Jesus was asked by his disciples in Matthew 24, the famous passage that has led to countless debates.
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? 4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
Something for Sadlup to ponder. In matthew 24:20 it says :
20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: 21 for then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
He said to pray that your flight not be on the sabbath ..I think it's because the city gates were closed then and he wanted people to be able to get out of the city and flee. I always ask. Who is Jesus addressing? , culture slang, the time period they lived in. Who was ruler or king...etc..Yeah, SDA's love to quote that one about the sabbath.
Back to the Temple...A simple question...
What age did the temple that Jesus spoke about represent?
Did it represent the Mosaic age where the physical Law of Torah and scrolls were kept in a physical temple? Does it represent the Christian age where Gods laws are written on our hearts ..yes he circumsized our hearts also. Romans 2:29 Yes, I am spiritualizing here.
It represents the Mosaic age of course! Emperor Nero dispatched an army under the generalship of Vespasian 70 A.D. They destroyed both the city and it's temple. Josephus expounded on it in his writings.
This age that Jesus spoke about of Moses, the law and the prophets came to an end and the age to come was of messiah, the new covenant that never ends.
Here is another thing to ponder Sadlup...
You may know more about this that me but here is my conclusion...
Bear with me..
God the Father ,mentioned in the old testament had two kingdoms. The house of Israel and the House of Judah. God divorced one kingdom because they eventually committed adultery and they went into captivity to the Babylonians.
Ezekiel 37:22 “And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all; and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all.”
Jesus said:
Matthew 15:24 King James Version (KJV)
24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
...God divorced them and they were considered unclean. Gentiles. He loved them so much that he wanted them back but would not break his own law, so he could not remarry them. So he sent his son into the world to join the 2 sticks back together that were broken, representing the two kingdoms. A full restoration! No longer separated by God since the garden of Eden . Jesus is the bridge to the Father. Jesus made a second exodus much like the first. He made a way out of sin and death. God TABERNACLES with us!! 1 Corinthians 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
Did you catch that? ...Tabernacles.
The Tabernacle was to be a place where God’s glory would be revealed.
The plan was simple, functional, yet filled with prophetic promise.
It was a replica of heavenly and spiritual realities.
The Tabernacle was a foreshadow of Christ.
God even instructed Moses to anoint it with oil.
It is significant that the name “Christ” means “the anointed One.”
God was making a profound promise, “I will provide redemption through my anointed one.”
God did keep His promise to tabernacle with His people.
In John in 1:14 it says, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt [pitched His tent or tabernacled] among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."
Jesus is Immanuel or God with us. (Matthew 1:23)
The Bronze Water Laver reminds worshipers they must be cleansed before the approach a Holy God. (Exodus 30:18-21; 1 Corinthians 10:1-2)
After the shedding of blood it was necessary that one be ceremonially cleansed, so they could serve as priests.
The Bronze water basin foreshadowed our cleansing from sin through the regeneration of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.
Water baptism represents our identity with Christ. (1 Corinthians 10:1-2)
In Titus 3:4-7 it says, “But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior.”
I also found a curious reference in John 7:37-39.
Jesus said, “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”
Then in John 19:34-35 there is this strange observation—
“One of the soldiers pierced Christ’s side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe.”
At the Bronze Altar there was blood to atone and at the Bronze basin water to regenerate and cleanse defiled sinners.
An explanation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, using the pattern and furniture of the Tabernacle. (Colossians 1:19-20)
I want to begin in the Holy of Holies.
The Triune God, in His heavenly glory, sent the Son to earth.
He set aside His eternal glory, in obedience to His Father, to take upon Himself the form of a man. (Philippians 2:6-8)
When He arose from His throne to enter the earth, he was answering the prayers of His enslaved people.
He came to earth as the light and life of man.
It pleased the Father for the fullness of deity to dwell in Him. (Colossians 1:19-22)
At the age of thirty He began His ministry with baptism.
For the joy that was set before Him Christ endured the cross. (Hebrews 12:2)
He was like a lamb led to slaughter. (Isaiah 53:7)
He willingly offered up His life as a sacrifice for our sin.
There won't be a third physical temple built. Although news sources have been saying otherwise for years! Jesus came back in 70 A.D. in judgement. You can't separate the second coming at 70 A.D with the resurrection or wedding supper of the lamb (consummation)
Jesus fulfilled everything. God kept his word.
The world won't blow up as some surmise. Things are done on earth as they are in heaven . New covenant, new earth. Not a literal destroyed one .(I thought I would address this here in case someone was already asking) There are animals in the book of revelation and nations and people after the earth was destroyed.
I could get into some language of revelation with the stars falling, blood moons, etc. to show you that it represents commotions and changes in the heavens but I think I wrote a novel!
Big question here! If Paul was talking about the Commandment Law, then please show me (since I was born in Missouri) in The Bible, even your KJV, where it says there was ever a month (moonth) long festival!
End quote
The ordinances were bondage and the ten commandments were the perfect law of liberty.
If Paul is calling it bondage, he is speaking of what is written in the “Book of the Law.”
In the first part of chapter 4, Paul points out that observance of the ceremonial Holy days with their sacrifices was bondage and had ended. Not only had the Galatians returned to this now obsolete law, but they were also trying to observe it just to be saved rather than keeping it by faith, and hence were trying to be justified by works of the law; the ceremonial law in this case. Since we are not justified by the works of the law,Galatians 2:16 “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”
Galatians 3:9-11 “So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. 10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. 11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.”
Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment to all that has been written .
End quote
Key word, fulfillment.
This is speaking about the destruction of the physical temple. Remember , the feast days are all fulfilled that pointed to Christ. We are not looking at 1967 as a timeline for prophecy . There won't be a third temple built. New Jerusalem has already come down, that heavenly spiritual city. Christ reigns through his Church on earth. He tabernacles with us now.
Your quote:
Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
End quote
I think this means Rome (trampled underfoot). I believe, Parrot , that the time of the gentiles was fulfilled in the first century. There is neither jew nor greek nor gentile now..so how is it still so in 1967? Paul preached to the gentiles to bring them into the fold. To fulfill the time of the gentiles. And the gospel WAS preached into ALL the world . Europe was the whole world at that time.
