The Rising Storm and The Rapture by Pastor Frances Riley; A Must Read For the Saints in this Hour

The Rising Storm & the Rapture

By Pastor F. M. Riley

November 15, 2012

Texts: Matthew 14:22-34; Mark 6:45-53 John 6:16-21

Introduction

As I have pointed out in several previous Bible studies, the Lord God explicitly states in His Word that He has declared “the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure,” Isaiah 46:9-10. Also compare Ecclesiastes 1:9-10 and 3:15. If God’s people really want to know how this present dispensation is going to end, then look back and remember how it began. The events I will be writing about in the Scripture texts for this study occurred at the beginning of this dispensation during the personal ministry of Christ. This is the reason I selected these particular Scriptures as texts for this study. This dispensation will end in a similar manner to the truths set forth in these texts dealing with the beginning of this dispensation.

Read each of these Scripture texts carefully! Each of these inspired passages set forth different aspects of the occasion when the Lord Jesus “walked on the water.” I will deal with the Lord’s “walking on the water” when I come to it in the study, however Christ walking on water is not the emphasis of this study. Rather, I want to set before our readers the Biblical types in these passages which have a direct bearing on how this present dispensation in which New Covenant believers are living RIGHT NOW is going to end. I urge our readers to join us for a Bible study which I hope will be enlightening and a blessing and encouragement to all true believers as well as to lost seeking souls. May our gracious Lord God extend to all of us His grace as we study together.

The inspired Order [arrangement] of God’s Word

It is sad to me that many people today are so busy looking at “the trees” in the Bible that they never see “the forest.” While carefully paying attention to and studying every word in the Scriptures is vitally important to “rightly dividing the Word of truth,” [2 Timothy 2:15], it is also vitally important to look at the bigger picture; the context and arrangement of the Scriptures in which any given text is set forth.

Each of the Four Gospels sets forth an inspired account of the life and personal ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ at His first coming. Most of the life and ministry of Christ in all four Gospels [not all] is set forth in chronological order. The four Gospels differ in wording and content, first because the Lord God inspired different individuals to write them down, but also because He had different aspects of truth He wanted to set forth in each individual Gospel. Many “professing Christians” today pay little or no attention to the order in which events are set forth in the Gospels, and often ignore the context being discussed in the passages. The result is not only “wrong division” of the Scriptures, but results in missing great treasures of truth that the Lord God wants His people to know and understand. So in this study I first want to point out the Scriptural order or arrangement in which these three texts for our study were given……

I am primarily going to refer to the account set forth in The Gospel of Matthew, referring to the accounts in Mark and John as needed. it is obvious that there is a Divine Order or arrangement to this inspired book, as there is to all of God’s Word. I am not going to review the entire Book to point out the order. Rather I will begin by calling our reader’s attention to

Matthew 12.

[1] This chapter glaringly sets forth the rejection of Christ by the religious leaders of Israel as their promised Messiah and Savior of Israel and the Jewish people. Yet Christ also made it clear in this chapter that upon His rejection the gospel would then be taken to the Gentiles, 12:18-21.

[2] Having been rejected by Israel, then in Matthew 13 “the same day went Jesus out of the

house, and sat by the seaside,” 13:1, This expression is suggestive of Christ leaving the Jewish Temple, Israel’s “house,” and going to minister the great truths of His Word to the Gentile nations of the earth. Compare Matthew 23:37-39. Then the Lord God gave to “the multitudes” [Jews and Gentiles] what is commonly referred to as The Parables of the Kingdom of Heaven.” What these parables actually set forth is a prophetic spiritual picture of the entire course of humanity during the 2,000 years of the Lord’s absence from the earth, 13:1-52. Each parable sets forth the great doctrinal truths of the Word that were to be preached to all nations during the Lord’s absence, 13:51-52. At the time the parables were given the Lord Jesus was obviously preparing His disciples to carry out the commission given to them just before His departure.

After giving these parables to the multitude, the Lord then returned to His home town of Nazareth, where He once again was rejected by the very Jewish people He had known personally as He had lived among them and grown from infancy into adulthood, 13:53-58. This reveals total rejection by unbelieving Israel and the unbelieving Jewish people!

