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The Five-Fold Podcast
Five-Fold ministry for today. In this podcast we will attempt to determine biblical timelines as they correlate with current events. We will examine the offices of the Five-Fold ministry and gain biblical direction for the world today.
The Five-Fold Podcast
The Rapture of HIS Church: Biblical Insights and End Times Readiness with Michael Weedman
Discover the enigmatic concept of the rapture and unravel its biblical roots, even though the word itself doesn't appear in the scriptures. Join me, Michael Weedman, as we explore the Greek term "harponzo" and its significance in understanding this event. We'll journey through both the Old and New Testaments, linking Jesus' promise in John 14, the story of Lazarus, and Daniel 12's resurrection prophecy to paint a comprehensive picture of what the rapture truly means for believers.
Navigate through the murky waters of misconceptions surrounding the rapture's timing and its connection to the tribulation period. As we dissect scripture, the conversation steers toward distinguishing between the wrath of the Antichrist and the wrath of God, and why this distinction is crucial. Revelation chapters 1 through 4 come into play, shedding light on the term "saints" and how it pertains to the church. Prepare for a thought-provoking discussion that challenges traditional eschatological timelines.
As we venture into discussions on preparedness and spiritual readiness, the episode highlights the importance of understanding tribulation as part of God's divine plan. We'll discuss the Book of Revelation's sequence of judgments and how they align with Jesus's words in Matthew 24, suggesting a post-tribulation rapture. The role of the fivefold ministry in today's church takes the spotlight, emphasizing the need for apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers as we prepare for the times to come. Join us for an enlightening conversation that encourages spiritual vigilance and readiness, inviting you to continue engaging with us each week.
What is happening. Everybody, welcome back to tonight's episode of the Five-Fold Podcast. I'm your host, michael Weidman, and I am excited for tonight, something I really wanted to get on here and do kind of a little Bible study on tonight. So just bear with me. Tonight we're going to do things a little bit different, but don't go anywhere, you don't want to miss this. Hey, good evening and welcome to this episode of the Five-Fold Podcast. I'm your host, michael Weidman, and I would like to say thank you for taking the time and joining us tonight on the podcast.
Speaker 1:The Five-Fold Podcast focuses on the five-fold ministry and the importance of that ministry in today's society. We believe that there is still a need for apostles, for prophets, for pastors, for teachers, for evangelists. They haven't ceased. They're still in operation today and necessary for the success of today's church. So join with us as we dive into this episode of the Five Fold Podcast. And welcome back to tonight's episode.
Speaker 1:I want to do something special tonight and I want to talk to you guys about a topic that has come up a lot recently and I've had some people ask me very specific questions about this, and I know there's been a lot of times in our past few episodes. Really, from the beginning of my podcast a couple years ago, I have mentioned about doing an episode and a lesson on the rapture of the church and my beliefs on the rapture of the church, and so tonight I want to go through that. I want to talk about the rapture of His church, the rapture of the church of the living God. Now, let me just say this before we go any further. I want you to know I am not the absolute authority on this. I do not claim to have all of the answers. What I can tell you is that what I'm going to bring to you in the Word is what I believe the Lord has revealed to me through His Word and through the time that I have spent studying and attempting to understand, praying for revelation, and this is what I believe the Lord has given me. The biggest question that we get is when? Right? Well, before we get to when, let's talk about what. What is the rapture of the church? Now, I have had many people who say there's no, the word rapture is not in the church. Okay, let's talk about this for a second, because the Greek word harponzo is the word that we get the word rapture from. Now, the word rapture is a Latin word. It means to be caught up. The word harponzo, the Greek word, means to be caught up.
