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A QUICK PREVIEW OF THE TIME OF THE RAPTURE.
THE END TIME EVENTS AND THE DAY OF THE LORD.
THE COMFORT OF CHRIST'S COMING ( THE RAPTURE )
"13. But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him THOSE WHO SLEEP IN JESUS. 15. For this WE say to you by the word of the Lord, that WE who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17. Then WE who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus WE shall always be with the Lord. 18. Therefore comfort one another with these words. "
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
The "WE" in verse 15 of course is the elect who are saved in Jesus Christ.
The warnings to look out for are in the verses below, quoted from the Book of Daniel, Mark and Matthew. There is not any instruction given to the church about how to endure the future time of Tribulation. We don’t even get addressed as to how to survive in an antichrist world, how to survive when the whole universe is collapsing, after the rapture etc., etc since we wont be here. In fact, all that comes to us is about our blessed hope, looking for Christ, waiting for His appearing, longing to be with Him. Titus 2:13, the glorious appearing of Christ, this blessed hope. So what is told to the church is not strong on warning; it is strong on hope.
In each case it is the church taken to heaven, taken out of the world, and taken to heaven. There’s no judgment. Of course, if we are raptured, "caught up" we are regenerated, justified and sanctified and of the elect in Christ, so there is no judgment or we would not quality to be raptured, "caught up" .
All true and faithful Christian’s in Christ, the end is at the very door now, rejoice. focus on things above, where we will abide for eternity in the presence of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Sometime in the midst of these Tribulation events as it progresses into the Great Tribulation events, before it becomes too severe to bear, then we will be raptured out, as these verses indicate it will be sometime between the Tribulation and the Great Tribulation and not before it occurs. No one knows when the exact time will be but the prophecies give us a good insight as to what will be going on when it occurs.
Some preachers assume it will be before all this tribulation happens, but this bible study totally contradicts this assumption. This study with verses from the word of God, the Bible, confirm it will be sometime during the the Tribulation and or sometime inside the Great Tribulation:These two events are directly connected to each other. The Tribulation at some point becomes the Great Tribulation. “20 and unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom he chose, he shortened the days." Mark 13:20
This verse is repeated in Matthew 24:22 for emphasis added here "and unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened. "
These verses are confirming the rapture will be sometime during the Intense times of the Tribulation and Great Tribulation, but before it gets too severe to endure. Then it will continue on without us (the elect), who are alive in Christ. After this, at the second visible coming of Christ at the end of the Great Tribulation we will come back with the Lord in our spiritual bodies when Christ reigns for 1000 years to set up His Kingdom.
This appears to be the time when the rapture happens as prophesied in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:50-58.
NO ONE KNOWS THE DAY OR HOUR
36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. 37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. 42 Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
Matthew 24:36-44.
The prophecy in Matthew 24:14 was also a prerequisite to qualify when would be the last days and not just another time in an endless spin wheel of evil and chaos that has been going on nonstop, for thousands of years. However, there is some preachers who seem to think from their understanding of the scriptures that this is referring to the time at the end of the 1000 years of Christ's reign on Earth, just before the Day of the Lord, which is judgement time and the destruction of the universe when it is mentioned in 2 Peter 3:10-12.
Jesus said:
14. “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, AND THEN THE END WILL COME .” Matthew 24:14
However, in addition there is strong evidence from Romans 10, which is cross referenced at the end of Matthew 24:14, that that END time could very well be here now. This ties in with the Great Tribulation events, which eventually gets so intense, that the events are unprecedented and more severe than any time in the past or future, with the exception of the Day of the Lord in the final destruction of the universe mentioned in 2 Peter 3:10-12.
Romans 10:14-18 below, parallels what confirms the meaning of preaching the gospel to all the world as a witness to all the nations..... This prophecy very likely has been fulfilled or in its final conclusion of becoming so ! This word "END" is not referring to the end of everything as in just prior to the Day of the Lord in 2 Peter 3:10-12. but only to the end before these events of the Great Tribulation begin .