I also believe that speaking of the martyred saints in Revelation who cried out under the altar is a reference to the heavily persecuted Jews in the time of Nero, Caligula, etc. Nero used to light Christians on fire to light his Villa at night. The Romans, with their bloody sports, threw people to lions , etc in the Coliseum. Remember how the blood of Abel cried out to the Lord.? Alter is a key word here. Are the martyrs awaiting the resurrection at 70 AD?
**POST-TRIB RESURRECTION VERSUS PRE-TRIB RAPTURE**??
The meaning of the English word **RAPTURE**:
According to Strong's Concordance; **RAPTURE** means: A displacement of the mind, bewilderment, ecstasy.
According to the Merriman Webster dictionary: **RAPTURE means : An expression or manifestation of **ECSTASY** or **PASSION**. The state of being transported **BY A LOFTY EMOTION OR ECSTASY**
The English word Ecstasy is **NEVER** mentioned in the New Testament and the English word **RAPTURE** is **NEVER USED IN GOD'S WORD!!
The English words Passion, Passionate and Passions are mentioned 6 times in the New Testament and has nothing to do with the Resurrection of God's saints:
Passion: I Corinthians 7:9
Passionate: I Thessalonians 4:5
Passions: Romans 7:5, Galatians 5:24 and Titus 2:12, Titus 3:3 which are mentioned below:
Titus 3:3: At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of **PASSIONS** and pleasures.
Titus 2:11,12: The grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly **PASSIONS**, and to live upright and Godly lives, in this present age, while **WE** {Church Saints} wait for the **BLESSED HOPE**--the **GLORIOUS APPEARING** {Not a secret rapture} of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ!!
And so the English word **RAPTURE** does not at all refer to the **RESURRECTION** of God's saints at the **GLORIOUS APPEARING** of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ that **WE** {Church saints} are all waiting for!
Now the pre-tribbers believe that **ALL** the **CHURCH SAINTS**, dead or alive, will be raptured **BEFORE** the Great Tribulation begins and that the unbelievers will be resurrected **AFTER** the Great Tribulation ends 3 1/2 or 7 years later???
QUESTION??: DOES THE RESURRECTION OF GOD'S CHURCH SAINTS AND THE RESURRECTION OF THE LOST TAKE PLACE ON THE **SAME****LAST DAY** OF THE GREAT TRIBULATION**??
**WHAT DOES GOD'S WORD SAY**??
2 Thessalonians 1:1,6-10: To the **CHURCH** of the Thessalonians... God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen **WHEN**the Lord Jesus is **REVEALED** from heaven in blazing fire with His powerful angels {See Matthew 24:29-31 and Matthew 25:31} He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the Gospel of our lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord **ON THE DAY HE COMES** to be glorified in His holy people {Including **CHURCH SAINTS**--See Matthew 25:31-46} and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes **YOU**** {Thessalonian **CHURCH SAINTS**}
And so 2 THESSALONIANS 1[1,6-10 absolutely proves that the **THESSALONIAN CHURCH SAINTS** and the Lost will be resurrected on the **SAME** **LAST DAY** of the Great Tribulation!!
By comparing John 12:48 with John 6:40 below it absolutely shows that the **LOST** and the **CHURCH SAINTS** will be resurrected on the **SAME LAST DAY**!!
John 12:48: Jesus says, "There is a Judge for the one who rejects Me and does not accept My words, that very word which I spoke will condemn him on the **LAST DAY**!" See Matthew 25:31-46; Daniel 12:1,2 and John 5:28}
John 6:40: Jesus says, ""For My Father's will is that **EVERYONE** who looks to the Son and believes in Him {**CHURCH SAINTS**} shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the {*SAME*}**LAST DAY**!"
So God's Word definitely shows that Jesus will resurrect His saints and judge the lost on the **SAME LAST DAY** when He comes **IN GLORY WITH ALL HIS ANGELS**{Matthew 16:27; 24:29,30; 25:31} or **WHEN HE IS REVEALED FROM HEAVEN WITH HIS POWERFUL ANGELS** as per 2 Thessalonians 1:1,6-10!!
John 5:28,29: Jesus says, “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming {The **LAST DAY**} when *ALL* {Both OT & NT Saints and he LOST} who are in their graves will hear His voice and come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.”
Daniel 12:1b,2,7b: “There will be a time of distress {The Great Tribulation} such as not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time {The **LAST DAY**} your people--*EVERYONE* whose name is found written in the Book {Both OT & NT Saints}—will be delivered. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt…It will be for a time. times and half a time {1260 days-Rev 12:6,14, or 42 {30-day} months-Rev 13:5-{Not 7 years} *ALL* these things will be **COMPLETED**.
The pre-tribbers wrongly believe that the OT saints will receive their eternal perfect heavenly bodies 7 years or 1260 days AFTER the Church saints. However, in Hebrews 11:39,40 we read “These {OT super saints mentioned in Heb 11:4-38} were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that **ONLY TOGETHER WITH US** {NT Saints} would they {OT Saints} be made perfect!”
Pre-Tribbers also claim that the **HOLY SPIRIT WILL BE REMOVED** from all the saints during the Great Tribulation because of a ridiculous interpretation of 2 Thessalonians 2:7???
**BUT WHAT DOES GOD'S WORD SAY**??
Mark 13:11: Jesus says, "Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial {During the Great Tribulation}, do not worry beforehand what to say, but say whatever is given to you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the **HOLY SPIRIT**!!!"
Pre-Tribbers also claim that the saints will not go through the Great Tribulation because they would then suffer the **WRATH** of God.
**BUT WHAT DOES GOD'S WORD SAY**??
Romans 5:9: Since we have been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from **GOD'S WRATH** through Him!.
I Thessalonians 5:9: God did not appoint us to suffer **WRATH** but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ!
God's Tribulation saints will not be hurt by **GOD'S WRATH** during the Great Tribulation! The horrific 7 Trumpet Plagues and 7 Bowl Plagues and eternal torment in Hell; are reserved only for the unbelievers and will not hurt God's saints in any way just as the 10 OT Egyptian plagues miraculously did not hurt any of God's people as shown by the following Scripture:
Revelation 9:4-6: They were told to only harm those people who did not have the seal of God on their heads. They were not given power to kill them, but only to torture them for 5 months. During these days men will seek death, but will not find it they will long to die but death will elude them.
Revelation 9:18,20,21: A third of mankind will be killed by the plagues of fire, smoke and sulfur that comes out of their mouths.... The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands, they did not stop worshiping demons and idols of gold... Nor did the repent of their murders, their magic arts,their sexual immorality or their thefts!
