God has a big problem that He wants us to help Him solve. The problem is that Satan and his evil angels have some right to be in heaven and they keep coming to God’s throne to accuse His people day and night (Job 1:6, 2:1, Zech 3:1).
In this section we will see how we can help God solve this problem by being an overcomer. In His wisdom God has linked the rapture of overcoming believers to the cleansing of heaven and the coming of the kingdom.
Jesus has a special task for those believers who overcome, who keep his works unto the end:
Rev 2:26-27 26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.
Matt 28:20 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
These believers will be raptured up to God and his throne (in Heaven):
Rev 12:5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
To be raptured up to God's throne means to be located in a place where God rules and reigns - because He wants us to reign with Him!
Now notice what is the immediate effect of this rapture on Heaven:
Rev 12:7-8 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
Do we realize that when the overcoming believers are raptured up to Heaven, there is no more room for the devil. We are raptured not just for our sake, but also so that Satan can be booted out of heaven for good!
After the rapture, the devil will be thrown out and cast downL
Rev 12:9 9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
Rapture is not only for us, but for God to “clean Heaven”.
But Satan is still not yet locked up forever and ever, his being thrown down to the earth has a very negative effect on the earth:
Rev 12:10-12
10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. 12 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”
When Satan is cast down to the earth, that is when the tribulation period begins.
As a side note: When does this rapture of the overcomers take place? It takes place BEFORE the tribulation starts, before satan is cast down.
In fact, it is the rapture of believers that is the cause of Satan and his angels being thrown out of heaven, the start of the tribulation period, and then the coming of Christ’s kingdom, the restored house of David on the earth.
We should note that none of this can happen unless we live for God day by day and moment by moment, and overcome. As the saying goes, something like, “we cannot rule the nations from heaven, unless we have first learnt to rule (our own lives) on Earth”. Why should God allow mere children to rule nations if they themselves cannot rule their own lives and their own families? If we do not overcome, we won’t be raptured to heaven, and will be left on earth to participate in the tribulation period. To speak plainly, it may be only as few as 10 people who are raptured, it may not be many.
To use the Israelites as an analogy, all of the Israelites left Egypt, but few of them entered the Promised Land. This is the mistake many Christians make. They leave Egypt (their sins, past life etc) but they don't do what it necessary to enter the promised Land, they don't go on with the Lord and follow Him to the end. Not even Moses, as important as he was, made it. Let this be as a warning to us, to not be too complacent and to try our best, and not take being raptured for granted, but be prepared to enter tribulation as well. Perhaps many of us desire to be great like Moses, to escape from sin and bondage and work great miracles like parting the sea or striking the rock, however Moses did not enter the promised land. Instead, we should aspire to be like Joshua and Caleb, who wholly followed God (Joshua 14:8)
If we are self-centred, we will only be concerned for our own safety and making it to the rapture and escaping tribulation. I think 99% of Christian teaching about the rapture is about its timing and "who gets to get to Heaven before the bad stuff happens". But our God-centred motive should be so that God can boot Satan out of heaven, and bring His Kingdom to Earth. Amen.
In this section we will see how we can help God solve this problem by being an overcomer. In His wisdom God has linked the rapture of overcoming believers to the cleansing of heaven and the coming of the kingdom.
Jesus has a special task for those believers who overcome, who keep his works unto the end:
Rev 2:26-27 26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.
Matt 28:20 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
These believers will be raptured up to God and his throne (in Heaven):
Rev 12:5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
To be raptured up to God's throne means to be located in a place where God rules and reigns - because He wants us to reign with Him!
Now notice what is the immediate effect of this rapture on Heaven:
Rev 12:7-8 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
Do we realize that when the overcoming believers are raptured up to Heaven, there is no more room for the devil. We are raptured not just for our sake, but also so that Satan can be booted out of heaven for good!
After the rapture, the devil will be thrown out and cast downL
Rev 12:9 9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
Rapture is not only for us, but for God to “clean Heaven”.
But Satan is still not yet locked up forever and ever, his being thrown down to the earth has a very negative effect on the earth:
Rev 12:10-12
10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. 12 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”
When Satan is cast down to the earth, that is when the tribulation period begins.
As a side note: When does this rapture of the overcomers take place? It takes place BEFORE the tribulation starts, before satan is cast down.
In fact, it is the rapture of believers that is the cause of Satan and his angels being thrown out of heaven, the start of the tribulation period, and then the coming of Christ’s kingdom, the restored house of David on the earth.
We should note that none of this can happen unless we live for God day by day and moment by moment, and overcome. As the saying goes, something like, “we cannot rule the nations from heaven, unless we have first learnt to rule (our own lives) on Earth”. Why should God allow mere children to rule nations if they themselves cannot rule their own lives and their own families? If we do not overcome, we won’t be raptured to heaven, and will be left on earth to participate in the tribulation period. To speak plainly, it may be only as few as 10 people who are raptured, it may not be many.
To use the Israelites as an analogy, all of the Israelites left Egypt, but few of them entered the Promised Land. This is the mistake many Christians make. They leave Egypt (their sins, past life etc) but they don't do what it necessary to enter the promised Land, they don't go on with the Lord and follow Him to the end. Not even Moses, as important as he was, made it. Let this be as a warning to us, to not be too complacent and to try our best, and not take being raptured for granted, but be prepared to enter tribulation as well. Perhaps many of us desire to be great like Moses, to escape from sin and bondage and work great miracles like parting the sea or striking the rock, however Moses did not enter the promised land. Instead, we should aspire to be like Joshua and Caleb, who wholly followed God (Joshua 14:8)
If we are self-centred, we will only be concerned for our own safety and making it to the rapture and escaping tribulation. I think 99% of Christian teaching about the rapture is about its timing and "who gets to get to Heaven before the bad stuff happens". But our God-centred motive should be so that God can boot Satan out of heaven, and bring His Kingdom to Earth. Amen.
Last edited:
