Encouragment: A Soccer Analogy From God on the Rapture
Apr 21, 2018 18:17:52 GMT -6
barb84, sawdy, and 2 more like this
Post by watchman35 on Apr 21, 2018 18:17:52 GMT -6
Hey brothers and sisters in Christ!! I have not posted here in quite awhile, but felt led to do so on this topic as an encouragement to the Body of Christ. Even if you are not a big sports fan, or soccer fan in particular, stick with me on this and I believe you will find encouragement. (Full disclosure: I am fully convinced of a pre-Daniel's 70th week rapture, and this post is tied to that belief. No interest in arguing or debating. As I have heard JD Farag say on more than one occasion, I will agree to disagree agreeably. If you hold to a different view, you are welcome to read on, but no offense will be taken if you choose not to.)
I do not follow the sport of soccer very closely and, as such, am not particularly knowledgeable about the rules. That said, I believe the Lord showed me something using a soccer analogy today to help me understand where we are on the prophetic clock related to the rapture.
First, a brief definition of my understanding of what is called stoppage time (also known as extra time) in the game of soccer. There are lengthy articles that have been written to explain the nuances of this, but I am going to attempt to keep it simple and summarize at the highest level in laymen’s terms. At the end of a soccer match (two 45-minute halves), the referee allows the game to continue for an unspecified number of minutes that are theoretically equal to the total amount of time that has been “lost” during that final half due to various forms of the stoppage of play. This includes, but is not limited to, things like substitutions, injuries, etc. However much time is lost due to stoppages is added back in “extra time” once the 90 minutes of regulation time have expired.
To me, one of the most fascinating aspects about this part of the game is that apparently no one but the referee keeping track of this extra time knows exactly how much time is really left. As regulation time ends and the game moves into extra time, the referee is the only person who knows for sure exactly when he is going to blow the whistle to indicate the official end of the game. In fact, during the extra time, the referee may even add some more minutes than he had originally allocated if additional stoppages in play warrant it in their opinion. Players, coaches and fans just don't know for sure when time will end.
So here’s the scene. Everyone knows regulation time is over. Everyone knows that there cannot possibly be very much time left. Yet, no one knows the precise moment when the referee will blow the whistle to indicate that time is up and the game is officially over. It is within this context and understanding that I felt like the Lord impressed upon my mind the idea that we are now prophetically moving into extra time.
With Israel having already celebrated its 70th anniversary based on the Hebrew calendar last week and about to do so again in less than a month based on the Gregorian calendar on May 14th, I felt like the Lord was impressing upon me that regulation time has now ended and we have moved into extra time, where only the Great Referee of heaven knows precisely how many minutes of extra time He has chosen to allow before He blows the last Trumpet to signify the end of the game for the Church age. In the meantime, we as followers of Christ are players on the field who are charged with continuing to play hard for our team, Christ Jesus United, until the final Trumpet blows. We don’t know for sure when that will be, but we are justifiably convinced it is soon and could literally be any moment. I found this to be an awesome picture from the Lord of where we are prophetically in relationship to the harpazo.
In one sense, there is nothing new or uniquely revelatory about this analogous picture from the rules of time in soccer, as many of us have had this sense for some time now. Yet, at the same time, at least for me and I hope for you as well, I found it greatly encouraging to realize we are moving into extra time, with the final Trump that signals the end of the Church age about to be blown from heaven. Play hard, brothers and sisters, through to the final “whistle”, knowing with undaunted confidence that the victory has already been secured by the blood of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the Living Son of God. Oh how I long to see Him face-to-face in a body from which every vestige of sickness, corruption, and inclination to sin has been fully and eternally removed!! Maranatha!!!
I do not follow the sport of soccer very closely and, as such, am not particularly knowledgeable about the rules. That said, I believe the Lord showed me something using a soccer analogy today to help me understand where we are on the prophetic clock related to the rapture.
First, a brief definition of my understanding of what is called stoppage time (also known as extra time) in the game of soccer. There are lengthy articles that have been written to explain the nuances of this, but I am going to attempt to keep it simple and summarize at the highest level in laymen’s terms. At the end of a soccer match (two 45-minute halves), the referee allows the game to continue for an unspecified number of minutes that are theoretically equal to the total amount of time that has been “lost” during that final half due to various forms of the stoppage of play. This includes, but is not limited to, things like substitutions, injuries, etc. However much time is lost due to stoppages is added back in “extra time” once the 90 minutes of regulation time have expired.
To me, one of the most fascinating aspects about this part of the game is that apparently no one but the referee keeping track of this extra time knows exactly how much time is really left. As regulation time ends and the game moves into extra time, the referee is the only person who knows for sure exactly when he is going to blow the whistle to indicate the official end of the game. In fact, during the extra time, the referee may even add some more minutes than he had originally allocated if additional stoppages in play warrant it in their opinion. Players, coaches and fans just don't know for sure when time will end.
So here’s the scene. Everyone knows regulation time is over. Everyone knows that there cannot possibly be very much time left. Yet, no one knows the precise moment when the referee will blow the whistle to indicate that time is up and the game is officially over. It is within this context and understanding that I felt like the Lord impressed upon my mind the idea that we are now prophetically moving into extra time.
With Israel having already celebrated its 70th anniversary based on the Hebrew calendar last week and about to do so again in less than a month based on the Gregorian calendar on May 14th, I felt like the Lord was impressing upon me that regulation time has now ended and we have moved into extra time, where only the Great Referee of heaven knows precisely how many minutes of extra time He has chosen to allow before He blows the last Trumpet to signify the end of the game for the Church age. In the meantime, we as followers of Christ are players on the field who are charged with continuing to play hard for our team, Christ Jesus United, until the final Trumpet blows. We don’t know for sure when that will be, but we are justifiably convinced it is soon and could literally be any moment. I found this to be an awesome picture from the Lord of where we are prophetically in relationship to the harpazo.
In one sense, there is nothing new or uniquely revelatory about this analogous picture from the rules of time in soccer, as many of us have had this sense for some time now. Yet, at the same time, at least for me and I hope for you as well, I found it greatly encouraging to realize we are moving into extra time, with the final Trump that signals the end of the Church age about to be blown from heaven. Play hard, brothers and sisters, through to the final “whistle”, knowing with undaunted confidence that the victory has already been secured by the blood of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the Living Son of God. Oh how I long to see Him face-to-face in a body from which every vestige of sickness, corruption, and inclination to sin has been fully and eternally removed!! Maranatha!!!
