The Coming Kingdom of Christ - part 8

Hello everyone. Let’s continue our discussion on the final question of the three-part series, are you ready for the Rapture of the true Church or the tribulation which will be hell on earth?

You may ask, how do I get ready for either of those events?

Well last week we began to look at how you and I can be assured of our room in the Father’s house when Jesus returns to take the Church out of the earth. I know, I know, some of you are still say that there is no such thing as the rapture of the Church, while the others are saying, Kevin you are officially insane. Oh well, I just stupid enough to believe God’s word.

Since some may not know what the word of God says about this topic, let me briefly show you.

9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do. 1 Thessalonians 5:9-11

8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Romans 5:8-11

9 for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead —Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath. 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10

What is this great day of wrath you are speaking of?

Well, my friend, the Bible calls it “the day of the Lord”, “that day”, “Jacob’s trouble”, “the tribulation”, and “the great tribulation”. All these terms are speaking of the same 7-year event which culminates with God pouring out His wrath upon unbelievers.

​1 Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming. It is close at hand 2 a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like dawn spreading across the mountains a large and mighty army comes, such as never was in ancient times nor ever will be in ages to come. Joel 2:1-2

18 Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD! For what good is the day of the LORD to you? It will be darkness, and not light. 19 It will be as though a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him! Or as though he went into the house, leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him! 20 Is not the day of the LORD darkness, and not light? Is it not very dark, with no brightness in it? Amos 5:18-20

14 The great day of the LORD is near; It is near and hastens quickly. The noise of the day of the LORD is bitter; There the mighty men shall cry out. 15 That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress,
a day of devastation and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, 16 a day of trumpet and alarm against the fortified cities and against the high towers. 17 “I will bring distress upon men, and they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD;
Their blood shall be poured out like dust, and their flesh like refuse.” 18 Neither their silver nor their gold
Shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD’s wrath; But the whole land shall be devoured
By the fire of His jealousy, for He will make speedy riddance of all those who dwell in the land. Zephaniah 1:14-18

As you can read, this period of time on the earth will be like nothing that has ever happened before, nor shall it ever happen again. Jesus, who is God, declared that if He did not return, that wicked men along with the devil and his demons would kill every human.

15 “So when you see standing in the holy place (speaking of the Jewish temple that will be rebuilt in Jerusalem in the near future) ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let no one on the housetop go down to take anything out of the house. 18 Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. 19 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 20 Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.
22 “If those days had not been cut short, NO ONE WOULD SURVIVE, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. Matthew 24:15-22

Do you really want to stick around for that?

Now back to how you can avoid the tribulation. Jesus said that person must be born again to see the kingdom of God.

What did Jesus mean by “born again”?

Come back, next week and I will explain in detail.