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The Rapture Myth
Many Christians today, mainly Protestants, have put their faith in a =
peculiar theory commonly called the 'Rapture'. This event, they are =
assured by televangelists, eschatological writers and their own pastors, =
is definitely promised in the Bible they claim, and will save them and =
their loved ones from the 'time of trial', the 'Great Tribulation', and =
the like. That, "in a twinkling of an eye", God will suddenly whisk them =
off the face of the earth and usher them into Heaven, and out of the =
clutches of the Antichrist, False Prophet, as well saving them from =
other dangers and trials in the days ahead.=20
To give as just one example of the typical Protestant take on the theory =
of the Rapture. I will quote from one of the most renowned Protestant =
writers in the field of eschatology today, Grant R. Jeffrey, in his book =
"The Coming Judgment of the Nations";
"The Imminent Rapture of the Saints"
"THE PURPOSE OF THE TRANSLATION OF THE SAINTS"
"The Rapture is one of the most important doctrines in the Bible. =
However, many have avoided studying this subject because it is the most =
supernatural event in the Scriptures. Unfortunately, most discussions =
about the translation of the saints have focused exclusively on the =
question of the timing of the Rapture relative to the Tribulation. While =
the timing is very important, many Christians have lost sight of the =
true purpose of the Rapture. Although this event will remove the living =
saints to heaven to escape the Antichrist, its primary purpose is to =
provide all believers, living and departed, with their eternal =
resurrection bodies.
"The 'translation of the saints' will transform our mortal and =
corruptible body into a new resurrection body that will be immortal and =
incorruptible. Our present body is subject to disease, accident and =
death. The Scripture assures us that our present mortal and corruptible =
body is not suitable for heaven, nor is it suitable for us to reign and =
rule with Christ on the earth forever. In order that we may partake of =
all that Christ has promised His Bride, the Church, we must receive a =
new resurrection body. 'Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood =
cannot inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell 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 trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead =
will be raised incorruptible, and we shall all be changed.' (1 =
Corinthians 15:50-52).=20
"In Philippians 3:20, 21 the Apostle Paul informs us that our eternal =
resurrection body will be similar to the glorious body that Jesus =
possessed when He rose from the grave. 'For our citizenship is in =
heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus =
Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to =
His Glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to =
subdue all things to Himself.' In Romans 8:29 Paul again tells us that =
our body will be 'conformed' to the resurrection body of our Lord. 'For =
whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of =
His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.' The Old =
Testament did not reveal many details about the future life and bodies =
of the saints in heaven. However, the Apostle John received a vision =
about the nature of our resurrection body. 'Beloved, now we are children =
of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know =
that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as =
He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as =
He is pure' (1 John 3:2,3).
"THE PROMISE OF THE RAPTURE"
"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. 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' (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).
"Some who oppose the teaching of the Rapture declare that the word =
'Rapture' does not appear in the Bible. The original Latin translation =
of the Bible by Jerome, an early Christian scholar, used the word rapere =
to correctly translate 'shall be caught up.' This word rapere was used =
later as the derivation for our English word 'Rapture.' Since the phrase =
'to be caught up' is clearly in the New Testament and was quoted =
extensively by the early Church, we can safely use the word 'Rapture' to =
describe the translation of the saints as outlined in 1 Thessalonians =
4:16, 17."
(End of Quote)
To begin this refutation of the myth that is the 'rapture', please note =
that, as Jeffrey admits, the primary purpose of whatever Saint Paul is =
describing is not to escape the Antichrist, but "its primary purpose is =
to provide all believers, living and departed, with their eternal =
resurrection bodies." He acknowledges as much, because virtually all of =
what Saint Paul is describing in those passages, the same ones used by =
pro-Rapturists to bolster their theory, is primarily to assure his =
fellow brethren of the fact of the resurrection, not to specify as to =
its timing, whether before the 'seven-year Tribulation', before the =
'Great Tribulation' (the last three and a half years of the entire =
'Tribulation' period), before the onset of God's 'Wrath' and the =
beginning of the Battle of Armageddon (at the tail end of 'Great =
Tribulation'), at the Second Coming during the Battle of Armageddon, or =
at any other specific point in God's Timetable. Again, as Jeffrey notes, =
Paul's intent is to primarily assure his readers of the fact of the =
resurrection itself. And let's call it just that, the resurrection, for =
that is precisely what Paul is writing about. We can thus discuss its =
particular timing in its proper light.=20
The Bible is very specific as to the timing of the two resurrections;
"The Thousand Years"=20
"1And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the =
Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2He seized the dragon, that =
ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a =
thousand years. 3He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it =
over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the =
thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short =
time.=20
4I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority =
to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of =
their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not =
worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their =
foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a =
thousand years. 5(The rest of the dead did not come to life until the =
thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. 6Blessed and =
holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death =
has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ =
and will reign with him for a thousand years."
