No scripture contradicts rapture teaching

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Helen

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I for one..do not hang my hat on any rapture. Someone has probably already mentioned that it is quite a new " revelation". Sorry I read 'some' of the posts but not all of them...so a bit late to this party!!
The Rapture doctrine was not in vogue before John Darby started it in 1830 AD.

My own persuasion, as I do not "see" it in the 'types and shadows' of scripture patterns ...is, that I live as if prepared to go, I hope there is one ( as things are going to get very nasty quite soon I think)
But as I do not believe in it, I try as much as grace allows to live from the 'inner man'...to know the 'Secret Place of The Most High' and abide there. After all, Michael and the angels are making ready for the Last Battle...not a love-fest...we are called to have our armour on, all of it...why armour if we are going to be zapped away at the most critical time!!!
That's just my two cents ;)
 

Heb 13:8

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The Rapture doctrine was not in vogue before John Darby started it in 1830 AD.

That's actually not true. Paul and John both teach rapture.

The Greek word from this term “rapture” is derived appears in 1 Thess 4:17, Rev 12:5, translated “caught up.” The Latin translation of this verse used the word rapturo. The Greek word it translates is harpazo, which means to snatch or take away.

Elsewhere it is used to describe how the Spirit caught up Philip near Gaza and brought him to Caesarea, Acts 8:39 and to describe Paul’s experience of being caught up into the third heaven, 2 Cor 12:2-4. Thus there can be no doubt that the word is used in 1 Thess 4:17, Rev 12:5 to indicate the actual removal of people from earth to heaven.
 

Naomi25

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God created the constellations, the sun, moon, stars and planets for times, days and years. The Rev 12:1-5 sign takes place in the heavens. How else do you see it being fulfilled if 9/23/17 is not the sign. Wake up! This is astronomy.


:rolleyes:

Ah, no. According to the definition of words, what you are doing is astrology. And unless you want to redefine the oxford dictionary while your muddling your scriptures...well, then....
 

Heb 13:8

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Ah, no. According to the definition of words, what you are doing is astrology. And unless you want to redefine the oxford dictionary while your muddling your scriptures...well, then....

Naomi, question: If Rev 12:1-5 is astrology, how do you see it being fulfilled in the heavens?
 

Helen

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That's actually not true. Paul and John both teach rapture.

The Greek word from this term “rapture” is derived appears in 1 Thess 4:17, Rev 12:5, translated “caught up.” The Latin translation of this verse used the word rapturo. The Greek word it translates is harpazo, which means to snatch or take away.

Elsewhere it is used to describe how the Spirit caught up Philip near Gaza and brought him to Caesarea, Acts 8:39 and to describe Paul’s experience of being caught up into the third heaven, 2 Cor 12:2-4. Thus there can be no doubt that the word is used in 1 Thess 4:17, Rev 12:5 to indicate the actual removal of people from earth to heaven.

We are all free to believe what we like...but it doesn't make it any more 'right'.
When I first met my husband, I was 'caught up' in rapture..( for a few months ha! then came down to earth) but I didn't 'go' anywhere!
Paul himself says ..he was caught up into the third heaven.. " I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven."
Then he goes on to tell us that he saw and heard things that he was not allowed by God to utter.
Have you never been 'caught up' in vision, or caught up in anointed worship. The soul is what is 'caught up' the body goes nowhere.
But, as I say..each to their own.
I would never ever tell anyone that there is a rapture...personally I grieve over those ministers which do so. To tell people that they will be whisked away and safe from trouble...is heartbreaking.
Those people are left unprepared to go through tribulation and even have look a gruesome death in the face. I wonder what people who put all their eggs into the rapture basket, feel toward the false teachers who guaranteed them an escape!! :(
 

Helen

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Then God lied, we actually don't meet God in the air and His throne like it says in 1 Thess 4:17 and Rev 12:5. :rolleyes:

Wow, strong words!!! .....how you 'interpret' the scriptures is totally up to you , obviously. But to tell people that you are SURE that God spoke it, is pretty scary.
By that you are saying that your 'hearing' and interpretation are 100% correct!!
That sounds pretty arrogant to me. ALL of us can say that we 'believe' a certain thing...but humility also leaves room and adds to that by saying - , " I may be wrong, and , if I am I hope that God shows me."
Mature Christians are easily recognized by their teachable spirit , immature Christians already believe that they know it all. I used to believe that too....many decades ago.
Blessings be upon you.
 

n2thelight

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The church is restraining darkness and for the antichrist to be revealed. How? By just being in the world. 2 Thess 2:6-8.