[3] This then brings us to Matthew 14. The first twelve verses of the chapter, 14:1-12, interject an account of John the Baptist. But then the Scriptures immediately return to the activities of the Lord Jesus Christ.

[4] Matthew 14:13-21…….These Scriptures contain the account of the Lord Jesus feeding the 5,000. This too was a “multitude” of people, composed of both Jews and Gentiles, who were following the Lord Jesus as He taught, 14:13-14. This feeding of the 5,000 portrays in type the feeding of the masses of humanity with the gospel of Christ right to “the end” of this present dispensation. Remember that in 13:3 and 13:37 Christ Himself explicitly states that He is “the sower of good seed.” Compare John 15:5. Notice that Christ blessed the “five loaves and two fishes” then gave them to His disciples, 14:19. It was then His disciples who fed the multitude, exactly as the Lord’s church and disciples have been dispensing the Word of God’s “grace in Christ” to the masses of humanity these past 2,000 years, 1 Timothy 3:15.

About those “five loaves and two fishes”…….

[1] The “five loaves” typify Christ Himself as “the bread of life” and “the grace of God.” Christ plainly stated in John 6:48, “I am that bread of life.” Read the entire passage, 6:30-51. “5” is the Bible number for “grace” throughout the entire Bible.

[2] The “two fishes” typify the 2,000 years in which the gospel of “the grace of God” was to be proclaimed to the Gentiles. The Zodiacal “sign” for Pisces is two fishes! Significantly, it takes approximately 2,000 years for the solar system of the earth to pass through each of the 12 signs of the Zodiac as our entire solar system makes its circuit around the Milky Way. At the birth of Christ some 2,000 years ago earth’s solar system was passing into the sign of Pisces right at that time. Coincidence! Not hardly! Further proof? Gladly!

The entire solar system of which the earth is a part, just a few years ago passed under the Zodiacal sign of Aquarius. I am sure that most of our readers have heard of “The Age of Aquarius.” What is the Zodiacal sign of Aquarius? Look in your almanac. The Zodiacal “sign” for Aquarius is one fish. On the ancient star charts of the Zodiac the whole “sign” of Aquarius was one fish with his mouth open, and water was being poured into the open mouth of the fish. How perfectly this pictures the 1,000 years Millennial Kingdom of our Lord when He Himself will pour “the water of life” into the open mouths of mankind for 1,000 years as He rules and reigns over humanity during His Millennial Kingdom. Glory to God!

What this all means is that 2,000 years ago the Lord Jesus Christ placed “the gospel of grace,” signified by the five loaves [the bread of life…Romans 10:8-13; 10:17; Ephesians 2:8-9] into the

hands of His disciples, telling them to take it “into all the world,” Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8, and giving them 2,000 years, signified by the two fishes, to carry out their commission, and Christ Himself returned to the Father in Heaven. Glory to God! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! What a beautiful spiritual picture the Lord God painted for His people in His Word, Proverbs 25:11.

Finally, the time came when all of the multitude had eaten “and were filled,” 14:20-21. The feeding was over and it was time to clean up the mess. In cleaning up the mess “twelve baskets of fragments [remnants] were gathered up,” 14:20. Any true believer who seriously studies Bible prophecy ought to immediately recognize the gathering up of the 12 baskets of fragments as a type of the gathering up of the “remnant of the 12 tribes of Israel” at the end of this age, Isaiah 10:20-21; Jeremiah 23:3; 31:7-9. Hello! Praise the Lord! Glory to God!

Now let me make a point clear for some of the more hard-headed folks who may read this. This account does not say that all that had eaten were “saved!” It simply states that they were “filled.” They had had enough! They didn’t want anymore! Compare Mark 6:42 and John 6:12. Now is it just “coincidence” that we are living today in a time when the whole world system is rejecting Biblical Christianity and the gospel message? The unbelieving lost world are saying in essence, “We have had enough of your Christian gospel! We don’t want to hear it anymore!” Since almost all of the nations of the world have come to that same conclusion, and don’t hesitate to display by both words and actions their contempt for the God of the Judeo-Christian Bible and contempt for His Word, then isn’t it obvious that we are living at the end of this dispensation? Lost, unbelieving humanity has had their fill of God and His Word! Throughout human history when any city, people, or nation came to such an attitude, it was time for judgment, and judgment speedily arrived. And so now, what happens?

