Why Leave the Security of the Boat?
The Harpazo Pattern Revealed in Peter, Lot, and the Remnant Church
“Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” - Matthew 14:28
The Question That Changes Everything
Why would anyone leave the security of a boat during a raging storm to walk on chaotic water?
Why would anyone leave the security of a prosperous city to flee to the mountains?
Why would anyone leave the security of political power, economic stability, religious institutions, and cultural influence to trust Christ alone?
Because Jesus commands: “Come.”
And there is a vast, eternal difference between witnessing the Harpazo from the boat and experiencing the Harpazo by stepping out in faith.
As Biblical detectives, we’ve uncovered something extraordinary hidden in plain sight for 2,000 years. The pattern of the Rapture - the catching away of the Bride - is encoded in two powerful Biblical narratives that most have read as simple historical accounts.
But they’re not just history. They’re prophetic blueprints for what’s about to happen.
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The Peter Pattern: Walking on Chaos by Command
Matthew 14:22-33 - The scene is iconic, but most miss its prophetic significance.
The Setup:
- Disciples in a boat
- Fourth watch of the night (3-6 AM - darkest hour before dawn)
- Storm raging, waves battering the boat
- They’ve been rowing against the wind for hours (Mark 6:48 - “straining at the oars”)
- Jesus comes walking on the water
- They think He’s a ghost and cry out in fear
Then comes the moment:
Peter says: “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” (Matthew 14:28)
Notice what Peter does NOT do:
- He doesn’t presume
- He doesn’t jump out on his own initiative
- He doesn’t trust his own courage
- He doesn’t rely on his own strength
He asks for a COMMAND.
Jesus responds with one word: “Come.” (erchou)
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The Revelation Connection: “Come Up Here”
Fast forward to Revelation 4:1 - John’s vision of heaven: “After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, ‘Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.’”
The Parallel:
- To Peter: “Come” - step out onto chaos
- To John: “Come up here” - ascend to heaven
- To the Church: “Come” - be caught up in the Harpazo
Same divine command. Same required response: faith.
John records that immediately he was in the Spirit. No hesitation. No process. Instantaneous translation.
This is what happens in Revelation 4:1 - right after the messages to the seven churches (Revelation 2-3) and right before the Tribulation judgments begin (Revelation 6).
The Church is called up. Then judgment falls.
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What Peter Represents: The Weak But Faithful Church
Peter wasn’t the strongest disciple. He wasn’t the most educated. He wasn’t the most theologically sophisticated.
He was:
- Impulsive (often spoke before thinking)
- Weak (would later deny Jesus three times)
- Shaking (would sink and need rescue)
- Unsure (said “if it is You”)
- Untested (had never walked on water before)
But he had faith. Even if just a little.
This is Philadelphia from Revelation 3:8:
“I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.”
“Little strength” - that’s Peter. That’s the remnant church.
Not mighty by human standards. Not powerful in the world’s eyes. Not impressive by religious metrics.
But faithful. Watching. Ready to respond when Jesus commands.
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The Boat: False Security
The boat represents everything the world - and the compromised church - trusts in:
Political Power:
- “Make America Great Again”
- National restoration through human government
- Trust in presidents, policies, and political movements
- The belief that the right leader will save us
Economic Security:
- Prosperity gospel
- Material wealth as God’s blessing
- Financial stability as the goal
- “I am rich, have prospered, need nothing” (Laodicea)
Religious Institutions:
- Mega-church buildings
- Denominational structures
- Human authority systems
- Programs, platforms, and prestige
Cultural Influence:
- Being relevant, accepted, mainstream
- Christian celebrity status
- Entertainment-driven worship
- Seeker-friendly compromise
Self-Governance:
- Self-ambition (my goals, my dreams)
- Self-confidence (I can do this)
- Self-promotion (building my brand)
- Self-preservation (protecting my comfort)
- Self-sufficiency (I don’t need God’s intervention)
All of these are SELF. All of SELF is DEATH.
SELF is eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil - choosing independence from God, separation from His governance, reliance on human wisdom.
SELF = Separation from God = DEATH
The boat FEELS safe. It’s solid. Tangible. Everyone else is in it. It’s been working (sort of). Why leave?
But the boat is being battered by the storm. The disciples had been “straining at the oars” for hours and made almost no progress. The boat was taking on water. The storm was winning.
The boat cannot save you from the chaos.
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The Chaos: What the Raging Sea Represents
In Scripture, the sea consistently represents:
Nations and Peoples in Turmoil:
Revelation 17:15: “The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues.”
Isaiah 57:20: “But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.”
