After Spending Over A Year Reading...

12 books are a lot to read. Whether it's 12 separate books or a 12 book series, that's a lot of words on paper to digest. However, as of 3:30pm this afternoon, I've just completed the initial 12 book series "Left Behind" by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins.

For those of you unfamiliar with the series, it begins with the lead character, Rayford Steele, flying home on a trans-atlantic flight. He's the pilot and as he focuses on getting home to his wife & kids (as well as contemplates beginning an affair with one of the stewardesses) when suddenly, several people on the plane just disappear!

What has happened is what many believers feel will happen much sooner than later...

The Rapture of the Church.

What this is is when in the twinkling of an eye, all earth-bound believers are whisked away to Heaven immediately, leaving only unbelievers here on earth. What begins next is a 7 year period called "the Tribulation" in which mass chaos overwhelms the entire planet and the one called the Anti-Christ begins to establish his one world society.

The Left Behind series picks up at the beginning of the Tribulation with the Rapture occuring and then goes through the next 7 years, chronicling the adventures, the life and death of those who come to know Christ during the darkest time in all of mankind.

The last book, "Glorious Appearing", is the culmination of the final battle on earth as Jesus Christ Himself appears, visible to every person and begins his righteous judgment on the Anti-Christ, the False Prophet and the millions of people who not only took the "Mark of the Beast" but are also literally fighting against Christ.

The book ends with a joyous reunion as Jesus begins to judge the righteous, giving them their rewards and reuniting loved ones. Those who died before the Trib, who died during the Trib and those who were raptured away before the Trib began. It's a truly wonderful thing to picture in your mind.

What got me about this book is how the authors described how Jesus talked individually to each of His followers, giving them words of wisdom, comfort and encouragement. As the song so eloquently says, "I can only imagine" what it'll be like to actually have Jesus Christ talk directly to me and I with Him.

There's just something so powerful about that thought and that image, it's humbling and overwhelming even to consider.

I really liked how the storyline and the judgments / events at the end of the book all followed Scripture. Sure, there had to be some interpretation in how things may turn out but as far as the 7 years and the 7 bowls and 7 vials and all that accompanies them, I felt they did a great job describing how they could unfold.

Although it'll take you several months or even a year or 2 to get through, if you're a slow reader like me, I think it's a good series to read. To me, it really gave me a more virtual interpretation of how life can be during that seven year period.

Truth is, even though this series is considered "fiction", it's ALL based on the truth and scripture found in God's Holy Word.

Jesus IS coming again...and I DO believe it will be soon. What an incredible day that will be, to finally be reunited with our Lord! To see His face, His hands & feet, feel His love, His joy and His peace, knowing that we shall go on to live with our Savior eternally!

As the words say in Revelation:

"Worthy is the Lamb!"