Revelation 16:2: The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly and painful sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped his image!
Revelation 16:6: They have shed the blood of your saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink as they deserve!
Revelation 16:9: They were seared by the intense heat and cursed the name of God who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify Him!
Revelation 16:10: Men gnawed their tongues in agony and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done.
Revelation 14:9,10: If anyone worships the Beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, he, too, will drink of the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of **HIS WRATH** He will be tormented with burning sulfur...and the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever!
Pre-Tribbers also claim that all of the Church saints will be raptured **BEFORE **the **MAN OF LAWLESSNESS IS REVEALED**??
**BUT WHAT DOES GOD'S WORD SAY**??
2 Thessalonians 2:1-3,8: Concerning the **COMING*** of our Lord Jesus and **OUR** {CHURCH SAINTS} being gathered to Him, we ask you brothers, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter, supposed to have come from us, saying that that the **DAY OF THE LORD** has already come. Don't let anyone {Like Pre-Tribbers} deceive you in any way, for **THAT DAY WILL NOT COME** **UNTIL THE MAN OF LAWLESSNESS IS REVEALED**!..... The lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of His mouth and destroy by the splendor **OF HIS COMING**!! {On the **LAST DAY** of the Great Tribulation**} It is interesting to note that the only **COMING** of the Lord Jesus when the **CHURCH SAINTS** are gathered to Him; mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2:1 and 2:8; is on the **LAST DAY** of the Great Tribulation!!
Now the Pre-Tribbers claim that in the **SECRET RAPTURE** before the Great Tribulation the Lord Jesus will not **APPEAR** and will not be **REVEALED**??
**BUT WHAT DOES GOD'S WOD SAY**??
I Peter 1:13: “Therefore, prepare your minds for ACTION, and set your hope *FULLY* on the grace to be given YOU when Jesus Christ is **REVEALED**.
I Corinthians 1:7: “**YOU** do not lack any spiritual gift as **YOU** {CHURCH SAINTS**} eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be **REVEALED**.
Now the pre-tribbers claim that the glorious **REVEALING** or *REVELATION* of Jesus will be *CONCEALED* BEFORE the beginning of the Great Tribulation. However, every other time the Word **REVEALED** {Greek-Apocalypsis} is used related to resurrection events it refers to the glorious **REVEALING** of Jesus on the **LAST DAY** of the Great Tribulation {See 2 Thess 1:7-10 & Luke 17:26-31}. And *CONCEALED* is the exact opposite of **REVEALED** and **APPEARED** according to every dictionary! The Word of God clearly shows that the **CHURCH SAINTS** are waiting The **APPEARING** and **REVEALING ** of our Lord Jesus Christ which completely contradicts the Pre-Trib theory that the **CHURCH SAINTS ** are all waiting for a **CONCEALED RAPTURE**???
Titus 2:13 **WE** {**CHURCH SAINTS**} wait for the **BLESSED HOPE**---the glorious **APPEARING** of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ!!
Hebrews 9:28: Jesus will **APPEAR** a 2nd time {And not a 3rd TIME!} to bring salvation **TO THOSE WHO ARE WAITING FOR HIM**!!
Colossians 3:4: When Christ, who is your life **APPEARS**, then **YOU** {**CHURCH SAINTS**} also will **APPEAR** with Him in glory.”
I John 3:2,3: “When Jesus **APPEARS**, **WE** {**CHURCH SAINTS**} shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure!!”
Matthew 24:29,30: Jesus says, “IMMEDIATELY AFTER the distress of those days {The Great Tribulation} the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky. At that time the sign of the Son of Man will **APPEAR** in the sky and the nations will see the Son of Man **COMING** on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory!!”
I John 2:28: “Dear children, continue in Him, so that when He *APPEARS* **WE** {**CHURCH SAINTS**} may be confident and unashamed before Him at His COMING!” {See 2 Thess 1:7-10; I Tim 6:14; Heb 9:28 & Col 3:4}
2 Tim 4:8: Paul said, There is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on THAT DAY—and not only to me, but to *ALL* {**CHURCH SAINTS**} who have longed for His **APPEARING**!!” {See Matt 24:30 above!!}
I Peter 5:4: “When the Chief Shepherd **APPEARS**, **YOU** {**CHURCH SAINTS**} will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away!”
2 Thess 1:1,6-10: ‘To the *CHURCH* of the Thessalonians…God is just; He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen *WHEN* the Lord Jesus is **REVEALED** {See I Peter 1:13} from heaven in blazing fire…. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord **ON THE DAY HE COMES** to be glorified in His holy people {**CHURCH SAINTS**}!! This includes **YOU** {Thessalonian **CHURCH SAINTS**}
Now the Pre-Tribbers claim that all the resurrection versus on the second coming of Jesus will occur on the **LAST DAY** of the Great Tribulation **EXCEPT for I Thessalonians 4;16-18 and I Corinthians 15:51,52 which tells of a secret silent rapture just before the Great Tribulation when 666 is revealed???
**BUT WHAT DO THESE VERSES REALLY TEACH**??
I Corinthians 15:51,52: Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we **ALL** will be changed--in the twinkling of an eye, at the **LAST TRUMPET**. For the **TRUMPET** will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable and **WE** will be changed!
Revelation 8:1,2: When He {Jesus} opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw **7 ANGELS** who stand before God and to them were given **7 TRUMPETS**!
Revelation 11:15,18: The seventh {And **LAST**} angel sounded his {**7TH & LAST**} **TRUMPET**, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord and His Christ, and He will reign for ever and ever... The time has come for judging the dead, and rewarding your servants and your saints who reverence your name and for destroying those who destroy the earth!"
And so the **7TH ANGEL** will sound the **7TH** and **LAST TRUMPET** of Revelation on the **LAST DAY** of the Great Tribulation! Which can certainly not be **BEFORE** the Great Tribulation even begins!!
