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THE RAPTURE IS NOT BIBLICAL:THE DOCTRINE OF THE SECRET RAPTURE EMERGED DURING THE EARLY19TH CENTURY THROUGH THE TEACHINGS OF JOHN NELSON DARBY.DARBY WAS ONE OF THE EARLY LEADERS OF THE PLYMOUTH BRETHRENMOVEMENT, AND HIS TEACHINGS BECAME KNOWN AS “DISPENSATIONALISM.”FURTHERMORE, THE ANALOGY OF NOAH AND THE FLOOD SUGGESTS THATTHOSE “TAKEN” ARE ACTUALLY THE ONES SWEPT AWAY IN JUDGMENT!YESHUA HAS RETURNED!MATTHEW 24 POINTS TO CHRIST'S RETURN AND THE GREAT TRIBULATIONTO ACCURE AROUND 70 AD (THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE)- ANDTHE FALL OF JERUSALEM.YESHUA RETURNED IN THE FORM OF THE ROMAN ARMY, WHO CAME AS A THIEFKILLING ONE IN THE FIELD WHILE LEAVING ONE STANDING, AND KILLING ONEGRINDING AT THE MILL WHILE LETTING ONE LIVE. THOSE WHO WERE TAKENWERE TAKEN AWAY IN JUDGMENT.HE CAME AND JUDGED JERUSALEM (THE BEAST OF THE EARTH) JUST AS HE CAMETHROUGH MOSES AND JUDGED EGYPT. EXODUS 12:12IF THE RAPTURE WERE TRULY A BIBLICAL DOCTRINE, IT WOULD MESH WITH ALLOTHER SCRIPTURAL REFERENCES TO CHRIST'S COMING.
BUT IT DOES NOT STAND UP TO THAT TEST.BOTH DARBY AND SCOFIELD CLAIMED THAT THE "DAY OF CHRIST" REFERS TOTHE RAPTURE AND THAT "THE DAY OF THE LORD" REFERS TO THE ACTUALSECOND COMING SEVERAL YEARS AFTER THE RAPTURE.IN FACT, "THE DAY OF THE LORD" AND "THE DAY OF CHRIST" BOTH REFER TOCHRIST'S RETURN TO THE EARTH THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE.THE HEART OF THE CASE OFFERED BY DARBY, SCOFIELD AND THEIR MODERNCOUNTERPARTS IS BASED UPON THE ENGLISH WORDS "CAUGHT UP" IN1 THESSALONIANS 4:17.1 THESSALONIANS 4:17 MEANS THAT THE SAINTS ARE CAUGHT AWAY TOHEAVEN. THIS IS REFERING TO THE RESURRECTION WHICH HAPPENEDSPIRITUALLY IN 70 AD. THE DEAD SAINTS WERE CAUGHT UP TO HEAVEN,THEN US WHO WERE STILL ALIVE WOULD BE CAUGHT UP ALSO- WHEN WE DIE.PAUL WROTE THAT THEY SHOULD NOT GRIEVE OVER THIS: "FOR IF WE BELIEVETHAT YESHUA DIED AND ROSE AGAIN, EVEN SO GOD WILL BRING WITH HIMTHOSE WHO SLEEP IN YESHUA [BELIEVERS WHO HAD DIED]."WAS HE RESPONDING TO A WORRY ABOUT WHETHER CHRIST WOULD RESCUEBELIEVERS FROM THE GREAT TRIBULATION? NO, NOTHING IS SAID OF THIS.NOR IS THERE ANYTHING IN THESE VERSES THAT INTIMATES CHRIST MAKING ASWOOPING PASS BY THE EARTH TO SNATCH OFF A FEW PEOPLE TO TAKE THEMTO HEAVEN.THESE VERSES REFER ONLY TO THE DOCTRINE OF THE SECOND COMING,WHICH HAPPENED IN 70 AD.WE WHO ARE ALIVE AND REMAIN UNTIL THE COMING OF THE LORD WILLBY NO MEANS PRECEDE THOSE WHO ARE ASLEEP.GOD WOULD REUNITE BELIEVERS WHO REMAIN ALIVE WITH BELIEVERSWHO HAD DIED. THE DEAD WON'T BE BEHIND IN ANY WAY!
TODAY'S TEACHERS OF THE RAPTURE WEAVE NUMEROUS BIBLICALREFERENCES INTO THEIR NARRATIVES.PAUL WAS COMFORTING MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH OF GOD IN THESSALONICAWHO WERE GRIEVING OVER BELIEVERS WHO HAD DIED.THE SURVIVORS FEARED THAT THEIR LOVED ONES WOULD LOSE OUT ONPARTICIPATING IN GOD'S GLORIOUS KINGDOM. CHRIST INSPIRED PAUL TOPUT IN PLAIN WORDS THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER. THOSE WHO DIED DIDN'TGO TO HEAVEN. THEY WERE IN THEIR GRAVES. BUT THAT DIDN'T MEAN THEYWOULD LOSE OUT ON THE MARVELOUS KINGDOM OF GOD OR THATTHE BELIEVERS STILL LIVING WOULD HAVE ANY ADVANTAGE.THE BIBLICAL TERM FOR RISING FROM THE DEAD IS RESURRECTION.A PARALLEL REFERENCE IS 1 CORINTHIANS 15:51-53, WHICH PLAINLY TELLS USTHAT GOD RESURRECTS DECEASED BELIEVERS TO SPIRIT AT "THE LAST TRUMPET,"THE SAME "TRUMPET OF GOD" MENTIONED IN 1 THESSALONIANS 4:16.THIS LAST TRUMPET HAPPENED DURING THE WAR OF 70 AD.ACCORDING TO NUMBERS CHAPTER 10, ISRAEL LEARNED THE MEANING OFTHE USE OF THE TRUMPETS THROUGH THE INSTRUCTION OF MOSES.SPECIFIC DETAILS FOR THE GATHERING OF THE ASSEMBLY, ADVANCING,GOING TO WAR AND IN THE ACCOMPANIMENT WITH THE APPOINTEDFEASTS WERE ASSIGNED TO THE BLOWING OF TRUMPETS.FOUR BLESSINGS OF ISRAEL’S LAST DAYS ARE MENTIONED:-THE ESCHATOLOGICAL FEAST-THE REMOVING OF THE VEIL CAST OVER THE NATIONS-THE SWALLOWING UP OF DEATH-REJOICING IN THE SALVATION OF GODALL BLESSINGS FULFILLED IN THE MESSAGE OF REVELATION IN REVELATIONWE HAVE EACH OF THESE BLESSINGS MENTIONED ABOVE FULFILLED.THE FEAST IS THE MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB.
