Title: Saving Dividend - Chapter 1
Plot: Mary Bate finds herself at the bottom of a mineshaft with a broken leg
Notes: From the draft of my book called Saving Dividend
Listen to "Ep 08 | "How to make your reservation for the Rapture"" on Spreaker.
Full Transcript
Hey, welcome back!
It may surprise you to learn that when it comes to the rapture you have some responsibilities. Don't be like the five foolish virgins who were unprepared and so were left out.
Whenever we travel it is our responsibility to book the airline ticket and to show up at the airport. And so if you'd like to know how to make your reservation, what to pack, and when you'll be picked up, then this podcast is for you. I suggest you listen all the way to the end because I'll give you a test to make sure you aren't behaving like a foolish virgin being sloppy with the details.
On my book Matrix channel I have several podcasts that relate to the rapture and so I will note them in the Full Transcripts of this podcast on my website so you can listen to them to get a more complete picture of everything you should expect in relation to the end times events.
For this study we will review most of chapter 21 in the book of Luke. And we'll go over to the parable of the Ten Virgins which comes from Matthew. But I'm not going to take Luke chapter 21 in order. Because I think re-arranging it is wiser.
For example I think verses 1-7 should've been in the prior chapter. It's the story the woman who put two small copper coins in the offering box.
And the only reason to include that story here is because it is the segway into the conversation about the end times. So by bouncing around, I'll actually be putting the story in a slightly better order. I'm not suggesting I know better than God, he likes seekers who roll up their sleeves and do work, and so he therefore jumbled things around. That forces us to put things back in order and it turns out that's more fun and interesting anyway.
The conversation begins with the destruction of the temple. I'll read verses 8-9 to you now:
Jesus Foretells Destruction of the Temple (8-9)
8 And he said, “See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is at hand!’ Do not go after them. And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once.”
While I'm sure they were riveted, clearly his prophecy did not manifest in their lifetime. And yet it did. Not only was the temple destroyed, but there were wars and many of the other things he's about to describe actually happened to them back then. So they would have been convinced they were witnessing last days events and the second coming of Jesus because part of those events involved martyring of God's people. And as it turns out they returned to dwell with the Lord expecting that he would return very soon. And using God's reckoning for time, which is that a day is as a thousand years, he would be returning soon. From his perspective.
Now it makes sense to jump to
The Lesson of the Fig Tree (verses 29-33)
toward the end of the chapter. Here we go:
And he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. As soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
The first question that usually comes up relates to his comment that this generation will not pass away until all has taken place. The natural assumption would be that he meant the apostles would live to see his second coming. But instead what he was saying was that after the trigger event was observed, everything would happen within one generation. And so the key to unlocking the mystery is to locate the trigger event and after that event is when the clock starts ticking. He's not pinpointing the day and the hour, he's using broad strokes to ballpark it.
So at this point what we've learned is that Jesus said that there are going to be signs that are as reliable and as obvious as the signs that mark the transition from winter to spring. An obvious trigger event that is clear to the naked eye and that's when the dead comes back to life, meaning the plants and flowers and trees go into blossom. A self-evident experience. Therefore, it is an obvious sign we're looking for.
Again the message, is to be on the lookout for the signs of the times. And he then gives us a list of these signs and tells us to watch. Not some of them, not most of them, all of them. That brings us to this section of verses, which is verses 10-20:
Jesus Foretells Wars and Persecution (in verses 10-20)
10 Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake. This will be your opportunity to bear witness. Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. You will be hated by all for my name's sake. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives.
I have another channel called the Book Matrix. On that one I have the study of the Ecclesiastical history of the church, which goes into great detail about the martyrdom of the apostles. And it's clear from that study, that they came to great harm. So this prophecy that not a hair on your head will perish strikes me as an invalidation of the trigger event that we were looking for. The one I described a moment ago.
Meaning the sign we're looking for that Jesus coming is near, is that Christians will be facing the prospect of martyrdom, but there will be a miraculous intervention. When that happens, his coming is close.
Next we look at verses 20-24
Jesus Foretells Destruction of Jerusalem (20-24)
20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it, for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people. They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
Now that last statement is key: he said, until the times of the gentiles are fulfilled. All of the things that he prophesied in verses 20-24 actually happened two thousand years ago. But it's going to happen again in our time. So it's already happened once, but it will happen twice. And the second time will culminate in the battle we call Armageddon. The first time, a giant pause was introduced that crucial statement until the times of the gentiles are fulfilled.
