Added information this afternoon: Frank DiMora’s in-depth look at the Rapture of the Church Jan. 4, 2010

Many people have questions about the rapture. They wonder if the rapture is truly taught in the Bible. Many people have written me and said, “I don’t believe in the Rapture”. I ask them, are you saying you don’t believe in the resurrection of the body? Do you believe you are going to be a disembodied spirit, or ghost throughout eternity? Is that what you think the Bible teaches? People usually smile and say “no that’s not what I am saying”, what I mean is, I don’t believe in the rapture before the tribulation starts. What they are really saying when you get to the bottom line is there disbelief of the pre-tribulation rapture. So it is a matter of the timing of the rapture that is the controversy.

First of all we need to see the importance of the purpose of the rapture. You will see why it is that we must be raptured. Then we will also look at the indications of what the timing of the rapture is. Will it be before the Antichrist, during the reign of the Antichrist or, at the end of his reign at the Battle of Armageddon? The subject of the rapture is critical because it is the promise of Jesus Christ that our bodies will not remain in the grave, will not remain in the dust, but will be transformed into a body that is fit for eternity. That’s the promise of the Gospel. That is the unique promise of Jesus Christ. Do you know when we bury a individual in the ground that by saying dust to dust we are proclaiming our belief that death and burial in the ground is not the end. That’s why Christians call it a cemetery it was a sleeping place for the body. The spirit was with Jesus, but the body rested in the ground, but not forever but until the day of the glorious rapture the resurrection.

We find in I Thessalonians 2:19 a wonderful phrase which Paul writes “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?” Paul says the rapture, the resurrection is our joy he says it is our rejoicing our hope, it our crown of rejoicing. So, do you rejoice in the hope of the resurrection? You should because, while all other generations of Christians died in faith without having participated in the resurrection before their death they will ultimately participate in the rapture when you and I are raptured. But for those of us living we have the promise, that if we are alive when Christ comes we will not have to pass through the portals of death, but we will pass from life to life eternal.

In I Thessalonians 4:16-17 this is Paul has to say. “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.

In these will known scriptures there is a great deal of teaching about the rapture. For example, we see the Lord Himself is going to come to Earth according to the Book of Revelation. When does He come? The Bible says He comes down to the Earth to defeat the armies of the Antichrist, and the armies of the kings of the East to defend Israel which would otherwise see curtain destruction, and when He comes down according to Revelation 19:14 he comes with the millions of saints.

If we come down from heaven with Jesus Christ riding on white horses, and we are in our resurrected bodies, bodies just like Jesus, and we are wearing white robes which represent the righteousness of the saints, then common sense shows us at some point previously to Armageddon we have received our resurrection bodies. Why? Because all Christians those who are in heaven now in the spirit, and those who are alive at the time Christ comes in the air are going to have a resurrection body. One of the things misunderstood by a lot of people is the purpose of the rapture.

The purpose of the (rapture resurrection) is this. God has to transform your mortal body, which either for dead Christians lies in ashes in the ground, or for those who are alive when Jesus comes is a body that is not fit for eternity, it is mortal, and it is corruptible.

God tells us He is going to take our moral body and transform it into a body fit for eternity. Now the word rapture was actually introduced by a great Christian teacher in 385AD by the name Jorum, Jorum was one of the Fathers of the early Church. In his writings and translation of the New Testament into Latin he came to this passage in I Thessalonians 4:17 which says, “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”. Jorum looked at that word caught up and he used the best Latin word possible which was (rapere). Repere means to snatch up by external force. What Jorum was saying was, that is the best word used in the Latin language in his version of the Bible, it was very popular from all the way from 385, all the way up till the King James Bible, repere was used! That became the origin of the word (RAPTURE) used as a noun. So, the snatching up of the bodies of both those who died and are sleeping in the grave, and those who are still alive will be taken away by the Lord’s force at some time in the near future. So again, the English word "rapture" is derived from the Latin word rapio (rapere, raptus) meaning: to carry away, to be caught up, to snatch, seize, pluck, drag away. The purpose of the rapture is to transform your body into a body fit for eternity!

In I Corinthians 15:53 you will find what God is saying is, for this corruptible, in other words your natural body in verse 53 must put on incorruption and, this mortal must put on immortality. Your body is corruptible, your body is mortal, and because it is mortal it must put on incorruption, it must put on immortally. Simply put, right now your body is not fit for heaven. For example right now your bodies are not fit to travel at the speed of thought from heaven to Earth and back so you might rule and reign with Jesus Christ as we are promised to do so in Revelation 5:10 “And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.”

The Bible tells us we are going to appear at the judgment seat of Christ there we will receive crowns and awards that we might enjoy for eternity. This is very important so please pay attention to what you are about to read!

 2 Corinthians 5:10 says the following: “for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” Now, if you are a disembodied spirit which is what our fellow Christians in heaven are, they don’t have a body, they are there in spirit. Remember Jesus said to the thief on the cross today you will be in paradise.

 Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:8 said, “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” Paul is showing us to be absent of the body is to be present with the Lord so, the Bible does not teach soul sleep, no, those who die in the faith, believers in Jesus Christ are instantly transformed, their body goes into the ground, their spirit goes right to heaven the new Jerusalem called (paradise), and there is it joyfully and consciously in the presence of Jesus and the saints, but you yet do not have a body. You can’t eat or drink at the marriage supper of the Lamb unless you have a body. And for those who think well, that must just be a symbol, no, because we are told clearly that our body and the resurrection is going to be like Jesus’ body when He rose from the dead.

