summer? Not winter. It's harvest. This happened in the year of our Lord 1948, and some believe '67, the Six-Day War. Be that as it may, it was when Judah — even along with the bad figs, Jeremiah 24 — returned to Jerusalem. Verse 29: "So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors" — that is to say, Christ returned. That was the question in the beginning: when are these things going to be? Verse 30: "Verily I say unto you, that this generation" — this is important — "this generation" — what generation? Of the fig tree, 1948 — "shall not pass, till all these things be done." That's a specific time. Hey, nobody knows the hour or the moment, but the elect know the season. Verse 31: "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall not pass away." This word — this earth age and this heaven age will end. The hourglass is tilted; the sands of time are dripping out. But this earth will be forever, and God's Word is forever. The question is: will you be a part of it? Do you believe Jesus Christ, or do you believe men? I don't know. That's your choice. You will live with it. Verse 32: "But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father only." He knows the instant. Verse 33: "Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is." You know the season. You know what's going to be happening, and you know in what generation. Verse 34: "For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work." Do you have a work? It disappoints me when a Christian says, "I wonder what I'm supposed to do." This — He's telling you to stand, not to fly. But to put the gospel armor on and stand against the fiery darts of Satan when he comes to deceive your brothers and sisters. That's work. Do it. "And commanded the porter to watch." That's why — when He took a journey and comes back and finds her with child and giving suck, what does that mean? Okay, got it. Verse 35: "Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning" — which will it be? Verse 36: "Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping." The death penalty is for those that go to sleep on watch in a combat zone. Verse 37: "And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch." That's what watchmen are. Well, what am I supposed to do? Watch. Watch by the Word, the signs given. The 24th chapter of Matthew goes into it with a little more specific. Said it's going to be just like it was in the days of Noah. They're going to be giving and taking in marriage. Well, who were they giving and taking marriage to in Noah's time? The fallen angels. Revelation 12:7: Satan and his angels are kicked out on this earth. They're going to be with him. Oh, what a day of jubilee it will be for some, for they will think it is the true Christ. Do you know that God teaches against those that would do any other way than to put the gospel armor on and stand? He doesn't like it when ministers of so-called His Word teach people to run. Ezekiel chapter 13, verse 16: God knew 500 years before Christ walked the earth that people would be teaching flyaway doctrine. He taught against it. He said, "I am against it." Ezekiel 13:16: "To wit, the prophets of Israel which prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and which see visions of peace for her, and there is no peace, saith the Lord GOD." He comes in peacefully and prosper, but it's the most soul-stricken time in history — Satan claiming to be Jesus, and so-called Christians whinging after him. The great mystery, Babylon the harlot — that those that really believe in Christ and don't know that the Antichrist is Antichrist, spurious Messiah is spurious Messiah instead of Christ. Verse 17: "Likewise, thou son of man, set thy face against" — I repeat, not "for," but "against" — "the daughters of thy people, which prophesy out of their own heart; and prophesy thou against them." Bear in mind: Margaret MacDonald, the daughter — sons do it too — she started it. Verse 18: "And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the women that sew pillows to all armholes, and make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature to hunt souls!" They're doing what? Hunting souls. "Are you saved?" Will you hunt the souls of my people? And will you save the souls alive that come unto you? You see, there's only one Savior. And God's mocking them a bit. Now you're going to have to trust me — you with strong concordances can come pretty close to it, but I want to tell you what the Hebrew manuscripts say. This God says — you know what a pillow is? Okay, a pillow — you always put a covering over it and it conceals something. And the Hebrew word utilized here means concealed, sewing to conceal. And "all armholes" should be "every joint." And what He's saying is: you sew coverings to hide every joint of My outreaching hands to My children and promise a different way of salvation. He doesn't like it. He never said "I'll fly you away." He never said that. He said the false Christ will come, and then the true Christ will come, and we will gather to Him. And then some that are not familiar with the Greek language in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 think that the "air" — which is *aēr* in the Greek — which actually, in fact, means the spiritual body change at the seventh trump — and they get all knocked out of socket and teach people to fly to save their souls. God doesn't like it. Verse 19: "And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear your lies?" An amazing thing to me, really, is God doesn't like for people to lie. Many times it's done innocently because they simply do not, with a scholarly look, scrutinize the Word of God prayerfully with understanding, but listen to men. Christ has already told men will do it to you, friend. If you don't believe men will do it to you, talk to a woman sometime and you'll find out how men are. And I know that may upset some, but hey, let's get it right down where the rubber meets the road. That's the way men are. They'll do anything for a handful of money. I want to go where the easy money is, bunch of hirelings. There's nothing wrong with a servant of God taking an offering, but there are some that do it. All higher critics are people that are paid to try to destroy or discredit — I should say discredit, I'll soften it — the Word of God. And people eat it up. They don't know the difference. Verse 20: "Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against" — did He say "for"? "I am against your pillows" — that's your concealment of truth, your coverings — "wherewith ye there hunt the souls to make them fly, and I will