2 Peter 3 verses 1 – 13
We might well live in the days that Peter talked about in verses 3 and 4. Peter is telling us in the last days there will be those saying “where is this promise we have heard so much preaching about?” In Daniel chapter 3 an angel came to Daniel who was in the attitude of prayer asking what would befall the nation of Israel. The angel opened up the scriptures and showed him what the programme for them was. The angel Gabriel said there was 70 weeks determined on the people of Israel. 70 times 7 years meaning 490 years. The prophet of old Nehemiah was building Jerusalem – he noticed that 483 years passed and then something happened. God’s programme was interrupted. That was the time Jesus was taken and put to death. That 7 year period has still to run. It is still somewhere out in the future. This was God who came to Daniel. He was reading what would happen, God was giving him all the interpretation that he might look back on them and see what was recorded. In Daniel 2 and the dream of Nebuchadnezzar, when Daniel was standing before him giving him interpretation of his dream said “I haven’t any more intellect than these other men, the God of heaven has given me the interpretation.” Chapter 9 verse 3, then look at verse 21 and 22. Here’s Daniel on his face before God when Gabriel comes to give enlightenment on the nation of Israel. Point that out for a specific reason – people will say how did this Bible come about? Peter said “holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Peter 1 verse 21). That is how we have this Bible before us. This is the God of heaven who has given it to us. Peter talked about deceivers coming in the last days. We are looking to this 7 year period which is featured by the rule and reign of the anti-Christ who is rising up in the midst of Europe, rising to great power. He will bring about a time of great trouble on this earth. You and I as the church of Jesus Christ, saved by God’s grace and mercy, where will we be at when all this trouble is going on in the earth? Think of the rapture today.
The rapture will take part in 2 stages. Not one stage. Think of the second coming of the Lord Jesus, a literal leaving of Christ leaving heaven’s glory. He will leave the angels and come to the air and receive the saved men and women, boys and girls of this world. 1 Thessalonians 4 verse 17 “caught up” means rapture. Matthew 24 verse 24 and 29. We know the Lord is coming. We don’t know exactly when but told to be ready for his coming. Read of the 70th week in Daniel still to come, speaking of the 7 year period. He calls it the great tribulation. There never was a time like it before nor like it again. An unprecedented time of trouble. Where is the church of Jesus Christ in relation to this week? First there are 3 different ideas about this rapture. Firstly we have the post tribulation school. Matthew 24 verse 29. The Lord Jesus will come after the 7 year period. If that be the case where’s the church? These people believe that saved men and women will go through this time. According to this post tribulation theory at the end of time the Lord will come and take us to heaven. There is also the mid tribulation period. The Lord will come in the middle of the 7 year period. He will come and take home the church. This will be the time when the anti-Christ will set up an idol in the temple and demand the worship of all people. The third and major theory is that the church will be taken out before the 70th week begins. The rapture will actually bring in this terrible time of trouble when the Lord comes back and takes out his church. The spirit of anti-christ is already in the world and only he will take out the spirit of Christ dwelling in the hearts of every saved man and women. God’s spirit will be taken out of the world and the spirit of anti-Christ will reign in the world. There is one certain thing today – Jesus is coming back again and we need to be ready today. Jesus is coming back again and we need to be ready when Christ comes back. Will we be found working for the Lord, separated for the call of the Lord, ready to be taken home? You and I can start well – have the greatest testimony of saving grace, lifted from the depths of sin and mire but when Jesus comes will we be found working for him? These are the theories and we need to look at each theory and compare the scriptures, see what God has planned for us.
Keep in mind that the Lord Jesus Christ is coming again and it will be in 2 stages. I believe that the scripture teaches the Lord comes before the tribulation period and ushers in the tribulation period whereas the other theory is he comes at the end and puts an end to the tribulation period. What had happened in Thessalonica? Paul had preached, the believers believed then people wrote and said people had missed out on the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul writes to correct this – verse 15 “prevented” go before or hinder. Speaking of those who had died and in the ground. The second coming of the Lord is mentioned in verses 15 – 17 - where is the Lord coming to in that verse? The clouds and the air. The Lord is coming to the air with the voice of the archangel and the trump of God. He is coming to the air. Zechariah 14 verses 1 – 4. We read in 1 Thessalonians of the day of rapture. Here it is telling us plainly coming to the mount of Olives. 2 different aspects of his coming. 1 Thessalonians 4 verse 17 the dead in Christ shall rise first and we which remain alive will rise after them. 1 Corinthians 15 will take place in the twinkling of an eye then he says the dead in Christ shall rise. We shall be caught up together to meet him in the air. He is gathering his saints to meet him in the air. Another verse in Jude 14. 1 Thessalonians he is coming for his saints. Now according to this verse he is coming with his saints. He is coming for his saints at the beginning of the tribulation and then with his saints at the end of the tribulation. It is not one literal coming - that is where confusion lies. 1Thessalonians 4 it is the Lord that comes and it is to him we will gather at his coming. That the dead rise and we after them to meet him in the air. At the second stage of his coming in Matthew 24 what happens then. Verse 31 he shall send his angels out into the 4 corners of the earth to gather his elect. When it comes to the church of Christ it is the Lord who will bring his saints. 2 different stages – coming for the church then coming with the church at the end of the age. Chapter 4 is the Lord. Dealing with the church at the end of the age. Chapter 4 is the Lord dealing with the church. Matthew 24 dealing with the Israelite and Gentile nations – that is the confusion.
