← Autodidact Archive · Original Dissent · Stigmata
Thread ID: 17662 | Posts: 5 | Started: 2005-04-06
2005-04-06 12:41 | User Profile
News that the 'Rapture' Has Come and Gone Alarms Many Christians
[img]http://swiftreport.blogs.com/photos/uncategorized/rapturethumb.jpg[/img]What if the 'Rapture' happened but you were left behind? That's what millions of Christians are wondering amid mounting evidence that the Rapture, the much-anticipated event in which God summons his faithful to the heavens, may have happened earlier this month. Among the startled 'still here': House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, just one of the political leaders who had expected to be making the trek skyward.
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From Capitol Hill to Kansas, finger pointing and questioning: 'why are we still here?'
By [email="deannaswift1@yahoo.com"][color=#660000]Deanna Swift[/color][/email]
[img]http://swiftreport.blogs.com/photos/uncategorized/rapture_delay.jpg[/img]WASHINGTON, DC--When House Majority Leader Tom DeLay delivered a moving speech from the halls of Congress last week, in which he argued that his political enemies are persecuting him because of his religious faith, there was just one problem: he wasn't supposed to be there. Earlier this month, say observers, the 'Rapture,' the much-anticipated event in which God summons his faithful to the heavens, finally happened.
But instead of Mr. DeLay and millions of other believers making the skyward trek, the biblical bash appears to have been an exclusive, invitation-only affair. As of today, fewer than three dozen Christians are confirmed to have been 'raptured,' leaving their rejected brethren to deal with seven years of Tribulation, a turbulent period marked by the return of the anti-Christ.
[img]http://swiftreport.blogs.com/photos/uncategorized/rapture_timeline.jpg[/img]For those who had hoped to be cashing in on their heavenly rewards, these are days of soul searching and regret. From Capitol Hill to the mega-churches of the south, disappointed travelers are asking the same questions: 'Why not me?' 'What did I do wrong?' and 'Was it something I said?' ** The lucky few** David Dumé, originally of Spring Hill, KS, appears to be among the lucky few who are currently enjoying the company of the world's most famous father. Mr. Dumé, who had recently returned to Kansas from Hollywood, where he enjoyed a short but lucrative career in adult-themed films, was expected to attend a potluck supper and informal prayer session at the Spring Hill Baptist Churchââ¬âbut disappeared from site just minutes after reaching the building.
Stunned onlookers say that they watched aghast as Mr. Dumé "flew up through the ceiling," leaving a pile of clothing, gold jewelry, an outsized diamond-covered crucifix, and several piercings and chains behind. Experts say that the fact that Mr. Dumé and others cast off such earthly accoutrements is another [url="http://www.raptureready.com/leftbehind/leftb40.html"][color=#660000]sure sign that they were indeed raptured[/color][/url].
And the not-so-lucky [url="http://raptureletters.com/"][img]http://swiftreport.blogs.com/photos/uncategorized/rapture_2.jpg[/img][/url]The pastor of the church, Roy DeLong, who is also an active supporter of conservative political causes including a constitutional ban on gay marriage and private Social Security accounts, says that he is personally shocked that Mr. Dumé was chosen to make the trip, while he and so many other more faithful believers remain behind. "He was not even a regular presence around here, that's what's so startling. I don't want to say that mistakes were made, but you really have to wonder about the selection process here," says Pastor DeLong.
DeLong, who also heads up the Baptist Leadership Council, will join other prominent Christian leaders, including the Reverends Tim Lahaye, James Dobson and Franklin Graham, for an emergency meeting later this week. "At this point, we're concluding that this was probably a practice round before the real deal," says Pastor DeLong. "That's the only way this makes any sense. He left behind all of the wrong people. Why would He do that?" ** The rightââ¬âleft behind** Meanwhile, no one appears to have made the trip upwards from Capitol Hill. Beltway observers had speculated that dozens of high-profile leaders, including President Bush and Representative DeLay, would be raptured, possibly [url="http://swiftreport.blogs.com/news/2004/11/white_house_exp.html"][color=#660000]setting off a complex battle over succession within the halls of power[/color][/url].
So certain were these men that their earthly tenure was coming to an end, say sources, that they scheduled a lengthy break over the Easter weekend. While Stewart Roy, a spokesman for Mr. DeLay, refused to acknowledge that the House Majority Leader has indeed been left behind, he did confirm that the Texas representative is taking some much-needed time off. "Let's just say that there are some unexpected openings in his schedule. I'm not going to say anything more than that."
Deanna Swift can be reached at [email="deannaswift1@yahoo.com"][color=#660000]deannaswift1@yahoo.com[/color][/email]
[url="http://swiftreport.blogs.com/news/2005/03/news_that_the_r.html"]http://swiftreport.blogs.com/news/2005/03/news_that_the_r.html[/url]
2005-04-06 16:50 | User Profile
Would that be like a game of Doom? Blasting monsters with a shotgun and moving in general direction of heaven?
2005-04-06 19:12 | User Profile
Funny.
