Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11
Here is a definition of Partial Preterism.
Partial Preterism is
the view that almost all-Biblical prophecy is past (excluding The Second
Coming, The Resurrection and The Judgment).
The term 'Partial
Preterism' refers to that wide spectrum of thought, which is not fully
Futurist, but which incorporates some portion of what the Futurist view has to
offer. Though there is a wide range of doctrine among Partial Preterists, they
are united in the belief that some, but not all, prophecies were fulfilled in
the destruction of the Jewish nation in A.D. 70. Most Partial Preterist systems
believe that the "big three" are yet future - the Great Judgment,
Resurrection and Second Coming of Christ.
These events are yet
future:
Complete
Preterism is "2. (Theol.) One who believes the prophecies of the
Apocalypse to have been already fulfilled. --Farrar."
Full Preterists do not
believe in a rapture to come, whereas Partial Preterists do believe in a
rapture. Both parties agree that Matthew 24 was totally fulfilled, though.
Partial Preterists believe that the scriptures in Matthew 24 that have been
taken to speak about the rapture are misapplied references to the rapture. The
true rapture references are in 1 Corinthians 15, and other places.
Partial
Preterism states that some of the references to the coming of the Son of
Man do not refer to the rapture, but rather to a judgment that occurred in 70
AD.
Partial Preterists believe
the following verses literally:
Matthew 16:27-28 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.
Jesus'
wrath came in their day, their generation. It was a monumental event for the
City of
As opposed to a visible
temple and physical Kingdom, His Kingdom is invisible and is in you. And it
came at Pentecost, but was confirmed as God's only concern in 70 AD.
Luke
17:20-21 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees,
when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of
God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there!
for, behold, the
It will be
made manifest to all the souls of humanity after He returns.
Generally speaking,
Apostolic Preterism denies Dispensationalism. It teaches that there are only
two covenants of God's concern. Old Testament and New Testament. Partial
Preterists note that the New Testament refers to no other divisions besides Old
Testament and New Testament.
Partial Preterists propose
that the entire 70 weeks of Daniel, as per Daniel 9:24-27, have been totally
fulfilled in uninterrupted sequence. There is no gap between the 69th and 70th
weeks.
(That means that there is
no future tribulation period of seven years or 3.5 years.)
The cross of Christ
fulfilled all of the purposes that God listed in decreeing the purposes of the
70 weeks, as per Daniel 9:24.
Everyone, Jew or gentile,
must come in through Acts 2:38, and that there will never be another way, or a
reinstatement of the law of Moses. Nothing but the blood of Jesus will save a
soul forever.
PART 2
I guess one of the first considerations for Apostolic Preterism's validity is
the proposal that the entire 70 weeks of Daniel has all been fulfilled. That
places no tribulation period, as such, in the future. There will be tribulation
in general, but there will be no specific period of 7 or 3.5 years of it.
Daniel 9:24-27 speaks of a
70-week period of time during which specific purposes of God's dealings with
1) To finish the
transgression.
2) To Make An End of Sins
3) To Make Reconciliation for Iniquity
4) To Bring in Everlasting righteousness
5) To seal up the Vision and Prophecy
6) To Anoint the Most Holy
All of these were fulfilled
by the cross of Jesus Christ.
Let me show how each
purpose has been fulfilled.
1) The Israelites were held in
captivity in
Speak unto the children of
God warned
And if ye will not for all
this hearken unto me, but walk contrary unto me; Then I will walk contrary unto
you also in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins.
And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your daughters shall
ye eat. And I will destroy your high places, and cut down your images, and cast
your carcasses upon the carcasses of your idols, and my soul shall abhor you.
And I will make your cities waste, and bring your sanctuaries unto desolation,
and I will not smell the savor of your sweet odors. And I will bring the land
into desolation: and your enemies, which dwell therein shall be astonished at
it. And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after
you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste. Then shall the
land enjoy her Sabbaths, as long as it lieth desolate, and ye be in your
enemies' land; even then shall the land rest, and enjoy her Sabbaths. As long
as it lieth desolate, it shall rest because it did not rest in your Sabbaths,
when ye dwelt upon it. (Lev 26:27-35)
2 Chronicles notes that
breaking this law was cause for God to send the King of Chaldee to
Therefore, he brought upon
them the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sword in the
house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old
man, or him that stooped for age: he gave them all into his hand. And all the
vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of
the LORD, and the treasures of the king, and of his princes; all these he brought
to Babylon. And they burnt the house of God, and broke down the wall of
Jeremiah noted this would
occur in his prophecy.
Behold, I will send and
take all the families of the north, saith the LORD, and Nebuchadnezzar the king
of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the
inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will
utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and a hissing, and
perpetual desolations. Moreover, I will take from them the voice of mirth, and
the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride,
the sound of the millstones, and the light of the candle. And this whole land
shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the
king of
Daniel noted this as the
reason for his prayer to the Lord, which prompted God to give him the prophecy
of the 70 weeks.
