THE READINESS RAPTURE: It’s not just another Rapture theory

By Robert Hunt
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This may seem kind of strange to some, but when I got saved in the summer of 1989, the Lord told me I was going to write, even though I wasn’t even a writer at that time, far from it.  I’ll spare you the long story of how all of that unfolded, but learning how to type, write and biblical studies was a very slow process.  Only after decades of diligent study would I finally go on to publish a book, which seemed like a miracle to me.  And not only was the Lord faithful to keep His promise, but there was another unexpected surprise when I finally finished.  And that was, that my book also contains a brand new rapture theory that just seemed to have developed accidentally.  I mean, it was never my intention to create a new rapture theory.  A new theory had never even crossed my mind, so this surprise was another miracle.  This new theory just seemed to develop somehow when I was breaking down the scriptures and adding commentary, while writing my manuscript.  I had no idea my words were going to design a new theory.  It wasn’t until after I finished writing; when I was proof-reading the first proof-copy my publisher sent me, awaiting my approval.  I was checking for errors and typos before it went to print and that’s when it finally hit me!  I was totally surprised, as the Lord never said anything about a new rapture theory. 
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I realize I’m arriving very late to the rapture debate, but I have no doubt this is my calling nonetheless.  And it comes at a time, it seems, when many have grown weary of the rapture issue, as it’s become very controversial these days, with all of the different theories and beliefs.  Some Christians don’t even believe there will be a rapture.  Still, others try to avoid this subject altogether by proclaiming a belief in a so-called pan-theory, saying that everything will all pan out in the end – end of subject.  No doubt, all biblical prophecies will certainly pan out, but that, in my view, is really just a cop-out.  This is not a subject that Christians should be trying to avoid, not when Christ repeatedly warned us to keep watch and be ready, saying that His coming will occur when we least expect it.  He also gave us signs and seasons so that we might know when His coming is near.
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We can count all of the rapture theories on one hand, and now there’s a new theory on the other hand.  I’ll never be able to prove that God told me I was going to write, so I won’t even try.  There’s no need to, not when the proof is in the pudding.  Continue reading and you’ll find that the Readiness Rapture theory is very unique.  The only reason I call it a theory, though, is because it hasn’t happened yet.  You’re about to discover, in this blog post, without reading my book, a few different aspects that set this theory apart from all others.  God did not call me to echo what other scholars are saying, so this message should be completely different, groundbreaking, and even revolutionary, not to be confused with popular.  I’m not going to say much about the older more established theories, but I will explain one grave error they have all made, and it regards Matthew 24.
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Now lets take a brief look at the two most popular rapture theories.  Pre-tribulation rapture scholars have given us the popular Left Behind series.  They believe Matthew 24 only relates to the physical second coming of Christ, not the rapture.  They also believe Matt. 24 speaks to Israel and/or the Jews only, not the Church.  On the other hand, Post-tribulation rapture scholars believe Matt. 24 relates to both, the rapture and the second coming, and that both events will happen on the same day.  I disagree with both positions above, but I’d have to give the post-tribbers a little credit for at least recognizing the rapture is in Matthew 24, and that it will occur after the tribulation; but they are still incorrect about the second coming in Matt. 24, as they believe the rapture and second coming are the same event.  In my view, there’s no physical second coming in Matt. 24, only the rapture alone.  I’ll say it again.  The appearing of the sign of the Son of man is the rapture only, not His physical second coming to the earth.  And this is not only what I believe, but I can also prove it.
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The grave mistake that scholars have made regarding Matthew 24 is that they have all reached their conclusions after studying only half of the text.  The rapture and second coming will be two separate events.  The pre-tribbers were right about the two separate events, however, they will not be separated by seven (7) years.  Both events will be fulfilled during the fall feasts in the same year, just as the spring feasts were fulfilled in the same year during His first coming.  Most scholars believe Matthew 24 relates to the second coming, but it’s actually just the sign of His coming, not His physical second coming to the earth.  If only they had studied Christ’s entire answer instead of just half of it, they might have discovered this truth long ago.
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Jesus’ disciples didn’t just ask Him about the sign of His coming only, but the end of the age as well (Matt. 24:3).  Christ’s answer did not conclude at the end of chapter 24, where most scholars end their study.  His answer actually ran through to the end of chapter 25, where He told them about His second coming and the end of the age.  The trouble is that Christ also included a very complex series of parables in between, which has been a stumbling-block to scholars for nearly two millennia.  He purposely made it difficult, and to fully understand His answer we must correctly interpret not just one, but all of these parables, and only then can we finally see the big picture.  Then we can unlock the clues that were hidden in these amazing parables; but we must be careful, because there are some well placed stumbling-blocks in these parables as well.
