REBECCA: ALL RIGHT, HI.
ALAN: HI.
REBECCA: GUYS, WE HAVE --
ALAN: GOOD TO SEE YOU.
REBECCA: WE HAVE ALAN DIDIO HERE.
ALAN: YEAH.
REBECCA: DID I SAY IT RIGHT?
ALAN: SO GOOD.
REBECCA: YES!
I GOTTA DO,
I GOTTA DO THE NAME QUICKLY.
ALAN: YOU GOTTA HAVE A LITTLE ITALIAN IN YOU
TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT CORRECTLY.
REBECCA: HEY!
ALAN: YEAH.
REBECCA: IS THAT WHAT THAT IS?
ALAN: YEAH, YEAH.
REBECCA: DIDIO.
ALAN: DIDIO, YEAH, YOU GOT TO MAKE IT SING.
REBECCA: AND THE ITALIAN HANDS, YES.
OKAY.
ALAN, YOU'RE A PASTOR.
WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT YOUR BOOK,
THEY LIED TO YOU ABOUT THE RAPTURE.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO WANT TO STAY TUNED BECAUSE
EVERYONE, BUT I'M TELLING YOU GUYS,
I'VE HEARD A LOT OF STUFF ABOUT THE RAPTURE,
AND THIS IS FRESH CONTENT.
SO STAY TUNED,
BUT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT YOUR TESTIMONY.
SO YOU DID NOT GROW UP
AS A CHRISTIAN?
ALAN: NO.
REBECCA: TELL US HOW DID YOU GET SAVED?
ALAN: WELL, FIRST OF ALL,
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
REBECCA: OH, YOU'RE WELCOME.
ALAN: I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'M HERE.
REBECCA: I KNOW.
ALAN: IN THIS COOL LITTLE ROOM WITH 30 PEOPLE.
REBECCA: I KNOW.
ALAN: THIS SMALL LITTLE SPACE,
BUT IT'S SO AMAZING.
UM, NO,
I WAS AN ATHEIST AND RAISED IN THE BUCKLE OF
THE BIBLE BELT.
AND I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE BIBLE.
NOW MY PARENTS PROBABLY WOULD
HAVE IDENTIFIED AS CHRISTIAN.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE CAN IDENTIFY AS ANYTHING.
REBECCA: EVERY ONE DID IN THE SOUTH FOR THE MOST PART.
ALAN: OF COURSE.
REBECCA: YEAH.
ALAN: IT'S KIND OF YOU'RE BORN INTO IT, YOU KNOW.
UM, BUT I...
REBECCA: DID YOU EVER GO TO CHURCH?
ALAN: WHEN THERE WAS CHRISTMAS POINSETTIAS OR
EASTER LILIES DECORATING THE FOYER, MAYBE.
REBECCA: YEAH.
ALAN: AND SOMETIMES THERE WAS ALWAYS A BOY IN A ROBE
LIGHTING CANDLES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
YOU KNOW, SO NO REAL EXPERIENCE.
REBECCA: WITH GOD.
ALAN: WITO GOD, OR I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE BIBLE.
I THOUGHT THE RED LETTERS IN THE BIBLE WERE
THE WORDS OF THE DEVIL.
IT JUST MADE SENSE TO ME BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE DEVIL
WEARS A RED SUIT, RIGHT?
HE'S GOT RED HORNS, RED PITCHFORK, RED WORDS THAT
MUST BE WHAT IT MEANS.
REBECCA: YEAH.
ALAN: I THOUGHT THE RIBBON WAS THE HANDLE.
THAT'S HOW YOU CARRIED THE THING.
I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING.
REBECCA: OH, MY GOSH, THAT'S FUNNY.
ALAN: I THOUGHT ABRAHAM, ISAAC AND JACOB WERE
A BAND IN THE 60S.
I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT
THE BIBLE OR CHRISTIANITY.
SO, UM, I WAS INVITED TO A CHURCH SERVICE BY A FRIEND
BECAUSE I LOVE MUSIC.
I LOVE -- I ALWAYS HAVE, ALWAYS WILL, ALL KINDS OF MUSIC.
REBECCA: ME, TOO.
ALAN: AND THERE WAS GOING TO BE SOME SPECIAL CHOIR
THAT WAS VISITING AND HE INVITED ME TO COME SEE THE CHOIR.
SO I'M AN ATHEIST BY THIS POINT.
I'VE BEEN IN JAIL TWICE.
I THINK BY THE TIME
I WAS 17 YEARS OF AGE.
AND HE INVITES ME TO A CHURCH SERVICE.
AND SO I SAID, OKAY.
I'LL GO, BUT WE'RE GOING TO SIT IN THE BACK.
MAKE SURE WE SIT IN THE BACK, CLOSE TO THE EXIT
BECAUSE IF IT GETS WEIRD.
REBECCA: YEAH, QUICK ESCAPE.
ALAN: I STILL KIND OF FEEL THAT WAY.
YOU KNOW...
REBECCA: ME, TOO.
ALAN: IF IT GETS WEIRD,
I GOTTA BE ABLE TO GET OUT,
BUT NOT SO MUCH LUCK THAT DAY OR SINCE THEN.
SO SOMEHOW WE ENDED UP ON THE SECOND ROW CENTER AISLE.
REBECCA: OH, MAN, YOU'RE TRAPPED.
ALAN: AND IT WAS A PENTECOSTAL CHURCH.
AND I HAVE NEVER BEEN IN IT.
I THOUGHT IT WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WERE SPEAKING
IN OTHER LANGUAGES.
I THOUGHT THIS IS LIKE AN INTERNATIONAL,
IS THIS AN INTERNATIONAL CHURCH?
WHAT IS WHAT -
I NEVER HEARD OF ANYTHING LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW.
REBECCA: YEAH.
ALAN: AND THEN AT THE END, THE PREACHER,
IT WAS THIS FIERY BLACK PREACHER SPITTING
AND SHOUTING AND SCREAMING.
I'M LIKE THIS IS WILD.
HE STARTS TO PRAY FOR PEOPLE
AND THEY FALL IN THE FLOOR.
REBECCA: YEAH.
ALAN: LIKE WHAT IS -- AT THAT POINT,
I THOUGHT, OKAY,
THIS IS A CULT.
THEY'RE GOING TO BRING OUT THE --
REBECCA: THE SNAKES.
ALAN: THE SNAKES AND THE KOOL-AID,
ANY MINUTE NOW AND START DANCING AROUND.
SO I'M LIKE WHERE -- I'M LOOKING FOR THE EXIT OR
WHERE THEY WANT AN EXIT BECAUSE I'M GOING TO
CREATE ONE IF THEY DON'T HAVE ONE.
AND AS I'M LOOKING FOR THE EXIT DOOR,
THE PREACHER POINTS AT ME AND SAYS YOU, COME HERE.
AND I'M LIKE,
OH, OH, NO, AND I STEPPED FORWARD AND HE SAYS JUST
LIKE THE PROPHET ELIJAH LAID ON THAT SHUNAMMITE WOMAN'S SON
TO BRING HIM TO LIFE IN THE NATURAL,
I'M LAYING HANDS ON YOU TO BRING YOU TO LIFE
IN THE SPIRIT.
YOU WILL LIVE AND NOT DIE.
AND I WILL MAKE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT I CAN DO
WITH A YOUNG MAN SOLD OUT TO ME.
HE SAID THAT AND
THEN HE PUSHED ME DOWN.
YOU KNOW, HOW PENTECOSTALS GET EXCITED.
AND I'M ON THE GROUND,
AND I CAN TELL YOU I DIDN'T FEEL ANYTHING
AT THAT MOMENT.
AND THIS IS, THIS IS A WORD FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE PRAYING
FOR UNSAVED LOVED ONES, DON'T PAY ATTENTION
TO THEIR REACTION.
DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT THEY FEEL OR SENSE OR
WHAT THEY SAY BECAUSE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THEM
IS GREATER THAN WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THEM?
ALWAYS KNOW THAT.
SO I'M, I'M ON, I'M ON THE GROUND,
AND I'M, I'M, I'M, I'M CONVINCED
THIS IS A CULT.
I'M FURIOUS.
I'M -- I GOTTA GET OUT OF HERE AND I MANAGED AS SOON
AS I COULD TO GET UP, SQUARE MY WAY OUT.
AND THE FRIEND WHO BROUGHT ME THERE,
I THINK I CRACKED THE DASH OF MY CAR CUSSING HIM OUT,
LEAVING THE CHURCH BUILDING,
SAYING I'LL NEVER GO
TO THAT BLANKETY BLANK CHURCH EVER AGAIN.
THREE DAYS LATER,
I'M BACK AT THE CHURCH AGAIN.
REBECCA: NO.
ALAN: SO THROUGHOUT THOSE THREE DAYS,
THIS WARFARE STARTS TO HAPPEN.
I DON'T RECOGNIZE IT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
BUT THIS CLOUD COMES OVER ME,
AND I KEEP HEARING THESE THOUGHTS IN MY MIND,
YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN ANY OF THIS.
YOU NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE.
THIS ISN'T FOR YOU.
STAY AWAY FROM THESE CHURCH PEOPLE.
AND THAT'S JUST, JUST CLOUDING MY MIND
AND LIKE THERE'S NO
PURPOSE FOR YOUR LIFE.
THERE'S NO GOD, GOD DOESN'T EXIST,
JUST CONSTANTLY BOMBARDING.
AND THEN MY FRIEND CAME TO
ME A COUPLE DAYS LATER AND SAID, LISTEN,
I APOLOGIZE FOR THE LAST --
THIS IS A PARTY.
I'M INVITING YOU TO A PARTY.
IT JUST HAPPENS TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE CHURCH,
AND IT'S JUST GOING TO BE A BUNCH OF GIRLS AND FREE FOOD.
THAT'S WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE.
IT'S LIKE ALL RIGHT, YOU TALKED ME INTO IT.
AND SO I GO WITH HIM
TO THIS, TO THIS PARTY AND WE GO INTO THIS
ROOM AND IT'S LIKE A YOUTH EVENT.
AND THEY'RE PLAYING FOOSBALL
AND PING PONG AND YOU CAN IMAGINE HOW LOUD
A ROOM IS LIKE THAT.
YOU KNOW, A BUNCH OF TEENAGERS IN IT.
SO WE WALK INTO THIS ROOM AND AS I WALK IN THAT,
THAT, THAT CLOUD,
AND THAT WEIGHT IS JUST GETTING STRONGER.
YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN ANY OF THIS, GET OUT OF HERE.
THIS ISN'T FOR YOU.
STAY AWAY FROM THESE PEOPLE AND I JUST,
I WAS SO OPPRESSED.
I WENT OVER INTO A CORNER AND SAT BY MYSELF AS
EVERYBODY IS PLAYING AND HAVING A GOOD TIME.
AND THE MOMENT I SAT DOWN AND I'M SITTING THERE,
I PUT MY HEAD DOWN AND IT WAS LIKE I WAS SUCKED
INTO A TUNNEL.
IT WAS LIKE OR UNDERWATER.
IF YOU EVER BEEN UNDERWATER AND YOU CAN
HEAR THE SOUND ABOVE THE WATER,
BUT YOU CAN'T TELL WHAT IS BEING SAID
ABOVE THE WATER.
THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED TO --
REBECCA: IT'S MUFFLED.
ALAN: YES, IT'S MUFFLED.
IT'S LIKE, THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED TO ALL THE SOUND
AROUND ME AND IT SHOOK ME.
I LOOKED UP AND I COULD
SEE PEOPLE'S MOUTHS MOVING.
BUT I COULDN'T HEAR THE WORDS THAT WERE COMING OUT
OF THEIR MOUTHS.
ALL I COULD HEAR NOW WAS THAT VOICE.
BUT NOW IT WAS AUDIBLE
LIKE MY VOICE IS TO YOU.
YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN ANY OF THIS, GET OUT OF HERE.
THIS ISN'T FOR YOU.
IT WAS, IT WAS AUDIBLE.
IT WAS DEMONIC.
IT WAS REAL.
AND SINCE, I GET SHIVERS --
I'M THINKING ABOUT IT EVEN NOW.
REBECCA: WOW.
ALAN: IT MAKES THE HAIRS STAND UP ON THE BACK
OF MY NECK.
I MEAN, IT'S -- IT WAS, IT WAS PURE EVIL.
AND IN THAT MOMENT,
GOD, IT'S AS IF HE PULLED THE CURTAIN BACK LIKE
IN THE WIZARD OF OZ
TO SHOW WHO WAS REALLY DOING THE TALKING AND HE
SHOWED ME NUMBER ONE HOW WEAK AND HOW DESPERATE
THE ENEMY WAS.
HE SHOWED ME THAT THIS WAS THE ENEMY'S
LAST EFFORT, THAT HE WAS HANGING ON AS MUCH AS HE
COULD AND HE SHOWED ME THAT HE'S REAL.
I MEAN, IT DOESN'T TAKE A ROCKET SCIENTIST
TO SAY IF SATAN IS REAL,
THEN GOD MUST BE REAL.
REBECCA: YEAH.
ALAN: AND SO I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO PRAY AT THAT MOMENT.
REBECCA: WAS THAT LIKE A DOWNLOAD OF INFORMATION,
LIKE A REVELATION GIVEN TO YOU?
ALAN: YES, I DIDN'T REALLY --
I THINK THE MATRIX PICTURED IT THE BEST.
REMEMBER WHEN HE GETS THIS DOWNLOAD,
AND HE OPENS HIS EYES AND SAYS I KNOW KUNG FU.
IT WAS,
YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE THAT.
THAT'S HOW GOD OFTEN MOVES.
JUST IN A MOMENT,
HE CAN DOWNLOAD A WHOLE ENCYCLOPEDIA
FULL OF INFORMATION.
REBECCA: NO, IT'S TRUE WITH REVELATION.
I'VE HAD THAT HAPPEN TO ME AS WELL.
ALAN: AND OFTEN WHEN YOU'RE HEARING REVELATION, TOO,
WHEN SOMEONE ELSE IS THROWING OUT REVELATION,
IT'S LIKE IT OPENS UP SOMETHING,
AND YOU JUST START GETTING MORE AND MORE AND MORE.
AND SO JUST IN THAT MOMENT,
THERE'S THIS DOWNLOAD OF THE REALITY OF SATAN,
THE REALITY OF GOD.
HOW WEAK SATAN IS --
HOW THIS VOICE,
I THOUGHT I WAS GUIDING MY OWN LIFE BY MY OWN
THOUGHTS AND MY OWN SMARTS.
AND I THOUGHT I WAS SUPER SMART AND THAT I WAS
SMARTER THAN ALL THESE CHRISTIANS AND I REALIZED
ACTUALLY THESE WERE DEMONIC THOUGHTS THAT WERE
INTRODUCED INTO MY LIFE.
I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO PRAY.
I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY.
SO I SAID IN MY HEART, SATAN,
YOU CAN'T HAVE ME ANYMORE,
REALIZING HE HAD BEEN CONTROLLING MY LIFE.
AND JESUS,
I'M ALL YOURS.
THAT'S ALL I KNEW HOW TO PRAY.
AND INSTANTLY, THIS WEIGHT
STARTED TO LIFT AND I FELT COMPELLED.
I WAS A VERY PRIVATE PERSON.
I FELT COMPELLED TO TELL EVERYBODY THERE
WHAT HAD JUST HAPPENED.
I DIDN'T KNOW THE BIBLE SAYS WHAT THE HEART MAN
BELIEVES, BUT WITH THE MOUTH CONFESSION
IS MADE TO SALVATION.
AND BY THIS TIME,
I'M WEEPING.
I'M BY MYSELF IN A CORNER IN A PARTY
WITH AN UGLY CRY.
I MEAN, UGLY.
YOU EVER HAD ONE OF THOSE LIKE --
REBECCA: YES.
ALAN: SNOT-DRIPPING, BUSTING THE CAPILLARIES IN YOUR,
YOU KNOW, JUST AN UGLY CRY AND I STOPPED --
CAN YOU IMAGINE THE RECORD LIKE SCREECHING AND EVERYBODY
STOPPING, STOPS PLAYING AND THEY LOOK AT THIS CRAZY
GUY IN THE CORNER.
AND I JUST TELL THEM
WHAT I JUST TOLD YOU?
REBECCA: HOW DID THEY RESPOND?
ALAN: THEY WERE -- THERE WAS IMMEDIATELY PEOPLE
REDEDICATING THEIR LIVES TO THE LORD.
REBECCA: OH, REALLY, THAT'S GOOD.
ALAN: BECAUSE -- BECAUSE THEY KNEW ME BEFORE AND TO SEE THAT
REACTION CAUSED A DRAMATIC CHANGE IN THEIR LIVES.
AND THE MOMENT I SAID WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO ME,
WEIGHTS I DIDN'T KNOW I WAS CARRYING
WERE LIFTED OFF OF ME.
AND I WAS TRULY,
IN THAT MOMENT, BORN AGAIN.
RADICALLY TRANSFORMED FROM BEING AN ATHEIST, TRYING TO
DISPROVE THE EXISTENCE OF GOD ON FRIDAY,
YOU KNOW, AT SCHOOL TO ON MONDAY WALKING IN WITH
A BIBLE UNDER MY ARM AND BEING AN EVANGELIST THERE
IN MY HIGH SCHOOL.
SO IT WAS, IT WAS A RADICAL CHANGE.
AND SO THAT'S HOW I GOT SAVED.
SO THAT'S WHY WE CALL OUR MINISTRY
ENCOUNTER MINISTRIES, ENCOUNTER CHRIST,
THE ENCOUNTER CHARLOTTE OR ENCOUNTER TODAY
BECAUSE WE WANT PEOPLE NOT TO ENCOUNTER A PREACHER
OR A DENOMINATION, BUT JUST JESUS.
LET'S JUST ENCOUNTER JESUS BECAUSE
THAT'LL MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE.
REBECCA: ISN'T IT INTERESTING, TOO,
HOW LIKE YOU'RE WIRED A CERTAIN WAY LIKE THE GIFTS
OF GOD ARE IN YOU.
SO BEFORE YOU WERE LIVING FOR THE LORD,
YOU WERE TRYING TO DISPROVE GOD.
BUT ONCE YOU GOT SAVED,
IT'S BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE PART OF YOUR CALLING.
ALAN: YEAH.
REBECCA: TO SHARE JESUS WITH PEOPLE.
ALAN: YEAH, SO DON'T GET DISCOURAGED WHEN
SOMEBODY'S LIKE TOTALLY AGAINST GOD,
THEY'RE SO RADICAL ABOUT IT.
YEAH, THEY'RE GOING TO BE, THEY'RE GOING TO BE
ON FIRE FOR THE LORD.
YOU JUST KEEP ON PRAYING FOR THEM.
REBECCA: THAT'S SO GOOD.
SO WHERE DID THINGS GO FROM THERE?
ALAN: WELL, THIS KIND OF LEADS INTO WHAT WE TALK
ABOUT WITH THE BOOK.
A WEEK LATER,
I'VE JUST BEEN RADICALLY SAVED.
I'M READING THE BIBLE INSATIABLY LIKE...
REBECCA: HOW DID YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO?
SO GOD JUST LIKE A HUNGER ON THE INSIDE OF YOU.
ALAN: YES.
LIKE THIS IS THE WORD OF GOD.
THIS IS GOD'S WORD.
ALL OF A SUDDEN, GOD WROTE ME A LETTER.
WHY WOULD I WASTE TIME DOING ANYTHING ELSE
OTHER THAN READING THIS?
REBECCA: DO YOU THINK YOU GOT FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT?
ALAN: YEAH, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS -- PARTIALLY,
IT WAS ABOUT TWO WEEKS LATER THAT I FULLY LIKE THE GIFT
OF PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT AND ALL THAT STUFF STARTED
TO FLOW THROUGH.
REBECCA: SO THAT'S QUICK.
ALAN: YEAH, VERY QUICK.
JUST VERY FAST.
GOD'S DOING A QUICK WORK RIGHT NOW.
REBECCA: YEAH.
ALAN: AND IT WAS A WEEK INTO THAT OF JUST READING
THE BIBLE LIKE FIVE, SIX HOURS A DAY.
AND I HAD A DREAM.
AND I'M NOT ONE WHOSE, WHO FOLLOWS DREAMS.
YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M NOT --
PROPHETIC WORDS, DREAMS, VISIONS,
FOR ME, THEY HAVE NO VALUE
EXCEPT IN THAT THEY BRING US BACK
TO THE WORD, RIGHT?
REBECCA: THAT'S A GOOD, THAT'S A GOOD WORD.
ALAN: AND THAT'S A GOOD WAY TO STAY SAFE WITH
DREAMS AND VISIONS,
AND HOW DOES IT BRING US BACK TO THE WORD.
AND SO I WAS ABOUT A WEEK SAVED,
I'VE NEVER HEARD ANY TEACHING ABOUT THE END TIMES.
I DON'T -- I'VE NEVER HEARD.
I'VE NEVER SEEN ANY OF THE MOVIES,
YOU KNOW, A THIEF IN THE NIGHT
OR ALL THE THINGS
I'VE SEEN SINCE THEN, LEFT BEHIND, YOU KNOW,
I HADN'T SEEN ANY OF THOSE.
I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE RAPTURE OR I'M
JUST SAVED AND I LOVE JESUS.
I'M READING THE WORD.
AND I'M IN THIS DREAM,
I'M IN AN OPEN FIELD OUTSIDE MY CHILDHOOD HOME.
AND IT'S LIKE A 4TH OF JULY PARTY,
THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD IS OUT.
THERE'S A COOKOUT, EVERYBODY'S HAVING A GOOD TIME.
AND I HEAR A SOUND IN THE HEAVENS AND I TURN TO LOOK.
AND BEHIND THE CLOUDS,
THERE'S A CLOCK WITH ROMAN NUMERALS,
AND IT SAYS 11:59.
AND THE SECOND HAND IS SPEEDING QUICKLY.
IT'S ALMOST MIDNIGHT.
AND AS IT REACHES MIDNIGHT,
GRAVITY LOSES ITS HOLD AND I START TO RISE OFF THE GROUND.
AND THIS EXCITEMENT STARTED TO BUILD.
I DIDN'T KNOW -- I DON'T KNOW HOW I KNEW THIS,
I JUST KNEW I'M GOING TO SEE JESUS.
REBECCA: YEAH.
ALAN: I'M ABOUT TO SEE THE ONE WHO SAVED ME.
THE ONE WHO JUST RESCUED ME,
I'M GOING TO SEE HIM HERE IN A MOMENT.
AND THE EXCITEMENT OF THAT WAS ECLIPSED QUICKLY WHEN I
LOOKED DOWN AND I SAW ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WERE DOWN
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
WHO WERE COMPLETELY UNFAZED.
HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS GOING ON
AND THEY WERE BEING LEFT BEHIND.
I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT TERMINOLOGY.
I HADN'T SEEN A MOVIE,
BUT THEY WERE BEING LEFT BEHIND AND I WOKE UP OUT
OF THAT DREAM WITH THESE WORDS ON MY LIPS,
JESUS IS COMING.
AND THAT DEVELOPED A PASSION THAT
TOOK ME TO THE WORD.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN
JESUS IS COMING?
HASN'T EVERY GENERATION THOUGHT
THAT THEY'RE THE GENERATION?
AND I STARTED TO STUDY IT.
SO FOR 25 YEARS,
I'VE BEEN STUDYING IT AND I JUST GOT FED UP
WITH THE DEBATE
AND THE ARGUMENT AND THE DIVISION AND THE SCHISM.
REBECCA: YEAH.
ALAN: AND I THOUGHT I'D WRITE THIS BOOK.
REBECCA: I WANT TO TALK ABOUT ALL THAT.
WHAT, GOING BACK TO THE DREAM BECAUSE THAT'S SO
SIGNIFICANT AND PROFOUND NOT ONLY TO YOUR LIFE,
BUT THE REALITY OF JESUS' RETURN, RIGHT?
WHAT SOUND DID YOU HEAR?
ALAN: YOU KNOW, IT WAS --
I DON'T WANT TO SAY.
IT WAS LIKE A TRUMPET BECAUSE THAT SOUNDS RELIGIOUS.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT I CAN RECALL
WHAT THE SOUND --
IT WAS JUST SOMETHING THAT GOT MY ATTENTION.
REBECCA: YEAH, LIKE IT'S HARD TO DESCRIBE.
ALAN: SOMETHING WAS HAPPENING.
LIKE A RUSTLING IN THE MULBERRY BUSHES,
YOU KNOW, SOMETHING WAS GOING ON.
IT WAS LIKE WHAT IS THAT?
AND THEN I LOOKED.
AND THEN THERE IT WAS, THERE WAS A CLOCK.
AND I BELIEVE IT IS ALMOST MIDNIGHT PROPHETICALLY.
REBECCA: YEAH.
ALAN: AND THAT THE CHURCH HAS TO BECOME AWARE LIKE,
THE SONS OF ISSACHAR,
WHO DISCERN THE TIMES AND THE SEASONS.
AND THEREFORE THEY KNEW WHAT TO DO.
THAT'S WHAT THE BODY OF CHRIST NEEDS RIGHT NOW.
ALAN: I LOVE THAT PASSAGE TALKING ABOUT
THE SONS OF ISSACHAR.
I DO BELIEVE THAT IS APPLICABLE TO US,
AND WE NEED TO BE LIKE THAT.
AND THE OTHER THING THAT STOOD OUT TO ME ABOUT
THE DREAM WAS HOW, UM, AS YOU WERE GOING UP,
THE PEOPLE DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE WHAT WAS GOING ON.
ALAN: NO.
THERE WAS ONE PERSON THAT I MENTIONED IN THE
BOOK WHO WAS REACHING UP AND TRYING TO GRAB A HOLD
OF SOMEONE'S HEELS.
REBECCA: OH, WOW.
ALAN: AND THEY -- IT WAS TOO LATE.
REBECCA: YEAH.
'CAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE HAS TO BE BELIEVERS THAT
WHEN THE RAPTURE TAKES PLACE THAT --
OR THEY --
ALAN: THEY'RE GONNA REALIZE.
REBECCA: YOU KNOW, THAT THEY'RE NOT REALLY SAVED,
BUT THEY'VE HEARD THE MESSAGE
AND THEN THEY'RE GOING TO THINK, OH, NO.
ALAN: YES.
THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.
REBECCA: OH, MY GOODNESS.
ALAN: WE NEED SOME PEOPLE HERE EVANGELIZING WHILE
THE TRIBULATION IS GOING ON.
SO THAT'LL BE THEIR LOT DURING THIS TIME, YEAH.
REBECCA: BUT THERE ARE STILL A CHANCE FOR THEM,
BUT IT WILL BE HARD.
ALAN: IT WILL BE HARD.
AND YOU WILL PAY FOR IT WITH YOUR LIFE.
REBECCA: YEAH,
BECAUSE THERE'S -- NO ONE IS ALLOWED TO BELIEVE IN THE LORD.
ALAN: NO.
REBECCA: I MEAN, THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT --
ALAN: YES
REBECCA: THAT.
OKAY, SO LET'S GET INTO THEY LIED TO
YOU ABOUT THE RAPTURE.
I LOVE THAT YOU WROTE THIS BOOK,
UM, BECAUSE I HAVE SEEN THE ONLINE DEBATE.
I HAVE SEEN THE DIVISION
THAT'S CAUSED IN THE BODY OF CHRIST,
WHICH IS JUST SO, YOU KNOW, HURTS THE HEART --
HEART OF GOD.
HE'S OUR FATHER.
HE DOESN'T WANT HIS CHILDREN FIGHTING WITH EACH OTHER.
AND, YOU KNOW, I JUST REALLY THINK WE HAVE TO
APPROACH THIS STUFF GROUNDED IN HIS WORD
AND IN HUMILITY AND UNDERSTANDING.
IT'S NOT THIS AIR OF,
OH, I'M RIGHT AND YOU'RE WRONG.
THAT'S NOT THE WAY
GOD WANTS US TO APPROACH OUR BROTHERS
AND SISTERS IN CHRIST.
SO I LOVE THAT YOU WROTE THIS BOOK,
BECAUSE THERE IS INFORMATION CIRCULATING OUT THERE.
I HAVE HEARD THIS INFORMATION AND THEN IT
STARTS TO MAKE YOU SECOND GUESS AS A BELIEVER.
BECAUSE IT'S LIKE,
OH, THIS LADY THAT WAS DEMONIC THIS,
YOU KNOW, THE RAPTURE HASN'T ALWAYS EXISTED.
IT'S THIS NEW THING AND IT WAS THIS DEMONIC LIKE
ALMOST MAKES IT SOUND LIKE SHE'S A PSYCHIC.
SO SHE'S OPERATING WITCHCRAFT AND LIKE THIS
IS WHAT INFLUENCED.
AND THEN YOU'RE IMMEDIATELY,
YOU'RE LIKE REACTION IS,
OH, WELL, THEN THIS IS DEMONIC AND I CAN'T
BELIEVE I BELIEVED IN THIS.
AND IT JUST IMMEDIATELY SHUTS PEOPLE DOWN.
ALAN: YEAH.
REBECCA: SO YOU LIKE HELP DEBUNK ALL THE THINGS.
SO START DEBUNKING THE THINGS.
ALAN: WELL, FIRST OF ALL, ONE OF THE MAIN POINTS OF THE BOOK
IS TO REMOVE THAT DIVISION.
YOU KNOW, ONE THING
WE ALL AGREE IN AS BELIEVERS
IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE RAPTURED.
WE MAY DISAGREE ON THE TIMING,
BUT WE DO AGREE THAT THERE'S COMING A TIME WHEN
THIS BODY IS GOING TO BE TRANSFORMED AND WE'RE
GOING TO RECEIVE A GLORIFIED BODY.
REBECCA: YEAH.
ALAN: AND THAT'S GOING TO BE EXCITING.
SO WE SHOULD UNIFY AROUND THAT AND THE BIBLE SAYS
THAT THERE'S A CROWN FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIS APPEARING.
AND WHAT I WANT IS I WANT THIS GENERATION
TO FALL IN LOVE.
NOT BE SCARED OF IT,
YOU KNOW, NOT BE INTIMIDATED OR MANIPULATED BY IT.
THAT'S WHY A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE A BAD TASTE IN
THEIR MOUTH ON THIS SUBJECT.
I DON'T WANT TO BE MANIPULATED OR,
OR TO BE SENSATIONALIZED.
I JUST WANT THEM TO FALL IN LOVE WITH HIS APPEARING.
REBECCA: YOU CAN'T ALLOW NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES IN
THE PAST LIKE KEEP YOU AWAY FROM HOW BEAUTIFUL
LONGING FOR HIS APPEARING IS.
ALAN: YES.
REBECCA: AND SO YOU CAN'T LET THAT, I THINK THAT'S JUST
SUCH A, THAT'S SUCH A GOOD POINT AND SO IF YOU HAVE
BEEN IN THE PAST,
PEOPLE HAVE USED FEAR MONGERING,
FEAR MONGERING OR SENSATIONALISM,
DON'T LET THAT STOP YOU NOW AND YOU HELP UNPACK THAT.
ALAN: YES.
REBECCA: SO KEEP GOING, SORRY.
ALAN: THAT DOESN'T SPEAK TO THE LEGITIMACY
OF THE ARGUMENT.
IT JUST SAYS THAT THEY DID A BAD JOB
PRESENTING THE ARGUMENT, YOU KNOW.
REBECCA: EXACTLY.
ALAN: AND WHAT'S HAPPEN WITH THE RAPTURE BECAUSE IT'S
SUCH AN IMPORTANT SUBJECT,
I THINK IT'S KEY.
WE MAY TALK ABOUT THIS IN A MINUTE.
THAT'S A PART OF OUR ARMOR IN THE LAST DAYS THAT THE
ENEMY IS TRYING TO DILUTE IT.
SEVERAL YEARS AGO,
GOD SPOKE TO ME AND SAID PAY ATTENTION TO THE
DOCTRINES THAT ARE BEING CRITICIZED OR THAT ARE
BEING MANIPULATED, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE I'M MOVING AND
THE ENEMY IS TRYING TO MUDDY THOSE WATERS WHERE
MOST CHRISTIANS STAY AWAY FROM,
IF SOMETHING LIKE THAT'S HAPPENING,
OKAY, WELL, I'M OUT, YOU KNOW.
I'M GOING TO BE PAYING TRIB,
YOU KNOW, AND NOT PRE, NOT MID, NOT POST, PAN.
HOWEVER IT PANS OUT, THAT'S, YOU KNOW,
BECAUSE I JUST DON'T WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN THEIR ARGUMENT.
WHAT IF IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT THE ENEMY
IS TRYING TO MUDDY THE WATERS WITH A LOT OF LIKE
WHAT WE SAW IN THE TRUMP ERA, THE DECEPTION,
THE LIES OF THE MEDIA, RIGHT?
WE'VE SEEN THAT, THE VERY FINE PEOPLE HOAX
WHERE PEOPLE BELIEVE THE MOST HORRIFIC THINGS THAT HAVE
BEEN REPORTED ABOUT HIM AND CONSERVATIVES WHO HAVE
ACTUALLY LOOKED INTO IT KNOW THAT IT'S NOT TRUE.
THE SAME THING HAS BEEN HAPPENING
WITH THE RAPTURE.
THERE'S BEEN SO MANY LIES AND MYTHS AND
MISCONCEPTIONS AND THE DARBY LIE AND THE MARGARET
MCDONALD LIE IS ONE OF THOSE WHERE THEY SAY SOME
WOMAN HAD A DEMONICALY-INSPIRED VISION CALLED
MARGARET MCDONALD ABOUT --
ACTUALLY YESTERDAY,
I THINK IT WAS YESTERDAY.
I HAD A MINISTER WAS --
SHE SAID, YOU DO KNOW THAT THE RAPTURE ORIGINATED
WITH A DEMONIC VISION.
REBECCA: YEAH.
ALAN: I SAID HAVE YOU EVER READ
MARGARET MCDONALD'S VISION?
SHE SAID, NO,
I SAID YOU SHOULD READ IT BECAUSE ACTUALLY
IF YOU READ IT,
SHE'S NOT PRE-TRIB.
SHE'S ACTUALLY MID OR POST.
REBECCA: I DIDN'T KNOW THAT EITHER.
ALAN: SO JUST A LOT OF CONFUSION ABOUT THIS AND THAT DARBY
WHO HAD NO ASSOCIATION WITH HER SOMEHOW GOT THAT
FROM HER AND IT'S NOT TRUE.
HE GOT IT FROM HIS PASTOR
WHO GOT IT FROM HIS PASTOR
WHO GOT IT FROM HIS PASTOR.
AND DARBY WAS A GREAT
ADVOCATE FOR THE PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE.
BUT HE DIDN'T INVENT IT AND I GIVE PROOFS
THROUGHOUT HISTORY OF THE RAPTURE BEING TALKED ABOUT
BY THE EARLY CHURCH FATHERS.
REBECCA: DO YOU KNOW WHO SOME OF THOSE LIKE
ON THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD,
SOME OF THOSE FATHERS WERE OR WHAT THEY SAID?
ALAN: OH, YEAH.
IF YOU WANT ME TO JUST?
REBECCA: YEAH.
ALAN: COME ON.
REBECCA: I WENT TO BIBLE SCHOOL.
SO ME AND MY HUSBAND WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS IN THE
CAR THE OTHER DAY.
HE'S IN THE STUDIO.
WE WERE LIKE TALKING ABOUT THE CHURCH FATHERS,
AND I WAS EXPLAINING WHO THEY WERE AND STUFF.
ALAN: WHICH BY THE WAY, WE SHOULDN'T
DETERMINE ANYTHING BY THE CHURCH FATHERS.
THEY WERE STILL FIGURING THINGS OUT
AND THEY HAVE SOME WEIRD --
REBECCA: THEY DO.
ALAN: SOME WEIRD TEACHINGS.
REBECCA: YES.
ALAN: SO THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION IS,
DOES THE BIBLE TEACH IT, RIGHT?
REBECCA: EXACTLY.
ALAN: BECAUSE IF YOU THINK OF JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH,
THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED A NEW DOCTRINE THAT MARTIN
LUTHER INVENTED IF IT WASN'T IN THE WORD OF GOD,
BUT, OF COURSE,
IT IS IN THE WORD OF GOD.
REBECCA: EXACTLY.
ALAN: A GAME I'LL PLAY
WITH PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE IN THE THAT DARBY
INVENTED THE RAPTURE IS
I'LL GIVE THEM A QUOTE AND THEY HAVE TO GUESS WHETHER
IT WAS BEFORE DARBY OR AFTER DARBY,
BASED ON THE CONTENT OF THE QUOTE.
OKAY, SO EVERYBODY WATCHING CAN DO THAT.
REBECCA: OKAY.
ALAN: SO I'M GOING TO READ THIS.
IF DARBY INVENTED THE RAPTURE,
YOU'LL HAVE TO TELL ME AND DARBY WAS ALIVE
DURING THE 1800S.
HERE'S A QUOTE FROM, UM, FROM SOMEONE THAT I THINK
WILL SPEAK TO THIS.
FOR ALL THE SAINTS AND THE ELECT
OF GOD ARE GATHERED PRIOR TO THE TRIBULATION THAT IS
TO COME AND ARE TAKEN TO THE LORD.
LEST THEY SEE THE CONFUSION THAT IS TO
OVERWHELM THE WORLD BECAUSE OF OUR SINS.
NOW IS THAT BEFORE DARBY OR AFTER DARBY?
WELL, THAT'S ACTUALLY PSEUDO-EPHRAEM
FROM THE FOURTH CENTURY.
MORE THAN A THOUSAND YEARS BEFORE DARBY.
YOU WANT ANOTHER ONE?
REBECCA: YEAH.
ALAN: OKAY.
AND THEREFORE WHEN IN THE END THE CHURCH SHALL BE
SUDDENLY CALLED UP FROM THIS,
IT IS SAID,
THERE SHALL BE TRIBULATION
SUCH HAS NOT BEEN SINCE THE BEGINNING,
NEITHER SHALL BE.
THAT'S IRENAEUS OF LYONS 120 A.D.
REBECCA: I REMEMBER HIM.
ALAN: AROUND THE TIME WHEN HE --
YEAH, IRENAEUS.
SO IN FACT, MOST OF THE CHURCH FATHERS, MOST OF
THEIR WRITINGS HAVE NEVER BEEN INTERPRETED OR, OR
EXCUSE ME, TRANSLATED UNTIL NOW.
LEE BRAINARD, BY THE WAY,
WHO'S A GREAT GREEK SCHOLAR HAS BEGUN
TRANSLATING A LOT OF THE EARLY CHURCH FATHERS
AND HE'S FINDING MOUNTAINS OF TEACHING ON
THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH.
REBECCA: SEE, THIS IS WHY, THERE'S TWO THINGS
I WANT TO SAY TO THAT.
ONE, I THINK IT'S SO GOOD THAT WE'RE -- I WANTED YOU TO READ
THESE QUOTES BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT.
THE ENEMY IS MUDDYING THE WATERS OF THINGS THAT ARE
IMPORTANT BECAUSE THIS IS ACTUALLY SUCH AN IMPORTANT
TOPIC FOR THE CHURCH.
UM, AND SO I LOVE THAT YOU'RE BRINGING LIGHT
AND CLARITY TO IT BECAUSE THAT CLEARLY SHOWS
THIS IS NOT A NEW CONCEPT.
BUT THAT'S WHAT'S BEING
PREACHED ONLINE AND THEN PEOPLE HEAR SOMETHING
ONLINE AND THEY JUST BELIEVE IT.
ALAN: YES.
REBECCA: THE THING THAT'S INTERESTING
TO ME AS WELL IS HOW LIKE YOU
SAID LIKE A LOT OF THAT STUFF HASN'T COME TO LIGHT
UNTIL NOW LIKE THE TRANSLATIONS OF THE FATHERS.
IT'S INTERESTING TO SEE THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT
HAVE COME TO LIGHT
RECENTLY THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND
FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS LIKE THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS
AND THINGS LIKE THAT, JUST KIND OF AFFIRMING
AND CONFIRMING THINGS THAT ARE TRUE.
UM...
ALAN: ISN'T THAT CRAZY?
REBECCA: I KNOW.
ALAN: WE ARE LIVING IN THE LAST IN THE END TIMES.
IT'S CRAZY.
REBECCA: AND DON'T YOU FEEL LIKE
IT'S COMING TO LIGHT NOW FOR A REASON?
ALAN: YES.
REBECCA: TO KIND OF AWAKEN US.
ALAN: FOR THE AWAKEN AND EQUIP THE BODY OF CHRIST.
SO THAT WE CAN PUT ON OUR ARMOR WHICH BY THE WAY THE
RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH IS IN THE ARMOR OF GOD.
REBECCA: CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT?
ALAN: THIS IS SO COOL.
I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THE COOLEST REVELATIONS IN THE BOOK.
BECAUSE I'VE DONE A DEEP STUDY, AS A PASTOR,
I'VE DONE A SERIES ON THE ARMOR OF GOD.
AND THERE WAS ALWAYS ONE PIECE OF ARMOR
THAT CONFUSED ME.
AND IT WAS THE HELMET OF SALVATION, RIGHT?
BECAUSE HE'S WRITING TO CHRISTIANS AND HE TELLS
CHRISTIANS PUT ON THE HELMET OF SALVATION.
SO DO WE TAKE IT OFF AT NIGHT
AND LIKE PUT IT ON OUR DRESSER
AND THEN PUT IT BACK ON IN THE MORNING?
WHAT IS HE TALKING ABOUT?
WELL, THAT'S IN EPHESIANS WHERE HE GIVES
THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD.
BUT HE WROTE ABOUT THAT TEN YEARS EARLIER
IN THE VERY FIRST EPISTLE EVER WRITTEN THESSALONIANS.
1 THESSALONIANS
IS THE FIRST EPISTLE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.
SO IT'S AN IMPORTANT ONE.
AND THE APOSTLE PAUL,
WHEN HE WAS MINISTERING TO THE THESSALONIANS,
WHEN HE WAS IN CORINTH,
I THINK HE HAD THREE YEARS TO BUILD THAT CHURCH.
WHEN HE WAS EPHESUS,
HE HAD LIKE FIVE YEARS TO BUILD THAT CHURCH.
AT THESSALONIANS,
HE HAD FOUR WEEKS.
REBECCA: OH, WOW.
ALAN: AND SO WHAT DID HE FOCUS ON WHEN HE WAS
WITH THEM FOR FOUR WEEKS?
WELL, WHEN YOU READ IT,
IT'S THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH.
HE FOCUSES ON END TIMES.
SO HE'S WRITING ABOUT THE END TIMES
IN 1 THESSALONIANS CHAPTER FOUR.
HE GETS TO CHAPTER FIVE.
HE'S TALKING ABOUT THE DAY OF THE LORD
AND THE TRIBULATION AND HE SAYS THAT YOU ARE TO PUT ON THE
HELMET OF THE HOPE OF SALVATION,
FOR GOD HAS NOT APPOINTED YOU TO WRATH.
SO HE'S JUST BEEN TALKING ABOUT
THE RAPTURE AS A RESCUE FROM WRATH.
HE'S JUST BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT.
AND NOW IT'S NOT THE HELMET OF SALVATION,
IT'S THE HELMET OF THE HOPE OF SALVATION.
WHAT IF THE EXPECTATION OF THE LORD'S RETURN THAT IT
COULD HAPPEN AT ANY MOMENT IS A PROTECTIVE PIECE OF
THE ARMOR OF GOD.
THAT WHEN YOU ARE LOOKING TO JESUS
AND YOU'RE SAYING IS IT TODAY?
YOU KNOW, MARANATHA.
TODAY COULD BE THE DAY THAT THE LORD COMES
THAT THAT DOES SOMETHING TO YOUR MIND.
IT DOES SOMETHING TO THE WAY YOU THINK,
THE WAY YOU LIVE
AND IMAGINE IF YOU GOT A SPECIAL WORD FROM,
I DON'T KNOW, THE ANGEL GABRIEL
AND HE CAME TO YOU AND SAID,
JESUS IS COMING TODAY AT 2 P.M.
WELL, NUMBER ONE,
DON'T BELIEVE IT.
BECAUSE NO ONE KNOWS THE DAY OR THE HOUR.
BUT LET'S JUST SAY IN THIS FICTIONAL WORLD
THAT YOU KNEW THAT
JESUS WAS COMING TODAY AT A CERTAIN TIME.
WOULD THAT CHANGE HOW YOU LIVED TODAY?
REBECCA: YEAH, IT WOULD.
ALAN: WOULD THAT AFFECT --
WOULD YOU WANT TO FORGIVE PEOPLE?
WOULD YOU --
REBECCA: YEAH.
ALAN: WOULD YOU WANT TO GET THINGS RIGHT?
REBECCA: GET YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER.
ALAN: GET YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH DOES.
MATTHEW 24 SAYS SOMETHING VERY INTERESTING.
IT SAYS IT IS A WICKED SERVANT
WHO SAYS MY MASTER DELAYS HIS COMING.
THAT'S A WICKED SERVANT.
AND THE BIBLE SAYS THAT
SERVANT BEGINS TO BEAT OTHER SERVANTS AND --
REBECCA: YEAH AND ABUSE THEM.
ALAN: AND ABUSE THEM.
AND HE ACTS AS IN A WAY
THAT'S, THAT'S HORRIBLE THAT HE WOULDN'T HAVE ACTED,
IF HE BELIEVED THAT HIS MASTER COULD COME
AT ANY MINUTE.
SO THAT'S WHAT THE HELMET OF SALVATION DOES.
IT CHANGES THE WAY YOU THINK AND THEREFORE CHANGES THE
WAY YOU BEHAVE BECAUSE YOU'RE LOOKING FOR HIM TO
RETURN AT ANY MOMENT.
NOW IMMINENT, ANY MOMENT,
DOESN'T MEAN SOON.
WE'RE READY FOR HIM TODAY
OR IF HE DOESN'T COME TODAY,
WE'RE READY TO WAIT A DAY OR A WEEK OR A MONTH
OR A YEAR OR A HUNDRED YEARS.
THAT'S THE WISDOM OF THE FIVE WISE VIRGINS.
YOU'RE READY NOW AND YOU'RE READY TO WAIT.
BUT SOMETHING HAPPENS WHEN YOU PUT ON THE HELMET OF
SALVATION AND EVERYBODY CAN PUT IT ON RIGHT NOW.
EVERYBODY WATCHING THIS PROGRAM CAN PUT ON THE
HELMET OF SALVATION BY SAYING,
YOU KNOW WHAT?
JESUS, YOU ARE RETURNING.
IT COULD HAPPEN AT ANY MOMENT.
WHAT COULD I DO RIGHT NOW THAT WOULD PLEASE YOU
TO HELP ME GET READY
TO MEET YOU?
NOT OUT OF CONDEMNATION.
REBECCA: NO.
ALAN: NOT OUT OF FEAR.
UM, A COUPLE YEARS AGO,
I BOUGHT MY WIFE,
IT WAS OUR FIRST CAR THAT WE PAID CASH FOR AND I WAS
SURPRISED THAT MY DAUGHTER AND I WENT AND GOT IT,
WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP WENT THROUGH ALL OF THAT.
AND WE GOT IT BACK TO THE HOUSE
AND MY WIFE WAS OUT RUNNING ERRANDS.
AND WE WERE TRYING TO CLEAN THE GARAGE
AND PUT A RIBBON ON THE CAR,
YOU KNOW, ALL THAT STUFF.
SO WE'RE CLEANING,
WE'RE BEING DILIGENT, BUT THEN WE GET A PHONE CALL
FROM MY WIFE AND SHE SAYS I'LL BE HOME ANY MINUTE.
AND NOW I WAS LIKE YOU HIT THE FAST FORWARD BUTTON, RIGHT?
BECAUSE NOW, WE'RE LIKE SCURRYING ALL OVER
THE PLACE NOT BECAUSE WE'RE AFRAID,
NOT BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE JUDGED
OR CONDEMNED BECAUSE WE'RE
EXCITED TO SEE HER.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE RAPTURE OF
THE CHURCH SHOULD BE.
NOT FEAR,
OH, NO, I'M GOING TO BE LEFT BEHIND.
IT'S LIKE I'M GOING TO GET TO --
I'M GOING TO SEE JESUS,
THE ONE WHO SAVED MY SOUL,
I'M GOING TO GET TO SEE HIM.
WHAT A GLORIOUS DAY
THAT'S GOING TO BE.
REBECCA: YEAH, AND I LOVE IT BECAUSE FEAR PARALYZES
PEOPLE AND IT SHUTS THEM DOWN,
BUT HOPE GIVES US THE ABILITY TO MOVE FORWARD
EVEN THROUGH DIFFICULT TIMES.
AND EVEN THE CHURCH,
YOU KNOW, WHEN THE BIBLE IS BEING WRITTEN
THE EARLY CHURCH,
THEY HAD THAT HOPE.
YOU KNOW, THAT EXPECTATION OF CHRIST'S RETURN
AND IT AFFECTED HOW THEY LIVED.
SO ALL OF US SHOULD LIVE,
ESPECIALLY US NOW AS WE'RE LIVING IN THE END OF THE END.
ALAN: AND HOW DID THEY GREET ONE ANOTHER?
MARANATHA.
REBECCA: YES.
ALAN: THAT'S HOW THE EARLY CHURCH GREETED
ONE ANOTHER MEANING
JESUS IS COMING.
REBECCA: YEAH.
THEY LIVED OUT
OF THAT REVELATION.
ALAN: YES.
REBECCA: SO IT'S SO POWERFUL.
AND I THINK THAT THE CHURCH DOES NEED TO AWAKEN
TO THIS REALITY AND NOT LIVE FROM A PLACE OF FEAR,
WHICH THAT REALLY HAS, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THE WAY A LOT
OF PEOPLE HAVE HANDLED IT.
I'VE EVEN, YOU KNOW, JUST SOME THE WAY
SOME PEOPLE TEACH IT,
IT'S EVEN AFFECTED ME.
IT'S NOT FEAR, BUT GOD OVER TIME AND THROUGH GOOD
BIBLICAL TEACHING LIKE THIS,
IT'S TURNED INTO AN EXCITEMENT
LIKE HE WILL RETURN.
HE'S COMING BACK FOR HIS BRIDE.
AND, UM, WHEN WE GO BEFORE HIM,
WE WILL GIVE AN ACCOUNT OF OUR LIVES.
AND SO UNDERSTANDING AS WELL, LIKE YOU TALKED ABOUT,
THE ACCOUNTABILITY.
UNDERSTANDING THAT HIS
RETURN IS COMING AND THAT WE NEED TO LIVE A LIFE.
THAT'S PLEASING TO HIM BECAUSE WE WILL STAND
BEFORE HIM AND WILL JUDGE IF IT'S WOOD,
YOU WERE SAYING WOOD.
ALAN: THAT'S NOT A POPULAR MESSAGE ANYMORE.
YOU KNOW, WHEN DO YOU HEAR WHERE'S THE BOOKS WRITING
ABOUT THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST?
WHERE NO UNBELIEVER IS GOING TO BE THERE.
THIS IS JUST BELIEVERS WHO ARE STANDING BEFORE GOD
TO GIVE AN ACCOUNT.
REBECCA: IT'S OUR JUDGEMENT AS BELIEVERS.
ALAN: YES.
IS IT WOOD?
IS IT HAY?
IS IT STUBBLE?
WHAT DID WE DO IT FOR?
TEMPORAL, TEMPORARY CARNAL REASONS.
WHAT WAS OUR MOTIVES?
AS YOU SAID.
REBECCA: YEAH.
ALAN: BUT IS IT OR IS IT GOLD, SILVER
AND PRECIOUS STONES?
REBECCA: I LOVE THAT TEACHING, THOUGH,
BECAUSE ONE, IT KEEPS ME ACCOUNTABLE, BUT TWO,
IT'S JUST LIKE WHEN YOU SEE LIKE INJUSTICE OR YOU
SEE SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T SIT RIGHT WITH YOU,
YOU DON'T HAVE TO MAKE JUSTICE IN YOUR OWN HANDS,
BUT YOU KNOW THAT GOD IS GOING TO JUDGE ALL OF US
AS THE RIGHTEOUS JUDGE AND NO ONE'S GOING
TO GET AWAY WITH ANYTHING.
EVERYTHING WILL BE CLEARLY LAID BEFORE HIM.
AND HE WILL SAY IF, HE WILL -- HE SEES
THE MOTIVATIONS OF PEOPLE.
AND HE WILL HANDLE THAT IN HIS WAY, IN HIS TIME.
AND SO WE JUST NEED TO LIVE OUR LIVES RIGHT
AND ALLOW HIM TO JUDGE THOSE WHO ARE WRONG.
ALAN: THAT'S RIGHT.
THIS IS A SOBERING MOMENT THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST.
AND THE ONLY POSITION THAT REALLY
ALLOWS FOR TIME BETWEEN PRE-TRIBULATION
AND POST-TRIBULATION, POST-TRIBULATION,
THERE'S NO TIME FOR THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST.
REBECCA: NO.
ALAN: THERE'S NO WHERE TO PLACE THAT IN THE TIMELINE.
THIS IS GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME, WHERE HE'S GOING TO
WALK US THROUGH WOOD, HAY, AND STUBBLE, GOLD,
SILVER, PRECIOUS STONES.
AND THE BIBLE SAYS YOU WILL BE SAVED,
BUT YOU WILL BE SAVED AS ONE SCREAMING
THROUGH THE FIRE WHICH IS AN INTERESTING DESCRIPTION.
I PUT SEVERAL TRANSLATIONS THERE.
REBECCA: WHAT SCRIPTURE IS THAT?
ALAN: IT'S IN 1 CORINTHIANS.
I BELIEVE IT'S CHAPTER THREE OR CHAPTER SIX WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT
THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST AND IT SAYS YOU'RE
GOING TO YOU'RE GOING TO BE SAVED,
BUT AS ONE SCREAMING THROUGH THE FIRE.
THIS IS NOT TO BE SCARED BECAUSE WE NEED TO
RECOGNIZE YOU WE'RE GOING TO BE FACED WITH YOUR LIFE
AS IT WAS AND YOUR LIFE AS IT COULD HAVE BEEN.
REBECCA: OH, MY GOSH.
ALAN: AND THAT'S GOING TO BE A STARTLING MOMENT, RIGHT?
REBECCA: YEAH.
ALAN: AND SO WHAT HAPPENS IN THIS MOMENT IS HE UNVEILS
HIS GRACE AND WE SEE WHERE WE MISSED IT.
AND THAT HE STILL WELCOMES US AND HE STILL --
I JUST -- IT'S HARD FOR ME TO EVEN TALK ABOUT IT.
HE STILL LOVES US AND BRINGS US.
BUT THAT'S GOING TO, THAT'S GOING TO SO IMPACT US.
THAT'S GOING TO BE THE REASON WE WERE ABLE TO
PRAISE HIM FOR ETERNITY BECAUSE IN THAT MOMENT WE
SEE EVERY MISTAKE WE MADE.
AND THEN AFTER SEEING IT
AND FEELING IT DEEPLY, HE COVERS IT.
AND HE WIPES AWAY ALL OF OUR TEARS AND THEN WE
ENTER INTO ETERNITY WITH HIM.
SO THAT'S THAT'S WHAT THE RAPTURE IS ABOUT.
THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THAT MOMENT AND IT'S GOING
TO BE AN AMAZING, AN AMAZING TIME.
AND THEN AFTER THAT, WHO KNOWS.
REBECCA: I MEAN, THAT'S SUCH A GREAT MESSAGE,
THOUGH LIKE THE GRACE,
HOW POWERFUL THE GRACE AND THE LOVE OF GOD IS.
UM, SO ONE OF THINGS YOU TALK ABOUT IS YOU TALK ABOUT
THREE KINDS OF TRIBULATION.
CAN YOU UNPACK THAT?
ALAN: WELL, A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY,
WELL, WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE TO THINK
YOU'RE GOING TO ESCAPE TRIBULATION?
REBECCA: THAT'S WHAT I HEAR.
ALAN: EVERY GENERATION, EVERY, EVERY, EVERY CHURCH.
JESUS SAID,
WELL, WE UNDERSTAND THAT,
I WORK, THIS IS VERY PERSONAL TO ME,
BECAUSE I WORK WITH THE PERSECUTED CHURCH
AROUND THE WORLD.
I'VE, I'VE SMUGGLED BIBLES INTO THE MIDDLE EAST.
I MYSELF HAVE STARED DOWN THE BARREL OF A GUN FOR
PREACHING THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST.
I HAVE WORKED WITH THE PERSECUTED CHURCH,
CHINA, ISRAEL, IN THE MIDDLE
EAST ALL OVER THE WORLD.
SO THIS IS VERY REAL AND I UNDERSTAND THAT.
REBECCA: YEAH.
ALAN: BUT WHAT PEOPLE NEED TO REALIZE IS THERE'S THREE
DIFFERENT KINDS OF TRIBULATION IN SCRIPTURE.
THERE'S THE LOWERCASE T TRIBULATION
AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT HOW
JESUS SAID IF YOU FOLLOW ME,
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TRIBULATION.
AND EVERY CHRISTIAN NEEDS
TO BE PREPARED FOR THAT, NEEDS TO BE
PREPARED TO FACE IT, AND FACE IT WITH JOY.
FACE IT WITH STRENGTH
AND WE NEED TO TRAIN AND DISCIPLE
CHRISTIANS TO BE ABLE TO FACE PERSECUTION.
REBECCA: COUNT IT ALL JOY, MY BRETHREN.
ALAN: WHEN YOU FALL INTO,
YES, EXACTLY.
DOES THAT SOUND LIKE FUN?
REBECCA: YEAH.
ALAN: WHEN YOU FALL INTO DIVERS TEMPTATIONS.
SO IT'S TRUE, AND WE MUST TRY,
WE'VE DONE A TERRIBLE JOB
OF TRAINING CHRISTIANS TO STAND AGAINST THAT.
SO ABSOLUTELY, WE HAVE TO DO THAT,
BUT THEN THERE'S SOMETHING CALLED THE TRIBULATION.
REBECCA: THAT'S A GOOD, YES.
ALAN: CAPITAL T.
REBECCA: THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE TWO.
ALAN: YES.
AND LIKE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
A BASKETBALL PLAYER AND THE BASKETBALL PLAYER.
EVERYBODY KNOWS WHO I'M TALKING ABOUT, RIGHT?
MICHAEL JORDAN.
REBECCA: MICHAEL JORDAN.
ALAN: IF YOU SAY LEBRON, YOU ARE,
YOU'RE CANCELED.
REBECCA: NO.
ALAN: SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TRIBULATION,
THERE'S SMALL T TRIBULATION,
THEN THERE'S THE TRIBULATION.
AND THIS IS NOT BEING ATTACKED BECAUSE OF YOUR FAITH.
THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS IS.
THIS IS NOT THE DEVIL
COMING AFTER YOU OR A GOD-HATING WORLD HATING YOU.
THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS IS.
IN REVELATION CHAPTER SIX,
GOD POURS OUT HIS DIRECT WRATH ON THE ENTIRE EARTH.
THERE'S NO WAY TO ESCAPE IT,
THERE'S NO WHERE TO RUN, NO ONE IS PROTECTED FROM IT.
HE POURS IT OUT OVER THE ENTIRE GLOBE.
THAT IS THE TRIBULATION AND THAT IS COMPLETELY
DIFFERENT FROM THE ATTACKS OF THE ENEMY
OR THE ATTACKS OF MAN.
BECAUSE A LOT OF CHRISTIANS THINK,
WELL, I'M GOING TO BE HERE DURING THE TRIBULATION
AND I'M GOING TO STAND AGAINST --
LISTEN...
REBECCA: YEAH, THE ANTICHRIST.
ALAN: THERE'S NO AMOUNT OF DISCIPLESHIP,
NO AMOUNT OF ROCKY TRAINING MONTAGE THAT YOU
CAN GO THROUGH TO GET HYPED UP ENOUGH TO
WITHSTAND THE DIRECT WRATH OF GOD.
THAT'S LIKE SAYING, I'M GOING TO STAY HERE
DURING THE FLOOD.
NOAH, YOU GO AHEAD AND GET IN THE BOAT.
I'M GOING TO STAY HERE AND I'M GOING TO STAND STRONG.
THERE'S NO STANDING STRONG DURING THE FLOOD.
REBECCA: 'CAUSE IT'S DIFFERENT.
ALAN: YES, TOTALLY DIFFERENT.
REBECCA: IT'S LIKE A PURE,
AND YOU MADE SUCH A GOOD POINT EARLIER.
YOU SAID THAT CHRIST ALREADY TOOK ON ALL OF
GOD'S WRATH ON THE CROSS.
AND WE'RE IN CHRIST, WHY WOULD GOD DO IT AGAIN.
AND IT MADE ME THINK ABOUT THAT STORY WITH MOSES,
HOW HE STRUCK THE ROCK,
THE ROCK TWICE.
ALAN: OH, THAT'S RIGHT.
REBECCA: AND HE GOT IN HUGE TROUBLE WITH GOD
BECAUSE HE SAID I WOULD NEVER STRIKE
MY SON TWICE.
ALAN: I NEVER SAW THAT IN CONNECTION WITH THIS.
REBECCA: ISN'T THAT WILD?
ALAN: THAT'S POWERFUL AND HE'S SHOWING US BECAUSE
WE'RE IN CHRIST AND ALL THE WRATH OF GOD WAS
ALREADY POURED OUT ON JESUS AND TO CAUSE
THE CHURCH TO BE HERE
DURING THE TRIBULATION, WOULD BE LIKE CRUCIFYING
JESUS A SECOND TIME.
REBECCA: YEAH.
ALAN: AND HE'S NOT GOING TO DO THAT.
WE'RE IN HIM.
WE'RE HIS BRIDE.
WE'RE GOING TO A GREAT MARRIAGE.
HE'S NOT GOING TO BEAT US UP,
NOT THE DEVIL ABUSE US AND TEAR US UP AS HIS BRIDE.
HE'S GOING TO TAKE US OUT OF HERE BEFORE ALL THAT
STUFF IS POURED OUT.
REBECCA: YEAH.
AND THEN THE LAST TRIBULATION IS?
ALAN: THE GREAT TRIBULATION.
WHICH IS THE LAST THREE AND A HALF YEARS OF THAT
SEVEN-YEAR PERIOD WHERE THE ANTICHRIST SETS UP
HIS HIMSELF AS GOD.
REBECCA: YEAH.
AND EVEN THOUGH THERE'S BEEN OBVIOUSLY HORRIBLE
THINGS ALL THROUGHOUT HISTORY AND PERSECUTION,
WHEN YOU STUDY WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE TRIBULATION,
IT'S UNLIKE ANYTHING THAT'S
EVER HAPPENED TO MANKIND.
ALAN: JESUS SAYS THAT AND THAT JUST PROVES,
YOU KNOW, THERE'S THIS IDEA OF ALL THE PROPHECIES
HAVE ALREADY BEEN FULFILLED.
WELL, WHEN DID THE WORST TIME IN
HUMAN HISTORY EVER HAPPEN?
IT HASN'T HAPPENED YET.
REBECCA: NO.
NOT -- WHEN YOU READ IT,
IT IS LIKE, IT'S A -- IT'S LIKE SUPERNATURAL
WHAT'S HAPPENING?
ALAN: YES.
REBECCA: WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN?
IT'S GOING TO BE VERY --
ALAN: PEOPLE ARE CRYING OUT
FOR THE ROCKS TO FALL ON THEM
TO DIE AND THEY KNOW IT'S THE JUDGEMENT OF GOD,
YET THEY STILL CURSE GOD.
IT'S A BAD TIME.
YOU DON'T WANT TO BE HERE DURING THAT TIME.
AND IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CHURCH DURING THAT TIME.
SO MOST PEOPLE MISUNDERSTAND THE ENTIRE
FUNCTION OF THE TRIBULATION AND THE GREAT
TRIBULATION BECAUSE THE PURPOSE OF IT HAS NOTHING
TO DO WITH THE CHURCH.
WHEN YOU READ REVELATION,
THE FIRST FOUR CHAPTERS, THE FIRST THREE HAS THE CHURCH
MENTIONED 19 TIMES IN THE FIRST THREE CHAPTERS.
AND THEN IN CHAPTER FOUR, A DOOR IS OPENED IN HEAVEN.
JOHN, THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CHURCH IS CALLED UP
IN A TYPE OF RAPTURE AND THEN THEY'RE ABSENT.
AND THEN THAT GOD IS ALL OF A SUDDEN CALLING
144,000 JEWISH EVANGELISTS, TWO WITNESSES,
AND THE FOCUS BECOMES ISRAEL.
SO FOR PEOPLE WHO THINK THEY'RE GOING TO BE
HERE AND THEY'RE GOING TO EVANGELIZE AND THEY'RE
GOING TO BE A WITNESS,
YOU DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND THE PURPOSE
OF THE TRIBULATION.
GOD'S GOT THIS HANDLED, ANGELS ARE GOING
TO BE PREACHING.
144,000 JEWISH EVANGELISTS LIKE JOHN
THE BAPTIST ARE GOING TO BE PREACHING.
YOU'RE NOT NEEDED.
REBECCA: YEAH, I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT WAS A RECENT THING
I LEARNED IS THAT THE 144 ARE, THEY'RE
JEWISH EVANGELISTS, RIGHT?
ALAN: YES.
REBECCA: TO HELP SAVE ISRAEL.
ALAN: YES, 144,000, VIRGIN MEN
WHO ARE PURE, WHO LOVE THE LORD.
THEY ARE ALL --
CAN YOU IMAGINE ONE JOHN THE BAPTIST?
112,000 FROM EACH OF THE 12 TRIBES OF
ISRAEL AND THEY'RE ALL PREACHING WITH SIGNS AND WONDERS.
REBECCA: THAT'S SO COOL.
ALAN: REPENTANCE.
YEAH, IT'S GOING TO BE WILD.
REBECCA: OH, THAT WILL BE --
I HOPE WE CAN WATCH.
ALAN: I DO, TOO.
I DO, TOO.
REBECCA: THAT WOULD BE SO COOL.
ALAN: IF WE'RE NOT EATING A GOOD DINNER.
REBECCA: YEAH.
I KNOW, WELL, YEAH, BECAUSE ISN'T THAT SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE
THE MARRIAGE SUPPER?
ALAN: YEAH, THE MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB.
RICK RENNER SAYS
HE IMAGINES IT LIKE THIS THAT WE'RE ALL SITTING
AROUND THE TABLE.
AND EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE,
A NAME WILL BE CALLED AND THAT'LL BE OUR TURN TO GO,
TO GO AND STAND BEFORE JESUS.
AND WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CELEBRATION.
WE GO STAND BEFORE HIM
AND THEN WE COME BACK TO THE TABLE.
AND WE'RE JUST, FOR SEVEN YEARS,
WE'RE IN THIS CELEBRATION.
REBECCA: OH, MAN.
ALAN: IT'S GOING TO BE GLORIOUS.
REBECCA: IT'S GOING TO BE SO,
IT'S LIKE SO HARD TO EVEN IMAGINE,
BUT IT JUST PUTS INTO ME
JUST THIS LIKE IMPORTANCE OF JUST LIVING
MY LIFE CORRECTLY.
ALAN: YEAH.
REBECCA: UM, BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH IN OUR
FUTURE AND THAT EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON --
THAT REALLY IS THE HELMET OF THE HOPE OF SALVATION,
BECAUSE WHEN YOU HAVE THAT PERSPECTIVE,
YOU'RE LIKE OKAY, I CAN BY THE GRACE OF GOD,
I CAN GO THROUGH WHATEVER TRIALS AND STUFF COMES MY
WAY BECAUSE IT'S SO TEMPORARY.
ALAN: YES, THAT'S RIGHT.
REBECCA: AND THERE'S SO MUCH PURPOSE AND I CAN'T --
AND ONE THING THAT REALLY STANDS OUT TO ME, AND MY
HUSBAND AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS THE OTHER DAY,
LIKE WHEN I THINK ABOUT LIKE WHAT THE HOLY SPIRIT
HAS CONVICTED ME ON.
THE THING THAT'S BEEN THE BIGGEST CONSISTENCY
IS HOW I TREAT PEOPLE.
AND SO THE ENEMY SO WANTS US TO LIKE TO
DISHONOR ONE ANOTHER BECAUSE THE KINGDOM OF GOD
OPERATES IN HONOR.
ALAN: YES.
REBECCA: AND HOW WE TREAT PEOPLE IS SO IMPORTANT.
NOT ONLY BECAUSE HONOR ADVANCES THE KINGDOM OF
GOD AND, UM, DISMANTLES THE ENEMY'S KINGDOM.
BUT ALSO BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT I THINK
ONE OF THE BIG THINGS
WE WILL BE HELD --
I MEAN, WE'LL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR EVERYTHING.
BUT I THINK THAT'S WHEN THE BIG THINGS
WE'LL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR.
ALAN: HOW WE TREAT ONE ANOTHER.
REBECCA: BECAUSE HE SAYS THEY ASKED JESUS TO SUM UP THE
COMMANDMENTS AND HE SAID LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD
AND THEN LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.
AND SO THERE IS A HIGH CALLING AND YOU SEE IT
ALL THROUGHOUT SCRIPTURE
HOW WE TREAT ONE ANOTHER.
ALAN: IT GOES BACK TO THAT WICKED SERVANT
WHO SAID MY MASTER DELAYS.
THERE'S SOMETHING WHEN YOU THINK
JESUS IS DELAYING HIS COMING,
IT OPENS THE DOOR TO THAT KIND OF WICKEDNESS.
REBECCA: YES.
ALAN: IT'S NOT SAYING,
IT'S NOT SAYING YOU ARE WICKED.
IT JUST OPENS THE DOOR TO THAT KIND OF WICKEDNESS.
REBECCA: AND WHAT I LOVE IS ONE BECAUSE YOU'RE TALKING
ABOUT LONGING FOR HIS APPEARING.
I THINK THAT'S IN TIMOTHY.
AND THEN THE OTHER ONE THE CROWN.
AND THEN THE OTHER ONE THAT IT TALKS ABOUT IN
THE BOOK OF JOHN, WHERE I THINK IT'S FIRST JOHN OR
SECOND JOHN, UM, IT TALKS ABOUT THOSE WHO HAVE THAT
ANTICIPATION TO SEE JESUS.
ALAN: PURIFY THEMSELVES.
REBECCA: IT KEEPS THEM
HOLY AND KEEPS THEM PURE.
AND SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S GIVEN TO US
TO HELP KEEP US,
YOU KNOW, ACCOUNTABLE.
KEEP US IN THE RIGHT HEART POSTURE.
YOU KNOW, IN THE RIGHT HEADSPACE
FOR LIVING LIFE NOW.
ALAN: SO THE ENEMY HAS TRIED TO TELL US THAT
IF YOU BELIEVE IN THE RAPTURE,
IT'S GOING TO CAUSE YOU TO BE LAZY.
IT'S GOING TO CAUSE YOU TO BURY YOUR HEAD
IN THE SAND AND DISENGAGE.
WHAT IF THE EXACT OPPOSITE IS TRUE?
WHAT IF WE JUST BELIEVED AN ABSOLUTE LIE?
WHAT IF ANYONE WHO HAS THIS HOPE ACTUALLY
PURIFIES HIMSELF AND LIVES HOLY?
WHAT IF, THE BOOK OF HEBREWS SAYS AND EVEN THE
MORE SO AS YOU SEE THAT DAY APPROACHING FORSAKE
NOT THE ASSEMBLY OF YOURSELVES TOGETHER.
THAT WHEN YOU SEE THAT DAY APPROACHING,
THERE'S AN EVEN THE MORE SO THEOLOGY THAT CREEPS
INTO YOUR LIFE WHERE,
YEAH, SOME PEOPLE PRAY, BUT PEOPLE WHO ARE LOOKING
TO JESUS COMING, EVEN THE MORE SO.
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TREAT PEOPLE GOOD.
BUT IF YOU BELIEVE JESUS IS COMING EVEN THE MORE SO.
YOU KNOW, THAT CREEPS INTO YOUR LIFE,
WHEN YOU HAVE THE HELMET OF SALVATION ON,
SO YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT.
REBECCA: YEAH.
I MEAN, IT MAKES PERFECT SENSE BECAUSE IF
YOU DON'T KNOW WHEN HE'S RETURNING AND YOU KNOW
THAT WHEN YOU GO UP TO MEET HIM,
YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE AN ACCOUNTABILITY
OF YOUR LIFE.
THEN THAT WOULD TOTALLY PUT YOU TO BE BEHAVING CORRECTLY.
AND I LOVE IT TOO BECAUSE YOU SAID YOU
DON'T KNOW IF HE'S COMING TOMORROW.
YOU DON'T KNOW IF HE'S COMING FOR A HUNDRED YEARS.
SO THERE'S THIS WAY TO LIVE YOUR LIFE IN WISDOM
THAT YOU'RE PREPARED TODAY.
YOU'RE GOING TO BE PREPARED,
YOU'RE PREPARING FOR A HUNDRED YEARS FROM NOW.
YOU'RE NOT JUST TRYING TO THROW EVERYTHING
IN BECAUSE THERE'S PEOPLE WHO TRY TO GUESS THE TIME.
ALAN: OH, YEAH, STAY AWAY FROM THAT.
REBECCA: YEAH.
NO, YOU KNOW,
OH, IT'S GOING TO BE OR THEY THINK IT'S GOING TO
BE IN THIS YEAR.
THEY CAN THROW OUT A YEAR, BUT THAT'S NOT,
THAT'S NOT WHAT THE FOCUS SHOULD BE.
IT'S ABOUT LIVING A LIFE PLEASING TO HIM
AND KEEPING OUR HOPE IN.
OKAY, IT'S REALLY ALWAYS ABOUT LIKE WHERE IS YOUR FOCUS.
BECAUSE WHEREVER YOUR FOCUS IS
THAT'S WHERE YOUR ENERGY WILL FLOW TO.
SO IS YOUR FOCUS ON JESUS OR IS YOUR FOCUS ON WHAT
YOU WANT AND WHAT YOU WANT TO DO?
ALAN: THAT'S SO GOOD.
REBECCA: SO YEAH,
I WANT YOU TO TALK ABOUT THE NUMBER SEVEN BECAUSE IT'S
MENTIONED ALL THROUGHOUT THE BOOK OF REVELATION,
BUT THERE'S ACTUALLY A PURPOSE IN THAT.
ALAN: YES, THERE'S A CHAPTER IN THE BOOK CALLED THE
SECRET OF THE SEVENS BECAUSE WE TEND TO FOCUS
ON THE NEGATIVE.
REBECCA: THE 666.
ALAN: 666.
REBECCA: AND IT'S LIKE WE SEE 666 EVERYWHERE.
ALAN: AND ACTUALLY ONE OF THE LIES THAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT
THE RAPTURE IS IF YOU BELIEVE IN
A PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE,
YOU WILL ACCIDENTALLY TAKE THE MARK OF THE BEAST.
REBECCA: REALLY?
ALAN: BECAUSE IT CAN'T BE THE MARK OF THE BEAST BECAUSE
WE'RE STILL HERE WHICH IS THE SILLIEST.
REBECCA: YES, AND THEN PEOPLE ALSO SAY LIKE
THIS IS THE MARK.
I'M LIKE, NO, YOU WILL KNOW WHAT THE MARK IS.
ALAN: YEAH, THANK YOU.
REBECCA: IT'S NOT GOING TO BE LIKE A WHOOPS, GOTCHA,
LIKE NO.
ALAN: THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE THINK
THAT IT'LL BE A WHOOPS, GOTCHA.
NO, IT'S AN INTENTIONAL THING.
LIKE WHEN THE MARK OF THE BEAST COMES...
REBECCA: YOU'RE TAKING IT.
ALAN: YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE A DECISION,
SERVE GOD OR SERVE THE ANTICHRIST.
SO NO ONE'S GOING TO GET IT ACCIDENTALLY.
SO I'M GLAD YOU, GLAD YOU SAID THAT,
BUT THE MOST TALKED ABOUT SUBJECT IN THE ENTIRE BOOK
OF REVELATION IS NOT JESUS.
IT'S NOT THE ANTICHRIST.
IT'S NOT THE FALSE PROPHET,
IT'S THE NUMBER SEVEN.
THE NUMBER ONE SUBJECT, IF YOU READ IT, IN FACT, SOME
HAVE SAID YOU CAN'T EVEN COUNT THE NUMBER OF TIMES
SEVEN IS USED.
IT'S JUST SO MUCH EVERY TIME --
REBECCA: YES, EVERYTHING IS A SEVEN.
ALAN: YES, EVERY TIME
YOU THINK YOU FOUND ALL OF THEM,
YOU'LL FIND ANOTHER ONE,
ANOTHER SEVEN.
REBECCA: I'M GONNA GO STUDY THIS, SO INTERESTING.
ALAN: YEAH, IT'S WILD.
SO THAT MEANS IF YOU UNDERSTAND
THE NUMBER SEVEN,
YOU'LL UNDERSTAND THE BOOK.
AND EVERYBODY HAS STAYED
AWAY FROM THE BOOK OF REVELATION FOR TOO LONG.
CAN YOU IMAGINE READING A NOVEL AND STOPPING AT THE
LAST CHAPTER OR WATCHING A MOVIE AND STOPPING --
REBECCA: THAT'S A GOOD POINT.
THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT PART.
ALAN: EVERYBODY, BUT EVERYBODY NOBODY READS IT
BECAUSE THEY THINK THERE'S NO WAY
I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT.
REBECCA: I KNOW.
ALAN: IT'S ALL ABOUT THE FUTURE AND IT'S ALL TYPOLOGY.
AND THERE'S TYPOLOGY IN THERE.
BUT WHENEVER YOU SEE LIKE SEVEN HEADS
AND SEVEN HORNS LIKE WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
WELL, IF YOU UNDERSTAND THE NUMBER SEVEN,
NUMBER SEVEN MEANS DIVINE PERFECTION AND COMPLETION.
AND SO EVEN WHEN YOU DON'T FULLY GRASP WHAT SEVEN
HEADS MEANS OR WHATEVER.
JUST KNOW, HERE'S WHAT IT MEANS.
JESUS IS GOING TO FULFILL HIS WORD AND DO WHAT HE
SAID HE WAS GOING TO DO.
HE IS FINISHING HIS WORK AND IT'S FINALLY GOING TO
BE COMPLETED AND WE GET TO SEE HIM.
THE MOST GLORIOUS CHAPTERS,
THE LAST TWO CHAPTERS OF REVELATION,
REBECCA: AH, I LOVE THEM SO MUCH.
ALAN: NOTHING TRIGGERS THE IMAGINATION
LIKE THOSE LAST TWO CHAPTERS.
REBECCA: ISN'T IT EXCITING?
ALAN: WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN?
REBECCA: I KNOW.
ALAN: SO YEAH,
DON'T BE SCARED OF IT.
READ THE BOOK.
SEE THE ENDING.
SEE HOW WE WIN.
REBECCA: OH, AND YOU KNOW WHAT TOO?
WHAT I LOVE IN THE --
I LOVE THAT WHOLE,
UM, WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT BEHOLD AND MAKING ALL THINGS NEW.
IT TALKS ABOUT LIKE THE CITY OF GOD.
IT TALKS ABOUT THE RIVER OF GOD,
THE TREES WITH THE LEAVES THAT HEALED THE NATIONS.
IT'S LIKE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CHAPTER.
HE'S LIKE I WILL WIPE EVERY TEAR FROM THEIR EYES.
GOD IS IN THE MIDST AND MY PEOPLE.
I'M WITH MY PEOPLE.
IT'S JUST,
OH, I LOVE IT.
IF YOU WANT HOPE, READ THAT CHAPTER.
BUT ONE THING THAT'S VERY INTERESTING THAT I JUST
FOUND OUT ABOUT IS AND IT ALWAYS CONFUSED ME.
IT WAS LIKE THERE IS NO SEA.
AND I WAS ALWAYS LIKE
I LIKE THE SEA.
WHY IS THERE NO SEA?
LIKE I WAS LIKE THIS ISN'T ABOUT WATER.
BUT WHAT I BEGAN TO LEARN IN GENESIS,
THERE'S THIS CONCEPT OF THE WATERS.
LIKE THE HOLY SPIRIT IS
OVER THE WATERS.
AND THERE'S THIS WHOLE
CONCEPT ABOUT THIS SEA.
BECAUSE BACK THEN IN THEIR
BELIEF SYSTEM THE SEA KIND OF REPRESENTED
LIKE CHAOS AND THE UNKNOWN.
SO IT'S NOT TALKING ABOUT LIKE THE SEA LIKE
THE PHYSICAL WATER.
IT'S TALKING ABOUT THIS CHAOS THAT WAS IN THE
BEGINNING OF TIME WHERE GOD BRINGS ORDER
TO ALL OF THAT.
ALAN: YES.
REBECCA: THAT CHAOS THAT THE ENEMY STIRS UP,
AND YOU SEE THAT LIKE, YOU KNOW, TYPOLOGY WITH LIKE
LEVIATHAN AND STUFF LIKE THAT, THAT THERE IS -- THAT'S
WHAT THAT SEA THING IS TALKING ABOUT.
IT'S TALKING MORE ABOUT THAT CHAOS AND THE --
ALAN: AND THE UNKNOWN.
REBECCA: THE UNKNOWN.
ALAN: AND THERE IS GOING TO BE NO UNKNOWN.
REBECCA: EXACTLY.
ALAN: ANY LONGER.
REBECCA: SO IT'S NOT THAT THERE'S NOT GOING
TO BE NO WATER,
IT'S JUST THERE'S NOT ALL OF THAT THAT CHAOS IS
COMPLETELY DONE AWAY WITH,
THAT THE ENEMY IS OPERATING IN TO BRING DESTRUCTION
IN THE WORLD.
GOD DEALS WITH IT AND HE WILL NO LONGER
HAVE ANY REIGN.
ALAN: THAT'S SO GOOD.
REBECCA: I KNOW, BUT I WAS LIKE, WOW,
BECAUSE EVEN THE BEGINNING WHERE IT'S LIKE THE HOLY
SPIRIT IS OVER THE WATERS,
YOU'RE KIND OF LIKE,
IT'S KIND OF HARD TO GRASP AND UNDERSTAND.
ALAN: AND IT'S BELIEVED THAT THERE WAS A LIKE
A JUDGEMENT THAT CAME.
THE REASON THE WATERS WERE LIKE THAT WERE BECAUSE OF
A -- SOME KIND OF JUDGMENT THAT CAME FROM THE FALL OF SATAN.
REBECCA: YES.
THERE WAS STUFF GOING ON EVEN THEN.
SO IT'S ALL SO INTERESTING.
THAT WOULD BE LIKE A WHOLE OTHER OFF
TOPIC ABOUT THE SONS OF GOD AND ALL THAT STUFF.
ALAN: EVERYBODY LOVES TALKING ABOUT
THE END TIMES STUFF.
THIS IS WHY PEOPLE WANT TO READ BOOKS LIKE THIS.
REBECCA: YES.
ALAN: IF YOU GET INFORMED ON THIS,
YOU CAN TALK TO ANYBODY.
YOU CAN EVANGELIZE TO ANYBODY BECAUSE
THEY'RE ALL INTERESTED.
REBECCA: SO MANY PEOPLE GET SAVED.
ALAN: YES.
REBECCA: DO YOU THINK THOUGH LIKE JUST PERSONAL OPINION,
DO YOU THINK IT'S WISDOM FOR PEOPLE TO BE LIKE
I THINK THIS PERSON'S GONNA BE THE ANTICHRIST.
I THINK THIS PERSON --
YOU KNOW PEOPLE SAY,
OH, THIS THE POPE IS THE FALSE, PROPHET, YOU KNOW.
ALAN: WELL...
REBECCA: I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO CONFIRM OR DENY THAT,
I'M JUST SAYING IS THERE --
WHERE DO,
WHERE DOES THE CHURCH GET OFF ON THE KIND
OF THE END TIME STUFF?
ALAN: YEAH, IT'S FUN TO SPECULATE.
REBECCA: YEAH, IT IS.
ALAN: BECAUSE THERE'S SOME INTERESTING
CHARACTERS OUT THERE.
SOME INTERESTING PROSPECTS
FOR ALL THESE THINGS.
BUT YOU NEVER WANT TO GO TOO DEEP INTO THAT
AND YOU NEVER WANT TO PUT TOO MUCH STOCK INTO IT.
SO IT'S OKAY TO TALK ABOUT IT AND SAY WHAT
ABOUT THIS MACRON GUY?
HE'S KIND OF AN INTERESTING CHARACTER.
HE'S KIND OF GOT A JEWISH BACKGROUND,
AN ASSYRIAN BACKGROUND AND KIND OF WEIRD.
AND WHAT ABOUT THE WOMAN WHO RIDES THE BEAST?
IS THAT THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH?
WHAT ARE WE -- SHE DRINKS THE BLOOD OF THE SAINTS.
WHAT ARE WE DEALING WITH HERE?
IT'S VERY INTERESTING AND IT'S GOOD TO KIND OF DIVE
INTO IT, BUT DON'T GET HYSTERICAL.
WHAT YOU WANT TO FOCUS ON IS WHAT WE DO KNOW.
JESUS IS COMING FOR US AND WE WON'T KNOW THE ANSWER
TO THOSE QUESTIONS.
WE WON'T RECEIVE THE MARK OF THE BEAST.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO SEE THE ANTICHRIST BECAUSE HE
CANNOT BE REVEALED WHILE WE'RE HERE.
AND SO JUST KEEP YOUR MIND
FOCUSED ON THOSE THINGS AND DON'T GO
TOO FAR DOWN THE CONSPIRACY RABBIT HOLE.
REBECCA: YEAH, BECAUSE YOU'LL GET SUCKED UP IN THAT
AND THEN YOU CAN GET OFF.
THAT'S WHY I LIKE WHERE YOU'RE LIKE EVERYTHING HAS TO BE
GROUNDED IN THE WORD AND IF IT DOESN'T LINE UP,
IT'S LIKE KICK THAT OUT.
ALAN: YEAH.
I TRY TO PUT,
THERE'S, WELL, I DIDN'T TRY.
I PUT A GLOSSARY IN THE BACK OF THIS BOOK.
SO YOU CAN JUST LOOK UP DIFFERENT END-TIME TERMS.
IF YOU'RE WONDERING, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS GOG AND MAGOG
AND WHAT ARE THE SEVEN YEARS OF TRIBULATION,
ALL THAT STUFF.
YOU CAN JUST LOOK IT UP ALPHABETICALLY AND SEE
WHAT THE WORD HAS TO SAY ABOUT IT.
REBECCA: WHAT IS THIS BELIEF IN THE CHURCH THAT WE ALREADY
LIVED THE MILLENNIAL REIGN OF CHRIST?
ALAN: ISN'T THAT WEIRD?
REBECCA: YES, I WAS CONFUSED BY THAT.
ALAN: SO THERE'S THIS BELIEF THAT ALL THE PROPHECIES
HAVE ALREADY BEEN FULFILLED.
REBECCA: WHICH I'M LIKE --
BUT THIS -- IT'S ACTUALLY ISN'T IT A POPULAR TRAIN OF THOUGHT?
ALAN: IT IS BECOMING EVEN MORE POPULAR.
REBECCA: YES.
ALAN: IT IS GAINING IN POPULARITY.
REBECCA: WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS?
ALAN: WELL --
REBECCA: DECEPTION?
ALAN: YEAH, BECAUSE THE BIBLE SAID IN THE LAST DAYS,
THERE WOULD RISE SCOFFERS SAYING WHERE IS THE
PROMISE OF HIS COMING?
EVERY GENERATION HAS SAID
THEY ARE THE GENERATION.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT PREVIOUSLY.
HAVE YOU EVER HEARD ANYBODY SAY THAT?
EVERY GENERATION HAS SAID
THEY'RE THE GENERATION.
AND MY RESPONSE
IS YOU'RE RIGHT, EXCEPT YOU.
REBECCA: THAT'S WHAT NOAH HEARD WHEN
HE WAS BUILDING THE ARK, BUT HE WAS RIGHT.
ALAN: OH, YEAH, HE WAS RIGHT.
REBECCA: YEAH.
ALAN: SOME GENERATION IS GOING TO BE RIGHT.
REBECCA: YEAH.
ALAN: UM, BUT YEAH,
WE'VE, WE'VE REALLY LOST THE CONCEPT OF IMPENDING
JUDGEMENT THAT JESUS COULD RETURN AND WE DON'T
RECOGNIZE THAT THE DAYS WITH THE LORD IS A
THOUSAND YEARS AND A THOUSAND YEARS AS A DAY.
NOW HOW THIS GAINED PROMINENCE HISTORICALLY
WAS THAT ISRAEL WAS DESTROYED.
SO THEY BEGAN TO LOOK AT ALL OF THE PASSAGES.
NO NATION HAS EVER BEEN DESTROYED AND CAME BACK AGAIN.
THAT'S NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE.
SO THESE MUST BE ALLEGORY.
THEY CAN'T BE LITERAL UNTIL MAY THE 15TH, 1948.
AND LITERALLY IN A DAY
ISRAEL BECOMES A NATION AND THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN
A PIVOT POINT.
BUT I DON'T THINK SOME PEOPLE HAVE GOTTEN
THE MEMO FOR SOME REASON AND RECOGNIZED THAT.
REBECCA: THAT ACTUALLY FLOWS INTO MY NEXT QUESTION.
WHAT IS YOUR PERSPECTIVE WITH STUDYING END-TIME THEOLOGY?
HOW SHOULD THE CHURCH'S POSITION BE IN RELATION TO
ISRAEL BECAUSE ISRAEL IS SUCH A CONTROVERSIAL TOPIC.
AND I THINK A LOT OF CHRISTIANS JUST KIND OF
LIKE PEOPLE GET SHY WITH LIKE THE RAPTURE,
CHRISTIANS GET SHY WITH ISRAEL BECAUSE THE WORLD
HATES ISRAEL SO MUCH.
ALAN: I'VE NEVER SEEN THE CHURCH SO CONFUSED
ABOUT THIS SUBJECT.
REBECCA: SO CONFUSED.
ALAN: RIGHT NOW.
REBECCA: THERE'S EVEN CHRISTIANS WHO THINK ISRAEL IS EVIL.
ALAN: YES.
WELL, THE REASON IS BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN RED-PILLED.
AND YOU KNOW THE WHOLE RED PILL SCENARIO THAT WE'VE BEEN
THROUGH THE LAST DECADE.
REBECCA: YES.
ALAN: AND THE PROBLEM IS YOU'RE ONLY SUPPOSED TAKE
ONE OF THOSE RED PILLS, NOT THE WHOLE BOTTLE,
AND EVERYBODY'S BEEN OVERDOSING ON RED PILLS.
AND SO WHEN YOU BEGIN TO PULL THE VEIL BACK AND YOU
SEE HOW WICKED LIKE THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT,
THE THINGS THAT THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
HAS DONE IS HORRENDOUS.
IT WOULD BLOW YOUR MIND.