In the first year of Darius
the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the
realm of the Chaldeans; In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by
books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah
the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of
Jerusalem . And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and
supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: (Dan 9:1-3)
490 more years are given to
And what is so interesting
is that according to Leviticus 26, we read that the people would experience
four sets of sevenfold judgments from God. In Lev 26, we read the mention of
the land resting for her Sabbaths that would not be honored through
disobedience to Law. It is a fact that the Book of Revelation notes four
sevenfold judgments in fulfillment of Leviticus 26. (1) Seven seals, (2) Seven
trumpets, (3) Seven thunders, (4) Seven vials. And these words of Revelation
refer to
2) The thoughts of finishing
transgression is repeated by the mention of "to make an end of sins."
What was the purpose of the cross? We read that Jesus came "to save his
people from their sins", and "put away sin by the sacrifice of
himself" (Mt 1:21 Heb 9:26). "It is not possible that the blood of
bulls and goats should take away sins... But this man after he had offered one
sacrifice for sins forever... hath perfected forever them that are
sanctified... And their sins... remember no more" (Heb. 10:4-17). Animal
sacrifices were insufficient to remove sins, but Jesus did take them away when
He was sacrificed, as Daniel foretold!
Jesus was "the Lamb of
God, which taketh away the sins of the world" (John 1:29). Christ died for
our sins (1 Corinthinas 15:3). He "bare our sins in his own body on the
tree" (1 Peter 2:24) and "hath once suffered for *sins*" (3:18).
"He was manifested to take away our sins" (1 John 3:5).
3) The Hebrew term for
"reconciliation," which is "KAPHAR", is also translated as
"ATONEMENT" in the Bible . And this is available right now, and has
been ever since Christ died on the cross. It was part of the work of Christ to
finish transgression and make an end of sins. This is not yet unfulfilled, but
has been fulfilled for two thousands years.
Hebrews 2:17;
4) Isaiah said "My righteous
servant shall make many RIGHTEOUS." Does this righteousness pass or fade
away as man's righteousness does? Isaiah said that our righteousness fade away
as a leaf (Isaiah 64:6). But Jesus told us we can seek God's righteousness, and
that never fades (Matt 6:33). It is everlasting. Paul said, "By the
righteousness of one... shall many be made RIGHTEOUS... unto eternal life by
Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:17-21). Jesus came "to fulfill all righteousness"
(Mt 3:15) and "loved righteousness, and hated iniquity", was
"anointed" of God (Heb 1:9) and "made unto us wisdom, and
RIGHTEOUSNESS, and sanctification, and redemption" (1 Corinthinas1:30).
"Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we being
dead to sins, should live unto RIGHTEOUSNESS" (1 Peter 2:24). "Even
the RIGHTEOUSNESS of God... through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to
declare his RIGHTEOUSNESS for the remission of sins" Rom 3:21-26.
"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be
made the righteousness of God in him" (2 Corinthinas 5:21). "Everyone
that does RIGHTEOUSNESS is born of him" (1 John 2:29).
5) In Hebrew, this literally reads,
"to seal up vision and prophet." In Old Testament times, "to
seal" meant to authenticate a thing to be genuine and real. (see 1 Kings
21:8; Jer 32:10,11; cf. John 6:27; 1 Corinthinas 9:2). Jesus Christ "sealed"
all Old Testament prophecy concerning Himself by fulfilling what was written of
him. The work is finished. The mystery hidden from ages is fulfilled and made
known. All the purpose of the Old Testament was to prepare us for the great
deliverance that Gabriel made known to Daniel. Throughout the Gospels we read
"...that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets."
6) Jesus Christ is the Most Holy. In
Revelation, we read that the
WE READ:
Neither wilt thou suffer thine
HOLY ONE to see corruption (Acts 2:27).
Jesus came 483 years after
the temple was initiated under Cyrus' rule. He was anointed as the most holy
when the Spirit descended upon Him during His baptism.
Jesus said:
The TIME is fulfilled (Mk
1:15).
Anointed by the Spirit he
began preaching deliverance -- the greatest deliverance that would ever be made
known to mankind. Little did Daniel realize the deliverance Gabriel would show
him.
The Spirit of the Lord is
upon me, because he hath ANOINTED me (Luke 4:18-22).
Act 4:27 mentioned Jesus as
the "holy" one that the Lord "ANOINTED."
And Peter mentioned that
God anointed Jesus of
Nazareth with the Holy Ghost... who went about doing good, healing all who were
oppressed by the devil (Acts 10:38).
Christ, or Messiah, means
ANOINTED ONE. Therefore, He is the Most Holy that was anointed.
This will be the first of a few posts showing that there will be no future 70th week of Daniel. A The entire thought of pre-, mid- or post-tribulation rapture depends upon there being a future 70th week of Daniel, for all or part of that week is considered to be the tribulation they situate the rapture around.
PART 3
PROBLEMS IN MATTHEW 24
Regarding the SYMBOLS used
in Matthew 24.
Matthew
24:29-31 Immediately after the tribulation of those
days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the
stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
A And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then
shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man
coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. A And he shall
send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together
his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
I believe
that the Bible interprets itself.
Look at these pictures....
Isaiah 13:1, 10,13 -
Ezekiel 32:7-8 -
Isaiah 34:4-5 -
All of them speak of the
stars and sun blackening. But none of that occurred literally.
