Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 16:22, “If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord, Come!” Then in Revelation 22:20, “He who testifies to these things says ‘Surely I am coming soon! Amen, Come, Lord Jesus!’” (ESV – all emphasis is mine)
In early writings and today’s New American Standard Bible (NASB), the word “Maranatha” is used. Paul normally wrote in Greek; however, this word is Aramaic. In the first century, Christians were persecuted by unbelieving Jews and Romans, and it’s believed Paul used this as sort of a password, as a code for Christians to identify each other. It is also said that Jesus spoke Aramaic while He was here.
Most English Bible versions translate Maranatha as it was originally written, Maran-atha. This divided word states, “Our Lord Come” or “Our Lord is coming.” This one divided word is used as a prayer asking Jesus to fulfill His promise from John 14:1-3. It states, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I Will Come Again, and will take you to Myself, that where I am, you may be also.” Note; in many translations, “rooms” is written as mansions.
In Matthew 24:36-37, Jesus states, “But concerning that day or hour, no one knows, not even the angels of Heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.”
Some would make the statement that the above verses show that Jesus was not truly God, because if He were, He would have this knowledge. In Hebrews 2:7;17-18, “You made Him for a little while lower than the angels…. Therefore, He had to be His brothers in every respect, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because He Himself has suffered when tempted, He is able to help those who are also being tempted.”
Please understand, our Triune God loves us more than we flawed humans can ever deserve or understand. Jesus could have refused to allow Himself to become a human, but by doing so, He made sure we might have a perfect pathway to eternal life with Him. His blood never was tainted by sin, and He was the only “human” who ever lived, and ever will live, that committed no sin whatsoever. Also, His sacrifice was given willingly, and as John 10:17-18 says, “For this reason, the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life, that I might take it up again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from My Father.”
My life verse is John 14:6; “And Jesus said to him, I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.” Add to this Acts 4:12; “And there is Salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under Heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Follow this up with Philippians 2:9-11; “Therefore, God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus, every knee will bow in Heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Although nearly 2,000 years have passed since Paul, John, and others wrote their prophecies, Paul believed that the Savior might even appear while he was still alive. 1 Thessalonians 4:15 states, “For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.” Also, 1 Corinthians 15:51, “Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.” The term “sleep” here means to die.
When the Harpazo, Rapture, or taking up occurs, all who died from the beginning of time that were in the will of God, and all who died from Calvary forward that were “in Christ” when they died will be raised up and taken up first. Then, those who are living will be taken up to meet Jesus in the air.
Before anyone tells you this will take considerable time, and they’re waiting for it to start to call on Jesus and be saved, the term “twinkling of an eye” in 1 Corinthians 15:52 has been calculated by experts to be considerably less than one second. And yes, God is able to do this. And no, there will not be enough time to confess your sins and ask Jesus to be your Savior. There will be time after the Rapture to receive and accept Jesus, but the likely outcome will not be pleasant. It will be during the tribulation/wrath period, and all who call out to Jesus will be subject to martyrdom.
Christians are being persecuted around the globe, and in some places, it brings martyrdom to the believers. True believers hold to our Savior’s declaration in John 16:33, “I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world!”
We are seeing changes in this world that began in earnest about a decade ago. True believers are in the minority as false prophets and antichrists are accommodating “itching ears” (2 Timothy 4:3-4). They are telling the audiences what they want to hear, not what they need to hear. Jesus is not at all surprised, as He spoke of the two roads to eternity in Matthew 7:13-14.
There is the broad road representing a love for this world, rather than the love of our Savior, that leads to eternal condemnation.
The path we believers are on is the straight and narrow, and leads directly to our Shepherd. On It, He will take us to our eternal home, to be with Him forever. And no, we are not perfect but can be forgiven as John told us in 1 John 1:8-10.
No matter what anyone tries to tell you, there are not many ways to Heaven, and as stated in this message, Jesus is the only way to go there.
This is why all true believers that are in this world have such hope for our eternal life after our existence on this earth. We gladly proclaim, Maran-atha! Come, Lord Jesus! We look forward to seeing our Jesus face to face.
The day and hour could be at any minute, and our prayer is that you are ready. Then, when the trumpet of God sounds, and there is a shout from an archangel, you will join the exodus from this earth to receive your heavenly home (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17; 1 Corinthians 15:51-53).
So, one more time with feeling! MARAN-ATHA! COME LORD JESUS!
The post Maranatha :: By Dennis Huebshman appeared first on Rapture Ready.
Leave a Reply