tear them from your arms, and will let the souls go, even the souls that ye hunt to make them fly." And friend, it just won't fly. I cannot believe that there are ministers that tell their congregation, "You don't have to understand the book of Revelation. You don't have to understand all this letter of God from God. Just believe and be saved." Who by? Satan, the false Christ? Are you going to lead them to him? And let me tell you something, individual: anytime a man or person tells you you don't have to read God's Word, mark that person, because they are a false teacher, preacher, prophet — they're a liar. Because the very word "revelation" means the unveiling or the revealing of God's truth, and they're covering it — covered it like a tumblebug under a cow pile. That's the way they operate: concealment. All beautiful. "Oh dear God, you just don't have to listen to God. Listen to me. Just believe and be saved and live forever." If you knew the Bible, it would be a very short book if that were true. Do you think that your Father had time to waste, that He brought all these truths to tell you how you do attain salvation? What did He tell you to do? Put on the gospel armor — all of it. Understand what the gospel armor is, and you put it on. And it's got a special little skyrocket suit and you get here and you get in your chair and get all set, and when the whistle blows on the seventh trump you pull that sucker and you're gone? Is that what it said? I don't think so. It said "stand." I don't think you'll find a rocket mentioned anywhere in the gospel armor. And the gospel armor is not to fight against men today, but it's to fight against — Ephesians chapter 6 — principalities in high places. That means Satan and his little angels. I don't know — are you a Christian, or do you just play-act? Do you just mouth the word "Christian" and listen to men rather than the teachings of Almighty God that teach you to fly to save your soul? And God says, "I am against it." "Well, dear brother, I never heard that before." I can tell you why: you never read the Word of God, and you come up short. I say that in love, but firmness — tough love, you bet. I don't want to see you go to hell. I don't want to see you suffer the shame of having worshiped the false Messiah and listening to scholars that don't know — come sick, come here from sick. "I am against those that teach my people to fly to save their souls" when they got work to do right here. Book of Matthew 24, the sister and companion chapter to Mark 13 that we just completed — there He said there will be two working in the field. The subject and object in the Greek is the coming of Antichrist, and one's going to be taken by the Antichrist, of course. That's the subject. And people today will say, "Oh praise God, I want to be the first one taken" — taken by Antichrist. Wake up. You either believe the teachings of Christ or you're not a Christian. Read it for yourself. Don't be deceived by men that would teach you to fly to hunt your soul, 'cause they can't save your soul. Only Christ can. And the Antichrist — which is properly translated from the Greek instead of "Jesus" — would just love to try. How would you — you want to hop in bed with him? Have at it, friend. Just keep listening to storytellers, and you'll be in bed with the false Messiah, because he comes long before the true Christ does — a full five months. Okay, let's continue on with the next verse. Verse 21: "Your kerchiefs" — your little concealment claws that you sew and weave your lies over the Word of God, telling people you don't have to know it — "also will I tear, and deliver my people out of your hand, and they shall be no more in your hand to be hunted; and ye shall know that I am the LORD." Verse 22: You know, that's when He's going to say — they'll come up and say, "Oh yes, we've been sewing and just tittle-tattling along here and been doing your work and talking about demons and cussing out them old demons and just doing your work" — Jesus: "Get out of my sight. Teaching my people to fly to save their souls? I never knew you." It's going to happen, friend. "Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous one" — I say sad — "whom I have not made sad, and strengthened the hands of the wicked" — the wicked one, Satan — "by helping him out, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life" — eternal life. "Just believe, that's all, be saved. That's all. You don't have to understand Revelation. That's all" — that should be woe when you would say "that's all." Verse 23: "Therefore ye shall see no more vanity" — that's empty lies — "nor divination" — that's men lying about religion and salvation — "for I will deliver my people out of your hand: and ye shall know that I am the LORD." That is the purpose. And what a sad day that's going to be when they begin to pray for the mountains to fall on them, because many of them — innocently, because they've been taught that this stuff — that's what all it is, is stuff — and they teach it in ignorance of the simplicity of the true Gospel of Jesus Christ and His return to the church. Yes, Revelation chapter 2, verse 9, and Revelation 3:1 documents what the true churches will be teaching concerning the synagogue of Satan and the Kenites that claim to be our brother Judah — that you hold to the line and understand the spurious Messiah that sits in that synagogue. Who, tell me this, who would play God in the synagogue of Satan as it is written in Revelation 2:9? That's like asking who's in Grant's Tomb. Use it. You've got it. You've got gray matter up here. Have the seal of God in your forehead, which is to say the truth of God, and Satan can't tempt you. You'll rather find him very disgusting. Your people are hurting. You want to know what a Christian is supposed to do? Serve God and be ready. That day is coming. Some of you have eyes to see and ears to hear, and you have known there was more to God's Word than you had been taught. Well, praise God. There's one way that you can learn: that's to get in His Word. I do not say these things nor read God's Word to offend anyone, but to truly unveil and uncover His truly saving hands and to prepare you for that moment in love that is about to transpire, for the events as stated in Mark 13 and Matthew 24 — those signs consummate the end of this age. You're living in it. What part are you going to play? There are two sides. It's real easy to make your mind up if you're going to be on the side of the Lord: listen to His Word, not men's words. All right. Bless your hearts. You listen a moment, won't you please.

