By 1
Cor 10:31
Okay
Doves! SUDDEN DESTRUCTION on “them”!! Who’s
“them”?? Why, the world of course!!!
Notice in 1 Thess. Both chapters 4 & 5 – the stark
contrast of “we and us” (meaning the Saints in the Lord –
if you are saved, you fall into this category of “we” and
“us”) compared to “them” and “they” which are the
world – all those who are UNSAVED… which obviously is most
of the world.
From
1 Thessalonians 5: this is v.3/ People will
think they are safe and secure. But destruction will
suddenly strike them like the pains of a woman about to
give birth. And they won’t escape.
SUDDEN
DESTRUCTION will fall on them!! THEM!! Not
“us”!!
Background:
what prompted my heart to study this out: I was
watching a youtube evangelist who really does a good job
of pumping people up regarding the SOON
rapture!! BUT….. then about ¾ of the way
through his hour-long vid – he said something that caused
me to be taken aback!!! He speaks like the
rapture could literally be any minute – and then he said,
“so stock up enough food for one year!! And buy
something to protect yourself….. etc. etc. and what
he was alluding to was the SUDDEN DESTRUCTION which would
fall!! Thinking/teaching that meant for ALL of
us!!!!
Fact!!
A preacher who studies and teaches the Bible should be
able to divide the Word much better than that.
Look
I’m not saying rough times do not come along – if you’re a
born again Blood-bought Jesus-loving and obeying SAVED
saint – then we are PROMISED tribulation/s!!!
(“small t”!!) NOT TRIBULATION (“capital
T”!!) As I’ve mentioned previously, this has
been the hardest, most challenging year of my entire life
– and it’s not about covid or lockdown in my case, those
aren’t even “registering” with me. It’s because I’m
dealing with DEMONS!!!! Some demon possessed people,
who’re doing their best to make my life miserable….
But
the Lord is my light and my life, and HE KNOWS every
single thing that’s going on!! Some day (prayerfully
soon!) I will have complete vindication.
Again
THANK YOU for your continued prayers!!! Many, many,
MANY thanks!! I have so few people in my life who
will support me. (perpetrators know this,
too!) The old saying that when the chips are down
you find out who your real friends are – could not ring
more true!!! As I’ve mentioned, some of whom I’d
considered to have been my dearest friends have hurt me to
the core of my soul by turning their backs on
me. Yet I do thank the Lord that He’s provided
other people along my path.
I
just never saw that coming though (friends turning)…. As
“my” Bibles does not say that! My Bible says a
friend loves AT ALL TIMES (Prov. 17:17) ~ it does NOT say
to be a friend to someone ONLY AS LONG AS you can stroll
through life together with it being all “sunshine &
roses”!!!! Will you check your Bible, please,
and see what YOURS says?! /satirical remark
May
I ask a kind favor? That you’ll continue praying on
my behalf that these very evil people will not be able to
prosper against me!!! That they will not be able to
put me in the morgue or the hospital!! And FTR,
before you join the multitude in going, “well the lady’s
‘lost it’: cuckoo! Cuckoo!!” I would
instead ASK, “do you BELIEVE the Bible or NOT??”
For
we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but
against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against
mighty powers in this dark world, and against
evil spirits in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12
And
if we’re indeed as close to the rapture as some of us
long-time watchers think… then wouldn’t it only make sense
that if demons are going to absolutely TERRORIZE the
people on this planet during the TRIBULATION, they are
here & working feverishly N O W…?? to stop God’s
Word from going out, to stop the harvest, to get people to
fall away & basically give up on God.
All
these actions and incidents by these reprobate
demon-possessed people, the Lord is recording in His book
every last detail that they pull, and judgment will NOT
escape these people!! Oh, they THINK they’re getting
away with it – but this is what sudden destruction is all
about!
So
sometimes I like to read Bible commentaries to help with
complete understanding with certain verses of
Scripture. And it kept going thru’ my noggin
wondering WHEN they talk about PEACE AND
SAFETY….??? We know this will be the key
phrase of the Middle Eastern countries as they come
together with the peace agreement with Israel. Yet
what kept bothering me was thinking that what with given
the complexities of the current US presidential election
and half the country being mad, angry… ready to go to war
.. And I even got to wondering what if this country
slips into civil war BEFORE the rapture even ... Then how
could this possibly be a time of peace and safety???
SCRATCHES HEAD!! By the way, no question at all that
this country will be in civil war during the Tribulation,
that is per Jeremiah 50 & 51. And what with being SO
ON THE VERGE OF THAT RIGHT NOW even…. Would this mean = a
hair’s breath away from the rapture?? Let’s hold out
with that HOPE in our hearts.