The chaos of the raging sea is:
- Wars and rumors of wars (Matthew 24:6)
- Nations in distress with perplexity (Luke 21:25)
- The sea and waves roaring (Luke 21:25)
- Men’s hearts failing from fear (Luke 21:26)
- Kingdoms rising against kingdoms (Matthew 24:7)
- The world system in collapse
But deeper - the sea represents CHAOS itself:
The domain of Satan - the “prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2)
Everything opposed to God’s order:
- Confusion (Babel)
- Deception (the serpent)
- Pride (Lucifer’s fall)
- Rebellion (human autonomy)
- Death (separation from God)
Walking ON the chaos means:
- Not being swallowed by it
- Not drowning in it
- Not being controlled by it
- Overcoming it by supernatural faith
But you can only walk on chaos by the command and power of Jesus.
Peter didn’t walk on water by his own ability. He walked on water because Jesus commanded him to come and empowered him to do the impossible.
This is the Harpazo pattern.
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Peter’s Experience: The Harpazo Type
Let’s trace what happened to Peter step by step, because each step reveals the Harpazo:
1. Peter Asks for the Command
“Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You.”
Not presumption. Not self-confidence. A request for divine authorization.
The bride must ask: “Command me to come to You.”
2. Jesus Commands: “Come”
One word. Authoritative. Clear. Unmistakable.
When Jesus commands, He empowers. His command carries His ability.
3. Peter Steps Out of the Boat
This is the critical moment. He leaves the security of the boat.
He leaves:
- What’s familiar
- What’s comfortable
- What everyone else trusts
- What appears safer
He steps into:
- What’s impossible by human standards
- What requires total dependence on Jesus
- What looks like certain death (you can’t walk on water!)
- Pure faith
4. Peter Walks on Water - On Top of Chaos
He does the impossible. He overcomes the chaos.
Not IN the chaos, drowning. Not UNDER the chaos, defeated.
ON TOP of the chaos - victorious by supernatural power.
This is the overcomer. This is the one who receives the promises in Revelation 2-3.
5. Peter Looks at the Circumstances
“But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, ‘Lord, save me!’” (Matthew 14:30)
The moment he took his eyes off Jesus and looked at:
- The wind (circumstances)
- The waves (threats)
- The chaos (impossibility)
He began to sink.
6. Jesus Immediately Catches Him
“And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him.” (Matthew 14:31)
The Greek word is (epelabeto) - “seized, grasped, took hold of, caught”
This is nearly identical to the Rapture word in 1 Thessalonians 4:17:
“Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.”
Both words mean: SEIZED, SNATCHED, CAUGHT
Jesus catches Peter just as He will catch up His bride in the Harpazo.
7. They Get Into the Boat Together
“And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.” (Matthew 14:32)
Notice: The storm doesn’t stop until Jesus and Peter are in the boat together.
The chaos doesn’t end until Jesus is present.
8. The Disciples Worship
“Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, ‘Truly You are the Son of God.’” (Matthew 14:33)
Those who stayed in the boat - who never left the false security - witnessed the miracle from a distance and worshiped afterward.
They saw it. They believed it. But they didn’t experience it.
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The Critical Difference: Witnessing vs. Experiencing
Being Peter (Experiencing the Harpazo):
- Steps out in faith when Jesus commands
- Walks on the impossible by supernatural power
- Overcomes chaos that would drown others
- Keeps eyes fixed on Jesus
- When begins to sink, cries out immediately
- Is personally seized/caught by Jesus’ hand
- Gets into the boat WITH Jesus intimately
- Experiences the storm ceasing through Christ’s presence
Being the Disciples in the Boat (Witnessing the Harpazo):
- Stays in false security
- Never experiences walking with Jesus on the impossible
- Watches from a distance as others overcome
- Remains in the storm longer
- Never feels Jesus’ hand personally catch them
- Only worships after seeing the miracle
- Misses the intimate experience of being rescued
One is PARTICIPATION. The other is OBSERVATION.
Which do you want to be?
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The Lot Pattern: Rescued FROM Judgment
Genesis 19 gives us another powerful Harpazo type - the rescue of Lot from Sodom.
The Setup:
- Sodom and Gomorrah: Prosperous cities, economically successful, culturally influential
- But utterly wicked: Pride, excess, neglect of the poor, sexual immorality (Ezekiel 16:49-50)
- Abraham intercedes: “Will You destroy the righteous with the wicked?” (Genesis 18:23)
- God’s response: If there are even 10 righteous, He’ll spare the city
- There aren’t even 10
The Rescue:
Genesis 19:15-16: “When the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot to hurry, saying, ‘Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city.’ And while he lingered, the men took hold of his hand, his wife’s hand, and the hands of his two daughters, the LORD being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city.”
Key phrase: “took hold of his hand”
Hebrew: (vayachaziku) - “seized, grasped firmly, took hold of by force”
Same concept as Peter being caught and the Harpazo. Divine seizure for salvation.
Lot lingered. He hesitated. He was attached to the city - his home, his possessions, his life there.
The angels forcibly removed him.
Not because Lot deserved rescue by his righteousness (2 Peter 2:7-8 calls him “righteous” but notes he was “tormented” by the wickedness around him - he stayed when he should have left).
But because God is merciful and judgment was coming.
