Come Up Here

So I hear people all the time say, well, the word rapture isn't in the Bible. Well, the word Bible isn't in the Bible. Who cares that the word isn't there? The teaching, the idea, the doctrine is clearly there.

It is where? You just read it. We who are alive and remain shall be caught up. The word in Greek, harpazo. Harpazo shows up 18 different times in 13 different verses in the New Testament.

And when it's translated, it means four times to catch up or to be caught up. Did you know that dozens of people have made claims about when Jesus is returning to the earth? Needless to say, nobody has guessed right so far. Today we continue our countdown of Skip's top 40 messages on the Connect with Skip Heitzig YouTube channel. In the number 31 spot is his message, Come Up Here. In it, Skip gives you some clarity on what you can expect from the rapture and other end times events. But before we begin, we want to tell you about an exciting opportunity you have to encounter the roots of your faith in the land of the Bible. You're invited to join Skip on a tour of Israel in 2022. Visiting the places where the events of the Bible unfolded is a unique and significant experience. You'll be encouraged in your faith as God's word comes to life for you in a way it never has before.

Get all the info at inspirationcruises.com slash C-A-B-Q. Okay, we'll be in Revelation chapters one and four for today's study. So let's join Skip Heitzig. Powerball got up to $1.6 billion. And I don't know if it affected any of you, but your odds of winning Powerball, well, the odds were 292 million to one that you would not win Powerball.

You would be more likely to be struck by an asteroid than to win. So I noticed that a clerk was on the news being interviewed who was selling tickets to people buying the $2 tickets to Powerball. There's a line around the store. And somebody said, so why do you think so many people want to buy this ticket? What are they buying? And the clerk had an interesting answer. He said, they're buying hope.

It's $2 worth of hope. And then he explained what he meant. He said, you know, they take their ticket home and then the numbers read on the news. And the first number is their number.

And they get all excited. Hey, that's my number. Then they read the second number. It's their number again. They get all excited.

Third number isn't their number. But for a while there, he said, they had hope. It didn't last long, but that's what they're buying, $2 worth of hope.

Well, I want to tell you about something a whole lot better than $2 worth of hope. It's called the blessed hope. When Paul wrote to Titus, he said, looking for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and savior, Jesus Christ. The blessed hope. It's also what Peter called a living hope. Living because the one who promised it is alive because of a resurrection. And he has promised to come back.

And he promised to come back for those who believe in him. Now that is an event I want to discuss with you this morning from the pages of the book of Revelation to look at this idea, this thought of what I think we have depicted here before us. And that is a word. And when I say it, it causes some to get excited. It causes others to roll their eyes. And that is the rapture of the church. I say it causes people to roll their eyes because some of us can remember 1988. And we may remember the book that was published.

It made lots of news. Some people here told me almost that I had to tell people, warn people that the Lord is coming back. The book said Jesus Christ will come back in the rapture for his church in 1988 between September 11 and September the 13th of that year. That's Rosh Hashanah on that year. Jesus is coming back. 88 reasons why that will happen.

That's what it's called. So after the date came and went, the author Edgar Weisenand published a second book called The Final Shout, Rapture 1989. And then when that date came and went, he called it The Final Shout 1990. And once again, The Final Shout 1994.

And I think that was his final shout because he's no longer with us. So a lot of people have predicted the event of the rapture. And because of that negative press, some will dismiss the idea altogether. And that's unfortunate because it is a real event. It's a distinct event and it's an event for the church. And it's an event that is given detail in passages like John 14, 1 Thessalonians 4, 1 Corinthians 15.

But here I think we see it. We see it in the chronology of Revelation. There's only two people in the Bible that were given a trip to heaven. One was Paul, the other was John.

Paul was taken there, but he didn't give us any details. We start reading 2 Corinthians chapter 12 and he says, I was taken to the third heaven and we're getting so excited because we want him to tell us what it was like. And he goes, I can't tell you what it's like. It's just too amazing.

