Program 248
The Truth about the Rapture

According to Scripture, the rapture is not secret nor does it occur prior to Christ’s return. Rather, the rapture occurs when the saints meet Christ at his coming.

Welcome to WLC Radio, a subsidiary of World’s Last Chance Ministries, an online ministry dedicated to learning how to live in constant readiness for the Saviour's return.

For two thousand years, believers of every generation have longed to be the last generation. Contrary to popular belief, though, Christ did not give believers “signs of the times” to watch for. Instead, he repeatedly warned that his coming would take even the faithful by surprise. Yahushua urgently warned believers to be ready because, he said, “The Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” [Matthew 24:44]

WLC Radio: Teaching minds and preparing hearts for Christ's sudden return.

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Part 1: (Miles & Dave)

Miles Robey: The rapture. Among Christians, it’s a really controversial topic. There have been books and even movies made about what happens if you don’t get raptured, and people hold very strong opinions on the subject. But when does it happen? Before the great tribulation? After the great tribulation? I just learned that there are even some people who apparently believe it will occur halfway through the great tribulation. And each school of thought is sure their beliefs are biblical.

So which is it? Before, during, or after? Hi, I’m Miles Robey and you’re listening to WLC Radio where we cover a variety of topics related to Scripture, prophecy, Biblical beliefs, practical piety and constant readiness for Yahushua, either in death or at his unexpected return.

Today, Dave Wright is going to be reviewing the three different beliefs regarding the rapture. Then, we’ll look at which belief is most consistent with Scripture. Of course, each school of thought uses various passages of the Bible to support their beliefs, so we’re going to take a look at the weight of evidence to discover which one is really true.

Later, in our daily mailbag, Dave will address how believers can live in constant readiness for Yahushua’s return.

Then, Elise O’Brien has another true story illustrating a promise from Yah’s word. I know you’ll want to stay tuned for that segment; it’s always so encouraging. But first: the rapture. Dave? What can you tell us about that?

Dave Wright: Let’s start with being really clear on just what we mean by this term. If you look up the word “rapture” in the dictionary, you’ll read that it means “a feeling of intense pleasure or joy.” But there’s another definition of the word, an older definition, and that means to be taken up. In Christian circles, the word “rapture” refers to when the righteous are caught up into the clouds to greet Yahushua at his return.

You can see why it’s important to know just when to expect that to happen. You don’t want to miss it.

Miles: Yeah, no. Not something you want to miss.

Dave: Another term we need to understand is “great tribulation.” This idea is drawn from Daniel 12. It’s an explanation Gabriel gives Daniel. In fact, why don’t you turn there and read that for us? Daniel 12 verse 1.

Miles:

At that time Michael shall stand up,
The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people;
And there shall be a time of trouble,
Such as never was since there was a nation,
Even to that time.
And at that time your people shall be delivered,
Every one who is found written in the book.

Dave: Many Christians believe this comes just before Christ’s return. So then the question becomes, what happens to the righteous during this “great time of trouble”?

Miles: Growing up, I was always taught that the saints would be raptured before the great tribulation. We called it the pre-tribulation rapture. We believed we’d be in Heaven during the pouring out of the seven last plagues and all the bad stuff we expected to happen before Christ’s return.

Dave: I can see how that could be comforting – believing you’d be taken out of here before the great time of trouble.

Miles: Not hardly! I told you about that time I came home from school once and no one was home? It was terrifying! I thought they’d all been raptured and I’d been left behind on my own. It wasn’t a comforting belief at all.

Dave: That would be very traumatizing.

I grew up being taught that the righteous would have to be sinless, that they’d still be alive on earth but they’d have reached a point of sinless perfection and they’d have to maintain that state even as the plagues were poured out on sinners all around them. I even had nightmares about that as a child.

Miles: Yeah, that’s not any better. So, what’s the mid-tribulation rapture? You mentioned it briefly before we went on air, but I’ve never heard of it before.

Dave: Well, of the three rapture doctrines, it’s the least well-known with the fewest number of proponents. I printed off a quote here I found online that explains it. Here … would you read that for us, please?

Miles: Uhhh … this is from raptureforums.com. It says: “The mid-tribulation rapture proponent believes that the rapture will occur prior to the ‘great tribulation’ which is the last three and a half years of the seven-year tribulation period. This places three and a half years between the rapture of the church and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.”

Dave: The reason this is such a controversial topic is that each group believes they’re right and each quotes various passages of Scripture to support their belief. And, to be fair, since Scripture doesn’t tell us precisely when Christ will return, so we don’t know just when the rapture will occur.

Here at WLC, we used to look for “signs of the times” – events that indicated a near return of Christ. However, after diligent study, we’ve learned that prophecies we used to believe pointed to a great tribulation have actually already been fulfilled, so it’s not actually possible to know when he’s going to return.

