What Did the Apostles Pray?

Part 2 of 8

We begin our study with this broad, yet simple question: What did the apostles pray? In a day and age when God is treated as an ethereal errand-boy, never before has the rightly-divided counsel of truth been more corporately needful. So many of us may assume that God is our nanny, our butler, even our doormat! These are sad thoughts to behold. Contrariwise, to regard prayer in it's proper place is to view it as a very broad practice. In Scripture, "prayer" includes so much more than making our requests known unto God, and this is something that God's people need a desperate reminding of in these days of superficiality. We're taught to pray for gold dust and Bentley's when the testimony of Scripture in no way supports such mockery. The very verse of Scripture that presents the privilege of spreading our needs before the Lord emphasizes one vital principle: "In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God" (Phil 4:6). Unless proper gratitude be expressed for mercies already daily received, and thanks be given for God's continued favor, how can we expect to obtain His holy ear and receive answers of peace? Friends, prayer in its fullest sense rises so far above requests for natural provision. Rather, in proper prayerful communion, the human heart is drawn out and forced to contemplate upon the Great Giver Himself, so that the soul is prostrated before Him in adoration, and supplication for spiritual wants and needs. This is why God commands His lovers to pray (1 Thess 5:17; Lk 18:7); this is how man's habits should be molded. Like the many compounded spices of the Tabernacle that represent the prayers of the saints (Mal 1:11; Rev 8:3-4; Ex 30:34-35), our humiliation, supplication and adoration should be likewise proportionately mingled.. never one to the exclusion of the other.

I find it incredibly interesting that the apostles prayed very little for their natural, earthly wants: it seems that their faith had turned into deep trustful assurance. And as a result, their prayerful focus seemed to land upon those great spiritual desires found deep within the heart of God's future bride. Does the arrow of your petition stop short at natural riches? Or does it pierce through such fluff, finding it's bull's eye upon the bounties of God's Spirit? Is your heart over-crowded with the temporary worries and wants of this earthly realm, so that it can find no courage to seek and discover those spiritual blessings ready to be delivered? I pray this humble study will aid us all!

Let's now observe just a few of these said spiritual gains the apostles sought to achieve in earnest prayer... what did the apostles pray?

- Prayer for forgiveness of sin - The more we grow, and the more "spiritual" we may become, the more confessing and repenting ought to be duly performed. And why so? Because as the human heart ever-more beholds the God of glory, it is ever-more smitten in it's own utter wretchedness (Isa 6)! Consequently, in order to progress yet further with Jesus, the soul is therefore charged to pry open yet another chamber of it's wickedness, until they all be rightly filled and dedicated to His absolute holiness: "by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches" (Prov 24:4).

Therefore, it is no surprise that the apostles habitually made petition for their forgiveness of sin in the sight of God; they also taught others to do the same. It was not an insecurity, but rather a recognition of their great and daily need for His shed blood. The apostle Paul himself is seen as the saint of all saints, yet still was a man given to repentance (Rom 7:24-25; 8:1).. He pleaded with the Holy Ghost to help him with his weaknesses and "infirmities" (Rom 8:26; 2 Cor 12:7-9)! Such repentance was a manner which Jesus accredited (Matt 3:2, 8; 4:17; 6:12; Mk 1:15; Lk 13:3; Rev 2:5; etc), and is a manner which the apostles put into practice (Mk 6:12; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 2 Cor 7:9-10; 1 Jn 1:9; etc). Therefore, shouldn't the prayers of 21st century saints be settled upon these same eternal truths? I believe so. Repentance should be the very foundation of all we pray, say and do (Heb 6:1), for without the shed blood of Christ daily upon our person, the Christian life is but vanity! Reader, a repentant heart is a growing heart, and a heart close to Jesus.. His blood, mediation and merit is our very ground of approach!

- Prayer for peace - Paul has repeatedly prayed, "Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen" (Rom 15:33). Prayer to the Fountain of Peace seems to have been a routine practice for the early apostles (2 Thess 3:16; Heb 13:20). And who better to supplicate for peace than the God of all peace (Rom 16:20; 2 Cor 13:11; Phil 4:9), and the Author of all peace (1 Cor 14:33)?

By such petition as the one found in Romans 15:33, Paul seems to pray for his readers, that God would so manifest Himself (and His peace) among them, that His great presence would be made known in their midst, and in their troubles. How grateful we are that our God literally rules in the midst of our enemies, and gives us, His people, such a considerable measure of peace from our foes (Ps 110:1-2). Thus, we too ought to habitually seek God for His peace amongst His people, lest evil assaults are to arise from every place. God's peace is a blessing that churches greatly need, and such should therefore be the mode of our petitions. We ought to "pray for the peace of [spiritual] Jerusalem" as our chief joy (Ps 122:6)! Would that all God's people would seek this perpetual bestowment of peace - that discord and strife would be far from our tents, that envyings and revelings would be never named among us! Oh, is this even possible? Yes, reader, indeed it is! Simply mimic Paul's behavior: earnestly PRAY to the God of all peace! "Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you" (Phil 4:9)!

