Hello John and Doves,
Paul tells us that at the 'coming'
of the Lord, the Believers will be His firstfruits in the
Rapture. 'His Coming' means 'in the presence of Him' -
We are literally summoned into the presence of the
Lord. Amen!
"For the Lord Himself will descend
from Heaven with a shout (a loud command),
with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of
God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up
together with them in the cloud, to meet the Lord in the
said: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." 1 Th
4:16-17
The dead are commanded to rise from their
graves. And with the living, all are 'summoned' into
the presence of the Lord. We will meet Him in the
clouds. He summons us to meet Him with a loud
command (an arousing outcry) and with a loud trumpet call,
and the voice (an address) of the archangel.
April 20, 2025 is Easter Sunday,
Resurrection Day, and the appointed Feast of the Lord -
Feast of Firstfruits.
The Lord tells us in Leviticus 23:2
that "These are My appointed festivals, the appointed
festivals of the Lord, which you are to proclaim as sacred
assemblies." These are appointed times/dates each year
that the Lord had set aside for 'certain' things to take
place. They are prophetic days of great importance to
mankind and to the story of redemption.
Feast of Firstfruits: April
19 - 20, 2025.
In the Old Testament, we are told
about the first "firstfruits" or bikkurum. The first
of the firstfruits of your land you shall bring into the
house of the Lord your God."
"Bikkurum literally means "promise
to come". The "Feast of Firsfruits foreshadowed
Christ'
s resurrection." Paul
referred to Jesus as "the firstfruits of those who have
fallen asleep." 1 Cor. 15:20. God appointed the day of
the Feast of Firstfruits for His Son, the Messiah, to redeem
the world.
What
Is the Feast of Firstfruits in the Bible?
In the New Testament firstfruits
appears several times: the firstfruits of the Spirit,
Romans 8:23, the firstfruit of Israel, Romans 11:17, the
firstfruits of those who believe, Roman 16;5, Christ as the
firstfruits, 1 Cor 15:20, 23, firstfruits soon to be saved,
2 Thess 2:13-14, firstfruits of the coming Kingdom Rev
14:14.
There were already two Raptures
that occurred, historically, on this particular day, some
two thousand years ago: the Resurrection of Jesus and
the resurrection of the saints that were seen in Jerusalem.
Will this be our Resurrection Day also?
Paul told us that there is an
'order' to the firstfruit resurrections: "But Christ
has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of
those who have fallen asleep....But each in his own
turn: Christ the firstfruits, then at His coming,
those who belong to Him." 1 Cor 15:20, 23.
"Coming" is the Greek word
"parousia" which means 'presence'.
"The Greek phrase literally reads,
"in the presence of Him"...The people are summoned
into His presence."
I recently came across this article
on the Firstfruits Rapture.
"Many of the great men of God in
the Philadelphia Church age of the 18th and 18th centuries
understood and taught the doctrine of the Firstfruits
Rapture. They were men like J. Hudson Taylor, founder
of the China Inland Mission, Dr. A.B Simpson, founder of the
Christian and Missionary Alliance, John Wilkinson, founder
of the Mildmay Mission to the Jews and Joseph A. Seiss, one
of the greatest prophecy scholars who ever lived."
"The Firstfruits Rapture can
probably best be described as a special entrance into heaven
before the trials of the tribulation start." This
Scripture describes this exemption:
Luke 21:36: "Watch ye
therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy
to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to
stand before the Son of man."
"Christians today should be watching for the return
of the Lord, and they should be praying to be accounted
worthy of the Firstfruits Rapture".
Matthew 24: 40 - 42: "Then
shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the
other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill;
the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch
therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth
come."
Christians are warned to "be in a
state of readiness if they are to participate in the
Firstfruits Rapture of the Church."
