1-20-2019 Weekly Messages

Meditations on this week: Psalm 12: 1-8

Text: Genesis 5: 21-24

Word Title: What kind of people participate in the First Resurrection (Rapture)?

         Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he begat Methuselah at the age of 65, and bore sons and daughters. One day God took him. He went up to heaven without seeing death. It is up to all men to die once (Hebrews 9:27), but God took him alive. Apostle Paul testified about Enoch when he wrote about the faith to the Hebrews:

” By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.” (Heb 11 : 5)

          The Bible tells us that God translated him to say that God took Him. In other word, God did not simply say that he was physically moved to another place, but that God changed him into some other form and took him to heaven.

           Apostle Paul testified of how God translated Enoch when he witnessed the resurrection of the body, that is the rapture of the saints, and witnessed that those who participate in the rapture when they are  alive would be translated without seeing death like Enoch :

”  Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.“(1 Corinthians 15: 51-53).

           The Genesis writer testifies that Enoch walked with God for three hundred years. Apostle Paul testified that in the book of  Hebrews, Enoch had this evidence that he had pleased God before he was translated to heaven, and testified about what pleasing God is:

” But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11: 6)

         Enoch lived the  life of three hundred years in which he believed in God, and in which he walked with God in diligently seeking Him, and believed in God’s reward for Him. But before he became at the age of sixty-five, we know that he might  not have walked with God. After he gave birth to his son, Methuselah, he knew that there would be some great thing to come (flood judgment) according to the meaning of his son’s name, and he believed that he would be translated to heaven before it happened. Therefore, the Bible says, “ By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death;.”

             Jesus also told Martha that there would be people to be translated to heaven without seeing death in the future. Jesus asked Martha saying: “Do you believe this?”

”  I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?  (John 11: 25-26)

           Apostle Paul testified as to what kind of people would participate in the rapture when he wrote to the Corinthians about the first resurrection, the rapture:

” If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 20But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

22For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. 24Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.”(1 Corinthians 15: 19-24)

           Apostle Paul testified of the first resurrection (rapture)three times. By witnessing Christ not as “first fruit” (singular) but as “first fruits” (plural), many of the Old Testament Saints who had slept rose again when Christ was resurrected. Apostle Matthew, who witnessed this scene, testified of this spectacular thing:

” Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. 51And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; 52And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,

53And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. 54Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God. “(Matthew 27: 50-54)

           The rapture of the Old Testament  already occurred two thousand years ago. The second rapture, in which the dead and living Christians in Christ are to participate in the church age today, will soon be happening. Apostle Paul testified of  the New Testament saints that shall be part of the second Rapture when Christ appears  as Christ’s.

         The Apostle Paul testified to the Galatians about who are Christ’s:

” But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

25If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. “(Galatians 5: 22-26)

          Apostle John testified of the Christians to be purified to be raptured:

” Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”(1John 3:1-3)“

          Those who fail to live a life of Christ’s and fall into the Great Tribulation shall have to pass the tribulation and have a chance to finally get their last resurrection in the midst of a great deal of suffering, such as collecting the corns. Apostle John testified of the first resurrection and the inheritance they receive. It is time for Christ to deliver the kingdom to the Father, as the Apostle John testified:

” And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received hismark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. “(Revelation 20: 4).

           Now we are living like Enoch, living life  led by the Holy Spirit in the Word of God by crucifying all the carnal things as Christians, having faith to meet the Lord and discerning what the Lord is pleased with, It is the time to do the works of the Lord abundantly. Apostle Paul testified of the Saints who are looking forward  the rapture:

” Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” (1 Cor 15:58) Amen! Hallelujah