(Revelation 20:1-7 NIV)
As the Bible clearly states, the first resurrection involves all those =
who had been beheaded (or otherwise killed, one would imagine) "because =
of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God" during the =
reign of the Antichrist and False Prophet. "THEY CAME TO LIFE AND =
REIGNED WITH CHRIST A THOUSAND YEARS...THIS IS THE FIRST RESURRECTION."
At no point in the entire Bible previous to this passage does it ever =
specify as to the timing of this, or any other resurrection. Yet, here =
it is finally, in black and white. Clearly then, anyone equating the =
event that Paul describes with some supernatural 'escape' from the =
'Tribulation', whether pre-, mid- or post-, or whatever, has simply =
read way too much into them, and totally inaccurately. You can argue =
about all the trumpets, and shouts of the Lord all you want, in order to =
show that it happens at some certain point in the 'Tribulation', but no =
matter how many convincing arguments you can come up with, you still =
cannot take away from what the Bible clearly teaches above.=20
What I believe Paul was writing about is the second resurrection, at the =
end of the 'thousand years', also known as the Millennium. My main =
reason for believing that is because of his letter to the Thessalonians; =
"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. 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' (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).
Here, we have the trumpet blasting, and the Lord descending from Heaven =
with a shout, both sounding very much like they should happen at some =
point at the end of the 'Tribulation', prior to His intervention at the =
Battle of Armageddon (to suggest that it happens anytime previous to =
that particular point is really stretching matters). Yet, even if that =
resurrection were to occur just prior to that final cataclysmic battle, =
why would Jesus deliberately end the lives of His true followers, just =
prior to setting up his seventh, sabbath millennium on the earth? Since =
Christ Himself stated that those in Heaven, in their resurrected bodies, =
neither marry nor divorce, there is no reason to assume that those =
resurrected bodies on earth do so either, since the purpose of marriage =
is procreation. The point is, the resurrected body is one not designed =
for procreation, but for eternal life; both on earth for the millennium, =
as well as Heaven afterwards.=20
That there are at least some survivors to the 'Great Tribulation', there =
can be no doubt. 'Unless those days had been shortened, no flesh would =
have been saved alive. But for the sake of the elect, they shall be =
shortened.' Why then would Jesus take all of his chosen ones, His elect, =
off the planet at that point? Why shorten the days in order to save the =
elect, just to cause their ultimate deaths, and thus resurrection? Is it =
to be left to all the non-believers, those who may not have taken the =
mark, but yet were not followers of Jesus, who were not holding true to =
His testimony and the Word of God, to re-populate the earth for the =
duration of the Millennium? The very idea is absurd, to say the least. =
Why would Jesus deliberately take (read 'kill') all his still-living =
chosen ones, his elect, off the planet at the point where he is about to =
show us how it was all supposed to be, before mankind through Adam and =
Eve, rejected His Father's Will? Is the earth to be re-populated by the =
benign yet uncommitted? According to that scenario, it's not the meek =
followers of Christ who will inherit the earth, nor the malevolently =
evil, but those benign 'good' people who ostensibly never heard the =
testimony nor the Word of God to begin with, but are yet not deserving =
of Judgment and Hell. The very possibility of this scenario playing out =
also goes against Scripture, when we realize that much of the Old =
Testament has God promising His original 'chosen people', the Jews, that =
He would restore them to their promised land at the end of the age. If =
these are the 144,000 Jews mentioned in Chapters Seven and Fourteen of =
the Book of Revelation, and follow the Lamb wherever He goes, just as =
Scripture states, then how can it be that they cannot have heard the =
testimony of Jesus, or hold to the Word of God?
No, the event that Paul is describing takes place at the end of the =
Millennium, after the final battle to end all battles;
"Satan's Doom"
"7When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his =
prison 8and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of =
the earth--Gog and Magog--to gather them for battle. In number they are =
like the sand on the seashore. 9They marched across the breadth of the =
earth and surrounded the camp of God's people, the city he loves. But =
fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10And the devil, who =
deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the =
beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day =
and night for ever and ever.=20
"The Dead Are Judged"
"11Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth =
and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12And I =
saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books =
were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The =
dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the =
books. 13The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades =
gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according =
to what he had done. 14Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of =
fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15If anyone's name was not =
found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire."
