Pathway to Victory

Guest (Male): Hey podcast listeners, thanks for streaming today's podcast from Pathway to Victory. Pathway to Victory is a nonprofit ministry featuring the Bible teaching of Dr. Robert Jeffress. Our mission is to pierce the darkness with the light of God's word through the most effective media available, like this podcast. To support Pathway to Victory, go to ptv.org/donate or follow the link in our show notes. Now, here's today's podcast from Pathway to Victory.

Dr. Robert Jeffress: Hi, this is Robert Jeffress, and I'm glad to study God's word with you every day on this Bible teaching program. On today's edition of Pathway to Victory, the end-time events are going to be very frightening. It's going to consist of economic turmoil, there'll be wars, there'll be unprecedented persecution. But fortunately, Christians don't have to fear that period of time because of the event we're going to talk about today: the rapture of the church.

David J. Mullens: Welcome to Pathway to Victory with author and pastor Dr. Robert Jeffress. A look at the evening news reveals that we are living in ominous days. From the Christian perspective, it's clear that the end times are nearly upon us. So when will Jesus return to gather his church? Today on Pathway to Victory, Dr. Robert Jeffress is going to list the signs that will precede the epic moment in prophecy known as the rapture. But first, let's take a moment to hear some important ministry updates.

Dr. Robert Jeffress: Thanks David, and welcome again to Pathway to Victory. Unquestionably, we're living in volatile times. Well, I want to say something that I believe with every fiber of my being, and I want you to hold on to it. If you have placed your trust in Jesus Christ, everything is going to work out just fine. I mean that literally and prophetically. God has a plan. It's unfolding exactly as he said it would, and for those who follow him, that plan ends in victory.

To that end, I've written a brand new book for you. I'm thrilled to offer this to you. It's called Ask Dr. Jeffress About the End Times. In my book, I answer 20 very common questions. And along the way, I walk you through God's plan for the future, from beginning to glorious end, not to alarm you, but to assure you. And I'm pleased to send you a copy with my thanks when you include a generous gift to support the ministry of Pathway to Victory.

Plus, when you respond today, I'm going to send my convenient Bible prophecy chart. I developed this multi-folded resource decades ago, and it's proven to be an effective tool for explaining the complex timeline of Bible prophecy. I'll share more about these resources later in today's program. But right now, let's turn in our Bibles to 1 Thessalonians chapter four as we begin today's study. I've titled this next message, "Not Left Behind."

The subject of the end times always produces varying responses among different people. When I was in high school, our English teacher assigned us a project. It was a semester project. She said, "You can select any book you want to, and then I want you to as creatively as possible present the contents of that book to the class."

So, this was the early 1970s, and I chose the book The Late Great Planet Earth. Remember that book by Hal Lindsey? Millions of people bought that book on Bible prophecy. I thought, "Here's a great way to witness to my class by sharing The Late Great Planet Earth." And I thought it'd be a really good opportunity especially to witness to my teacher, who happened to be Jewish.

So, when the day for the presentation came, I went through the content of the book. I talked about all of the events that would lead up to the second coming of Jesus. I focused especially on what is going to happen during the tribulation when Revelation says the king of the north will attack Israel. Hal Lindsey was saying that was going to be Russia. Now, that was particularly interesting at that time because we had very tense relationships with the Soviet Union. President Nixon, at the day I was giving my report, was actually in Moscow trying to ease tensions with the Soviet Union.

I went through all of this about the end-time events. Now, what nobody in my class knew, including my teacher, was that I had arranged with the assistant principal to come over the intercom at the appropriate time and interrupt my presentation. So, at the time we had agreed upon while I was giving the presentation, the principal came on the loudspeaker and did the little chime, ding-ding-ding.

He came on and said this announcement. He said, "We have just been informed by United Press International that Russia has invaded Israel. President Nixon is on Air Force One, now returning to Washington DC from Moscow. All students and faculty are dismissed immediately to go home and seek shelter." At that moment, my Jewish teacher cried out, "My God, my God, it's true! It's true!"