What was Jesus’ body like? In Luke 24:36 we are told Jesus was resurrected, He appeared in the middle of the upper room were the disciples were. I quote, “And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.” His disciples were wondering what in the world was going on? The disciples looked at Jesus, and Jesus looked at them. The disciples thought they had seen a spirit or a ghost, you see it is very difficult for people to get their minds around the idea that in the resurrection our body is going to be as real as it is today, but in the rapture now indestructible, immortal, incorruptible, no longer subject to disease or accidents or death, but real, a real glorified body.

In learning about the raptured body everyone, especially the Jehovah’s Witness better take a look at what Jesus said to His disciples when He appeared out of no where in that upper room. Luke 24:36-40 gives us this conversion. “Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, “Peace to you.” But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit. And He said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.” When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet”

Keep in mind, the Jehovah’s witness are lost when it comes to these words spoken by Jesus. Read what the Watchtower Organization teaches about this upper room visitation by Christ. In the Watchtower book entitled, “Make Sure of All Things” p. 314, the 1953 edition, they say the following. “Jesus’ resurrection not of same body; he merely materialized flesh and blood to be seen and believed”.

He shows them He has flesh and bones and tells them a spirit doesn’t have flesh and bones. This was the glorified resurrected body that you and I will receive at the rapture of the Church. Look at the Word of God, it says Jesus showed them His hands and feet. Jesus went out of His way to show them all that it was the same Jesus that hung on the cross but, only now in His glorified body, Jehovah’s witness will never receive a glorified body if they do not believe in the real resurrection of our Lord and savior.

The Watchtower Organization, which is lead by Satan makes Jesus an out and out liar, for if Jesus was really only a spirit, He purposely deceived His disciples in believing He had actually came back from the dead as Jesus Himself. If Jesus wasn’t the exact same Jesus who hung on the cross then, when Jesus showed the disciples His hands and feet with the holes marks still in them, He was knowing lying to them just to prove He came back. This is not the first time the Watchtower Organization has turned Jesus into a false prophet and a liar!

The Watchtower Organization, and all the Jehovah’s Witnesses are in fact spreading their lies and, have made Jesus into a false prophet, a false teacher, a false Messiah, and a false god. You will see this not only from the upper room visitation but, also from John 2:19. Jesus told the religious leaders that He would raise Himself from the dead in three days. Let’s look at the exact words Jesus used in John 2:19-21. “Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.20Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? 21But he spake of the temple of his body. The Greek word for body is (σῶμα), soma, which means physical body.

So, before Jesus ever appeared to His disciples in the upper room, He had already told the religious leaders He would raise His (soma, physical body) in three days. Now, if Jesus did not do exactly what He prophesied He would do, raise Himself, then He lied to these religious leaders and, was a again lying and deceiving His Disciples.

As the Jehovah’s Witnesses teach He only assumed a body to prove he came back to life. God forbid that anyone would believe this Watchtower teaching for it is straight from the pits of hell and Satan. Assuming a body is no real resurrection at all.

Notice what is said in John 2:22. “When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.” What scripture did they refer to? We know it couldn’t be any scripture from the New Testament, because it hadn’t even been written yet.

The scriptures are found in Genesis 22 verses 4 and 8.

Genesis 22:4 Abraham is on his was to kill Isaac his Son. “Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off”. Verse 8 says, “And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together”.

Now do you see why what Jesus said to the religious leaders was so important? Jesus was actually showing them how he would fulfill the scriptures in Genesis chapter 22. Like the Jehovah’s Witness the religious leaders in Christ’s day believed Jesus was a liar, for they had been blinded by Satan to the truth of what was going to happen soon.

Now I ask you, why did Jesus then come straight out and tell His disciples, who thought they were looking a spirit creature, that it was, (I Myself). Jesus tells them point blank that He wasn’t a spirit, and that is why He wanted His disciples to handle them. He wanted to make sure they really understood that He was the real Jesus Christ. Not some fake body that was just assumed to prove a lie!

I believe over the years the Lord God has shown the lies being spread by the Watchtower and, most of the Jehovah’s witnesses aren’t even aware Satan is teaching them. Here is an example.

In their watchtower book, “Let God Be True, page 274, of the 1952 edition, the leaders who claim to be directed by God said, and teach, “Satan and his demons tried to obscure the true meaning of the resurrection by teaching that the resurrection was only in a spiritual sense”. I see nothing wrong with this because Satan has always worked to discredit the true resurrection of Christ, but wait one minute, let’s see if the WatchTower leaders are in fact taking sides with Satan?

In the Watchtower book entitled, “Make Sure of All Things” p. 314, the 1953 edition, they say the wrote the following. “Jesus’ resurrection not of same body; he merely materialized flesh and blood to be seen and believed”, and this is still the current teaching of this Satanic Organization today.

If God was leading this organization do you think that He would have given them teachings that would counter each other out? No my friends, Jesus is not a false prophet nor is Jesus a lair! Nor is He the author of confusion, Satan is!

