Category Archives: Rapture

End-times Briefing 25: disposing of ‘Rapture ritual’ – Andrew Whalen

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First, a reminder of my perspective on End-times as blogged on 23rd February 2023:

“Occupy (ie. do My business) until I come” – Luke 19

Then four weeks later:

OCCUPY NOW! DOUBLY RE-ITERATED BY THE LORD!!

One of my Canadian friends emailed me yesterday about a prophetic insight of which I was aware on Andrew Whalen’s Facebook, viz: (LOL here’s my ’22’ again!)

“I don’t want to overshare everything that I ‘hear’ or get from the Lord.. and so I don’t want to fatigue people with that.. or make it seem like I know it all — I certainly do not!!

But the following is something that came strongly today, and although controversial in the church world, I believe the Lord is looking to address this more than ever now! (Especially in light of the rapture predictions that just keep popping up over and over and steal our energy, focus, and mission— roll the eyes)

I’m going to share what I ‘received’ and some of my thoughts.. weigh it for sure, and its ok if not all agree,— but at least we can start having some conversations.

Today I was driving and I heard:

“The ‘end times’ is a phrase that was hijacked by the enemy, who through nefarious channels of infiltration, charged and infused the phrase with lies, gnostic fallacy, distorted paradigms, injected meanings and understandings that intentionally frames our reality towards an agenda directed by darkness. — Now whenever the church uses the phrase ‘end times’ they enter into the power of that ritual.

Its ultimate effect is the negation of the original charter of the Ekklesia, To posses the gates of our enemies.”

My additional thoughts are as follows:

There needs to be a recovery of what the full counsel of God is through scripture on the actual meaning of End -Times’ / the Last days, but to do so means we also have to understand there was indeed intentional occult programming around it- and we must dissect the Holy from the profane!

I believe the consequences of entering the ‘end times ritual’, keeps us focused on escape instead of expansion. We surrender our inheritance of the earth to the devil. We give our keys away that were given to re-establish edenic ‘authority’.

When we enter the ‘end times ritual’, we abdicate our responsibility to overcome evil with good. It minimizes the Abrahamic covenant to an etherial world only realized after we leave the Earth. It disengages the Lord’s call to make disciples of nations.

It makes futile the call to be salt and light for the purpose of societal transformation. It allows evil to increase because that is the frame of expectation. Escape to heaven becomes our constant obsession, instead of the explicit aim of the Lord’s prayer to advance heaven on Earth. Etc. Etc.

Controversial? Certainly! – But some worthwhile food for thought.”

Canadian Paul Morris writes about Andrew’s preceding points:
“I am quite familiar with Andrew Whalen and his ministry. He shared this word recently and stated it should be taken to the HS and weighed – which is what Paul was told to write to the Thessalonians “prove all things hold fast to that which is good”.

It’s been almost 10 yr since HS started revamping my “theology” that had been ingrained from years of being taught in churches of various evangelical denominations. I have listened as to this topic, to some ministers who’ve also had their view on this changed, such as Rebz Marcelo, Johnny Enlow, Diana Larkin, and others.

HS has been asking them to do what He had me do in teaching others, and sharing with others, which is to challenge errant theologies, in order to wake the believers to the commission they’re called to – which is to arise and do the works Jesus did while incarnate, through the power of the HS – as the verse says “for this the Son of God was manifested, to destroy the works of the devil”. He said before ascending that all authority in heaven and earth was given Him, then He bequeathed it to us His believers, telling us to go into all the world , preach the gospel, cleanse the lepers, heal the sick, raise the dead and cast out demons, freely we’ve received freely give.

We’re told that the same Spirit that empowered His earthly ministry, and raised Him from the dead dwells in us to empower us to do what He commanded. For 200 years since Darby then Scofield promoted the theory of “rapture” as He told Andrew in this word, the enemy has largely side-lined and negated the ekklesia from the mission they’re called to do.”

The Book of Revelation and the ‘Endgame’ parable – Rick Joyner

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Since the Lord stunned me by dropping “This is ALL about to be fulfilled!” into my mind and spirit sixteen years ago upon opening my Bible to check what Jesus said about the parable of wheat and tares in Matthew 13 – as recounted in my first email on eschatology The Endgame is Now in Play – it’s been rare to read or hear anyone who  plugs that parable into End-times teaching, unless maybe within group discussion.  

Could that be because it may contradict claims about the ‘Rapture’ or ‘snatching up’ of believers upon Jesus’ Second Advent, as outlined in Paul’s first letter to the early church in Thessalonica? (1Thess 4 13-18)

However, Rick Joyner, founder/director of Morning Star Ministries, refers to it specifically in his latest message on his examining the Book of Revelation.

First, a reminder of Jesus’ explanation to His disciples about the purpose of parables after they’d asked, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” (Matthew 13 NKJV) He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the [a]mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.”