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The Lot Pattern Applied: What the Cities Represent
Sodom and Gomorrah = Babylon = The World System
Just like the boat, these cities represent:
False Security:
- Economic prosperity (they were wealthy)
- Social structure (they had government)
- Cultural identity (they had pride in their city)
- Physical security (walls, gates, community)
But beneath the surface:
- Complete wickedness
- Pride and arrogance
- Neglect of the poor and needy
- Abundance of idleness
- Sexual immorality normalized
- Violent aggression (tried to assault the angels)
SELF in full bloom:
- Self-ambition (Babel-like pride)
- Self-confidence (we’re untouchable)
- Self-promotion (our city is great)
- Self-governance (we make our own rules)
- Self-sufficiency (we don’t need God)
All SELF. All DEATH. All leading to JUDGMENT.
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The Chaos in Lot’s Story
In Peter’s story, the chaos was the raging sea - violent, visible, obviously dangerous.
In Lot’s story, the chaos was invisible but just as deadly - the moral, spiritual, and social decay that had infected the cities completely.
Both represent the same thing:
The chaos of SELF - human autonomy, independence from God, eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
The chaos of Satan’s domain - pride, deception, rebellion, wickedness.
The chaos of the end times - when lawlessness abounds, love grows cold, and judgment is imminent.
Peter walked ON the visible chaos (water).
Lot was pulled OUT of the invisible chaos (wickedness).
Both were rescued FROM chaos, not left IN it.
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The Command to Leave: “Escape for Your Life!”
Genesis 19:17: “So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, ‘Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed.’”
Three commands:
“Escape for your life!” - Urgent. Immediate. Life or death.
“Do not look behind you” - Don’t long for what you’re leaving. Don’t be attached to the city. Don’t love the world.
“Escape to the mountains” - Get to higher ground. Get away from the judgment zone. Separate completely.
Lot’s wife violated command 2.
Genesis 19:26: “But his wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.”
She looked back. She longed for what she was leaving. She loved the world more than she loved deliverance.
Jesus references this directly when teaching about His return:
Luke 17:28-33: “Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed… Remember Lot’s wife. Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.”
The pattern repeats at the Harpazo.
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What SELF Really Is: The Root of All Chaos
We need to understand this deeply: SELF is not neutral. SELF is DEATH.
When Adam and Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they chose:
- Self-governance over God’s governance
- Self-determination over God’s plan
- Self-sufficiency over dependence on God
- Human wisdom over divine revelation
This was spiritual death - separation from God.
Every form of SELF continues this rebellion:
Self-Ambition:
- “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds” (Lucifer - Isaiah 14:13-14)
- “Come, let us build ourselves a city… and make a name for ourselves” (Babel - Genesis 11:4)
- My goals, my plans, my success measured by human standards
Self-Confidence:
- “I can do this on my own”
- “I don’t need God’s intervention”
- “I’ve got this handled”
- Trust in human ability, skill, intelligence
Self-Promotion:
- Building personal platforms, brands, reputations
- Seeking human applause, recognition, fame
- “Look what I’ve accomplished”
- Taking glory that belongs to God alone
Self-Governance:
- “I am the master of my fate, the captain of my soul”
- Making decisions independent of God’s Word
- Living by my own rules
- Autonomy = I am my own law
Self-Preservation:
- Protecting comfort at all costs
- Unwilling to suffer for Christ
- Prioritizing safety over obedience
- “Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it” (Luke 17:33)
Self-Sufficiency:
- “I am rich, have prospered, need nothing” (Laodicea)
- Don’t need God’s daily provision
- Don’t need the Holy Spirit’s power
- Independent, self-reliant, self-made
All of these are lies. All are deception. All are DEATH.
Because SELF = Separation from God = DEATH.
The boat is filled with SELF. Sodom was saturated with SELF. The Laodicean church is drowning in SELF.
And Jesus commands: “Come OUT.”
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Why You Must Leave the Security of the Boat
1. The Boat Cannot Save You
The disciples were “straining at the oars” for hours. They made almost no progress. The boat was being battered. The storm was winning.
Human systems - political, economic, religious - cannot overcome the chaos of the end times.
No president can stop what’s coming. No amount of money can buy safety. No institution can protect you from judgment.
The boat is going down.
2. The Boat Is Not Where Jesus Is
Jesus was outside the boat, walking on the water.
Just like Revelation 3:20 - Jesus is outside the Laodicean church, knocking.
If you stay in the boat (in human systems, in SELF), you are separated from Jesus.
Peter had to LEAVE the boat to get TO Jesus.
3. The Boat Represents SELF, and SELF Is Death
Everything the boat represents - political power, economic security, religious institutions, self-sufficiency - is rooted in SELF.
And SELF is eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
SELF = Independence from God = Spiritual Death
4. Only Those Who Leave the Boat Experience the Harpazo
The disciples who stayed in the boat were safe (for a moment), but:
- Never walked on water
- Never experienced the impossible
- Never felt Jesus’ hand catch them
- Never got into the boat WITH Jesus intimately
- Only witnessed from a distance
Peter left the boat and experienced something supernatural.