IT OCCURS AFTER THE FALL OF THE GREAT CITY MYSTERY BABYLONAT THE TIME OF THE WEDDING OF THE LAMB, (REVELATION 19:7–9).MYSTERY BABYLON, IDENTIFIED AS JERUSALEM IN REVELATION FALLS IN 70 AD.THE RAPTURE THEORY SAYS CHRIST TAKES THE SAINTS TO HEAVEN TO SPARETHEM FROM THE GREAT TRIBULATION. BUT ACCORDING TO YESHUA INMATTHEW 24, THE GREAT TRIBULATION HAPPENED WITH THE DESTRUCTIONOF THE TEMPLE.IN MATTHEW 24, CHRIST COMES IN THE CLOUDS WITH THE SOUNDINGOF THE TRUMPET TO CONSUMMATE THE TIME OF THE END.THIS CORRESPONDS WITH THE SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDSIN REVELATION.AS A RESURRECTION TEXT, MATTHEW 24:31, DRAWS FROM DANIEL 12:1–4,CONNECTING THE TIME OF THE END, THE GREAT TRIBULATION AND THE COMINGOF THE SON OF MAN IN THE CLOUDS, (DANIEL 7:13–14), LEAVING NO DOUBTTHAT ALL EVENTS OCCURRED IN AD 70.MATTHEW 24:31, ALSO PARALLELS THE COMING OF THE LORD WITHA TRUMPET SOUND IN 1 THESSALONIANS 4:17, 1 CORINTHIANS 15:51.ALL TEXTS LIMIT THE EVENTS TO THE FIRST CENTURY GENERATION.SCRIPTURE DOESN'T ALLOW FOR A RAPTURE OF THE SAINTS TO HEAVEN FORAN INTERIM OF SEVERAL YEARS!ZECHARIAH 14:1-4BEHOLD, THE DAY OF THE LORD IS COMING FOR I WILL GATHER ALLTHE NATIONS TO BATTLE AGAINST JERUSALEM; THE CITY SHALL BE TAKEN,THE HOUSES RIFLED, AND THE WOMEN RAVISHED. HALF OF THE CITY SHALLGO INTO CAPTIVITY, BUT THE REMNANT OF THE PEOPLE SHALL NOT BE CUTOFF FROM THE CITY. THEN THE LORD WILL GO FORTH AND FIGHT AGAINSTTHOSE NATIONS, AS HE FIGHTS IN THE DAY OF BATTLE. AND IN THAT DAYHIS FEET WILL STAND ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES.BELIEVERS AREN'T TAKEN OFF THE EARTH DURING THE GREAT TRIBULATION.BUT GOD WILL PROTECT BELIEVERS DURING THIS TIME OF STRESS.
WHY WOULD THE SAINTS RISE TO MEET CHRIST IN THE AIR,WHEN HE IS ON HIS WAY TO THE EARTH TO DEFEAT EVIL AND TO ESTABLISHTHE KINGDOM OF GOD HERE? WHY NOT SIMPLY WAIT FOR HIM TO ARRIVE?THOSE WHO TEACH THE RAPTURE MAKE MUCH OF THIS ISSUE,CLAIMING THAT IT BUTTRESSES THEIR THEORY. IN FACT, THE TRUTH OFTHE MATTER ACTUALLY FURTHER DISCREDITS THEIR ERRONEOUS TEACHING.IN NO WAY DOES IT CONVEY THAT CHRIST ONLY ENTERS THE ATMOSPHEREAND THEN REVERSES COURSE, AS HE SNATCHES BELIEVERS AWAY TO HEAVEN.ALL THE SAINTS WILL FORM A WELCOMING PARTY THAT RISES TO MEET CHRISTAND ESCORT HIM BACK TO EARTH; ABSOLUTELY NOTHING IS SAID OR IMPLIEDABOUT GOING TO HEAVEN.THERE IS NO RAPTURE. THERE IS/WAS A RESURRECTION AT THE SECOND COMINGOF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR, YESHUA HAMASHIACH.IN THE MOVIE TRAILER FOR LEFT BEHIND, ONE READS, IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE,THE BIBLICAL RAPTURE STRIKES THE WORLD. MILLIONS OF PEOPLE DISAPPEARWITHOUT A TRACE. ALL THAT REMAINS ARE THEIR CLOTHES AND BELONGINGS,AND IN AN INSTANT, TERROR AND CHAOS SPREAD AROUND THE WORLD.THE VANISHINGS CAUSE UNMANNED VEHICLES TO CRASH AND BURN.PLANES FALL FROM THE SKY. EMERGENCY FORCES EVERYWHERE AREDEVASTATED. GRIDLOCK, RIOTS AND LOOTING OVERRUN THE CITIES.THERE IS NO ONE TO HELP OR PROVIDE ANSWERS.IN A MOMENT, THE ENTIRE PLANET IS PLUNGED INTO DARKNESS.BUT THE QUESTION WE MUST ASK IS—IS THAT TRUE?THE TEACHING OF A SECRET RAPTURE FIRST BEGAN TO BE TAUGHT IN CHURCHESIN THE MID-1800’S. SUCH TEACHING HAD NEVER BEEN TAUGHT IN OR BELIEVEDBY ANYONE IN THE CHURCH PRIOR TO THE 1800’S.
MONTE JUDAH, LIKE SO MANY OTHERS HAVE FALSELY INTERPRETEDTHE 70TH WEEK OF DANIEL TO BE A FUTURE EVENT WITH 7 YEARS OFTRIBULATION; IN WHICH THE CHURCH IS RAPTURED AFTER 3 ½ YEARS.THIS FALSE CLAIM IS BASED ON DANIEL 9:27DANIEL 9:27AND HE SHALL CONFIRM THE COVENANT WITH MANY FOR ONE WEEK:AND IN THE MIDST OF THE WEEK HE SHALL CAUSE THE SACRIFICE ANDTHE OBLATION TO CEASE, AND FOR THE OVERSPREADING OF ABOMINATIONSHE SHALL MAKE IT DESOLATE, EVEN UNTIL THE CONSUMMATION, AND THATDETERMINED SHALL BE POURED UPON THE DESOLATE.DANIEL IS NOT TALKING ABOUT AN ANTICHRIST ENTERING THE 3RD TEMPLEAND STOPPING THE SACRIFICES IT’S SPEAKING OF THE 2ND TEMPLE AND THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION WAS THE ROMAN ARMY THE 69TH WEEK (483 YEARS) AFTER THE DESTRUCTION OF THE FIRST TEMPLEAND ONE WEEK (7 YEARS) BEFORE THE DESTRUCTION OF THE SECOND TEMPLE,AN ANOINTED ONE IS CUT OFF.THEANOINTED ONE CAN REFER TO THE LAST HIGH PRIEST (PRIESTS AREANOINTED AS SEEN IN LEVITICUS 4) AND THE SACRIFICES (INDICATED INLEVITICUS 8:10-11).ALL WERE CONSIDERED ANOINTED AND WERE CUT OFF DURING THE FINAL WEEKBEFORE THE DESTRUCTION OF THE 2ND TEMPLE.HISTORICALLY DURING THE YEARS BEFORE THE DESTRUCTION OF THE SECONDTEMPLE THE ROMANS SET UP IDOLATRY IN THE TEMPLE FULFILLING THE FINALVERSE IN DANIEL 9 THAT SAYS, “UPON WINGS OF ABOMINATION SHALL COMEONE WHO MAKE DESOLATE UNTIL THE DECREED DESTRUCTION IS POURED OUTDESOLATOR” DANIEL 9:27MOST OF THE WARNINGS IN YESHUA OLIVET DISCOURSE WERE FULFILLED IN70 A.D., NOT IN THE END TIMES.
THE CONTEXT OF “THOSE WHO ARE IN JUDEA” CONFIRMS THAT PROPHECYAPPLIED TO THE TIME OF JERUSALEM’S DESTRUCTION IN 70 A.D.,NOT THE END TIMES. HE WAS WARNING HIS DISCIPLES WHO WERE IN JUDEA.DANIEL 9:26-27 TELLS US THAT THERE IS A DETERMINED PERIOD OF TIMETHAT THE ROMAN ARMY (GENTILES) WILL DESOLATE THE JEWS.DANIEL 12 GIVES US MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE “TIME OF THE GENTILES.”IT SAYS THAT IT WILL BE FOR A TOTAL OF 1,335 DAYS, WHICH WAS FULFILLEDAS THE ROMAN ARMY SURROUNDED THE CITY IN 66 A.D. AND THEN COMPLETEDTHEIR SIEGE IN 70 A.D.THE 7 YEAR TRIBULATION IS INVALIDTHE ‘PEOPLE OF THE PRINCE‘ IN DANIEL 9:26 WAS THE ROMAN ARMY,WHO POURED INTO THE CITY AS A FLOOD IN 70 A.D.SO THE ‘PRINCE‘ IN THE 70TH WEEK OF DANIEL IS NOT AN END-TIMESANTICHRIST, AND SINCE IT DOES NOT APPLY TO AN END-TIME ANTICHRIST,THE FOUNDATION FOR THE 7-YEAR TRIBULATION IS INVALID.BECAUSE OF THE JEWS ABOMINATIONS AGAINST GOD, HE MADE THEMDESOLATE.THE OLIVET DISCOURSEIN THE OLIVET DISCOURSE (MATTHEW 24), YESHUA IS SPEAKINGTO HIS DISCIPLES. HE NEVER CHANGES HIS AUDIENCE FROM HIS FOLLOWERSOF THAT TIME TO MODERN DAY CHRISTIANS. THEY ARE HIS AUDIENCE.IT IS CLEAR THAT HE IS SPEAKING ABOUT ONE THING:THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE.IN A.D. 70 THE ROMANS DESTROYED THE TEMPLE LITERALLY LEAVINGNO STONE ON ANOTHER. THE WAILING WALL WHICH MANY THINK ISTHE REMAINS OF THE TEMPLE IS REALLY THE REMAINS OF FORT ANTONIA.
MATTHEW 24:3TELL US, WHEN WILL THESE THINGS BE, AND WHAT WILL BETHE SIGN OF YOUR COMING AND OF THE END OF THE AGE?THE END OF THE AGE IS NOT THE END OF THE AGE OF THE LAW AS MANYCHRISTIANS THINK. THIS PHRASE PROBABLY REFERS TO THE END OFTHE PRESENT WORLD ORDER. “WORLD” IS AION IN THE GREEK, MEANINGTHE “AGE” OF TIME AND SPACE IN WHICH PEOPLE NOW LIVE, AND HAVELIVED SINCE THE WORLD WAS DRASTICALLY CHANGED BY THE FLOOD INTHE DAYS OF NOAH.MATTHEW 24:5-8FOR MANY WILL COME IN MY NAME, CLAIMING, ‘I AM THE MESSIAH,’AND WILL DECEIVE MANY. YOU WILL HEAR OF WARS AND RUMORS OF WARS,BUT SEE TO IT THAT YOU ARE NOT ALARMED. SUCH THINGS MUST HAPPEN,BUT THE END IS STILL TO COME. NATION WILL RISE AGAINST NATION, ANDKINGDOM AGAINST KINGDOM. THERE WILL BE FAMINES AND EARTHQUAKESIN VARIOUS PLACES. ALL THESE ARE THE BEGINNING OF BIRTH PAINS.ONE EXAMPLE OF THE EARTHQUAKES MENTIONED IS THE EARTHQUAKETHAT STRUCK LAODICEA SOMETIME BETWEEN A.D. 60 AND A.D. 64 DURINGTHE REIGN OF NERO.IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT ONE OF THE CHURCHES ADDRESSED BY JOHN INTHE BOOK OF REVELATION WAS A CHURCH IN THIS CITY (REVELATION 3:14-22).PRIOR TO A.D. 70 THERE WERE ALSO EARTHQUAKES IN CRETE, SMYRNA,MILETUS, CHIOS, SAMOS, HIERAPOLIS, COLOSSAE, CAMPANIA, ROME AND JUDEA.MATTHEW 24:9THEN YOU WILL BE HANDED OVER TO BE PERSECUTED AND PUT TO DEATH,AND YOU WILL BE HATED BY ALL NATIONS BECAUSE OF ME.CHRISTIANS WERE PERSECUTED AND KILLED IN JERUSALEM AFTER YESHUA'SCRUCIFIXION. STEPHEN WAS STONED TO DEATH; THEN JAMES THE SON OFZEBEDEE, AND THE BROTHER OF JOHN WAS BEHEADED.
