CONCLUSION of the Biblical Spirit World
Since man was made in the image of God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, he is also a trinity composed of Spirit, body, and soul. While man is living on earth, his spirit remains with his soul housed by his body in subjection to God, Satan and demons. When a man dies, his soul and spirit separate from his body, and the body is laid in the grave, or cremated to ash, but the spirit is not bodiless; it has what Paul calls its “psychical” or “soulish” body, which is brought out in the story of the “Rich man and Lazarus.” (Luke 16:19-31). This story describes the underworld as it was before Christ was resurrected and freed the righteous souls from Paradise of the underworld, and moved them to the Heavenlies to await their resurrection.
God’s messengers, angels, are ministering spirits to His Elect, or Marked, while they are on earth in their physical bodies. Satan and his demons are at work among men now, attempting to counterfeit the doctrines and experiences of God as revealed in Scripture, in order to deceive the saints, (2nd Cor. 11:14-15; Eph. 6:10-18; 1st Tim. 4:1-7; Rev. 12:9-12). Men are commanded to prove and test all doctrines and experiences in the spiritual realm to see if they are of God or of Satan, (1st Cor. 2:12-16; Phil. 1:9-10; 1st Thess. 5:21-22; 1st John 4:1-6). The knowledge of the truth of God’s Word is the first essential ion warfare against demons and error. The fact that a believer is a child of God does not stop the devil from trying in every possible way to imitate God to him. Believers are the ones Satan and his demons concentrate on and war against! Any doctrine that denies or causes doubt or unbelief concerning anything taught in the Scriptures is from Satan and his demons, (1st Tim. 4:1-8). Any doctrine denying Christ’s miraculous power and miraculous power and divinity, the death, burial, and bodily resurrection, and bodily ascension to heaven is of Satan. Any denial of the Atonement for the sin by the shed blood of Christ is of demonic origin, and not to be accepted. Any religion denying these fundamental truths is yielding to the spirit of error and not the Spirit of Truth. (1st John 4:1-6)
Any influence or power that causes one to become passive, inactive, submissive, and unresting to the workings of spirits seeking to control his life, contrary to the teaching of the Scriptures, is not of God. The Bible tells us to “Resist the devil and he will flee from us”, (James 4”7; 1st Peter 5:8-9). An inclination to approve sin, ignore the necessity of repentance and holy living; and a tendency to remove the penalty for sin is prompted by Satan, not God.
In testing all spirits, always look for the Holy Spirit, which can be recognized by the fruit of the Spirit, which in Galatians 5:22-23: Love, Joy, Peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. Freedom from any ignorance concerning the divine will, when one is moved to act quickly and urgently without knowing whether the act will glorify God or not, is far better to wait and pray until it is clear, beyond all doubt, that God approves such action. (“Try the Spirits, whether they are of God.” (John 4:1)
****************************The End, Finis**********************
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Demons and Unclean spirits according to the Bible
DEMONS AND UNCLEAN SPIRITS according to the Christian Bible
Definition of “devil” and “demons”:
The word “demon” cannot be found anywhere in the Bible, however, it means evil spirit of devil. Devil is used of Satan, the prince of demons (Matt. 9:24; 12:24). He is the chief devil and the original source of evil in the universe.
The Greek word for the devil used in connection with Satan is “diabolos”, which means adversary, false accuser, slanderer, devil, and is used of men and also translated false accuser and slander in 1st Tim. 3:11; 2nd Tim. 3:3; Titus 2:3. It is translated “devil” once as applying to Judas Iscariot when he betrayed Jesus (John 6:70). It is translated “devil” in 34 other places where the word devil or devils is found, and refers to evil spirits or demons and are derived from two different Greek words: diamonion and diamon”, meaning evil spirits or devils. There is only one prince of devils but many demons. He has an angelic body and cannot bodily enter anyone; but, demons are disembodied spirits in the material world except through possession of the bodies of men or beasts.
The Nature of demons:
They are evil (Judges 9:23); 1st Samuel 18:9-10); intelligent and wise (1st Kings 22:22-24; Acts 16:16); powerful (Mark 5:1-18); disembodied (Rev. 16:13-16); not angels (Acts 33:8-9); not human, for they possess men and can be cast out (Matt. 10:7; Mark 16:17). My position is that Born Again believers CANNOT be demon possessed. The Holy Spirit will not share His “Temple” with a demon after He comes in and takes possession of a body, (1st Cor. 12:13). Demons are individuals (Mark 16:9),; they have knowledge (Matt. 8:29), Mark 5:7); fellowship (1st Cor.10:20-21); doctrines (1st Tim. 4:1); wills (Matt. 12:43-45); miraculous powers (Rev. 16:13-16); emotions (Acts 8:7}; desires (Matt. 8:28-31); and other soul and spirit faculties.
The Activity of demons:
They possess people and can cause deafness and dumbness (Matt. 9:32-33); k 9:25); blindness (Matt. 12:22); lunacy and mania (Matt.4:23-24; Mark 5:1-8); grievous vexation (Matt. 15:22); uncleanliness (Luke 4:36). They can have supernatural strength (Mark 5:1-8); and cause people they possess to commit suicide (Matt. 17:15; John 10:10); they can cause convulsions (Mark 9:20); lusts (John 8:44; Eph. 2:1-3; 1st John 2:15-170; counterfeit worship (Leviticus 17:7; Deut. 32:17; 2nd Chron. 11:15; Psalms 106:37; 1st Cor. 10:20; Rev. 90:20); error (1st John 4:16; 1st Tim. 4:1); sicknesses and diseases (Matt. 4:4:16; Acts 10:38); torments (Matt/ 4:23-24; 15:22); deceptions (1st Tim. 4:1-2; 1 John 4:1-6); lying (1st Kings 22:21-24); enchantments and witchcraft (2nd Chron. 33:6), heresies (1st Tim. 4:1); false doctrines (1st Tim. 4:1); wickedness (Luke 11:26); bondage (Romans 8:15); fear (2nd Tim. 1:7); love for the world (1st John 2:15-17; 1st Cor. 2:12); discord (Matt. 13:39; 1st Kings 22:21-=24); violence (Matt. 17:15); betrayals (John 13:2; 1st Kings 22:22-23); oppression (Acts 10:38); sin (John 3:8); persecution (1st Peter 5:8; Rev. 2:10); jealousy (1st Samuel 16:14; 18:8-10); false prophecy (1st Samuel 18:8-10; 1st Kings 22:21-24); and every other evil they can possible do to create havoc against God and man. They can even go out and come back into unregenerate men as they will, unless cast out and rejected, (Matt. 12:43-45). They also imitate departed dead (1st Samuel 28:3-9; 1st Chron. 10:13; Isaiah 8:19. Deut. 18:11). They are agents of Satan, corrupting the bodies of his victims and must be cast out in the name of Jesus Christ Who is the only authority over them or resisted in order to experience relief from them. Correspondence with demons is forbidden in both Testaments! (Leviticus 19:31; 20:6; Deut. 18:10; Isaiah 8:19-21; 1st Chron. 10:13-14; Luke 4: 41; Acts 16:15; 1st Tim. 4:1-5; 2nd Peter 2:1-3; 1st John 4:1-6).
