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As charged, I am watching and waiting for the Lord’s return. Jesus commanded it twice in Matthew and all three synoptic Gospels for emphasis. WATCH! Matthew 24:42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. Matthew 25:13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. Mark 13:35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Luke 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. The apostle Paul even reiterates it to his Christian brethren to be on the lookout and ready: 1 Thessalonians 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. Expositors are divided on whether the above references the Rapture, signs of the coming Tribulation, or those in the Tribulation period. WATCH: ① to stay awake, be watchful (Herm. Wr. 11, 21b; 1 Macc 12:27; 2 Esdr 17:3) Mt 24:43; 26:38, 40; Mk 13:34; 14:34, 37; Lk 12:37, 39 v.l.[1] Before I comment on any of my thoughts, I would like to hear yours first, on where you stand: · Is the above referencing the Rapture (harpazo), the coming signs of the Tribulation, or inside of the seven years? · Are we to be watchful for prophetic fulfillment or signs, watchful and alert of ourselves, ready and not ashamed of our Lord’s appearance, or both? · Luke 21:36 – Escape, escape what or when? [1] Arndt, William et al. A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature 2000: 208. Print.

It is enriching for me to discuss and compare hermeneutics with believers who know their Bible and the prophetic timeline. I am not the type to argue my theology, trying to convince anyone my view is the correct one, I know better. The only things I am dogmatic of; are the only way to Salvation, the Trinity, the inspired infallibility and inerrancy of scripture, and a couple of other non-negotiables. I’m like everyone else, a Bible student always learning and maturing. We cannot know the day nor the hour of Christ’s return for His bride, but we can know the season [and we are in it], and are commanded several times to “watch.” I believe most of the remaining unfulfilled prophetic scripture, deals with the near Tribulation, leading up to the second coming of Jesus. We are given the reason for the Tribulation: Daniel 9:24 (KJV) Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. As we all know, the history behind people who set dates of the Rapture; results in disappointments, apostasy, and making Christians look like fools. We are not to set a date(s) for the Rapture of the church. We know that when the last person is to be saved; the Father will tell his Son, go fetch your bride. Never before has there been a convergence of everything prophetic. Everything now occurring is coming on like birth pains, and screaming a New World Order and global government. The prophetic events shaping up such as, the U.N. Agenda 2030, and all that it entails paving the way for the Antichrist and Tribulation. The formation, treaties, alignment, buildup, and players for the Ezekiel 38: -39: Gog-Magog invasion of Israel. The “hook in the jaw”; their prosperity, wealth, Dead Sea natural resources, Goliath natural gas and oil fields, etc. Global economics and the need for expansion, Muslim hatred of Israel, the U.S. and global abandonment of Israel. With the appearance of a lamb and speaking like a dragon: Are you aware of all the heresies and blaspheming this socialist political Pope Francis is spouting? The leader of the globe’s largest religion with 1.4 billion adherents. With the titles of “Vicar of Christ” and “holy father”; that should tell us a little something. Pope Francis's ecumenical movement is a success, drawing back ‘protester’ denominations, back under the umbrella of the universal one true church. Drawing and meeting with most of the globe’s major religions, including the Muslims. Praying with them and their pagan religions and announcing, “We all pray to the very same god, only called by a different name in different times, and cultures.” And so much more. If it walks like a duck, looks like a duck, quacks like a duck. If he is not the False Prophet, I suspect he is certainly the precursor. Back on topic about my thoughts on the Rapture: Genesis 6:3 (KJV) And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. Admittedly, these 120 years could be the new average lifespan of humanity, or the years remaining before the flood, or both? However; the latest biblical average life span of 70-80 years for humanity is given in: Psalm 90:10 (KJV) The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. Matthew 24:32 (KJV) Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: 33. So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. 34. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Generally speaking, I believe the ‘olive tree’ is symbolic of spiritual Israel. In Matthew 24:32, I believe the fig tree is representative of National Israel, as a nation once again. We have and we are seeing all these things. Our generation has witnessed two major prophetic super signs: The rebirth of the nation of Israel in one day; May 14, 1948, by the declaration of the United Nations. Isaiah 66:8 (KJV) Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children. The second major prophetic event occurred in 1967, the Israeli Six-Day war. Ezekiel 34:13 (KJV) And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country. From May 14, 1948, until the 1967 Six-Day war; Israel did not control or have possession of any of their mountains, or even control and possession of Jerusalem. From then on, Jews started flocking back to their homeland; to include Operation Solomon, in May of 1991. Airlifting Ethiopian Jews back to Israel. So, with all of the preceding, what is the point I’m striving to make, and for consideration? Arithmetic. Naturally, my context and thoughts may well be reading into something that is not there, but it seems plausible and logical. The generation that sees these things, what things [Matt. 24:32]. Israel being reborn again in one day, 1948, we are that generation. The next logical question I would ask is, how long is a biblical generation for our dispensation? The latest lifespan for our generation [and it fits] is 70 years, or by strength, 80 years. I would consider this a season, a window if you will, not a date setting. With what is occurring nationally and globally, there’s no doubt in my mind the Tribulation is at the door. If it is that close, how much closer is the Rapture? The math: 1948 + 70 = 2018; 1948 + 80 = 2028; (2018 – 2028) a potential season? Would you have any thoughts on this possibility? I’m getting long winded and I need to be brief and close. I think the following is very interesting in our day and age. Luke 21:26 (KJV) Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. If you are not a Christian, there are many things to fear right now coming upon the earth, like birth pains, like plague [Covid, its mutations and variants] as one example. I take Luke 21:26 above, like something falling on the earth from above, because of the qualifying statement of heaven shaken. With our powerful earth and space telescopes and mathematics, once discovered, we can track and predict the trajectory of asteroids and meteors. Not accurately though, until the time gets closer. Just like the recent official announcement by our government, that UFOs are a real phenomenon, hidden and covered up for decades. For fear of global panic and civil disorder, a government would not divulge the truth of an impending major asteroid impact on the earth, until it could no longer be kept a secret. It is interesting to note: This is not common knowledge but, doing some research, the powerful, wealthy, elite, and politically connected; are building and buying doomsday bunkers globally by the groves. And what are all these expensive doomsday global seed storage banks about? To be brief; if you are interested in doing your research. I have a suspicion an asteroid NASA named “Apophis” could be the biblical asteroid “Wormwood?” Naturally so far, they are claiming it will be a close earth pass [inside of our outer satellites]. Everything from its Greek name meaning, to dates, to Israel’s feast days; is all very interesting, but speculative. Sorry, I didn’t mean to turn this into a doctorial thesis.

