Read various articles on the End Times

I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,but only the Father. Mathew 24:34-36

When will Christ return? According to the Bible, no one knows but our Father in heaven. But that doesn't stop arrogant, self-proclaimed prophets from foolishly making their predictions. I for one, refuse to take seriously, any preacher who predicts a date for the return of Christ. In fact, if he had or has any credibility with me at all, it will be completely lost, and I will not listen to or believe another word that comes out of his mouth. I will distance myself from such a preacher, and will not hesitate to call him a false prophet.

There is a difference of opinion in my house about whether or not Christians will be spared the tribulation or not. Will Christians be raptured before the tribulation, midway through the tribulation, or after the tribulation? Truthfully, I have no idea. There are good arguments all the way around, and as far as I'm concerned, it doesn't matter to me. I tend to lean towards mid tribulation. I think Christians will be tested during that period. But I don't know enough to argue intelligently about it. I'll present the different points of view here and you can decide for yourself what you believe about it.

There are some things that should be said about the end times.

• I believe we are living in the end times (Heb 1:1-2)
• I hope that Jesus returns in my lifetime (PS 33:20).
• I have no way of knowing if He will return in my lifetime Mt 24:34-36.
• I have no fear of those who might wish to do harm to my body (Mt 10:28).
• I have no worry about where I might find food, water, shelter, or anything else that might be necessary to sustain my life or that of my family. I have peace knowing that all I need, when I need it, God provides, now and always (Mt 6:25).
• End Times arguments are a distraction from living according to the plan and purpose that God has for me (2 TI 2:23-24).
• I should live as though Christ will return today - He should find me doing the work that He has prepared for me (Eph 2:10 , MK 13:30-36 ).
• I have faith that God will raise me up on the last day, whether it is pre-trib, mid-trib, or post-trib (John 6:39).
• I pray that I will be able to stand to the end if I am tested should I have to endure any amount of time during the tribulation period (LK 21:36).
• I must always be ready for Christ's return (MT 24:36-51).

"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, `My master is staying away a long time,' and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. MT 24:36-51

Rather than spend a lot of time in "survival mode", Christians should be doing the work that God has assigned them. It is important to understand the signs of the times, and we should be ready when Jesus comes, but our lives cannot be filled with fear and trepidation, on hold, worrying about what will precede His coming. God expects us to continue His work until He returns.

Related Links

Rapture Forums - The Rapture and End Times News Resource

The End of the World - Over 200 Predictions

44 failed & 1 ambiguous end-of-the-world predictions between 30 and 1920

15 failed predictions of the end of the world during 2006

Predictions of the End of the World - Encyclopedia.com

The following articles discuss some of the different Rapture theories and are located outside of this website. I have no idea which one is correct if any because I would really rather study something else. I do not endorse any of the points of view, the authors of the following articles, or the websites that they are linked to. These articles are here only to provide some information on the subject.

NOTE: There is nothing wrong with discussions and even debates, but these theories should never be used to divide Christians.

The Rapture of the Church - Prophecy Forum

Pretribulation Rapture - By Todd Strandberg

Is the Pretribulation Rapture Biblical? - By Brian M. Schwertley

The Mid-Tribulational View - By Jack Kinsella

The Mid Tribulation Rapture - Watchman Bible Study

The Mid Tribulation Rapture - Prophecy Forum

Pre-Wrath Rapture - Watchman Bible Study

Fatal Flaws in the Modern Pre-Wrath Rapture Position - by Cooper Abrams

The Church and the Post-Tribulation Rapture - by R. Totten

Pre or Post Tribulation Rapture? - By Dan Dunkin

 

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