**JESUS WILL COME AS A **THIEF IN THE NIGHT** TO UNBELIEVERS ON THE **DAY OF THE LORD**
I Thessalonians 4:16,17; 5:2,4: For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel {See Rev 14:15} and with the **TRUMPET**{See Matt 24:30 & Rev 11:15,18 & I Cor 15:52} 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** {See Matt 24:30 and Rev 14:14} to meet the Lord in the air.... **YOU** {**CHURCH SAINTS**} know very well that the **DAY OF THE LORD** {In I Thess 4:17 above} will come **LIKE A THIEF** in the night {To unbelievers} While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them {Unbelievers} suddenly {On the **SAME DAY** as the Resurrection in I Corinthians 4:17 above!!}... But **YOU** {**CHURCH SAINTS**} brothers, are not in darkness so that **THIS DAY** **SHOULD NOT SURPRISE YOU LIKE A THIEF**. Since you are **ALL** sons of the light and sons of the Day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness!
Revelation 16:15: Behold! I come **LIKE A THIEF**!
Revelation 3:3: Jesus says, "Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come **LIKE A THIEF**, and you will not know at what time I will **COME TO YOU**!"
2 Peter 3:10-13: But the **DAY OF THE LORD** will come **LIKE A THIEF** {To unbelievers}. The heavens will **DISAPPEAR** with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare!... That **DAY**{OF THE LORD}will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with His promise **WE** are looking forward to a **NEW HEAVEN** and a **NEW EARTH**, the **HOME OF RIGHTEOUSNESS**!!
Once the 1260-day Great Tribulation begins all of God's saints who can add will know the exact day of the Second Coming of Jesus on the **LAST DAY OF THE LORD**. And when the stars start falling to earth the saints will know the exact hour of the Second Coming of Jesus!!
Matthew 24:29-31: Jesus says, "Immediately after the distress of those {1260} days the sun will be darkened, and the stars will fall from the sky {Luke 21:28 adds: "When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near!!"} At that time the sign of the Son of Man coming on the **CLOUDS** {See I Thess 4:17} of the sky, with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a loud **TRUMPET** {See I Cor 15:52 & I Thess 4::16 & Rev 11:15,18} call an they will gather His **ELECT** {See Rom 11:5-7; 2 Tim 2:10 & Titus 1:1!}} from the 4 winds, from one end of the heavens to the other!" {Mark 13:27 adds: "From the ends of the earth."}
Now the Pre-Tribbers claim that the **ELECT OF JESUS** mentioned in Matthew 24:22,24 and 31 are all OT Jewish saints and not **CHURCH SAINTS**.
**BUT WHAT DOES GOD'S WORD SAY**??
Romans 11:5-7: At the present time there is a remnant **CHOSEN** by grace. And if by grace, then it is no longer by works, if it were, grace would no longer be grace! What then? What Israel sought so earnestly it did not obtain, but the **ELECT** did!
2 Timothy 2:10: Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the **ELECT** {**CHURCH SAINTS**}, that they too may obtain the **SALVATION THAT IS IN CHRIST JESUS**!
Titus 1:1: Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God's **ELECT** {**CHURCH SAINTS**}!
In fact, Israel or the Jews are never called the **ELECT** in the entire New Testament!!!
Ephesians 3:6: This mystery is that through the Gospel the Gentiles are **HEIRS TOGETHER** with Israel. Members together of **ONE BODY**, and **SHARERS TOGETHER**in the promise in Christ Jesus!!
John 6:39,44: Jesus says, "And this is the will of Him who sent Me that I shall lose none of all that He has given Me {God's **ELECT**}, but raise them up at the **LAST DAY**... No one can come to Me **UNLESS** the Father **DRAWS** him, and I will raise him {**GOD'S ELECT**} up at the **LAST DAY**!"
John 12:48: Jesus says, "There is a Judge for the one who rejects Me and does not accept My words, that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the {**SAME**}**LAST DAY**!"
It is interesting to note that a pre-trib rapture fairy tale of God's saints is not mentioned even **ONCE** in the Olivet Prophetic sermon of Jesus in Matthew 24,25, Mark 13 and Luke 21 and not even **ONCE** in all the prophecies in the book of Revelation. Now the Pre-Tribbers agree that it is completely ridiculous not to have any mention of the resurrection of the **CHURCH SAINTS** in the prophetic book of Revelation.. And so the pre tribbers claim that Revelation 4:1-2 symbolically, somehow shows the rapture of the **CHURCH SAINTS** since John's entrance into heaven {In AD 96}before he is told about the Great Tribulation somehow shows the rapture of all of the church saints just before the Great Tribulation begins about 2,000 years later???
Revelation 4:1-2: In AD 96 John said, "After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, 'Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.'" Now the pre-tribbers claim that John going up to heaven in AD 96, to see what will happen in the future; somehow represents all the living and dead **CHURCH SAINTS** being raptured just before the Great Tribulation which is ridiculous!!
The Last Day resurrections in Revelation 11:15-18 and Revelation 14:14-20 are obviously Post-Trib. And just after Resurrection there is the Marriage Feast of the Lamb. Jesus on the **LAST DAY OF THE LORD** will mount a white horse and his saints will follow Him on white horses and they will conquer 666, his False Prophet, their kings and armies on the same Last Day as per Revelation 19:7-21 and Revelation 17:14: They will make war against the **LAMB** but the **LAMB** will overcome them because He is Lord of lords and King of kings--and with Him will be His **CALLED**, **CHOSEN** and **FAITHFUL** followers!!
Now the Pre-Tribbers teach that the Church saints must have been raptured before The Great Tribulation began since the word **CHURCH ** is not mentioned in Revelation chapters 4-21 and therefore the Great Tribulation will not be **FOR THE CHURCHES OR CHURCH SAINTS**???
**BUT WHAT DOES GOD'S WORD SAY**??
Revelation 22:16,18-20: "I, Jesus, have sent My angel to give you this testimony {**ALL OF REVELATION**}**FOR THE CHURCHES**.{**CHURCH SAINTS**}.. I warn everyone who hears the word of the prophecy of this book. If anyone **ADDS** {Like the Pre-Trib Rapture} anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone **TAKES WORDS AWAY** from this book of prophecy. God will take away from him his share in the Tree of Life and in the Holy City {The New Jerusalem}, which are described in this book!!"
Revelation 1:1-3: The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show **HIS SERVANTS** {**CHURCH SAINTS**} what must take place. He made it known by sending His angel to His servant John, who testifies to everything he saw--that is, the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Blessed is the one who reads the Words of this Prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and **TAKE TO HEART** what is written in it!!
