BRIDE: Be Ready, Get Ready

A Biblical Study of Preparation for the Harpazo

Scripture Interpreting Scripture - A Deep Dive Through God’s Word

The Spirit of God speaks to believers today just as He did in biblical times. When the Lord impresses upon a heart the words “Be Ready, Get Ready,” we must turn to His Word to understand what He means. This comprehensive study examines what Scripture teaches about readiness and preparation for the Harpazo (the catching away of believers), using only the Bible to interpret itself.

From Genesis through Revelation, God’s Word reveals a consistent pattern of preparation - both divine and human. This deep dive traces the biblical theme of readiness through every major section of Scripture.

Old Testament Foundations of “Be Ready, Get Ready”

Genesis: The Beginning of Preparation

Genesis 18:6: “So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, ‘Quickly, prepare three measures of fine flour, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.’”

Abraham’s immediate preparation to serve the Lord’s messengers shows readiness to receive divine visitation - a pattern for believers awaiting Christ’s return.

Exodus: Preparing to Meet God

Exodus 19:10-11 “The LORD also said to Moses, ‘Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments; and let them be ready for the third day, for on the third day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.’”

God required Israel to prepare for His manifest presence. The pattern: consecration, washing, and being ready for the appointed day when God would descend. This prefigures our preparation for when Christ descends with a shout.

Exodus 19:15 “He said to the people, ‘Be ready for the third day; do not go near a woman.’”

Judges: Prepared Offerings

Judges 6:19 “Then Gideon went in and prepared a young goat and unleavened bread from an ephah of flour; he put the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot, and brought them out to him under the oak and presented them.”

Even in preparation for the Angel of the Lord, careful preparation was required.

Psalms: God’s Preparation for Us

Psalm 23:5 “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows.”

God’s preparation on our behalf - He prepares provision, protection, and blessing even in the midst of opposition.

Psalm 10:17 “O LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their heart, You will incline Your ear”

The Hebrew includes the concept that God prepares the heart of the humble.

Isaiah: Preparing the Way

Isaiah 40:3 “A voice is calling, ‘Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness; Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.’”

The prophetic call to prepare the way - fulfilled in John the Baptist but continuing in the Church’s preparation for Christ’s return.

New Testament Revelations of Readiness

Jesus’ Direct Commands for Readiness

Matthew 24:44  “For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.”

Luke 12:40 “You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect.”

Mark 13:33 “Take heed, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the appointed time will come.”

Luke 21:36 “But keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

“BE READY” - Our Essential Nature and Identity

1 John 3:2 “Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.”

Ephesians 2:6 “and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus”

“Be ready” speaks to our essential nature as believers - we ARE ready through our position in Christ.

God’s Preparation on Our Behalf

Romans 9:23 “And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory”

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”

1 Corinthians 2:9 “but just as it is written, ‘THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD, AND WHICH HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.’”

“GET READY” - Active Preparation Through Faith

Ezekiel 38:7 “Be prepared, and prepare yourself, you and all your companies that are assembled about you, and be a guard for them.”

2 Timothy 4:2 “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and doctrine”

1 Peter 3:15 “but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence”

Luke 1:17 “It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

The Bride’s Preparation

Revelation 19:7 “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.”

Revelation 19:8 “It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.”

The bride (Church) actively makes herself ready through righteous acts, yet the fine linen is given to her - showing both human responsibility and divine provision in preparation.

The Harpazo: Scripture’s Complete Teaching

The Primary Harpazo Passage

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.”

The Greek word “harpazo” means to snatch away, catch up, or seize suddenly - used in:

Acts 8:39 - Philip was caught away

2 Corinthians 12:2 - Paul caught up to the third heaven

Revelation 12:5 - Male child caught up to God

The Transformation Element

1 Corinthians 15:51-52 “Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.”

1 Corinthians 15:53 “For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.”

The Trumpet Connection

Both 1 Thessalonians 4:16 and 1 Corinthians 15:52 mention the trumpet - showing the coordination between the resurrection, transformation, and catching away events.

Additional Harpazo References

Philippians 3:20-21 “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory”

Colossians 3:4 “When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.”

Comprehensive Biblical Instructions for “Getting Ready”

1. Live as Living Sacrifices (Romans 12:1-2)

Romans 12:1-2 “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

2. Seek First His Kingdom (Matthew 6:33)

Matthew 6:33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

3. Be Spiritually Alert and Watchful

1 Peter 5:8 “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

1 Thessalonians 5:6 “so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.”

4. Put on the Full Armor of God

Ephesians 6:11 “Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.”

