The Resurrection is taught all through the Old Testament – First Fruits, Main Harvest and Gleanings

The Rapture is one of the 7 Mysteries only taught in the New Testament

I Thessalonians 4:13-18        I Corinthians 15:51-52        Philippians 3:20-21        Revelation 4

When you read the word “APEARRING” in the New Testament, it is referring to the Rapture

Titus 2:13 –  1 Timothy 6:14 –  2 Timothy 1:10; 4:1, 8 –  1 Peter 1:7

Note – Matthew 24 teaches a “GLEANING” Rapture of the Jews at the end of the Tribulation period but does not refer to our Rapture

The Rapture is our Blessed Hope – Titus 2:13

The Return of our Lord Jesus Christ is one of the fundamental teachings of the Word of God.   For every believer, the coming of Christ is referred to in Titus 2:13 as the 

B _ _ _ _ _ _      H _ _ _.

 THE PROMISE OF CHRIST’S COMING.

 Read: John 14: 1-4. Jesus said to His disciples in verse 3:

“I    W _ _ _   C _ _ _   A _ _ _ _.”

Read Acts 1:11 The two angels said to the disciples:

“This   _ _ _ _    Jesus…shall so   _ _ _ _  in   _ _ _ _   manner…”

Read: Hebrews 9:28. This promise states that Christ shall appear:

the  S   _ _ _ _ _   T   _ _ _.

Read: I John 2:28 and I John 3:2. Both these verses say:

The last promise of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Bible is:

     “Behold  _    _ _ _ _    Q _ _ _ _ _ _.”   Revelation 22:12

THE FIRST COMING OF JESUS CHRIST.

The first coming of Jesus Christ to earth (sometimes called the “first advent”) is now a fact in history.  Yet before His coming into the world – first as a babe in Bethlehem, then as the crucified, buried, and risen again Savior – all of these wonderful events were themselves Bible prophecies.

There were hundreds of Old Testament prophecies relating to the First Coming of Jesus, each one was fulfilled exactly to the letter!  There are EVEN MORE prophecies relating to His Second Coming, and they will also be fulfilled literally.

Below are some of the major prophecies concerning the First Coming of Christ – and their actual historical fulfillment. Read these, then write out what the prophecy was.

 OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECYNEW TESTAMENT FULFILLMENT

 Isaiah 7:14    Matthew 1:23

Genesis 49:10    Hebrews 7:14

Micah 5:2    Luke 2:11, 15

Zechariah 9:9    Matthew 21:4-5

Psalm 41:9    John 13:18

Zechariah 11:12-13    Matthew 26:15; 27:9,10

Psalm 22:16    John 19:36-37: 20:20,25

Psalm 69:21    Matthew 27:34

Psalm 22:1    Matthew 27:46

Isaiah 53:9    Matthew 27:57-60

Psalm 16:8-11    Acts 2:27

Psalm 22:18    Matthew 27:35

THE SECOND COMING OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST IS IN TWO STAGES.

 In a sense, the first coming of the Lord Jesus Christ was in two stages:

            THE CRADLE …………….. 30 YEARS ………………. THE CROSS

 *The coming of Jesus as a babe to Bethlehem was a private event, unnoticed by the world at large.  Relatively few got to share the joy of the moment – primarily those who were looking and waiting for his coming. (See: Luke 2:25, 36 – 38; Matthew 2:1,2)

 But when our Lord hung upon Calvary’s cross, it was a public display – in view of all.

 So too, the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ will be in TWO distinct stages.  We use two words to distinguish these phases:

 HIS RAPTURE …………………………7 years Tribulation ……………………… HIS REVELATION

(Christ coming FOR His Saints)                                                            (Christ coming WITH His saints)

THE RAPTURE OF THE SAINTS.

 This is the next event on God’s prophetic calendar.

 The term “rapture” is not found in the Bible, but its meaning – “caught up” – most certainly is. I Thessalonians 4:17

Read the following key Scriptures about the Rapture:

I Thessalonians 4:13-18        I Corinthians 15:51-52        Philippians 3:20-21

What will Heaven be like when we get there?

WHAT WILL IT BE LIKE IN A MILLION YEARS
The Bible talks about a wasted life, Mark 10:17:27, any life lived apart from salvation in Jesus Christ is a wasted life. But, the Bible also speaks about the Eternal Life, John 10:28. A life that will never end in a place of glory called Heaven.

Heaven is Real

I. Rev. 21:27 LIFE WITHOUT SIN
A. Sin’s Origin – Isa. 14; Gen. 3
B. Sin’s Legacy – Pro. 13:15
C. Sin’s Demise – 2 Cor. 5:21; Rev. 20:10

II. Rev. 22:5 LIFE WITHOUT DARKNESS
A. Physical Darkness – Luke 18:35-43
B. Spiritual Darkness – John 3:1-21
C. Outer Darkness – Matt. 25:30

III. Rev. 21:4 LIFE WITHOUT DEATH
A. Death Of The Righteous – Psa. 116:15
B. Death Of The Sinner – Luke 16:23-24
C. Death Will Be Abolished In Heaven – Rev. 20:14

IV. Rev. 21:4 LIFE WITHOUT SUFFERING
A. Some of heroes God has provided for us have suffered – Job 1:2; John Baptist Matt.14:1-14; Paul, Acts 16:22-24
B. Some of you have suffered – It will end forever one day!!
C. We are living in Perilous Times – 2 Timothy 3-4
Ill. Pain, Sickness, Sorrow, Persecution, …

V. Rev. 22:3 LIFE WITHOUT A CURSE
A. Woman Has A Curse – Gen. 3:16
B. Man Has A Curse – Gen. 3:17
C. Earth Has A Curse – Gen. 3:18-19
D. The Curse Will Be Removed – Rom. 8:22-23

VI. Rev. 21:4 LIFE WITHOUT FEAR
A. Fear Of Night – Rev. 22:5
B. Fear Of Death – Rev. 21:4
C. Fear Of Sickness – Rev. 21:4
D. Ill. We aren’t supposed to worry, but we do! It’s human!  Yet, one day all cause for worry will be removed forever. (Ill. Tears gone!)

VII. Rev. 22:5 LIFE WITHOUT END
A. No Sad Farewells – (Ill. Moses – Heb. 11:26)
B. No Separation – 1 Thess. 4:13-18
C. No Death – Rev. 22:4 (Ill. Life will last as long as Jesus lives Heb. 7:25!)

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