The New testament age begins with the martyrdom of John the Baptist. The death of John the Baptist took place when Jesus the Messiah walked in flesh on Earth.
Since the Messiah demands that his followers shall be willing to give the ultimate sacrifice, no one should be surprised that the Lord did not rapture John The Baptist out of his troubles. His martyrdom stands as an example for all of us. The beheading of true witnesses have continued, and surface even in the Book of Revelation 20:4.
The martyrdom of Stephen is the second New Testament example. Standing before the religious rulers and speaking Messianic truth, Stephen was ready for the ultimate sacrifice for His Lord. No rapture.
Jesus the Messiah is blunt, when he says that all who want to save their life, will not only loose it. They will loose everything. But those who are ready to gift their life to Him, shall gain life. Paul said that it is no longer He who lives, but Christ who lives in him. Paul says death is gain. No fear of death, because death is defeated. We are all supposed to be dead to this world. The friends of this world are the enemies of God. Nothing has changed.
Paul and all the apostles were ready for the ultimate sacrifice. They all faced martyrdom, less John, who might have died a natural death.
The problem with the pre-tribe doctrine, is that the need for the ultimate sacrifice is abolished. Not only does this doctrine lack spiritual logic. It is also based on faulty teaching.
To rapture Stephen, might have left no willing witness to stand before the religious tribunal. Stephen was chosen, and he did the needful.
What should be the reason for the rapture of the most bold and truth speaking witnesses?
Neither was Jesus doing so is the past. Nor is he doing this in the present age, and why do so in the future?
We are surely not destined for Hell, and God’s eternal wrath. But we are called to witness in the midst of chaos, confusion and apocalyptic disasters. Why not?
There is no valid and logical reason for a need to rapture today’s witnesses, than that people fear death, and take pleasure in their life in the flesh. If they are willing to give the ultimate sacrifice, they will gladly enter the Great Tribulation. It will be a time for witnessing to the lost souls. Never will it be more easy to read directly from the Book of Revelation, Matthew 24 and Luke 21, and explain to people what they see and experience.
Obviously false prophets do not agree with this. That Is why they desire to bring us to silence, and ban us from preaching in Churches and Fellowships. Many have succumbed to false prophets, who have departed from the truth, and taken the road down the path of compromises.
The book of Revelation (20:4) clearly states that it is those who have been beheaded, warning others and speaking the truth, that will rule with Christ for 1000 years. Not those, who were not willing to give the ultimate sacrifice, but rather accepted the mark of the beast, and joined the persecutors of the true followers of the Messiah.
In Luke 21:25-27, you can read that even the heavenly bodies will be shaken before we shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven.
In 2 Tess 2 you can read that the last man of Lawlessness is present, when Jesus returns to kill him.
There is no words in the Bible explaining about three comings of Jesus. There will only be two.
so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
If the last man of lawlessness is revealed after the second coming of Jesus, the whole Bible is a falsification. This will not happen. The Word of God exposes the teachers of the pre-trib doctrine as false prophets and false teachers. If you believe the Word of God, you will not accept their teaching.
You will have to make a choice.
First published Janaury 19th, 2014
Written by Ivar
ivarfjeld.com 