- Prayer for faith, knowledge and spiritual understanding - One of my all-time favorite passages of Scripture is Ephesians 1:16-19. It reads, "[I, Paul] Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power..." This prayer actually continues to verse 23, and is the longest recorded prayer in all the New Testament. Surely, this should tell us something!

One of the most heartening things about this prayer is the place from which it was written. Paul wrote these words while incarcerated by the Romans. However, he humbly notes that he was simply "the prisoner of the Lord" (Eph 1:4), and an "ambassador in bonds" (Eph 6:20). Rather than begging God for his own well-being, comfort and escape (as most men would be prone to do), he is writing to his spiritual children, and praying for their recognition of Gospel mysteries! Rather than griping at the apparent unkindness of Sovereignty, Paul instead asks God to abundantly grace his sons and daughters with "the spirit of wisdom and revelation". What a man of God! Reader, we simply must get a revelation of this! Such was the vast importance of this concept that Paul cared more for it than he did his own life! How much more should we pray for such things today, as we see the end approaching?

How honorable that Paul does not pray for their natural wealth, nor does he plead with God for their earthly comforts and delights. It seems such things constantly took the back-seat to the greater issues at hand. Instead, he earnestly desires the Holy Ghost to bestow upon them a fuller knowledge and a closer communion with Himself, an enlightenment to the deep things of God, and a revelation of His grand, eternal purposes, that they may know the hope of His calling, and of the riches of His inheritance in them, His saints! He encourages them to ask for this knowledge and communion with confidence, for He will give such things to those who seek. Elsewhere, we find Paul again praying for an increase "in the knowledge of God" (Col 1:10) towards his readers. He says that they "do not cease" to pray this on their behalf (Col 1:9)!

- Prayer for love toward God - "And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ" (2 Thess 3:5). Such are the earnest words of Paul towards his readers in Thessalonica. It must be noted that these believers were facing an unusually troublesome time, suffering great opposition and persecution from unbelievers. Paul's prayer for them was for an increase in their love for King Jesus in the midst of such trials.

I love how Paul directs his readers into truth. Yes, he weeps with those that weep, but he doesn't wallow in pity and anguish.. Rather, he redirects attention to its rightful object: King Jesus! It's very easy to say we love God, or to talk all day about our communion with Him. It is far different, however, to actually put these truths into practice. Such practice is the real evidence of our love; talk is cheap. God requires the chiefest place in our affections and in our lives, so that glorifying Him is our supreme aim: otherwise, we have no real love to Him. Solomon has rightly said, "My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways" (Prov 23:26). A man's actions will speak of his love greater than the sweetest discourse. Paul knew this to be true, and therefore prayed for his friends in such a way. Reader, may you and I likewise supplicate the God of glory for needs that really matter, needs such as these. The car a man drives, or the coat on his back is utterly insignificant if his heart is darkened and void of any real, godly affection. Why should we spend our days begging for that which perishes? Let's mimic Paul, and pray to the Spirit that He may "direct our hearts into the love of God"! He can strengthen us with His might in the inner man, and thereby enable us to sternly resist every temptation to become attached to any earthly idol. May He more and more enlighten us to the utter vanity of carnal, sinful pleasures, and may He wean our fickle hearts wholly from them. Oh, how can this ever fully happen? Reader, simply love God all the more, and His enemies will scatter (Ps 68:1; 2 Cor 3:18)! May He ravish our souls with glimpses of Him, thereby deadening us to the empty novelties of this world. May He bind us afresh to Himself (Ex 21:5-6)!

- Prayer for a worthy walk - Colossians 1:9-10 reads, "For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God." David has prayed a similar petition, saying, "...cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto Thee" (Ps 143:8). And why are such graces prayerfully sought after? Because two cannot walk together lest they be agreed (Amos 3:3), and therefore a worthy walk must consist of a right relation to your partner, God Himself. To pray for and seek after a "worthy walk" with God is to beseech His Spirit to remove all obstacles, hindrances, diversions, detours and stumbling-blocks from your path. While such things may not be wholly taken away, they indeed will be met with God's grace, that divine ability where your own is insufficient. Jesus will lift you up in the midst of your failures, and "lead thee by the way that thou shouldest go" (Isa 48:17). To the seeking and prayerful soul, nothing will be too difficult! "And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it" (Isa 30:21).

There are few more comforting promises in Scripture than that of Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths". Oh that God would direct my path. Oh that God would direct yours too! What a joy to find such requests likewise present in the voices of God's earliest apostles! What a relief that such petitions are laid out before us as an example.. this ensures us that the answer is imminent! Though it be not in man to direct his own steps (Jer 10:23), God will grant His best to the seeking soul (Jas 1:5). He has given His Word, not for debate nor for argument, but to order our lives aright! His Word was not given to test the sharpness of our wits in disputing, but was given to test the readiness of our obedience in performing! May we simply take heed! And may we pray as Paul, for others and for ourselves, beseeching the Holy Ghost to enable us to "walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work"!