At
any rate, so while trying to think about what it means
about peace and safety I looked up this verse in a
different translation and here is how it says
1
Thess 5:3 People will think they are safe and secure. But
destruction will suddenly strike them like the pains of a
woman about to give birth. And they won’t escape.
CEV translation (Contemporary English Version)
Some
interesting commentary here from Barnes:
The
impenitent and wicked world will be sunk in carnal
security when he comes. They will regard themselves as
safe. They will see no danger. They will give no heed to
warning. They will be unprepared for his advent. So it has
always been. it seems to be a universal truth in regard to
all the visitations of God to wicked people for
punishment, that he comes upon them at a time when they
are not expecting him, and that they have no faith in the
predictions of his advent. So it was in the time of the
flood; in the destruction of Sodom Gomorrah, and
Jerusalem; in the overthrow of Babylon: so it is when the
sinner dies, and so it will be when the Lord Jesus shall
return to judge the world. One of the most remarkable
facts about the history of man is, that he takes no
warning from his Maker; he never changes his plans, or
feels any emotion, because his Creator "thunders damnation
along his path," and threatens to destroy him in hell.
Beginning
sentence = “sunk in carnal security”à
I like the way that’s phrased!! Reminds us of
something else, doesn’t it? CHURCH OF
LAODECIA!!!!! Who THINK they are rich, who THINK
they have everything they need!!
Interestingly
enough, often times you can figure out the commentator’s
eschatological beliefs: whether post Trib or pretrib
according to what they wrote. Though I believe we
can still learn from each other. But most
commentaries I read talked about these things would happen
before Jesus returns... The second coming!! While they
gloss over or flat out reject the pre-trib rapture.
And
guess what?? Towards the end of the Tribulation
right before Jesus’ 2nd coming, hardly
anybody in this world is going to think they are safe
and secure!! By then, 90% PLUS people
have been horrifically murdered!! ... There will be no
peace & security, or people even THINKING they are
secure T H E N!!!!!! In fact, just the
opposite, the Bible says men’s hearts will be FAILING THEM
FOR FEAR of what’s coming next!!!! Revelation talks
about how people will seek death even & not be able to
find it. Do you see, then, why the Scripture from
Thessalonians MUST refer to what’s happening right BEFORE
sudden destruction FALLS??!! (or STRIKES, as one
translation puts it)
Reading
verse three of first Thessalonians 5 in context this is
definitely referring to the pre Trib rapture.
More
verses from 1 Thess. 5 (again CEV translation, though I
invite you to plug this in at www.BibleGateway.com
and read several translations. This would give the
KJV ONLYISTS “fits”, and no, we’re not trying to do
that! Still we’re brothers & sisters in
Christ. I personally am not an ONLYist though.
I
don’t need to write you about the time or date when all
this will happen. 2 You
surely know that the Lord’s return[a] will
be as a thief coming at night. 3 People
will think they are safe and secure. But destruction
will suddenly strike them like the pains of a woman
about to give birth. And they won’t escape.
4 My
dear friends, you don’t live in darkness, and so that
day won’t surprise you like a thief. 5 You
belong to the light and live in the day. We don’t live
in the night or belong to the dark. 6 Others
may sleep, but we should stay awake and be alert. 7 People
sleep during the night, and some even get drunk. 8 But
we belong to the day. So we must stay sober and let our
faith and love be like a suit of armor. Our firm hope
that we will be saved is our helmet.
I
would like to share more thoughts on sudden destruction.
Often times on other Christian forums I see people write
about how they think it's a sudden bombing or annihilation
of a certain country or a war.. And while it is possible
it can be some of these things... But overall I personally
think that it means the snare --the trap-- that will come
upon the whole world. For those of us familiar with the
Bible we know that we are cautioned in various Scriptures
to avoid getting our lives into a snare... This particular
snare is not for the abiding-in-the-Vine Saints, we will
already be out of here!!! The snare is for everybody else
who lives --who dwells-- upon the earth. We will no longer
be dwelling on the earth, praise the Lord! We will be with
Him forever. We begin our eternal companionship and
fellowship with Him when we first meet Him in the air!
From
1 Thessalonians 4:
16For
the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud
command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the
trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will be the first
to rise. 17 After that, we who are alive and
remain will be caught up together with them in the
clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will
always be with the Lord.
Now
while THIS is one of our favorite, most assuring
Scriptures from the entire Bible!!
Let’s
back up to:
Luke
21:34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any
time your hearts be overcharged with 1.
surfeiting,
and 2.
drunkenness, 3.
and
cares of this life, and so that
day come upon you unawares. {I added the numerals for
PUNCTUATION PURPOSES!!}
Oh
but now, now, now, now!!! Weren’t we just told over
in 1 Thess. 5 that we would NOT be “caught surprised” by
this?? Because we are “of the day”?
