The Second Coming of

Jesus

SOONER THAN YOU THINK!

by

Oral Roberts

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations

are from the King James Version of the Bible.

Copyright © 1995

by Oral Roberts

Tulsa, Oklahoma 74171

BK 419

Re pr i n t e d 9 / 0 4

Printed in the United States of America

All rights reserved

Table of Contents

Important News!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Chapter 1 The Precise Conditions Jesus Pointed

to That Precede His Second Coming. . . . . . . . . .9

Chapter 2 A Double Corruption of Man Upon

the Earth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Chapter 3 Enough Is Enough!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Chapter 4 A Double Climax That Gives the

Signal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Chapter 5 God's Time Limits on Man. . . . . . . .53

Chapter 6 What Will Happen Next?. . . . . . . . .67

Important News!

from Richard Roberts

2004 Update

In July 2004, my dad had a "wake-up"

vision from the Lord about the future of this

nation and the future of the world. In this

vision, God showed His servant Oral Roberts

something that's coming—a sign—that we

believe will be seen and heard in the heavens.

And when we see it and hear it, I believe

everyone will have the opportunity to

recognize it as a wake-up call that Jesus is

coming back to the earth much sooner than we

think!

In light of my dad's vision, I believe this

little book contains vital information for you

5

The Second Coming of Jesus

concerning the perilous times we live in today.

Even though it was written several years ago—

shortly after the bombing of the Alfred P.

Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City in

1995 and before the terrorist attacks on the

World Trade Center in New York City in 2001

—I believe it's more important and timely than

ever.

The truths of God's Word concerning the

Second Coming of Jesus are just as true today

as they have always been. And I believe time

has proven them out through prophetic events

being fulfilled in the earth. These events are

happening today before our very eyes.

This is the hour, dear friend! There's a fire

in my belly to preach the Second Coming of

Christ like never before! If you're a believer, I

pray this book will comfort you, strengthen

your faith, and help you reach out to others

with the message of God's redeeming love.

And if you have never received Jesus as

your Savior, I pray that you won't wait another

minute before you pray the simple prayer on

6

Important News!

page 68 and call upon the Lord Jesus Christ to

come into your heart. I want your heart to

belong to Jesus and for you to be ready to go

with Him when He comes back for His own!

Your friend,

P.S. If you don't already have a copy of my

dad's 2004 vision, Wake Up! Jesus Is Coming Sooner

Than You Think (available in cassette, video, CD, or

DVD), you can order one by:

• Calling 918-495-7777

• Writing Richard Roberts, Tulsa, OK 74171

• Visiting our website at www.orm.cc

7

Chapter One

The Precise Conditions Jesus

1

Pointed to That Precede His

Second Coming

Are we hurtling like a cyclone toward the

Second Coming of the Lord? Can we determine

from the authority of God's Word that the

coming of His Son, Jesus Christ of Nazareth, is

at hand . . closer than we think?

Is there any landmark Scripture, among so

many in the Bible, that can help us discover

whether or not we may still be alive when our

Savior splits the eastern skies? The Bible says

that He will appear in the heavens in the

twinkling of an eye to raise the dead in Christ

first and then instantly translate the living

believers in Him. (See I Corinthians 15:52 and I

Thessalonians 4:13-18.)

Can the timing of this great event be

pinpointed through Jesus' own words? Is the

proof of it strong enough to alert us that we're

standing at the very brink of His Second

9

The Second Coming of Jesus

Coming and the "Rapture of the saints"?

After preaching the Gospel to hundreds of

thousands in virtually every walk of life, I

believe I can point you to many Scriptures

which refer directly to the Lord's imminent

return. But there is one particular verse that shines

out at me above all the others. It's a Scripture that

is seldom ever preached on, and yet it has been

one of the most profound guiding forces of my

life. As you read it, let my words begin to fade

while you try to visualize the Lord speaking

directly to you:

But of that day and hour knoweth no man,

no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

But as the days of Noe [Noah] were, so shall

also the coming of the Son of man he.

For as in the days that were before the flood

they were eating and drinking, marrying and

giving in marriage, until the day that Noe

entered into the ark, And knew not until the

flood came, and took them all away; so shall also

the coming of the Son of man be.

Then shall two be in the field; the one shall

10

The Precise Conditions Jesus Pointed to That Precede His

Second Coming

be taken, and the other left.

Two women shall be grinding at the mill;

the one shall be taken, and the other left.

Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour

your Lord doth come.

But know this, that if the goodman of the

house had known in what watch the thief would

come, he would have watched, and would not

have suffered his house to be broken up.

Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an

hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh

(Matthew 24:36-44).

I encourage you to lock in on these

personal, specifically timed words of our Savior

and reread them again and again. I must have

read these verses—and studied them in the

light of world conditions—hundreds of times.

They're burning in my heart right now with

such an intensity that I pray you'll feel it racing

through your being. And I urge you to cling to

the truth of these powerful verses because your

life hangs on them as a believer and a disciple of

Christ.

11

The Second Coming of Jesus

It was only a few short months ago when

our nation drew back in horror as a terrorist

bomb blast ripped through the capital of my

home state—Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. In one

split second, the Alfred P. Murrah Federal

Building was blown to pieces and 169 people

lost their lives. The violence of this criminal act

has deeply scarred our nation, and it has drawn

our attention to the way violence—even in one

isolated instance—can upset the balance of

human lives.

When I first learned of this inhuman act, my

heart wrenched in my body, and the tears

flowed down my cheeks. I was immediately

reminded by the Lord of the verse in Genesis

6:13, And God said unto Noah. . the earth is filled

with violence. And I also remembered Jesus

Himself saying, But as the days of Noah were, so

shall also the coming of the Son of man be

(Matthew 24:37).

Look carefully and prayerfully at Jesus'

words in Matthew 24 and His reference to

Genesis 6, and I believe you'll get a striking

12

The Precise Conditions Jesus Pointed to That Precede His

Second Coming

picture of the events that are leading up to His

second coming.

As the Days of Noah Were

But as the days of Noah were, so shall also

the coming of the Son of man be (Matthew

24:37).

What was happening in the days of Noah,

the tenth man since Adam, that made Jesus

compare Noah's day to the days preceding the

second coming of the Lord? What dreadful

events were taking place as people drifted away

from God and turned their backs on their

Creator? Why did Jesus refer back to that day in

such explicit and soul-shaking terms?

Throughout the ages, the centuries, the

generations of man, Christ was there, and He

saw it all . . and Christ cannot lie. He said , I am

the way, THE TRUTH, and the life (John 14:6).

Whatever He says is not only the way and the

life, it is THE TRUTH. We can depend upon it

—it is unshakable in time and eternity. I stake

13

The Second Coming of Jesus

my faith and my life upon the Christ of the

way, the truth, and the life.

I point out to you that Christ (the anointed

One and the second member of the Holy

Trinity) was there in eternity past, before the

foundations of the earth were laid. In one

incomparable moment, the Father, Son, and

Holy Ghost made the greatest decision of all:

Let us make man in our image, after our likeness

[our class] (Genesis 1:26).

