A Place In the Wilderness

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Two Categories

It is evident from so many passages in the Bible – some of which we have examined in this chapter – that the rapture is of two categories. The Lord stresses this matter again and again in the Word, in order that we might not be left under any kind of misconception. The first category consists of those believers who mature properly and overcome. Day by day they seek and pursue Christ to enjoy Him, gain Him, and possess Him. They stand against and overcome Satan, the world, and even their own selves, that God’s kingdom might be brought to earth. Conse- quently, they mature earlier than the majority of God’s crop. As a reward to them for their lifelong seeking, diligence, faithfulness, and love they are raptured before the great tribulation. These dear ones, these overcomers, will be caught up to the heavens to be with Christ and to satisfy the Father. They will be saved from that time of trouble that is coming upon the whole earth. There in the heavens they will enjoy God and Christ for 3½ years in a par- ticular, precious way.

Posted July 18, 2016

The majority of believers fall into a second category. Rather than seek the Lord wholly, and lay down everything in order that they might gain Him, they pursue something other than Christ. They may pursue something humanly good, such as success in a job, earthly fame, or a pleasant family life, all of which are not necessarily sinful. They may even seek spiritual success, spiritual attainments, or religious fulfillment. But they do not seek Christ first. They love something more than the dear Lord Jesus. They seek something other than God. Some thing, some matter, or some person is more important to them than God and God’s kingdom. Thus, these are defeated in their daily life. They are overcome and subdued by sin, the world, the flesh, the self, or some other item or situation in their daily lives, whether good or bad. Consequently, these dear and genuine believers in Christ will not be fully ripened by the time the great tribulation begins. When the mature saints are caught away to the heavens, the immature Christians will be left behind to pass through the great tribulation. This will be a time of great suffering, arranged by a wise God to help His dear children grow.

Revelation 14:14-16 speaks concerning the harvest of the majority of the believers. There it says that the harvest has become “ripe.” The word “ripe” literally means “dry.” It refers to the drying out of a green crop by the sun, that it might be ripened for the harvest. Just as the sun dries out the wheat in the field, so the heat of persecution and suffering during the great tribulation will dry out all the believers from the “water” of worldly pur- suits. Everything of the world – whether a job, education, sports, amusements, family life, social life, or religious matters – will be “dried out” of the believers during that time. God will dry up everything during those years! The believers left on the earth to pass through that time of suffering will be left with Christ and Christ alone. By this, they will grow to full maturity. At the end of the tribulation they, with the resurrected, dead believers, will be raptured to the air to meet with Christ. There all the believers will stand before the judgment seat of Christ to give answer to Him for what they did during their Christian lives.

References

* The matter of the judgment seat of Christ will be given more consideration in

Chapter 8.

Eph. 6:11; 1 Jn. 2:15; Lu. 14:26

Matt. 24:40-41; Rev. 3:10

Matt. 6:23; 10:37-39

Rev. 2:4

2 Cor. 5:10

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