Speaker 1:Now we'll go into some scripture here and I want to show you, guys, where this comes from in the Word of God and where the idea of the rapture of the church comes from in the Word of God. Now, first off, let's look at John, chapter 14, the words of Jesus himself. Jesus says this in John chapter 14, and I've got it up here for you to read as well If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself. That where I am, you may be also. Those are the words of Jesus, and this is that context, that thought or that idea. What's the word I'm looking for? Oh, my goodness, it just slipped my mind. But anyways, this is the concept of the rapture. Jesus said I'm going to prepare a place for you, but if I go to prepare a place for you, then I will come again and I will receive you unto me. Unto myself is what he said. That where I am, you may be also.
Speaker 1:Now let's go a little further. Let's don't just look at one place, but let's also go back to the Old Testament. Now we have to understand this Jesus, whenever he was speaking to Mary you remember the sister of Lazarus, right? Lazarus, the friend of Jesus, had died. And Jesus gets there four days after the death of Lazarus and he's speaking to Mary and he says don't you know that your brother will live again? And she says well, I know that he will live again at the end. So you have to understand that this is not just a New Testament concept. This is also a concept that has been around since the prophets of old. Jesus is telling them he's going to live again. And she's like well, yeah, I mean, I know he's going to live again at the end. Whenever the Messiah comes and he brings forth those who are dead, he's the resurrection. And Jesus stops and says wait, no, you don't understand. I am the resurrection, the way and the life. And so he brings back this Old Testament concept that the prophets foretold of and I'm going to read one place of the prophets that they foretold of this concept of the resurrection of the dead.
Speaker 1:Let's look at Daniel and actually there's a little bit from Daniel that I'll share tonight but let's look at Daniel, chapter 12, verses 1 and 2. And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people, and there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time Now we'll talk about this in a minute, and many of you know this as the tribulation period and at that time thy people shall be delivered, everyone that shall be found written in the book. Now let's go to the next verse. Here it says and many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt. So there's two destinations that Daniel is speaking about, and that's again. It's probably another sermon for another time. But the two destinations, some that are asleep shall wake up to everlasting life, the destination of heaven, and some that are asleep shall wake up to shame and contempt, which is the destination of hell. So this is an Old Testament concept. He says Michael and his angels shall stand up. There's a time of war, there's a time of tribulation such as was never seen, never even heard of, since there had been nations on this earth. The worst time of tribulation ever, and many of you know that, and here's something I'm going to go into for a second before we go any further.
Speaker 1:A lot of people preach in a seven-year tribulation. That is not biblical. Let me explain this. Daniel talks of his 70th week, which would be the final seven years before. I guess you'd call it Armageddon or whatever you want to call the end for I guess you'd call it Armageddon or whatever you want to call the end. The final seven years is not complete tribulation. Let's break that down because you have to understand Scripture in order for that to make sense.
Speaker 1:Daniel doesn't say that there are seven years of tribulation. John in the book of Revelation doesn't say there are seven years of tribulation. There is a final seven years. That is a time frame from the time that the covenant is made, that the Antichrist will make, until the end of time. There is a final seven years and in those seven years it is split up into two sections time times and a half of times. It's mentioned throughout the scripture multiple times of the splitting of these final seven years. Now the first three and a half years will be fantastic. Matter of fact, the Bible says that if the time isn't shortened, that even the elect would even be deceived. It's going to be a great—now. That'll go further on later on too, but anyways, this will be a time three and a half years of fantastic peace. There won't be any problems. There won't be any troubles and actually, if you read Scripture, the Jewish temple will be built, they will return to sacrificial programs in the Jewish temple and in the middle of these final seven years this three and a half year mark the Antichrist will stand up into the temple and he will proclaim himself to be God and he will put an end to the sacrificial system again.
Speaker 1:Now I have had many people and this is one of those things where you lack knowledge. I've had many people who have come to me and said and even argued with me online and on Facebook and saying you know well, we're the temple of the Holy Ghost. Our bodies are the temple. There's no need for animal sacrifice anymore. Yes, absolutely 100%. We are the temple of the Holy Ghost. There is no need for animal sacrifices anymore. Are the temple of the Holy Ghost. There is no need for animal sacrifices anymore. Jesus Christ was the one ultimate sacrifice the Lamb of God, slain for the sins of mankind. That is the only sacrifice we'll ever need. It is already paid for, it is already bought. Salvation has already been brought to us?