Well ,care to explain why there's so much darkness in the world

Also did not Paul say His(Christ) return was after the antichrist is revealed?

II Thessalonians 2:1 "Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,"

What's the subject of the above verse?Is it not our gathering to Christ?

II Thessalonians 2:3 "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come [it will not be], except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;"

What day shall not come?

So can you explain how you'll leave before the antichrist is revealed?
 

Naomi25

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Naomi, question: If Rev 12:1-5 is astrology, how do you see it being fulfilled in the heavens?

Well, I'd say that before turning to astrology I'd turn to my bible and see if God's word gives me any sort of clue how I should interpret such language. And I think it does, easily and in a much more straight forward manner than I believe you're trying to put onto the passage.

It's late, so I really don't want to get into it, but briefly, here's how I take it:

The woman is Israel (crowned with 12 stars...the 12 tribes of Israel), who gives birth to the Messiah. The dragon, Satan, thinks to devour (defeat) him, but Christ returns to heaven victorious after the cross, leaving Satan to carry out his wrath on Israel and Christians. We, however, will always be partly protected by our Sovereign God, which just makes Satan even more vicious and angry. It could be that there will come a point at the 'End' where God's protection becomes more overt, in which case the wilderness reference will have more meaning. But as the large part of the passage refers to Christ's coming into the world and Satan's failure to stop his mission to save humanity...that time is past and the crown Christ won for us has been real, in a sense of our spiritual victory over Satan, since then. I believe when it comes to the 'End' a lot of the 'Pre' people speak of escaping God's wrath, but also being protected from Satan's and mankind's persecution, which we are currently not protected from.
I hope that makes sense.
 

Heb 13:8

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Wow, strong words!!! .....how you 'interpret' the scriptures is totally up to you , obviously.

How would you interpret 1 Thess 4:14-17, Rev 12:1-5 and also the word harpazo?

Well ,care to explain why there's so much darkness in the world

The darkness in the Grace period right now should not be compared to the darkness that is coming to the 70th week. It will be much worse in the 70th week.

Joel 2:1-2 Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming. It is close at hand— 2a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like dawn spreading across the mountains a large and mighty army comes, such as never was in ancient times nor ever will be in ages to come.

Amo 5:18 Woe to you who long for the day of the LORD! Why do you long for the day of the LORD? That day will be darkness, not light.

Zeph 1:15 That day will be a day of wrath— a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness—

What day shall not come?

The Day of the Lord which is I believe a 7 year time frame.

So can you explain how you'll leave before the antichrist is revealed?

Because the children of God are of the light and of the day, and the 70th week is 7 years of darkness.

1 Thess 5:5 You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.

It's similar to how a believer in Christ can no longer be possessed by the devil because the Holy Spirit dwells in them. The devil would have to open the seal and jump in, but that seal cannot be broken, Eph 1:13-14, Eph 4:30.

If the antichrist were revealed before rapture it would thwart his plans because we would know who he is.
 

Heb 13:8

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The woman is Israel (crowned with 12 stars...the 12 tribes of Israel), who gives birth to the Messiah.

Hi Naomi,

If this sign came to pass 2,000 years ago then why can't anyone find it on Stellarium. The Rev 12:1-5 great sign takes place in the heavens where the sun, moon, stars and planets reside. Stellarium is a star tracking software. We have already gone back in Stellarium 7,000 years, and the only time this alignment occurs is on 9/23/17.
 

7angels

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the bible says that the stars will tell of what is to come. the problem comes in when we use the stars for fortune telling and ect. i have seen research on the stars that talks about the birth of Christ. you do know that Jesus birthday was not christmas right? you also should know that the wise men and the shepards did not see Jesus the same night as many christmas stories tell of. Jesus was 2 years old when the wise men found Jesus. i also know how the star of bethlehem stayed in place for 2 years before moving on. there are many other signs that foretold of Jesus in the stars. don't assume because you don't know how to read the stars that nothing is written there. the stars hold very interesting information when studied.

concerning the rapture theory being false is incorrect. there is a lot of evidence that will support the rapture theory. the only problem is the information concerning pretrib, and midrib rapture theories is that there is no concrete evidence that can say without a doubt if they will happen or when. post trib we know will happen because the people left alive and those that died during the great trib rise up to meet Jesus in the end. pretrib and/or mid trib have many scriptures that point to and support a pretrib and mid trib rapture but lack the foundation to say absolutely going to happen.

i happen to be a pretribber and i have scriptures that i stand upon that support my claim because without a pre trib or mid trib rapture certain scriptures do not make sense. so what i am wondering is why are you all getting all bent out of shape about your ideas? discussion is good but when it turns to becoming an argument the both sides have already lost. when you start telling people they are dumb, stupid, and don't know what they are talking about will only cause the other person to resent what was said and you will find that most times people will dig in their heels and not listen to what is said at all but just become more stubborn that their position is correct.