Creating man perfect in every way, God set

him in the splendor of the Garden of Eden. He

gave him the power of speech, of

communication, of dominion over all earthly

things, plus the power of choice. Man was

created a free moral agent.

Meanwhile, the mighty archangel Lucifer

had committed high treason by rebelling

against God. Like a flash of lightning, he was

cast down to the earth, taking one-third of the

heavenly host with him. When Lucifer fell, he

lost his celestial form and became a creature of

unspeakable horror—satan, the devil, the

14

The Precise Conditions Jesus Pointed to That Precede His

Second Coming

serpent, the father of all evil (Isaiah 14:12-15;

Luke 10:18; Revelation 12:7-9).

In the magnificent beauty of the garden,

man walked and talked with God. (See Genesis

3:8.) He and all of his offspring had the

opportunity to live forever in that peaceful,

unspoiled state with the power to be fruitful

and multiply and replenish the earth. Then

satan tempted the first man and woman to

disobey God. The destiny of all mankind

hinged upon their decision, but unfortunately,

they decided to use their power of choice to

believe satan rather than God. The result was

disastrous not only for Adam and Eve but for the

entire human race!

Through their fall from God's high purpose,

Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden

of Eden, and the earth became cursed. Adam

and Eve and all mankind were crushed beneath

the awful weight of sin, and fallen man was

robbed of the image of God in his soul. The

seed of sin took root in the human heart, and

15

The Second Coming of Jesus

that sin-seed is in every one of us from the very

day we are born.

By the tenth generation—Noah's generation

—that seed of sin was fully grown, giving rise

to an alarming spirit of violence among Adam's

offspring all the way up to Noah's day. In

Genesis 6:5 we read, And God saw that the

wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that

every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was

only evil continually.

What God Saw

God saw that the wickedness of man was

great in the earth.

God saw that every imagination of the

thoughts of man's heart was only evil continually

(Genesis 6:5).

God saw that the earth was corrupt before

Him, and the earth was filled with violence

(Genesis 6:11).

God saw that all flesh had corrupted his way

upon the earth (Genesis 6:12).

16

The Precise Conditions Jesus Pointed to That Precede His

Second Coming

Can you even begin to picture what God

saw? Can you imagine the shattering impact

that seeing these things must have had upon a

good God whose dream was to have a family

like Him to multiply and replenish the earth

and to live in the class of God Himself? The

scene was so devastating that the council of the

Godhead was immediately convened:

And it repented the Lord that he had made

man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom

I have created from the face of the earth; both

man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the

fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have

made them.

But Noah found grace in the eyes of the

Lord (Genesis 6:6-8).

So great was God's anger at man who had

repudiated Him and the good way of life that

the decision was made to destroy that first

contingent of mankind by an earth-wide flood.

But so great was God's love and His desire to have a

17

The Second Coming of Jesus

family like Him that He decided to start over! HE

WOULD BEGIN THE HUMAN RACE AGAIN,

BUT THIS TIME WITH THE LONE FAMILY OF

NOAH—A FAMILY WHICH WAS RIGHTEOUS

BEFORE GOD!

18

Chapter Two

A Double Corruption of Man

2

Upon the Earth

Now I want you to turn your full attention

to the account God gave of a double corruption

that filled the earth in Noah's day. (See Genesis

6.) The first corruption was the corruption of

man's heart. His heart was full of evil thoughts

continually. The second corruption was the

complete saturation of the earth with man's evil

imaginations and violent deeds on an ongoing

basis.

From the moment Adam sabotaged God's

plan for mankind in the Garden of Eden, man

began a steady descent toward the pit of hell.

Sin was embraced by the majority of Adam's

offspring, and it grew stronger and stronger

until it had poisoned every thought possessed

by man.

That is a staggering thing to grasp. Yet Jesus

said that at the time of His second coming the

very same pattern would be repeated in the

vast majority of people. He also said that when

19

The Second Coming of Jesus

we see the way corruption is pouring out of

men's hearts continually, it should strike a

powerful chord in our hearts.

We often hear the outcry, "What evil will

man conceive of next?" and we're stunned by

each new outbreak of violence, such as the

bombing in Oklahoma City in the heartland of

America. But we're really not shocked. Just as God

saw evil continually increasing to the point of

explosion in Noah's day, so are we beginning to

see it rip our lives apart today—everywhere—

and at practically every moment. Indeed, the

news media would scarcely have anything to

report if it weren't for the unceasing violence

and evil of our generation.

Jesus warns us NOT to gloss over this

deadly trend, but to be scripturally aware that it

happened once before and ended in worldwide

destruction . . and it will happen again.

20

A Double Corruption of Man Upon the Earth

Each day I see some new and

inescapable connection between "as

it was in Noah's day" and as it is in

our day.

And I am determined to know the precise

conditions that our all-knowing God has told us

would exist which would cause Him to send

His Son to earth the second time. This time He

will "rapture" (catch up) His people out of this

cruel, violence-filled world before the

Antichrist, the mark of the beast, and the Great

Tribulation come to torment God-rejecting man.

At the time of His second coming, the Lord

will once again rescue His own from the

impending doom, just as He rescued Noah by

commanding him to build an ark—the big

special boat in which he and his family rode out

the flood. And when those swollen waters

receded, God started all over again through that

little handful of righteous people.

Yes, God is going to send His Son the

21

The Second Coming of Jesus

second time, and we, His believing children, are

going to ride out the Great Tribulation in

Heaven with the Lord. Then God will start over

again one last time. Never again will there be

any sin, or violence, or pain, or death, but only

eternal life to the fullest, with a new heaven

and a new earth.

Before we go any further, another thought

is looming before me, not only for my own

deliverance but also for all who receive my

message from God's Word. Jesus said, For as in

the days that were before the flood they were eating

and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage,

until the day that Noah entered into the ark

(Matthew 24:38).

Every time I read those verses, it chills me

to the bone. That mass of humanity, whose

hearts were full of evil, who had saturated the

earth with violence, were also carrying on their

daily activities in what seemed to be quite a normal

way. They were eating and drinking, marrying

and giving in marriage, until (yes, until) the

very day Noah entered the ark.

22

A Double Corruption of Man Upon the Earth

Now that's a mind-boggling thought!

People in Noah's day were going through

the humdrum of everyday life, living from one

day to the next as if nothing were ever going to

change. They had completely ignored the

preaching and warnings of Noah. They

believed they could do whatever they wanted

to do and there would be no drastic changes in

the earth. And they continued to live in exactly

that manner until the very day, the very hour, the

very moment when Noah entered the ark and the

Flood came.

It's a paradox: On the surface life seemed to

be so normal, yet that was merely a cover-up

for the evil in men's hearts. And that evil led to

a double corruption which filled the earth with

such appalling violence that God could not put

up with it any longer. At last He pronounced a

final judgment on man.