The “Rising” Wind

[5] Matthew 14:22-34…….Again, compare all three accounts. Matthew’s account explicitly states that after the feeding of the 5,000 was concluded, “straightway” [immediately] “Jesus constrained His disciples to get into a ship, and to go before Him unto the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, He was there alone,” 14:22-23; Mark 6:45-46; John 6:16-17.

Dear readers, is it just “coincidence” that some 2,000 years ago as the sun was setting on the Dispensation of Law and the new “dispensation of grace” was beginning, the Lord Jesus Christ placed His disciples in the good ship of GRACE and sent them out across the sea of humanity? Read it for yourself in Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15-20, Luke 24:45-49, John 20:21-23; Acts 1:8. Yes, I am using poetical or figurative language in describing this event, but I am also stating the literal truth of what actually occurred. True believers have been carrying the gospel of Christ over the sea of humanity [Isaiah 17:12-13; 57:20-21; Revelation 17:15] for these past 2,000 years. Through these many centuries the Lord’s people in the good ship of GRACE have encountered many trials and storms, yet our precious Lord graciously gave His blood bought church and people strength and wisdom and guidance and blessing and brought His disciples through every trial, even while His disciples continued to “feed the multitudes.” Read again Matthew 16:18, believe it, and give praise and glory to the Lord. Hallelujah!

It is also more than “coincidence” that believers living in this present dispensation have been living in the “night” time of human history. Read it for yourself in Romans 13:11-12 and 1 Thessalonians 5:1-7. Dispensationally speaking, we believers living today are approaching the last two darkest hours of this world’s “night.” For an in-depth explanation of this statement, I will be glad to send any reader my study entitled “The Two Hours” upon request.

Notice that both Matthew’s account and Mark’s account clearly states that the Lord Jesus

Christ, after placing the disciples in the ship and starting them out across the sea, departed into a

high mountain to pray, Matthew 14:23; Mark 6:46. Is it just “coincidence” that this is exactly what the Lord did in the past, and is now doing for every New Covenant believer today? Before going back to the Heavenly Father, the Lord Jesus commissioned His disciples to take the “gospel of the grace of God in Christ” to the whole lost world, then the Lord Himself ascended back into Heaven, where on the Heavenly Mt. Zion the inspired Word explicitly states that He is our “Mediator” and is making intercession for us believers before our Heavenly Father, 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Hebrews 9:15. Glory to God! Praise the Lord! Hallelujah! Thank you Lord Jesus!

But then “a great wind” arose which was “contrary” to the disciples in the ship. Keep in mind that they were in a sailing vessel, and were depending on the prevailing wind to sail their ship from one side of the sea to the other side. All three of the accounts reveal that during the night “the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew,” John 6:18; Matthew 14:24; Mark 6:48. But this “contrary” wind was blowing directly against them. So what were they to do? They obviously had an appointment to meet the Lord on the other side the next morning, and had no intention of being late. Mark’s account tells us that the disciples apparently lowered the sail, broke out the oars and began to row the ship themselves, determined to make it to the other side by their own strength and labor.

Now in the light of God’s Word let our readers consider this carefully! Is it just “coincidence” that many churches and pastors in the ranks of Christianity today have taken down the sail of God’s grace and mercy, and instead of continuing to trust the Lord to bring them across the sea of life, have gone back to teaching the “the damnable heresy” of “salvation by works,” 2 Peter 2:1-2? Every reader willing to deal honestly with the Scriptures knows that I am speaking the truth! All we believers have to do today is look around, and we see many churches and many pastors today proclaiming this heresy. Many “professing Christians” today have given up teaching and preaching “salvation by grace through faith” alone and just like the disciples back then broke out the oars and began to row against the wind determined to reach the far shore by their own strength and labors, many today have turned back to the flesh and are determined to “work their way to Heaven.” Folks, I don’t care WHO it is that is teaching this heresy, it is still heresy!

If I am describing some dear reader, I can only say that you are very much self deceived. You will never reach Heaven’s shore by your own filthy works. Even the so-called “good moral works” of men are as “filthy rags” in the sight of God. Read it for yourself in Isaiah 64:6. May the Lord God have mercy on your soul. Folks, Ephesians 2:8-10 and Titus 3:5 are still in the Bible. Believe what God’s inspired Word says! Plain enough?

Oh, about that “contrary wind.” The wind arose when the disciples were far into the night in their journey across the sea. Both Matthew’s account and Mark’s account specify that it was evening [as in the night], Matthew 14:23; Mark 6:47. John’s account just plainly states that it was “now dark,” John 6:17. These statements perfectly correlate with the spiritual darkness of the night time in which we who are true believers are living today here at the end of this present dispensation. The Scriptures further state that it was “the fourth watch of the night,” Matthew 14:25; Mark 6:48. The ancient Romans divided the 12 hours of the night into four watches with 3 hours in each watch. Therefore it would have been in the wee hours of the morning between 3 and 4 a.m. when this event took place. How can I be so specific? Simple! The last two hours of this world’s night are reserved for the seven years of the Tribulation. Hello!

Just as that “contrary” wind arose and beat against the vessel in which the Lord’s disciples were sailing, so there is “a great wind” rising up against God’s people and Bible believing Christianity even as I write…….

[1] Most of the governments of the world today, sadly following the example of the U.S. government, have totally turned their backs on anything having to do with God as the Creator, and with the moral commandments of His Word. Anything having to do with the Lord Jesus Christ and “Biblical Christianity” has been removed from our schools, from public gatherings and

public places, from the military, and from the courts of the land. Our God honoring national Constitution is ignored, explained away, “re-interpreted,” and repudiated. All kinds of pagan and occult “false religions” are now tolerated and even encouraged in this country, but Bible believing “Christianity” is the subject of ridicule. Dare to speak a word publicly against any of these pagan and occult “false religions” and one can be accused of a “hate crime,” arrested, and receive a jail sentence or heavy fine, or both. Yet Christians and the Judeo-Christian Bible can be publicly mocked, ridiculed, and yes, burned, and not a word of protest goes up against the wicked perpetrators.

[2] Exactly as God’s inspired Word predicted, we living today have arrived at a time when so-called civilized humanity is calling “evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” Isaiah 5:20. Notice that the first three words in this Scripture are “Woe unto them…” This word, “woe,” in the Hebrew text of the Bible is a word that warns of the most severe impending judgments coming upon those who do such things and those who support such evil doers. Hello!

Folks, this is where we are at today. A Christian parent can be jailed today for disciplining their own child. Speak a word against someone’s pagan religion or someone’s sexual perversion and a Christian can be sent to jail or even prison. Speak out against the cold blooded pre-meditated murder of the innocent unborn, and one is labeled as being a “lunatic right winger.” The wicked boast and revel and rejoice in their freedom to blaspheme God, the Bible, and everything that has to do with righteousness and holiness and goodness, being too spiritually blind and dense to understand that they are sowing the seeds of their own judgment and swiftly approaching destruction, Galatians 6:7-8.

But this is not the worst of the matter. Today Christians and Christianity are for the most part only being threatened as this “great wind” is rising against us. But any true believer that has spiritual discernment can see that the present threats are going to develop into violence. What kind of violence? All believers need to do is take a look at Christian history over these past 2,000 years. During that period of Christian history now referred to as “The Dark Ages” the old Babylonian whore religion slaughtered over fifty million Bible believing Christians who refused to submit to the Roman Heirarchy. Now the evil “wind” of those past persecutions is blowing again and rising steadily in strength and intensity. Just as “the great wind” came upon the disciples as they were crossing the sea, battering their ship and tossing them with the wind and waves, so a similar evil “wind” is rising against Bible believers today, Matthew 14:24. And just as those disciples were helpless to stop the wind or defend themselves against it, so we believers living today are likewise just as helpless against the rising evil winds that are blowing against Christians and Christianity. So what are we to do?

A Light in the Darkness!

