The ransomed of the lord shall return

Heaven, the Kingdom of God, is waiting for the saints’ return, which will be made possible by the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in rapture or death of the saints. The ransomed of the Lord, whom the Kingdom of God is waiting for, are the people who, as a result of the shedding of the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ through His sacrificial death on the Cross of Calvary are redeemed from the bondage of the devil they were yoked into through our first parents, Adam and Eve. Our Lord Jesus Christ paid with His blood to redeem the people of the world from the devil’s captivity. This deliverance from sin and freedom from the devil is open to the entire mankind, but limited to only the people that have accepted the death on the Cross of Calvary, as death on their behalf and by that are saved from their sins. Based on these, they have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. It is only these people that have accepted Jesus Christ and are living their lives here on earth, according to the legacy Christ has laid down for the redeemed people to follow, will be raptured when the trumpet shall sound.

There is every expectation that preparation for the Second Advent of our Lord Jesus Christ should be in top gear now, because in no distant time, the trumpet shall sound; and only the redeemed of the Lord will be raptured. The Bible backs this fact in Isaiah 35:8-10 saying, “And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. 9 No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: 10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” As the trumpet sounds, only people that are saved by the precious blood of Jesus Christ will be taken, and they will be made to return to Zion with joy of salvation. This everlasting joy is limited to only the redeemed of the Lord, as the Bible says that sinners must not be there in Heaven. For the ransomed of the Lord, the people bought with the blood of the lamb, there will be everlasting joy, as sorrow will fly away. Every believer should know that we are on transit in this planet earth, where we are trained to attain perfection in the course of rendering unconditional service to our Creator. We are strangers in this world.

In 1st Corinthians 15:51-52, the Bible makes a case on the way it will take place saying, “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” The rapture will be a sudden and surprising event to even the believers, as it is going to be sudden and swift. Both the dead and the living will be partakers of the rapture of the saints. The transformation of the saints for the rapture should be the focus of every living saint.

The dead in Christ, however, will rise first, as the Bible says in 1st Thessalonians 4:13-18, “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words”. The dead in Christ will rise first; then the living follow suit and all shall meet with our Lord Jesus in the air to part no more.

The church, the believers have a duty of creating awareness, witnessing to the unsaved souls. The preparation of the saints for the rapture is the current programme of the church. The redeemed should go all out to alert the people of the rapture, the danger of neglecting the Word of God, and the hell fire that is prepared for the wicked. We must not relent in our effort in ensuring that all individuals living on this planet earth receive Christ. It is God’s Will that all should come to the knowledge of God, for the salvation of soul. 1Tim2v3-4 “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour who will have all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.” 2Tim4v2 says “Preach the word, be instant, in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.” Therefore, preaching the gospel in season and out of season becomes imperative. While preaching the gospel to other people, we are preparing to meet our Creator.

In the Bible book of Amos 4:12, it is written, “Therefore, thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.” In your preparation to meet with your God, ensure you are born again, accept Jesus Christ, as your Lord and Saviour. You should be preaching the gospel at any given opportunity to ensure you win souls for God’s Kingdom in actualisation of the Lord’s Chosen’s three-fold vision and 10 billion-soul mandate. As you continue to live in accordance with God’s Will, you will make heaven at last in Jesus name.