Robert Jeffress - Making Sure You're Not Left Behind (Part 1)

April 15, 2026 | 27:29

Pathway to Victory provides practical application of God’s Word to everyday life through clear, Biblical teaching.

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Dr. Robert Jeffress | Robert Jeffress - Making Sure You're Not Left Behind (Part 1) | April 15, 2026
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Male announcer: from the pulpit of the first baptist church
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  • Of dallas, texas, this is "pathway to victory"
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  • With dr. robert jeffress.
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  • Dr robert jeffress: hi, i'm robert jeffress, and welcome
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  • Again to "pathway to victory."
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  • For generations, people have used the bible to concoct some
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  • Pretty wild ideas about how the world will end and what to
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  • Expect in the next life.
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  • So, what does the bible actually say about the end times?
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  • Today, we're going to set the record straight about one of
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  • The most hotly debated topics in bible prophecy,
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  • The rapture of the church.
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  • I'll explain what each of us needs to know about the rapture
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  • And why christians need not fear the great tribulation.
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  • My message is titled, "making sure you're not left behind,"
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  • On today's edition of "pathway to victory."
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Male announcer: wars, natural disasters, global instability.
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  • Many people look at the headlines and wonder if we're
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  • Living in the end-times.
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  • In his brand new book, "ask dr. jeffress about the end times,"
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  • Dr. robert jeffress provides clear, biblical answers to the
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  • 20 questions people ask most about the future.
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  • Request "ask dr. jeffress about the end times" when you
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  • Give a generous ministry gift to pathway to victory.
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Jeffress: some of you, like i, are old enough to remember
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  • The name of jeane dixon.
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  • Jeane dixon was a popular psychic in the 1950s and '60s
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  • Who made a number of predictions, but her most famous
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  • Prediction was made in 1956, when she prophesied
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  • That a democrat would win the 1960 presidential election, and
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  • That the winner of that election would be assassinated while he
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  • Was in office.
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  • Of course, we know, in 1960, john f. kennedy was elected
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  • President of the united states, and tragically, three years
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  • Later, he was assassinated right here on the streets of
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  • Downtown dallas.
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  • Well, immediately after the fulfillment of that prophecy,
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  • Jeane dixon became a media sensation, everybody turned to
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  • Her to try to find out what was going to happen in the future.
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  • Now, what most people don't realize is jeane dixon also made
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  • Some predictions that didn't come true.
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  • For example, she professed that in 1958, a red china would
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  • Plunge the world into the third world war.
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  • She predicted that in 1970, fidel castro would be banished
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  • From cuba.
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  • But her most famous false prediction had to do with
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  • The kennedys.
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  • After president kennedy was assassinated, jeane dixon
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  • Predicted that the widow, jackie kennedy, would never
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  • Marry again.
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  • The day after she made that prediction, jackie kennedy
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  • Married aristotle onassis.
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  • Somebody did a study one time of psychics and all the predictions
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  • That they made just in one year, in 1975.
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  • Out of all of the predictions that were made in one year,
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  • 1975, only 6% of those predictions actually came
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  • To pass.
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  • The world is filled with false prophecies, but compare
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  • Jeane dixon's record or any prophet's records to the bible.
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  • Did you know the bible is filled with hundreds and hundreds and
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  • Hundreds of prophecies of things that are gonna occur in
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  • The future.
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  • Many of those prophecies have already come to pass, for
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  • Example, in relationship to the first coming of jesus christ.
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  • There are more than 250 prophecies about the first
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  • Coming of christ, prophecies about the manner of his birth,
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  • The place of his birth, the type of life he would lead.
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  • Some of those prophecies were made 1,000 years before christ
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  • Was born, and out of those 250 prophecies, every one of them
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  • Came to pass.
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  • Amazingly, there are 250 prophecies about christ's first
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  • Coming, there are over 1,800 prophecies in the bible about
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  • His second coming.
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  • You can't turn a page of the old or the new testament without a
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  • Prediction about the return of jesus christ, and i believe
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  • Every one of those predictions is going to come true, the bible
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  • Has a perfect batting average when it comes to
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  • Fulfilled prophecy.
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  • We're in a series right now on bible prophecy called "perfect
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  • Ending, why your eternal future matters today," and we're
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  • Looking at what the bible says will be the events leading up to
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  • The return of jesus christ, and what the world and eternity will
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  • Be like after jesus christ.
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  • What are we going to be doing in heaven, what is it going to be
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  • Like when christ returns?
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  • That's what we're looking at in this series.
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  • Now, it's true, in matthew 24:36, jesus said we cannot know
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  • When these things are going to happen.
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  • Nobody should try to set dates, history is littered with the
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  • Bodies of prophets who have tried to predict falsely when
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  • Christ was coming back.
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  • We cannot know when christ is coming back, but we can know the
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  • Events that will lead up to christ's return.
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  • God wants us to understand what those events are, we are to live
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  • In anticipation of those events, and live our lives in
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  • Anticipation of his return.