Then, when the gathered multitudes had left, His disciples needed to know what the parable of wheat and tares means and Jesus specifically relates it to the far distant future, the end of the Age (emphases mine):

“He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.38 The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one.39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the Age, and the reapers are the angels.40 Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this Age.41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness,42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

Rick Joyner in his Word for the Week: The Book of Revelation, Part 9 not only refers to that parable but also likening it to today’s returning to the depraved Days of Noah, The Tower of Babel and ‘Mystery Babylon’. His brief study begins:

‘We have been talking about the Lord restoring mankind and the earth. In Revelation, mankind falls to its deepest depravity before the Lord comes to rule and restore. He said it would be like “the days of Noah,” which saw the worst corruption and evil the world would experience until the end of this age. In His parable about the wheat and the tares, Jesus said, “the end of the age is the harvest” (see Matthew 13:39).

In this parable, Jesus was speaking of how the wheat and tares would grow up together. The harvest is when all the seeds that have been sown will come to full maturity, so both the good and evil sown into man will come to full maturity at the end of this age. Then, we will experience evil in its fullness—the full maturity of the sin of man personified in “the man of sin”—and the full maturity of the nature of Christ will be manifested in His people. This is predicted in Isaiah 60:1-3: “Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold, darkness will cover the earth and deep darkness the peoples; but the Lord will rise upon you and His glory will appear upon you. And nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.” …’  (continue reading here)

As with Johnny Enlow’s Embracing the Golden Age, It is most encouraging to read a learned leader’s analysis that’s independent of overarching doctrinal direction.

Modern Israel and Paul’s letter to the Romans – Neil Mackereth

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The previous post with Neil’s covering email refers:

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ISRAEL – SOME COMMENTS ON ROMANS

After 2000 years of study, it may seem unlikely that there will be any truly new insights in our examination of Biblical prophecy. It is possible, however, that some truths will only be revealed at the appropriate time “But you, Daniel, close up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end” (Dan 12:4).

There was much that the disciples did not understand until Jesus was crucified, rose again and ascended into Heaven. In similar vein, much of Isaiah is clear to us now, after the cross, but must have been mysterious for the 800 years before Jesus was born

The OT is full of promises and prophecies that show that God has a special relationship with Israel and that they would be “the power in the land”. However, certainly in worldly terms, Gentiles appeared to take over the position of favour on the earth. Prophecy indicates that, in due course, God’s relationship with His chosen people will be restored. “Blindness in part is happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved, as it is written” (Rom 11:25, 26 (KJV)).

“The fullness of the Gentiles” should not be confused with “the times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24): one refers to spiritual blessing, the other to earthly power. It may be that Jerusalem will not be free of Gentile involvement in its affairs until Jesus returns to take David’s throne. The very expression “until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in” shows something will change, and implies a difference between Gentile believers and Israel. Is there a counter in Heaven – the numbers mounting while Satan watches, without knowing the target figure?

In Romans 11, Paul (the “Apostle to the Gentiles”) reasons that branches of the Abrahamic “tree” have been broken off and Gentile branches (believers) grafted in. The tree, whose roots Gentile Christians share, is essentially Abrahamic. Note that Paul never considered himself as having ceased to be a Jew, nor as having moved into a new religion, nor did he ever disparage his Jewish pedigree. Jesus as Messiah was for Paul the full expression of Judaism. Later (Rom 11:13-14) Paul added that, despite his calling as the apostle to the Gentiles, the ultimate motivation of his ministry was the salvation of his fellow Jews (Rom 10:1)

The Biblical predictions (prophecies) of a restored Israel are amazing, and the re-establishment of the Jewish nation in Israel, fulfilled in 1948, is even more so. The survival of national identity in dispersion, which the Jews maintained for nearly nineteen hundred years, prior to the rebirth of Israel, was a phenomenon in itself

Continuing in Romans 11 we see that this hardening will stay “until the full number of the Gentiles has come in;” and Paul adds, “And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: The Deliverer will come from Zion; He will turn godlessness away from Jacob, and this is My covenant with them.” (Rom 11:25-27). Does this mean that Israel will be brought within the blessings of the Gospel of Grace (the New Covenant), or that the Jews will be blessed on a different principle (the Abrahamic Covenant), or a bit of both? I really don’t know. Certainly, there is a remnant saved by grace: “at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace” (Rom 11:5, see also Rev 12:17)

As mentioned above, the OT clearly shows that the Jews enjoyed a special relationship (blessing). Jesus confirmed the patriarchal promise: “Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs so that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy.” (Rom 15:8, 9). We can understand that the Cross broke down the barrier and levelled all distinctions. As to righteousness “there is no difference, for all have sinned;” (Rom 3:22, 23), as to mercy “there is no difference between Jew and Gentile – the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on Him.” (Rom 10:12). However, the promises to Israel are very specific. If there is “no difference”, can God give blessing on a principle, which seems to imply that there is a difference? In other words, the expectation of certain promises to Israel would appear to be inconsistent with the concept of “no difference”!