5. Judgment Is Coming, and God Removes His People First
2 Peter 2:6-9: “And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds) — then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment.”
God delivered Lot BEFORE judgment fell.
God will deliver His bride BEFORE the Tribulation.
6. Jesus Commands It
This is not optional. This is not a suggestion.
When Jesus says “Come” - we either obey or disobey.
Lot lingered. The angels had to forcibly remove him. His wife looked back and died.
Delayed obedience is disobedience.
Partial obedience is disobedience.
When Jesus commands “Come” - you leave the boat immediately, completely, without looking back.
Why Leave the Security of the Boat?
The Harpazo Pattern Revealed in Peter, Lot, and the Remnant Church
“Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” - Matthew 14:28
The Question That Changes Everything
Why would anyone leave the security of a boat during a raging storm to walk on chaotic water?
Why would anyone leave the security of a prosperous city to flee to the mountains?
Why would anyone leave the security of political power, economic stability, religious institutions, and cultural influence to trust Christ alone?
Because Jesus commands: “Come.”
And there is a vast, eternal difference between witnessing the Harpazo from the boat and experiencing the Harpazo by stepping out in faith.
As Biblical detectives, we’ve uncovered something extraordinary hidden in plain sight for 2,000 years. The pattern of the Rapture - the catching away of the Bride - is encoded in two powerful Biblical narratives that most have read as simple historical accounts.
But they’re not just history. They’re prophetic blueprints for what’s about to happen.
-----
The Peter Pattern: Walking on Chaos by Command
Matthew 14:22-33 - The scene is iconic, but most miss its prophetic significance.
The Setup:
- Disciples in a boat
- Fourth watch of the night (3-6 AM - darkest hour before dawn)
- Storm raging, waves battering the boat
- They’ve been rowing against the wind for hours (Mark 6:48 - “straining at the oars”)
- Jesus comes walking on the water
- They think He’s a ghost and cry out in fear
Then comes the moment:
Peter says: “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” (Matthew 14:28)
Notice what Peter does NOT do:
- He doesn’t presume
- He doesn’t jump out on his own initiative
- He doesn’t trust his own courage
- He doesn’t rely on his own strength
He asks for a COMMAND.
Jesus responds with one word: “Come.” (erchou)
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The Revelation Connection: “Come Up Here”
Fast forward to Revelation 4:1 - John’s vision of heaven:
“After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, ‘Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.’”
The Parallel:
- To Peter: “Come” - step out onto chaos
- To John: “Come up here” - ascend to heaven
- To the Church: “Come” - be caught up in the Harpazo
Same divine command. Same required response: faith.
John records that immediately he was in the Spirit. No hesitation. No process. Instantaneous translation.
This is what happens in Revelation 4:1 - right after the messages to the seven churches (Revelation 2-3) and right before the Tribulation judgments begin (Revelation 6).
The Church is called up. Then judgment falls.
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What Peter Represents: The Weak But Faithful Church
Peter wasn’t the strongest disciple. He wasn’t the most educated. He wasn’t the most theologically sophisticated.
He was:
- Impulsive (often spoke before thinking)
- Weak (would later deny Jesus three times)
- Shaking (would sink and need rescue)
- Unsure (said “if it is You”)
- Untested (had never walked on water before)
But he had faith. Even if just a little.
This is Philadelphia from Revelation 3:8:
“I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.”
“Little strength” - that’s Peter. That’s the remnant church.
Not mighty by human standards. Not powerful in the world’s eyes. Not impressive by religious metrics.
But faithful. Watching. Ready to respond when Jesus commands.
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The Boat: False Security
The boat represents everything the world - and the compromised church - trusts in:
Political Power:
- “Make America Great Again”
- National restoration through human government
- Trust in presidents, policies, and political movements
- The belief that the right leader will save us
Economic Security:
- Prosperity gospel
- Material wealth as God’s blessing
- Financial stability as the goal
- “I am rich, have prospered, need nothing” (Laodicea)
Religious Institutions:
- Mega-church buildings
- Denominational structures
- Human authority systems
- Programs, platforms, and prestige
Cultural Influence:
- Being relevant, accepted, mainstream
- Christian celebrity status
- Entertainment-driven worship
- Seeker-friendly compromise
Self-Governance:
- Self-ambition (my goals, my dreams)
- Self-confidence (I can do this)
- Self-promotion (building my brand)
- Self-preservation (protecting my comfort)
- Self-sufficiency (I don’t need God’s intervention)
All of these are SELF. All of SELF is DEATH.
SELF is eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil - choosing independence from God, separation from His governance, reliance on human wisdom.
SELF = Separation from God = DEATH
The boat FEELS safe. It’s solid. Tangible. Everyone else is in it. It’s been working (sort of). Why leave?
But the boat is being battered by the storm. The disciples had been “straining at the oars” for hours and made almost no progress. The boat was taking on water. The storm was winning.
The boat cannot save you from the chaos.