STRONGS G5056:
τέλος, τέλους, τό (cf. Curtius, § 238), from Homer down, the Sept. mostly for קֵץ;
1. end, i. e.
a. termination, the limit at which a thing ceases to be, (in the Greek writings always of the end of some act or state, but not of the end of a period of time, which they call τελευτή; (cf. Schmidt ch. 193 esp. §§ 3 and 9.) in the Scriptures also of a temporal end;"
"the consummation of the age," is correct. The word does not denote a termination, but the heading up of events to the appointed climax. Aion is not the world, but a period or epoch or era in which events take place".
See: 1 Thessalonians 5:5-10 below:
The Day of the Lord
5 "But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. 8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10. who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him." 1 Thessalonians 5:1-10
Matthew 24:14 is not connected to the end of Christ 1000-year reign on Earth, but happens before the return of Christ 1000-year reign, during the time of the Great Tribulation and not at the end of the Universe.
Matthew 24:14 is referring to the connection to Romans 10:18 (which it makes cross reference to it, in context) then it coincides with a relationship to the other verses from Matthew and Mark of the timing of the Rapture. IF Matthew 24:14 does NOT have a tie to when the rapture will occur and is only referring to the end of Christ 1000 year reign on earth and/or just before the Day of the Lord in 2 Peter 2:10-12, then, the these verses in Daniel 12:1-4,7-9 , Mark and Matthew quoted here-in, completely still would qualify the time of the rapture standing on its own authority and prophetic truth.
However, Matthew 24:14 IS tied to Romans 10:14-18 on all fronts, which has now been fulfilled, or very close to being so. Just look at the world and its signs approaching an unprecedented time such as has never been before, and it is only getting worse and worse by the day at record speed.
In the bible at the end of verse 24:14 in Matthew there is a cross reference verse to Romans 10:18 , which declares that this preaching will be done by people on earth who are of the body of Christ, as well as many others who proclaim it. Today we have internet, radio, short wave, missionaries, churches, pastors, massive distribution of Christian literature and bibles, worldwide in every major language and countless dialects, etc... as the means of doing that, which it says here:
14. "How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15. And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:"
“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,
Who bring glad tidings of good things!”
16. "But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” 17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ."
18. "But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed:
“Their sound has gone out to all the earth,
And their words to the ends of the world.” Romans 10:14-18
Note that "THEIR" in verse 18 is referring to those people and human institutions of sorts who Preach the word.This is referring to the context of Matthew 24:14 in confirming that once that occurs the end of this evil age and all its works IS in sight.
Also Mark 16:15 was a verbal command given directly by Christ to the Apostels and all believers that follow after Him, to preach the gospel to ALL the nation.
"15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all the nations”.
This command in Mark 16:15 by Christ, has been going on now for 2000 plus years and still active, where it has literally, and by every other means been preached to all the world now.
Furthermore, Christ gives this same command at the very end of Matthew chapter 28:16-19,
The Great Commission
16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen
This is followed by the declaration and prophecy, that the gospel will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, AND THEN THE END WILL COME.
NOTE: In the Prophecy of the End Times (below) from the book of Daniel 12:1-2 this seems to also coincide in complete alignment with these other verses above. So first we have to have some signs of the Tribulation days concluding, which is directly connected to the onset of the Great Tribulation, that is now in motion to some degree before the rapture can occur.
PROPHECY OF THE END TIMES
1.“At that time Michael shall stand up,
The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people;
And there shall be a time of trouble,
Such as never was since there was a nation,
Even to that time.
And at that time your people shall be delivered,
Everyone who is found written in the book.
2. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,
Some to everlasting life,
Some to shame and everlasting contempt.
3. Those who are wise shall shine
Like the brightness of the firmament,
And those who turn many to righteousness
Like the stars forever and ever.
4. “But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.
7. Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time; and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished.
8. Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, “My lord, what shall be the end of these things?”
9. And he said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till THE TIME OF THE END.
10. Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.” Daniel 12:1-4,7-9
Here in Daniel 12:2 "Some to shame and everlasting contempt"
This verse has a relationship to the end time judgments and events in Revelations 20:5
"5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection."