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  • Remember what abraham lincoln said one time?
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  • He said, "if you can tell me where we are and where we are
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  • Going, i can better tell you what to do and how to do it."
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  • Bible prophecy, what's going to happen to us in the future,
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  • Ought to have a very real application in how we live our
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  • Lives now.
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  • I would like to just do a brief recap of where we are in
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  • Our series.
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  • Take your outlines out, and take your bibles and turn to 1
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  • Thessalonians chapter 4, and let me remind you where we are in
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  • Our series.
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  • Last time, we began looking at the next event on god's
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  • Prophetic timetable, it's called the rapture of the church, and
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  • The definition of the rapture is there on your outline to
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  • Fill in.
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  • The rapture is the snatching away to heaven of all christians
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  • Before the beginning of the tribulation.
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  • The rapture, the snatching away of the church, before the great
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  • Tribulation, the next event that is going to happen is the sudden
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  • Disappearance of millions of christians around the world.
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  • We've read that description of what the rapture will be like in
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  • Those famous "left behind" novels that have sold hundreds
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  • Of millions of copies around the world.
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  • Interestingly, the "left behind" series is going to be placed
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  • Into a motion picture, a reboot of a new motion picture coming
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  • Out this spring, a $20 million hollywood epic, starring
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  • Nicolas cage, if you can imagine such a thing, and that is coming
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  • Out this spring, to dramatically show this event called
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  • The rapture.
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  • But the rapture is not just the product of tim lahaye's
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  • Overactive imagination, it's something that is found in
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  • The bible, it is professed in the bible.
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  • Now, notice here on the chart, i show you where the rapture is in
  • 00:07:32.108 --> 00:07:36.078
  • Relationship to where we are right now.
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  • Notice, right now we are living in this period of time called
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  • The church age.
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  • Why do we call it the church age?
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  • You know, the bible says that beginning with abraham in about
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  • 2000 b.c., god said to abraham, "i'm gonna make you a great
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  • Nation," and abraham was the father of the israelites.
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  • And god wanted a nation that would be his own people, a
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  • Nation that would be a human object lesson of how god treated
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  • Those who revered and reverenced him.
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  • And so israel was god's people, they were god's object lesson of
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  • What happens to a people who decide to follow after god.
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  • But you know that when israel rejected christ and crucified
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  • Christ, what does the bible said god did with israel?
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  • Did he say, "i'm finished with you israel"?
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  • No, he said, "i am temporarily going to turn away from you and
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  • Give gentiles," non-jews, people like us, "the opportunity to
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  • Be saved."
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  • And that's the period of time we're living in right now, this
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  • Period of time called the church age, when god has temporarily
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  • Stopped his dealing with israel and has given gentiles the
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  • Opportunity to be saved.
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  • Paul wrote about that time in romans 11:25, he said, "for i do
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  • Not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery, lest
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  • You be wise in your own estimation, that a partial
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  • Hardening has happened to israel until the fulness of the
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  • Gentiles has come in."
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  • When the last gentile has been saved
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  • Whom god has chosen to be
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  • Saved, then god will turn his attention back to israel one
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  • More time, he will give israel and the world one last chance to
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  • Be saved.
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  • When will that be?
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  • It will be during the final seven years of earth's history,
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  • It's a period we call the great tribulation.
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  • There will be a world leader known as the antichrist, that's
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  • The beginning of the tribulation.
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  • But prior to that tribulation, there's an event that has to
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  • Happen, and that's what we're talking about today, that is,
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  • The rapture of the church, the taking away of the church.
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  • The bible says before this tribulation begins, all
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  • Christians who are alive will be snatched away to meet the lord
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  • In the air.
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  • People ask me, "pastor, what prophecies have to be fulfilled
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  • Before the rapture can occur, how many prophecies have to be
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  • Fulfilled before this rapture can happen?"
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  • You know what the answer is?
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  • Zero, zippo, nothing has to happen before the rapture
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  • Can occur.
  • 00:10:11.634 --> 00:10:12.968
  • Now, there are some prophecies related to the second coming,
  • 00:10:12.968 --> 00:10:16.439
  • Seven years later, and we're seeing many of those come
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  • To pass.
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  • Last remaining piece before the second coming can occur is gonna
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  • Be the rebuilding of the temple on that mount over there that is
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  • Under arab control right now.
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  • But that's the second coming, the rapture could happen at any
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  • Moment, we say it is imminent.
  • 00:10:33.522 --> 00:10:36.158
  • The rapture could happen next year, next week, it could happen
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  • Before we finish the service today, it is an imminent event.
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  • It begins with the descent of christ, suddenly, without
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  • Warning, the trumpet is going to sound, the archangel of god is
  • 00:10:46.902 --> 00:10:50.172
  • Gonna shout out, and the lord will descend from heaven.
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  • That will be followed by, secondly, the resurrection of
  • 00:10:53.642 --> 00:10:56.912
  • The dead in christ.