It's unlawful for me to even talk about it. It's like, oh, great. John on the other hand sees it and he is commanded to write about it. And he does so in chapters four and five in a detailed description in the book of Revelation.

Now let me throw something out at you to hopefully jog your memory. Do you recall when Jesus told his disciples, some of you standing here will not taste death until they see the coming kingdom in glory. Then he took Peter, James and John and he was transfigured before them on a mountain.

And so we kind of think, well, that's the fulfillment of that promise. However, what John sees in this vision of the book of Revelation, though it was partially fulfilled in that little glorious snippet of a transformation he sees in real full blown expanded vision of the glorious Christ, the things of the church and the details that follow in the book of Revelation. So we discussed last week in Revelation one that John hears a voice behind him and he turns to see who it is speaking and he sees one like the son of man and the words are in red because it's Jesus in this vision talking to John and giving him instruction. Now what I want you to notice with me beginning in chapter one, but then looking at chapter four are three occurrences that happened to John the apostle, three occurrences that happened to John before he writes about this tribulation that the bulk of the book takes up. And the three occurrences are simply this, John is commanded to write, John is called to heaven and John is captivated by glory. So first of all, he has to look down because he's told to write something. He then looks up because he goes somewhere and then he looks around and he describes to us the glories of heaven. Let's look back at chapter one.

Let's take it up in verse 17 this week and we'll notice that John is commanded to write, when I saw him, I fell at his feet is dead, but he laid his right hand on me saying to me, do not be afraid. I am the first and the last. I am he who lives and was dead and behold, I am on behold, I am alive forevermore.

Only one person can say that. And I have the keys of Hades and death, right? The things which you have seen and the things which are and the things which will take place after this, the mystery of the seven stars, which you saw in my right hand and the seven golden lampstands. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches. Do you remember last week I told you that this book was written in symbols?

We all notice that as we read the book. There are signs and symbols. In verse one, it says that God gave it to him.

He said he sent and signified it. The word signified in verse one of chapter one means given in signs or symbols. And so we asked the question, why? Why is it given in signs? Why all these symbols? And then I said, I won't answer it.

I'll wait till this week to answer it. So let me give you the reasons why I believe this book is written in symbols. First reason is preservation. Symbols can withstand the test of time. Symbols transcend normal human language and therefore they are not weakened by time. They're not weakened by language. They're not weakened by culture.

They're preserved because of that. Second reason is emotion. When you read symbols, they arouse a certain kind of an emotion, usually a strong emotion. So when we get to it, instead of just saying a dictator is going to come on the world scene, it's written like this.

And I saw a beast rise up out of the sea. That does something to the reader far different than just plain didactically writing it. So preservation, emotion. The third is orientation. I mentioned last week that out of the 404 verses that comprise the book of revelation, almost 300 of them harken back to an Old Testament reference. And so with the symbols that we read about, most of the symbols are rooted in the Old Testament. That is why they might sound weird to us, but to a first century Jewish reader familiar with the Jewish apocalyptic literature like Daniel or Ezekiel or Zechariah, they make more sense.

So the orientation. And then number four, protection for the sake of protection. I don't know if you're aware of this, but the early church was under the watchful eye of the Roman government and they were seizing documents to try them in a court for treason. And sometimes they would find their writings, their scriptures, and they would try to see, look, subversion, sedition, etc. Well, can you imagine a Roman soldier finding a copy of the book of revelation? He'd look at it and go, what? It's just as all weird, all these signs and symbols.

I don't get this. And it would be confusing to them and us for protection. So all of those reasons help us understand why the book was given in signs and in symbols. Something else, John is told to write, but he's given an outline in how to write verse 19.

Did you notice the command is write the things which you have seen and the things which are and the things which will take place after this. Now this is important because that is exactly what John does in the book. That's how this book is laid out. Verse 19 of chapter one becomes the outline for the entire book.

Look at it more carefully. Write the things which you have seen. What did John see in chapter one? A vision of Jesus. And he writes that down. He writes down the details of what he has seen. He had never seen Jesus like this before. He remembered him in his earthly, unexalted state.

