This is the fourth in a series of possible, fictional scenarios of what it would be like after the Rapture of the born-again Christians. What will happen in the Rapture is all the true, saved, Christian believers will vanish as Jesus calls them up to heaven. In the first post, I showed how the Progressive Christians may react. I think they’ll get it. In the second episode, I featured two Catholic priests who were left behind. In the third, I told how a couple of secular “coexist” believers — one Jew, one Christian — handled the disappearance of believing family members. Today we look at an Orthodox Jewish gentleman a day afterwards, trying to make sense of how millions, if not billions, of people could suddenly vanish into thin air.
We don’t know when the Rapture will happen. When it does, it will happen at the same moment everywhere around the world. So, if it’s morning in Phoenix, AZ, it will be night in Australia. Each of these stories will take place at different days and times. The idea behind this, is to get you to understand that you have to be ready. It could happen at any moment and you really don’t want to be left behind.
Again, this is FICTION. Any resemblance to any person living or dead is pure coincidence.
Left Behind at the Rapture: The Orthodox Jew
Phoenix, AZ, the day after the Rapture — sometime in the near future — post COVID — things are back to normal.
Rabbi Ezra Goldberg sat in his office at the Hebrew Academy staring at his bookshelf. Yesterday morning, the most astonishing thing happened — millions of people disappeared all over the world. He had watched CNN, switched to Fox News, then over to MSNBC, and the story was still the same. The speculations were literally out of this world. Some ”experts” said it had to be aliens from outer space — hey, didn’t they find UFO debris out west? Another said it was terrorism — some huge electromagnetic pulse.
Something that made the local news in Phoenix was a strange occurrence not too far away. The columbarium at First Christian Church of Phoenix on 7th Avenue was empty. Each unit that held the ashes of people entombed there, was missing their covers, the containers of ashes were open, and all the ashes were gone! Investigators found the heavy ceramic covers, that were held by metal anchors, strewn several feet away. What kind of force could do that? There was no evidence of tampering.
What was even more shocking for the Rabbi personally, was that every child under the age of 12 was also gone, including every single one of their elementary school students! They were all gone. Vanished!
Rabbi Ezra was hoping a book on his shelf would stand out as having an answer. His eye landed on a Christian Bible. Is it possible? Was this what the Christians talked about in biblical prophecy? He tried to contact one of his Messianic Jewish friends, but it seems he disappeared also. What were we Orthodox Jews missing? Could Jesus Christ be the Jewish Messiah?
He wasn’t sure where to look. Then he went online. He disliked computers, but found them a necessary evil. A Google search revealed the YouTube channel of Rabbi Schneider of, Discovering the Jewish Jesus. There he found this video….
When will the Rapture Happen?
Rabbi Schneider mentioned the Book of 1 Peter. Feverishly, Rabbi Ezra hunted for that passage. This is what it said…
16 For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We saw his majestic splendor with our own eyes 17 when he received honor and glory from God the Father. The voice from the majestic glory of God said to him, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” 18 We ourselves heard that voice from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain.
19 Because of that experience, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place—until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts. 20 Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, 21 or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.
1 Peter 1:16-21 NLT
He watched another video that the algorithm suggested for him. This one piqued his curiosity as it was a testimony of a Jewish man from Israel, Amir Tsarfati…
Finding Jesus
The Rabbi started reading the Gospel of Matthew. It was the first book in the Christian New Testament. It started with the genealogy of Jesus proving that He was of the line of King David. The more the Rabbi read, the more he understood that all these years, all the studying, all the degrees he earned, he never heard the truth. Even reading Isaiah chapter 53. It’s like his eyes were finally open to the truth and a veil was lifted.
After some time, he got up and called in the Academy’s staff to the conference room. Rachel, the head of the Kindergarten School was obviously still grieving the loss of the children.
“Rachel,” the Rabbi called.
“Yes, Rabbi,” she replied.
“Don’t be sad. I believe the children are with Jesus in Heaven. They are innocents. They hadn’t reached the age of accountability when they could decide to follow Jesus or not. Everyone else who’s vanished were born-again Christians and Messianic Jews. We missed it. However, I don’t think it’s too late for us. We do have a second chance. What we have ahead of us is a lot of studying to understand what’s next to come. The Good News is that…
1. “It’s all laid out in the Bible and…
2. “If we put our trust in Jesus, He will get us through it all.
“Come, let’s watch these videos.”
He played video after video. At the end of one of them, they prayed along with the teacher and they all felt an incredible peace. Even unsure of what lay ahead, they knew that they finally put their trust in Messiah Yeshua, the Risen King of the Jews.
It’s Not Too Late For You!
The Rapture hasn’t happened yet. But, it could happen at any moment. Are you ready?
If you’re not sure if you’re saved or not, if you truly want to be born again and have the assurance of salvation, receive the Holy Spirit, feel His Shalom — a peace that surpasses all understanding, and get a 1-way, non-stop ticket to Heaven after you die, or that you won’t be left behind at the Rapture, which can happen at any moment, this is what you have to do…
Invite Jesus into Your Heart and Receive the Gift of Grace, Joy, Peace, and the Confident Hope of Eternal Life…
The Days of Elijah
Soli Deo Gloria! To God Alone Be the Glory!
*The scripture verse on the side of the columbarium is…
“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. 2 There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.”
John 14:1-4 NLT
