The Rapture and the Second Coming

 I read a interesting thread on the Rapture Ready forum concerning the second of Jesus and the rapture of the the church. Folks are confused about it. Me too! But we can think about it and (maybe) put  it in perspective.

In 1 Corinthians 15 Paul writes,

“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

What is a mystery? A mystery  is something that has not yet been revealed. This mystery not yet been revealed at the time when Jesus spoke the people in Matthew Matt 24/25, Mark 13, Luke 21.

In 1 Thessalonians 5, Paul writes,

 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."

Paul is talking about two separate groups of people: those who are watching and those ignore.

Matthew 24-25 passage is about His Second Coming, and gives us instructions on how to avoid the  Great Tribulation.

But of that day and hour knoweth no [man], no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
But as the days of Noe [were], so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.  For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,  And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.  Two [women shall be] grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye now not what hour your Lord doth come.
 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.  Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh....

Blessed [is] that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

 Two groups: Those who watch and those who ignore.


But as the days of Noe [were] pertains to His Second Coming  because it is making the point that just as in Noah's day, people will deliberately ignore God's Word (and back in that time, it came to them via Noah) "... And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away." Their minds (deliberately) set on "the things of this world"... anything but God and His eternal Truth.

There are some who feel that Jesus was not speaking to the Church here in the discourse, but there would be no way to resolve His comments about the days of Noah and Lot being within the Tribulation because nothing will be normal then, especially not when He sets His foot down on the Mount of Olives.

I think he was talking about two groups. Those who watch and those who ignore.

We are held responsible for knowing the season of His return for us and to be looking for Him as His Bride. Jesus, in the Olivet Discourse (Matt 24/25, Mark 13, Luke 21) tells us that we should be watching for Him and expecting Him. He is not a thief to us; we know He is coming and are waiting for Him with great expectation and desire to see Him.

I highly encourage you to read all three of those accounts of the Olivet Discourse to get every detail.




Are you ready?


//rb

Sanhedrin, Egypt, and War

Sanhedrin, Egypt, and War

A couple of items caught my eye today.

'Reviving Sanhedrin may help bridge gaps with Diaspora'
One creative proposal tabled at the Herzliya Conference on Monday suggests resurrecting an ancient Jewish body that hasn’t met, at least in a universally recognized form, in more than 1,600 years.

 

The supreme Jewish political, religious and judicial body in Judea during the Roman period. The name Sanhedrin is a Greek word, used only in the Roman period (from the 1st century B.C.), but the existence of such a council goes back to Persian times, when it was called "Gerusia" (council of elders).

A diaspora (in Greek, διασπορά - "a scattering [of seeds]") is any movement of a population sharing common national and/or ethnic identity. While refugees may or may not ultimately settle in a new geographic location, the term diaspora refers to a permanently displaced and relocated collective.

 The  people must be assembled before the Sanherin convenes and authorizes the ancient Jewish sacrifices on the Temple Mount. I read, from several sources, that preparation are already being being made to resumed the daily sacrifices. There is one outstanding obstical: The Dome of the Rock sits  atop  the Temple Mount. But I think that  will be sorted  out. And soon!

 Army Chief Ashkenazi: Prepare for all-out war
Given recent changes in the Middle East, Israel must prepare for a battle in several theaters, outgoing IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi said Monday at the Herzliya Conference. "The connection between the different players requires us to contend with more than one theater," he said. The radical camp in the Middle East is gaining strength, Ashkenazi warned, adding that "the moderate camp among the traditional Arab leadership is weakening."

Muslim Brotherhood text reveals scope of radical creed
...“The Islamic ummah,” it says, referring to the supranational community of Muslims, “can regain its power and be liberated and assume its rightful position which was intended by Allah, as the most exalted nation among men, as the leaders of humanity.” Elsewhere, it exhorts Muslims, “Know your status, and believe firmly that you are the masters of the world, even if your enemies desire your degradation.”  

Egypt has been a buffer on Isreal’s southern flank for thirty years, Now, I fear, that is about to change. The pundits say the Obama adminetration faces tough decisions.

If the Muslim Brotherhood — an Islamist political movement that is banned in autocratic Egypt — takes a central role in a future popularly elected government, the U.S. challenge will be even tougher.

I think President Obama’s  passed actions will dictate his actions in the present. The Muslim Brotherhood will its way with Egypt, and Israel will be alone, and surrounded, just as God  said they would.

Are You Ready?

'Reviving Sanhedrin may help bridge gaps with Diaspora'
http://www.jpost.com/JewishWorld/JewishNews/Article.aspx?id=207425
Army Chief Ashkenazi: Prepare for all-out war
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4025266,00.html
Muslim Brotherhood text reveals scope of radical creed
http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=207415
Egypt: Hizbullah and Iran want to 'ignite the region'
http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=207456