They descriptions of divine
displeasure and judgment. A sword never came down literally upon
Genesis 1 speaks of the sun
and moon as though they RULE the night and day. RULERS. That is why God uses them
as darkening to indicate KINGDOMS falling. Lights out for those kingdoms!
The stars falling and the
sun turning black and the moon to blood is FIGURATIVE of KINGDOMS being
destroyed. Look at the Old Testament references to the same thing, when in actuality
the sun and stars did not literally stop shining. You have to take all these
figures from the Old Testament. My opinion is that saying these things are
literal is to speak from a lack of awareness of the idioms used in the Bible
elsewhere.
The rapture is going to
occur, but it is not referred to in Matthew 24 by any means. What is referred
to is two in the field and one taken. A How is the one "taken?"
In rapture? Can't be. Look at the comparison Jesus gave about Noah. In Noah's
day, Jesus said, the sinners were eating and drinking until the flood came AND
TOOK THEM all away. And then He says, "So shall two be in the field. The
one TAKEN and the other left." If it is going to be like it was in Noah's
day, and the one "taken" in Noah's day was the sinner taken in
destruction, then it only contextually makes sense that the one
"taken" from the field is the sinner taken in destruction.
Matthew
24:37-40 But as the days of Noah 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 Noah 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.
That fits
with Jesus' entire set of contrasts from Chapter 21 through 25. Those who
rejected Him were doomed, and those who accepted Him would be preserved. But if
you chop chapter 23 away from chapter 24 you miss that connection.
I thought that referred to
great tribulation, and saints standing through it all, and I was right. But not
as I originally thought. The great tribulation was 70 AD. And the church
remained while the unbelievers of
Again, compare Noah's
account and the account of the time the Son of man comes.
The TRUE rapture references
are found in 1 Corinthians 15. and 1 Thessaloians 4. Matthew 24 does not speak
of the rapture.
THIS GENERATION does not
refer to one in our day. I can't. It refers to the PEOPLE TO WHOM JESUS SPOKE.
Jesus spoke from Matthew 24:1 through to verse 34. And ALL THE EVENTS that He
spoke about from the very first verse He said were to take place in THEIR
generation. That includes the temple destruction, which took place in THEIR
GENERATION.
Matthew
24:34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall
not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
All WHAT
things? All the things He spoke about from verse 1!
Compare with:
Matthew
23:36-38 Verily I say unto you, All these things
shall come upon this generation. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, [thou] that killest
the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have
gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her
wings, and ye would not! A Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
Verse 25 mentions seven weeks and an additional threescore and two week. That adds up to 69 weeks. And that was when Messiah would come.
Daniel 9:26-27 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof [shall be] with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.The word HE in verse 27 is thought by many to be the ANTICHRIST, or the prince that shall come, whose people, in verse 26, shall destroy the city.
That is the reason we read of "HE" confirming the covenant with many for one week. 7 years. And then we read that in the midst of the week, HE shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease.
How long did Jesus minister, before He was cut off? 3.5 years. When would He be cut off? AFTER the 69 weeks. During the 70 weeks.
And in the midst of the 70th week, when Jesus was cut off, His death on the cross made an END of sacrifices, because His sacrifice was the final sacrifice for sins. No more sacrifices would be acceptable to God. Read Hebrews 10.
He CONFIRMED a covenant with many for one week. He did not CREATE ONE, but CONFIRMED one. And Jesus confirmed the covenant of Abraham to Israel, as Galatians 3 teaches. He said the wine at the last supper was the NEW TESTAMENT in His blood. And there were 3.5 years left after the cross of Christ, to complete the 70th week, upon Israel. The 70 weeks were determined for Israel. And it was 3.5 years after the cross that the Gospel turned to the Gentiles. Only Jews and Samaritans were privy to the Gospel until Acts 10.
There is no interruption in the 70 weeks of Daniel. The grammar of Dan. 9:26-27 proves that. HE must be MESSIAH. Check the grammar out!
PART 5
More ramifications of the New Testament that point to Apostolic Preterism.
Many proponents of varying
prophetic viewpoints teach that God will turn to natural
THE CHURCH -- HIS ONLY PEOPLE FROM
Revelation
13:6-7 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against
God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them:
and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
Revelation 13:10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity:
he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the
patience and the faith of the saints.
Revelation 14:11-12 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and
ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image,
and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the
saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith
of Jesus.
We read of
"saints" during the tribulations of Revelation's account, who face
persecution from the beast and resist the mark of the beast.
To say that there will be
tribulation saints during the time of a "church-less" tribulation
period, in which the church does not exist due to having been raptured away
beforehand, is to likewise come very close to blasphemy. To say that there will
be saints after the cross of Christ, who are not part of the church is to say
that there is another plan of God outside of the Gospel for salvation.
The Church is comprised of
all those who were born again and brought out from sin. They are delivered from
the world and have come out of darkness. Church means "called out
ones". And for one to be saint of God after the cross, one has to have
been called out of darkness. And if they are "called out" then they
are "CHURCH", for that is what the term means! Therefore, its
impossible for there to exist "called-out-of-darkness" people of God
outside the church, for anyone called-out is the "Church" by
definition.