He turned and he saw one like the son of man, but vastly different. And he writes that. Second, he is told to write the things which are. And John does that in chapters two and chapter three of Revelation.

Those are the things going on at that time. The churches, seven churches in Asia Minor. In fact, if you look at verse 20, the meaning of a couple of the symbols are given so we don't even have to guess. The mystery of the seven stars, which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands.

The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches. Angels is the Greek word ongalos. It could mean heavenly messenger. It could mean earthly messenger.

Both are seen using that term in the Bible. It could mean the pastors, the elders of the church. And the seven lampstands, which you saw, are the seven churches. Now these seven churches, which are written about in chapters two and three, were actual literal congregations in Asia Minor within a hundred mile radius close to each other. In modern day Turkey. I visited the ruins of them all.

They're in close proximity to each other. They were literal, actual, living congregations at the time of John. But also, I believe, for a lot of reasons I don't have time to get into, that they were seven periods of church history all the way from the apostolic church era all the way to the apostate church era. It comprises all of church history. It's like a panorama of the things of the church. So John writes about the church in chapters two and in chapter three. By the way, the churches are represented by a lampstand. I think that's so fitting.

A lampstand raises the lamps, the oil lamps, high so that it gives light. Didn't Jesus say about us, you are the light of the world? Have you ever thought of yourself that way? Have you ever thought of yourself when you walk into a room, hey, I'm the light of the world? You probably haven't.

But you are, you really are. And think of it this way, people in this world are looking for a way out of their darkness. But if they look at God's people and we seem to be in the dark, there's not a whole lot of hope. So it's like that lighthouse in Florida I read about some time ago. One of the glass panes broke out and so they replaced it. They didn't have glass at the time, but to replace it to preserve the light from blowing out. This is an old lighthouse.

They put a piece of tin in that one side. So it kept the light going. The only problem was from one direction, it was a dark spot. And I'm told that a ship trying to find harbor one night couldn't see it because in looking at the lighthouse, it saw a dark spot. And people trying to navigate through life and looking at what is on the lampstand, us shining our light, they need to be able to see it bright and clear.

We're the lampstand. And Jesus holds the lampstands and walks in the midst of the lampstands. So write the things which you have seen, the vision in chapter one, write the things which are the things of the church, chapters two and three. And then notice verse 19, the very last phrase, and the things which will take place after this.

Now in the Greek language, it's meta tauta, after these, or after this, meta tauta. And that's how John writes the book. Now turn over to chapter four, please, for a moment. Chapter four. Because John was commanded to write, but now John is called to heaven.

And watch this. Chapter four, verse one. After these things, stop. If you and I were reading the Greek text, it would say meta tauta. Back to the outline, chapter one, verse 19. The things which are, the things which you have seen, the things which are, and the things which will be, meta tauta, after this. We come to chapter four, meta tauta. After this, or after these things, I looked and behold, a door standing open in heaven.

And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, come up here. And I will show you things which must take place, meta tauta, after this. Meta tauta, after this. So after these things, after what things? After the vision he saw, in chapter one. After the message that Jesus gives to the seven churches, chapters two and three. Now suddenly, John is in heaven. Suddenly John is in the presence of God. Suddenly John sees it, the throne. And he writes about it. Beholds it in chapters four and five.

Now follow me here. The church has been in focus in chapters one, two, and three of the book of Revelation. 19 times, 19 times the word church appears in chapters one, two, and three. It's Jesus and the church, Jesus and the church.

The church is in focus. Now suddenly in chapter four, after these things, the church, it's as if they disappear. It is not seen, it is not spoken about, it is not even mentioned at all until the end of the book. After Jesus comes back and the kingdom is developed and the new heavens and the new earth are put in place, the word church appears. But from chapter four on, it's gone. In fact, the very last mention of it is in the In fact, the very last mention of it is in the verse right before verse one of chapter four. Look at Revelation chapter three, verse 22. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Last mention of it in the book.

