Expert: Phillip Senn - 6/28/2007

Question
Dear Phillip,

                Such a biblical name :-D I wish you a happy 4th of July for next week. I love this verse Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Finally, notice that Jesus will come at an hour we do not expect him, Mat. 24:44. If He was coming at some time other than pre-trib, we would know the signs of his coming. This has been the question of the day for many people. God is a loving God and would NEVER allow his children to suffer through the great tribulation. Hence, we will be leaving through the rapture before it occurs.Do you think this is true? God has always been and will always be a loving God. In fact, He is love (1 John 4:8; 4:16), but we must NOT misuse this attribute of His or misunderstand that He is also an infinite and eternal God, whose ways and thoughts are not like ours:

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isa 55:8,9)
Also, remember that God has allowed His most devoted servants to suffer incredibly in this life, even up to the point of martyrdom like John the Baptist, Steven, James and Antipas. Moreover, many prophets of God were killed by Jezebel in her day (1 Kings 18:4, 13). But most noteworthy is how the Father allowed His only begotten son, Jesus of Nazareth, to suffer horribly and then die on the cross for all of mankind. God's love permitted all of that to happen and will also allow for the last generation of saints to face the antichrist. When I saw the Lord in my room in his resurrected form translucent. He said this to me,Jesus promised the church the following:

Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. (Rev 3:10)

Jesus said, He'd keep Christians from this hour of trial coming on the whole earth. Hence, Christians will be delivered from the tribulation period.

He [the antichrist] was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. (Rev 13:7)

If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword he will be killed. This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints. (Rev 13:10)

A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: "If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, he, too, will drink of the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name." This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God's commandments and remain faithful to Jesus. (Rev 14:9-12)

Finally, notice that Jesus will come at an hour we do not expect him, Mat. 24:44. If He was coming at some time other than pre-trib, we would know when He was coming. Hence, the rapture can happen at any moment and must be pre-trib.

Here was the odd part I dont know if it was a vision from God but on 93 I was 7yrs and I saw the sun so dark it was of sackcloth and facing tords the earth but it was in the sky and black and flat! I was very much in fear. The sky was red as blood of many saints that persihed and also the martyers. I didnt know what to think of it till this day was it a prophetic vision am I chosen by the lord. I feel like that scene that I saw came from this verse: But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven. (Mark 13:24-27, KJV)Was this that verse God was showing me to be prepared for what is to come? And does a christian believe in ghost and paranormal even spirits and haunted houses?  

Answer
Thank you for your questions. I will deal with them one at a time.

1. Do I believe that God will "rapture" His children from the Earth prior to the tribulation? YES. There is much evidence that, "... God hath not appointed us unto wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ...". Not all are His children. Only those that have come to faith in Christ Jesus, can be His children, for we are His children by faith in the Lord Jesus.

2. You asked, "Was it a prophetic vision?"  Because it is based upon Scripture, I would not discount that it was prophetic.

3. "Am I chosen of the Lord?" That is not something that a minister of God can determine for another individual. I can say this. There are some who have spoken prophetically that have not been called of the Lord. There are many instances, in Scripture, where people that were not His children spoke the Word of God. These had not been saved, but had spoken as God had given them His Word.(John 9:25-41)

4. "Was this that verse God was showing me to be prepared for what is to come?" I am not sure what you knew concerning God's Word at that time. You may have heard that word from a Sunday School teacher or from a preacher. It could be that having heard that word, you then saw it in your mind's eye and then was drawn to remember that "vision". It could have been that God used the "vision" to draw you to His Word.

5. Does a Christian believe in ghost and paranormal, spirits and haunted houses? Scripture is full of stories concerning the paranormal, demons and spirits. However from a Biblical perspective, only people (or animals) are indwelt by these. They are either indwelt by the Spirit of God, or they can have a demonic spirit. There is no indication that all that do not have the Spirit of God have a demonic spirit, but that they CAN have a demon is Scriptural. I do not find any references to inanimate objects being "haunted".

Conclusion: There are many today, in society, that seem to place much emphasis on the paranormal. Many of them do so in a way that downplays the importance of God's Word. The Apostle Paul made a very clear statement concerning the same practice in his day, "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed."

Again, in another passage, Peter wrote, "For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost". Our message concerning Christ, or of any other subject, should always come from God's Word, as that is the only sure Word that can be trusted.

Our visions or our interpretations can be flawed, but God cannot lie. His Word is always trustworthy.

I hope this has helped you in your Christian walk. If I may be of further assistance, please don't hesitate to use allexperts.com. Also, please rate this answer when given the opportunity.

With Love In Christ,
Phillip Senn