Why the Rapture Is a Secret Most Christians Miss - Romans 16:25 Explained

Hello, and welcome to Through the Bible with Les Feldick. An Oklahoma rancher and farmer, Les Feldick has been teaching homestyle Bible classes for 20 years in Iowa, Oklahoma, and Texas. Les Feldick's unique style of Bible teaching has made the books of the Bible come to life. When Les is teaching, it's so interesting that people say time just seems to fly by. And now, here is Les Feldick. This is our program for this afternoon, and hopefully we'll finish I Corinthians in this program. I'm certainly going to try, I think even our television audience is probably getting tired of I Corinthians 15, but we're going to come back one more time, and we're going to jump in again where we were in our last program in verse 51. But again we like to remind our new listeners, I know we have new people coming on every day, that we're just an informal Bible study, and we come together on a Wednesday afternoon to produce four of these programs, and that's why you see the coffee cups on the table. We just have a few moments of fellowship while the camera crew gets ready for the next program, and we just have a good afternoon. And again I always like to appreciate and let you folks that come in know how much I appreciate your coming in, I know it takes a lot of effort. And for those of you out in television, if ever you're coming through Tulsa on a Wednesday, and it's around the first week of the month, you call us. We'd love to have you sit in. And all of these programs of course are available on audio, video, as well as the printed page. So much for announcements, we like to get right into the meat of the Word, that's what we're here for, is to teach the Book. I Corinthians chapter 15, and once again we're going to take a look at this revelation of a secret, which was part of that whole revealed Body of Truth, which Paul refers to as the Mystery. Now keep your hand in I Corinthians 15, but I'm going to flip back a minute to a verse that we haven't used in quite a while, Romans 16. Because I want you to see that this is not just a flippant use of the Word, for Paul uses it throughout his writings. And simply because the Holy Spirit has revealed to this man, doctrines and truths that no one else ever dreamed would happen. They're not in the Old Testament, they're not in Christ's ministry, they're not in Peter's activity in the Book of Acts, but it's a whole new revelation. Which of course builds on everything that went before, and that's why I teach the Old Testament and the Gospels just as much as I do the Pauline letters. But nevertheless, this is something that has come out of everything that went before, but it was never prophesied. I Corinthians chapter 16, and verse 25, where he ends up this letter by saying, Romans 16, and verse 25, "...now to him that is of power to establish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation, or the revealing, of the secret, or the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began." Now remember in our last program we took you back to Deuteronomy chapter 29, and we won't do that again now. But remember that verse said that the secret things belong unto the Lord our God. He is a God who can keep things secret as long as He cares to, and this whole volume or body of revealed truth was one of those. He just did not reveal it. He did not even get a hint of the church age, and what we call the rapture. Now remember in any of the prophecies, in any of His earthly ministry, and that's one good way we can divide it, that the Old Testament was based on the prophetic Word. Everything was based on what God said, "...I will, I will, I will." That was prophecy, and all setting on that Abrahamic covenant. And so Christ came of course in fulfillment of that covenant. He came to the nation of Israel as their Messiah and their King, and we've been teaching that over and over. But Israel rejected it. They didn't believe that He was who He said He was. And so now God's going to turn to the rest of the world by putting Israel into a dispersion, and not using the Jew, with the exception of course of this one man, the Apostle Paul, who was a Jew, a Pharisee of the Pharisees of the tribe of Benjamin. And so this Jew now has revealed to him these mysteries, these secrets, and now he can take it out to the Gentile world and reveal them. Now maybe I should go to the board and again fill in our timeline. I've had the line up here waiting for us to do it, and of course we always start back with Adam, and then we have the call of Abraham or Abram in 2000 B.C., and that of course brought about the nation of Israel, which was pulled off of the main river of humanity. But the nation of Israel, instructed and taught and nurtured through the Old Testament under the Law and the prophecies, rejected him, and they were dispersed then back into that main stream of humanity from which they were called in the first place. Not now to evangelize them as God had intended to, but now to put them in a place of spiritual blindness, and they're in the same position as the rest of the Gentile world. But a few years before when this took place in about 70 A.D. when they lost the Temple and they lost the city, they lost their homeland, and they were dispersed into every nation on earth. Some 30 years