As we await the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13), there are a myriad of indications that the hour is late and the time of our redemption is near. We can certainly see indications of the nearing end of the church age in all that Israel is experiencing. We can also note that the Ezekiel war must be coming in the not too distant future in light of developments related to that battle. Add to those, the move toward globalism, evil and good exchanging definitions, and on and on the evidence of the lateness of the hour goes.
There are also signs within the church that things are wrapping up, and, sadly, they are negative. The Bible does not say there will be a huge revival or global Great Awakening prior to the rapture. As a matter of fact, it says the opposite will be taking place.
2 Timothy 4:3-4 KJV – “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
2 Peter 3:3-4 KJV – “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.”
When sound doctrine is not endured, there are consequences that will be experienced by those who will listen to teachers that scratch their itching ears with things that aren’t true. This will contribute to the scoffing that Peter says will be present in the last days. The Greek word translated as “scoffers” can also mean “mockers”, and it is the same word that would be used to describe false teachers.
To scoff or mock the teaching of the rapture of the church is to not endure sound doctrine. The rampant practice of mocking the rapture of the church should remind us that time is running out and the church age is rapidly coming to a close.
When you talk about Christ and you deny His resurrection, your whole faith is basically gone. But when you talk about Christ and you don’t deny His resurrection but you deny His coming back to take us, then what’s the point of His resurrection? You’re doubting the literal promise of His physical return to this Earth; not just to touch Earth with His feet, but to meet us in the clouds and take us to be with Him.
John 14:2-3 KJV – “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”
What makes this statement valid is that three days after His death, Jesus rose from the dead. Forty days after He rose from the dead, He ascended into heaven where He had come from and He did so in front of eyewitnesses. After He ascended into the clouds and disappeared from the eyewitnesses’ view, two angels said to the men:
Acts 1:11 KJV – “Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”
Jesus said in John 14 that He would receive us, and Revelation 19 makes it clear that when Jesus comes “in like manner” we will be with Him. That means we have to already be there in order to come with Him at His return. There is only one way that can happen, and that is the rapture.
[The presence of] scoffers tells us the hour is late and mockers will not endure sound doctrine, which includes the rapture of the church. This should create a sense of urgency in us for the lost and perishing around us, and raise our expectancy for that “moment and twinkling of an eye” experience we are all longing for. Sadly, many are not expecting what we are told is coming.
Matthew 24:44 KJV – “Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.”
These people are acting the same as the individuals in the days of Noah. Everybody knows that in the days of Noah, there were very few people who prepared themselves for something great. What is it that the rest of them did? The Bible says in Matthew 24:
Matthew 24:37-39 KJV – “But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”
They didn’t want to hear what Noah had to say. They didn’t want to listen to the warnings that God, through Noah, was speaking to the people. So, just like those scoffers, they say, “Everything will stay the same.”
Why are they doing that, do you think? To put people to sleep and steal their hope. You see, the hope of the coming of Jesus is the most important thing that a believer can hold onto today and is the number one thing Satan wants to steal from you. And he’s going to use scoffers – sometimes from within, most times from outside – to tell you, “Where is the promise of his coming?”
Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus.
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