Introduction - Surprises that should not have been surprises
(Ezekiel 33:6) But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand.
- 911 Footage -
Dr. Roland Rasmussen: On September 11, 2001, the world changed. The "land of the free" has now become the land of the enslaved. The people of our once glorious United States have traded their liberty for security. But has it all happened by design?
Dr. Roland Rasmussen: Many questions linger about the events of that day - that day of infamy. But one thing we know for certain: the surprise attack on pearl harbor set in motion a course of events that would eventually lead us to a one world government.
Dr. Roland Rasmussen: In the aftermath of World War 2, the United Nations was created, and the path toward a one world government accelerated. Each war brings us one step closer to what the Bible calls "the end of the world." Checkpoints are being set up everywhere; the police state is tightening its grip on the people of the United States, and to those who understand biblical prophecy, what comes next will not be a surprise.
Dr. Roland Rasmussen: At some time in the future, the King James Bible states that everyone on the planet will be required to take a mark in order to buy or sell. As our current economic system collapses, and as technology expands, cash is becoming a thing of the past. The reality of a cashless society is not far off. In fact, it's already being implemented. Despite denials by many religious leaders, evil men are working around the clock to bring in a New World Order. We can see the end rapidly approaching, and the stage being set for the emergence of the antichrist. We can hear the voices of those who are subverting our US Constitution and promoting this global government system. And with all this right around the corner, this film is more important than ever. Satan is working behind the scenes to set up a one world government and a one world religion in preparation for the antichrist. He has also deceived modern evangelical Christians into believing that they will be removed from this earth before the Great Tribulation takes place. This doctrine, known as the "pre-tribulation rapture," teaches that Christ may return at any moment, and that there will be no signs of his coming. As a result of this deception, most Christians are completely unprepared for what the Bible has warned us is coming. Although the scriptures clearly state in Matthew 24, and elsewhere, that the rapture will take place AFTER THE TRIBULATION, big name preachers, Bible colleges, and popular films such as Left Behind have taught the masses to expect that the rapture may occur at any moment. And because most Christians have never read the entire Bible for themselves, few are aware that the pre-trib rapture is a fraud not found in scripture. But if the pre-tribulation rapture is not found in scripture, where did it come from?
Scene 1 - Characters
Pastor Anderson: My name is Steven Anderson, and I am the pastor of Faithful Word Baptist Church in Tempe, Arizona, and I am on a mission to educate people about the pre-tribulation rapture because it is a position that is based upon ignorance, and I just believe that if people would see the scriptures and see the facts, it would not be hard for them to come to the conclusion that the rapture definitely comes AFTER THE TRIBULATION.
Pastor Jimenez: My name is Roger Jimenez. I am the pastor at Verity Baptist Church in Sacramento, California. I grew up in a Christian home, and I was taught the pre-tribulation rapture my whole life, and I never had a reason to question it. Preachers told us that, and I just took it for what it was worth, but as I was exposed to that doctrine, I began to see just how unscriptural it really was, and I just feel that we need to teach the Bible and get the truth out there.
Scene 2 - History
Pastor Anderson: The pre-tribulation rapture doctrine is pretty new. There is no evidence of anyone teaching it before 1830.
Pastor Jimenez: We have to understand that the 1830s is pretty late in history. For thousands of years from the time of Christ, we went through the reformation, we went through all sorts of theologians - whatever you do or don't agree with men like Martin Luther, or John Calvin, or whoever, the fact is that thousands of books, thousands of papers, thousands of essays, and a whole lot of preaching had been done before 1830,
Pastor Anderson: And I am saying there is no evidence of anyone from any denomination, any type of Christianity, that taught this doctrine.
Pastor Jimenez: When you look at the historical account, you have to ask yourself the question, "What are the roots of the pre-tribulation rapture?"
Dr. Roland Rasmussen: One of the early proponents of pre-tribulationism was a man by the name of John Nelson Darby. In the 1830s, he began to teach the doctrine of what he called "the Secret Rapture." He would later produce his own translation of the Bible from which he removed entire verses, corrupted important Biblical doctrines, and tampered with key passages concerning the second coming of Jesus Christ. John Nelson Darby, known as "the Father of Modern Dispensationalism," promoted his theory of a pre-tribulation rapture throughout the nineteenth century. Later the pre-tribulation rapture gained widespread acceptance among Baptists when Oxford University Press published the Scofield Reference Bible, which contained marginal notes promoting the concept of Darby's secret rapture. These notes have caused many Christians to embrace this doctrine as though God had said it himself.
Pastor Anderson: The Devil has used this tool of the Scofield Reference System of the Bible more than anything to promote this doctrine of the pre-trib rapture. You want to know where it comes from? This is how it got into churches. This is where pastors are getting it. It is not coming from the Bible. It sure did not come from the mouth of Jesus Christ! But it came from the mouth of Scofield. Scofield's notes point to a pre-tribulation rapture, and they lead the reader to believe that it is in scripture when it is really not there at all. So because of the Scofield Bible being sent out to so many seminaries and colleges, and so many young preacher boys reading the Scofield Reference Bible, they started to just take the pre-tribulation rapture as fact and started preaching it.
Dr. Roland Rasmussen: Fictionalizations about the imminent rapture also reached the seventies generation through the films of Don Thompson.
Dr. Roland Rasmussen: Thompson's trilogy of thrillers played a significant role in indoctrinating a new generation of teens. Since its premier, more than 300 million have seen "A Thief in the Night." In 1995, Tim Dalehouse published Tim LaHaye's and Jerry Jenkins' apocalyptic novel "Left Behind."
Pastor Anderson: This is a fictional series that depicts everybody disappearing, and nobody knows where they are. Cars are crashing into each other; airplanes are crashing because the pilot is gone, and this dramatic presentation of the pre-tribulation rapture has become a part of the American culture, and people just accept it to be true, and … it's a stupid movie.
Dr. Roland Rasmussen: Left Behind would go on to sell 63 million copies worldwide, spawn a series of 16 books, as well as three movie adaptations to date. But Left Behind is a work of fiction. To learn the truth about the rapture, we must look within the pages of the Bible itself.
Scene 3 - 1 Thessalonians 4 and Matthew 24
Pastor Anderson: 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 is the key rapture passage.
Pastor Jimenez: And in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, we find probably the most famous text regarding the rapture.
Pastor Anderson: Anyone would agree that this passage is talking about the rapture. This is the most clear teaching in the Bible about Jesus coming in the clouds, and us being caught up together to meet him. The Bible reads in verse 13:
(1 Thessalonians 4:13) "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope."
(1 Thessalonians 4:14) "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him."
Pastor Anderson: So, what he is saying here is that he does not want them to be ignorant about Christians, believers who have died, those who are asleep in Jesus, those who have already gone on to be with the Lord. He says, I don't want you to be ignorant of this brethren because I don't want you to mourn like those who have no hope. I want you to know that you will see your loved one again that was a saved person. You are going to see them once again because the Bible says that when Jesus Christ comes back, he will bring them with him. The dead in Christ shall rise first, and so forth. That is why he said in verse 18:
(1 Thessalonians 4:18) Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Pastor Anderson: That is why this is a really popular passage you will hear at funerals. I have been to a lot of funerals where people comfort one another with these words. So notice, in every single verse, he is bringing up the fact that we will see these people again who have passed on.
(1 Thessalonians 4:15) For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent [come before] them which are asleep.
(1 Thessalonians 4:16) For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
(1 Thessalonians 4:17) 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.
(1 Thessalonians 4:18) Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Pastor Anderson: So if you get the context, the comfort is that you will see your loved ones again. He says, You will see them again because if you believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so (in the same way), them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. They are going to be resurrected. The dead in Christ shall rise first. He says, Comfort one another with these words. There is no comfort here mentioned that you will escape persecution. You are not going to be persecuted. You are not going to go through tribulation. You are not going to go through affliction. You are not going to suffer. Does this passage even mention the tribulation? Was anything about the tribulation mentioned? No. He did not say, Comfort one another that you will not go through tribulation. Comfort one another that you will not be persecuted. Comfort one another that there is a pre-tribulation rapture. That is not what he is saying!
Pastor Jimenez: Now when we look at this passage, there are a few characteristics that we can see about the rapture which will help us identify the rapture in other passages. I would like you to understand what the rapture consists of. If you look at verse number 16 there, it says, "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven…" So the first thing we need to understand about the rapture is that the Lord is coming down from heaven with a shout and with the voice of the archangel, and I want you to take notice of this, "and with the trump of God." That is the second characteristic I would like you to see about the rapture. The Lord will descend, there will be the trump of God, and then the Bible says, "The dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be…" Take note of these words: "caught up together with them in the clouds…" So when the rapture happens, according to 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, the characteristics of the rapture are:
1. Lord Descends
2. Trumpet Sounds
3. Caught up in the Clouds
Pastor Jimenez: We will be caught up together to meet him in the clouds.
Pastor Anderson: Go back to Matthew 24 and see the exact same elements in Matthew 24:29-31. Look at Matthew 24:29, "Immediately after the tribulation of those days," and sometimes I want to just ask people, "What part of AFTER do you not understand about this passage?" But it says:
(Matthew 24:29) Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
(Matthew 24:30) And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man [The "Son of Man" is something that Jesus called himself while he was on this earth] coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
(Matthew 24:31) And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Pastor Anderson: All the same elements! Jesus is coming in the clouds. A trumpet sounds. He sends the angels to gather his elect.
Pastor Jimenez: The reason I showed you this is that I wanted you to understand that in Matthew 24:29-31, we see the rapture, and when we compare it to 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17, it matches up perfectly.
Pastor Anderson: Keep your finger there, and go to Mark 13. Now Mark 13 pretty much says all the same things Matthew 24 says. It is what we would call a "parallel passage." You will find the same preaching, the same teaching in these two passages. You can put them side by side. They say the same things. Let me show it to you in that passage. It says in verse 24:
(Mark 13:24) But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,
(Mark 13:25) And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.
(Mark 13:26) And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
(Mark 13:27) And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.
Pastor Anderson: Now at this point we could just pray and go home. We should just be able to close our Bible, and say, "There you have it, folks. It is AFTER THE TRIBULATION," and just close our Bibles and go home. But oh no, we are not going to close our Bibles and go home because I am going to prove to you and show you that this is talking about the rapture, and that this says it is AFTER THE TRIBULATION.