Speaker 1:Yes, but the scripture teaches us that the Jewish people, who, mind you, rejected Jesus and still to this day reject Jesus, will have a third temple. That temple will resume animal sacrifices and in this time period when there is animal sacrifices, the Antichrist will stand and he will proclaim himself to be God and he will end the animal sacrifices again in the temple. And then we'll begin three and a half years of tribulation such as never has been on this earth. And that is the tribulation that Daniel is speaking of whenever he says it'll be such a hard time that it's never been in any nations since the nations have been on this earth. There's never been a time of this travesty in this.
Speaker 1:Now, why am I talking about this? Why am I bringing this up? Number one I've had a lot of people ask me recently about it. Number two we are closer than we have ever been to the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. Been to the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. Everything that needs to be in place is in place, minus a couple things. I look for the building of the temple to be soon. I do. I look for the building of the temple to be soon, and I look for the revelation, I guess the revealing of the son of perdition. We'll get into that in a minute, but let's talk a little more about this concept of the rapture, harponzo, the catching up that many people are questioning.
Speaker 1:So let's look at what Paul had to say in 1 Corinthians. 1 Corinthians, chapter 15, verses 51 and 52. This is what he says Behold, I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. Now let's talk about this. And this is one of those scriptures, you know, the scripture that says Great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest. And a lot of people stop right there before they go on and they say well, god's just a big mystery. Well, if you read the scripture, he's showing you the mystery. He is revealing to you the mystery.
Speaker 1:Now, this is what Paul is saying. He said I'm showing you this. This doesn't have to be a mystery. This is a mystery for some, but this doesn't have to be a mystery for you. I'm going to show it to you, I'm going to reveal it to you. So he says we all shall not sleep, or we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump, for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed Now. This is important because he tells us when the rapture takes place. He says Now, so let's go on.
Speaker 1:Let's look at what he says to the church at Thessalonica in 1 Thessalonians 4, verse 13. Here's what he says I would not have you to be ignorant Now. In other words, that means I don't want you to be unlearned, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow, not even as others which have no hope. He's talking about those who have died before us, even as others which have no hope. He's talking about those who have died before us, for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you, by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep, for the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, the voice of an archangel and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore, comfort one another with these words.
Speaker 1:This is what he's saying. He said I want you to be unlearned of this. I don't want you to walk around here without any kind of idea of what's going to happen. We don't have to walk around here with our heads down like those who have no hope, those who don't have the Holy Ghost, those who aren't born again of water and of spirit, those who do not know Jesus Christ as their Lord and their Savior. Those people have no hope. But you have hope, he said. Those who have died look us, who are alive and remain. We ain't going to prevent them, who are dead, from rising from the grave. Matter of fact, the Bible says and this is what Paul is saying. He said the matter of fact. We won't prevent them. But those who are dead in Christ shall rise first. They're going to get a front row seat. They're going to rise up first. We're going to see them rise up and then, all of a sudden, we who remain will be changed in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye will rise up to meet Jesus in the air.
Speaker 1:The Bible says in another place if that same spirit that dwelt in Jesus, that raised Jesus from the dead, dwells in you, will one day quicken your mortal body and you shall be caught up to meet him in the air Again. That's that word, harponzo, that Greek word that means the catching up. That was translated to a Latin word, rapturo, where we get our English word rapture. It's not a great mystery, it's not this thing that's unavailable for you to learn. You can know about it. You can know about it.