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Matthew 24:3 (KJV) – “And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?”
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One of the things I’ve discovered in my study of both chapters (Matt. 24 & 25), is that Christ actually told us about both events, the rapture and the second coming.  The gathering of His elect (rapture) is the (sign) of His coming, not His actual physical coming to the earth, which is precisely what His disciples asked Him.  Verse (31) is a key verse in both chapters, and we should never lose sight of this groundbreaking revelation.
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Matthew 24:31 = Sign of His coming/Gathering of His elect/Rapture
Matthew 25:31 = Second coming/Judgment of the nations/End of the age
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Hopefully, this discovery will eventually end the rapture/second coming debate regarding Matthew 24.  But still, the parables in between these two events have been a stumbling block that has baffled scholars for nearly 2000 years.  In fact, most Christians disregard Christ’s teaching altogether, believing instead that Paul was the one who actually introduced us to the mysterious rapture, but that is also incorrect.  The truth is that Paul was the first to reveal this mystery to Gentile believers.  But Christ had already revealed this mystery to His disciples, even though they were slow to understand it all.  Their slowness to understand was because He told them about it before they had received the Holy Spirit, before they could understand spiritual things.  On another occasion, He told them that He was going away to His Father’s house to prepare a place for them, and promised He would come again and receive them to Himself…And He filled in the rest of the blanks in Matthew 24 and 25.
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John 14:2-3 (KJV) – “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  (3) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”
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Now I’m not trying to minimize the apostle Paul’s part in this mystery, not in the least.  He added some very important clues as well, when he was discussing the resurrection.  And when all of the clues are added together collectively, then we can finally begin to see the big picture emerge.  It seems that Paul gave us random clues about this mystery, but it was none other than Christ, Himself, that laid it all out for everyone to see, even though we have failed to see it all these years.  This mystery has remained unsolved all this time because of all the parables He used when He laid it all out.  In some of His other parables, He would sometimes give His disciples the interpretation, but not in these parables about the sign of His coming and the end of the age.  No, He left this series of parables for us to figure out, even though no one would for nearly 2000 years.  No doubt, it would be impossible to solve this mystery by reading chapter 24 alone, so I’m glad I was led to keep going and read the rest of His answer to His disciples question.  It was then that He began to open my mind so that I could understand His parables, which also confirmed my calling into this great mystery.
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Now that we’ve established that Christ told us about both the rapture and the second coming, with several parables in between, what is the significance of these parables?  In my book I gave a complete breakdown and interpretation of these puzzling parables, but that takes up three (3) entire chapters, so I won’t be able to do that in this short post.  I will, however, briefly summerize what these amazing parables represent and what they mean, but let me warn you, this is revolutionary, so don’t be surprised if your current beliefs are challenged.  At first, I thought discovering the second coming and the end of the age in Matthew 25 was very significant, but then He also gave me the insight to finally understand these parables, and it totally blew my mind and still does to this very day!
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So His second coming is in Matthew 25, where Christ actually returns to judge the nations.  However, the judgment of the nations is the second judgment.  Before Christ can judge the nations, according to scripture, He must first judge the house of God (1 Pet. 4:17-18), and this is precisely what we’re seeing in the parables that are in between His appearing, the sign of His coming (Matt. 24) and His second coming (Matt. 25).  In a word, these parables also provide the missing clues about the judgment seat of Christ.  The rapture and second coming are both two separate judgments, with the hour of trial in between (Rev. 3:10-11).  The apostle Paul briefly told us about the judgment seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:10), but he failed to give us any clues about it whatsoever.  Nor did he tell us when or where the judgment seat of Christ would be held.
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1 Peter 4:17-18 (KJV) – “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? (18) And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?”
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Notice the Two Judgments:
2 Timothy 4:1 (KJV)
“I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;”
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Many scholars simply assume the entire Church will be raptured into the clouds, for the judgment seat of Christ, but scripture in no way supports this assumption.  This is a common belief now, but assumptions like this can keep us from seeing the truth.  Jesus simply said the angels will gather together His elect (chosen).  Many also claim the Church or all born again believers will be raptured based on their salvation experience, but the scriptures do not support this either.  My theory offers another possibility.
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Some have recognized that not every believer will be ready, as they believe that only true believers will be raptured instead.  However, the Bible mentions nothing about so-called true believers, but instead, Jesus did mention cold, hot and lukewarm believers that none of the other theories mention; and He also warned that His servants must be ready.  This assumption is why I believe the other rapture theories are inferior, and leave many believers with a false sense of security.  They don’t go deep enough, and have too many holes that are just filled with assumptions.  This is why His parables are too important to neglect or ignore, because they contain all of the clues about the Judgment Seat of Christ and the rewards believers will receive when He returns.  Did you know the parable of the sower also provides clues about the three different types of believer (cold, hot & lukewarm)?