  • 00:10:56.912 --> 00:10:58.280
  • Every believer over the last however-many years it is since
  • 00:10:58.280 --> 00:11:01.183
  • Acts 2, until the rapture, "the dead in christ shall
  • 00:11:01.183 --> 00:11:04.954
  • Rise first."
  • 00:11:04.954 --> 00:11:06.322
  • Now, let me remind you, when a christian dies, his spirit goes
  • 00:11:06.322 --> 00:11:12.895
  • Immediately into the presence of jesus.
  • 00:11:12.895 --> 00:11:15.431
  • 2 corinthians 5:8 says that, for a christian, "to be absent from
  • 00:11:15.431 --> 00:11:18.467
  • The body is to be at home with the lord."
  • 00:11:18.467 --> 00:11:20.803
  • If you were to die right this moment, right there in the pew,
  • 00:11:20.803 --> 00:11:23.773
  • If you were to die of a heart attack or just sheer boredom,
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  • You know what happens to you?
  • 00:11:26.742 --> 00:11:30.346
  • Your spirit immediately goes into the presence of jesus, it
  • 00:11:30.346 --> 00:11:33.716
  • Don't float around up there, it doesn't go to sleep, you go to
  • 00:11:33.716 --> 00:11:37.253
  • Be with the lord, your spirit, the essence of who you are.
  • 00:11:37.253 --> 00:11:41.223
  • But, obviously, you leave a body behind, we'll have to haul your
  • 00:11:41.223 --> 00:11:44.560
  • Body out of here, we'll have to do something with it.
  • 00:11:44.560 --> 00:11:47.563
  • Some of you may have your loved ones bury it, you may cremate
  • 00:11:47.563 --> 00:11:50.833
  • It, you know, who knows what's gonna happen to it, but that's
  • 00:11:50.833 --> 00:11:54.103
  • Your physical body.
  • 00:11:54.103 --> 00:11:55.771
  • The bible says it falls asleep, your physical body, but not for
  • 00:11:55.771 --> 00:11:58.741
  • Real, you don't fall asleep, you go into the presence of
  • 00:11:58.741 --> 00:12:01.477
  • The lord.
  • 00:12:01.477 --> 00:12:02.812
  • But god does not mean for us to spend eternity as disembodied
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  • Spirits floating around up there.
  • 00:12:07.316 --> 00:12:09.185
  • Remember, when god made us, he made us body, soul and spirit,
  • 00:12:09.185 --> 00:12:13.689
  • We've always been that way, there was never a time in
  • 00:12:13.689 --> 00:12:15.758
  • Eternity past where you were existing without a body.
  • 00:12:15.758 --> 00:12:20.029
  • You were created with a body, you will always have a body, and
  • 00:12:20.029 --> 00:12:23.632
  • It's at the rapture that those who have already died will
  • 00:12:23.632 --> 00:12:26.368
  • Receive their brand new bodies that god has planned for them.
  • 00:12:26.368 --> 00:12:32.208
  • Thirdly, at the rapture, the removal of all
  • 00:12:32.208 --> 00:12:36.178
  • Living christians.
  • 00:12:36.178 --> 00:12:37.546
  • There will be a generation of christian, whatever christians
  • 00:12:37.546 --> 00:12:39.882
  • Are alive when this rapture occurs, they will be exempt from
  • 00:12:39.882 --> 00:12:44.486
  • Death, they will never experience physical death.
  • 00:12:44.486 --> 00:12:46.989
  • Instead, at the rapture, they will simply be snatched away,
  • 00:12:46.989 --> 00:12:49.992
  • Harpazo is the greek word, they will be caught up together to
  • 00:12:49.992 --> 00:12:53.796
  • Meet the lord in the air.
  • 00:12:53.796 --> 00:12:55.898
  • By the way, who is this, "with them," that christians will be
  • 00:12:55.898 --> 00:12:59.869
  • Caught up together?
  • 00:12:59.869 --> 00:13:01.203
  • It says, "those of us who are alive and remain shall be caught
  • 00:13:01.203 --> 00:13:04.073
  • Up together with them."
  • 00:13:04.073 --> 00:13:05.975
  • The word, "them," refers to the dead in christ, those christians
  • 00:13:05.975 --> 00:13:11.146
  • Who have already died.
  • 00:13:11.146 --> 00:13:12.715
  • Their spirits are in heaven, but at that moment, their bodies are
  • 00:13:12.715 --> 00:13:15.751
  • Resurrected and, as in a moment we'll see, they're gonna be
  • 00:13:15.751 --> 00:13:18.153
  • Changed into brand new bodies.
  • 00:13:18.153 --> 00:13:20.122
  • And the bible says if we're alive at that time, we're gonna
  • 00:13:20.122 --> 00:13:22.992
  • Be caught up together with those christians who have died, that
  • 00:13:22.992 --> 00:13:30.266
  • Christian husband, that christian wife, that child, that
  • 00:13:30.266 --> 00:13:36.572
  • Christian friend of yours.