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📡✞ Rapture Theory [5 of 5]: In-Depth Bible Study 🔗 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6IvPPdXs1Y&list=PLcK3ZkGY_ffrGHwpd41VlqSDYIHCBzfHt&index=5

The final part of the Rapture Theory lecture warns against the dangers of false teachings and encourages believers to rely on Christ’s words instead of human interpretations.

Highlights
⚠️ Ezekiel 13 Warns Against Deception: God denounces those who mislead others about salvation.
✝️ Christ’s Return and Events: Key events in Matthew 24 precede Christ’s return.
🎭 False Messiah Warning: A deceptive figure will arise, leading many astray.
📖 Importance of Scripture: Believers must study the Bible to discern truth from falsehood.
⏳ The Hour of Temptation: Understanding this specific time of testing is crucial for Christians.
👥 Two Shall Be in the Field: Not all will be taken; it’s essential to remain watchful and vigilant.
🛡️ Armor of God: Christians must be spiritually prepared to resist deception with faith and biblical knowledge.

Key Insights
⚠️ Deception and False Teachings: Misleading doctrines, including certain interpretations of the Rapture Theory, can distract believers from Christ’s true teachings. Followers must assess teachings critically against scripture.
✝️ Christ’s Return is Conditional: Christ’s return hinges on specific events outlined in the Bible. Believers need to be aware of these signs to be ready for His coming.
🎭 Nature of the False Messiah: The lecture emphasizes that the false Messiah will come as a figure of peace and perform miracles, making scriptural discernment vital for true believers.
📖 Scripture as the Ultimate Guide: The importance of prioritizing biblical knowledge over human interpretations is stressed, as human teachings can lead to confusion and deception.
⏳ Understanding the Hour of Temptation: Knowing the "hour" of temptation, when the false Messiah will deceive many, is key, and believers must remain steadfast in their faith.
👥 Vigilance Over Complacency: The message on being "taken" versus "left" warns that those not spiritually vigilant may be caught off guard, underscoring the need for focus on God’s work.
🛡️ Equipping for Spiritual Warfare: Believers are called to put on the "armor of God," equipping themselves with knowledge and faith to combat falsehoods and remain firm in their beliefs.