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The Chaos: What the Raging Sea Represents
In Scripture, the sea consistently represents:
Nations and Peoples in Turmoil:
Revelation 17:15: “The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues.”
Isaiah 57:20: “But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.”
The chaos of the raging sea is:
- Wars and rumors of wars (Matthew 24:6)
- Nations in distress with perplexity (Luke 21:25)
- The sea and waves roaring (Luke 21:25)
- Men’s hearts failing from fear (Luke 21:26)
- Kingdoms rising against kingdoms (Matthew 24:7)
- The world system in collapse
But deeper - the sea represents CHAOS itself:
The domain of Satan - the “prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2)
Everything opposed to God’s order:
- Confusion (Babel)
- Deception (the serpent)
- Pride (Lucifer’s fall)
- Rebellion (human autonomy)
- Death (separation from God)
Walking ON the chaos means:
- Not being swallowed by it
- Not drowning in it
- Not being controlled by it
- Overcoming it by supernatural faith
But you can only walk on chaos by the command and power of Jesus.
Peter didn’t walk on water by his own ability. He walked on water because Jesus commanded him to come and empowered him to do the impossible.
This is the Harpazo pattern.
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Peter’s Experience: The Harpazo Type
Let’s trace what happened to Peter step by step, because each step reveals the Harpazo:
1. Peter Asks for the Command
“Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You.”
Not presumption. Not self-confidence. A request for divine authorization.
The bride must ask: “Command me to come to You.”
2. Jesus Commands: “Come”
One word. Authoritative. Clear. Unmistakable.
When Jesus commands, He empowers. His command carries His ability.
3. Peter Steps Out of the Boat
This is the critical moment. He leaves the security of the boat.
He leaves:
- What’s familiar
- What’s comfortable
- What everyone else trusts
- What appears safer
He steps into:
- What’s impossible by human standards
- What requires total dependence on Jesus
- What looks like certain death (you can’t walk on water!)
- Pure faith
4. Peter Walks on Water - On Top of Chaos
He does the impossible. He overcomes the chaos.
Not IN the chaos, drowning. Not UNDER the chaos, defeated.
ON TOP of the chaos - victorious by supernatural power.
This is the overcomer. This is the one who receives the promises in Revelation 2-3.
5. Peter Looks at the Circumstances
“But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, ‘Lord, save me!’” (Matthew 14:30)
The moment he took his eyes off Jesus and looked at:
- The wind (circumstances)
- The waves (threats)
- The chaos (impossibility)
He began to sink.
6. Jesus Immediately Catches Him
“And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him.” (Matthew 14:31)
The Greek word is (epelabeto) - “seized, grasped, took hold of, caught”
This is nearly identical to the Rapture word in 1 Thessalonians 4:17:
“Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.”
Both words mean: SEIZED, SNATCHED, CAUGHT
Jesus catches Peter just as He will catch up His bride in the Harpazo.
7. They Get Into the Boat Together
“And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.” (Matthew 14:32)
Notice: The storm doesn’t stop until Jesus and Peter are in the boat together.
The chaos doesn’t end until Jesus is present.
8. The Disciples Worship
“Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, ‘Truly You are the Son of God.’” (Matthew 14:33)
Those who stayed in the boat - who never left the false security - witnessed the miracle from a distance and worshiped afterward.
They saw it. They believed it. But they didn’t experience it.
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The Critical Difference: Witnessing vs. Experiencing
Being Peter (Experiencing the Harpazo):
- Steps out in faith when Jesus commands
- Walks on the impossible by supernatural power
- Overcomes chaos that would drown others
- Keeps eyes fixed on Jesus
- When begins to sink, cries out immediately
- Is personally seized/caught by Jesus’ hand
- Gets into the boat WITH Jesus intimately
- Experiences the storm ceasing through Christ’s presence
Being the Disciples in the Boat (Witnessing the Harpazo):
- Stays in false security
- Never experiences walking with Jesus on the impossible
- Watches from a distance as others overcome
- Remains in the storm longer
- Never feels Jesus’ hand personally catch them
- Only worships after seeing the miracle
- Misses the intimate experience of being rescued
One is PARTICIPATION. The other is OBSERVATION.
Which do you want to be?
-----
The Lot Pattern: Rescued FROM Judgment
Genesis 19 gives us another powerful Harpazo type - the rescue of Lot from Sodom.
The Setup:
- Sodom and Gomorrah: Prosperous cities, economically successful, culturally influential
- But utterly wicked: Pride, excess, neglect of the poor, sexual immorality (Ezekiel 16:49-50)
- Abraham intercedes: “Will You destroy the righteous with the wicked?” (Genesis 18:23)
- God’s response: If there are even 10 righteous, He’ll spare the city
- There aren’t even 10
The Rescue:
Genesis 19:15-16: “When the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot to hurry, saying, ‘Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city.’ And while he lingered, the men took hold of his hand, his wife’s hand, and the hands of his two daughters, the LORD being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city.”
