I Believed What I Was Taught
I can remember a time, before I came back into my faith, when I truly didn’t know what to think of the end times. I hadn’t been taught any specific way things would transpire- my churching was minute growing up. But in my 20’s when the Father called me back to church I was so hungry for Him that I believed any word that was preached. I was being taught that there would be a rapture before anything bad would happen, it felt good and comforting, so I chose to believe it. Being completely green in the bible, I didn’t know where to even begin testing any topic, much less look into anything as massive as the topic of the end times, so I settled with what the man behind the podium said to be truth. For a time, I found this answer acceptable even though I had no idea how to make sense of it. As time went on, and my study of the bible continued, this rapture theory began to make less and less sense. I didn’t see it, anywhere! Somehow, the preacher was reading words and then giving them an entirely new definition. So, I decided to settle on, “I don’t know what to believe.” Can you relate?
As time went on, hearing sermons and reading the bible in front of me, I still struggled to see the connection. Believing I was just too ignorant to understand, I remained neutral with my end times beliefs. It wasn't until I opened my heart for the Father to teach me His word- the whole word- that things began to make sense. He allowed me to see what I was reading and have faith that it means what it says. Around this time, I sat through a sermon one Sunday where the pastor was preaching through Matthew 24 and 25. What now is a plain as day explanation of the end times from Jesus himself, hit me during this sermon. The literal words preached regarding this section of scripture, “remember, this is a Jewish rabbi speaking to His jewish disciples, it does not concern us as the church.” That was it. At that moment, the Father opened my eyes and ears. Suddenly this wave of something came over me, I looked at my husband in utter disbelief and mouthed, “That's NOT what it says!” I instantly realized the whole concept of the rapture was made up. According to this theology, Christians don’t need to even read Matthew 24 because it’s written for the Jews. Yet, there lies the issue- where does the bible say this doesn’t apply to us because we’ll be raptured? It doesn’t!
Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Man has created this feel-good idea with zero scriptural basis and teaches it as truth. The whole congregation shouts, “Hallelujah! Amen” and are none the wiser. These teachings and theologies make the lay-person feel ignorant, “well they went to seminary, not me so the pastor knows what he’s talking about.” Nobody realizes that they are choosing to put their faith in a man with a plaque on the wall, not the word of God. Nobody understands from the pew point of view, that the man on stage is only articulating what he’s been taught by other men. Nobody realizes that they have the same bible, the same access to information, and most importantly the same access to the Holy Spirit to teach them.
1 John 2:27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.
Lining It Up
When we can begin to see that these teachings are not scripturally accurate, we can prayerfully study the scriptures to see how things actually lineup. I am going to start some of this layout for you, but still, don’t just take my word for it- test it! We’re going to break down 2 Thessalonians, this seems to be a primary point of twisting when it comes to who comes first, Messiah or anti-messiah. We need to keep in mind that this letter was a follow up to 1 Thessalonians, Paul is continuing with a topic he already got into in the first letter, and then of course whatever teaching he had previously presented in person. Now, I will use NASB’95 for the scripture references but I want to encourage you to look at multiple versions (my personal preference is the Scriptures). Open up your bible, grab a coffee, and join me for the study!
**Study tip: the use of capitalizations in our English versions vary greatly- there is no capitalization in Hebrew or Greek so where you see “God” or “Him” capitalized, know that it was dependent on the translator's interpretation. Be careful not to determine context based on capitalization, instead read the full context of a passage to discern if capitalization was used correctly.
2 Thess. 1:4-10 We ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure. This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering. For after all it is only just or God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out wrath to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day.
•Perseverance and faith in the midst of persecutions and afflictions which you endure.
Matthew 5:10-12 Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
•Indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy.
Luke 21:36 But keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.
•Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out wrath.
Matthew 24:30-32 And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.
AFTER great distress, THEN the Son of Man will appear in the clouds with a TRUMPET and angels to GATHER the elect. This is the definition and context behind 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.
The Last Trumpet
There is no other precession of the Messiah coming to take us away. The trumpet that is sounded is the last trumpet; the 7th happens with the sun and moon going dark:
Revelation 11:15 Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.”
1 Corinthians 15:52 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 will be changed.
Matthew 24:29 But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
Joel 2:31 The sun will be turned into darkness And the moon into blood Before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.
The day that we are to meet Him in the air is the day that He returns to execute vengeance. He returns with His multitude of angels to gather the elect from the four corners- this is the first resurrection. The dead in Messiah are raised and those who survived the tribulation are changed, putting on the imperishable. The angels remove the set-apart ones from the face of the earth, we pass Messiah in the air and are taken away to be hidden while the wrath passes. This is the fulfillment of the passover.
Isaiah 26:20 Come, my people, enter into your rooms And close your doors behind you; Hide for a little while Until the wrath has passed.
Luke 22:15-16 And He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before My suffering. For I tell you that I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”
Revelation 20:4-5 Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection.
Do you see that in Revelation 20? “Those who had not worshiped the best or his image,” which means there ARE believers on the earth to see the beast/ antichrist! This will take us into 2 Thessalonians 2 in part 2.
The Importance
My entire reason for this study is because I have seen a false word being passed around that Christians will not see the antichrist. Both pre-trib and mid-trib theologies suggest that the rapture will occur sometime before the last trumpet/ “Day of the LORD '' but as we can see from these scriptures thus far, that is not what the bible describes. Believers of all denominations and walks of life will endure the tribulation. Many will be beheaded for not bowing to the beast, Messiah Himself said “they will deliver you up to affliction and kill you,” (Matt. 24:9). Yes, many believers will be killed! I think that is the part of the message the American church wants to hide, it’s not comfortable or enticing. But yall, there are people all across the world even today that are being executed for not denying Jesus. It is illegal to own a bible in 13 countries, and though not illegal it is highly dangerous to be a Christian in many other countries. Yet, we preach “you won’t have to endure tribulation.” This is a serious issue. Many antichrists are already at work and I believe the spirit of antichrist is what drives teachers and preachers to share this dangerous, false doctrine.