There's a popular myth that the second coming of Jesus Christ can happen at any time--maybe even tonight. Do you realize dear friends, that this is a false doctrine? He will not come tonight--not according to the Word of God! But wait, you may think. Doesn't He return in a secret rapture that can happen at any moment to protect His true servants from the great tribulation? Again, not according to the Bible.
On today's Tomorrow's World program, instead of looking to popular "Left Behind" novels, we'll open up the Bible and see what it actually says about this subject. We'll see that Jesus Himself listed specific signs that must precede His return. What are they? And more importantly, what is the warning He gave along with that first sign? It's an important one! No, Jesus will not come tonight, tomorrow, this year, next year or the year after.
You or I may die tonight, and we'll meet Him in our next conscious moment, but He will not return to earth tonight, not even in a secret rapture. I'll show that on today's program. And I'll also be offering you a free DVD -- "Is the Rapture Your Incredible Future?" So be sure to take down our contact information that will be shown at various times during this program. Stay with me as I'll be back to answer these important questions from the pages of the Bible.
And I'll also reveal what Jesus gave as the first sign of the end of the age, and just as importantly, the warning He gave that accompanies that sign. Stay tuned. ♪ A warm welcome to all of you from all of us here at Tomorrow's World, where we ask serious questions and give solid answers--straight from the pages of the Bible. We're pleased that you have joined us on today's program, and we give a special welcome to those of you tuning in for the first time.
Today, I'm asking and answering the questions: You've likely heard someone, perhaps a professing Christian minister, say that Jesus can come at any time--maybe even tonight. Setting aside the subject of the rapture for a moment, some have concluded this based on a misunderstanding of Matthew 24, where it tells us in verse 36... Then in verses 42 to 44 we read what appears to many as confirmation...
It's true that no one knows the day or the hour, but that is not the same as saying He can come at any time. These verses must be taken in the context in which they are written--in other words, what goes before and what follows. If we start at the beginning of Matthew 24, we find Jesus' disciples asking about the destruction of the temple and the time of His return. Notice, beginning in verse 3...
His disciples understood that a series of events must take place before the climax at the end, and He confirmed this with a list of signs to watch for that would precede His return. A number of these signs are ongoing, taking place throughout human history. That is why He tells us in verse 6... And then in verse 8...
However, when we compare these signs that Jesus gave in Matthew 24 with the famed "Four Horsemen" of Revelation chapter 6, we must conclude that such catastrophes as war, famine and disease will take on greater significance in the near future as they are precursors of the Day of the Lord when Christ returns. And among the signs given, it would do us well to note a very specific one found in verse 15... Notice that Jesus refers to the prophet Daniel regarding this sign.
We read of it in Daniel chapter 12, where it clearly shows the time setting to be "the time of the end." Notice it in verse 4... Then, in verse 9 we read... In verse 11 Daniel records this message that gives a specific time between when this abomination is set up and the end when the Messiah--Jesus Christ--returns... That is 3 years and 7 months. There are three settings involving the abomination of desolation. Two are past tense and the third is yet to come.
#1: In 168 B.C. it took place under Antiochus Epiphanes. #2: The destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem in 70 A.D. And the third one is yet to come: 1,290 Days before Christ returns. Since that destructive abomination has not yet occurred, and that takes place 1,290 days prior to the end, when the Messiah Jesus Christ returns, we know that He will not come tonight, or, at the very least, another 3 years and 7 months. But that is merely one sign.
Others precede the Abomination of Desolation, as shown in Matthew 24 and elsewhere. How ironic it is that people conclude that Jesus can come at any time when a chapter they use as proof is devoted to describing what must first happen! It is in the context of these signs, that Jesus admonishes us, in verses 32 and 33... It is only after He gave this parable of the fig tree that He mentions that no one would know the exact day or hour.
But what about a secret rapture that we are told can come at any time? Does the Bible teach it? And what is the first sign that Jesus gave signaling the end of the age and the warning that accompanies that sign? I'll answer these questions in a moment, but first I want to offer you our free DVD titled: "Is the Rapture Your Incredible Future?" Anyone looking forward to the Rapture needs this important resource. It's free for the asking. Just ask for the DVD on the Rapture.
And when I return in a minute, I'll answer the questions: And, And just as importantly, even more importantly, For today's free offer call... Or go to... This clear and straight-forward resource will help you understand this vital truth-- straight from the pages of the Bible. If you're calling for the first time, you will also receive a free annual subscription to Tomorrow's World magazine.