Um,
yes though it’s WITH CONDITIONS dear Christian
friends!! (some will always take exception to
this!! But these are not coming FROM ME!!)
From
1 Thess 5:
4 My
dear friends, you don’t live in darkness, and so that
day won’t surprise you like a thief. 5 You
belong to the light and live in the day. We don’t live
in the night or belong to the dark. 6 Others
may sleep, but we should stay awake and be
alert. 7 People sleep during the
night, and some even get drunk. 8 But
we belong to the day. So we must stay sober and
let our faith and love be like a suit of armor.
And
again back to Luke 21:34 – well one may wonder what on
earth is surfeiting? (Greg Brady with surfboard in
arms on the beach? Hehe! Uh, NO!!)
Admit though, often I’ve had to look up such words as
surfeiting, dissipation – well goodnight Nellie, I don’t
want to be doing ANY OF THOSE when it’s time for the
trumpet to sound! Though I honestly didn’t
know what those things were! LOL
Sooo,
let’s pick it up from God’s Word Translation to help
us understand!! Luke 21:34 "Be
careful not to let yourselves become
occupied with too much
feasting
and drinking and with the worries of this life, or that
Day may suddenly catch you.
BTW,
I just looked up dissipation again: a descent into
drunkenness and sexual dissipation. And here’s
a side note of interest: Google noted that they had
an ALL TIME HIGH SEARCH by people looking for “liquor
stores near me”. Cares + anxieties of this
life = more drinking/dissipation… THAT DAY catching them
BY SURPRISE!!!!
Also
dissipation can mean: the squandering of money,
energy, resources…. Are we “letting up” in doing
good to our Brothers/Sisters in the Lord? Therefore
squandering our resources? Our talents? Are we
letting up in working for the Lord? In doing what He
would have us do? No need to get shorts in a wad –
as NO, we do not work to EARN our salvation. But we
are saved UNTO good works! Meaning our testimony of
our changed lives should show fruit!! Fact! We
weren’t meant to merely believe in Jesus, then sit back
& whittle pencils day in and day out till He comes….
With the few possible exceptions of those who are crippled
and/or bedridden. Yet they can still allow their lights to
shine by their attitudes.
And
surfeiting means the EXCESS of something, which could mean
eating, drinking, indulging in just almost any addiction I
would think. Bad…. Or GOOD?? Anything at all
which would take the place of the Lord in our affection,
time, attention, thoughts.
We
are TOLD TO pray to be ACCOUNTED WORTHY to escape.
Luke 21:36 This was written to Christians only
because they are the only ones to pray for such. And if
all Christians were already ~ “automatically” accounted
worthy to go we would not be told to pray for it, would
we?! Not only that but you've got one in seven churches in
Revelation you've got only half the virgins Matthew 25 ...
Many other such examples. Luke 21:34 says OR that day may
suddenly catch you ….
Quite
a tango dance to – in this particular window of time – to
NOT let our hearts be overcome with CARES OF THIS
LIFE!!! i.e. Presidential election…. Covid…. Some
are disabled, Many are out of work and just barely eking
by…. Some have had friends turn on them…. Believe me,
& from what I just summarized about my own life, I
mean literally it feels like I’m a main character in a spy
novel —so please trust me when I say: I KNOW how
tough this is!!!! To keep our minds ABOVE
& not let our thoughts become entangled with all the
stuff, with all the evil literally surrounding us, with
all the endless what if’s.
Fortunately
over the years I’ve memorized some Scriptures to know what
to do—to know WHOM to turn to when life becomes
frightening! And weary. And lonely. Or
all the above. This does not mean I enjoy sunshine
in my soul every minute of the day, just that I know WHO
to turn to!! When on Judgment Day, at the Great
White Throne Judgment – my perpetrators are judged, I aim
to be standing right close to – perhaps just barely behind
Lord Jesus, Who is my Dearest Friend!
Other
Scriptures which go along with what we’ve looked at
here:
Proverbs 23:20
Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge
themselves on meat.
Ecclesiastes 9:12
For surely no man knows his time: Like fish caught in a
cruel net or birds trapped in a snare, so men are ensnared
in an evil time that suddenly falls upon them.
Matthew 24:42
Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day on
which your Lord will come.
Mark 4:19
but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth,
and the desire for other things come in and choke the
word, and it becomes unfruitful.
Luke 12:40
You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come
at an hour you do not expect."
Luke 12:45
But suppose that servant says in his heart, 'My master
will be a long time in coming,' and he begins to beat the
male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get
drunk.
Luke 21:35
For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the
whole earth.
Romans 13:13
Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in
carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and
debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.
1 Thessalonians 5:2
For you are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come
like a thief in the night.
1 Thessalonians 5:4
But you, brothers, are not in the darkness so that this
day should overtake you like a thief.
Luke 21:8
And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many
shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ;
and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.