Jesus did exactly what He said He would do. When He came back to the disciples it was in the resurrected glorified body outfitted for heaven. You will see that this glorified resurrected body can do the things that Jesus did while on Earth, and when you get your resurrected gloried body at the rapture you will be able to do these same things. You will be able to just appear into any room you want just the way Jesus did in the upper room when He told His Disciples to touch Him.

How real is Jesus’ gloried body you ask? Take a look at Luke 24:41-42 to see. The passage says, “And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.” In His resurrection body Jesus sat down with His disciples and eat the food and drank with them.

Why did He do this? Christ obviously wouldn’t have starved had he not eaten but, I believe Jesus wanted to show them that in heaven, in eternity, we are going to enjoy the good things of God’s creation without sin, and we are going to be able to eat and drink if we want. We know that even the angels eat.

Read Psalms 78:24-25 it tells us, “And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven. Man did eat angels’ food: he sent them meat to the full.” In other words manna was one of the foods that angels eat, so if angels eat, and Jesus tells us we are going to eat at the marriage supper of the Lamb, and He tells us His our body is going to be like His, in the resurrection, then we have the confidence that we are going to eat and drink. We are going to be able to enjoy all the good things of the Lord’s creation both in heaven and in eternity.

As far as the Jehovah’s witnesses, or anyone who doesn’t believe Jesus rose from the dead in that resurrected gloried body, Paul in I Corinthians 15-19 tells us that your faith is in vain, and you are still in your sins. In other words, you are not saved. If your not saved you are on the road leading to hell, so the matter of what Jesus had shown His Disciples in that upper room because of great important to ones eternal life!

How do you know your body will be like Jesus when He rose from the dead? In 1 John 3:2 it says this, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”

The book of Philippians 3:21 tells us the same thing. “Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself?” The Bible is very clear, we will have a glorious (resurrection body) just like our Lord Jesus. That body will be fit so we can rule and reign with Jesus Christ. We are going to be like Jesus with no limitations.

The rapture is going to reveal a body that is so glorious Paul wrote about it and said we can hardly image the things that God has prepared for us. Paul said the following in I Corinthians 2:9. “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”

One of the most asked questions in my ministry is the question about the timing of the rapture? Is it going to take place before the Seven year tribulation period? People want to know will the rapture be a pre-tribulation rapture. Is it going to take place in the middle of the tribulation, which is referred to as Mid-tribulation, or is it going to take at the end the tribulation at the time of the Battle of Armageddon, which is the referred to as the post tribulation rapture?

Many who dislike the pre-tribulation theory have stated that it is a new theory invented in the 1830 by John Darby, and the Plymouth Brethren. However, read the book, a manuscript by Ephron the Syrian. He was a great Christian Saint, a deacon and Bishop, and he wrote extensively in the earthly Church. He wrote a book on the Antichrist and the end of the world where he clearly says in 373, he said the Lord will clearly ascend from heaven and will take us to be with Himself that we might escape the confusion that over takes the whole world. It is it a clear pre-tribulation rapture statement that is made 15 centuries before most people thought it was ever discussed.

Naturally the Bible did not lay out precisely when the rapture would take place. God wanted us to be on guard at all times. Christ wanted us to be in the sense of urgently expecting Him to come back at any time. If you read the Bible you will see over and over again where Jesus instructs us to always be on the watch.

For example, in Matthew 24:42 Jesus says, “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come”. But the same time Jesus condemned the spiritual leaders of His day for being aware of the physical signs of the weather and not being aware of the signs of the coming of the Son of man.

The prophecies are being fulfilled just the way they were the first time Jesus came to Earth, and people are just as blind as the religious leaders in Christ time. For example, Israel is born again which that prophecy alone shows us we are living in the last days.

If you read the Book of Revelation as serious as you should, the seven year tribulation will be the worse period of time in God’s entire history of mankind. It will be a time of such unparalleled horror and judgment upon Earth that it is very doubtful that many Christians could live if that was God’s purpose, but I do not believe it is.

It is a time when God is going to turn back to Israel. With the Church taken out at the rapture before the tribulation, God is going to send people out to preach His Word. There will be the return of two prophets, Jewish witnesses, Elijah and probably Moses. Revelation 11:3 says, “And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth."

Jesus is also sending 144,000 Jewish witnesses who will not be harmed by the Antichrist. We see this 144,000 in Revelation chapter 7, and Revelation 14:1-5.

There is going to be a rebuilt temple and animal sacrifices just like the Jews did when Jesus came the first time. With all this going on it would be confusion if the Church was still on Earth at that time. No, the Church is gone at this time, their witnessing time for Christ has ended with the rapture, and this is now the job of the 144,00 Jewish male virgins that Jesus has sealed, and the two prophets of old.

Is there one special verse that points to the rapture taking place before the seven year tribulation?

I would point to this verse in I Thessalonians 1:10 where Paul writes the following: “And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.” I want you to think about the timing, and sequence of this. He says Christians are to wait expectedly for His Son from heaven. When the rapture takes place the Church leaves this Earth for heaven. So Jesus coming from heaven, the rapture, is going to deliver Christians from the wrath to come.

There are only two possibilities for the wrath to come. Either the wrath to come is the wrath of hell, or it is the wrath from the tribulation, because from Revelation chapter 6 to Revelation chapter 19 the entire judgment is poured out on Earth.