Miles: Yeah, we got looking at that and it was shocking to see in, for example, the parable of the wise and foolish virgins. Christ said that they all slumbered and slept. Even the wise virgins!

Dave: Elsewhere, he repeatedly warns that even the righteous will be taken by surprise so it’s important to realize that his return, for each of us, could happen at any time.

Miles: Are you saying that there won’t be a “time of trouble” or a “great tribulation” at all?

Dave: No, but we have to remember that persecution and troublous times have always ebbed and flowed. Some times are worse, some times are better. So, even though things may get much worse between now and the end, it won’t be in a way that lets you know when Yahushua’s return is near. Remember what Christ said in his parable about the house holder?

Miles: He said that if he’d known what time the thief would come, he would have been prepared.

Dave: Right. So, events aren’t going to unfold in such a way that people are going to wake up. There isn’t going to be anything to point to, and that includes a “time of trouble” or some “great tribulation.” The time of trouble Daniel was talking about has actually already happened.

Miles: “Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”

Dave: 2 Peter 3 verse 4, yes. That’s what the scoffers say. But notice that what lends such weight to the words of the scoffers is that things are appearing to continue on as normal. But this shouldn’t surprise us. Christ taught that all things would continue on as normal; that there would be a delay. What does Matthew 24 verses 36 to 39 say?

Miles: “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.”

Dave: This is one of the passages often used for teaching a secret rapture, but when you read it in context, it’s not teaching that at all. These verses, properly understood, refer to the destruction of Jerusalem, not Christ’s return. We’ll cover this in future radio programs, but for now you can read about it on our website.

Okay. Backing up just a bit. There are three main things that most Christians agree on. Most Christians believe there will be a time of trouble when the antichrist is revealed along with a false prophet and a false teacher. Now, opinions may vary just when this is expected to happen or have already happened, but most Christians believe that the coming of the antichrist with the false prophet and the false teacher results in a time of great trouble for the world.

Miles: Obviously, we all believe in the return of Christ.

Dave: Yes. We all agree on that. There is some disagreement over what happens directly afterward, but we’re all agreed that he will return. That’s a very basic foundational belief of Christianity.

And finally, all Christians believe there will be a rapture where believers are caught up in the air to meet Christ. Again, opinions vary as to whether they then go to Heaven, or all come down to earth, and just when the rapture is to occur, but Scripture is very clear that the saints will be caught up to meet him.

Miles: We’ve gone over the three different beliefs held as to when the rapture will happen—before, during, or after tribulation—but before we go on, could you give us a brief overview of the reasons behind why each group believes the way they do? You don’t have to go into a lot of specifics, but I’d like to have a basic understanding of the reasoning for each position.

Dave: Sure! Well, the most commonly held belief today is that the rapture will occur prior to a “great tribulation”. This is what you were taught growing up. What reasons did your denomination give for this belief?

Miles: Well, we were told that the Church, as in the body of believers, doesn’t appear in prophecy, it’s not mentioned again, after Revelation 3. The first three chapters of Revelation, as you know, are messages to the churches. Because the Church isn’t mentioned after that, and because so much of the rest of the book is dealing with tribulation, it’s believed that the Church is raptured out before then.

Dave: So, basically, Yahuwah saves believers from His wrath by removing them from the earth before His wrath is poured out.

Miles: Right. We were taught believers wouldn’t have to go through that.

Dave: All right. Well, that would be nice!

Now the mid-tribulation rapture believers—like a lot of Christians, actually—believe that the final events will all occur within a seven-year time period. There aren’t very many Christians who hold this belief, but those who do say the Church will go through the first three and a half years but then they’ll be raptured out before the final three and a half years.

Miles: So they’ll go through a tribulation but not the “Great Tribulation.”

Dave: Correct. Like the pre-tribulation folks, mid-tribulation adherents teach that Yahuwah won’t allow them to go through the “great” tribulation.

Then there’s the post-tribulation rapture where it’s believed that Christ returns at the end of the tribulation and the saints are caught up to meet him in the air.

Miles: Then there’s us who believe Yahushua taught conclusively he’d come as a thief in the night.

Dave: Right, with nothing as obvious as a “great tribulation” to point to. We believe the Church will remain on earth right up until Christ’s return. So, basically, the rapture and Yahushua’s second coming are one and the same event.

Miles: Belief in a post-tribulation rapture has been around the longest. Why, then, do you suppose that so many people in the West no longer believe this way? Most western Christians are now pre-trib believers, but that’s only been around since . . . what? The 19^th century? John Darby, wasn’t it?

Dave: John Darby spelled out the doctrine of a pre-tribulation rapture in detail, and the belief really gained ground under him, but it’s actually been around longer. Morgan Edwards, an American Baptist pastor in the 18^th century, taught it. There are even hints of it reaching back to the third century.

