What
is special about 2017?
by Armin A. Wolff
So far this year 2017 has been an eventful year, but it promises to get more exciting yet. There are three signs that'll occur in the heavens this year.
Most cultures believed and many of them still believe that there is a connection between events in the heavens with the events on earth. Solar and lunar eclipses have long been associated with and taken to be omens of things to come. Most Christians nowadays don't pay much attention to heavenly signs, which God clearly appointed as one avenue of communication between himself and mankind.
Genesis 1:14 And God said, Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to divide between the day and the night. And let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years.
The heavenly signs have been corrupted by Satan, like so much else in this world has been corrupted from its original design by God. Many Christians therefore consider it sinful to give the slightest consideration that heavenly signs may indeed portend significant earthly events. There are many, especially Christians, that confuse astronomy with astrology. Astronomy is the valid science of studying the heavens, including their motions and arrangements. It has nothing to do with the dark art of astrology and fortune-telling.
¥ Solar and Lunar calendars
All nations today have standardized on a solar calendar for secular purposes. Israel and other nations also have a religious calendar. For Israel, that calendar is based on lunar cycles. Therefore, generally but not exclusively so, signs in the sun are applicable to the nations and signs in the moon and stars pertain to Israel. The second chronological sign will happen on August 21. It will be a total solar eclipse that touches no other land area besides the contiguous United States. Because it happens in the daytime, the stars will not be visible except briefly at the moment of totality only for those in this path. Both the sun and the moon will be in the constellation of Leo, representing the lion of Judah and intimately close to the brightest star of that constellation. The name of that star is Regulus, the King star. At the same time, the King planet Jupiter will be in the ÒwombÓ of the constellation Virgo.
At the moment of totality, anyone in its path will be able to see what is depicted above (minus the lines of course)
¥ A Nation divided
The path of totality divides the nation diagonally in half. Is God drawing a thick black line of judgment across this nation? Is it symbolic of the political division of this country not seen since the Civil War? Although the US has been and still is a super power and leading nation in the world today, it is largely absent in the biblical end time prophecies. Is God telling us that the global role of the US is going to come to an end because of this division? What happened to the concept of one nation under God? Jesus tells us that a house divided cannot stand.
¥ Birth or conception?
Jesus told Nicodemus about the necessity of being born again. This is a spiritual birth accomplished by the Holy Spirit for and in each believer in Jesus. The church is the spiritual body of Jesus and consists of all born again believers. Most Christians have been taught that the church was born on Pentecost, but that is not the case. The church was conceived on that day by the Holy Spirit, just like Jesus was supernaturally conceived in the womb of Mary. For all the centuries since then, the church has been growing and maturing toward that blessed hope, when the body of Christ will be joined to its Head. That is the day when the church is physically born into the kingdom of God. The day when that happens is described by the apostle Paul in 1Thessalonians.
¥ Immediate disappearance?
It is commonly assumed by most Bible believing Christians, that when redeemed believers are instantaneously transformed from mortality into immortality, receiving their transcendent bodies, that then they also will be immediately transported to where Jesus appears, up in the clouds. It did not happen that way with Jesus and there is reason to believe that it may not happen that way with the church either. Jesus was still here in his transfigured, resurrected body for 40 days and 40 nights before he physically departed from his disciples. In that 40 day interval, Jesus ministered to those that he loved. Therefore it makes sense that those who participate by God's grace in the first resurrection-transformation will also be given a short time interval by the Lord to minister to and encourage those who were not eagerly anticipating the return of Lord Jesus. These highly anguished people did not participate in the first resurrection. Their mortal bodies held them on the surface of the earth. Just like the resurrection of Jesus and the ascension were separate events in time, so also it is likely there will be an unknown but relatively short interval of time between the transformation or resurrection of the church and its ascension to be with Jesus. Such a time interval would make it more difficult for unbelieving scoffers to invent stories such as alien abductions or other fiction, to try to explain what happened to all those millions of Christians and innocent little children.