Romans 11 indicates that Gentile believers and Israel now enjoy the same privileges. Nevertheless, it is part of the same revelation that although grace comes to the Gentile just where he is, it does not confirm him as a Gentile, but gives him a new nationality as a citizen of the Kingdom of God; for in the Church “there is neither Jew nor Gentile.” (Gal 3:28. Contrast with John 4:22, “Salvation is from the Jews”). The promises to Israel, on the other hand, imply that blessing will reach the Jew as a Jew, i.e., recognizing his national position and endorsing his special relationship under the patriarchal covenant. Jesus will return to Jerusalem and take His throne as King of the Jews

The New Testament opens with the record of the genealogy, birth and ministry of Jesus as “the Son of David, the son of Abraham;” (Matt 1:1). Jesus was “a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth” (Romans 15:8). The angel told Mary that the son she was to bear would be King on “the throne of his father David and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever” (Luke 1:32,33). The question the Magi asked: “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?” (Matt 2.2) appeared to be a confirmation of Jewish expectation

In both Daniel and Matthew, Jerusalem is the focus for End-Time events and that confirms the necessity and huge significance of the re-establishment of Israel and the re-unification of Jerusalem. The history of the Jews is a record of miraculous events: their escape from Egypt, their ordeals and God’s provision on the journey to the Promised Land were miraculous. Their successes and failures, conquests and captivities, their whole history is interwoven with miracles. The seventy years from Jesus’ birth to the dispersion of the Jews were full of remarkable events and prophetic fulfillment. From that time until 1948, however, there seems to have been a lull, as far as Biblical prophecy is concerned. We can now see the miracle of Jewish survival in dispersion. This is a new era: the very existence of modern Israel is the miraculous and essential ingredient for the next stage of prophetic fulfillment

In summary: “God has not cast away His people Israel” (Rom 11:1,2 KJV). In the Acts of the Apostles, Jerusalem was the centre for God’s people on earth, Gentiles were then admitted, “grafted in”. Initially, the Church was essentially Jewish. The Apostles taught in the temple (Acts 2:46; 3:1, 5:42). Their testimony was in line with the old prophecies (Acts. 3:19-26.), and even when the Christians were scattered by persecution, the Apostles remained in Jerusalem.

Those Christians who left Jerusalem evangelised only among the Jews (Acts. 8:1, 4, and 11:19). Peter had to be persuaded to go among the Gentiles (Acts. 10), and that was not popular within the Church (Acts. 11:2-18). Over the centuries the number of Gentile believers grew and the Jewish membership fell away. In Israel today there is a remnant “who obey God’s commandments, and hold to the testimony of Jesus” (Rev 12:17); Jews, and yet Christians; Jews who believe in Jesus, the One whom secular and non-messianic Jews will continue to reject, until He appears.

It is my personal view that there are two courses to the fulfilment of End-Times prophecy:
  1. The church (which includes messianic Jews) will be raptured, and…
  2. The remnant of Israel will then come to recognize who Jesus is, a conviction of sin, repentance and be saved.

Neil Mackereth, 15th November 2023

The Lion and the Eagles – Chris G Bennett

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PREAMBLE

The above Facebook screenshot isn’t shown because it’s yet another ‘coincidental’ appearance of my birthday number, but to introduce a ‘BOBOB’ – Background of Bit of Bother. On Tuesday morning prolific prophet Chris Bennett found he was blocked out of Facebook and unable to post anything. Linda sought help from a couple of friends who, like her, could publish his new items on their timeline. Therefore, Chris began moving over to Telegram under the moniker of ‘Ancient Disciple’ and wrote the above update which she posted, and over which I chuckled in view of 22!!

Soon to follow, Chris brought another word relating to this blog’s strap-line, ‘Looking for signs of Jesus’ return’:

THE LION AND THE EAGLES – Chris G Bennett

I’m seeing a Lion sitting next to an Eagle

A large ‘crowd’ of Eagles sit behind them and one of the crowd separated and joined the Lion.

The Lion was looking this way and that, giving the appearance of scanning what laid before him.

However, I knew this, I don’t know, yet I knew that I knew that this was Jesus with the ‘two witnesses’ of Revelation 11!

The company of prophets was gathered behind them, watching and waiting expectantly.

I sat and watched this quiet scene unfold gently before my eyes. Jesus would look, perhaps intently, I couldn’t quite discern that, but as He looked, so the two witnesses turned to look in the same direction apparently seeing the same things.

Then a further revelation came by The Spirit. They were strategising — Jesus explaining, their roles in Revelation 11, and then the woes that followed.

In my mind, I thought, “Really? Surely that’s a way off still?”

Then The LORD spoke to me, firmly, “How long is not your concern, although it’s not as far off as most people think!