If anyone is called out of
sin by God, it will have been through Jesus Christ's death on the cross. And
that calling-out makes them part of the Church. It is that simple. If you are
saved from sin and darkness, then you are in the Church. And there is only way
to be saved from sin and darkness -- that is deliverance through Jesus Christ
and obedience to the Gospel. How can there be "saints" since
There can be no other plan
of salvation, because Jesus completed the work. No more, work needs to be done
aside from the cross. The work could never be completed by Old Testament law,
therefore another and better plan was possible. That better plan was the
Gospel. But since the Gospel, there can be no better plan. There can be no
other plan. The old law is vanished away and is presently nullified. The book
of Hebrews taught so.
We are called SAINTS IN LIGHT
in Colossians. And we read that saints are the called out ones.
Colossians 1:12-14 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated [us] into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, [even] the forgiveness of sins:
Being
called out of darkness is what CHURCH means. CALLED OUT ONES. And Paul
inseparably ties the thought of being a saint with the
1Corinthians 1:2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called [to be] saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
That saints
and the church are one and the same body!
The idea of a future 70th
week of Daniel demands that we see a people called saints of God who are not
born of water and Spirit and have nothing to do with the Gospel. To say they do
obey the Gospel and are delivered into Christ's light out of darkness is to say
they are part of the church, for the term Church means "CALLED OUT
ONES." But this contradicts pretribulation rapture theory in every sense!
What is the truth?
The truth is that the 70 weeks
of Daniel are all fulfilled. Tribulation has and will be since the Church was
born and until the rapture of the church at the end of the world. There will be
no future seven-year tribulation period. Tribulation has and will continue and
will increase in intensity towards the end. But there is no special time of
tribulation apart from what is already. Present tribulation will only increase.
The church will meet
antichrist, for what element will antichrist be against if there is nothing
"of Christ" in this world? Only the Church is of Christ. Nothing else
is of Christ.
PART 6
In Matthew 21, Jesus was rejected by
He speaks of the vineyard
workers who rejected the various servants sent to collect fruit. And when the
Son was sent, they killed him. He then speaks of the stone, which the builders
REJECTED. But others would accept Him.
Chapter 22 continues this
thought. Keep in mind that every reference to rejection points back to His
rejection in
He then speaks about giving
to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's,
which
Chapter 23 really bears
down on the people. Then things really get interesting.
Matthew 23:31-33 Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them, which killed the prophets. A Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. A Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
They would FILL UP what their FATHERS STARTED in persecuting ancient prophets of God.
Matthew 23:34-35 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
Like a cup that was first filled with innocent blood when Abel died, those Hebrews to whom Jesus spoke, those very people, would FILL THE CUP UP , and upon THEM would come the wrath of God. And then He says:
Matthew
23:36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall
come upon this generation.
Then we see
a reference back to
Matthew 23:37-38 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, [thou] that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under [her] wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
The chat
continues in Matthew 24. The issue is still His rejection and a constant
comparison between those who reject Him and those who accept Him. Straight
through into Matthew 25, the issue is the same. Some reject and some accept.
And compare these
references with the issue of rejection versus acceptance that was all through
chapters 21-23 so far.
Mathew 23- THOSE WHO REJECT
HIM: HE WOULD HAVE GATHERED
Matthew 23- THOSE WHO
REJECT HIM: All this would come upon THAT generation: Matthew 23:36
Matthew 24- THOSE WHO
ACCEPT HIM: HE GATHERS HIS ELECT TOGETHER: Matthew 24:31
Matthew 24- THOSE WHO
ACCEPT HIM: All this would come upon THAT generation: Matthew 24:34.
And Matthew 25 goes back to
those rejecting Him and those accepting Him with parables of virgins and the
talents and finally the SHEEP AND THE GOATS.
All of that context speaks of
the destruction upon
Matthew
24:34 Verily I say unto you, This generation
shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
ALL means ALL, including the
destruction of the temple in Matthew 24:2.
PART 7
How do we deal with Jesus' reference to NOAH and
Matthew
24:34-40 Verily I say unto you, This generation
shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass
away, but my words shall not pass away. But of that day and hour knoweth no
[man], no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of
Noah 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 Noah 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.
Jesus said
THAT generation to whom he spoke would see ALL these things in Matthew 24
fulfilled. And then he compared that unexpected event of the siege by
The issue of Noah's example
is not an issue of a SECRET INVISIBLE COMING, but of an UNEXPECTED CRISIS.
Notice this is stressed as
follows:
Matthew
24:43-44 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.
It is not
the aspect of a thief's unseen coming that is the issue here. It
is the unexpectedness of His coming. Its not as though he came
and went and took the treasure without anybody seeing him that Jesus is
speaking about. Not at all. It is the aspect of nobody knowing the time
he came, whether they saw him or not. You can see a thief break into
your house, but not have known THE TIME he was going to come. Jesus said we can
prepare before he comes so long as we know that he will come.
(Pre-trib's secret rapture fails there.)