(Revelation 20:7-15 NIV)
Followed immediately by;
"The New Jerusalem"
"1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the =
first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2I saw the =
Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, =
prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3And I heard a =
loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, =
and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself =
will be with them and be their God. 4He will wipe every tear from their =
eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the =
old order of things has passed away."=20
5He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" =
Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and =
true." "=20
(Revelation 21:1-5 NIV)
It is at the end of the final battle, after Jesus again destroys all =
those rebelling against His authority and casting Satan into the same =
lake of fire as the Antichrist, False Prophet, and the then destiny of =
all not found in the Book of Life, that all the dead, Paul included, and =
ALL THAT ARE STILL LIVING ON THE EARTH AT THAT TIME, (JUST AS PAUL =
THOUGHT MIGHT APPLY TO HIMSELF AND HIS BRETHREN AT THAT TIME) are given =
their resurrection bodies. In other words, THIS IS THE SECOND =
RESURRECTION. And, depending on whether your name is found in the Book =
of Life or not, you will be either resurrected to eternal life, or an =
eternal (second) death.=20
No Virginia, there is no 'escape pod', no 'Hand of God' about to grab =
you, and whisk you off to Heaven in a 'twinkling of an eye' at any point =
during the coming 'Tribulation'. It is a myth, clear and simple, based =
upon poor Scriptural exegesis, hermeneutics, and plain old wishful =
thinking. What is about to befall mankind, is about to befall us all, =
righteous and evil, alike. So when you find yourself, your family and =
other loved ones being surrounded by the many forces of the Antichrist =
in the days ahead, as you stayed an open target for them all the while =
fantasizing about some miraculous 'rapture' when you could have used =
that time to prepare yourselves, and 'get the hell outta Dodge', =
remember that the Bible actually warned you as to what you could =
actually expect, being a follower of Jesus Christ.
To find out more, consult your local Bible, and read it again for =
yourself, on your own. Pray to God for wisdom, understanding and =
discernment. If you sincerely do so, He will sincerely answer you, in =
His own time and way, just like He did for me. Then, when you have some =
semblance of understanding, by all means consult others, and take their =
viewpoints into consideration, and weigh it all, hopefully including my =
own testimony, and make a stand.
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> =20
<DIV><STRONG><U><FONT size=3D3>The Rapture =
Myth</FONT></U></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Many Christians today, mainly Protestants, have put their faith in =
a=20
peculiar theory commonly called the 'Rapture'. This event, they are =
assured by=20
televangelists, eschatological writers and their own pastors,=20
is definitely promised in the Bible they claim, and will save =
them and=20
their loved ones from the 'time of trial', the 'Great Tribulation', and =
the=20
like. That, "in a twinkling of an eye", God will suddenly whisk them off =
the=20
face of the earth and usher them into Heaven, and out of the clutches of =
the=20
Antichrist, False Prophet, as well saving them from other dangers and=20
trials in the days ahead. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>To give as just one example of the typical Protestant take on =
the=20
theory of the Rapture. I will quote from one of the most renowned =
Protestant=20
writers in the field of eschatology today, Grant R. Jeffrey, in his=20
book <STRONG><U>"The Coming Judgment of the =
Nations";</U></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><EM>"The Imminent Rapture of the =
Saints"</EM></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><EM></EM></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><EM>"THE PURPOSE OF THE TRANSLATION OF THE SAINTS"</EM></DIV>
<DIV><EM></EM> </DIV>
<DIV><EM>"The Rapture is one of the most important doctrines in the =
Bible.=20
However, many have avoided studying this subject because it is the most=20
supernatural event in the Scriptures. Unfortunately, most discussions =
about the=20
translation of the saints have focused exclusively on the question of =
the timing=20
of the Rapture relative to the Tribulation. While the timing is very =
important,=20
many Christians have lost sight of the true purpose of the Rapture. =
Although=20
this event will remove the living saints to heaven to escape the =
Antichrist, its=20
primary purpose is to provide all believers, living and departed, with =
their=20
eternal resurrection bodies.</EM></DIV>
<DIV><EM></EM> </DIV>
<DIV><EM>"The 'translation of the saints' will transform our mortal and=20
corruptible body into a new resurrection body that will be immortal and=20
incorruptible. Our present body is subject to disease, accident and =
death. The=20
Scripture assures us that our present mortal and corruptible body is not =
suitable for heaven, nor is it suitable for us to reign and rule with =
Christ on=20
the earth forever. In order that we may partake of all that Christ has =
promised=20
