The Daily Word of Righteousness

Who Are the Two Witnesses?, #11

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (I Thessalonians 4:17)

The author had a series of impressions from the Lord—almost strong enough to be termed a vision. He "saw" the saints of all ages come forth from their graves and then enter a grand season of fellowship and renewing of relationships. Antichrist and his followers stood about watching this, being filled with fear and rage (compare Revelation 11:11). But there was nothing they could do to prevent it.

The word came: "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies."

After that, slowly, majestically, to the sound of music and worship rolling as from the pipes of a galactic organ, the saints began to rise to meet the Lamb in the air. Then the word came: "If I were to do nothing more than this, the wicked of the earth would destroy themselves in their frustration and wrath over what they have just witnessed. But this is only the beginning of their sorrows."

Jesus stated that the end would come after the Gospel of the Kingdom had been preached to every nation for a witness (Matthew 24:14). After the two witnesses ascend into the heaven in a cloud, the heavenly voices will announce, "The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever" (Revelation 11:15).

Revelation, Chapter 11 reveals that the latter-rain witness will be given, there will be a period of unprecedented tribulation, and then the Lord will come and raise His witnesses from the dead. The Lord at that time will destroy Antichrist by the brightness of His glory (II Thessalonians 2:8).

Then the saints will reign with Christ and the dead will be judged. This is what Daniel, Jesus, and Paul proclaimed.

The current teaching that a special set of Gentile Christians will be "raptured" into Heaven in order to escape the events of the end-time is not found in the Scriptures. There is no passage in the Old Testament or the New Testament that speaks of a secret disappearance of the Gentile Christians prior to the latter-rain revival or prior to the hour of temptation that will test those who are living on the earth.

The tradition of the "secret rapture" is not only unscriptural, being an extra-biblical "revelation," but it has done immense harm by suggesting to the believers that it is not necessary they prepare themselves to stand in the day of evil. The doctrine of the "secret rapture" certainly is contrary to the teachings of Daniel, Jesus, Paul, and the Apostle John.

The resurrected witnesses, having been sharers in the sufferings of Christ and now having been installed as the kings, priests, and judges of the earth, will shine as the stars forever.

The meek of the earth will flow to the light of God's stars. The nations of the saved will come in order to be blessed by the Presence of God and His Christ who will be dwelling in manifest splendor and majesty in the Lord's witnesses. (from Who Are the Two Witnesses?)