Follow God or vanish? Why not both?

by Michael G. Mickey

(12-6-06)

Everyone's favorite radical Islamic leader, Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has warned Western leaders to follow the path of God or "vanish from the face of the earth", according to a Breitbart.com article.

Many times in the past I have speculated concerning what will happen in the aftermath of the Rapture of the Church, particularly how the radical Islamic world will react to it. Ahmadinejad's words have me thinking on that topic again, especially when combined with other recurrent themes of his like the destruction of Israel. Although I'm certain Ahmadinejad is referring to a different kind of vanishing from the face of the earth than the Rapture of the Church, is there any doubt that the Islamic world will be incredibly emboldened by the event when it occurs? Could it even play a role in bringing about the Gog-Magog event described in Ezekiel 38 & 39? Quite possibly, in my opinion. Let me explain.

In 2nd Thessalonians 2, one of the most abused chapters of Scripture used by those trying to disprove a pre-tribulational Rapture of the Church I might add, we find that the Antichrist, the son of perdition described in 2nd Thessalonians 2:3, will not come forth to begin the day of Christ (the Tribulation Period) until he who letteth (or restrains) him is taken out of the way (2nd Thessalonians 2:7).

We who believe in a pre-tribulational Rapture believe that the "he who letteth" spoken of in this passage of Scripture is symbolic of the Holy Spirit which dwells inside all true believers in Christ, as seen in 1st Corinthians 3:16: "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?"

In 1st Corinthians 6:19, we see the same: "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?"

In 2nd Corinthians 6:16, we see the same as well: "And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people."

On the topic of the restraining power of the Holy Spirit, David Guzik writes:

Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.

a. When I was still with you I told you these things: Paul was only with the Thessalonians a few weeks (Acts 17:1-10). But Paul thought it important to teach these brand new Christians about Biblical prophecy, and he taught them in some detail.

b. And now you know what is restraining: For now, Satan and the man of sin are being restrained. The principle of their working is now present (the mystery of lawlessness is already at work). But at the right time, the Holy Spirit (He who restrains) who restrains their full revelation will be taken out of the way.

c. Taken out of the way: We should not think that the Holy Spirit would leave the earth during the Great Tribulation. He will be present on the earth during the Great Tribulation because many are saved, sealed, and serve God during this period (Revelation 7:3-14 and 14:1-5), and this can’t happen without the ministry of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is taken out of the way, not removed.

i. “The phrase is used of any person or thing which is taken out of the way, whether by death or other removal.” (Alford)

ii. Some see this as the end of a dispensation: “The special presence of the Spirit as the indweller of saints will terminate abruptly at the parousia as it began abruptly at Pentecost. Once the body of Christ has been caught away to heaven, the Spirit’s ministry will revert back to what he did for believers during the Old Testament period.” (Thomas)

d. The mystery of lawlessness is already at work: This great principle of evil is already present in the world. It will be ultimately unveiled in the man of sin, but he does not introduce a new wickedness into the world, only a intensity of prior wickedness.

i. Right now, this lawlessness is a mystery – that it is, it can only be seen and understood by revelation. Otherwise it is hidden. “It is not open sin and wickedness, but dissembled piety, specious errors, wickedness under a form of godliness cunningly managed, that is here meant.” (Poole)

e. And then the lawless one will be revealed: Paul states two certain facts about the man of sin, here called the lawless one. First, it is certain that the lawless one will be revealed when the Holy Spirit removes His restraint. Second, it is certain that the lawless one will be destroyed by the mere brightness of Jesus at His coming.

So, remove the Church via the Rapture and He who restrains the Antichrist, the Holy Spirit, will be taken out of the way, paving the way for the Antichrist to ride out onto the world stage, beginning the Tribulation Period as seen in Revelation 6:2, descriptive of Christ opening the first seal judgment.

Immediately following the advent of Antichrist, we note that the red horse of war rides out when Christ opens the second seal. A sword will be given unto its rider who will take peace from the earth (Revelation 6:4).

Putting it all together, do we have a potential end times scenario?

Saying that the time is near, Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad continues to threaten Israel with destruction, this taking place as the revived Roman empire of Bible prophecy pushes hard for peace in the Middle East, which is undoubtedly posturing for the future fulfillment of Daniel 9:27 (the advent of Antichrist) to occur.

What would happen if tomorrow, for example, the Rapture of the Church occurred and simultaneously (or shortly thereafter) a leader of Roman descent confirmed a seven-year peace covenant in the Middle East?

Would the Rapture lead Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (and the vast majority of the Muslim world) to believe that many "infidels" who refused to worship their god "vanished from the face of the earth" as the Iranian president is presently stating many from the West are going to if we don't "follow the path of God" as defined by the Islamic world? I certainly think so.

If the Muslim world and power-hungry Russia saw that the United States, the perceived protector of Israel, was near-crippled by the Rapture and believed the United States couldn't possibly respond militarily to an all-out assault on Israel, would that be enough of a nudge to kick start the Gog-Magog battle described in Ezekiel 38 & 39? Perhaps. Although I admit I'm merely speculating, building off the odd choice of words Iran's Ahmadinejad used in his most recent threatening language against the West, I think something like this could occur in the prophetic future, although I'd never be so bold as to put God in a box concerning His prophetic plan.

Follow the path of God or vanish from the face of the earth? Why not both?

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says we need to follow the path of his god or vanish from the face of the earth. I, on the other hand, believe that if we follow the path set forth by our God, which is salvation obtained by grace through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we are someday going to vanish from the face of the earth in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye!

1st Corinthians 15:51-52: Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

The Body of Christ, His Church, will someday be changed in an instant as described above and vanish from the face of the earth! Can you imagine how that event is going to change the composition of our world and swing the balance of military and economic power? Talk about turning the world on its head!

From the moment the Rapture takes place, conditions on earth will get worse with every passing day until the visible, physical, bodily return of Jesus Christ and His saints at Armageddon takes place as seen in Jude 1:14: Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,