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Revelation 3:15-16 (NIV) – “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! ¹⁶ So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth”
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Paul mentioned the Judgment seat of Christ, but failed to tell us much about it.  I find it very interesting that Christ was the only one that mentioned anything about the cold, hot and lukewarm believers.  He warned us to be ready, not to assume we will all be ready.  His parables are important because they contain the clues about His judgment seat.  And once we understand these parables, then we can finally see what becomes of the cold, hot and lukewarm believers, as He laid it all out so beautifully
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Contrary to popular belief, we will not be rewarded for receiving Christ as our savior, as many assume.  I do not believe that’s what Jesus meant when He warned we must be ready.  Salvation is a free gift (God’s grace) to everyone who receives His Son.  We receive that gift the very moment we receive Christ as our Lord and savior.  But that is only our first step and the beginning of our new life in Him.  Our rewards, on the other hand, will not be known or given until He returns, and scripture tells us these rewards will be based on the works we’ve done after we received Him.  No one ever teaches this, but these scriptures should never be ignored.  Three different rewards will given for cold, hot and lukewarm believers, and it should be noted that punishment is also involved (see Luke 12:35-48).
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2 Corinthians 5:10 (NIV) – “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”
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Matthew 16:27 (KJV) – “For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.”
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Revelation 22:12 (KJV) – “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.”
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Many believe the Church will be raptured and meet in the clouds at the judgment seat of Christ, but again, I’d stress caution with this assumption.  I see another possibility.  God’s ways are higher than mans’ ways.  On the earth, men usually make an appearance in a court of law, where they present their case before a judge.  But this will not be necessary in the Supreme Court of the universe.  Jesus is already seated on His throne.  There’s no need to present any evidence.  Why, because He already knows, and scripture tells us that nothing we say or do on this earth is hidden from Him.  All of the evidence will already be recorded in the books in heaven as a permanent record.  I can’t prove this, of course, but I strongly believe this is the way it will be when the books are opened.  It seems that His judgment will already be made by the time He departs His throne, because He said He’s bringing our reward with Him when He comes.  He will give to each their portion, and some servants, He says, will be left with the unbelievers (Luke 12:46).  I implore you to read that for yourself.  This is why He warned us to be ready when He returns, unlike the Jews that failed to recognize Him when He came in the 1st century.
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Hebrews 4:13 – “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”
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Revelation 3:15 – “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!
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Luke 12:46 – “The master of that servant will come in a day when he thinketh not, and at an hour when he is not aware of, and will cut him off, and give him his portion with the unbelievers.”
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Luke 21:34-36 – “Take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts become burdened by excessiveness and drunkenness and anxieties of life, and that Day comes on you unexpectedly. ³⁵ For as a snare it will come on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. ³⁶ Therefore watch always and pray that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will happen and to stand before the Son of Man.”
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Malachi 3:2 – “But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap:”
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So Paul wasn’t the only one to teach about the rapture.  He was only part of this equation.  In fact, we might even say that he was the one who summed it all up and/or confirmed what Daniel and Christ had said about this subject previously.  Let’s not forget what Paul, himself, has said, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall a word be established (2 Cor. 13:1, Deu. 19:15, Matt. 18:16).  By that standard, he should not be the only one proclaiming a previously unknown truth in scripture.
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2 Corinthians 13:1 (KJV) — “This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.”
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My book actually begins in Daniel 12, where the prophet Daniel was given a prophecy about the time of the end, a future time of trouble (tribulation) not seen since there was a nation, followed immediately by the resurrection.  Then he was suddenly told to shut up the words and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.  Many scholars believe Daniel’s prophecy foretells the increase of modern technology, but I disagree, and this is precisely where my first major discovery began in my book.  I contend that the increase of knowledge has more to do with the resurrection/rapture than it does modern technology.  As I proved in my book, the New Testament is the increase of knowledge, where Daniel’s prophecy was actually continued.  In short, Daniel was ordered to shut up the words and seal the book right after he was told about the resurrection…and then hundreds of years later, Christ and then Paul increased knowledge about this mystery in the New Testament.
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My new mathematical/biblical formula for the increase of knowledge:
Resurrection (Dan. 12:2, 1 Thes. 4:16); Rapture (Matt. 24:31, 1 Thes. 4:17)
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Daniel’s limited Knowledge increased by Christ, and later both were confirmed by Paul:
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Resurrection (Daniel 12:1-2) – Daniel
+ Rapture (Matt. 24:29-31) – Christ
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= Resurrection/Rapture (1 Thes. 4:16-17) – Paul
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The resurrection was taught in the Old Testament, but the rapture wasn’t taught until the New Testament.  Just as Christ was concealed in the Old Testament and revealed in the New Testament, the same can be said about the resurrection and rapture.  Daniel told us about the resurrection after the time of trouble (tribulation), just before he was told to shut up the words and seal the book and that knowledge would increase later, even to the time of the end.  This new knowledge relates directly to the mystery of the rapture, which was withheld from the Old Testament.  So Christ later added the rapture of the living to Daniel’s limited knowledge of the resurrection, and later Paul would confirm both.