This is where the wrath of God is poured out on unrighteous sinners. So it can not be the wrath of hell because His second coming doesn’t deliver us from the wrath of hell, its His first coming, His death, His atonement on the cross that is what allowed us to escape the wrath to come.

What we know is, the rapture is going to allow Christians to escape the wrath that will come in the tribulation. Why? Not because we deserve it but, because its God’s purpose. From Genesis to Revelation you will not find a single example of God Judging indiscriminately between the righteous and the unrighteous. Paul said in I Thessalonians 5:9 “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ”. Here is the promise wrath will come but, not for those who put their faith and trust in Jesus.

God’s wrath is coming but not for the Lord’s true believers. Jesus shows us in Revelation 3:10 that we aren’t going to tested during the tribulation because, we were faithful and are spared from this time. Revelation 3:10 says, “Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth”. The Church won’t spend an hour, or a day, or a year, or neither seven years of testing on Earth because, Jesus promised us He would keep us from this trial.

As we see all the prophecies coming to pass we know that we are in the last days and very close to the beginning of the seven year tribulation. If all these prophecies are taking place, and we know the rapture will take place before the Antichrist appears, then if the Antichrist is close then the rapture, the resurrection of the Church of Jesus Christ is even closer.

I believe that the scriptures reveal that the rapture will occur before the seven year tribulation period. Here is the sequence very clearly for you.

I Thessalonians 1:10 we are to wait for a future event, which Jesus is coming from heaven, the rapture and then that event is going to deliver us from the wrath to come. This I also believe is a clear message that what God is saying is, the deliverance of the Church, through the second coming of Jesus at the rapture when He comes with His saints the spirits of all those who have died in faith, then those who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the air, we then will escape the wrath to come. It is very clear as I stated, from Revelation chapter 6-19 that what is poured out from heaven on unrepeated sinners during that entire seven year period is the wrath of God.

Remember, the tribulation will begin with the four horsemen of the apocalypse which are clearly representative of the wrath of God as shown over 12 other times in the Old Testament. The fact is, I think the scriptures clearly shows that God has not appointed us unto wrath just as Paul said in I Thessalonians 1:9. and Revelation 3:10.

Here are two contrasting destinies. One is that of the unrepentant sinners, who will endure the wrath of God poured without mixture during the seven year period. Then there are those who put their faith in Jesus as Christians, and their destiny is salvation. There’s several other facts that point clearly to the fact that the Church is not on Earth at this time.

Again, in sequence in Revelation 4:1-4 we read the following. “After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.” Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads. Notice the words (come up here). In the Greek this is meta tauta or, literally, “after these things” In other words Jesus was about to show John everything that was going to happen on Earth once the rapture of the Church took place.

Jesus also shows us a picture of the rapture I believe in Revelation 11: 11-12 11And after three days and an half the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. 12And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them”. These are the same words God spoke to John when He brought him into heaven to see what would happen after the Church was gone. The two prophets are lifted up into a cloud the same way the Church is going to meet Jesus in a clouds when we get raptured.

Keep in mind, after Revelation 4:1 you do not see the Church again until you see it coming back with Jesus in Revelation chapter 19! Take careful notice of the message Jesus gives to John before the the Church is raptured as recorded in Revelation chapter 2 and 3. I want you to read what Jesus says in Revelation 2:7, verse 11, verse 17, verse 29 and from Revelation chapter 3 verses 6, 13, and 22. All of these verses say the same exact thing which is, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the spirit saith unto the churches.”

Now in Revelation 4:1 Jesus calls John up to heaven. It is at this point the Church is in heaven. Now I want you to see what Jesus says after the Church is already in heaven while the tribulation is going on Earth. I quote Christ, “If any man have an ear, let him hear.” Do you see something missing? Notice Christ leaves out the word (Spirit)! The reason being is the Holy Spirit was active in the Church while the Church was on the Earth, but now the Spirit has departed when the Church was raptured to heaven, and so Jesus changed the way He words Revelation 13:9 because he is now addressing those on Earth going through the tribulation period, who are the unrighteous people left behind.

Understanding II Thessalonians 2:1-8 is very important to upstanding when the rapture of the Church will take place.

1Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, 2That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. 3Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. 5Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? 6And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 7For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 8And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming” Who is He that is holding back the revealing of the Antichrist? It is the work of the Holy Spirit. At the present time where is the Holy Spirit living? He is living in all the people who have received Jesus Christ as their savior. When the Holy Spirit steps aside to allow the Antichrist to make his final moves, that is when the Church is called up to heaven.

In Paul’s second letter to Timothy we find this statement in II Timothy 4:8: “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”

If you love the rapture, and are waiting and enduring patiently as eluded to by what Jesus shows us in Revelation 3:10, you will receive a crown of righteousness according to Paul.

Now get this very important point coming to you! Notice John sees these twenty-four elders with crowns. These twenty-four elders represent the Church resurrected to heaven. If they have crowns then the rapture has already occurred and the judgment seat of Christ in which crowns are given out has already occurred.

Three chapters later in Revelation chapter 7 John receives a vision of a great multitude that no one can number of every tribe, nation, kindred, or tongue. John asks the questions logically, who are these people? He has already seen the raptured Church with their crowns, who are these people there in heaven to? We see the angels answer to John’s question in Revelation 7:14. “And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. 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.” Notice that the Church was already sitting on their thrones with their white robes, so the who came out of the great tribulation had to be the people who refused the Antichrist’s mark and were killed by the Antichrist.