¥ Disciples looking for the physical kingdom of God
Jesus was specifically asked by his Jewish disciples when he is going to come again. They were hoping that Jesus was going to return physically to oust the Romans and set up his kingdom. They did not know anything about the church, because the church did not exist at that time. As time bound creatures we have jumped to the conclusion that the return of Jesus is a single event. In reality, it is actually a whole series of events taking place over a span of time. The first event is the resurrection-transformation of those who have been born again by the Holy Spirit. The second event is when Jesus appears in the clouds to take those glorified believers, the bride of Christ, into heaven. During the following 1260 days Jesus will have a wedding party with them and then get ready together with all believers to close escrow on planet Earth. Meanwhile Satan will have his own hellish party with humans left down here on earth. Those that accept his rule by taking on the "Mark of the Beast" will have consigned themselves irrevocably to an eternity in hell. Those that refuse to join that system will be executed by beheading. The radical followers of Islam are carrying out a large number of beheadings today already. The third event is when Jesus comes back physically to the Mount of Olives to begin his rule with a rod of iron over the nations of earth. There is nothing in Scripture that says the first resurrection of those have died prior to this day and the transformation into immortality of those believers who happen to be still alive on that day, could not happen on a specific prophesied date. It is the exact date when Jesus actually appears in the clouds to escort his bride to the Fathers house that is only known to the Father.
¥ Christians are not in the dark
For Christians who are paying close attention to the word of God, Jesus will not come as a thief in the night. The prophet Daniel gave the exact day when the Messiah would make himself known as King. We still celebrate that day as Palm Sunday. Jesus was resurrected exactly one week later. The religious leaders of that time missed that entirely. Most religious leaders of today are no different. Those who are spiritually born into the kingdom of God by the Holy Spirit are children of light and not of the night, nor of darkness.
1Thessalonians 5:4-5 But you, brothers, are not in darkness, that the Day should overtake you like a thief. You are all the sons of light and the sons of the day.
Those Christians who are eagerly looking forward to the appearing of Jesus Christ, are given a definite sign before they will experience the transition from mortality to immortality. They are the only ones who will experience the instantaneous transformation from mortality into immortality.
¥ A Way of Escape
Jesus clearly told his followers that it is possible to escape the terrible time on earth he was telling them about. That is His promise for those who pray and thereby will be counted worthy to stand before Him.
Luke 21:36 Watch therefore, praying in every season that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things which shall occur, and to stand before the Son of Man.
Many who label themselves Christians who are too attached to the things of this world or have adopted its doctrines and philosophies will remain in their mortal bodies.
2Timothy 4:8 Now there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that Day; and not to me only, but also to all those who love His appearing.
After some indeterminate but short time, they who love His appearing will have the ability to follow the call of Jesus Christ when he appears in the clouds. By definition, those who are born again by the Holy Spirit are the ones who are longing for and love his appearing every day of their life.
Luke 12:45-46 But if that servant says in his heart, My lord delays his coming, and shall begin to beat the male servants and women servants, and to eat and drink and to be drunk, the lord of that servant will come in a day when he does not expect, and at an hour when he does not know. And he will cut him apart, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.
Those who may label themselves Christians and have the attitude that Jesus is not going to come back for a long time yet, are obviously not eagerly looking forward to meeting Jesus in the sky. They are quite comfortable right here in this world. They have projects and goals that are more important to them than the Lord himself. They will remain in their mortal bodies and not have the ability to travel through space to meet Jesus when the last trumpet sounds. They may hear the trumpet of God, but their mortal bodies will firmly pin them to the earth. Jesus said that the kingdom of God belongs to little children. Therefore millions of children and little babies will also have experienced this instantaneous transformation from mortality into immortality. They also will have the ability to follow the call of Jesus and join him in the sky. Many of their anguished parents will helplessly watch their beloved children rise into the heavens when Jesus calls them upward. Many spouses will watch while their mate flies up into the heavens. Those left behind in their mortal bodies now only have the terrible choice of refusing the mark of the beast and be murdered for their faith or accept that mark of the antichrist and be lost forever.
¥ Passover 2017 Sign
The first chronological sign already happened on Passover, April 10, 2017. The moon was in the belly of the constellation Virgo along with Jupiter. The moon is symbolic for the Father and Jupiter, the King planet represents the Son. This brings to mind the dream of Joseph in Genesis 37:9. The probability of such a precise alignment happening coincidentally on a Jewish feast day is very small.
