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Now starting in verse number 1 of John, chapter 16, the Bible reads, These things have I spoken unto you that ye should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogues. Yea, the time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God's service. And these things will they do unto you because they have not known the Father nor me. Verse 4, But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you. And on and on, go back just a few pages in your Bible to Matthew chapter 13. Go back to Matthew chapter 13 if you would. Matthew 13, first book of the New Testament, Matthew 13. And I'm preaching on a subject tonight that's controversial, but it's not controversial if you believe the Bible. And I find that most things that people call controversial are not really controversial. It's things where people have a tendency to resist the truth. Because God does not want us to be confused. God's desire when giving us his word was not to confuse us. God is not the author of confusion. It's God's word to speak plainly. And I don't know if you picked that up in the reading we just did where he spoke unto them how he was speaking unto them plainly. And he said the Holy Spirit is going to help you to understand the words that I'm preaching to you. But you see, people become confused because they're lied to by a man. And then the Bible has clear teaching and they're not sure which one they need to go with. And things become controversial when people resist the clear truth of what the Bible explicitly says. That's where controversy comes from. Look at Matthew chapter 13. And this is the parable of the sower, a famous parable. The Bible is talking about different types of people who hear God's word preached. And people who get saved, some who do not get saved. But it says in verse number 20, But he that received the seed in the stony places, the same as he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it. Yet hath he not root in himself, but doereth for a while. Keep your finger there. Go to Luke 8 quickly. Luke chapter 8. Keep your finger there in Matthew 13. We're going to be right back there. I just want to show you another aspect of this over in Luke chapter 8 where he gives the exact same parable of the sower. And I want you to see the difference here of how he explains it just a little bit differently. It says in verse number 12, you're in Luke 8. We're going to compare this with Matthew 13. It says, Those by the wayside of they that hear, then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. Now, these people did not get saved, did they? Because the Bible says they heard the word, and before they understood it or believed it, the devil came and snatched it away out of their hearts. Lest they should believe, they'd be saved. Because if they believed, they'd be what? Saved. Because who started believing in them? Who shall not perish, but have no everlasting life. Look at the next group. It says in verse 13, They on the rock are they, which when they hear, receive the word with joy. So these people receive the word with joy. And it says, And these have no root, which for a while believe. Now, are they saved? Yeah, they believe. Which for a while, it says, they have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. Verse 14, And that which fell among thorns are they, which when they have heard, go forth and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. They're saved, but they don't win any souls to Christ because they're too busy with everything else the world has to offer. They bring forth no fruit unto perfection. But that which is on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it and bring forth fruit with patience. Go back to Matthew 13 with that in mind. Same parable. Jesus is telling it at a different time, giving it a little bit different wording. And he says here in verse number 20, But he that received the seed into stony places, the same as he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it. Now look, this person's saved, isn't he? That's right. He received it. As many as received him, to them gave you power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. In Luke 8, each plane they receive and believe. Here he says, they receive the word and anon with joy receive it. Look at verse 21. Yet hath he not root in himself, but doeth for a while, for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. This is the person who's saved, but they're not firmly rooted and grounded in what they believe. They're not planted. They're not rooted. They have no root in themselves. Therefore, when persecution and tribulation comes, they are what? Offended, the Bible says. They're offended. We've seen this before. We've seen our church get persecuted and then people get offended. Of course, the Bible says, great peace hath they which love thy law, and nothing shall offend them. And you remember back in John 16, he said, look, I'm warning you about persecution. I'm warning you about tribulation because when it comes, I want you to remember that I told you that it was coming. Therefore, you won't be offended because you'll see it coming. You'll expect it. You won't be shocked. You won't consider it a strange thing as though some strange thing happened unto you concerning the fiery trial which you're going to endure. But let me tell you something. If you're not ready for it, you might be offended. It'll catch you off guard. It'll catch you unawares unless you're prepared for it. And that's why Jesus preached what he preached in John 16 to prepare them. And that's why I'm preaching what I'm preaching tonight to prepare you for what's coming. So you won't be offended. Now what's interesting about Matthew 13, verse number 21 is that this is the first time in the New Testament that a word is used. And that word is tribulation. First time it's used. What's the context? What does it mean? Well, the first four letters of the word tribulation, trib, basically it comes from the same root word as our word trouble. It's trials. It's tribulation. It's persecution. It's affliction. Those are words that are actually used synonymously with tribulation in the Bible. You find parallel passages where affliction, tribulation, persecution, these words all go hand in hand. Who is enduring the persecution in verse 21? Who's enduring the persecution? A believer. Who's enduring the tribulation in verse 21? It's a believer, isn't it? It's a new believer who's not rooted in it. He can't handle it. He ends up getting offended. Look at Acts, chapter 14, verse 22. Acts, chapter number 14, verse 22. And again, there's always a dividing line amongst people. There's