So these end times happened first for the Jews and it will happen again for the gentiles will be involved. Now I'm going to flip-flop the last two comments that Jesus makes. First we'll look at verses 34-38, before looking at 25-28:
Watch Yourselves (34-38)
34 “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
So that stay awake at all times comment is an attention getter. If I'm to stay awake at all times, I feel like I need clarity on that trigger event. Or the supernatural power of God enabling me somehow not to sleep. Now I confess I haven't prayed to God for strength to stay awake round the clock forever. And that's probably worth a try. But assuming that that's not practical. We need to know the signs. What signs should cause me to stay awake at all times because the coming of the son of Man is near? For that we'll consider verses 25-28:
The Coming of the Son of Man (25-28)
25 “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
I'm going to suggest that the roaring of the sea and waves means tidal waves. Massive wipe out events. And that should grab our attention to go outside and look up. I've heard a lot of things about chemtrails, I personally have wondered if it's less about poison gas and more about preventing us from seeing the sun, and moon and stars.
I don't know about you, but I've noticed that since this Coronavirus business began, I've noticed a literal heavy cloud cover that has blotted out the sun, moon, and stars. And that makes me suspicious. I would not be surprised if the prince of the power of the air is trying to make it difficult to see anything even if we do look up.
Matthew 25:1-13 is the parable of the ten virgins. It says:
“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
In a minute I'm going to re-read verses 34-38 from Luke chapter 21. First, I'll read
1 Thessalonians 4:1-9 to you
Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ
Are you noticing the theme that's developing? All of the references to Jesus coming indicate that he will come at night. And there is a curious emphasis on not sleeping. And so this invokes thoughts of Santa Claus traveling the earth in a single night, but instead of leaving presents, Jesus will rapture his people. And it also minimizes and even frustrates the movie depiction of mass world-wide chaos with planes falling from the sky and trains running out of control, because it suggests Jesus will come to houses in the middle of the night, he'll be knocking on doors and he will expect us to be wearing clothes and packed and ready to go.
While I have never asked God for the supernatural ability to stay awake perpetually. I have on occasion needed to be up for a couple of nights straight. And I can tell you that's a real challenge. And after many such experiences I have always crashed for twelve or more hoursand I found myself eventually catching up on all that lost sleep.
The hebrew word for sleep is the same as the word for old. And you may recall that when people die in the Bible it often says they sleep. And on one occasion when someone called for a resurrection Jesus said, the person wasn't dead, they were asleep.
Now I'm not suggesting that the Scripture means keep yourself alive in this context, but certainly if you are going to remain awake being alive is a pre-requisite. I'm just making observations hoping an explanation will present itself because it seems unrealistic for God to tell his people not to sleep at all. Given that he's coming at night, it would be more realistic to say, don't sleep at night. Sleep during the day. That's more likely. In the parable of the ten virgins we see that it says he came at midnight. But let's cross reference.
Luke 12:35-40 says
Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning. Then you will be like servants waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks, they can open the door for him at once. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds on watch when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve and will have them recline at the table, and he himself will come and wait on them. Even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night and finds them alert, those servants will be blessed!
But understand this: If the homeowner had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect.”
There are four night watches and they each lasted for three hours. The second night watch begins at 9:00 PM, and the third begins at midnight and ends at 3:00 AM. So that's another night reference and it gives us the range of 9:00 PM - 3:00 AM. And the beauty of this timing, from God's perspective, is that if he comes during these hours and he finds people partying and sinning, then they have filtered themselves out. But if he finds people waiting for him, that's another filter. How faithful would a person be if they know their Scriptures well enough to expect God during this time range?
Which brings us back to Luke 21:34-38, as I promised and it says:
Watch Yourselves (34-38)
34 “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
And so allow me to sum this up with an illustration. Imagine Jesus goes to house A, and he knocks on the door at midnight and a woman opens the door and he says come follow me. She's dressed, expecting him and ready to go. Meaning she expected this, so all of her affairs are in order and she leaves with him immediately.
And then Jesus knocks on the door of house B and no one answers.