📝 Transcribed:

**Dr. Pastor Arnold:** Let's go with it. This will be the last installment, lecture on the subject for this time. So perhaps we should think for a moment: what did we finish with? Ezekiel 13 — what did it say? God is against those that sew coverings or hide every joint of His outreaching, saving hands from the eyes of the people and install a system of "fly to save your soul." Nothing could describe the Rapture theory any more in detail than Ezekiel 13, beginning with about the 18th verse, does it. It's more so: God is against it. He doesn't like it. Why wouldn't He like it? Because through the Son, Jesus Christ, in Matthew 24, Christ said: "At My coming, and before I come, these seven events will transpire that consummate My return, and I will not return until then." Therefore, one of those things was that there was another rider on a white horse appeared, as it's written in Revelation 6. He's called in Matthew 24 the false Messiah instead of Jesus. And those that are loaded and locked — now that's an old military term that means ready to go, ready to fire, ready to travel, ready to rapture any moment — are going to jump on the bandwagon of Satan. They're going to be deceived, because they're not mentally nor are they spiritually prepared for what's going to happen. Why? It's so plainly written. Why aren't they prepared? Because they listen to man rather than listening to Christ. You shouldn't listen to this man or any other man without checking them out in the teachings of Christ. If Christ says it, and He's as specific as He is in the 24th chapter of Matthew and the 13th chapter of Mark, then there is no excuse, quite frankly, for worshiping the spurious Messiah and being impregnated mentally, spiritually with his courtship. It is wrong.

In Daniel chapter 7, as well as other chapters, the spurious Messiah will come in prosperously and by peace. He's going to claim to be the Prince of Peace. Have you been taught this? It's very simple. Christ taught it, and I hope that we've been able to bring that to you with clarity in these first lectures. Now I think that basically sums it up. That's the danger: the danger is not knowing the true Christ from the false Christ. And certainly, instead of Christ — He is going to appear first. The thing is, will you recognize him, because he is supernatural? He will perform miracles on earth. And I guarantee you, if you didn't know, that the miracles will be up to standard for deception. As a matter of fact, God — as it is written in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 — will add to even the miracles of Satan by sending strong delusion that they will all believe the lie. What lie? The incredible cover-up, the Rapture doctrine — "any moment," which began in the year 1830. Real sad. It's too bad the apostles didn't teach it. They certainly did not; quite the contrary.

With those thoughts in your mind, let's ask a word of wisdom from our Father and let's go to that 24th chapter of Matthew and let's close it up. Let's understand what happens here. Bear in mind, Christ has said, "Learn the parable of the fig tree" — that is to say, to know when the nation Israel returns to Jerusalem, that that's the generation that all things will come to pass in. You're in that generation, and it should be very important to you. It should be even an emergency if you're not skilled in the chronological order of events that consummate the end of this age, because you're going to be in it.

Now bear in mind, as we do this, Christ gave seven things, and they are the events that will transpire in the seven trumps. We pick it up with the 36th verse. Listen carefully:

"But of that day and hour knoweth no man" — that's the instant — "not the angels in heaven, but my Father only." But He just told you in the season of the fig tree, that generation — that's all you need to know. Then you observe the signs as they come to pass that Christ has given, and you know.

Verse 37, one of the final signs: "But as the days of Noah" — that's Noah in the Hebrew — "were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." And that's real simple. How was it in the days of Noah? Going to be just like that. What was happening? Think for a moment.

Verse 38: "For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark" — giving and taking in marriage to who? The fallen angels, as it is written in Genesis chapter 6. Are you prepared for that? I want you to know that it is the people that are not attuned to the Word of God that are committing these acts. It's for the same reason that Paul would say in 1 Corinthians chapter 11 that a woman should never cut her hair — which what it really means is a woman should always keep the veil of Christ over her head because of the angels. Why? They're coming back as it's written in Revelation 12:7. They're coming to this earth. They're real easy to overcome; all you have to do is have Christ as your covering. So that's one of the signs. I want you to know it's a negative thing that the people do in this giving and taking. Had they been informed by the teachings of Christ, they would have known that instead of some flyaway thing, it was going to be exactly the same way as it was in the days of Noah just before Christ comes back for His children. Naturally, we're all going together back to Christ, but God help you if your chronology is not attuned with God's Word but with what some person started teaching back in 1830 that has been sponged by ever so many in this generation.

Hey, I don't find anything difficult to understand about this, because I'm familiar with Genesis 6. It made God so angry that He destroyed the progeny of those marriages, because they were giants. It would have foiled the birth of Christ had God allowed it. He stopped it. So you better get on the ark of the end times to escape the flood that Satan brings in that 12th chapter of Revelation.