Also a comfort to look for too. You will find a theme comes through with the apostle Paul “comfort ye one another with these words.” 1 Thessalonians 4 dead in Christ arise … then finishes off with the words “comfort one another with these words.” If I was to go through that time of pain and slaughter there wouldn’t be a great deal of comfort about it. The Lord will come again, coming for me and the church, those saved by the blood, washed in his blood, where do we stand in the light of God’s salvation? Have we trusted Christ the Saviour, are we waiting for his coming again? 1Thessalonians “how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God and to wait for his Son from heaven”.
The rapture will take part in 2 stages. Not one stage. Think of the second coming of the Lord Jesus, a literal leaving of Christ leaving heaven’s glory. He will leave the angels and come to the air and receive the saved men and women, boys and girls of this world. 1 Thessalonians 4 verse 17 “caught up” means rapture. Matthew 24 verse 24 and 29. We know the Lord is coming. We don’t know exactly when but told to be ready for his coming. Read of the 70th week in Daniel still to come, speaking of the 7 year period. He calls it the great tribulation. There never was a time like it before nor like it again. An unprecedented time of trouble. Where is the church of Jesus Christ in relation to this week? First there are 3 different ideas about this rapture. Firstly we have the post tribulation school. Matthew 24 verse 29. The Lord Jesus will come after the 7 year period. If that be the case where’s the church? These people believe that saved men and women will go through this time. According to this post tribulation theory at the end of time the Lord will come and take us to heaven. There is also the mid tribulation period. The Lord will come in the middle of the 7 year period. He will come and take home the church. This will be the time when the anti-Christ will set up an idol in the temple and demand the worship of all people. The third and major theory is that the church will be taken out before the 70th week begins. The rapture will actually bring in this terrible time of trouble when the Lord comes back and takes out his church. The spirit of anti-christ is already in the world and only he will take out the spirit of Christ dwelling in the hearts of every saved man and women. God’s spirit will be taken out of the world and the spirit of anti-Christ will reign in the world. There is one certain thing today – Jesus is coming back again and we need to be ready today. Jesus is coming back again and we need to be ready when Christ comes back. Will we be found working for the Lord, separated for the call of the Lord, ready to be taken home? You and I can start well – have the greatest testimony of saving grace, lifted from the depths of sin and mire but when Jesus comes will we be found working for him? These are the theories and we need to look at each theory and compare the scriptures, see what God has planned for us.
Keep in mind that the Lord Jesus Christ is coming again and it will be in 2 stages. I believe that the scripture teaches the Lord comes before the tribulation period and ushers in the tribulation period whereas the other theory is he comes at the end and puts an end to the tribulation period. What had happened in Thessalonica? Paul had preached, the believers believed then people wrote and said people had missed out on the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul writes to correct this – verse 15 “prevented” go before or hinder. Speaking of those who had died and in the ground. The second coming of the Lord is mentioned in verses 15 – 17 - where is the Lord coming to in that verse? The clouds and the air. The Lord is coming to the air with the voice of the archangel and the trump of God. He is coming to the air. Zechariah 14 verses 1 – 4. We read in 1 Thessalonians of the day of rapture. Here it is telling us plainly coming to the mount of Olives. 2 different aspects of his coming. 1 Thessalonians 4 verse 17 the dead in Christ shall rise first and we which remain alive will rise after them. 1 Corinthians 15 will take place in the twinkling of an eye then he says the dead in Christ shall rise. We shall be caught up together to meet him in the air. He is gathering his saints to meet him in the air. Another verse in Jude 14. 1 Thessalonians he is coming for his saints. Now according to this verse he is coming with his saints. He is coming for his saints at the beginning of the tribulation and then with his saints at the end of the tribulation. It is not one literal coming - that is where confusion lies. 1Thessalonians 4 it is the Lord that comes and it is to him we will gather at his coming. That the dead rise and we after them to meet him in the air. At the second stage of his coming in Matthew 24 what happens then. Verse 31 he shall send his angels out into the 4 corners of the earth to gather his elect. When it comes to the church of Christ it is the Lord who will bring his saints. 2 different stages – coming for the church then coming with the church at the end of the age. Chapter 4 is the Lord. Dealing with the church at the end of the age. Chapter 4 is the Lord dealing with the church. Matthew 24 dealing with the Israelite and Gentile nations – that is the confusion.
Also a comfort to look for too. You will find a theme comes through with the apostle Paul “comfort ye one another with these words.” 1 Thessalonians 4 dead in Christ arise … then finishes off with the words “comfort one another with these words.” If I was to go through that time of pain and slaughter there wouldn’t be a great deal of comfort about it. The Lord will come again, coming for me and the church, those saved by the blood, washed in his blood, where do we stand in the light of God’s salvation? Have we trusted Christ the Saviour, are we waiting for his coming again? 1Thessalonians “how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God and to wait for his Son from heaven”.
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