THE
COCKCROWING - HARVEST RAPTURE
"Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the Master of the
house cometh,
at even, or at midnight,
or
at the COCKCROWING,
or in the morning." Mark 13:35
As you
know, we at Apocalyptic Hope believe in four translations within
the Church Age. They are explained in
www.cybertime.net/~ajgood/Ch5sheaves.html . That study is
foundational to all of our articles referring to the Raptures.
The Rapture that is most explored by ministries is the Midnight
Rapture of 1 Thessalonians
4:13-18. We give it the name "Midnight"
based on two verses: Mark 13:35 and Matthew 25:10.
Yet there is very little material written about the other rapture
which occurs late within the Great Tribulation period, near the
end. The name of that rapture is "the Cockcrowing
Rapture", based upon Mark 13:35.
In this study, we will seek to examine the Scriptures that
pertain to that later event. May the Holy Spirit enlighten us
all, as these days draw closer. May the Father of Lights give us
insight into His word, keeping us from error. Amen.
WITNESSING
WITHOUT DOLLARS
The Gospel which refers to the term "Cockcrowing"
Rapture is the Gospel of Mark. The Gospel of Mark applies to much
of the Great Tribulation, we feel, as it shows many
"exploits" (Daniel 11:32) or miracles;
miracles that will be occurring during this historic time of
witnessing, conversions and martyrdoms. The Great Tribulation
will be a season of Holy Spirit operations unparalleled in all of
time.
You see, the last three and half years of the Church Age will be
a period of witnessing
( Revelation 7---
the 144,000 Jews)
like no other period in History, except perhaps the First
Century. The Gospel will be spread without churches, buildings,
hierarchies, church boards, jet planes, seminars, conventions,
pulpits, TV, radio or Internet.
The great witnessing in the Last days will be done by 144,000
Messianic Jews "without guile"( Rev. 14:5)... without
any other motive than to spread the endtime message of Jesus
Christ and His soon return to earth to establish His 1,000 year
reign from Jerusalem, Israel. They will witness without error,
spot or wrinkle. They will be of one mind, with one undisputable
message.
They will have the double-portion of blessings given to the
firstfruits. Revelation 14:4.
"
REPENT ! "
These 144,000 Messianic Jews will herald the command to repent.
"Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His path
straight". Luke 3:4
The last days will be a time of renewing one's conscience. Fear
of God will fall upon many, as judgements take place.
The call of the Last days will be to take care of omissions and
commissions (valleys and mountains). ... to correct all the
existing errors in spiritual matters and to practice habits of
righteousness. (Paraphrasing here).
"Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance". Luke 3: 3--18
The multitudes in the last days will need to put their beliefs
into practice.
During the 3 and 1/2 years of their witnessing , these 144,000
Messianic Jews will tell of the One Who is soon to come .
"Whose fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His
floor, and will gather the wheat (believers) into His garner
(heaven); but the chaff (unbelievers) He will burn with fire
unquenchable. (in the eternal Lake of Fire) " Luke 3:4-18
These 144,000 Messianic Jews will not have televangelist empires
or extra resources of any kind.
Matthew Chapter Ten
describes
their ministry well, for they will be appropriating the gifts of
the Holy Ghost, and will be sent out as sheep among wolves."
Yet even though these Messianic Jews will have no resources at
hand, they will accomplish a task of witnessing so major that
those who hear and convert will be a multitude that no man can
number. Revelation 7:9-17.
(Ever notice how today's ministries can tell
you of all the numbers?)
MARTYRDOM
Many messengers and many converts will be martyred during the
last half of the Great Tribulation. They will die for their faith
in Jesus Christ as the ONLY
means of Salvation ( not by Mary, nor Allah, nor Buddha, nor any
other false mediator).
They will die for their allegiance to a kingdom that is not of
this world.
They will die for their faith and their belief in the Holy
Scriptures of God contained in the 66 books of the Bible.
They will die for their own testimony of how God lives and
interacts within us on a daily basis.
They will die for not taking the 666 mark of the Beast.
They will not die the cowardly suicidal-deaths of living bombs
such as the Palestinians and al-Queda die. These will die the
courageous death of a higher calling. A calling which will not
compromise with a politically correct revived Roman Empire and
its antichristian 666 system. They will walk worthy of their high
calling in Christ Jesus and will have their garments white,
having been washed in the Blood of the Lamb (Rev. 7:14).