His Bride, the Church, we must receive a new resurrection body. =
<STRONG>'Now=20
this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit incorruption. =
Behold,=20
I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be =
changed--in a=20
moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet =
will=20
sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall all be =
changed.'=20
(1 Corinthians 15:50-52).</STRONG> </EM></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><EM>"In Philippians 3:20, 21 the Apostle Paul informs us that our =
eternal=20
resurrection body will be similar to the glorious body that Jesus =
possessed when=20
He rose from the grave. <STRONG>'For our citizenship is in heaven, from =
which we=20
also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will =
transform our=20
lowly body that it may be conformed to His Glorious body, according to =
the=20
working by which He is able even to subdue all things to =
Himself</STRONG>.' In=20
Romans 8:29 Paul again tells us that our body will be 'conformed' to the =
resurrection body of our Lord. <STRONG>'For whom He foreknew, He also=20
predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be =
the=20
firstborn among many brethren.' </STRONG>The Old Testament did not =
reveal many=20
details about the future life and bodies of the saints in heaven. =
However, the=20
Apostle John received a vision about the nature of our resurrection=20
body.<STRONG> 'Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet =
been=20
revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we =
shall be=20
like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope =
in Him=20
purifies himself, just as He is</STRONG> pure' (1 John =
3:2,3).</EM></DIV>
<DIV><EM></EM> </DIV>
<DIV><EM>"THE PROMISE OF THE RAPTURE"</EM></DIV>
<DIV><EM></EM> </DIV>
<DIV><EM><STRONG>"For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a =
shout,=20
with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the =
dead in=20
Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught =
up=20
together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus =
we shall=20
always be with the Lord' (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).</STRONG></EM></DIV>
<DIV><EM></EM> </DIV>
<DIV><EM>"Some who oppose the teaching of the Rapture declare that the =
word=20
'Rapture' does not appear in the Bible. The original Latin translation =
of the=20
Bible by Jerome, an early Christian scholar, used the word=20
<STRONG>rapere</STRONG> to correctly translate 'shall be caught up.' =
This word=20
<STRONG>rapere </STRONG>was used later as the derivation for our English =
word=20
'Rapture.' Since the phrase 'to be caught up' is clearly in the New =
Testament=20
and was quoted extensively by the early Church, we can safely use the =
word=20
'Rapture' to describe the translation of the saints as outlined in 1=20
Thessalonians 4:16, 17."</EM></DIV>
<DIV><EM></EM> </DIV>
<DIV><EM>(End of Quote)</EM></DIV>
<DIV><EM></EM> </DIV>
<DIV>To begin this refutation of the myth that is the 'rapture', please =
note=20
that, as Jeffrey admits, the <EM>primary</EM> purpose of =
<EM>whatever</EM> Saint=20
Paul is describing is not to escape the Antichrist, but "<EM>its primary =
purpose=20
is to provide all believers, living and departed, with their eternal=20
resurrection bodies." </EM>He acknowledges as much, =
because virtually=20
all of what Saint Paul is describing in those passages, the same =
ones used=20
by pro-Rapturists to bolster their theory, is =
<EM>primarily</EM> to=20
assure his fellow brethren of the fact of the <EM>resurrection, </EM>not =
to=20
specify as to its timing, whether before the 'seven-year Tribulation', =
before=20
the 'Great Tribulation' (the last three and a half years of the entire=20
'Tribulation' period), before the onset of God's 'Wrath' and the =
beginning of=20
the Battle of Armageddon (at the tail end of 'Great Tribulation'), at =
the Second=20
Coming during the Battle of Armageddon, or at any other =
specific point in=20
God's Timetable. Again, as Jeffrey notes, Paul's intent is to=20
<EM>primarily</EM> assure his readers of the fact of the =
resurrection=20
itself. And let's call it just that, the <EM>resurrection, </EM>for that =
is=20
precisely what Paul is writing about. We can thus discuss its particular =
timing=20
in its proper light. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The Bible is very specific as to the timing of the <EM>two=20
resurrections;</EM></DIV>
<DIV><EM></EM> </DIV>
<DIV><EM>"The Thousand Years" <BR><BR><SUP>"1</SUP>And I saw an angel =
coming=20
down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand =
a great=20
chain. <SUP>2</SUP>He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is =
the devil,=20
or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. <SUP>3</SUP>He threw him =
into the=20
Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the =
nations=20
anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set =
free for=20
a short time. <BR><SUP>4</SUP>I saw thrones on which were seated those =
who had=20
been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been =
beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of =
God.=20
They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his =
mark on=20
their foreheads or their hands. <STRONG>They came to life and reigned =
with=20
Christ a thousand years. <SUP>5</SUP>(The rest of the dead did not come =