Let's continue on. Verse 39: "And knew not" — this is to say those people — "and knew not until the flood came" — what a surprise. Why? They didn't listen to the Father till the flood came and took them all away. "So shall also the coming of the Son of man be." He's going to catch a lot of people asleep.

Then He gives another warning. Verse 40: "Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left." Now what is the subject? What are we talking about? We're talking about in this 24th chapter the deception of the end times. Christ was asked, "What will be the signs that will let us know of your return?" And His point was: work. Do His work until you see the true Christ coming. So who is this one that shall be taken by deception? How many times have you heard people say, "I want to be the first taken"? No, you don't. You're biblically illiterate if you believe that truly in your heart, because the first one that is taken is taken into the marriage of verse 39. You don't want that. That's a no-no. You want to remain doing the Father's work as a watchman, as one of God's elect, allowing the Holy Spirit to speak through you as it is written prior in this chapter as well as the 13th chapter of Mark, allowing the Holy Spirit to witness against this spurious Messiah. That's the purpose of the church. No one else is going to do it. No one else is prepared for it. What church? The church of Smyrna and Philadelphia — that is to say, not by name, but the groups that make up those that teach what is written to those churches in Revelation 2 and 3, because they're the only two churches that would overcome and that without much fault. Check it out. Okay? So the one is taken, the other left.

Verse 41: "Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left." Taken by Antichrist. That's the subject: is deception — to be delivered to, to participate in the delusion that God allows to come to this world.

Verse 42: "Watch therefore" — what are you supposed to do? Fly away? No. "Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come." Why would He use the terminology "hour"? Because He's pointing to one specific hour, and you will read of it in Revelation chapter 17. You'll find it between verse 7 and 8 concerning the hour that the son of perdition reigns with the one-world system, ten rulers, ten earth kings. That's all. That's the hour you want to watch for and be prepared for, for that is the duty and obligation of a Christian: to have the gospel armor on and in place and be prepared to make a stand against that hour. Otherwise, what good are you? What are you fit for? That's what the church is supposed to do. And it is written — it's written in Revelation 2:9 that that's exactly what the church will do: is witness before the spurious Messiah, so that the gospel can be published to the world. Who would want to run from that? I can't understand, because God protects us wherever we are. The same as He was able to have the oven heated seven times hotter than necessary and allowed the three children to be cast in, and Christ walked with them and they weren't even singed — not even their clothing. God is able. Why? They wouldn't bow to the 606, which was a type of what you will have: the 666, which is to say the deception in your mind — documenting that that's how you would be taken care of during and in Satan's tribulation. I don't mean you're going to be cast into a fire; I mean you can rest assured that God will protect His own. That's the hour that's being spoken of. Again, I want you to check me out: Revelation 17, begin reading about verse 6 and take it down to the one hour that the son of perdition has, and you'll have it. That's the hour you look for

Verse 43: "But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up." In other words, be watchful and attuned to the seven events that Christ has told you about here. And when is the least — as far as Christ returning — when would be the time that He would least be expected? And naturally, as one of the students brought to my attention, it would be when they thought Christ was already here. That's why it would come as such a big surprise.

Verse 44: "Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour" — there's that hour again (Revelation 17:12 — you'll read of it there; begin again as I stated about 6 or 7) — "as ye think not the Son of man cometh." At the end of that hour, He'll be there.

Verse 45: "Who then is a faithful and wise servant?" Which one of these is faithful and which one is wise? One that flits off? Let Christ tell you, and then you make your own mind up. "Whom his Lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season" — the one that is faithful is the one that is able to give the meat of God's Word to his relatives or to her relatives, to make that stand, to be mentally and spiritually prepared — not flying off somewhere. There's work to do. Who would want to escape the most exciting time in the history of flesh man, and that is to say the second advent?

Verse 46: "Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing" — not in bed with the false Christ, not with child spiritually (that is to say, to have been impregnated with his false teachings, his lies), but to remain loyal as a virgin for the great wedding spiritually with Christ at His return.

Verse 47: "Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods." He will trust you during the Millennium. You can read what He does for those in the ability of the priests of the Zadok in Ezekiel chapter 44, beginning with about verse 22.

Verse 48: "But if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming" — that's real easy to do. How much patience do you have? It's one of our greatest weaknesses is not to have patience — wait, but watch.

Verse 49: "And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken" — it's real easy to fall into the mainstream.

Verse 50: "The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour" — there's that hour again — "that he is not aware of."

