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The Rapture
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 The RaptureBecause this article’s kinda long, I’m breaking it into two posts. I couldn’t create a link to it, but it’s entitled “Why I Believe in A Pre-Trib Rapture” and is from forjesustheamen.blogspot.com. Looks like it was written by Justin Horn. He lowercases words I wouldn’t have but except for adding a question mark and changing punctuation that had resulted in an emoticon, I’m posting his article as is. Will post the second half of the article soon. There’s a lot of info on the Rapture and I think it’s Biblical, though not all Christians agree. I think it’s an interesting topic, and, as far as I know, it’s the first event of the End Times (if you believe in a pre-Tribulation Rapture, like me and Justin.) <<For today's article I'm going to explain to the reader why I think the rapture happens before the tribulation. Before we get into this however allow me to just say that I don't think that this is a salvific issue (need to believe in order to be saved) or that it's something to divide over. Whether you are pre trib, mid trib, or post trib as long as you believe in Jesus and truly repent of your sins I still consider you a brother or sister in the Lord. Now with that said let's get into it. Is The Rapture Doctrine Biblical? Before I go on to explain why I believe in the pre trib doctrine, I think that it is necessary to briefly explain why the rapture is biblical in the first place. While it is true you won't find the word rapture in your KJV english bible, this doesn't mean that the doctrine of the rapture isn't there. Just take the doctrine of the trinity for example, the word isn't in the bible but the doctrine is. It's interesting to note however the word rapiemur is in the latin vulgate, from which we get the word rapture. In the greek it's called harpazo, this is what we Christians refer to when we are talking about the catching away of the bride of Christ. For verses about the rapture see Mat 24:40-41, 1Cor 15:51-58, & 1 Thess 4:13-18. Here are seven raptures in the bible Enoch (Gen 5:24), Elijah (2 Kin 2:11), Jesus (Mar 16:19, Act 1:2, Rev 12:5), Phillip (Act 8:39), Paul, Body of Christ (1Thess 4:17), and John (Rev 4:1). It turns out that most church denominations including Catholicism are Amillennial and post trib in their view of the end times. This post is designed to challenge such views. Reasons Why I Believe The Rapture Is Pre-Trib A). Christian's are not appointed to Wrath Although Christians will suffer tribulation and persecution from the world (Joh 15:20, Joh 16:33, Php1:29), we will not face the wrath of God (Rom 5:9, 1Th 1:10, 1Th 5:9) because it is for the lost (Rom 2:8, Eph 5:6, Rev 6:16-17, Rev 15:1). There are several passages that speak of the righteous possibly avoiding God's wrath such as Isa 26:19-21, Isa 57:1 -2, Zep 2:1-3, Luk 21:36, Rev 2:22, Rev 3:10. B. The Pre-Trib View isn't a New Idea! There are some opponents to the Pre-Trib doctrine who say that it was invented by John Darby (1800-1882), but is this correct? Not really. Some of the early church fathers such as the likes of Lactantius(260-330) , Hyppolytus (185-236) , Barnabus (100-105), Justin Martyr (110-195), and others wrote about the imminent doctrine. This is a key point to the pre-trib view. C). The Rapture Isn't the Same as The Second Coming For the sake of brevity I will list just eight reasons why. 1. In regards to Satan, he isn't mentioned during the rapture but is bound and cast into the pit during the second coming (Rev 20:2-3). 2. In regards to location, during the rapture we meet Christ in the air (1Thes 4:17), but Christ lands on the mount of Olives during the second coming (Zec 14:4). 3. What happens to Saints? They go to heaven during the rapture (1Thes 4:17), but come from heaven during the second coming (Col 3:4, Jud 1:14 -15, Rev 19:14). 4. No signs precede the rapture (See part D). Many signs precede second coming (Read the Book of Revelation). 5. Saints are translated at the rapture (1Thes 4:17). People aren't translated at second coming. 6. Rapture deals with just the saints. Second coming involves the whole world. 7. Only his own sees him at the rapture. Every eye at second coming (Rev 1:7). 8. Rapture is followed shortly by the great tribulation. The millennial reign of Christ happens after his second coming. D). Pre-Trib agrees with the Imminency Doctrine This doctrine basically teaches that we should be ready because Christ can come unexpectedly, at any moment (Mat 24:36, Mat 24:42, 1Th 5:2-4, 2Pet 3:10, Rev 3:3, Rev 16:15). This is not so if you believe in a mid or post trib rapture where other things must come to pass first. E). The Tribulation Isn't for The Church (See Point 1). F). The Tribulation Is For Israel's Redemption As of now Israel as a nation has rejected their messiah, they have been blinded so to speak (Deu 32:21, Rom 11:8-25). The whole point of the seven year tribulation is to get Israel to recognize Jesus as their savior, it is known as the time of Jacob's trouble (Jer 30:4 -7, Dan 12:1, 1Co 1:22). It is one of the most incredible prophecies of the bible in my opinion, I'm referring to Dan 9:24-27. If you take the sixty nine and multiply it by 7 for a week, then by 360 for a year you get 173,880. The days from 445 b.c to 32 a.d is 173,740. When you factor in the days between march 14 (the decree to rebuild Jerusalem) to april 6 (Jesus riding the colt) there's 24 days and add 