  • 00:13:36.572 --> 00:13:38.374
  • The bible says there's going to be a great reunion with them at
  • 00:13:38.374 --> 00:13:42.344
  • The rapture of the church, we will be caught up together
  • 00:13:42.344 --> 00:13:46.115
  • With them.
  • 00:13:46.115 --> 00:13:48.684
  • Isn't that a great truth to think about?
  • 00:13:48.684 --> 00:13:51.954
  • You know, i've been a pastor for 30 years, the saddest things i
  • 00:13:51.954 --> 00:13:56.992
  • Ever see occur at funeral services, when people say
  • 00:13:56.992 --> 00:14:00.763
  • Goodbye to their loved ones.
  • 00:14:00.763 --> 00:14:03.132
  • There is nothing more final, let me tell you, there is nothing
  • 00:14:03.132 --> 00:14:06.635
  • More final, it seems, than seeing the body of your loved
  • 00:14:06.635 --> 00:14:11.507
  • One lowered in a casket into the ground.
  • 00:14:11.507 --> 00:14:15.377
  • It seems like it's all over at that point, that you'll never
  • 00:14:15.377 --> 00:14:19.348
  • See them again.
  • 00:14:19.348 --> 00:14:21.617
  • But where we place a period, god places a comma, he said it's not
  • 00:14:21.617 --> 00:14:27.656
  • Always gonna be this way.
  • 00:14:27.656 --> 00:14:29.591
  • The pain that you feel right now, it's real, but it's also
  • 00:14:29.591 --> 00:14:34.363
  • Temporary, there is a great resurrection and a great reunion
  • 00:14:34.363 --> 00:14:39.768
  • In heaven.
  • 00:14:39.768 --> 00:14:41.103
  • And you know what the best part of this reunion is?
  • 00:14:41.103 --> 00:14:42.571
  • The bible says, in verse 17, it's going to be forever, "we
  • 00:14:42.571 --> 00:14:47.242
  • Shall always be with the lord," as well as our loved
  • 00:14:47.242 --> 00:14:51.413
  • Ones, forever.
  • 00:14:51.413 --> 00:14:52.781
  • That's the rapture of the church.
  • 00:14:52.781 --> 00:14:54.116
  • Now, this isn't the second coming, that happens seven years
  • 00:14:54.116 --> 00:14:56.852
  • Later, this is the rapture.
  • 00:14:56.852 --> 00:14:58.320
  • Finally, what happens at the rapture?
  • 00:14:58.320 --> 00:15:00.289
  • The transformation of our bodies, whether our bodies are
  • 00:15:00.289 --> 00:15:03.459
  • Already dead, and we're in the ground and with the lord, or
  • 00:15:03.459 --> 00:15:06.128
  • Whether we happened to be alive at that time.
  • 00:15:06.128 --> 00:15:08.464
  • Regardless, whatever body we have or had is gonna be changed
  • 00:15:08.464 --> 00:15:13.602
  • Into that brand new body that god has prepared for us, a body
  • 00:15:13.602 --> 00:15:17.473
  • That will last through all eternity, a body that is free
  • 00:15:17.473 --> 00:15:21.110
  • From pain and sickness and the suffering of this life.
  • 00:15:21.110 --> 00:15:25.180
  • Look at what paul says in 1 corinthians 15 verses 51 to 53.
  • 00:15:25.180 --> 00:15:29.818
  • "behold, i tell you a mystery: we shall not all sleep," that
  • 00:15:29.818 --> 00:15:33.722
  • Is, not every christian is gonna die, those that the rapture
  • 00:15:33.722 --> 00:15:36.558
  • Won't die, we're not all going to sleep, that is, die, "but we
  • 00:15:36.558 --> 00:15:41.397
  • All shall be changed--in a moment,
  • 00:15:41.397 --> 00:15:43.632
  • In the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.
  • 00:15:43.632 --> 00:15:47.369
  • For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised
  • 00:15:47.369 --> 00:15:50.873
  • Imperishable, and we shall be changed.
  • 00:15:50.873 --> 00:15:53.842
  • For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this
  • 00:15:53.842 --> 00:15:56.879
  • Mortal must put on immortality."
  • 00:15:56.879 --> 00:15:59.481
  • This change is gonna happen, of our old bodies into our new
  • 00:15:59.481 --> 00:16:02.718
  • Bodies, the bible says, "in a twinkling of an eye."
  • 00:16:02.718 --> 00:16:05.020
  • Remember how quickly that is?
  • 00:16:05.020 --> 00:16:06.488
  • It's not the blinking of an eye, it's the twinkling of an eye,
  • 00:16:06.488 --> 00:16:09.792
  • The amount of time it takes light to go from the iris to the
  • 00:16:09.792 --> 00:16:12.494
  • Retina, that's 1/6th of a nanosecond, that's how quickly
  • 00:16:12.494 --> 00:16:17.066
  • Your body is going to be changed into that brand new body god has
  • 00:16:17.066 --> 00:16:20.936
  • For you.