Now immediately the angel is ready to pour out the judgments of God, the wrath, and then we see yet another angel coming on the scene. Revelation 7:2-4 records this. “Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: “Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel” Immediately the angels begin to supernaturally seal the 144,000 righteous Jews.

We know the number of these 144,00 Jewish men is not symbolic for we are told exactly who the 144,000 are. First of all, in Revelation 7: 5-8 we see that these people come from the 12 tribes of Israel. Jesus took the time to list each tribe and show how many would come from each tribe, He shows us there are 12 thousand men from each tribe. Then in Revelation 14:3-4 we are told that these sealed people from the 12 tribes are man for they are not defiled with women, they are virgins. It is clear to us, God turns His attention back to the nation Israel and, the Jews when the Church is gone. This is not a symbolic numbers as the Watchtower Society would have you believe, but these Jewish men will soon begin to preach Jesus Christ as the true Messiah when the seven year tribulation begins.

Concerning these 144,000, please stay with me on this because only two chapters later in chapter 9 we see these sealed men again in scripture. Revelation chapter 9 God allows to be released from the bottomless pit satanic locusts that are part of the judgment of God, they sting people so that (EVERYONE) on Earth is stung except the 144,000 sealed men, the Jewish virgins. In Revelation 9:5 we are told that for five months people will wish they could die the pain is so great but they can not die.

Now logically follow this. There are 144,000 righteous Jews sealed for protection everyone else on Earth is stung by these demonic locusts. There are two groups that encompass the entire population of Earth, 144,000 righteous Jews and everyone else unrepentant sinners. Where is the Church? The Church is not there! The Church is already in heaven. They left starting at Revelation 4:1 where Jesus showed John the things that would take place after the Church was raptured. That also explains why the Antichrist curses those who are in heaven, those who have escaped him, the Christians.

If you still teach the Church most go through the tribulation you better support that finding by showing some where in the Bible where Jesus has angels sealing another group of people from the demon locust attack on the people. Fact is, there is no where in the entire Bible where you will read of anyone else God shows us is sealed from these demon locusts. Do you know what that means? It means that if you claim to be a Christian, and there is no rapture, which means everyone would have to go through the seven year tribulation, that ever one on Earth except these 144,000 Jewish male virgins will be stung by these demon locusts and suffer for five months to the point people where try to kill themselves, but won’t be able to die. Does this sound like God is keeping His Church from Wrath?

Another question I have been asked is why do so many Christians deny the pre-tribulation rapture so vehemently? I believe that some in their lack of teaching, lack of study, somehow image the rapture is an escape clause for the America or the worldwide Church today, that some how we will not go through persecution were as many others generations have. Well my friends, if the Lord tarries much longer we will see persecution even in America.

The Truth of the matter is God has never promised us freedom from persecution. The truth is many millions of Christians have been persecuted in the past, and are today still being persecuted in many countries around the world, but persecution is not essential to purify us as many imagine.

Think about it. All those Christians who come in the air with Jesus at the rapture, millions of those did not go through persecution, but died in their peaceful sleep. We also know that going through the tribulation is not something that will purify us and is necessary thereby. Again all those who come in the air with Jesus in the rapture include both wonderful righteous Christians like like Saint Paul, and will include Christians who had kind of indifferent Christian following.

What we know is, we are saved by the blood of Jesus Christ applied to our heart plus nothing else. It is the judgment seat of Christ where justice is handed out to us where we will receive rewards and crowns and mansions that reflect our faithful service.

Looking back in history, you will find every time God pasted judgment on the unrighteous, what did He do first? Each time He sent someone to the unrighteous to warn them to come to God before God passed His judgment on them. We see this trend in the Old Testament Exodus 12:8 “Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs”. This was a sign of the lambs blood that would be shed on the cross in the future that would save the world from God’s wrath and judgment.

In Exodus 12:12-13 we see how God made a way to spare the righteous who listened to His warning. I quote, 12“On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn—both men and animals—and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord. 13The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt”.

This is the same promise Jesus has for anyone who is born again in Christ. Concerning the blood Paul wrote in Roman’s 5:9 “Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved rom God’s wrath through him!”. 

I think the Apostle Paul best illustrates for us how God is going to spare the righteous from wrath. 2 Peter 2: 4-9 says, “4For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; 5And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; 6And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; 7And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: 8(For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) 9The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished”.

In each case above, God sent in someone to lead the people to safety before He pass His judgment, and today millions are spreading God’s warnings that God’s wrath is coming again on the unrighteous.

To read more about the rapture of the Church you can read my post from June 9, 2010 This post and the June 9th post gives you more than enough proof the rapture takes place before the seven year tribulation begins.

Matthew 24:36 "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

Before you read this post I want to make one thing very clear. In no way am I saying the rapture of the Church is going to happen this coming September. Yes it is possible, but we just do not know for sure. Jesus could choose to come for His Church next year, the year after, ten years from now. The point is this. We know He will come for His Bride the Church at some point during the Feast of Trumpet. Since we do not know what year we must do what He asks and keep on the watch. Be ready at all times so that when He does come He will find you doing His will and ready to be taken at the rapture.