ROME ALSO KILLED CHRISTIANS IN A.D. 64. THESE CHRISTIANS WERE BETRAYEDBY OTHER CHRISTIANS.MATTHEW 24:11-12AND MANY FALSE PROPHETS WILL APPEAR AND DECEIVE MANY PEOPLE.BECAUSE OF THE INCREASE OF WICKEDNESS, THE LOVE OF MOST WILLGROW COLD MANY PEOPLE WERE BRIBED TO ACT AS PROPHETS DECLARING VICTORY TOTHE JEWS DURING THE JEWISH WAR. IN MATTHEW 12:39, YESHUA CALLSHIS CONTEMPORARIES “A WICKED AND ADULTEROUS GENERATION.”MATTHEW 24:14AND THIS GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM WILL BE PREACHED IN THE WHOLEWORLD AS A TESTIMONY TO ALL NATIONS, AND THEN THE END WILL COME.IN COLOSSIANS 1:23, PAUL ALLUDES TO THE FULFILLMENT OF THISPREDICTION BY SAYING, “THIS IS THE GOSPEL THAT YOU HEARD ANDTHAT HAS BEEN PROCLAIMED TO EVERY CREATURE UNDER HEAVEN.”APPROXIMATELY SIX YEARS AFTER PAUL’S DEATH, THE END HAD COME.COLOSSIANS 1:5-6THE FAITH AND LOVE THAT SPRING FROM THE HOPE STORED UPFOR YOU IN HEAVEN AND ABOUT WHICH YOU HAVE ALREADY HEARDIN THE TRUE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPEL THAT HAS COME TO YOU.IN THE SAME WAY, THE GOSPEL IS BEARING FRUIT AND IS GROWINGTHROUGHOUT THE WHOLE WORLD—JUST AS IT HAS BEEN DOING AMONGYOU SINCE THE DAY YOU HEARD IT AND TRULY UNDERSTOOD GOD’S GRACE.“ALL THE WORLD” OR “ALL THE NATIONS” REFERS TO THE KNOWNINHABITED WORLD AND NOT EVERY NATION WITHOUT EXCEPTION.
THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATIONMATTHEW 24:15-16WHEN YOU SEE STANDING IN THE HOLY PLACE ‘THE ABOMINATIONTHAT CAUSES DESOLATION,’SPOKEN OF THROUGH THE PROPHET DANIEL,LET THE READER UNDERSTAND— THEN LET THOSE WHO ARE IN JUDEAFLEE TO THE MOUNTAINS.FALSE PROPHETS, SUCH AS MONTE JUDAH TAKE MATTHEW 24:16 TO MEANTHAT A 3RD TEMPLE WILL BE BUILT AND AN ANTI MESSIAH WILL ENTER, STOPTHE SACRIFICES- (THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION)- AND THEN WE ARETO FLEE TO THE LAST PLACE WE HAD SUKKOT I’M NOT SURE WHAT VERSESUPPORTS SUCH A CLAIM. HOWEVER, THIS IS WHAT IS BEING TAUGHT TODAY.DANIEL 12:11SPOKEN OF BY DANIEL THE PROPHET, STANDING IN THE HOLY PLACE,(WHOEVER READS, LET HIM UNDERSTAND), THEN LET THOSE WHO AREIN JUDEA FLEE TO THE MOUNTAINS.LUKE 21:20-21 CLARIFIES WHAT THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION WAS.“BUT WHEN YOU SEE JERUSALEM SURROUNDED BY ARMIES, THEN KNOWTHAT ITS DESOLATION IS NEAR. THEN LET THOSE WHO ARE IN JUDEA FLEETO THE MOUNTAINS, LET THOSE WHO ARE IN THE MIDST OF HER DEPART,AND LET NOT THOSE WHO ARE IN THE COUNTRY ENTER HER.”THE ABOMINATION WAS THE DETESTABLE ENEMIES OF THE JEWS, THE ROMANS;WHO WOULD SURROUND JERUSALEM, AND STAND IN THE HOLY LAND TO MAKETHE PLACE A ‘DESOLATION‘.WHEN MATTHEW RECORDED THE WORDS “AND WHAT WILL BE THE SIGNOF YOUR COMING, AND OF THE END OF THE AGE?” IN MATTHEW 24:3,HE NO DOUBT UNDERSTOOD “YESHUA COMING” AS MEANING HIS COMINGIN VENGEANCE AGAINST THE JEWS, THROUGH THE ROMANS, TO ENDTHE “LATTER DAYS” AGE OF THE JEWISH KINGDOM.
THE “LATTER DAYS” REFERS TO THE TIME PERIOD THAT OCCURRED WHENTHE JEWS WERE RELEASED FROM BABYLON IN 457 B.C. TO 70 A.D WHENTHE CITY, TEMPLE AND PEOPLE WERE DESOLATED.MATTHEW 24:22IF THOSE DAYS HAD NOT BEEN CUT SHORT, NO ONE WOULD SURVIVE,BUT FOR THE SAKE OF THE ELECT THOSE DAYS WILL BE SHORTENED.THE GREAT DISTRESS OF MATTHEW 24:21 MAY REFER TO THE JEWISH WARITSELF. THE ARRIVAL OF FLORUS’ ARMY OUTSIDE OF JERUSALEM IN IYYAR OFA.D. 66 SERVED AS A SIGN FOR CHRISTIANS IN JERUSALEM TO FLEE THE CITY ATTHAT TIME. AND FLORUS’ ASSAULT WAS CUT SHORT AT THIS TIME FOR THE SAKEOF THE ELECT SO THAT THE SAINTS WOULD NOT MEET THE SAME FATE AS THEIRPERSECUTORS.MATTHEW 24:24FOR FALSE MESSIAHS AND FALSE PROPHETS WILL APPEAR ANDPERFORM GREAT SIGNS AND WONDERS TO DECEIVE, EVEN THE ELECT.THE WORDS "IF POSSIBLE" ARE NOT IN THE ACTUAL TEXT.DURING THE FIRST HALF OF THE FIRST CENTURY THERE WERE MANY FALSEPROPHETS WHO HAD ARISEN IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE CLAIMING TO HAVETHE AUTHORITY TO PERFORM ASTONISHING ACTS BY DIVINE POWER.MATTHEW 24:27-28FOR AS LIGHTNING THAT COMES FROM THE EAST IS VISIBLE EVENIN THE WEST, SO WILL BE THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN.WHEREVER THERE IS A CARCASS, THERE THE VULTURES WILL GATHER.WHEN GOD CAME ON THE CLOUDS IN JUDGMENT IN THE OLD TESTAMENT,THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD WAS PICTURED RIDING DARK STORM CLOUDSACCOMPANIED BY RUMBLINGS OF THE EARTH, THUNDER AND LIGHTNING.