Verse 51: "And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Why would a person that claimed to be a Christian weep and gnash his teeth? Because if you really had been misled by man and thought you were doing God's work, and realized you had led your entire group or your family into worshiping a spurious Messiah, and then see the true Christ coming — you would be so ashamed, because you do love Him — you would be so ashamed that you'd simply want to die, just poof, disappear. But that won't happen. You're going to face Him. The thing is, what are you going to face Him with — a servant that has worked well by listening to Christ rather than man? Or what will you be doing?

I want to go on, if I may, to 2 Corinthians real quickly as we bring to a close this discussion. If you have ears to hear and you understand, wonderful. If you don't — hey, you're fine, just keep right on the way you are. If you don't have ears to hear, we'll talk with you later.

I want to go to the 11th chapter of 2 Corinthians. Paul, a great teacher, great scholar of the Hebrew manuscripts, knew God's Word inside and out, was concerned — he was concerned that many would be deceived because they would listen to man. And that's what this chapter is about. 2 Corinthians chapter 11, verse 2: "For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy." What is godly jealousy? Well, God's our Father, and in a sense, through Christ He's our husband, and He's jealous. You can understand that. "For I have espoused you to one husband" — not two, one husband — "that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ." I don't want you to be that one that was with child in Matthew 24. I want you to be a virgin. Then we get right down, very plain, and say, "Well, what does he really mean there?" Well, the answer is Christ makes it very simple through Paul. How do you lose your virginity in a spiritual sense? He's going to tell you.

Verse 3: "But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled" — that's *exapataō* in your Greek concordance — "Eve through his subtlety" (his cunning, his deception), "so your minds" — did it say your bodies? — "so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ." Christ makes it so simple to understand, but you know what? People sometimes like to have it — when that's just so simple, "I can't quite understand this."

Verse 4: "For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus" — that's instead of Christ, spurious Messiah — "whom we have not preached" (some flyaway preach Jesus), "or if ye receive another spirit" (this should sound familiar to you from 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, verses 2 and 3, about his first letter and visions and so forth), "which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him." Boy, this falls down and from the Greek you swallow it hook, line, and sinker — that's my interpretation, but that gets it said. Some super preacher comes along and rather than checking out the Word of God, rather than listening to the simplicity of Christ that anyone can understand, you'd rather hear the mumbo-jumbo that is to say of modern man, backed up by Satan, to teach you some new way to obtain salvation by putting a covering over the outreach simplicity in the hands of our Savior Jesus Christ to bring you that salvation.

All right, now if we may, let's go to verse 12 just for the sake of time. In verse 12, Paul, same subject. He said, "Hey, I teach a little hard. I'm a little bold. I'm a little rough around the edges, but I tell you, I teach you the truth." And he continues about the deception of Satan to his children — he doesn't want it to happen, God's children that is. Verse 12: "But what I do, that I will do" — I'm nobody's going to change my mind — "that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we." In other words, I'm going to stay in a position where I'll cut the rug right out from under them, or jerk it out from under them anytime I so wish, because I know God's Word that plainly and that well, and I teach it that boldly — is what Paul is saying — that they would come claiming another gospel.

Verse 13: "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming" — make note of that word "transforming" — "themselves into the apostles of Christ." "Yes, I'm a Christian minister. There was a little lady had a dream back in 1830 and praise God the Holy Spirit spoke through her and we're all going to fly away. Yes, yes, that's what — you put the gospel armor on, your little jetpack — you know, she's there, she's ready." Only I didn't read about that. I — you know, that's not what it says, but that's what she said, and I mean it filtered into the entire church.

Verse 14: "And no marvel" — don't marvel at that, don't even give it a thought in that sense — "for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light." And you have some that are so silly they would say, "Oh, that's the reclamation of all things. Even Satan is going to be transformed into an angel of light, and God's going to just touch it with His little twinkle pole, boom, and everything will be okay." That's not what God said, but that's what some men say. Listen to your Father, not man.