Scene 4 - Matthew 24 is not speaking only to "the Jews"
Pastor Anderson: A lot of people will attack this chapter and say, "You can't get your doctrine on this from Matthew 24 because Matthew 24 is only talking to the Jews." They will just write this passage off, and say, "Oh, this is only for the Jews." And some scholar somewhere decided that the book of Matthew is to the Jews, the book of Mark is to the Romans, the book of Luke is to the Greeks, and the book of John is to the world. Oh, thank you, God, for including us in at least one of the four gospels! But who comes up with this stuff? Maybe Matthew is geared toward the Jews. Maybe Luke is geared toward the Greeks. Maybe the epistle of Paul to the Ephesians was geared toward the Ephesians. Do you think? Maybe the epistle of Paul to the Hebrews was geared toward the Hebrews. Maybe the epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians was geared toward the Thessalonians, but every promise in the book is mine! Every chapter, every verse, every line! The book of Titus was not just for Titus! That was a short-lived book! It is for every pastor to read. It is for every believer to read. It is the New Testament!
Pastor Anderson: But here is what they will say, "No, Pastor Anderson, you don't get it. This whole sermon was preached about the Jews, to the Jews, for the Jews. Jesus Christ was preaching to the Jews in the Olivet Discourse (the fancy theological name they give this passage). Pastor Anderson, he was talking to the Jews! Don't you get it! When he said in Mark 13:24, After that tribulation, and then he talked about Jesus coming in the clouds in verse 26, and gathering the elect in verse 27, from the uttermost part of the earth, to the uttermost part of heaven, that is just talking to the Jews only." Okay, look at the last verse of Mark 13: And what I say unto you, I'm only saying to the Jews. Don't let any preacher try and tell you this is for all believers. It's only for the Jews. Is that what it says in Mark 13:37. No! It says:
(Mark 13:37) And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
Pastor Anderson: That is the last word of the chapter.
(Mark 13:37) And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
Pastor Anderson: And yet people will still turn around and say, "This chapter is not talking to all. It is only talking to the Jews." It is almost like he knew that people would say that, so he just says it at the end. I am not just talking to you. I am talking to all when I say, Watch. This is for everybody. To say that this chapter is only talking to the Jews is ridiculous when he flat out says:
(Mark 13:37) And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
Pastor Jimenez: Oftentimes people will look at Matthew 24:30-31, and they will say, "Well, even though it looks like the rapture, and even though it sounds like the rapture, it is not the rapture," and here is the reason that they will say it is not the rapture. If you look at verse 31, it says, "And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect…" and people will look at that word, and they will say, "See there, the word 'elect' is not Christians." They will say, "The 'elect' is Israel. Therefore Matthew 24 is not the rapture. It is not meant for Christians. This whole chapter is meant for the Jews because he is talking about the elect." The issue with that is this: we must always allow the Bible to be its own dictionary.
Pastor Anderson: I have a list here of every time the word "elect" is used. We are not going to go though it because we do not have time, but I could go through every time "elect" is used, and I could show you that every single time, it is talking about people that are saved.
Pastor Jimenez: The reason people think that word "elect" is talking about "Jews," or talking about "Israel," is that instead of studying the Bible, and instead of reading the Bible, they have been reading commentaries, and they have been reading books written by men, and those men have told them what the definition of "elect" is. The Scofield Reference Bible has a note in Matthew 24 saying that the word "elect" is referring to "Israel." But the Bible defines itself, and the Bible gives us the answer to all the questions of doctrine we have, and the word "elect," if you study it out in the Bible, simply is not the Jew.
Pastor Anderson: Just to give you a quick highlight, in 1 Thessalonians 1:4, it says:
(1 Thessalonians 1:4) Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.
Pastor Anderson: ...talking to the Thessalonians who were clearly Gentiles. We saw it in Romans 8:
(Romans 8:33) Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
Pastor Anderson: Out of 16 mentions of the term "elect" in the Bible, I found 10 refer to all believers in general, two of them refer to believers who are specifically Gentiles, one of them refers to believers who are Jews, two of them refer to Jesus Christ himself, and one of them refers to Jacob, the person, as being God's elect. I will give you one verse that clearly shows that the elect does not mean "Israel" because people say, "The elect? That is Israel. That is the Jews."
(Romans 11:7) What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded
Pastor Anderson: So the Bible says, Israel has not; the election has. Well, if Israel were the election, that would not make any sense.
Pastor Jimenez: Throughout scripture it is very clear, if you allow the Bible to define itself, that the "elect" are not the Jews, that the "elect" is not the nation of Israel, the elect are believers. They can be from Asia minor; they can be Greek; they can be barbarians; they can be whatever. If you have put on Christ, if you have put on the new man, you are considered the elect. So when we go back to Matthew 24, and he says, "And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect," that goes perfectly with the passage, in regard to the fact that it is the rapture of believers.
Pastor Anderson: It has nothing to do with whether they are a Jew or a Gentile, black or white. The elect are those that are saved. He is going to gather them up in the clouds with him. Now isn't that completely consistent with what it said in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4? When it said that there is going to be a trumpet, and that the believers will be caught up to be with Christ. A little later on in the same chapter, it says, "But of that day and hour knoweth no man..." so no one knows the day or the hour when this will happen. I cannot tell you, "This will happen on October xx of this year." Also, later on, he says:
(Matthew 24:40) Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
(Matthew 24:41) Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
(Matthew 24:42) Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
Pastor Anderson: So God is telling us that we do not know when it will be. It is something to watch for. We do not know the day or the hour, but he does tell us that it is AFTER THE TRIBULATION because he said that AFTER THE TRIBULATION the sun and moon are darkened, then Jesus Christ comes in the clouds. That is when the trumpet sounds. That is when the believers are caught up. So just because we do not know the day or the hour, does not mean that this is something that could happen at any moment. A lot of people will look at that "no man knoweth the day or the hour," and say, "It could happen at any moment." Well, he just finished saying that it is AFTER THE TRIBULATION. This is actually found in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Matthew covers it in chapter 24, Mark covers it in chapter 13, Luke covers it in chapter 17 and chapter 21, and then John covers it in the book of Revelation. It is covered by all four. First comes the tribulation, then the sun and moon are darkened, then Jesus comes in the clouds at the rapture.
Scene 5 - "Tribulation" does NOT mean "wrath"
Pastor Anderson: The reason that people think that the rapture is before the tribulation is that they confuse the tribulation with God's wrath. One way to prove that God's wrath and the tribulation are two completely different things is that in Matthew 24:29, it says, "Immediately AFTER THE TRIBULATION of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give here light." So the Bible is very clear in Matthew 24 that the sun and moon are darkened AFTER THE TRIBULATION. Well, then if you go to Revelation 6 where you read about when the sun and moon are darkened (when the 6th seal is opened), it says, "...and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood" - exactly what it said in Matthew 24.
(Revelation 6:13) And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
(Revelation 6:14) And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
(Revelation 6:15) And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
(Revelation 6:16) And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
(Revelation 6:17) For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
Pastor Anderson: So, according to this, when does God's wrath begin to be poured out? When the sun and moon are darkened is when they say, "The great day of his wrath is come." Present tense IS come, meaning that it just came. So if Matthew 24 says that the sun and moon are darkened AFTER THE TRIBULATION, and if God's wrath does not start until after the sun and moon are darkened, how can they be the same thing? So the wrath does not begin until after the sun and moon are darkened. Usually when you try to ask people to show you scripture on the pre-tribulation rapture, they cannot show you any verse. I will challenge anyone to show me one verse that actually uses the word "tribulation" to support their pre-tribulation rapture position. They cannot do it. They have to show you verses that use the word "wrath." They find verses that show that we as Christians are not under God's wrath, and they will show verses that say that we are not appointed unto wrath, and that we are saved from wrath. And they say, "See, right there, the Bible says that we will not go through the tribulation. But wait a minute: tribulation and wrath are two different things! There is no verse that any pre-trib believer can show you that uses the word "tribulation" in it to prove their doctrine. They will take you to some verse about God's wrath. Well God's wrath and the tribulation are two totally different things. Most Christians are taught in their churches and by the books that they read that these two things are the same thing. And when you try to tell them, "Hey! We are going to be here for the tribulation! The rapture does not come until AFTER THE TRIBULATION." Here is what they try to tell you: "No, God would not pour out his wrath on his own people. We are not appointed to wrath. We will be spared from his wrath." But wait a minute: is God's wrath the same as the tribulation? No. So, if we could just get people to understand what the word "tribulation" means, they would understand that the rapture comes AFTER THE TRIBULATION. It is just that people do not understand the word "tribulation" because they have this idea in their head that the tribulation is a seven year period where God is pouring out his wrath and pouring out fire and brimstone, turning water into blood, and tormenting people with scorpions and all these different plagues. That is not what the tribulation is. That is not what the Bible teaches.
Scene 6 - Every New Testament Mention of the Word "Tribulation"
Pastor Anderson: Those who believe in this so-called "pre-trib rapture," or a rapture that comes before the tribulation, that can happen at any moment: let's break down that term "pre-trib rapture." It has three elements to it. "Pre" means what? "Before." What does "trib" stand for? "Tribulation." Then you have "rapture." The word "rapture" is not in the Bible. The concept of the rapture is in the Bible because we see Jesus come in the clouds, people are caught up to be with him in the air, etc. So the concept of the rapture is there, but the word "rapture" is not used. Is the word "tribulation" in the Bible? If you look up every single verse that uses the word "tribulation," it is used 22 times in the New Testament. So if the New Testament uses the word "tribulation" 22 times, and everyone is going around with this doctrine called the "pre-trib rapture," shouldn't one of those 22 verses, or 22 passages or chapters, teach us something about a rapture happening before the tribulation? None of those verses says anything about there being a rapture before the tribulation or anything like that, so the pre-tribulation rapture people have to rely on a lot of interpretation, and they have to explain it to you, and it is always very complicated. I have noticed something about the Bible: God wants us to understand the Bible. He is not trying to play tricks on us and confuse us and make things difficult. He wants us to know the truth. He loves us. I have noticed that many times the first time that the Bible brings something up, he defines it for us, and he helps us understand it. That way when we see it the second time, we will know what he is talking about. The Bible reads in Matthew 13:21
(Matthew 13:21) Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
Pastor Anderson: What do you see the definition of "tribulation" as? Persecution. He says "tribulation or persecution" that arises because of the word. So are these people going through tribulation because they are so bad? No, they are going through tribulation because they are standing on the word of God. And because they have taken a stand for the word of God, because they have received the word of God with all gladness, they will go through persecution or tribulation. If we are rooted and grounded in what we believe, when persecution and tribulation comes, we will endure. The first time you see the word "tribulation" used in the Bible, it is coupled with "persecution." That is the first time the word "tribulation" is used in the New Testament, and if you follow every single time throughout the New Testament that the word "tribulation" is used, 90% of the time it is talking about believers going through tribulation - saved people going through tribulation. The other two times it is used where it is not talking about saved people, it has nothing to do with end times prophecy. It is just talking about people going through tribulation in general. Christians throughout history have gone through tribulation, and our generation will not be any different. Maybe this will happen in our lifetime, maybe it will not, but if it happens in our lifetime, we will go through it as believers. We will either be killed for the cause of Christ, or hopefully we will make it through this period and make it to the rapture.
