He said that is the only text in the NEW TESTAMENT that speaks of 7 years, which is true.
The only way that text in Luke would be relevant is if the OP topic was about marriage, and widowhood.
But the topic of the OP is about being "caught up" from 1 Thes.4:17. Therefore regardless of the marriage lasting 7 years, it's still erroneous to mention it AND claim that it's the only place in the new testament that speaks of a 7 year event.
Both of you are conveniently ignoring the new testament book of Revelation which is an extensive detail of the 70th week of Daniel.. a week being seven days, the original text indicating a week of years which amounts to 7 years. A prophetic topic.
While the marriage, widowhood text is not a prophetic topic. So it's apparent that neither of you can actually read your Bibles in an exegetic manner in order to gain some relevant understanding.
You do believe that the following passages speak of 2 different events, don't you?
Your doctrine's second coming:
It is mine in that it is not yours of the Amil theology. However it is not mine as if to say that it isn't in the Bible. The pertinent Bible text(s) clearly reveal that aside from the birth of Jesus there are two comings.. that of 1 Thes.2:1, 4:17 (a first coming), and that of Rev.19:11-13, 16 (a second coming). Therefore has developed the theological term "Second Coming" of Christ which the disciples asked Jesus. "When shall be the sign of Your coming, and the end of the age?" (Mat.24:3).
Since you give the scripture text below I am curious if you are like sovereigngrace says he is.. formerly of the pretrib rapture belief because below you post it, but then again since it is not of the second coming, but of the first.. I would have to conclude that you have never been formerly pretrib in your theology.
I do wander then why you post it since you don't include any comments to indicate how you interpret the text.
Could it be that in spite of not believing it you still attempt to teach to a pretrib rapture student what is already known of, and more than you know of it..?
1 Thess 4:14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord,
The enlarged portion is I take it your misinterpretation because the text doesn't indicate that it refers to the second coming.
will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven,
Again, to the enlarged portion.. Yes he does because Jesus has been in heaven ever since he ascended as recorded in Acts 1:9-11.
with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
Really. The same text was already featured in one of sovereigngrace's posts to me. You two are like peas in a pod.
Your doctrine's third coming:
Nope. As I've indicated to sovereigngrace on three occasions in three different posts.. I don't see any scripture to support the third coming that apparently someone else has at one time shared during a prior discussion with you or s.g.
The scripture text that you provide below is a reference to the second coming.
Matthew 24:29 “Immediately after the distress of those days ‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.'
The similar text in Revelation can be found in Rev.6:12-13.
30 “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.
The event is in Rev.19:11-16.
31 And he will send 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.
That is regarding a means of angelic assisted translation as was done with Philip Acts.8:39.. or by conventional transportation of the elect which at His Coming are located in different nations all over the world. The text can refer to a use of airplanes.. as was historically done to transport the discovered descendants of Israel who had lived in Africa to Israel to live.
For the Jews they have been for some years making the call for Jews living in other nations to return to Israel or at least come to Israel to make an Aliya. It was also done on the day of Pentecost as recorded in Acts 2:5-11.
There are those who mistakenly suppose that verse 31 is referring to a rapture but it clearly isn't for the word rapture with it's correct surrounding text implies a quick removal from the confines of the earth and to heaven. But, such an idea is not possible to conclude when reading it correctly.