Here are just a few other prayers uttered by the earliest apostles. They earnestly prayed for brotherly love (1 Thess 3:11-13), for joy (Col 1:11-12), for long-suffering (Col 1:11-12), for patience (2 Thess 3:5), for comfort (2 Thess 2:16-17), and for sanctification (1 Thess 5:23-24).

And thus we see the striking contrast! How appropriate that the soul close to Jesus no longer frets and begs for his natural state! His eyes have been opened, and his heart wants to feed, no longer upon natural riches, but upon those spiritual assets, flowing freely from Emmanuel's veins! Friends, may we likewise find this same heart developed in us, day by day. May our faith for natural provision turn to sincere trust in our Provider, and may our eyes thus be made able to settle solely upon those things which are eternal (Eph 1:3)! May we pray as the apostles prayed!

To be continued...

Let us Pray?

Part 1 of 8

"Brethren, pray for us" (1 Thess 5:25).

Many a better man has taken up this ever-precious issue of prayer. And What an honor and a privilege is it for believers to have access to God's throne of perpetual grace!

But what about prayer? I certainly do not pretend to know all about it.. but I am pretty good pals with Him to whom all prayer flows! Where can we rightly find the answers that our hearts desire concerning this great and eternal truth? As always, may we turn to the pages of Holy writ - that great, sharp and living organism - the ever-precious Word of God (Heb 4:12)! No place else will give us such a complete, perfect and satisfying view of this great and vital Christian doctrine. Men may have their various interpretations of what prayer is and what it ought to be, but the Lord Jesus, in His precious Word, has given us His wise counsel, such that simply cannot be refuted. All we must do, as always, is search and take heed!

"I will meditate on thy precepts, And have respect unto thy ways" (Ps 119:15).

In studying such a vast theme, I simply want to observe one single, yet multi-faceted aspect: the practice of the apostles: What did they pray? How did they pray? When did they pray? Why did they pray? And who did they pray for? This may appear an unusual approach, but who better for us to examine than the very ones who kept Jesus company, and personally received His instruction, wisdom and teaching. In fact, most of them were the ones who begged, "Lord, teach us to pray" (Lk 11:1).. And therefore, we can be assured that they are likewise the ones who shall give us a glimpse into God's answer to the age old question: How ought men to pray?

Friends, in our mere natural state, "we know not how to pray as we ought" (Rom 8:26). Therefore, let's turn to the Perfect Law of Liberty and discover what God has to say, shall we?

To be continued...

Fling Wide!

"If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him" (Rev 3:20)

What is your desire today? Is it set upon heavenly things? Do you long to enjoy the high doctrine of eternal love? Do you desire liberty in very close communion with God? Do you aspire to know the heights, and depths, and lengths, and breadths? Then you must draw near to Jesus; you must get a clear sight of him in his preciousness and completeness: you must view him in his work, in his offices, in his person. He who understands Christ, receives an anointing from the Holy One, by which he knows all things. Christ Jesus is the great master-key of all the chambers of God: there is no treasure-house of God which will not open and yield up all its wealth to the soul that lives near to Him. Are you saying, "O that he would dwell in my bosom"? "Would that he would make my heart his dwelling-place for ever"? Open the door, beloved, and he will come into your souls. He has long been knocking, and all with this object, that he may fully sup with you, and you with him. He sups with you because you find the house or the heart, and you with him because he brings the provision. He could not sup with you if it were not in your heart, you finding the house; nor could you sup with him, for you have a bare cupboard, if he did not bring provision with him. Fling wide, then, the portals of your soul. He will come with that love which you long to feel; he will come with that joy into which you cannot work your poor depressed spirit; he will bring the peace which now you have not; he will come with his flagons of wine and sweet apples of love, and cheer you till you have no other sickness but that of love overpowering, love divine. Only open the door to him, drive out his enemies, give him the keys of your heart, and he will dwell there forever. Oh, wondrous love, that brings such a guest to dwell in such a heart!

- C.H.S.

The Hope of Glory!

Part 3 of 3

"Therefore, being justified by faith, we... rejoice in hope of the glory of God" (Rom 5:1-2).

A final fruit of justification that we'll observe is the great hope of God's glory.. Of course, there are many more benefits to see, but these simple three will have to suffice for now.

The hope of glory! What a wonderful truth that we as believers, have such a tangible and present hope! We not only possess this hope, but we "rejoice" in it too (Rom 12:12; Heb 3:6)! It's not a false hope, but a "lively hope" (1 Pet 1:3-9), one that is continually fresh, strong, active and efficacious. Paul calls it a "good hope through grace" (2 Thess 2:16). Jesus will graciously enable the willing soul! He will cause His people to obtain and partake of it.. Our expectation is of God! Will we respond to such a lofty idea and "lay hold upon the hope set before us" (Heb 6:18)? God is waiting for a people to obtain His glory (2 Thess 2:12, 14; Heb 2:10; Isa 43:7; 1 Pet 5:10a; 2 Pet 1:3; Rom 9:23)!