Speaker 1:Now, there's a lot of people who say that the rapture already happened, or they'll say that the rapture and we'll get into this the argument that most people have about the rapture is whether it's before the tribulation or after the tribulation. Now, some people do believe that it's in the middle of the tribulation, that three and a half year mark would be the mark where the rapture occurs, and they'll take the words of Daniel, who says that when that tribulation comes, that they shall be delivered. And that's when they're going to be delivered. Is that right at the tribulation, the church will be caught up and then the tribulation will begin here on earth? And I want us to understand something. Number one God will not suffer his children his wrath. God will not suffer his children his wrath, but tribulation. And that seven years, the end, the three and a half year actual great tribulation, is what the Bible calls it. Again, I'm not the ultimate authority on this, but this is what I believe the Lord has revealed to me and I've taught this for years.
Speaker 1:That three and a half years of great tribulation is not the wrath of God on the earth. That is not the wrath of God on the earth. That is not the wrath of God on the earth. That is the wrath of the Antichrist against the saints of God. The Bible says in Revelation that he will give the Antichrist power over the saints and he will rage war with the saints and he will conquer, he will overcome the saints. But again it goes on to say that the saints will overcome by the word of their testimony and by the blood of the Lamb. We like to quote that scripture but we take it out of context and we don't realize it. That's talking about against the Antichrist. The saints will overcome Now. He'll have power over them to kill them and to rage war against them. The Antichrist will be given power. That's what the scripture says in the book of Revelation, that the Antichrist will be given power over the saints of God.
Speaker 1:And a lot of people argue that the saints of God that that is talking about are the 144,000 Jewish saints that will be born again, that will be sealed in their foreheads, and those are the ones that talk about that. The church has already been raptured up and the only ones that are on the earth are the Jewish people who are being saved during the time of tribulation. Now, that is not true, and I'm going to tell you why I believe that's not true. Number one the word saint was never used for the Jewish people. The word saint was always used for the church, always, every time in the scripture. I challenge you, do your homework, look it up. Every time the word saint is used in the word of God, it is referring to the church of the living God, to the church that Jesus Christ established. That's who it's talking about. It's not talking about the Jewish believers, it's not talking about the Jewish people. It's talking about those who are the saints.
Speaker 1:Okay, not only that and I'll get to it here in a minute I want to look at this. This is Revelation. Chapter four is where most people argue that the rapture occurs. Now, this is what. So? Revelation chapter 1, 2, and 3, john is writing to the seven churches that are on the earth at the time of John and that is referred to as the here, the now here. In Revelation chapter 4, he transfers from what writing to those who are on the earth at the time and he transfers to writing to the things that will come hereafter. He transfers from the here to the hereafter. Now look at this. After this, I looked and behold a door in heaven, or a door was opened in heaven, and the first voice which I heard, as it were the voice of a trumpet talking to me, which said Come up hither and I will show thee things which must be hereafter. Now, this is where a lot of people argue that the rapture occurs, that John was seeing the rapture and immediately I was in the spirit. And behold, a throne was set in heaven and one sat on the throne.
Speaker 1:Now, I do not believe that this is when the rapture occurs. A lot of people believe this is when the rapture occurs, that John was saying okay, I'm talking to the churches here now, whenever I see the door opened up in heaven. That's the sign that the rapture occurs here and then everything that happens during this time of revelation is after the rapture happens. I don't believe that. I don't believe that because if that's true, then later in in revelation, when it talks about those being caught up, that's apparently a second rapture. That's not biblical. There's only one rapture. There's only one time. Jesus is going to call his church to catch up, to meet him in the air, one time. That's probably a deeper subject we need to get into, but I want us to understand that. I want us to understand that. I want us to understand that Now there was another thing that Paul had to deal with when it came to the rapture of the church, when it came to the catching away.
Speaker 1:Is that some people taught that or were saying that the rapture already occurred? Now, when Jesus rose from the grave, we know that the graves were opened up, that hell was opened up, that people that were dead were risen, there was a resurrection. When Jesus rose from the grave and conquered death and conquered hell, the saints of God who were in the bosom of Abraham came with him. But this is what Paul said to Thessalonica again. Now, first Thessalonians, he talked about the rapture and that he didn't want them to be ignorant to it, and he told them that we who are alive will not prevent those who are dead from rising. You know that the Lord's going to call them up just as well. They're going to go up first, and then those of us who remain will rise up to meet him in the air.
