Departures and Arrivals

from The Patmos Paper E-magazine

Have you ever driven to an airport and you come across two signs. One says Departures and one Arrivals. If you are picking someone up you naturally get in the lane that leads to Arrivals and if you or someone with you is leaving they get in the lane for Departures.

If you are traveling you will ultimately go to both.

For Christians there is an arrival that we are all waiting for which is the second coming of Christ. He has promised to return to earth and many Christians focus on that but forget that there is also a Departure that we must prepare for called the rapture. Some have in these days so focused on the "arrival" of Christ that they even go so far as to deny the Rapture or catching away of the saints. Even in Paul's day some thought they missed Christ's return and so he wrote:

"Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come". 2 Thessalonians 2:2

Before Jesus returns to the Earth he will gather the saints in the clouds for a Departure to Heaven. Keep in mind that this is not a one way trip but a two way trip! We will be in heaven for 7 years having a marriage feast while judgment falls on the earth and then will return with him for the second coming where he will set up his kingdom on earth, judge all men and ultimately confine the Devil and his demons along with the wicked to eternal punishment.

Jesus and many New Testament writers talked about preparing and looking for that time of departure but also gave us indicators as to its nearness without spelling out the exact time. Numerous signs were spoken about by Jesus in the gospels about both the physical and social conditions to our departure. There would be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. There would be deception, false Christs and false teachers and false prophets. He said it would have similarities to Noah's time (violence and apostasy), Lot's time (Pride and sexual deviancy) and Jonah's time (idolatry and lawlessness).

There are many who call themselves Christians who attend church and own a bible and they think they have a ticket to heaven but their lifestyle and doctrines betray them. Jesus warned of those who do not have the wedding garment and when the door is closed they can not enter in. Sadly many will miss the flight and there wont be another. You may still enter in but the cost will be enduring the 7 year tribulation and possibly martyrdom. There is also many who are looking for His return to come and vanquish His enemies and set up His Kingdom on earth and exclude the rapture, therefore they have forgotten Jesus' warning to be looking for the time of Departure:

"Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming... ...Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect." Matthew 24:42,43

There is also another departure and arrival that many do not want to talk about or deal with because it is negative. It is another condition of his return and this is a departure from the faith and an arrival of an Antichrist and Antichrist system. Again Paul spoke of this in Second Thessalonians.

"Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God." 2 Thessalonians 2:3,4

Hear we see there is a departure or "Falling away" or apostasy and an arrival of an Antichrist in the last days. I am amazed how so many Christians today are focused on a revival before the arrival. They are convinced that God is going to move by his spirit one more time before he returns. This may or may not be true but it is based upon so called prophecies of modern day men and very little biblical evidence. Sure he said he would pour out his spirit on all flesh but remember the apostles quoted Joel as to pertaining to their own events in the book of acts. Now that may also have a duel meaning for an end time event but this is more speculation then biblical evidence. What the scriptures say is that the very opposite will happen. There will be a departure of faith, the very elect will be deceived and many will even fall into strong delusion. Many may cry out revival before arrival but ultimately the word says there will be departure before arrival. This will be necessary for the Antichrist to come into play.

Already we are seeing signs of departure in society and in the church. The Christian influence in society has slowly dwindled with the removing of prayer in schools, the legalization of abortion (Molech-and the sacrifice of children), the legalization of same- sex marriage, the acceptance of trans and cross genders, etc. Evolutionary thought has gone from theory to acceptable science and thus nullifying the need for creation or the Creator. Jesus said the departure conditions would be such that:

"Because iniquity (wickedness, lawlessness) shall abound, the love of many shall grow cold."
Matt. 24:12

Another aspect of departure can found in much of the church. Many denominations have taken on strong anti-Semitic and pro Palestinian positions. Many major protestant denominations preach gay tolerance and some have even ordained gay ministers. Many things that were anathema years ago have now become widely accepted. Islam has now become the worlds fastest growing religion and many Christians even equate the false God Allah with the true Judaic-Christian God. Jesus said that no man comes unto the father but by him, but now many claim that there are many ways to God as they paste their Coexist Sticker to their Prius.

Compromise has crept into the church and tolerance has become the new Christian charity. As it was with the 7 churches of Revelation and many established denominations in the past we are seeing even in many of todays non-denominational and charismatic churches a loss of power and ineffectiveness. Many have become no more than clubs and places of religious entertainment. They have left the gospel of Christ for social programs. Though not true of all churches, often many mega churches have been motivated by greed and grandeur and the lust for money, prestige and power as many ministers are caught in adultery, money schemes and hidden sins.

Ezekiel was caught up in a vision where God took him to the temple and allowed him to peer into a hole in the wall where he saw the hidden sins of the priests. They had outwardly portrayed themselves as worshipers of God but behind closed doors had become idol worshippers and involved in what God called "abominations". The Lord told him:

“Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, The LORD seeth us not; the LORD hath forsaken the earth. He said also unto me, Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these. “
Ezekiel 8:12,13

Time and again Ezekiel was shown the sins of the Sanhedrin (70 elders of Israel) for they acted as if God could no longer see these things. Many of these same sins have infiltrated our houses of worship today with great compromise and corruption and God does indeed still see these things. Soon everything hidden shall be revealed! Peter warned of wickedness and a departure of faith and falling away:

"You therefore, beloved, seeing you know these things beforehand, beware lest you also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness." 2 Peter 3:17

If we look at the pattern of Israel's kings, many quit listening to the words of the prophets and did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and this often let to the fall not only of the kingdom but of the people as they too fell into idolatry and wickedness. Departure from righteousness often leads to the arrival of evil and as the church succumbs to corruption and society departs from truth, it will give way to the arrival of an Antichrist spirit and ultimately to the man of perdition himself. Jesus said he would not return until there is a falling away (departure from God) and the Man of Perdition be revealed (arrival of Antichrist.) At that point it wont be revival before arrival but survival after arrival.

So what are we to do. Sit back and watch the decline and departure of the church? No we must vigilantly pray for the church and for the nation while we adhere to the truth of God's word and continue to be a light even if the night gets darker. Second Thessalonians gives a dire prognostication of end times with a falling away, a rising of the Antichrist, iniquity at work "...with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth"; It says that God will send them into strong delusions and that many would even be dammed for believing a lie and not receiving the truth. But despite the dark picture of what very well could be our own generation, Paul concludes by saying:

“But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.” 2 Thess. 2:13-17

Jesus put it this way in his discussions of the horror of the last days:

"And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draws near." Luke 21:28

Continue firm, abiding in Him, ready to give a reason for the hope that lies within you. Our departure can happen at any time; one way or another and we must always be ready. He will be there at our arrival after death but while we are upon the earth, should He tarry , when He does return we must be ready for his arrival as well as be ready for our departure to heaven and we shall ever be with him! Shalom!