Those that dabble in spirits are in the peril of having their understanding darkened, (Eph. 4:17-19), and come under the power and control of demons. The Apostle John says, “Believe not every spirit, but TRY the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” (1st John 4:1). The test is “every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God.” (1st John 4:3). Ask the spirit that comes to you, personally seeking entrance or speaks to you through a “medium”, if Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, that is, the Son of God, and if he says, “yes”, that it is the Holy Spirit, for no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Spirit, (1st Cor. 12:3). But, if the spirit gets angry and denies the Deity of the Christ, then it is clear that the spirit is an evil spirit, or demon. Norval Hayes remarks concerning demon possessed false prophets, “it doesn’t make any difference what a human being says, does, or acts, that is no sign that it is a spirit of truth. I know spirits that talk about Jesus all the time, saying good things. They pray for the sick and everything, but, they’re as phony as a $3.00 bill. They’ll talk about God, talk about Jesus, talk about salvation, talk about men of God, talk about the things of God and they are just as phony as they can possibly be. (Norval Hayes in “The Gift of Discerning of Spirits., P. 18, Harrison House.)
Definition of “devil” and “demons”:
The word “demon” cannot be found anywhere in the Bible, however, it means evil spirit of devil. Devil is used of Satan, the prince of demons (Matt. 9:24; 12:24). He is the chief devil and the original source of evil in the universe.
The Greek word for the devil used in connection with Satan is “diabolos”, which means adversary, false accuser, slanderer, devil, and is used of men and also translated false accuser and slander in 1st Tim. 3:11; 2nd Tim. 3:3; Titus 2:3. It is translated “devil” once as applying to Judas Iscariot when he betrayed Jesus (John 6:70). It is translated “devil” in 34 other places where the word devil or devils is found, and refers to evil spirits or demons and are derived from two different Greek words: diamonion and diamon”, meaning evil spirits or devils. There is only one prince of devils but many demons. He has an angelic body and cannot bodily enter anyone; but, demons are disembodied spirits in the material world except through possession of the bodies of men or beasts.
The Nature of demons:
They are evil (Judges 9:23); 1st Samuel 18:9-10); intelligent and wise (1st Kings 22:22-24; Acts 16:16); powerful (Mark 5:1-18); disembodied (Rev. 16:13-16); not angels (Acts 33:8-9); not human, for they possess men and can be cast out (Matt. 10:7; Mark 16:17). My position is that Born Again believers CANNOT be demon possessed. The Holy Spirit will not share His “Temple” with a demon after He comes in and takes possession of a body, (1st Cor. 12:13). Demons are individuals (Mark 16:9),; they have knowledge (Matt. 8:29), Mark 5:7); fellowship (1st Cor.10:20-21); doctrines (1st Tim. 4:1); wills (Matt. 12:43-45); miraculous powers (Rev. 16:13-16); emotions (Acts 8:7}; desires (Matt. 8:28-31); and other soul and spirit faculties.
The Activity of demons:
They possess people and can cause deafness and dumbness (Matt. 9:32-33); k 9:25); blindness (Matt. 12:22); lunacy and mania (Matt.4:23-24; Mark 5:1-8); grievous vexation (Matt. 15:22); uncleanliness (Luke 4:36). They can have supernatural strength (Mark 5:1-8); and cause people they possess to commit suicide (Matt. 17:15; John 10:10); they can cause convulsions (Mark 9:20); lusts (John 8:44; Eph. 2:1-3; 1st John 2:15-170; counterfeit worship (Leviticus 17:7; Deut. 32:17; 2nd Chron. 11:15; Psalms 106:37; 1st Cor. 10:20; Rev. 90:20); error (1st John 4:16; 1st Tim. 4:1); sicknesses and diseases (Matt. 4:4:16; Acts 10:38); torments (Matt/ 4:23-24; 15:22); deceptions (1st Tim. 4:1-2; 1 John 4:1-6); lying (1st Kings 22:21-24); enchantments and witchcraft (2nd Chron. 33:6), heresies (1st Tim. 4:1); false doctrines (1st Tim. 4:1); wickedness (Luke 11:26); bondage (Romans 8:15); fear (2nd Tim. 1:7); love for the world (1st John 2:15-17; 1st Cor. 2:12); discord (Matt. 13:39; 1st Kings 22:21-=24); violence (Matt. 17:15); betrayals (John 13:2; 1st Kings 22:22-23); oppression (Acts 10:38); sin (John 3:8); persecution (1st Peter 5:8; Rev. 2:10); jealousy (1st Samuel 16:14; 18:8-10); false prophecy (1st Samuel 18:8-10; 1st Kings 22:21-24); and every other evil they can possible do to create havoc against God and man. They can even go out and come back into unregenerate men as they will, unless cast out and rejected, (Matt. 12:43-45). They also imitate departed dead (1st Samuel 28:3-9; 1st Chron. 10:13; Isaiah 8:19. Deut. 18:11). They are agents of Satan, corrupting the bodies of his victims and must be cast out in the name of Jesus Christ Who is the only authority over them or resisted in order to experience relief from them. Correspondence with demons is forbidden in both Testaments! (Leviticus 19:31; 20:6; Deut. 18:10; Isaiah 8:19-21; 1st Chron. 10:13-14; Luke 4: 41; Acts 16:15; 1st Tim. 4:1-5; 2nd Peter 2:1-3; 1st John 4:1-6).
Those that dabble in spirits are in the peril of having their understanding darkened, (Eph. 4:17-19), and come under the power and control of demons. The Apostle John says, “Believe not every spirit, but TRY the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” (1st John 4:1). The test is “every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God.” (1st John 4:3). Ask the spirit that comes to you, personally seeking entrance or speaks to you through a “medium”, if Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, that is, the Son of God, and if he says, “yes”, that it is the Holy Spirit, for no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Spirit, (1st Cor. 12:3). But, if the spirit gets angry and denies the Deity of the Christ, then it is clear that the spirit is an evil spirit, or demon. Norval Hayes remarks concerning demon possessed false prophets, “it doesn’t make any difference what a human being says, does, or acts, that is no sign that it is a spirit of truth. I know spirits that talk about Jesus all the time, saying good things. They pray for the sick and everything, but, they’re as phony as a $3.00 bill. They’ll talk about God, talk about Jesus, talk about salvation, talk about men of God, talk about the things of God and they are just as phony as they can possibly be. (Norval Hayes in “The Gift of Discerning of Spirits., P. 18, Harrison House.)
ESCHATOLOGY: Part 4, and Last
THE JUDGMENT OF THE LOST
When the thousand year reign is ended, and Satan is released (Revelation 20:7), he will deceive the nations of the earth and gather them to battle against the saints and the holy city (Revelation 20:9).
At that time, Satan and his army will be destroyed by fire from heaven (Revelation 20:9). Then, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone. "And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day an' night for ever and ever." (Revelation 20:10) Jesus, discussing this event, stated in Matthew 25:41, "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." Then Christ, who is the judge of all men (John 5:22), will resurrect and judge the great and small at the Great White Throne of Judgment. "And I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away." (Revelation 20:11)
This resurrection of the unsaved dead will be a physical resurrection, and those receiving that judgment (Romans 14: 10-13) will be committed to an eternal conscious punishment. (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:11-15). This city is the saints dwelling place where they will forever enjoy fellowship with God, and one another. "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou has sent." (John 17:3) Having fulfilled His redemptive mission, then the Lord Jesus Christ will deliver up the kingdom to God the Father, (Ephesians 1:18-23; 1 Corinthians 15:24-28), and the triune God will reign forever and ever in all spheres. "And when all things shall be subdued unto Him, then shall the Son also Himself be subject into Him that put all things under Him, that God may be all in all." (1 Corinthians 15:28).
Regardless of the time of the return of Christ to set up His theocratic kingdom on earth, and whether it be pre, mid, or post tribulation, and regardless of whether this present evil era shall be terminated and a new earth ushered in by God, the common goal and confession of all Christians should be that God shall be all in all at last!
While the eschatology of the unbelieving world of modern science is death for the individual, species, and universe, then certainly, the only truth they can live by is the popular phrase, "let us eat, and drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die".
We, as Christians, however, do not believe death is the end, but only the beginning of a new glorious life of which Christ has earned for us by His resurrection from the dead and His defeat of death for us!
The point we should remember is that heaven will be glorious for all that spend eternity there, however, the reason all will be there is not for personal enjoyment, but to praise and glorify God, and to fellowship with Him! Many picture heaven as being a boring place where we will be floating on clouds, lazily twanging our harps, but the scene will actually be as the book of Revelation describes it, having God in the center, adored by His creatures, who continually praise Him in a roar like the sea, and all of His glory, He will reveal to them! Because of all the conflicting and controversial opinions and interpretations of Bible prophecy, it sometimes becomes inviting to fall into a "rut" and just "cop out" so to speak and forget about, or not study eschatology at all! However, a Christian should occupy until the return of Christ, fulfilling any service offered, and enjoying the present life as a gift of God to its fullest, and live like we expect to live our lives to a ripe old, productive age in God's service. At the same time, we should be looking forward to the glorious return of Christ for us, being prepared and ready to meet Him at any moment! It is productive to study eschatology in order to gain the best understanding possible, and we all should do that, asking the Holy Spirit to illuminate the written revelation for us in the best understanding possible, but, we should also keep in mind, "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then, face to face (when we meet Christ at His return): now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." (1 Corinthians 13:12)
The End,……………for some,…..and “beginning” for others!
Blessings!
Marked Elect
When the thousand year reign is ended, and Satan is released (Revelation 20:7), he will deceive the nations of the earth and gather them to battle against the saints and the holy city (Revelation 20:9).
At that time, Satan and his army will be destroyed by fire from heaven (Revelation 20:9). Then, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone. "And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day an' night for ever and ever." (Revelation 20:10) Jesus, discussing this event, stated in Matthew 25:41, "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." Then Christ, who is the judge of all men (John 5:22), will resurrect and judge the great and small at the Great White Throne of Judgment. "And I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away." (Revelation 20:11)
This resurrection of the unsaved dead will be a physical resurrection, and those receiving that judgment (Romans 14: 10-13) will be committed to an eternal conscious punishment. (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:11-15). This city is the saints dwelling place where they will forever enjoy fellowship with God, and one another. "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou has sent." (John 17:3) Having fulfilled His redemptive mission, then the Lord Jesus Christ will deliver up the kingdom to God the Father, (Ephesians 1:18-23; 1 Corinthians 15:24-28), and the triune God will reign forever and ever in all spheres. "And when all things shall be subdued unto Him, then shall the Son also Himself be subject into Him that put all things under Him, that God may be all in all." (1 Corinthians 15:28).
Regardless of the time of the return of Christ to set up His theocratic kingdom on earth, and whether it be pre, mid, or post tribulation, and regardless of whether this present evil era shall be terminated and a new earth ushered in by God, the common goal and confession of all Christians should be that God shall be all in all at last!
While the eschatology of the unbelieving world of modern science is death for the individual, species, and universe, then certainly, the only truth they can live by is the popular phrase, "let us eat, and drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die".
We, as Christians, however, do not believe death is the end, but only the beginning of a new glorious life of which Christ has earned for us by His resurrection from the dead and His defeat of death for us!
The point we should remember is that heaven will be glorious for all that spend eternity there, however, the reason all will be there is not for personal enjoyment, but to praise and glorify God, and to fellowship with Him! Many picture heaven as being a boring place where we will be floating on clouds, lazily twanging our harps, but the scene will actually be as the book of Revelation describes it, having God in the center, adored by His creatures, who continually praise Him in a roar like the sea, and all of His glory, He will reveal to them! Because of all the conflicting and controversial opinions and interpretations of Bible prophecy, it sometimes becomes inviting to fall into a "rut" and just "cop out" so to speak and forget about, or not study eschatology at all! However, a Christian should occupy until the return of Christ, fulfilling any service offered, and enjoying the present life as a gift of God to its fullest, and live like we expect to live our lives to a ripe old, productive age in God's service. At the same time, we should be looking forward to the glorious return of Christ for us, being prepared and ready to meet Him at any moment! It is productive to study eschatology in order to gain the best understanding possible, and we all should do that, asking the Holy Spirit to illuminate the written revelation for us in the best understanding possible, but, we should also keep in mind, "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then, face to face (when we meet Christ at His return): now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." (1 Corinthians 13:12)
The End,……………for some,…..and “beginning” for others!
Blessings!
Marked Elect
ESCHATOLOGY: Part 3
THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH
The Greek word used, to describe "rapture", which is not in the Bible, but is taken from 1 Thessalonians 4:17, "Caught up", is Greek "harpazo". It means to seize and overpower; to plunder, act of transporting.
The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ will bodily return. Thessalonians 4:16, Paul states, "For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout". The early Christians were even watching for His return. Titus 2:13, "Looking for that blessed hop., and the glorious appearing of the Great God and Savior Jews Christ". He is coming to translate His Church from this earth. Jesus promised in John 14:1-3, He was going to His Father's house to prepare a dwelling place for believers and verse ,He said, "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also". Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:51-53, that at the moment when Christ returned, believers would be actually changed into their new glorified bodies in a split second, and that death would then be powerless. (Also 1 Thessalonians 4:15-1't) Believers will be rewarded according to their works.
Paul says in Romans 14:10-12, that all will stand before the judgment seat of Christ and give their account. He says in 1 Corinthians 3:11-15, that the believers works will be judged, and all works with the wrong motive will be burned, even though the believer will remain saved and for all of the works of the right motive, he will be rewarded for. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:10, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad".
There will be enough time elapsing between this event and Christ's return with His Church to allow for the judgment of believer's works and the marriage supper of the lamb, and included in this period is the 70th week of Daniel's -prophecy recorded in Daniel 9:24-27. Daniel prophesies about a 70 week period of God dealing with the Jews, the destruction of the city and their being a gap., between the 69th week and 70th, with the 70th being consummated in the great tribulation after the rapture of the church.
Jesus explained what would happen in Matthew 24:15-31, and 25:31-46. He warns about the coming "great tribulation", the greatest ever, which will take place in that end time, and tells us, even though no one knows the exact hour it will come, we should prepare and stay ready looking for the great event which shall actually be our escape. He said just as immediately before the flood in Noah's day, the non-prepared and unconcerned will be caught by surprise and enter the tribulation. However, the elect, who have been chosen to salvation will be able to recognize the signs of the time, and recognize the general era of the occurrence and will not be caught by surprise. In fact, these elect can not miss the rapture miss the raptures, because Jesus said in Matthew 24:31, "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". Jesus, talking about those end times said in Matthew 24:34, "This generation shall not pass, till all these things are fulfilled'..