Miles: Really?? I had no idea it had been around that long.

Well, I suppose it makes sense. It was in the third and fourth centuries that heresy really entered the church. But, back to my question: why have western believers so widely embraced this idea of being raptured out of the world instead of remaining on earth clear through to the end?

Dave: I believe it’s because we’ve all fallen into the trap of looking for “signs of the times,” rather than taking seriously Yahushua’s warning that his return would be so sudden that even the righteous would be taken by surprise. We like to have things to look for. It lets us know when to get ready. Not knowing when Yahushua’s going to return creates a very uncomfortable limbo.

So, in misinterpreting prophecy and incorrectly applying it to the future, we’ve given ourselves signs to look for, but those signs are really terrifying! I know! I used to believe that way.

Miles: Me, too.

Dave: So then, after you’ve terrified yourself by misapplying prophecies that have already been fulfilled and saying they actually occur in the future, you’re now faced with the scary prospect of going through a horrific time of trouble. Being able to be whisked out of the world in a secret rapture before that time of trouble comes is the solution to that dilemma. Do you see how, once error is believed, it lays a foundation for still more errors to be built on the original error? The error just grows and grows!

All right. I’d like to spend the balance of our time, now, looking at the reasons why I believe the weight of evidence supports the rapture occurring at the time of Christ’s return. Believers aren’t going to be secretly whisked out of the earth; they’ll be here waiting to welcome Christ.

Miles: What would you say is conclusive proof that the saints are raptured at the time of Christ’s return? We no longer believe in an obvious time of trouble, but a rapture will occur when the saints are caught up to meet Christ in the air. But everyone believes their interpretation of when this happens is correct.

Dave: That’s why we always use the weight of evidence rule. You have to look at all the passages on the subject. You can’t just ignore those passages that sound like they disagree with your position. You have to account for those, too. After you’ve looked at all the passages on the subject, then look where the weight of evidence falls.

There are several reasons why I believe the rapture occurs at Yahushua’s return.

The first is that whenever Scripture speaks of the return of Yahushua, it speaks of only one “Second Coming.”

Think about it. The rapture refers to the righteous being caught up to meet Yahushua in the air. Now, I know many denominations assume the righteous and Yahushua return to Heaven at that point. That’s actually not what Scripture teaches, but laying that aside for the moment, Scripture is clear that the “rapture” is the saints meeting the Savior in the air. Are we in agreement on that point?

Miles: Absolutely.

Dave: All right. So, if the rapture of the righteous happens either during the supposed “great tribulation” or just before it—in other words, if the rapture happens seven years before Christ’s Second Coming—that means his “Second Coming” would actually be his third coming. If the second coming occurs at the secret rapture, then Yahushua’s return at the end of this seven-year time period would actually be his third coming. And no where does Scripture teach that.

Miles: Huh. I never thought of that before.

Dave: The Bible’s clear on this point. There are only two comings. The first “coming” was when he was born. He was born to die. The second coming, his return, is when he comes to set up Yah’s kingdom on earth. He comes to reign. There is no third coming. Scripture only ever speaks of two comings, not three.

There is no third return.

Miles: That’s … actually a really good point.

Dave: “Actually”? Don’t sound so surprised!

Miles: No, I just hadn’t thought of it that way before. That’s a good point. What’s the next proof of the rapture occurring at Christ’s return?

Dave: The fact that Scripture presents the rapture of the righteous and the return of Yahushua as the same event. Paul writes about the order of events of Christ’s return more than any other New Testament writer, including John and Yahushua himself.

Turn to 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. The believers in Thessalonica had lost some of their members. They were devastated, not understanding that they would see them again. So, Paul wrote to comfort them, and the way he did this was to explain in exacting detail the order of events of Yahushua’s second coming. Go ahead and read verses 13 through 18.

Miles:

Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Yahushua died and rose again, and so we believe that [Yahuwah] will bring with Yahushua those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until 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 [Yah], 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 one another with these words.

Dave: Here Paul is linking Yahushua’s return with the living righteous being “caught up” with the resurrected saints to meet him in the air at his return. It’s the same event.

There’ll be a shout; there’ll be the sound of the trumpet and the voice of the archangel. This is the same way Paul described Yahushua’s second coming to the Corinthian believers. What does 1 Corinthians 15 verses 51 and 52 say?

Miles: “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.”

Dave: Again. The resurrection of the saints along with the sound of a trumpet – these are all presented as part of the second coming of Christ. And that sounding of the trumpet is also part of the rapture which occurs at Christ’s second—and final—coming.