2005-04-22 03:10 | User Profile
center [font=Arial] Who Will Be Taken, and Who Will Be Left?[/font][/font] [/center] font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serifIn Matthew 24 Jesus gave His well-known dissertation regarding His second coming. In verses 37-41 He tells the disciples:[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]**[size=2] <sup>37</sup>[/size] For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. [size=2] <sup>38</sup>[/size] For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, they were marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, [size=2] <sup>39 </sup> [/size]and they did not understand until [u]the flood came and took them all away[/u]; so shall the coming of the Son of Man be. <sup>[size=2]40[/size]</sup> Then there shall be two men in the field; [u]one will be taken, and one will be left[/u]. <sup> [size=2]41[/size]</sup> Two women *will be *grinding at the mill; [u]one will be taken, and one will be left[/u]. <sup> [size=2]42[/size]</sup> Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming*.***[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]It is commonly taught today that Jesus was referring to the "rapture" in which the Church will be snatched out of the earth for some years while a great tribulation occurs on the earth. But in fact, this passage teaches precisely the opposite. It will be like in the days of Noah. Men will be living life as usual and would not understand the plan of God or believe the warnings of the prophets. Even as the flood removed all the unbelievers from the earth in Noah's day, "*so also shall the coming of the Son of Man be*."[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Who was taken? Who was removed from the earth? Certainly not Noah and his family. It was the WICKED who were taken, leaving just Noah and his family to inherit the earth. So shall it be once again. One will be taken, and another left. Once again the wicked will be removed from the earth, but the meek will inherit the earth. Proverbs 2:22, 23 tells us,[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]**<sup> [size=2]21[/size]</sup> For the upright will live in the land** [*erets*, land or earth]**, and [u]the blameless will remain[/u] **[*yathar*, "to remain or be left behind"] **in it; ****<sup> [size=2]22[/size]</sup> But the wicked will be cut off from the land, and [u]the treacherous will be uprooted from it[/u].**[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]We are clearly told here that the promise to the righteous is to be left behind, not to be removed from the earth. Christ is coming to uproot the wicked from the earth that He created and which He will fully rule. He is coming as a flood, but this time it is the flood of the Holy Spirit that will bring a baptism of fire upon the earth. The first flood was designed to remove the breath, or spirit, of life from all men (Gen. 6:17). After this flood, God made a covenant with Noah, his sons, and the whole earth, saying He would not do this again (Gen. 9:9-17). Yet later God said in Habakkuk 2:14,[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]**<sup> [size=2]14[/size]</sup> For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.**[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]In other words, there will be a *second* flood, but its purpose will not be to destroy, or to remove the spirit of life from men. Its purpose will be to regenerate all flesh by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in a baptism of fire. As in the days of Noah, this second flood will take the earth by surprise. Those who are incorrigible in this present age will be removed from power and ultimately confined to a portion of the earth that is outside the boundary of the Kingdom of God. This is the "outer darkness" that Jesus mentioned in His parables. But even this will not be a permanent state of affairs, because ultimately, the Kingdom of God will fill the whole earth as the waters cover the sea. Since water covers the entire sea, this means that the glory of God is going to cover the entire earth.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]As the Tabernacles Age continues, the fire of God will be so powerful that the vast majority of the people will be converted and begin to learn of His ways. Then will be fulfilled the words of the prophet in Isaiah 2:2-4,[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]**<sup> [size=2]2[/size]</sup> Now it will come about that In the last days, the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains, and will be raised above the hills; and all the nations will stream to it. <sup>[size=2]3[/size]</sup> And many peoples will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; that He may teach us concerning His ways, and that we may walk in His paths." For the law will go forth from Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. <sup>[size=2]4[/size]</sup> And He will judge between the nations, and will render decisions for many peoples; and they will hammer their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, and never again will they learn war.**[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The wicked will either be removed, executed for their crimes, or converted to Christ by the baptism of fire. This will cleanse and purify the earth, making a place fit to be His footstool (Matthew 5:35).[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]No doubt there will be "tribulation" associated with this transition from the old order to the new. Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5 that He will come as a thief in the night. In ancient times, a thief in the night was not a cat-burglar who might silently creep into a house to steal jewelry and then slip away into the night unseen and unheard. We recommend that Christians read the story of [u]Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves[/u] to obtain a more realistic view of Paul's prophecy. Bands of thieves would descend upon a sleeping town like raiders in the night. And so we read in 1 Thessalonians 5:2-6,[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]**<sup> [size=2]2[/size]</sup> For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like [u]a thief in the night[/u]. <sup> [size=2]3[/size]</sup> While they are saying, "Peace and safety!" then [u]destruction will come upon them suddenly[/u] like birth pangs upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. <sup> [size=2]4[/size]</sup> But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you [u]like a thief[/u]; <sup> [size=2]5[/size]</sup> for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; <sup> [size=2]6[/size]</sup> so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.**[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Paul pictures the world as sleeping peacefully in darkness, ***thinking they are safe.*** But they are unaware that sudden destruction is coming upon them "*like a thief in the night*." The city is about to be destroyed, and that city is "Babylon." Babylon is no longer a literal city as it was many years ago. It is now representative of the present world order that is in opposition to the law of God and the rulership of Christ. The city is about to be crushed by a Stone cut out of the mountain by the hand of God alone, and Babylon will never again rise to power and oppress the people of the earth.
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2005-04-22 04:35 | User Profile
People create their own buggy man and then get scared by their own buggy man which they carry in a back pack all the time.
As far as those "left behind"?......they can go to Disney Land.
Get rid of your back pack and be happy.