116 days for the leap years and you get exactly 173,880 days. We are in the interval between the 69th and 70th week. The 70th week is the 7 year great tribulation. I personally believe that the two witnesses of Revelation 11 are Moses and Elijah. Why do I think that? Well they are mentioned in Mal 4, seen at Jesus Transfiguration (Mat 17, Mark 9), and the signs that they do in front of the people allude to who they are (Rev 11:5-6). Think about it, among all the prophets the Jews revere these two men the most. G). The Way Revelation Is Set Up Isn't it interesting how the church is addressed in the first three chapters of Revelation before the Tribulation starts and then it isn't mentioned again (at least as being on earth) until Jesus comes back in Rev 19. What's more Rev 4:1 seems to indicate the rapture event, especially when compared with 1 Thes 4:16. H). The Church Is In Heaven During The Tribulation Note also that they are there before Jesus opens the seals (Rev 5:8 -11). |
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jonheck 14-Mar-23, 03:52 |
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www.gotquestions.org www.gotquestions.org |
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<<I). The Removal of The Restrainer Occurs Simultaneously With the Rapture The bible teaches that the Antichrist doesn't show up until he who letteth will let (otherwise known as restrains) is taken out of the way (2Th 2:7-8). I believe that this is referring to the holy Ghost since he is the one who convicts the world of sin (Joh 16:8). Since he indwells every believer (Rom 8:9) and won't leave them (Mat 28:20, Heb 13:5) the church must go to. Because the Day of the Lord (second coming) won't arrive till after the antichrist shows up (2 Thes 2:2-3), this shows the rapture happens well before the second coming. J). The Blessed Hope Christians refer to the rapture as the blessed hope (Tit 2:13, Php 3:20 -21). It is what we are looking forward to the appearing of the Lord Jesus, the bible doesn't tell us to prepare to face the antichrist does it? If the rapture only comes after we suffered through the great tribulation how are we to comfort each other with those words? (1Th 4:18). There is a special crown that is given to those that love Christ appearing (2Ti 4:8), will you recieve it? Are you looking for Christ to appear at any moment or are you looking for the antichrist to show up? K). Symbolic Examples (Noah and Lot) God delivered Noah and his family before bringing the flood on the unrighteous, and likewise he saved Lot out of Sodom before he rained fire and brimstone down on them. It would only make sense he would save us from the impending disaster of the Great Tribulation (Luk 17:26-30, 2 Pet 2:5-9). L). The Jewish Wedding Ceremony The way Christ raptures his bride is similar to the traditional Jewish wedding ceremony. First a man espouses to himself a bride (1Cor 11:25) and pays a dowry (it costs Jesus his blood, 1Cor 6:15-20), then he leaves to go prepare a place in his father's house (Joh 14:1-3), he is gone for an indeterminate amount of time so he could come back at any moment, see part D. The bride awaiting her grooms return gets herself ready (sanctification, 1 Cor 1:2, 1 Cor 6:11, Heb 10:10, Heb 13:12), the groom returns usually at night accompanied by a trumpet to receive his bride (Mat 25:6, 1Thes 5:2), they would go into the bridal chamber to consummate their marriage. Where is the church when the seven seals are about to be released? See Rev 5. Then they would have the marriage supper (Rev 19:9) which typically lasted seven days. M). Fear God hasn't given us the spirit of fear (2Tim 1:7), and yet in the great tribulation (time of Jacob's trouble) men's hearts will be failing them for fear (Luk 21:26). Do you really think that Christians won't be afraid when the Judgments of Revelation is falling on the world? This is another indication that we won't be here for this time period. N). The apostle Paul doesn't write to us telling us to beware the mark of the beast or to store up for the great tribulation, Why's that? Because we won't be here for it. Those who hoard up food for the great tribulation violate Mat. 6:25-33. See also Col 3:1-6. O). If post-trib is true, who is going to populate the millennium? The fact is you need tribulation saints who have not received their glorified bodies yet in order to procreate because isn't all the wicked wiped out at the second coming? P). Does the Beast overcome the Saints? If the church isn't rapture before the Great Trib, then it seems to me that Dan 7:21-23 and Rev 13:7 would contradict Mat 16:18. What'll happen When Christ Returns Here is just a small section that highlights some points from scripture regarding end time events. Isa 24:1-6 speaks of the earth being made empty and fading away, it also speaks of the inhabitants of the earth being burned and few men left. We learn in Isa 65:25 that animals will no longer harm one another. Eze 37:12 refers to the resurrection, and we see the Son of Man (Jesus) being given an everlasting kingdom that rules all nations in Dan 7:13 -14. Mic 1:3 -5 speaks of the Lord coming down and the mountains being molten under him. We know from Mic 4:1 -8 that Jesus will reign in mount Zion, and that there will be no more war. Zep 2:11 shows us that God will famish the gods of the earth and that the heathen will worship him instead, those that don't will experience drought (Zep 3:9). Zec 8:22-23 teaches us that men from all languages of the