The Christians are not being careful to build their house on the rock of Christ's commandments because of the teaching of "grace" and unconditional love. As it was in the days of Noah . . .

Notice the Lord's emphasis on two people being close together, one being taken and the other left. The Lord will not raise people in groups. The resurrection and catching-up that will occur will be individual by individual.

When you stop to think about it this is a shocking idea. The idea of being so close to somebody, and all of a sudden you are taken and he or she is left, or the reverse, is disconcerting. It could be a husband, or wife, or child, or son or daughter, or closest friend. This tells us we must put the Lord ahead of every other relationship.

The overcomers, in chapters Two and Three of the Book of Revelation, are always addressed as individuals.

Conclusion

The pattern is simple. First comes the great tribulation. Immediately after the great tribulation the Lord Jesus will return. As soon as the army of the Lord, the victorious saints of all ages, have been raised from the dead (or changed into immortal life while on their feet), they will be caught up together to the Commander-in Chief in the air.

Now the Day of Wrath will begin. The wrath of God that has been stored up since self-will entered the heart of Satan will fall on all sinners, angelic and human. Satan will be chained by one angel and cast into the bottomless pit.

The sons of God will go throughout the earth, destroying all the works of the flesh, driving the demons into the darkness, executing Divine judgment on all sinners. Then the long work of rebuilding civilization will begin.

May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands, to inflict vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, to bind their kings with fetters, their nobles with shackles of iron, to carry out the sentence written against them. This is the glory of all his saints. Praise the LORD. (Psalms 149:6-9—NIV)

But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall. Then you will trample down the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I do these things, says the LORD Almighty. (Malachi 4:2,3—NIV)

They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations. (Isaiah 61:4—NIV)

The Lord warns us to always be prepared for He will come at an hour when we do not expect Him.

Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. (Matthew 24:42-44—NIV)

To be continued.