The world saw the flood
when it came, but did not expect it, for they did not believe it
would come. And the contrast between the people taken and Noah
was that the sinners' lack of belief in the coming deluge caused them
to be taken the very day the flood came. Notice the
people that were "taken" were the sinners who ate and drank and gave
in marriage until the day the flood took them all
away. This cannot be rapture at all! Why?
Jesus said so shall
it be when He comes. Two would be in the field, and the one taken
and the other left.
If it is going to be as it
was in the days of Noah, and the ones taken in that day were sinners
taken in destruction , then what does that say about the one
taken in the field and the other left?
You have to find out who
was taken in Noah's day to understand who is taken when
the Son of man comes!
Sinners were TAKEN in Noah's
day so it must be SINNERS that are taken in the coming of the Son of man. TAKEN
IN DESTRUCTION. The siege of
But the sinners, who
disbelieved Jesus, WERE TAKEN IN DESTRUCTION. The Church REMAINED alive, while
the sinners were TAKEN.
It was not NOAH that was
said to be "taken," but rather the sinners were TAKEN in destruction.
NOAH REMAINED ALIVE in the world.
This is also seen as
follows:
Notice that the CHURCH
REMAINS while all else is REMOVED in Hebrews 12:
Hebrews
12:25-28 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh.
For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more [shall
not] we [escape], if we turn away from him that [speaketh] from heaven: Whose
voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I
shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this [word], Yet once more,
signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are
made, that those things, which cannot be shaken, may remain. Wherefore we
receiving a kingdom, which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may
serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.
Its like the wise house on the rock.
Matthew
7:24-27 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings
of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his
house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds
blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a
rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not,
shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And
the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that
house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
The foolish
house was TAKEN in destruction, while the wise house STOOD and REMAINED. Why?
Because the WISE MAN BELIEVED THE WORD AND OBEYED IT.
Its backwards to say the
one taken in the field is the Christian in rapture! To be consistent with
Noah's account, the one taken HAS TO BE THE SINNER, who is taken in
destruction.
Same with
Luke
17:28-36 Likewise also as it was in the days of
Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they
builded, But the same day that Lot went out of
And this is FASCINATING!!!
Luke 17:37 And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he
said unto them, Whosesoever the body is, thither will the eagles be
gathered together.
Where will
the ones TAKEN be TAKEN? And Jesus said where the carcass is, there will the
eagles be gathered together. A carcass is a DEAD BODY! It speaks of DEATH.
Some say the Greek actually
implies VULTURES, since it is a dead carcass that eagles do not eat of. But
even if it was EAGLES....
The disbelievers would be
taken away in the place of death...
Notice that the VERY DAY
WRATH CAME, the CHURCH WAS PRESERVED ON THE EARTH. The one REMAINED, while
other was TAKEN IN DESTRUCTION.
This is 70 AD. The church
survived while the unbelievers in
The pop-prophecy movies and
literature have made it popular to think the ones TAKEN are the church. Lets
get back to the BOOK! The ones TAKEN in Noah's day and in
This does not mean the Son
of Man is not coming in a future rapture. Some verses speaking about His coming
are speaking about the wrath upon
Matthew
10:23 But when they persecute you in this city,
flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over
the cities of
The
disciples to whom Jesus spoke would experience these things. And they did! Read
Acts! And in their lifetime, the SON OF MAN CAME UPON JERUSALEM IN WRATH in 70
AD. That verse cannot refer to the rapture.
PART 8
MATTHEW 25
What about Matthew 25? If
Matthew 24 is about the 70 AD siege upon
But I believe the Lord miraculously
gave me the answer! It was awesome. Let me share it.
Matthew 25 is the same
discussion continued from chapter 24. Check it out. Jesus begins by saying when
the Son of man comes and cuts down those who disobeyed Him (Matthew 24:50),
THEN shall the kingdom be likened.....
Amongst that 25th chapter
discourse, we see the Son of Man seated and the blessed sheep are put on His
right and the cursed goats on His left. THIS IS NOT AFTER THE RAPTURE. JESUS
REFERRED TO THE COMMONLY KNOWN REFERENCE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT TO THE blessings
and cursing.
I believe that the Lord
quickened my mind to refer to the day when Moses commanded
Deuteronomy 27:12-13 These shall stand upon mount Gerizim to bless the people, when ye are come over Jordan; Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin: And these shall stand upon mount Ebal to curse ; Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.
Joshua did this at SHECHEM.
Joshua 8:33 And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood on this side the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, as well the stranger, as he that was born among them; half of them over against mount Gerizim, and half of them over against mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel.
A perfect
picture of the sheep and goats in Matthew 24.
And amongst the words
spoken to
Deuteronomy
28:49-53 The LORD shall bring a nation against thee
from far, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth; a
nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand; (CHECK OUT MATTHEW 24:24) A
nation of fierce countenance , which shall not regard the person of the
old, nor shew favor to the young: And he shall eat the fruit of thy cattle, and
the fruit of thy land, until thou be destroyed: which also shall not
leave thee  either corn, wine, or oil,  or
the increase of thy kine, or flocks of thy sheep, until he have destroyed thee.