those who want to hear what the Bible says. They want to know the truth. And there are those who want to believe the lie. Right. They want to just, woop, woop, woop, and just go along with what they're taught. But you know what? The Bible's clear, my friend. And I make no apologies for the truth tonight. Look at Acts 14, 22. It says this. And when he had preached... I'm sorry, verse 21 is where I'm reading. Sorry about that. And when they had preached the gospel to that city and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra and to Iconium and Antioch. Confirming the souls of the disciples and exhorting them to continue in the faith. And that we must, through much tribulation, enter into the kingdom of God. Now, is the Christian life going to be a bed of roses? No. Look at the next book, Romans. Romans 5-3. You're going to go through persecutions. You're going to go through tribulations, aren't you? That's what the Bible's teaching in John 16, 33, where we started. He said, These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation. But be of good cheer, I've overcome the world. Don't be of good cheer because you're not going to go through any tribulation. You will. But be of good cheer because Christ is in you, the hope of glory. And he has overcome the world. Because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. It says in Romans 5-3, And not only so, but we glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience experience hope. Now, who is it that's suffering the tribulation here in Romans 5-3? It's Paul. It's his companions. It's those who, according to verse 1, are justified by faith in Christ Jesus, isn't it? Look at Romans 8-35. Romans 8-35 says this, Who shall separate us from the love of God? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword, as it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long. We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter, nay, in all these things. We are more than conquerors through him that love us. So are we going to go through all these things? Christians in general will go through all of these things. They will go through tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, sword, etc. Look, if you would, at Romans 12-12. Romans 12-12. Isn't the Bible consistent? Look at Romans 12-12. It says in verse 12, Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing instant in prayer. These are the three things that should characterize us as believers. We ought to be patient in tribulation. We ought to rejoice in hope, and we ought to continue instant in prayer. Look, if you would, at 2 Corinthians 1. 2 Corinthians 1. We're moving to the right in your New Testament and chronological order here. 2 Corinthians 1, verse 4. Who comforteth us in all our tribulation. That's speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ and God the Father. Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any what? Remember I told you those two words are related? In any trouble? By the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. Go to chapter 7, verse 4. Same book, just a few pages to the right. Chapter 7, verse 4. Great is my boldness of speech toward you. Great is my glorying of you. I am filled with comfort. I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation. Look, if you would, at 1 Thessalonians, chapter 3. The Bible is really hard to understand, isn't it? 1 Thessalonians, chapter 3, verse 4. It says in 1 Thessalonians 3, 4. For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation, even as it came to pass, and ye know. Now why did he tell him that? Go back to verse 3. You'll find the same reason in John 16. That no man should be moved by these afflictions, for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto. For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation, even as it came to pass, and ye know. Look at Revelation, chapter 1. Revelation, chapter number 1. Last book in the Bible, Revelation, chapter 1. Why, thank God for a preacher like Paul, who loved people enough to tell them that they were going to go through tribulation, because he didn't want them to be offended and moved by these afflictions when they came. He was not a prosperity preacher. He told them the truth. He warned them about coming tribulation and affliction. It's an interesting thing. When I memorized 1 Thessalonians, chapter 3, just in the course of memorizing 1 and 2 Thessalonians, I realized something when I memorized 1 Thessalonians 3, and that's the fact that since I had grown up in church from the time I was born in an independent Baptist church, at age, I think, I was 23, 24, when I memorized 1 Thessalonians, chapter 3, I realized I'd never heard a sermon preached on any verse in 1 Thessalonians 3. But it's a key chapter. I mean, it's got key doctrine, but people stay away from it, and there's a reason why. But it says in Revelation, chapter 1, verse 9, I, John, who also am your brother and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. Look at Revelation 2, 9, it says, I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, but thou art rich. And I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer. Behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried, and ye shall have tribulation ten days. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of white. Now, did I just read you a lot of verses? A lot of scriptures, right? What did they all have in common? They all told believers, Christians, that they would endure tribulation. What tribulation was that talking about every time? It's talking about being persecuted. It's talking about being afflicted. It's talking about possibly being imprisoned, Revelation 2, 10, and it's even going a step further, talking about some will even be killed for the cause of Christ. That is what the Bible means when it says tribulation. That's the term that's used throughout the Bible. It's talking about being afflicted. It's talking about being attacked. That's what it means. Now, if you would, look at Revelation 7. You're already in Revelation chapter 1. Let's look at another use of the word tribulation in the Bible. It says in Revelation 7, verse 14, Actually, look at verse 13. It says, So who are we talking about here? Saved Christians, right? They washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. And what did they come out of? Great tribulation. These are they which came out of great tribulation. Well, there's another place that that term great tribulation is used. Look at Matthew 24. Go back to Matthew chapter 24, and let's see this in Matthew 24. It says in Matthew chapter number 24, and we'll just go through this quickly, but let's just go to where it