to life=20
until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first =
resurrection</STRONG>.=20
<SUP>6</SUP>Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first =
resurrection.=20
The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God =
and of=20
Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years."</EM></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>(Revelation 20:1-7 NIV)</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>As the Bible clearly states, the <EM>first resurrection =
</EM>involves all=20
those who had been beheaded (or otherwise killed, one would imagine)=20
<EM>"because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of=20
God"</EM> <STRONG>during the reign of the Antichrist and False =
Prophet.=20
<EM>"THEY CAME TO LIFE AND REIGNED WITH CHRIST A THOUSAND YEARS...THIS =
IS THE=20
FIRST RESURRECTION."</EM></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><EM></EM></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV>At no point in the entire Bible previous to this passage does it =
ever=20
specify as to the timing of this, or any other=20
resurrection. Yet, here it is finally, in black and white. =
Clearly=20
then, anyone equating the event that Paul describes with some =
supernatural=20
'escape' from the 'Tribulation', whether pre-, mid- or post-, or =
whatever,=20
has simply read way too much into them, and totally inaccurately. You=20
can argue about all the trumpets, and shouts of the Lord all you =
want, in=20
order to show that it happens at some certain point in the =
'Tribulation', but no=20
matter how many convincing arguments you can come up with, you still =
cannot take=20
away from what the Bible clearly teaches above. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>What I believe Paul was writing about is the <EM>second =
resurrection,</EM>=20
at the end of the 'thousand years', also known as the =
<EM>Millennium.</EM> My=20
main reason for believing that is because of his letter to the=20
Thessalonians; </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV><EM>"For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, =
with the=20
voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in =
Christ will=20
rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together =
with=20
them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always =
be with=20
the Lord' (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).</EM></DIV>
<DIV><EM></EM> </DIV>
<DIV>Here, we have the trumpet blasting, and the Lord descending from =
Heaven=20
with a shout, both sounding very much like they <EM>should </EM>happen =
at some=20
point at the end of the 'Tribulation', prior to His intervention at the =
Battle=20
of Armageddon (to suggest that it happens anytime previous to=20
that particular point is <EM>really </EM>stretching matters). =
Yet,=20
even if that resurrection were to occur just prior to that =
final=20
cataclysmic battle, why would Jesus deliberately=20
<STRONG><EM><U>end</U></EM></STRONG> the lives of His true followers, =
just prior=20
to setting up his seventh, sabbath millennium on the earth? Since Christ =
Himself=20
stated that those in Heaven, in their resurrected bodies, neither marry =
nor=20
divorce, there is no reason to assume that those resurrected bodies on =
earth do=20
so either, since the purpose of marriage is procreation. The point is, =
the=20
resurrected body is one not designed for procreation, but for eternal=20
life; both on earth for the millennium, as well as Heaven =
afterwards. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>That there are at least some survivors to the 'Great =
Tribulation',=20
there can be no doubt. 'Unless those days had been shortened, no =
flesh=20
would have been saved alive. But for the sake of the elect, they shall =
be=20
shortened.' Why then would Jesus take all of his chosen ones, His=20
elect, off the planet at that point? Why shorten the days in order =
to save=20
the elect, just to cause their ultimate deaths, and thus resurrection? =
Is it to=20
be left to all the non-believers, those who may not have taken the mark, =
but yet=20
were not followers of Jesus, who were not holding true to His testimony =
and the=20
Word of God, to re-populate the earth for the duration of the =
Millennium? The=20
very idea is absurd, to say the least. Why would Jesus deliberately take =
(read=20
'kill') all his still-living chosen ones, his elect, off the planet =
at the=20
point where he is about to show us how it was all supposed to be, before =
mankind=20
through Adam and Eve, rejected His Father's Will? Is the earth to be=20
re-populated by the benign yet uncommitted? According to that =
scenario,=20
it's not the meek followers of Christ who will inherit the =
earth, nor=20
the malevolently evil, but those benign 'good' =
people who ostensibly=20
never heard the testimony nor the Word of God to begin with, but are yet =
not=20
deserving of Judgment and Hell. The very possibility of this scenario =
playing=20
out also goes against Scripture, when we realize that much of the Old =
Testament=20
has God promising His original 'chosen people', the Jews, that He would =
restore=20
them to their promised land at the end of the age. If these are the =
144,000 Jews=20
mentioned in Chapters Seven and Fourteen of the Book of Revelation, =
and=20
follow the Lamb wherever He goes, just as Scripture states, then how can =
it be=20