Luke 17:3
Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against
thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
Mark 13:9
But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up
to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and
ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake,
for a testimony against them.
Luke 12:45
But and if that servant say in his heart, ß
NOTICE all a person must do is merely THINK
this!!!!-->
My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the
menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be
drunken; The master will return
unannounced and unexpected, and he will cut the servant
in pieces and banish him with the unfaithful.
Luke 8:14
And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when
they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and
riches and pleasures of this life, and
bring no fruit to perfection.
Luke 10:41
And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou
art careful and troubled about many things:
Matthew 13:22
He also that received seed among the thorns is he that
heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the
deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh
unfruitful.
Luke 12:46
The lord of that servant will come in a day when he
looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is
not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint
him his portion with the unbelievers.
Psalm 35:8
Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net
that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction
let him fall.
Matthew 24:39-50
And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away;
so shall also the coming of the Son of man be…
***
WATCHING Dear Friends means we’re in it for the long
haul!!!! ENDURANCE!!!!!! *** (though I
truly do not think it will be “much” longer!!)
Now
“wrapping up” here: let’s one more time look at
Luke 21:34 in two other translations
–
Webster's Bible Translation
And take heed to yourselves, lest
~~at
any time~~
your
hearts be overcharged
with surfeiting and drunkenness, and cares of this life,
and so that day come upon you unawares.
Weymouth New Testament
"But take heed to yourselves, lest
your souls be weighed down with
self-indulgence and drunkenness or
the anxieties of this life,
and that day come upon you, suddenly, like a falling trap;
You
guys know how the U.S. Pres. election is a “NAIL
BITER”??!! As of this writing (Weds. evening) the
“winner” is still unannounced…. At any rate, with
our citizenship IN heaven, should we be overly concerned
with who wins down here? THIS EARTH IS NOT OUR
HOME!!!!! Never has been; never will be.
The
SUDDEN DESTRUCTION which is going to come upon THE WHOLE
WORLD is “THE TRAP” people will not be able to escape from
– once the rapture door has been shut!!!!! I
can only guess which side of the door YOU want to be on
when it clanks shut!!! Please be on the right
(righteous! 😉)
side!!
DOOR:
Matthew
25:
2 Five
of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones
took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise ones,
however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was
a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and
fell asleep.
6 “At
midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come
out to meet him!’
7 “Then
all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones
said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our
lamps are going out.’
ß
BIG IMPORTANT NOTE!!! Please notice their lamps
WERE LIT –but they were “going out”. Hence,
“REAL” Christians!!
9 “‘No,’
they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and
you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for
yourselves.’
10 “But
while they were on their way to buy the oil, the
bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in
with him to the wedding banquet. And
the door was shut.
11 “Later
the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they
said, ‘open the door for us!’
12 “But
he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’
13 “Therefore
keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
From
Isaiah 26:20-21a
20 Go,
my people, enter your rooms and
shut the doors behind you; hide yourselves
for a little while until
his wrath has passed by.
21 See, the Lord is coming out of
his dwelling to punish the people of the earth for
their sins.
Lord!
Like those 10 virgins, even though the 5 who were
prepared got to go meet the Bridegroom, even so they all
got so sleepy while waiting. Help us WAKE
UP!! Stay alert, be forever watchful, and
not sleep by burying our heads in the sand or
getting caught up in worldly affairs. From our
earthly perception, it feels like You’ve been a long
time in coming, yet we KNOW You ARE coming!! Help
us keep our lamps trimmed and full of oil.
We
know with all the heavy travails of the world, sometimes
a break is a much-needed and welcome rest, so help us to
find that balance as our bodies, minds, and spirits
definitely need that rest!! But help us to not
completely go comatose watching movies, eating popcorn
and shutting out the world. And turning
ill-hearted, apathetic with our hearts puttied up with
cold, COLD frigid-cold wax!
Lead
us to get everything done in the few hours of a day –
the things which must be done like feeding our families,
paying the bills, etc. But then to let everything
else, all the extras which may’ve meant something to us
previously, help us to just let go. Seems about
all that matters now is witnessing to whom You’d have us
to, and praying for those in our circle of friends and
family who’re going to be left here! Help us to
live with thanksgiving in our hearts to You, each and
every day!
Lord
no matter what is going on in our lives, good or bad by
human perspective, help us to cling to the Vine, TO
YOU!! To abide in You always! So that we can bear
much fruit.
Thank
You for Your love, direction and protection in these our
final hours upon this earth!! We can’t wait to
meet You, Lord! To finally be with You
F O
R E V E R!!!!!!!!!
May
we give You all the glory & praise due You!!
In Jesus’ mighty and holy name!! Amen!!
MARANATHA
Doves!!!!
Soon
and very soon we are going to see THE KING!!