Verse 15: "Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers" — some preachers claiming to be preachers of Christ or Christian preachers — "also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness." Oh, it sounds so right. It sounds so good to have that security blanket. Only one thing: that security blanket is cloak, concealing every joint of God's outreached hands. "Whose end shall be according to their works." I ask you to make note of that word "transformed," because it's very deceptive. Is it part of the deception and delusion that God would allow to be sent? Well, if you're not a student, it would very easily work into that. But you are. Here's the Greek word that is translated "transformed" — "has changed into an angel of light" — it's *metaschematizo* and it's from two various words there you see them: to transfigure, or disguise. That's all I need: disguise. Satan comes disguised as an angel of light, claiming to be Jesus Christ, as Paul said he would in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, verse 4. No great mystery there. Satan is coming disguised. And is it any wonder that preachers that would cover the real truth of salvation and lead people into his camp, as Ezekiel 13 declares with a flyaway doctrine — I'm sorry, I know that offends, but I'm not out to impress man but to teach God's Word. And the day I cannot teach it as it is written is the day I will stop teaching. When I can no longer be honest, I will no longer teach. But that is God's truth as it is written, for it is written. And my dear friend, that's exactly how it will come to pass.

Now how is it that man can take two scriptures and twist them just a little bit? You've heard me mention the Church of Philadelphia and the Church of Smyrna. Let's turn there if we may in that great book of Revelation. I want to go to Revelation chapter 3, verse 7, concerning the Church of Philadelphia. What makes them different than other churches? And if your church isn't teaching what this church is, you have problems, my friend. If your church isn't teaching what this church of Smyrna teaches back in verse 8 through about 10 — and that is the church that's delivered up before the devil to be tried and have tribulation — but be faithful, let the Holy Spirit speak through you as it happened on Pentecost Day — you got trouble, friend. You're not in our Father's camp. You're not in His church. It's going to be this way, for these are the only two churches Christ found no fault with. A better example of the type you'll never find. Doesn't have to be by that name, but the type. Okay.

Let's pick it up if we may. Verse 7: "And to the angel of the church of Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David" — there's a key there; do you have the key of David? — "he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth." That is to say, has the key that opens the lineage of Christ, His Word, His truth, His plan of salvation, and no man can argue against it or debate it.

Verse 8: "I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it" — you can see the truth; you have eyes to see and ears to hear — "for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word" — you haven't listened to men; you've kept this word — "and hast not denied my name" — you haven't gone off with some false Messiah, some flyaway Messiah, but the true Messiah.

Verse 9: "Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan" — who is that? Well, that's the ones we're talking about: the spurious Messiah, Satan's synagogue that when he is cast from heaven he will set up on Mount Zion (yet future, not too much in the future though) — "which say they are Jews" (that is to say, they claim to be our brother Judah) "and are not, but do lie." Our brother Judah is given a great deal of trouble from this, but it's talking about the Kenites. Does your church teach concerning them? If not, you've got trouble, friend. "Behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee" — meaning that even the Kenites, on that first day of the Millennium when every knee bows, they're going to be worshiping at your feet — not to worship you, but because you are at the feet of Christ.

Now here's how the Rapture doctrine slips in: grabbing and puffing at straws, I call it — giving no scholarly credence to sticking with the subject and the object. The subject and object is the Church of Philadelphia, its perfection in accuracy and discipline in following the Word of God. Does yours? But they will take this and insert verse 10: "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience" — that means the Word of God — "I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation." What hour is that? Well, that means we're going to fly out of here. No, it doesn't. Wake up. Come on, come on, come on, wake up. It's not the subject. It's not what it's talking about. And I will not allow you to read it into it. It's talking again about the hour from Revelation 17:12 — the hour that the spurious Messiah will be here, and you as a Christian have work to do. "Well, I'm just a Christian. I wonder what God wants me to do." Read the Word. Find out. It's written. It's simple. Stand against Satan. "If I could just be sure..." Where's your faith? God has worked for you. He doesn't — He's got all the butterflies in the world He needs; He made them all. And there's a bunch of them in that hour of temptation.

Number one: what is an hour of temptation? Well, it means Satan's going to be tempting as the bridegroom, performing miracles, coming in peacefully and prosper, and a lot of people are going to find it very tempting when they're biblically illiterate to slip over into his camp. I do not find him tempting. That's why that we that have the seal of God (which is to say the Word of His patience — that's the Word, the living Word in your mind) don't find Satan and his handy men at all tempting. We find them an abomination. I won't fly with them. No one loves to fly better than I love to fly, but I won't fly with them. I'm particular who I fly with — and I jest, in a sense. But it's that ridiculous when some unscholarly individual tries to stick Rapture onto something like that — such a beautiful subject of making that stand against the false ones, the Kenites, the synagogue of Satan — and they want to run and hide. Don't even think about it. Don't even shadow a noble servant with thoughts such as that, for that's exactly what it is. How precious our Father's Word.

