Monday 030325
Ephesians 2:8 ‘…For by GRACE you have been SAVED through FAITH; and this is not of yourselves, it is a GIFT of God…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)
Let’s together, open the Word of God this morning, and study what we have been given. Allow me to help you in your study and search the Bible what God has intended for us to hear.
The verses we are going to study tonight:
Zechariah 14:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Acts 17:29; Luke 4:18-19; Isaiah 61:2.
Zechariah 14:4
‘…And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south…’ AKJV (Authorized King James Version)
‘…On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west forming a very large valley. Half of the mountain will move toward the north, and the other half toward the south…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)
‘…At that time, he will stand on the Mount of Olives, to the east of Jerusalem. Then the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west by a large valley. Half of the mountain will move northward, and half of it southward…’ GNT (Good News Translation)
‘…On that day, the Lord’s feet will stand on the Mount of Olives. This mountain is east of Jerusalem. It will break in two from east to west and it will make a wide valley. Half of the mountain will move north, and half of the mountain will move south…’ EASY (Easy English Bible)
This is ‘PROPHESY’ of the 2nd Coming of Jesus Christ. This is after the seven (7) year Tribulation.
The book of Zechariah was written around 520 B.C.
When will Jesus’ return happens when He comes to this earth and stand on the Mount of Olives as we’re told in vs4 … it is right now the year twenty twenty-five (2025), plus seven (7) years for the Tribulation, plus five hundred-twenty (520) years when Zechariah was written, that is prophecy that was written, twenty five fifty-two (2552) years before it happened.
If God was to determine, right now Jesus’ church will be removed, that number would be correct, but that hasn’t happened yet.
You still have time to change your ways.
You still have time to get onto the right path that God wants for us to take.
We are given a glimpse in the Bible of what is going to take place in the ‘Rapture’ of Jesus’ church.
The only thing we know for sure, it is going to take place ‘BEFORE’ the Tribulation begins to take place.
At this time, I am only going to use two (2) verses in particular, of the Rapture.
1 Thessalonians 4
AKJV
vs16 ‘…For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first…’
vs17 ‘…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…’ AKJV (Authorized King James Version)
NASB
vs16 ‘…For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first…’
vs17 ‘…Then we who are alive, who remain, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)
GNT
vs16 ‘…There will be the shout of command, the archangel’s voice, the sound of God’s trumpet, and the Lord himself will come down from heaven. Those who have died believing in Christ will rise to life first…’
vs17 ‘…then we who are living at that time will be gathered up along with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so, we will always be with the Lord…’ GNT (Good News Translation)
EASY
vs16 ‘…On that day, the Lord himself will come down from heaven. He will shout with authority. People will hear the voice of the leader of God’s angels. They will hear the sound of God’s trumpet. Then those people who have died as Christians will become alive again. They will be the first people to rise up…’
vs17 ‘…After that, those of us who are still alive will join together with them. God will suddenly take us up into the clouds. In that way, we will all meet the Lord in the sky. So, we will all be with the Lord forever…’ EASY (Easy English Bible)
At NO point are we told in these two (2) verses that Jesus is stepping foot onto the earth.
At NO point, in these two (2) verses, are we told it is for only those people that are on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem.
This is an error in our teachings that we have been told for generations, for many, many centuries.
The new age Jewish believer nor the Jew that remained an Orthodox Jew ever realized this fact that we were told.
Our Christian churches, since the first century never taught of this event, known as the Rapture.
Yes, I know the word Rapture is not in the Bible. But the word Trinity isn’t in the Bible either and the Bible is full of the word Godhead, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Acts 17:29
‘…Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device…’ AKJV (Authorized King James Version)
So, if you want, let’s not use the word Rapture, let’s use the words taken from the Bible … ‘Caught Up.’
In Greek, the word used is ‘harpazo.’ From the Latin Vulgate, the word harpazo has been translated to the word RAPTURO. And the English language, the word Rapturo is translated to the word Rapture.
Have you ever asked yourself why we were not taught of the Rapture of Jesus’ church?
Have you ever asked why we were never taught about when Jesus read from the scroll of Isaiah?
Luke 4
vs18 ‘…The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised…’
vs19 ‘…to preach the acceptable year of the Lord…’ AKJV (Authorized King James Version)
NASB
vs18 ‘…The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He anointed Me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set free those who are oppressed…’
vs19 ‘…To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)
GNT
vs18 ‘…The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has chosen me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed…’
vs19 ‘…and announce that the time has come when the Lord will save his people…’ GNT (Good News Translation)
EASY
vs18 ‘…The Spirit of the Lord God is on me. He has chosen me to tell good news to poor people. He has sent me to tell people who are in prison, you can go free! I must say to people that cannot see, see again. I must cause people that are like slaves to become free…’
vs19 ‘…I must tell everyone, “This is the year when God will be kind to his people…’ EASY (Easy English Bible)
This reading was taken from the book of Isaiah 61.
I am only going to print the verse Jesus cut in half and didn’t read the 2nd part of the verse.
Isaiah 61:2
‘…to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn…’ AKJV (Authorized King James Version)
‘…To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)
‘…He has sent me to proclaim that the time has come when the Lord will save his people and defeat their enemies. He has sent me to comfort all who mourn…’ GNT (Good News Translation)
‘…He has sent me to say, this is the year when the Lord will be kind to his people. It is the time when our God will punish our enemies. He has sent me to comfort people who are weeping because they are sad…’ EASY (Easy English Bible)
The above verses in bold letters, Jesus skipped reading about.
WHY you probably will ask.
The reason is because Jesus (GOD) knew the ‘church age’ was coming after His Death, Burial and Resurrection.
Jesus didn’t come to this earth to get the ‘church’ ready for the end.
Jesus came to this earth to fulfill OT prophesies about Him, the Messiah, the King for the Jewish nation.
We, you and me. We are only going to learn of our future when we read from the writings of Paul.
We can question all day as to why Jesus didn’t tell us that … why God hasn’t let us know …
… and actually, He HAS answered both of those questions.
All you have to do is read His Word. Read the Word He has chosen for you. And have FAITH and BELIEVE IN HIM.
Keep your Bibles open and continue to study the words He has given us.
If you still don’t understand.
Pray to Jesus and ask Him for His help.
This is where we MUST rely on Him.
This is where we MUST put our FAITH and TRUST in Him and not in the man-made churches that fill our land.
These churches are never going to save us.
These churches actually, are never even going to save themselves.
OPEN YOUR BIBLES AND READ THE WORDS GOD HAS GIVEN TO YOU.
I love ALL of y’all.
Jesus, I pray that those ears and eyes, either listening or seeing this message today would be opened to the very fullest and allow Your love to come inside their lives and comfort them. Teach us Jesus. Protect us. We love You. Amen
InHIM. ><)))o>