Election 2016 and the Coming Rapture of the Church
Election 2016 and the Coming Rapture of the Church
By Pete Garcia
November 8th, 2016 is a day that many in the US and around the world have longed for since 2009. The US Presidential election has proven this year to be unprecedented in its twists, turns, and revelations in regards to the final two candidates. As with the previous elections, this one has divided the American public, but interestingly, has somewhat galvanized the Christian evangelical vote like never before. A civil war is brewing and the battlefield this time is not on the fields of Antietam or Gettysburg, but in the ballot boxes across the nation.
One candidate has been in the political arena in a number of roles over the last thirty years. At present, she faces charges of extreme corruption, and her power base is made up of globalists, banking cartels, Islamic nations, socialists, communists, and radicals of every type and flavor. Her worldview is blatantly secular humanist but as has been recently revealed it is bordering in and around the satanic.
The other candidate has been a successful businessman and media personality, who until recently, had not engaged much in the way of politics, but has crossed the lines to join both parties over the last three decades. His crude mannerisms, rough language, rash temperament, and economic proclivities have made him a tough candidate for Christian evangelicals to rally around…at first.
At stake are two visions of the America to come. One seeks a continuation of the last eight years. The other, more nationalist and populist, seeks to regain the former glory years of American economic and military might. Which one will emerge victorious? At this point, only God knows, but rest assured, either way, His will and His agenda will remain perfectly on track. Let us for a moment, look at the candidates and see how the political ramifications bear out in the prophetic.
Assessment
We know according to Scripture passages like Revelation 6 and 13 that the world one day ends up under the control of just one man we know as The Antichrist. He is the ‘man of lawlessness’ that Paul speaks of in 2nd Thessalonians 2, and whom John sees as the ‘Rider on the white horse’ in Revelation 6. He is able to wrest control of all the nations of the world, and subjugate everyone into one economic system of buying and selling. Until this generation that would have been impossible simply because the world lacked the technology to tie every nation and every person into one economic system.
We also know that Jesus stated the world would be like the days of Noah, and the days of Lot just prior to His return. (Luke 17) We only have cursory information on both of those time periods but what we do know is that those periods of time were wrought with violence, sexual perversion, supernatural and satanic activity, and the thoughts of man were only evil continually.
At the same time, Jesus stated that the world would not know when He would return. This cannot be speaking of the Second Coming because that is preceded by 21 specific and global judgments that will reduce the world’s population by more than half. Furthermore, once the Tribulation begins (Daniel’s 70th Week), it is marked at the halfway point by a very specific event…the abomination of desolation.
Rather, Jesus spoke of the time leading up to His return for His bride, the Church. He stated that the world, although reminiscent of the days of Noah and Lot would be carrying on business as usual. Paul added that people would be talking about ‘peace and safety’ and that this event, the Rapture, would catch the world by surprise and it would be followed by sudden destruction. Thus, the Rapture will be both surprising and catastrophic in its aftermath with the immediate removal of perhaps up to 1 billion humans from around the world.
Jesus, Paul, Peter, Jude, and John were all in agreement that global conditions would progressively go from bad to worse in every aspect of life here on earth. The closer it draws to the end, the more evil people would become, and the more ineffectual the church would become. (Matt. 24:3-14; 2 Tim. 3; 2 Peter 3; Jude; Rev. 3)
Two other very significant indicators also had to be in play for the world to be at the very doorsteps of Christ’s return; Israel had to become a nation again, and that the world would increasingly become united in their hatred of Israel. The reason they hate Israel, is because Israel is proof positive that God exists, that Bible prophecy is true, and that Christ will one day return.
So with the aforementioned signs and indicators, let us look at the scenarios each candidate brings to bear should they be the next presidential candidate on November the 9th.
A President Clinton victory
A Hillary Clinton victory on Nov. the 8th would be a resounding kick in the guts to Christians and patriotic people across the nation. It would be disheartening and I would venture to say, a bit frightening given some of her previous statements she’s made regarding reining in freedom of religion, particularly that of Christianity. The strongest case for her victory in terms of Scriptural reasoning would be that it is a resounding confirmation of the Biblical descriptions of the global conditions increasingly becoming increasingly vile and wicked.
Moreover, there is a great propensity that the first year of her term in office would largely be overshadowed by the investigations and potential indictment for illegal activity during her tenure as Secretary of State. Not to fear though, she will resort to the tactic that every other despot on the planet does when the scandal at home becomes too great-plunge us into another war. This isn’t a war in which she intends to win, she just needs the American public in a prolonged and fruitless distraction. Furthermore, an economic reckoning is coming and it will very likely fall in her lap during her first term.
In terms of Israel, she will keep the status quo with our greatest ally in the Middle East, which means she will continue the current policies of blaming and ostracizing Israel. In terms of the Church in America, she will continue pressing and crushing the civil liberties we currently enjoy: freedom of speech, freedom of expression, and freedom of worship…specifically targeting only one group-Christians.
If she were to win, she’d only do so by squeaking a victory out, which would enrage a large portion of our society. Civil war is a greater potential under her than ever before, simply due to the amount of corruption and scandal she carries into the office. Furthermore, this wouldn’t be civil unrest by simply the tea party ‘mom and pop’ types…this would extend across law enforcement, military, and intelligence agencies which have become galvanized like never before to stop her.