  • 00:16:20.936 --> 00:16:22.271
  • Now, i want you to notice something both in
  • 00:16:22.271 --> 00:16:23.639
  • 1 thessalonians 4 and 1 corinthians 15.
  • 00:16:23.639 --> 00:16:26.475
  • Both passages say this event called the rapture will happen
  • 00:16:26.475 --> 00:16:30.846
  • When the trumpet sounds.
  • 00:16:30.846 --> 00:16:32.748
  • Notice in verse 16 of 1 thessalonians 4, "for the lord
  • 00:16:32.748 --> 00:16:36.385
  • Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of
  • 00:16:36.385 --> 00:16:39.321
  • The archangel, and with," what?
  • 00:16:39.321 --> 00:16:41.056
  • "the trumpet of god."
  • 00:16:41.056 --> 00:16:43.058
  • And then, in 1 corinthians 15:52, "it will happen in a
  • 00:16:43.058 --> 00:16:45.928
  • Moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet."
  • 00:16:45.928 --> 00:16:50.365
  • Well, what, what's the importance of the trumpet, why
  • 00:16:51.533 --> 00:16:55.237
  • Does he say trumpet instead of xylophone or accordion or
  • 00:16:55.237 --> 00:17:00.175
  • Something else?
  • 00:17:00.175 --> 00:17:01.510
  • Why does he say trumpet, what's the significance of the trumpet?
  • 00:17:01.510 --> 00:17:05.147
  • Remember, this was written with a roman background to it, and in
  • 00:17:05.147 --> 00:17:08.784
  • Paul's day, when a group of roman soldiers were about to
  • 00:17:08.784 --> 00:17:12.788
  • Break camp and move to a new location, there would be three
  • 00:17:12.788 --> 00:17:17.292
  • Blasts of the roman trumpet.
  • 00:17:17.292 --> 00:17:19.995
  • The first blast meant, "strike your tents and prepare
  • 00:17:19.995 --> 00:17:24.466
  • To depart."
  • 00:17:24.466 --> 00:17:25.801
  • The second blast of the trumpet meant, "fall in line and be
  • 00:17:25.801 --> 00:17:30.272
  • On alert."
  • 00:17:30.272 --> 00:17:31.707
  • And when that third blast of the trumpet occurred, it meant,
  • 00:17:31.707 --> 00:17:36.178
  • "march away to your new location."
  • 00:17:36.178 --> 00:17:40.048
  • I believe the first trumpet has already been sounded by god, god
  • 00:17:40.048 --> 00:17:44.486
  • Has already told us, "strike your tents," he's reminded us
  • 00:17:44.486 --> 00:17:48.790
  • This world is not our home, we're to live as aliens,
  • 00:17:48.790 --> 00:17:53.662
  • Strangers in this world, quit getting attached to the things
  • 00:17:53.662 --> 00:17:57.466
  • Of this world.
  • 00:17:57.466 --> 00:17:58.967
  • Don't get attached to your job, don't get attached to your
  • 00:17:58.967 --> 00:18:01.837
  • Position, don't get attached to your stock portfolio, you're
  • 00:18:01.837 --> 00:18:05.307
  • Gonna leave it all behind, we're to live as aliens in this world.
  • 00:18:05.307 --> 00:18:11.079
  • "strike your tent," god has already said.
  • 00:18:11.079 --> 00:18:13.081
  • Secondly, i believe he's sounded the second blast of the trumpet,
  • 00:18:13.081 --> 00:18:16.585
  • "be alert."
  • 00:18:16.585 --> 00:18:18.420
  • The bible says we're to be looking, we're to be watching
  • 00:18:18.420 --> 00:18:21.190
  • For the return of jesus christ, and living our
  • 00:18:21.190 --> 00:18:24.293
  • Lives accordingly.
  • 00:18:24.293 --> 00:18:26.128
  • All we are waiting for is the blast of that third and final
  • 00:18:26.128 --> 00:18:29.998
  • Trumpet at the rapture, when god tells us to break camp, to march
  • 00:18:29.998 --> 00:18:34.870
  • Away into the presence of our heavenly commander.
  • 00:18:34.870 --> 00:18:38.240
  • That's the significance of the last trumpet.
  • 00:18:38.240 --> 00:18:41.877
  • Now, what i've just presented to you is what i believe the bible
  • 00:18:41.877 --> 00:18:45.614
  • Teaches about the rapture.
  • 00:18:45.614 --> 00:18:47.716
  • Now, i realize, especially after this week's emails, not
  • 00:18:47.716 --> 00:18:50.752
  • Everybody agrees with me, not everybody in our listening
  • 00:18:50.752 --> 00:18:54.590
  • Audience agrees with me about the rapture.
  • 00:18:54.590 --> 00:18:57.025
  • So, for full disclosure, i wanna share with you just for a
  • 00:18:57.025 --> 00:19:00.495
  • Second, three different views about the rapture.