Think about it! What a dramatic picture that

is of our world today! On the surface,

everything appears to be so normal. People are

eating and drinking, marrying and giving in

23

The Second Coming of Jesus

marriage, buying and selling, going out and

carousing—living their daily lives as though

there were no God, no end of time, no second

coming of Christ—as though nothing

earthshaking were at hand!

At the same time, violence is erupting

everywhere. The nation (every nation) is full of

it. Flashes of it touch your life as well as mine.

Jails and prisons are bursting at the seams.

People are gripped with fear. Doors are bolted

shut. Cries are going up for more police

protection. Our way of life is breaking down—

in governments, in cities and towns, in homes,

on the streets, and even in the skies.

Now magnify that a million times or more,

and what kind of earth will this be? What kind

of world will this be when you can't turn

around without violence coming at you like

water under your feet? It's a sobering thought,

but Jesus didn't mince any words when He

said, But as the days of Noah were, so shall

also the coming of the Son of man be (Matthew

24:37).

24

A Double Corruption of Man Upon the Earth

In Noah's day, sin continued to sweep

across the earth until God said that it filled the

earth, corrupting it with evil. (See Genesis 6:12.)

It makes me shudder every time I think about

sin filling the earth today, and it compels me to

be especially watchful for Jesus' second coming.

Today you and I can see the very earth itself

being corrupted by man's evil ways. Man-made

poisons have enveloped this planet, bringing

death-dealing pollution, atomic energy fallout,

gas and biological warfare, and so many other

frightful poisons yet to come. This has spawned

virulent new diseases, like the outbreak of

Ebola virus in Africa, which is the deadliest

plague yet known to man.

My flesh trembles when I think about these

events in the light of Bible prophecy, AND I

TAKE HEED. I trust that you are doing the

same, not morbidly or with ungodly fear, but

with a sober, intelligent, and watchful heart.

And as you read and study the words of Jesus in

Matthew 24, I BELIEVE YOU'LL GRASP THAT

WE'RE LIVING IN A DEADLY SERIOUS

25

The Second Coming of Jesus

HOUR!

What is God about to do?

26

Chapter Three

Enough Is Enough!

3

When sin becomes so great that it reaches

all the way up to heaven, there comes a time

when God declares, "Enough is enough!" It

grieved the Lord's heart when He saw the

earth-wide violence in Noah's day, so much so

that He sealed the doom of man whom He had

created.

How my mind is jolted when I try to grasp

that fact! It meant that God's dream of creating

a family like Him was shattered. His love had

been cast aside. Man had used his freedom of

choice against his Creator rather than for Him . .

and that is a sickening thought.

It seems baffling to you and me that a good

God could utterly wipe out His own Creation,

but there is a limit to what God will put up

with. When He saw over and over and over

that man was totally evil, and knew that he

would stubbornly refuse to change, it struck

God's heart like an arrow. He grieved over it

so deeply that out of His great love He declared

27

The Second Coming of Jesus

that He would destroy this majority of evil

men.

That may seem cruel to you and me, but

God cannot abide sin. Yes, He is longsuffering

—oh, so longsuffering! We see this every day.

But He is still God. He is the Creator. It is His

love, His plan, His purpose, to have a family

like Him. When satan invades our world to

steal, kill, and destroy, as Jesus said he would

(see John 10:10), God is NOT going to let satan

completely blot out man or even try to blot out

God! To me, that is the highest form of love.

When God looked upon the waste and

desolation of the earth, He saw a way out for

future man. He would send an earth-wide flood

—the first and last one ever—with the waves

crashing above the highest mountain. It would

be a deluge so great that no one would escape

except one family—Noah and his wife, their

three sons and their wives. These eight were

righteous and, therefore, they found grace

[favor] in the eyes of the Lord (Genesis 6:8).

I am strongly moved by God to tell you not

28

Enough Is Enough!

to worry about whether or not He takes notice

of your righteous heart. No amount of evil and

violence in the world can keep the Lord from

seeing your righteousness— your faith and trust

in Him. As you walk with God, you are as safe

as God is safe.

In Noah's Day They Had Never

Heard of Rain

Now let's talk for just a moment about the

days of Noah. In that day, there had never been

a flood. It had never even rained before. The

Bible says, But there went up a mist from the earth,

and watered the whole face of the ground (Genesis

2:6). No one had ever seen rain, let alone an

earth-drenching, gully-washing flood. But with

the coming of the first drop of rain, they would

never be the same again.

That reminds me of how I felt when I first

heard about the bombing of the federal

building in Oklahoma City. My mind was

suddenly struck by the thought that America

would never be the same again. Maybe one of

29

The Second Coming of Jesus

our major cities could be rocked to its core by a

terrorist bomb blast, but not a relatively small

city in our country's heartland. It was an

unheard-of thing!

Rain. In Noah's day they had never heard

of rain.

I've often tried to picture what it must have

been like when that first drop of rain splashed

to the earth. The very first drop. Think of it!

When people first heard it, fear must have

ripped across their stomachs. Terrible,

troubling questions certainly must have flashed

through their minds: What was that? What does it

mean? Their imaginations must have run wild.

They probably rushed together in terror as the

first drop of rain exploded into a furious torrent

of raindrops falling from the sky.

Noah had been warned of God about things not

seen as yet. . RAIN . . because they had never seen

rain before.

What is it that we haven't seen yet in

today's world? We've never seen graves burst

30

Enough Is Enough!

open and the dead in Christ arise. We've never

seen someone who was sitting or sleeping right

beside us be translated, or caught away, in a

moment of time. We've never heard a voice

such as the voice of the archangel or a trumpet

blast that shatters the universe. We've never

seen the Antichrist. We've never seen the mark

of the beast—the number 666—stamped upon

the unbeliever's right hand or his forehead.

Most people today have never even thought

about things like that!

But this scene comes right out of the pages of the

Bible! First Thessalonians 4:16,17 declares:

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: and so shall we ever be

with the Lord.

The Lord himself will descend from heaven

with a mighty, earsplitting shout, with the voice

31

The Second Coming of Jesus

of the archangel Gabriel, and then Gabriel will

blow his most powerful of all horns.

When the multitudes first hear the shout of

Jesus, instantly followed by the cry of the

archangel and the blowing of his trumpet, they

will have been carrying on their lives in a

seemingly normal way, while evil and violence

will have spread like wildfire across the earth.

Just as those in Noah's day who

knew not that the flood was coming

until Noah entered the ark, THE

VAST MAJORITY IN THAT DAY

WILL NOT KNOW THAT JESUS

CHRIST IS COMING FOR HIS

OWN!

Can you imagine the shock, the utter panic,

when it dawns on them that what the Bible said

about His second coming IS REALLY

HAPPENING!

Has it soaked into our consciousness in

America today that what happened in

32

Enough Is Enough!

Oklahoma City is not some isolated event?

Violence is sweeping through every nation,

across every continent. We're being barraged by

the grim reports of it in the news media, but

we're seeing it from a horizontal view as it

spreads across the earth. We're not seeing the

big picture—the picture God sees every time

He looks down on the earth from a vertical

direction.