Why does Jesus want us to keep our eye on the biblical calendar? Jesus wants those who are watching for His return to be ready when he comes to take the church out of the world. The only way one can do that is to know what they are looking for. It is clear as day what Christians are to look for, but I would say most Christians don't have a clue as to what the sign is. Why don't they know? I can see two reasons, first they are in a church where their pastor never teaches about the signs of the times and, second Christians are not studying the word themselves and they therefore would not know the signs. Let me help you understand a very important message from Christ. If you understand what Jesus was talking about, it will become clear to you what you and your family should be watching for.

Many people have asked me, why waste time trying to figure out when Jesus is going to come back when, Jesus himself said no man knows. Let me quote Jesus in Matthew 24:36 so you know what I'm talking about. “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only." Now I want you to take notice what Jesus is really saying here in relation to the Jewish thoughts and Jewish traditions.

The phrase but of that day and hour no man knows is a common Hebrew idiom for the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah. Rosh Hashanah is one of the seven Jewish Holidays, and it is known to the Jewish people as the feast of trumpets. The Feast of Trumpets takes place in the fall. In Leviticus 23 you see these feasts are appointed times established as yearly rehearsals that taught both historically and prophetically the whole plan of God. This plan included the coming of Christ and how Christ would bring redemption to all who received him. In short, God has given us his biblical calendar. Out of the seven biblical holidays the only ones left to be fulfilled are the fall feast which are Rosh Hashanah also known as the Feast of Trumpets, Yom Kippur, which is the day of atonement, and tabernacles. I am going to center on the Feast of Trumpets because on God's calendar this is the next in line to be fulfilled. Knowing this information, let me get back to Jesus’ statement in Matthew 24:36 where he said “no man knows the day or hour”.

This verse has to do with the Jewish wedding. The father had to make sure the Son had everything prepared and ready for the wedding. If anyone would ask the Jewish man when is the wedding, he would say ask my father only he knows.

This was the normal practice for the Jews. That statement was a traditional response. When it came time for this wedding to take place the man would go out at midnight sound the blast by blowing the sulfur letting his bride know he had come for her. The Feast of Trumpets, or Rosh Hashanah points to the Jewish cultural evidence that Rosh Hashanah will be the appointed time of the rapture of the church. As proof of this let me now show you what has already taken place with this Jewish wedding in relation to Jesus Christ and his bride the Church.

In a Jewish wedding the Jewish woman indicates she will marry him by accepting his proposal by drinking a cup of wine he gives her. What did Jesus do with the last supper? Jesus passed a cup of wine at the Last Supper and those who drank the wine accepted being his bride.

Secondly, the Jewish man would have to pay a price to the bride's parents. What did Jesus do and what was the price he paid? Jesus paid the price for us as His bride with His own life by dying on the cross for us.

The next thing and Jewish men would do to prepare for the wedding was to give His bride a gift. What gift did Jesus Christ give His bride the Church? Jesus gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit.

The next thing the Jewish man would have to do to prepare for this wedding was go and prepare a place for both himself and his wife to live in when they were married. Do you remember the words of Jesus Christ in John chapter 14: 3? Jesus said, “and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also”. This is where Jesus is right now, he is preparing the home for His church the bride of Christ.

The next thing the Jewish man would do to prepare for Jewish wedding is this, he would take a host of people with Him at midnight go out shouting and blowing the shofar for his bride. The shofar is a horn. Now read what Jesus told the Apostle Paul to write in First Thessalonians chapter 4 verses 15 through 16. Paul mentions the exact timing of this event twice! In verse 15, he says that this occurs at the coming of the Lord, and in verse 16, Christ comes down from heaven with a shout with the voice of an ark angel, and with the trumpet of God. This is the point at which time Jesus will come for us, the church, just the same way the Jewish man would go out at midnight and call for his bride. This will be the next thing to take place on God's calendar at the Feast of Trumpets.

The next thing that would take place after a Jewish wedding, which came after the man went out to get his bride would be to spend seven days alone with his bride to consummate the marriage in their wedding chamber. When Jesus comes back for his bride the church, he takes the church to heaven for seven years. If you notice, this is the exact length of the seven-year tribulation. Listen to what it says in Isaiah chapter 26:20-21 “Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.” These are the chamber's Jesus will keep his church in while the seven-year tribulation is taking place on earth. The church, bride of Christ, will be hidden from these terrible times that will befall the earth during the tribulation.

As you can now see, everything that Jesus has done was in accordance to the traditions of the Jewish wedding which is also based on the holidays of the biblical calendar. I want to get back to what the Apostle Paul had to say in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5:1-4 when he stated the following, “But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 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. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief”.

Paul was a Jew and he understood the signs of the times would be taking place during the times and seasons, or the Jewish holidays. In the above verse Paul eludes to the sign of peace and safety and he tells the reader they won't be in the darkness because they would be watching for these events to take place during the Jewish holiday season. When you read Genesis chapter 1 verse 14 we see the word seasons which is the Hebrew word for a pointed time. The seasons, appointed time, Paul was referring to was the actual day that Jesus was going to return on the feast of trumpets which would take place in the fall. So when Paul told the Jews you have no need that I write and to you, being Jewish they understood exactly what Paul was talking about. The only people who will be in the dark when Jesus comes on his feast will be those who do not have the understanding of the word of God in them, and do not have any understanding of these biblical matters.