says that term great tribulation, it says in verse number 21, Now, there's always been tribulation, hasn't there? I mean, even the Thessalonians were going through tribulation. The disciples were going through tribulation. But he said, wait a minute. There's going to be a time coming when there will be great tribulation, extreme tribulation. He says, I'm not even going to take the time to explain to you that the elect is talking about those who were saved. I mean, good night. Read the Bible once in a while, would you? I mean, literally. Flip open the New Testament. Look up every time the word elect is used, and it's talking about born-again Christians. He says, I'm writing to the elect, the Thessalonica, those who are elect through faith in Christ Jesus, elect according to the foreknowledge of God and the blood of sprinkling and obedience to the truth. I mean, he says, who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect and his God that justified it? The elect are those who've been saved. He said that we're elect through grace, Romans 9, Romans 11. No, I'm not a Calvinist, and Calvinism is garbage out of the field. That's not what the sermon's about. But anyway, that was a word from our sponsor. But it says here, except those days should be shortened, there shall no flesh be saved, but for the elect's sake, it's talking about the belief that Christians, God's people, those days shall be shortened. No, the Jews are not God's people, unless they're saved. And guess what? Most Jews aren't saved. Most Jews aren't saved. Go slow on each other. Most Jews are the most unreceptive, militantly against everything that is the truth and righteousness and salvation through Christ Jesus. Who is a liar, but he that denies that Jesus is the Christ, he's anti-Christ, that denies the Father and the Son. And it doesn't matter, think not to say within yourself, we have Abraham to our father, for I say unto you that God is able to leave stones to raise up children unto Abraham, and now also the axe is laid under the root of the trees. He said, every tree that bringeth on forth good fruit is shewn down and cast into the fire. You see, it's not Abraham that's your father, it's Abraham's your father when you're of faith, the Bible says, because Abraham is the father of all them that believe, and when they told Jesus, Abraham's our father, he said, no Pharisee, you are of your father, the devil, and Abraham is not your father, John 844. So here we are, he said in verse 23, then if any man shall say unto you, lo here is Christ, or there, believe it not, for there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall sow great signs and wonders, insomuch that if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. So is it possible to deceive the very elect? No. Now if that were talking about the Jews, they're very deceived tonight, because they don't believe that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, they're deceived, they've been lied to. But the elect, the believer, the Christian, which is what that word is always referring to, every time it's used in the Bible, will not be deceived by false Christs and false prophets, because he has the Holy Spirit living inside of him, remember we read John 16 earlier, guiding him into all truth. Hey, if they say unto you, verse 26, behold he's in the desert, go not forth, well we're already in the desert, but, behold he's in the secret chambers, believe it or not, for as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. Now let's stop and analyze that here. He says, wait a minute, there will come a day, there will be great tribulation and persecution of believers, there will come a day, he said, many will be put to death, and that will come a day where there will arise false Christs, people claiming to be Jesus Christ, right? And false prophets, pointing to those people saying, this is Jesus. There are people on this earth right now claiming to be the second coming of Jesus Christ. There are many antichrists, now they're not the antichrists, but there are many antichrists who claim to be the second coming of Jesus Christ. Cult leaders and people who have a following and so forth. And you see, he's explaining to us, not to be deceived by someone who claims to be the second coming of Jesus Christ. Now you remember the Jehovah's Witnesses claim that Jesus Christ came back in 1914, 1918, and they say, He came to our secret chambers. You know, He came, they literally say, He came, but we're the only ones who saw Him, and it was up in Brooklyn, New York, in the watchtower, I was driving by that building with a friend of mine one time, and I pointed at it, and I said, you know what, just to thank Jesus that stood in that building. You know, it was the big Jehovah's False Witness headquarters there in Brooklyn, New York. Who's driven by it before I see it? Just me. Alright. So anyway, it says here, don't believe that, because, in verse 27 it says, For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. He says, look, you will know when He's here, because every eye shall see Him, the Bible says, and they also which pierced Him, and all kindreds of the earth shall wail, because of Him, even so, Amen. You're not going to need somebody to tell you, oh, He's over here, He's over there. No, everyone will know. The coming of the Son of Man will be in such a way that, just as the lightning lights up over here, but the whole sky lights up, you'll see Him no matter where you are, no matter which way you're looking, you'll see Him coming in the clouds. Verse 28, For wheresoever the carcass is, there will be eagles be gathered together. Immediately after the tribulation of those days, shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her life, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken, and then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven, and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man, Who's the Son of Man? Jesus. coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory, and He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Now learn a parable of the fig tree. When His branch is yet tender and putteth forth leaves, you know that summer is nigh, so likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. Now hold on. He wasn't saying the generation that He's speaking to. He's saying when you see these things begin to come to pass, this generation shall not pass away till all these things be fulfilled. He's saying that these things will all happen in one generation. A lot of people will try to spiritualize this and say that it's over the course of thousands of years. It's a picture of a big long struggle between good and evil. Oh, this is