What If I Miss the Rapture?
Posted by: biblenotes <biblenotes@...>
From: Martin M Overfield
Date: Sat, 26 Feb 2000
What If I Miss the Rapture?
Before the Rapture one should not even suppose that there is hope after
the Rapture. No, I am not stating dogmatically that there will be no hope
for a sinner to be saved after the Rapture. But, I am saying that a sinner
would be committing an awful sin of presumption to trifle with the
opportunities God has given him on this side of the Rapture and then to
expect that God is going to give him an opportunity to be saved after the
Rapture!
Now, for the Scripture: Luke 16:31, "If they hear not Moses and the
prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead."
(Good to read the context: Luke 16:19-31)
The Rapture includes, not only the instantaneous transformation of "we
which are alive and remain", but also the resurrection of the "dead in
Christ". Therefore, I believe we can take Abraham's answer to the rich
man's request, and apply it to the Rapture. If people will not listen to
and believe the Word of God, "preached with the Holy Ghost sent down from
heaven", neither will they pay attention to God and believe in Christ
because of the Rapture. It is to slap God in the face, to say that one will
not believe until he sees it with his own eyes. The book of Revelation
makes it clear that many, who will suffer awful judgments from the wrath of
God, will not only acknowledge that God is sending the judgments, but that
they will harden their hearts in refusing to repent (Revelation 9:20;
16:8-11).
Instead of trusting Him they will curse Him Who sits upon the throne.
When one has turned a deaf ear to the Word of God and the voice of the
Holy Spirit before the Rapture, it is much less likely that such an one
would properly respond to God after the Rapture, because the church, through
which the Spirit works, will no longer be here to stand against the
influences of evil and to influence souls for good.
Furthermore, it is very likely that sinners will be more greatly
influenced and controlled by the Antichrist, Satan, and sin than they ever
were before the Rapture. (II Thessalonians 2:7-12)
Also, with the death-dealing judgments of God falling on the one hand,
and the danger of enraging the Antichrist by turning to God on the other,
the prospect of being saved, if it is possible, will be a bleak one. You
see, the death rate of unbelievers is going to be greatly accelerated as a
direct result of God's judgments; and once you are dead your destiny is
eternally fixed (Hebrews 9:27, "it is appointed unto men once to die, but
after this the judgment:"). Those who might choose to believe and serve God
will probably be massacred more quickly and certainly than under any
persecution during the church age. (See Daniel 7:24,25 and Revelation chap.
13 through 17 about the powers of the beast and false prophet.)
Therefore, let me plead with all who are not ready for the Rapture. Get
ready! Get ready before you miss it! Get ready while you still have time,
before it is too late!
Yours In Christ,
Martin Overfield
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