"Garments" is a key word when studying the Cockcrowing
Rapture, as we shall soon see.
All those who are martyred for their faith in Jesus Christ alone
as Savior will sit on thrones in the Kingdom Age, having paid the
full price. (Revelation 3:21).
Yes. the Great Tribulation is an all-or-nothing time period. It
truly will be a Brave Real World.
HEBREWS
11
All throughout the Church Age, there have been martyrs for the
faith, and also there have been those who are not-martyred. They
are all saints of God.
We see both of these groups honored in Hebrews 11:33-40.
In Hebrews 11:33, 34 we see those saints who performed exploits.
Many miracles were wrought by God in their behalf. And due to the
miraculous intervention by God, there were saints who escaped the
hands of men.
Yet in Hebrews 11: 35-38 we read of saints who were tortured and
deprived, wandering in the wilderness, scourged and imprisoned,
stoned and "sawn asunder "(beheaded). These were they
"of whom the world was not worthy."
These martyred saints suffered ignominy at the hands of man, to
the point of death, "that they might obtain a better
resurrection" , as it tells us in this passage. What a
praise to God they are.
We see then from this particular passage the two groups of saints
during the Great Tribulation period.
As the Great Tribulation period begins, their lives will start
out with many exploits and miracles. Many will see the salvation
of God working in their lives. Many people will be converted to
true spirituality (found only
in Jesus Christ) and they will share their faith with anyone
willing to listen. It will be like one candle lighting another.
The Great Enkindling.
Flame enlivening flames, zeal enkindling more zeal.
"I have come to cast fire upon the earth and what will I but
that it be kindled." Luke 12:49
Those who were once timid in the faith will receive courage and
strength from the testimonies of others, and from their
displeasure with the hypocrisy of this final Roman Day. These are
they who "out of weakness were made strong". And as Joel says in 3:10... "Let the
weak say, 'I am strong"
And as their personal courage strengthens day by day, a new
boldness comes upon this final group of saints, and all fear of
intimidation and of persecution and even of execution leaves
them.
"A perfect love (of Jesus) casts out fear" I John 4:18
This new boldness will be the unction from the Holy One ( a full
pouring out of His blessing 1 John 2:20). It will be the
incomparable grace of martyrdom that comes upon them, a grace
that befalls those who are 100 % committed to the cause of
Christ. It is a song that only they can sing. How we rejoice with
them in the laying down of their lives for the One who laid down
His life for us, though there was no other cause than
unfathomable Love.
NOT
ALL MARTYRED
Not all who live during the time of the Great Tribulation will be
martyred. Some will convert and share their witness with others,
surviving extreme conditions here on earth, having not been
martyred ( as were many of their family, friends, relatives and
acquaintances). Some will re-commit and re-dedicate their lives
to Christ with a far deeper faith than they previously had. These
converts and recommitted will be living during unbearable times.
Somewhere near the end of the Great Tribulation period, they will
be raptured, or "snatched" from the clutches of the
anti-Christ world and his forces down here on earth and
transported by angels to heaven, in a moment in the twinkling of
an eye shall they be changed. 1 Corinthians
15:50,51.
We know they will be snatched from the hands of anti-Christ and
his forces, for the Lord says that He is coming for this group as
a thief. Note the word "AS". Our Lord can never be a
thief, for only the devil is called a thief (John 10:10). But our Lord is
AS a thief when He comes for this Cockcrowing Group, for He is
taking from anti-Christ what anti-Christ has thought of as his
own possession. In other words these people most likely will be
awaiting persecution / execution in jail or in labor camps for
their faith.
ACTS
12
[
Some Delivered from Captivity and Imprisonment]
We get a glimpse into this scenario from the passage in Acts 12.
Here we see the apostle Peter in jail, awaiting execution. By the
way, the apostle Peter himself is a Biblical clue that points to
the Cockcrowing Rapture, for it is Peter who wept at cockcrowing
when he realized his lack of faith ( in the courtyard of the High
Priest. Mark 14 ). That particular scene is the only other place
in Scripture where a cock is crowing. So Peter is a symbol of
Cockcrowing, and thus we see him as a symbol pointing to the
Cockcrowing Rapture, as we see it.
In Acts 12, Peter is securely
shackled between two soldiers, with no possible way of escape (
or so it seems).