nations will follow Jews to Jerusalem in order to worship God. Zec 14:17 It's also evident from the scripture that Christ will subdue all things under him and that the last enemy that is destroyed is death itself (1Co 15:24 -28). To conclude this article on the rapture I just want to remind the reader that your view on when the rapture occurs has no bearing on your salvation. I have listed many points as to why I think that it is quite logical to assume the Lord retrieves his bride before he punishes the world for its iniquity, and that it is the true teaching of scripture. Bonus Verses: Luk 18:8, Rom 8:23, Jas 1:18 Rev 19:15 Verses Regarding The Day Of The Lord Isa 2:12, Isa 13:6-13, Eze 30:3, Joe 1:15, Joe 2:30-32, Amo 5:18 -20 Oba 1:15, Zep 1:14-17, Act 2:20, 2Pe 3:10 -13. Thanks for Reading Please Share!!! References & Relevant Links: christinprophecy.org www.relevantbibleteaching.com www.raptureready.com calvaryoxnard.org You tube video titled "Chuck Missler Proves The Pre Tribulation Rapture" youtu.be |
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dmaestro 14-Mar-23, 14:58 |
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“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.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 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. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.” (1 Corinthians 15:50-54) Revelation (for me) was the most difficult book of the Bible to understand (Hebrews was a close second,) though I am looking forward to re-handwriting both this spring. (Just finished Colossians and am re-handwriting the New Testament in order.) Hopefully, I’ll understand Revelation better this spring, the Good Lord willing! |
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dmaestro 14-Mar-23, 17:29 |
Andrew |
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Thought about commenting on your 14:58 link but I honestly don’t know Revelation. I know about the new Heaven and new earth but that’s about all I remember. Hopefully I’ll connect to it better this spring. |
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youtu.be (Video is 14:07) ***************************** And this video on the Berisheet Passover Prophecy is an interesting prediction on when the Rapture will take place based on these verses from Isaiah: “Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:” (Isaiah 46:9-10) youtu.be (Video is 1:05:27) For those who give this video a “Too long; didn’t watch” designation, the takeaway paragraph is at 1:01:28. “The Berisheet Passover Prophecy contains the forecast that the church of Christ will not exist on the earth after the year 2023.” |
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jonheck 26-Mar-23, 05:42 |
Dmaestro |
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“But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” (Matthew 24:36-44) |
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“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; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” (Revelation 7:9-17) In the view that these verses describe the Raptured church, the “great tribulation” mentioned in verse 14 is not referring to the seven-year period between the Rapture and Jesus Christ’s Second Coming but is a generic description of the evil taking place on earth before the Rapture. Here are the notes on this passage from the KJV study Bible: <<7:9 Many think this verse describes the Rapture, when God will remove His church from the world. Others believe it refers to those who have been killed during the unleashing of evil. Either way, these are people who have come from the world and are now rescued from their misery and are in the presence of the Lord. 7:13-14 An elder asks and answers his own question about the identity of the throng in white robes. The now familiar phrase “great tribulation” could mean the ongoing tribulation these people previously faced on earth, as opposed to a specific future period often referred to as “the Tribulation.” 7:15-17 The elder describes the fate that awaits these worshippers. They will be provided for, and even shepherded, by the Lamb. Reminiscent of Psalm 23, Jesus will provide for them, and the sorrows and difficulties of this life will be left behind.>> Checked a few online commentaries at random and they seem to think Revelation 7:9-17 more likely refers to Christians who had been saved (came to a saving belief in Jesus Christ as the Messiah, or Saviour of the World) during the seven-year Tribulation and were killed at that time. Hard for me to think that based on what happens in Revelation 8 and 9, which seem to describe the Tribulation (the last 3.5 years of which is referred to as the Great Tribulation.) But the placement of this passage is interesting in that it comes between the opening of the sixth seal and opening of the seventh seal. It seems that all hell breaks loose (figuratively speaking) on earth after the opening of the seventh seal, which would be consistent with the start of the Tribulation. I don’t want this post to get too long (is anyone still reading? lol) so I’ll post the pros and cons of viewing Revelation 7:9-17 as referring to the Raptured church, or Raptured Christians, in future posts. I think a plain reading of those verses, and their placement in between the opening of the sixth and seventh seals, at least makes it possible that those verses refer to Raptured Christians. But I haven’t read all 22 chapters of Revelation in at least a few years and am only a third of the way through them now. So maybe I’ll read something in chapters 8 through 22 that makes me think Revelation 7:9-17 is not referring to the Raptured church. But I doubt it’ll be obvious ‘cause the study Bible I’m using says many Christians *do* think those verses refer to Raptured Christians. |
