Corrie Ten Boom and the Rapture of the Church

One of my most wonderful experiences was visiting the home of Corrie Ten Boom in the Netherlands where her family hid Jewish people which eventually resulted in her and her family being arrested by the Nazis. Her story is called "The Hiding Place" and can be found in both book and movie form.

Even though Corrie went to be with Lord 25 years ago, her life is still an inspiration to many and below are her thoughts on persecution and the rapture of the church.

1892-1983

Corrie Ten Boom on the Rapture of the Church

(This is from a letter Corrie wrote in 1974)

"The world is deathly ill. It is dying. The Great Physician has already signed the death certificate. Yet there is still a great work for Christians to do. They are to be streams of living water, channels of mercy to those who are still in the world. It is possible for them to do this because they are overcomers.

Christians are ambassadors for Christ. They are representatives from Heaven to this dying world. And because of our presence here, things will change.

My sister, Betsy, and I were in the Nazi concentration camp at Ravensbruck because we committed the crime of loving Jews. Seven hundred of us from Holland, France, Russia, Poland and Belgium were herded into a room built for two hundred. As far as I knew, Betsy and I were the only two representatives of Heaven in that room.

We may have been the Lord's only representatives in that place of hatred, yet because of our presence there, things changed. Jesus said, "In the world you shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." We too, are to be overcomers - bringing the light of Jesus into a world filled with darkness and hate.

Sometimes I get frightened as I read the Bible, and as I look in this world and see all of the tribulation and persecution promised by the Bible coming true. Now I can tell you, though, if you too are afraid, that I have just read the last pages. I can now come to shouting "Hallelujah! Hallelujah!" for I have found where it is written that Jesus said, "He that overcometh shall inherit all things: and I will be His God, and he shall be My son."

This is the future and hope of this world. Not that the world will survive - but that we shall be overcomers in the midst of a dying world.

Betsy and I, in the concentration camp, prayed that God would heal Betsy who was so weak and sick.

"Yes, the Lord will heal me," Betsy said with confidence.

She died the next day and I could not understand it. They laid her thin body on the concrete floor along with all the other corpses of the women who died that day.

It was hard for me to understand, to believe that God had a purpose for all that. Yet because of Betsy's death, today I am traveling all over the world telling people about Jesus.

There are some among us teaching there will be no tribulation, that the Christians will be able to escape all this. These are the false teachers that Jesus was warning us to expect in the latter days. Most of them have little knowledge of what is already going on across the world. I have been in countries where the saints are already suffering terrible persecution.

In China, the Christians were told, "Don't worry, before the tribulation comes you will be translated - raptured." Then came a terrible persecution. Millions of Christians were tortured to death. Later I heard a Bishop from China say, sadly, "We have failed. We should have made the people strong for persecution, rather than telling them Jesus would come first. Tell the people how to be strong in times of persecution, how to stand when the tribulation comes, - to stand and not faint."

I feel I have a divine mandate to go and tell the people of this world that it is possible to be strong in the Lord Jesus Christ. We are in training for the tribulation, but more than sixty percent of the Body of Christ across the world has already entered into the tribulation. There is no way to escape it. We are next.

Since I have already gone through prison for Jesus' sake, and since I met the Bishop in China, now every time I read a good Bible text I think, "Hey, I can use that in the time of tribulation." Then I write it down and learn it by heart.

When I was in the concentration camp, a camp where only twenty percent of the women came out alive, we tried to cheer each other up by saying, "Nothing could be any worse than today." But we would find the next day was even worse. During this time a Bible verse that I had committed to memory gave me great hope and joy.
"If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you; on their part evil is spoken of, but on your part He is glorified." (I Peter 3:14)
I found myself saying, "Hallelujah!

Because I am suffering, Jesus is glorified!"

In America, the churches sing, "Let the congregation escape tribulation", but in China and Africa the tribulation has already arrived. This last year alone more than two hundred thousand Christians were martyred in Africa. Now things like that never get into the newspapers because they cause bad political relations. But I know. I have been there. We need to think about that when we sit down in our nice houses with our nice clothes to eat our steak dinners. Many, many members of the Body of Christ are being tortured to death at this very moment, yet we continue right on as though we are all going to escape the tribulation.

Several years ago I was in Africa in a nation where a new government had come into power. The first night I was there some of the Christians were commanded to come to the police station to register. When they arrived they were arrested and that same night they were executed. The next day the same thing happened with other Christians. The third day it was the same. All the Christians in the district were being systematically murdered.

The fourth day I was to speak in a little church. The people came, but they were filled with fear and tension. All during the service they were looking at each other, their eyes asking, "Will this one I am sitting beside be the next one killed? Will I be the next one?"

The room was hot and stuffy with insects that came through the screenless windows and swirled around the naked bulbs over the bare wooden benches. I told them a story out of my childhood.

"When I was a little girl, " I said, "I went to my father and said,

"Daddy, I am afraid that I will never be strong enough to be a martyr for Jesus Christ."

"Tell me," said Father,

"When you take a train trip to Amsterdam, when do I give you the money for the ticket?

Three weeks before?"

"No, Daddy, you give me the money for the ticket just before we get on the train."

"That is right," my father said, "and so it is with God's strength. Our Father in Heaven knows when you will need the strength to be a martyr for Jesus Christ. He will supply all you need - just in time..."

My African friends were nodding and smiling. Suddenly a spirit of joy descended upon that church and the people began singing, "In the sweet, by and by, we shall meet on that beautiful shore." Later that week, half the congregation of that church was executed. I heard later that the other half was killed some months ago.