Our minds are finite. We can take in only so

much. But God is infinite, and He feels the

infinite horror of every sinful thought, every

corrupt act, and every warlike outbreak of

violence.

Some who are reading my words this

moment may be like those in Noah's day. You

may know nothing of the moment when Jesus

will descend from heaven and bodily remove

His people from this earth in the Rapture. You

may know nothing of that instant in time when a

great shout will split the air and the archangel

of God will blow his trumpet, and a sound from

heaven will fill the earth as the waters cover the

33

The Second Coming of Jesus

seas! But you will hear it, and not even know

what it means to you or to those who have

been "caught up."

Listen to what Jesus said about this never-

to-be-forgotten moment:

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. Watch therefore: for ye know not

what hour your Lord doth come (Matthew

24:40-42).

In a lightning-like flash, a small remnant of

believers will be caught away to heaven while

the rest of the people on earth will be left

behind, not having a glimmer of what this all-

important event means.

Think of it. Two will be sitting side by side,

and when they hear the shout of Jesus from

Heaven like the voice of thunder, one will

vanish in the air to meet the Lord, and the other

will stagger to their feet and cry out, "What

happened? Where did they go?"

34

Enough Is Enough!

In every inhabited area of the earth, in every

piece of ground where a believer is buried, and

in every ocean and pool of water where a body

of a believer is buried or the ashes strewn, they

will hear the words, Come, my people, enter thou

into thy chambers . . as it were for a little moment

(Isaiah 26:20).

And from all over this sin-cursed, hell-bent

world, the saints of God who have lived for

Christ in generations past shall feel the

resurrection power take hold of their mortal

bones, and they shall rise from their graves,

brushing the dirt from their hair as they ascend

to meet Jesus in the air. Meanwhile, those of us

who are alive and remain will feel gravitation

lose its force, and in one split second, we'll be

snatched away from this earth to be with the

Lord forever!

It will be a grave-bursting rescue scene and a

"catching away" of the living people of God—all in

the twinkling of an eye! It will be so astonishing

that it will be almost incomprehensible. Jesus

said that men with totally sin-filled hearts and

35

The Second Coming of Jesus

whose thoughts are only evil continually won't

know what hit them.

Jesus is coming!

He is coming to raise the dead in Christ!

He is coming to translate those with faith

in God, which is our righteousness!

God the Father knows the time. He is

watching. He is seeing. He is grieving in His

heart over a world that has gone astray. It has

caused Him to regret that He has let man

desecrate the earth—His earth.

But, thank God, there is more! Jesus tells

us so. Read on!

36

Chapter Four

A Double Climax That Gives

4

the Signal

The apostle Peter brought us a tragic

message about the world in Noah's day:

And [God] spared not the old world, but

saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of

righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the

world of the ungodly (II Peter 2:5).

GOD DID NOT SPARE NOAH'S WORLD,

AND HE WILL NOT SPARE OUR WORLD

TODAY. However, Noah and the seven other

members of his family were spared. Noah, the

husband and father, was warned by God about

the unseen future. He realized that the most

cataclysmic thing the world had ever known

was about to happen—AN EARTH-

DRENCHING,

MOUNTAIN-BURYING

FLOOD!

As Noah witnessed the heartsickening

violence all around him, saw the corruption of

the earth, dealt with men whose thoughts and

37

The Second Coming of Jesus

acts were only evil continually, he became

alarmed by the scene on earth as well as the

warning from Heaven.

You know, as I do, that there are two

worlds: heaven and earth. Both are extremely

active and teeming with life.

What separated Noah from other

men of his day was the fact that

Noah did something about the

invisible world which is ruled by

God.

But Noah found grace [favor] in the eyes of

the Lord (Genesis 6:8).

How did Noah find favor with God? First of

all, he recognized in his spirit-man that there is a

God. His great-grandfather, Enoch, had poured

into him that he was God's offspring, made in

the image and likeness of his Creator. Enoch

had told Noah about a world just beyond his

eyesight and about a God who had a love and a

38

A Double Climax That Gives the Signal

plan for his life.

Enoch was the seventh man from Adam.

The Lord himself had given His testimony that

Enoch pleased Him:

By faith Enoch was translated that he

should not see death; and was not found, because

God had translated him: for before his

translation he had this testimony, that he

pleased God (Hebrews 11:5).

Also, Genesis 5:22 declares, And Enoch walked

with God.

While sin was multiplying in the earth and

man was hurtling toward the Flood, Enoch was

walking and talking with the Savior. We're told

that one day when he was out walking with

God, he suddenly vanished without a trace. The

Lord translated him so that he should not see

death. I believe when that God-pleasing man

held little Noah on his knees and told him

about the great all-knowing God, the Life-

Giver, it must have registered deeply on the

spirit of the boy . . and he never forgot it.

39

The Second Coming of Jesus

Second, Noah also found favor with God by

cultivating his faith. Faith brings a knowing in

our hearts, and that knowing took root in

Noah's spirit. Of course, that was in stark

contrast to those who "knew not" until the

flood came and swept them all away.

Can you and I really know our Creator

personally, the One who gave us breath? Can

we believe in Him from our spirits, have a

knowing of Him in our hearts at a time when

the vast majority of people seem to be hell-bent

on destruction, when the stage is being set for

the rise of the Antichrist, the coming of the

mark of the beast, and the Great Tribulation?

Noah had experienced a deep, heartfelt

connection with God, and so had the rest of his

family. And so can we!

People are turning to God today in

unprecedented numbers. The move of His

Spirit is breaking all of our previous records,

especially in places which have never before

been reached by the Gospel. God is raising up

anointed men and women, endowing them

40

A Double Climax That Gives the Signal

with the gifts of the Spirit, putting a "go ye" in

their souls and a Holy Ghost fire in their bones,

and they are shaking cities and nations to their core!

This is a day to be glad, not sad; to

look up, not down; to believe, not

doubt; to expect a miracle and refuse

to deny God's supernatural power.

I feel this in my whole being even as I write.

I know that I know that I know God is real! His

power is streaming toward all who will

recognize it! This is our hour of escape from the

weak and beggarly elements of this present world

IF we will call on the Lord and say, "Jesus, have

Your way in my life! Help me to be about Your

business and to be watchful and ready for Your

second coming!"

When Noah became a preacher of

righteousness, the whole world was living on

the edge of hell. Peter said that Noah went

against the current of evil in his day. He made a

decision that he would let God be the greatest

41

The Second Coming of Jesus

One in his life, not satan. He would reject the

evil in men and proclaim the good news that

they did not have to be swallowed up by the

coming flood.

Noah was irresistibly driven by the Spirit of

God to build a great boat to ride out the flood.

Although people ridiculed him and refused to

listen, he kept on preaching, testifying, and

building the ark of deliverance.

