One Shall Be TAKEN, The Other LEFT
by R. I. Humberd
TWO SHALL BE IN THE FIELD; THE ONE SHALL BE TAKEN, AND THE OTHER LEFT"
(Luke 17:36)
Emanuel Edmons moved nervously and shifted in his seat. He had always prided
himself in his charity. He had given liberally to the community chest and had
joined all the organizations for world peace and social betterment.
But this was different. This speaker ignored all these efforts to make the
world a better place in which to live. In fact, he had even said that all
human effort would fail and the only hope of the world was in the second
coming of Jesus Christ. How foolish and narrow a man can get.
He wished he had not come. Why should he, Emanuel Edmons, prominent business
man and head deacon of First Church, come to a prophetic conference? Of
course, he had come to please his wife... or was it for the ride in his nice
new car?
But something the speaker was saying caught his attention. "For the Lord
himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the
archangel and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first;
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in
the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air." I Thess. 4:16
"We might wonder," continued the speaker, "how long it will take the Lord to
raise every Christian that has ever lived and gather them, together with all
living Christians, to Himself in the air. But Paul tells us that it will be
'in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.' " (I Cor. 15:52B)
This was too much for Emanuel Edmons. He glanced at his wife. Her face was
aglow with joy. He knew she believed every word the speaker was saying. It
made him angry. He frowned; closed his eyes and passed his hand across his
face.
There was an instant of deadly silence and then a shriek from a woman on the
other side of the tent. Instantly Edmons was on his feet. But... where had the
speaker gone?... And where was the congregation? Only a moment ago the tent
was filled with people... now only a score or so were scattered about and they
seemed dazed and frightened... what could it all mean?
His eyes moved rapidly over the tent and back to where his wife had been
sitting... but his wife was gone... why had she left him thus? A cold deadly
fear gripped his heart. She was gone, and there on the seat at his side lay
her clothes in a little disheveled heap. Her wrist watch and wedding ring lay
on top where her hand had been resting in her lap. Her handbag had fallen to
the floor... but she herself was gone... Gone... his wife was gone. A nameless
horror seized him and he fled blindly out of the tent where another distress
awaited him. Only an hour ago he had parked his new car in front of the tent,
but now it was a wreck. Another car had crashed into it. A woman was just
getting out of the other car. She seemed dazed and was angry... terribly
angry. Her husband had insisted upon attending the prophetic conference. She
had not wanted to come and her date at the hairdresser's shop had made them
late. Her husband had been in such a hurry that he had not even taken time to
park the car. Rather had he jumped out while it was still in rapid motion.
Somehow he had left his clothes beneath the wheel... she could not understand
it all, but one thing sure she would sue for a divorce just as soon as she
could find a lawyer.
Emanuel Edmons, sick at heart, returned to the tent. There lay his wife's
garments. He gathered them together and was turning to retrace his steps when
a figure dodged stealthfully behind the piano. But not before he had seen his
hands full of watches, and handbags, and other articles of value.
"They are even now looting the garments of the departed," thought Edmons, too
disgusted to utter a word of protest.
Outside the tent a big bus had just arrived from the city and was preparing to
leave again. He would take the bus and send a man after the car.
An hour later he entered his office. The office force was all there and
business was going on as usual. His partner, however, was very much annoyed at
the carelessness of the janitor. A customer had stumbled over a mop and a pile
of old clothes that the janitor had left lying in the waiting room. If he had
not been so faithful in the past, this would certainly call for his dismissal.
It was too much for Edmons. He reeled; caught at a chair and fell heavily to
the floor.
TO THE READER
"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you
unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." John 14:3
"This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in
like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven" Acts 1:11.
"When ye see these things come to PASS know that the kingdom of God is nigh at
hand" Luke 21:31.
Christ is coming back. We do not know when, but current events seem to point
to a very near fulfillment of these words. Thus it is well that we consider
our ways.
BEFORE THE RAPTURE
If you are living before Christ's return do not neglect your salvation. Split
seconds may count for eternity. Come to Christ as a sinner. Remember that the
wages of sin is death, and that Christ died for our sins. "Believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." Good works will not avail. Trust
Christ; depend on Him; count on Him; commit yourself fully to Him.
This may be your last chance, for after Christ comes it seems that there will
not be another opportunity. "For this cause God shall send them strong
delusion... That they all might be damned who believed (past tense) not the
truth" 2 Thess. 2:11. That is, if any definitely reject Christ in the church
age, God Himself will give them over to the antichrist.
AFTER THE RAPTURE
If you have not definitely rejected Christ, there is hope for you. Untold
millions do not know the true way of salvation, and out of them God will save
a great multitude. Rev. 6:9 and 7:9.
You have missed the rapture and I know that your heart must be tender and your
mind filled with anxiety about the future. Thus I offer the following
suggestions for your guidance during the dark days that are just ahead.
1. Immediately give your heart to the Lord. If you are deeply sincere He will
save you, for, "him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out" John 6:37.
2. Read your Bible; especially the Gospel of John. John 20:31.
3. Be a friend to the godly Jews. They will be terribly persecuted and your
own reward will be according to your treatment of them. Matt. 25.
The Book of Revelation will now run its course.
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