THE FACT THAT YESHUA LIKENS HIS RETURN TO “LIGHTNING THAT COMESFROM THE EAST” ILLUSTRATES THE FACT THAT WHEN CHRIST WAS EXPECTEDTO COME ON THE CLOUDS IN JUDGMENT HE WAS TO DO SO AS THE LORDHAD DONE IN THE PAST–RIDING ON DARK STORM CLOUDS ACCOMPANIEDBY LIGHTNING.INTERESTINGLY, THE WORD TRANSLATED VULTURE IN THIS VERSE ALSO MEANSEAGLE–THE NATIONAL SYMBOL OF ROME.WHEN THE ROMANS SEIZED THE TEMPLE IN A.D. 70, THEY CARRIED THEIRENSIGNS INTO THE TEMPLE COURTS. AS STATED ABOVE, ROME’S MAIN ENSIGNWAS THE AQUILA, AN EAGLE.THE ROMAN ARMY OFFERED SACRIFICES TO THESE EAGLE IMAGES REPRESENTINGROME ON THE 9TH OF AV ALL WHILE THE TEMPLE WAS IN FLAMES. WITH THESELITERAL AND SYMBOLIC INTERPRETATIONS, ONE CAN APPRECIATE THE RICHNESSOF WHAT YESHUA MEANT WHEN HE SAID, “WHEREVER THERE IS A CARCASS,THERE THE VULTURES [EAGLES] WILL GATHER.”MATTHEW 24:29THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT;THE STARS WILL FALL FROM THE SKY, AND THE HEAVENLY BODIES WILLBE SHAKEN.ACCORDING TO THE MIDRASH, THE SUN REPRESENTS THE KING, THE MOONREPRESENTS THE SANHEDRIN AND THE STARS REPRESENT RABBIS.THESE ASTRAL OMENS ARE VERY SIMILAR TO THE HEAVENLY SIGNS SAIDTO ACCOMPANY THE FALL OF JUDAH IN THE SIXTH CENTURY B.C.VARIOUS HEAVENLY OMENS MARKED A GREAT SLAUGHTER AT THE FALLOF JUDAH, EGYPT, BABYLON AND EDOM IN THE SIXTH CENTURY B.C.,THE SAME THING IS EXPECTED TO OCCUR AT THE FALL OF JERUSALEMAND ISRAEL AT THE END OF THE AGE.THE FACT THAT IN V. 29 THE SUN DARKENS, THE MOON TURNS TO BLOODAND THE STARS FALL FROM THE SKY ARE ALL SIGNS OF THE DESTRUCTIONOF HEAVEN AND EARTH PREDICTED IN 2 PETER 3.
MATTHEW 24:30THEN WILL APPEAR THE SIGN OF THE SON OF MAN IN HEAVEN.AND THEN ALL THE PEOPLES OF THE EARTH WILL MOURN WHENTHEY SEE THE SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN,WITH POWER AND GREAT GLORY.“ALL THE PEOPLES OF THE EARTH” IS MORE ACCURATELY TRANSLATED“ALL THE TRIBES OF THE LAND.” AT HIS ARREST, YESHUA WARNED:MATTHEW 26:52ALL WHO DRAW THE SWORD WILL DIE BY THE SWORD.THIS MAXIM PROVED TRUE. THE JEWISH ZEALOTS WHO HAD TAKEN-UP ARMSAGAINST THE ROMANS HAD, FOR THE MOST PART, DIED AS THEY LIVED.BENEATH THE SURFACE OF THIS MESSAGE MAY BE A SYMBOLIC DOUBLEMEANING SWORDS ARE OFTEN USED IN THE BIBLE TO REPRESENT THE WORDOF GOD (ISAIAH 49:2, HEBREWS 4:12, REVELATION 1:16).YESHUA IS CALLED THE WORD OF GOD IN JOHN 1, AND HE PERSISTENTLYWARNED THE ISRAELITES OF AN IMPENDING WAR.IN A.D. 66 A SWORD-SHAPED STAR HOVERED OVER JERUSALEM IMMEDIATELYPRIOR TO THE WAR WITH ROME. THIS HEAVENLY SIGN IN THE SKY COULDREPRESENTS YESHUA, HIMSELF WHO IS THE WORD OF GOD.COULD THIS SWORD-SHAPED STAR BE THE SIGN OF THE SON OF MANMENTIONED IN V. 30? IF SO THEN THIS WOULD NOT BE THE FIRST TIMETHAT A STAR SERVED AS A SIGN OF THE COMING OF THE MESSIAH.MATTHEW 24:31AND 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 THE HEAVENS TO THE OTHER.