THE TRIBULATION PERIOD
The Bible teaches that right after the removal of the
church from the earth, (John 14:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18), the righteous judgments of God will be poured out upon an unbelieving world. We are told, "Alas! For that day is great so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it." (Jeremiah 30-7) "And he (the Antichrist )2, shall make it a ruin, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate." (Daniel 9:27) "Ann at that time, shall Michael stand up, the great prince, which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall e a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time." (Daniel 12:1) Paul, in 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12, talks about the falling away of the apostate church; the church who restrains the appearance of the antichrist being taken out of the way; the antichrist coming into power with the absence of the restrainer, and the multitudes of the reprobate who will follow him, and his sitting in the actual temple of God, claiming himself to be God. In Revelation 16:1-21, the account of God pouring his vials of wrath upon the apostates is given, and the great "Battle of Armageddon", which will take places at the end of the great tribulation. The climax 6 of these judgments will be the return of Christ in glory to earth. Matthew 24:15-31; 25:31-46; 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12; 1 Timothy 6:14) At that time, the Old Testament and tribulation saints will be raised and the living will be judged. (Revelation 20:4-6; 6:9-11; Daniel 12:2,3).
THE SECOND COMING AND MILLENNIAL REIGN
After the tribulation period, Christ will come to earth to literally occupy the throne of David. Jesus foretold in Matthew 25:31,32, "When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory: and before Him shall be gathered all nations." In Jude 14, Enoch was also quoted: "And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, "Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousand of His saints." We are told in Luke 1:32,33, concerning Jesus, "He shall be great and shall be called ..he Son of the highest: and the Lord God shall give unto Him tie throne of David, and He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of His Kingdom, there shall be no end." When Jesus ascended to heaven and His disciples were watching in amazement, two angels spoke to them saying "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven." Acts 1:11. Peter, preaching to the Jews, said in Acts 2:19,30, "Let me speak freely unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and His sepulcher is with us unto this day. Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne."
According to Revelation 20:1-7, that Messianic kingdom will be established and will last for a thousand years on the earth. The resurrection, saints will reign with Him over Israel and all the nations l of the earth during this thousand years. (Ezekiel 37:21-28; Daniel 7:17-22; Revelation 19:11-16) Just prior to this reign, the antichrist, and the false prophet will be overthrown, and they, with Satan, will be removed from the world. (Daniel 7:17; Revelation 20:1-7).
The fulfillment of God's promise to Israel will be the kingdom itself. (Deut. 30:1-10; Ezekiel (7:21-28; Zech. 8:1-17). God will restore them to the land which they forfeited through disobedience. (Deut. 28 L5-68; 30:1-10). Jesus had warned them in Matthew 21:43 when he said, "The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation, bringing forth the fruits thereof."
Paul also clarified the forfeiting of the Jew's favor with God in Romans 11:1-26 resulting in Israel being temporarily set aside. However, the Bible teaches they will once again be awakened through repentance. "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house-of Judah: not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they broke, although I was a husband unto them sayeth the Lord: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel, after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and will be their God, and they my people. And they shall teach no more, every man his neighbor, and every man his brother saying, know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more." (Jeremiah 31:31-34)
He also told them in Ezekiel 36:26, "A new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And, I wilt, put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments and do them. "Even the apostle Paul was revealed this truth! He states in Romans 11:25-29, "For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. And so, all Israel shall be saved, as is written (in Psalms 14:7) "there shall come out of Zion the deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: for this is my covenant with them, when I shall take away their sins, as concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes; but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers sakes. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance."
So we know the Jews will enter into the land of blessing. (Revelation 20:4-6). This time of our Lord's thousand year reign on earth shall be characterized by Justice, Harmony, Peace, Righteousness, and Long Life. (Isaiah 11:1-16; 65:17-25; Ezekiel 36:33-38). However, the peaceful reign will be ended with the release of Satan. "And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth. (Revelation 20:7-8)
CONT.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Blessings!
Marked Elect
The Greek word used, to describe "rapture", which is not in the Bible, but is taken from 1 Thessalonians 4:17, "Caught up", is Greek "harpazo". It means to seize and overpower; to plunder, act of transporting.
The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ will bodily return. Thessalonians 4:16, Paul states, "For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout". The early Christians were even watching for His return. Titus 2:13, "Looking for that blessed hop., and the glorious appearing of the Great God and Savior Jews Christ". He is coming to translate His Church from this earth. Jesus promised in John 14:1-3, He was going to His Father's house to prepare a dwelling place for believers and verse ,He said, "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also". Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:51-53, that at the moment when Christ returned, believers would be actually changed into their new glorified bodies in a split second, and that death would then be powerless. (Also 1 Thessalonians 4:15-1't) Believers will be rewarded according to their works.
Paul says in Romans 14:10-12, that all will stand before the judgment seat of Christ and give their account. He says in 1 Corinthians 3:11-15, that the believers works will be judged, and all works with the wrong motive will be burned, even though the believer will remain saved and for all of the works of the right motive, he will be rewarded for. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:10, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad".
There will be enough time elapsing between this event and Christ's return with His Church to allow for the judgment of believer's works and the marriage supper of the lamb, and included in this period is the 70th week of Daniel's -prophecy recorded in Daniel 9:24-27. Daniel prophesies about a 70 week period of God dealing with the Jews, the destruction of the city and their being a gap., between the 69th week and 70th, with the 70th being consummated in the great tribulation after the rapture of the church.
Jesus explained what would happen in Matthew 24:15-31, and 25:31-46. He warns about the coming "great tribulation", the greatest ever, which will take place in that end time, and tells us, even though no one knows the exact hour it will come, we should prepare and stay ready looking for the great event which shall actually be our escape. He said just as immediately before the flood in Noah's day, the non-prepared and unconcerned will be caught by surprise and enter the tribulation. However, the elect, who have been chosen to salvation will be able to recognize the signs of the time, and recognize the general era of the occurrence and will not be caught by surprise. In fact, these elect can not miss the rapture miss the raptures, because Jesus said in Matthew 24:31, "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". Jesus, talking about those end times said in Matthew 24:34, "This generation shall not pass, till all these things are fulfilled'..
THE TRIBULATION PERIOD
The Bible teaches that right after the removal of the
church from the earth, (John 14:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18), the righteous judgments of God will be poured out upon an unbelieving world. We are told, "Alas! For that day is great so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it." (Jeremiah 30-7) "And he (the Antichrist )2, shall make it a ruin, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate." (Daniel 9:27) "Ann at that time, shall Michael stand up, the great prince, which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall e a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time." (Daniel 12:1) Paul, in 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12, talks about the falling away of the apostate church; the church who restrains the appearance of the antichrist being taken out of the way; the antichrist coming into power with the absence of the restrainer, and the multitudes of the reprobate who will follow him, and his sitting in the actual temple of God, claiming himself to be God. In Revelation 16:1-21, the account of God pouring his vials of wrath upon the apostates is given, and the great "Battle of Armageddon", which will take places at the end of the great tribulation. The climax 6 of these judgments will be the return of Christ in glory to earth. Matthew 24:15-31; 25:31-46; 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12; 1 Timothy 6:14) At that time, the Old Testament and tribulation saints will be raised and the living will be judged. (Revelation 20:4-6; 6:9-11; Daniel 12:2,3).
