Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.” Revelation 6:1
It goes downhill fast from there. Scholars and ministers of the Word are not quite sure when the Rapture of the Church will take place. Before is the preferred timing because the judgments revealed in the Revelation are downright frightening. I will admit to a certain rapturous self-interest in the premillennial point of view on the Rapture. Sign me up! I don't want to be here when those judgments go from revealed in God's word to actually entering the stage of world events.
Three out of four people alive at the breaking of that first seal will not live to see the completion of the Apocalypse and the return of our Lord Jesus. Those are not great odds, and the one of four that makes it will endure all manner of suffering and deprivation for those seven long years. It is estimated that the odds of becoming involved in a deadly auto accident are one in three in a lifetime. That means two out three will not have to endure one - and I couldn't even beat those far better odds. How in the world could one such as me expect to survive the Tribulation? Yes, there is a bit of self-interest in the premillennial hope of the Rapture, and I wholeheartedly admit it!
The good news is that I want everyone else to go with us in this escaping of the terrible Tribulation. If the Rapture is the ejection seat that rockets us out of here before that first seal is broken, we should be pulling on that handle. I tried this morning, but Jesus hasn't pulled the safety pin to arm my ejection seat yet. Like all of you I will have to wait on His timing. While we are waiting though, we have this Good New of Jesus Christ to spread around, and a life lived in faith and His love is a great way to do it!
Here's to all of us going home before that terrible Tribulation!
Bucky
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