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“Why The Rapture Is Our Hope In These Last Days” youtu.be Video is 11:05 From the video description: <<Chapters: 0:00 Are We Living In The End-Times? 2:35 Signs Pointing To The Coming Of Jesus 5:04 Is The Rapture For All Believers? 6:54 What Happens To Us During The Rapture? 9:07 We Have A Wonderful Future To Look Forward To!>> |
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If I walk into a big party and describe the people there, that obviously doesn’t mean they arrived at the time I’m describing them. Only bring this up because several objections to believing that Revelation 7:9-17 describes Raptured Christians make the assumption the Rapture takes place at that time. And the objection that Revelation 7:14 describes the “great multitude” as coming out of “great tribulation” assumes that refers to the Great Tribulation (and not a difficult time on earth, which clearly is going to happen before the Rapture, according to Biblical prophecies.) If Revelation 7:14 is referring to the Great Tribulation, what do these verses in Revelation 8 describe? “And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up. And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood; And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed. And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter. And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise. And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!” (Revelation 8:6-13) It gets worse in chapter 9. My understanding is the Tribulation lasts seven years (the last half of which is the Great Tribulation,) and after that follows Jesus Christ’s Second Coming and Him establishing His Millennial Kingdom. If Revelation 7:9-17 describes Christians who died in the Great Tribulation, what’s happening in chapters 8 and 9? Because what’s written before chapter 8 seems mild in comparison to chapters 8 and 9. |
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“Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” (Revelation 3:10) (KJV) That same verse in the NIV: “Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.” (Revelation 3:10) (NIV) …and that the Apostle John experiences what the Rapture will be like in Revelation 4:1-2: “After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.” (Revelation 4:1-2) (KJV) Here’s a commentary on those verses: <<d. Like a trumpet… Come up here: Many see John’s going up to heaven as a symbol of the rapture of the church. John was called up to heaven by a voice that sounds like a trumpet, just as the church will be as described in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. i. The pattern is significant. Jesus finished speaking to and dealing with the churches in Revelation chapters 2 and 3, and all churches are comprehended in the seven. Now, after dealing with the church, Jesus called John up to heaven, “catching him away” with a voice that sounded like a trumpet. All this happened before the great wrath that will be described beginning at Revelation 6. As that great judgment on the earth unfolded, John – a representative of the church – was in heaven, looking down on earth. ii. Significantly, the word church never occurs in the chapters describing this period of judgment on earth, nowhere in Revelation chapters 4 through 19.>> enduringword.com Here is how the Rapture is described in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, which was written by the Apostle Paul decades before the Apostle John wrote Revelation: “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.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) (KJV) The NIV uses the word “trumpet” in verse 16, unlike the KJV, which uses the word “trump.” “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) (NIV) So it could well be that the description of the Rapture is in Revelation 4:1-2, and Raptured Christians are described in Revelation 7:9-17. I just have a hard time believing (as some do) that Revelation 7:9-17 describes Christians killed during the Great Tribulation (that is, unbelievers who came to believe in Christ after the Rapture and during the Great Tribulation) when chapters 8 and 9 describe what I would consider to be the Great Tribulation. Already copy-and-pasted verses from Revelation 8. Here are the opening verses of Revelation 9: “And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.” (Revelation 9:1-6) My understanding is those with “the seal of God in their foreheads” is a reference to 144,000 Messianic Jews (12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel) who are on earth during the Tribulation to witness to unbelievers. “And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.” (Revelation 7:2-4) |