What does it mean to have "hope" of the glory of God? It means that our justified state has provided us with an expectation to be conformed to God's glorious image, even "Christ in you, the hope of glory"! It seems that so many Christians today are oblivious to the fact that we are on a course, pursuing completion, with a prize to be won. We seem to view heaven as the end-all, when in fact, heaven is not salvation's prize. Rather, the Bible declares that we, being justified by faith, rejoice in the hope of God's glory! In other words, heaven and a rapture are not our hope; God's glory is our hope! Heaven is but an added benefit.

The book of Ephesians reveals the purpose and prize of salvation, and interestingly heaven has relatively little to do with it: "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it [justification]; In order that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word [sanctification], In order that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish [glorification]. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church" (Eph 5:25-27, 32). Reader, we are justified in order to be sanctified, and sanctified in order to be glorified as the bride of Christ! Everything we do as believers, everything we choose not to do, and every motive of every thought, word and deed is to be birthed from this perspective: We are pursuing God's glory! And why? Because God's glory is God Himself. One Hebrew word for "glory" is also translated as "weight; honor; splendour". In other words, to have God's glory is to behold His face (Matt 17:1-2; 2 Pet 1:16), and to partake of the literal weight of His manifest presence (Exod 16:10; 29:43; 33:18, 22; 40:34-35)! To obtain God's glory is to actually obtain Jesus, for Jesus is God's glory personified (Jn 1:14, 18; 17:4-5).. Paul sought to "win Christ" (Phil 3:8)! What a prize HE will be! To Abram God said, "I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward" (Gen 15:1)!

Therefore, being justified by faith, we are now made able to partake of, rejoice in, seek after, and hope for the glory of God! Before, while yet sinners, this hope was utterly nonexistent; we all fell short (Rom 3:23). There was no hope of glory, no hope of reward, only the awful prospect of wrath and condemnation. But now... But now there is a glorious expectation, a wondrous hope! Let's press into this high and holy purpose!

Do we "seek for [God's] glory" (Rom 2:7)?

Are we being "prepared unto glory" (Rom 9:23)?

Do we "seek... the honor [Greek: "glory"] which cometh from God only" (Jn 5:44)?

Will the trial of your faith be "found unto... glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ" (1 Pet 1:7)?

Are we openly beholding the Spirit of God, and being changed into His glory (2 Cor 3:18; Ps 17:15)?

If not, why? We have been called to obtain God's glory (2 Thess 2:14); called to share in His glory (Jer 17:12); He wants you to inherit the throne of His glory (1 Sam 2:6-8; Rev 3:21). Friends, we're called to "obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory" (2 Tim 2:10)!

The end of days will reveal to us the bride of Christ.. and what does she possess? The glory of God! "And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God..." (Rev 21:9-11).

Friends, our daily, outward, carnal perishing is working for us an exceeding eternal weight of glory - all paid for and provided by the precious shed blood of God's Son (2 Cor 4:16-18)! "The righteous hath hope in his death" (Prov 14:32)! The constant reproaches we bare are strengthening our shoulders to carry the Spirit of glory, which is to "rest upon you" (1 Pet 4:13-14)! The earth is groaning and travailing for this glory to come forth, revealed in God's saints (Isa 60:1-3, 7)! As heirs and children of God, joint-heirs with Christ, we've been awarded the hope of glory "revealed in us" (Rom 8:17-20)! The veil is torn - access is granted!

What are you hoping for today? What are you seeking after? Is it God's glory?

"For it became Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory" (Heb 2:10)!

Selah!

Access Granted!

Part 2 of 3

We've just seen the great peace that becomes our very own upon accepting the justification offered by the cross of our Lord. It's a peace that we struggle to justly describe; a peace that reaches far beyond our comprehension and explanation. Today, I want to observe another benefit and effect of the saint's justification before God: ACCESS!

What do we mean when we say "access"? What does it entail? What are we given access to? These questions and more we will seek to discover.

Paul has said, "Therefore being justified by faith... We have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand..." (Rom 5:1-2). Let it be understood, that "access into" the grace of God is a far reaching concept. "Access into grace" means that we are now made able to access, attain unto, and appropriate all that the grace of God can provide for us! Friends, this is a tremendous and multi-faceted blessing, of which I will do my best to describe.

The Greek word used for "access" is "prosagōgē", and means "the act of bringing into; a moving to; an approach to God". Another translation of this verse says, "Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of highest privilege where we now stand" (NLT).

Upon our justification, we have stepped from one state into another; we have left the former state of cursing and come into the state of God's blessing and favor. We have moved from our position "in Adam" to "in Christ"; we have been granted access into His glorious covering, no longer to suffer the detrimental consequences of Adam's sinful headship!

The Bible gives us a glimpse into the access we've been granted. Observe...

Access into grace... Paul tells us, "Therefore being justified by faith... We have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand..." (Rom 5:1-2). The word "grace" is "charis" in Greek, and means, "the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; benefit, favor, acceptance." Aren't you grateful that we now have access into this "state of favor and acceptance"? Without the grace of God, even justified believers would be hopeless! Peter told his readers that such grace is the very ground that we stand upon (1 Pet 5:12)! Reader, this "gospel of the grace of God" is the very tool whereby we may finish our courses with joy (Acts 20:24)! What a privilege then to partake of it!

