THE WRATH TO COME - WHAT, WHY, WHEN

The world as you know it is hurtling towards an inescapable cataclysm – a period of divine judgment known as "The Wrath to Come." You can't stop it, no one can. Followers of Jesus want it to come.

This isn't a distant prophecy for some other generation; it's a looming reality that will engulf a Christ-rejecting world in a seven-year Tribulation of unparalleled devastation. Why? Because of humanity's persistent rebellion, its choice of darkness over light, and hardened hearts that refuse to repent despite overwhelming evidence.

But there's an escape, a rescue for those who believe. Are you ready for what's coming? The clock is ticking.

WHAT IS THE WRATH?

1 Thessalonians 1:9-10: "you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come"

1 Thessalonians 5:9: "For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ"

Revelation 6:16-17: "and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, 'Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?'"

The Wrath = God's judgment poured out on Christ-rejecting world during the Tribulation

The Seven-Year Tribulation

Daniel 9:27: "And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week" (one week = 7 years)

Revelation 6-19: Seal judgments, Trumpet judgments, Bowl judgments

Matthew 24:21: "For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will"

WHY THE WRATH?

1. REJECTION OF JESUS CHRIST

John 3:36: "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him"

Romans 2:5: "But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God"

2. PERSISTENT REBELLION AGAINST TRUTH

2 Thessalonians 2:10-12: "because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness"

Romans 1:18: "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness"

3. CHOOSING DARKNESS OVER LIGHT

John 3:19-20: "This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil"

4. HARDENED HEARTS DESPITE EVIDENCE

Revelation 9:20-21: "The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands... and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts"

Revelation 16:9, 11: "Men were scorched with fierce heat; and they blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues, and they did not repent so as to give Him glory... they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores; and they did not repent of their deeds"

THE WHY IN SUMMARY

Rejected the only Savior
Loved SELF over Spirit
Chose lies over Truth
Refused to repent despite endless evidence
Blasphemed God even during judgment

WHEN DOES THE WRATH BEGIN?

HARPAZO COMES FIRST - BEFORE THE WRATH

1 Thessalonians 5:2-4, 9: "For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, 'Peace and safety!' then destruction will come upon them suddenly... But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief... For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ"

The Pattern

THEY (darkness) - Day comes as thief, sudden destruction, wrath

YOU (light) - NOT in darkness, day does NOT overtake as thief, NOT destined for wrath

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"

Revelation 3:10: "Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth"

SEQUENCE

Harpazo (Rapture) - Church removed
7-Year Tribulation begins (Daniel's 70th week)
Wrath poured out on Christ-rejecting world
Christ returns with saints (Second Coming)
1000-year Millennial Kingdom

WHY BELIEVERS ESCAPE THE WRATH

NOT BECAUSE WE'RE WORTHY

Ephesians 2:8-9: "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast"

Titus 3:5: "He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy"
BECAUSE OF JESUS' RIGHTEOUSNESS ALONE:

2 Corinthians 5:21: "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him"

Romans 5:9: "Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him"

BECAUSE WE ARE HIS BRIDE

Ephesians 5:25-27: "Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her... that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless"

Revelation 19:7-9: "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"

BECAUSE HE PROMISED

John 14:1-3: "Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also"

THE THIEF ON THE CROSS CONNECTION

Luke 23:39-43: "One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him... But the other answered... 'Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!' And He said to him, 'Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.'"

THE THIEF HAD

NOTHING to offer - dying criminal, no good works

EMPTY HANDS - couldn't do anything, completely helpless

ONLY FAITH - believed Jesus was King, asked for mercy

RECEIVED GRACE - immediate salvation, eternal life promised

BELIEVERS WAITING FOR HARPAZO ARE LIKE THE THIEF

EMPTY HANDS - no merit, no righteousness of our own

GRACE ALONE - saved by His work, not ours

LIKE INFANTS - completely dependent, can't save ourselves

POOR IN SPIRIT - spiritually bankrupt without Him

WAITING FOR HIM - looking to Jesus alone for deliverance

Matthew 18:3-4: "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven"

THE CONTRAST

SELF-RIGHTEOUS (Pharisees):

Trust their works
Protect their position
Love this world
Build kingdoms of SELF

DESTINED FOR WRATH

POOR IN SPIRIT (Thief, Infants, Watchful Believers):

Trust Christ alone
Have nothing to offer
Love His appearing
Empty of SELF, full of Spirit

RESCUED FROM WRATH

THE COMFORT OF THE HARPAZO

1 Thessalonians 4:18: "Therefore comfort one another with these words"

1 Thessalonians 5:11: "Therefore encourage one another and build up one another"

WHAT'S THE COMFORT?

NOT: "You'll go through wrath but Jesus will help you endure"

YES: "Jesus rescues you FROM the wrath to come"

Romans 5:9: "Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him"

THE URGENT MESSAGE FOR TODAY

TO THOSE STILL IN DARKNESS

The wrath is coming. Not because God is cruel, but because you:

Rejected the only Savior
Chose SELF over Spirit
Loved darkness over Light
Suppressed truth

THE ESCAPE

Acts 16:30-31: "'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?' They said, 'Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved'"

Romans 10:9-10: "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"

EMPTY YOUR HANDS. BECOME LIKE THE THIEF. RECEIVE THE GIFT.

TO BELIEVERS WATCHING

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

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"

THE WRATH TO COME

WHAT: God's judgment during 7-year Tribulation

WHY: Rejection of Christ, love of darkness, hardened hearts

WHEN: After Harpazo, before Second Coming

BELIEVERS ESCAPE BECAUSE

Empty hands (like thief)
Grace alone (not works)
Jesus' righteousness (not ours)
He promised to rescue His Bride

THE CALL

Be found WAITING and WATCHING, with oil (Holy Spirit), ready for His appearing.

Whether October 6-7 or later: BE READY.

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