Pastor Jimenez: The fifth mention of the word "tribulation" in the New Testament is found in John 16:33.
Pastor Anderson: He is speaking to believers. He is speaking to his disciples. He says,
(John 16:33) These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer: I have overcome the world.
Pastor Anderson: Did he say that you will avoid the tribulation? Did he say that you will not go through tribulation? Did he say, "I would never let my people go through tribulation! I love them too much!" No! What did the first mention of "tribulation" say in Matthew 13? That if people were not rooted and grounded, and persecution or tribulation would arise because of the word, they would be offended. Look what Jesus said in this chapter that warns us of tribulation in verse 1:
(John 16:1) These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.
Pastor Anderson: He is saying that if he does not tell you about this, if he does not warn you about the coming persecutions and tribulations and trials that you will go through in your life, when they come, you will be taken by surprise. You will be offended. You say, "Why are you preaching this sermon, Pastor Anderson?" I am preaching this sermon that ye might not be offended. You say, "Wait a minute, this sermon offends!" No, this is the sermon to stop you from being offended because Jesus said that if you know this is coming, you will not be offended. Look at verse 4:
(John 16:4) But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.
Pastor Anderson: So he says there that when these things happen you will remember that I told you so, and I am saying the same thing tonight that Jesus said. When these things begin to happen - it may not be in our lifetime; it may be 100 years from now; maybe it will be a couple years from now; we do not know when the end will be - but when it happens, you will remember that I told you. More importantly than that, because I did not make these things up, you will remember that Jesus told you.
Pastor Jimenez: The next time you find the word "tribulation" is in Acts 14:22, and it says,
(Acts 14:22) Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
Pastor Jimenez: It is interesting the statement that is made is that "we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God" - a very specific statement in the Bible that when we enter into the kingdom of God, it will be through tribulation, not that we will enter into the kingdom of God before tribulation.
Pastor Anderson: Did he say, "Man alive, it is great that we will be gone before the tribulation!" No, he said, "You had better confirm them. You had better firm them up on some things. You had better strengthen them because they had better know that they must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." Any pre-tribulation rapture in mention #6? I didn't think so.
Pastor Jimenez: In 2 Corinthians 7:4, the Bible says:
(2 Corinthians 7:4) Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.
Pastor Anderson: He did not say, "I am exceeding joyful because I am not going through tribulation. I am so joyful that we will be raptured before the tribulation!" That is not what he said. He said, "I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation." Where is the pre-trib rapture in that scripture? It is not there.
Pastor Jimenez: It is just amazing to me that as you look at the word "tribulation" throughout scripture, you keep finding multiple references to believers saying that they are going through tribulation. He says, "…in all our tribulation." It is not something that believers do not go through. It is something that believers have been going through their whole lives. Throughout the generations, believers have gone through tribulation.
Pastor Anderson: Keep in mind, folks, God is not out to confuse us. He is not trying to mess with us. Man has been messing with you! Preachers have been messing with you! TV shows and movies have been messing with you (Left Behind, etc.). God is not messing with you.
Pastor Jimenez: If we allow the Bible to be our dictionary, and we allow the Bible to define words for us, we would find that the word "tribulation" is not the wrath of God. It is persecution, it is affliction, it is trouble.
Pastor Anderson: You would think that someone could show you one verse of those 22 mentions. Show me one verse that says that we will be gone before the tribulation, or that we will be caught up before the tribulation, or that the rapture will take place before the tribulation. Yet I can show you where the Bible point blank says that immediately after the tribulation, Jesus is coming in the clouds, the trumpet will sound, and the elect will be caught up together with him in the clouds. It is that simple. Those who believe in the pre-trib rapture just have to rely on people with their elaborate interpretations and logic, and, "Well, since we don't know the day or the hour, that means it could happen at any time, and if it could happen at any time, then it must be before the tribulation." Or they will have a complicated chart to explain it to you. But if you just pick up the Bible and take it at face value - read the New Testament starting in Matthew 1 - when you get to Matthew 24, there it is, as clear as day: AFTER THE TRIULATION Jesus comes in the clouds.
Scene 7 - Dr. Kent Hovind Introduced
Pastor Anderson: Dr. Kent Hovind is a really famous evangelist who believed and preached the pre-trib rapture for 38 years. Well now he is in prison, and since he has been in prison, he has been reading his Bible, and he realizes that the pre-trib rapture is not found in scripture, and I want to give him a call to find out more about what made him switch. What made him realize that it is AFTER THE TRIBULATION?
Dr. Kent Hovind: My name is Kent Hovind. I was a high school science teacher 15 years and then became an evangelist for 20 years teaching on creation and evolution. And I've been really concerned about my view of the end times and how it fits together with scripture, and I became convinced, oh, about three years ago, that what I've been taught all my life, is not true. I've had to switch, much to the dismay of many of my fundamental brethren, to the post-trib, pre-wrath position. The Bible says the scoffers in the last days would be willingly ignorant of the creation, the flood, and the coming judgement. Well, I spent 20 years teaching all over the world about the creation and the flood, but I kind of avoided the coming judgement part because I didn't understand it myself. Over in Matthew 24, Jesus' sermon which gives us where the disciples asked him very clearly: what is the sign of your coming? And when will it happen? The same story is told again in Mark 13 and in Luke 21, so I copied pages from the Bible of all three of those passages and put them side by side - all three parallel accounts. And once you had picked out all the details, it just became more and more clear that the pre-trib rapture idea just was not true.
Pastor Anderson: Why do you think so many people believe in the pre-trib rapture? Why is this doctrine so popular?
Dr. Kent Hovind: Because it answers an embarrassing problem. The Christians could not answer the questions about the dinosaurs. Where did they fit? So, they made up the "gap theory" and fell for it. I think the idea of a pre-trib rapture fits into that category where people have itching ears. This is what they want to hear.
Pastor Anderson: Right.
(Colossians 2:8) Beware lest any many spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
Dr. Kent Hovind: They want to hear, "Hey, I won't have to endure suffering." Well, Jesus said that there is coming a time of tribulation such as was not since the world began. I mean, you think the Spanish Inquisition was bad? Or that the Nazi holocaust with the Jews was bad? Or the Roman persecution of the Christians? It is going to be worse than all of those put together!
Pastor Anderson: Wow. That is amazing.
(Genesis 4:8) And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
Dr. Kent Hovind: So, the world starts off with Cain killing Abel - the bad guys killing the good guys.
Pastor Anderson: Right.
Dr. Kent Hovind: It has been that way all through history. And Jesus told us that when they kill you or when they persecute you, rejoice, because your rewards are great in the kingdom of heaven.
Pastor Anderson: If we really take a biblical definition of what "tribulation" means (not what it has been corrupted into meaning) - if we actually take a biblical definition of "tribulation," wouldn't you say that you are going through tribulation right now?
Dr. Kent Hovind: Oh, yes. "Tribulation" is what the world does to us, and it has already happened for thousands of years. Jesus said, "In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer: I have overcome the world." Christians should expect tribulation, and we get great rewards if we go through it patiently.
Scene 8 - Timeline of the Book of Revelation
Dr. Pastor Anderson: Now, since this class is about "Religious Extremism," this might fall into that category in some people's minds, to think that there will literally be an end to this world - that there will be a literal, bodily second coming Jesus Christ. That is why I wanted to just explain to you in a nutshell - I want to just give you a brief timeline of what is going to take place according to the Bible, and how this will all happen.
Pastor Anderson: I think the key to understanding the book of Revelation is understanding how it breaks down. God gave us the book of Revelation to be just that - a revelation - to reveal these things to us, not to hide them. It is not the book of Camouflage. It is the book of Revelation, and God wants it to be easily understood. That is why he gave it to us in a format that is easy to understand. When you start reading in chapter one, you are at the time of Christ or thereabouts because John is on the isle of Patmos, and John has been persecuted for preaching the Gospel, so we are talking about less than a century after Christ's coming to this earth. Then he receives a vision where he sees the Lord Jesus Christ who appears unto him. Then in chapters 2-3 Jesus Christ gives a message unto these seven churches of Asia, and obviously those are churches that were in the first century A.D., at that time. Then in chapters 4-5 we see the vision up in Heaven where it describes events going on in Heaven. Then in chapter 6 we get into the events of the tribulation. Chapter 7 is where the great multitude appears in Heaven - obviously the rapture - all nations and all kindreds are represented there. Then in chapters 8-9 you have God pouring out his wrath upon this earth. Then chapter 10 is a parenthetical chapter talking about a few things before the seventh trumpet sounds. Then in chapter 11 we have the 7th trumpet sounding. All that to say this: if you look at the book of Revelation, the first 11 chapters follow a chronology that makes perfect sense. You start out around the time Christ, as far as the same century as Christ. Then you get into the events of the future: the tribulation, then the rapture, then God pouring out his wrath. Then when that seventh trumpet sounds in chapter 11, there is a finality, where he says, "The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. But what is interesting is that when you get to the end of chapter 11, you have that finality at the end. Well, then you get into chapter 12, and there is a major gear change in the book of Revelation because look at verse 1 of chapter 12 that we just looked at. It says:
(Revelation 12:1) And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:
(Revelation 12:2) And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
(Revelation 12:3) And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
(Revelation 12:4) And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
Pastor Anderson: Now pay close attention to verse 5:
(Revelation 12:5) And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
Pastor Anderson: Now obviously that child is Jesus Christ because in the Old Testament and the New Testament, the Bible talks about Jesus Christ ruling this earth with a rod of iron, and it is referring to his millennial reign that is coming in the future. So really the best way that I can help you to understand the book of Revelation is to tell you to cut it in half right at chapter 11. 1-11 if one half, and 12-22 is the other half. Then if you put those halves side by side, you will see the same events from two different angles:
1 1st Century A.D. 12
2
3
4
5
6 Tribulation 13
7 Rapture 14
15
8 Wrath of God 16
9
10
11
Babylon 17
18
Armageddon 19
White Throne 20
New Heaven/Earth 21
22
Pastor Anderson: Why would God do that? Why would God tell the same story twice in the book of Revelation? Well, why did he tell us the Gospel story four times in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John? Why did he give us the books of 1 & 2 Samuel and 1 & 2 Kings, but then he also gave us 1 & 2 Chronicles to give us another angle, another perspective, and we can learn a lot from comparing the books of the Kings with the books of the Chronicles, or comparing Matthew to Mark, and Mark to Luke, and Luke to John, and these give us different perspectives. Well that is the same way that we understand the book of Revelation. That will help you understand the book of Revelation when you understand that chronology. Now some people think that Revelation is not in chronological order at all, but the term "after this" or the term "after these things" occurs 10 times in the book of Revelation. If we see over and over again "after this" and "after these things," God is giving us an order of events.
