“When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.” Isaiah 59:19
Dear Ones:
The rapture of the church, with regard to the period of the tribulation, mentioned in the book of Revelation, is just as feasible, possible, and certain, as the outpouring of the Spirit upon all flesh on the day of Pentecost. Why would we say such a thing, and how can it possibly apply to our everyday living?
We know from the beginning of the Bible, the Spirit of God “…moved upon the face of the waters.” (Gen. 1:2) As we follow the work and ministry of the Spirit of God throughout the Old Testament, we see Him moving upon men and women, inspiring and leading them, strengthening and keeping them. He anoints His servants in a special way for specific tasks, accomplishing in, through, and around them, the declared word and will of God. This is in order to give witness to the presence and power of God, His holy nature and goodness. After the inter-testament period of about four hundred years, a particular moving and working of the Spirit occurred. This would have to do with the coming of John the Baptist, heralding the coming of Christ, the Messiah. This precursor, or “announcer” of Christ will come in the “Spirit and power” of Elijah. It would be when the angel comes to visit Mary, announcing to her the coming, miraculous birth of Christ, that the Spirit of God would do a work so monumental, so small, and yet, so great, that even the creation of the world cannot be compared with it. The Son of God will be conceived and be born BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. This event signals a time, a moment, on the eternal time-clock of God, which sets in motion events, the scope and importance of which, we shall not be able to grasp and understand, until with the Lord. Pentecost is another particular, and important event that we want to see and notice, with regard to the Spirit’s former working. After Pentecost, Paul will write of another significant event concerning the Spirit: “For the mystery of iniquity does already work: only He who now hinders will not hinder, until HE be taken out of the way. And THEN shall that Wicked be revealed.” (2 Thess. 2:7,8) Who is the great “Hinderer?” It is the Holy Spirit, that Spirit of Creation, the Spirit of Pentecost, and the Spirit that indwells the church. For the moment, this Spirit of Christ, is the salt, the light, the Hinderer of wickedness, standing against the flood, and onslaught by our spiritual enemy. The church, the body of Christ, is that living edifice, indwelt and in union with Christ by the Spirit. Paul writes of an event, when this Hinderer will be “taken out of the way.” We believe that this is both the “snatching away,” or rapture of the church, and a specific action of the Spirit, as at Pentecost.
There is a distinction between the presence of the Spirit, His special working, and God’s timing. Pentecost came about as a special intervention by God the Holy Spirit, in answer to the promise of the Father, and the prayer of Christ. It was at a specific time in history. The rapture will be likewise, a certain event, by the Holy Spirit, at a certain moment. The rapture of the church does not mean that the Spirit of God will cease to be working on this earth. However, it does signify a certain event, like Pentecost, whereby the Spirit of God accomplishes a specific thing. In this case, it is the removal of the living church from earth to heaven. The time is fixed by God. Presently, we are the beneficiaries of the Spirit’s outpouring since Pentecost. As living epistles, or letters, candlesticks bearing light, and as a city set on a hill, we are called to redeem the time, be about our Father’s business, and work while it is day.
Dear Father, Open our eyes to see the opportunity You have given us, and also our resources in Christ, to BE Your witnesses. We thank Thee in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad