It is close to Easter now, just a week and a half away.  We will be celebrating the fact that over two thousand years ago, our Lord was crucified.  He died, and was buried and on the third day rose from the dead.  All this for the "Iniquity of us all."  

This message is an end-time vision, speaking of the Lord's return for the church.  I was given this message in 2003, yet I have only shared this vision a few times.  

He is Risen

I saw a man dressed in a white full length robe standing in front of me.  He was holding a sign about 30" wide and 8" high.  On the sign was written the words "He is Risen."  The man held the sign at the top edge with his finger tips.  He slowly lowered himself and the sign to the ground.  The sign stood upright by itself.  He then moved his hands apart, and the sign divided in the center of the word "Risen."  

He then stood up and someone handed him a white paper bag that was closed at the top edge, having been folded down twice.  Even though I could not see into the bag, I knew that there was a clipboard with a list of the names of people.  Then the man took the paper bag by the two corners and lowered his body.  He carefully placed the bag in the opening between the two halves of the sign.  It is was a perfect fit. 

Given in Marriage

This vision happened just after the one above.  I saw a small plastic white traditional church with a steeple.  It was about 6"L x 4"W x 7"H.  Next to the church were two small 3.5"H wooden dolls dressed as a bride with flowers and a groom with a top hat.  They were moving forward, very slowly by themselves.  Side by side, they moved in the direction away from the church. 

These two visions are meant to be interpreted together, for they are seen in contrast to one another.

The first vision, describes an end-time event, the rapture.  The Lord was raised from the dead, just as the sign declared, "He is Risen."  And, the parting of the sign, signifies the opening of a way for us to be raised with him to everlasting life.  "...because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself."  2 Corinthians 4:14 

When the paper bag was placed in between the letters of the word "Risen," it meant that God had gone ahead to prepare a place for his people.  "My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."  John 14:2-3

In the vision, I knew that the list of names was made up of people who had already died, and were going to be raised up at the time of the rapture, along with those who were still alive.  "For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.  And so we will be with the Lord forever." 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

The first vision concerns the church, those who have lived their lives to please God.  The second vision by contrast, concerns those outside the church, those who do not concern themselves about living for the Lord.  In the second vision, the Bride and Groom, are people who go about their lives with no regard for God's holy standards.  There is no fear of God.  They do not see marriage as a covenant between themselves and God.  Many outside the church prefer to live together, rather than marrying at all.  The Lord declares that intimate union outside of marriage is fornication, but marriage on the other hand is God's design.  It is considered holy. 

Marriage is also the relationship Jesus has with the church.  He referred to himself as the bridegroom and the body of believers, the church, as his bride.  

This second vision also refers to the end-times. "Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man.  People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all."  Luke 17:26-27

"It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed.  On that day no one who is on the housetop, with possessions inside, should go down to get them.  Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. Remember Lot's wife!  Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it. I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left.  Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left."  Luke 17:30-36

Jesus speaks of the age to come.  "Jesus replied, 'the people of this age marry and are given in marriage.  But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels.  They are God's children, since they are children of the resurrection.'" Luke 20:34-36

When God gives me a vision of the end-times, he is telling me to live a sober, God-fearing life.  For none of us know the day or hour in which he will return.  It is possible that he could come back in our life-time.  

I would like to share a truly wonderful way in which God confirmed this message to me.  The day after I received these two visions, I shared them with my closest friend.  She was amazed because it coincided with what she experienced the night before.  She told me that her five-year old son, Daniel, came to sit next to her in bed.  He told her, "The people who have already died are going to come alive again."  She couldn't remember all that he said, but she thought that perhaps he heard them discussing this at church.  She asked him how he knew this, and he tapped his finger on his temple and said, "God told me."

So God speaks to anyone who will listen, even a 5 year old! 

"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour."  Matthew 25:13