¥ 1260 Days
In Old Testament times, at the beginning of creation, the number of days in one year was exactly 360 days and each month had 30 days. God still uses that time reckoning. The seven-year period called the tribulation, also known as the day of Jacobs trouble, is divided into two equal periods of time 3 1/2 years each. This time period is also given in Revelation as 42 months and 1260 days. It just so happens that 1260 days after Passover of this year falls exactly on the feast of trumpets on 21 September 2020. Is that a coincidence or does that have a significance?
¥ A Sign For The First Resurrection?
The third sign this year points to Israel and by extension Christians. It appears to me that prophecy made centuries ago will be fulfilled this year.
Revelation 12:1-2 And there appeared a great sign in the heavens, a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon was under her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head, and having a babe in womb, she cries, being in travail, having been distressed to bear.
As always, read the entire chapter, in order to get the context. That is the day when the heavenly bodies as mentioned there in scripture line up in the constellations Virgo and Leo. exactly as described in the above scripture. It happens on September 22-23 of this year. That day is on the Jewish feast of trumpets or more commonly known as Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year. The Feast of Trumpets begins in Jerusalem on the evening of September 22 of this year. It continues through Sunset on September 23.
¥ Cannot Be Seen From Surface Of Earth
Because of the atmosphere of Earth, this sign cannot be observed directly. God knew that the technology would exist at the time that this was to take place, so that people could know about it. Only astronauts or someone using a planetarium simulator software program is able to verify that this alignment of the stars and planets together with sun will actually happen on that day.
Revelation 12:5 And she bore a son, a male, who is going to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her child was caught up to God and to His throne.
That same Greek word translated "caught up" here, is used in 2Corinthians 12:4 and 1Thessalonians 4:17. My planetarium simulator program allows the display of the heavens as they appear from any place on earth and anytime in human history. It shows the planet Jupiter, the king planet, entering the "wombÓ of the constellation Virgo nine months before that date. Jupiter follows a retrograde path within the constellation during that time and then on the 23rd of September it emerges from the constellation like a child being born. This sign appears above Jerusalem just after sunset. In other parts of the world, there is too much daylight for the stars to be visible.
¥ Jewish Harvest Model
The harvest of the church follows the same pattern that God established in ancient Israel. They were to offer the first fruits of the harvest to God. After that came the main harvest and finally the poor people were allowed to glean what was left in the fields after the main harvest was over.
¥ Multiple Event First Resurrection
As time bound creatures, we often compress multiple events into one. The second coming of Jesus Christ is comprised of multiple distinct events in time. The first event of the first resurrection was that Jesus Christ received his new transcendent glorified body which is the first fruits. He died physically and then was raised physically. As part of that first-fruits event, we are informed:
Matthew 27:52 and the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep arose,
On that resurrection morning Jesus had not yet presented himself and those other saints that were resurrected as the first fruits of the first resurrection to the Father in heaven. Therefore he told Mary not to touch Him. He was here on earth after his resurrection for 40 days during which time he ministered to those he loved. After that he ascended physically into heaven.
John 20:17 Jesus said to her, Do not touch Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father. But go to My brothers and say to them, I ascend to My Father and Your Father, and to My God and your God.
The Church which is his body, will follow the same pattern Jesus Christ himself did.
¥ The Main Harvest
The second event of the first resurrection will come when the church believers receive their glorified bodies. It is that new physical body that makes the ones that love Jesus eligible to meet him physically in the sky. Some unspecified time later, the church will meet Jesus in the sky in the event called the rapture. It is this event that no one knows the day or hour when it will occur.
¥ The Gleaning
The third event of the first resurrection will happen to those believers who were left behind, when Jesus came for those who loved his appearing. Also in this group will be those that have come to believe in Jesus during the first half of the tribulation, also called The Time of JacobÕs trouble. They are executed during this time, before the second half of the tribulation.
Revelation 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the Word of God, and who had not worshiped the beast nor his image, nor had received his mark on their foreheads, nor in their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
They will be resurrected together with the two witnesses mentioned in Revelation 11:3-12, which is also when the period of time known as the "Great Tribulation" begins.
¥ The Jewish Feast of Trumpets
The Feast of Trumpets is one of seven feasts, literally "appointments" that the children of Israel had to have with God each year. These seven appointed times are symbolized by the Menorah.
