(Jesus) Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times?
– Matthew 16:3-4 (NASB95)
…as was His custom, He (Jesus) entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read. And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written, “THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED, TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD.” And He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” – Luke 4:16-22 (NASB95)
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, Because the Lord has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners; To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord And the day of vengeance of our God; – Isaiah 61:1-2 (NASB95)
1. The Rapture: Jesus comes His Church (all Believers on the Earth) (Revelation 4:1-2)
Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. – John 14:1-3 (NASB95)
Your dead will live; Their corpses will rise. You who lie in the dust, awake and shout for joy, For your dew is as the dew of the dawn, And the earth will give birth to the departed spirits. Come, my people, enter into your rooms And close your doors behind you; Hide for a little while Until indignation (wrath NIV) runs its course. For behold, the LORD is about to come out from His place To punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; – Isaiah 26:19-21 (NASB95)
2. The 7-Year (Revelation 6-18)
…for then shall be great tribulation, such as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever shall be. Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved… – Matthew 24:21-22 (NASU)
… no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark… – Revelation 13:17 (NASB)
3. The 2nd Coming: Jesus comes back His Church to (Revelation 19:11-16)
…the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints. – 1 Thessalonians 3:13 (NASB)
But realize this, that in the last days difficult (chalepos: violent GWT, terrible NIV, perilous NKJV, KJV) times will come. – 2 Timothy 3:1-5 (NASB)
Will happen and be
(PAUL) Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. – 1 Corinthians 15:52 (NASB)
“I tell you, on that night there will be two in one bed (); one will be taken and the other will be left. “There will be two women grinding at the same place (); one will be taken and the other will be left.” Two men will be in the field (); one will be taken and the other will be left.” – Luke 17:34-36 (NASB)
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up (harpazo-Greek rapiemur-Latin) together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. – 1 Thessalonians 4:17 (NASU)
(v.18)
The teaching of the Rapture is given to be a
Comfort, Encourage: Parakaleo – to console, to encourage and strengthen by consolation, to comfort (Thayer’s)