Not long ago, I was part of a conversation that was taking place between two friends in regards to End Times. One friend attended a Bible College and the other did not. The one who had not, had for various reasons never truly received understanding of the scriptures and their importance to our daily lives as the living Word of God and she asked “Why is it so important to be ready? Doesn’t everyone go to heaven?”
When you are expecting company for a special occasion, do you not do all that you can to prepare yourself and your surroundings to receive that company? It is now November and the holiday season is approaching and with it will bring family gatherings to celebrate these holidays. The host or hostess will clean their home, decorate, dress, prepare food and drinks to serve to their guests and then wait in anticipation for them to arrive. Nobody who is expecting guests waits until the last moment to make preparations or makes no preparations at all.
Matthew 24:44 This is why you must be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
Aside from the Scriptures, which is the Word of God to Her people and instruction manual on living our lives, Father Yahweh has also provided us all with signs by which to recognize that the time is coming in which the Son of Man will return. And with anticipation, we wait for him to arrive. These signs, coupled with the Scriptures, are provided to us so that we may be ready when he does arrive and we are raptured from this earth to safety and away from the death and destruction that will befall the earth and its inhabitants.
No One Knows the Day or Hour
Matthew 24:36-44 “Now concerning that day and hour no one knows – neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son – except the Father only. As the days of Noah were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. For in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah boarded the ark. They didn’t know until the flood came and swept them all away. So this is the way the coming of the Son of Man will be: Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and one left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and one left. Therefore be alter, since you don’t know what day your Lord is coming. But know this: If the homeowner had known what time the thief was coming, he would have stayed alert and not let his house be broken into. This is why you also must be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
There have been many times in which judgment has come to the inhabitants of earth including in this very day and age. Christ uses the example of one of those times in the scripture above. This is to indicate that judgment will come once again to ALL the inhabitants of earth as it did in Noah’s time. But it is also a warning and a chance to prepare yourself for his coming – so that you will have the opportunity at eternal life and escape the wrath of judgment that will come once again to all the inhabitants of the earth at Armageddon.
To answer my friend’s question, no, not everyone goes to heaven. Only those who are deemed as being worthy based on the condition of their heart and acceptance of Christ as their Lord and Savior. In the past, and right up until the time of the rapture (and second rapture if it occurs), those who passed over were given an opportunity after life to accept the truth, Christ as their savior and Father Yahweh’s sovereign laws. Some do… others do not. Those who do accept are permitted to cross over and those who do not are not.
Armageddon will be a cleansing of all that is evil from this world and all of creation. Therefore, the times in which a second opportunity was given to accept truth will no longer exist and we must all be ready when the Son of Man returns with humble hearts and an acceptance of him as our Lord and savior.
The choice is each of ours to make under the gift of free will. Some may feel that it is unfair that not all are permitted into heaven and that there are conditions that must be met in order to obtain the opportunity of eternal life and admittance into Christ’s Kingdom; but is it? This is, after all, Father’s creation.
If you understand that and accept it whole-heartedly, then you will also understand the importance of being ready and of doing all that you can to prepare yourself for the Son of Man’s return. For each of us are responsible for working out our own salvation. Our loving savior Christ Jesus went away to prepare a place for us. The path has been prepared and laid before us. And now it is up to each of us to prepare ourselves and be ready for his return.
Matthew 22:4 Again, he sent out other slaves, and said, “Tell those who are invited: Look, I’ve prepared my dinner; my oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.”