No where does Scripture in any way indicate that the Savior comes only halfway then turns around and goes back with the saints while the wicked are left alone on earth. Instead, he comes; the saints, both resurrected and transformed, meet him in the air, and then they all proceed on to the earth. This is the one-and-only “Second Coming” spoken of in Scripture.

Now the next piece of evidence we need to consider is the fact that there’s not a single passage of Scripture that indicates the righteous get to skip “tribulation”. Not one.

Miles: What about Revelation 4 where John is taken up to Heaven?

Dave: What about it?

Miles: Well, couldn’t that suggest the Church goes up prior to the tribulation Christ mentioned?

Dave: Go ahead and turn to Revelation 4 and let’s see what it says. Read verse 1. This is setting the context for what’s going to happen next. Revelation 4 verse 1.

Miles: “After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, ‘Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.’”

Dave: So, John is taken to Heaven for a specific purpose: to be shown what’s going to happen next. And yet you read the chapter and those following, and you don’t read about the saints being taken to Heaven and given a reward there. Which, if they were, this would be the logical place to describe it.

Miles: What about the argument that the Church is never mentioned during the tribulation?

Dave: It’s never mentioned … where? In Revelation? I heard a New Testament scholar who’d done a lot of study on the book of Revelation once say that “all books of the Bible end in the book of Revelation.” His point was that you find themes throughout all the rest of the Bible that are echoed and repeated in Revelation.

Let’s go to Isaiah 33. There’s a fascinating passage here that draws a comparison between sinners and the righteous. Read verses 14 to 16 of Isaiah 33.

Miles:

The sinners in Zion are afraid;
Fearfulness has seized the hypocrites:
“Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire?
Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?”
He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly,
He who despises the gain of oppressions,
Who gestures with his hands, refusing bribes,
Who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed,
And shuts his eyes from seeing evil:

He will dwell on high;
His place of defense will be the fortress of rocks;
Bread will be given him,
His water will be sure.

Dave: “Devouring fire” and “everlasting burnings” are a reference to Yahuwah’s presence. Who can live in the pure energy that emanates from holiness? The answer is: the saints. Those who’ve been washed in the blood of the Lamb. Then, in verse 16, we’re given a powerful promise for those going through tribulation in any time period.

All right. Moving on. Turn to Revelation 20. The chapter opens with an angel coming down from Heaven. The angel then binds Satan for a thousand years. So what this chapter is dealing with is the millennium—the first thousand years following the second coming.

After Satan is bound, John’s attention is drawn to what the saints are doing. Read verses 4 to 6.

Miles:

And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Yahushua and for the word of [Yah], who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of [Yah] and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Dave: This is an important passage that tells us several things. First, it tells us that some of the righteous will indeed lose their lives during the time period preceding Christ’s return, just as there have been martyrs reaching back to Abel.

We’re talking about the ecclesia—the body of “called out ones”—which is what the original Greek word is that’s translated as “church” in our modern Bibles. There will be martyrs.

Miles: And yet you still don’t think it will be obvious that this is the “time of trouble” preceding Christ’s return?

Dave: No, because Christ himself said that his return would be so unexpected that it would take even the righteous by surprise. Martyrdom is nothing new. Even now, believers are still being killed for their faith. We just don’t hear about it as it’s happening in other parts of the world.

My point is, there’s nothing in this passage that indicates the Church has been whisked out of the world and those who lost their lives were babes in the faith who only accepted Christ after a secret rapture. These people are the faithful and true. They’re the righteous and they’re willing to sacrifice their lives for what they believe to be true. So, no. The Church doesn’t just disappear after Revelation 3.

Miles: Yeah, some people who believe in a pre-trib rapture say these martyrs are people who are saved after the Church has been raptured. They believe that the trials they go through after the rapture lead them to Christ.

Dave: All right. Let’s think about the logic of that for a moment. If the Church has been raptured, the spirit of Yah which was poured on the Church to save souls would be removed with it. So then how can lost souls be drawn to Yah when His spirit’s been removed?

Miles: Huh. Good question.

Dave: Verse 5 explicitly states that this is the first resurrection. It says “first” right there. So if there were another resurrection of the saints at the time of the secret rapture supposedly seven years before this one, then which resurrection would that be? Because John says this resurrection—after Yahushua’s return, at the start of the millennium—is the first resurrection.

Let’s talk now about the final outpouring of Yah’s wrath. The whole point of the pre- and mid-tribulation rapture theories is that the righteous will be saved from having to live in a world in which Yah’s wrath is being poured out.

There’s a promise in Revelation 3 verse 10 I’d like you to read for us. What does that say?

Miles: Umm … “Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.”

Dave: This was written to a specific church, the body of believers in the city of Philadelphia in Asia Minor. Now. Yahushua says he would keep them from the hour of trial that was coming on the whole world. How did he do that? By whisking them out of the world and up to Heaven?

Miles: No.