God bless
 

Naomi25

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Hi Naomi,

If this sign came to pass 2,000 years ago then why can't anyone find it on Stellarium. The Rev 12:1-5 great sign takes place in the heavens where the sun, moon, stars and planets reside. Stellarium is a star tracking software. We have already gone back in Stellarium 7,000 years, and the only time this alignment occurs is on 9/23/17.

You can't find it IN the stars because God doesn't call his children into astrology! The sign is not IN the stars. You know how you love to talk about 'idioms'? Just take a step back for a moment and consider the possibility that God is using the language of 'heavens, sun, moon, stars' to signal massive, life changing events that happened on earth. It's not the first time in scripture that he's done that. The OT has numerous examples (Haggai 2:21-22, Isa 30:10, Isa 30:26 are just a few).
Its more than that though, which is why such 'big' symbols are used. While here on earth we see only physical realities (the nation of Israel bringing forth their Messiah, who saves the whole world), those physical realities portray such majestic spiritual ones as well! Mankind saw Christ butchered on the cross, but they did not see the dragon or his 'angels' being hurled from heaven as a result of that victory!
The book of Revelation is not just for us to be able to plot out a future course. The reason that you can't find your 'sign' in the stars is because we're being told of Christ's once and for all spiritual victory over the forces of evil.
It's a glorious sign for sure, but turning to astrology, which God expressly forbids, is both missing that glorious sign, and coming perilously close to dismissing it.
 

Heb 13:8

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You can't find it IN the stars because God doesn't call his children into astrology! The sign is not IN the stars.

No, I can find it in the stars. It occurs on 9/23/17.. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/XXxVwpcXV0U/maxresdefault.jpg

What nobody can find is the sign occurring in the stars 2,000 years ago at Jesus birth. You believe this sign is referring to Jesus birth, no?

1. The moon is at the woman's feet
2. The woman is clothed with the sun
3. The woman has a crown of 12 stars at her head
4. Jupiter actually stays in the womb for 42 weeks

If this isn't the sign, then how else can it be fulfilled without using constellation Virgo, Leo and Draco. Do you see what I'm saying here? God created the constellations, and He is using them for His purpose. There is no other way to fulfill this sign, this is it. It is also in connection with another Jubilee which is well, perfect timing? How many more generations does Naomi need to see?

Matt 24:34 Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.

1897 - First Zionist Congress
1917 - The Balfour Declaration
1947 - Israel becomes a nation
1967 - Israel recaptures Jerusalem
2017 - Rev 12:1-5 sign

The book of Revelation is not just for us to be able to plot out a future course.

:rolleyes:

Rev 1:1 The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,

Rev 1:19 "Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later.

The reason that you can't find your 'sign' in the stars is because we're being told of Christ's once and for all spiritual victory over the forces of evil.

No, I can find it in the stars. It occurs on 9/23/17.. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/XXxVwpcXV0U/maxresdefault.jpg

What nobody can find is the sign occurring in the stars 2,000 years ago at Jesus birth. You believe this sign is referring to Jesus birth, no?

It's a glorious sign for sure, but turning to astrology, which God expressly forbids, is both missing that glorious sign, and coming perilously close to dismissing it.

It's a glorious sign that God forbids because it's astrology? Then why is it glorious? :rolleyes:
 

Naomi25

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Oh, for goodness... You didn't hear a single thing I said. Let me try and break it down into smaller bits:

No, I can find it in the stars. It occurs on 9/23/17

You find Jupiter and Virgo in the stars on that date, nothing more. Anything else is conjecture on your part.




What nobody can find is the sign occurring in the stars 2,000 years ago at Jesus birth. You believe this sign is referring to Jesus birth, no?

As I said....we are not supposed to look at the stars. :rolleyes: God forbids astrology. And as for Rev 12 being a reference to the birth of Christ? Well, I don't know. How many children have the job description of being able to "rule all the nations with a rod of iron", but then being holy enough to be able to be "caught up to God and to his throne". Hmmm. Sort of sounds like Jesus.

There is no other way to fulfill this sign, this is it.

No, there are, I've given them to you, you just won't listen.