Pastor Jimenez: It is a ridiculous way to try to interpret the Bible or read the Bible to negate the fact that the Bible says "after this," and people say, "It is not in chronological order. It does not make sense." All throughout the Bible, that is how you read scripture. A funny example: in John 3:21, it says:
(John 3:21) But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
Pastor Jimenez: Then verse 22 says, "After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea;" and it would be ridiculous for me to stand here and say, "No, verse 22 actually took place before verse 21," when verse 22 says "after these things." We would look at that and say, Of course, that is how it is written, and that is what it means. Then we get to the book of Revelation, and like I said, 10 times you read "after these things" or "after this," yet people say, "No, it is not in chronological order. It does not make sense." It is just a dumb way of reading the Bible.
Pastor Anderson: So, if you get the idea that it is chronological, but it starts over again in chapter 12, that will help you to understand. I want to go through just a couple of chapters here to show you the order of events of the end times. This could happen 100 years from now. We might all be gone, but I think it is very likely that it will happen in the near future. In fact, I would be shocked if these things did not happen at least in my lifetime if I live out my normal lifespan. I am 31 years old, and at the speed which things are going right now, I would be surprised if this does not happen in the next 40 years. When I start to get into the message tonight, I think you will understand a little bit why I say that. Here is what starts out first the tribulation. The Bible says that the Devil, or Satan, will be cast out of Heaven. Now you say, "Wait a minute, Pastor Anderson, hasn't that already happened?" But the answer is no. People think that the Devil is in Hell right now, but in reality, the Devil has never even been to Hell because the Bible makes it very clear that the Devil is on this earth walking about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. The Devil and all his demons are present upon this earth in the Bible. He goes back and forth between Earth and Heaven, and he talks to God. If you read the book of Job, the Devil comes and stands before God and has a conversation with God in Heaven about his servant Job. So the Devil right now goes back and forth. Well, the Bible talks about how some day the Devil will be cast down from Heaven:
(Revelation 12:7) And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
(Revelation 12:8) And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
(Revelation 12:9) And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
(Revelation 12:10) And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
(Revelation 12:11) And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
(Revelation 12:12) Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
Pastor Anderson: So, what do we see here? There is war in Heaven, and the Bible teaches that the Devil loses this battle. He loses this war in Heaven, and because he loses the battle, he and his angels, which here it shows that it is one third of the angels, they are cast down unto the earth. Basically this is Satan being cast out of Heaven, and he knows he only has a little bit of time, and he will go out to persecute the believers and persecute the saints and try to destroy them. Look at chapter 13. Here is where that war begins. In Revelation 12:17, he is going out to make war. How will he do it? How is the Devil going to make war with the believers?
Scene 9: The Antichrist
Pastor Anderson: The next thing that we will see happen prophetically is what is called the tribulation. The tribulation is a period where there will be a lot of things happening on this earth that are catastrophic. There will be famines. There will be pestilences. There will be warfare - an extreme amount of warfare. A lot of people will be starving to death and dying of disease. A lot of horrible things will be happening. Well, out of all this warfare and cataclysm that will be taking place during the tribulation, (not supernatural cataclysm, not God raining fire and brimstone, but rather natural disasters, warfare, famine, caused by human beings) there is going to be a man that will emerge and become a dictator of the entire world who is known as "the antichrist." This is not a fairy tale. This will really happen, and in fact, we can already see the signs that it is beginning to happen. The Bible tells us that some day there will be a one world government. Right now we have many different governments. We have the United States, we have Russia, we have China - they are all separate, sovereign nations (you have probably heard the term "sovereign") - all these separate nations. Well, one day, the Bible says that all of those nations will unite together and form a one world government. Then once they have formed that one world government, they will hand all the power to one person that will be the head of that government, and that person is known as the "antichrist." Who has every heard of the antichrist before? Everyone has heard that term before. The "antichrist" is a biblical term. You will often hear the Bible talk about "the beast," or "the beast from the sea," or "the beast with seven heads and ten horns," or the "man of sin," or the "son of perdition," but the Bible also uses the term "antichrist." I like to use term "antichrist:" it is a term that people understand, and it is a biblical term. I would like to show you where the Bible mentions the term "antichrist" because the Bible tells us that there is person coming some day who is called the antichrist. Before Jesus Christ comes back there will be a decoy, a fake Christ. Do you see what I mean? The antichrist is a guy who is claiming to be the second coming of Christ, but he is an impostor. But since Christians now are being taught to expect Jesus to come back at any moment, it is perfect because guess who is really showing up - the antichrist. Why does the Bible call it "antichrist"? Because there is a man coming called the "antichrist" (singular) who will say that he is Jesus Christ. When that antichrist shows up in the tribulation and says, "I am Jesus Christ," they will accept him as their messiah. A lot of people will teach, "Oh, when Jesus Christ comes in the clouds, the Jews will finally realize that he was their messiah, and they will accept him." No, they will accept the antichrist! That is what the Bible says. Jesus said:
(John 5:43) I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.
Pastor Anderson: I think Satan's plan with the pre-tribulation rapture is to get everyone to have this mentality that "Jesus Christ is coming at any moment." "We are expecting Jesus Christ at any moment! He could come today! He is coming today!" but really the person who is coming is the antichrist. And the antichrist, when he comes, will be the head of a one world government and a one world religion where he claims to be the messiah. It says in verse 18 of 1 John 2:
(1 John 2:18) Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
Pastor Anderson: Is that first mention singular or plural? So they have heard that antichrist (singular) shall come. So, there is one antichrist coming, is there not? But are there not many antichrists even right now? That is what the verse says. Who are these antichrists?
(1 John 2:22) Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
Pastor Anderson: In order to believe that Jesus is not the Christ, you have to believe that there is a Christ, and that it is not Jesus. The word "Christ" means "Messiah." The Bible says in John 1:41, "We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ." So the Bible defines the word "Christ" as "Messiah." The two are interchangeable. So let me ask you this: can you think of a religion out there that says that there is a messiah coming, but that it is not Jesus - Jesus was not him. The Jewish religion teaches that there is a messiah, all right, but that it was not Jesus. They are stilling waiting for the messiah. They say that Jesus was not the messiah, and they are still waiting for the messiah. The Bible says that they will receive the antichrist as their messiah. Evangelical Christianity that believes that Jesus can come back at any moment, those that are not saved, those that do not believe the truth, many of them will be deceived and think, "This is the second coming of Jesus Christ!" The muslims today are waiting for a great prophet and a great messiah to come that is actually greater than Mohammad. President Ahmadinejad, the President of Iran - who has ever heard of him before? President Ahmadinejad spoke to the United Nations General Assembly a year or two ago, and when he did, he gave a brief synopsis of Islam.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: The essence of the message of prophets is one and the same. Every messenger has endorsed the messenger before him and given glad tidings about the next prophet to come who presented a more complete version of the religion in accordance with man's capacity at that time. This trend continued until the last messenger of God who presented the perfection of an all-inclusive religion. Nimrod countered hazrat Abraham. Pharaoh countered hazrat Moses, and the greedy countered hazrat Jesus Christ and hazrat Mohammad - may peace be upon all our prophets.
Pastor Anderson: And he said that Islam believes that Abraham was a great prophet, Moses was a great prophet, and then there was Jesus, and then there was Mohammad - and the Muslim is nodding her head so I must be getting this right! And basically what Ahmadinejad said was that each of those men brought more truth than the one who came before as man was ready for it. They brought more illumination and more detail and more truth. He said that in the future another prophet will come that will even be greater than Mohammad and will bring the next level of illumination. So Islam is looking for a messianic figure to come. They are waiting for the Imam Mahdi.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: Oh God, hasten the arrival of Imam al Mahdi and grant him good health and victory, and make us his followers, and those who attest to his rightfulness.
Pastor Anderson: The Buddhists are looking for the Fifth Buddha to come. Those that are in Tibet that follow the Dalai Lama: they believe that the Dalai Lama keeps being reincarnated into another person - that spirit of the Dalai Lama. They will believe that the antichrist is the new embodiment of the Dalai Lama. The Muslims will look at him as the Imam Mahdi. The Christians will look at him as the second coming of Christ. The Jews will look at him as the messiah. All of these major religions will rally around him, and people will say, "Isn't this great how we are all uniting finally! We're putting aside our differences, and this man is so wonderful!" and they will worship this man. This impostor, this antichrist, is going to come. The world government will put him into power and give him all the power, and they will also declare him to be God. They will declare him to be the second coming of Christ. He will basically be killed. The Bible says he will receive a deadly wound to his head, his deadly wound will be healed, and he will come back to life. Then he is going to be proclaimed as the second coming of Jesus Christ. He is going to be proclaimed as God in the flesh, and all the nations of the world, all the peoples of the world will worship this guy. Basically every religion will accept him as their messiah, but the Bible says that those who are saved will not be deceived by him. The rest of the world will worship him and believe him because he is going to perform miracles, the Bible says, and he is going to do all these signs and wonders, and he is going to bring in this world government. Sometimes you will try to warn people about a one world government. You try to warn them about some of the trends that we see happening of going to a cashless society. There are so many Christians who - you talk to Christians about a one world government, or you talk to them about a cashless society and all these different checkpoints that are being set up and the police state, and they call you a "conspiracy theorist." I am sure you have been called a conspiracy theorist throughout the years.
Dr. Kent Hovind: Yes, many times.
Pastor Anderson: But can someone really be a Bible-believing Christian and deny that there will be a one world government some day?
Dr. Kent Hovind: I don't think you could read the Bible without seeing the fact that it has always been Satan's plan to rule the world like Pinky and the Brain, and he wants a one world government. He wants to be God.