Dave: No. That’s not how he works. To “keep” also means to “preserve.” Yahushua strengthens believers. He preserves them so their faith doesn’t fail even in the midst of trial. That’s how he “keeps” them. Not by whisking them out of the troubles.

Think about the Bible stories. Were Yah’s people taken away from trials? Or were they preserved through them.

Miles: Preserved through them. That’s what He did with Noah.

Dave: And the Children of Israel in Egypt. He preserved them through the trials. He protected and sustained them. He didn’t take them away from the trials.

In fact, you read through the first several plagues of Egypt, and Yah’s people were suffering right along with the Egyptians. The Nile, which everyone used, was still blood. The frogs were still everywhere. Exodus 8 verse 17 says that the third plague, lice, was literally, quote: “throughout all the land of Egypt.”

Well, the Israelites were in Egypt! So, if lice was throughout all the land of Egypt, Yah’s people were suffering under it, too.

Miles: Yeah, I can think of a lot of Bible stories where Yah worked by preserving His people through trials rather than taking them away from the trials. I mean, that’s the entirety of the 91^st psalm! Yahuwah protecting His people through trials.

Dave: Exactly. Yahuwah is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He preserved His people through trials in the past, and He still can.

One final point and that is, just what makes the final generation so special that they should get to skip persecution? There’s a reason for persecution. It reveals what’s in the heart! It develops faith and trust in Yahuwah.

Why should the final generation—those who are privileged to live to see Yahusua return—why should they get to skip out on persecution that other believers through the ages haven’t? You look at history and not being persecuted is the exception rather than the rule. So why should believers of the final generation be any different?

Miles: All very good points.

Dave: But again, any persecution is not going to be so obvious as the “time of trouble” we used to believe in. Why? Because Yahushua explicitly warned his coming would be as a thief.

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You are listening to World's Last Chance Radio.

Belief in the triune nature of God is one of the most fundamental beliefs of modern Christianity. And, to be honest, World’s Last Chance used to believe in a trinity as well. However, if you’ve spent time listening to very many of our more recent programs, you’ll have learned that we now know only Yahuwah is divine. A lot of programs have covered various aspects of this important truth that has been buried under centuries of tradition and assumption.

To go back to the very beginning, listen to program 100. Join Miles and Dave as they look at the foundational evidence for this important truth. The program is called “Shocking New Light About the Incarnation!” Entire incorrect belief systems have been built upon an incorrect understanding of the nature of Yahuwah and the nature of Yahushua. You need to know the truth. Listen to “Shocking New Light About the Incarnation” on WorldsLastChance.com.

WLC Radio: Teaching minds and preparing hearts for Christ's sudden return.

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Daily Mailbag (Miles & Dave)

Miles: Our question today is coming from the country that has both the lowest point and the highest point on its entire continent.

Dave: Australia!

Miles: Ahhh … okay, yeah. You’re right. I was thinking of a different country, though. This country is one of 23 on the continent. It also has the highest rate of tornados in the entire world with more than 1,000 tornados every single year.

Dave: Wow. Uhhh … I really don’t know. Where?

Miles: The United States! With Death Valley in California being the lowest point on the North American continent, and Denali—formerly known as Mount Mckinley—in Alaska being the highest point, it also deals with over a thousand tornados every year.

Dave: Wow. I think I’ll stay here, thank you very much! Tornados freak me out. They’re a force of nature but they’re so unpredictable, they almost act possessed, you know what I mean?

Miles: You mean how they just seem to go for certain targets and then suddenly, for no discernible reason, hop right over others? Yeah. It’s weird. I’m sure there’s some meteorological explanation for it, but I don’t know what it is.

Anyway! Carol Thompson has a question that really fits with today’s program. She writes:

I’ve been following WLC for a long time. When you first changed your stance on prophecy, I thought you’d finally gotten off, but after studying it for myself, I have to say you’re right on. Thank you for correcting my understanding on this and for having the courage to so publicly correct your own position.

Now, though, I have to change my whole way of viewing the end. There was a certain level of comfort in having “signs of the times” to look for. But if, as Yahushua taught, even believers will be taken by surprise, it’s vital to live in a state of constant readiness. But how? How do we do that? Realistically speaking, just how are we supposed to be constantly ready and what happens if I can’t maintain that constantly? It’s a scary thought.

Dave: That is a scary thought, so let’s address that point first. Turn to 2 Timothy chapter 1 and read verses 6 and 7. That’s 2 Timothy 1, 6 to 7.

Miles: “For [Yahuwah] has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

Dave: Yahuwah has not given us a spirit of … fear. On the contrary, He’s done absolutely everything He can to inspire us with faith and confidence. Not in ourselves. We’re weak and sinful, but in Him, in His love, we can have confidence.

