What do we have to say about the rapture?

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Aleks_Kravchuk

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Mar 14, 2008
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Most importantly, what do we have to say about 1 Thessalonians 4:17?1 Thessalonians 4:17Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
This is one very interesting passage. It is full of hope for christians, that there will be a day when they will see their beloved ones that have died in Christ.This scripture amazes me. 1 Thessalonians 4:17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.Yet I would like to take two verses back and read from there so I would like to start with 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17. 15For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.These three verses...when you look at them from afar you know they contain that power, the power of Jesus, the power that overcomes death, The ressurection.Jesus showed that He overcomes death, it has no power over Him. Those that died IN CHRIST will rise up FIRST.Also we notice our greatest hope, ecouragement in life (we will need a lot of encouragement during the trials and we will need support too) our encouragement about the dead in Christ that we love is that WE will see them again.Our encouragement is that Jesus will come and take us home is also in here. Apostol Paul twice mentioned one phrase.... "We which are alive and remain" verse 15 and verse 17. I wanted to stop on this phrase of Paul. Why did Paul write it twice in three verses? It will not be easy for the true believer to pass through the great tribulation. Many will die. Those who we know. That is why Paul wrote it there. There will not be that many true believers that will remain alive. And that point is expressed by God. That for the sake of the ELECT the days would be shortened. Otherwise everyone would die.Paul did not mention that phrase because he had nothing else to write. Not one word that was written was even Paul's I would say. He was moved by the Holy Spirit to write all of these scriptures. Holy Spirit does not say things without a purpose. He always has a purpose. A good purpose. We which are alive and remain.. remain...We which remain on earth until the coming of Christ.We which remain ALIVE until the coming of Christ.I would like to take this into context.1st Thessalonians Chapter 4:13-18 Talks about the ressurection of the dead.In fact Paul stopped talking about the dead who died outside of Christ in verse 14. For if WE BELIEVE that JESUS died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him.It started to refer to believers only from verse 14 down to 18 where it ended with 18Wherefore comfort one another with these words.Because we have hope that we will see the dead in Christ again.When that time comes brothers and sisters, comfort each other with those words. They are blessed words. Revelations 1:3 States that we are blessed if we read, hear, and keep the words of the book that is written. Keep these words my brothers and sisters. Grace be with you.--------------------------------------------------------------------Ressurection.Let us look at verses 16-17 of 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise FIRST: 17THEN we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.Let us take a look at FIRST and THEN.First thing we notice is that they are next to each other if we put verses 16 and 17 together(16)For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise FIRST: (17)THEN we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.Words that tell time, or seperate time. First, After, Before, Then, Finally, Next, and etc. These words are able to tell the order and seperate events.First I went to the park. Then I went to swim in the river.First I brushed my teeth. Then I put my contact lenses on.Tell me which of these things happened first?I went to the park. I went to swim in the river.you will say (FIRST) I went to the park. not that I went to swim in the river first. What happened second, or after the first?I brushed my teeth. I put my contact lenses on.The words FIRST and THEN seperate the sequence of the events.In fact they even give us the sequence or the order of the events how they go.If we read verses 16 and 17. We will notice a seperation and order of the events placed by the words FIRST, and THEN.This is the sequence of events.1. The (DEAD) in CHRIST (RISE FIRST)2. shall be caught up together with them in the clouds (THEN)(In what bodies?) we have to change into heavenly bodies.Yet these two events have something in the middle between them.-----------------------------TIME------------------------------51Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, NOT ALL OF US WILL DIE. "we which remain unto coming of Jesus Christ"BUT WE SHALL ALL BE CHANGED. Will the dead change? The dead Will Rise First. The dead that will Rise first will be raised incorruptible (1st Corinthians 15:52) But those who are left alive will be changed. 52In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.ORDER OF EVENTS1.the dead who are In CHRIST will rise first. =They will be raised incorruptible2. Then we will be changed in the twinkle of an eye because we have to have new bodies. 1st Corinthians 15:52-53AND TOGETHER WE GO TO MEET THE LORD IN THE SKYLet me ask you a question.1. If the dead are with Christ already (revelation 6:9-11) why do they need to RISE FIRST? The DEAD IN CHRIST SHALL RISE FIRST.There is one answer..It is for those who remain alive of the chosen ones on earth. It is those dead that will tell the believers "THAT JESUS IS COMING"In 1st Thessalonians 4:1515For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.Brothers and Sisters, We will meet our beloved ones that have died IN CHRIST during the great tribulation, here on EARTH. Not in the air, not in heavens. We will meet them here on earth. THEY will tell us that "JESUS IS COMING" "THE GROOM IS COMING" BE READY!!!!THEY WILL BE THE ONES TELLING US JESUS IS COMING!!! We that are alive will not prevent those who are asleep. BUT THE ONE WHO ARE ASLEEP WILL TELL US!! FIRST!!!!!!!!The sequence of events. Before we change we will see our dead ones it will be marvelous!! Read the parable of Matthew chapter 25:1-10. It is that parable of the last day. Be Blessed!
 