Then something extraordinarily decisive

happened. Listen carefully to a double event

that rocked this world like nothing before or

since: First, the people who were full of evil,

who had grieved the Lord and provoked Him

into sending the Flood, were crushed beneath its

raging waters. Second, Noah, who found favor

with God by believing His Word and building

the ark to ride out the storm, was saved—he and

his entire family.

Picture this scene for a moment. The rains

pounded down for forty days and nights, with

the waters rising, rising, rising above the earth,

fifteen cubits (approximately twenty-two feet)

42

A Double Climax That Gives the Signal

higher than any mountain. (See Genesis 7:18-

21.) It was a flood of floods!

But look at what else happened. Genesis

7:16-18 says, And they that went in [to the ark],

went in male and female of all flesh, as God had

commanded him: and the Lord shut him in. And the

flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters

increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up

above the earth. And the waters prevailed, and were

increased greatly upon the earth; and the ark went

upon the face of the waters. Also see verse 23,

which says, And Noah only remained alive, and

they that were with him in the ark. Noah and all

who were with him were spared!

The Double Climax

The sin in men's hearts came to a violent

climax. Sin became fully sin, to the point of

explosion. It reached its full growth.

I cannot begin to estimate how important it

is for you to understand this fact. For when sin

took on its final climactic form, it became a

43

The Second Coming of Jesus

deadly, destructive force—TO THE FULLEST—

ushering in the mountain-covering, wide-

wasting, all-engulfing flood.

Do not trust sin. Refuse to let it get a grip

on you. Seek God's grace, His favor, to be

delivered from a sinful lifestyle!

While sin was coming to a climax in all

mortal flesh, something else was happening

that was so thrilling, so life-raising, so eternal

that we can't afford to miss paying full

attention to it. It was the climax of

righteousness!

Just as the climax of sin brought the flood

raining down from heaven, the climax of

righteousness in the hearts of Noah and his

family (the remnant) caused Noah to build the

great boat to God's exact specifications. While

the flood was raging, the ark was cresting the

waves in perfect safety and majesty.

No greater picture exists in the Holy Bible of the

terrible destroying power of sin or the ultimate

saving power of righteousness than this double

44

A Double Climax That Gives the Signal

climax recorded in the book of Genesis.

What a scene! Just look at the rain falling

ceaselessly, drenching the earth, covering the

highest mountain. Hear the screaming, fearful

voices of those who had trusted their lives to

sin and violence. See the destruction of every

living thing except Noah's family and the

creatures in the ark.

Then look at the ark itself—the boat that

Noah had built with his own hands and into

which God had shut them all for the duration

of the flood. See it peacefully riding the highest

wave, surviving the torrents of water—a tiny

speck in the universe— but all inside were alive

and safe, for God rode with them!

According to the description in the Bible,

the ark was some five hundred fifty feet long,

ninety feet wide, and forty feet high. We are

told that several hundred years ago

shipbuilders in Holland reproduced the ark and

launched it upon the waters of the Atlantic, and

it sailed perfectly. When it returned, mariners

from all over the world went to Holland and

45

The Second Coming of Jesus

studied it. They discovered that the boat was

not only seaworthy, but it was the most

properly constructed ship that had ever sailed

upon the waters. As a result, the art of

shipbuilding was changed forever. One man

and his family, under God's favor, built the

boat that was so strong and perfect it rode the

flood.

Now I want you to look at Noah as he

preaches the Word of God to the sinful and

violence-filled people. He tells them, "I'm

building a great boat and loading it with two of

every living creature. There's going to be a

mighty earth-wide flood, so devastating that it

will wipe out this present world. It's going to

rain, rain, rain—a rain that will submerge the

whole earth. No living thing will escape except

those who believe God and get on board the ark and

are saved!"

Can you imagine how they must have

scorned him, declaring that there had never

been rain on the earth before, only a mist? But

Noah kept on building. And that's what you

46

A Double Climax That Gives the Signal

and I must do.

In spite of all the persecution, the

hard roads, the misunderstandings,

we must keep on building for God!

Noah, this man who fiercely believed God's

Word to him, had a knowing in his spirit, by

faith, that the Flood was coming, and he obeyed

the Lord by building the ark according to the

divine plan given to him. He was moved by an

overwhelming desire to do what God had told

him to do. Therefore, everything else was

irrelevant to his faith. He simply shook off the

cries of the scoffers and mockers and kept his

mind fixed on God's Word, focusing his faith

on building the ark and preaching to the

people.

I can understand how Noah must have felt.

You see, not long ago the family of a man who

was an invalid asked me to go and pray for

him. As soon as his pastor heard about it, he

went rushing over to the man's home, full of

47

The Second Coming of Jesus

unbelief and with a scoffing attitude.

When I reached out my hand to pray for

that man, we had a real Holy Ghost encounter

with the Lord right there in that room. And

there was the beginning of movement in his spirit

and body. Later, as I was leaving, the friend who

had taken me there exclaimed, "That was heavy

spiritual warfare!"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Why, that pastor believed that nothing was

going to happen, and he didn't want the man to

get his hopes up. Really, he had his spiritual

neck stuck in the ground!"

"Oh?" I replied. "I paid no attention to him.

As long as I was obeying God's Word and His

call upon me to pray for the healing of the sick,

everything else was irrelevant."

"I'm so glad," my friend sighed. "I was

afraid that man's unbelief would hinder your

faith."

"It didn't!" I answered emphatically. "My

mind was totally focused on God, our Source."

48

A Double Climax That Gives the Signal

Friend, there has always been a loud chorus

of mockers and scorners who are ready to blast

away at those of us who are building for God.

Just as Noah refused to be ruffled or

discouraged and wouldn't quit, you and I must

keep on serving the Lord, helping to get as

many into the ark of salvation as we can, while

we look for the blessed hope of Jesus' coming, no

matter how bitter the opposition.

How Can They Hear Without a

Preacher?

Second Peter 2:5 says that Noah was a

preacher of righteousness. I pray that you will

grasp the importance of that fact. And the

apostle Paul tells us in Romans 10:14,17, How

shall they hear without a preacher? . . . So then

faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of

God. He also declares in I Corinthians 1:21 that

it is God's purpose to save men and women by

the foolishness of preaching. Not foolish

preaching, but the seeming foolishness of it.

Yet if the preacher of God's Word is

49

The Second Coming of Jesus

rejected, then nothing can postpone the

judgment of God upon unbelieving mankind.

Noah was a faithful preacher of God's Word,

and yet he was rejected by everyone except his

own family. Then the Flood came and swept

away all the unbelievers—every last one! No

matter what anyone living today thinks about

the Word of God that's being preached about

the second coming of the Lord, their salvation

hinges upon their belief in or rejection of the

Gospel as it is preached to them.

As a young man I had no desire to become a

preacher; yet when I felt the call of God upon

my heart, it was the highest honor of my life to

go into the ministry. And my soul is set on fire

with the message of God's Word that I'm

preaching to you today because I know that if

you'll believe it, you will be saved. You won't

be caught unaware by the rapture of God's

people or be left here on this earth to face the

cruel wrath of the Antichrist, the mark of the

beast, and the Great Tribulation which will

immediately follow the Rapture.