Perhaps my perceived timeline and understanding is incorrect? I'd like to hear your understandings on when God is going to wipe away our [church age] tears. If @George has the time; I'd really like to know his thoughts also. Please bear with me, as I'm leading to some questions at the end: On a personal level, this concerns me very deeply. I'm basing my questions and thoughts on my pretribulation; premillennialism belief; and that Revelation is written in chronological order, with parenthetical chapters inserted for additional information. My thoughts are generated around two principle verses in the book of Revelation. Revelation 7:17 (KJV) 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. [emphasis added] In context, this is clearly referring to only the martyred tribulation saints in my opinion. I believe the "elders" are representative of the Raptured church. Previous to this, no one else is mentioned to have had their tears wiped away by God. Revelation 21:4 (KJV) And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. [emphasis added] The wiping away of these tears appears to occur at the end of the millennium. I'm assuming the representation here is of 'all ages', save for the martyr's of the tribulation, opined above. Upon reaching Heaven, I believe we will still retain free will and choice; with our souls and personalities that uniquely make us, "us". If that be the case: One of the first things I'd probably do, is look for and seek out my family and loved ones. Knowing the only alternative of where your loved ones are that you don't find and see. If my thoughts are scripturally correct, we're going to have a long time to ponder and think about all the opportunities we squandered away by not witnessing to loved ones, family, friends and the wasted opportunities that were presented to us, to plant a seed of the Gospel for God to nurture. How would we be happy, joyous and content in Heaven, knowing where our unsaved loved ones were at, and experiencing? Could this be a period of reflection to think about our missed opportunities and the consequences of those opportunities by not sharing Jesus? At the Bema Seat of Christ; we will be giving a full account of our lives. I feel confident that will include commissions and omissions? Would that also include time to digest, understand and take it all in, the seriousness of our offenses and eternal consequences of our actions and inactions? Where am I looking at this wrong?

I am finished trying to defend the Biblical position of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture view. It is just a lesson in frustration for me and an aggravation, which I'm sure is not the desire of the Lord. No one who holds a different view is going to be convinced by what I say anyway. And I also realize that as long as I simply put the widely held view out there, that those who haven't taken any position yet or want to know more about it will have all the information I have used to arrive at my own conclusion. So post your disagreements, your evidence, your conclusions that cause you to hold a different view. But don't expect me to argue a defense for the Pre-Tribulation Rapture that I hold since I have done so until I am blue in the face and it's not worth it. Its not salvational to me, and I will never loose faith in the Blood of the Lamb in the unlikely event that I will be here for any portion of the Tribulation. Thanks for your understanding, my brothers and sisters in Christ. Amen!