Suddenly, “in the fourth watch of the night,” in the midst of that rising storm those disciples saw “Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship:,” John 6:19. Mark was inspired of the Holy Spirit to place in his account, “For they all saw Him,” Mark 6:50. Christ appeared to the disciples just before they were about to be overcome by the raging “contrary wind” whipping the sea into a frenzy. He appeared to them as a “light”“ in the midst of the darkness, John 12:46. He appeared to them above the sea, for when He appeared He was “walking on the sea,” Matthew 14:25-26. When they saw Him they were troubled and terrified, supposing they were seeing “a spirit; and they cried out for fear,” Matthew 14:26; Mark 6:49; John 6:19. Glory! Glory! Glory! What an account! And what it tells us about the times we New Covenant believers are living in RIGHT NOW!

[1] Why were the disciples so frightened of what they first believed to be “a spirit?” Isn’t it true that since the dawn of these “modern times” the supernatural has almost faded into non-

existence in the minds of the masses of people? Most people today look at human technology and the so-called “advances” of mankind, and believe only in what they can feel, taste, touch, smell, hear, and see. The supernatural is denied, mocked, ridiculed, and explained away by the

average person living today. You can thank the modern Gnostics [gnosis…knowing; the illumined

ones…scientists] for this sad situation, for wicked, unbelieving, proud-hearted scientists have about convinced all of humanity that there was no Creator God and that all things which exist have a “rational” [scientific] explanation Sadly, this wicked spirit of unbelief has permeated even into the ranks of most today who “profess” to be Christians. The terror then of those disciples of long ago perfectly typifies the unbelief we see today among “professing” Christians. It is then not hard to believe that when Christ appears at the time of the resurrection and rapture, most Christians living today will be “terrified.”

I do not want any reader to take the above statement as a blanket condemnation of science and scientists. I am well aware that there are many true believers who are scientists today or working in some scientific field, and I thank God for every one of them who have not allowed themselves to be corrupted by the false claims of the “scientific community.”

However, it is ironic that as we approach the end of this age more and more supernatural visitations are being manifested. We hear about them and read about them quite frequently. I am aware that the coming of the anti-christ on the world scene is prophesied in God’s Word to be preceded by supernatural manifestations, 2 Thessalonians 2:7-10. These are manifestations designed to deceive lost, unbelieving humanity in order to keep them deceived and lost.

However, all of the supernatural manifestations occurring today cannot be attributed to the evil one. There are also many supernatural manifestations which obviously exalt the Lord Jesus Christ and the great truths of His wonderful Word. I would highly recommend that every reader obtain a copy of the book entitled, “Heaven is for real,” by Todd Burpo, or another book, “Heaven is Real,” authored by Don Piper. Both of these books will bless the hearts of true believers. I cannot help but believe that the Lord God of Heaven is permitting such supernatural manifestations in preparation for His SOON appearance, and is using them to draw true believers closer to Him and motivate them to live a more holy and Godly life before the lost world.

[2] Don’t fail to notice that “they all saw Him.” This tells us that when Christ appears at the time of the resurrection and rapture, He will be seen visibly by every true believer. This is an important point, for seven times the Scriptures refer to the Lord’s coming to resurrect and rapture His people to glory “as a thief in the night.” See Matthew 24:43, Luke 12:39, 1 Thessalonians 5:2, 5:4, 2 Peter 3:10, Revelation 3:3, and 16:15. Notice also that in this event, it was only the disciples who saw the Lord. We can conclude from this that the lost, unbelieving world will not see the Lord in the air at the time of the resurrection and rapture.

That this event portrays the Pre-tribulation rapture of the Lord’s New Covenant believing people and church in type is beyond dispute by any believer willing to deal honestly with God’s Word. The Lord came to His disciples on this occasion to rescue them BEFORE they were overwhelmed and destroyed by “the great wind,” and He is likewise coming again to rescue us believers living today before we are overwhelmed and destroyed by “the great wind” that is right now rising upon the sea of humanity. Glory to God! Praise the Lord! Hallelujah! Thank you Lord Jesus!

[3] Notice also that Christ appeared to the disciples “walking on the water.” This indicates that since He was “walking on the water,” He obviously was above the water and not down in it. This truth perfectly harmonizes with Christ coming “in the air” in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. At the time of the resurrection and rapture, the Lord will not come down to the earth to walk in the sea of humanity among men again. Rather, He will come down only into the atmosphere above the earth. Science today tells us that “the air” or oxygen only extends into the atmosphere above the earth approximately 15 miles. This is a fascinating gem of truth, for “15” is the Bible number associated with “rest; Millennial rest.” Now turn and read what the old prophet Isaiah had to say

about the rapture of God’s people in his book of prophecy, Isaiah 57:1-2. Glory to God!

