On what has come to be known as Palm Sunday, historians record for us that Jesus entered into Jerusalem and presented Himself as the long awaited Messiah.
Matthew 21:8-11 records that day for us thusly, "And a very great multitude spread their garments on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: "Hosanna to the Son of David! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!' "Hosanna in the highest!" And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, "Who is this." So the multitudes said, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee."
Most prophecy teachers believe that some time between Palm Sunday and Jesus' crucifixion, less than a week later, the fulfillment of the 69th week of Daniel 9:25-26 had been fulfilled. The Jews as a nation had rejected their Messiah for the time being and salvation by Christ was offered to people of every nation.
Someday in the very near future God has promised He will resume fulfilling the prophecy of Dan. 9 and will complete the final week of years left remaining (see Dan. 9:24 & 27). It will be at the close of these final 7 years of sorrow and tribulation that God will "seal up vision and prophecy."
Until that time two prophets of God will appear in Jerusalem according to Revelation Chapter 11 and will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days during the final 7 years.
It is our opinion that the 3 ½ years that these two men will be prophesying will be initiated during the first half of the final 7 years. It is also our belief that the removal of all true believers in Jesus Christ at the event known as the Rapture (I Cor. 15:50-55) will take place before these two prophets begin their incredible ministry in Israel.
The Holy week which begins with Palm Sunday concludes with the celebration of Jesus Christ's resurrection.
The resurrection of Jesus is equal in importance to His crucifixion. While at His crucifixion Jesus paid for the sins of the world by the shedding of His own blood as the atoning sacrifice - His resurrection secured the victory for all He would one day resurrect and glorify.
As the Apostle Paul recorded for believers in Romans 6:5, "For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection."
To have one's sins forgiven, then to be left in the grave is not a victory. The victory is experienced when the eternal union between man and God is restored as God originally intended.
This is the Blessed Hope promised in the Scriptures when Jesus comforted those He addressed in John 5:25 we quote, "Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live."
Jesus revealed by His words that the resurrection of believers would take place in stages as is supported in I Corinthians 15:19-23. The totality of all resurrected believers - wether during the time of Christ, or at the Rapture, or at the start of the millennium, or even the two prophets of Revelation 11 during the Tribulation participate in what is called in the Scriptures "the first resurrection" (Rev. 20:6).
All believers living today and all those that have died since the time of Christ are on the very threshold of experiencing their part in the first resurrection when Christ will glorify them and meet them in the air to take them to His Father's House in Heaven (I Thess. 4:15-18 & Jn. 14:1-3).
It is important to keep in mind that in these Scriptures the promise is that Christ is going to gather believers in Tribulation Rapture teachers erroneously teach.
This is just one incorrect teaching among many that insist that this Rapture/Resurrection will not take place before the start of the final 7 years. Many will support their view by quoting Rev. 13:7 where we are told that the Anti-Christ will be granted authority "to make war with the saints and overcome them." They are of the errant belief that these Tribulation Saints who are being overcome are the Saints which comprise the Church.
When one reads Revelation 3:10-13 we find evidence that these overcome Saints could not possibly be the Church, but are believers which came to Christ after the Rapture.
In Rev. 3:10 we read Christ's faithful words to His Church before the Tribulation Period is to begin, "Because you have kept My command to persevere I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth."
Obviously the Saints who are to be overcome by the Anti-Christ's global tyranny are not the recipients of Christ's promise of deliverance.
In the original Greek the phrase "Keep you from" literally translates "out of and away from." The Church which has persevered over the centuries of persecution must be removed before the time of testing comes upon the earth during the final 7 years.
Through the limitless vision of the Scriptures we can see into the not too distant future when men, women and children will be branded like animals and beheadings will replace protest gatherings against capital punishment (Rev. 13 & 20:4).
Unsaved persons reviewing this message will experience this horrible world of tomorrow firsthand. The redeemed who have heeded God's call to salvation will be removed to Heaven before Jesus Christ opens the first of 7 seals which initiates the arrival of the Anti-Christ and the start of the final 7 years.
Revelation 5:9-10 gives us a glorious picture of the Church in Heaven before the first of the 7 seals of the Tribulation Period are opened in Rev. Chapter 6. This is a critical point. The scene is taking place in Heaven where someone is singing to Jesus, "You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth."
Only the Church has been redeemed to God by the blood of Jesus Christ! If your Bible version uses the word "them," or states in the footnotes that the word "us" is not found in the majority of the original or oldest manuscripts, its assertion is demonstratively and verifiably wrong!
According to the research conducted by Dr. David Hockings, - of the 24 original Greek manuscripts in existence which contain this passage of Scripture - 23 contain the critical word "us." Only 1 contains the word "them." It is the Church that is seen in Heaven giving thanks for their redemption.
After seeing the Church in Heaven extolling Christ's worthiness to open the 7 sealed scrolls, we find Jesus opening the first seal in Rev. 6:1. This action of Christ sends forth the Anti-Christ thus initiating the first 3 ½ years of the final 7 years of the age.
It should be noted that Dr. Hockings has brought his research findings concerning the manuscripts on Rev. 5:9-10 to the direct attention of the author of the book titled, "The Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church." Dr. Hockings findings completely remove one of the book's main supports for the author's conclusions on pages 250-255 for a Tribulation period Rapture. No apology or correction of this known error has ever been reported by recipients of author Marvin Rosenthal's newsletters or magazines even though Mr. Rosenthal acknowledged to Mr. Hockings that this fact would have a major impact on His book.
There are those who believe Christ's coming may be years or decades away. Most believe Christ will never come. We recommend you be ready for Christ's coming today.
In Revelation 3:10 when Christ promised deliverance to those who"persevere," the word persevere in the original Greek is "hupomone" and means cheerfully or hopefully waiting with continued patience.
Only those who know their sins are forgiven by their faith in Jesus Christ and are assured that they will be caught up to be with their Lord, produce the life of those commanded to live in enduring hope and joy.
Our prayer is that you have this perseverance strengthening you in your life. Put your faith in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins this very moment and find joy in the promise of the Lord's soon coming (Rev. 3:11). Then take a moment, read Rev. 5:9-10 slowly and carefully and see yourself in heaven, because you have kept His command.