In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 says nothing about those unsaved souls who sleep, who are not the elect of God, which still currently exist awaiting judgement.The final judgement --the Day of the Lord, when they will get there spiritual bodies suited in shame, to accompany their souls in Hell, the Lake of Fire forever with Satan and his demons and all the false prophets. This all occurs just before or immediately after the entire universe is destroyed when the final judgement of all the unsaved occurs, as prophesied 2 Peter 3:10-12.
Those who die unsaved are now awaiting their formal judgment on the Day of the Lord when they will receive their spiritual bodies suited in shame, to join their souls in the Lake of Fire. as it says here in Revelations 20:11-15.
Judgment at the Throne of God
11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them; and they were judged, each one of them according to their deeds. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire."
THE TRIBULATION TIMES TURNS INTO THE GREAT TRIBULATION
( we are in the tribulation days now as it progresses to The Great Tribulation )
The Destruction of Jerusalem
20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. 22 For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 23 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people. 24 And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled." Luke 21:20-24.
14. “So when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not” (let the reader understand), “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 15. Let him who is on the housetop not go down into the house, nor enter to take anything out of his house. 16. And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 17. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 18. And pray that your flight may not be in winter. 19. For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be. 20. And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days. "
Mark 13:14-20
Notice here it says above in verse 18---"in those days". So, the tribulation turns into a living hell on earth which becomes the great tribulation as it progresses in "those days" until it reaches unprecedented chaos and horror. Sometime during this cycle the elect will be snatched out in the rapture. This is confirmed here in scripture when doing a deeper study. We are now finally somewhere in the tribulation times spoken in the prophecies in Matthew 24, Luke 21, Mark 13. The Tribulation will escalate more and more until its a living hell on earth called the Great Tribulation in the second half of it.
THE FALL OF BABYLON THE GREAT ( all the sinful worldly systems )
1 After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. 2 And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! 3 For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.” Revelations 18:1-3
NOW WHAT IS BABYLON? THIS:
Babylon, which symbolizes the wickedness of the world, will be destroyed at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. If we follow God’s command to “come out of Babylon,” we will not partake of the sins of the world nor be overtaken in the plagues that will destroy it (see Revelation 18)
Because of the worldliness of Babylon, and because it was a place where the children of Israel were captive, the Lord often used the name Babylon in the scriptures to represent sin, worldliness, the influence of the devil on the earth, and the spiritual captivity that comes from these things.
Babylon is the almighty governmental power that takes the saints of God into captivity; it is the false churches that build false temples and worship false gods; it is every false philosophy … that leads men away from God and salvation. As you see Babylon in Revelations 18 that is what the world has become now in all nations.
At the very end, after Christ 1000-year reign on earth will come the final judgement day, which is "the Day of the Lord", the entire universe is destroyed, as it says here in 2 Peter 3:10-12:
THE DAY OF THE LORD ( Judgement )
Again:
10."But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12. looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? " 2 Peter 3:10-12
Then the next verse in 2 Peter 3:13 speaks of the New Heavens and Earth, which is referring to the 1000 year reign of Christ, who comes AFTER the Great Tribulation has ended .Then Jesus Christ sets up His Kingdom on Earth for the thousand years.
2 Peter 3:13 precedes the destruction of the universe which 2 Peter 3:10-12 prophesies. So, we get a preview in 2 Peter 3:10-12 of what occurs, AFTER Christ 1000-year reign, which is the end of the Universe. This occurs sometime during the Day of the Lord ( which is the final judgement ) . We have to go to Revelations to read more on Heaven , the Kingdom of God , the final wrath of Christ unleashed onto the world in the seals, bowls and trumpet judgement and our final home with Christ , the Father and Holy Spirit . This occurs AFTER the 1000 years of Christ reign on a renewed earth that dwells in righteousness in His second coming, and after this 1000 year rein is concluded the entire universe will be completely destroyed.
