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The Timing of the Lord’s Coming
By Pastor F. M. Riley
April 14, 2015
“Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
So likewise ye, when ye 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.”
Matthew 24:32-35
Introduction
The Olivet Discourse was spoken in answer to the questions of four of the Lord’s disciples, Mark 13:3. They were asking Him questions about matters which were of great concern to the nation of Judah, and the Jewish people. So the Olivet Discourse was primarily spoken to the Jews, for the Jews, and about matters which concerned the Jews.
This does not mean that we Gentile believers are not to study the Olivet Discourse, for God’s entire supernaturally inspired Word was given for the enlightenment and instruction of all mankind. What it does mean is that there are certain parts of the Bible explicitly addressed to certain peoples or persons. If this truth is ignored, then there is no way one can “rightly divide the Word of truth,” 2 Timothy 2:15.
In this study I want to point out absolute Scriptural truth which is being overlooked or ignored by many today, who claim to study the Bible seriously. Let’s take a look…..
The Spiritual Discernment of the Jewish People
The inspired Word of God plainly and explicitly states that the unbelieving, Christ rejecting Jewish people are judicially and partially blinded, because they rejected and crucified Him who is “the light of the world,” John 1:1-14; 8:12.
“But I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits, that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in,” Romans 11:25; 2 Corinthians 3:13-16.
Could it be stated any plainer? This is why the Lord Jesus, in the Olivet Discourse, explicitly stated to the Jews to whom He was speaking, “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come,” Matthew 24:42.
And then a second time, the Lord told them, “Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh,” 24:44.
Dear readers, it should then be glaringly obvious that unbelieving Israel is under
judicial blindness during this present dispensation, and cannot discern the time of
Lord’s coming. This is not my “interpretation.” This is according to the plain statements
of the Scripture! This is also why the Lord, in His mercy upon His own “brethren,” gave
to them “signs” to watch for, to make them aware that the end was approaching, 1
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Corinthians 1:22; Luke 21:25-28. Yes, I am well aware that the “signs” are for the Jewish people, but if they can see those “signs” while not having spiritual discernment, then are Gentile believers, indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God, just too dumb to also see the “signs” and understand the time of the coming of the Lord? Well…??
The Spiritual Discernment of the Lord’s Church
What is the excuse for the Lord’s Church and New Covenant people living today for
not knowing the time of the Lord’s coming [parousia…appearing and rapture]? I am
not asking about the specific “date,” for the Lord plainly stated in His Discourse that “no
man” knows the day nor the hour, Matthew 24:36. However…..
As the Apostle Paul wrote to “the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the
Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ” [1 Thessalonians 1:1], Paul was inspired of God to
say to the church quite plainly, “But of the times and 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.
Ye are all the children of light, 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 watch and be sober,”
1 Thessalonians 5:1-6.
Some today can “interpret” this inspired statement of Paul, and attempt to explain it
away, but when they get through “changing” God’s Word, [Revelation 22:18-19] it will still keep right on saying exactly the same thing that is printed in the Greek text and in the King James Version of the Bible. Unless some reader is just plain dull witted and stupid, what Paul said in these Scriptures is quite easy to understand, especially by those true believers who have the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit living in them.
And what did Paul say? He made it very plain that the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ absolutely has “spiritual discernment” and KNOWS “the times and seasons” when “the day of the Lord” [the Tribulation period] is staring humanity right in the face. Before mankind on the earth enters into “the day of the Lord,” the Lord Himself will obviously remove His Church and all New Covenant believers off the face of the earth by the resurrection and rapture, Revelation 3:10; 1 Corinthians 15:23. Therefore, the Lord’s Church, while not knowing the “day and hour,” these inspired Scriptures explicitly state that they do KNOW “the times and seasons.”
So by comparing the Lord’s statements to the Jewish people in the Olivet Discourse,
and the inspired Apostle’s statements to the Lord’s Church in Thessalonica, we can conclude that the unbelieving Jews today are blinded and cannot discern, but the Lord’s Church has been granted spiritual discernment, and therefore has no excuse for being spiritually “ignorant.”
The Time and Season of the Lord’s Coming
Some readers need to pay attention to what they read in the Word of God; what the