THIS VERSE CALLS TO MIND 1 THESS. 4:16-17 AND 1 CORINTHIANS 15:52.THESE THREE VERSES COLLECTIVELY DESCRIBE THE RESURRECTION ATTHE LAST TRUMPET.IT IS OFTEN SUPPOSED THAT YESHUA'S RESURRECTION BODY WAS TO BEA MODEL OF THE RESURRECTION BODIES OF THE SAINTS.THIS BELIEF IS DERIVED LARGELY FROM:PHILIPPIANS 3:20-21BUT OUR CITIZENSHIP IS IN HEAVEN. AND WE EAGERLY AWAIT A SAVIORFROM THERE, YESHUA THE MESSIAH, WHO, BY THE POWER THAT ENABLESHIM TO BRING EVERYTHING UNDER HIS CONTROL, WILL TRANSFORM OURLOWLY BODIES SO THAT THEY WILL BE LIKE HIS [CHRIST’S] GLORIOUS BODY.IMMEDIATELY AFTER HIS RESURRECTION, YESHUA'S RESURRECTION BODYCLOSELY RESEMBLED HIS PHYSICAL BODY THOUGH HE COULD PASS THROUGHWALLS AND APPEAR AND DISAPPEAR AT WILL.YESHUA'S BODY WAS FURTHER GLORIFIED AFTER HIS ASCENSION ACCORDINGTO ACTS 9:3-6 AND REVELATION 1:13-16 SUCH THAT IT TOOK ON A FORM LIKETHAT OF THE FATHER.AFTER RESURRECTING AND ASCENDING INTO HEAVEN, THE BODIES OFTHE SAINTS ARE EXPECTED TO EXPERIENCE A SIMILAR TRANSFORMATIONACCORDING TO:1 CORINTHIANS 15:49AND JUST AS WE HAVE BORNE THE IMAGE OF THE EARTHLY MAN,SO SHALL WE BEAR THE IMAGE OF THE HEAVENLY MAN.MATTHEW 13:43 AND DANIEL 12:2-3 CONFIRM 1 CORINTHIANS 15:49.MATTHEW 13:43 READSTHEN THE RIGHTEOUS WILL SHINE LIKE THE SUN IN THE KINGDOM OFTHEIR FATHER.
DANIEL 12:2-3 ECHOES MATTHEW 13:43:MULTITUDES WHO SLEEP IN THE DUST OF THE EARTH WILL AWAKE:SOME TO EVERLASTING LIFE, OTHERS TO SHAME AND EVERLASTING CONTEMPT.THOSE WHO ARE WISE WILL SHINE LIKE THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE HEAVENS, ANDTHOSE WHO LEAD MANY TO RIGHTEOUSNESS, LIKE THE STARS FOREVER ANDEVER.THIS IDEA IS ALSO FOUND IN PHILIPPIANS 2:14-15:DO EVERYTHING WITHOUT GRUMBLING OR ARGUING, SO THAT YOU MAYBECOME BLAMELESS AND PURE, ‘CHILDREN OF GOD WITHOUT FAULT IN AWARPED AND CROOKED GENERATION.’ THEN YOU WILL SHINE AMONG THEM[BOTH CHRIST AND THE FATHER IN HEAVEN (VS. 9-11)] LIKE STARS IN THE SKY.YESHUA'S EARTHLY RESURRECTION PRIOR TO HIS ASCENSION SEEMS TOHAVE BEEN MORE OF A SIGN THAT ASSURED THE SAINTS OF THEIR OWNIMMINENT RESURRECTION, RATHER THAN A PERFECTED OR IDEALIZEDMODEL OF THE RESURRECTION BODIES OF THE SAINTS.JAMES 2:26 STATES,AS THE BODY WITHOUT THE SPIRIT IS DEAD, SO FAITH WITHOUT DEEDS IS DEAD.THE WORD FOR SPIRIT USED IN THESE TWO VERSES IS PNEUMA.AS STATED ABOVE, PNEUMA MEANS WIND OR BREATH.THIS TERM CONNOTES AN IMMATERIAL SUBSTANCE.HOWEVER, AT THE RESURRECTION, THE SPIRIT IS NOT SIMPLY RELEASED INORDER TO ENTER HEAVEN IN ITS PURE, INTANGIBLE AND NAKED FORM.AT THE RESURRECTION, THE SPIRIT IS PRESUMABLY AGAIN CLOTHED WITHA BODY, A NEW GLORIFIED BODY. THIS FACT IS STATED IN:1 CORINTHIANS 15:35-49BUT SOMEONE WILL ASK, “HOW ARE THE DEAD RAISED?WITH WHAT KIND OF BODY WILL THEY COME?” HOW FOOLISH!WHAT YOU SOW DOES NOT COME TO LIFE UNLESS IT DIES.
WHEN YOU SOW, YOU DO NOT PLANT THE BODY THAT WILL BE,BUT JUST A SEED, PERHAPS OF WHEAT OR OF SOMETHING ELSE.BUT GOD GIVES IT A BODY AS HE HAS DETERMINED, AND TO EACHKIND OF SEED HE GIVES ITS OWN BODY. NOT ALL FLESH IS THE SAME:PEOPLE HAVE ONE KIND OF FLESH, ANIMALS HAVE ANOTHER,BIRDS ANOTHER AND FISH ANOTHER. THERE ARE ALSO HEAVENLY BODIESAND THERE ARE EARTHLY BODIES; BUT THE SPLENDOR OF THE HEAVENLY BODIESIS ONE KIND, AND THE SPLENDOR OF THE EARTHLY BODIES IS ANOTHER.THE SUN HAS ONE KIND OF SPLENDOR, THE MOON ANOTHER AND THE STARSANOTHER; AND STAR DIFFERS FROM STAR IN SPLENDOR. SO WILL IT BE WITHTHE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. THE BODY THAT IS SOWN IS PERISHABLE,IT IS RAISED IMPERISHABLE; IT IS SOWN IN DISHONOR, IT IS RAISED IN GLORY;IT IS SOWN IN WEAKNESS, IT IS RAISED IN POWER; IT IS SOWN A NATURAL BODY,IT IS RAISED A SPIRITUAL BODY IF THERE IS A NATURAL BODY, THERE IS ALSO A SPIRITUAL BODY.SO IT IS WRITTEN: “THE FIRST MAN ADAM BECAME A LIVING BEING”;THE LAST ADAM, A LIFE-GIVING