How many times have I told you to tell My People that I AM coming SOON?

Don’t stop! — keep telling them! Keep warning them!

Even so, some will still ignore the Warning and be left behind!”

Jesus is coming soon, sooner than you think!

~ Chris G. Bennett

Footnote – eagles and RB:

Eagle-eyed by John Mark Long: courtesy http://www.propheticartists.com

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Very first Word upon return confirms holiday End-times meditation

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INTRO:

Recalling the gentle admonition “wait and tarry” in the expectation of its promise as we sauntered over the seas whilst island hopping I took time to consider how the Lord has covered, rescued and touched me throughout my life and on the coming heavenly city . I was prompted to ponder the  significance of my second name, by which my mother always called me – “John” – and how Jesus had referred to him when restoring Peter, as at John 21:22 : If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.”   (HA, didn’t realise the verse is my number until searching just now – so my birth-date pops up yet again!!)
Moreover, a prophet walking by me turned without stopping to say “Wait His Return!” That was many years ago, and the night of Visitation was a foretaste or ‘test-run’ of the actual event.  So we needs follow Jesus repeated admonition to “Watch!” and get back to this blog’s strap-line “Looking for the signs of Jesus’ Return“…

UPON returning home, what do I discover?….we must heed this closing exhortation from the Lord to Chris G Bennett:

THE FEAR OF HOPE DEFERRED Continue reading →

The Rapture: a Roman ruse or real prophecy?

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If you took time out to dip into the debate on Chris Bennett’s asking “What if the Rapture and Return are one and the same event?” you’ll have found in one day it’s scored over 100 contributions on his Facebook (and just over a dozen on mine).

It’s important to be absolutely clear about this topic in view of a couple of links on Chris’ thread referring to the ‘secret rapture doctrine’ made popular two hundred years ago by John Nelson Darby, of the early Plymouth Brethren, and to the bestselling ‘Left Behind’ books of 1990s and 2014 movie.

Moreover, we’re well aware that very many have written on End-times as though “The End Is Nigh!” – but in all honesty, we can no longer ignore global indications that we are truly living in the times foretold in the holy Bible.

We ARE fast approaching ‘The Day of the LORD’!  Now back to the debate:

The opening gambit of this item below is wrong because The Rapture is part and parcel of Orthodox, Catholic and Reformed churches’ teaching (article is of historical interest):

So, now let’s check our New Spirit-Filled Life study Bible’s notes on chapter 4 verse 17 of Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonian church. It explains why ‘the exact word ‘rapture’ does not occur in Scripture’ and its ancient origin:
Next, check my boxed Bible received from my Godmother on my 12th birthday – the  Douai-Challoner translation from the Vulgate, ie authoritative Latin Bible translated late 4th Century by St Jerome. It refers to being ‘caught up’:

Bible Study Tools is provides the Vulgate’s Latin text with translation and commentary:

Thus, it strongly implies the ‘Rapture’ – our being grasped/snatched – will be all believers’ personal Resurrection and Ascension – all at once!

Selah!

Shock! Horror! How long to The Rapture? – Chris G Bennett

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On Wednesday Chris posted this on his Facebook and on His Kingdom Prophecy:

SHOCK! HORROR! HOW LONG?

I just had a Holy Spirit moment when He said to me, ‘What if the rapture doesn’t happen in the 5-10 years you’re prophesying? Many have spoken before and been wrong — only Father knows!’

Of course I’m almost certainly wrong, but I’m not trying to be ‘right’ in the sense of ‘spot on’. I’m simply trying to put, i.e. Guessing, a time-frame around it. Many others are doing the same.

The thing is, all I do know for certain is this — it hasn’t happened today, so there’s still work for me to do!

Seriously, what if it’s 20, 50, 100 years from now? Equally, what if it’s tomorrow, or 6 months, or 2 years?

The whole point is to be prepared, be ready at any given moment — like the five wise virgins, lamps full, wick trimmed, ready for the Master’s call! Continue reading →

Insights into the Rapture and Jesus’ Return

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Maxine David in Nova Scotia writes in response to Chris G Bennett’s sharing Johnny Enlow’s “I heard Goliath go THUD. Babylon is fallen!” on 3rd June (emphases mine):

‘I had a vision or visitation through the night last night here in Nova Scotia. I had watched a Youtube video of a brother in Christ who was somewhere in the USA I assume, in a mountainous area, who said God took him into the future in the Spirit, to see what it would be like where he was, after the rapture. Said the one world government was put in place and people had to leave their homes and tough it out out in the wilderness because the one world gov’t was set up and they only way they could keep their homes, bank accounts and so on was to take the mark.

‘It really threw me as I had been hearing things from the Lord about those who remain standing firm in Christ, reigning with Him in His Kingdom – the complete opposite. So the Lord woke up me in the middle of the night and began a series of revelation and visions to show me the difference. I understand it to be the difference between what He’s doing in USA versus Canada. Two different things, keeping them separate in order for each to stand in the gap for one another. After hours of walking through it with Him, it came back to what He’s doing with Trump on the ground. LOL.