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Word of God actually and literally says. Paul explicitly said that the Lord’s Church, to
whom he was writing, is not in darkness on this subject. I suggest that our readers compare Revelation 3:3. So…..
Are you a part of the Lord’s true Church, or are you just another lost, spiritually blind, Laodicean religionist? Well…??
Paul clearly implied that the “season” of the Lord’s coming, would be when a time arrived in human history when mankind’s leaders on the earth will be real concerned about war or wars which might result in massive destruction of mankind, and they will be working feverishly to make agreements, which, they presume, will bring about “peace and safety.” Paul’s statement also implies that such agreements will be made, and “they” will
be proclaiming, “Peace and safety.” At the very time “they” are proclaiming this, will be the time when “sudden destruction” comes upon them, and “they shall not escape.” During this very period of time when these world conditions exist, is the “season” when the Lord is coming to deliver His Church and His New Covenant believers out of “imminent danger.” I KNOW this to be true, because God’s Word says so, and because I am a member of the Lord’s Church.
The Danger the Lord’s Church is Facing Today
Now go to your own Greek Lexicon and look up the Greek word “harpazo,” which is translated as “caught up” in 1 Thessalonians 4:17. This Greek word not only means, “to catch away; to catch up; to snatch up; to snatch away,” but if one carefully studies the entire definition of the word, the full definition also means “to snatch out of the path of imminent danger.”
Another way of illustrating this truth, is that of a small child who has run out into the street, right into the path of a large truck. The truck is bearing down on the child at high speed and cannot stop in time to keep from hitting the child. The child is certain to be killed at any moment, but just at the last instant, someone reaches out and jerks the child out of the path of the truck. Saved by a hair’s breadth!
Folks, this is exactly what the Lord Jesus Christ has promised to do for His Church and His New Covenant believing people; and we can believe that He is going to keep His promise, Revelation 3:10.
If our readers will pay careful attention to what Paul, by Divine Inspiration, wrote to the Lord’s Church at Thessalonica, he plainly stated that during this very time when the world leaders are proclaiming “Peace and safety,” then “sudden destruction” will come upon them, and “they” will not escape. It is too bad that most of these world leaders today, do not have a precious living Savior, as all true believers have, to deliver them. And “they shall not escape,” 5:3. But by the grace of God and the Pre-Tribulation Rapture, we New Covenant believers will! Glory to God! Thank you Lord Jesus!
The Time and Season Right Now
Now what “time and season” are we living in today? What are the world conditions, and what are the world leaders today concerned about? I’m so glad you asked!
Even as I write, the U.S. President and other world leaders, are attempting to negotiate an agreement with the nation of Iran to give up her plans for a nuclear bomb. Ho! Ho! Ho! So we are supposed to trust this nation of Muslims, who both publically and privately have vowed to destroy the nation of Israel, and impose their ****able Islamic religion on all of mankind? 3
The old-timers used to say, “When one lays down with dogs, they should expect to get up with fleas!”
Yes, this is an expression of just how much confidence, I personally have, that any agreement with Iran will be honored. This agreement may also be the agreement that will be “confirmed” by the anti-christ, after he appears on the world scene, Daniel 9:27.
And doesn’t this same Scripture indicate that he will violate the covenant “confirmed” by him? Every honest reader knows it does!
The main point I am making for our readers is that this is the time we believers are living in right now, and Paul told the Lord’s Church that it will be during just such a “time and season” that “the day of the Lord” [the Tribulation] will come.
Now I am not responsible for what some shallow “prophecy teacher” has convinced himself or herself of about the rapture. The Lord Jesus explicitly promised His church and true believers, that we will not enter into “the temptation” [peirasmos…tribulation], but rather that He Himself will “keep us from” entering into that terrible time of danger and death. Read it for yourself in Revelation 3:10. Some of these “prophecy teachers” today are lying to God’s people, just like the “false prophets” lied to the Israelites in the days of Jeremiah. But our gracious Lord and Savior does not and will not lie to His Church and His people. There will be a Pre-tribulation Rapture, whether some like it or not, and every true believer will be removed from off the face of the earth and out of the path of “imminent danger.” And when will this occur?
This year of 2015
No, I am not setting a “date!” The “date” has already been set by the inspired Scriptures, if some readers would bother to pay attention to what the Scriptures actually and literally say.