The fact that John Nelson Darby invented the pre-tribulation rapture doctrine around 1830 AD is unquestionably true. All attempts to find evidence of this wild doctrine before 1830 have failed, with a single exception: Morgan Edwards wrote a short essay as a college paper for Bristol Baptist College in Bristol England in 1744 where he confused the second coming with the first resurrection of Revelation 20 and described a "pre-tribulation" rapture. However Edwards ideas, which he admitted were brand new and never before taught, had no influence in the modern population of the false doctrine. That prize goes to Darby.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Pastor of the Metropolitan Tabernacle and contemporary of Darby, published criticism of Darby and Brethrenism. His main criticism was that Darby and the Plymouth Brethren rejected the vicarious purpose of Christ's obedience as well as imputed righteousness. He viewed these of such importance and so central to the Gospel that it led him to this statement about the rest of their belief.
"Mr. Grant on the Darby Brethren" by Charles Spurgeon from the June 1860 "Sword and the Trowel":
James Grant wrote: "Mr. Darby maintains that a part of Christ's sufferings on the cross, were what he calls 'non-atoning,' that is, that in 'smiting' him as the shepherd on the cross, God did not do so with a view to an atonement for our sins, until a particular point of time, while Christ was hanging on the tree, and that then the wrath of God, in its atoning character, coalesced with his legal wrath. In association with the doctrine that much of the sufferings of Christ on the cross were without any atoning object or effect, Mr. Darby, advancing a step farther, denies that the atonement for our sins consisted even in Christ's death. But as it is probable some persons will find it difficult to believe that any man, professing to hold evangelical principles, and especially the leader of an important religious sect, also professing to be sound in the faith, could entertain such notions."
James Grant wrote: "With the deadly heresies entertained and taught by the Plymouth Brethren, in relation to some of the most momentous of all the doctrines of the Gospel, and to which I have adverted at some length, I feel assured that my readers will not be surprised at any other views, however unscriptural and pernicious they may be, which the Darbyites have embraced and zealously seek to propagate"
Prior to 1830, **NOT EVEN ONE CHURCH** taught the pre-trib rapture in their creed, catechism or statement of faith!!!
NOTE: There will be 2 Comings of Jesus on the **SAME LAST DAY**. The first Coming will be **FOR HIS SAINTS** and the 2nd Coming **WITH HIS SAINTS** **RIDING ON WHITE HORSES** right after the Marriage Feast of the **LAMB**!!
Revelation 19:6-8,11,13,14,19,20: Hallelujah! For the Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory! For the wedding of the **LAMB** has come and His bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean was given her to wear.... I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose Rider is called Faithful and True...He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood and His name is the Word of God. **THE ARMIES OF HEAVEN WERE FOLLOWING HIM ***RIDING ON WHITE HORSES*** and dressed in fine linen white and clean (See Rev 19:8 above}... Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth **AND THEIR ARMIES** gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and His army. But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. {See Rev 13:11-17} The two of them were thrown **ALIVE** into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. Rev 20:10: And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.{Just like all their followers as per Rev 14:9-11}
Revelation 17:14: They will make war against the **LAMB**, but the **LAMB** will overcome them because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and with Him will be His **CALLED**, **CHOSEN** {**HIS ELECT**} and **FAITHFUL** followers!! {**RIDING ON FLYING WHITE HORSES** which will be the saints transportation in the **NEW EARTH*.
Jude 14,15: "See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of His holy ones {**HIS ELECT** Riding White Horses} to judge everyone, and to convict **ALL** the ungodly!!"
I Corinthians 15:22-24: For as in Adam all die, so in Christ **ALL** will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the Firstfruits; **THEN WHEN HE COMES** those who belong to Him. **THEN THE **END** WILL COME** {Not 1260 days later!!}, when He hands over the Kingdom to God the Father!!
And so the saints will be resurrected on the **LAST DAY** and then **AFTER** the Marriage Feast of the **LAMB**, the lost will be resurrected later on the **SAME LAST DAY**. And so this explains Matthew 24:40: Jesus says, "Two will be in the field, one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill one will be taken and the other left!"
Matthew 25:31-34,41,46: Jesus says, "**WHEN** the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him. He will sit on His throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on His left. Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed by My Father, take your inheritance the Kingdom prepared for you.'... Then He will say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal for prepared for the devil and his angels.' ... Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
Now the Pre-Tribbers love to quote a promise made to the Church at Philadelphia in AD 96:
Revelation 3:1,10: Jesus said, "To the angel of the church at Philadelphia write... Since you have kept My command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going that is going to come on the whole {Roman} world to test those who live on the earth."
In Ad 96 the Roman Caesar, Domitian, decreed that everyone in the Roman world must worship idols of former Roman Caesars or else they would be killed or put in prison. And because of this decree John was put in prison in AD 96 on the Isle of Patmos as per Revelation 1:9.
However, Jesus did not make the same promise to the future Great Tribulation saints:
Matthew 24:9: Jesus says, "**THEN****YOU** will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and **YOU** will be hated by **ALL NATIONS** because of Me!"
Revelation 13:5-10: The Beast will be given authority for 42 {30-day} months...He will be given power to make war against the **SAINTS** and to conquer them. And he will be given authority over **EVERY** tribe, people language and **NATION** All inhabitants of the earth will worship the Beast--all whose names have not been written in the Book of Life belonging to the **LAMB**{**CHURCH SAINTS**}. He who has an ear let him hear: If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword he will be killed. This calls for patient endurance on the part of the **SAINTS**!
Revelation 12:11: They overcame him by the blood of the **LAMB** and by the word of their testimony: They did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death!! {Just Like Jesus!}! Read Revelation 6:9-11 and Revelation 7:9,13-15!!!
Revelation 6:9-11: When He {Jesus} opened the 5th seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain {MARTYRS LIKE JESUS} because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood? Then each of them were given a WHITE ROBE, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed {**TRIBULATION MARTYRS**} as they had been was **COMPLETED**.
This was **COMPLETED** just before the 7 trumpet plagues in Revelation 8:
Revelation 7:9,13-15,17: After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from **EVERY NATION, TRIBE, PEOPLE AND LANGUAGE** standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb {Jesus} They were wearing WHITE ROBES. And they cried out in a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne , and to the Lamb...Then one of the {24} **ELDERS** asked me, "Those in WHITE ROBES--who are they, and where did they come from?" And he said, "These are they who have come out of the *GREAT TRIBULATION* {*MARTYRS LIKE JESUS*}, they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the **LAMB** {**CHURCH SAINTS**}. Therefore, They are before the throne of God and serve Him day and night in His temple...The **LAMB** in the center of the throne will be their Shepherd!"