Scene 10 - the Mark of the Beast
Pastor Anderson: When this man is ruling the entire world, he will command that everyone receive what is called the "mark of the beast." Who has ever heard of the mark of the beast? The Bible says that the mark of the beast will be something in your right hand or in your forehead, and that no one will be able to buy or sell without having this mark. Now people may have read this a few hundred years ago and said, "How can you do that? How can you make people not be able to buy or sell unless they have this mark? Can't you just pull out cash?" Think about the way the technology is. This money that I hold in my hand, this federal reserve note, is a piece of paper. It is worthless. It does not have any intrinsic value. When you see a cashless society starting to develop - more and more we are getting away from using cash…
Man on TV: There will be a time when physical money is just going to cease to exist.
News Anchor: So is paper money a relic of a bygone era?
Man of TV: 95% of the transactions in America or more now have nothing to do with physical pieces of paper or coins.
News Lady: Have you ever wondered if one day cold hard cash will simply cease to exist? It is a reality that some say we should accept. Greenbacks and coins have become an inconvenience.
African official: The principle is that we have to move this economy from a cash-based economy to a cashless economy. This involves the banks. It involves telecom companies. It involves providers of ATMs and POSs. It involves a cultural change.
News Anchor: Just what do you call money these days? Is it a handful of coins and notes? Or are cards taking over? And our some form of money coming to the end of their lives, like the check?
Dr. Kent Hovind: Suppose every store in your town said, "Hey, we're not taking cash anymore," and suppose they said, "We are not even going to take checks or credit cards because there is too much fraud - too many stolen credit cards and too many bounced checks. It has to be an electronic transaction."
Pastor Anderson: Let's face it: the paper money is not really worth anything anyway. It is a piece of paper. It may as well be Monopoly money. It is not gold. It is not silver. It has no intrinsic value. So first, they have gotten us used to using pieces of paper that are worthless. Today I can exchange that piece of paper for goods and services, but if someone said tomorrow, "That money is not worth anything," then it would not be worth anything. Do you remember the Confederate States of America? Do you remember the confederate money? People saved up confederate money in the mattress. Guess what, it wasn't worth anything. Well they could do that to you, too, and just say, "Well, your paper money is no good. Now it's all just in your account. It's all tied in with your Facebook and Youtube channel and your gmail, and it's great because there is no identity theft. You don't have to worry about leaving your wallet at home. You don't have to worry about your credit card being stolen. It is all just completely cashless." We could control the drugs because there won't be any way to have a cash transaction. It's to prevent crime.
News Lady: It's sci-fi technology that's about to enter the checkout lane all in the name of speed and convenience. You'll be able to buy anything from bread to beer if you agree to give the store your ultimate identity.
ACLU guy: It scares the heck out of me.
News Lady: Once you have your groceries scanned, now what do you do? You touch your index finger to the image reader, and you have paid in about 3 seconds all with the touch of your fingertip. It's called biometrics: an automated way to recognize you based on your unique biological characteristics.
ACLU guy: Do not be sold on this because of a convenience.
Former QT employee: You know, today it's a fingerprint, tomorrow a microchip. Maybe that ushers in the mark of the beast.
News Lady: This man quit his management job at Quik Trip when the convenience store chain told him that he had to swipe his finger to clock in and clock out.
Former QT employee: And although it may be optional today, who knows about tomorrow.
News Lady: Experts say that biometrics are about to pervade every aspect of our economy and daily lives.
Woman on TV: You put your finger in their, and my name comes up, and she's got all my information.
News Lady: And it's that quick?
Woman on TV: It's very quick.
News Lady: Love it?
Woman on TV: Love it.
News Lady: People across the world already use biometrics. The US government, the airlines, gas stations - even Walt Disney World uses technology that can read guests' blood veins in lieu of carrying day passes.
Pastor Anderson: This one world government will have so much power that it will be able to dictate that no person on this earth will be able to buy or sell without having the mark of the beast. Now it's interesting that the King James Bible very clearly says that the mark of the beast - this mark that will be required for you to buy or sell - will be located IN their right hand or IN their forehead. This could be some kind of an implantable chip, where in order to buy or sell, you will just need to scan this chip. What is going to happen one day is that they will say, "This paper money - that one hundred dollars in your pocket - it's worthless. You must scan to pay. It is all electronic now. You go to the grocery store, you ring up your groceries, and then just *beep*. If you don't have a hand, no problem, we can put it in your head because everyone has a head! You will just *beep* check out at the checkout. All of the money will just be in electronic format, and it is already going that way. Cellphones are starting to have a scanner. So, let's say there is an exchange of goods and services between two people. Okay, that will be $10.50. Go ahead and just give me your right hand so I can scan it with my smartphone. *beep* Okay, now I just took the money from his account. Oh, you just gave my son a piano lesson. Let me get you paid. *beep* Think about it now: the smartphone can be used to scan the mark of the beast, and you can't buy or sell without it.
News Lady: In medical news tonight, a chip the size of a grain of rice could save your life.
News Anchor: The year is 2017. You are rushed to a hospital unconscious with no ID or medical history, but thanks to a microchip under your skin, it is all there. Science fiction twenty years ago, but a biometric reality today.
Professor: I think it is possible to free us completely of our wallets and keys using biometric technology if that is what people want in ten years time.
News Anchor: The challenge is to safeguard our privacy in a brave new world.
News Anchor: New microchip technology now makes it possible for the emergency room staff to find out about your medical history at the touch of a computer key.
Harvard Doctor: So many emergency physicians have to operate blind. We have to make medical decisions not knowing what medicines you take or what allergies you have.
News Anchor: Harvard doctor says that this Radio Frequency Identification chip may solve that problem. He had implanted in his right upper arm. A scanner reads an identification number. Those 16 digits are then entered into a secure website where his medical history is stored. EMT worker says that the chip could help emergency workers.
EMT Worker: One of the big things is if you ever have any type of trauma patient where they come in, and they are unable to give you their information and/or their medical history.
News Anchor: Harvard doctor says that the benefits are clear.
Harvard Doctor: I'm a rock climber, and I believe that if I fall off a cliff, and you find me unconscious, the comfort of being able to scan me and figure out who I am outweighs my concern for privacy.
News Anchor: The chip is encased in unbreakable glass and is about the size of a grain of rice. The procedure is done with anesthesia and is relatively pain free.
Harvard Doctor: It's like putting a knitting needle under your skin.
News Anchor: But in this case, he says that getting something under your skin is a good thing.
Male News Anchor: It starts like this: here's this cat, and five years later, we found out she's back. Then somebody said, “You know if it’s good enough for a cat, I’ve got mom and dad at home and dad kind of wanders off sometimes and maybe we could put a microchip with his medical records in case something ever happens. Sounds good.” And then somebody says, “Well, if it’s good enough for my cat, good enough for grandma and grandpa, what about my baby?” No more Amber alerts. Never having to worry about that fear of an abducted child. And then, we say, “Well, you know what? Maybe WE should have them. And on that chip, we’re going to have everything. Credit cards, drivers license. Think about it. Metro cards. No more wallets. Think about this, you don’t carry keys anymore. So the question I want everybody at home to ask is: Is that a good idea? Because that’s where we’re going next.
Female News Anchor: It’s too sci-fi for me, I’m telling you that.
Male News Anchor: It’s here! It’s here.
Female News Anchor: I know it’s here and with pets and in a limited basis but for humans…
Male News Anchor: But you’re child…
Female News Anchor: You’re child…I mean, come on...
Steven Anderson: People in the past might have wondered, “How could this be implemented? How do you stop people from buying or selling if they don’t have a mark?” But we see now the technology developing that would make it very easy for no one to be able to buy or sell without having this mark. And guess what? Most people only have seven days of food in their house or ten days of food in their house, so if you can’t buy or sell you’re going to be in a world of hurt. And basically the Bible says there’s also going to be a law that says if you won’t worship the antichrist you’ll be killed. This guy’s great, he’s doing a lot of great things, he’s bringing people together. Only one catch: Get on board or be put to death. And when you hear about that, when you look at that, you probably say, “Well, in that case, I guess we’re all going to die that are believers, those that believe on Christ. I guess we’re all going to be beheaded. And the Bible talks about us being beheaded. We’re all going to be beheaded. But here’s the thing. If this were allowed to continue, you’re right, all believers would be killed. Because think about it, look at the technology, look at the surveillance cameras that are going up everywhere, the satellites. Now the police are using drones with cameras to fly around and spy on you. Have you seen that? Surveillance drones. Now they’re installing microphones at street corners where they can listen in to what you’re saying. And it’s like the dystopic novel “1984.” That’s the way our country is going, to where it’s a total surveillance society. It used to be that you just got on an airplane. Now you have to be molested by the TSA. Now you’ve got to go through a naked body scanner. Now you’ve got to be scanned. You’ve got to be padded down. You’ve got to have ID with you at all times and police are constantly, “Where’s your ID? Where are your papers? Your papers are not in order!” And that’s the country that we’re living in now. And so this is going to continue to the point where it’s going to be really hard to escape this prison planet. But let me say this: We will not all be killed. Many will be killed, don’t get me wrong. Many Christians will be beheaded and killed for the cause of Christ. But I’ll say this: We will not all be killed because this will be cut short. And the Bible says:
(Matthew 24:22) And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.