How many of our readers have ever seriously studied the Scripture passage which the Lord Jesus Christ Himself read in the Jewish Synagogue in His hometown of Nazareth, as recorded in Luke 4:16-30? A serious study of this passage will reveal that Christ Jesus was reading from the prophecy of Isaiah 61:1-2. In comparing the passage as set forth in Isaiah 61, and as read by the Lord in the synagogue, it is glaringly obvious that the Lord did not read the final clause in Isaiah 61:2 about the “day” of the Lord’s “vengeance.”
Sadly, most Christians then move away from the passage right there, never noticing that the Lord did explicitly state in both the passage in Isaiah, and His reading of the passage in Luke, that the Spirit of the Lord had anointed Him “to preach the acceptable YEAR of the Lord.” Okay! Read both passages for yourself. Isn’t this the exact statement in both passages? Isn’t it there? Every honest reader knows that it is!
Folks, while we cannot know the “date” of the Lord’s coming, this prophecy of Isaiah 61, makes me believe that we can know THE YEAR when the Lord God is finally going to accept the repentant, believing, Jewish remnant. And yes, I am thinking of His acceptance and salvation of the 144,000 Jews immediately after the beginning of the Tribulation period, Revelation 7:1-8.
And isn’t the Tribulation period staring mankind in the face RIGHT NOW in this present YEAR of 2015? Every honest reader KNOWS that it is!
So when do the prophetic Scriptures indicate that the rapture, which MUST precede “the day of the Lord,” will occur? Every reader is perfectly free to keep right on
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“guessing” and setting one “date” right after another, but I prefer to believe that the Lord’s
true Church knows “the times and the seasons,” 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6. I believe that we are living in the time and season AND YEAR of the Lord’s coming [parousia] right now!
A Grievous Sin
I couldn’t care less how many of these “prophecy teachers” and “scholars” today want to fault me for making this explicit declaration about 2015. I do believe it is “the acceptable year of the Lord” for Israel and the Jewish people. I have the same indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit in me that every true believer has within them, and I do pray earnestly for His guidance in studying His Word and in every Bible study which I write. This is not a claim that my studies are infallible, for I freely admit that I also have the Adamic “sin nature” in my flesh, and have to wrestle with the flesh every day. So does every reader of this study, whether they want to admit it or not. This is why I insist on going by what the Scriptures actually and literally say, and not by what some today would like to make them say.
Perhaps some readers do think I have gone too far in setting forth 2015 as the YEAR when our Lord is coming to resurrect and rapture His Church and New Covenant believing people to glory. That is the reader’s privilege to believe this about me, but if I am wrong, then it will be me who will have to give account to the Lord for my mistake. No reader will have to give account for my mistakes, and I sure won’t have to give account for yours. I said this to also say this…..
I determined years ago that the one SIN which I never want to be guilty of committing, is saying publicly or even in my heart, “my Lord delayeth His coming,” Matthew 24:45-51. STUDY the whole passage carefully for yourself. The words of the Lord indicate that this is a grievous sin, and I refuse to be guilty of it. I prefer to believe what the Scriptures say, and provoke my readers to “watch and pray,” rather than like some today, to claim that it may be weeks or even years before the Lord comes.
Christ Jesus had some choice words to say about the “willingly ignorant” Pharisees and Sadducees who could discern “the face of the sky,” but who chose not to discern “the signs of the times,” Matthew 16:1-4. I hope not many of my readers are following these same practices today.
Folks, 2015 has all the exact conditions going for it, which are described in Acts 2:20
and 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6, whether some like my saying so or not! Those who don’t want
to believe this have my express permission to stay “willingly ignorant,” and to spend your time railing at me and against me, instead of obeying the Lord by “watching and praying” as He explicitly told His disciples to do.
Did I state this clearly enough for my critics to understand it?
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Permission is granted to any true believer or Bible believing Christian ministry to reproduce this study to share with others, or to quote from it in context as written.
I thank each dear brother and sister in Christ who contributes to this ministry with your prayers and gifts. I always keenly feel the need of the prayers of God’s people, and I do so appreciate your kindness in sharing your blessings with me and this ministry. I look forward to meeting each of our readers in glory REAL SOON.
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Please address all comments, questions, and correspondence to: Pastor F. M. Riley, Last Call Gospel Ministry, 184 County Road 108, Harrisburg, Missouri 65256, or I can be contacted by email at: fmr7sngn@centurylink.net
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Tom,