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<<John MacArthur - What does the Bible say about the End Times, Tribulation and the Rapture?>> youtu.be I think most Christians believe the Rapture takes place before the Tribulation and that all Christians go up (except for the 144,000 Messianic Jews who are on earth to witness to unbelievers during the Tribulation.) If my memory’s right, two unnamed and prominent witnesses also are on earth at this time. <<In Revelation 11:3–12 is a description of two individuals who will help accomplish God’s work during the tribulation: “I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth” (verse 3). Nowhere does the Bible identify these two witnesses by name, although people through the years have speculated. The two witnesses in Revelation will have miraculous powers to accompany their message (Revelation 11:6), and no one will be able to stop them in their work (verse 5). At the end of their ministry, when they have said all they need to say, the beast will kill them and the wicked world will rejoice, allowing the bodies of the fallen prophets to lie in the streets (verses 7–10). Three and a half days later, however, God’s two witnesses will be resurrected and, in full view of their enemies, ascend to heaven (verses 11–12). There are three primary theories on the identity of the two witnesses in Revelation: (1) Moses and Elijah, (2) Enoch and Elijah, and (3) two unknown believers whom God calls to be His witnesses in the end times.>> Continues at: www.gotquestions.org What’s interesting to me about this is that God is doing everything He can to save man from an eternity of torment (assuming annihilationism is not correct,) and some will still reject it. That’s free will. Heidi Barr, the Jewish woman who met Jesus in a near-death experience, said her father continued to reject salvation in Jesus Christ until literally 20 minutes before he died (he was 94.) youtu.be I don’t agree with Heidi that everyone will die - not sure of her position on the Rapture and she may have been not thinking about it, but I sincerely believe that some (maybe many) Christians alive today won’t experience physical death. I also don’t agree (though I may not have heard her right) that Jesus escaped death. Jesus absolutely died a physical death. And it was through His physical death and Resurrection three days later that He was able to defeat death for every Christian who would follow. |
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“For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.” (Matthew 20:1-16) I think the main point of this parable is that people who come to a saving knowledge and belief in Jesus Christ at different times in their lives all go to the same Heaven because all have been forgiven of their sins and are righteous with God. I think it also shows that God doesn’t work in the human way of “work equals reward” because He’s extending His Grace to those who did the least work in the same measure (one could argue more abundantly) as those who did the most work. And it’s interesting that the labourers who came after the initial group didn’t negotiate pay - they simply trusted the householder, that he would give them a fair wage. The last verse of this parable used to trouble me because I thought it referred to salvation. But it can’t refer to salvation because the householder (God) invites everyone He sees at the market to work in the vineyard - and he goes back several times to find more. I think an appropriate reading of “…many be called, but few chosen” refers to those who will serve God on earth, who will work to spread the Gospel. And (imo) it’s those who are most aware of God’s Grace (those who receive a penny for working only an hour and who trusted God to do what was right) who will be the first chosen to serve Him. Those who negotiated their pay (the initial group of labourers) and then complained they were being treated unfairly because they didn’t get more than a penny are the ones least aware of God’s Grace and therefore the last He will choose to serve Him. |
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youtube.com I never viewed the first three verses of John 14… “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (John 14:1-3) …as pertaining to the Rapture, though some commentators do. <<d. I will come again to receive you to Myself: Jesus promised to come again for the disciples. This was not only in the sense of His soon resurrection or in the coming of the Holy Spirit. Jesus also had in mind the great gathering together of His people at the end of the age. i. “They were not to think of Him as having ceased to be when they could not see Him. He had only gone to another abiding-place to prepare for their coming; and moreover, He would come back to receive them.” (Morgan) ii. “The reference to the second advent should not be missed. It is true that John does not refer to this as often as do most other New Testament writers, but it is not true that it is missing from his pages.” (Morris) iii. “This was a very precious promise to the early Church, and Paul may well be echoing it when he informs the Thessalonians ‘by the word of the Lord’ that Jesus will descend from heaven and gather believers unto Himself to be with Him for ever (see 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17).” (Tasker)>> enduringword.com I think the Rapture, as far as Jesus Christ’s teaching, is more clearly seen in Matthew 24. “But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” (Matthew 24:37-42) |