Pastor Anderson: And the Bible says that in the midst of this, Jesus Christ will return. Remember we talked earlier about the second coming of Christ. He will return. Just when they think they’ve defeated Christianity, they’ve got their global government, they’ve got their one world government with Satan at its head, Jesus Christ comes in the clouds and that’s when the rapture takes place and that’s when he begins to pour out his wrath on this earth. And you can read about it in Revelation. He’s going to be turning water into blood. He’s going to be scorching the trees and grass. He’s going to be sending these locusts from hell that are going to be stinging people with tails like scorpions. If you haven’t read the book of Revelation, I strongly recommend it. And don’t read the NIV. Read the King James Version, ok? If you’re going to take the time to read it, why don’t you read the real thing? Accept no imitation. Look at Chapter 13 Verse 1:
(Revelation 13:1) And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
(Revelation 13:2) And the beast [Antichrist] which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon [Satan] gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
Pastor Anderson: So this beast that is described, the Bible says the dragon is the one who gave him his power and gave him his seat and gave him his authority. Look at verse 3:
(Revelation 13:3) And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him? And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
Pastor Anderson: Now does forty and two months ring a bell with time and times and half a time and twelve hundred and sixty days? See how these things all tie in? He says in verse 6:
(Revelation 13:6) And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
Pastor Anderson: Watch this. Verse seven. Here’s the key:
(Revelation 13:7) And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
Pastor Anderson: Now didn’t we see in chapter 12 verse 17 that the dragon’s goal was to make war with those who believe in Christ and keep the commandments of God? Here he says it was given unto him to make war with the saints – Watch this – to overcome them. Who is going to win in this war between the saints and the devil on this earth? The devil. He said he’s going to make war with the saints and overcome them. According to Revelation 13, the antichrist goal is to make war with the saints. So he doesn’t want Christians to take the mark of the beast to avoid persecution. He wants every Christian dead. You say, “Well that’s depressing.” Well, just read to the end of the book and you’ll see who wins in the end. This is just a temporary setback in chapter 13. But he says in verse 7:
(Revelation 13:7-8) And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Pastor Anderson: So this man that’s called the beast, this man who has power over all nations, all kindreds, all tongues, his goal is to make war with the saints and the Bible says that everyone on the earth shall worship him. Wait a minute. No, it doesn’t. It says everyone on the earth will worship him whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. So let me ask you this. Are those whose names ARE in the book of life, are they worshipping him? No. Well, the Bible says he will be so believable and so smooth that he would deceive the elect if it were possible. But God will not allow any of those who are saved to be deceived by this guy. So everybody who is truly saved, even those who have been sucked in by a pre-trib rapture, when they start seeing it happen, or hopefully when they see this documentary, they’ll realize, “Wait a minute. This is happening. This is the antichrist. I can’t take this. I shouldn’t worship this guy. This isn’t really Christ. So anybody who won’t worship him is going to be killed. And anyone who won’t worship him can’t buy or sell. You’re not just going to go to Walgreen’s and get the mark of the beast. It’s not going to be something where you just show up at the post office. “Ok, can I get my chip so I can buy or sell?” No, the Bible is clear. You must worship the antichrist in order to receive this chip. Now even many decades ago, you had lie detectors. Now they’re developing brain scan type technologies. I believe that probably in order to get the mark of the beast, you’re going to have to worship the antichrist and pledge allegiance under the antichrist and he’ll know if you’re telling the truth.
News Anchor: Sci-fi is here. Tomorrow is here now.
Pastor Anderson: Not only that, but if you think about it, the transportation now is so controlled. There are checkpoints on the highways for trying to drive and then if you try to go on an airplane, the TSA is going to put you through a naked body scanner and so it seems like the control grid is being put in place so that you’re not going to be able to function in society unless you bow down to this beast and worship the beast and receive the mark.
Kent Hovind: Exactly right. And we’re going to be villainized. Jesus said very clearly his disciples would be hated for his name’s sake. Anybody who doesn’t cooperate with this wonderful new world order that they’re planning is going to be looked at as the enemy. For instance, with school, when you go to take your kindergartener to put him in school and they say you cannot come to school unless you’re vaccinated. Well, what if you have an aversion to vaccines and say, “Hey, I think this may be causing autism. It may be causing a host of things. I don’t know, but I don’t want to take a chance. And I don’t see any scriptural equivalent to vaccination where you put some poison into your body to be inoculated against more.”
Pastor Anderson: Right, right.
Kent Hovind: The fact is, the school says you can’t come unless you’re vaccinated so now you have a choice. Do you stand by your convictions or do you bow down and give your kid the vaccine for convenience? It will be the same with the mark of the beast. It was the same eighty years ago with social security numbers. People had an aversion to having a number. “Oh, I’m a name.” And then they slowly have gotten to now where everybody has one and doesn’t even think about it. Is that step one, two, or three toward the final goal of making a one world kingdom?
Pastor Anderson: Satan is cast out of heaven. He knows he has a short time. He goes to make war against the believers and the saints. And what does he do? He does it by putting a man in power, doesn’t he? The dragon gave him his power. He puts a man in power over the entire world, over every kindred and every tongue. And this man will carry out the devil’s war against the saints. The Bible says in verse 11:
(Revelation 13:11-12) And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
Pastor Anderson: So here this man is demanding worship. It says in verse 13:
(Revelation 13:13-14) And he doeth great wonders [miracles], so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
(Revelation 13:15) And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
Pastor Anderson: And you say, “What in the world is that image of the beast that is given life? As we get closer and closer to this, I think that we can kind of understand the technology a little more, so I don’t really know exactly what kind of an image this is going to be. But it’s some kind of an image of the beast that can speak and cause that as many as will not worship are killed. Now this kind of reminds me of Daniel, chapter 3. Remember Nebuchadnezzar who was king over the civilized world at that time? Do you remember how he made a great image and they had to worship that image? And what would happen if they didn’t worship the image? They were killed, right? Isn’t that similar to what we see here? That’s a picture of the antichrist. Look at verse 16. Here’s the key:
(Revelation 13:16-18) And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is six hundred threescore and six [666].
Pastor Anderson: This is one of the tools that Satan is using to persecute the believers. The mark of the beast is a tool that he is using to make war with the saints, because of the fact that if you can’t buy or sell, it’s pretty hard to function in today’s world, isn’t it? Or in any world. So not only does he make a law that says if you don’t worship the antichrist you’re going to be killed. That’s a persecution right there. That’s making war with the saints. He also makes it impossible for the saints to buy or sell because they don’t have the mark of the beast, and the mark of the beast is only going to be given to those who worship the beast. And those that are saved, those that are saints, they’re not going to worship the beast. The Bible is clear on that in Matthew 24 and elsewhere. So they’re not going to be able to buy or sell and they’re going to have a death warrant on them. Now imagine yourself right now in a world – and I didn’t say in a nation, I didn’t say in a country, I said in a WORLD – where you can’t buy or sell and where there’s a warrant out for you to be put to death. Can you imagine how difficult it would be to survive in a world like that? Not only that, what about all the surveillance cameras that are going in? What about the license plate reading cameras? What about the naked body scanners? What about the showing your ID at checkpoints? Showing your ID to get on a train? Showing your ID to get on an airplane? And you know what? Pretty soon you’re going to have to show something else. “OK, let’s see your right hand. OK, you’re good to go. Have a nice day.” This is not farfetched at all. Maybe when people read this a few hundred years ago they didn’t look at it the same way as we look at it. When we look at it, it has a little bit of flesh on it, doesn’t it? That’s why I think that this may be close. Christians today are not ready for this at all. They’re not ready for it at all. You know what you need to do? You need to prepare yourself spiritually and be ready so that you’re not, “What’s happening?” You need to be ready. You need to be prepared. That’s why God warns us and warns us and warns us and warns us. That’s why Paul even warned the people of his day. Obviously they weren’t living in the days of the great tribulation, but they went through their own tribulations like every believer does. He said, “We warned you. Verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation even as it came to pass, as ye know.” And so we need to be warned and to understand that this is coming so that we can handle it.
Scene 11 - Imminence
Ronald Rasmussen: Christians today are not being warned about the events they will face in the great tribulation. Instead, pastors across America are teaching their people that the rapture will take place before the antichrist carries out his war with the saints and that the rapture will be the very first event on God’s prophetic timeline. This doctrine, known as imminence, teaches that Christ may return in the clouds at any moment and that there will be no signs of his coming. However, the Bible teaches that Christ’s coming is not imminent and that there are other events that must take place first.
Pastor Anderson: You’ve probably heard this doctrine that says that Jesus could come today. Who’s heard that before? It’s called the imminent return of Christ. They believe that Jesus is coming back at any moment. I’ve asked people many times when they tell me Jesus can come at any moment, “Where does it say that in the Bible?” And what they inevitably come back at me with is, “The Bible says no man knoweth the day or the hour of his coming.” And a lot of times they just can’t show you and have to help them find it. And he said, “Well, I don’t have it in front of me. I don’t know the exact chapter. But I know that Jesus said that no man knoweth the day or the hour.” I said, “Let me help you. He said it in Matthew 24:36.” Let me read for you what the Bible says, because I want to show you how unbiblical this is because this is mainstream Christianity. If you went down to the Christian bookstore right now, they would have all kinds of books and videos and who’s ever heard of this film “Left Behind?” Complete fairytale. Nothing to do with the Bible. Completely unbiblical. And the Bible says in Matthew 24:36:
(Matthew 24:36) But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
Pastor Anderson: So people will take that verse and say, “See right there? No man knoweth the day or the hour. That means it could happen at any moment.” But notice he said, “But of that day no man knoweth the day or the hour.” So the question is, “Which day?” It’s the day that he just finished talking about. Here’s the thing. Back in verse 29, he said that day is after the tribulation. He said in verse 29:
(Matthew 24:29) Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven , and the powers of heavens shall be shaken:
Pastor Anderson: He describes the events that are going to happen. Then he says:
(Matthew 24:36) But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
Pastor Anderson: So we don’t know the day or the hour but one thing we do know is that it is after the tribulation. People who believe in the pre-tribulation rapture will do these mental gymnastics where you will try to show them, “See, it says right there AFTER THE TRIBULATION.” This is what they will say, “That’s not about the rapture. That’s not the rapture.” You say, “Well, how do you know?” “Well, because it’s after the tribulation. And of course we know that the rapture is before the tribulation.” But then you’ll ask them, “Well, where does the Bible say that the rapture could happen any moment?” “Well, right there, it says no man knoweth the day or the hour.” “You just said this wasn’t about the rapture.” So, when it says it’s after the tribulation, Matthew 24 is not about the rapture. But when it says that no man knoweth the day or the hour, now all of a sudden Matthew 24 is about the rapture again. And when it says two are in the field, one taken and the other left, well, that’s about the rapture again. “Just shut up and do what you’re told. Just shut up and believe in the pre-trib rapture because I said so.” You say, “Give both sides. Be fair. Give both sides.” “OK, here’s the other side. Shut up and believe what I told you to say and quit asking questions. Shut up and believe it because I said so.” That’s the pre-trib side. It’s true. They’ve got nothing. I’ve got scripture after scripture after scripture, and they’ve got a whole lot of nothing. At least other false doctrines are based on some kind of a Bible verse that they’re twisting and people will take a Bible verse and take it out of context and twist it. The pre-tribulation rapture is not even twisting any scripture. They don’t even have a scripture. There is no scripture that says anything about the rapture taking place before the tribulation. It’s just a doctrine that’s not based on scripture whatsoever. It’s based on tradition. It’s based on a book or a chart that somebody read. It’s not based on the Bible. It didn’t come from the Bible. It doesn’t have its origins in the Bible. I find that whenever I explain this to people who are in the pew, they have no problem understanding this doctrine. It’s the people in the pulpit who will not face this doctrine, and I’ll tell you why. The pre-trib rapture is the popular doctrine. If you want to be popular, you’re going to preach the pre-trib rapture. You start preaching that the rapture comes after the tribulation, and you’re going to be ostracized, you’re going to be blackballed, you’re going to be rejected from fellowship, because they do not want to change on this doctrine. Because there are people out there who have an agenda of making sure that nobody hears the truth on this doctrine. It’s true. And the way that they keep this doctrine in the dark is through fear and intimidation. I talk to pastors all the time. I show them the truth on this. They agree with me. But they will not go into their pulpit and preach on this doctrine, because they are afraid of all their pastor friends turning on them. They’re not going to have the speaking engagements. They’re not going to be able to preach in these churches because you’ve got to be pre-trib to be in the club. And if you’re not pre-trib, you’re not in the club. Many times they won’t accept it because they don’t want to eat crow because they’ve been preaching it wrong all these years. They don’t want to admit that. They don’t want to admit that their Bible college taught them wrong. They don’t want to admit that they made a mistake. Everybody makes mistakes. We all grow. We all learn new things. If you’re wrong on something, you’ve got to be corrected on it. The Bible says in Galations 1:10:
(Galations 1:10) For do I now persuade men or God or do I seek to please men for if I yet pleased men I should not be the servant of Christ.
