Welcome back to the podcast! Today, Jen, Lauren, and Tassy are continuing their series on the end times by walking through the script of the Tribulation. Rather than getting bogged down in every minor detail, the team looks at this period as a series of movie scenes, pointing out the moments that make you stop and say, "Wait, that's in the Bible?".

In this episode, we cover:

• Why is it "Great"?: The term Great Tribulation was coined by Jesus in Matthew 24. It is described as "great" because nothing in human history, not the Black Plague, the Holocaust, or even the Flood, will compare to the intensity of God’s wrath during this time.
• The Removal of the Restrainer: We discuss the mysterious "Restrainer" mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2. The hosts share their perspective that this restrainer is the Holy Spirit working through the Church; once the Church is raptured, the global "atmosphere" shifts, allowing evil to escalate.
• The Hero Who Isn't: The Antichrist enters the scene not as a monster, but as a charismatic, brilliant diplomat who "solves" global crises and establishes a counterfeit peace.
• The Third Temple: Prophecy requires a future temple in Jerusalem. We discuss the current efforts in Israel to prepare for this Third Temple and how the Antichrist will eventually enter it to demand global worship, an event Jesus called the Abomination of Desolation.
• The Two Witnesses: Two bold prophets will proclaim truth in Jerusalem for three and a half years, performing miracles similar to those of Elijah and Moses. The Bible describes how the entire world will watch them die and even exchange gifts in celebration of their demise, a feat that seemed impossible in 80 AD but is easily explained by modern smartphones and social media.
• A Sequence of Judgments: We walk through the "movie scenes" of the seals, trumpets, and bowls, including hail fire, a "burning mountain" hitting the sea (possibly a meteor or volcano), bitter water, and demonic creatures.
• 144,000 Jewish Evangelists: After the Church is gone, 12,000 people from each tribe of Israel are saved and sealed by God to serve as radical witnesses to the world during the Tribulation.
• The Battle of Armageddon: This is not a prolonged military struggle. When the nations gather to fight, Jesus returns on a white horse and defeats evil instantly with the sword of His mouth... the literal Word of God.

Our Challenge to You

The goal of studying these events isn't to figure out the identity of the Antichrist, but to know your Shepherd’s voice. This week, seek to deepen your relationship with Jesus so that you won't be susceptible to modern deceptions or counterfeits. Ask yourself: if Jesus came back today, would I recognize His voice?.

Resources & Links

• John Bevere: The King is Coming
• Frank Turek: Examining the Evidence for the Destruction of Jericho and youtube video An Archaeological Bible Study with Frank Turek
• Alan DiDio: They Lied to You About the Rapture.
• Logos Bible Software: An incredible study tool with AI features to help you dig deeper. Use our link to sign up for Logos. You get a 30 day free trial and $10 off your purchase. If you sign, up we get a credit to our account so we can purchase more resources.
• Scripture to Study: Matthew 24, 2 Thessalonians 2, Revelation 7-19, and Daniel 9.

Grab your favorite cool beverage and join us as we remind ourselves that, in the end, it is Jesus over everything, always!

Tassy returns to the studio this week, as they explore the complex and often misunderstood topic of the rapture, emphasizing that for believers, this event is a source of hope rather than fear.

Opening and Ice Breakers

• We begin with Tassy sharing a recurring childhood dream about the rapture where believers were taken up to heaven in a giant pirate ship while non-believers clung to the edges.
• Jen recalls her own childhood anxiety about the rapture, describing how she would listen for sirens or look for planes falling from the sky to see if she had been left behind.

In this episode, we cover:

