Free End Times Book (pdf).. - Rapture Notes

the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and
at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from
it. (2 Corinthians 4:14-5:9)
There is no hint here of an intermediate state between dying and going into the presence of the Lord. Indeed the
Apostle tells us that our resurrection bodies are already prepared for us, they are waiting for us to "put on" exactly as
one would put on a new set of clothes over the old!
Events between The Rapture and Christ's Return
There are certain future events which evidently will take place between the Rapture and Christ's glorious return as
King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Two of them are The Bema Seat Judgment, and The Marriage of the Lamb.
The Bema Seat Judgment
According to 2 Corinthians 5:10, all believers of this age must appear before the judgment seat of Christ.
Information about this event is also found in Romans 14:10; in 1 Corinthians. 3:10-15; and in 1 Corinthians 4:2-5.
This evaluation of every believer is not for the purpose of dealing with sin --which was fully dealt with on the cross
by the Lord Jesus. Rather it is a reviewing stand where quality of our Christian performance can be evaluated and
rewarded. The motives of the heart will be made known, and most importantly, only the works the believer has
undertaken by faith "in the Spirit"--by faith in the indwelling presence of God, will survive. The "works of the flesh"
(our self-efforts to serve God) will be taken away and only what God has built into our lives since we came to know
Him will go with us into the next life. See Appendix, The Judgment Seat of Christ, for further details.
The Marriage Supper of the Lamb - Revelation 19:7-9
During his lifetime on earth, Jesus did not marry. For a man not to marry was very rare in Israel (then as now).
Following the typology in the story of Abraham's servant going to a far country to select a bride (Rebekah) for the
patriarchs beloved son Isaac, (Genesis 24) we could say that God the Father dispatched the Holy Spirit into the
world to call out and prepare a people who would be a suitable bride. The Spirit would also give the church a
suitable wedding dowry that she might be a fitting love-gift from the Father to His beloved Son, Jesus. All sorts of
people are welcome to be part of Christ's wife, the invitation is open to everyone,
Jesus replied: "A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the
banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.'
"But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, 'I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it.
Please excuse me.'
"Another said, 'I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I'm on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.'
"Still another said, 'I just got married, so I can't come.'
"The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and
ordered his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled,
the blind and the lame.'
"'Sir,' the servant said, 'what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.'
"Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my
house will be full. I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.'" (Luke 14:16-
24)
The church can be thought of as the "Second Eve." But whereas the original Eve was one woman, the Bride of
Christ consists of millions of men and children! When we are all brought together as a family following the rapture
we shall join with our Lord is a great marriage feast.
Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will be Done… 41