Verse 11: "Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown." It didn't say God would take your crown. Don't let some man disguised as a Christian preacher take your eternal crown by listening to words of a church system or something that happened in 1830 to cost you the pain of falling away.

Another verse that they so often work in the Rapture theory is back in chapter 1, verse 10: John was taken to the day of the Lord — which is to say the Millennium, first day of the Millennium — to be shown things before and after that would happen. A lot of people say, "This is the Rapture." There's no subject, there's no article for the church; it isn't even thought of in this. It's a message for the church. Listen to it.

Chapter 4, verse 1: "After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter." How could anybody possibly — John is the one being spoken to, to tell us.

Verse 2: "And immediately I" — that's singular — "was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne." That one, of course, was our Father. Don't let someone deceive you. Any child that has had a reading class through the third grade — probably even, I'm going to say, even the first grade — I believe my little granddaughter would know better if I had her to read that. I know she does, because she's been taught. But I mean, any first grader that can read and think for themselves — has been taught to think for themselves — would know that's not talking about the church; it's talking about John. Well, that's how desperate they are to get you to accept the so-called Rapture theory.

You know that we carry a book by Dave McPherson called *The Incredible Cover-Up*. And it is well documented — it is well documented as to how this all even started. This was a sick girl, probably a very good girl, really wanted to do something, you know, for the Lord. It happened back in 1830: "Marvelous light was shed upon Scripture, and especially on the doctrine of the Second Advent, by the revived spirit of prophecy in the following account by Miss Margaret MacDonald of an evening during which the power of the Holy Ghost rested upon her for several successive hours in mingled prophecy and vision. We have an instance, for here we first see the distinction between the final stage of the Lord's coming, when every eye shall see Him, and His prior appearing in glory to them that look for Him" — the any-moment doctrine. Do you know what Margaret said at the time she received it? She writes: "I felt this needed to be revealed, and that there was great darkness and error about it, and it almost felt satanic. But suddenly what it was burst upon me with a glorious light." Delusion, deception of the end times. You're in those end times. Don't let man deceive you. The deception is already here. God's Word is written in a language that you can read and understand, for it is written in almost every language of the world in its simplicity. Never — if you're going to call yourself a Christian, take Christ's Word, not some group of men's words.

When you read *The Incredible Cover-Up* and you see the documented facts — I know you have. Some of you really have some of these local fluff jobs that really like to counter truth. Alright, some of them have even written books about this book. Boy, what — you know how lacking we are for scholarship? It seems that man can't hold a thought over ten seconds as that is to say disciplining oneself in the Word of God to not let man's word filter into the truth. So I highly recommend it. We have it in our library. I'll be saying more on this book as well as another before too long. And if you need to know — and it isn't necessary; God's Word itself lets you know that it would be a false teaching anyway — so you really don't need it. But sometimes it's well to know facts and data whereby you can counter for certain minds. That's up to you.

But beloved, believe Jesus Christ. Have faith in Him and His Word. If Christ said it, believe it. If He didn't say it, hands off — danger. Do you believe Christ has said that instead of Christ will come first, and He has work for you to do, and He's calling the people out to do that work? The answer — the question is: have you known since you were a child that there was more to God's Word than you had been taught, because of the fluff and the covering over, the sewing of the pillow slips over the outreached hands of God holding the truth in His hand, that you could see the simplicity of the chronological order of events that brings to pass the second advent? It's on us, friend. I'm not saying this to spook somebody or say it's going to happen tomorrow. But if you're behind in understanding His Word, then you need to get cracking. You need to study that Word. It's real simple, for it's true, and that's how it will come to pass.

You see, Christ through the Father on that great white throne judgment judges you. I would always prefer to go by His rules rather than man's. What do you think? Choice is yours. Rapture theory: it's only a theory. It's not true. God has work. You put the gospel armor on to stand against the fiery darts of Satan, not to fly away. That's very plain. See that you use the equipment that God gives you for the purpose for which He created that equipment, those garments, and you'll never go wrong.

All right. Bless your heart.

Dr. Pastor Arnold B. Murray

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