How to Escape the Terminal Generation

 

By Dr. Bill Salus – Article taken from the book entitled,  The LAST PROPHECIES

Living inside of the seven-year tribulation timespan will be “THE TERMINAL GENERATION.” According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary the word terminal is defined as; “extremely or hopelessly severe, occurring at or constituting the end of a period.” For this generation conditions existing on the earth will indeed be extremely and hopelessly severe.   Hopeless is the appurtenant word because during this concluding period mankind will have no ability to redirect the course of its history. Predetermined proceedings that culminate in the end of this present earth will happen exactly as prophesied. Although hope in eternal salvation through Jesus Christ will still exist, there will be no hope that the world will survive the coming judgments, get a temporary extension date, or receive a stay of execution.   The good news between now and the dreaded end is that the Bible informs us that many people will be saved by receiving Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. However, unprecedented Christian persecution and martyrdom awaits those who receive Christ during the Tribulation-period (Trib-period).

The Biblical Basis for the Existence of THE TERMINAL GENERATION

Prophesying about this terminal time-period, Jesus said,   “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened.” (Matthew 24:21-22)   The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) translates these same verses to say,   “For at that time there will be great tribulation, the kind that hasn't taken place from the beginning of the world until now and never will again! Unless those days were limited, no one would survive. But those days will be limited because of the elect.”   Christ's reference to “Great Tribulation” pertains to what happens within the last three and one-half years of the Trib-period. In this verse Jesus foretells that global events will get so chaotic and catastrophic in the end that, given ample time, all human and animal flesh would be terminated. As such, those days will be limited to the final three and one-half years of Great Tribulation.

How to Escape the Terminal Generation

It's important to acknowledge that at present, there is a way to escape the Terminal Generation. The wrath of God gets poured out in the Trib-period, but believers are not going to experience this wrath and are removed from the earth prior via the Rapture. Church Age believers: Are not appointed to the wrath of God poured out in the Trib-period. (1 Thess. 5:9-10), Are saved from the wrath of God during the Trib-period. (Romans 5:9), Will be delivered from the wrath of God by Jesus in the Rapture. (1 Thess. 1:10), Are kept from that, “hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.” (Rev. 3:10), Have a way of escaping the terrible things that will happen in the Trib-period. (Luke 21:36), Are to comfort one another with all these facts above. (1 Thess. 4:18). These verses below explain how we are saved, delivered and kept from wrath and why we are comforted to know this.   We become citizens of heaven and get new heavenly homes.   “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me (Jesus Christ). In My (Heavenly) Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you; (if you are a believer insert your name here). And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.” Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”” (John 14:1-6; emphasis added)   Jesus uses the pronoun your or you nine times in these verses in reference to His believers. This is a very personal promise to you from HIM; if you are a believer! These verses above explain why we are comforted and the verses below explain how we are saved, delivered and kept from the wrath of God during the Trib-period.

We leave the earth and will always be with the Lord throughout eternity

“For this we say to you by the word of the Lord (Jesus Christ), that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep (those who die as true Christian believers before the Rapture). For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” (1 Thess. 4:15-18; emphasis added)

We receive new immortal bodies

“Behold, I tell you a mystery: We (true Christian believers) shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed (receive new immortal bodies)— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” (1 Corinthians 15:50-53; emphasis added)

We have a way of escape and are enabled to stand before Jesus Christ

“Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:36)   Observe the following from this verse: Believers are to be watchful for the coming of the Lord in the Rapture because we don't know the precise time that He will come for us, We are to be in constant prayer, We must be counted worthy to escape. Worthiness results from becoming a true believer in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. We don't earn this worthiness, because Christ paid the full pardon price for our sins on the Cross. Ephesians 2:8-9 clarifies this by saying, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” We escape, rather than endure, all the bad things that occur in the Trib-period, We get to stand before Jesus Christ. If you are reading this article and the Rapture has not yet happened, then you can receive Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. In so doing, you not only eliminate any possibility of being part of the TERMINAL GENERATION, but you receive abundant life now, as per John 10:10, and eternal life in the hereafter according to John 10:28.   If you are ready to make that decision now, or at any time throughout the reading of this article you want to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, then read this article entitled, “The Sinner's Salvation Prayer.”