THE SECOND COMING AND MILLENNIAL REIGN
After the tribulation period, Christ will come to earth to literally occupy the throne of David. Jesus foretold in Matthew 25:31,32, "When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory: and before Him shall be gathered all nations." In Jude 14, Enoch was also quoted: "And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, "Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousand of His saints." We are told in Luke 1:32,33, concerning Jesus, "He shall be great and shall be called ..he Son of the highest: and the Lord God shall give unto Him tie throne of David, and He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of His Kingdom, there shall be no end." When Jesus ascended to heaven and His disciples were watching in amazement, two angels spoke to them saying "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven." Acts 1:11. Peter, preaching to the Jews, said in Acts 2:19,30, "Let me speak freely unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and His sepulcher is with us unto this day. Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne."
According to Revelation 20:1-7, that Messianic kingdom will be established and will last for a thousand years on the earth. The resurrection, saints will reign with Him over Israel and all the nations l of the earth during this thousand years. (Ezekiel 37:21-28; Daniel 7:17-22; Revelation 19:11-16) Just prior to this reign, the antichrist, and the false prophet will be overthrown, and they, with Satan, will be removed from the world. (Daniel 7:17; Revelation 20:1-7).
The fulfillment of God's promise to Israel will be the kingdom itself. (Deut. 30:1-10; Ezekiel (7:21-28; Zech. 8:1-17). God will restore them to the land which they forfeited through disobedience. (Deut. 28 L5-68; 30:1-10). Jesus had warned them in Matthew 21:43 when he said, "The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation, bringing forth the fruits thereof."
Paul also clarified the forfeiting of the Jew's favor with God in Romans 11:1-26 resulting in Israel being temporarily set aside. However, the Bible teaches they will once again be awakened through repentance. "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house-of Judah: not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they broke, although I was a husband unto them sayeth the Lord: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel, after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and will be their God, and they my people. And they shall teach no more, every man his neighbor, and every man his brother saying, know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more." (Jeremiah 31:31-34)
He also told them in Ezekiel 36:26, "A new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And, I wilt, put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments and do them. "Even the apostle Paul was revealed this truth! He states in Romans 11:25-29, "For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. And so, all Israel shall be saved, as is written (in Psalms 14:7) "there shall come out of Zion the deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: for this is my covenant with them, when I shall take away their sins, as concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes; but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers sakes. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance."
So we know the Jews will enter into the land of blessing. (Revelation 20:4-6). This time of our Lord's thousand year reign on earth shall be characterized by Justice, Harmony, Peace, Righteousness, and Long Life. (Isaiah 11:1-16; 65:17-25; Ezekiel 36:33-38). However, the peaceful reign will be ended with the release of Satan. "And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth. (Revelation 20:7-8)
CONT.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Blessings!
Marked Elect
ESCHATOLOGY: Part 2
WHAT HAPPENS AT DEATH?
The scriptures teach that there is no loss of consciousness at physical death. "And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: and they cried with a loud voice, saying, "How long, 0 Lord, holy and true, does not judge and avenge our blood on them. that dwell on the earth." (Revelation 6:9-10) These referred to our martyred saints. Jesus Himself stated in 'Matthew 10:28, "And fear not them that kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him that is able to destroy both body and soul.
We find in the Bible, that when a redeemed, or saved person dies physically, his soul goes immediately into the presence of Christ. When Jesus was on the cross with a thief on each side of Him, and the repentant thief asked Jesus to remember him, Jesus told him, in Luke 23:43, "Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise".
The apostle Paul explained in Philippians 1:23, "But I am hard pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better." Then he taught in 2nd Corinthians 5:8 that there is a separation of soul and body when he said, "we are confident, I say, and willing, rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."
According to the description given in Revelation 20:4-6, that the redeemed lived with Christ in the thousand year reign, and the wicked didn't come alive until the end of the thousand years, we can know that the soul stays separated from the body until the first resurrection At that time, the spirit, soul, and body will be reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord. Paul explained it best in 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17, when he said, "For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, and the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: And so shall we ever be with the Lord." He also said in Philippians 3:21, "Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself." In 1 Corinthians 15:35-44, he again speaks about the resurrection ending with verse 44, "It is sown a natural body; it is a spiritual body." Finally in verses 51-53 he states, "Behold, I show you a mystery; we shall not sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." Therefore, the redeemed souls who died in Christ, remain until that time, in joyful presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Every person who has ever lived on the earth in a physical body and died, will one day have a bodily resurrection. It's revealed in Daniel 12:2, "And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt."
In Revelation 20:11-15, the account of the future judgment of all the wicked to take place is given, and is called "The Great White Throne Judgment." Jesus stated in John 5: 28,29, "For the hour is coming in which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation." So we are taught the saved are resurrected to eternal life! Paul said in Romans 8:11, "If the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you." Then in 2nd Corinthians 4:14 he said, "Knowing that He which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you." We also are taught that the unsaved will be resurrected to judgment and everlasting punishment. The Bible clearly teaches that the souls of the unsaved at death immediately descend into Hades!
In Luke 16:19-26, we are given the account of the rich man and Lazarus, each dying, and going to paradise, and the rich man going to hell, when in verse 13 it says "And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments", and in verse 24 he said, "have mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame." This account also verifies that these wicked souls are kept under punishment until the second resurrection, when the soul and resurrection body are united (John 5:28,29), and shall appear at the great white throne judgment, (Revelation20:11-15), and shall be cast into the lake of fire, (Matthew 25:41-46), and they shall be cut off from the life of God forever. (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; Daniel 12:2; Matthew 25: 41-46)
CONT.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Blessings!
Marked Elect
The scriptures teach that there is no loss of consciousness at physical death. "And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: and they cried with a loud voice, saying, "How long, 0 Lord, holy and true, does not judge and avenge our blood on them. that dwell on the earth." (Revelation 6:9-10) These referred to our martyred saints. Jesus Himself stated in 'Matthew 10:28, "And fear not them that kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him that is able to destroy both body and soul.
We find in the Bible, that when a redeemed, or saved person dies physically, his soul goes immediately into the presence of Christ. When Jesus was on the cross with a thief on each side of Him, and the repentant thief asked Jesus to remember him, Jesus told him, in Luke 23:43, "Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise".
The apostle Paul explained in Philippians 1:23, "But I am hard pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better." Then he taught in 2nd Corinthians 5:8 that there is a separation of soul and body when he said, "we are confident, I say, and willing, rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."
According to the description given in Revelation 20:4-6, that the redeemed lived with Christ in the thousand year reign, and the wicked didn't come alive until the end of the thousand years, we can know that the soul stays separated from the body until the first resurrection At that time, the spirit, soul, and body will be reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord. Paul explained it best in 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17, when he said, "For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, and the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: And so shall we ever be with the Lord." He also said in Philippians 3:21, "Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself." In 1 Corinthians 15:35-44, he again speaks about the resurrection ending with verse 44, "It is sown a natural body; it is a spiritual body." Finally in verses 51-53 he states, "Behold, I show you a mystery; we shall not sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." Therefore, the redeemed souls who died in Christ, remain until that time, in joyful presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Every person who has ever lived on the earth in a physical body and died, will one day have a bodily resurrection. It's revealed in Daniel 12:2, "And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt."
