Does the Rapture (type) of Philip give us a clue
as to the rapture timing?
(See below after reading God’s Word)
Acts 8:26-27 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and
go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza,
which is desert. And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia,
an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the
charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,
Acts 8:36-40 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water:
and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be
baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou
mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of
God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down
both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And
when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away
Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way
rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing
through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.
Does the Rapture (type) of Philip give us a clue
as to the rapture timing?
This
passage of Scripture is a fascinating picture of the ‘rapture’ or
‘catching away’ as described in the KJV. I wondered why God
caused the event to happen. The sudden disappearance of Philip no doubt
confirmed to the Ethiopian the power of God, as he had just accepted Jesus as
his Savior and had followed him into baptism. However, the circumstances
surrounding this rapture type is familiar to ‘end times’
prophecy.
First,
the location as described in Acts 8:26 – 27 is the desert FROM
JERUSALEM TO GAZA. This is precisely the territory under dispute
between the Israelis and the Palestinians here in the ‘end times’
which is being negotiated for ‘a covenant with many’. IF a
peace treaty is entered into between Israel and the Palestinians it will extend
to the Arab world as it will be a victory for the decades of terrorism, thus
‘a covenant with many’. That conflict (the
Palestinian-Israeli) is CENTRAL to the overall conflict in the world
today. If a treaty is made with those two entities and the world
community, orchestrated by a world leader, PEACE and SAFETY will be declared!
Secondly,
baptism is a picture of the death, burial and RESSURECTION.
The moment that Philip is ‘caught away’ (harpazo)
occurs as the African is ‘resurrected’ from death (pictured) in
baptism.
Revelation 13:3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to
death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after
the beast.
Could
this picture of Philip being ‘caught away’ at the moment the
African rises be a clue to our rapture? Will we be
‘caught away’ at the moment antichrist is resurrected from the dead
in similitude? The place which Philip finds himself ‘caught
away’ to is called Azotus, which means
‘stronghold’ in similitude to our being ‘caught away’
to safety in God’s stronghold.
The
Bible clearly says that the beast (antichrist) will be given
‘power’ for 42 months AFTER being empowered by the dragon (Satan)
at his resurrection as described in Revelation 13:4 and 5:
And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the
beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast?
who is able to make war with him? And there was given unto him a mouth
speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to
continue forty and two months.
This 42 months HAS TO BE the LAST
42 months of Tribulation as the beast and the false prophet are cast into the Lake
of Fire at Jesus Return. He is only allowed to continue 42 months.
Revelation 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false
prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had
received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These
both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
According to Daniel 9:27 something changes in the middle of
the ‘70th week’, which is the 1260 day mark, and I
believe it is due to the resurrection of the antichrist empowered by
Satan. The passage in Daniel 9:27 has to agree with Revelation 13:3-5,
which it does: The last half of the ‘70th week’,
which is the final 42 months, all of the sudden the beast requires WORSHIP of
HIMSELF. According to Revelation 13 it is during this time, while the
dragon has empowered the beast, that worship of the false image and the mark of
the beast are implemented by the False Prophet. This lasts until
Jesus’ Return which agrees with Daniel 9:27 ‘even until the
consummation’ which means the END OF ALL THINGS (Strong’s
H3617).
And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week:
and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and
the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall
make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that
determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
Could it be that the ‘sacrifice and oblation to
cease’ stated in Daniel 9:27 is referring to the two New Testament
ordinances observed by baptized believers? The Lord’s Supper is a
picture of His ‘sacrifice’ as we partake of His
‘broken body’ (the unleavened bread) and ‘spilt blood’
(new wine). New Testament GIVING is precisely the term used also here
described as ‘oblation’ (Strong’s H4503).
We are not obligated under the Law of Moses, mandated to tithe but rather give
‘offerings’ in Christian liberty. Whenever the rapture
of the true Church occurs, these ordinances observed in truth, the Lord’s
Supper (His sacrifice) and the offering will surely CEASE.
While we will all have our suspicions of exactly WHO
antichrist is, the CERTAINTY of it can ONLY OCCUR at the MIDPOINT of the
70th week of Daniel, NOT at the BEGINNING. The
antichrist will be the ONLY one who’s ‘deadly wound is
healed’.
We know that immediately after the Tribulation (Mat.
24:29), the rapture will have already occurred because the ELECT are
gathered from the four winds of HEAVEN.
Matthew 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of
a trumpet, and they shall gather
together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to
the other.
Jesus
said that the Great Tribulation shall be SHORTER for the ELECT: Matthew
24:21 – 22 For then shall be great tribulation,
such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever
shall be.
And
except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but
for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
Jesus
didn’t say the elect would miss those days of Tribulation
altogether, but that those days would be shortened.
I
believe it is not possible for the believer to enter into the last 42 months of
Tribulation as JESUS seems to indicate it is not possible for the elect to be
deceived by false Christs, not because they are not capable of
being deceived. That can only mean the elect will not witness the signs
and wonders that will occur that last 42 months. This is speculation, but could
it be that Satan and his demonic angels are cast down to the earth while we
depart (Revelation 12).
Matthew
24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall
shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive
the very elect.
Throughout
the New Testament, many times Christians are referred to as the ELECT.
In
Matthew 24: 37 – 41 Jesus describes a world just before the rapture being
as it was in the ‘days of Noah’. Life will have some
semblance of normalcy in that people will be about their normal tasks; plowing
the field, getting married, etc. PEACE AND SAFETY. Then the
ELECT shall be taken as described in these same verses. The first
half of the Tribulation will be the beginning of woes, the second half HELL ON
EARTH.
Matthew 24:42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
I
don’t claim to know for sure that the Rapture of the Church will occur at
the Midpoint of the Tribulation, but it seems more likely that we would be here
until the last possible moment to be a witness for the lost. However, before
that final 42 months of Hell on Earth, the Father would evacuate His
children from the impending storm. I’m open to your thoughts in
the spirit of edification. I know many here at the Fivedoves site will
disagree with my premis, and I understand that. Please reason with me out
of the Word of God though, not by feelings.
In
Christ,
Kevin Heckle