Roger Best exhorts us from the book of Jude to live holy in these godless days. This is a session from the 2009 2nd Annual Prewrath Conference in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
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Recently in the news, there was trepidation about an asteroid that just missed the earth by a few thousand miles. The scientists talked about the vast devastation that would occur if just a single one hit depending on its size. It revealed how the ungodly react to their finiteness and puniness. Their only concern is self-preservation—not having peace in their Creator no matter what happens. Imagine when this will actually happen at the sixth seal. It will not be a single occurrence:
“and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale.” (Rev 6:13).
The ungodly’s self-preservation will not be to find refuge in their Creator, but to flee from Him to the caves:
“Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, (16) calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb,” (Rev 6:15-16).
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The Rapture in Matthew 24:31
Here are my slide presentation notes in pdf format on the rapture in Matthew 24:31. I very much enjoyed the fellowship at the conference.
Pretribulationists believe that “gather his elect” is a reference to the regathering of Israel at the end of the 70th week of Daniel. Preterists, on the other hand, interpret it as the Christian mission beginning in AD 70 to gather in God’s people to the Kingdom through evangelization. I showed, instead, that the Prewrath position is the most natural and consistent reading, demonstrating that this is indeed the rapture.
“As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age? (27) For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. (28) Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather. (29) “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 heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. (30) Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (31) And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” (Matt 24:3, 27-31)
I have read scores of commentaries on Matthew 24, and I am always baffled that there are so many different interpretations of this question (preterists have the most strained readings). The most natural reading is that the sign is the lightning, which represents Christ’s Shekinah glory — his divine presence-glory.
“Parousia” (Coming) means presence. Ezekiel sadly witnessed the inverse of the sign of God’s presence departing from the Temple.
“And the glory of the LORD went up from the cherub to the threshold of the house, and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was filled with the brightness of the glory of the LORD. Then the glory of the LORD went out from the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubim. And the glory of the LORD went up from the midst of the city and stood on the mountain that is on the east side of the city.” (Ezek 10:4, 18; 11:23)
Zephaniah is noted for having one of the most graphic portrayals of the Day of the Lord in the Bible found in chapter one. But we must not stop there for then he gives a call for anguished confession of sin and humble devotion to God so that we may escape the horrible Day of the Lord coming on this world:
“before God’s decree becomes reality and the day of opportunity disappears like windblown chaff, before the LORD’s raging anger overtakes you- before the day of the LORD’s angry judgment overtakes you! Seek the LORD’s favor, all you humble people of the land who have obeyed his commands! Strive to do what is right! Strive to be humble! Maybe you will be protected on the day of the LORD’s angry judgment.” (Zeph 2:2-3).