Before the Wrath: Are You Ready?

Is Jesus coming back? If so, when is He coming?

Those two questions are at the heart of the film, Before the Wrath, which can be seen on Inspiration TV.

Obviously, the answer to the first question is yes, but the answer to the second has been met with a lot of conjecture and controversy. The answer, however, is that no one knows for sure. Only God the Father knows when that day and hour will be upon us.

Unfortunately, many people, even some Christians, today don’t believe that Jesus will return. And even among those who do believe that He will return, there is no consensus on whether the rapture will happen prior to, during, or after a seven-year period of tribulation or something completely different.

According to a study by LifeWay Research, 25 percent of Christians don’t believe in a literal rapture, while 36 percent believe it will occur pre-tribulation. Four percent believe it will take place mid-tribulation compared to 18 percent post-tribulation. Among Christians, another 4 percent are unsure, while 13 percent prescribe to other views, timing, or variations.

There are signs of Jesus’ return throughout the Bible; however, according to the experts interviewed in the film, there is a recent anthropological discovery that proves Jesus will return. There is one problem though. Before Jesus does return to take the believers with Him, there will be a great falling away from faith and only a few who truly believe will remain.

The Second Coming and the Ancient Galilean Wedding

Jesus was Galilean, as were all 12 of His disciples; therefore, most of His teachings used words, symbols, analogies, and parables that Galileans would easily understand. Because of this, it is often easier to interpret the meaning of what He said by looking at it through the eyes of a Galilean.

As described in Before the Wrath, researchers and experts in biblical studies were able to connect the rituals of ancient Galilean weddings with what Jesus told His disciples about the rapture.

In 1^st Century A.D. Galilee, betrothals between a young man and his future bride often took place near the gates because that’s where the elders usually were. An agreement stating that the couple would soon be wed was ratified and read aloud followed by an exchange of gifts, including a dowry.

After this, the bridegroom would fill a ceremonial “Cup of Joy” with wine and offer it to his bride. In the Galilean custom, the bride has the right and power to either accept or reject the cup. If she rejects the cup, the betrothal cannot be completed. If she accepts the cup and drinks from it, it is a sign of her acceptance of the betrothal. The bridegroom then takes a sip from the cup, solidifying their covenant.

After drinking the wine, the groom states, “You are now consecrated to me by the laws of Moses and I will not drink of this cup again until I drink it anew with you in My Father’s House.” If this sounds familiar, it’s because it is remarkably similar to what Jesus told His disciples during the Last Supper when He poured wine into a chalice for them to drink from:

“But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” (Matthew 26:29)

After the betrothal, the bride and bridegroom live apart for a year while the groom prepares the wedding feast, builds a room onto his father’s house, builds new furniture for their new place, and purchases items for the feast and their home. While the groom is preparing the feast and their abode, his bride is busy making her wedding gown.

This period of preparation during the ancient Galilean wedding tradition aligns with another statement Jesus (the bridegroom) told his disciples (His bride) during the Last Supper: “I go to prepare a place for you. 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.” (John 14.2-3)

Both Jesus and the bridegroom are preparing a new home for His bride; however, they both must wait until the Father says it’s time. Of course, Jesus’ bride isn’t just the 12 disciples present at the Last Supper, but all believers.

Since only the Father knows the day or hour when He will tell Jesus or the bridegroom that He can go retrieve His bride, the bridegroom and bride must be prepared at all times. As the bride of Christ (like the bride in a Galilean wedding), we shouldn’t concern ourselves with the date of when our Bridegroom comes for us, but instead, we should focus on the preparation for His arrival and make sure we are ready to go with Him.

From that moment on, we will always be with the Lord just like the bride and groom will be together forever.

Are you ready?

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To learn more about Before the Wrath and its upcoming airtimes on Inspiration TV click here