talking about the Middle Ages. That was the tribulation. No. He said when it begins, it'll be over in the same generation. This is a short period of time here that's in the lifespan of one person is what He's explaining there. Let's keep reading though. Verse 36. But of that day and hour knoweth no man. Of what day and hour? What day and hour? The day when Jesus Christ will come in the clouds and the trumpet will sound and He'll gather His elect from the four winds for one and the other. No man knoweth the day or the hour, do they? When Jesus will come in the clouds, when the trumpet will sound, of that day and hour, Now, can we just make up whatever day we want this verse to refer to? If it said that day, it must be the day that we just talked about, right? He says here, But as the days of Noah were, verse 37, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days that were before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and knew not, until the flood came and took them all away, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. So remember the days of Noah. Noah was preaching for 120 years. He was a preacher of righteousness. He won many souls to Christ. When it came down to getting on the ark, how many people got on that ark? Eight people. Okay, now, when Noah got on the ark, the same day that he entered the ark, was the same day that it started raining. Right? That's what we just read in the Bible here. Did you see that? Or, you know what? I'm sorry. I'm reading into this. Go to Luke 17. Stay there in Matthew 24. We're going to come right back. But look, go to Luke 17. I've got other things in my mind here. What we actually read in Matthew 24 was just that they didn't know that judgment was coming until the day that Noah went into the ark, right? I was getting ahead of myself mentally. I was already in Luke 17. But in Matthew 24, they didn't know that judgment was coming. They ate, drank, married, giving a marriage. Everything's great until the day that he entered that ark and all of a sudden the flood came and it started raining. The same day. Well, look at Luke chapter 17. We'll see pretty much the same thing. Keep your finger in Matthew 24. We'll be right back there. But it says in verse number 26, As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage until the day that Noah entered into the ark and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise also. So the flood came the same day that he entered into the ark, right? Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot. They did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built it. But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the son of man is revealed. How will it be like Noah? How will it be like God? In the sense that no one will see it coming, the judgment, until Jesus comes to cloud. But that same day, he's going to rain down fire and brimstone just like he did on Sodom and Gomorrah. The same day that the trumpet sounds and he gathers his elect from this earth. Look what it says in verse 30. Even thus shall it be in the day when the son of man is revealed. In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away. And he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. Remember Lot's wife. Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it, and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it. I tell you, in that night, there shall be two men in one bed. The one shall be taken and the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together. The one shall be taken and the other left. Two men shall be in the field. The one shall be taken and the other left. Here's the key, my friend. Verse 37 is key. And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? What's the where? Where are they going to be taken to? And he says, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together. Now hold on a second. Where, Lord? Two men in a bed, one taken and the other left. Two women grinding at the mill, one taken and the other left. Two men out in the field, one taken and the other left. Did you know that the NIV removes one of these purposes? By the way, it removes the one about the, I think the women grinding at the mill. It's one of these three that we just read is missing. Where? Where did they go? Where were they taken? Keep your finger there. Flip back to Matthew 24. Matthew 24. Look at verse 27. For as the lightning cometh out of the east and shineth even unto the west, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. For wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together immediately after the tribulation of those days, shall the sun be darkened and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. He says, and it goes through again, you know, the Son of Man appeared in the clouds, the sound of the tropic, gathered the elect. So isn't the gathering of the elect the same thing as that two guys in the bed and one of them being taken and the other left? Two women grinding at the mill? It's both related with the parable of the eagles and the carcass, okay? And so it's clear here what's going on. Back to Matthew 24 where we're reading. Let's finish reading. Verse 41, two women shall be grinding at the mill, the one shall be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready, for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of Man coming. Now let's take a little quiz here. Does any man know the day or the hour today, does any man know the coming of the Son of Man, what day, what hour that'll be? Does anyone know? But let me ask you something. Does that mean that Jesus Christ can come back at any moment? No. Because in order, it's impossible, because there's a whole big chapter of things that have to happen first. And the biggest thing that has to happen first is found in verse 29, the sun and moon have to be darkened first. And what does the sun and moon being darkened come after? The tribulation. Immediately after the tribulation, the sun and moon are darkened, then Jesus Christ comes in the cloud and sounds the trumpet. Do we know the day? Do we know the hour? But do we know that it's after the tribulation? That's what it says, isn't it? Do we know that it's after the sun and moon is darkened? Yes, we do. Now, he gives another illustration here about basically a thief coming in the middle of the night, right? Did you catch that in Matthew 24, where he says in verse 43, But know this, that if the good men of the house as known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched. Go to 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. And let me tell you something. This is a lie that's being preached, and I'm sick of it. It's a lie that says