The next event on God’s prophetic clock is the Rapture, a word that is derived from the Latin word rapturo, meaning, “a snatching away.” The Rapture is that dramatic moment when the Lord Jesus Christ comes in clouds of glory to remove from this world all who have died in Christ along with the living from the Day of Pentecost until Christ comes to “snatch” His children upward and home in the twinkling of an eye. I Thessalonians 4:16-18 teaches: “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first; Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.“

This event will occur at breakneck speed – in the “twinkling of an eye.” Scientists have measured the twinkling in a human being’s eye, and it amounts to eleven-one hundredths of a second. Those left on the earth will not know what hit them. A business colleague will suddenly be gone. A schoolteacher will no longer stand before his or her desk as the chalk falls to the floor. A doctor will not show up for his rounds. There will be no nurses at many hospitals to administer medicine, take pulses, or follow doctors’ orders. Dirty dishes will be left in the sink as a housewife disappears from the view of her stunned family. The Rapture will precipitate the greatest traffic jams in history as cars suddenly become driverless and pedestrians run for cover. It will be that moment in history, when, without warning, the Lord says, “Come up hither” (Revelation 4:1). It will be the greatest escape in the history of the world.

There are those who say that the pretribulational viewpoint began in 1830 and was propagated by Edward Irving, J. N. Darby, and Margaret McDonald, a retarded girl. But as we shall see, that is not so.

St. Victorinus, the bishop of Pettau, wrote a commentary on the book of Revelation in AD 270. he said he saw another great and wonderful sign: “Seven angels having the last seven plagues, for in them is completed the indignation of God. And these shall be in the last time when the church shall have gone out of the midst.” St. Victorinus was talking about the Rapture.

Here is more powerful documentation on a pretrib Rapture. The early Christian writer and poet Ephraem the Syrian (who lived from AD 306 to 373) was a major theologian of the early Byzantine Eastern Church. To this day, his hymns and homilies are used in the liturgy of the Greek Orthodox and Middle Eastern Nestorian Churches. He also wrote a large number of commentaries that have never been translated in English. Concerning a pretrib Rapture he stated: “All the saints and Elect of God are gathered, prior to the tribulation that is to come, and are taken to the Lord lest they see the confusion that is to overwhelm the world because of our sins.“

Thus, this teaching is not a present-day innovation but a doctrinal statement dating back seventeen centuries to St. Victorinus, and twenty centuries back to Jesus and Paul. However, there is more. In the sixteenth century there were also those who expressed absolute assurance of the Rapture. Hugh Latimer, burned at the stake for his faith in 1555, said, “It may come in my days, old as I am, or in my children’s days, the saints shall be taken up to meet Christ in the air and so shall come down with him again.” Joseph Mede, the great sixteenth-century literalist, understood I Thessalonians 4:13-18 to teach the catching up of the saints and even used the word Rapture. This was also 250 years before Irving, Darby, and McDonald.

While the Rapture is not taught in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, you will find it mentioned twice in the Gospel of John. This is important to remember: Any other time you read about Christ’s return in the Gospels, it is not referring to the Rapture. Instead, these are references to the second phase of Christ’s return, when He physically comes back to earth to rule over the earth after a seven-year tribulation period.

Where are the two Rapture texts found in the Gospel of John? John 14:1-3: “Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in me. 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. 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.” This is not His coming to the earth, but a time when Jesus receives us unto Himself at the great Rapture – the snatching away – to be with Him in heaven as the seven years of torment play out their unbridled fury on the earth.

The second reference to the Rapture is in John 11:25-26. I must confess that I quoted the passage for years and did not really understand it. Christ said: “I am the resurrection, and the life; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?” Jesus is contrasting those who experience death and live again (“the dead in Christ shall rise first” I Thessalonians 4:16) with those who never experience death (because “we which are alive and remain” are caught up without dying, I Thessalonians 4:17).

In the upcoming weeks, we will direct our attention to those events that are leading up to the Rapture, the Rapture itself, and what happens once God’s chosen are caught away to be with the Lord. The Rapture is not science fiction. It’s a coming reality. The good news for the person who is prepared is – when the Rapture comes, believers will go home to be with the Lord and evade earth’s horrendous seven years of Tribulation. The believer in the Lord Jesus Christ will, at long last, be the recipient of that blessed hope. There will be no more tears, no more suffering, and no more dying for those who have received their new, glorified bodies without sin or sickness for all eternity. It is from this perspective – the pretribulation point of view – that I approach this subject with godly reverence.

FROM THE HEART OF DR. REXELLA VAN IMPE

HE’S COMING THROUGH THAT DOOR!

Jack’s parents were extremely proud and grateful to live in the United States, but always kept strong ties with their homeland and all of their relatives over the years. Consequently, after Jack and I were married, it was my joy to accompany him to Belgium to visit his family and celebrate his European heritage. We had large dinner parties for the extended family, with lots of music, laughter, and fun-both Jack and his father were talented, world-class accordionists. We also enjoyed visiting the humble but charming homes of uncles and aunts and other relatives.