In Revelation 20:11-15, the account of the future judgment of all the wicked to take place is given, and is called "The Great White Throne Judgment." Jesus stated in John 5: 28,29, "For the hour is coming in which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation." So we are taught the saved are resurrected to eternal life! Paul said in Romans 8:11, "If the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you." Then in 2nd Corinthians 4:14 he said, "Knowing that He which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you." We also are taught that the unsaved will be resurrected to judgment and everlasting punishment. The Bible clearly teaches that the souls of the unsaved at death immediately descend into Hades!
In Luke 16:19-26, we are given the account of the rich man and Lazarus, each dying, and going to paradise, and the rich man going to hell, when in verse 13 it says "And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments", and in verse 24 he said, "have mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame." This account also verifies that these wicked souls are kept under punishment until the second resurrection, when the soul and resurrection body are united (John 5:28,29), and shall appear at the great white throne judgment, (Revelation20:11-15), and shall be cast into the lake of fire, (Matthew 25:41-46), and they shall be cut off from the life of God forever. (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; Daniel 12:2; Matthew 25: 41-46)
CONT.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Blessings!
Marked Elect
ESCHATOLOGY, Part 1
CHRISTIAN BIBLE ESCHATOLOGY
The word "Eschatology" is taken from the Greek word "eschatos", which denotes "furthest or last". It is the view or teaching about death, judgment, heaven, hell, and whatever else may be believed concerning the end of all things.
Zondervan's encyclopedia states, "It is assumed throughout scripture that history is the scene of God's redemptive activity and therefore, is moving toward a new order when sin and evil
will be overcome, and God will become all in all. It is hardly possible to overestimate the importance of eschatology to Christian faith: life without faith is empty, and faith without hope is impossible."
Nelson's Encyclopedia states that "the last things are variously enumerated, but the whole ground is covered by the four interdependent stages: the return of Christ, or the Second Advent; the last resurrection of the dead; the last judgment; and the final recompense, Heaven or Hell. The Christian teaching on the theme has its roots in the Old Testament and the Apocryphal and Apocalyptic literature such as the books of Daniel, 2 Esdras, and Enoch. In the New Testament, the subject separates from the national Jewish element, with the eschatology of the church aiming at being a reproduction of New Testament teaching."
The study of "eschatology", or "the doctrine of last things", as it is usually referred to, is interesting to say the least, and is a large part of the Christian faith. However, it requires a very diligent study 'to decipher from the scriptures firm foundations for a lasting and secure faith!
There are various conflicting views, on methods of interpretation of the biblical materials about last things. Some of the reasons Newport and Cannon give for this is as follows in a brief summary. The forth-telling, or "in that history" view, regards the prophecies of the book of Revelation, as concerned only with the writer John's own day, and liberal scholars endorse that view. The historical, or "all of history" view, see the book's visions as a preview of history until john's time until the end of the world. The Protestant Reformers endorsed this view. The poetic or "above history" view see a description of God triumphing over all evil powers dramatically. However, when "eschatology" is discussed, the "millennial" view usually comes to mind, and centers around the interpretation of the thousand year reign of Christ called the millennium. Does Christ come before the millemium (premillennial view), after the millennium (postmillennial view), or is the millennium only figurative (amillenial)?
The conservative interpreters divide themselves into four divisions: historical premillennial, dispensational premillenial, postmillennial, and amillennial, and all the groups are literalists, which means they interpret words in their normal and proper designation. However, even these are divided between strict and moderate literalists! The popular view of the early twentieth century was "postmillenialism", with it's followers being convinced of the growth of the church by the spirit's power until it brings the millennial condition upon the earth.
"Amillennialism" is another view held with believes
that the prophecies made to Israel are fulfilled in the church, and by being fulfilled, no earthly millennium is necessary.
The different "premillennial" views are as follows: "Dispensational premillennialism" believes in an exact literal interpretation concerning Israel, the church, and the future, viewing Israel and the church as two separate groups not to be mixed, and God having separate plans for each. When Israel rejected Christ, God then rejected them and turned to the church to accomplish His redemptive purpose, which will be fulfilled at the millenium when God resumes His theocratic rule with Israel through their restored Davidic throne in Palestine, which will be a literal throne, in a literal restored temple in Jerusalem, with a literal resumption of the sacrificial system, and then will all the Old Testament promises be fulfilled. The scriptures are divided, according to this view, referring either to the church or Israel, insisting that no single verse speaks to both dispensations at the same time.
The "pre-tribulation Rapture" comes from, concept of the church, believing it cannot be on earth when God's earthly purposes start again to restore Christ's earthly reign according to the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants, Since this view is dispensationa1, it separates the church from God's total redemptive plan believing it must be Raptured (taken out suddenly) out of the world before the tribulation because it is not part of the kingdom that will be in the initial stage of restoration through the surviving remnant surviving the Tribulation.
Therefore, the church is taken off the earth in the Rapture, followed by a seven year period and divided into two three and a half year periods during which, in the first, Israel enters into a covenant with the Antichrist who breaks it in the end. The second half starts with Satan overpowering the Antichrist and the "time of Jacob's trouble" being poured out on the world. During these seven years, the gospel of the Kingdom, not Grace, is preached.
Surviving the tribulation will be 144,000 elect men, a remnant of Israel, 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes, and they are to become the kingdom to which Christ returns after the seven year tribulation. This view sees Christ on a physical throne, and Israel ruling all the nations with Him, so the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy makes the millennial reign Jewish, and God's consummation plan for Israel.
Claims are made by some, the church will return at the beginning and pass through, and others claim the church is a part of the Holy City hovering over the earth. The temple to be rebuilt will re-institute the sacrificial system. They believe the death of Christ to be "commemorative" and
not anticipatory. The blessed hope for the dispensationalists is that Christ will Rapture the parenthetical church so that He may reign through Israel, not the church!
The organized church (Christendom) was early distinguished from the "true church" by dispensationalists, establishing that only members of the "true church" will be saved, with all others being apostates and being the majority of all "professing Christians" historical premillennialism groups forth-telling and fore-telling from the book of Revelation together into dispensationalism and amillennialism.
The subject is the most controversial of any Christian study outside of the "free will of man" and "the sovereignty of God". In fact, because of its controversial nature, many famous preachers in the past, as well as the present, refused to preach or teach on the subject in fear of dividing the church. Therefore, as can be expected, much error has been brought into the church by "false prophets", and divisions among the church has been numerous.
More books are being written on eschatology by professing prophetic theologians as well as others, than any other subject in the Bible presently, because according to those who draw attention to that subject, our generation presently is the generation of "the last days". Because of the vast numbers of books written on the subject, and the variations opinions and interpretation, only some of the major positions will be mentioned in this thesis.
We, as Christians, are on a learning plane, individually progressing toward a greater truth of God's word, as we continue to walk with Him who redeemed us. We all will continue to grow in grace, and will be able to understand more, as we grow closer to Him, but none of us will ever know perfect truth until we see Christ "face to face" at the Second Advent. Therefore, as one of many Bible scholars, the author of this thesis humbly presents his present understanding of the sequence of "The doctrine of last things", as interpreted from God's word, the Bible.