There are three in the spring of the year. The first of these is Passover which was instituted when Israel came out of Egypt. Then there is the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Feast of First Fruits. In the middle is Pentecost which is also the day the Church was conceived in Jerusalem. There are also three feasts in the fall of the year. The first of these is the Feast of Trumpets. That feast was to take place when the new moon appeared. It was and still is the job of someone of the priesthood to determine the exact time when that happened. Because of weather and other visual uncertainties, the exact day or hour can not always be determined accurately. Therefore the exact day or hour when Jesus appears in the clouds was also unknown when Jesus made that statement. This is a two day celebration in Israel which this year starts on the 22 September sunset and concludes at sunset on 23 September. The remaining fall feasts are Yom Kippur and the Feast of Tabernacles or as it is sometimes called the Feast of Booths.
¥ The Hebrew 24 Hour Day
Unlike our Western convention, which begins the 24 hour day at midnight, God decreed in Genesis that the day should begin at sunset. This is still the basis of the Israeli religious calendar.
After sunset and before sunrise there is a period of twilight. As can be seen from the illustration, the evening twilight is labeled by the Hebrews ÒThe Twinkling of an EyeÓ. This is the relatively brief period of time when the stars begin "twinkling".
¥ The Last Trumpet
On the feast of trumpets, a variety of blasts on the rams horn are blown in ancient Jewish tradition rooted in biblical commands.
The Trumpet Blasts:
The Tekiah 🔈 – is a long, single blast. It was straight, plain, smooth, continuous note and it is to symbolize the expression of joy and contentment.
The Shevarim 🔈 – is three short blasts. A combination of three broken notes to symbolize weeping.
The Truah 🔈 – Extremely short blasts which are a combination of nine staccato notes in a very quick succession of short trill. This symbolizes trepidation, sorrow and sobbing.
The Tekiah Gedolah 🔈 – Means Òthe last trump.Ó This one symbolizes the hope of redemption. It is a very long, final note.
In these one hundred blasts, the first of three categories are combined back and forth until there is a total of 99 sounds. Then comes the 100th, the Tekiah Gedolah, a very long-sustained note – as long as the trumpeter had breath to hold it, and this is known as Òthe last trump.Ó It is scheduled to happen in Israel this year on September 23 at sundown in Jerusalem.
People who were spiritually born by the Holy Spirit are part of the church. After the last trumpet sounds, those same people will be physically born into the kingdom of God. Seven days after the Feast of Trumpets is Yom Kippur, the day of atonement. In Judaism it is only on that one day of the year was the high priest allowed to enter the holy of holies in the Jewish temple. Jesus appointed those who belong to him to be priests and kings.
Revelation 1:5-6 even from Jesus Christ the faithful Witness, the First-born from the dead and the Ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and made us kings and priests to God and His Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Not only are we priests and kings, but we are presently while still here on earth the temple of God.
1Corinthians 3:16 Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
The Heavenly signs of this year makes it likely that at the Feast of Trumpets, the redeemed ones, in their immortal, transformed, glorified bodies will be able and ready to meet Jesus whenever He comes unexpectedly to take away his church from the earth.
1Corinthians 15:51-53 Behold, I speak a mystery to you; we shall not all fall asleep, but we shall all be changed; in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For a trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall all be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
The apostle Paul tells us that the time interval of the transformation from mortality into immortality is instantaneous. The word that is translated "moment" is the Greek word ἄτομος (atomos) from which we get our word ÒatomÓ which means ÒindivisibleÓ. Modern scientists have learned that everything in our world is made of tiny indivisible units. This includes time, space, and matter-energy.
Genesis 5:24 And Enoch walked with God, and then he was not, for God took him.
Just like Enoch was taken away from the earth just before the judgment of the flood came, in the same way, Christians walking with Jesus and looking forward to his coming will be taken away by God before the wrath of God is poured on this planet.
¥ That Red Dragon
The dragon definitely represents Satan. All these scriptures are yet future. This passage could not be referring to the time when Mary conceived and then gave birth to Jesus.
Revelation 12:3-5 And another sign was seen in the heavens. And behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads! And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and cast them onto the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman being about to bear, so that when she bears he might devour her child. And she bore a son, a male, who is going to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her child was caught up to God and to His throne.