Prognosis: A highly divided America, embroiled in internal turmoil and scandal, wrought with massive economic problems, half-handedly attempting to engage enemy forces across the Middle East, and potentially being on the receiving end of both Russian and Chinese attacks, succumbs to military isolationism, but double-downs on international economic interdependency through ramping up of NAFTA and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). America rapidly in decline in terms of global standing fits nicely with a non-participant situation in terms of coming to Israel’s aid in an Ezekiel 38 scenario.
A President Trump victory
Should Donald Trump be declared the victor on November the 8th, his victory would bring a huge sigh of relief to millions of Americans and former allies of the United States around the world. The greatest moment of turmoil in beginning his transition with President Obama, would be in fact, the handing of ‘the baton’ from Obama to Trump. A Trump victory would signal a flurry of last minute edicts and executive orders from Obama to– exonerate Hillary Clinton, further divide Israel, and force a selection of a Supreme Court justice.
In terms of social evils and the rapid cultural decline, I believe that Trump will attempt to emplace competent leaders at every level who will hold wide-scale lawlessness at bay. There is no stopping the overall direction the world is going, but a Trump presidency would start tapping on the brakes, instead of flooring the gas pedal as a Clinton presidency would.
This economic reckoning is still coming, and this will be one of the most significant things President Trump will have to contend with. Under Clinton, it would come, not because the powers that be wanted it to, but that the system itself is due for a course correction. They (power brokers, the Federal Reserve, central banks and international monetary agencies, OPEC, etc.) have largely held it at bay while Obama was busy selling off American sovereignty in exchange for an artificial economic uptick.
But with Trump, there will be no brakes, no stoppage, and no mercy in terms of how deep and far this economic downturn will be. The intent then would be to lay this all at the feet of the Republicans once and for all. Fortunately, Trump has made his fortune understanding economics, and the human condition. It is possible that he could turn this around and make the necessary changes that renegotiates our dealings in regards to currency strength, export/import balances, and the national debt.
In terms of our military standing, he would greatly revamp the ailing and strained US military forces. I would expect that anywhere the US has placed troops, he would seek also to renegotiate the terms of the arrangements so that the US is not wasting resources and potential in unnecessary commitments. I would expect that Russia, Iran, North Korea, and China would be more reluctant to test American resolve under his presidency than under Clinton’s.
Trump has made it clear that he would finally recognize Jerusalem as the sole, undivided capital of Israel, something no president has done since they recaptured the eastern half of it in 1967. Prophetically speaking, this is significant because Jesus said….and they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. (Luke 21:24)
I am becoming less and less convinced that this means there will be a complete absence of Gentiles in Jerusalem milling about, as this has never been the case even when they were their own kingdom. But were President Trump, the leader of the world’s greatest nation, to acknowledge Jerusalem as the capital of Israel after 49 years of Israeli ownership, this could signal the beginning of the end of Gentile dominion as the world begins to enter into Daniel’s 70th Week. I believe that this is the only reason why it hasn’t happened yet.
*Put in another way, if recognizing Jerusalem as the undivided capital of Israel were to work in Satan’s favor, it would have already happened 49 years ago. But it doesn’t and this is why Satan has been working so hard to prevent this now through eight different US administrations.
Prognosis: This could also mark the time when Christians let their guard down in the United States. This supports the Biblically-based understanding that the church becomes largely lethargic and lukewarm. Hypothetically speaking, if Trump surrounds himself with as much Christian leadership (advisors and cabinet members) as has we have been led to believe, a Rapture would decimate much of our Executive Branch forcing a national realignment, in conjunction with an economic downturn.
Conclusion
First and foremost, the Rapture of the Church is a sign-less event. It doesn’t need anything to precede or accompany it for it to occur. That said, Jesus, Peter, and Paul allude to events surrounding it that do not give the day or hour, but point to the season for when it would occur. Secondly remember, that an economic course-correction is coming regardless of who gets elected. Lastly, remember that Bible prophecy almost exclusively deals with only Israel in regards to God’s schedule, so Israel should always figure significantly in terms of knowing where and when we are on God’s calendar of scheduled events.
Clinton would never acknowledge Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. First, it would infuriate her base, and secondly, it would infuriate a great many of her Islamic donors. Trump however, has made very clear that he intends to do from day one once he assumes the mantle. How does the recognition of Jerusalem figure into Bible prophecy? Well, if my understanding of Luke 21:24 is correct, it would trigger the end of Gentile dominion, and open the gate so to speak, for the end time events setting the stage for the Tribulation.
A recognition of Jerusalem could be the trigger for several prophetic events such as Psalm 83, Isaiah 17, Ezekiel 38, and Daniel 9:27. Where does the Rapture figure into all these events? Well, it could be before or after a Psalm 83 and Isaiah 17 scenario, but it looks like it precedes both an Ezekiel 38 and Daniel 9:27 scenario…so somewhere in the middle…right about the time when people are crying out for ‘peace and safety’
For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape… 1 Thess 5:2-3