"The truth is that only a small
segment of Christians are preparing themselves for the
coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. The majority of the
Church is concerned with building large churches with
gymnasiums, plush seats, carpets, stained glass windows and
numerous other superficial accoutrements designed to impress
our fellow Christians and other local churches. This
describes the church age called Laodicea in Revelation
3:14019. In verse 20 Jesus says He stands and knocks
at their door, but most Christians do not open their door to
Him. Jesus Christ rejects this church at the
Firstfruits Rapture. The Philadelphia Church, however
is given an "open door" and this is the Firstfruits
Rapture. The Sardis church and the church of Thyatira
will also be rejected by Jesus Christ at the Firstfruits
Rapture." These are false churches with lukewarm Believers.
The Firstfruit Christians are
exempt from the Tribulation period because they "have
already demonstrated their Christian maturity during the
course of this life."
Believers are to pray that they are
found worthy to escape the Tribulation and are to "watch" -
be in a state of readiness and preparation for the Lord's
return.
In the parable of the Ten Virgins,
the Church is shown to be divided - some are looking for the
Return of the Lord, others have fallen asleep. "The
five wise virgins had made preparation for the coming of the
Bridegroom, and they were given the open door. The
five foolish virgins had not prepared themselves, and they
were turned away."
In Matthew 25:10 "And while they
went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those ready went in
with him to the wedding feast. And the door was
shut." "The first foolish virgins had not prepared
themselves, and they were turned away."
"Verse 10 is a clear and concise
description of the Firstfruits Rapture of those Christians
who prepared themselves for the coming of the
Bridegroom. The Bridegroom came while the foolish
virgins were out buying oil. The wise virgins went in
with Him to the marriage and the door was shut."
"The reference to "the door" is the
same door that is promised to the Philadelphia Christians in
Revelation 3:7-8, and that John saw in heaven in Revelation
4:1.
"One of the primary signs
of a maturing believer is a daily watching for the return
of Jesus Christ. Worldly believers
are busy with their own plans and life goals.
Mature Christians need to be faithful to the Lord and
consciously looking for His return."
The Philadelphia
Church in The Revelation is told: "I know they
works: behold I have set before thee an open door,
and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little
strength, and hast kept my word and hast not denied my
name." "Because thou hast kept the word of my
patience, I also will keep them from the hour of
temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try
them that dwell upon the earth."
"It will be a great honor
to be part of the pretribulational Firstfruits
Rapture. For those faithful Christians whom the Lord
finds watching, He has promised an "open door."
First
Fruits Ministry
Jesus Himself tells us the "Because
strait (small) is the gate, and narrow is the way, which
leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."
Matt 7:14
I've read that maybe only 3% of
"Christians" will make it in the Rapture. Some have
speculated 10%. Those are very low percentages.
"Something" divides them from the rest. Very
sobering. And shocking for those who think they 'are a
shoe in' and they are not.
My brother reminds me that there
will be three major surprises in Heaven. The first
surprise will be the number of people you thought would be
there that are not. The second surprise will be the
number of people that are there that you didn't think would
make it. And the biggest surprise will be the number
of people that are surprised to see you there.
Join the Watchmen on the Wall and
at the Gate! Jesus is coming and we must not miss the
Firstfruits Rapture - whenever that will be!
Keep Watching for Him!
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
Maranatha!
Chance
Heaven's
Surprise by J. Taylor Ludwig
I was shocked, confused, bewildered
as I entered Heaven's door,
Not by the beauty of it all,
nor the lights or its decor.
But it was the folks in Heaven
who made me sputter and gasp--
The thieves, the liars, the sinners,
the alcoholics and the trash.
There stood the kid from seventh grade
who swiped my lunch money twice.
Next to him was my old neighbor
Who never said anything nice.
Herb, who I always thought
was rotting away in hell,
was sitting pretty on cloud nine,
looking incredibly well.
I nudged Jesus, 'What's the deal?
I would love to hear your take.
How'd all these sinners get up here?
God must've made a mistake.
'And why's everyone so quiet, so somber
Give me a clue.'
'Hush, child,' He said, 'they're all in shock.
No one thought they'd be seeing you.'