And so the Pre-Trib teaching that the Great Tribulation is only a **TIME OF JACOB'S TROUBLE** is a complete fairy tale since there will be a "**GREAT MULTITUDE THAT NO ONE COULD COUNT FROM **EVERY** NATION, TRIBE, PEOPLE AND LANGUAGE**" who will be **MARTYRED** during the Great Tribulation!! They will be all filled with the **HOLY SPIRIT** {Mark 13:11} and washed in the blood of the **LAMB** {Rev 7::15 & 12:11} and whose names are written in the **LAMB'S** Book of Life as per Revelation 13:8!!
The Great Tribulation **MARTYRS** who are **AWAKE** in heaven are mentioned over 20 times during the 1260-day Great Tribulation in Revelation 6:9-11; 7:9,10,13-17; 12:11; 13:10; 14:13; 15:2-4; 16:7; 16:24 and 19:2!!
Revelation 4:4 Surrounding God's throne were **24 OTHER THRONES**, on seated on them were **24 ELDERS**. They were dressed in *WHITE* and had crowns of Gold on their heads!
Th 24 Elders on 24 Thrones surrounding God's throne are mentioned 10 times during the 1260-day Great Tribulation in Revelation 4:4,10; 5:6,8.11,14; 7:11,13; 14:3 and 19:4
**WHO ARE THE 24 ELDERS ON 24 THRONES SURROUNDING GOD'S THRONE IN HEAVEN DURING THE 1260-DAY GREAT TRIBULATION**??
Matthew 19:28: Jesus said to his Apostles, "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you have **FOLLOWED ME** {The Apostle Paul instead of Judas] will **ALSO SIT ON 12 THRONES, **JUDGING**!!
Luke 22:29,30: Jesus said to His Apostles, "I confer on you a Kingdom, just as My Father conferred one on Me, so that you may eat and drink at My table in My Kingdom and sit on **THRONES**, **JUDGING**!!"
**WHO DESERVES TO SIT ON THE OTHER 12 THRONES SURROUNDING GOD'S THRONE**??
And certainly 12 OT Super saints of God will also deserve sitting on the other **12 **THRONES** surrounding God's throne such as Abraham, David, Moses, Elijah, Daniel, Isaiah, Samuel, Jeremiah, Joseph , Joshua, Noah and Enoch!!
The 24 **ELDERS** on 24 thrones and the **MARTYRS** are the ***ONLY SAINTS*** mentioned in heaven during the Great Tribulation in Revelation chapters 4 through 18!!
I Corinthians 15:51,52: Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all *SLEEP*{Since the Martyrs and 24 Elders on Thrones are **AWAKE**} but we will all be changed--in a flash, in a twinkling of an eye, at the Last {7TH} Trumpet!!
It is interesting to note that the millions of **CHURCH SAINTS** of the last almost 2,000 years; who the pre-tribbers claim were raptured into heaven with new heavenly bodies just before the Great Tribulation; and would be before God's throne with Jesus. They are not even mentioned **ONCE** during the Great Tribulation in heaven in chapters 4 thru 18. The only saints mentioned in Revelation during the Great Tribulation are the **MARTYRS** {20 times} and the **24 ELDERS** {10 times} who sit on 24 Thrones surrounding God's Throne in heaven!! Hmmm!!
However, most of the Pre-Trib super theologians {???} claim that the 24 Elders who sit on 24 Thrones surrounding God's throne as per Rev 4:4; are really millions of raptured **CHURCH SAINTS**?????
Probably the best way to convert a pre-tribber is to have them read 2 Thessalonians 1,6-10 every day for 7 days; since God's Word shows that the **CHURCH SAINTS** will be resurrected and judged **ON THE SAME DAY** as the lost!!
2 Thessalonians 1:1,6-10: ‘To the **CHURCH** of the Thessalonians… God is just; He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen *WHEN* the Lord Jesus is **REVEALED** {See I Peter 1:13} from heaven in blazing fire…. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord **ON THE DAY HE COMES** to be glorified in His holy people {**CHURCH SAINTS**}!! This includes **YOU** {Thessalonian *CHURCH SAINTS*}
As we have shown with countless Scripture all of the Great Tribulation saints will be saved by the **BLOOD OF THE LAMB**{Rev 7:14; 12:11}, are in the **LAMB'S BOOK OF LIFE**{Rev 13:8}; are filled with the **HOLY SPIRIT**{Mark 13:11} and whenever 2 or more of these extremely brave and courageous Tribulation saints get together to worship you have a ***CHURCH***!!
God has always allowed His people to **SUFFER TRIBULATION** and trials because they purify and perfect their faith and will gain countless eternal rewards when Jesus Christ is *REVEALED. There are over 10,000 saints martyred every year and the main culprit is no longer just Islam and the RC Church which killed over 4 million saints. Millions of saints were martyred by the Communist atheist countries after 1917 in Russia and after 1948 in China and then in North Korea and Vietnam. Many more millions were killed by Japan 1937-1945 and by the Fascists in Italy and Germany 1922-1945.
**THE FOLLOWING VERSES CAN NOT BE FOUND IN THE PRE-TRIB BIBLE WHICH IS REALLY A SNEAKY PART OF THE PROSPERITY GOSPEL**!!
Romans 8:35-37: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?... For your sake **WE FACE DEATH ALL DAY LONG**; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us!”
John 13:34: Jesus says, "A **NEW COMMAND** I give you: **LOVE* one another As I have **LOVED** you, so you must **LOVE** one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples." John 15:12,13: Jesus says, "My command is this: **LOVE** each other as I have **LOVED** you. Greater **LOVE** has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
I John 3:16: This how we know what **LOVE** is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers!
I Peter 2:20b,21: But if you **SUFFER FOR DOING GOOD** and endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow **IN HIS STEPS**!
I Peter 4:12,13: “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But **REJOICE THAT YOU PARTICIPATE IN THE SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST**, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is *REVEALED!”
Matthew 5:10-12 Jesus says, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. **REJOICE** and be glad, because **GREAT IS YOUR REWARD** **IN HEAVEN**!!"
2 Timothy 3:12: “In fact, **EVERYONE** who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be **PERSECUTED**!”
Romans 5:3: “But we **REJOICE IN OUR SUFFERINGS** because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope!
Philippians 1:29: For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on Him, but also to **SUFFER FOR HIM**!