The child not only represents Jesus, but his body, which is the church. All these centuries, Satan has been wanting to destroy the church. Satan has also been after the Jewish people. Because of Jesus, Christians have been grafted into Israel. The apostle Paul explains this in detail in Romans 11. It is apparent that Satan is about to make a final attempt to destroy God's people, both Christians and Jews. This future event is foreshadowed in Daniel chapter 3. Here the three Hebrews in the fiery furnace represent Israel. They are preserved and protected through their ordeal. Daniel is conspicuous by his absence. He represents the church, which is absent. The event when the church is taken away from the earth has become known as the "rapture". That word comes from the Latin translation of the Greek word ἁρ¹άζω (harpazō) which is commonly translated "caught up".
¥ Sign of the Dragon
Where and how does this dragon sign manifest itself in the sky? Back in 1983 it was first publicly disclosed that there is an unseen distant, massive object comparable with a gravity of Jupiter in a highly elliptical orbit which is affecting the orbits of the outer planets of the solar system. In other literature this has been labeled Planet X, Nibiru, Eris among others. A Washington Post article is still available in their archives:
¥ Three Hours of Darkness
At the time that Jesus Christ was crucified, we read that there was darkness on the earth for three hours. This is a fact that is recorded not only in the Bible, but is found in other historical records. Ordinary solar eclipses caused by the moon obscuring the sun, only last for several minutes. Only a very large object much further away from Earth than the moon could cause such an eclipse. Such a large massive object would also have a big gravitational effect that could trigger massive earthquakes.
¥ A Massive Dark Planet Headed Our Way?
From July 16 through July 22, 1994, pieces of an object designated as Comet P/Shoemaker-Levy 9 collided with Jupiter. This is the first collision of two solar system bodies ever to be observed, and the effects of the comet impacts on Jupiter's atmosphere have been simply spectacular and beyond expectations. This comet broke up into 21 pieces (3x7) when it came under the tremendous stress of JupiterÕs gravity. These pieces plowed into the southern region (heel) of the giant planet in quick succession. This is the direction in space from which a large, dark and cold planetary object, such as Planet X would approach the solar system. For obvious reasons, the authorities of the world in conjunction with the popular media, would do everything in their power, to suppress public knowledge, if such an object were actually discovered. An object like this could be as black as a piece of coal, reflecting no sunlight. Because of its highly elliptical orbit, it would be entering our solar system from the dark, cold regions of interstellar space. That means it would only be detectable by highly sensitive infrared telescopes.
¥ A Bruised Head And Bruised Heel
In a collision between the King planet Jupiter, and this dark intruder planet, Jupiter would be severely damaged in its bottom part (heel), that is its South Pole, but the intruder would sustain its damage on its north, that is its head. Is this a physical, celestial representation of what God prophesied in Genesis 3:15? Some of the debris of this cosmic crash would certainly reach the earth in 3 to 4 years, creating the apocalyptic havoc we read about in the book of Revelation. It would be impossible for those in power to hide the fact of this cosmic collision from the public. Together with the rapture, this news would create unprecedented fear and foreboding in the inhabitants remaining on the earth.
Luke 21:25-26 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars. And on the earth will be anxiety of nations with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men fainting from fear, and expecting those things which have come on the earth. For the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.
¥ Has such a sign happened before?
Near the beginning of human history was the only other time that this heavenly sign also appeared. It was in the year 3915BC on 5 August. God himself gave a prophecy involving the same characters as in the Revelation 12 sign happening this September. Simple arithmetic gives a result of 5932 years. This is surprisingly close to the 6000 year estimate done using biblical genealogy studies.
Genesis 3:15-16 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He will bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel. To the woman He said, I will greatly increase your sorrow and your conception. In pain you shall bear sons, and your desire shall be toward your husband, and he shall rule over you.
Anyone who has a reasonably decent modern computer, can download and install this program, to check out all the heavenly signs I have given. It is a free program that goes by the name of ÒStellariumÓ. A Google search will allow for the location of the proper version for a given computer system. Having a large display screen is definitely a big plus when running this program.
¥ Biblical Time Numbers
God uses certain numbers in consistent ways throughout the Bible. This is especially true for the dividing of time. Some of these numbers are 3, 7, 10 12, 24, 40, 50, 70, 100 and 120. These numbers or exact multiples thereof recur throughout the Bible as markers of events. It is a fact that many of these numbers converge on 23 September of this year.