Speaker 1:Now, here in 2 Thessalonians, he says I beseech you, brethren, by the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and by our gathering together unto him. He said I'm going to readdress this that you be not so soon shaken in your mind or be troubled, neither by spirit nor by word, but by letter nor by letter, as from us. As the holy day of Christ is at hand, he says this let no man deceive you by any means, for that day shall not come. Now, understand this, listen and focus here, for that day shall not come except there come a falling away first. Now that word for falling away is apostate and that means a deviation from the truth.
Speaker 1:Now we can look everywhere and see the false prophets. We can see the false, the deviation from the truth of the gospel. You see the feel good message that says all you have to do is just believe. You don't have to change your life, you don't have to quit sinning, you can still live as whatever you want to live with. You know the church is affirming now, and the church is now. That's baloney, that's called apostate, that's just falling away, that's everywhere.
Speaker 1:And the second thing that the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition. Now let me just say this Paul is saying the rapture will not occur until number one, the falling away, and number two, the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition. Now he goes on to who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he, as God, sitteth in the temple, showing himself that he is God. Now, again, this will go back to what Daniel said and also what Jesus is saying in Matthew, chapter 24, which we'll read here in a minute. Daniel talks about the abomination of desolation. Daniel talks about the abomination of desolation, which is when the Antichrist will rise up, he will set himself in the temple, the third temple that will be built, and he will call himself God.
Speaker 1:Let me continue on. I need to continue on with this. Remember, ye not, that when I was with you. I told you these things is what Paul said, and now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. Now here's what he's saying there is something holding back the revelation of who the Antichrist is, and I have been in many debates with people over what this is, and many people call me crazy because I have taught for years that it's not the church.
Speaker 1:This is where people who preach a pre-tribulation rapture bring their proof. They say that well, the church is what's holding back the Antichrist? And until the church is taken out, then the Antichrist can't even be revealed. We're holding him back. Now listen, the church in the book of Revelation, the saints. Again, the Antichrist has given power over the saints, power over the saints. If that's the case, the church cannot hold him back.
Speaker 1:Okay, let's continue on, for the mystery of iniquity doth already work. Only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. Now, this is where they talk about the restrainer of the Antichrist, right, the one who is holding back the revelation of who the Antichrist is, the fact that the Antichrist will come forward, be revealed. Let me just say this People want to talk about the mark of the beast. The mark of the beast will not be revealed until the Antichrist is revealed. Matter of fact, the scripture says that the Antichrist will be the one who will bring this mark to the world. So a lot of people are putting the mark of the beast out there already, but there's no Antichrist that's been revealed yet. So that's not going to happen. The mystery of iniquity doth already work. Only he who now letteth will let until he be taken out of the way. This is where a lot of people say the rapture of the church is. They argue that until the church be taken out of the way, the Antichrist can't come forward. That's simply not true. Now let me say this, and many people know where I'm talking about when I say this Jesus in Acts, chapter 1, jesus has risen from the dead.
Speaker 1:Jesus is on the Temple or on the Mount of Olives with the disciples. He's given them his farewell. The Great Commission's coming out with this in the last books, or the last chapters of Matthew, mark, luke and John. Then you get into Acts, chapter one, and the saints? He's about to ascend into heaven and the disciples are asking him will you now restore the kingdom of Israel? Will you now? You know, because for years, the Jewish people, and the reason why they did not accept Jesus as the lamb of God is because they were looking for the lion of God, the lion of the tribe of Judah that would come in, the Messiah, who would come in as a military power, overthrow the Roman government, overthrow the governments of this world, just as Daniel talked about whenever he would cast down all the nations and he would rule over them. There'll be a millennial reign. The next dispensation, the next covenant, that will be. They were looking for this and they even ask him will you now, at this time, will you restore the kingdom of Israel?
