YOU SAID: In Joel chapter 2 a vivid description is given of some
kind of supernatural army, one that God calls 'his army'. Many have
speculated that this is the same as the "northern army" mentioned in
verse 20, However, this is not correct...this army are those who
have inherited the immortal state at what we call the Rapture. Much
of the description of this army is to emphasize that it is
Supernatural. The surroundings portrayed in these verses are bad
indeed. There is much destruction all around them. But they are not
harmed and cannot be killed. And, yes, they are here on the earth
are are involved in bringing in the great harvest.
REPLY: Here we go again.......another theory has just surfaced to
make the pre-trib rapture.......our blessed hope......into a lie
and a sham......but it will all prove to be vain........because the
pre-trib rapture is true and will happen......VERY VERY SOON whether
or not people choose to believe it.......Now I came to 5D to read
letters of edification......only to read that I will be turned into
Joel's army and stay on the earth during the trib....when Jesus tells
me........"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God,
believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it
were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and
RECEIVE YOU UNTO MYSELF; that WHERE I AM, there YE MAY BE ALSO" Jn.14
This is the promise Jesus made to me and to all those who choose to
believe in His imminent return at the rapture......that He will be
coming to take us to Heaven to dwell with Him there......this is also
the exact same messaege a Jewish bridegroom will tell his fiance b/4
leaving her.......that he is going to prepare a place for her where
they will both dwell together.......and then when all is ready and
set he returns in the night with the soundings of shofar to steal
away his bride from her mother's house......and that is exactly what
Jesus is going to do right before he begins the time of Jacob's
trouble........the bride is not Jacob who is blindfolded at this
moment.......the bride has eyes to see and she is busy preparing
herself for the marriage of the Lamb.......therefore she will not be
on earth during the tribulation......but rather in the Heavenly
bridal chamber with Jesus until the 7 days/years of tribulation are
past...it is very well emphasized in the following verse..."Come, my
people, ENTER THOU INTO THY CHAMBERS, and shut thy doors about thee:
hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation
be overpast. For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish
the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also
shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain." Isa.
26:20-21......It is also prophesied in the following verses that the
righteous will be hid in a secret place during a future time of
wrath........."For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his
pavilion: IN THE SECRET PLACE OF HIS TABERNACLE SHALL HE HIDE ME; he
shall set me up upon a rock." Ps. 27:5......."Thou shalt hide them
in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep
them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues." Ps.
31:20.........These are all prophesies that speak of the promise of
our rapture flight from earth into Heaven's secret chambers.....that
is why the verse in revelation boldly declares......"Therefore
REJOICE, YE HEAVENS, AND YE THAT DWELL IN THEM. Woe to the
inhabiters of the earth and of the sea!.....Rev. 12:12.....This
clearly tells me that earth will not be the residence of the bride
of christ during the tribulation since a world wide WOE is decreed
upon the whole earth and its inhabitants.....regardless of who they
are.......Now speaking of Joel's army......I have always realized
that folks love to use those armies as proof that it speaks of an end
time church related army that will encompass the earth and save
mankind......but is that who those armies are?..........well.....we
shall examine who they are and realize that those armies are not what
some think they are but rather an assemblage of ferocius nations
whom God will summon to destroy a particular country......namely
endtime Babylon......which is evidently America.......those armies
are not only spoken of in Joel but are also spoken of in Isaiah in
the following way......"Lift up a banner on the high mountain, Raise
your voice to them; Wave your hand, that they may enter the gates of
the nobles. I have commanded My sanctified ones; I have also called
My mighty ones for My anger--Those who rejoice in My exaltation."
The noise of a multitude in the mountains, Like that of many people!
A tumultuous noise of the KINGDOMS OF NATIONS GATHERED TOGETHER! The
LORD of hosts MUSTERS The ARMY FOR BATTLE. They come from a far
country, From the end of heaven--The LORD and His WEAPONS OF
INDIGNATION, to DESTROY THE WHOLE LAND."Isa. 13:2-5(NKJV).....This
clearly tells one that these armies are not some friendly people
that out there to save people.......but rather they are God's
instruments of wrath against a rebellious country.....sort of like
the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by the Romans in 70
A.D......in that sense, the Romans were God's army or instruments
of wrath upon rebellious Israel at that point in time......we also
see a reference of Joel's army spoken of by the prophet Jeremiah
against endtime Babylon(America) in the following way......"The LORD
of hosts hath sworn by himself, saying, Surely I will fill thee with
men, as with caterpillers; and they shall lift up a shout against
thee. Jer. 51:14.......This clearly tells us the purpose of these
armies whom the Lord has assembled......and that is that He will use
them to destroy the greatest country that ever existed on the face
of the earth......namely......endtime Babylon.....America.
ybiC,
Cliff!