he can come back at any moment. It's the Charismatics, the Pentecostals, the Timlays, the phony lordship salvation crowd of Kirk Cameron and growing pains. It's the sensational doctrine of Jesus coming back before our service is even over today, and it's a lie. And it's a lie that's going to cause you to be caught off guard when you are bathed with persecution unlike the world has ever seen that is coming upon believers in the future. You're not being warned about it. Pastors won't tell you about it. They won't even preach on 1 Thessalonians chapter 3. They won't preach anything out of the chapter because they're just afraid of that chapter because it scares them. Because it's right before 1 Thessalonians 4, and they don't want you to put two and two together. But look at 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. We already looked at chapter 3. It says this in verse number 13. But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that you sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with them. Now let's stop right there. Those which sleep in Jesus, He's bringing them with Him. Did it say He's coming to get the ones that are sleeping in Jesus? No, it said He's bringing them with Him. That's because they're already in Heaven. I mean, those who are asleep in Jesus, yes, their body is asleep in the dust of the earth, as it says in Daniel chapter 12. But they're already in Heaven. Their souls are already in Heaven. To be absent from their bodies, to be present with the Lord. I mean, they're up there in Heaven. Paul said, I desire the card to be with Christ, which is far better. And so, He's bringing them with Him from Heaven. Right? But look what it says here. He said, them which are asleep in Jesus will God bring with them. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shell, with the voice of the archangel, and the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. That's talking about their body, right? He's bringing them with Him in the soul, and then the body is going to be resurrected, and they're going to meet the Lord in the air. Right? But hold on a second here. There's so much here that we have to see. He said here, we which are alive and remain, look down at verse 15, unto the what? The coming of the Lord. Now I don't think that there is a preacher in America. I don't think there's any Baptist preacher in America who would say 1 Thessalonians 4 is not talking about the rapture. Every preacher in America will agree that 1 Thessalonians 4 is talking about the rapture. This is the most famous rapture passage in the Bible. And what does he call it? The what? The coming of the Lord. And this is what they'll say. You're confusing the rapture with the second coming. Well, this is why I got so confused, because that's what God called it. I mean, literally, how many times? Don't confuse the second coming with the rapture. Don't confuse it, brother. Well, I'm confused, sir, because it says right here, the coming of the Lord. And it's time we quit listening to people and man and God. Let's listen to the Bible. You know, study to show thyself approved unto God. This is clear tonight, isn't it? Don't you love coming to church? It's just clear. And if your mind's cloudy right now, you're not listening or something. Or you've been listening to these other, you know, Kirk Cameron's got you messed up or something. I don't know. But he says, it's real clear here, unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent, prevent, if you know Spanish being it, come before, prevent, them which are asleep for the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we, which are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words, but, he's not done talking, is he? But, look at the next verse, 1 Thessalonians 5, 1. Of the times and the seasons, brethren, yet no need did I write unto you, for yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. Now, hold on a second here. He doesn't have to write us the times and seasons of what? Of what we just talked about. I mean, it's not right. Because but is a conjunction connecting what we just talked about. So what does he not have to write the times and the seasons about? What we just talked about. Jesus coming in the clouds, down in the trumpet, dead in Christ, rise first, we which are alive and remain. Does that not have to write unto you the times and the seasons? Why doesn't he have to write it to us? Because we already know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. Now, why would we already know that? Because Jesus already told it to us in Matthew 24. That's why we already knew it. Okay? Because the Thessalonians had already been taught the words of Jesus Christ. They already knew from Matthew 24, Mark 13 that the day of the Lord comes as a thief in the night. Did you remember in Matthew 24 when he said, hey, if the guy knew when the thief was coming in the middle of the night and all that, he said it in Matthew 24. Now look. Is it just me or is the rapture, first of all, I don't see the word rapture. I don't have a problem with calling it the rapture. I mean, that's a good way to identify it. Everybody knows what that word... I just like to use words that are easy to get understood. Everybody understands the word rapture. They know what I'm talking about. But notice two terms that God has used. The coming of the Lord in the clouds and he used the term the day of the Lord. Did he not? Because he said, I don't need to tell you the times and seasons because you know that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night because that's what we're talking about. Verse 3. For when they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travail upon a woman with child and they shall not escape. Now isn't that exactly consistent with the idea of the days of Noah? Eating, drinking, marrying, giving them peace, safety, everything's great and then sudden destruction like with Noah, like with Sodom and Gomorrah? He says as travail upon a woman with child and they shall not escape. Matthew 24 mentions travail upon a woman with child. I don't know if it caught that. But look at verse 4. But ye brethren, he didn't just say but ye or not, he said but ye who? Who's he talking to? Christians. But ye brethren, because you're brethren, he's saying look, you brethren, you my brothers and sisters in Christ are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief. So let me ask you this. Will Jesus' coming be as a thief in the night to those who are saved? No. It'll shock those who aren't saved. But ye brethren are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief. They will save peace and safety. Sudden destruction shall come upon