To Those Left Behind

To those left behind (1)

•••

The Coming Of the Lord

Behold I come quickly,
And my reward is with me
Out of the midst of eternity,
Unfolding events deemed a mystery

Take heed of the signs that appear
Testifying the coming of the Lord is near
Men's heart each day failing of fear
Glorious expectations in the atmosphere

No one knoweth the hour or day,
When all we see will fade away,
With the Light of His coming leading the way
In His presence forever Oh Lord we will stay

Like a thief in the night,
A bride will be taken out of sight
Like eagles we'll take this heavenly flight
In His presence for all eternity what a glorious delight.

Will you be ready when He comes?
Or will there be a work left undone.
Oh how we love the appearing of His Son
To be in His Image a work well done.

-Jonowrit

•••

What Has Happened

First, as to what has happened - Jesus Christ, the Son of God, has returned.

For 2000 years the Bible has been proclaiming to the world that Jesus would be coming back. Jesus stated in John 14:3, "I will come back."

Because Jesus has returned, millions of people who have put their faith and trust in Jesus as Savior, accepting His free gift of salvation, have disappeared in an event called the Rapture.

You might be thinking that there was something mysterious in the sudden disappearance of millions of people, but the Bible has already explained this so-called mystery. Jesus said that when He came again, He would come for those who are saved. He said, "I will receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also" (John 14:1-4). The Apostle Paul put it this way: "Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet" (1 Corinthians 15:51-52).

The Rapture happened to those of us who accepted Jesus as Savior, both those alive and those who had died since Jesus was resurrected. Both groups - living and resurrected believers - were caught up to be with Him in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

This all happened very quickly, like a flash of lightning. Jesus left as suddenly as He came, taking those who have accepted Him and His salvation, and leaving behind those who have rejected Him. And you, sadly, have been left behind.

Well, maybe you know a loved one who has disappeared - a wife, a husband, a child, a friend - and are wondering what has become of them. In that flash, as those who had accepted Jesus as their Savior were caught up to meet Jesus in the air, they traded their earthly bodies for bodies that are perfect, imperishable and immortal (1 Corinthians 15:42-44, 50-55).

They sit with Jesus now in Heaven at a great banquet called the "Marriage Supper of the Lamb" (Revelation 19). They will live in great joy and know no sorrow. They will be with their King and live in love forever. They are well taken care of, and you don't have to worry about them.

Why It Has Happened

But, it is the why of the disappearances that is your cause to worry. For believers in Jesus were taken out of this world to spare them from the great wrath that has just begun to befall the planet (Romans 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 5:9).

Jesus' return for all His true believers was just a prelude to His final Second Coming. The second phase of Jesus' return is to set up His Kingdom on earth. Jesus' Kingdom is why this whole thing is happening.

You see, we have come to the end of one age and will soon be beginning the age of Jesus' glorious reign right here on earth. But first, God has to deal with rebellion - sin - before setting up His Kingdom. God's going to use this intermediate time period you now live in to pour out His wrath on mankind for its continued refusal to accept His Lordship. The time you live in is called the Tribulation.