Ten inspiring issues discussing news, science, and modern culture will help you make sense of your world from a biblical perspective. Call today and join millions around the world who are turning to Tomorrow's World for truth, prophecy, and hope in these confusing times. Call now! Or go to... Welcome back. Before the break I said I would answer the questions: And, The passage most often used regarding a secret rapture is found in 1 Thessalonians 4, beginning in verse 13...
those who have died in the faith and why those who know the truth need not sorrow as others who have no hope. That hope is, of course, the resurrection from the dead. Paul then gives this further encouragement and explanation in verses 15 and 16... Notice the order of the resurrection--those already dead will be resurrected first. Yet, the man-made rapture doctrine purports that the rapture protects believers from the Great Tribulation by taking them to heaven. Why take the dead?
Do they need protection? And let us not forget when this occurs... It is only after the trumpet sounds and the dead are raised that those living at the time will be changed. Read it for yourself in verse 17... Then Paul brings the subject full circle to the purpose of this passage... Yes, the subject is not some kind of rapture, which is never spoken of in these verses, but how to comfort one another over the death of loved ones.
Furthermore, the New Testament is absolutely consistent regarding the coming of Christ--He returns at the sounding of a trumpet, whether literal or figurative, but it is not just any trumpet. Let's notice this detail provided in 1 Corinthians 15:51 and 52... Did you notice that... And that leads us to the book of Revelation where we read of seven trumpets that portend natural disasters and warfare, with a spectacular event occurring at the sounding of the last, that is the seventh trumpet.
Let's read it in Revelation 11 and in verse 15... So far we've seen that Jesus will not return at just any time and that the passage most often referred to by rapturists has nothing to do with a secret rapture. So let's now turn to the next question: What is the first sign Jesus gave leading up to His second coming?
I'll answer that question in a moment, but I first want to remind you of today's free DVD--"Is the Rapture Your Incredible Future?" The Rapture is one of the most commonly held beliefs among professing Christians, but as we're beginning to see on today's program, the Biblical evidence for it is just not there. Frankly, my friends, it is amazing how readily people accept this totally unbiblical doctrine. But don't take my word for it. Check it out from the pages of your Bible.
Prove it for yourself. This DVD "Is the Rapture Your Incredible Future?" is yours free for the asking, as it has already been paid for by members of the Living Church of God and our coworkers. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. After this short 15 second break I'll be back to answer the question: What is the first sign Jesus gave leading up to His second coming?
This clear and straight-forward resource will help you understand this vital truth-- straight from the pages of the Bible. Call now! Or go to... Before the break I said I would
What is the first sign Jesus gave leading up to His second coming? Perhaps you already know the answer, but more importantly do you also know the warning that Jesus gave along with that sign? And what relationship does that have to you?
Three chapters in the Bible, written by three different authors, record what is known as the Olivet Prophecy: Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 We find that Jesus and His disciples had left the Temple and were going out to the Mount of Olives just across a narrow valley. As they went, the disciples were in awe of the beauty of the Temple. It was then that they asked Jesus, and He informed them... That's found in Matthew 24, and verse 2.
Not surprisingly, the disciples wanted to know when this would happen and as they sat on the Mount, they asked this two-fold question... The answer had a former fulfillment and a latter-day fulfillment. The former fulfillment had to do with the destruction of the temple that we know from history took place in 70 A.D. Incredibly, some scholars believe the whole prophecy only applied to the events in 70 A.D., but even a child can understand that this prophecy also has an end-time fulfillment.
Let's read the latter part of verse 3 once again... We know the second coming did not take place in 70 A.D., nor was that the end of the age. We also know that some of the specifics of this prophecy can only apply to the time of Christ's return. As an example, we read in verses 21 and 22... There can only be one such time as this, for as it says, "nor ever shall be."
And a simple reading of the book of Revelation, written around 90 A.D. after Jerusalem fell describes a time of worldwide trouble far greater than anything mankind has ever known. Daniel 12 also refers to this worst of all possible times and connects it with the time of the resurrection from the dead at Christ's return... Clearly, there can be no two times worse than anything before or after. So what is the first sign Jesus gave?
