Study 37. Catching away of saints in the imminent rapture.

THE CERTAINTY OF THE IMMINENT CATCHING AWAY OF THE DEAD IN CHRIST AND LIVING SAINTS BY CHRIST .

   Beloved, our Lord that first loved us and for whom, we also love has gone to prepare a glorious city for us. 

It shall not elude you in particular in Jesus name.

1 John 4:19  We love him, because he first loved us.

Listen to the glorious city He is presently preparing for you in particular. 

 It shall not elude you in Jesus name.

Revelation 21:1  And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

This is your eternal abode. You shall dwell with God the Father trouble+free for all eternity. 

Revelation  21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.  21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

You must never forget the resolve of the devil to hinder God’s people like you from getting to  this beautiful place, where he was driven out. 

So whatever challenges himself and his cohorts might  be bringing your way, endeavor to  joyfully endure till our Lord comes. 

His grace shall avail for you in particular in Jesus name.

Matthew 24:13  But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Remember, this present challenge confronting you is not peculiar to you alone. It is the common lots of all pilgrims. 

Philippians 1:29  For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;

2Ti 3:12  Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

1 Peter  4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:  4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

It is just for ten days. Can you compare the ratio  of ten days in a year. It is infinitesimal. It is inconsequential.  

That is the way, the time of your present conflict on earth, compares with the joy awaiting you at eternity.

Revelation 2:10  Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

Romans  8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:  8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.  8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

  Beloved, please don’t recount. Don’t backslide. Don’t forsake our Lord, that  loves you dearly.

 If anyone and everyone forsakes Him, because of their  light afflictions. He also shall forsake such a person.

 This means the person shall miss this glorious city.  This shall never ever be your portion in Jesus name.

2 Timothy  2:11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:  2:12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:  2:13 If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

2 Corinthians  4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;  4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

In our previous study, we looked at the city from  the  outside. But today’s study reveals the details of the city from the inside. 

You must live with this deep insight and let your knowledge of it motivate you to partake in it at the end of time.

 It shall be so in Jesus name.

What are the things you need to know about this glorious city, your eternal abode?

1. It is a place of happiness  without  sorrow.

2. It is going to be a place of life without death.

Revelation 21:4  And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 

3. It I a place of contentment without crying.

4. It is going to be a place of pleasure without pain for ever.

5. It is a place of fellowship with our ever loving and merciful  Father and our Lord, without separation.

6. It is a place of satisfaction without disappointment. 

7 it is going to be a place of gladness without sadness.

8. It is a place of perpetual Heath without sickness or wickedness.

  Because we are considering the glorious city from the inside. 

 We shall consider the remaining verses of the chapter. 

Revelation  21:9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.  21:10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,  21:11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;  21:12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:  21:13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.  21:14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.  21:15 And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.  21:16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.  21:17 And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.  21:18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.  21:19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;  21:20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.  21:21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.  21:22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.  21:23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.  21:24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.  21:25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.  21:26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.  21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Do you remember the promises of God for the likes of you that loves Him listen to some of them.

Isaiah 64:4  For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear,

neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.

John  14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.  14:2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

1 Corinthians 2:9  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

Haven seen what God has in stock for you in particular for all eternity?

Please don’t  behave like  Esau. Never trade your eternal well-being with temporal ephemeral.

Genesis  25:29 And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint:  25:30 And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom.  25:31 And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.  25:32 And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?  25:33 And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.  25:34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.

Hebrews  12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;  12:16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.  12:17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

Always remember that you are sojourning here,  heaven is your home.

Hebrews 11:10  For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. 

Hebrews  11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.  11:14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.  11:15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.  11:16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

Beloved, always remember you are a citizen of the heavenly kingdom and a stranger here.

1 Peter 2:11  Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

Philippians  3:20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:  3:21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

  You are here now temporarily to ensure you sustain your citizenship and them as  ambassador of Christ, do everything to rescue the perishing especially those from your world of influence , for them also to partake in the glorious city. It shall be so in Jesus name.

2 Corinthians 5:20  Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.

Our first consideration  about the glorious city is the  description and dimension of the heavenly city.

Revelation  21:10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,  21:11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;

This city is referred to as the bride of Christ.

Revelation 21:9  And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.

Several reasons abound while this city is referred to as the bride of Christ. Listen to some of them.

1. This city is unstained by sin.

2. The city can never be touched by satan.

3. The city is undefiled by sinners.

 There is no access for any sinner to defile the beauty of the city. This because all the sinners are now far away in the lake of fire.

Revelation 21:8  But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. 