Please take notice in relation to Rev. 3:3. In part of this verse Jesus tells the church at Sardis, which was considered a dead church to repent from their ways and to watch. Notice what happens when you aren’t watching? I quote, that part of verse 3 here, “I will come on thee as a thief and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.”

Don’t forget, Jesus is speaking to the dead church. What is Jesus showing us in this verse? Christ is showing us He only comes to the dead church as a thief, not to an alert and alive church, they will not be caught off guard.

In Revelation chapter 3 verses 17 through 18 Jesus is now speaking to the Church of Laodicea. This is another church that is not ready and Jesus calls this church and lukewarm church. What happens to a lukewarm church? Jesus tells us this answer in Revelation 3:16 where he says, “So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth”. Notice in those verses Jesus tells them to go and buy white raiment that “that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear.” What most people don't understand is what this white raiment really means. Stay with me and you'll understand exactly what it is. Rev. 3:18 is another key to understanding what Jesus is showing us. I quote “I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see”.

Now I want you to tie in what is written in Revelation 16:15, by connecting this verse to Rev. 3:18, this will become clear to you why you have to make the connection. Revelation 16:15 says the following: “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame”.

Let's go back to the Jewish traditions for a second, and I will show you how all this is ties together. During the time that the Jewish Temple was standing when Jesus was here the first time, the high priest and the captain of the guard were known as the “thief in the night” and, this is why. There were watch posts at the Temple where the priest had to be watching. One of the things they had to watch for was that the fire on the altar would not go out. This was a Godly fire that fell on the altar and it was commanded by God that this fire never go out. The priest had to watch this fire. If her priest was found to be sleeping when the captain of the guard checked on his rounds, the captain of the guard would take his torch, which was next to the altar fire, and set the priest’s garment on fire with the torch. The priest would be awaken by the fire, he would get up run through the Temple tearing off the garments that were on fire, and the shame of the priest’s nakedness would appear.

Now you see how Revelation chapter 16 verse 15 ties into what Jesus said about the Church that was dead. Now. when you go back and read 1 Thessalonians 5:1-4 Paul says the following: “for yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night” you now know what is meant by this phrase, “as a thief in the night”. In other words, when Jesus comes back and finds you sleeping like the priest in the Temple, and obviously not on the watch, you'll end up like the priest, running in your nakedness and in shame because you were not ready for his visitation.

Now let us look at Matthew chapter 25:1-13. In these verses Jesus’ is talking to two groups of virgins. One group was ready and on the watch, they were prepared for the bridegroom to come. This is a picture of the church doing the will of the Father, This again ties in to the Jewish wedding in keeping on the watch and the Lord coming back for his bride. Jesus said five virgins were ready and had oil in their lamps when the bridegroom came. Notice that the bridegroom comes at midnight as the custom of the Jewish wedding, notice also, he comes with a shout as with the custom. The five virgins who were ready went in to be with the bridegroom and the door was shut. This is what will happen at the rapture of the Church which we now believe will take place during the Feast of Trumpets, on the Jewish Holiday. This is why it is so important to keep on the watch at all times, especially during the Jewish Feasts.

What about the other five virgins who were not ready to go out to the bridegroom when he came at midnight? Jesus tells us they didn't prepare. These five virgins did not have oil in their lamps when he came at midnight so they had to go and buy oil to light the way. However, when they came back to the door of the bridegroom, the door was shut and the Lord said, “verily I say and to you”. “I know you not”. This is a picture of all the people who were not on the watch and are kept outside the door of safety in Christ Jesus. These five unprepared virgins is a picture of all the people who will find themselves tossed into the seven-year tribulation, because they like the priest at the Temple were fast a sleep. They like the priest were discovered by the Captain of the guard who was know as the thief in the night, or in this case Jesus Christ. As a result of you not being ready you as the priest will have been found and become naked and ashamed just like the priest did.

Now look at the message Jesus gave to us about the good servants and evil servants found in Luke 12:37-40. This is the message to the good servants.

“Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not”.

In Luke 12:41-47 Jesus is now talking to the evil servants who were not doing the will of the father, they were not watching for the thief in the night. Look what Jesus said to these evil servants.

“The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looked not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and he will cut him sunder, and will point him his portion with the unbelievers”.

These are the people who knew better, they knew the Lord's will but they are not doing the Lord's will.

The next verse tells us in verse 37, ”and that servant, which knew the Lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes”.

I ask you now, are you one of the so-called believers who are not abiding in Christ today, and you are not doing the will of the Father? We know for a fact that there are millions of people around the world who claim to be Christians but in fact are not doing the will of the Father fact is, they are even looking for Him to come back. This class of Christians is neither doing the will of the Father or are they watching for the Lord's return as Christ asked them to do. These type of people we are told, they knew his will yet didn't follow his will.

In Luke 12 :41 Peter asks Jesus,"are you speaking this parable to us, or even tell all?”. This question goes to the core of the question who is the evil servant? Jesus answered Peter by telling him of the evil servants who do not do the will of the Father. Once again we see a group of people being split in half. First there was the ten virgins, five which were wise and ready, and the other five who were not ready and were unprepared when the Lord came at midnight. Now we see good servants watching and doing the will of the Father who will be blessed, compared to the other half, the evil servants, who know God's will, but are not doing his will, and are not keeping watch, and will be beaten.