But I must tell you something. I was so happy that the Lord used me to encourage these people, for unlike many of their leaders, I had the word of God. I had been to the Bible and discovered that Jesus said He had not only overcome the world, but to all those who remained faithful to the end, He would give a crown of life.

How can we get ready for the persecution?

First we need to feed on the Word of God, digest it, make it a part of our being. This will mean disciplined Bible study each day as we not only memorize long passages of scripture, but put the principles to work in our lives.

Next we need to develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Not just the Jesus of yesterday, the Jesus of History, but the life-changing Jesus of today who is still alive and sitting at the right hand of God.

We must be filled with the Holy Spirit. This is no optional command of the Bible, it is absolutely necessary. Those earthly disciples could never have stood up under the persecution of the Jews and Romans had they not waited for Pentecost. Each of us needs our own personal Pentecost, the baptism of the Holy Spirit. We will never be able to stand in the tribulation without it.

In the coming persecution we must be ready to help each other and encourage each other.

But we must not wait until the tribulation comes before starting.
The fruit of the Spirit should be the dominant force of every Christian's life.

Many are fearful of the coming tribulation, they want to run. I, too, am a little bit afraid when I think that after all my eighty years, including the horrible Nazi concentration camp, that I might have to go through the tribulation also.

But then I read the Bible and I am glad.

When I am weak, then I shall be strong, the Bible says. Betsy and I were prisoners for the Lord, we were so weak, but we got power because the Holy Spirit was on us. That mighty inner strengthening of the Holy Spirit helped us through. No, you will not be strong in yourself when the tribulation comes. Rather, you will be strong in the power of Him who will not forsake you. For seventy-six years I have known the Lord Jesus and not once has He ever left me, or let me down.

"Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him", (Job 13:15) for I know that to all who overcome, He shall give the crown of life.

Hallelujah!"

- Corrie Ten Boom - 1974

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Jesus said "pray that you be found worthy to escape ALL these things that shall come to pass." would He say pray for something that was not possible, giving false hope to those who should go through tribulation? Preparing for trials and persecution should be part of our lives and understood, but know that the return of the Lord to catch up the saints BEFORE the great tribulation will happen.

Anonymous said...

I also visited Corrie's house and was inspired. Each one must first hear the gospel and then the tour. Truly the presence of the Lord is in that place.

Anonymous said...

THE GREAT I AM ,IS,SHALL BE FOR EVER MORE.

Anonymous said...

When I think of all those who have suffered thru the ages for the Lord, I get strength when I read about Stephen in the account of him being stoned to death there is hope. It says that while he was being stoned he looked up to heaven and his face shown like and angle. This tells me that God poured out His Grace on Stephen to beable to endure the pain of the stoning and I believe He has done that for all the Saints who have been tortured for Christ, I believe he will be faithful to give me what ever I need to be able to endure to the end. He has been faithful to bring me thru so many hardships in my life so far and also have watched other Saints go thru things that for me would seem impossible. but they did it with grace and joy and you knew the Spirit of the Lord was on them. These are the things that encourage me, and it says in the Word of God that we endure these things so that we can encourage those who will also suffer. Praise God.

Cathy Palmer said...

Thank you for your comment. I totally agree! If you haven't already, read Foxes Book of Martyrs - powerful!! It can be read online here: http://www.sacred-texts.com/chr/martyrs/

AnneJoLuv said...

I also totally agree. Amen....

Matty Mattel said...

Cory also said that "no pit is so deep that God is not deeper still" praise God for his unending love,mercy and grace. Thank you Jesus for your precious blood that washes away all my sin.

Anonymous said...

Unfortunately,  a sad untruth is that most churches are indoctrinated with deception and unprepared to suffer for Jesus, they spread man made stories and give it to their flock. They tell them they will not go through the Great Tribulation. All Christians alive at the time, will go through the tribulation. Imagine the hatred these  people will have when they realize they didn't know the truth because they didn't read it themselves, they believed in philosophy from other human teachers/false doctrine  Jesus warned us: --Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ...one day soon,  these left on earth, such false teachers will turn against those who taught them otherwise. I wish all teachers/believers put away from them the ignorance about them, and the ignorance in not respecting the timing of the rapture. I wish we were all likeminded, of one mind,  and of one accord,  and held to the truth as we have been commanded to do, but this is not so. Please learn and accept the truth,  and prepare to suffer for Jesus. Awake to light! 1 Peter 4:1 KJV - Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; and 1 Timothy 1:8 - Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;  --Of course there is a future rapture, but not the way many in Church know in deed and truth;  no pre-tribulation rapture.  In closing, please allow me to share something forgotten --King James Bible After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; so, if the number in heaven no man can number, and we are taught because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life,...meditate on how multitudinous souls in the Lake of Fire will be?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrJmKDni6r8                                                                     http://www.drjudywood.com/wp/

Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. - Proverbs 3:25  Awaken to be faithful unto death brothers  and sisters. In Revelation we are commanded: Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. Revelation 2:10 In closing, 2 Timothy 2:25 (KJV)In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; --I hope that perchance /perhaps God will allow help you past the deception of what you currently believe and share with others. Understand and come out from such heresy. ~ brother Noel   10/18/18                          noelfrascatore55.blogspot.com 

Awaken to be faithful unto death brothers  and sisters. Revelation 2:10

Unknown said...

Apparently Corie ignored 1st Thessalonians 4:16-17(KJV) "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: 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." and 1st Thessalonians 5:1-2(KJV) "But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night." If our gathering together with the Lord was at the end of the Tribulation it could not come as a thief in the night and we would know exactly when it happens. I think in this area Corie Ten Boom is no different than the Pharisees and Judaizers who harassed both Jesus and his disciples and then the Apostles later on.