Revelation 21:27  And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

4. The city is unaffected  and unchanged  by seasons.

5.  The city is unparallel by it’s substance.

6. The city is unequal in it’s size.

Revelation 21:16  And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.

7. The city is unfailing in splendor.

The city is refereed to as the bride of Christ, because it is the eternal resident of all the bride of Christ and the entire saints of all ages.

  God our Father  Himself is the builder.

No wonder it is described as :

1. Clear as crystal.

2. It is like clear glass.

3. Transparent glass.

4. The gate shall not be shut any time.

5. These shall be no night there.

Revelation 21:11  Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;

Revelation 21:18  And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass..

Revelation 21:21  And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. 

Revelation 21:25  And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.

Because this city is transparent. Only the transparent shall get there.  

The insincere, hypocritical nominal churchgoers,  without integrity shall not be there. 

May the good Lord help you in particular in Jesus name.

1 Corinthians 4:5  Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

Revelation 22:5  And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. 

Isaiah 4:5  And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies,

a cloud and smoke by day,

and the shining of a flaming fire by night:  for upon all the glory shall be a defence.

Ezekiel  48:31 And the gates of the city shall be after the names of the tribes of Israel: three gates northward; one gate of Reuben, one gate of Judah, one gate of Levi.  48:32 And at the east side four thousand and five hundred: and three gates; and one gate of Joseph, one gate of Benjamin, one gate of Dan.  48:33 And at the south side four thousand and five hundred measures: and three gates; one gate of Simeon, one gate of Issachar, one gate of Zebulun.  48:34 At the west side four thousand and five hundred, with their three gates; one gate of Gad, one gate of Asher, one gate of Naphtali.  48:35 It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there.

Revelation  4:2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.  4:3 And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.

Who are the people that shall have access to this heavenly glorious city?

Revelation 22:14  Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

But then who are the people that shall be denied entrance into this city?

Revelation 22:15  For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. 

In that heavenly city everything shall be uncovered. So make sure you are transparent.

1 Corinthians 13:12  For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 

So do everything to be there.

John  14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.  14:2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Our second consideration about this glorious heavenly city is the 

delight and destiny of the holy citizens.

Revelation  21:9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.  21:10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

Revelation  21:22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.  21:23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.  21:24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.  21:25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.  21:26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.

This city has no Sun. It is the glory of God that shall lighten the city and the glorified  Lamb is the light there.

Revelation 21:23  And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

Also only the nations that are saved shall have access to the heavenly city.  

What does this mean?  Listen to it.

Revelation 21:24  And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.

1 Peter 2:9  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

Everyone saved are regarded as a nation.

Revelation 7:9  After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
Also the Kings of the earth shall be there. 
Who are these Kings?   Listen to it.

Revelation  1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,  1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Revelation  5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;  5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

Who else are the people that shall be there?

Revelation  19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.  19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

This great heavenly city.  Listen to what the Bible says about it.

Psalms  48:1 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness.  48:2 Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.

Isaiah 2:2  And it shall come to pass in the last days,

that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains,

and shall be exalted above the hills;

and all nations shall flow unto it.

Zechariah 8:3  Thus saith the Lord; I am returned unto Zion,

and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the Lord of hosts the holy mountain.

Hebrews  12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,  12:23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

Those that shall have access to the city shall reign forever.

Revelation 22:5  And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. 

When John saw this city , he was very delighted. You must be there and you shall be there in Jesus name.

Revelation  21:9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.  21:10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,  21:11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;

Isaiah  60:18 Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise.  60:19 The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.  60:20 Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended.

To help you to be there then. Listen to the expectations of the Lord.

Psalms  24:3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?  24:4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

The last  consideration about this glorious heavenly city  are  the 

 defiled  people  who  are  denied entrance  into the heavenly city.

Revelation 21:27  And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

On no account can  the defiled inside church or outside the church be there.

Only those written in the book of life shall be there.

So what does the Bible says can defile a person inside or outside the church?

Mark  7:20 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.  7:21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,  7:22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:  7:23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

Hebrews  12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;  12:16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.  12:17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

James 3:6  And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

Leviticus 19:31  Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God. 

1 Corinthians 3:17  If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. 

Matthew  13:41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;  13:42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.  13:43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Beloved, see the word from our Lord. Do you really have ears to ear?

Sincerely examine yourself, are you free from defilements?  

As you examine yourself, whatever you discover, reach out to Calvary now.

 Let the precious blood cleanse you.

1 John 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Only the undefiled shall access the glorious city and be part of the twenty four elders apostle John saw in the vision Jesus showed him.

Psalms  119:1 Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.  119:2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.  119:3 They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.

Revelation  4:4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.

See you at the top in Jesus name.

Let us pray .