Key phrase: “took hold of his hand”
Hebrew: (vayachaziku) - “seized, grasped firmly, took hold of by force”
Same concept as Peter being caught and the Harpazo. Divine seizure for salvation.
Lot lingered. He hesitated. He was attached to the city - his home, his possessions, his life there.
The angels forcibly removed him.
Not because Lot deserved rescue by his righteousness (2 Peter 2:7-8 calls him “righteous” but notes he was “tormented” by the wickedness around him - he stayed when he should have left).
But because God is merciful and judgment was coming.
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The Lot Pattern Applied: What the Cities Represent
Sodom and Gomorrah = Babylon = The World System
Just like the boat, these cities represent:
False Security:
- Economic prosperity (they were wealthy)
- Social structure (they had government)
- Cultural identity (they had pride in their city)
- Physical security (walls, gates, community)
But beneath the surface:
- Complete wickedness
- Pride and arrogance
- Neglect of the poor and needy
- Abundance of idleness
- Sexual immorality normalized
- Violent aggression (tried to assault the angels)
SELF in full bloom:
- Self-ambition (Babel-like pride)
- Self-confidence (we’re untouchable)
- Self-promotion (our city is great)
- Self-governance (we make our own rules)
- Self-sufficiency (we don’t need God)
All SELF. All DEATH. All leading to JUDGMENT.
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The Chaos in Lot’s Story
In Peter’s story, the chaos was the raging sea - violent, visible, obviously dangerous.
In Lot’s story, the chaos was invisible but just as deadly - the moral, spiritual, and social decay that had infected the cities completely.
Both represent the same thing:
The chaos of SELF - human autonomy, independence from God, eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
The chaos of Satan’s domain - pride, deception, rebellion, wickedness.
The chaos of the end times - when lawlessness abounds, love grows cold, and judgment is imminent.
Peter walked ON the visible chaos (water).
Lot was pulled OUT of the invisible chaos (wickedness).
Both were rescued FROM chaos, not left IN it.
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The Command to Leave: “Escape for Your Life!”
Genesis 19:17: “So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, ‘Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed.’”
Three commands:
“Escape for your life!” - Urgent. Immediate. Life or death.
“Do not look behind you” - Don’t long for what you’re leaving. Don’t be attached to the city. Don’t love the world.
“Escape to the mountains” - Get to higher ground. Get away from the judgment zone. Separate completely.
Lot’s wife violated command 2.
Genesis 19:26: “But his wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.”
She looked back. She longed for what she was leaving. She loved the world more than she loved deliverance.
Jesus references this directly when teaching about His return:
Luke 17:28-33: “Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed… Remember Lot’s wife. Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.”
The pattern repeats at the Harpazo.
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What SELF Really Is: The Root of All Chaos
We need to understand this deeply: SELF is not neutral. SELF is DEATH.
When Adam and Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they chose:
- Self-governance over God’s governance
- Self-determination over God’s plan
- Self-sufficiency over dependence on God
- Human wisdom over divine revelation
This was spiritual death - separation from God.
Every form of SELF continues this rebellion:
Self-Ambition:
- “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds” (Lucifer - Isaiah 14:13-14)
- “Come, let us build ourselves a city… and make a name for ourselves” (Babel - Genesis 11:4)
- My goals, my plans, my success measured by human standards
Self-Confidence:
- “I can do this on my own”
- “I don’t need God’s intervention”
- “I’ve got this handled”
- Trust in human ability, skill, intelligence
Self-Promotion:
- Building personal platforms, brands, reputations
- Seeking human applause, recognition, fame
- “Look what I’ve accomplished”
- Taking glory that belongs to God alone
Self-Governance:
- “I am the master of my fate, the captain of my soul”
- Making decisions independent of God’s Word
- Living by my own rules
- Autonomy = I am my own law
Self-Preservation:
- Protecting comfort at all costs
- Unwilling to suffer for Christ
- Prioritizing safety over obedience
- “Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it” (Luke 17:33)
Self-Sufficiency:
- “I am rich, have prospered, need nothing” (Laodicea)
- Don’t need God’s daily provision
- Don’t need the Holy Spirit’s power
- Independent, self-reliant, self-made
All of these are lies. All are deception. All are DEATH.
Because SELF = Separation from God = DEATH.
The boat is filled with SELF. Sodom was saturated with SELF. The Laodicean church is drowning in SELF.
And Jesus commands: “Come OUT.”
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Why You Must Leave the Security of the Boat
1. The Boat Cannot Save You
The disciples were “straining at the oars” for hours. They made almost no progress. The boat was being battered. The storm was winning.
Human systems - political, economic, religious - cannot overcome the chaos of the end times.
No president can stop what’s coming. No amount of money can buy safety. No institution can protect you from judgment.
The boat is going down.
2. The Boat Is Not Where Jesus Is
Jesus was outside the boat, walking on the water.
Just like Revelation 3:20 - Jesus is outside the Laodicean church, knocking.
If you stay in the boat (in human systems, in SELF), you are separated from Jesus.