50

A Double Climax That Gives the Signal

Recently someone asked me what I thought

about a few preachers who had fallen and

brought dishonor to the kingdom of God. I

replied that I deeply regretted it, not only for

their sakes, but even more for those who would

use their fall as an excuse to shrink back from

the Lord and from all preachers of the Gospel.

Also, I said I was praying for their restoration.

"However," I said, "nothing can alter God's

plan to carry out His eternal work with man.

Nothing He says in His Holy Word will fail."

And you can be assured that most preachers will not

dishonor God or bow their knee to the devil. They

will faithfully proclaim God's Word and bring

the light of the Gospel to this sin-darkened

world!

I believe that!

God's Word Wil Not Fail!

When God raised me up out of nothing to

preach His Word, to take His healing power to

my generation, and to build Him a university,

51

The Second Coming of Jesus

His calling overshadowed everything else in

my life. It was a mighty dream and an eternal

destiny. As Paul declared, Woe is unto me, if I

preach not the gospel (I Corinthians 9:16). Oh, I

cannot abandon God's call! I'm dedicated to

preaching His Word and spreading the Gospel

message for time and eternity!

I'm preaching today to see lost souls won to

Christ, to bring deliverance to the sick, the

hurting, the downtrodden, to build up the body

of Christ, to educate thousands of young men

and women to serve God, and to help prepare

God's people for the Rapture—the catching

away of the bride of Christ (I Thessalonians

4:13-18) . And that leads me to the next thing we

can expect to happen. It's something that shakes me

to the very core of my being every time I think about

it!

52

Chapter Five

God's Time Limits on Man

5

When God faced the awful prospect of

man's wickedness and his non-repentant

attitude sealed forever in his heart, He could

not permit him to completely destroy the earth

or destroy His remnant—the righteous family

of Noah. And the Lord said, My spirit shall not

always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet

his days shall be an hundred and twenty years

(Genesis 6:3).

How many times have I read those soul-

shaking words, those words which have so

deeply marked the destiny of the race of man!

I've preached on that Scripture countless times

as it has burned in my spirit, and its

implications for us today are inescapable.

While the men and women of Noah's day

were eating and drinking, marrying and giving

in marriage, with every imagination and

thought only evil continually, God was

watching, planning, and laying out a timetable.

And when He proclaimed that man would have one

53

The Second Coming of Jesus

hundred twenty years to change, the people of the

whole world were out there with blinders on their

eyes!

If you, the reader, have even a glimmer of

spiritual understanding or a tiny speck of faith

in what the Lord says He will do, then this is

your hour, your moment, to fulfill your God-

given destiny.

Genesis 6:3 plainly reveals:

1. God's Spirit will not always strive with

man, and that includes you and me.

2. Our days are numbered.

3. There is a time limit already known and

also for the rest of mankind, before the Rapture.

God, our Father, already knows the precise

moment when the trumpet shall sound and the

most incredible exodus of all time—the Rapture

—will take place. He knows. Jesus doesn't

know, and you and I don't know, but the Father

knows the exact moment (see Matthew 24:36).

It will all happen in an instant of time.

54

God's Time Limits on Man

When God's time limits expired in Noah's day,

there was that first drop of rain, then more

drops splashing down, then a wild burst of rain

which became an earth-wide downpour

covering the highest mountains. No one except

Noah and his family really believed that the

first drop of rain meant the Flood was about to

come gushing down from the sky.

Can you fathom the emotions that will rip

through your being if you are still alive when

Jesus descends from heaven with a mighty,

earsplitting shout? When you hear the

archangel's trumpet sounding worldwide, what

do you suppose will flash through your mind?

Will you remember the words of the

preacher who first told you about the Rapture

and Christ's Second Coming? Will you recall

the warning that God won't always deal with

your heart, that He has set a time limit on the

race of man, of which you and I are members?

I know this: the warning of God about the soon

coming of His Son is burning inside me. While I do

not know the exact moment when those time

55

The Second Coming of Jesus

limits will expire, I know that "coming events

cast their shadows before" them.

And I have this inner warning that

something earthshaking is about to

take place.

Are you responding to God's striving

within your soul? Do you believe that the

Father knows the time and has set His limits

upon it? I say to you, don't look upon your

relationship with God as something you can

play with! Don't harden your heart and reject

the Lord, but think seriously, as you've never

thought before, of the words of Jesus in Luke

21:33: Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my

words shall not pass away. EVERY WORD THAT

GOD HAS SPOKEN WILL COME TO PASS!

Frankly, I don't know how much time we

have left. That's why Jesus told us,

Occupy till I come (Luke 19:13). It's also why,

as a twelve-year-old boy, the Lord said of

Himself, Wist ye not that I must be about my

56

God's Time Limits on Man

Father's business? (Luke 2:49). And you and I

must continually be about the Savior's business!

God Shut Noah in the Ark

While Noah was preaching and following

God's blueprint to build the ark, the Lord gave

the world one hundred twenty years to change.

Noah knew nothing about constructing such a

huge and seaworthy boat, let alone how to

launch out on those uncharted waters as the

boat crested the violent waves of the flood, yet

he was obeying God.

Then the fateful day arrived when the ark

was finished, and God's call went out to all the

creatures of the earth to come in by twos and

sevens, male and female, and enter the ark. (See

Genesis 7:2,3.) The living creatures were drawn

there irresistibly by the Lord, and they took

refuge in the place He had prepared for them.

Then God urged Noah, "Call your three

sons and their wives and also your wife. It's

time to board the ark!" As soon as Noah

57

The Second Coming of Jesus

stepped on board, we're told that the Lord shut

him in (Genesis 7:16).

Now when the time limits were over, God

shut Noah and his family in. That meant He

shut all the others out. In the same way, when

the shout of Jesus Christ and the trumpet of

God pierce the air, the body of Christ will be

caught away to be with the Lord in heaven,

where they will be shut in with Him at the

marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation

19:7,9). Meanwhile, the rest of the God-rejecting

multitudes will be shut out. The shutting in

and the shutting out will occur simultaneously

— in the flash of a second! Thereafter, those to

be saved will be under "great tribulation."

While this event will astonish an

unbelieving world, I believe there's a measure

of God-instilled understanding in every human

heart that things can't go on forever the way they

are today. Even after the fall of man, God left a

spark of Himself in every person born since

that day or who will ever be born. It's that

divine spark that the Holy Spirit is working on

58

God's Time Limits on Man

all the time.

I also believe that the Lord speaks to

everybody, whether they are listening or even

distinguishing His voice. His words may seem

as if they're coming from outer space, and yet

they're the right words. I know this was true in

my own life.

Until I was seventeen years old, I cannot

remember having a serious religious feeling or

any deep thoughts of God of my own. I stifled

the divine spark within me by going my own

willful way. He was something totally unreal to

me. I let myself believe that even if there really

was a God, He would never speak to me

personally.

