Our “Titanic” World is sinking, Abandon Ship!
In my last blog post, Are these the Last Days? I used a metaphor about the RMS Titanic tragedy and when we left the story the great ship was listing and the deck chairs were starting to slide. To those on that terrible cruise there were only two options, find and board a lifeboat or go down with the ship.
As our world is listing crazily, when we consider our own personal foundering toward death, a question arises. Is there a lifeboat for us to scramble into? On the Titanic, there were not enough lifeboats for everyone but, I am pleased to announce that in our case, there is a never-ending supply. Anyone who wishes to be saved, can be saved.
The signs point that the time of tribulation (also called Jacob’s trouble) as told in the Book of Revelation is coming soon. Some of the awful things that occur during that time are caused as the evil that resides inside mankind fully acts out. But much of what happens is a result of the wrath of God being poured out on a world full of rebellious men and women. Even though it is God’s wrath, there is a saving aspect similar to the gleaning of a field’s grain after the main harvest. As we see these things coming, for those who have used their free will to choose to trust God, He has made a way of escape from both the coming time of trouble and our mortal deaths.
This is not a new concept, God did this before in the event called the Great Flood. Basically, mankind was completely corrupt and non-redeemable. So God decided to clean the slate and start over but, “Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord” and God instructed Noah to build a large lifeboat. Things were so bad in the hearts of mankind that Noah (a preacher of righteousness), preached for 100 years and had no converts. So as God’s judgment fell as rain, Noah’s lifeboat safely raised those aboard above the waters.
Another example of God’s saving those that believed and trusted in Him is the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. Sodom was located in a lush and productive area, but along with their prosperity, many vile things were going on in those cities. So God warned Lot that enough was enough and He was going to destroy those cities. Lot not only trusted God but he had the chutzpah to bargain with God whether He would destroy the cities if a certain number of righteous people were found. In the end, Lot lost the negotiation and God instructed angels to escort Lot and his family out of the area before judgment fell. In fact, judgment could not fall until [Genesis 19:22] they were out of harms way.
A third example is when the Children of Israel were trapped at the shore of the Red Sea with the Egyptian Army breathing down their necks. God opened the waters as a way for them to escape, then when the Israelite’s were safely through, the waters fell and drowned the pursuing army. So, precedents have been set; God saves those who believe and trust Him and follow His instructions.
Collectively, Bible believing Christians are referred to in the New Testament as the “Bride of Christ” [2 Corinthians 11:2] and Jesus is referred as the “Bridegroom” [Mark 2:19]. In 1st Thessalonians 5:9, The Apostle Paul wrote a letter comforting those in the Church in Thessalonica , Greece, who thought they were already in the tribulation. Paul said, “For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake (live) or sleep (die), we should live together with Him. Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.”
In the first century church era, Christians (because of their trust in Jesus) referred to death as sleep or sleeping. Again the Apostle Paul writes in: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.
But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.
What is being described here mirrors the Jewish 1st century wedding tradition.
The Groom’s Father selects the bride for his son. Jesus alludes to this here: [John 10:27-29].
The betrothal comes next, it is a witnessed marriage contract. The perspective groom’s father negotiates with the brides father and a deal is struck; the bride price is paid and the engaged couple shares a glass of wine, sealing their engagement. The groom will not drink wine again until the wedding ceremony which is what Jesus also stated in Matthew 26:28-29. The groom then returns to his father’s house to build accommodations for his bride. After being gone for a period as long as a year, the groom will come back and take his bride to his father’s house. The timing of the groom’s return is unknown by the bride so, while the bride is waiting for her groom, she is supposed to remain chaste and always ready for her groom’s surprise return. When he returns and his procession approaches the bride’s village, trumpets will sound and shouts saying that the bridegroom is coming. The bride has mere moments to slip into her wedding garment and make herself ready.
When Jesus’ disciples were discouraged because He told them that He was leaving them soon, He said:
“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions (Dwelling places); if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know. Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” [John 14:1-6]
This “receive you to Myself” event for believers in Jesus, is referred to as the “rapture.” This aspect also mirrors the 1st Century wedding tradition.
Once snatched, the bride is taken to the father’s house where the wedding ceremony is performed. After the ceremony the newly married couple spend seven days in seclusion for a “getting to know you” time. Meanwhile, relatives and invited guests party in celebration.
Likewise, after the “rapture,” there is a seven year period in heaven (during the earth’s tribulation) where the wedding party celebrates. There are more facets to this rapture/wedding scenario, but, this is the gist of what God’s lifeboat is about for those that love and trust Him.
Question: Won’t this rapture thing cause a big ruckus here on earth and people will know that the Christians were taken?
Maybe, maybe not. There will be millions of so-called “Christians” that will be left behind. These are people that did religious things but did not personally believe that Jesus was and is their personal “sacrifice” that paid the penalty for their personal sins.
Nowadays, we are hearing whispers about a future revelation of extraterrestrial aliens. NASA recently hired 24 theologians in NASA’s study of possible human reaction to confirmation of aliens. You can google it. While the Bible does not address aliens directly, Satan is called the “Prince of the power of the air” and demonic forces* are real and present here on earth. In history, when Hernán Cortés (1485-1547) led a small army and conquered Mexico from the Aztecs many within the Aztec Empire came to believe that Cortés was Quetzalcoatl, the god who would return to overthrow the god Tezcatlipoca, who demanded human sacrifice. Part of their belief was because of the advanced weapons that Cortés troops had.
Human nature is generally the same as it was back then so the reaction would likely be similar when aliens bearing super high-tech (and perhaps supernatural) abilities are presented. They could have some wonderful solutions to what are seen as major world problems. The aliens could also claim that “they seeded the earth millions of years ago and evolution did the rest” Who would doubt them? Jesus mentioned a “strong delusion” during the end times and this may be it. After the rapture, the aliens would also be believed if they said that those who disappeared were the “malcontents taken by them for reprogramming.” Another possibility of the rapture not causing a “big ruckus” is that there could be so many worldwide calamities going on like multiple wars, shortages of energy and food, earthquakes, etc, that a mass disappearance of Christians could be simply be lost in the chaotic background.
This has been a quick look into God’s lifeboat. I implore you to trust in God’s lifeboat, take a seat and hold on before the your deck slips beneath the waves. If somehow, you’ve miss the boat, and you find yourself left behind, your soul can still be saved unless you take the “mark of the beast” pledging your allegiance to anti-Christ. It’s a serious matter because refusing the “mark” will result in your execution. But, martyrdom for Jesus is a lot better than an eternity completely separated from Him. When you think about it, our tomorrows are actually not a sure thing, a lot can happen in a day. Therefore, today is the day of salvation, here’s how.
* For those that don’t believe in demonic forces in today’s world,
I recommend this mind-opening book: The Beautiful Side of Evil by: Johanna Michaelsen.