‘First, I saw in the Spirit the round circle symbol used on British military planes since 1915. In my mind I understand it to also symbolize the rock group ‘the Who’, as they also used it for their tours and albums. Canadians are big ‘Who’ fans and I saw them a couple of times in Toronto. So it all congeals in my mind as a combination of Battle for Britain (I come from the same hometown as the man put in charge of aircraft production for the Battle of Britain – Max Aitken); and some very memorable Who songs that now bear great relevance to me: “Won’t Get Fooled Again” and “Talking ‘Bout My Generation”, for example.

‘The lyrics to “Won’t Get Fooled Again” are often going through my mind, and I feel it’s God’s way of keeping me alert, speaking to me through things I’ve experienced: “I’ll tip my hat to the new constitution; Take a bow for the new revolution; Smile and grin at the change all around; Pick up my guitar and play; Just like yesterday; Then I’ll get on my knees and pray; We don’t get fooled again.” It’s a powerful way to reach the younger generations with this kind of ministry.

‘Anyway, that’s just one thing the Lord showed me as a Kingdom-hearted Canadian. From the Canadian perspective the spiritual battle is ‘in the air’ and related to the New Jerusalem’s intercession for USA / Israel on the ground. (LOL, I just heard in the Spirit “It’s a GATED community!”)

Then I heard the Lord call me to drive to New Glasgow today, to meet Him ‘in the air’. New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, is the location where the Scottish first landed in Canada. When I even thought about going there, I saw an open heaven and the Lord Himself riding on a horse. I heard in the Spirit “Behold He comes, riding on the clouds, shining like the sun at the TRUMPET call. Lift your voice, it’s the year of Jubilee, and out of Zion’s hill, salvation comes.”  I heard the word ‘Captain” as in “Captain of the angel armies” and the word ‘TRUMPET’ in the air showed me an open heaven with a TRUMP on the ground, ready to do battle on earth as He is in heaven.

Then the Lord started to sing to ME – “Holy Holy Holy, Lord God Almighty, early in the morning my song shall rise to thee..” 

I felt it coming from my own heart, as if greeting the Lord ‘in the air’. Constantly feeling like the victory for Canada begins with the UK and manifests in joining the battle on the ground in USA.

So I’m going to drive to New Glasgow today and see what happens next. Hallelujah for the Lord our God, the Almighty reigns.

I ask, “From this do you sense the Rapture will happen after the major harvest of souls and revival arising from the Glory of the Lord becoming widespread? Maxine replies:

As it relates to the Rapture, as I think I wrote before, I believe I’ve been hearing from the Lord that the timeline is pushed back to take in another generation for a billion-fold harvest. All this stuff I’m seeing today comes to me as ALL being part of the rapture as it’s happening ‘in the air’ in a way that heaven comes to earth and meets me in the air. It feels like it’s part of being a Kingdom son for whom all of creation awaits, and it’s all about redemption of whatever can be redeemed in the fullness of His Kingdom. I didn’t get a sense of going UP anywhere, but instead see open visions of heaven while I’m on the ground.

‘Reading of these brothers and sisters is very exciting.’

Therefore I added:

’Also I’d remind you of what I shared last year about the word Paul Keith Davis gave me 12-15 yrs ago. In walking up an aisle at Bath City Church to give a word to someone at the back, he went past me sitting immediately alongside that aisle but suddenly whilst l walking he looked me directly in the eye and said, “Await His Return!”

’Someone I know – and of our age – confided a similar insight as applying for himself. AND a lady I know in her early 90’s believes she too will still be alive for the Rapture!!

’SOoo if those ‘words’ are true then we haven’t too long to go!’

PS. I informed Maxine about publication and she says,

“I was talking about this just yesterday to some people in my home. His Presence is unmistakable. It leaves a believer like Daniel, totally shaken to the core, feeling like I’ve died but I’m still breathing. Yet the holiness is ‘to die for’ anyway.

WOW what timing! I ‘d started drafting this 10 days ago but unable to action ’til now!

RB FOOTNOTE:

Upon re-reading to edit, I’m strongly struck in my spirit by Maxine’s hearing descriptive reference to “Captain of the angel armies”. That’s exactly the understanding I had upon seeing the heavenly battle on the night of my personal life-changing visitation over the night of 13-14 Sept 1989.

Visions of the Rapture

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The essential matter mentioned a fortnight ago on my ‘back to basics’ refocusing upon Jesus’ Return definitely has not gone away and we’re now going to weigh and pray about a couple more folks’ perspectives. [See Holy Spirit says “Brace yourself! Get ready for Jesus’ soon Return and Supra-natural light of God’s glory is manifesting... as well as Chris G Bennett’s recent four postings]

Scott Hefty has been following this blog for years but got in touch only last October to confide a couple of awesome, unforgettable visions he’d experienced relating to the ‘snatching away’ or Rapture of all believers in Jesus. We discussed them and I asked approval to publish, which he kindly gave. Events arising out of the 2020 presidential election delayed my publication, however, until the time is right – that is, now!