And He’s kind! He understands the limitations of our fallen nature! Keep your finger there in 2 Timothy and turn over to Psalm 103. What do verses 13 and 14 say?

Miles: Uhhh …

As a father has compassion on his children,
so Yahuwah has compassion on those who fear him;
for He knows how we are formed,
He remembers that we are dust.

Dave: When it says, “He knows how we are formed,” it’s not just talking about our physical bodies. It’s talking about our mental and emotional makeup. It’s talking about our inherited and cultivated tendencies to wrong that we’re struggling to overcome. This should give us confidence that Yahuwah understands and has compassion for us.

If you see your own child struggling, are you going to help and encourage him? Or are you going to threaten punishment because he’s struggling?

Miles: Encourage him, of course. Help him.

Dave: And that’s Yahuwah’s response, too. Flip back over to 2 Timothy. Actually … no. I want you to read that again but try it in … this translation. And this time read verse 6 as well: 2 Timothy chapter 1, verses 6 and 7.

Miles: “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of [Yah], which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit [Yahuwah] gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”

Dave: The spirit Yahuwah gives us, brings us power, and love, and self-discipline.

You’re not going to be able to maintain a constant state of readiness 100% of the time. Neither am I. We can’t with our fallen natures.

Miles: So, then what happens? Say I’m driving home in rush hour traffic and some idiot cuts me off. The adrenaline dump of the fear and the danger makes me angry, and I let slip a swear word at him as we get into a horrific car crash and I’m killed before I can repent of swearing and losing my temper. What then?

Dave: Then you trust that the God who loves you, who knows your every failing as well as your deepest desire to be like Him, has the grace to cover a momentary lapse, even one that happened at the point of death.

Turn to the little book of Jude. It’s squeezed in just before Revelation. Read verses 24 and 25 of Jude 1.

Miles:

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,
And to present you faultless
Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
To God our Savior,
Who alone is wise,
Be glory and majesty,
Dominion and power,
Both now and forever.

Dave: Yahuwah is able to keep you from stumbling … and … present you faultless on the day of judgment. Those are two separate things. Don’t conflate them. We’re not going to be perfect so long as we have sinful natures. Yahuwah doesn’t expect us to; it’s His own word that explains the impossibility of perfect conformity to the law so long as we have fallen natures.

But we can, and we should, still strive. Even if we die suddenly while angry or … whatever, Yahuwah still has the power to cover us with the righteousness of Christ and present us faultless.

Now. Let’s take a look at Carol’s first question. Would you read that again for us, please?

Miles: Uhhh … “If, as Yahushua taught, even believers will be taken by surprise, it’s vital to live in a state of constant readiness. But how? How do we do that? Realistically speaking, just how are we supposed to be constantly ready?”

Dave: I like this question. It’s a very practical one. And, yes. There are some things we can do on a practical level to cooperate with Yah and do our best to live in a state of readiness.

The first and most important thing is to get to know Yahuwah on a personal level. To know Him truly is to love Him. The more you know, the safer you feel and the closer you want to get.

But like any relationship, it takes time. So put the time in. Spend time in His word. Spend time meditating on His love, His compassion, the many ways He’s blessed your life.

Miles: One thing I’ve found that’s really helped is to do a word study in the Bible.

Dave: What do you mean?

Miles: For example, look up every verse in the Bible that has the word “love” or the word “compassion.” There’s nothing like reading verse after verse saying that Yahuwah loves you to inspire your faith that He really does, indeed, love you.

Like Jeremiah 31 verse 3. That’s how I came across that verse the first time and it was so powerful, I memorized it. It says: “Yahuwah has appeared of old to me, saying: ‘Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.’”

Dave: That’s beautiful.

Miles: One of the most beautiful passages in all of Scripture. You read a couple of dozen verses like that and it really starts to sink in that Yahuwah really does love you, individually.

Dave: And it’s really important we grasp that because it enables us to do the next thing which is to make it a habit to trust Him. And when I say “make it a habit,” I really mean that. When you’re worried about something, when you’re scared, when you don’t know what the future holds, make it a choice to trust Yahuwah.

And don’t wait for a crisis. You make trusting Yahuwah a habit by choosing to trust Him in the little things on a day-to-day basis. That’s where trusting becomes habitual. Then, when the big things come along, when a crisis happens, you’ll just keep doing what you’ve been doing, which is choosing to trust.

Miles: I like that. It’s starting with baby steps. Trusting Yah in the little things, on a daily basis.

Dave: It’s what gets us ready to trust Him in the bigger things. But it’s going to be very difficult to choose to trust in a crisis if you haven’t already learned He can be trusted in the little things that come your way.

