For the Church to see “the rapture” as the finish line of our faith is to be like a near-sighted runner in a race that stops 10 yards short of the finish line. (See Mike’s detailed teaching about this on our “Prepare” page of our website)
The generation of the faithful in Christ that are taken off the earth (a.k.a. “the rapture” 1 Cor. 15:52, 1 Thess. 4:15-17, Rev. 10:7) are the ones who are to prepare provision for their loved ones going through the Great Tribulation (Rev. chapters 11-19) and who will NOT take the “mark of the beast.” They obey the Word of God that tells them what will happen to those who do take the “mark.” (Rev.13:16-18: people can not buy or sell without the mandatory mark, Rev. 16:2-3: malignant sores break out on those with the mark, 19:19-20: those with the mark are deceived in false worship)
“If anyone worships the beast and its image, and receives its mark on his forehead or hand, he too will drink the wine of God’s anger, poured undiluted into the cup of His wrath. And he will be tormented in fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment will rise forever and ever. Day and night there will be no rest for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name. Here is a call for the endurance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus Christ.” Revelation 14:9-12
During the Great Tribulation they will not be able to buy or sell – that refuse to take the “mark of the beast;” therefore, they will need food and shelter from another way. Think about your child or your grandchildren living in this time. True love thinks ahead for their loved ones. False love thinks only of self and what affects them now.
What we see today (in America especially) is growing self-centeredness with our younger generation feeling entitled to things that families (generations ago) either lived without, or they worked to afford. This is how the devil deceives people to take his mark, by giving them more and more stuff that they come to depend on. That’s why we see all the protesting and rioting and millennials melting – taking place in America today. Their “stuff” and their “government funding” is being threatened, exposing their self-centered thinking and lifestyles, and their blindness to where this is all going to end up for them.
Now Moses had wisdom from God (the principle of preparing) when he told two of the tribes of Israel, the Reubenites and Gadites (those with great wealth), to think about their brothers and not just themselves. Moses said to the Reubenites and Gadites:
“The Lord has given you this land to take possession of, but you must first help your brothers cross over and take possession of the land, until the Lord gives rest to your fellow Israelites as He has to you, and they have taken the land that the Lord your God is giving them across the Jordan. After that, each of you may live in the land I have given you.” Deuteronomy 3:20
The Reubenites and Gadites were satisfied staying behind while the rest of their family moved on to live in the land across the Jordan, but the Lord was NOT satisfied yet until ALL were at rest in the land He gave them.
We also have the earlier biblical account of the journey of Joseph to show this principle of preparing as well. Joseph was set up by God to be ‘in position’ to prepare provision for the upcoming famine and hardship for Israel (Joseph’s family). God showed Joseph how to take advantage of his circumstances and prosper so that later his family would be provided for.
God cares about those we care about; those loved ones we’ve been praying for. Our prayers for them might just be answered after we’re gone, whether in death or rapture. What we leave behind for them – is our responsibility of true love. This is so important to grasp! God prepares for the next age to receive what the previous age left for them to help them along. This is NOT the responsibility of any government; it is the responsibility of family “heads.”
What happens when God asks or instructs us to do something, and knowingly we don’t do it? Read Matthew 25:31-46, Matthew 7:21-23, Matthew 21:28-32, Revelation 12:6.
“For many deceivers have gone out into the world, refusing to confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch yourselves, so that you do not lose what we have worked for, that you may be fully rewarded.” 2 John 1:7-8
God works through His people in each generation FOR the next generation. We need to finish all His works on earth that He prepared in advance that we should do. (Ephesians 2:10) The church is to be the “body” of Jesus Christ our HEAD; if we don’t do the work of the One who is preparing for what is ahead – it won’t get done and the next generation will suffer for it.
Years ago the Lord spoke to me about the rapture, the Great Tribulation and my journaling. “Keep writing about Me because the Day is coming when your loved ones will go after your journals to know what you knew and they didn’t. They had the Bible too, but My Word was not in them. They went to church, but they were not walking with Me.” (My book: “Just Walk With Me” goes into depth about all this.)
“For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world. The world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God remains forever. Children, it is the last hour.” 1 John 2:16-17