¥ Numbers all about Israel
This year marks the 70th year since the UN voted to re-establish the homeland of the Jews. It is also the 100th anniversary of The Balfour Declaration by the British Empire concerning Israel, that was made in 1917. It was 120 years ago when the Jewish Zionist organization was founded by Theodore Herzl in 1897. It was at that time that the first Jews trickled back into the holy land. It also so happens that this alignment of the planets takes place exactly 33 days after the great American solar eclipse on August 21. It also so happens that Jesus lived for 33 years before he was crucified. Is it a coincidence that the day of atonement, Yom Kippur, takes place 40 days after this eclipse?
¥ Jubilees
In ancient Israel God gave them some extensive rules by which to
run their society. Besides religious rules, there were also health and economic
rules. Among those rules was a requirement for a complete economic reset on the
year after the 49th year, that is every 50 years. This was called a Jubilee.
All debts had to be forgiven and land revert to the rightful owner or the
owner's family. There were some important jubilee dates relating this year to
prior years.
¥ Too Many Coincidences
There were three jubilees each of 50 years but they were not all consecutive. One of them was from 1897 until 1947. Another from 1917 To 1967. Another from 1967 to 2017. In 1967, Jerusalem was freed from Gentile domination after the Six-Day War and became the capital of Israel. Exactly 7 days after the sign of Revelation 12 appears in the sky, is Yom Kippur, the day of atonement. The day immediately before 23 September 2017 marks the end of the Jewish year 5777. All of the dates end with the number 7. The 49 years are then followed by the Jubilee is 7 times 7. In the Bible, the number 7 is an emblem of completion and fullness. The number 7 occurs more frequently in the book of Revelation than in any other book of the Bible. It so happens to be 40 jubilees from the time of Jesus first coming until the year 2017. Is it also a coincidental happenstance that Abraham was born 40 jubilees before the first coming of Jesus? God waited 120 years to bring on the judgment of the flood after he informed Noah and had him build the Ark. The first judgment of the earth was by water. God has decreed that that this coming judgment will be by fire from the heavens, and possibly also nuclear fire.. According to the biblical timeline, human history began about 6000 years ago. That is 120 jubilees.
Anybody who thinks that the convergence of all these numbers and time intervals in conjunction with that sign in the heavens are a coincidence, has not understood that God does not have words like probability, chance or coincidence in His vocabulary.
¥ What Signs Are For
When you are traveling down a highway toward a city you want to reach, there are signs along the way telling you how far you have yet to travel. The closer you get to your destination, the more frequent and the more specific the signs get. Like the signs along the highway, the signs of God are given in terms of distance to your destination, not necessarily the exact time yet to travel. You cannot predict the exact time when you will reach your destination city, because of unknown factors, such as traffic, bad weather etc. What is really evident from this particular sign, is that the event of the rapture as well as important events concerning Israel are imminent, even if they donÕt happen exactly on that day. One thing is certain. As you journey along you will suddenly, unexpectedly cross the city limits.
¥ Prayer
The only qualification that you must have in order to join Jesus when he comes, is to put your trust only in him. You will then experience the new birth by the power of the Holy Spirit. If you have not been reborn spiritually into the kingdom of God, then you cannot be brought physically into the glorious presence of Jesus. Nobody has a guarantee of their next breath. If you die before Jesus comes, without having embraced Jesus and been re-born spiritually, your old physical body remains in the grave. You will then experience the second resurrection along with everyone else. That comes at the end of time when everyone will be judged by God according to what they deserve. God tells us in scripture that no one deserves to be with him because we are all equally sinners. Right now God is willing to give you what do not deserve, which is to be part of God's eternal kingdom. Unless you are willing to accept God's free gift today, while you are still breathing, you will not receive a new transcendent physical body on that day. If you are still alive, your mortal body will pin you to earth. You will then have to go through the worst period of time in history that has ever been or ever will be on earth again.
Even if you are a churchgoer, but if you don't know Jesus yet, you can pray in your own words or as outlined below.
Dear God, I am not always even sure that you exist, but by faith I believe you do. I want with all my heart be to accepted in your inner circle of love made possible by Jesus Christ on the cross. Please make me the kind of person you created me to be, to live in peace and harmony with you and all my fellow human beings. Forgive me for my past where I have not lived up to even my own resolutions and expectations and definitely not according to your laws. Enable me to live the rest of my life in your love and power through your son Jesus Christ. – Amen.