SPIRIT. THE SPIRITUAL DID NOT COME FIRST,BUT THE NATURAL, AND AFTER THAT THE SPIRITUAL.THE FIRST MAN WAS OF THE DUST OF THE EARTH; THE SECOND MAN ISOF [THE SUBSTANCE OR MATTER OF] HEAVEN. AS WAS THE EARTHLY MAN,SO ARE THOSE WHO ARE OF THE EARTH; AND AS IS THE HEAVENLY MAN,SO ALSO ARE THOSE WHO ARE OF HEAVEN. AND JUST AS WE HAVE BORNETHE IMAGE OF THE EARTHLY MAN, SO SHALL WE BEAR THE IMAGE OFTHE HEAVENLY MAN.HERE ONE CAN SEE THAT 1 CORINTHIANS 15:35-49 IMPLIES THAT ATTHE RESURRECTION OF THE RIGHTEOUS TO HEAVEN, THE SPIRITS OFTHE SAINTS ARE CLOTHED WITH NEW BODIES MADE UP OF THE SUBSTANCEOR MATTER OF HEAVEN. IN OTHER WORDS, THE SPIRITUAL BODY RECEIVEDAT THE RESURRECTION MENTIONED ABOVE IS NOT A NAKED, INTANGIBLE SPIRIT.THE FACT THAT THE SAINTS RECEIVE NEW GLORIFIED BODIES IN HEAVEN ASEXPLICITLY STATED IN 1 CORINTHIANS 15:35-49 IS ALSO STRONGLY IMPLIED IN:
2 CORINTHIANS 5:1FOR WE KNOW THAT IF THE EARTHLY TENT WE LIVE IN IS DESTROYED,WE HAVE A BUILDING FROM GOD, AN ETERNAL HOUSE IN HEAVEN,NOT BUILT BY HUMAN HANDS.OF COURSE THE EARTHLY TENT IN THIS VERSE IS THE EARTHLY, MORTAL BODY.IF THE EARTHLY TENT IS THE EARTHLY BODY, THEN IT LOGICALLY FOLLOWSTHAT THE “BUILDING FROM GOD” OR THE “ETERNAL HOUSE IN HEAVEN”WOULD, THEREFORE, BE THE HEAVENLY BODY THAT CLOTHES THE SPIRITWHILE IN HEAVEN AFTER DEATH AS THE EARTHLY BODY CLOTHES THE SPIRITWHILE ON EARTH.THE NOTION THAT THE DEAD ARE RAISED AS PERFECTED EARTHLY BODIESIS DISPELLED BY 1 CORINTHIANS 15:35-50.1 CORINTHIANS 15:50FLESH AND BLOOD CANNOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD IN FUTURIST AND PARTIAL PRETERIST CIRCLES IT IS OFTEN EXPECTED THATTHE RESURRECTION WILL BE AN EARTHLY PHENOMENON IN WHICH THE DEADWILL BE RAISED AS INCORRUPTIBLE EARTHLY BODIES.AS SHOWN ABOVE, THE NOTION THAT THE RESURRECTION IS AN EARTHLYPHENOMENON IN WHICH THE DEAD ARE RAISED AS PERFECTED EARTHLYBODIES IS DISPELLED BY 1 CORINTHIANS 15:35-50.IN 1 CORINTHIANS 15:35-50, PAUL CLARIFIES THE FACT THAT DURINGTHE RESURRECTION, THE SAINTS WERE TO ASCEND INTO HEAVEN TO RECEIVEGLORIFIED HEAVENLY BODIES, NOT REMAIN ON EARTH WITH INCORRUPTIBLECORPORAL BODIES AS IS OFTEN MISTAKENLY SUPPOSED.WHAT ABOUT THE RESURRECTION OF MATTHEW 27:52-53?
IN SUPPORT OF THE IDEA THAT AT THE RESURRECTION THE SAINTS ARETO RECEIVE IMPERISHABLE EARTHLY BODIES SOME QUOTE:MATTHEW 27:52-53THE TOMBS WERE OPENED, AND MANY BODIES OF THE SAINTS WHOHAD FALLEN ASLEEP WERE RAISED; AND COMING OUT OF THE TOMBS AFTERHIS RESURRECTION. THEY ENTERED THE HOLY CITY AND APPEARED TO MANY.WHAT HAPPENED HERE WAS THAT DO TO THE EARTHQUAKE, THE TOMBSWERE BROKE OPEN- AND THE BODIES OF THE DEAD EXPOSED. THIS BEINGTHE CASE, THEY WOULD BE SEEN BY MANY. THIS IS NOT A RESURRECTION,NOR A ZOMBIA APOCALYPSE.IT CAN ALSO BE REASONABLY IMPLIED THAT THESE PARTICULAR GRAVESWERE ROCKY TOMBS, HOLES CARVED INTO THE ROCK WHOSE ENTRANCESWERE SEALED BY LARGE STONES ROLLED IN FRONT OF THEM.WE CAN INFER THIS BECAUSE OF THE OBVIOUS CONNECTION BETWEENTHE TWO STATEMENTS “THE ROCKS SPLIT” AND “THE TOMBS BROKE OPEN.”THIS RECORD OF THE EARTHQUAKE, THE ROCKS BEING SPLIT, THE GRAVESBEING OPENED, AND THE DEAD BEING RAISED OCCURS ONLY IN MATTHEW,AND IT CONTAINS SOME APPARENT INCONSISTENCIES.IN SPITE OF THE TEXTUAL EVIDENCE FOR MATTHEW 27:52 AND 53,THERE ARE SOME VERY DISTURBING THINGS ABOUT THESE VERSES.FIRST AND FOREMOST IS THAT IF “MANY” OF THE OLD TESTAMENT SAINTSAROSE AND WENT TO JERUSALEM, WHY ARE THEY NOT MENTIONED ANYWHEREELSE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT? IN FACT, THE ENTIRE EVENT IS NOT MENTIONEDANYWHERE ELSE IN THE BIBLE.SCRIPTURE IS VERY CLEAR THAT YESHUA IS THE “FIRSTFRUITS FROM THE DEAD,”MEANING, YESHUA WAS THE FIRST PERSON RAISED TO EVERLASTING LIFE; ANDJOHN 3:13 AFFIRMS THAT WHEN THE BOOK OF JOHN WAS WRITTEN (PERHAPS80-90 AD), NO ONE WAS IN HEAVEN BUT YESHUA.