One thing we can each do to help in this process is to consciously nurture our faith. We’ve shared before that quote from some Christian author that says, “Faith is a plant that will grow quickly if nurtured.” Something like that. I don’t remember the precise wording. But the gist is that when we make it a habit to nurture faith, our faith will increase exponentially.

Miles: And I just want to add here really quickly that faith isn’t feelings. Faith is simply a choice. We choose to take Yahuwah at His word because of who He is: we know He’s faithful, just, compassionate, kind, loving. He’s got all power. So, we choose to trust Him. That’s faith.

Dave: Thank you. That’s an excellent working definition of faith. And you’re right: faith isn’t feeling. Faith is a choice when your feelings are fearful, or sad, or depressed or whatever “negative” emotion you want to name. Even when you’re afraid, you can choose to trust because you know that Yahuwah loves you and He’s all-powerful. That’s faith.

Knowing this, the next thing we can do is to start making it a habit on a daily basis to claim the promises. Do you know how many promises there are in the Bible?

Miles: Uhhh … a lot?

Dave: I actually looked it up because I was curious. Now, there’s some variance depending on how you count them, but one source says there are 8,810 promises in the Bible:

• Two from Yahuwah to Yahushua,
• 991 between humans, and
• 7,487 promises from Yahuwah to mankind.

Miles: Wow! That’s an immense amount!

Dave: Right? There’s literally a promise for any situation in which we could ever find ourselves. Yahuwah has left nothing uncovered. The problem isn’t a lack of promises. The problem is us. With all the promises available, why aren’t we claiming them more? Why aren’t we scouring the Scriptures to find the promises we need?

Miles: Good question. And for those of us who need a more all-encompassing promise, I really like John 14, verse 13 to 14. Listen to this. It says: “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” Unquote.

That’s an incredibly inclusive promise!

Dave: Read the verse just before it, verse 12. This is an amazing statement as well.

Miles: Um, “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”

Dave: When you think of the “works” Yahushua did, what do you think of?

Miles: Bonafide miracles! Healing the sick, raising the dead, multiplying food.

Dave: We used to attribute those miracles to Yahushua being the messiah. And, to be fair, that was his work as the messiah. But here he’s telling the disciples that the works he did would be surpassed by believers! That’s a mind-boggling claim.

I see you glancing at the clock. Let me just add one more thing to what we can do to make it easier to live in a constant state of readiness and that is memorizing Scripture. When we memorize Scripture, we give Yah’s spirit a chance to bring it to our memory when we really need it. It’s encouraging, it’s comforting, and a great way to occupy the mind.

Miles: It’s true. A morning commute can be a great time to memorize Scripture and, once it’s committed to memory, meditating on what you’ve learned is really beneficial.

Dave: Would you please turn to Psalm 119? We won’t read the full thing—

Miles: I should hope not! What’s it have? 180 verses in it?

Dave: A hundred and seventy-six, I believe. Anyway, the focus of this entire psalm is on Yah’s law: Meditating on it, filling the mind and heart with it, memorizing it. Why don’t you just start with verse 1 and read a little bit. And as you do, notice where David’s focus is. Go ahead.

Miles:

Blessed are those whose ways are blameless,
who walk according to the law of the Lord.
Blessed are those who keep his statutes
and seek him with all their heart—
they do no wrong
but follow his ways.
You have laid down precepts
that are to be fully obeyed.
Oh, that my ways were steadfast
in obeying your decrees!
Then I would not be put to shame
when I consider all your commands.
I will praise you with an upright heart
as I learn your righteous laws.
I will obey your decrees;
do not utterly forsake me.

How can a young person stay on the path of purity?
By living according to your word.
I seek you with all my heart;
do not let me stray from your commands.
I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you.

Dave: This is how we learn to live in a state of constant readiness for Yahushua’s return. It’s not saying that we’re perfect and somehow stop sinning. Scripture is clear that that’s impossible as long as we have fallen natures. But by choosing to dwell on Yah’s word, making that our focus, learning its lessons, being inspired by its stories, memorizing its promises, we’re enabled to live in a state of readiness we would never have dreamed possible. This is key if we want to live our lives in readiness for either death or judgment. And Yahuwah, who is all-loving and all-powerful, is able to then cover us with Christ’s merits and present us faultless.

Miles: Amen! What a promise!

Up next is Jane Lamb with today’s daily promise. Stay tuned.

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Daily Promise

Hello! This is Jane Lamb with your daily promise from Yah’s word.

Proverbs 18:24 tells us, “There is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.”

I don’t remember the man’s name, so I shall just call him Allan. When Allan was just 9 years old, he lost his parents and was sent to live in an orphanage near London, in England. To Allan, mourning the loss of his parents, it felt like a prison. The children were required to work 14 hours a day, cleaning in the orphanage, working in the kitchen, the garden, the stables or the fields. Everyone had a task, and each child was expected to work and work hard.