them, meaning the unbelievers, as travail upon a woman with child and they shall not escape. But ye brethren are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of life and the children of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep as do others, but let us what? Watch. Watch for what? When you see these things begin to come to pass, you'll know that it's not even at the doors. He says to let us watch and be sober for they that sleep sleep in the night and they that be drunken are drunken in the night and let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love and for an helmet to hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. Now very clear, isn't it? It's simple. It's not hard to understand. We can see a very clear progression here. Now, let's do a quick review here. Is the rapture called by the Bible the coming of the Lord? Okay, now when Jesus came in Bethlehem's major, was that the first coming? Is that known, what's commonly known as the first coming of Jesus Christ, the first advent? Now, if this is enough, wouldn't this be called like the second coming? Or is this like the one and a half coming? Coming 1.5. Because it's the coming of the Lord. Therefore, if anybody says that this is not the second coming, it means that they don't know what they're talking about and they need to go and do a little more reading before they stand up to preach. Amen. It's true. Maybe they should do a little memorization. Maybe they should do some prayer. I don't know what they need to do, but they need to do something and stop teaching a false doctrine. The Bible calls it here, and people will try to change the meaning of words. They'll try to change what the word tribulation means. They'll try to change what second coming means, and that's where the confusion comes from. You've got to put all that stuff out of your head here. Nobody said here that Christians are going to be drinking water that turned into blood and have fire and brimstone raining down on their head. Is that what I preached in the last 45 minutes? No. But we've got to get our definitions right here. We are going to be persecuted, and that's all that the word tribulation means. Affliction, trouble, persecution, that's what it means. Now, we see this here. The coming of the Lord. What else is it called? The day of the Lord. He said the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night if you're not safe. Go back to Joel chapter 2. Joel chapter 2. Toward the end of the Old Testament, you have the 12 minor prophets. Joel chapter 2. Joel chapter 2. Joel chapter 2. Hosea, Joel, Amos. All right? Look at Joel chapter 2. The Bible says this in verse number 31. The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come, and it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered. And on and on. That says right there that before the day of the Lord, what's going to happen? Sun and moon will be darkened. Isn't that what it said? What happened in Matthew 24? Go to Acts 2. Acts chapter 2. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts. Acts chapter 2. Acts chapter 2. The Bible says in Acts chapter number 2. It says in verse number 20. The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before that great and notable day of the Lord come, and it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Now, clearly again, the day of the Lord, second coming comes after the sun and moon are darkened. It's clear. Amen. Go to Revelation chapter number 6. Just quickly touch on this. Or Revelation chapter number 6. And you know, we've tread some familiar ground tonight, but we've exposed some new things. We've pulled out some new truths tonight. Because the Bible's deep, you know, and if you read it and study it, you'll see things like, you know, come out at you like that that are pretty fascinating, and that it all fits together like a puzzle. Just look up every time the fig tree dropping her face is mentioned. It's all tied together. Mention every time the eagles gather at the carcass. It's all tied together. Look at every time it talks about one being taken and the other left behind. It all fits together. Fascinating. I love the Bible. But look at Revelation chapter 6 verse 12. You'll find out when the sun and moon are darkened. It says, And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal. Revelation 6, 12. And lo, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood. Now, that's exactly what we saw. Joel 2, Acts 2, Matthew 24, Mark 13. And the stars of heaven fell into the earth, even as a fig tree cast to the run time like figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll, when it is rolled together, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the cheap captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every freeman, hid themselves in the Danes and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountain rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the what? The wrath of the land. For the great day of his wrath has come, and who shall be able to stand? Now, notice the word again. The great day of his wrath, not has come, unless you have the New King James or the NIV, it says no, the great day of his wrath is come. That's today. Present tense. So, was the day of God's wrath and the wrath of the Lamb, did it come previously? No. It came after the sun and moon were darkened. Okay. Now, take your song books, if you would, and let's turn to song number 124, and no, I'm not done preaching. We're going to sing a song. Can you play, Matt, It Is Well With My Soul? You know that song? We're going to sing a little song right now. Oh, it's not 124, but let me go to the index. My memory fails. Somebody help me out. 145. 