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Interestingly, Daniel knew nothing about the rapture of the living, and Christ said nothing about the dead when He concluded Daniel’s prophecy (increased knowledge).  But a beautiful thing happens when we add the two together, as Paul did in 1 Thes. 4:16-17.  This gives us the dead in Christ rising first, then we who are alive and remain at that moment will meet them in the clouds/air.  Unfortunately, most scholars and teachers tell us the entire Church will be raptured, as if we will all be ready.  I must stress that this is only their assumption that is not backed by scripture.  Many will fall away (cold), some believers will be ready (hot), and still others (lukewarm) will be left with the unbelievers (Luke 12:46) and become martyrs during the hour of temptation, which is also proof that not all believers will be ready when our Lord appears.
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Revelation 3:10-11 (KJV) — “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. ¹¹ Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.”
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Revelation 6:9-11 (KJV) – “And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: ¹⁰ And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? ¹¹ And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.”
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Revelation 13:7-8 (KJV) — “And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. ⁸ And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”
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Revelation 14:13 (KJV) — “And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.”
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Revelation 20:4 (KJV) — “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.”
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There is one other important thing I should briefly discuss before I close, which is why the rapture and second coming cannot occur on the same day.  I wrote about this in the last chapter of my book, and this is where the fulfillment of the fall feasts comes into play.  These are the Lord’s Holy days, which declare His appointed times, that can only be fulfilled by Christ alone.  These are the times and seasons we should be watching, even though most believers today are celebrating pagan holidays past down from the ancient Roman culture instead.  Once I discovered the truth about the pagan holidays, this writer no longer celebrates them or participates in the traditions of men.  I also want to add that this is just my choice and personal conviction.  It’s not my place to judge or condemn others who do.
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Philippians 2:12 – “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but so much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”
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Christ fulfilled the spring feasts (Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits & Pentecost) during His first coming, and He will likewise fulfill the fall feasts (Trumpets, Atonement & Tabernacles) upon His return.  These ancient feasts are still very relevant today, as they foretell the Lord’s appointed times and the world will witness some major biblical events when our Lord returns to fulfill them.
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Just as Christ fulfilled the spring feasts (death, burial and resurrection), His second coming will fulfill the fall feasts, which will include the resurrection/rapture, saving Israel and the second coming/judgment of the nations/end of the age.  The fall feasts will take three (3) weeks to complete, not seven years; and other events in between them will include the wedding supper for those who are ready, and the hour of temptation for those believers who aren’t, when many martyrs will be killed.  And finally, the end of the tribulation is not the end of the age as many believe.  There will be an additional 45 days after the tribulation, as Daniel was given the timeline.  And the additional 45 days allows plenty of time for a post-trib/pre-wrath rapture, as well as the judgment of the nations, followed by God’s wrath.
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Daniel 12:8-13 (KJV) – “And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? (9) And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. (10) Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand. (11) And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. (12) Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. (13) But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.”
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This is the end of part one of the nutshell version of the Readiness Rapture theory.  In Part two I will discuss more about the reward for the three different types of believer (cold, hot & lukewarm).  If you want to go deeper still, I would encourage you to buy my ebook (Who Will Be Ready When the Trumpet Sounds? By Robert Hunt), where I dissect all of the parables relating to the sign of His coming and much more.  I do not expect this new theory will ever become popular, but neither was Noah’s warning of coming judgment; and we all know that judgment is coming again.  And like the days of Noah, I believe this is an urgent message for today, because many are searching for truth at a time that Paul warned would come, when people will not endure sound doctrine, but will gather many teachers who’ll say what their itching ears want to hear, turning away from truth and teaching myths and fables instead (2 Tim. 4:1-4).  If this message has touched you, feel free to share it with others.  All praises to God and glory to His name!
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Matthew 13:33 (KJV) – “Another parable He spoke to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.”
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For additional information and confirmation of the Readiness Rapture theory, you may also be interested in the following post:
https://ruready.blog/2017/06/17/parable-of-the-sower-3-types-of-believer-and-their-rewards/
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NEW DIGITAL e-BOOK AVAILABLE:
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Thank you for visiting my blog.  Feel free to share it with friends and you can also leave a comment as well.  My mission is to prepare as many as possible for the soon return of our Lord and Savior.  To God be the glory!