Access to the Father... Paul has said, "For through Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father" (Eph 2:18). Friends, no longer are we orphans.. Now we've been granted a holy heritage, and are therefore "no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God" (Eph 2:19). Jesus, our perfect Mediator has made us acceptable children to a holy God. We simply cannot approach Him apart from His Lamb! Apart from King Jesus, this access is wholly denied. Yes, it is a straight gate and it is a narrow path, but it leads to eternal life. Broad is the gate, and broad is the path that leads to destruction, and many go in thereby. Yet, clinging to this strait gate will grant us entrance before the Father, for Jesus is the only way, truth and life (Jn 14:6). He is the only door of the sheep (Jn 10:7). The road He has paved is the only acceptable route. Yes, this road is marked by blood, but it will bring us into fellowship and communion with the Father! All we must do is cling to HIS faith, "the faith of Him" (Eph 3:12).. His sufficient sacrifice is to be our confidence, and assurance of access (Heb 4:15-16)!

Access into God's Glory... The saint's justification has also given him the great privilege of God's glory! What was once a foreign concept to the ignorant unbeliever has now become the very home of his believing heart! What was before an occasion towards offense has now become the saints chiefest desire! And access into this new-found desire is only to be met by the blood of God's Son.. Paul tells us that Jesus' blood (i.e. justification) has provided us with boldness to enter the Holy of Holies, the realm of God's glory: "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter [access into] the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh..." (Heb 10:19-25)! Reader, such entrance upon Zion is only afforded by the costly blood of Jesus.. None may enter that special place without a heart "sprinkled from an evil conscience" (Heb 10:22), and bathed in that life-saving blood!

Oh the glorious fruit of justification!

To be continued...

Therefore, Being Justified...

Part 1 of 3

Justification is a legal term: It refers to one's judicial innocence. The Greek word often used is "dikaioō", which means "to render equitabble in charcter or act; to show one to be righteous, innocent, holy, just, meet; approved of or acceptable to God; faultless, guiltless; to absolve or acquit". Simply said, justification is the act of God by which He accepts the penitent, repentant sinner as righteous, upon believing on Christ Jesus for salvation. Yours and my justification is quite a wonderful thing! It's separate from our current sanctification and future glorification (Eph 5:25-27), which are simply the culmination of one another (2 Cor 1:10). Justification is a past tense occurence; it happened when the incoruptable seed of God was planted in your spirit, transforming your very life, and saving you from the threat of God's wrath. Justification occured in your spirit-man (1 Cor 6:17; Heb 12:23), sanctification is occuring in your soul (2 Cor 7:1; Ps 119:109), and glorification will occur in your physical body (1 Cor 15:52-54). Justification is the very core and foundation for one's continued growth in God, the first of several steps toward perfection, and if the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? Without this great bedrock of divine, graceful acceptance, the Christian life would be absolutely halted! The effects and benefits of the Christian's justification before God encompass an immense and mighty volume of truth. So mighty in fact, that I believe we will continue to mine these glorious caverns for the ages to come! Thankfully, however, God has given us His very words - a sneak peak into these great wonders. So just what does Scripture tell us of our justified state? What many effects and benefits are to become our very own? Let's find out...

The first of these great truths is found in Romans 5:1. Here, Paul says, "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ..."

Peace seems to be an overused word - a state that men heartily seek after, yet have no innate ability to bring about. The peace they seek is perhaps a rest from national chaos, tranquility of the mind, or the like. However, the peace of God is of a different sort - it passes all human understanding; it's a peace "not as the world giveth" (Jn 14:27; Ps 28:3)! It's both judicial and experiential. It's a spiritual state of being that cannot be justly described by my mere words. God's peace is simply unreasonable.. it often gives itself over to those who, by natural understanding, shouldn't know peace.. and it often acquaints itself with those whom it should naturally repel and repulse. "How can such a man as him know peace?" Friends, pedigree and similar qualifications are utterly insignificant. This peace is not from the world, and the world therefore cannot adjust it (Phil 4:7; 1 Pet 1:8; Jn 16:22). Thank God!

From this verse in Romans 5, the word "peace" means "quietness, prosperity, rest, to set at one again". Real peace is only that which flows from Emmanuel's veins.. Real peace is only that which finds it's source at that bloody, redemptive tree. Such peace is a gift from God - a gracious effect of our spiritual, justified union! Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God! No longer are we His enemies because of sin; no longer are we to be the subjects and recipients of His outpoured wrath! Jesus has taken that cloak upon His own perfect Person, fully acquainting Himself with the woes and punishment of iniquity, in our stead. And the result? Perfect peace with our Maker - a judicial return to our unified state!

Before such peace was poured out, while we were yet judicial sinners, we remained in a state of emnity with God: the bosom of the wicked is a stranger to peace, the two have never truly met: "The wicked are like the troubled sea. For it never can be at rest; Whose waters cast up mire and dirt" (Isa 57:20). But now, being reconciled, we have perfect peace with God. The man that was just before filled with agitation and alarm, that regarded God as his enemy, is now at peace with Him, and with all the world: "For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity..." (Eph 2:14-15).