All of the students raised up in the class. They started heading toward the exits, and I quickly stopped them. I assured them that this wasn't true, that it was just an illustration of how current events fit with Bible prophecy.

Unfortunately, the assistant principal made a mistake. And instead of piping the announcement just into our classroom as he was supposed to do, he accidentally sent it throughout the entire high school, Richardson High School. Three thousand students, suddenly I heard lockers slamming all over the school, feet shuffling out as everybody headed toward the exits, preparing for the end of the world. Today, I'm telling you, 40 years after that event, some of my former classmates still kid me about that day in the spring when everybody thought the world was coming to an end.

The truth is, the end-time events are going to be very frightening. It's going to consist of economic turmoil, there'll be wars, there'll be unprecedented persecution. But fortunately, Christians don't have to fear that period of time because of the event we're going to talk about today: the rapture of the church. Now, I know many Christians do not believe in the rapture of the church. But we're going to see what the Bible says about the rapture, and I think you'll understand why a rapture, a snatching away of the church, is both biblical and it's essential.

If you have your Bibles, turn to Ephesians chapter three. You can never really understand the rapture until you understand this period of time we're living in right now called the Church Age. Let me just remind you about what the Church Age is all about. We said that man in Genesis one through 11 moved further and further away from God, but in Genesis 12, God instituted a rescue plan for mankind. And it all started with a man named Abraham.

God made a covenant with Abraham. He said, "Abraham, I'm going to give you and your descendants a land, a seed, and a blessing." That is a piece of real estate. "I'm going to give you a great nation, and you're going to be a blessing to the entire world." And then he said to Abraham, "This promise is a literal promise, it's an eternal promise, and remember, it's an unconditional promise." So, God started his plan of redemption through this Abrahamic Covenant.

You say, "Well, that's great if you're a Jew. But what about those of us who are not Jews, Gentiles? How does the Abrahamic Covenant benefit us?" Throughout the Old Testament, there were hints, strong hints, that God's promise to Abraham would spill over to people like you and I, that is, Gentiles. You see that, for example, in non-Jews being saved, Rahab the harlot, Ruth, the residents of Nineveh, all non-Jews who were saved through God's promise to Abraham.

You see the same thing in the New Testament through the teaching and ministry of Jesus. Remember in Matthew 22, Jesus told that story about the king who had a banquet for his son and he invited all of his closest friends? And when they turned down the invitation, he sent his servants out into the highways and the byways and invited anyone and everyone to come join in the banquet. That was a hint that not only Jews but non-Jews would be invited to become a part of the kingdom of God.

You say, "Now Robert, you're reading a lot in that parable to get that out of the parable." Not at all. The Jews understood exactly what Jesus was saying in that story. In fact, in Matthew 22:15, it says immediately after Jesus told that story, the Pharisees were so angry at the idea of Gentiles being a part of the kingdom that they went out, counseled together about how they might trap Jesus in what he said.

But even though the Old Testament hinted at it, even though Jesus hinted at the idea of Gentile blessing, it was the Apostle Paul who was given the task of explaining what was called the mystery: that Gentiles like you and I are going to be a part of the Abrahamic blessing. And that's what we find in Ephesians three, beginning with verse three. Look at this with me. "That by revelation there was made known to me," Paul, "the mystery, as I wrote before in brief, which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit."

And what is this mystery? He says in verse six, "To be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel." Now, what does he mean, a mystery? The word mystery simply means a truth which was previously hidden in past generations that has now been revealed.

And Paul said, "God gave to me the task of revealing this mystery, this truth which other generations didn't understand but God has told me now to reveal. And the mystery specifically is that Gentiles are going to be fellow heirs to the Abrahamic blessing, they're going to be recipients of that blessing." You say, "What does that have to do with the rapture of the church?" Listen, this explains why the Old Testament doesn't talk about the rapture. It explains why even Jesus himself never mentioned the rapture.