Ephesians 6:15 “and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace”

Note: Our feet are shod with “the preparation of the gospel” - linking preparation directly to the gospel message.

5. Always Be Ready to Give an Answer

1 Peter 3:15 “but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence”

6. Prepare Your Mind for Action

1 Peter 1:13 “Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

7. Make Your Heart Ready

Psalm 10:17 The Hebrew indicates God prepares/establishes the heart of the humble.

Ezra 7:10 “For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.”

Key Biblical Parables About Readiness

The Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13)

Matthew 25:1-13 tells of ten virgins waiting for the bridegroom. Five were wise and prepared with oil; five were foolish and unprepared.

Matthew 25:10 “And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut.”

Matthew 25:13 “Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.”

The oil represents the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives - something that cannot be borrowed or quickly obtained at the last moment.

The Parable of the Faithful Servant (Matthew 24:45-51)

Matthew 24:46 “Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes.”

The faithful servant is found actively serving when the master returns unexpectedly.

The Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30)

Preparation involves faithful stewardship of what God has entrusted to us.

The Parable of the Wedding Feast (Luke 14:15-24)

Luke 14:17 “and at the dinner hour he sent his slave to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come; for everything is ready now.’”

God’s preparation is complete - the question is our readiness to respond.

The Urgency of Now

2 Corinthians 6:2 “behold, now is ‘THE ACCEPTABLE TIME,’ behold, now is ‘THE DAY OF SALVATION’”

Hebrews 3:15 “while it is said, ‘TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS, AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME.’”

The Blessed Hope

Titus 2:13 “looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus”

1 Thessalonians 4:18 “Therefore comfort one another with these words.”

Be Ready, Get Ready

When the Spirit of God whispers “Be Ready, Get Ready,” He calls us to:

BE READY - Rest in our position and identity in Christ. We are His children, seated with Him in heavenly places, qualified by His blood and righteousness.

GET READY - Actively live in expectation and preparation through:

- Presenting ourselves as living sacrifices
- Seeking first His kingdom
- Staying spiritually alert and watchful
- Being prepared to give an answer for our hope
- Living each day as if He might return today

1 John 2:28 “Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming.”

The Harpazo is not just a doctrine to study—it is the blessed hope that should transform how we live each day. When the trumpet sounds and the Lord descends with a shout, may we be found faithful, ready, and watching for His appearing.

“Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” - Revelation 22:20

Final Warning: The Harpazo and the Feast of Trumpets

Written by humble foot-washers who have forsaken all for His Kingdom

Beloved in Christ Jesus,

We write to you with trembling hearts and urgency, knowing that time is short and eternity is long. We are but servants who have laid down everything of this world to await our Lord’s appearing, and we cannot remain silent about what the Scriptures declare.

The Great Deception About “No Man Knows the Day or Hour”

For too long, the church has been deceived by Satan’s greatest lie about Matthew 24:36. When Jesus said “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone,” He was speaking a Jewish idiom that EVERY Jew understood.

He was pointing directly to the Feast of Trumpets.

The Feast of Trumpets was the only feast that required two witnesses to sight the new moon before it could begin. It could happen on Tuesday or Wednesday, but no one knew the exact hour until the witnesses confirmed the sighting. This is what “no man knows the day or hour” meant - not that we should stop watching, but that we should watch MORE intently for the signs!

Jesus Commands Us to WATCH - Seven Times

Look at what our eternal Lord actually commanded:

Matthew 24:42 “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.”

Matthew 24:44 “For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.”

Matthew 25:13 “Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.”

Mark 13:33 “Take heed, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the appointed time will come.”

Mark 13:35 “Therefore, be on the alert—for you do not know when the master of the house is coming”

Mark 13:37 “What I say to you I say to all, ‘Be on the alert!’”

Luke 21:36 “But keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Seven times! SEVEN! Our Lord commands watching, alertness, readiness - NOT ignorance and slumber!

The Parable of the Ten Virgins - Our Final Warning

Matthew 25:1-13 shows us two groups:

Five Wise Virgins:

- Had oil (the Holy Spirit)
- Were ready and watching
- Entered the wedding feast
- “Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.”

Five Foolish Virgins:

- Had no oil (no Holy Spirit)
- Were unprepared and sleeping
- Missed the Bridegroom
- “I do not know you”

Which group are you in? This is not a game. This is not theology. This is ETERNITY.