And then he knocks on the door of house C and a woman answers and she's half asleep not very coherant and he says come follow me, and she says, "Oh, goodness, um give me five minutes and I just need to go put on some makeup and grab my purse. I'll be right out, I swear! And thirty minutes later she returns to the front door and he's gone.
That is a modern day illustration of the parable of the 10 virgins. The way I see this literally playing out is that the door that shuts the virgin out of heaven is her own door. Jesus comes, she's not ready, she tries to get her affairs in order and by the time she returns it's too late and the door to heaven is shut and she's left behind. Jesus is the door to heaven. He is the way the truth and the life. No man comes to the father, but by him.
A wise virgin pays attention to details. And so now I will put you to the test. If you are a wise virgin, then you know that no man knows the day or the hour, but the Bible tells us the two watches when Jesus might come. Were the watches during the day? Yes or no?
No.
The watches were during the night. There are four watches at night, and the Bible mentions two, which two?
The second and the third.
What time range does the second and third watch represent?
9:00 PM - 3:00 AM.
The Bible says Jesus will come like something in the night. What will he come like?
A thief. Meaning he will be inconspicuous and quiet. Suggesting the rapture movies have the details all wrong. He's not going to come like a bomb or a locomotive. He's going to be quiet and subtle.
Now you get bonus points if you get this question right: do you think he'll appear in your bedroom or inside your house?
No. In Revelation it says, "Behold I stand at the door and knock."
And Luke 12, which I read earlier also mentioned the knocking. I'll remind you of that scripture now, it said:
Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning. Then you will be like servants waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks, they can open the door for him at once.
I repeat open the door for him at once.
But there's one more thing and it's crucial to setting yourself apart as a wise virgin rather than a foolish one. I mentioned it earlier. Do you remember what the Bible said you should do to escape all the things that are going to take place?
We were told to pray. It said:
But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
And so I suggest to you that the way you make your reservation for the rapture is to pray: "God, please bless that I will have the strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
And therefore I submit to you that when it says, stay awake at all times, what it means is: now that you know Jesus will be coming during the second or third watch. Be dressed and ready and stay awake from 9:00 PM to 3:00 AM every single night — at all times.
I mentioned a trigger event and it actually looks like there are several. First is that people will be taken to be martyred and not a hair of their head will be harmed. Another is that instead of hearing doom and gloom like the Coronavirus is going to kill us all! We will be told there is peace and safety and afterwards sudden destruction will come. We'll see tidal waves and signs in the sky.
But I think the best advice was given by Paul who said that Jesus would come during the second or third watch so stay awake at all times and be ready to go.
I think that's good advice period because I assure you, you don't want to be here during the tribulation if you can avoid it. And if I were you, I would expect the devil to try to condition you to ignore late night visitors.
Another way you can know you are a wise virgin is that you decided to listen to this message. The foolish ones would never have given it the time of day just based on the title itself.
I could have also titled this message: Rapture Readiness 101. And I view this as the easy test. I'm not suggesting this is easy stuff, staying awake between 9:00 PM and 3:00 AM every night and resisting the urge to sleep avoiding partying... but it is preferable in every way to the tests that will confront those who will remain during the tribulation. The tribulation gets ugly because you're not only dealing with anti-christ, but the wrath of God that gets poured out.
Now if you find yourself saying, well this is nice, but I'm not pre-trib, I'm mid trib or post trib then listen to my podcast called, Ep 05, The Beginning of Sorrows the link is in the full transcript section of this podcast on my website. I think you'll find that enlightening. Also, there is an outfit that we're supposed to wear, and something that those who are raptured are supposed to say in heaven. And so if you're serious about being raptured. I'd have the outfit ready by the front door and with an index card in it containing the words you're supposed to proclaim to God. And I'd also be ready to wave to John the Revelator, because remember he's going to be taken up in the spirit and shown the end times event, and that boggles the mind because it means in our future, we'll see a man observing this scene having traveled two thousand years into the future from the past. And I think that's cool!
Make your reservations by offering the prayer I mentioned. Pack your bags by listening to my other message having your outfit and index card sitting by the door. And then have your affairs in order and watch, because I don't get the impression that God will be giving out second chances on this one.
Ladies and gentlemen, I am Tom the Revelator. It is my goal to give you at least one revelation with every message. So I hope you'll follow me or subscribe to the channel to get notified.
Y'all come back now. Ya hear?
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