Here’s what Scott saw in Maryland, with a brief preface, as copied from his email reply:

As for the Rapture…

The first vision was the most powerful in my life and has guided me in many ways. More about this below, but first…

Do they give me any sense of timescale for the Rapture and Return?

Yes. It was clearly the time in which we live, meaning, I was driving the car I owned in 1991 to what was my home in the vision. (In reality, the house still belongs to the parents of a close friend). The bottom line is, I believe that I will not taste death, but I will be among those alive in 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17.

For the timeline, I look at Matthew 24:34: “Truly I tell you: the present generation will live to see it all.” However, in verse 36 Jesus tells us that, “Yet about that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, not even the Son: no one but the Father alone.” (Oxford Study Bible, Revised English Bible)

I understand “the present generation” to be those born in the time that Israel is back in her land, so I agree the century of 1950 – 2050 is our focus without saying a specific day and time. Just like the fig tree, we can see the season is soon upon us.

1990s Visions of the Rapture

In the late ’90s, (1996-1999) I was blessed with a vision in which another friend named Dave and I were at the gas station (petrol for the Brits)…In the dream I was at the gas pump filling up when suddenly a massive black cloud formed with wind blowing. As I looked up, there was a loud crack in the sky and the center of the cloud opened and Jesus was there. I looked around for Dave and he was coming out of the store with the drinks looking up in amazement. I said “Dave, it is our Lord Jesus” and we both went up to be with the Lord. I could see others from the town joining us. Similarly, I would just about reach Jesus and I would wake up. I saw this vision 2 more times but in the second and third times, our wives joined us as we went up into the clouds.

2014 Vision of ‘The Bubble’

My Maryland men’s group travels a couple of hours every spring for a retreat at New Life Bible Camp in Pennsylvania. We join some other men’s groups from the area so there are about 50 of us there. This dream/vision took place in the “upper room” of the lodge where we worship and listen to our speaker for teaching. In the vision we are there having worship with our brothers. I notice that my parents, who passed away in 2012 & 2103, are there along with some other people that I don’t know. Then Jesus walks into the room and is standing at the corner of the railing at the top of the steps. Jesus says “Greetings everyone. We are heading home this evening.” The next moment, the room is hovering above the trees encapsulated in a clear bubble. We begin to ascend and we continue to worship as I am filled with joy in not only seeing Jesus and going home, but also in seeing my parents again.

This vision replayed twice more over the next couple of months without much variation.

I pray these visions bring blessing to you and glory to God. Thanks for letting me write them down. It is the first time I have done so. I believe God is calling me to share them more often now that “the imminence of that harvest day becomes increasingly obvious” (from today’s Richard’s Watch – ).

Scott Hefty, 10.10.2020
PS – More about the First Vision.

In my dream, I was driving the car I owned in 1991, which was a 1972 Cadillac with the roof cut off like a convertible with the roof down…As I drove into the driveway, which was David’s parents’ house, the song “Grave Robber” by Petra was playing on my car radio and from all the open garages on the cul-de-sac. I suddenly heard a loud sound like a crack in the sky and a shout from above. I looked up and I saw Jesus in the clouds. I immediately rose up into the air. As I was ascending in the vision, I thought: “This is the rapture !!!” Then I thought, “No, this is just a dream. I will wake up any second now.” When I didn’t wake up and I kept ascending, I yelled out “Jesus, Jesus, my Jesus !!!” I reached out my arms to wrap them around his shoulders, and just as my fingertips were an inch away, I felt my wife shaking me awake. My shouting in the vision was making a terrible sound to her. When I told her what I had just experienced she was amazed.

I had this dream/vision 2 more times over the next month or two. The second time it was exactly the same, except my wife Debbie was there in the yard and we went up to meet the Lord in the air holding hands. The third time was exactly the same as the second vision, except we had a son and all of us went up to meet the Lord in the air holding hands.(Now we have 3 sons).

The strange thing is that at the time I wanted to tell David, but I knew he was still unsaved and it would never have made sense to him…Fast forward to 2020 and I recently reconnected with David on Facebook…I know from his profile and posts that he is a believer in Christ now. Praise God. I now am just now feeling led to tell him about this because he will, with his renewed mind, be able to understand and be blessed by the vision that involves his parents’ house.

I used to obsess about the house. Thinking I must have to live there for this to come to pass. Whether I do or don’t live there; and wherever we are when the trumpet blasts and the archangel shouts, we will see Him in the air. We will go and meet the Lord in the air.