before that, or probably not even that long, the Apostle Paul is now called up, and he is going to be the progenitor of this Gospel of Grace, and the calling out of a Gentile body of Christ, in Christ as we saw in our last program. Now when this body of Christ is called out from Jews and Gentiles both, when it is complete and the last one has been saved, that's when we have this meeting in the air that we talked about last week. When the soul and the spirit of the believer that has been in the presence of Christ has now been brought to the atmosphere by God Himself in the person of Christ, and they will be resurrected bodily to be reunited soul, spirit, and body in the air. Then in the next instant we who are alive and remain shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. Then of course is ushered in that final seven years which is associated only with the prophecies concerning Israel, and we call it the final seven years or the tribulations. And of course the tribulations ending will bring about then the Second Coming of Christ as we saw in the closing moments of our last program, when Christ will stand with His feet on the Mount of Olives. Now just to show the graphic difference again between the Rapture and the Second Coming, let's go back to Matthew 24. Now there are many other references to the Second Coming, but I'm going to use Matthew 24 as the prime example of how everything that the Old Testament and that Jesus and the Gospel accounts refer to in Christ's coming, is never this Rapture of the Church, this meeting in the air. That is something that the rest of the Bible knew nothing about. It was only a secret revealed by and to the Apostle Paul. Now all these other references to the end time events are directed to the Second Coming, when He will come and stand in that day on the Mount of Olives. Now let's just start right there with verse 1, and the twelve of course are still intact. Verse 3, and as He sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto Him privately, saying, And tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming, and the end of the world?" In the King James, the end of the age. What's going to be the sign? Now then, Jesus answered, and He comes down through these series of verses, beginning with verse 5 and 6, and so on and so forth, and that is not associated with the Church one iota. This is all instruction for the nation of Israel concerning the Second Coming. And so when I teach Matthew 24, most of you know I stress it over and over, Matthew 24 is tribulation ground. This is not for you and I in the Church age. This is tribulation, when there will be false teachers, and there's going to be wars and rumors. Now granted, we're seeing all this, we're seeing the stage being set, but goodness, we are certainly not in the tribulation. Now I was just reading a book the other night by a dear old Bible teacher who was gone to be with the Lord quite a few years ago, and he was writing shortly after he'd been at a prophecy conference, and he had been conversing with another well known prophecy expert, and the two of them, as they saw the falling apart of western civilization and the apostasy of the Church, they thought then already, and this is quite a few years back, they thought that we were so close to the rapture because they were seeing all the signs that were introducing the tribulation. Well I read some of those things to Iris, and I said, now what would those fellows say if they were alive today? Stop and think about it. Look how far we have come to tribulation ground in the last 20 years, in the last 10 years. But we're not there yet. We're not in the tribulation by no stretch of the imagination. But everything is bringing us closer and closer. I stressed in one of our previous programs, we had just visited with a young banker who was right in the middle of all this computer activity, and he could see it. He said, every new technology is just bringing the prophecies that much closer, because the whole Book of Revelation is based on our tremendous technology. Now it stands to reason that the Antichrist could never be able to put his thumb on every human being on earth without the computer. But he'll be able to if he wants to, it's not saying he will, but if he wants to bring up a data on an individual in Timbuktu, all he's going to have to do is push the button and there it'll be. And he'll have everything on that individual he'll want to know. Why? Our technology. Why this internet? And we've got our own internet, and we've got our address up here, but you know the more I hear about the internet it scares the socks off of me, because there's no place to hide. They can find anybody, and if they want to someday find us, it'll be no problem. There will be no place to hide. And so this is what the Book is telling us. So what I want you to see in this half hour is that everything that was spoken in the Old Testament prophets, which was spoken by Jesus, which is spoken by Peter, were all directed to the nation of Israel and His Second Coming. Never to the rapture of the Church. And so keep that in mind as we study, even in these closing moments of this Book of I Corinthians. So come back with me a minute if you will. And so Paul now is revealing one of the mysteries that were part of that whole volume of truth that he puts