145, thank you. We're going to sing song number 145. Okay, I'm going to give you a chance to get there, Matt. No, I knew that song better. Okay. 145. Okay. Do you know this one or not? Yes. Let me know. We're only going to sing the last verse. Let's sing it out. And, Lord, face the day When the day shall be signed The clouds we roll back as the scrolls The drums shall resound And the Lord shall be sent Even so, it is well with my soul It is well with my soul It is well with my soul Alright, now stop. Look down at the song book here. Is this a scriptural song? And Lord, haste the day When my faith shall be sight So this person's looking forward to a day when their faith in Jesus Christ, because they've never seen Jesus Christ face to face, becomes sight. The clouds be rolled back as a scroll The trump shall resound The Lord shall descend Even so, it is well with my soul Now, look down at your Bible at Revelation 6. Well, we just read verse number 14. What does it say? And the heaven departed as a scroll When it is rolled together Now, that is what the author of this song was referring to. When they said the clouds be rolled back as a scroll The trump shall... Why? Because they knew that right after the sun and moon are darkened and the stars of heaven fall from the sky, that is when the clouds will be rolled back as a scroll. That is when Jesus Christ will come in those clouds. That is when the trumpet will sound. That is when the faith will be sight. That is the day when we will look upon Jesus Christ. Behold, he cometh with clouds, Revelation 1a, and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him, and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him, even so, amen. This is the wailing. When they're begging, save us from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of this wrath is come, and you shall be able to stand. Let's keep reading though. Verse 1 of chapter 7. And after these things... After what things? After the sun and moon are darkened, people are shouting and afraid. They see the Lamb. The clouds are rolled back as a scroll. It says, I saw four angels, John speaking, standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw another angel, ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, saying, hurt not the earth, neither the sea nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their forest. So let me ask them, have they already hurt the earth? No. Have they already hurt the sea? No. Has the sea been turned into blood? No. Has he poured out his wrath upon this earth? No. That day has come, but it has not begun. A day is come, is what they said on the day that was happening. He said he's going to seal certain servants. I heard the number of them which were sealed. There were sealed 144,000 of all the tribes and the children of Israel. The tribe of Judah was sealed 12,000. The tribe of Reuben was sealed 12,000. The tribe of Gav was sealed 12,000. The tribe of Asher was sealed 12,000. The tribe of Renekton was sealed 12,000. The tribe of Manasseh was sealed 12,000. I just want to make sure you don't leave anything out. The tribe of Simeon was sealed 12,000. The tribe of Levi was sealed 12,000. The tribe of Issachar was sealed 12,000. The tribe of Ezekiel was sealed 12,000. The tribe of Joseph was sealed 12,000. The tribe of Benjamin was sealed 12,000. After this, I beheld and lo, a great multitude which no man could number. So is this the 144,000? No way. Nobody can number this multitude. Is it just the Jews? No. Of all nations and kindreds and people and tongues stood before the throne and before the land clothed with white robes and palms in their hands. Now let me tell you something. John numbers. Write a few chapters previously in chapter 5. Keep your finger there in Revelation 7. Go back to chapter 5 and look at verse 11. Revelation 5 and 11. And I beheld and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne of the beast and the others. And the number of them was 10,000 times 10,000 and thousands of thousands. That's a pretty big number. It's 102 million. So hold on a second. There are more than 102 million people back in Revelation 7 and that multitude that no man could number. Because if it were anything less, it could have been numbered because the 102 million angels were numbered. But this is a multitude that no man could number. Of all nations and kindreds and people and tongues we're back in chapter 7 verse 9. Stood before the throne and before the land clothed with white robes and palms in their hands and cried with a loud voice saying Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne and under the land. And all the angels stood round about the throne and about the elders and the four beasts. How many of these angels? 102 million. This is a pretty big crowd. 102 million angels and then an innumerable multitude of believers. And it said And fell before the throne on their faces and worshipped God saying Amen verse 12 Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be unto our God forever and ever. Amen. And one of the elders answered saying to me What are these which are arrayed in white robes? And here's the key. And went in vain. Went means from where? He said Who are these people and where did they come from? Now the elders have been up there through this whole process. The elders have been right there around the throne since back in chapters 4 and 5. And all of a sudden he says Whoa! Where did this great multitude come from? And John looks at them and says Sir, thou knowest. Like don't ask me. How am I supposed to know? And he said to me These are they which came out of great tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God and serving day and night in this temple. And he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more, neither shall the sun light on them nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. We just read every word of chapter 7 didn't we? Chapter 8 verse 1 And when he had opened the seventh seal remember when he opened the sixth seal that's when the sun and the Lord darkened that's when the day of the Lord the coming of the Lord all took place that's when a great multitude appeared in heaven of every nation, kingdom, tongue and then he said when he opened the seventh seal there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. So we're still in the same day. Only a half hour has passed. After these events that obviously took a little bit of time and I saw the seven angels which stood before God and to them were given seven trumpets and another angel came and stood at the altar having a golden censer and there was given unto him much incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne and the smoke of the incense which came with the prayers of the saints ascended up before God out of the angel's hand and the angel took the censer and filled it with fire of the altar and cast it into the earth and there were voices and thunders and thunderings and lightnings and an earthquake and the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound the first angel sounded and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood and they were cast upon the earth and the third part of trees was burnt up and all the green grass was burnt out now let me ask you something does it sound like the trees are getting hurt now? Does it sound like the earth is getting hurt? And does it seem like the day, the same day that this great multitude was caught up into heaven was the same day God poured out fire and brimstone on the earth now where in this story that we just read and we were all over the bible get real Matthew 24 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, chapter 5 