During our trips, I learned to love the warmth and strong character of the people there, and had the opportunity to learn a good deal about the culture and history of Belgium. The last time we were there, I was so impressed with the beauty of Brussels that I tried to capture a few glimpses in photographs.

A city of beauty, culture, and history

The old world architecture of historic Brussels is absolutely gorgeous, with buildings dating back to the 1300s. Amazingly, they are just as magnificent and impressive today as they must have been when they were originally built. And scattered throughout the city are neighborhood parks with statues and monuments to historic leaders and events. People still gather there, particularly at midday and in the early evening, to relax in the shade of the trees and converse with friends and passersby.

During this spectacular visit we were happy to celebrate the biannual flower festival. I watched a beehive of workers scurrying about to place one million gloriously beautiful blossoms into an ornate design that turned the entire marketplace into a floral extravaganza-a million red and white petals glowing in the soft sunlight. I could hardly believe what I was seeing.

The next day I took Jack with me back to the marketplace to see the completed exhibition. It was breathtakingly beautiful, and I could only exclaim, “This is something I wish everybody could see!” And, indeed, it seemed that people from all over Europe had come to see Brussels’s fabulous Flower Festival on the Grand Place Square. I shall never forget that awesome spectacle!

There are amazing restaurants in Belgium-the country is famous for its wonderful cuisine, mainly French and Dutch. During our last visit, we were celebrating an anniversary, and couldn’t resist indulging in the wonderful Belgian cooking. We decided to splurge and have dinner at a restaurant called Comme Chez Soi, which means “just like home.” Considered by some food experts to be one of the five best restaurants in the world, this extraordinary inn serves exquisite French specialties with added Belgian zest. The food was simply scrumptious! We also discovered several other more economical places to eat-even the simple sidewalk cafes are enjoyable.

I would be remiss if I failed to mention the world-famous chocolate that is practically part of Belgium’s national identity. Jack has always insisted that Belgian chocolate is the finest in all the world-and I think he might be right. Every time we visit Brussels, invariably our walks through the city take us by some shops with a window display of the most delectable candies you’ve ever seen. And we usually go in! There are chocolate shops simply everywhere, ranging from small boutiques to large factory stores. Most Americans have probably heard of companies like Neuhaus or Godiva, but there are probably at least a half-dozen other Belgian chocolate makers with international reputations for excellence. Jack especially loves Leonidas Chocolates.

A city of prophetic destiny

There is another reason I wanted to share with you some facts about Belgium in this newsletter. This small European country is becoming more and more renowned, the setting for almost daily international news reports. Why is so much world attention focused here?

It all started around 1948 with the establishment of the Benelux (Belgium-Netherlands-Luxembourg) Economic Union, which gradually evolved into the European Union. Beginning with ten key nations, then thirteen, then expanding to the current confederation of twenty-five countries, the European Union (EU) has its headquarters in Brussels.

The EU’s stated purpose and concern is related to trade and commerce among member nations as well as international trading partners. Increasingly, it has begun flexing its muscles around the world to influence or control virtually all aspects of life for its member nations. The EU has implemented a new currency, the euro, and forged numerous treaties and edicts dealing with such far-reaching issues as immigration, transportation, shipping, employment opportunities, legal and judicial standards, the environment, and a host of other concerns.

Already the EU is exerting economic and political control over other countries in the world-including the United States-on selected issues. Essentially the European Union can simply say, “The countries we buy from will provide products that meet our specific standards,” or “Our suppliers must not threaten or damage the environment in producing the products they sell to us.”

Scholars of Bible prophecy like my husband, Jack, have long recognized that there will be a revived Roman Empire that will be the last political empire to reign on this earth before Jesus comes back. Jack and other prophecy experts are sure that the European Union is that end-time empire, which will become the strongest economic and political power that has ever existed.

The Book of Daniel describes a great image, with different parts made of various materials: from a head of gold, breast and arms of silver, belly and thighs of brass, legs of iron, to feet and toes partly of iron and partly of clay. The ten toes, scholars say, refer prophetically to the original ten countries that formed the European Union!

A new world leader for the last days

The Bible further reveals that out of this supreme political juggernaut will step forth the strongest and most cunning political leader ever to live. This world diplomat, whom the Word of God calls the Antichrist, will be brilliant, incredibly charming, and powerfully persuasive. As head of the greatest economic system in the world, perhaps with control of computer technology that could keep track of the daily activities of every person on earth; he would claim to have answers for mankind’s greatest problems and concerns.

So when Jack and I were last in Brussels, we walked across the historic city to a vantage point across the street from an enormous, modernistic steel-and-glass structure that houses the headquarters of the European Union. A huge semicircular row of flagpoles was outside the entrance, with the EU’s huge flag-royal blue with a circle of twelve gold stars- fluttering in the breeze, along with the national flags of many member countries.