Out of the entire year, there was only one day of celebration and that was Christmas day. On that day, the children received one gift. Not a toy; not candy or sweets, but a single orange. However, there was a catch: an orange was given only to children that had been perfectly obedient. Only those who had done nothing wrong all … year … long were given an orange.

Allan’s first Christmas at the orphanage was a sad one. While the children lined up to walk past the orphanage director and receive their orange, he was told to stand over to one side and watch. Allan was not given an orange. The previous summer, he had tried to run away so his punishment was to watch everyone else receive a gift while he got none. Afterward, the other boys were allowed to go outside and play while he was sent back to the dormitory.

Alone and ashamed, Allan curled up in bed and pulled the blanket over his head. He couldn’t help thinking of the Christmas before and he cried, missing his parents all over again.

A little bit later, Allan heard footsteps creeping softly toward his bed. A hand tugged aside the blanket. Another boy by the name of William was standing there. He was holding an orange out to Allan and smiling.

Allan was shocked and more than a little afraid. The adults counted the oranges. Wherever could William have gotten another orange? Looking closer, Allan saw that there was something a little strange about the orange William was holding. Upon closure inspection he could see that the peeling was in long strips, wrapped around an already peeled orange.

Carefully taking it into his hands, the little orange fell apart and Allan realized what had happened and it was a memory he cherished for the rest of his life. Years later, in looking back, Allan recalled, quote: “Ten boys had gathered in the yard and decided that I had to have my orange for Christmas, too. Each of them had removed a wedge from their orange and the ten wedges had been painstakingly assembled to create a new round, delicate orange. That orange was the best Christmas gift of my life. It taught me how comforting true friendship can be." Unquote.

Psalm 103 says, “Just as parents are kind to their children, Yahuwah is kind to all who worship Him, because He knows we are made of dust.” [Psalm 103:13-14]

We have been given great and precious promises. Go and start claiming!

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Part 3: (Miles & Dave)

Dave: I just want to close on a note of encouragement. There are tremendous promises for Yah’s people. Yes, those alive just before Yahushua returns may well have to go through trials and tribulations that are unprecedented in scope but always remember that there will be a sufficient level of normality that even the righteous will be taken by surprise. But those who remain faithful to the end, be that the end of their lives, or the end of time as we know it, will be saved.

Would you please turn to Revelation 3? The first three chapters of Revelation contain messages to the churches. Again, these were literal churches in Asia and while the messages were for them specifically, we can draw encouragement from their experiences.

What’s so interesting about these messages to the churches is their rewards.

Miles: What do you mean?

Dave: Well, it’s not so obvious in English, but if you look at it in the Greek, the grammatical construction is very clear: the first church, the church of Ephesus, is promised one reward. The second church, Smyrna, promises two rewards to the faithful. And so on and so forth down to the sixth church, Philadelphia, who is promised six rewards to the overcomers.

Now you’d think the seventh church would be promised seven rewards, wouldn’t you?

Miles: Sure. I mean, that’s the pattern.

Dave: But it’s not. It’s promised only one reward. But that reward is very unique.

Let’s read it. Revelation 3 verse 21.

Miles: “To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.”

Dave: Laodicea is promised only one reward, but that reward encompasses everything. If it’s given to you to sit with Yahushua on his throne—and right there it says that Yahushua’s throne is the Father’s throne—you’ve got everything. That’s throne-ship status. That’s everything.

Whatever we’re called to go through in this life? Let me tell you, the reward—whatever it may be—will be worth it! It’ll be worth it! And the Father certainly has the power to sustain us, to carry us through any level of tribulation, so let us rest confident in Him, in His strength and might. And most importantly, in His love.

Miles: Amen. Amen.

I want to thank you for tuning in today. If you enjoyed today’s program and would like to share it with friends or family, you can find it on our website at WorldsLastChance.com. We also post previously aired programs on YouTube, so just look for the program called “The Truth About the Rapture,” Program number 248. Once again, that’s “The Truth About the Rapture,” Program number 248.

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We hope you can join us again tomorrow, and until then, remember: Yahuwah loves you . . . and He is safe to trust!

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This program and past episodes of WLC Radio are available for downloading on our website. They're great for sharing with friends and for use in Bible studies! They're also an excellent resource for those worshipping Yahuwah alone at home. To listen to previously aired programs, visit our website at WorldsLastChance.com. Click on the WLC Radio icon displayed on our homepage.

In his teachings and parables, the Savior gave no “signs of the times” to watch for. Instead, the thrust of his message was “constant vigilance”. Join us again tomorrow for another truth-filled message as we explore various topics focused on the Savior's return and how to live in constant readiness to welcome him warmly when he comes.

WLC Radio: Teaching minds and preparing hearts for Christ's sudden return.