The sinner, in his natural state, is an enemy of God and His peace; He is void of all real harmony, free from the fruits of justification ( Rom 8:7; Eph 2:16; Jas 4:4; Jn 15:18, Jn 15:24; Jn 17:14; Rom 1:30). Before, while under a sense of the guilt of sin, we had nothing but terror and sadness in our own conscience. But now, having our sins wholly forgiven, we are flooded with peace where that awful terror once resided! By the cross, God has reconciled us to Himself (2 Cor 5:18). He has literally refunded our emnity with Him, paid for by the costly blood of Jesus. No longer are we His adversaries.. we now are made His friends. God is now my cheifest friend, and the peaceful bond that we now share is approved and made able by the atoning death of His wondrous Son. And what is our union like? Reader, it is peaceful. It is wholly harmonious; the chords of our melody together are no longer out of tune.. My spirit is now one with His (1 Cor 6:17; Heb 12:23), at peace with His perfect holiness, even partaking of it myself. Now, because of this blessed justified state, I can partake of the life and peace of God (Rom 8:6). Now, thanks to the "gospel of peace" (Rom 10:15), I can partake of the righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost (Rom 14:17). This is the effect of that blessed and bloody "work of righteousness" (Isa 32:17). This is the fruit of my Lover on His cross; "Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other" (Ps 85:10; Col 1:20)! His blood has introduced me to God's peace, God's graces, God's countless goodnesses - a sweet tranquility has visited my heart, a pure shining light! All because the Lord Jesus was obedient unto death.

"The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace" (Ps 29:11).

To Be Continued...

Caught Up!

The Rapture Theory - Part 7 of 7

So what about the rapture? How does Paul's testimony fit into all this? How are we to interpret his words? Friends, I fear it is far different than what has been fed us over the years. Many saints have come to the realization that many old and traditional theories of religion simply do not harmonize with the pure and simple teaching of the Word of God. We know that Jesus will return soon - of this there is no doubt. But how does Scripture tell us these events will occur?

First and foremost, let's examine the false... The word "rapture" does not appear in the Bible. Regardless of this fact, the rapture is continually associated with the coming of the Lord and is even spoken of as the "hope of the church"! According to some preachers, this "event" may happen before he stops preaching, or before you wake up the next day. When that happens, the graves will open, and those still alive will fly off to meet the Lord in outer space somewhere. They say the Antichrist will then appear, and the Great Tribulation will commence while believers attend the marriage supper of the Lamb and receive their rewards for labors done on earth. "Those on earth should have listened to the preacher like I did", is the feeling often felt. Interestingly, the ones who have spread this "rapture theory" are the very ones who have continually discredited the baptism of the Holy Ghost! Many people do not realize this, but why should we base our eschatology on a teaching that originated with those who refuse the Holy Spirit? This seems irresponsible to me.

In my opinion, the major error associated with the common rapture theory is this: instead of teaching about the appearance of the Lord Jesus, men are teaching about the disappearance of the church! The emphasis is completely backwards.

Presently, I don't want to address the "when", I want to discuss the "what". There are many opinions concerning the "when", all of which possess a fragment of truth. The "what", however, is far more important than the "when", in my meager opinion. What will happen upon the Lord's return?

What does it mean to be "caught up"? Although the word "rapture" is absent from Scripture, the phrase "caught up" does appear. This instance occurs in both Old and New Testaments: Revelation chapter 12 describes the "catching away" of the manchild.. 2 Corinthians chapter 12 speaks of being "caught up" to the third heaven, to paradise (vs. 1-4).. Enoch was caught up to God (Gen 5:24).. Elijah too was caught away; he did not see death (2 Kgs 2:11)! There are various beliefs concerning this truth. Personally, I do not believe this is always a physical occurrence, although it certainly can be. When Ephesians 2:6 speaks of being "raised up together... in heavenly places", it's not referencing a physical location, but rather a place in the Spirit. It's not a physical ascent, but a spiritual one. I do not believe that the bride is caught away to a physical location necessarily. This may be true and reserved for a certain future time period, but it is not for sure, and is most likely different than what we have imagined. In 2 Corinthians 12, where did he go? His spirit may have soared to the heights of paradise, but his physical body went nowhere. Many scholars have attributed the "third heaven" to the "third realm" in the tabernacle, that is, the Holy of Holies. This place is of glory is paradise indeed! In Ephesians 1:3 we read that God has blessed us with all "spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ; according as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him". Friends, that's a heavenly place indeed. But you don't have to get into an airplane to get there!