NOTICE, in 2 Peter 3:13, the word NEVERTHELESS, is at the beginning of that verse which means:
STRONGS G1161:
“1. universally, by way of opposition and distinction; it is added to statements opposed to a preceding statement: ἐὰν γὰρ ἀφῆτε... ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ἀφῆτε,”
Other definitions outside Strongs give a similar definition:
" in spite of that, even so however, but, still ,despite that , having said that".
13. "NEVERTHELESS, we, according to His promise, look for NEW HEAVENS AND A NEW EARTH IN WHICH RIGHTEOUSNESS DWELLS". 2 Peter 3:13
And the "we" after the word nevertheless in verse 13 of 2 Peter 3, is none other than the elect, the saved in Christ. This verse is speaking to believers, true Christians in Christ. Since no unsaved person can look forward to ever going to a place where "righteousness dwells"and according to Gods promise.That promise is reserved only for the elect, the saved in Christ.
This is speaking about the earth at His coming in the 1000-year reign, where Christ will rule in righteousness and transform the earth for a 1000 year reign. It appears that Christ remakes the earth after the Great Tribulation as it was intended to be before the fall of man into sin , in its perfected state "in which righteousness dwells".
Then Satan is released from the pit where he was confined for the 1000 years (see Revelations 20:7-10). At that time Satan and his demons tries to turn many against Christ, but is consumed by God and thrown into Hell, the Lake of Fire, with his demons forever, just before the Day of the Lord, sometime during the final official judgment is rendered on all the ungodly and the destruction of this entire universe, as prophesied in 2 peter 3:10-12.
But, "WE" who are the elect of Christ, by His sovereign mercy, totally undeserved, BUT ONLY by the imputed Grace of Jesus Christ, by His atonement for the elect, through Faith, in which He chose us before the foundations of the world was even made."WE" will not be included in any of these judgements after the rapture.
17."....And thus WE shall always be with the Lord. 18. Therefore comfort one another with these words. " 1 Thessalonians 4:17-18
41 "There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory.42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in in-corruption. 43 It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 45 And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam (Christ) became a life-giving spirit.46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual."1 Corinthians 15:41-46.
The verses from Mark, Matthew and Daniel above, confirm the time period and events that will commence at the time of the rapture, but no one knows the day, or hour or exact time, it will happen instantly, in the blink of an eye, ( see 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 ) and many people who are raptured will be missing from the world without any preview or explanation during its occurrence. This will occur during some time period, DURING the conclusion of the Tribulation as it becomes The Great Tribulation or sometime there in. God does not reveal the exact time, only that the rapture the snatching away, being "caught up" will occur sometime during these two connected events.
A MULTITUDE FROM THE GREAT TRIBULATION
9. "After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10. and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11. All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 .saying:
“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom,
Thanksgiving and honor and power and might,
Be to our God forever and ever.
Amen.”
13. 'Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?” 14. And I said to him, “Sir, you know.” So he said to me, “THESE ARE THE ONES WHO COME OUT OF THE GREAT TRIBULATION, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15. Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. 16. They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; 17. for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” Revelations 7:9-17.
Now go on to read Revelations 8, 9 and 11 from the Bible, as the judgments on earth become like a living hell in unimaginable torment and horror. Then is Revelations 11 the end of the Great Tribulation is proclaimed. Now read Revelations chapter 20, which gives full detail to confirm the 1000-year reign of Christ on earth, and we the saints who are raptured, reign with Him for the 1000 years, but the rest of the dead don’t rise in judgment until after those 1000 years reign has ended.
Then comes the The Day of the Lord, the final official judgement of unsaved man. This happens just before the destruction of the universe as detailed in 2 Peter 3:10-12.
SEVENTH TRUMPET: THE KINGDOM PROCLAIMED
15. Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” 16. And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17. saying:
“We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty,
The One who is and who was and who is to come,
Because You have taken Your great power and reigned.
18. The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come,
And the time of the dead, that they should be judged,
And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints,
And those who fear Your name, small and great,
And should destroy those who destroy the earth.”
19. Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thundering’s, an earthquake, and great hail." Revelations 11:15-19.
None of the elect in Christ who are raptured will be on earth for any of these horrific Great Tribulation events beyond a certain point, whereby Christ raptures all His elect out of all this severe chaos and horrific tribulations. The bible says it will be somewhere between the time of the post tribulation events and/or the on set of the Great Tribulation events. This is not crystal clear on the exact timing but it will occur before the severe horrors of the Great Tribulations time for sure, because the bible makes it clear about that. "We" then will be with the Lord during all these events of Hell on earth, forever more, in our new glorified bodies.
Here is now what Revelations 20 says about Satan being cast into the bottomless pit for the 1000 years during Christ 1000-year reign on earth, then released for a short while after, in which he and his demons are cast into the Lake of Fire forever, and then the Day of the Lord in the final judgment at the destruction of the entire universe.
SATAN BOUND FOR 1000 YEARS. REVELATIONS CHAPTER 20
1. "Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3. and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while." Revelations 20:1-3
THE SAINTS REIGN WITH CHRIST 1000 YEARS
4. "And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5. But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years." Revelations 20:4-6
NOTE: "THE FIRST RESURRECTION" IS THE RAPTURE BEFORE THE 1000-YEAR REIGN AND DURING SOMETIME DURING THE TRIBULATION -- THE GREAT TRIBULATION. THAT IS MENTIONED ABOVE IN 1 THESSALONIANS 4;13-18.
SATANIC REBELLION CRUSHED
7. "Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison 8. and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. 9. They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. 10. The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. “Revelations 20:7-10
THE GREAT WHITE THRONE
11. "Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. 12. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 13. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. 14. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire". Revelations 20:11-15
Now refer back to 2 peter 3:10-12, "the Day of the Lord "above. which is the final destruction of the universe at the time of the great white throne mentioned in verse 11 above in revelations chapter 20.
There you have it , the word of God, it all connects .
Remember eternity is timeless. There is no time: no past, present or future as we know it in eternity.This goes way beyond our feebel minds and our human ability to grasp any understanding of this.
Heaven and The Lake of Fire are both forever, for eternity. God chose, "predestined"the elect of Christ before the foundations of the earth was even created, way before we the elect were born. So, when you bring time back into the picture, which is where we exist now, in this present dimension, then that is comprehendable. We can grasp that . See Ephesians 1 below.>>
REDEMPTION IN CHRIST
3. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as HE CHOSE US in HIM BEFORE THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE WORLD, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6. to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved." Ephesians 1:3-6
SALVATION IS THE GIFT OF GOD, NOT OF WORKS.
8. "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and THAT NOT OF YOURSELVES; IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD 9. not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, WHICH GOD PREPARED BEFOREHAND that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:8-10
Once again. you see in verse 10 of Ephesians 2 above "which God prepared beforehand" , that He did this in Heaven where time does not exist. There is no time in eternity. So one way to easily understand this is in Isaiah 55:8-9 as God speaks, which clarifies it is beyond our ability to comprehend His ways and thoughts that extends to all things and creation.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9.
It is all about Him, not us. God did this for His glory and praise, according to His will and good pleasure, by His mercy and love, through the atonement by the imputed Grace of His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. This regeneration, edification, justification, and sanctification is done during this process by the work of the Holy Spirit. Once we leave these bodies of flesh and blood and are joined with Christ we received our Glorified Spiritual bodes.
This is still the day of salvation, repent and embrace Christ as your Lord and believe .
10 "For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death."
2 Corinthians 7:10
22. "For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, 23. that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. "
John 5:22-23
7 "For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. "
1 John 5:7
1."In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2. He was in the beginning with God. 3. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it." John 1:1-5
1"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14
The "Word" here in these verses above is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ .
27. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30. I and My Father are one.”
John 10:27-30
THE WAY THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE
14. “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2. 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. 3. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4. And where I go you know, and the way you know.”
5 "Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?”6. Jesus said to him,
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."
AMEN !
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