The
Rapture
5/21/11
We
here at the Old Paths Restoration Ministry do not teach "the
rapture." It is a term you will not find in Scripture, unless a
new modern version has arrived that is being used to pervert the Truth and add
to the deception. We do believe in the 2nd coming of Messiah, but we
believe that the scriptures teach this event to take place after the Great
Tribulation. Those that teach the rapture argue that this event will
take place before the tribulation, and thus this view is called
pre-trib. The majority of professing Christians hold to this
view.
Those
with this view usually go to 1st Thessalonians 4:13-18 for their
proof. But if you go there you will not find anything within those
verses that give us the timing of the Master's return. All we see is
a description of the event wherein Messiah will return, raise the dead
believers back to life and those who remain will be changed as well (be given
their new, immortal bodies) and both groups will meet Messiah in the
clouds.
You
will see that there will be a shout, a voice of the archangel, and there will
be the sounding of a trumpet and then we meet Yahshua in the
clouds. Each of these items we shall discuss in this newsletter or
you will read them from the other scriptures that you will be asked to turn to.
In
the book of 1st Corinthians chapter 15 we have what has become known as the
resurrection chapter. You will see that in verse 51 that the apostle
Saul wants to describe to us what he calls a Mystery. Remember
that underlined word as well as we will discuss it in this
newsletter. But verses 50-54 are discussing the same event as was
1st Thess. 4:13-18, the coming of the Messiah and the
resurrection and of our gathering unto Him. Notice in verse 52 that
Saul gives us the timing of the coming wherein He did not in
the Thessalonian letter. He said that this event would
come at the last trumpet. Now if there is a last trumpet, there must
be previous trumpets that had already sounded off.
In
the book of Matthew chapter 24 we have the Messiah giving us an account of the
events that would come about, climaxing with His return. In verse 21
we read: "For THEN shall be great tribulation, such as was
not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall
be." Now previous to this verse we have this long rendition of
events that would precede Messiah's return, so at the time that all of these
things are happening, Messiah says that THEN will be great
tribulation. Not just any tribulation, but the great tribulation and
so great that there has never been one so great before nor
after. Now if you will notice that up until verse 21 we do not yet
have a verse showing the return of Yahshua Messiah, but verse 21 shows us the
great tribulation! Verse 22 shows us that at the time of the great
tribulation, the Elect (Yahweh's chosen people/true believers) will still be on
earth. In fact according to that verse, if it were not for true
believers, all human life would be destroyed due to the tremendous events that
will be occurring during that time. Verses 23-26 we have Messiah
warning that false teachers would come on the scene claiming that He has
already returned or in our instance some are teaching that Messiah's return is
imminent. (Can happen at any time)
We
have just experienced a false teacher claiming that Messiah is going to return
at 6:00 PM on May 21st, 2011. Such are what the true
Messiah was speaking of, that would deceive people into believing false
doctrine. The rapture is a false doctrine not base upon the
scriptures. Friends, Messiah is not coming at any
time. He is coming on time and there are a number of prophecies that
must be fulfilled before He returns. Although many prophecies are
being fulfilled, many more are yet needed to be added to the story before
Yahshua will return.
In
Matthew 24 verse 29 we read: "Immediately AFTER the tribulation
of those days..........." So we are now getting ready to read
what is going to take place after the tribulation. Verse
30 "And THEN shall appear the sign of the Son of Man (Yahshua)
in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and
they shall see the Son of Man coming in the CLOUDS of heaven with power and
great glory..........." So AFTER the tribulation, THEN
something is going to happen, not before. After the tribulation,
then shall Yahshua come from heaven in the CLOUDS (Remember in 1st Thess.
4 we saw the clouds as well) Verse 31 "And
He shall send his angels with a great sound of a TRUMPET, and they shall gather
together His Elect.............." Now we see the TRUMPET being
sounded. We are seeing the same event as was seen in
our Thessalonian and Corinthian texts. These are all
describing the same event, the coming of the Master and the gathering together
of His people unto Him. Yahshua says that this event will take place
AFTER the tribulation, not before. I believe that I will trust
Yahshua and His words over the false doctrines of the secret rapture and those
false teachers who are deceiving many.
If
you will remember that in 1st Corinthians chapter 15 we saw that Saul was going
to show us a MYSTERY in conjunction with what he called the last and final
trumpet. In the book of Revelation, beginning in chapter 8 you will
find the trumpet judgments that will one day come upon this world
and its inhabitants. These trumpets have not yet begun to
sound. There are some very horrendous events that will take place at
the sounding of these trumpets. Read them on your own and you will
see what we are speaking of. During the time of the 6th
trumpet, we have a small insert about the 7th trumpet that had at that time yet
to sound off. In Revelation chapter 10:7 we
read: "But in the days
of the VOICE of the 7th angel, when he shall begin to sound, the MYSTERY of
Yahweh should be finished, as He hath declared to His servants the
prophets." This must be the same MYSTERY that the apostle Saul
spoke of in 1st Cor. 15. Saul said that this MYSTERY would take
place at the LAST TRUMPET. Here in Revelation chapter 10 we see that
at the 7th Trumpet (the last trumpet to sound off) that the MYSTERY
would be finished. That MYSTERY according to the apostle Saul was
the coming of the Messiah and the change from mortal to immortality of His true
believers.
Beware
of false teachers who teach the false doctrine of a
rapture before the time of great tribulation. We all
would hope that such teachings could be true, that we would not have to endure
those prophesied horrific times, but friends the scriptures just do not teach
this. The satan
may actually create a false rapture before the tribulation, with a false
Messiah (Jesus Christ) arriving on the scene. There is great
deception coming. There will come lying signs and wonders that will
come very close at actually deceiving the true Saints! Matthew 24:24
But
as for this most recent false prophecy of a rapture, remember Messiah's own
words in Matthew 24:36 "But of
that day and hour knows no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father
only." We have lived through a number of these false prophecies
over the years and believe us there will come more as we grow closer to the end
of the age. Take heed for many will be deceived!
By
the way, we here at the Old Paths, would also warn those who are mocking the
true Elohim's ways. Galatians 6:7 One
must repent for mocking Yah's ways for you will reap
what you have sown. Obviously the rapture is a false doctrine used
by the satan in his
deceptive plan, but Yahshua is going to return one day that much is for
sure. Although we don't agree with the rapture and this most recent
false prophet, we will not stand by without speaking out against those who are
making a mockery of Yahweh's true prophecies just because a lunatic got the
prophecies wrong this time! I have heard and read numerous reports
from everyday people to TV reporters who are mocking, sneering, laughing and
making light of this last false prophecy. I can guarantee that the
great Elohim, the great Yahweh and Creator of the universe is quite wrathful over such mocking. I believe
that He is more angered over the mockery than He was over the false
prophecy. I know that eventually this mockery will eventually die
out, but after everyone of these false prophecies
have come and gone over the years, we have found that there are many people who
may have at that time been on the edge of making a decision to repent and begin
keeping the everlasting covenant of Yahweh to the best of their child like
knowledge. But due to the fact that the rapture did not take place
and then all of the mockery going on by their peers and those in the news
media, they feel pressure to remain aloof from the truth of Yah's
true ways. Such false prophecies, coupled with all of the sneering
and mockery, does Yahweh's true ways a great disservice. Since so
many are void of understanding, in their minds they lump even the
true ministries in with the false not knowing who to trust. That is
why, no matter what you hear, you must prove it to yourself with much study and
prayer. 1st Thessalonians 5:21
The
Old Paths Restoration Ministry
PO
Box 247
Marengo,
IN 47140