Now it's metatauta. After this, after the things of the church, after the church age has run its course. So those are the three divisions of the book of Revelation.

That's how it's laid out. What John has seen, chapter one, the things which are, chapters two and three, and the things which will take place after this. Now John is in heaven instantly. And I believe we would call this a preview of coming attractions. This is a depiction of the rapture of the church. In fact, even the language in verse one of chapter four sounds a little bit familiar if you're a Bible student at all, and you know the text in First Thessalonians four, right? John says that a first voice that I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me saying, come up here. Doesn't that sound familiar?

In fact, if it's not familiar, you need to be familiar with it. Turn with me to First Thessalonians now, chapter four. First Thessalonians chapter four.

Love to hear those Bible pages turning. It's not the same when you have a little phone and you're kind of doing this with your finger. It doesn't make that sound. They should put that in an app, by the way, that little sound.

They could do that. First Thessalonians four, verse 13. But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, died.

Lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.

Those who are asleep. And what you need to know is the Thessalonians were all worried. They believe Jesus was coming. Paul had told them he's coming back, but many of their friends and relatives have already died.

So they're wondering what about them? They're going to miss the coming of the Lord. And Paul is saying, oh no, no, no, no. They're not going to miss the coming of the Lord. They're going to be there.

In fact, they're going to see it first. Verse 16, for the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout. With the voice of an archangel. With the trumpet of God.

Do you got that? Voice of an archangel. He's going to, the Lord himself is going to shout with the voice of an archangel, with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. So your relatives who have gone into heaven, they're not going to miss this. They're going to see it first.

Of course, they have six feet further to travel, so they need to get a little head start, I suppose. Look at verse 17. Here's the classic passage. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

Therefore comfort one another with these words. Okay, so I hear people all the time say, well, the word rapture isn't in the Bible. Well, the word Bible isn't in the Bible. Who cares that the word isn't there? The teaching, the idea, the doctrine is clearly there. You say it is where?

You just read it. We who are alive and remain shall be caught up. The word in Greek harpazo, harpazo. Harpazo shows up 18 different times in 13 different verses in the New Testament. And when it's translated, it means four times to catch up or to be caught up. Three times it means to take something by force. One time it's translated to snatch away, twice to snatch, twice to catch away, twice to pluck, and one to pull. You get the idea?

You know about a resource that traces Jesus' path to the cross and sets you on a trajectory to an even more fulfilling life in Christ. The year was 1962, and the United States was behind in the space race. Boldly, President Kennedy threw down a strong claim. I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth. When JFK made this challenge, America had little space experience.

Here's Levi Lusko with some background. The most incredible thing that mankind's ever done. The late President Kennedy makes this outrageous goal. We're going to go to the moon, and not only that, we're going to do it in the next 10 years, and it's going to end in safety when the man comes safely back home.

I mean, what an incredible thing to say when all of our space experience at that moment amounted to 15 minutes in space. The Last Supper on the Moon is an epic new hardcover book by Levi Lusko, and it is our resource offer this month. Receive your copy when you give a gift of $35 or more to support this program. Just go to connectwithskip.com or call 1-800-922-1888. That's connectwithskip.com or 1-800-922-1888. Before we close, we invite you to check out the Connect with Skip mobile app. You'll have access to a treasure trove of Skip's messages right at your fingertips. Find more information at connectwithskip.com slash app, and come back next week as Skip Heitzig shares another Top 40 message and dives into one of Jesus' most significant prayers. If Jesus Christ thought it important to stay in contact with His Father often by prayer, where does that leave us?

Is that something we can just sort of toss out or bring in whenever we feel like it's necessary? When I'm really in trouble, that's when I'm going to go, oh God, or will I make it a constant priority to be connected with the Father? Make a connection, make a connection at the foot of the crossing, cast all burdens on His word. Make a connection, connection. Connect with Skip Heitzig is a presentation of Connection Communications, connecting you to God's never-changing truth in ever-changing times.