we've seen it all over Revelation where in all this story is the question where is everybody? Somebody show me that in the bible where that comes into play show me where the kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men and the chief captains and every mighty man and every bond and every agreement said where is everybody? Show me but yet that's what people believe, isn't it? It's what people preach and that's what you've got to believe that's it, man you don't believe that you're not cool, like us you've got to believe that pre-trib, man he who now letteth will let don't you forget all I can do is laugh right now you know what I mean? where is everybody? yeah that'll sell video games and movies and books down at the Christian bookstore but it's a lie it's a lie nobody's going to be asking where is everybody when fire and brimstone is falling upon their heads and upon their house and upon their car and upon their backyard they're not going to be wondering where you're at because they won't care and they already saw Jesus come in the clouds and started screaming and wailing because they realized wait a minute wait a minute he's here to judge he's here to punish this is the end of the world you know what I mean? the sky is falling literally now look all I can do is take the horse to the water but I can't make him drink you know what I mean? that's what the Bible says and you know what? read Matthew read Mark read Luke read John read Acts read Romans and then when you're done read 1 and 2 Corinthians then read Galatians then read Ephesians Philippians Colossians 1 and 2 Thessalonians 1 and 2 Timothy Titus Philemon Hebrews James 1 and 2 Peter 1 and 2 and 3 John Jude and Revelation you show me where it says anything different show me you know what? you know what? what? what? what? what? what? what? what? seven years seven years seven years seven years seven years seven years Bob tribulation Bob show me where the Bible teaches anything other than what I just taught tonight and if you do you'll just be telling me the Bible contradicts itself cause everything I taught was straight out of the Bible but we gotta we gotta get real tonight folks and understand something we don't know when these things lifetime it may be a hundred years from now every single person in this room may be already in the grave when these things begin to come to pass isn't that isn't that true but you know what these things could begin to come to pass also a week from now a month from now five years from now ten years from now twenty years from now right and when they begin to come to pass it's not going to be you driving home in your in your fancy car it's not going to be you driving in your fancy car it's you don't drive a fancy car and all of a sudden whoosh you're gone no when these things begin to come to pass it's going to be when they start telling you there's a new global government there's a state of emergency I'm not kidding right now I'm as serious as a heart attack right now there's a state of emergency the Constitution has been suspended there's a new global government and there's a man that's going to be the savior that's going to solve the attack there are earthquakes and famines and tidal waves and tsunami and you know what somebody has got it you know we got to just do whatever it takes and there's going to be a global government there's going to be a one world religion one world government and there is going to be a man who claimed to be the second coming of Jesus Christ he will come on a white horse and people will believe that he is the second coming of Jesus Christ he will be the Antichrist and he will cause all the rich and poor small and great free and bond to receive a mark in their right hand or in their forehead and that no man might buy or sell save he that had the mark or the name of the beast or the number of his name here is wisdom let him that have the understanding count the market the number of the beast turns the number of a man and his number six hundred three score and six and only the King James Bible will tell you that the mark will be in your forehead or that's not my forehead in your forehead or in your hand let me tell you something you're not just going to go down to the DMV or the post office and get that mark in your right hand or in your forehead you will have to the Bible makes it very clear you will have to worship the Antichrist you will have to worship Satan because the Bible says they worship the dragon they gave power the beast and they worship the beast you have to worship the Antichrist in order to get that mark in your hand which no Christian will do no Christian will be deceived the Bible says none of the elect will be deceived no one will think that the Antichrist is really Jesus and no Christian will worship him and bow down to him and proclaim him you are Jesus you are the Savior you know what and we don't know what that all is gonna entail what acts of worship will be demanded but some act of worship will be demanded in order to receive the mark of his name and guess what you're not going to be able to buy or sell you're going to be persecuted you're going to be hated you're going to flee some will be a prison some will be beheaded some will live through it many will live through it and be alive and remain when the trumpets happen but you know what don't be deceived be not deceived my friend don't let anybody lie to you and tell you oh yeah that's all after we're gone yeah okay well you show me that in the Bible you look up every time the word tribulations used and come prove me wrong look it up look up every time the trumpet sounds in this book look up every single time consistent every time as far as for word of prayer father I pray that we would not be ruled by tradition or the doctrines of men lies of Hollywood lies of false teachers like Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron and perverts like Tim LaHaye help us and yes he is a pervert and father I just pray to you please just help us to be guided and directed by only two two things the Holy Spirit and the Holy Bible that's all we need help us to study to show ourselves approved dear Lord and more than anything help us not to be offended when we're persecuted because you've already warned us yeah and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution help us to God to be ready for the persecution that comes in our lives maybe this will happen maybe it'll be the big one in our lifetime but maybe it won't but either way father you warned us of persecution strengthen us in the inward man strengthen me dear God help me to stand and help those that are here to stand and in Jesus name we pray these things amen