CONT>>>>>>>>>>>
Blessings!
Marked Elect
The word "Eschatology" is taken from the Greek word "eschatos", which denotes "furthest or last". It is the view or teaching about death, judgment, heaven, hell, and whatever else may be believed concerning the end of all things.
Zondervan's encyclopedia states, "It is assumed throughout scripture that history is the scene of God's redemptive activity and therefore, is moving toward a new order when sin and evil
will be overcome, and God will become all in all. It is hardly possible to overestimate the importance of eschatology to Christian faith: life without faith is empty, and faith without hope is impossible."
Nelson's Encyclopedia states that "the last things are variously enumerated, but the whole ground is covered by the four interdependent stages: the return of Christ, or the Second Advent; the last resurrection of the dead; the last judgment; and the final recompense, Heaven or Hell. The Christian teaching on the theme has its roots in the Old Testament and the Apocryphal and Apocalyptic literature such as the books of Daniel, 2 Esdras, and Enoch. In the New Testament, the subject separates from the national Jewish element, with the eschatology of the church aiming at being a reproduction of New Testament teaching."
The study of "eschatology", or "the doctrine of last things", as it is usually referred to, is interesting to say the least, and is a large part of the Christian faith. However, it requires a very diligent study 'to decipher from the scriptures firm foundations for a lasting and secure faith!
There are various conflicting views, on methods of interpretation of the biblical materials about last things. Some of the reasons Newport and Cannon give for this is as follows in a brief summary. The forth-telling, or "in that history" view, regards the prophecies of the book of Revelation, as concerned only with the writer John's own day, and liberal scholars endorse that view. The historical, or "all of history" view, see the book's visions as a preview of history until john's time until the end of the world. The Protestant Reformers endorsed this view. The poetic or "above history" view see a description of God triumphing over all evil powers dramatically. However, when "eschatology" is discussed, the "millennial" view usually comes to mind, and centers around the interpretation of the thousand year reign of Christ called the millennium. Does Christ come before the millemium (premillennial view), after the millennium (postmillennial view), or is the millennium only figurative (amillenial)?
The conservative interpreters divide themselves into four divisions: historical premillennial, dispensational premillenial, postmillennial, and amillennial, and all the groups are literalists, which means they interpret words in their normal and proper designation. However, even these are divided between strict and moderate literalists! The popular view of the early twentieth century was "postmillenialism", with it's followers being convinced of the growth of the church by the spirit's power until it brings the millennial condition upon the earth.
"Amillennialism" is another view held with believes
that the prophecies made to Israel are fulfilled in the church, and by being fulfilled, no earthly millennium is necessary.
The different "premillennial" views are as follows: "Dispensational premillennialism" believes in an exact literal interpretation concerning Israel, the church, and the future, viewing Israel and the church as two separate groups not to be mixed, and God having separate plans for each. When Israel rejected Christ, God then rejected them and turned to the church to accomplish His redemptive purpose, which will be fulfilled at the millenium when God resumes His theocratic rule with Israel through their restored Davidic throne in Palestine, which will be a literal throne, in a literal restored temple in Jerusalem, with a literal resumption of the sacrificial system, and then will all the Old Testament promises be fulfilled. The scriptures are divided, according to this view, referring either to the church or Israel, insisting that no single verse speaks to both dispensations at the same time.
The "pre-tribulation Rapture" comes from, concept of the church, believing it cannot be on earth when God's earthly purposes start again to restore Christ's earthly reign according to the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants, Since this view is dispensationa1, it separates the church from God's total redemptive plan believing it must be Raptured (taken out suddenly) out of the world before the tribulation because it is not part of the kingdom that will be in the initial stage of restoration through the surviving remnant surviving the Tribulation.
Therefore, the church is taken off the earth in the Rapture, followed by a seven year period and divided into two three and a half year periods during which, in the first, Israel enters into a covenant with the Antichrist who breaks it in the end. The second half starts with Satan overpowering the Antichrist and the "time of Jacob's trouble" being poured out on the world. During these seven years, the gospel of the Kingdom, not Grace, is preached.
Surviving the tribulation will be 144,000 elect men, a remnant of Israel, 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes, and they are to become the kingdom to which Christ returns after the seven year tribulation. This view sees Christ on a physical throne, and Israel ruling all the nations with Him, so the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy makes the millennial reign Jewish, and God's consummation plan for Israel.
Claims are made by some, the church will return at the beginning and pass through, and others claim the church is a part of the Holy City hovering over the earth. The temple to be rebuilt will re-institute the sacrificial system. They believe the death of Christ to be "commemorative" and
not anticipatory. The blessed hope for the dispensationalists is that Christ will Rapture the parenthetical church so that He may reign through Israel, not the church!
The organized church (Christendom) was early distinguished from the "true church" by dispensationalists, establishing that only members of the "true church" will be saved, with all others being apostates and being the majority of all "professing Christians" historical premillennialism groups forth-telling and fore-telling from the book of Revelation together into dispensationalism and amillennialism.
The subject is the most controversial of any Christian study outside of the "free will of man" and "the sovereignty of God". In fact, because of its controversial nature, many famous preachers in the past, as well as the present, refused to preach or teach on the subject in fear of dividing the church. Therefore, as can be expected, much error has been brought into the church by "false prophets", and divisions among the church has been numerous.
More books are being written on eschatology by professing prophetic theologians as well as others, than any other subject in the Bible presently, because according to those who draw attention to that subject, our generation presently is the generation of "the last days". Because of the vast numbers of books written on the subject, and the variations opinions and interpretation, only some of the major positions will be mentioned in this thesis.
We, as Christians, are on a learning plane, individually progressing toward a greater truth of God's word, as we continue to walk with Him who redeemed us. We all will continue to grow in grace, and will be able to understand more, as we grow closer to Him, but none of us will ever know perfect truth until we see Christ "face to face" at the Second Advent. Therefore, as one of many Bible scholars, the author of this thesis humbly presents his present understanding of the sequence of "The doctrine of last things", as interpreted from God's word, the Bible.
CONT>>>>>>>>>>>
Blessings!
Marked Elect
How to Free the Master With the Rosicrucian Way
“Free the Master Within”
The great Temples of God are the human bodies, and such Temples serve for the housing of a mighty Master within. Spiritual thirst people need to realize that the “God within” is the Master Who dwells within the Sanctuary of the human heart and find power in the human mind.
Into the child with its first breath enters the Cosmic Soul, the Mind of the Cosmic and the personality of the Master Who is to rule within and govern the man without. The Master within must wait while the new Temple learns to serve him. He guards the health of the Temple well and inspires the heart to be kind, the brain to think and reason. He waits in patience for the time when the brain and heart will say to him, “Master, this Holy Temple is yours; use it however you choose.”
While the Master Within is held a prisoner, the objective, physical eyes are trained to see to the extent of adding glasses and using microscopes and telescopes to help those physical eyes, but the physical eyes of the Master Within are never developed and are even denied existence. Too frequently the psychic voice is robbed of development while the physical tongue is being educated to express itself in the same old conventional ways of the conventional world.
Oh, what a Master we find within the human adult! It is kept BLIND, DEAF, DUMB; certainly this is not Mastership. And yet, the Master is there, ready to rule and reign, to guide and direct, to speak and be heard, to see and understand, to hear and perceive through the psychic facilities which were of just the same power and development as the objective ones when the Master first entered the Temple but now have become paralyzed, stinted, and denied in the majestic MATERIAL MAN.