And he shall besiege thee in all thy gates, until thy high and fenced walls come
down, wherein thou trustedst, throughout all thy land: and he shall besiege
thee in all thy gates throughout all thy land, which the LORD thy God hath
given thee. And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy
sons and of thy daughters, which the LORD thy God hath given thee, in the
siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress
Does that
sound familiar, students of Daniel?
Daniel 7 speaks of FOUR
BEASTS. Four and no more. We understand them to be
And this was said of the
days of the fourth beast.
Daniel
8:22-23 Now that being broken, whereas four stood
up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his
power. And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come
to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark
sentences, shall stand up.
God told
Moses that indeed
It is HISTORICAL FACT that
when
The very warning of God to
Israel, when they were ready to enter the promised land, was that once they
enter, they will be cursed or blessed according to whether they disobeyed or
obeyed the word of God.
And this totally amazed me
as all of this began to fit with Matthew 25.
God tells Moses that He
sees the future and Israel WILL forsake Him.
Deuteronomy 31:14-18 And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thy days approach that thou must die: call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tabernacle of the congregation, that I may give him a charge. And Moses and Joshua went, and presented themselves in the tabernacle of the congregation. And the LORD appeared in the tabernacle in a pillar of a cloud: and the pillar of the cloud stood over the door of the tabernacle. And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them. Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befall them; so that they will say in that day, Are not these evils come upon us, because our God is not among us? And I will surely hide my face in that day for all the evils, which they shall have wrought, in that they are turned unto other gods.
And then God told Moses, to prove He foresaw this, to write a song to be sung when it happens.
Deuteronomy
31:19-21 Now therefore write ye this song for you,
and teach it the children of
Notice that
AFTER Revelation speaks about the destruction of
STANDING
Revelation
14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the
FALLEN
Revelation
14:8 And there followed another angel, saying,
...like the
wise man's house that FELL NOT, BUT STOOD, while the fool's house FELL....
...we read of the SONG OF
MOSES.
Revelation
15:2-3 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled
with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image,
and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass,
having the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God,
and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God
Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.
God told
Moses to have that song sung when
And
What was
Matthew 20:25 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Jesus said to the sheep....
Matthew 25:41-45 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
And God
told Moses that what would happen to
Deuteronomy 28:45-47 Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee: And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever. Because thou servedst not the LORD thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things;
The
greatest work of God is the cross. And the greatest sin would be crucifying
Jesus Christ.
That is all contained in a
sermon I preached at:
http://mikeblume.com/jun400p.htm
I was amazed that even
Matthew 25 fits with the 70 AD siege upon
The thing I noticed about
the Apostolic Preterism viewpoint is that it is supported by so many scriptures
such as thrones shown above. When I saw this, and never saw anywhere near the
support of scripture for the other viewpoints, I became more and more convinced
of Apostolic Preterism.
PART 9
THREE DISTINCT GROUPS?
Here is the partial Futurist
take on the supposed three distinct groups distinguished by pre-tribulation rapture
proponents of whom each is said to exist before or during the tribulation
period on earth. (1) The Church (2) Tribulation Saints (3) The 144,000
Church
This is without controversy, so there is no point in explaining who I believe
is in the Church.
So in this post I will
discuss so-called "tribulation saints" and follow it with the 144000.
So-called Tribulation
martyrs.
These are called the SAINTS
according to the book of Revelation. Some folks feel that "tribulation
saints" are not part of the church, since they feel that the Church
has been raptured before the tribulation period.
However, the average
Christian in the church is called a "saint." (Col. 1:4, 12; Phil
4:22) etc. Â We read...
Revelation
13:7-8 And it was given unto him to make war with
the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds,
and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship
him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the
foundation of the world.
Here we see
that the distinction between those who worship the beast and those whose names
are in the lamb's book life. And since verse 7 speaks of saints experiencing
warring from the beast, it is obviously those saints whose names are in the lamb's
book of life, for everyone else worships the beast. Why the saints would be
fought against if they worshipped the beast. Their names alone are in the
lamb's book of life.
Why would there be a distinction
in verse 8 between those whose names are in the book and those whose name's are
not if one of those groups was raptured away from the world before this time?
And it is the saints whose names are in the lamb's book of life, whom the beast
fights. There is only one Gospel and one way to get your in the lamb's book of
life. You must have faith in the lamb's work. And the Lamb is Jesus Christ. His
shed blood saves us and washes our sins away. Acts 2:38 applies the work of the
lamb's salvation to our lives. THAT is the reason there are names in the lamb's
book of life. And the saints who are fought against by the beast have their
names in the lamb's book of life for they are the church.
To say that one can get
one's name in the lamb's book of life aside from Acts 2:38 is to propose
ANOTHER GOSPEL.
Galatians
1:8-9 But though we, or an angel from heaven,
preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let
him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any
other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
There is
only one way to be in the lamb's book of life. Obedience to the Gospel. And the
church is the only entity that obeys the Gospel.
God will have no other group
aside from the Church in His economy. To say He works with people after the
church is removed is to say that He has two gospels. Two plans of salvation.
Apostolic Preterism's insist that there is only one Group of people who are
involved in God's Kingdom and who are saved in any form at all... the church.