Pastor Anderson: These preachers need to decide whether pleasing men is more important, by preaching what’s popular, preaching the pre-trib rapture because that’s what everybody wants to hear, because they like the movie and they have the video game and the board game and the DVD, or go with what the Bible actually says and get up and preach that the rapture comes after the tribulation. It’s a perfect example of people taking what man says over what God says. It’s a classic example of not making the Bible your final authority and just going with tradition, going with what you’ve been taught, going with what people are saying, going with the flow, instead of going with what the Bible says.
Pastor Jimenez: I used to believe in the pre-tribulation rapture. It’s what I was taught since I was a child and you never really question what you’re told, but when I was exposed to the truth and I began to see the scriptures and what the Bible actually taught, I had to personally make a choice whether I was just going to go along to get along, whether I was just going to go with the flow, or if I was going to take a stand for what I believe and take a stand for what I knew was true. In my personal life I’ve been attacked and I’ve had people talk bad about me because of my stand on the pre-tribulation rapture, but I would hope that maybe if you’re listening to this or you’re watching this or you start to see the truth in regards to this, that you would just step out by faith and you would take the stand and maybe help us be able to turn the tide against this unscriptural doctrine that is the pre-tribulation rapture.
Kent Hovind: Another key verse that got me was 2 Thessalonians, Chapter 2, Verses 1 through 3:
(2 Thessalonians 2:1-3) Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ [so he’s referring to the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ is coming] , and by our gathering together unto him [a reference to the rapture], that ye be not shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ [again referring to the rapture] is at hand.
Pastor Jimenez: He says, “Look, it’s not AT hand. It’s not the next event that’s going to happen.” He says, “Let no man deceive you by any means for that day (talking about the day that we’ll be gathered together) shall not come except there come a falling away first and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.” So there it’s proven in scripture that the day of our gathering together with the Lord Jesus Christ shall not come until there’s a falling away and the man of sin be revealed. The only thing that’s imminent is the fact that the antichrist is coming.
Pastor Anderson: So the Bible flat out tells us that the day of Christ is not at hand. He said if anybody tries to tell you that the day of Christ is at hand, that person is lying to you. That person is a deceiver. He said don’t be deceived by a word or by a spirit or even by a letter as from us, a letter claiming to be from us saying that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive by any means. That day shall not come except X, Y, and Z happen first. The rapture simply cannot happen at any moment. The tribulation has to happen first. The antichrist has to come into power first. The sun and moon are going to be darkened before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. The Bible is real clear. That day shall not come except there come a falling away first and that man of sin be revealed. The antichrist will be revealed. The antichrist will sit in the temple of God and declare himself to be God. The antichrist will be in power before the rapture happens. It’s that simple. But if you look at Luke 17, it actually chronologically comes before Matthew 24, because Matthew 24 is a parallel passage with Luke 21. So in Luke 17 we read about the first recorded incident of Jesus teaching his disciples about this doctrine. The Bible says:
(Luke 17:26) As it was in the days of Noe [Noah], so shall it be also in the days of the son of man [Jesus Christ].
Pastor Anderson: A lot of people will take this and say that this means that people are going to be just as wicked as they were in the days of Noah. Also, he says as it was in the days of Lot, so shall it be also in the days of the coming of the son of man. And people will say, “Yes, it will be just as wicked as it was in Sodom and Gomorrah.” And they will point at all the things that are going on in our society that would mirror what was going on in Sodom and Gomorrah. And they will say it was just as wicked as it was in Sodom and Gomorrah or it’s going to be just as wicked as it was in Noah’s day. But really, that’s not the comparison that Jesus is making.
Pastor Jimenez: In verse 28 he says:
(Luke 17:28-29) Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
Pastor Jimenez: What we learn from this passage is the fact that when Lot was brought out of Sodom, that’s a picture of the rapture. You find two angels going into Sodom which represents the world and bringing the believer out before the wrath of God is poured out on the city. The book of Revelation teaches the same thing. The Bible tells in the book of Revelation the Lord Jesus Christ sends his angels and gathers the believers and brings them out of the world. The book of Revelation specifically tells us that a half hour goes by and then He begins to pour out his wrath.
Scene 12 - Description of the Rapture
Pastor Anderson: This “Left Behind” model where everybody disappears and everybody is saying, “Where are they all?” That’s not what people are going to be saying. Because the Bible says that the same day that we are going to be taken, God is going to begin to pour out judgment. God is going to begin to rain fire and brimstone on this earth. People are going to know that something is happening. People are going to be running for cover. People are going to be asking the rocks to fall on them and to hide them because of the fire, the brimstone, the wrath that’s going to be coming. The same day that we are taken out of here is the same day that God is going to begin to pour out his wrath. That’s why when the sun and moon are darkened the Bible says the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand? Because that same day, a half hour later, God begins to rain fire and brimstone. So chapter six of Revelation, the sun and moon are darkened. Chaper seven, the great multitude of believers appears in heaven. Chapter eight, he begins to pour out his wrath. It’s exactly what the Bible teaches in Matthew 24. Sun and moon darkened, then the rapture. It’s that simple. I talk to people who believe in the pre-trib rapture and they will usually tell me either one of two things. They will either tell me that the rapture is not even mentioned in the book of Revelation which is a pretty strange thing to say since the book of Revelation covers in such great detail the events of the end times. To leave out an event as significant as Jesus Christ coming in the clouds and all the believers of all the ages being caught up together with him in the clouds…that’s such a major event. To say that it’s not mentioned at all in the book of Revelation, that it doesn’t happen at all in the book of Revelation, is unthinkable. But because it’s so ridiculous to say that the rapture is not found in the book of Revelation at all, a lot of pre-trib people have tried to search for it and find something that they could use as the rapture that is before the tribulation, and here is what I keep hearing over and over again – Revelation 4:1. Revelation 4:1 says:
(Revelation 4:1) After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
Pastor Anderson: So this is a voice like a trumpet. There’ s no trumpet in this verse that is speaking and saying to John (singular, one person), “Come up hither and I will show THEE things which must be hereafter.” And they will say, “See, that’s the rapture right there.” One guy being caught up. They will say that’s the rapture. What’s ridiculous about this is that they don’t even read verse 2. Because in verse number 2 it says:
(Revelation 4:2) And immediately I was in the spirit, and , behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.
Pastor Anderson: The rapture is not a spirit going up into heaven. The rapture is a bodily resurrection. We are going to be caught up physically into the air. This isn’t just some kind of thing where our spirit goes up. The Bible is clear that the rapture is a literal, bodily resurrection of the dead in Christ which shall rise first. We which are alive and remain are going to be caught up together with him bodily. So this spiritual catching up of one person, John, is definitely not the rapture. And if you think that this is the rapture, you’re taking a really loose interpretation. It’s funny because people I talk to who believe in the pre-tribulation rapture claim to interpret the Bible literally. Yet when you ask them to show you the rapture in Revelation, they will take you to Revelation 4:1. One guy being taken up to heaven. They don’t even read to verse 2 when he says, “And immediately I was in the spirit and behold a throne was set in heaven.” He didn’t even physically go up. His body was still there on the Isle of Patmos. The dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds. This isn’t just some kind of a spiritual occurrence. This is a physical occurrence. That’s quite a stretch to say that that’s the rapture. Those who believe in a pre-tribulation rapture have to say that Revelation 4:1 is the rapture because that’s the only thing that they can even find in the book of Revelation before the tribulation. And it just doesn’t fit. They had to find something, I guess. I grew up being taught the pre-tribulation rapture . When I was going up, I was taught that it is never mentioned in the book of Revelation. I always thought there was something fishy about that. An event as important and as major as the rapture…You’ve got a book about end times prophecy, the book of Revelation, and he just doesn’t mention it? It doesn’t make any sense. I was always taught as a kid that the rapture would be where you’re just going about your life and all of a sudden you just disappear. But it’s so much greater than that, because the Bible says every eye shall see him. We’re going to see the sun and moon darkened. It says in Luke 21 that when you see these things begin to come to pass, he said look up, for your redemption draweth nigh. Imagine what it’s going to be like at that moment when the sun goes dark, the moon goes dark, the stars being to fall, and we look up just knowing this is it. It’s here. We’ve made it.
Kent Hovind: It’s sort of like a Hollywood entrance. Have you ever watched the famous people come into anyplace. They always have the lights flash and the cannons boom and the smoke and everything else. They want to impress people. “Hey, look at me.” If you read Revelation chapter 6 or Matthew 24, Mark 13, or Luke 21, any of the passages that describe the sun and moon going dark, it’s really amazing when you look at it. The sun and the moon go dark which is going to get just about everybody’s attention on earth. But it also says there is an earthquake, so in case you’re blind, it’s still going to get your attention.
Pastor Anderson: And then at that moment of total darkness, Jesus Christ comes in the clouds, lights up the whole sky. The Bible says he will light up the sky like the lightning where it shines from one end of heaven to another, and we will look up and we will see Jesus Christ coming in the clouds. We will know at any moment we are about to be caught up to be with him. I hope that I live to see that day. I don’t know if this is going to happen in our lifetime. I hope that this happens in my lifetime. I hope I can endure that persecution and tribulation. What an awesome thing it would be to be alive on that day when Jesus Christ comes in the clouds. It’s so much greater than we’ve been led to believe.
Kent Hovind: The idea that there is going to be a secret second coming where people have to later find out what happened is just not true. It’s going to get everybody’s attention with this grand Hollywood opening.