  • 00:19:00.495 --> 00:19:02.998
  • I'm not gonna go into any great detail about these views,
  • 00:19:02.998 --> 00:19:06.068
  • They're included in my book, "perfect ending," but let me
  • 00:19:06.068 --> 00:19:09.271
  • Just give you the three different views about
  • 00:19:09.271 --> 00:19:11.473
  • The rapture.
  • 00:19:11.473 --> 00:19:13.208
  • I'll tell you what everybody else believes and then i'll tell
  • 00:19:13.208 --> 00:19:15.410
  • You why i'm right, okay?
  • 00:19:15.410 --> 00:19:17.212
  • But we're gonna look at these other views.
  • 00:19:17.212 --> 00:19:21.250
  • First of all, there is what's called the post-tribulation
  • 00:19:21.250 --> 00:19:24.086
  • Rapture view, the post-tribulation rapture view,
  • 00:19:24.086 --> 00:19:26.822
  • That is, the church will endure the seven years of the
  • 00:19:26.822 --> 00:19:29.958
  • Tribulation which precede the second coming of christ.
  • 00:19:29.958 --> 00:19:33.495
  • If you look on your chart there, where i put the rapture, just
  • 00:19:33.495 --> 00:19:36.665
  • Move it over to the right seven years at the end of
  • 00:19:36.665 --> 00:19:38.900
  • The tribulation.
  • 00:19:38.900 --> 00:19:40.235
  • That's what the 9 believes,
  • 00:19:40.235 --> 00:19:42.271
  • Post means after, the rapture happens after the tribulation.
  • 00:19:42.271 --> 00:19:46.608
  • This is the view that the church must go through the great
  • 00:19:46.608 --> 00:19:49.711
  • Tribulation, and at the end of the tribulation, the church,
  • 00:19:49.711 --> 00:19:52.848
  • Whoever is alive at that time, will be snatched away, and then
  • 00:19:52.848 --> 00:19:56.351
  • Will come back at the second coming.
  • 00:19:56.351 --> 00:19:58.353
  • The rapture and the second coming are almost concurrent
  • 00:19:58.353 --> 00:20:01.056
  • Events according to this viewpoint.
  • 00:20:01.056 --> 00:20:03.392
  • Now, proponents of this view make their argument this way,
  • 00:20:03.392 --> 00:20:08.063
  • They say, "christians in every age have suffered tribulation,
  • 00:20:08.063 --> 00:20:12.267
  • Why in the world do you believe there's a group of christians
  • 00:20:12.267 --> 00:20:15.604
  • Who will escape tribulation?
  • 00:20:15.604 --> 00:20:17.773
  • That just doesn't make sense, it's not true in history,
  • 00:20:17.773 --> 00:20:20.309
  • Christians have always endured tribulation."
  • 00:20:20.309 --> 00:20:22.644
  • Well, as we'll see in a moment, during the last seven years of
  • 00:20:22.644 --> 00:20:25.981
  • Earth's history, the kind of tribulation that will be
  • 00:20:25.981 --> 00:20:28.350
  • Experienced is far different than any other kind of
  • 00:20:28.350 --> 00:20:31.753
  • Persecution christians have gone through before.
  • 00:20:31.753 --> 00:20:34.990
  • Secondly, they say, "it's very obvious when you read revelation
  • 00:20:34.990 --> 00:20:37.993
  • 6 to 19, that there are believers on the earth who are
  • 00:20:37.993 --> 00:20:41.563
  • Being persecuted by the antichrist.
  • 00:20:41.563 --> 00:20:44.466
  • If these believers are not the church that was here before the
  • 00:20:44.466 --> 00:20:47.669
  • Tribulation, who are they?"
  • 00:20:47.669 --> 00:20:49.371
  • As we'll see next week, there's a very logical answer to
  • 00:20:49.371 --> 00:20:52.874
  • That question.
  • 00:20:52.874 --> 00:20:54.242
  • But that's the post-tribulation view, the church will be here
  • 00:20:54.242 --> 00:20:56.578
  • For the tribulation and then will be raptured at the end.
  • 00:20:56.578 --> 00:20:59.681
  • Secondly, there is the
  • 00:20:59.681 --> 00:21:01.350
  • Mid-tribulation rapture view,
  • 00:21:01.350 --> 00:21:03.352
  • And that is, the rapture will occur after the first 3.5 years
  • 00:21:03.352 --> 00:21:08.223
  • Of the seven-year tribulation.
  • 00:21:08.223 --> 00:21:10.759
  • The proponents of this view say, the first 3.5 years are gonna be
  • 00:21:10.759 --> 00:21:14.930
  • Relatively peaceful, everybody's gonna love antichrist, and it's
  • 00:21:14.930 --> 00:21:18.900
  • Only after 3 and a half years, that he turns against israel and
  • 00:21:18.900 --> 00:21:23.205
  • Begins persecuting israel and the church, and that the earth
  • 00:21:23.205 --> 00:21:25.974
  • Suffers the wrath of god."
  • 00:21:25.974 --> 00:21:27.943
  • And so, the church is here for the first 3 and a half years,
  • 00:21:27.943 --> 00:21:30.512
  • But we get snatched away before the final, really intense
  • 00:21:30.512 --> 00:21:34.216
  • 3 and a half years of tribulation.