Speaker 1:And what did Jesus say? He said it is not for you to know the times or the season that the Father has placed in his own hand. Jesus himself is saying that God, the Father, has put in his own hand. There. God, god, is the only one who can end a covenant. Jesus on the cross said it is finished. That was the ending, the closing right. The tester had to be killed, the one who gave the testament had to die, the blood had to be shed. And Jesus on the cross said it is finished. So that Old Testament covenant, that law of Moses, was fulfilled. It was finished. It was completed. It wasn't done away with. It was completed. It was fulfilled in Jesus.
Speaker 1:And on the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Ghost came down and that new covenant was given through fire, through the tongues that sat upon each of them as fire and that's a whole other sermon for another time, probably two that started the next covenant that God would establish the church age that we're in right now. We're still in the church age age that we're in right now. We're still in the church age. Now there's a lot of people who we call cessationalists, who believe that all the gifts of the Spirit and all those things have ended. There's no need for apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers. All that's done with it was done with the First Testament church. That's simply not true, because we're still in the church age. We're still in that covenant.
Speaker 1:The law of Moses didn't stop whenever Moses died. It continued until Jesus said it is finished on the cross. And this church age will continue until Jesus himself steps foot back on the Mount of Olives, splits the Mount of Olives and walks into the temple and establishes the millennial reign and establishes the next dispensation and the next covenant with the people of this earth. That's probably a little deeper than many of us are wanting to go right now. So let's continue on in the Word and I just want, before we go any further, I want to give you Jesus's words on this matter as well. So I'm going to share with you the book of the book of Matthew, chapter 24. Matthew, chapter 24, is Jesus.
Speaker 1:Jesus went out and departed from the temple and his disciples came to him for to show him the buildings of the temple, and Jesus said unto them see, not see, not all these things. Verily, I say unto you, there shall not be left here one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down. Now I want us to understand something this part of this scripture was fulfilled. It was fulfilled in 70 AD, when the Romans came through and they destroyed the city of Jerusalem. If you read the writings of Josephus the historian, you'll find that he said that it wasn't even recognizable. They burned every tree on the Mount of Olives, they destroyed every building, they toppled down. Actually, if you go to the Temple Mount now, on the southern steps, on the side of the western side of the temple, the street that went along there where they had the shops in the temple times where Jesus would have overthrown the tables. You can see the indentations on the road where the stones that were on top of the temple were cast down off of the temple. All that was done, 70 AD. All that was done Verse 3,.
Speaker 1:And as he sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately saying Tell us, when shall these things be and what shall the sign of thy coming and the end of the world? Now there's two questions here. Number one he says when will these things be, which is what I just talked about, the 70 AD when they destroyed the temple. And the second question is what is the sign of thy coming and of the end of the world? And Jesus answered and said to them take heed that no man deceive you. The only way you can make sure that you're not deceived is by gaining knowledge and understanding.
Speaker 1:In the scripture Hosea. Word of Hosea, god said my people are destroyed for their lack of knowledge, verse five. For many shall come in my name saying I am Christ and shall deceive many. There have been many that have come and deceived, saying that they are a Messiah, they are Christ. You shall hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you be not troubled, for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. Now, number one, I want us to understand something we have gone through times since 1918, since 1914, since World War I. There has not been a time without wars or rumors of wars on this earth. There has not been a time that there was no wars and no rumors of wars on the earth.
Speaker 1:But Jesus said all these things must come. It must come to pass, but the end is not yet, for nations shall rise against nation, kingdom against kingdom. There should be famines, pestilences, earthquakes in diverse places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. This is not the end. He said that you've got to buckle up. Buckle up, buttercup, because this has to happen. It has to, it must happen.