in one category, and that is the revelation of the mysteries. Now there are all kinds of them. It was a mystery, unknown to the rest of Scripture, that Jews and Gentiles would be brought into the Body on equal ground. Now I pay all respect to Israel's covenant position as the favored nation of God, and I know that they are where they are only because of that. But we never must lose sight that for a Jew today to experience salvation, he's on the same level playing field that we as Gentiles are. He is not in a place of special privilege when it comes to his personal salvation. He's a sinner who needs salvation just as much as a Gentile is. But in the great scheme of things, they have to be in the Land of Israel for the culmination of the prophetic Scriptures. And I think I've shared it with you on the program. I had a young Jewish listener out in California several years ago, and he said, Now Les, I know you would love to just see all of us Jews saved according to what you teach, but stop and think. If all of us Jews would get saved, we'd all leave with you at the rapture, and there'd be nobody here to fulfill prophecy. Isn't that right? You know I said, I never thought of it that way, but that's so true. Israel has to be in the Land at the end time scenario for that final seven years, because all of prophecy is directed to that. Well you take them off the scene, and God's Word would fall apart, and God's not going to let it happen. I was reviewing one of my own little books the other day, and I had made the point that yes we love the Arabs and the Palestinians on God's behalf just as much as anybody else. But isn't it too bad that they can't understand that Scripturally they are not in the line of the covenant promises given to Abraham. That's only for the Jew. And if they think they're going to drive the Jew into the sea, they're going to have to deal with God first, because God has said they are not going to disappear. They're going to be there for the end time scenario. So now let's come back to I Corinthians 15, and let's go on at verse 54. I think we've touched enough on the rapture now for this time, and all I want you to remember is that the rapture is not prophetically announced. We don't know when it'll happen. There is nothing to indicate that it's going to be tomorrow or next year. The only thing we know is that as the world scene is being fulfilled for that final seven years and the Second Coming, that we have to be ready at least seven years ahead of that. So as you see all the signs of the world getting ready for the Second Coming, just remind yourself we're going to leave seven years ahead of that, so we better be ready. Now then verse 54. So Paul continues on dealing with this putting in the grave the corruptible and resurrecting the incorruptible. Verse 54. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal, this body which is formed for death, and it shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? And I think I said it just a program or two back. We all hate death. It's a frightening thing. O grave, where is thy victory? Well the sting of death is sin, and I think that's why we hate it. Death and sin are almost synonymous. The strength of sin then is the Law. It was the Law that showed sin to be what it really is. And then verse 57. But thanks be to God, who giveth the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. And there is no other way to gain victory over sin and death. Religion won't do it, good works won't do it, joining a church won't do it. It has to be by virtue of this resurrection power of the Gospel. Now then verse 58. Now he's winding this letter down, and now he can say, therefore in light of all that he has written in these previous 15 chapters, but especially with regard to this hope of the believer, that reminds me of another verse. Keep your hand in I Corinthians. Let's go back to Titus, Thessalonians, and Timothy, and Titus. This is another nail in my plank, that the Rapture is a reality, and that it is going to happen before the horrors of the tribulation come about. This verse I think says it all. Titus chapter 2, and let's just start at verse 11. Titus chapter 2, verse 11. Titus 2, verse 11. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation has, it's already passed, has appeared to all men. No one is ever going to be able to say, but Lord I never heard. And this grace of God teaches us that we are to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts. We should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, right now in our everyday experience. And while we do, as we go through the work a day week, we are to be what? Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing, not the Second Coming, but we're to be looking for the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ. Now one of you in the audience I think asked me a little while ago, that you had just run into somebody that said, show me where the Bible says that Jesus claimed to be God. Well here's one, plus many, many others. But look at this verse. If this isn't giving deity to Christ, I don't know what is. That we are to be looking for that blessed hope, and what's the blessed hope? The glorious appearing of the great God, the God of creation, the God of this Book, and who is it? Our Savior Jesus Christ. Mark that one down if you run into someone that has to have proof that Jesus is truly God. Now let's go back to verse 58. So verse 58. I Corinthians 15. "...therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." Now let me tell you something, we may not reap the rewards of our labor in this life. We may go to the grave poor as church mice. We may yet go to the grave with not very much of this world�s goods. But listen, don�t let that disturb you. God hasn�t promised that just because we�re a believer we�re going to drive Cadillacs and we�re going to live in mansions, no way. But God has promised that He is keeping a record of our earthly activity. And one day we�re going to cash in on the rewards in glory absolutely, and Paul is always teaching that, that we are to run the race for reward. Now let�s come on into chapter 16 and wind up I Corinthians rather quickly. Now he�s going to deal with something totally different again from resurrection. Now he�s going to come down to the nitty gritty of how are we to give. Now I know a lot of people are still hung up on the legal system of tithing. Now listen, I�ve got nothing against your giving or whatever you give, but you are not under the tithe. Now this is going to ruffle a few feathers, but remember the tithe was part of the Law, and tithing was given only to the tribe of Levi. And I dare say that if we could ask some of our Jewish friends whether they teach tithing today, I�d be very surprised if they would say yes, because they too do not know who the Levites are, and so I just have to doubt that good Jewish people still tithe. Now Paul doesn�t use the word tithe, because that was part of the Law, but that doesn�t say God doesn�t expect you to give. See how he puts it? Now concerning the collection of money for the saints, now remember he was always instructed to remember the poor saints were in Jerusalem. Why? They had given everything they had, they cashed in their CDs, they sold their land and their houses, and they put it all in a common kitty back there in Acts chapter 2 and 3 in light of the Kingdom. But the Kingdom didn�t come, they had rejected it. And so what happened to these poor saints? I imagine a lot of them had come for Passover or Pentecost from maybe Babylon and Rome, and boy they got involved in all this, and they gave what they had, and they didn�t even have ship fare home. So what did they do? They lived off the kitty, and I imagine it was a pretty good existence. They didn�t have to work, they couldn�t work, they were strangers, but nevertheless God in His providence took care of them. How? With the offerings of Paul�s converts from Gentiledom, and that was brought back to Jerusalem. Alright, we�ve got to hurry all of a sudden. So now He says concerning the collection for the saints, that is, the poor saints in Jerusalem, I have given order to the churches of Galatia, and even so for you at Corinth, upon the first day of the week, not on the seventh day Sabbath, but on the first day of the week. Why? Resurrection Day. And I guess that�s why it�s in this chapter. On Resurrection Day you come together, and let every one of you lay by Him in store as a tithe, no, as God has prospered. Now you see that�s the beauty of the Christian life, that�s the beauty of God�s grace. He has left us with that free will. We can give as much as we want, but He is not putting the thumb on our head and saying, �You will give 10 percent.� Now that�s a guideline. I�ll always say that. God more or less lets it be known that 10 percent is a guideline for a giver. But God�s not going to zap you if you don�t give 10 percent. Now you may lose some reward in glory, but you are under no mandate under Paul�s teaching to give a set amount. That�s up to you as a believer, as God has prospered you, and He has enough respect for your free will as a believer that you�re going to give as much as you can. Then He says He wants to have them do it before He gets there so that they wouldn�t be under any of His influence. He doesn�t want them to dig down in their other pocket, �Well, Paul is here, and he better see how much I�m giving.� No, that�s not what He wanted. He said, �I want it done before I get there.� Well anyway, the rest of the chapter is more or less in closing, and He is referring to the Corinthians how He still wants to come and see them. He wants to stop in there again physically, but until He gets there they�re going to have to be satisfied with hearing from Him only by way of His letters. Corinthians 5, and then you come on down to verse 11. Let no man therefore despise Him, but conduct him forth in peace, that he may come unto Me. For I look for him with the brethren, as touching our brother Apollos, whom I greatly desired him to come to you. And she says, �He can�t make it now, but now look at verse 14, �Watch ye, stand fast, quit like men, and be strong.� Thank you for watching Through the Bible with Les Feldick, a weekly Bible study. If you would like more information about the Les Feldick Ministries, a Bible study in your area or about this program, write to Les Feldick Ministries, Route 1, Box 760, Kinta, OK 74552. That�s Route 1, Box 760, Kinta, OK 74552. Through the Bible with Les Feldick is viewer supported, and your gift is appreciated. Thank you, and be sure to tune in next time, for Through the Bible with Les Feldick.