"And behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a
light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side. and raised him up, saying,
'Arise
up quickly. And his chains fell from off his
hands.....cast thy garment about thee, and follow me"
Then Peter and the angel go through the first and second ward
(comparable to passing through the first and second heaven) and
arrive at the city (symbolizing the city of God in heaven).
"and forthwith the angel departed from him"
And Peter said , "the Lord hath sent His angel, and hath
delivered me." Acts 12: 6-11.
At that point the analogy stops and the discourse continues. But
the comparison is there to be seen.
"And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never
perish, neither shall any man pluck (snatch) them out of My hand.
My Father which gave them Me, is greater than all; and no man is
able to pluck (snatch) them out of My Father's hand." John
10, 28, 29
AS
A THIEF
Our Lord says that He is coming for the Cockcrowing group AS a
thief in two places in the New Testament. Both references are
found in the Book of Revelation.
The first reference is in Rev. Chapter Three:
Speaking to the Church of Sardis, Jesus says : "If therefore
thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou
shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee." Rev. 3:3
Note here too, the reference to the word "garment" in
the following verse.
"Thou hast a few...which have not defiled their
garments". This means that there are a few who have kept the
robe of righteousness clean. The garment itself is the
righteousness of Jesus Christ alone, as seen in
Matthew 22. Salvation is not
of our working , lest any man boast.
HIS
WORK and OUR WORKS
"This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He
hath sent." John 6:29
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of
yourselves: it is the gift of God:
not of works, lest any man should boast.
For we are His workmanship , created in Christ Jesus unto GOOD
WORKS , which God hath before ordained that we should walk in
them (that we should practice them).
"And to her (the wife) was granted that she should be
arrayed in fine linen, clean and white:
for the fine linen is THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF SAINTS." Revelation 19:8
Our garment is kept clean by our righteousness, --- our obedience
to Jesus Christ--- which keeps our relationship with Him abiding
and strong. "Faith without works is dead" James 2:13-26 (entire passage)
God IS our garment of salvation. We keep our garment clean
through obedience and a living, vital relationship with Him .
DELIVERED
BEFORE ARMAGEDDON
The other reference to the word "thief" is found in Revelation 16:15 where Our Lord
says:
"Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and
keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his
shame." This is spoken just prior to Armageddon (see
following verse 16:16).
This is a stern warning from Our Lord to those who once had the
garment of salvation on, but lapsed in faith. Salvation can be
lost, contrary to popular opinion. Salvation can be lost. Our
garment can be gone. Peter did not have his garment on in Galilee
when Our Lord was on the shore, after the Resurrection. Peter is
described as naked. John 21:7 . This reference
to being naked applies more spiritually to Peter than physically.
How did Peter get back his garment of salvation? By renewing his
heartfelt relationship with the Lord. He professed publicly to
Jesus that he loved him. He did this three times, in restitution
of the three times he had denied our Lord.
So we see then that those who were once clothed can become naked,
or without the garment of Christ's salvation upon them. Those who
think they are immune to sinning beyond repentance, ought to
think again.
Please see Hebrews 6:4-6 and Hebrews 10:26-31.
For more on this, please see www.cybertime.net/~ajgood/love.html
We must remember that during the Great Tribulation, each person
in Christ Jesus will be tested to the max. Those who are relying
on their own wit, skill and self-reliance will not be able to
make it. Those trusting solely
in Jesus Christ, and who have His Word abiding in them, will make
it.
"But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be
saved." Matthew 24:13
A "word" that should be abiding in these people of the
last days, is the word concerning the Mark of the Beast.
We are told in Revelation 13 and especially in Rev. 14: 9-11 that we are NOT to
take the Mark of the
Beast no matter what. No matter if we starve to
death, no matter if everyone else around us is taking the MOB in
order to buy food and eat, no matter what.
"Hold fast thy crown, lest any man take it from thee. Rev.
3:11
So here, at the end of the Great Tribulation, Our Lord is making
one final call to be ready to be delivered. We are made ready by
having our wedding garment on (Matthew 22) . Those who are ready
are raptured at Cockcrowing,
just before Armageddon when all the vials are poured out upon the
unrepentant. What a very great deliverance that will be. For
those who remain, life as we know it, will no longer exist. It
will be unsurvivable.
"And except those days be shortened no flesh would be
saved." Matthew 24:22.