Then, out of the blue, I heard the Lord

speaking inside my spirit. And wonder of

wonders, I understood His words! He said, "Son, I

am going to heal you, and you are to take My

healing power to your generation. You are to

build Me a university and build it on My

authority and the Holy Spirit."

59

The Second Coming of Jesus

I was a nobody, a runaway who had big

plans and ambitions for my life, but I had all

my feelings about God. And yet He spoke to me.

What a priceless thought! You see, God thinks

as much of every other human being as He does

of me. No one has a corner on His

unfathomable love. John 3:16 puts it this way:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his

only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in

him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

When the Bible says that God loved the

world, it means that He loved every individual

person. And He loved us each one beyond

measure, even to the point of sending His only

begotten Son into the jaws of death at Calvary,

so that no one who believes on Him should perish—

that all. . all . . all. . would be saved and have life

everlasting!

This is undoubtedly the most awesome fact

of all existence. It's the mountain peak of all

that is true and real. No one should permit

himself to doubt God's love for him if he

realizes that God let His own Son die for his

60

God's Time Limits on Man

personal salvation.

Then what is lacking? Just this:

Each one of us is under a divine

command to be listening and to hear

God's voice inside ourselves, to

grasp what He is saying, and then to

obey Him instantly.

Seemingly, most people say, "I won't do it. I

won't obey Him."

When Noah heard God's voice speaking in

his soul, he changed. He obeyed the Lord, no

matter how unusual the call or how drastic the

cost. He just did it, by faith!

God has always had a people—a remnant—

who declare, "I will do it by faith!" They will

exalt the Lord and put Him first in their lives.

They will bow their hearts in worship and

adoration of Jesus as King of kings and Lord of

lords. They will plant their seeds of faith,

cheerfully and with purpose unto God, their

61

The Second Coming of Jesus

Rewarder, their Seed-Multiplier. They will help

spread the Gospel message to the four corners

of the earth.

They're a blood-bought, blood-washed remnant,

and there is no power on earth or in hell that can

prevail against them as they obey God and look

toward the second coming of the Lord!

Watch the Flood Destroy the

Evil as It Raises the Ark Above

the Waters

Throughout history, in every civilization

there's the record of a great, earth-wide flood.

That's because it happened just like the Bible said!

Written in everything throughout time and

eternity is the record that Jesus Christ came to

this earth the first time and that He will come

again for His own. You can dispute it, argue it,

doubt it, or mock it, but it's all to no avail. Jesus

is coming again. . and I believe it will be sooner

than we think.

What rings in my soul when I think about

62

God's Time Limits on Man

the Flood is the sound of that first drop of rain

—ping! It must have been heard throughout the

earth. Then another drop splattered down—

ping! Then another and another and another—

ping, ping, ping! Then came that gully-washing

thunderstorm that lasted forty days and forty

nights—something that had never happened

before!

Listen! Jesus said that the men and women

of Noah's day had no idea what was about to

happen until the Flood came and swept them

all away. And then He added, But as the days of

Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of

man be (Matthew 24:37).

How much plainer can He say it or make it?

The first phase of the second coming of the

Lord in the form of the Rapture is going to

burst like a thunderclap upon an

unsuspecting world—huge numbers of people

"who know not" because they choose not to

know!

Now let's look once again at the climax of

sin AND of righteousness—a double climax—

63

The Second Coming of Jesus

which took place in Noah's day. First of all, the

sins of man were so great that they caused God

to send the Flood. And second, the

righteousness of Noah and his family was so

great that it enabled them to build the mighty

ark of deliverance. As the climax of sin set loose

a deluge of water from heaven, the climax of

righteousness lifted the ark above the rising

flood.

While the floodwater crushed every living

thing, those same rampaging waters lifted the

boat, and it masterfully rode the waves as the

rain poured down. Finally, when the water had

receded, the ark came to rest upon dry earth.

Watch the flood destroy the evil as it

raises the ark above the waters. It is

a double climax!

And that's a picture of what will happen

when the Lord comes back to this earth the

second time, only this time there will he no flood

of water. When the sin in unregenerated man's

64

God's Time Limits on Man

heart becomes fully sinful and reaches its

climax once again, it will usher in the

Antichrist, the mark of the beast, the Great

Tribulation, the Battle of Armageddon, and the

end of time. But before God pulls back the

curtain to reveal His final destruction of

unbelieving man, something equally dramatic will

take place.

When the righteousness of the saved souls

who are serving the Lord becomes fully

righteous, then righteousness will reach its climax.

That climax will bring Jesus, our Savior,

vaulting over the gates of heaven with a mighty

shout, the voice of the archangel, and the

trumpet's blast. And all the righteous, both

living and dead, will be instantly "snatched

away" over the legion hills of glory! IN THE

TWINKLING OF AN EYE, IN A MOMENT OF

TIME, THOSE WHO ARE BELIEVERS IN

JESUS WILL RIDE UP OUT OF THIS WORLD

TO MEET THE LORD JESUS IN THE AIR (see I

Thessalonians 4:16,17). That's something we've

got to know.

65

The Second Coming of Jesus

Then what will happen?

66

Chapter Six

What Wil Happen Next?

6

Before the world can even comprehend that

God's people have been bodily lifted out of the

earth through the Rapture, chaos will reign

momentarily. With God's people gone, chaos

will reign immediately. Cars that are barrelling

down the highway will suddenly careen out of

control as the born-again driver is translated to

heaven. The planes of pilots who are caught

away in the Rapture will take a sharp nose dive

and plunge to the earth.

Think of it! Automobiles will go astray.

Boats will sink. People will scream. There is no

way we can picture the havoc that will erupt in

the first few moments after the saints are gone.

All the little babies in the world will go up

in the Rapture in the flash of a second, for Jesus

said, of such is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew

19:14). There won't be a single child under the

age of accountability left behind—not one who

has died or who is living when Jesus comes.

Unsaved mothers clutching their little ones

67

The Second Coming of Jesus

in their arms will suddenly feel them snatched

away to be with the Lord. A scream will go up

from this earth that far exceeds the cry of the

Egyptians in Moses' day when the firstborn

sons of Egypt perished during the plagues. It

will be a roar of human agony like none that has

ever been heard before.

While the righteous—the remnant—are

sitting down in Heaven at the marriage supper

of the Lamb and utter chaos is breaking loose

on Earth, all at once satan will realize that it's

his time to strike. He will swiftly unveil his

"son"—the Antichrist, the man who personifies all

evil.

As the world clamors for a superman who

can rescue them from the chaos, satan will

endow this man with the power to temporarily

calm their fears. The Antichrist will have

brilliant economic ability and a charismatic,

satanic personality. He will be empowered by

the devil to bring order out of chaos, solve

mystifying problems, and produce worldwide

prosperity and a false peace. The Bible says that

68

What Will Happen Next?

everyone will wonder after him. (Read the

thirteenth chapter of Revelation.)