What about the clouds? Actually, the Bible never says that Jesus will return "on" a cloud, or "to" the clouds. Instead, it says He will come "with" or "in" the clouds (Dan 7:13; Rev 1:7; Matt 24:30; 26:64; Mk 13:26; 14:62; 1 Thess 4:17; etc). All throughout Scripture, clouds are symbolic of God's glory. Why do we expect it to be so different now? Hebrews 12:1 tells us that the heroes of the faith are a "cloud". Clearly this isn't a natural truth. 2 Peter 2:17 and Jude 12 both tell us that false ministries are "clouds without water". Clearly, again, this cannot be a natural truth. Rather, it's a metaphor for spiritual deficiency. The Old Testament speaks of a cloud as that which hovered over the Mercy Seat: "I will appear in the cloud upon the Mercy Seat" (Lev 16:2). Friends, can we see the pattern here?

1 Thessalonians 4? Many readers are confused about this passage. Verses 13-18 would seem to support the common rapture theory. But if we read it in context, it's really not confusing. It begins with "I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep [dead], that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope". So we see that the whole point of this passage is to comfort those who were afraid. What were they afraid of? They were worried that, if they or a loved one died, they would miss out in the day of the Lord, the day of God's outpoured glory, and all that is connected with it. Paul is simply reassuring his readers that those who die will return with Jesus to the earth at His coming.

And what about His coming? In Scripture, many times the word "coming", as in the "coming of the Lord", is the Greek word "parousia" (Jas 5:7; 2 Thess 2:1, etc). It occurs 24 times in the New Testament, and is used in reference to Jesus' second coming, a visit by a Christian saint (2 Cor 7:6, etc), and even the appearance of the "man of lawlessness" (2 Thess 2:9). "Parousia" is different from Greek words such as "eisodos" or "eleusis". These words reference "coming" or "entering", as a literal arrival. "Parousia" is unique, however. It means "to appear upon or within"; It is also translated as "presence", both actually and implied (2 Pet 1:16, etc). In fact, this word is classically used to announce the prospect or the precursor of one's future, literal arrival, especially the visit of royalty. Some scholars believe this word can be used in relation to the "coming" of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2, at Pentecost. Therefore, a significant aspect of the "coming of the Lord" is actually His appearing upon and within His people; it will be both His presence in and through us ("parousia"), as well as His physical and visible appearing ("eisodos"; "eleusis"). If this subtle differentiation is true (and I believe it is), then His physical and visible appearing is only after He has appeared and manifested Himself in His sons (see Jas 5:7 and 2 Thess 2:1). Why so? Because the "parousia" of the Lord upon His saints will serve a distinct and necessary purpose. Scripture tells us that "the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed IN US. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God" (Rom 8:18-19). Also see Acts 3:21; John 7:37-39; Isaiah 32:1-2, etc. What many have attributed to the Lord Jesus, will actually be accomplished in His people, by the Holy Spirit: "[God] hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation" (2 Cor 5:18)! Hallelujah! Are you ready?

Reader, I pray that you will search these truths out, seek and discover whether these things are so. Don't just take my word for it. I can assure you that Scripture has many glorious things to say about the coming of the Lord Jesus, both as a precursor in and upon the saints ("parousia"), and as a visible and physical appearance ("eisodos"; "eleusis"), when every eye shall see Him (Rev 1:7). He's coming to walk in His temple (Eph 2:21-22).. May He find a place to come and rest in you and I!


The End.

The Trumpet Blast!

The Rapture Theory - Part 6 of 7

So what's with all the trumpet-talk? Doesn't the Bible say that the last trumpet will sound, and we'll all fly away? Indeed it does, but I question our man-made interpretation of these things. If we adhere to common "rapture theology", then our ears are most likely poised toward heaven, eagerly awaiting the sound of a trumpet preceding our flight into the sky: "For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, and 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" (1 Thess 4:16-17; also see 1 Cor 15:51-52). But what about the other trumpets? To have a "last trump", as 1st Corinthians 15:52 signifies, means there must be "trumps" to precede it (Rev 8:2; 13; 9:13-14). Yet most "rapture" proponents teach and believe that at the sound of any trumpet, Christians across the globe will rise and meet the Lord Jesus in the clouds, and be taken to heaven with Him forever, completely bypassing any and all events to occur on the earth. Let it be reiterated once more, I do not at all deny what the Bible says about the coming of the Lord.. Rather, I simply question man's traditional interpretations of these eschatological events. Perhaps we should allow the Bible to interpret itself (1 Cor 2:13; 2 Tim 2:15; Prov 15:28)?

First of all, we know that there will be a trumpet blast. The apostle Paul knew this fact, and taught the early church the spiritual truths behind these trumpets. I fear that today we hear very little of Paul's whole intentions. What was a spiritual truth to the early church has been degraded into a mere natural occurrence for carnal men (1 Cor 2:12).

What does a trumpet do?

In Scripture, trumpets serve many purposes. We must take ALL of these purposes into account considering that Paul (the one who wrote about the coming of the Lord and it's relation to trumpets) preached about nothing except what was found in the Law and Prophets. Therefore, Paul's use of this "trumpet theme" was taken from his expertise in the area, and the sum total of what a trumpet came to represent Scripturally.

