The Rapture is a term used by Christians to refer to the Lord's taking His church to Heaven in connection with the end time events of the Tribulation, a seven year period of war before the Second Coming of Christ to set up his kingdom on Earth. The word "Rapture" actually comes from the Latin translation of the Bible from a word that means "to snatch up", since the removal of the church will be sudden and unexpected by most people. The word "raptor," meaning a bird of prey which swoops down on its prey to catch it, is of similar origin.

We aren't given an exact date for the Rapture, since God expects us to keep spreading the gospel as well as going about life in general up to the last moment. He gave us prophetic signs to look for in history for the start of the Tribulation, and those signs are taking place right now. We know that the Rapture must be very soon.

There is some question in the Christian community as to the exact timing of the Rapture with respect to the Tribulation. I believe that it will be before the start of the Tribulation, since God promises that we will be preserved from the wrath to come. It will be a joyful and glorious event for us in the church. For those outside the church, it will be one of terror as millions of people suddenly vanish from their midst.

Then a Satanically-inspired ruler for the whole world, called the Antichrist, will arise. He will be revered for his wisdom in developing plans to save humanity from war, poverty, and all the woes that currently beset us. Millions will be deceived into following him. The Antichrist will undoubtedly spread a lie as to why so many people suddenly vanished. He will try to exploit this disappearance to frighten everyone left behind into following him. He will set himself up as the leader of the whole world and insist that everyone worship him as god. His self idolatry will be so extreme that he will destroy the one world religion that helped put him in power rather than tolerate any rivals. He will take over the temple in Jerusalem and take his place in it to demand that the whole world worship him as the one and only god.

If you are here when this happens, which should take place after millions of people in the Church have vanished in the Rapture, pray for salvation if you aren't already saved. There will be no mistaking this ultimate example of idolatry. Don't worship this man or take his mark on your hand or forehead, or you will be doomed to spend eternity with Satan and his kingdom in Hell. If you are reading this after we are gone, please don't be deceived by him! Our departure is proof that what the Bible said about history and prophecy is true!

Some people think that Christians like me have gone overboard in our warnings that Jesus is coming soon to take His church to Heaven before the start of the Tribulation, the seven years of horror and warfare that precedes the Second Coming of Jesus to set up his earthly kingdom here. Before I was born again, I thought that way, too. Everything seemed to be happening the same way it had always been. People were born, people got sick and died. Wars happened occasionally, famines and droughts happened occasionally, sometimes a big earthquake made the news. Same old stuff, just repeating as usual.

Lately, the news hasn't been just the same old stuff repeating. New killer plagues like AIDS, Ebola, hantavirus and the flesh eating bacteria make the headlines frequently. Genocidal wars where one group of people try to completely destroy another group just on the basis of their ethnic group stud the headlines, the latest being in Kosovo. The terrible weather conditions are not only damaging agriculture world wide to the extent that food supplies are threatened, but severe storms are causing enormous damage well beyond the historical pattern of the recent decades. Recent earthquakes have been among the worst in all of recorded history. Something big is brewing. Could it be that an angry, grieving Heavenly Father is giving us a last warning to get right with Him before He brings this period of history to a close?

The Bible predicted events like this would take place along with the reestablishment of the state of Israel in the last generation before Jesus returned. The Bible is a written book that has been available to check its accuracy in making predictions of future events for centuries. Biblical scholars have been studying it and writing about what it predicted as best they understood it, and every prophecy in the Bible has always come to pass in its time. There are enough references to local places, customs, and events to verify that the prophecies did come to pass, even when the visions of them were recorded centuries before they happened.

We have reached the point of history where the current events of our day match the prophetic pattern given for the final warning signs before Jesus returned. No other time of history has had a match like this. Israel is a state again, the Jews have control of the Temple Mount area again, and the signs of earthly disasters and unusual signs in the heavens all match the prophetic patterns of the last of the Last Days. It's pretty clear that something unusual is happening.

I urge you to consider these signs carefully. According to the Bible, time is growing very short. There are sources of information available to help you make an informed decision about the accuracy of Bible prophecy, like Jack Van Impe Ministries. Dr. Van Impe is an internationally respected Bible scholar and television evangelist who writes and broadcasts extensively on the fulfillment of Bible prophecy in current events. His web site has extensive, easy to understand materials available on current events, including a News Update section on daily events and rebroadcasts of his television program. It also has links to other valuable news sources.

If you aren't saved, please don't put this decision off even another moment. You didn't choose to be born on a planet that is part of Satan's kingdom any more than you chose to be born in the country that claims you as a citizen, but you can choose to change your citizenship and join the kingdom of God. Time is running out rapidly, and you can't afford to make the wrong decision about where you will spend eternity, even through procrastination. Please pray this prayer:

Dear God, I'm sorry for my sins. I want to join your Heavenly family and I submit to King Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I renounce anything to do with Satan, his kingdom, and his ways. Please save me and adopt me as one of Your children. In Jesus' Name, Amen

If you sincerely prayed that prayer, you are now born again and part of the family of God. If you didn't, please reconsider and check the accuracy of Bible prophecy and how closely it fits current events. God wants you to make a rational, willing decision to become His child, because this decision will affect your entire eternity. He doesn't want anyone to be lost and spend eternity in Hell with Satan and the rest of his kingdom, but He won't wait forever for you to ask for His forgiveness and adoption into His family. Soon, the final events of history must take place, and then He will declare all decisions to be final, whether you actively made one or delayed and never made an open declaration to join God's family. Please pray to be adopted into God's family now!