Right after the disciples asked about the signs of His coming, we read in Matthew 24 and in verses 4 and 5... So the first sign Jesus gave was religious deception, but not just any religious deception. It's speaking about Christian deception. And regarding that deception, Jesus gave this warning...
We will take a much closer look at this sign and Jesus' warning in a minute, but I want to remind you again of today's free DVD -- "Is the Rapture Your Incredible Future?" You need to know the truth about the Rapture.
Don't look to the ideas popularized by the "Left Behind" books, but to the Bible itself for the truth of the matter, and our free DVD -- "Is the Rapture Your Incredible Future?" goes into greater detail than I have time to give you on this short program and it points you to the relevant passages of Scripture that reveal the truth. Don't take our word for it. Prove it to yourself from the pages of your own Bible. So call now and ask for our resource on the Rapture or go to TWTV.org/Rapture.
That's all you need to do. And when I come back, we will take a closer look at the first sign Jesus gave leading to His return and the reason behind His warning. For today's free offer call... Or go to... This clear and straight-forward resource will help you understand this vital truth-- straight from the pages of the Bible. If you're calling for the first time, you will also receive a free annual subscription to Tomorrow's World magazine.
Ten inspiring issues discussing news, science, and modern culture will help you make sense of your world from a biblical perspective. Call today and join millions around the world who are turning to Tomorrow's World for truth, prophecy, and hope in these confusing times. Call now! Or go to... Before the break I said we'll take a closer look at the first sign Jesus gave leading to His return and the reason behind His warning.
If you're driving down a dark road at night and see a sign--"Bridge out"--would you not take the warning seriously and take another road? So why do so few take Jesus' warning seriously? Let's read it again in Matthew the 24th chapter... Let's analyze this. Jesus said... It's not a few, but many who will come using His name, but what does that mean? If someone knocks on your door and shouts, "Open up in the name of the law," he is claiming he represents the law and its authority.
And when ministers "come in Jesus' name," they're claiming to represent Him and having His authority. In addition, these deceivers say... And by doing so... There are a few deranged individuals who claim that they are the Christ, but very few follow them. But false ministers do deceive many when they claim that they represent Christ, even saying that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ. The statement "I am the Christ" is understood from the context.
Taken alone it could mean that these deceivers are claiming to be Christ, but the context shows that they claim to be representatives of Christ and proclaim that Jesus--remember He is the Speaker here-- is the Christ. With such tactics, they deceive, not the few, but the many. That is why Jesus began this first sign by saying...
Few claiming to be Jesus will deceive very many, but if someone in the pulpit claims to represent Him, saying that Jesus is the Christ, that's another matter, and that's what we see. False Christianity began almost immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection but wholly took over the Roman Empire in the fourth century and continues to the present. The Apostle Paul describes the problem on more than one occasion. But let's look at what Paul wrote to those at Corinth--2 Corinthians 11...
These were believers, but they were putting up with ministers deceiving them with a false Christ and a different gospel--a Christianity of a very different spirit. He continues his warning about these deceivers in verses 13-15... Consider for a moment. Is it possible that you have been deceived? Consider whether the popular belief in the Rapture is one of the many deceptions pawned off on professing Christians. Don't you be deceived, no matter how popular an idea may be.
Request our DVD-- "Is the Rapture Your Incredible Future?"-- and prove the truth from your Bible. And be sure to come back next week when Richard Ames, Wallace Smith, Rod McNair, and I bring you more warnings and good news straight from the pages of the Bible. Join us again next week at this same time and station. For today's free offer call... Or go to... Call today and join millions around the world who are turning to Tomorrow's World for truth, prophecy, and hope in these confusing times.
♪ The preceding program is produced by the Living Church of God. ♪ Do you have the feeling our world is going in the wrong direction--a very bad direction? Where can you turn to make sense of a world that is spinning out of control? Tomorrow's World exposes the truth and reveals the real reasons behind today's news. And it just brings a peace of mind, that I just really need in this time.
Tomorrow's World magazine makes sense of today's chaos looking at history, science, and current events through the pages of the Bible. It helps me be a better person. And for us, it's really about the hope. The nice thing, is that the subscription is free. Join over 450,000 loyal readers and enjoy peace of mind knowing what's ahead. In times like these we need real answers. Clarity not confusion. And truth instead of lies.
Jesus commands, "Freely you have received, freely give," so every subscription is completely free. Visit TWMagazine.org to get yours now.