Matt 24:34 Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.

1897 - First Zionist Congress
1917 - The Balfour Declaration
1947 - Israel becomes a nation
1967 - Israel recaptures Jerusalem
2017 - Rev 12:1-5 sign

What happened to '27, 37, 57, 77, 87, 97...etc? Do those generations of 7 not count? And the generation that Jesus was talking to certainly did pass away. "THIS generation". Interesting interpretation of 'this', otherwise....

Rev 1:1 The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,

Rev 1:19 "Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later.

You do realize that when you tell your kids that they have to wait til later to have a snack, that that too is later. 'Later' is just 'not now'. 'What must soon take place' is more a help for my argument than yours, I'd say, and most certainly doesn't specify 2000 years of waiting.


It's a glorious sign that God forbids because it's astrology? Then why is it glorious? :rolleyes:

No. :rolleyes: The message it sends is glorious. As I keep saying. It's got nothing to do with astrology, astronomy or however you think Jupiter is going to heave out a child and be devoured by whatever other planet. o_O
 

Heb 13:8

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You find Jupiter and Virgo in the stars on that date, nothing more. Anything else is conjecture on your part.

Well, it's not conjecture. The moon is literally at her feet, she is literally clothed with the sun, she literally has 12 stars above her head and Jupiter literally stays in the womb for 42 weeks. Look at the picture.

As I said....we are not supposed to look at the stars.

like the wise men did at Jesus birth? the rev 12 sign takes place in the heavens where the sun, moon, stars and planets reside, but we're not supposed to look at the stars. :rolleyes:

And as for Rev 12 being a reference to the birth of Christ? Well, I don't know.

It's actually a reference to the birth of the church being born into incorruptible seed. The church was conceived at Pentecost 2,000 years ago, Acts 2:1-4 and has been in gestation for 2,000 years. Now, it's time for the baby to come out of the womb which is rapture.

John is connecting the head (Jesus Christ) with the body (the church) Col 1:18 through rapture, by using the words "huios", "teknon" and "harpazo". Teknon represents the church, and John uses this word in verse 4 and 5. Take a look..

Rev 12:1-5 A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman (Israel) clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2 She (Israel) was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. 3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon (Satan) with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. 4 Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon (Satan) stood in front of the woman (Israel) who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child (teknon the church) the moment he was born. 5 She gave birth to a son (huios Jesus Christ himself), a male child, who “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.” And her child (teknon the church) was snatched up (harpazo) to God and to his throne.

How many children have the job description of being able to "rule all the nations with a rod of iron",

Well, that would be us (the church), referencing the 7 letters to the 7 churches. It's time to wake up!

Rev 2:26-27 To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations— 27that one ‘will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery’ —just as I have received authority from my Father.

but then being holy enough

..is exactly why we are covered in His blood. our works are but filthy rags. are you saved Naomi. are you born again. do you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? John 3:3, Rom 10:9-10.

No, there are, I've given them to you, you just won't listen.

where did you show me. how else can this sign be fulfilled?? :rolleyes:

What happened to '27, 37, 57, 77, 87, 97...etc? Do those generations of 7 not count?

Learn your history and 50 year Jubilees, or would you rather mock God?

I'd say, and most certainly doesn't specify 2000 years of waiting.

Well, it actually does because Jesus hasn't returned yet like it says in Rev chapter 19. The church has also been in gestation for 2,000 years. It's time to wake up!

2 Pet 3:9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

It's got nothing to do with astrology, astronomy or however you think Jupiter is going to heave out a child and be devoured by whatever other planet.

be devoured by whatever other planet, you mean like it says in Rev 12:4? how many times have you contradicted yourself so far. :rolleyes:

Rev 12:1-5 A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman (Israel) clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2 She (Israel) was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. 3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon (Satan) with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. 4 Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon (Satan) stood in front of the woman (Israel) who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child (teknon the church) the moment he was born. 5 She gave birth to a son (huios Jesus Christ himself), a male child, who “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.” And her child (teknon the church) was snatched up (harpazo) to God and to his throne.
 

Naomi25

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Okay, this is getting far to long-winded. So...here is where I'll hitch my wagon for the moment.

Well, it's not conjecture. The moon is literally at her feet, she is literally clothed with the sun, she literally has 12 stars above her head and Jupiter literally stays in the womb for 42 weeks. Look at the picture.