Philippians 3:10: “I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of **SHARING IN HIS SUFFERINGS**!
Revelation 12:11: “They overcame him {666} by the **BLOOD OF THE LAMB** {**CHURCH SAINTS**} and by the word of their testimony; for they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death!”
Rev 2:10: Jesus says, “Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the **CROWN OF LIFE**.”
Matthew 24:3,9-13: The disciples {**CHURCH SAINTS**} asked Jesus, “What will be the sign of your Coming and the end of the age?? Jesus answered….. {During the Great Tribulation} “Then **YOU** will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and **YOU** will be hated by all nations because of Me. At that time many will turn away from the Faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of *MOST* will grow cold, {THE GREAT APOSTASY} but he {The Called, Chosen & Faithful-Rev 17:14b} who stands firm to the End will be saved.”
This *GREAT APOSTASY** at the beginning of the Great Tribulation is called a **REBELLION** in 2 Thess 2:3!
Revelation 13:5,7-10: The Beast will be given authority for 42 months.. He will be given power to make war against the **SAINTS** and to conquer them... All inhabitants of the earth will worship the Beast--all whose names have not been written in the Book of Life belonging to the **LAMB**. {**CHURCH SAINTS**} He who has an ear let him hear: If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword with the sword he will be killed. This calls for patient endurance on the part of the **SAINTS**!
Revelation 14:12,13: This calls for patient endurance on the part of the **SAINTS** who obey God's {NT} commandments and remain faithful to Jesus! {**CHURCH SAINTS**} Then I heard a Voice from heaven say, "**BLESSED** are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!" *Yes," says the Spirit, "They will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them!"
This will come as a tremendous shock for those who teach the Prosperity Gospel and who are mainly seeking earthly treasures rather than eternal Heavenly Rewards. They teach: If you accept Jesus as your Savior you have a free pass to Heaven and God forbid that you should suffer any persecution or go through the Great Tribulation; which fits in with the Prosperity Gospel doctrines which are designed to increase church membership at the expense of the Truth. When is the last time you heard a sermon on the virtues and courage of the many thousands of present-day martyrs?? And this is probably why there will be a great FALLING AWAY {THE GREAT APOSTASY} at the beginning of the Great Tribulation as per Matthew 24:10-12!!
Romans 8:35,37-39: Who shall separate us from the **LOVE** of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?...We are more than conquerors through Him who **LOVED** us! For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the **LOVE** of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!!
Isaiah 46:9-11: "I am God, and there is no other. I am God, and there is none like Me! I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come... What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned that will I do!!"
And so this Bible study has shown that there is not even one verse that even implies a Pre-Trib Rapture and over 77 Scripture that absolutely guarantees a Post-Trib Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on the **LAST DAY** or **DAY OF THE LORD** for all saints who are not martyrs or one of the 24 Elders on thrones.
The most detailed description of the second coming is found in Revelation 19. Here Jesus leads an angelic army in the clouds. Two first century non-Christian historians Josephus and Tacitus record an angelic army in the clouds at the start of the Jewish War in A.D. 66. This army in the clouds seen in A.D. 66 LITERALLY fulfills Biblical descriptions of the second coming exactly as it is described in Revelation 19. Then in v. 19 John sees the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war with Jesus and His army. This was fulfilled when the king Agrippa II and Queen Berenice, the kings of Israel, the earth, accompanied the Roman army and provided thousands of auxiliary troops in the assault on Israel and siege of Jerusalem during the Jewish War.
Jesus made several appearances throughout the Old Testament called “theophanies” (Genesis 16:7; 21:17; 22:11; 31:11; Exodus 3:2-15; 17:1-7; Judges 6:11; 13:21; Daniel 3:24-27; Micah 5:2). Jesus also made several appearances after His resurrection and before His parousia (Acts 7:55-56; 9:1-8; 1 Corinthians 15:5-8; Revelation 1). Would it, therefore, be surprising if Jesus made more than one appearance during the parousia?
This would seem especially likely considering the fact that the Bible often uses the word “parousia” when mentioning the “second coming.” Parousia is a Greek word meaning “presence” or “coming.” This is a word used to denote the arrival of a conquering general, emperor or high-ranking official into a city for an extended stay oftentimes for several months or years before then returning to the capital city, the seat of his throne. The word connotes a coming and an extended presence or stay often followed by a subsequent departure. When people think of the “second coming” or parousia, they often picture a one-time, brief appearance of Christ on the clouds. However, this term generally connotes a coming and an extended stay or presence as is implied by the way “Parousia” is used in Philippians 2:12. Thus this term connotes a coming and extended stay similar to God’s extended presence throughout the act of creation laid out in Genesis 1.
Even after his ascension into heaven, Jesus still appeared occasionally to his disciples (Acts 9:3-7, Acts 22:17-18, Acts 23:11 and Revelation 1:9-20). Similarly, Christ also appears to have made a series of manifestations during the Parousia. Perhaps the most compelling of these appearances was at the start of the Jewish War in A.D. 66. The fact that Christ appeared at the start of the Jewish War fulfills Revelation 8:5 and 14:14 which allude to the Glory Cloud signifying the presence of Christ on the clouds before the start of the seven trumpets and bowls. At this time Jesus seems to have appeared visibly on the clouds as the Lord had done in Ezekiel 1:4-26. Literally fulfilling all Biblical descriptions of the second coming including that of the appearance of Christ on horseback leading an army in the sky in Revelation 19, this coming of Christ exactly matches the coming of the Lord in Deuteronomy 33:2, Habakkuk 3:3-15, Zechariah 14:5 and the appearance of the Lord in the sky during the Maccabean Wars according to 2 Maccabees 5:1-4. The horsemen and chariots seen in the sky in A.D. 66 are also reminiscent of Psalm 68:17 and Zechariah 6:1-8 and are an identical match to the angelic horsemen and chariots of fire in 2 Kings 6:17.
