When Christ was on this earth He uttered many promises, some of which were the promise of the Holy Spirit, the promise that He would never leave us, nor forsake us and, that He would be with us always, even until the end of the age. One of the most encouraging promises is found in John 14:1-3, where it says,
“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told y. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself, that where I am, there you may be also."
Christ will not be coming for everyone. There will be those who find themselves unprepared. Consider Revelation 1:7, where is recorded,
“Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him: and all kindreds of the earth will wail because of Him.”
“And Matthew 24:30 states,
“And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all of the tribes of earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory."
In Matthew chapters 24 and 25; John chapters 14 and 15, and Luke 21:27 are numerous references concerning the end of the age in which we live. Warnings, rebukes, and instruction abound in these passages that are meant to prepare God’s people to stand in the great day of our Lord. Matthew 24:27 is a very revealing with regard to the coming of he Son of Man, a name that Jesus so often applied to Himself, for it states,
“...as lightning comes out of the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.”
There are those who believe that Christ's second coming will be secret. In the light of the preceding texts, the “Secret Rapture” theory would seem to be dispelled. Lightning is not secret, especially if it comes from the east and flashes all the way to the west. We find in these two texts, when combined, that He will come with the clouds, as lightning, and every eye shall see Him. In addition, those who believe in the secret rapture, often use one particular text in support of their theory.
1Thessalonians 5:2, 3 , much like 2Peter 3:10 states;
“...For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.”
It should be noticed here that it is “the day of the Lord” that comes as a thief in the night, it is not the Lord who comes as a thief. This is one example of many that leads to confusion and, in the end, delusion “that they should believe a lie.“ (2Thessalonians 2:11)
In Matthew 24:36-39; we are told;
“...of that day and hour no one knows, no not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as it the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be”
2 Timothy 3:1 & 13;
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