Pastor Anderson: You’re exactly right. In Revelation Chapter 1 it says “Behold, he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him.” Notice that “cometh” is in present tense. That’s the next time he comes. He’s coming with clouds and every eye shall see him. It’s pretty clear. To the unsaved this is going to scare them to death. The Bible says that when they see him coming in the clouds, they’re going to be mourning, they’re going to be weeping, they’re going to be scared to death. But for those of us that look for his appearing, we’re going to be excited, we’re going to be thrilled, and it’s going to be an amazing feeling to know this is it.
Scene 13 - Conclusion
Pastor Jimenez: I personally want this film to be successful. I would love for this film to be able to be used of God to open people’s eyes to the truth. I just think it’s so important if we can get back to the Bible. I remember when I was a teenager and I was growing up, I didn’t even like reading the book of Revelation just because I thought I couldn’t understand it or everytime I was reading something I questioned whether, “Does it actually say that? Does it actually mean that?” When I was able to learn the truth about the rapture, it just opened up the scriptures to me. I love reading the book of Revelation now. As I go through it, it just makes so much sense. I just think that if we can reach out to the movement of Christianity out there, to the movement of fundamentalism, to the movement of Baptists out there, and we could open their eyes to this issue, then maybe it would bring a love of the word of God and a revival of the word of God and a revival of studying the word of God back to the pulpits of our country, and we could really see a great work done for God.
Pastor Anderson: The reason that we made this film is not to split doctrinal hairs or just to correct someone whose view of Bible prophecy is a little bit different than ours. That’s not the point. These events are real events that will take place. The Bible tells us there WILL be a one world government. There WILL be a one world religion. There WILL be a one world currency. This isn’t just a conspiracy theory that people can brush off. These events are really going to happen. People are going to be killed in mass numbers. There’s going to be famine. There’s going to be pestilence. There’s going to be persecution. It’s going to be unlike anything that this world has ever been through and Christians are not prepared for it at all. Because they’ve believed in this fairytale of the pre-tribulation rapture. I believe in the rapture. It’s a Biblical doctrine. But the rapture comes AFTER the tribulation.
Pastor Jimenez: You say, “Pastor Jimenez, why does this matter?” Here’s why it matters. The pre-tribulation rapture is a doctrine that I believe it doesn’t really much matter what we do. Because no matter what, either I’m going to die in peace as an old man or I’m just going to be going through life, taking my vacations, investing in my 401k, living the good life, and one day I’m just going to disappear, before anything bad happens. This teaching being taught to millions of people I believe has caused us to become very lazy and very satisfied in our Christianity. We need to preach the gospel. We need to get out there. We have to educate people and tell them, “Look, there’s persecution coming. Go on your little vacation and do all the things you’ve got to do, but you better strengthen your inner man. You better get in your Bible. You better start learning the Bible. You better start walking with God and knowing God. You better start reading the Bible, because there might be a day when they take this Bible away from you.” Today we’re given complete freedom to gather together, to open the Bible, to preach the word, but there might come a day when this assembly would be illegal, when this Bible would be illegal, when doing what we’re doing now would be illegal. If we would have a heart for God, we would reach people with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Pastor Anderson: All that to say this. These things have I preached unto you that you might not be offended. When persecution comes, when you’re asked to take the mark of the beast in your right hand or in your forehead, you’ll remember this sermon. Maybe it won’t happen in our lifetime, maybe it will. But if it does, you’ll remember this sermon. That’s why Jesus said it and that’s why I’m saying it. You say, “Is this to scare us?” No, the Bible says in the world ye shall have tribulation. Get upset about it? No. He said in the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer. “I’ve overcome the world.” Cheer up. Don’t be down. Don’t walk out of the sermon, “Oh, man, are you serious? Beheadings? Prison? Famine? Pestilence? Are you serious?” No, be of good cheer. He’s overcome the world. Maybe it will happen in our lifetime, maybe it won’t. But either way, if God be for us, who can be against us? Praise Jesus Christ. Let’s bow our heads and have a word of prayer. Father, we thank you so much for the clear truth in your word and we thank you so much for giving us the Holy Spirit to guide us. I couldn’t have figured this stuff out on my own with all the brainwashing I received from these people lying to me and Scofield, but thank you for the Holy Spirit that in that room so many years ago cut through all that and burned these three words into my mind. These three words just burned into my mind from Matthew 24 as a 12 year old boy: AFTER THE TRIBULATION. I pray that those words would sink into the hearts and minds of every person who is here tonight. We love you and thank you and in Jesus’s name we pray, amen. Let’s sing one quick song before we go.
CREDITS
MUSIC: It Is Well With My Soul
Pastor Jimenez: This is my favorite song, and we’re going to sing my favorite verse right now. A lot of times when you’re singing songs, you just start singing. You don’t really think about the words and what it’s saying. Look at the third verse of this song. It says, “My sin, oh, the bliss, of this glorious thought.” You say, “Well, what’s the bliss about thinking about my sin?” But look at what it says. It says, “It’s nailed to the cross and I bear it no more. Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O, my soul.” Just think about those words as you’re singing it. Sing it out, and we’ll get ready for this preaching.
My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
THE BIBLE WAY TO HEAVEN by Pastor Steven Anderson
The Bible is really clear on salvation. It’s not based on how good you are. A lot of people think they are pretty good and they are going to get to heaven because they are pretty good. But the Bible says, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” The Bible says, “As it is written, there is none righteous, no not one.” I’m not righteous. You’re not righteous. And if it were our goodness that would get us in to heaven, none of us would be going.
1. Admit you are a sinner.
The Bible even says in Revelation 21:8:
(Revelation 21:8) But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolators, and [listen to this] – ALL liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
I’ve lied before. Everybody has lied before. We’ve all sinned, and we’ve done stuff worse than lying. Let’s face it. We all deserve hell.
2. Realize the penalty for sin.
But the Bible says:
(Romans 5:8) But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
So Jesus Christ, because he loves us, came to this earth. The Bible says he was God manifest in the flesh. God basically took on human form. He lived a sinless life. He did not commit any sin. Of course, they beat Him and spit on Him and nailed Him to the cross. The Bible says that when He was on that cross, He Himself bare our sins in His own body on the tree. So every sin you’ve ever done, any sin I’ve ever done, it was as if Jesus had done it. He was being punished for our sins. Of course, they took His body when he died and they buried it in the tomb, and His soul went down to hell for three days and three nights (Acts 2:31). Three days later, He rose again from the dead. He showed unto the disciples the holes in His hands. The Bible is really clear that Jesus did die for everybody. It says that He died not for our sins only, but also for the sins of the whole world. But there is something that we must do to be saved. The Bible has that question in Acts 16: What must I do to be saved? They said:
(Acts 16:30-31) Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”
And that’s it. He didn’t say, “Join a church and you will be saved. Get baptized and you will be saved. Live a good life and you will be saved. Repent of all your sins and you will be saved.” No. He said, “Believe.”
3. Believe that Jesus died, was buried, and rose again for you.
Even the most famous verse in the whole Bible, that is written on the bottom of the cup in an OutBurger, it is so famous everybody has heard of it: John 3:16:
(John 3:16) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.
Everlasting means everlasting. It means forever. Jesus said:
(John 10:28) And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
The Bible says in John 6:47:
(John 6:47) Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
So if you believe on Jesus Christ, that Bible says that you have everlasting life. You are going to live forever. You can’t lose your salvation. It’s eternal. It’s everlasting. Once you are saved, once you believe on Him, you are saved forever and no matter what, you can never lose your salvation. Even if I were to go out and commit some awful sin, God will punish me for it on this earth. If I went out and killed somebody today, God is going to make sure that I get punished. I’m going to prison or far worse or I will get the death penalty, or whatever this earth punishes me with. God is going to make sure I’m going to get punished even more. But I’m not going to hell. There’s nothing I could do to go to hell because I’m saved. And if I went to hell, God lied, because He promised that whoever believeth in Him has everlasting life. He said:
(John 11:26) And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.
That’s why there are a lot of examples of people in the Bible who did some really bad stuff, yet they made it to heaven. How? Because they were so good? No. It’s because they believed on the Lord Jesus Christ. Their sins are forgiven. Other people who may have lived a better life in the world’s eyes, or maybe even really they lived a better life, but they don’t believe in Christ, they are going to have to go to hell to be punished for their sins.
4. Trust Christ alone as your savior.
And let me just close on this one thought, one thing that I wanted to be sure to bring up today. There was a question that was asked to Jesus by one of his disciples. That question was this: Are there few that be saved? That’s a good question, right? Are most people saved? Or is it few that are saved? Who here thinks that most people in this world are going to heaven? Guess what the answer was? He said in Matthew 7:
(Matthew 7:13-14) Enter ye in at the straight gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Then he went on to say this:
(Matthew 7:21-23) Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
First of all, the majority of this world doesn’t even claim to believe in Jesus. Thankfully, the majority of this classroom claims to believe in Jesus. But the majority of the world does not claim to believe in Jesus. But God warned that even amongst those who claim to believe in Jesus, even amongst those who call him Lord, many will be saying to him, “We did all these wonderful works. Why aren’t we saved?” He’s going to say, “Depart from me, I never knew you.” That’s because salvation is not by works. And if you are trusting your own works to save you, if you think you’re going to heaven because you’ve been baptized, or if you think “Well, I think you have to live a good life. I think you have to keep the commandments to be saved. I think you have to go to church. I think you’ve got to turn from your sins…” If you’re trusting in your works, Jesus is going to say to you one day, “Depart from me, I never knew you.” You have to have all your faith in what he did. You have to put your faith in what Jesus did on the cross, when he died for you and was buried and rose again. That’s your ticket into heaven. If you’re trusting, “Oh, I’m going to heaven because I’m such a good Christian and I do all these wonderful things,” he’s going to say, “Depart from me.” And notice what He said: “Depart from me, I NEVER knew you.” Not, “I used to know you.” Because once He knows you, as I mentioned earlier, it’s everlasting. It’s eternal. Once He knows you, you’re saved forever. But He’s going to say, “Depart from me, I never knew you.” If you go to hell, it’s because He never knew you. Once He knows you, He knows you. It’s just like how my children will always be my children. When you’re born again, when you’re His child, you will always be His child. You may be the black sheep of the family. You may be somebody who gets disciplined by God heavily on this earth. You can screw up your life down here, but you can’t screw that up. You’re saved. It’s a done deal. So, that’s the main thing that I wanted to present to you about the end times. And we do have just a few minutes for questions about either salvation or about the end times.
Dear Jesus,
I know that I am a sinner.
I know that I deserve to go to hell, but I believe you died on the cross for me and rose again.
Please save me right now and give me eternal life.
I’m only trusting in you, Jesus.
Amen.