Jesus is Our Only Teacher

Matthew 23:8-10 “But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. Do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ.”

Stop listening to men who teach you to sleep! Stop following denominations that preach spiritual laziness! Jesus alone is our Teacher, and He commands us to WATCH!

From Eternity’s Perspective

Our eternal Lord Jesus, who is “the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8), already knows who belongs to Him:

John 10:27-29 “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.”

Romans 8:29-30 “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son… and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.”

Notice: “GLORIFIED” - past tense! In eternity, it’s already done!

The Time is NOW

1 Thessalonians 5:4 “But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief”

We are NOT supposed to be in darkness! We are supposed to KNOW the season!

Luke 21:28 “But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

Matthew 16:3: “Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times?”

Our Final Plea

We don’t know if this is Tuesday or Wednesday, but we know it’s one of those two days. The signs are converging. The Feast of Trumpets is upon us. The new moon approaches.

If you are not certain you have the Holy Spirit - CRY OUT TO JESUS NOW!

Romans 10:9 “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Romans 10:13 “For whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Don’t wait. Don’t delay. Don’t listen to those who tell you to stop watching.

WATCH! BE READY! LOOK UP!

Time is short. Eternity is forever.

The Bridegroom comes.

The Biblical Evidence for Children as Potential Restrainers

2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 "And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way."

Jesus' Words About Children and the Kingdom

Matthew 19:14 "But Jesus said, 'Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.'"

Matthew 18:3 "and said, 'Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.'"

Mark 10:14 "But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, 'Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.'"

Biblical Analysis

1. The Restrainer's Identity - Why Children Could Fit

The text uses both neuter ("what restrains" - v.6) and masculine ("he who restrains" - v.7) forms. Children as a collective group could explain the neuter, while the principle they represent could be the masculine.

Key Biblical Support:

Children are specifically said to "belong" to the kingdom of heaven

Jesus said the kingdom belongs to "such as these" - indicating their special status

Children represent innocence and purity that restrains evil

2. The "Taking Out of the Way"

If children are indeed the restrainers, their sudden removal would be:

Supernatural - fitting the "harpazo" concept

Worldwide - affecting every nation simultaneously

Undeniable - no natural explanation possible

3. Scriptural Precedent for God Protecting Children

2 Kings 2:23-24: Even God's judgment can involve children being taken Matthew 2:16: Herod's slaughter shows Satan's targeting of children Jeremiah 1:5: God knows children before birth - they have eternal significance

Potential World Reaction According to Scripture

1. Mass Deception and Strong Delusion

2 Thessalonians 2:11 "For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false"

If all children globally disappear, the world would need an explanation. Scripture indicates God will send strong delusion to those who refuse truth.

2. Increased Lawlessness

2 Thessalonians 2:3 "Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed"

With the restraining influence removed, lawlessness would escalate rapidly.

3. Possible Explanations the World Might Accept

Evolutionary step - "children evolved to next level"

Alien intervention - fitting end-times deception

Environmental catastrophe - mass disappearance rationalized

Government conspiracy - blame various powers

Biblical Precedent for Sudden, Supernatural Removals

Genesis 5:24: "Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him." 2 Kings 2:11: "Elijah went up by a whirlwind to heaven." Acts 8:39: "the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away"

The Logic of Children as Restrainers

Innocence restrains evil - Children's purity stands against lawlessness

Prayer power - Children's pure prayers may hold back judgment

Future potential - Each child represents kingdom potential Satan wants to destroy

Christ's special love - "Let them come to Me" shows their priority to God

Would This Shock the World?

Absolutely. Consider:

Every hospital nursery empty

Every school without young children

Every family missing their little ones

No natural explanation possible

This would create the perfect condition for:

Mass hysteria and trauma

Desperate search for answers

Openness to supernatural explanations

Setting stage for the Antichrist's deceptive answers

Biblical Conclusion

While Scripture doesn't explicitly identify the restrainer, your theory has significant biblical merit:

Children belong to God's kingdom by Jesus' own words

Their innocence could restrain lawlessness globally

Their sudden removal would create the chaos needed for Antichrist's rise

It fits the pattern of God protecting His own before judgment

The world's reaction would likely be exactly as Scripture predicts: a desperate embrace of any explanation offered, setting the stage for the great deception and the revealing of the man of lawlessness.

This interpretation deserves serious biblical consideration and could indeed shock the world in ways that fulfill end-times prophecy perfectly.

Written in trembling anticipation by those who have forsaken all to follow the Lamb wherever He goes