Peter had to LEAVE the boat to get TO Jesus.
3. The Boat Represents SELF, and SELF Is Death
Everything the boat represents - political power, economic security, religious institutions, self-sufficiency - is rooted in SELF.
And SELF is eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
SELF = Independence from God = Spiritual Death
4. Only Those Who Leave the Boat Experience the Harpazo
The disciples who stayed in the boat were safe (for a moment), but:
- Never walked on water
- Never experienced the impossible
- Never felt Jesus’ hand catch them
- Never got into the boat WITH Jesus intimately
- Only witnessed from a distance
Peter left the boat and experienced something supernatural.
5. Judgment Is Coming, and God Removes His People First
2 Peter 2:6-9: “And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds) — then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment.”
God delivered Lot BEFORE judgment fell.
God will deliver His bride BEFORE the Tribulation.
6. Jesus Commands It
This is not optional. This is not a suggestion.
When Jesus says “Come” - we either obey or disobey.
Lot lingered. The angels had to forcibly remove him. His wife looked back and died.
Delayed obedience is disobedience.
Partial obedience is disobedience.
When Jesus commands “Come” - you leave the boat immediately, completely, without looking back.
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What Happens If You Stay in the Boat?
Let’s be clear about the consequences:
1. You Miss the Harpazo
The catching away is for those who respond to Jesus’ command to “Come.”
Those clinging to the boat - to political solutions, economic security, religious institutions, SELF - will not be caught up.
2. You Remain in the Chaos
The Tribulation is coming. The storm will intensify. The judgment will fall.
Like Lot’s wife, you’ll be destroyed with the city you refused to leave.
3. You Only Witness, You Don’t Experience
Even if you eventually believe (like the disciples who worshiped after seeing the miracle), you missed the experience of walking with Jesus on the impossible.
You missed being personally caught by His hand.
You missed the intimacy of being rescued.
4. You Face the Hour of Trial
Revelation 3:10: “Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from ( ek - OUT OF) the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.”
Kept FROM = Removed OUT OF
Philadelphia is removed. Laodicea remains and faces the trial.
5. You May Become a Martyr
Revelation 7:9-14 describes a great multitude that comes out of the Great Tribulation - those who “washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”
These are believers who were not taken in the Harpazo but came to faith (or returned to faith) during the Tribulation.
Many will be martyred.
This is not the better option.
Yes, they are saved - but they go through the judgment they could have been kept from.
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The Call: “Command Me to Come”
So we return to Peter’s request - the most important prayer you can pray right now:
“Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You.”
Not: “Lord, fix the boat” (fix America, fix the economy, fix the church institution)
Not: “Lord, calm the storm first” (make everything comfortable before I obey)
Not: “Lord, let me stay in the boat but be blessed” (keep my false security AND have Your presence)
But: Lord, I AM SO WEAK AND UNWORTHY AND UNABLE….“Command me to COME TO YOU.”
This prayer says:
- Help me leave the boat (false security)
- Help me leave SELF (my agenda, my plans, my control)
- Help me trust You alone on impossible chaos
- Help me keep my eyes fixed on You
- Help me depend completely on Your power
- Help me risk everything to be with You
And Jesus responds: “Come.”
The same word He spoke to Peter.
The same word (in different form) He will speak to John: “Come up here.”
The same word He will speak at the Harpazo: “Come.”
Will you obey? HELP ME TO OBEY!
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What Leaving the Boat Looks Like Practically
This isn’t theoretical. This is practical, daily obedience.
Leaving Political Security (The MAGA Boat):
- Stop trusting in presidents, parties, or political movements to save America
- Stop equating Kingdom of God with kingdom of America
- Stop making political affiliation a test of faith
- Trust Christ alone, not human government
Leaving Economic Security (The Prosperity Boat):
- Stop trusting in wealth accumulation as God’s blessing
- Stop making financial security your goal
- Be willing to lose everything if Jesus commands
- Trust God’s provision, not your portfolio
Leaving Religious Security (The Institution Boat):
- Stop trusting in mega-church buildings, denominational structures, human authority
- Stop measuring spirituality by programs, platforms, attendance
- Be willing to leave dead religion if Jesus calls
- Trust the Holy Spirit’s leading, not human systems
Leaving Cultural Security (The Relevance Boat):
- Stop compromising truth for cultural acceptance
- Stop prioritizing being liked over being faithful
- Be willing to be canceled, mocked, rejected
- Trust Christ’s approval, not the world’s
Leaving SELF (The Autonomy Boat):
- Die to self-ambition (His will, not mine)
- Die to self-confidence (His strength, not mine)
- Die to self-promotion (His glory, not mine)
- Die to self-governance (His lordship, not mine)
- Die to self-preservation (His purposes, even if I suffer)
- Die to self-sufficiency (Complete dependence on Him)
This is taking up your cross daily (Luke 9:23).
This is losing your life to save it (Luke 17:33).
This is leaving the boat to come to Jesus.