Another very important fact to remember about the Feast of Trumpets is this, no one knows the day or hour because the Feast of Trumpets started at the sighting of the full moon. Let me explain. On the 30th of each month, the members of the high court assembled in the court yard in Jerusalem, where they waited to receive the testimony of the two reliable witnesses. These two witnesses were the people who could verify that they had seen the full moon.

At the spotting of the full moon it would allow the members of the high court to then sanctify the new moon. This would mean that the Feast of Trumpets would begin. The new moon is very difficult to see on the first day because it can be seen only about sunset, close to the sun, when the sun is traveling north. So, looking for a very slim, faint crescent moon, which is very close to the sun, is a very difficult thing to do. If the moons crescent was not seen on the 30th day, the new moon was automatically celebrated on the 31st day. For this reason, the Feast of Trumpets is always celebrated for two days. These two days are celebrated as though it is just one day of 48 hours. The reason that it is celebrated for two days is because if they waited to start the celebration until after the new moon and then sanctified, they would have missed half the celebration because the new moon can only be sanctified during daylight hours. The command seems to be that we know the season, as Paul stated, but not the day or the hour as we have seen in Matthew 24:32-36.

Yom Teruah, or the Feast of Trumpets, is the only Jewish Feast that we do not know the day in which to keep it, as we are not sure when the new moon will be spotted. Therefore, we have to be on the look and watch for it. When Jesus is saying you won't know the day or the hour as recorded in Matthew 24 verse 36, He is telling us it is the Feast of Trumpets because it is this Feast and this Feast only that the Jews did not know the exact day or the hour in relation to when the full moon would be out. Hence the two-day celebration. No one could today tell you when the rapture of the Church will happen because it could take place at any time within a 48 hour period.

At the Feast of Trumpets Jesus will return to remove his bride the Church, it will not overtake the church who is doing the will of the Father, this Church will standing on the watch for the master to return. Paul speaks of this rapture of the church in 1 Corinthians 15:51-53 where he says, behold, I show you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of the night, at the last trump: for the Trump shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality”.

At some point in the very near future Jesus will come out from heaven and call his bride to himself, just is in the Jewish wedding. We who are on the watch, His bride, will be ready, and we are going to be changed from these human bodies to the heavenly bodies. The question to ask yourself at this point is, what class has Jesus placed you in? Are you one of the wise virgins who are ready to go out to meet the Lord? Are you standing watch for him to return, or are you one of those five who are not ready and have no oil in your lamps? Are you one of the good servants who when Jesus comes will find you standing at the door on the watch, and waiting for the master to return, or are you the evil servant who says he is a Christian but is not doing the will of the father, those of who will be accounted with the unbelievers when the master finally comes for his bride? Wake up Church and choose what side you will be on, the light or the darkness. If you are not a Christian I say wake up to what Jesus has shown you and repent so you can be accounted worthy to escape all the things that shall coming to pass and stand before the Son of Man, Christ Jesus.

I received an email from a person  who was trying to show me that the last trumpet in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 is the same trumpet found in the Book of Revelation.
 
This person asked me, “WHY in the world are so many looking for the Lord to come at the "pre-trib rapture" of the living, if He doesn't come to resurrect the dead until the seventh trumpet which scripture clearly saying the living are caught up with them?”  Keep in mind this is the same trumpet we see in I Thessalonians 4:16.

Now let us look at what I believe to be one of the most important facts about when the rapture will occur. I will show you there is absolutely no way the last trumpet in I Corinthians is the exact same as one in the Revelation. 
Let’s read 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 first. “Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed-in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.” This trumpet is called the last trumpet, but notice when this trumpet is sounded, people will be changed before a person can even blink his eyes.

When this trumpet is sounded, it is super fast, and it does not take place in a matter of days as we see the seventh trumpet of Revelation 11:15.   Does the term last trumpet mean that this is the same trumpet as recorded in Revelation 11:15 where it says, “The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever’"?

No, it does not. If you read Revelation 10:7, it says, “But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.” Revelation shows us the seventh trumpet shall be sounded over a period of days, most likely for the duration of the judgments that fall under the trumpet judgments. Notice the exact words that the Apostle John writes! John says, “Begin to sound." This is a far cry from the trumpet we see in 1 Corinthians 15: 51 where that trumpet happens faster than a person can blink his or her eye.

First of all, the person blowing the trumpet in Revelation 11:15 is an angel, and the chronology of Revelation shows us that the trumpet in Revelation 11:15 sounds at the end of the time of wrath, which comes at the end of the tribulation. If you read 1 Corinthians 15: 51-52 you will see that this trumpet is sounded before God’s wrath begins. These are definitely not the same trumpets. In addition, the people blowing these trumpets are not the same. For one, the Lord sounds one trumpet while an angel sounds the other trumpet.

Once you read 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18, you see it even states that the Lord is the one who blows the trumpet that removes the Christians from the Earth. I quote 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18. “According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.”

There is another major difference which proves the last trumpet of 1 Corinthians and 1 Thessalonians is not the trumpet found in Revelation 11:15. Notice in 1 Corinthians and 1 Thessalonians this trumpet is called a blessing! The trumpet we see sounded by the angel in Revelation is a trumpet of judgment issued on God’s enemies, it is the opposite of a blessing.

Isaiah 26: 19-21: “Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead. 20Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. 21For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.”
 
Isaiah 57:1 “The righteous perishes, and no man lays it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come”.