The most frequent argument atheists make is: If God is real, why doesn’t he show himself?
Well, that’s about to happen, literally. God is just about ready to show himself to the entire world. He’s going to appear in the clouds, above every nation on earth, and on that day, there will not be a single atheist left on earth. Many people have this perception that when God comes to rescue his adopted children, his people who have believed in his death and resurrection, his heirs and future kings and queens, it will be a silent, secret event. Genuine Christians will just vanish, leaving a little stack of clothing behind. I don’t believe the Bible says anything about the rapture being silent or secret. It will be sudden, it will come without warning to those who haven’t been watching and looking for it, but it will be filled with noise and drama – because that is our God. He is a dramatic God – just look at the world he created!
The sad part is, mere belief is not enough. Many of those people will still turn their back on him. And for many others, sudden belief will not come soon enough, because on that same day, violent disaster will come upon at least part of the world. I don’t know if it will be a terrible earthquake, or an attack by another country – or both – but I suspect this destruction will be centered on the USA. We were blessed for two hundred years because we blessed God, but things have changed in America. Evil is now prevalent, and just as the Bible foretold, those doing the evil are so confused that they believe they are doing good.
“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20)
But the Bible is clear that those who genuinely believe in his son’s sacrifice will not only know the day in which he will come, but will escape all the horror that will come.
“But concerning the times and seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.” (I Thes. 5:1-5)
That day is coming. It’s almost here. I think all of us that have been watching and waiting, the ones that have been reading the news and studying the earth in light of God’s prophetic word, see that now is the time. Now is the last chance you have – all of you who don’t believe in God because you haven’t bothered to look for him. Once he appears in the sky, it will be too late for you to escape. You will still be able to turn to him, accept his truth and his life, but you’ll have to live through the most horrific time earth has ever experienced, and you will probably be killed for your new faith. If you don’t believe in God, if you think you can’t because you weren’t raised in the faith, or because you had a bad experience in some church somewhere – then just try this. Pray to God and ask him to show you whether or not he exists. He will answer, if you genuinely want to know the answer.
Because here’s the thing about God. He doesn’t force himself on you. He loves you enough to come down to earth, take on the mortal body of a man, and die a horrific death to pay the penalty for every one of your sins. Every evil thought, every deed, however large or small. He wants you to be with him, forever. He wants to adopt you into his family, make you one of his heirs and seat you on his own throne, a royal king or queen, to rule over all the earth. He wants to give his own joy – a joy that cannot be found anywhere but in his presence. More than your father, he wants to be your friend. But he will not force you, and it’s very hard for you to see him and understand who he is. The evil in this world is purposely blinding you to the truth. An unbeliever literally cannot see what is right in front of them.
It’s an amazing transformation, once you accept him and his free gift of salvation. Suddenly your eyes are opened, and everything -literally everything – is different. The way you understand the world is changed, the way you look at a butterfly is changed.
As for me, I know that he is returning for me – very soon. There is such a sense of urgency in me…and so much anticipation! The Bible uses the analogy of a Jewish wedding to explain Jesus and his believers. Among the ancient Jews, after a man became betrothed to his future bride, he would leave her behind in her home, while he went to his father’s house to prepare a place for them to live. He would often spend a year or more building this new house, and during that time, the bride would have no idea when he would be coming back for her. She was supposed to prepare herself for her new life, and keep watch for his return. Then, when all was prepared, the groom would return, suddenly, blowing a trumpet and shouting for her, and she would drop everything and travel with him to the place he had prepared for her, where they would celebrate their wedding. The Bible calls true believers the “bride” and Jesus the ‘groom’. He has indeed gone to prepare a place for us, a place so fantastic that it is beyond our ability to comprehend it. But he is coming back, with a shout, and with the trumpet of the Lord, to take us away with him.
And he is coming. In September? Maybe. I wouldn’t be a bit surprised. There are so many signs that it could be. But if not, I know it will be soon. This world doesn’t have much time left. You don’t have much time left.
“And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” (Revelation 22:17)
Out of Eden 