[Door In The Sky by Danilo Rizzuti, courtesy Freedigitalphotos.net]

The Rapture Revisited — JRB Publications

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Thank you to my friend (and author of a useful book outlining Prophets of the Bible) for having inserted a link to this helpful summary in a Fbk discussion thread about the Glory and Jesus’ return – don’t you love his play on words in the above title!

Teaching concerning the Rapture (definition given below) continues to divide Christians who give the subject of Jesus Second Coming much thought, which sadly many these days do not. We live in, as I have often remarked, a paradigm when polarization among Christians is on the markedly increase. There are the fundie-leaning Evangelicals and the liberal-leaning Evangelicals […click to continue reading at…] The Rapture revisited — JRB Publications

Soon and very soon, we’re going to see the King! – Chris G Bennett

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You may recall my three posts** of late last week about being increasingly nudged to refocus upon the original purpose of my writing? Now, another week and the urging is getting stronger – plus several folk are confirming this in writing/replying on the same matter!

Here’s an encouraging word along the same vein reposted last Tuesday, 25th May, by Chris G Bennett on his Facebook (coloured text by RB):

SOON AND VERY SOON, WE’RE GOING TO SEE THE KING!

I had a very telling encounter with the Lord today. I felt a very urgent pull to get away and alone with a Him. I tried twice – both times a miserable and abject failure. Eventually, when I got back home again, I found Him waiting for me. He didn’t waste time on pleasantries!

“Tell My people, tell them I’m coming!”

“They know you’re coming Lord!”

“They don’t believe Me. They need to be told again! Tell the people, I’m coming! Again and again! Keep on telling them until I tell you to stop!”

“OK Lord, I get the message.”

“You know, sometimes I don’t think even you, and ones like you, get hold of the urgency of My message. Tell them – I AM THAT I AM IS COMING VERY VERY SOON!”

Got it yet? I have.

Yet I wonder how many really have gotten hold of this message and its implications.

Jesus is coming soon for His Bride. We’ve known this nigh on two thousand years. So why don’t we act as though we understand. Where’s the urgency, the passion, the crying out for the lost? Where’s the tearful repentance, the joyous salvation? Where’s the healing the sick, the deaf hearing, the blind seeing, the dead raised? Where’s the prisoners freed, delivered, unbound, and their families with them?

If Jesus returned tonight, what would you be like? Have you filled your lamp and trimmed your wick? Are you truly ready? Would you be ready to say to Him,”No Lord, I need to stay behind for my family!” There’s not one word in the Bible to suggest that’s an option, but would you do it?

Where’s our urgency to get the lost saved? To get the sick healed? Or the bound freed?
Jesus is coming soon for His precious Bride and she’s just not fully prepared, not ready!
We are His people. We are called by His name. Have we turned from our wicked ways? Have we repented? Has the Lord forgiven us and started to heal our land? If not, when are we going to catch on and start?

I leave you with the Lord’s own words –

“You know, sometimes I don’t think even you, and ones like you, get hold of the urgency of My message. Tell them – I AM THAT I AM IS COMING VERY, VERY SOON!”

 

** Footnote:

Here’s links to those items in case you’ve yet to ‘take a dip’ and learn of their directly personal relevance > Back to Blog’s Basics: Jesus” Return Will Be Sooner Than We-think! — Holy Spirit Says ‘Brace Yourself, Get Ready for Jesus’ Soon Return!” — Supra-natural Light of God’s Glory is Manifesting on Earth – Prophecy and Testimony. NB. As on previous occasions, opposition was encountered over the second and which clearly indicates its great importance.

End-Times Briefing 1: the ‘Who?’ and ‘Why?’ of Watching

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In view of current events it’s time to reconsider the End-times foretold in the Holy Bible with a series of brief overviews, followed by others’ recent insights.

First, we revisit the mini-series published in February 2018 and lodged in the main menu for reference purposes. It was preceded by a couple of re-blogs referring to one of eight possible eschatological scenarios – a pre-Tribulation Rapture – and, together with a theological blog’s discussion, I was prompted to expand upon one of this blog’s earliest entries – ‘Why Watch?’

Now, let’s consider the ‘Who, Why, When and What’ of our watching:

WHO?

You, me and everyone, especially those who believe in and follow Jesus Christ – HE is the WHO and thus the basic reason we should be watching. If you’re not familiar with His life, ministry and status, or with the fact we can be in a close, loving relationship with Him, then dip into this blog’s brief outline at Do You Know Jesus?

WHY?

For me, a totally unexpected and very spectacular, life-changing event in 1989 made watching very personal and connected into relevant, directive scripture. Then in 2008, wanting to check Jesus’ parable of the wheat and tares in Matthew 13, I opened my Bible and IT EXPLODED! and I heard

“This is ALL about to be fulfilled!”