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youtu.be Video is 6:17 Normally I wouldn’t post a video predicting when the Rapture will take place because the Bible says no one but God the Father knows. “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” (Matthew 24:36-42) But I decided to post Dana’s video based on the Berisheet Passover Prophecy, which predicts Jesus Christ’s Second Coming in 2030, which means the Rapture will take place in 2023 if one believes (as I do) in a pre-Tribulation Rapture (the Tribulation lasts seven years.) Video here: youtu.be Also, I have felt in my spirit that we are hurtling toward the Rapture and that it is imminent. But I’m not saying I believe the Rapture will take place this month or before 2024 because men and women are fallible and our feelings are often wrong. I think we can ONLY rely on the Word of God, and the Word of God says only God the Father knows when the Rapture will take place. Dana has some other YouTube videos supporting her belief that the Rapture will take place this month, and I may watch some of them, though I probably won’t post them. Truth is, people have been predicting when the Rapture will take place for centuries (the great scientist Isaac Newton, who was so into the Bible that some said science was his hobby and studying the Bible was his job,) predicted way back in the 1700s that Jesus Christ’s Second Coming would be in 2060, which would put the Rapture in 2053 at the latest (for one who believes in a pre-Tribulation Rapture.) But Newton was heavily into alchemy (in addition to being heavily into the Bible.) But the truth is no one knows when the Rapture will take place. I do agree with Dana on one thing - no one’s going to like living through the Tribulation. Check out these verses about the Tribulation from the Book of Revelation… “And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.” (Revelation 14:14-20) “And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.” (Revelation 9:6) |
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youtu.be I feel bad for Dana Rankin and she obviously is broken up over her prediction of when the Rapture would take place not coming to pass. But I think it’s important to remember her prediction was based on a dream she had and not on the Word of God. The Word of God says no one but God the Father knows when Jesus Christ is coming back. “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” (Matthew 24:36-42) I believe we’re in the End Times and I believe the Rapture takes place before the Tribulation, and the Tribulation, according to Revelation, is going to be a very gruesome seven years that I wouldn’t want anyone to go through. This verse from 2 Peter, imo, states one reason Jesus Christ has yet to come back… “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9) |
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youtu.be Video is 9:53 Elijah, a prophet, is in two great stories in the Old Testament… 1) His challenge to the prophets and worshippers of Baal (a false god.) www.biblegateway.com 2) His encounter with God while hiding in a cave after Jezebel, a follower of Baal and wife of King Ahab of Israel, vowed to kill Elijah for slaying the prophets of Baal. www.biblegateway.com I think far less information in the Bible exists for Enoch, but the Bible in Genesis 5 says Enoch was taken directly to Heaven without dying. |
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youtu.be Video is 5:59 |
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Isaiah, written around 700 B.C., has a lot of Messianic prophecies (Isaiah 53’s probably the most well known,) but check out these verses from Isaiah chapter 26 in comparison to what the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians about the Rapture. First the verses from Isaiah… “Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead. Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.” (Isaiah 26:19-21) Now the verses from 1 Thessalonians, which were written about 50 A.D. “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. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18) Here is an interesting article in support of the view that Isaiah 26:19-21 is a prophecy about the Rapture (and a prophecy made 2,700+ years ago!) <<Isaiah 26:19-21: Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead. (20) Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. (21) For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain. As I read the verses above, the first thing that shot into my mind was how this passage seems to fit perfectly with other verses in the bible that talk about an upcoming and imminent event that we Christians commonly refer to as the “Rapture.” Many Bible commentaries do not interpret Isaiah 26:19-21 this way, with some instead applying it to God’s last plague before the Jewish exodus. In fact, you don’t see many rapture-believing Christians refer to this verse as a proof text. So I decided to provide reasons why this passage clearly refers to the Rapture. Incidentally, commentaries by Dr. Henry H. Morris and David Guzik are among such that include this verse as a proof text for the Rapture. Let’s examine this passage carefully: REASON 1: “THY DEAD MEN SHALL LIVE, TOGETHER WITH MY DEAD BODY SHALL THEY ARISE.” Concerning the above, Dr. Henry Morris of the Defender’s Study Bible states: Here is an Old Testament assurance of bodily resurrection of the believing dead, such assurance being possible because God Himself, in Christ, would conquer death. Believers would arise “together with my dead body.” This was literally fulfilled at the time of Christ’s resurrection (Matthew 27:52-53). It will be completed when Christ returns and “all that are in the graves … shall come forth” (John 5:28-29). In the progression of events which comprise the Rapture, the first thing that occurs is the bodily resurrection of the saints (called “the dead in Christ” in 