Christina

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Apr 10, 2006
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There is no mystery around when this will take place, for we will know his methods of operation [withholdeth], and the signs, the seasons, and the times of Satan's arrival to earth. If you are in the Word of God and not following these "one verse preachers", you will know when to expect the Antichrist. You will also know within hours of when to expect our Lord Jesus Christ's return. Satan's reign on earth is not seven years because God reduced that time to five months for the "elect's" sake, as Jesus told us in Matthew 24:22. Jesus also revealed that the time is shortened to five months, to John in Revelation 9:5, and 10. Hey Kriss.. I would like to bring up another point for you.I understand that you wrote that the time for "Elects" sake will be reduced to five months, But it is written here in (Daniel 12:7-12)7And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished. 8And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? 9And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. 10Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand. 11And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. 12Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.In the verse 7 it states that time, times, and a half. From which we understand three and a half years.In verse 11 It sates that there shall be 1290 From the time of that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up.So it still has to be three and a half years =1260 days. There is 30 days different and I do not know what that is about or even 1335 days. I do not have the revelation about the other days. But God used an Angel of God and stated clearly that from the time that the abomination of desolation is set up there will pass 1290 (DAYS). 21For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.(MATTHEW 24:21-22, Mark 13:20)As I understand that we think that by Shortened it means less in number. Yet, lets ask a simple question.Do you know how much is an INCH?you will say it is about this long [------], lets say someone shortens that to [----] and it is still called an INCH. You will not be able to tell the difference because the measurement of the INCH changed everywhere instantly. Same as with Time. God really cares about his Elect's suffering and to him it is so precious that He will shorten their suffering. Otherwise no one would live long enough.Lets ask this question. How long is five minutes for you? you will probably say. It passed too fast. I just started having breakfast. and five minutes is up.How long is five minutes if your finger is jammed by the door and you are in pain?Seems like eternity.......God will shorten the measurement of TIME itself, for elects sake. not the number of days..in essence it will be like less days.. but there will still be 24 hours in a day. 365 days in a year. It will only be shorter. You will not notice it that well. You may feel it that it seems to be that days are shorter...but there will still be 24 hours, 365 days. And the 1290 days will still be fullfilled. Only in God's eyes they will be shorter. Time instead of being measured [-------] will be measured [----] yet it will still be called time. You probably would wonder how? how would we tell if time is shorter. Well first of all you need a parallel universe then. Whole universe will change for the ELECT'S sake. It is called great tribulation.Nothing is impossible for God to accomplish
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Praise God. it is very interestingI am not disputing your point, that is not my goal Just think about it
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and be Blessed as always.....well.....even more than that
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Yes I did state that it is shortened to five months however that was not the 7 year period (week divided in two parts of 3 1/2 years ea) only the actual time Antichrist/Satan is here is shortened to 5 months according to Rev 9:5 & 9:103 1/2 years is the same as 42months it is shortened to five months which is 150 days the difference between 1335 and 1260 is 30 days it is the difference between the lunar calender and the solar calendar (solar being longer) Satan's prophesy are often given in lunar months and Gods in days (solar) now if my memory serves (that could be ify) these are not litterel days but rather years of days for the daily sacrafice stopped with the destuction of the temple in Jerusalem in 70 AD