The rapture is the end of the Church Age. The reason Jesus never mentioned the rapture is he never mentioned the church. He never talked about this mystery of the church in specific detail like the Apostle Paul. This was something that was reserved for the Apostle Paul. And therefore, this explains Matthew 24 and 25. Remember, the disciples came to Jesus and they said, "Lord, tell us, when shall these things be and what shall be the sign of your coming and the end of the age?"

Now, why didn't Jesus say, "Well, the first thing that's going to happen is there's going to be a rapture followed by a tribulation"? He never mentions the rapture. Instead, in Matthew 24 and 25, the next thing Jesus tells his apostles that is on God's calendar—look at this first chart I see here. Here's the end times according to Jesus to his apostles. He said the next thing is going to be wars and rumors of war, the tribulation. The Antichrist is going to commit the abomination of desolation which Daniel talked about. There's going to be finally the return of the Son of Man, as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in this coming of the Son of Man. And then there's going to be judgment, and finally the kingdom.

Never once did Jesus mention the rapture. Why? Because Jesus was talking to Jews, he was talking to his apostles. As far as Israel is concerned, the next event is going to be the great tribulation. You see, beginning in Genesis 12, God started dealing with the nation of Israel to draw Israel to himself. But when Israel rejected Jesus Christ, God temporarily halted his dealing with Israel and he turned his attention to people like us, Gentiles who could become a part of the kingdom of God.

Now, has God given up on Israel? Not at all. Israel has a hardness of heart toward Christ right now. Now, there are a few who are being saved, obviously. There are great ministries to Jewish people right now. But as a nation, they have a hardness of heart toward the gospel. But that's a temporary hardness of heart.

The Bible says that this is a time when God has turned his attention away from Jews toward those of us who are Gentiles, giving us an opportunity to be saved. But this hardening is not going to be forever. God has one final period in history when he's going to give Israel a chance to be saved. That period of time is the last seven years on God's time clock. It's the time of the great tribulation.

And so, when the apostles said to Jesus, "What shall be the sign of your coming and the end of the age?" he talks to these Jewish apostles about the great tribulation which is called Daniel's 70th week, the time of Jacob's trouble. It is a time of severe punishment, but it's a time of redemption for Israel that will be followed by the Lord's return. Now, Paul talked about this partial hardening that has come upon Israel and has resulted in our salvation. Turn over to Romans 11 verse 25. I want you to see this in the teaching of Paul.

Paul writes, "For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery." People who say, "Well, end-time events, we don't need to know about all this," Paul said, "I don't want you to be uninformed." The literal word is ignorant. "I don't want you to be ignorant about these things." Paul says the same thing in 1 Thessalonians 4, "I don't want you to be uninformed about the rapture. I don't want you to be uninformed of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own estimation."

And what's the mystery here? "That a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in." There's the church. That is, God has temporarily set aside Israel because of her hardness of heart so that people like you and I can be saved. That's the Gentile blessing. Do you realize you and I have benefited from Israel's hardness of heart? Because Israel hardened her heart against God, you and I have been given the opportunity to be saved.

But don't forget this, Paul says. That hardness of Israel's heart is only a temporary hardness. God is one final time going to give Israel a chance to be saved, and it's that period of time we're going to talk about in two weeks, the great tribulation. We are living in the time of the church. And when the last Gentile has been saved who God has planned to be saved, then the final last seven years of Earth's history will begin, the great tribulation. The rapture of the church ends the Church Age, and it begins the period of time known as the rapture of the church. The rapture of the church precedes that seven-year period of time called the tribulation.

Now, I know that's a lot of theology to go through in about 10 minutes here. So, we're going to take a break right now, okay? And I'm going to tell you a story from my love life. It's a sad story. It's a really sad story, but it has a happy ending to it. When I was 12 years old, I met Amy Lyon Renard in Miss Denny's math class, seventh grade at West Junior High in Richardson. And I was head over heels, I mean immediately in love.

And we became fast friends when we were 12 years old, and best friends in the seventh and eighth grade, and then in the ninth grade we started dating and I really fell in love. And I mean, she was the best thing that ever happened to me. But when we became sophomores in high school, Amy did the unthinkable. She broke up with me. She wanted to start dating other guys. Can you imagine anything like that? I mean, I just cannot imagine what possessed her to do that.

