Prophecy

What if God Gave You the Rapture Button

by Andrew Tuttle
03/16/21
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The Lord works in mysterious ways but Paul also tells us about a mystery that we will not all sleep, instead, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, we will all be changed.

Paul, of course, talks about the rapture of the church here. This sudden snatching away of believers prior to the tribulation, Jesus says, only His Father in heaven knows when will happen. Jesus likened this event to the ancient Galilean wedding tradition that brought forth the wedding day only when the bridegroom’s father decided it was time. Neither the bride nor bridegroom knew the day or hour of the wedding but because it could come at any day and at any hour the bride needs to be ready.

Just as Christians should be waiting and ready for the Lord, looking up for their redemption is near.

But, what if God appeared and gave you a device with a button. Then God said, “You push that button I send My Son to come for His church and the tribulation begins.” In effect, God allows you to decide when the rapture happens. You can press this button at any time and Christians worldwide would meet Christ in the clouds shortly after the dead in Christ arise.

This opportunity to usher in the end of the age only has one condition. You cannot tell anyone you have the rapture button. Two reasons exist for this condition. The first protects you from complete alienation - no one will believe you anyway. The second, just in case you convince someone you indeed have the rapture button who is not a believer, you may interfere with their ability to freely choose Christ and compel them to act based on the rapture button.

So, what would you do?

I suppose it depends on your age, health, friends and family who will be left behind and perhaps what you have accomplished in life.

An 80-year-old struggling with the onslaught of cancer and given the opportunity might press the button before the Lord finished providing the instructions. A 20-year old enjoying the college life might put the button away in a drawer so would a 40-something happily married husband with kids who spends the weekends coaching youth sports and looks forward to raising his young ones into adulthood. Life is good as the clothing line says.

Think about this opportunity for a second.

You push the rapture button and you disappear away from everything you know. In some respects, you can liken this to walking out the door and leaving the comfort of your home and all that looks familiar, forever.  Your earthly dreams? Gone. You’ll never visit Italy. Or finish a marathon. Is a baby on the way? The business you finally got off the ground? No longer matters. That impressive bank account and all the stocks you own means nothing. Certainly you could give it all away, now that you hold the future in your hands. But then what? Push that button and the bottom line of your church and/or any Christian non-profit you financially support no longer needs your money.  

But pushing the rapture button finally ends Every. Single. Annoying. Thing. Ever! No more red lights. Or traffic. Bothersome neighbors. Crooked politicians getting away with it.

Pushing the rapture button also ushers in the most turbulent time in world history. Your co-worker who brags about the weekend’s exploits? How about the neighbor you have BBQs with who respects your beliefs but “not for me.” Or closer to home, the child or parent who turned their back on God or never came to faith and you wonder - even have doubts - if he or she will ever respond to Christ’s invitation.

All of them subject to the wrath to come but because you kept His word you will be kept from the hour of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who dwell on earth.

Maybe the coming tribulation, because you pressed the rapture button, is what those who question the Truth need to finally understand and accept the saving grace of Jesus Christ.  Or you can wait, but risk the further hardening of their hearts as they continue to brush off the subtle shoulder tap from God and He will give them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done.  

Pushing the rapture button puts an end to the slaughter of Christians in Africa. You also stop the persecution of believers in North Korea, China, Iran and other countries of ill repute. If you live in the United States you probably don’t even know about the trials and tribulations your brothers and sisters in Christ face every day outside the borders of the free world.

And what about the United States?

Do you even know what’s happening in this country? The Bible doesn’t seem to indicate the good ole U.S. of A. having much of an impact, if any, in the coming End Times events. If 2020 didn’t raise your awareness of eschatology, certainly, just the first few months of 2021 give you pause. Perhaps you enjoy seeing all of the prophecies coming to fruition or maybe it scares you, either way, things do not look good for the future of the church, believers in America or the country itself.

If God gave you the rapture button my guess is you would wait a bit before pressing it. How long? Well that’s something this exercise is designed to get you to think about. You will probably take stock of your life at the very least. Maybe give away or sell just about everything you own. Seriously, how great would it be to depart earth with 1 cent to your name? Then make a final (or a few) last ditch efforts to appeal to family and friends.

You might even continue in your day to day life with a stronger focus on your faith, surviving on just the necessities while supporting those folks trying to preach the gospel to all nations and volunteering when off the clock.

But at one point do you finally say enough is enough? Because if you press the rapture button…