- Jul 22, 2014
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None of your scriptures above say that God intends to take His people away from the earth to heaven.
Honestly, I do not know the real reason behind why you do not see the plain meaning of what these pieces of Scripture say, but let's read it...
• 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with 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. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
My Commentary on:
1st Thessalonians 4:16-18:
"For the Lord himself [Jesus] shall descend from heaven [where is Jesus coming from? Heaven] with a shout [This shout is the voice of Jesus but this is not the voice of Jesus spoken later at the final resurrection in John 5:25-29 because Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:51-53 that this event is a new revealed mystery], with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God [This is the archangel and this is trumpet of salvation and it is not the seventh angel and the trumpet of judgment in Revelation 11:15-18; For Jesus does not even descend until Revelation 19:11; In fact, the only other appearance of the word "archangel" is in Jude 1:9 where he contends with the enemy in taking of Mose's body - Which could be loosely suggestive of the taking of Christ's body at the Rapture]: and the dead in Christ shall rise first [Those souls who died and are in Abraham's Bosom will rise first - See Luke 16:19-31; Question: Where are they rising to?]: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds [This sounds like a Rapture to me; Call it whatever you like, but it says that we believers who are alive and remain on this Earth will be caught up, i.e. "taken up" together as a body of believers in the clouds for what purpose? See the next words in the passage.], to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord [We believers meet the Lord in the air. That is step 1. Step 2 is: So shall we ever be with the Lord.] Wherefore comfort one another with these words." [Note: These are words of comfort. This taking up into the clouds to meet the Lord with other believers and being forever with Him are comforting words because what follows is not going to be good, i.e. God's Wrath. For we are not appointed unto wrath - 1 Thessalonians 5:9].
• 1 Corinthians 15:51-53
Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last 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.
My Commentary on:
1st Corinthians 15:51-53:
Behold, I shew you a mystery [This is a mystery that was not revealed prior to Paul; There are only hints or clues in parables to this "mystery" with us not knowing the full meaning until Paul gives us enlightenment here. This would not be an event clearly explained plainly (in non-parabolic form) in the open by Jesus.]; We shall not all sleep [This ties in with what Paul writes later in Thessalonians 4:16 about how "the dead in Christ will rise first"], but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump [This is called the "Last Trump" with us being changed and this is not the seventh angel sounding the final trumpet of judgment that brings wrath in Revelation 11:15-18 because they do not sound like similar events; "We shall be changed;" Meaning, the dead will not sleep but they will be changed spiritually, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye: Meaning, this change will happen super quick]: 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 ["But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:" (John 1:12).
The phrase "sons of God" is a reference to angels in the Old Testament. While the New Testament primarily uses the phrase "sons of God" in reference to believers. In this case in John 1:12, it is talking about angels. For the Lord gave us power to become angels (by the power of His resurrection in the Rapture) to those who believe on his name. Angels are immortal.
"Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection." (Luke 20:36).
So immortality is not exclusive to just our final state in the flesh and blood bodily resurrection. We will have new immortal spirit bodies like that of angels. Angels are spiritual beings. Angels have spirit bodies. For Paul says there is a natural body and there is a spiritual body (See 1 Corinthians 15:44).].
The phrase "sons of God" is a reference to angels in the Old Testament. While the New Testament primarily uses the phrase "sons of God" in reference to believers. In this case in John 1:12, it is talking about angels. For the Lord gave us power to become angels (by the power of His resurrection in the Rapture) to those who believe on his name. Angels are immortal.
"Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection." (Luke 20:36).
So immortality is not exclusive to just our final state in the flesh and blood bodily resurrection. We will have new immortal spirit bodies like that of angels. Angels are spiritual beings. Angels have spirit bodies. For Paul says there is a natural body and there is a spiritual body (See 1 Corinthians 15:44).].
While these commentaries are probably not going to change your mind in any way, it will show other readers who simply desire to read and believe the text plainly for themselves in what it says.
In any event, may the Lord's love shine upon you today.
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