But I tell you, I was absolutely crushed. As the old country-western song said, "She done stomped on my aorta." She did. I mean, I was so upset. And suddenly I found that I had all this free time on my hands. And so, I got involved in student government at our school. I started leading some Bible studies. And there was this girl who was a mutual friend of ours, who was a friend, there wasn't anything romantic there, but she was a friend and she wasn't a Christian.

And so, I invited her to a few church functions and started talking to her about Christ, and she eventually came to faith in Christ that year. And then later in our sophomore year, Amy came to her senses and—no. We got back together again and it's been eternal bliss ever since that time. But you know, it was interesting. That girl who came to Christ during that time, a few years ago she wrote me a letter. And she was reflecting on how she became a Christian and what had happened in her life since that time.

And she said, "You know, if you and Amy had not broken up in our sophomore year, I doubt you would have ever had time to pay attention to me and to give me an opportunity to hear the gospel." What she was saying was because of the hardness of Amy's heart, a temporary hardening, I'm hoping dear, but anyway, because of the hardness of Amy's heart, this girl had an opportunity to be saved. But it was a temporary hardness, and we were reconciled back to one another.

That's really what the Church Age is. Paul is saying because Israel hardened its heart toward God temporarily, Gentiles have had the opportunity to be saved. That's the Church Age we're living in. Now, you have to understand the Church Age to understand the end of the Church Age, which is the rapture of the church.

The fact is after every Gentile has been saved who is going to be saved, then God starts that countdown clock, the final seven years called the tribulation. The rapture of the church ends the Church Age, and it begins the period of time known as the rapture of the church. The rapture of the church precedes that seven-year period of time called the tribulation.

Now, where do we find this rapture of the church? Turn over to 1 Thessalonians chapter four, the passage we read just a few moments ago. 1 Thessalonians chapter four. This is the most definitive passage in all of the Bible about the rapture of the church. A little background is helpful to understand. Paul was writing to the Christians at Thessalonica. Thessalonica is the second largest city in Greece next to Athens. Some of us were there this last summer and spent several days in Thessalonica. It is a thriving city.

And there was a large community of believers there. And those believers, like most New Testament believers, thought that the Lord was going to return in their lifetime. Do you realize that? I think even Paul believed that secretly. He doesn't come out and say it, but when you read between the lines, I think Paul thought the Lord was coming back in his lifetime.

These Thessalonians believed that. And then something started to happen. As the Lord's return seemed to be postponed in their minds, their loved ones who were Christians began to die. And so, they had this question. They said, "Paul, what about our loved ones who've died before the Lord returns? Are they going to miss out on the resurrection? And what about us? When do we receive our new bodies that God has promised?"

So, Paul writes this letter, especially chapter four, to answer those questions about what happens to Christians who die before the return of the Lord. And what about us? When do we receive our new bodies as well? Look at verse 13 of 1 Thessalonians four. "But we do not want you to be uninformed." There it is again. People who say, "Oh, we don't need to know all this stuff." No. Paul doesn't want us to be ignorant about those who are asleep.

Let me stop there and say a word about this word "asleep." He is talking about what happens to the bodies of Christians who die. The Bible's very clear. If you as a Christian die today, your spirit, the essence of who you are, doesn't float around in nothingness. It goes immediately into the presence of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:8 says for a Christian to be absent from the body is to be immediately at home with the Lord.

When he talks about asleep here, he's talking about the bodies of Christians who die. He said, "We don't want you to be uninformed about those who are asleep so that you may not grieve as those who have no hope." Don't worry about your loved ones who are Christians who have died. Look at verse 14. "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus." Don't worry about your loved ones. God's going to take care of them.

Well, you say, "How is God going to do that?" He describes it in the rapture of the church, beginning in verse 15. What I want you to notice and jot down on your outline, there are four components of the rapture of the church. First of all, the descent of Christ. The descent of Christ. Look at verse 15. "For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord shall not precede," that is, we shall not go ahead of those who have fallen asleep.