1 Thessalonians 4:15-16 and “they that are Christ’s” in 1 Corinthians 15:23). This is the first piece of evidence which clues us in to the fact that this verse is indeed a proof text for the Rapture. Since this is also a Messianic prophecy (“my dead body shall …arise”), I would like to point out to my unbelieving Jewish friends that this verse seems to refute the common (albeit erroneous) rabbinic interpretation of Isaiah 53’s suffering servant as the nation of Israel instead of Yeshua the Messiah Who according to this verse, is God. Because God is speaking in Isaiah 26:19, we know that it is God Whose dead body arises accompanied afterward by all that are in the grave. REASON 2: “COME, MY PEOPLE, ENTER THOU INTO THY CHAMBERS, AND SHUT THY DOORS ABOUT THEE” In John 14:2-3 we read: “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” What is and where are these chambers which allow us to “hide” from the coming indignation? Could the place that Christ is preparing for His believers (where there are many mansions) contain the chambers we are to abide in until the end of the Great Tribulation? This seems to make good sense. After all, in the very next verse we are told that Christ’s purpose for preparing this place for us is so that He can come again to receive us unto Himself which is precisely what the Rapture is all about. So, the second reason why this passage refers to the Rapture is because the “chambers” in Isaiah 26:20 seem to coincide with the heavenly “place” which Christ prepares for those Christians that He comes back to get. REASON 3: “THE INDIGNATION BE OVERPAST.” Concerning the above, Dr. Henry Morris states in his commentary: “The indignation” is the great tribulation, during the height of which the believing Israelites will be preserved supernaturally by God in the wilderness (Revelation 12:13-16). In a secondary application, this promise will also apply to all the saints caught up to be with Christ prior to the onset of the tribulation period (1 Thessalonians 4:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:3). The central purpose of the Rapture is to exclude Christ’s people from the wrath to come (see Have we forgotten about the Rapture). Consequently, it follows that Isaiah 26:21 is a perfect supporting text for the Rapture since its main point is that God wants His people spared from the wrath that is to come. REASON 4: “THE LORD COMETH OUT OF HIS PLACE TO PUNISH THE INHABITANTS OF THE EARTH.” Since the Great Tribulation’s purpose is to punish “the earth’s inhabitants” for their iniquity in rejecting God and His Christ (Psalms 2:2-5), it is not hard to understand why Isaiah 26:21 parallels other verses which describe the intent of the tribulation period (Revelation 3:10, 1 Thessalonians 1:10). Therefore, the fourth reason why this passage refers to the Rapture is because the punishment that comes is brought by God (i.e. “the Lord cometh out of His place to punish”) and the punishment is meant for all people (i.e. the inhabitants of the earth) who have not obeyed the Gospel. Finally, David Guzik’s Commentary on Isaiah 26:19-21 states: When is this time when God’s people are carried away, securely hidden, from a time of great indignation the Lord brings upon the earth? It can refer to the deliverance of the Jewish people from the fury of the Antichrist described in Rev 12:6 and 12:13-16. But it is more likely that it speaks of the refuge, the safety, the security of God’s people when they are caught up together with the Lord in the air (1Th 4:16-17) and escape the horrific indignation of the Lord that He pours out upon the world in the Great Tribulation (Mat 24:21-22, Rev_9:15-21), which will immediately precede the second coming of Jesus Christ (Mat 24:29-30). Seen this way, this is a powerful passage supporting the teaching of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture, which says that Jesus Christ will remove His people from this earth before the time of Great Tribulation coming upon the earth immediately before His ultimate return.>> christpluszero.wordpress.com Gotta give credit where credit’s due - this guy’s YouTube video led me to the idea that Isaiah 26:19-21 could be about the Rapture. youtu.be Video is 15:25 This guy makes a lot of sense and is proof you don’t need a pastor, priest or theologian to tell you what’s in the Bible and how to align yourself with the Word of God and Jesus Christ. Plus, I love how the Lord uses everyone with a willing heart to get the word out about His (imo) impending return. |
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youtu.be Video is 19:58 My understanding is a shofar is similar to a trumpet and led her to believe these verses in 1 Thessalonians and in 1 Corinthians were coming to pass… “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.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 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. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:50-57) Here is what a shofar sounds like… youtu.be Video is 30 seconds And this verse, which she also cited, indicates how believers should be in the days before the Rapture… “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 15:58) She also alludes to this verse from Romans as an encouragement to believers going through trials… “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18) No one but God the Father knows when the Rapture will take place, but it’s interesting that so many believers, including myself, feel it’s at the door. |