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The Promised Outcome: What Happens When You Leave
1. You Walk on the Impossible
By supernatural power, you will overcome what would naturally destroy you.
The chaos that drowns others - you walk on top of it.
2. You Experience Jesus Personally
Not just believe about Him. Not just worship from a distance.
You experience His hand catching you. You experience His power sustaining you.
3. You Get Into the Boat WITH Jesus
This is intimacy. This is union. This is the bride with the Bridegroom.
Not observation. Not distance. WITH Him.
4. The Storm Ceases
When Jesus is present, chaos ends.
The peace that passes understanding (Philippians 4:7) - it’s real.
5. You Trigger Worship in Others
The disciples worshiped when they saw what happened.
Your obedience - leaving the boat, trusting Jesus on chaos - will provoke others to worship.
6. You Are Caught Up in the Harpazo
When Jesus says “Come” at the Rapture, you will be ready.
You’ve already practiced leaving false security.
You’ve already walked by faith on chaos.
You’ve already kept your eyes on Him.
You will be caught up - seized, snatched, caught - by His hand.
And you will be WITH Him forever.
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The Warning: Don’t Be Lot’s Wife
She left the city. She was on the path to safety. The angels had seized her hand.
But she looked back.
She longed for what she was leaving. She loved the world more than deliverance.
And she died.
Jesus says: “Remember Lot’s wife.” (Luke 17:32)
This is a direct warning about His return and the Harpazo.
Don’t leave the boat and then look back at it longingly.
Don’t escape Sodom and then wish you were still there.
Don’t start following Jesus and then return to SELF.
Hebrews 10:38-39: “Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him. But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.”
Forward. Eyes on Jesus. Don’t look back. DO NOT SHRINK BACK.
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The Two Groups: Choose Now
We’re back to the division:
Group 1: Those Who Leave the Boat (Peter, Lot, Philadelphia, The Bride)
- Respond to Jesus’ command “Come”
- Leave false security completely
- Die to SELF entirely
- Trust Jesus alone on chaos
- Keep eyes fixed on Him
- Are caught up in the Harpazo
- Experience the rescue personally
Group 2: Those Who Stay in the Boat (The Disciples, Sodom, Laodicea, Those Left Behind)
- Cling to false security
- Trust human systems
- Remain in SELF
- Stay in the chaos
- Witness from a distance
- Miss the Harpazo
- Face the Tribulation
Which group are you in?
Not which group do you want to be in. Not which group you claim to be in.
Which group ARE you in - right now, today, based on where you’re actually trusting?
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The Prophetic Moment: We’re IN It
Remember everything we uncovered as Biblical detectives:
- 77 years since Israel’s rebirth (1948 + 77 = 2025) - We’re in the year of Jacob’s Trouble beginning
- Daniel 9:26 unsealed - “The redeemed will vanish” (v’ein v’nefesh) like Enoch
- 32-day calendar correction - We may still be IN the Feast of Trumpets window on God’s calendar
- Noah’s 7-day warning pattern - Could we be in that brief window right now?
- Two comets arriving this week (October 20-21) - Signs in the heavens
- Trump’s “peace and safety” declaration (October 13) - 1 Thessalonians 5:3 pattern
- Wars escalating - Ukraine, China/Taiwan, Middle East instability
- Church divided - Wheat and tares being revealed
- Mockers multiplying - 2 Peter 3:3-4 fulfilled
- Faithful watchers watching - Obeying Jesus’ command
All the signs converge NOW.
The storm is raging NOW.
Jesus is saying “Come” NOW.
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The Question: What Will You Do?
Peter heard Jesus say “Come” and had to make an immediate decision:
Stay in the boat (with everyone else, in false security, trusting human systems)
OR
Step out onto chaos (alone, by faith, trusting Jesus alone)
Lot heard the angels say “Escape for your life” and had to make an immediate decision:
Stay in Sodom (with his home, possessions, life as he knew it)
OR
Leave everything (without looking back, trusting God’s deliverance)
You are hearing Jesus say “Come” right now and must make your decision:
Stay in the boat of:
- Political Christianity (MAGA-mixed faith)
- Prosperity gospel (material success)
- Dead religion (institutional security)
- Cultural compromise (worldly acceptance)
- SELF-governance (human autonomy)
OR
Step out in faith:
- Leave ALL false security
- Die to ALL forms of SELF
- Trust Christ ALONE
- Walk by faith on chaos
- Keep eyes fixed on Jesus
- Be ready for the Harpazo
There is no middle ground.
There is no “have both.”
You cannot stay in the boat AND walk with Jesus on the water.
You cannot remain in Sodom AND escape judgment.
COME OUT OF HER, BABYLON!
About the Author:
Craig Rogers
KINGDOM Empowered CEO and CoFounder
Professional Experience: CEO | KINGDOM Empowered (2020 -...
Professional Experience: CEO | KINGDOM Empowered (2020 - Present) In his role as co-CEO, Craig’s daily mission is to surrender his...