AND WITHOUT BALANCE AND A
FOUNDATION IN THE WORD,
YOU WOULD COMPLETELY LOSE FAITH IN THE SOCIETY
YOU'RE LIVING IN.
REBECCA: LOSS OF HOPE.
ALAN: YEAH, THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.
WELL, THE SAME IS TRUE FOR THE NATION OF ISRAEL.
THE KNESSET IS NOT A RIGHTEOUS GOVERNMENT.
I MEAN, WE'RE DEALING WITH A GOVERNMENT THAT
HAS DONE HORRIFIC THINGS.
SO PEOPLE ARE BEING RED-PILLED TO THAT
AND THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO DECIPHER OR DISCERN
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE NATION
AND THE PEOPLE, THE JEWISH PEOPLE AS A WHOLE.
AND SO AS BELIEVERS, WE SHOULD APPROACH IT LIKE THIS.
THE GOVERNMENT IS CORRUPT AND THAT CORRUPTION NEEDS
TO BE EXPOSED AND WE NEED TO BE OKAY WITH THAT.
WE'RE GENERALLY ALL OR NOTHING,
YOU KNOW, IN THE CHURCH.
BUT IT'S OKAY TO SAY,
OKAY, THAT'S THERE'S SOME MESSED UP THINGS GOING ON
OVER HERE, BUT GOD LOVES HIS NATION AND GOD LOVES
HIS PEOPLE AND HE WILL BLESS THOSE WHO BLESS
ISRAEL AND HE WILL CURSE THOSE WHO CURSE ISRAEL.
SO THERE'S A BALANCE TO BE HAD WHEN HAVING THIS
CONVERSATION, BUT THE ANTI-SEMITISM IS ON SUCH
A RISE RIGHT NOW.
I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT.
REBECCA: ISN'T THAT CRAZY?
ALAN: IT'S BECAUSE OF THE RED-PILLED GENERATION BECAUSE
WE'RE DISCOVERING IN THE SAME WAY IN THE 60S,
THERE WAS THIS REBEL, THIS ANTI-WAR MOVEMENT.
AND NOW ALL THOSE PEOPLE ARE LIKE WAR HAWKS.
THEY WANT TO GO TO WAR.
THE SAME PEOPLE WHO WERE IN
THE 60S MOVEMENT ARE NOW WANT TO HAVE WAR WITH EVERYBODY.
REBECCA: YEAH.
ALAN: SO WE'VE KIND OF --
THE PENDULUM HAS SWUNG AND
AND THEY'VE OVERDOSED ON RED PILLS.
AND AS A RESULT,
THEY'RE STARTING TO SEE THERE'S UNCOVERING HOW BAD
CERTAIN GOVERNMENTS ARE.
AND IT'S TRUE, THEY ARE BAD,
BUT THE PEOPLE AND THE PURPOSE OF THE NATION
IN THE MIND OF GOD IS UNCHANGED.
REBECCA: EXACTLY.
ALAN: SO THAT'S WHY WE STAY ROOTED IN THE WORD.
REBECCA: EXACTLY AND HIS PROMISES AND HIS COVENANTS
ARE STILL IN PLAY.
ALAN: YES.
REBECCA: THEY DON'T GO AWAY AND THAT IS GOD'S LAND
FOR HIS PEOPLE.
ALAN: YES.
REBECCA: YOU KNOW, NO MATTER WHAT YOU THINK
ABOUT POLITICS-WISE,
THAT'S UNCHANGEABLE BECAUSE IT'S IN THE WORD OF GOD.
ALAN: IT IS WICKED, THAT'S WHY
THERE'S SEVEN YEARS OF TRIBULATION.
THERE'S JUDGMENT COMING ON THAT NATION FOR REJECTING
THE MESSIAH AND FOR ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY'VE DONE.
AND THAT'S JUDGMENT COMING TO ALL OF US WHO
DON'T TRUST IN JESUS FOR ALL THE THINGS WE'VE DONE.
SO THEY'RE NOT SPECIAL IN THAT, IN THAT SENSE,
BUT, BUT IT'S OKAY TO RECOGNIZE THAT
AND RECOGNIZE GOD WILL KEEP HIS PROMISE AND HE'S GOING
TO SAVE THAT NATION.
HE'S GOING TO SAVE THE JEWISH PEOPLE AND THE 12
TRIBES WILL BE RESTORED.
AND THERE'S GOING TO BE
A MIGHTY KINGDOM SET UP AND JESUS IS GOING TO MAKE HIS
THRONE AND HIS THRONE IS NOT GOING TO BE
REGRETTABLY IN DALLAS, TEXAS.
REBECCA: NO.
ALAN: AS MUCH AS I LOVE DALLAS, TEXAS,
IT'S GOING TO BE RIGHT THERE IN JERUSALEM,
BECAUSE HE LOVES THAT NATION.
REBECCA: YEAH.
AND WHEN HE COMES BACK TO THE WORLD,
HE LANDS ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES AND SETS UP THERE.
ALAN: COME ON.
REBECCA: AND THAT'S WHERE THE THOUSAND-YEAR REIGN
WHICH IT'S HARD FOR ME TO EVEN CONTEMPLATE THAT.
ALAN: WE GET TO BE A PART OF THAT.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO RULE AND REIGN WITH HIM
FOR A THOUSAND YEARS.
WE'LL BE THE ONLY ONES WITH GLORIFIED BODIES.
REBECCA: REALLY?
ALAN: YOU KNOW BECAUSE, YES,
BECAUSE THE PEOPLE WHO, WHO SURVIVE THE TRIBULATION
AND WHO HAVE TRUSTED IN JESUS AND WHO ARE SAVED
AND COME THROUGH THE JUDGMENT,
THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE MORTAL BODIES
AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE HAVING FAMILIES
AND THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE BIRTH
TO A WHOLE CIVILIZATION.
WE'RE GOING TO BE THE PEOPLE RULING AND REIGNING.
AND CAN YOU IMAGINE WHEN YOU SHOW UP IN A CITY,
THEY'RE GOING TO BE LIKE THERE'S ONE OF THEM.
THAT'S ONE OF THEM RIGHT THERE
WHO TRUSTED IN JESUS BEFORE.
THEY'VE GOT THEIR GLORIFIED BODIES.
I MEAN, WHAT A CRAZY TIME
THAT'S GOING TO BE.
REBECCA: I KNOW.
IT'S HARD TO EVEN CONTEMPLATE AS, YOU KNOW,
BECAUSE WE HAVE -- OUR MINDS CAN'T FULLY UNDERSTAND THE
CONCEPT OF ETERNITY RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW.
BUT, OH, YEAH, IT'S, I MEAN, OF COURSE THE MILLENNIAL REIGN IS A
THOUSAND YEARS, BUT THEN ETERNITY AFTER THAT.
IT'S JUST LIKE WHOA!
LIKE I REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST STARTED STUDYING ESCHATOLOGY,
I WAS LIKE WHOA!
THIS IS HARD FOR MY BRAIN TO EVEN LIKE FATHOM.
UM, THE LAST THING
I JUST WANTED TO ASK ABOUT IS
THERE ARE PARALLELS IN SCRIPTURES OR LIKE TYPES
AND SHADOWS AND FOR THE RAPTURE.
ONE BEING ABOUT LOT
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THOSE?
I THINK LOT AND NOAH?
ALAN: NOAH ARE THE TWO THAT JESUS USED.
WHEN TALKING ABOUT THE END TIMES,
THOSE WHO REALLY TRY TO COME AGAINST THE PRE-TRIBULATION
RAPTURE, THEY'LL TRY TO COMPARE THE END TIMES TO MOSES,
AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL COMING OUT OF EGYPT.
THE PROBLEM IS WHEN JESUS TALKED ABOUT THE END TIMES,
HE DOESN'T SAY IT'LL BE LIKE THE DAYS OF MOSES.
HE SAID IT WILL BE LIKE THE DAYS OF NOAH,
AS IT WAS IN THE DAYS OF NOAH, AND IT'LL BE LIKE
THE DAYS OF LOT.
SO WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT THESE TWO?
BOTH OF THEM
WERE SUPERNATURALLY TAKEN OUT OF THE PLACE
AND PRESERVED BEFORE JUDGEMENT FELL.
STARTING WITH NOAH.
NOAH WAS TAKEN INTO THE ARK
AND MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THIS,
HE WAS SEALED IN THERE SUPERNATURALLY BY
GOD FOR SEVEN DAYS BEFORE THE RAINS FELL.
DOES THAT SOUND FAMILIAR?
REBECCA: OH, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.
ALAN: YEAH, SEVEN DAYS.
SO WE'RE GOING TO BE RAPTURED
AND PRESERVED IN THE ARK OF SAFETY, CHRIST,
FOR SEVEN YEARS WHILE THE TRIBULATION IS GOING ON.
SO SEVEN DAYS BEFORE THE RAIN FELL,
NOAH IS TAKEN UP INTO THE ARK.
BUT NOAH'S GRANDFATHER WAS WALKING THE EARTH.
HIS NAME WAS ENOCH AND ENOCH WAS RAPTURED BEFORE
THE FLOOD CAME.
HE COULD HAVE BEEN ALIVE DURING THE FLOOD.
AND SO YOU HAVE TWO GROUPS OF PEOPLE.
THOSE WHO RODE IT OUT
AND ONE WHO WAS RAPTURED BEFORE THE FLOOD CAME.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER WAY TO LOOK AT IT.
BUT LOT IS THE ONE
THAT'S REALLY CONVINCING.
BECAUSE WHEN YOU READ
THE ACCOUNT BEGINNING IN GENESIS CHAPTER 18, ABRAHAM
IS NEGOTIATING WITH GOD ABOUT LOT IN THE CITY,
OF SODOM AND SAYING SHALL THE GOD OF ALL THE EARTH
DO WHAT IS RIGHT?
AND SO HE CHALLENGES GOD'S JUSTICE
BY SAYING IT WOULD BE UNJUST FOR YOU TO POUR OUT
YOUR WRATH ON A CITY THAT HAD SOMEONE IN IT THAT YOU
WERE IN COVENANT WITH, AND GOD SAID,
YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT.
I WILL NOT POUR OUT MY WRATH AS LONG AS THERE'S SOMEONE
THERE IN THAT CITY.
WHAT ABOUT 50?
WHAT ABOUT 40?
WHAT ABOUT TEN?
GOD SAID, NO, EVEN IF THERE'S TEN,
I'M NOT GOING TO POUR IT OUT.
SO WHEN WE GET TO THE GREAT TRIBULATION
AND THE TRIBULATION,
WRATH IS BEING POURED OUT ON THE ENTIRE WORLD.
THERE'S NO ESCAPING IT, SO WHAT IS GOD GOING TO DO?
HE CAN'T POUR OUT HIS WRATH.
IT WOULD BE UNJUST FOR HIM TO POUR OUT HIS WRATH.
SO LOT IS THAT TYPE AND SHADOW OF THAT WHERE THE
ANGEL CAME DOWN AND SAID WE MUST GET YOU OUT
QUICKLY BECAUSE GOD CANNOT POUR OUT HIS WRATH
WITH YOU HERE.
SO WE GOTTA GET YOU OUT OF HERE
AND THAT'S WHAT WE SEE
IN SECOND THESSALONIANS IS THAT
THERE'S A RESTRAINING FORCE THAT THE WRATH OF GOD
CANNOT BE POURED OUT.
THE ANTICHRIST CANNOT BE REVEALED
UNTIL IT'S REMOVED AND THAT'S YOU AND ME.
REBECCA: WOW, FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE WATCHING,
WE'LL JUST END ON THIS NOTE.
WHAT WOULD YOUR ENCOURAGEMENT BE TO
SOMEONE LISTENING TO THIS AND STARTING TO GET THIS
DOWNLOAD OF END TIMES PROBABLY FOR THE FIRST TIME.
AND THEY MIGHT BE FEELING A LITTLE CONCERNED
OR WORRIED.
ALAN: DON'T BE FEARFUL.
GOD'S GRACE IS SO OVERWHELMING.
WHERE SIN DOES ABOUND,
GRACE DOES MUCH MORE ABOUND.
WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH,
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING YOU'VE EARNED.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING YOU DESERVE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A GIFT
HE'S GIVING YOU BECAUSE YOU'VE TRUSTED IN HIM.
SO ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS TRUST IN JESUS.
AND IF YOU'LL JUST TRUST IN JESUS,
THEN WHEN THAT TIME COMES,
YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR YOUR NAME.
I CAN IMAGINE IT TALKS ABOUT A TRUMPET BASS,
BUT I IMAGINE EACH OF US WILL HEAR OUR OWN NAME.
WOULDN'T THAT BE AMAZING?
REBECCA: THAT WOULD BE SO AMAZING.
ALAN: ALAN, COME UP HERE, AND THEN HERE WE GO
INTO A WHOLE NEW WORLD,
THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO.
REBECCA: I LOVE THAT.
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
ALAN: WHAT AN HONOR.
GOOD TO FINALLY GET HERE.
REBECCA: IT WAS AN HONOR FOR ALL OF US.
SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN HAVE YOU BACK
AND TALK ABOUT MORE THINGS
BECAUSE I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS.
ALAN: ANY TIME, ANY TIME.
REBECCA: AWESOME.
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
ALAN: MY PLEASURE.