SOME
DELIVERED FROM LABOR CAMPS
Earlier we saw from Acts 12 how the CCR (Cockcrowing Rapture)
would take place from prison. Now we will look at some verses
which could be referring to a rapture taking place from labor
camps, or elsewhere.
The word 'night' in the following verses from Luke refers to the
time of the Great Tribulation, since the analogy includes daytime
events.
"I tell you in that night , there shall be two men in one
bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. (camp
dorms)
Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and
the other left. ( daytime )
Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken and the
other left."... (daytime )
We
believe that the one that is taken is raptured out.
The disciples then ask our Lord "where ? " . The
question is never directly answered.
Jesus does not say "to be with Me", nor does he say
"to be executed". He merely states:
"Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be
gathered together." Luke 17:34-37
Since He did not use the word "carcase" as He did in
Matthew 24:23 (when talking about those dying at the end of the
Age), we must presume that Our Lord is referring to a living
body. Please see
"Coming to
Terms" for full explanation.
If indeed this is a living body being translated , then the
"eagles" must represent something other than vultures.
It could be referring to a watchful surveillance system (cameras)
in outer space capturing the exodus.
Eagle Vision
The Eagle Vision system is a COTS-based deployable
ground station for processing imagery received directly from
commercial satellite platforms.
www.globalsecurity.org/intell/systems/eagle_vision.htm
National Eagle Vision
Eagle Vision is a C-130 deployable Radarsat/Landsat/SPOT
imagery downlink that processes the imagery it receives into the
DMA standard formats. It is currently in operation at Ramstein
AB, GE. A brand new system, National Eagle, expands on the
imagery processing segment of Eagle Vision.
www.globalsecurity.org/intell/systems/national_eagle.htm
If that is indeed the meaning, it would be a loud and clear
message to the rest of the world how false the antichrist system
is, and how necessary it is to repent---even at that late
hour---before the final end. It would be a spectacular global
witness to the rest of the world.
By contrast, the Midnight Rapture will be seen only by the
144,000 Messianic Jews, as can be learned
from 2 Kings 2:10.
Again in Matthew 24: 40, 41 we read :
"Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken and
the other left.
Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken
and the other left."
From both of these passages we see that this CCR will be an event
that affects the entire globe simultaneously, since different
time zones are shown: night and day.
This rapture is different from the Midnight Rapture . The
Midnight Rapture is a one long day
event, as we see it.
Please see www.cybertime.net/~ajgood/trumpet.html
LUKE
12: 35-40
In this passage Our Lord talks about returning
from "the wedding", and He also talks about a
"Second Watch" and a "Third Watch". What
meanings do these three phrases have ?
Remember how it was stated in our earlier work "Sheaves" that there
are four major translations within the New Testament Age :
"evening, midnight, cockcrowing and morning"? We know
that the "evening" translation has already taken place
by reading Luke 24:51 and Matthew 27:52,53. That First Watch
took place on the evening of Easter Sunday. Those who believed
Jesus to be the Messiah of Israel, and yet died during His
lifetime here on earth, ascended with Him on Easter evening. That
would have constituted the First Watch. That means that only
three other watches remain: Midnight, Cockcrowing and Morning.
The Lord begins this section in Luke 12 by saying that when He returns
from the wedding, He will give meat to His servants who are
watching. And He also states that blessed are those who already
watched for Him at the Second and Third Watches. We take that to
mean blessed are they who went home at the Midnight Rapture and
the Cockcrowing Rapture.
Those who were ready at the Second and Third Watches have already
made it home, as we see it. The only Watch left after
the Wedding is the Fourth Watch of the Jewish Remnant on
Millennial Morning. Our Lord is addressing those of the Fourth
Watch here in Luke 12 and Mark 4:48.
What occurred previously at the Midnight Rapture ? From Matthew
25: 1-10 we see that the Bridegroom came for His Bride : the 5
wise virgins who represent those of us who were watching with
lamps kindled . We must realize that the term "Bride of
Christ" includes both male and female, Messianic Jews and
Gentile Christians. The words "Bride" and "virgins
" designate title
here, rather than gender. The Bride consisted of both Resurrected
saints and Raptured saints. Each Rapture, we believe, is also a
time of Resurrected saints.
It is a dual event...Resurrection and Rapture.
BRIDE
and COMPANIONS
Those who come at the Cockcrowing Rapture (Third Watch) could
possibly be the Bridesmaids, as gleaned from
Psalm 45:14, 15. In this verse a
king's daughter ( a princess) is brought to the King for
marriage.