Thus impelled in February 2009 I began emailing friends and church leaders on current events and prophecy with The Endgame Is Now In Play, wherein I wrote:
‘Jesus urged His disciples to look out for and observe signs of the times. Regarding their questions about His return at the end of this Age, the earliest Gospel account has Jesus stressing 7 times, “Watch…be alert…on your guard“ (Mark 13). Matthew 24 reports Jesus saying 4 times, “Watch…and when you see…” followed by the parables of the burglar (Jesus coming “like a thief in the night”) and of the virgins > “Don’t be caught napping!” [Is the Church still asleep?] Luke’s account has, “Be always on the watch…” (Luke 21:36 and chapter 12 (NIV) has sections on watchfulness and interpreting the times. In each Gospel Jesus commands, “Learn the lesson of the fig tree…”. Also, the Apostles went on to give more indicators (Acts 3:20-1, Hebrews 12:26-7, 2 Peter 3, 2 Timothy 3 and the first and second letters to the Thessalonians).’

It’s claimed that for every OT prophecy about Jesus Christ’s birth and life there’s seven to eight times as many about His eventual return or ‘Parousia’, also called ‘The Second Advent’ or ‘Second Coming’. I’m of the opinion the likelihood of that event in our lifetime is rapidly increasing !

Jesus stressed the great importance of His return. Eg, His instruction to the four who’d been with Him from the outset of His mission is given at Mark 13:33-37 (NKJV):

“Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch.

“Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming – in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning – lest, coming suddenly, he finds you sleeping! And what I say to you, I say to all, ‘Watch!’.”

That’s why I’m watching and, believer or not, you too are included, as is implicit in Jesus’ admonition: “I say to ALL…“

So, watching for Him is and always has been THE ‘inclusive’ activity – and one with divine warrant!

How Can We Be Sure?

You may object and say, “But even if that’s an accurate quotation it’s only guesswork”. That is, prophecies don’t always come to pass. In answer and in synopsis only, I offer the following key to foretelling the future.:

We’re privileged to learn what Almighty God has decided is to happen. He shared his plans with a select number of ancient sages, or prophets, over a long period that started 29 centuries ago, and several centuries before Christ. Amidst extensive instructions He told the prophet Isaiah:

“For I am God and there is no other, I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand and I shall do all My pleasure’…” (Isaiah 46:9-10 NKJV)

In fact, some years before Isaiah the first of the ‘writing prophets’ had received a distinct word about God’s intention to divulge His plans. This is recorded in Amos’ scroll at the seventh verse of the third chapter (in modern notation):

“Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.”

Next, we learn when we’re to be watching for whatever’s coming, so click 2 below…

End-Time Briefings:
  1. The ‘Who?’ and ‘Why?’ of Watching
  2. The ‘When?’ of Watching > NOW!
  3. The ‘What?’ of Watching > Signs!
  4. Theologically “Watch” means…
  5. Expert’s Excitement – Few Know This…
  6. Pastor’s ‘Sign in the Sun’ Vision Warns of Coming Global Cataclysm
  7. New Ager Sees First Pieces of God’s ‘Jigsaw
  8. Daniel and ‘The Wonderful Number’ Jesus Christ

What is the Last Trumpet? – THE ‘All Change!’ Signal

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In 1 Cor. 15:52, Paul used a term “Last Trumpet” which is not found elsewhere in the Bible. Read this article to see what he likely meant by this term; and what he DIDN’T mean. DOES THE LAST TRUMPET = THE SEVENTH TRUMPET? If the timing of Matt. 24:31 is the greatest misunderstanding of nearly…

continue reading at What is the “Last Trumpet?” — The Gospel In The End Times .

There, Nelson Walters brings an in-depth appreciation to our ‘who, why, when and what’ of Watching and THE ‘All Change!’ signal, as in About Signs (items 12-13 refer).

The Rapture Parable — The Gospel In The End Times

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Did Jesus share a parable on multiple occasions in order to explain the Rapture? Is this “Rapture Parable” his most misunderstood parable? (This article was written in response to a request by a reader to explain the parable in Matt. 24:28) Our traditions sometimes determine what we think a biblical parable or illustration means. This even can…[continued in The Rapture Parable.]

Richard writes: My brief remark on the ‘Rapture’ in the post on The Shaking implies I have some reservations on that New Testament topic. Rather than rely on Paul’s letters alone, I prefer to start at what Jesus Himself says about that ‘in-gathering’, especially when we look at the original Greek rather than translations! (EG. see Fresh insights into Jesus’ role in Creation, covering implicit knowledge of the laws of quantum physics.)

Considerations of our prophesied ‘Rapture’ should not overlook Jesus’ explanation of the wheat & tares parable (Matt 13:40-43 ) and saying the Great Tribulation will be shortened for the sake of the elect (Matt 24:22). That is, they/we will go through it, even if protected (Rev 3:10).

Therefore, I highly recommend Nelson Walters’ blog and pursuant discussions of this fast approaching event to all my readers…