It wont be as well laid out as I intended but there you go. Please take the time to read the chapters I am posting, don't just read what I am writing, it has to be the Bible that talks to us and its that which will give us understanding.
Lets get stuck in, read Revelation 14
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+14&version=NKJV
It describes a reaping of the Church
14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You[i] to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” 16 So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.
Then there is an outpouring of wrath
Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.
18 And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.” 19 So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great wine press of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses’ bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs.
How do we know its one then the other? Well it says so, one Angel reaps one group and then the scripture mentions this peculiar word 'THEN'
Whoever are the first group are spared what is called the 'wine press of the wrath of God'.
This is consistent from what we read here
1 Thes 5:9
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.
So on one side there is Salvation; those who are born again, and on the other side there are those who shall receive the wrath of God.
We're still not clear on when this may happen right? The Lord is going to come 'like a thief in the night'. Well not so fast on that, lets look at it in context.
1 Thessalonians 5 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.
So, in writing to the church in Thessalonians, Pauls says to the believers ' Not so for you guys' because you are not in Darkness that it should overtake you, but be watchful.
When shall the Church be caught up and spared the wrath of God?
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians+15&version=NKJV
At the last trumpet, which is the last trumpet? The 7th trumpet.
The church is present will all proceeding trumpets, that's 6 trumpets.
We get more detail in Matthew 24, where it even tell us the great answer to the great divisive question, are the Church spared the great tribulation?
“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
So AFTER the great tribulation, we see some physical manifestations
The Sun will be darkened
The moon will not give its light
Stars shall fall form Heaven
The powers of the heavens(small h - meaning physical realm that we can see, sky and space) will be shaken
Then there is the appearing of the Son of Man and he sends out Angels with a trumpet, this is the 7th one which we have been revealed to us, where he gathers the elect.
Who are the elect? The Jews? The Church? Both?
I refer to this neat little study
http://www.lastdaysmystery.info/who_are_the_elect.htm
The elektos, which means beleivers.
It seems impossible for these manifestations to happen secretly, lets not be foolish here, we have it placed after the events of the great tribulation.
But what about the Anti-Christ and what signifies the beginning of the GT? Heres where I had my notes as I hope not to forget to mention an important scripture.
Back to that meaty Chapter, Matthew 24.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2024&version=ESV
We read of an event which starts the beginning of the Great Tribulation
24:15 - When you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the Prophet Daniel................(v21) For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.
We will need to go see what the Prophet Daniel said but here we have a start part - the abomination of Desolation.
I will conclude this part and we will pick up from there and what proceeds this.
Isn't this fun?
No comments:
Post a Comment