In the Bridal procession are her companions:
"the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought
unto Thee.
With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought: they shall
enter into the King's palace."
Again, the emphasis here is upon title,
rather than gender, when referring to
"virgin-companions". Just as the Bride of Christ is
both male and female, Christian Gentiles and Messianic Jews, the
same can be said of the virgin companions. "Virgin" in
this context means the Church. Both the Wise Virgins and the
Virgin-Companions constitute the Church, as we see it.
("Virgins" in Revelation 14:4 also means those
belonging to the Church).
"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor
free, there is neither male or female:
for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:28.
And just as the Midnight Translation was both a Resurrection and
a Rapture, we feel that the Cockcrowing Rapture (Third Watch)
also has a Ressurrection of saints. Those saints who are
Resurrected at this time, we believe, are "the multitude
that no man can number" from Revelation 7:9-17.
We believe that the Multitude of Revelation Chapter 7 are the
Body of Christ for they have "washed their robes and made
them white in the blood of the Lamb" Rev. 7:14. All those
with white robes are invited to the wedding, as can be seen from
Matthew 22.
The Cockcrowing Raptured group had to have white garments too, as
seen from Rev. 3:3 and Rev. 16 :15.
All who walk in white are worthy.
The Church Age is concluded, we feel, at the Cockcrowing Rapture,
or at the Third Watch. The Bride ascends at the Midnight
Resurrection/Rapture, and the Virgin-companions ascend at the
Cockcrowing Resurrection/Rapture. When all have arrived---though
at two different times--- then finally the Marriage Supper can
take place.
The "wife" is now made ready. She is called
"wife" just before the Marriage Supper takes place at
end-trib. (Revelation 19:7).
"Blessed are they which are called to the Marriage Supper of
the Lamb." Revelation 19:9.
What follows the Marriage Supper is the King of Kings and Lord of
Lords returning with "ten thousands of His saints to execute
judgement upon all". Jude 14 (quoting
Enoch)
MILLENNIAL
MORNING
It is important to notice that Luke 12: 35-40 is addressed to
"men". We take that to mean that this passage refers
particularly to Israel, the Jews.
For the Jewish Remnant preserved for 42 months, they are to
receive their King on the Morning of the Messiah's Millenium
(please see www.cybertime.net/~ajgood/ch7p1.html ). To us, That
would constitute the Fourth Watch.
EZEKIEL
20: 35, 36
It is Hal Lindsey's belief that the Jewish Remnant will be taught
of the Lord in their "wilderness" experience during the
Great Tribulation. (Ezekiel 20: 35, 36)
.
"And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and
there will I plead with you face to face."
That would correlate with the verse:
"Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning;
and you yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when
He will return from the wedding; that when He cometh and
knocketh, they may open unto Him immediately.
Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when He cometh shall
find watching: verily I say unto you, that He shall gird Himself,
and make them to sit down to meat
"meat"meaning:
the deeper
truths of Scriptures, just like He did in Luke 24
and will come forth and serve them." Luke 12:35-37.
The Jewish Remnant, who waited the longest for their Messiah,
will see Him on Millennial Morning...the Fourth Watch.
RADIANT
REMNANT
Examples
of the Transfiguration are given in Matthew 17:1-9; Mark 9:2-10;
and Luke 9:28-36
The Jewish Remnant are transfigured into Glorified Bodies at
Millennial Morning, as we see it from
1 Corinthians 15:51, 52 and Mark 13:27 . They rule and reign with
Our Lord during His 1,000 years from Jerusalem, Israel.
Poem http://www.fulfilledprophecy.com/the_precious_few.html
Articles on the
Rapture:
Enoch and Elijah ...raptures
proven in Scripture
Sheaves ...."
evening, midnight, cockcrowing and morning" .... Mark 13:35
The Blessed Hope ...false
doctrine of immanency
Coming to Terms .... explaining
the words that concern the raptures
2 Thessalonians
2 .... man of sin sitting in temple first,
before the rapture
The Cockcrowing
Rapture ......" one will be taken and the
other left "
The Maiden on the
Shore
by
J A Seiss ..." I come quickly"
Salvation www.cybertime.net/~ajgood/sal.htm
Song: What A Friend We Have in Jesus
http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh526.sht
Bible www.blueletterbible.ORG