And John begins the entire
book of Revelation by saying the following:
Revelation
1:9 I, John, who also am your brother, and
fellow-partner in the tribulation, and in the reign and endurance, of Jesus
Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, because of the word of God, and
because of the testimony of Jesus Christ;
Notice the
two elements John, who was definitely a member of the Church, had.
He suffered tribulation
because of these two things:
1) because of the word of
God,
2) and because of
the testimony of Jesus Christ;
Notice that a member of the
church shared the same trouble that tribulation-saints shared due to the same
reasons.
Revelation
13:6-10 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy
against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in
heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to
overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and
nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are
not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the
world. If any man have an ear, let him hear. He that leadeth into captivity
shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the
sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
John tells
the Christian readers that he is their companion in tribulation, in the kingdom
and in the patience of Jesus Christ. He was in such "tribulation" due
to the Word and the testimony of Jesus Christ, which he held. So we are to take
it for granted that every reference to "tribulation," the
"kingdom" and "patience of Jesus Christ" must involve this
forethought, since this is mentioned before any other "tribulation"
is mentioned in Revelation.
That should cause a
pretribulationist to look awfully suspicious at their doctrine. Revelation, a
book written about a tribulation period in which the church is not supposed to
be here, BEGINS by chatting about John, a member of the Church, who is companion
to those in tribulation who hold God's Word and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Notice something we can
correctly conclude from Rev 1:9. Whenever the twin thoughts of persecution for
the "word" and the "testimony" of Jesus Christ are
mentioned, it applies quite adequately to the Church member, with whom John was
companion in. It cannot involve future people only and apart from christians
like John, since John just said he was "our companion" in it, and
that was 2000 years ago!!! You must include a guy who lived 2000 years ago with
the gang who are mentioned to be holding the Word and testimony of Jesus.
Was that the "Great
Tribulation" John experienced? Not according to many. That day cannot
start until the Church, of which John was a part, is gone, they say.
So, lets look at other
references supposed to be in the time of Great Tribulation according to popular
prophecy teachers.
(Noticing little things like
this reveals much!!)
Right in the middle of
discussion about the Beast in Revelation 13, John writes:
Revelation
13:8-10 And all that dwell upon the earth shall
worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain
from the foundation of the world. If any man have an ear, let him hear. He that
leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword
must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the
saints.
PATIENCE FAITH
Sounds like the words of
Revelation 1:9. "Faith" of the saints would include the
"TESTIMONY" of Jesus Christ, would it not? What I believe is referred
to as my FAITH. And that is also my testimony. A declaration of my faith.
John repeats the thought of
the words of Rev 1:9 and applies them to believers' troubles all through
Revelation. And do not forget that John said he was our "companion"
in such things.
(Someone taught that John
represents the church and therefore the church is raptured before tribulation
because John was caught up at the sound of a trumpet in Rev 4:1. I can more
biblically use the same argument of John representing the Church by saying that
he was the companion of all who suffer tribulation and manifest Jesus' patience
who hold the testimony and word of God throughout Revelation and well into what
you would call Great Tribulation. Watch
What does Rev 13:10 mean? It
means that at that time (when the beast arises) the faith of the saints and the
patience of the saints will be required. John was our companion in the patience
of Jesus Christ.
Revelation
14:11-12 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth
up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the
beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Here is the
patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and
the faith of Jesus.
Again this
shows when the patience of the saints will be required. During times when the
saints shall face the inception of the mark of the beast.
In both Rev 13 and 14, it
seems John is giving us a hint about how to survive the tribulation as a christian.
He is saying, "Then will be the time you believers better exert your faith
and patience in Jesus. You are going to need it then more than ever!"
(Read those verses again with Rev. 1:9).
Recall that Rev 1:9
mentioned "the WORD of God and the TESTIMONY of Jesus Christ." This
is repeated by saying "who keep the commandments of God and the faith of
Jesus" in Rev 14:12.
Even in the epistles these
terms are used for the Church:
1
Thessalonians 3:4-5 For verily, when we were with
you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to
pass, and ye know. For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to
know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labor
be in vain.
2 Thessalonians 1:3-5 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it
is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every
one of you all toward each other aboundeth; So that we ourselves glory in you
in the churches of God for your PATIENCE and FAITH in all your persecutions and
TRIBULATIONS that ye endure: Which is a manifest token of the righteous
judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which
ye also suffer:
And all this
in a book (2 Thessalonians) which teaches about end times!
"Patience and
faith" in "TRIBULATIONS". Enlightening is it not? The same was
said of John in Rev. 1:9 when he said he was the believer's companion in such
things, and that was 2000 years before the so-called great tribulation period,
about which is supposed to written throughout Revelation, in the middle of
which saints are said to have experienced the faith and patience of Jesus!
This thought even shows up
in popular opinion concerning Revelation's reference to a certain 3.5 years
when the church is not supposed to be here:
Revelation 12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
(3.5 years
is mentioned above, in which pretribulationists says there is no Church
present.)
Same chapter ends by
saying...
Revelation 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, ....