As I stood there, I suddenly realized that I was seeing with my own eyes the actual, physical location from which the ultimate world dictator will surely come. I involuntarily shivered to think that the final events of world history were about to unfold! And I exclaimed, “He’s coming through that door!”

Even now, it is almost overwhelming to think that perhaps this great world leader has an office on the sixth floor, and is being very vocal with his votes on policies to control the world. It literally could happen at any moment…perhaps today!

When he steps forward, this new leader of the world may advance an economic plan that will eradicate famine and homelessness, providing food, shelter, and medical care for every person in the world-if they join his universal system. Simply accepting an identification implant-a mark-gives them access. We have all heard of the mark 666.

What’s more, no doubt, this leader of the new world order will advance a solution to the wars and conflicts that have raged virtually out of control for centuries. The peace platform he presents on that day will be a seven-year peace program for the Middle East that will work-and even Israel will accept it!

In the excitement and euphoria that follows such momentous events, even a majority of the remaining skeptics will be won over by Antichrist’s charming deception. Impressed by his genius as a mediator, his skill at international diplomacy, and his persuasive charm, they will be defenseless when he flexes his muscles and declares, “Not only am I the leader of the European Union and the savior of the world-I AM GOD! I have the solution…no, I am the answer for every remaining problem!”

Setting the stage for the end

Do you think such a thing could not happen? The problems of the world are getting bigger and more complex. Before one conflict is resolved, two more break out. No matter where you look in the world today there is turmoil and tumult.

More and more voices are calling for world summit conferences and new multi-nation alliances. Despite protests to the contrary, expect to see future plans and proposals seeking to pass the “world test!” All the nations of the world seem as confused and troubled. Is this not the perfect setting for the emergence of a new World Leader who can deliver peace and provide solutions for every crisis?

The Bible says that in the middle of the great world dictator’s seven-year peace plan, the contract is broken and everything falls apart. The rage of the world breaks out anew, and the nations of the world align themselves for battle. This is the fearsome battle of Armageddon that will take place in the valley of Megiddo in Israel.

Another Hitler Rising!

There is not enough time or space for me to say much more except that the beginning of the end is so very close at hand. If you would like to know more, turn to the Book of Daniel in your Bible, especially chapters seven through nine. I also heartily recommend that you obtain the video/DVD that Jack and I have released, entitled “Another Hitler Rising.” And who is he? I think you already know. This man will come through that door in Brussels pretending to be the greatest friend of Israel and the world. In fact, he is the enemy-“Another Hitler Rising.”

Hear this important word, my friend. One reason our “Jack Van Impe Presents” telecast is so widely accepted is that it is not a fear program but a program of comfort and hope. Jack certainly talks frankly about current events and the important issues of our day. He does not shy away from pointing out the peril of the last days in which we live. But more emphatically, he spotlights the victory and deliverance that are ours in Jesus Christ, our triumphant Lord and Savior.

Be comforted and encouraged in the words of Jesus-

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God,

believe also in me. 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. 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…I am

the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto

the Father but by me (John 14:1-3, 6).

Oh yes, any day now a great and powerful World Leader is coming through the door of the European Union to trigger the last events of the last days. Watch and be ready.

But Jesus Christ, who is Almighty God, will soon be stepping through the door of the heavens, and he is all powerful! He is coming to set everything straight-forever! Praise the Lord, we can say, “Even so come quickly, Lord Jesus!”

That’s why we are on the air week after week. We believe every telecast and radio broadcast presents blessed hope to the world. Without Christ, there’s not much good news to tell. But with the Lord, we can joyfully proclaim a message of encouragement. He is coming soon!

I encourage you to be of good cheer and to go about the Master’s business. Oh, and keep looking up into the eastern sky because our Lord will soon appear.

HE’S COMING THROUGH THAT (HEAVENLY) DOOR!

CHANGED LIVES-one at a time

Drs. Jack and Rexella!!!

Please be encouraged and know that we all love your ministry and thank you so much for it!!!! There aren’t many pure gospel television preachers that we can trust that are 100% honest and not in it for the money; but I truly believe that you both are pure in heart.

I first saw you in 1968 when I was 8 years old in Hampton, Virginia. You were preaching about the coming war with Russia back then and I remember my parents buying your album.

Please never stop doing what you’re doing. I love you both!!!!! I know you both will have so many rewards in heaven for warning everyone and encouraging us all to get our lives straightened out before Jesus comes!!!

You are both a very nice looking couple too.

Sincerely,

D. G.

I just wanted to say that I am thankful for your program. I watch it as often as I can, and I visit your website regularly. It is so refreshing to see that there are still ministers who speak the truth of God’s word and not just what “tickles the ears”. I pray for God to bless you richly as you continue in your ministry.

Sincerely,

A. M.

Hanover, WV

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