There are many hidden secrets that Christians hold dear. Right now Christians are waiting for what they call the Rapture, or the great catching away, 1Thessalonians 4:15-17.

Waiting, Waiting

Judaism is still waiting for their long-prophesied Messiah. However, John the Baptist, the last Old Testament prophet, told them the Kingdom of heaven was at hand, Mathew 3:2. However, they chose to crucify their Messiah.

This fulfilled many Old Testament prophecies, but there is still much more to come. There are events that defy the imagination. Nicolas Cage starred in the 2014 film Left Behind but that didn’t get even close. Although, it made for great entertainment. It will be Stars Wars “Beam me up Scotty” – Christians hunger to be ‘elsewhere’. The Christian song goes, “I’ve never been this homesick before’.

The Rapture

The word Rapture does not appear in the English bible, but 1Thessalonians 4 talks about a translation of believers, or being caught away. The voice of the archangel shouts along with the trump of God, the dead in Christ are resurrected and those who are alive and remain are caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. The believers will be changed into perfection in the blink of an eye, 1Corinthians 15:51,52.

The Marriage Supper

In understanding the customs of the wedding in the time of Jesus, we gain a deeper understanding of what is about to take place.

Jesus was referred to as the bridegroom by John the Baptist, John 3:9. At the last supper before His arrest, Jesus used a similar declaration a bridegroom made to his bride at a wedding, Matthew 26:29. “I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink of it with you in my Father’s kingdom.” The coming events are linked with the marriage supper of the Lamb, Revelation 19:7.

The End

To understand the concept of the Rapture better, the Bible gives us some wonderful clues, including signs of the end of this age. They are too numerous to mention them all here.

There will be worldwide chaos towards the end, of which we are seeing the beginnings. Even AIs, designed to assist mankind, will in their own way add to the confusion and deception in the end times. Information doubles every day and it becomes difficult to recognize the false from truth. The bible says that even the very elect will be deceived, Matthew 24.

Protected

The Old Testament has an example of how Christians will see the beginning of the coming chaos.

The Hebrew children had been in slavery for 400 years to the Egyptians. When it was time for them to be set free, they went through the first three plagues that led to their release. Water was turned to blood, frogs and more frogs and swarms of lice, all beginning in Exodus 7:14.

God then told Moses He would put a division between the Egyptians and the Hebrew slaves, as a sign, Exodus 8:23. They were separated from the other seven plagues of flies, diseased cattle, boils, hail, locusts, darkness and death of the firstborn. So too, the church will go through the beginning of the confusion and chaos, that will be the introduction of what is coming.

Behind the Scene

There is always a lot more happening behind the scene. What was physically seen at the Cross of Calvary was only a mere fraction of what was happening in the spiritual world. Satan and his demonic forces would have rejoiced to see the Messiah hung on a cruel cross at the hands of mere mortals. Until he came face to face with his own defeat when Jesus took back the keys of death and hell, Ephesians 4:9, Revelation 1:18.

It is the same with the hidden secrets of Christians. There is so much taking place in the spiritual as declared by the Father.

The Father’s Role in the Hidden Secrets of the Bride

The father was the orchestrator of the entire wedding, firstly choosing the bride. The Heavenly Father did this when He sent His Son to die on Calvary, Colossians 1:15, giving all mankind the way of salvation, John 3:16. Whosoever will, can become part of the Bride by simply accepting and believing in what took place at Calvary and doing what the Jewish authorities refused to do – accept Jesus Christ as the Messiah.

The son then had to build a new home for the bride in his father’s house. This also reflected the status of the Father. Jesus encouraged His disciples with this at the end of His earthly ministry, when He said He was going to prepare a place for them in His father’s house, John 14:2,3.

Father Satisfied

Once the father was satisfied that all was ready, he allowed the shofar to be blown, calling everyone to the wedding. He then instructed the son to go and fetch the bride to the wedding. This usually took place at night.

Jesus told a parable, which is referred to as the ten virgins, Matthew 25:1ff. The emphasis is always placed on the five virgins who didn’t have enough oil and missed out when the bridegroom came. They could not enter the wedding festival, even though they called out the groom’s name, in a familiar way, “Lord, Lord”.

Not all who call Him Lord, Lord will go in the rapture. Perhaps they once knew the Master, but turned away allowing their initial love to grow cold. However, many will turn to Christ in the time of the Tribulation, or Jacob’s Trouble, Jeremiah 30:7.

Christian’s Hidden Secret is The Bride

The bride was the centre of attention, not her attendants. The bride had to prepare herself for the wedding with ritual washing, then put on the wedding dress. She then had to sit and patiently wait, unseen by the world, until her bridegroom and his entourage collected her for the wedding. The bridegroom was accompanied by his friends and it was their task to ensure the bride wasn’t stolen.

The bride was not given a time when the bridegroom would come. He could arrive in half an hour, or three hours’ time. It was difficult to stay awake and alert when it was the usual time for sleeping.

Christians are secretly waiting for their Bridegroom to call them home and are admonished not to grow weary in waiting. The timing alone belongs to the Father, Matthew 24:36, and only He knows the hour.

The Great Secret

The long-awaited, and much prophesied, catching away of the church will take place when the bridegroom calls. This will be the greatest secret of all. No texting one another to warn ‘It is now’. No announcements on social media.

It will be all over and done with before anyone is even aware of what has happened. Rather like the 9.5 earthquake that struck Chile on May 22, 1960, which triggered a massive tsunami that raced across the Pacific.

Believers will be drawn from every tongue, tribe and nation, Revelation 7:9. Like the devastating earthquake, the world will wake to what has happened. What sort of chaos will result?

The Invitation is Not Secret

Behind the scenes the marriage supper is being prepared for the invited guests. However, the invitation is open to all who choose to believe, John 3:16. Every person on earth has a free will and the choice is theirs.

Jesus said, “When these things begin to come to pass, look up and lift up your heads for your redemption draws near,” Luke 21:28.

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