Speaker 1:Verse 9,. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted. They shall kill you and you shall be hated of all nations. For my name's sake. Now that happened, we can go through every single one of the disciples that have been killed, that were martyred, the ways that they died, that were martyred, the ways that they died, and this shall happen again. Then shall many be offended, shall betray one another, shall hate one another. Many false prophets shall rise and shall deceive many, and because of iniquity, because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. Now we can say this is today, this is definitely today. But he that endureth unto the end, the same shall be saved, and this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations.
Speaker 1:And then shall the end come, when ye, therefore, shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet. Again, that's what I said when the abomination of desolation, which is what Jesus is referring to, what Daniel prophesied about, that the man of sin, the son of perdition, the Antichrist, will rise and he will put himself in the temple, in the holy place, is what Daniel said, or Jesus was saying right here stand in the holy place, so read that. Let him understand when he stands and he proclaims himself to be God. The abomination of desolation. That is when you have to know the end is near, that the rapture is about to occur. Then let him which be in Judea flee into the mountains. Let him which is in the housetop not come down, take anything out of his house. Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. Woe unto them that are with child and to them that give suck in those days. But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day, for then shall be great tribulation as was not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day, for then shall be great tribulation as was not since the beginning of the world to this time. No, nor ever shall be.
Speaker 1:And here's the thing that you have to understand when you coincide what Daniel said with what Jesus is saying and with what John wrote about in the book of Revelation, you have to be able to put the puzzle pieces together and understand. We're going to go through some tribulation, tribulation that was never, never. And here's what Jesus said, except, those days should be shortened. There should be no flesh saved, but for the elect's sake, those days shall be shortened. Then, if any man shall say unto you lo, here is Christ or there, believe it not, for there shall arise false Christs and false prophets and shall show great signs and wonders, in as much, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before, I've already told you this. He said Wherefore, if they shall say unto you behold, he is in the desert. Go not forth. Behold, he is in the secret chambers. Believe it not, for as the lightning cometh out of the east and shineth even unto the west, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be the west. So shall also the coming of the Son of man be For whosoever. The carcass is there, will the eagles be gathered. Now look, this is the words of Jesus himself. This is the words of Jesus himself. This is what he says Immediately after the tribulation of those days.
Speaker 1:Shall the sun be darkened. The moon shall not give her light, the stars shall fall from the heavens, the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. Then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in the heaven, and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn. They shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory, and he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet. They shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Now learn a parable of the fig tree when his branches is yet tender and putteth forth leaves, ye know that the summer is nigh. So, likewise, when ye shall see all these things know, that is near, even at the door. Verily, I say unto you, this generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled.
Speaker 1:Now a lot of people argue that Jesus was talking to the generation of the disciples, and that's the generation that he was saying shall not pass, and that this is where that false doctrine comes in that says that the rapture has already occurred, that it happened with the disciples, that it happened back then. But that is just not true. What Jesus is saying to you is when you see all of these things happen. This is why the parable of the fig tree occurs, right, he said when you see the figs, you know that the summer is nice. This is also how it's going to be with the coming of the Lord. So when you see all these things wars, rumors of war, famines, pestilences, earthquakes, all of these things that I'm talking to you about and he talks about the Antichrist rising up, the abomination of desolation, all of that when you see all this, you're going to know it's almost time and you better be ready, because just as the lightning goes from the east to the west, so shall the coming of man be. It's going to happen. It's going to happen, he said, you will see the sign A trumpet's going to sound, the stars are going to fall from the heavens, the earth is going to quake. All of this is going to happen.
Speaker 1:Now, why does this sound familiar? I'll tell you why. Because if you look in the book of Revelation, there are three sets of judgments that come upon the earth. Number one you have the vials. Number two you are excuse me, the seals are first, then you have the trumpets and then you have the vials. And a lot of people preach that these things happens subsequently, one after the other. Right that you open up the book of Revelation, you read from chapter one and it goes all the way to the end, chapter 22,. And then everything just happens in chronological order. That's just not true and that's why a lot of people are confused about a lot of things. If you read the sixth seal, seventh trumpet and the seventh vial, all of that is the same exact thing, the same exact event, and it's the same event Jesus talked about in Matthew 24. The earth will quake, the heavens will open up like a scroll, the voice of the trumpet, many waters. That's whenever it's going to happen.