Good post from Pastor Riley. It's great and uplifting to see a Pastor, believe,
that 2015 is the year of our Rapture. I too believe, with all the increasing intensity of the birth pangs written in scripture, that this year is most favorable for the Rapture. We seem to be sitting on a powder cake, not knowing when everything will explode at any minute, and the world and it's inhabitants will suffer pain, and great loss of life. However, we also know, that we have been watching all along, and know without any doubt, that the Lord's Coming is imminent, therefore, we are not appointed to wrath, instead we are appointed to the Rapture Flight to Heaven instead.

Let us encourage one another with the words of our Lord's soon Coming at the Rapture.

It's easy to get discouraged as we see all these signs encircling around us, bringing on tension and fear. God is with us, therefore, He will rescue us, via the Rapture, therefore, there is nothing to fear, instead put our entire faith in God and trust the Father will do the right thing for His children, as God always has done.

Maranatha!

Valerie

Fair Use for Educational and Discussion Purposes

When "they" say peace and safety

Perhaps when "they" are pleased with the Iran nuclear agreement and those in favour of it are saying peace and safety, then sudden destruction will come.
Zechariah speaks of God calling His people to return to Him. It talks of His plans in the future for Jerusalem and Israel.
It seems the prophetic visions that Zechariah had may come to fulfillment during the time following the gathering of the church and into the millennium. God is not finished with His plans for Jerusalem and so we know that He will not allow Iran or any other enemy to keep Jerusalem from Himself. At the time the people flee, realizing the antichrist is not the true saviour of Israel, these remnant will be saved as Revelation says. 1260 days. God Himself will fight for Jerusalem. All this to say about the timing of the Lord's coming, is that when we see these things lining up, the nations poised to swarm on Israel and take Jerusalem and Israel for themselves, when we see a nation who openly commits to the destruction of Israel get blessing for nuclear expansion from nations, we know that the prophecies are about to come to pass. The national leaders would be wise to read the bible and choose not to be goat nations before the throne on Judgement day. This year does seem to be a possibility. Look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. He is faithful, He is truth, He loves you very much.

Zechariah 1:12 Then the angel of the Lord answered and said, O Lord of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years?
13 And the Lord answered the angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words.
14 So the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy.
15 And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease: for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction.
16 Therefore thus saith the Lord; I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: my house shall be built in it, saith the Lord of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem.
17 Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; and the Lord shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.

Zechariah 2: I lifted up mine eyes again, and looked, and behold a man with a measuring line in his hand.
2 Then said I, Whither goest thou? And he said unto me, To measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof.
3 And, behold, the angel that talked with me went forth, and another angel went out to meet him,
4 And said unto him, Run, speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein:
5 For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.

Zechariah is full of prophecy about the Lord and His plans. What a blessing for us to know of His love and plans.
The Lord God Almighty of Israel will Himself measure the size of Jerusalem. The same God saves us.
The Lord God Almighty of Israel is the source of peace, security, and eternal life.
Maranatha

Last night, I was, just for the hick of it, searching out the Biblical texts on my series of Rapture dreams...for my dreams, as I found out were indeed Biblical.

Here is what I happened on in Revelation 18:4 NKJV - And I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.

So now I ask you all, doesn't this verse too, sound like the Rapture to you? I'm asking, b/c (not to date-set or anything like that) putting this verse in it's right non-backward sequence of 4.18(hopefully 2015 might be "the" year)...don't you think that this just might be another clue to our possible departure?



Maranatha!
Tammy