The day of resurrection and glorification of saints signals the end of the Church age , followed by the rapture. The major worldwide events following this are in this order:
1. Resurrection/glorification - short term (40 days) Christian world wide takeover
2. Rapture, followed by Revealing of the Antichrist
3. The White Horse Return of Christ/1000 year reign
4. Satan's Armies Destroyed by fire
5. The Second Resurrection
6. The White Throne Judgment
7. The New Heavens and Earth created
8. The City of New Jerusalem revealed as the "Lamb's Wife"
Event 1.
At the beginning of this framework we see the resurrection of saints and the glorification of believers. This creates a standing army of super human, immortal Christians on the earth. This will be the final and most glorious expression of the body of Christ for a period of time before the rapture. Non resurrected/glorified saints will not be abole to go in the rapture. Paul explains the necessity of glorification before rapture:
1 Corinthians 16:49-55
49And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. 50Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 51Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
This change in the Church will create the greatest expression of church effectiveness, for a short time before the rapture removes this "Joel's Army" from the earth. This is the final expression of "The Bride of Christ" that so many charismatic ministers attempt to project on to an unperfected un-glorified present day church. Such modern charismatic movements as "Latter Reign," "Kingdom Now," "Manifest Sons of God," "Dominion Theology," and all other fantastic notions are based upon ministers projecting this perfection spoken of by Paul upon their own particular church body and church organization. The rapture cannot happen to any other than glorified individuals, because corruption cannot inherit incorruption. This glorified church will have a period of time to work, as described by Joel 2 and Malachi 4, before the rapture removes the church.
This resurrection/glorification will be God's time to show off His bride:
Isaiah 62:1-5
1For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. 2And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name. 3Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. 4Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married. 5For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.
The appearance of the glorified Church, God's kingdom will be ruling the earth simultaneously throughout the nations and on all levels of society. This is what Isaiah meant when he wrote:
Isaiah 66:5-8
5Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name’s sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed. 6A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the LORD that rendereth recompense to his enemies. 7Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child. 8Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.
We see a sudden appearance of a "nation," not based in a geographical location, but as the resurrected and glorified members of the Bride of Christ! Isaiah also spoke of this time in a way that is described as a "strange act" followed by a "consumption," as in Daniel above:
Isaiah 28:
21For the LORD shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act. 22Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth.
The Glory that the world will be forced to see will far outshine all manifestations of the church, and will only be dwarfed by the appearance of the New Jerusalem in the New Heavens and new Earth. However, even as the world did not like the presence of Christ, how much less will the world desire Joel's Army? Imagine a universal, world wide nation of super human Bible thumpers!
Event 2.
The rapture Performs an important function both from the world's perspective and in the forwarding of the plan of God. The world system and the Devil will hate the appearance of the fully empowered Church, because the Devil will have had power over Christians, through governments, up until then. The presence of the manifest glory of God will be a great inconvenience to the forces of the Antichrist, and such forces of Satan will be powerless to work until the glorified saints be gone in rapture.
This will be the oft longed for "Manifestation of the Sons of God" (romans 8:19) seen in Charismatic denominations and societies. This manifestation of rulership is not as in the 1000 year reign, but as the authoritative prophetic body of Christ before the world wide rapture. This "Joel's Army" (Joel 2) which will be engaging in the most aggressive form of evangelism ever seen, nor will be seen again. Imagine limitless power to do all that God has put in the Christian's heart... Is this what Daniel meant when he said, "32And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits" (Daniel 11:32)? The rapture must occur to allow the Antichrist to progress his own version of world rule. Paul writes:
2 Thessalonians 2:7
7For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 8And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 9Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. With the presence of a super human glorified Christian Church on the Earth, the Anitchrist will not have a chance! Indeed it is only after the rapture, according to Paul, that the Antichrist can reveal himself as "god!" This time of the church will be short, but the glory will be awesome. Get ready Christians!
One more thing that the rapture accomplishes is the fulfillment of the Jesus words regarding the work of the Holy Spirit, or "Comforter:"
John 16:8-12
8And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. 12I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
I have underscored vs. 10 because this is the final confirmation of true righteousness that all the resurrected/glorified Christians will have to their own credit. Here is a scenario described by Jesus that shows a spiritual divide between individuals engaged in mundane tasks:
Matthew 24:37-40
7But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 38For 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, 39And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 40Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 41Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 42Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
The scenario is a last days condition, as indicated by Jesus' reference to the Ark of Noah. The tasks of life are going on as usual, but suddenly there is a "coming of the Lord," not to be confused with the White Horse Return, the "Second coming." this simply indicates that the Lord is on the move and coming to do something unique in certain individuals throughout society, presumably throughout every society in every nation of the world.
The Rapture is the ultimate argument proving who really is righteous, and who is not. Jesus said that this is one of the ways that the Holy Spirit convicts, the world, convincing it of sin. There will be many Christians that suffer the condemnation of hypocrisy, yet they will not go to Hell. The rapture will be that separation between the truly righteous and not.
The dead will rise first, then after a period of time all resurrected and glorified Christians are received into the clouds and meet Christ in the air (1st Thessalonians 4:15-17). This rapture, clears the way for the Antichrist to exalt his diabolical rule upon the planet. It also removes the Bride of Christ into the presence of the Lord and sequesters His Bride to participate in the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:6-9), before His White Horse Return, to save Israel (Zechariah 12:9-10).
There are six more parts to this section explaining the end time list above...
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