And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. 1 Timothy 3:16
"For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part has happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so, all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, there shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins." Romans 11:25-27
In Matthew 24:1-51, Mark 13:1-37, and Luke 21:5-38, Jesus' message here is not meant for the Gentiles. Jesus is speaking to the Jews alive during the time of great tribulation and telling them that, although they will rebuild the temple because they believe they must, it isn't going to turn out how they think. God will use the third temple to give Israel a second chance to believe the Gospel of Christ, because when the antichrist seats himself in the temple as god to be worshiped, Israel will see they must turn to God by faith, not works! And when that happens, God will remove their blindness, and they will see the Messiah. God is not finished with Israel, He cannot break His promises, because He works all things to His glory. He will bring Israel back to Him for His sake.
These are not passages to the Church, nor do they reference the rapture of the Church. In fact, since the Temple is clearly needed so that God can do His great work with Israel, the Church cannot remain on earth during this period. The veil in the old (stone) temple was split in half from top to bottom, by God, when Jesus died on the cross. And Jesus became the Chief cornerstone of the new (fleshy) temple, the Church of God, the Body and Bride of Christ. God removes the old when He brings in the new. We, the Body of Christ, must be removed before God can continue with Israel where He left off. (Daniel's prophecy of 70 weeks stopped when Christ died at week 69... Week 70 is coming, the 7-year tribulation) We must correctly divide scripture.
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For 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. 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: 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. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore, let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
In Paul's first letter to the Church at Thessaloniki, part of his focus was on trying to calm a nervous young church. They had heard rumors that the day of the Lord had already come, and that they had missed it. It appears that, while asking the Lord to guide him in his writing to the church, Jesus shared the mystery of the rapture of the church with Paul. We find this in 1 Thessalonians 4:13 to 1 Thessalonians 5:11.
Let us take a closer look at 1 Thessalonians 5:1-5
"But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you."
Why did Paul say this? Because we would know the times and seasons as they approached.
How? Verse 2
"For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night."
Didn't Jesus say this too? Yes! Paul is reminding us that Jesus told us to watch! Matthew 24:42-43 "Watch therefore: for ye know 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." This is why Paul told us we have no need that he tells us the times and seasons. If we are doing what Jesus told us to do, we would see the time approaching!
"For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness."
So, who is "they?" Those that are not the brethren, those that are in darkness, those to whom that day will come as a thief.
(Note that immediately after they say "Peace and safety" sudden destruction cometh upon them. So clearly, they are *wrong* when they say, "Peace and safety.")
So, what is the sudden destruction that cometh upon them in darkness? That day that overtakes them as a thief.
So, what is "that day?" of sudden destruction? The Day of the Lord/hour of temptation/tribulation/Daniel's 70th week.
How can I be sure of this? Because they shall not escape it, meaning that we who are in the light, not in darkness, will escape it.
How? RAPTURE
...and lead us not into temptation (tribulation) but deliver us from evil (rapture)
"Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth." Rev 3:10
"Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." Titus 2:13-14
"And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be." Revelation 22:12
"And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away." 1 Peter 5:4
"And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold." Revelation 4:4
"And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth." Revelation 5:8-10
The 24 Elders represent the Church, raptured, glorified, crowned, worshiping God face-to-face. We aren't crowned when we die, Peter said we are crowned when Jesus appears, and since it is clear that the events in Revelation 4 and 5 are before the tribulation, the rapture must be pre-tribulation. There is no other time for it.
"The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished." 2 Peter 2:9
My email will always be open for discussion, questions and prayer requests. May Jesus bless you!
Jeremy
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