  • 00:21:34.216 --> 00:21:37.919
  • There's a variation of this view called the pre-wrath rapture
  • 00:21:37.919 --> 00:21:41.289
  • Popularized by marvin rosenthal, and basically, it's saying
  • 00:21:41.289 --> 00:21:45.427
  • The first 3 and a half years of the seven years are natural
  • 00:21:45.427 --> 00:21:48.597
  • Disasters which the church will have to experience,
  • 00:21:48.597 --> 00:21:51.933
  • They're called the seal judgments in revelation 6.
  • 00:21:51.933 --> 00:21:54.736
  • But halfway through the tribulation,
  • 00:21:54.736 --> 00:21:57.072
  • Before antichrist persecutes the world and god
  • 00:21:57.072 --> 00:22:00.008
  • Persecutes the world, christians will be snatched up.
  • 00:22:00.008 --> 00:22:02.978
  • Now, there are three problems with this view of the pre-wrath
  • 00:22:02.978 --> 00:22:06.681
  • Rapture, or the mid-tribulation rapture.
  • 00:22:06.681 --> 00:22:09.151
  • First of all, revelation 5 through 6 teaches that that
  • 00:22:09.151 --> 00:22:13.422
  • First series of judgments against the earth at the
  • 00:22:13.422 --> 00:22:16.658
  • Beginning of the seven years are unleashed by jesus
  • 00:22:16.658 --> 00:22:20.328
  • Christ himself.
  • 00:22:20.328 --> 00:22:21.663
  • In fact, in revelation 6:2, remember, it is the lamb of god
  • 00:22:21.663 --> 00:22:24.866
  • Who is deemed the only one worthy to open the seals of
  • 00:22:24.866 --> 00:22:28.503
  • Judgment that come upon the earth.
  • 00:22:28.503 --> 00:22:30.238
  • So this is not just a natural disaster that just happened to
  • 00:22:30.238 --> 00:22:33.341
  • Happen, it's not even a satanic judgment, it is a judgment by
  • 00:22:33.341 --> 00:22:37.646
  • God himself.
  • 00:22:37.646 --> 00:22:40.348
  • Jeffress: and we'll continue our discussion of this important
  • 00:22:44.519 --> 00:22:47.355
  • Topic next time, as i explain how you can know for certain
  • 00:22:47.355 --> 00:22:51.193
  • That you'll be among those who are delivered from the coming
  • 00:22:51.193 --> 00:22:54.830
  • Wrath of god.
  • 00:22:54.830 --> 00:22:56.364
  • Now, before we wrap up today's message, let me share with you
  • 00:22:56.364 --> 00:22:59.935
  • A note i received in response to my teaching series about heaven.
  • 00:22:59.935 --> 00:23:04.439
  • Linda wrote, "your teaching has blessed me with the knowledge of
  • 00:23:04.439 --> 00:23:08.076
  • Heaven and given me more peace and anticipation of my going
  • 00:23:08.076 --> 00:23:12.047
  • Home to heaven one day."
  • 00:23:12.047 --> 00:23:14.382
  • Well, linda, your words certainly encourage us, and you
  • 00:23:14.382 --> 00:23:17.619
  • Inspire all of us to reach as many people as possible with the
  • 00:23:17.619 --> 00:23:20.989
  • Ministry of "pathway to victory."
  • 00:23:20.989 --> 00:23:23.558
  • Thanks to everyone who empowers me to proclaim the truth of
  • 00:23:23.558 --> 00:23:27.462
  • Scripture with boldness, and to touch lives for god's glory.
  • 00:23:27.462 --> 00:23:32.167
  • Stay right there, i'll be back with more "pathway to victory"
  • 00:23:32.167 --> 00:23:36.238
  • In just a moment.
  • 00:23:36.238 --> 00:23:38.740
  • Announcer: with everything happening in our world today.
  • 00:23:38.807 --> 00:23:41.710
  • It's natural to wonder, are we living in the end-times?
  • 00:23:41.710 --> 00:23:45.981
  • In his brand-new book "ask dr. jeffress about the end times,"
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  • Dr. robert jeffress answers the 20 questions people ask the
  • 00:23:50.151 --> 00:23:53.555
  • Most about the future.
  • 00:23:53.555 --> 00:23:54.956
  • Jeffress: in my 40+ years as a pastor, i've answered countless
  • 00:23:54.956 --> 00:23:58.193
  • Questions about the end-times, and that's why i wrote this
  • 00:23:58.193 --> 00:24:02.030
  • Book, to give you clear, biblical answers that will fill
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  • Your life with peace, joy, and excitement as we look forward to
  • 00:24:05.834 --> 00:24:09.905
  • Our lord's return.
  • 00:24:09.905 --> 00:24:11.540
  • Announcer: request your copy of "ask dr. jeffress about the
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  • End times" when you give a generous gift to support
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  • "pathway to victory" or when you become a pathway partner.
