The above is a description of the day in which we live. We of America simply will not endure sound doctrine. If our teachers do not please us we go to another church.

We are told that Divine grace is an alternative to righteous behavior, instead of what it actually is—the means of developing righteous behavior.

We are told that if we have faith we will never be sick; furthermore, we will be rich in material wealth!

We are told that no Christian should ever suffer.

One of the greatest of the fables to which we have been turned is the mythology accompanying the totally unscriptural doctrine of the "rapture" of the saints. This mythology still is being preached in America.

The idea is that any day now every individual who makes a profession of faith in Jesus Christ will be caught up to Heaven in order to escape Antichrist and the Great Tribulation. This in spite of the suffering of Christians throughout the Church Era.

Thus we have a significant number of believers in Jesus Christ who are almost totally ignorant of the Kingdom purposes of God. They picture themselves leaving the earth, whether visibly or invisibly one cannot tell, whether still in their flesh and blood bodies it is hard to determine. There they go off into the wild blue yonder, some in their church clothes, some in their dirty jeans, others in bikinis (we are saved by grace, you know!).

Whereas the truth is that when the Lord appears, after the world has been crying peace and safety because of the brief reign of Antichrist, there suddenly will be tremendous signs in the heavens. The sun will be darkened; the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky; the heavenly bodies will be shaken.

The nations of the earth will mourn as they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. At the same time the Glory of Christ will fall on the saints who have remained true to the Lord during the period when the Christian witness has been driven from the earth. These are not the weak, worldly, sinful, rebellious believers of today who have "taken the four steps of salvation" and then have lived to please themselves. These are strong Christians, heroes of faith.

Then a tremendous trumpet blast will resonate throughout the earth, the same trumpet that sounded on Mount Sinai when the Law was given. The saints of all ages, some having been waiting in the spirit realm for thousands of years, will descend to earth and gather up their bodies. They will join together with the living who will be changed from mortality to immortality while standing on their feet.

Now shall the greatest fellowship hour of all time take place as the whole army of saints greet each other.

Antichrist and his followers will see this but be utterly helpless. Great fear will seize them. God has set a table for His saints in the presence of their enemies.

Then the great shout shall be heard: "Come up here!"

Slowly, majestically, the entire army of God will ascend to meet the Commander in Chief in the clouds. There they will mount the white war stallions. These are God's judges and kings, the least of whom is as David.

Jesus Christ now will lead His army down through the clouds to the staging area on the earth. His robe is red with the blood of atonement. His name is The Word of God.

To be continued.