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This is a really interesting question (at least to me.) I’ve read and heard for months that no signs have to take place before the Rapture (assuming the Rapture takes place before the seven-year Tribulation.) But then today I saw an article that said the Antichrist will be revealed before the Rapture. I think that view is based on these verses that the Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Thessalonians… “Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.” (2 Thessalonians 2:1-4) Where this gets interesting is in how verse 3 is translated from Greek… The KJV translates the Greek word “apostasia” as “falling away” while some other translations use the English word “rebellion.” But - and this is where it gets really interesting - the first seven English translations of the Bible translated the Greek word “apostasia” as “departure” or “departing.” So that would mean the “day of Christ” won’t take place until after the departure of the church and the Antichrist being revealed. I believe the “day of Christ” (which other translations have as “day of the Lord”) refers to God’s judgment and wrath on unbelievers (also known as the Tribulation.) Check out this excerpt about a presentation by Tommy Ice, a Biblical scholar who graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary and who serves as the Director of the Pre-Trib Research Center… <<…but the argument Tommy presented that was most convicting to me was his revelation that the first seven English translations of the Bible rendered the noun, apostasia, as either “departure” or “departing.” They were as follows: The Wycliffe Bible (1384) The Tyndale Bible (1526) The Coverdale Bible (1535) The Cranmer Bible (1539) The Great Bible (1540) The Beeches Bible (1576) The Geneva Bible (1608) Tommy also noted that the Bible used by the Western world from 400 AD to the 1500s — Jerome’s Latin translation known as “The Vulgate” — rendered apostasia with the Latin word, discessio, which means “departure.”>> Why did later translations of the Bible no longer translate “apostasia” as “departure” or “departing?” <<The first translation of the word to mean apostasy in an English Bible did not occur until 1611 when the King James Version was issued. So, why did the King James translators introduce a completely new rendering of the word as “falling away”? The best guess is that they were taking a stab at the false teachings of Catholicism.>> Two other interesting points from the same article.., 1) <<Tommy pointed out that the Greek noun, apostasia, is used only twice in the New Testament. The other occurrence is in Acts 21:21 where it states that an accusation was made against Paul that he was “teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake [apostasia] Moses.” The word is used in verb form a total of 15 times in the New Testament, and only three of these have anything to do with a departure from the faith (Luke 8:13, 1 Timothy 4:1, and Hebrews 3:12). In other settings, the word is used for departing from inquity (2 Timothy 2:19), departing from ungodly men (1 Timothy 6:5), departing from the temple (Luke 2:27), departing from the body (2 Corinthians 12:8), and departing from persons (Acts 12:10 and Luke 4:13).>> 2) <<One other point Tommy Ice made that I thought was significant is that Paul used a definite article with the word apostasia. The significance of this is emphasized by Daniel Davey in a thesis he wrote for the Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary: Since the Greek language does not need an article to make the noun definite, it becomes clear that with the usage of the article, reference is being made to something in particular. In 2 Thessalonians 2:3 the word apostasia is prefaced by the definite article which means that Paul is pointing to a particular type of departure clearly known to the Thessalonian church. In light of this grammatical point, Tommy observed that “the use of the definite article would support the notion that Paul spoke of a clear, discernable notion.” And that notion he had already identified in verse 1 when he stated that he was writing about “our gathering together to Him [Jesus].” This interpretation also corresponds to the point that Paul makes in verses 6 and 7 where he states that the man of lawlessness will not come until what “restrains” him “is taken out of the way.” And what it is that restrains evil in the world today? The Holy Spirit working through the Church.>> christinprophecy.org Another shorter article also notes that “apostasia” can mean “departure,” but gives an alternate explanation - that “apostasia” means “rebellion” and that the rebellion is the result of the Rapture… <<First, there will be "the rebellion." This likely means an overt and extreme revolt against truth. The word translated "rebellion" can also be translated, "the falling away," "the apostasy," or "the departure." The use of a definite article—"the" in English, from hē in Greek—attached to the word for "rebellion" indicates a specific event previously mentioned in the passage. It may refer to Israel's revolt against Old Testament teaching when the nation turns to idolatry. Perhaps it refers to the state of the world following the departure of the church due to the rapture. It is noteworthy that Paul describes the rapture in verse 1 as "the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathering together to him.">> www.bibleref.com |
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