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  • "the end times illustrated," and the complete "perfect ending"
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  • Teaching series on both cd and dvd.
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  • Jeffress: the end-time events are going to be
  • 00:24:38.900 --> 00:24:40.235
  • Very frightening.
  • 00:24:40.235 --> 00:24:41.603
  • It's going to consist of economic turmoil.
  • 00:24:41.603 --> 00:24:43.605
  • There'll be wars, there'll be unprecedented persecution.
  • 00:24:43.605 --> 00:24:47.576
  • But fortunately christians don't have to fear that period
  • 00:24:47.576 --> 00:24:50.612
  • Of time.
  • 00:24:50.612 --> 00:24:51.947
  • Announcer: your generous support of "pathway to victory" helps us
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  • Proclaim the hope of christ's return through television,
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  • Radio, and online streaming to people across the country and
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  • Around the world.
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  • Together we're piercing the darkness with the light of
  • 00:25:03.058 --> 00:25:05.927
  • God's word.
  • 00:25:05.927 --> 00:25:07.295
  • Jeffress: the world may seem like it's going to hell in a
  • 00:25:10.332 --> 00:25:12.434
  • Hand basket, but what we're experiencing right now is
  • 00:25:12.434 --> 00:25:15.937
  • Nothing compared to what will take place during the
  • 00:25:15.937 --> 00:25:19.240
  • Great tribulation.
  • 00:25:19.240 --> 00:25:20.909
  • Now, we'll get into all the details of what will happen
  • 00:25:20.909 --> 00:25:23.979
  • During that seven-year period in another message.
  • 00:25:23.979 --> 00:25:27.282
  • But the point i want to leave with you today is this; before
  • 00:25:27.282 --> 00:25:30.986
  • The tribulation begins, all christians who are alive will be
  • 00:25:30.986 --> 00:25:34.990
  • Snatched away to meet the lord in the air.
  • 00:25:34.990 --> 00:25:38.426
  • And next time, we'll continue to explore the biblical evidence
  • 00:25:38.426 --> 00:25:41.930
  • For the rapture of the church.
  • 00:25:41.930 --> 00:25:43.765
  • Stay tuned for a preview of what's coming up next in our
  • 00:25:43.765 --> 00:25:46.735
  • Series, "perfect ending."
  • 00:25:46.735 --> 00:25:50.071
  • Jeffress: ladies and gentlemen, the fire of god's wrath burned,
  • 00:25:50.138 --> 00:25:55.176
  • It was poured out on jesus christ when he died on
  • 00:25:55.176 --> 00:25:58.079
  • The cross.
  • 00:25:58.079 --> 00:25:59.414
  • He, by his own choice, decided that he would take the
  • 00:25:59.414 --> 00:26:02.784
  • Punishment from god that you and i deserve.
  • 00:26:02.784 --> 00:26:05.787
  • Male announcer: set your dvr and join us next time for part two
  • 00:26:05.854 --> 00:26:08.523
  • Of the message, "making sure you're not left behind,"
  • 00:26:08.523 --> 00:26:11.626
  • Here on "pathway to victory."
  • 00:26:11.626 --> 00:26:18.600
  • Male announcer: alaska is unlike any other place on earth, and
  • 00:26:18.667 --> 00:26:22.170
  • This is your chance to witness god's masterpiece and america's
  • 00:26:22.270 --> 00:26:25.907
  • Priceless treasure june 13th through 20, 2026.
  • 00:26:26.041 --> 00:26:26.875
  • Dr. robert jeffress: you know, i can hardly wait to show
  • 00:26:29.944 --> 00:26:31.780
  • You alaska.
  • 00:26:31.780 --> 00:26:33.148
  • I've been there before, and every time i witness those
  • 00:26:33.148 --> 00:26:36.484
  • Massive glaciers and towering mountains, i'm reminded of how
  • 00:26:36.484 --> 00:26:40.422
  • Incredibly creative our god is.
  • 00:26:40.422 --> 00:26:43.091
  • Announcer: picture this, waking up to snow-capped peaks outside
  • 00:26:43.091 --> 00:26:46.461
  • Your window, then heading to your refreshing breakfast,
  • 00:26:46.461 --> 00:26:49.597
  • Knowing that all your meals are prepared for you.
  • 00:26:49.597 --> 00:26:52.133
  • The world class service means that you can truly relax.
  • 00:26:52.133 --> 00:26:55.470
  • Jeffress: we'll explore charming villages together,
  • 00:26:55.470 --> 00:26:58.006
  • We'll stroll alongside the still waters of the mountain stream,
  • 00:26:58.006 --> 00:27:01.910
  • And, yes, we'll see god's artistry at every turn.
  • 00:27:01.910 --> 00:27:06.247
  • Announcer: reserve your spot on the 2026 pathway to victory
  • 00:27:06.247 --> 00:27:09.951
  • Cruise to alaska by calling... or visit ptv.org.
  • 00:27:09.951 --> 00:27:09.951