Dear readers, we New Covenant believers today serve a risen Savior who is able to “walk on the water” in a supernatural demonstration of His mighty powers. However, He was not doing

this to demonstrate His supernatural powers, but rather to RESCUE HIS PEOPLE! Read Luke 21:36 again and this time let the truth of it “soak in.” Our Lord God is not in the destroying business, but rather in the saving business, Luke 9:56. It is not the will of the Lord God “that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance,” 2 Peter 3:9. The Lord God does not have to “perform” for anyone, therefore His “walking on the water” was not a “performance.” Rather, it was a demonstration of His love for and His mercy upon those of His disciples who had placed their total faith in Him as their own personal Savior. Folks, there are disciples of Christ living today [those who have placed total faith in the Lord for salvation] whom the Lord Jesus Christ is coming to RESCUE out “of this present evil world,” Galatians 1:4, BEFORE the terrible storm of the Tribulation breaks upon humanity in the two darkest hours of the night that lost, unbelieving humanity will ever experience, Matthew 24:21. Again, I hope that every reader notices that this account plainly teaches a Pre-tribulation rapture! Glory!

The Voice of the Lord

God’s people are explicitly told in 1 Thessalonians 4:16, “For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout…” The Greek word translated as “shout” in this passage literally means, “an intelligent call; command; signal.” See Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, page 343, Strong’s No. 2752.

Many centuries ago the old prophet Job, in speaking of his own demise explicitly stated,

“If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.

Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: Thou wilt have a desire to the work of Thy hands.”

Now look carefully at the texts in our study. The disciples were terrified when they saw the Lord “walking on the water” and coming towards them, but all three of the Gospel accounts tell us that Christ spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer, it is I, be not afraid,” Mark 6:50. It is Matthew’s account which tells us that Peter then replied to the Lord Jesus, just as dear old Job thousands of years ago indicated that he would answer the Lord when called. Notice that when Peter took his eyes off the Lord and looked around him at the wind and the waves, the precious Savior “immediately…..stretched forth His hand and caught him,” Matthew 14:31. Christ has never lost one of His own yet, and He never will, John 6:37-39. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!

Dear readers, I believe from studying the various accounts in the Scriptures which deal with the resurrection and rapture of God’s people, that when the Lord comes to rapture us believers “home” to glory, that He will call every one of His people by name and give us immediate assurance that it is really Him and that He is in complete control. As the old hymn says, “I’ll be somewhere listening, I’ll be somewhere listening, I’ll be somewhere listening for my name.” Oh glory to God! Thank you Lord Jesus for such sweet assurance which you have given to your people! Praise the Lord!

Out of the storm, and into the ship!

Matthew 14:32-33 tells us that both Christ and Peter returned into the ship, and “the wind ceased,” and “they that were in the ship came and worshiped Him.” Also compare Mark’s account in 6:51. Folks, in Biblical types this tells us that when the Lord comes for us at the rapture all the storms of this present life will immediately cease “forever,” and that we will enter into the eternal rest that the Lord God has reserved for His New Covenant believers in “the ages to come,” Ephesians 2:7. Glory to God! Also compare this with Revelation 4 – 5, where immediately following the rapture and beginning of the Tribulation, the raptured saints are seen

Worshiping and praising the Lord, Revelation 4:8-11; 5:8-14.

The ship reaches “Home”

Dear readers, if any reader has been blessed by this study thus far, I hope these last few comments will bring to you the greatest blessing of the whole study, and will cause every reader to burst into praise of our precious Lord.