• Definitions of the Rapture: While the word rapture is not in most English Bibles, it comes from the Latin rapturo, which translates the Greek word harpazo, meaning to seize or snatch away by force.
• The Timing of a Moment: The Greek word atamos, translated as moment, describes the twinkling of an eye as an instantaneous event faster than a biological blink.
• Biblical Precedents: The girls look at historical examples of people being taken into God’s presence without dying, including Enoch, who walked with God and was taken to His house, and Elijah, who was taken up in a whirlwind.
• New Testament Snatching: They discuss the story of Philip, who was snatched away (harpazo) by the Spirit and instantly relocated to a different city after baptizing the Ethiopian eunuch.
• The Prototype Body: Jesus serves as the prototype for the glorified bodies believers will receive in an instant. These bodies will be free from disease and disability, resembling our current forms but in their absolute best, uncorrupted version.
• Pre-Tribulation Perspective: Jen shares why she lands on a pre-tribulation view, citing 1 Thessalonians 5:9, which states that God has not destined His people for wrath. She uses the analogy of Noah and his family, who did not feel a single drop of rain during the flood.
• The Mount of Olives: The rapture and the second coming are described as a two-part event. While the rapture involves meeting Jesus in the air, the official second coming occurs when His feet touch the Mount of Olives, which is built on a literal fault line that will split the mountain in two.
• The Armies of Heaven: Believers in glorified bodies will eventually return with Jesus as part of the armies of heaven, riding on white horses as He reclaims the earth.

Our Challenge to You

The only question that truly matters regarding the rapture is not when or how it happens, but what side of it you are on. This week, ask yourself: If you knew that Jesus was going to come back today, would you be living any differently than you are right now?

Resources & Links

• Alan DiDio: They Lied to You About the Rapture.
• Bible Recap: An online resource and podcast by Tara-Leigh Cobble that helps believers understand the Bible's overarching story, context, and timelines by clarifying connections. She has an excellent plan for reading through the Bible chronologically in a year.
• The Confessionals: Jen’s recommended podcast for deeper dives into supernatural topics.
• Scripture to Study: 1 Thessalonians 4, 1 Corinthians 15, Zechariah 14, and Revelation 19.
• Logos Bible Software: An incredible study tool with AI features to help you dig deeper. Use our link to sign up for Logos. You get a 30 day free trial and $10 off your purchase. If you sign, up we get a credit to our account so we can purchase more resources.

Grab your favorite cool beverage and join us as we remind ourselves that, in the end, it is Jesus over everything, always!

Welcome back to the podcast! Today it is just a duo as Jen and Lauren hold down the fort while Tassy is away for some Summer fun. We are diving into what is known as the Olivet Discourse, Jesus' longest teaching on the end times, delivered right before he went to the cross.

Hot Takes and Rapid Fire

Before getting into the theology, we share some random hot takes and pet peeves. Jen is passionate about people using their blinkers on the highway, while Lauren stands firm that local coffee shops are always better than Starbucks. We also play a round of rapid fire Would-You-Rather.

In this episode, we cover:

• Preparation over Information: When the disciples asked Jesus for a timeline of the end, He responded with instructions on how to be prepared. We discuss how we often seek information when Jesus is actually looking for transformation.
• Don't Be Deceived: Jesus’ first warning was about deception. We unpack the difference between "wilderness" deceptions (seeking nature/solitude over Christ) and "inner room" deceptions (exclusive, secret knowledge).
• Don't Be Afraid: We talk about birth pains... the wars and rumors of wars that indicate the end is near but aren't the end itself. We discuss how fear paralyzes our witness while peace enables our mission.
• Stay Awake and Be Ready: Using the Parable of the Ten Virgins, we explore what it means to have oil in our lamps. This oil represents our personal spiritual depth, prayer, Bible study, and relationship with the Holy Spirit, which cannot be borrowed from anyone else.
• Keep Working: Through the Parable of the Talents, we learn that waiting for Jesus isn't passive; it’s active stewardship. We are called to manage the gifts, time, and influence God has given us rather than burying them in fear.
• The Sheep and the Goats: We conclude with Jesus' final illustration of judgment, where he separates people based on their faithful obedience and how they responded to human need.

Our Challenge to You

This week, read Matthew 24 and 25. Instead of looking for headlines or dates, look for the heart of Jesus. Ask yourself: If I truly believed Jesus could return at any moment, what would I change about my life tomorrow morning?

Resources & Links

• John Bevere: The King is Coming (Book and Study Guide).
• Tim LaHaye: Understanding Bible Prophecy for Yourself.
• Logos Bible Software: An incredible study tool with AI features to help you dig deeper. Use our link to sign up for Logos. You get a 30 day free trial and $10 off your purchase. If you sign, up we get a credit to our account so we can purchase more resources.
• Scripture to Study: Matthew 24-25, Mark 13, and Luke 21.

Grab your favorite cool beverage and join us as we remind ourselves that, in the end, it is Jesus over everything, always!