'Literally at her feet'. Except it's a planet, and it's not a 'she' and it doesn't have feet.
'Literally clothed with the sun'. Except it's a planet, so it's not wearing garments, and the sun wouldn't make for very nice clothes.
'Literally has 12 stars above her head'. Except if there were 'literally' 12 'stars' above Jupiters head, the gravitational force of this whole solar system would be pulled apart.
'Jupiter literally stays in the womb for 42 weeks'. Except it's a planet and it doesn't have a womb. Or a baby. Or a way to reproduce.


You DO know what the word 'literally' means, yeah?

Let me just take a little step back a try some reason (it's worked so well in the past, I must be a sucker for punishment!). Let's consider how God has used 'signs in the heavens' before, shall we? I don't necessarily agree that's what Rev 12 is talking about, but let's put that aside for the moment:

We know that when Jesus was born there was a bright star shining. One single star. Bright.
We know that on occasions, like when Jesus died on the cross, God marked such an event by blocking out the sun. The sun.
We are told that we can expect the moon to turn blood red on the occasion of his return. The moon.

The bible also tells us that astrology is forbidden. Do you remember the definition of astrology? I'll give it again, 'cause I'm nice:

"the study of the movements and relative positions of celestial bodies interpreted as having an influence on human affairs and the natural world."

So, while we know God will use easy to see, bright, single signs (our sun, our moon, a bright, view-able star!), he forbids the study of 'the movement and relative positions of celestial bodies. Plural.

Literally.
 

Heb 13:8

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'Jupiter literally stays in the womb for 42 weeks'. Except it's a planet and it doesn't have a womb. Or a baby. Or a way to reproduce.

Of course Jupiter doesn't have a womb. It's symbolism. Jupiter represents the body of Christ being birthed into incorruptible seed through rapture.

We know that when Jesus was born there was a bright star shining. One single star. Bright.
We know that on occasions, like when Jesus died on the cross, God marked such an event by blocking out the sun. The sun.
We are told that we can expect the moon to turn blood red on the occasion of his return. The moon.

Right, but we're discussing Rev 12:1-5. What does Rev 12:1-5 say? :rolleyes:

The bible also tells us that astrology is forbidden. Do you remember the definition of astrology? I'll give it again, 'cause I'm nice:

Astrology is forbidden if you're worshiping Satan Naomi. Believers in Christ worship Jesus Christ. Do you understand the difference? :rolleyes:

The bible also tells us that astrology is forbidden. Do you remember the definition of astrology? I'll give it again, 'cause I'm nice:

Astrology is forbidden if you're worshiping Satan Naomi. Believers in Christ worship Jesus Christ. Do you understand the difference? :rolleyes:
 

Naomi25

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Of course Jupiter doesn't have a womb. It's symbolism. Jupiter represents the body of Christ being birthed into incorruptible seed through rapture.

Well is it symbolic or literal? Make up your mind!!

Right, but we're discussing Rev 12:1-5. What does Rev 12:1-5 say? :rolleyes:

Well it doesn't say that a planet is literally gonna pop out a kid! There are a lot of symbolic references in the passage, but you are so dead bent on having it play out in the darn stars, that you ignore everything else to focus on the ridiculous!

Let's see: we have the symbols of a woman, a glorious woman (rich, powerful, important, of covenantal worth?). She's with child - (she is bringing something forth with pain and travail and time...you can see it's promised coming). We have the symbol of a dragon...don't need much speculation here...(the devil, waiting to foil God's plan to deliver the woman's child and bring about his plan for both woman and child). The dragon takes a third of the 'stars' with him from heaven (fallen angels). The 'child' is born and before the 'dragon' can devour him he is taken up to heaven (triumphs in his task) and the 'woman' is left to flee the dragon and his wrath.

I'm not a scholar, of course, so that's all a bit all over the place. But my point is this: you say, rather flippantly "it's symbolic" but then do your very best to squish it into as literal terms as possible. There is no woman crying out in birth pains in the sky. There is no dragon waiting to devour the child up there. You want there to be, so much so that you are turning to astrology, and ignoring the gospel proclamation in the passage!

Astrology is forbidden if you're worshiping Satan Naomi. Believers in Christ worship Jesus Christ. Do you understand the difference? :rolleyes:

Astrology is forbidden if you're worshiping Satan Naomi. Believers in Christ worship Jesus Christ. Do you understand the difference? :rolleyes:

So...it's not okay if you're a Satan worshiper, but if you follow God, it's A Okay? How does that even make sense to you?

Here's a verse that is talking to God's own people:

Abominable Practices

“When you come into the land that the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD. And because of these abominations the LORD your God is driving them out before you. - Deuteronomy 18:9-12