The next thing recorded in all three of these accounts is that, with the Lord in the ship with them, the disciples finally reached the destination to which the Lord God had originally sent them when He placed them in the ship and sent them sailing across the sea. Both Matthew’s account and Mark’s account give us the name of the land the Lord had instructed them to sail to when He had placed them in the ship on the opposite shore of the sea. When Christ placed those disciples in the good ship of “GRACE” some 2,000 years ago, He instructed them to sail across the sea to “the land of Gennesaret,” Matthew 14:34; Mark 6:53. John’s account states that the people [multitudes] came to “Capernaum” seeking Him. There is no conflict or disharmony in the accounts because at that time the city of Capernaum was located either in or very near “the land of Gennesaret.” Consult your Bible maps and see this truth for yourself.

Now do yourself a favor and look up the meaning of the word translated as “Gennesaret” in your Concordance or Greek Lexicon. The word literally means “the Garden of the Lord.” In other words, it is a type of Heaven itself! Glory to God! Praise the Lord! How perfectly in harmony this meaning is with God’s great Plan of the Ages, and with what Christ actually did with His disciples during and at the end of His personal ministry.

Dear readers, 2,000 years ago the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ placed every true believer in and under “the grace of God” which He Himself had procured for His people at Calvary by the sacrifice of Himself. Then just before His departure to return to the Heavenly Father, He commissioned His living church to carry the “gospel of grace” to all the nations and peoples of the world during His absence, and sent them towards the destination He Himself had selected for them and which has been promised to every true believer. The destination of all New Covenant believers throughout this dispensation has always been to reach Heaven! Now where is the actual location of “The Garden of the Lord?” Doesn’t the inspired Word tell us that the Paradise of God is now located in the third heaven far above the earth? Read it for yourself in 2 Corinthians 12:1-4. This is where the eternal soul of the true believer goes when their body dies, 2 Corinthians 5:1-8. This is where our redeemed body will go when the Lord Jesus Christ comes at the time of the resurrection and rapture, and it will be accomplished “in a minute; in the twinkling of an eye,” 1 Corinthians 15:51-52.

I have already pointed out that both Matthew and Mark recorded in their accounts that the disciples were headed for and did arrive at “the land of Gennesaret.” But now look at what John stated in his account of this event, “Then they willingly received Him into the ship: and immediately [instantly] the ship was at the land whither they went,” John 6:21. Glory to God! Perfect harmony between this passage in John 6:21 and the passage in 1 Corinthians 15:52. Why? Because both passages are speaking about the same event. The account of Christ “walking on the water” in all three of the Gospels sets forth a beautiful type of the pre-tribulation resurrection and rapture of all true New Covenant believers at the end of this present dispensation, and the account given by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15 and 1 Thessalonians 4 sets forth the actual details of the resurrection and rapture. Glory to God! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! How sweet and wonderful and beautiful and highly relevant is the precious inspired Word of God!

Now let every true believer reading this study lift up your voices and give praise and honor and glory to the Lord in the House of God!

Conclusion

Dear readers, the very presence of the rising storm coming against we believers living today [and it will only become steadily worse] is evidence enough that we are at the end of this dispensation, and the coming of our Lord to resurrect and rapture us to glory could now occur at any minute of any day. I do not know the “date” when the Lord is coming for us, and I am not even trying to determine the “date.” But it is glaringly obvious by comparing the spiritual picture which the Lord God painted for us in these three inspired Scripture texts, with the prophetical and spiritual events now occurring in the world around us today that we are at the end of the age and the rapture of God’s people will occur REAL SOON!

ARE YOU READY?

2 Corinthians 13:5 2 Peter 1:10

I have literally poured my heart and soul and tears and prayers into this study as I have been writing, for I have a great burden from the Lord for God’s people and for lost seeking souls. I want to meet every reader of this study in glory when the Lord comes for His people, and He is coming REAL SOON. Please don’t disappoint me! I close this study in tears and in earnest prayer that our gracious Lord will extend His grace to every reader. May God bless you all!

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Permission is granted to any true believer or Bible believing Christian Ministry to reproduce this study to share with others, or to quote from it in context as written. Please do share it with others!

This ministry is financed solely by the free will offerings of those who feel led of the Lord to help us send forth the wonderful truths of God’s Word to His people and to lost seeking souls.

Please address all comments, questions, and correspondence to: Pastor F. M. Riley, Last Call Gospel Ministry, 184 County Road 108, Harrisburg, Missouri 65256, or I can be contacted by email at: fmr7sngn@centurylink.net

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