Could this be the Ratpure (Rev. 4:1)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR04/09/2005

 

My Worship Time                                                      Focus:  Could this be the “Rapture”?

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Revelations 4:1

 

            Message of the verse:  “After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things.”  (NAS95)  “LATER I looked again, and before my eyes a door stood open in Heaven, and in my ears was the voice with the ring of a trumpet, which I had heard at first, speaking to me and saying, "Come up here, and I will show you what must happen in the future.”  (Philips) 

            Most people that have studied this wonderful book have come to the conclusion that Revelations 1:19 is the outline for this book and it divides the book up into three parts:  “Therefore write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after these things.”  Chapter 4 and verse one is probably the dividing point for the last part of the outline and it has been subjected that chapter 6 and verse one could also fit into this division, yet it seems to fit into 4:1 better for in this portion of this book it is possible that the rapture is being described in this first verse and thus the things “which will take place after this” seem to begin.  The Church, which is what was being written about in chapters two, and three is not mentioned again, and it could be that the reason that it is not mentioned again is that the “Church Age” is over at this point of the book, for “she” is now in heaven, and the description that is given in chapters four and five tell us what the church will be doing after it has been taken to heaven at the event most scholars call the “rapture.”  Rapture is not found in the Scriptures, yet the idea of it is there.  Rapture is a Latin word that means to “snatch away.”  To snatch away is a good description of what this event does, and this verse in Revelations four also describes this event.  The verse starts out by saying “after these things,” which goes along really well with the “outline verse” in Revelations 1:19.

            Revelations chapters four and five give a wonderful description of what real worship is all about, and this real worship is going on all of the time in heaven, even at this time. 

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  Even though I am not trying to see all of the prophecies of this book, it does seem to me that Revelations 4:1 could very well be describing the “rapture.”  From my earliest memories of my “new birth,” I remember studying about this event, and what I remember most about it is that it could happen at any time, and that my prayer has always been to be one of those who were alive when this even happens, and I still hope this to be the case, for as Pastor Burns used to say “we are looking for the ‘Upper taker,’ and not the under taker.”

 

The Word of God has been a refreshing challenge to my heart as I read it this morning.

 

            My Steps of Faith Today:  To always live my life like today would be the day that the Lord will take all of His bride home to be with Him.