IT SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE THAT “MANY” OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS HAD BEEN RAISEDFOR THREE DAYS AND HAD BEGUN TO ENTER THE CITY OF JERUSALEM AND THISWOULD NOT HAVE BEEN REPORTED.THE “SAINTS” WERE DEAD, NOT ALIVE. THERE IS NOTHING IN THE RECORDTHAT SAYS THAT THEY WERE ALIVE IN ANY WAY, OR THAT THEIR “SOULS” WERERETURNED TO THEM FROM HEAVEN. IT SIMPLY SAYS THAT THEIR BODIES WERERAISED. BODIES WERE MOVED AND CONSEQUENTLY EMERGED FROM THE OPENTOMBS. IN OTHER WORDS, GRAVES WERE BROKEN OPEN & CORPSES EMERGED."THOSE WHO ENTERED THE HOLY CITY" DOES NOT REFER TO THE BODIES OFTHE REPOSING SAINTS BUT TO THE MANY TO WHOM THIS WAS MADE KNOWN.MATTHEW 24:34TRULY I TELL YOU, THIS GENERATION WILL CERTAINLYNOT PASS AWAY UNTIL ALL THESE THINGS HAVE HAPPENED.THIS FIRST CENTURY GENERATION DID NOT PASS UNTIL ALLTHE PROPHECIES OF THIS CHAPTER LITERALLY OCCURRED.MATTHEW 24:36-37BUT ABOUT THAT DAY OR HOUR NO ONE KNOWS,NOT EVEN THE ANGELS IN HEAVEN, NOR THE SON,BUT ONLY THE FATHER. AS IT WAS IN THE DAYS OF NOAH,SO IT WILL BE AT THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN.IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION EARTH IS USED AS A METAPHORFOR THE LAND OF ISRAEL AND SEA REPRESENTS GENTILE ROME.THIS IMAGERY IS NOT UNIQUE TO REVELATION, EARTH IS OFTEN USEDTO DENOTE A SPECIFIC NATION-STATE WHILE WATER IMAGERY LIKE SEA,WATERS AND FLOOD OFTEN POETICALLY SYMBOLIZE FOREIGN ARMIES.MATTHEW 24:40-41TWO MEN WILL BE IN THE FIELD; ONE WILL BE TAKENAND THE OTHER LEFT. TWO WOMEN WILL BE GRINDINGWITH A HAND MILL; ONE WILL BE TAKEN AND THE OTHER LEFT.
THIS VERSE IS OFTEN MISTAKENLY CITED AS EVIDENCE OF THE RAPTURE.RAPTURE THEORISTS IDENTIFY THOSE WHO ARE TAKEN IN VERSE 40 ASTHE RIGHTEOUS WHO ARE RAPTURED. DURING TIMES OF WAR, THE YOUNGMEN IN THE FIELD AND THE YOUNG WOMEN GRINDING AT THE MILL WOULDHAVE BEEN TAKEN (AND KILLED), LEAVING THE OLD MEN AND WOMAN BEHIND.SO THOSE WHO ARE TAKEN ARE DESTROYED- NOT THE ONES LEFT BEHIND.IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS VERSE THOSE WHO ARE TAKEN IN VERSE 40 ARETHE WICKED, NOT THE RIGHTEOUS, SINCE IT WAS THE UNRIGHTEOUSWHO WERE TAKEN AWAY BY NOAH’S FLOOD.MATTHEW 24:51HE WILL CUT HIM TO PIECES AND ASSIGN HIM A PLACE WITHTHE HYPOCRITES, WHERE THERE WILL BE WEEPING AND GNASHING OF TEETH.WEEPING AND GNASHING OF TEETH IS BETTER UNDERSTOOD AS BEINGCONSUMED WITH TEARS AND ANGER. THE GREEK PHRASE FOR “GNASHINGOF TEETH” LITERALLY MEANS “GRINDING ONE’S TEETH TOGETHER.”MATTHEW 25:31-33WHEN THE SON OF MAN COMES IN HIS GLORY, AND ALL THE ANGELSWITH HIM, THEN HE WILL SIT ON HIS GLORIOUS THRONE. BEFORE HIMWILL BE GATHERED ALL THE NATIONS, AND HE WILL SEPARATE PEOPLEONE FROM ANOTHER AS A SHEPHERD SEPARATES THE SHEEP FROM THE GOATS.AND HE WILL PLACE THE SHEEP ON HIS RIGHT, BUT THE GOATS ON THE LEFT.THIS SEPERATING SEEMS TO COME AT THE RESURRECTION WHENTHE RIGHTEOUS GOING TO HEAVEN AND THE WICKED GOING TO DESTRUCTION.LUKE 11:15BUT SOME OF THEM SAID, “IT IS BY BEELZEBUL,THE PRINCE OF THE DEMONS, THAT HE DRIVES OUT DEMONS.”SOME PHARISEEZS BELIEVED IN BEELZEBUL (AKA: LORD OF THE FLIES),AND IF THEY ATE WITH DIRTY HANDS, THEN THEY COULD BECOME POSSESSEDAND THAT DEMON WOULD CAUSE THEM TO FOLLY OR SIN.
ECCLESIASTES 10:1 SAYS THAT A DEAD FLY CAUSES PERFUME TO STINKTHUS A WISE MAN COULD RUIN HIS REPUTATION BECAUSE OF ONE FOLLY.THEREFORE, THE LORD OF THE FLIES- WAS THE LORD OF FOLLY, WHO CAUSESTHE WISE TO SIN; OR RUIN THEIR REPUTATION.THIS IS WHY THE PHARISEES HAD A TRADITION OF RITUAL HAND WASHING.ACTS 17:31BECAUSE HE HAS FIXED A DAY ON WHICH HE WILL JUDGE THE WORLDIN RIGHTEOUSNESS BY A MAN WHOM HE HAS APPOINTED; AND OFTHIS HE HAS GIVEN ASSURANCE TO ALL BY RAISING HIM FROM THE DEAD.1 THESSALONIANS 4:16-17FOR THE LORD HIMSELF WILL DESCEND FROM HEAVEN WITH A CRYOF COMMAND, WITH THE VOICE OF AN ARCHANGEL, AND WITHTHE SOUND OF THE TRUMPET OF GOD. AND THE DEAD IN CHRISTWILL RISE FIRST. THEN WE WHO ARE ALIVE, WHO ARE LEFT
the rapture theory says christ takes the saints to heaven to spare them from the great tribulation. but according to yeshua in matthew 24, the great tribulation happened with the destruction . daniel is not talking about an antichrist entering the 3rd temple and stopping the sacrifies its speaki ng of the 2nd temple