In Revelation 6:2, the first of the four horsemen rides a white horse. This horseman is Jesus Christ who rides the same white horse in Revelation 19:11-16. Because Revelation 6:1-8 transpired before the unleashing of the seven trumpets and bowls, this army of horsemen described in Revelation 6:1-8 and Revelation 19:11-16 must have made their appearance at the start of the Jewish Revolt in A.D 66. Interestingly, an angelic army of horsemen was reportedly seen at precisely this time–the start of the Jewish revolt in Iyyar of A.D. 66.
the next coming of Christ on the clouds appears to have been at the start of the Idumean massacre in A.D. 68. The third, which was very similar, was at the start of the siege of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. See The Second Coming of A.D. 70–like You’ve Never Heard it Before! During these two occasions, Christ came on the clouds in judgment on Jerusalem at the head of an invading army. However, Christ was invisible as the brightness of his presence was masked by the Glory Cloud, thick dark storm clouds, as was the case during the coming of the Lord in 2 Samuel 22:8-15, Isaiah 66:15-16, Psalm 18:6-16, Psalm 50:3, Psalm 97:1-5 and Psalm 144:5. These two aspects of the parousia are a perfect reflection of the way in which God had come in judgment on cities in the past according to the Hebrew prophets—the brightness of his presence being masked by the thick, dark storm clouds of the Glory Cloud.
After Jesus’ parousia during the Jewish War, He presumably returned to heaven with the saints at the resurrection in A.D. 70. Then as implied in Revelation 19:20-20:3 and 2 Thessalonians 2:8, Jesus came down from heaven again (Revelation 20:1) to cast Satan into the Abyss around the time of the death of Caesar Vespasian (A.D. 79), Titus (A.D. 81) and Domitian (A.D. 96). John Noe lists thirty to forty separate comings or appearances of Christ throughout the Old and New Testaments.3 The fact that Jesus would make another appearance after the Jewish War should not be surprising in light of the many appearances He made throughout the Bible–especially considering the multiple appearances He made between His ascension into heaven in Acts 1 and the start of His Parousia in A.D. 66 (Acts 7:55-56; 9:1-18; Revelation 1:9-20). In other words, why should we assume that Jesus was only to come once at the end of the age if the pattern throughout the Bible is just the opposite—many comings?4 Though Christ appears to have been visible at the start of this event like the appearance of the Lord in Ezekiel 1:4-26 and Daniel 12:5-7, this aspect of Christ’s coming then transitioned to mirror Exodus 3:8, Exodus 13:21, Exodus 19:16-19, Deuteronomy 4:11-14, 1 Kings 19:11-13 and Psalm 50:3 during which the Lord came in the midst of cloud and fire. According to Psalm 18:6-16 and 2 Samuel 22:8-15 whenever God came on the clouds in judgment on a nation, he did so in the midst of the Glory Cloud, a dark cloud with fire and earthquake. Therefore, when Jesus predicted that he would come on the clouds of heaven during his parousia, it is expected that he would also come in the midst of the Glory Cloud. The Glory Cloud was also present around the death of the Beast. This appearance of Christ at the death of the beast bears an uncanny resemblance to the descent of the Lord on Mt. Sinai in the Glory Cloud according to Exodus 19:16-19. Since the Law was given by God at Sinai, could this appearance of Christ be a final sign of the fulfillment of the Law and the establishment of a new covenant?
**WHAT ARE THE PRE-TRIB, POST-TRIB, MID-TRIB AND PRETERIST VIEWS OF THE END TIMES**??
The most popular view is the secret Pre-Tribulation Rapture {About 65 percent} just before a 7-year or 3 1/2 year {1278 days} or 1260-day Great Tribulation of all the Church Saints. And then on the last Day of the Tribulation at the 2nd coming of Jesus all the Tribulation saints and the OT saints will be resurrected and then the lost will be resurrected immediately followed by Judgment Day.
The next most popular is a one time Post-Tribulation Resurrection {About 25 percent} for all the saints on the Last Day of the 7-year 0r 3 1/2 year or 1260-day Great Tribulation, immediately followed by the Resurrection of the lost and Judgment Day. I believe in this Post-Triblation Resurrection after a 1260-day Great Tribulation.
And then there are those {About 5 percent} who believe in a Mid-Trib ot Pre wrath resurrection in the middle of the Great Tribulation followed by a another resurrection on the Last Day, immediately followed by the resurrection of the lost and Judgment Day.
And then there is the Preterist view {About 5 percent} which believes that **EVERYTHING IN REVELATION and in the Olivet Prophecies in Matthew 24 & 25, Mark 13 and Luke 21 symbolically took place in the 3 1/2 years between April AD 67 and October AD 70 when Jerusalem and the Jewish Temple was completely destroyed by the Russian army. Nero Caesar who was *666* gave the order in April AD 67 to make war against Israel who had rebelled against their Roman rulers.
However there are many things in the Olivet prophecies and Revelation which contradict the Preterist view as follows:
Matthew 24:29-31: Jesus says, "Immediately after the distress of those {1260} days the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light and the stars will fall from the sky! {Luke 21:28 adds "When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near!"} Then will ***APPEAR*** the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. and then all the {Unsaved} peoples of the earth will mourn when the see the son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a loud {7th & Last} trumpet call, and the will gather **HIS ELECT** from the 4 winds, from one end of heavens to the other!" {Mark 13:27 adds "From the ends of the earth!"}
Matthew 25:31-34,41,46: Jesus says, "**WHEN** the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him {See Matthew 24:29-31 above}. He will sit on His throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on His left. Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed by My Father, take your inheritance the Kingdom prepared for you.'... ***THEN*** He will say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal for prepared for the devil and his angels.' ... Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
You can be absolutely sure that the Resurrection of all of God's saints and the lost and Judgment Day did not take place in October AD 70!!
2 Thessalonians 1:1,6-10: To the **CHURCH** of the Thessalonians... God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen **WHEN THE LORD JESUS IS **REVEALED** from heaven in **BLAZING GLORY** with His powerful angels {See Matt 24:29-31above}. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His might ***ON THE DAY*** He comes to glorified in His saints and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes **YOU** {Thessalonian CHURCH SAINTS**!!}
This Scripture absolutely contradicts the pre-trib belief that a secret silent rapture of the **CHURCH SAINTS** will take place 3 1/2 or 7 years **BEFORE** the unsaved are judged and sent to hell **ON THE DAY** Jesus is **REVEALED**!! Since the Resurrection of all the Church Saints and the lost are Resurrected on the **SAME LAST DAY**!
God will take of His Saints for 1260 days just like he took care of Israel for 40 years in the wilderness. Jim Bakker is still a con artist who is selling terrible food at ridiculous prices.
Matthew 6:31-34: Jesus says, Do not worry, saying, "What shall we eat?" or "What shall drink?" For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow!