Man is born neither free not a slave. An infant is a slave to the autocratic rules of two minds: the parent, human mind, and the laws of nature. Preference, or the ability too make choice is gradually developed in a child. Free agency is the belief that the man has the right to DEMAND and SELECT what he prefers. However, our freedom is limited to SELECTION from among impulses and desires, but we are never free from those desires and impulses.
We need to realize the Master Within, is there like a personal representative of the Cosmic God, as a part entity of the Cosmic Mind resident within man to “direct him,” and man is then free to choose between what the Director says and what he himself wishes to do.
If we have willfully kept the Master Within suppressed for years, it will require much more effort for us to arouse It at this time. If psychic development were permitted to keep pace with the physical in every normal child, no method of instruction for Its development would ever be necessary in later life.
The average child has more psychic development during the first two years of life than during any other years of its existence. That’s the reason the spiritual thirsty person must begin his psychic development where he left off, whether that be at the cradle or later.
The psychic man has to do with the soul, subconscious mind, the life force and psychic attributes or qualities of man. The psychic body has its organization, or its organism, just as the material body of man has. The autonomic nevous system is the medium for the subconscious mind or the psychic mind to carry out the commands of the psychic body.
The relation between the objective mind or brain and the subconscious mind is maintained through the delicate nerve fibres. Consequently, every physical part of man can be affected by psychic or cosmic influences. Man’s psychic body and the mind can reach out into space, independent of the physical body.
Therefore, in projection of the consciousness, what really passes from the physical body is a consciousness or mentality of some kind which we could call the psychic body. Sometimes, it is only a haze or mist, oval in shape, like the aura which surrounds the human body; or sometimes it is only a large white ball of light floating in space, and sometimes only the head or part of the body is visable. A projection is definitely not of a material nature. It is radiant with a soft white-violet, or violet-white glow which may sometimes appear to be only white, and at other times a light blue.
For you spiritual experimenters who want to test the preparatory steps of Astral Projection, to free your Inner Master, here is a simple exercise:
A. A comfortable position in any easy chair in a dark or semidark room.
B. When perfectly at ease, relax for a few minutes.
C. Concentrate on the consciousness in your body, beginning with your feet and ascending to the scalp and hair. Become sensitive to your concentration by realizing that portion of your body. This awakens the psychic conciousness in all parts of the body. This should take about ten minutes or so.
D. Take a deep breath; hold it as long as you can; exhale slowly. Inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth. Do this about 10 times. As you exhale through the mouth, try to exhale ALL the dead poisonous air trapped in the bottom chambers of your lungs completely. Then, try to use your will power to release or push out from your physical body the “psychic” body! Keep your mouth closed, and keep forcing all the remaining dead air out of your lungs. Bon Voyage!! Don’t worry about not being able to come back. If you are successful in projecting, you will return with a noticeable “thud” to the physical body. If you are successful, check out the scenery while out, and please do let me know if you see any Masters there!
Blessings!
Marked Elect
The great Temples of God are the human bodies, and such Temples serve for the housing of a mighty Master within. Spiritual thirst people need to realize that the “God within” is the Master Who dwells within the Sanctuary of the human heart and find power in the human mind.
Into the child with its first breath enters the Cosmic Soul, the Mind of the Cosmic and the personality of the Master Who is to rule within and govern the man without. The Master within must wait while the new Temple learns to serve him. He guards the health of the Temple well and inspires the heart to be kind, the brain to think and reason. He waits in patience for the time when the brain and heart will say to him, “Master, this Holy Temple is yours; use it however you choose.”
While the Master Within is held a prisoner, the objective, physical eyes are trained to see to the extent of adding glasses and using microscopes and telescopes to help those physical eyes, but the physical eyes of the Master Within are never developed and are even denied existence. Too frequently the psychic voice is robbed of development while the physical tongue is being educated to express itself in the same old conventional ways of the conventional world.
Oh, what a Master we find within the human adult! It is kept BLIND, DEAF, DUMB; certainly this is not Mastership. And yet, the Master is there, ready to rule and reign, to guide and direct, to speak and be heard, to see and understand, to hear and perceive through the psychic facilities which were of just the same power and development as the objective ones when the Master first entered the Temple but now have become paralyzed, stinted, and denied in the majestic MATERIAL MAN.
Man is born neither free not a slave. An infant is a slave to the autocratic rules of two minds: the parent, human mind, and the laws of nature. Preference, or the ability too make choice is gradually developed in a child. Free agency is the belief that the man has the right to DEMAND and SELECT what he prefers. However, our freedom is limited to SELECTION from among impulses and desires, but we are never free from those desires and impulses.
We need to realize the Master Within, is there like a personal representative of the Cosmic God, as a part entity of the Cosmic Mind resident within man to “direct him,” and man is then free to choose between what the Director says and what he himself wishes to do.
If we have willfully kept the Master Within suppressed for years, it will require much more effort for us to arouse It at this time. If psychic development were permitted to keep pace with the physical in every normal child, no method of instruction for Its development would ever be necessary in later life.
The average child has more psychic development during the first two years of life than during any other years of its existence. That’s the reason the spiritual thirsty person must begin his psychic development where he left off, whether that be at the cradle or later.
The psychic man has to do with the soul, subconscious mind, the life force and psychic attributes or qualities of man. The psychic body has its organization, or its organism, just as the material body of man has. The autonomic nevous system is the medium for the subconscious mind or the psychic mind to carry out the commands of the psychic body.
The relation between the objective mind or brain and the subconscious mind is maintained through the delicate nerve fibres. Consequently, every physical part of man can be affected by psychic or cosmic influences. Man’s psychic body and the mind can reach out into space, independent of the physical body.
Therefore, in projection of the consciousness, what really passes from the physical body is a consciousness or mentality of some kind which we could call the psychic body. Sometimes, it is only a haze or mist, oval in shape, like the aura which surrounds the human body; or sometimes it is only a large white ball of light floating in space, and sometimes only the head or part of the body is visable. A projection is definitely not of a material nature. It is radiant with a soft white-violet, or violet-white glow which may sometimes appear to be only white, and at other times a light blue.
For you spiritual experimenters who want to test the preparatory steps of Astral Projection, to free your Inner Master, here is a simple exercise:
A. A comfortable position in any easy chair in a dark or semidark room.
B. When perfectly at ease, relax for a few minutes.
C. Concentrate on the consciousness in your body, beginning with your feet and ascending to the scalp and hair. Become sensitive to your concentration by realizing that portion of your body. This awakens the psychic conciousness in all parts of the body. This should take about ten minutes or so.
D. Take a deep breath; hold it as long as you can; exhale slowly. Inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth. Do this about 10 times. As you exhale through the mouth, try to exhale ALL the dead poisonous air trapped in the bottom chambers of your lungs completely. Then, try to use your will power to release or push out from your physical body the “psychic” body! Keep your mouth closed, and keep forcing all the remaining dead air out of your lungs. Bon Voyage!! Don’t worry about not being able to come back. If you are successful in projecting, you will return with a noticeable “thud” to the physical body. If you are successful, check out the scenery while out, and please do let me know if you see any Masters there!
Blessings!
Marked Elect
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