When did this occur? In a 3.5 years' period
Revelation 12:17b ..., which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
And here we
see the dragon warring against believers who keep the commandments of God and
have Jesus' testimony. The same type of people with whom John claimed to be a
companion. The reference to the commandments of God coupled with the Faith of
Jesus is simply a reference to the WORD of God and the faith of Jesus in Rev
1:9.
How could John be a
companion in the same type of tribulation that "tribulation saints"
will be part of when no member of the Church will have anything to do with
anything like "the great tribulation"?
Quite a few parallels with
"tribulation" saints and the church!!
Recap:
1.John is companion of those
in tribulation and the patience of Jesus and of those who suffer because of the
Word of God and the testimony of Jesus. John lived long before the speculators
of a future tribulation theory believed "the tribulation" to start.
2.These same notes are
described as experienced by "tribulation saints" throughout
Revelation.
3.Even the epistles note the
SAME terminologies when referring to saints of the CHURCH.
4.In the 3.5 years of future
tribulation theorists, we read about believers holding the word of God
(commandments of God) and the Testimony of Jesus, just the same elements John
associated as characteristic of believers who are his companions in
tribulation.
Friends, "great
tribulation" is experienced by the Church!
Let me end by asking if
Was
No.
Did God protect His people?
Yes.
Why worry about tribulation?
We will not suffer God's wrath but we will suffer Satan's tribulation as we do
everyday.
THE 144,000
Some say the 144,000 are
even a third group apart from the church and the tribulation saints
. However, the details of the 144,000's description matches that
of New Testament references to the CHURCH ALONE.
Revelation 7:2-3 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.
They are SEALED.
Ephesians
1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard
the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye
believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
2Corinthians 1:22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of
the Spirit in our hearts.
Ephesians 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are
sealed unto the day of redemption.
They
are servants of God.
Revelation
7:2-3 And I saw another angel ascending from the
east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the
four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt
not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants
of our God in their foreheads.
1Peter 2:16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of
maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
Romans 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants
to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
The original Greek states that the number 144,000 is supposed to be 144,000's (pluralized).
YOUNG'S
LITERAL TRANSLATION Revelation 7:4 And I heard the
number of those sealed, (one hundred and forty four thousands were
sealed out of all the tribes of the sons of
The term THOUSAND is used a term denoting a very large and huge number.
Revelation 5:11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;
So it is not
literally 144,000.
This is the CHURCH.
The tribes of
Revelation
7:5-8 Of the tribe of
Notice that
JUDA is mentioned first. This was never the case when the tribes were listed in
the Old Testament.
And the CHURCH is referred
to as true Jews.
Romans 2:28-29 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
The CHURCH is called the ISRAEL OF GOD.
Galatians 6:16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.
12 is a
symbolic number in the Bible. 12 tribes and 12 apostles and 12 months of the
year and 12 kinds of fruit on the tree of life in Revelation 22, all point that
12 is a governing number. The 12 months govern the seasons and when we plant
and reap, etc. 12 tribes governed
Revelation
14:1-5 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the
Again the GREEK term for THOUSANDS is seen in this chapter.
YOUNG'S LITERAL TRANSLATION Revelation 14:1 And I saw, and lo, a Lamb having stood upon the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty-four thousands, having the name of his Father written upon their foreheads;
Verse 4 says
they are REDEEMED. There is only one way to be redeemed. By the blood of Jesus,
through obedience to the Gospel. There are not two gospels that point to
redemption. There is only one.
They have their Father's name in their foreheads. This is not literal. Neither is the verse three verses before this in Rev. 13:16. (Recall that the original writings had no chapter divisions). The forehead means the WILL.
Ezekiel 3:8-9 Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads. As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead: fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.
This is what Jesus aid...
Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Doing
the WILL of the FATHER is having the FATHER'S
They stood with the Lamb.
Only one group is with the Lamb. That is the Church. Every reference to Jesus
as the lamb points to His sacrifice for sins, by which the CHURCH was saved.
They stood on a MOUNTAIN. A
rock. The wise man doing the Father's will built his house on a rock.
The mountain was SION.
THE CHURCH is on
Hebrews 12:22-23 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
They followed the lamb wherever He went.
Philippians
3:12 Not as though I had already attained, either
were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for
which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
1 Peter 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also
suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
They sung a new song. Sounds a lot like a repeat using other visions...
Revelation 5:8-10 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.
The CHURCH is made up of us who are kings and priests who sing a new song, like the 144 thousands in Rev. 14.
Revelation 1:5-6 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
And He made us kings and priests by washing our sins in His blood. That is the church.
Revelation 14:4 These are they, which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins.
Adultery and defilement with women in the Bible always implied idolatry and going to other gods.
Exodus 34:15
Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of
the land, and they go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their
gods, and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice;
James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the
friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a
friend of the world is the enemy of God.
Hosea 3:1 Then said the LORD unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved
of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the LORD toward the
children of
The Church is considered VIRGIN.
2Corinthians
11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy:
for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste
virgin to Christ.
"These
were redeemed from among men, being the first fruits unto God and to the
Lamb."
Of the CHURCH James says
this:
James 1:18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that
we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.
What
overabundance of references used for the 144,000 and applied to the CHURCH!!
NO GUILE
Revelation 14:5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the thron