In the middle of his reign, the Antichrist

will proclaim himself to be the Christ in the

rebuilt temple in Jerusalem, while the whole

world watches. And then he will issue a

number—666 (the number of man)—which is to

be stamped indelibly on every person's

forehead or right hand, without which no one

can buy or sell.

And he causeth all, both small and great,

rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in

their right hand, or in their foreheads: and that

no man might buy or sell, save he that had the

mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of

his name (Revelation 13:16,17).

All who take the mark of the beast will

forever seal their doom with God. And the

Antichrist will fight against those who become

believers after the Rapture because they will

refuse to take the mark. It will be a time of terrible

tribulation all over the earth, and the Lord

Himself said, And except those days should be

69

The Second Coming of Jesus

shortened, there should no flesh be saved (Matthew

24:22).

Then Jesus will marshal the armies of

Heaven and the armies of glory and come

riding down from the sky on that great white

horse, with His saints behind Him. His being

will fill the universe, so that every eye will see

Him, and the nations will tremble. He'll fight

against satan and his unholy sons—the

Antichrist and the false prophet—AND HE

WILL PREVAIL.

It is not the purpose of this book to cover

the Battle of Armageddon and Christ's

sweeping triumph over the devil, the

Antichrist, and the false prophet. Nor do I wish

at this time to deal with the Lord's return to a

new heaven and a new earth, to set up His

everlasting kingdom with His saints, where

there will be no devil or evil of any kind.

It is my purpose to faithfully follow Jesus'

words, But as the days of Noah were, so shall also

the coming of the Son of man be, showing the

striking resemblance between the days

70

What Will Happen Next?

preceding the Flood and the days that are

leading up to the second coming of Christ.

That's important for you to keep in mind.

What I have just shared with you is not a

myth or some farfetched thing. It's real. It is

God's Word. Jesus is coming. You'll never be

able to say, "Nobody warned me! I never heard

that message before!"

My soul tells me that someone who is

reading my words is very moved by God's

Spirit to take action. The Lord is tugging at

your heart. Friend, you don't want to be

without Christ in your life when He splits the

eastern skies! What a treacherous world this

will be after the saints of God are caught away

to be with the Lord! And if you're left behind,

your life will be a foretaste of hell itself!

I believe you're getting a call from God this

very moment, and it just may be the last chance

you'll ever have to come to Christ or to fully

commit yourself to Him and His Gospel. I feel a

tremendous warning in my spirit as I write

these words. Jesus is saying to you, "This is

71

The Second Coming of Jesus

your hour. This is your visitation from on high.

This is the Holy Spirit dealing with your heart.

This is the Lord saying, 'Today is the day of

salvation. Harden not your heart, and come to

Him now."'

When I was a young man dying of

tuberculosis, not knowing anything about God

or the devil, members of my family helped me

come to Christ. I repented of my sins and

became God's born-again man. And just as

someone helped me come to know the Lord,

my heart is bursting to help you come to Him

right now!

Just turn your thoughts toward Jesus of

Nazareth. Blot everything else out of your

mind. Call upon the Lord to save your soul, to

fill you with His Spirit, to help you get ready to

ride the winds to Heaven when He comes back

for His own!

The apostle Paul declared:

If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the

Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that

72

What Will Happen Next?

God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be

saved. For with the heart man believeth unto

righteousness; and with the mouth confession is

made unto salvation (Romans 10:9,10).

Just say this simple prayer out loud with

me, and mean every word you say:

"Heavenly Father, I come to You in the Name of

Your only Son, Jesus Christ of Nazareth. I praise

You for Your mercy, Your goodness, Your

forgiveness, and I turn from my sins and cling to

the Cross!

"Oh, how I love You, Jesus, because You first

loved me! I believe in my heart that You died for my

sins and God raised You from the dead to be my

personal Savior. I open my heart to You as the Lord,

the Healer, the Deliverer of my life.

"With my heart I believe and with my mouth I

confess You before men. I am saved by Your shed

blood on the Cross at Calvary!

"Lord, I do not intend to miss Your second

coming. I want to mount up on the wings of the

wind and soar with Your children to meet You in

73

The Second Coming of Jesus

the air!

"Lord Jesus, I declare by faith that I am now a

Christian, a blood-bought believer, a follower in

Your footsteps. I am a member of the remnant who

always puts God first.

"I am Your servant, and by Your grace, I

commit myself to serving You all the days of my life.

I'm going to ride out of this world in the Rapture

and spend my eternity in Heaven with You! In the

mighty Name of Jesus of Nazareth I pray. Amen and

amen."

Do you know what I feel in my soul right

now? I feel so close to you that if I could, I'd

reach out my hand and pray for you and

rebuke satan off your life!

Friend, I would be so deeply honored if you

would tell me your needs. I'll bombard Heaven

with my prayers for you! I'll pray a hole in the

sky! Oh, I believe the Lord has sent me across

your path!

If you feel I can be a further blessing to you,

my mailing address is: Oral Roberts Tulsa, OK

74

What Will Happen Next?

74171

Or you may want to step to your phone and

call the Abundant Life Prayer Group in the

Prayer Tower on the Oral Roberts University

campus, where prayer never ceases (918-495-7777).

Let us know what's on your heart so we can

really fight for you with our faith . I'll send you

my prayers for the Lord to help you where you're

hurting and fill up your being with His mighty

presence!

GOD BLESS YOU!

75

I want your needs to be

met

Friend, I'm excited about Jesus' coming back

to the earth. The Second Coming is good news

to all who believe on Jesus. But while we are

still on this earth, "occupying" as Jesus told us

to do, I want to partner with you to help you

get your needs met.

I would be honored if you would write me

and let me know what your needs are. Then I

want to pray a powerful prayer of agreement

with you, and write you back with an

encouraging word from the Lord. Together we'll

stand in agreement and believe God for miracles in

your life.

Document Outline

- The Second Coming of Jesus

- Table of Contents

- Important News!

- 1 The Precise Conditions Jesus Pointed to That Precede His Second Coming

- As the Days of Noah Were

- What God Saw

- 2 A Double Corruption of Man Upon the Earth

- 3 Enough Is Enough!

- In Noah's Day They Had Never Heard of Rain

- 4 A Double Climax That Gives the Signal

- The Double Climax

- How Can They Hear Without a Preacher?

- God's Word Will Not Fail!

- 5 God's Time Limits on Man

- God Shut Noah in the Ark

- Watch the Flood Destroy the Evil as It Raises the Ark Above the Waters

- 6 What Will Happen Next?

Table of Contents

Important News!.

1 The Precise Conditions Jesus Pointed

2 A Double Corruption of Man Upon

3 Enough Is Enough!.

4 A Double Climax That Gives the

5 God's Time Limits on Man.

6 What Will Happen Next?.

The Second Coming of Jesus

Table of Contents

As the Days of Noah Were

What God Saw

In Noah's Day They Had Never Heard of Rain

The Double Climax

How Can They Hear Without a Preacher?

God's Word Will Not Fail!

God Shut Noah in the Ark

Watch the Flood Destroy the Evil as It Raises the Ark Above the Waters