Yesterday I wrote about the wicked, harlot system of religion that we find depicted in Revelation chapters 17 and 18. This is the wicked, end-time religion that will sell out to the Antichrist and his 10 kings and become drunk with the blood of the saints. Today, I want to write about Christ's faithful. These are the ones who, after the destruction of the great harlot, we find contrasted in Revelation chapter 19. Here we read:

Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready." It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, "Write, 'Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb '" And he said to me, "These are true words of God." Then  I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy" (Revelation 19: 7-10). 

Sometimes we forget that, when Jesus rose from the tomb, He didn't immediately return to heaven to sit on His throne. He stayed on earth for awhile. Scripture tells us, over a period of 40 days, Jesus remained on earth appearing to His followers as He had earlier promised (John 17: 17-22, Acts 1: 3). Then, after the 40 day period was over, He ascended to heaven in a cloud. And, we are told He will return in the same way (Acts 1: 9-11).

I suspect that explains why Paul said we who are alive at the time of Christ's return would be caught up into the clouds to meet Him in the air, before He sets foot on the earth. Paul said:

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words (`1 Thessalonians 4: 16-18).

Here's the picture I see. There soon may be a great tribulation -- a war against the saints. This war will be under the directed of the the Antichrist and his 10 kings. These final, secular world powers will enlist the cooperation of all the world's false systems of religions in their campaign against the Lamb. In fact, I suspect the enlistment may already be happening.

Among these false systems of religion will be false Christians. These will be religious leaders who outwardly claim to believe in Jesus, but secretly deny Him in their hearts. These false Christians will ally themselves with Christ's enemies, and cheer on our persecution.

But, fortunately, Christ will cut our tribulation short. Before the end of the 70th week, that final seven year period for the nation Israel that is foretold by the prophet Daniel (Daniel 9: 24-27), Jesus will suddenly appear and catch His faithful -- His beloved bride -- up into the clouds. What a wonderful day that will be!

I know, this isn't the way we've been taught.

But, what did you expect?