that they cannot have heard the testimony of Jesus, or hold to the =
Word of=20
God?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>No, the event that Paul is describing takes place at the end of the =
Millennium, after the final battle to end all battles;</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><EM>"Satan's Doom"<BR><BR></EM><SUP>"7</SUP>When the thousand years =
are=20
over, Satan will be released from his prison <SUP>8</SUP>and will go out =
to=20
deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth--Gog and Magog--to =
gather=20
them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore.=20
<SUP>9</SUP>They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded =
the camp=20
of God's people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and =
devoured=20
them. <SUP>10</SUP>And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the =
lake of=20
burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. =
They will=20
be tormented day and night for ever and ever. <BR><BR><I>"The Dead Are=20
Judged"</I><BR><BR><SUP>"11</SUP>Then I saw a great white throne and him =
who was=20
seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no =
place for=20
them. <SUP>12</SUP>And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before =
the=20
throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the =
book of=20
life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded =
in the=20
books. <SUP>13</SUP>The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death =
and=20
Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged =
according=20
to what he had done. <SUP>14</SUP>Then death and Hades were thrown into =
the lake=20
of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. <SUP>15</SUP>If anyone's =
name was=20
not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of=20
fire."</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>(Revelation 20:7-15 NIV)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Followed immediately by;</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><EM>"The New Jerusalem"<BR><BR></EM><SUP>"1</SUP>Then I saw a new =
heaven=20
and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed =
away, and=20
there was no longer any sea. <SUP>2</SUP>I saw the Holy City, the new =
Jerusalem,=20
coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully =
dressed for=20
her husband. <SUP>3</SUP>And I heard a loud voice from the throne =
saying, "Now=20
the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will =
be his=20
people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. =
<SUP>4</SUP>He will=20
wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning =
or=20
crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." =
<BR><SUP>5</SUP>He=20
who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he =
said,=20
"Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." "=20
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>(Revelation 21:1-5 NIV)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>It is at the end of the final battle, after Jesus again destroys =
all those=20
rebelling against His authority and casting Satan into the same lake of =
fire as=20
the Antichrist, False Prophet, and the then destiny of <EM>all =
</EM>not=20
found in the Book of Life, that all the dead, Paul included, and =
<STRONG><EM>ALL=20
THAT ARE STILL LIVING ON THE EARTH AT THAT TIME, (JUST AS PAUL THOUGHT =
MIGHT=20
APPLY TO HIMSELF AND HIS BRETHREN AT THAT TIME)</EM></STRONG> are =
given=20
their resurrection bodies. In other words, <FONT size=3D3><STRONG>THIS =
IS THE=20
SECOND RESURRECTION. </STRONG></FONT><FONT size=3D2>And, depending on =
whether your=20
name is found in the Book of Life or not, you will be either resurrected =
to=20
eternal life, or an eternal (second) death. </FONT></DIV></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>No Virginia, there is no 'escape pod', no 'Hand of God' about to =
grab you,=20
and whisk you off to Heaven in a 'twinkling of an eye' at <EM>any</EM> =
point=20
during the coming 'Tribulation'. It is a myth, clear and simple, based =
upon poor=20
Scriptural exegesis, hermeneutics, and plain old wishful =
thinking. What is=20
about to befall mankind, is about to befall us all, righteous and evil,=20
alike. So when you find yourself, your family and other loved =
ones=20
being surrounded by the many forces of the Antichrist in the days ahead, =
as you=20
stayed an open target for them all the while fantasizing about =
some miraculous 'rapture' when you could have used that time to =
prepare=20
yourselves, and 'get the hell outta Dodge', remember that the Bible=20
actually warned you as to what you could actually expect, being a =
follower=20
of Jesus Christ.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>To find out more, consult your local Bible, and read it again for =
yourself,=20
on your own. Pray to God for wisdom, understanding and discernment. If =
you=20
sincerely do so, He will sincerely answer you, in His own time and way, =
just=20
like He did for me. Then, when you have some semblance of understanding, =
by all=20
means consult others, and take their viewpoints into consideration, and =
weigh it=20
all, hopefully including my own testimony, and make a <STRONG><EM>stand. =
</EM></STRONG></DIV></DIV></FONT></DIV></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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