Speaker 1:So again, I am not the ultimate authority on this. I do not claim to be and I don't claim that anybody else is wrong. I want you to understand this is what I feel. The Lord has revealed to me through my study there is a rapture that's going to occur. The Lord is coming back for a church that has made herself ready, and I want to just end on this note, number one I believe that the actual rapture of the church will occur after the tribulation.
Speaker 1:Matter of fact, jesus himself said, immediately after the days of the tribulation, immediately after the tribulation, the words of Jesus I'm sorry, I believe those over man. I believe the words that Jesus spoke over the words of man that say that it's been revealed to them that the church is going to be raptured out. It would be great. I pray, I hope that you guys are right. I would gladly be wrong on this If we don't have to go through the tribulation, if the Lord calls us home before that happens. Thank you, jesus. I would gladly go with him before the tribulation.
Speaker 1:I'm not saying that I want to sit around and go through tribulation here on earth. I'm not saying that at all. But I want you to understand something I believe that the Lord has given us a lot on the tribulation for a reason, and that reason is we're going to have to go through it, we're going to have to endure. He wants us to be prepared for it, to know that there's going to come some hard times on the church. There's going to be some persecution on the church. There's going to be some saints that are beheaded, killed for the gospel Not just Old Testament saints, but saints here.
Speaker 1:In the end, everything that Jesus said we're seeing, minus one thing, and that is the abomination of desolation. Israel has the red heifers. Israel has the red heifers. They're ready to do the red heifer ceremony, which is required for them to build the temple. People got upset at me when I said that and said I was putting the horse before the cart because the temple ain't even built. Well, you can't even build the temple without the ashes of the red heifer. That's the point of the ashes of the red heifer to cleanse the ground and to cleanse the priest for the building of the temple. Then the temple will be built, the sacrifices will resume and the Antichrist will be revealed.
Speaker 1:It is the Lord who holds the Antichrist back now. The Spirit of God that starts and ends seasons. It's not for you to know is what Jesus said, what the Father has put into his own hand. God is the one who controls it all. God is the one who lets it happen. It said to him that letteth let it Right. So when God says, okay, it's time, that means it's going to be time, that means that the Antichrist will be revealed. Now here's another thing You've got to remember.
Speaker 1:The Old Testament was written in Greek, or the New Testament was written in Greek, I'm sorry. Old Testament was written in Hebrew. New Testament was written in Greek, a little bit of it in Aramaic. The second Thessalonians was written in Greek. And whenever Paul said that him, that holdeth back right until he be taken out of the way, that word for taken out of the way, the Greek also means when he is finished, when he is done. So, in other words, when God is ready, when God is finished, he's going to move that restraint out of the way and the Antichrist will be revealed to the world. Amen.
Speaker 1:I love you all. I appreciate you all. I appreciate you all. I'm praying for you all. Be ready. Be ready Because, listen, if you die today, the way the tree falleth, it layeth. If you die today, that is your rapture.
Speaker 1:If I die right now, then guess what I'm? Pre-tribulation rapture. I've been raptured before the tribulation. I will go to sleep and I'll be waiting for the Lord. I'll be waiting for the Lord, I'll be one of those that are caught up first to meet him in the air, and I'm fine with that. But if I'm alive to see the tribulation which I really do feel like we're going to be then you better hold on and you better prepare yourself and you better be ready. I love you all. God bless. Hey, I want to say thank you for joining us tonight on the Five Fold Podcast. I pray that you've been blessed and that you have enjoyed what you have heard. Join us every week as we release new content concerning the fivefold ministry and their place in today's church. You don't want to miss this the fivefold podcast. God bless, oh yeah.