"For the Lord himself," verse 16, "will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first." Paul is saying don't worry about your loved ones who have died. God is so concerned about them, he's going to raise them first. We will not precede, we will not go ahead of the dead in Christ, those who have died in Christ. Verse 16, "The first thing that's going to happen at the rapture, the Lord will descend with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God." The descent of Christ.

God promises to take care of our loved ones who have fallen asleep in Jesus. And in the same way, God promises to take care of the church and gather his people into heaven before the great tribulation. We'll continue our discussion of the rapture next time on Pathway to Victory.

But it's possible you're listening to today's message thinking, "Dr. Jeffress, this Bible prophecy stuff is all good and interesting, don't get me wrong. But what's the point? How do far-off events like the rapture, the tribulation, make any difference in my life right now?" Well, that's one of the main reasons I wrote my brand new book called Ask Dr. Jeffress About the End Times.

Reading my book is like sitting across from me, coffee in hand, and having a conversation about the end times. You'll get clear answers and solid scriptural support. And I think you'll find it's not nearly as intimidating as you might expect. When you give a generous gift to support the ministry, I'm going to send you a copy of my book, Ask Dr. Jeffress About the End Times. Anyone who loves the Bible and anyone who's curious about God's plan for the future ought to have this book in their collection. David, please let our friends know how to get in touch today.

David J. Mullens: Today, when you support the ministry of Pathway to Victory by giving a generous gift, we'll say thanks by sending you Dr. Jeffress' brand-new book, Ask Dr. Jeffress About the End Times, with clear biblical answers to the top 20 questions people ask about the end times. Just call 866-999-2965 or visit online at ptv.org.

You could also support this ministry by texting PTV to 78800. And when your gift is $125 or more, you're also going to receive Dr. Jeffress' best-selling prophecy book, Perfect Ending, the complete Perfect Ending teaching series on audio and video disc, and the stunning full-color resource, The End Times Illustrated: A Panorama of Bible Prophecy from Genesis to Revelation.

To request this complete package of resources, call 866-999-2965 or visit ptv.org. You could write to us if you'd like, PO Box 223609, Dallas, Texas, 75222. Again, that's PO Box 223609, Dallas, Texas, 75222. I'm David J. Mullens, inviting you to join us again next time when the message titled "Not Left Behind" continues. That's Tuesday, here on Pathway to Victory.

Guest (Male): Pathway to Victory with Dr. Robert Jeffress comes from the pulpit of the First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas. Join us on the Pathway to Victory cruise to Alaska. Let me paint a picture for you. You're standing on the deck of a beautiful cruise ship, coffee in hand, watching a glacier calve into pristine waters while bald eagles circle overhead. You've got to see Alaska with your own eyes. Refresh your soul in God's cathedral of natural wonders, Alaska. Call 888-280-6747 or visit ptv.org.

Guest (Male): You made it to the end of today's podcast from Pathway to Victory, and we're so glad you're here. Pathway to Victory relies on the generosity of loyal listeners like you to make this podcast possible. One of the most impactful ways you can give is by becoming a pathway partner. Your monthly gift will empower Pathway to Victory to share the gospel of Jesus Christ and help others become rooted more firmly in His Word. To become a pathway partner, go to ptv.org/donate, or you can follow the link in our show notes.

We hope you've been blessed by today's podcast from Pathway to Victory. Oh, and one last thing before we go, have you reserved your spot yet for the 2026 Pathway to Victory cruise to Alaska? You've been hearing me and Dr. Jeffress mention it, so what are you waiting for? Just picture yourself on the deck of Holland America's elegant Koningsdam, and stepping out on deck to witness nature's grandeur. It's beautiful. These moments in God's creation will deepen your faith in powerful ways, it really will. Experience five-star dining, luxurious staterooms, and visiting iconic ports like Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway. We're also bringing along our own Christian entertainment, you'll love it. Seats are filling up, so book your spot today at ptv.org.