In Scripture, a trumpet blast:
- Calls the assembly together (Num 10:2-3, 7; Isa 1:13; Joel 1:14; etc)..
- Announces the camp's journeyings (Num 10:2)..
- Announces preparation for war, and the coming "Day of the Lord" (Joel 2:1; Num 10:9)
- Announces the feast days (Num 10:10; Ps 81:3).

So what do these all mean in relation to the coming of the Lord and the common rapture theory? Let's find out!

The Calling of the Assembly.... In Scripture, a trumpet (or ram's horn) was commonly used to gather the people together for a set purpose: "Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly..." (Num 10:2). In the New Testament, Paul and others used this illustration to set forth the gathering and assembling of the saints of God unto Him. The primary rapture argument lies in the time period this gathering is to occur. Is it to be early or late? Pre, mid, or post-tribulation? Men have argued these things for centuries! However, if we look to see the further role of trumpets as used in Scripture, this said timing will not be quite so ambiguous, in my opinion. This is because trumpets serve more than this one assembling role. Therefore, at the sound of the trumpet, the saints of God are not solely to fly off into the sky and assemble, as so many suppose. Rather, they are to perform other duties as well.

The Camp's Journeying... In the Old Testament, a trumpet would sound when it was time for God's people to move on into a new territory, following the cloud and pillar of fire: "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them... for the journeying of the camps" (Num 10:1-2). Woe to that Israelite who failed to take heed to this signal! Soon, he would find his water dried up, and palm trees withered (1 Cor 10:4).

Preparation for War and the Day of the Lord... Joel chapter 2 tells us, "Blow ye the trumpet in Zion... for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand" (2:1). Numbers also tells us that trumpets were used to sound an alarm for war (10:9). But we do not hear of such things in our modern churches. I wonder why? To Christians in our day, the only purpose a trumpet seems to serve is that which will signal our flight and escape into the sky! How strange! What about the trumpet call to war? What ever happened to that? Friends, the day of the Lord is not a time for God's people to fly off into the sky. Rather, as we have seen, it is a time when His glory is needed most; it is a time for the sons of God to be presented to the earth! Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, for the day of the Lord is nigh! But instead, we hear of prophets telling us everything is just fine, and God's people are not prepared: "O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts. Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the LORD" (Ezek 13:4-5). What was a natural call to war for Old Testament Israel will be of a spiritual nature for New Covenant saints, for our weapons are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds (2 Cor 10:4). Friends, all hell trembles when it hears of this great army, mighty through God! "Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners" (Song 6:10)!

Announcing the Feasts of Israel... A final use of trumpets in Scripture was to announce the feasts of Israel (Num 10:10). As we have seen in previous articles, Israel had three major feasts during the year (and other minor feasts). These were Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles.

Passover, the first major feast, was to be a new beginning for Israel. It was when the lamb was slain, the blood was sprinkled on the door-post, and the people took their flight out of Egypt. This is a type of justification, "...Christ our passover is sacrificed for us" (1 Cor 5:7). The second major feast, Pentecost, occurred in the third month (of the sacred calender), 50 days after Passover, the time of harvest. This typified when the Lord poured His Spirit upon those waiting in the Upper Room, thus signifying the formation of the church, His body, and their enablement into spiritual gifts and ministries. Of course we know that these two types have been fulfilled: Passover at Calvary, and Pentecost at the Upper Room. But what about the third and final major feast, the Feast of Tabernacles? Has it been fulfilled? No, it has not. Should we just ignore it then? No. Is it to be fulfilled after death, in Heaven? Again, no... not any more than the first two major feasts are. All of these joyous feasts are to be fulfilled right here on earth, in human vessels!

Joel chapter 2 prophetically describes the effect of this final feast, of which Pentecost was but a foretaste! "Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand; Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things. Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength. Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil. And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed. And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call" (Joel 2:1, 21-32). Wow! What glorious promises! All of these things are to happen "in the first month" (vs. 23). The first month on the civil calendar is the seventh month on the sacred (religious) calendar. Friends, the seventh month is the Feast of Tabernacles, the feast of ingathering! The Day of the Lord will usher it in! Who would want to escape such a great day?!

And thus we see Paul's full explanation of trumpets, as related to the entirety of Scripture. So many believers will limit God's trumpet to that which signals their rapture away to heaven; And while this is partially true, and applicable in measure, there are many other purposes for a trumpet's blast, as we have just seen. These other significances of trumpets in Scripture must likewise be taken into eschatological consideration, and given equal honor, for God would not ignore it when breathing upon the writing of His Word, and neither would the apostle Paul, who was an expert at the contents of Scripture. Reader, please don't be ignorant of this truth! Don't let men tell you what they think the Bible says.. Rather, search for yourself. God calls this noble (Acts 17:11)!

To Be Continued...

Tribulation and Glory..

The Rapture Theory - Part 5 of 7

There are many viewpoints concerning "the Day of the Lord", and the presence of God's people during that time. Some scholars say God's people will be raptured out of the earth before this day culminates. Others say God's people will only have to endure a part of this day.. And others say God's people will be here the entire time, yet protected. Personally, I believe (as with most other church doctrines) that there is a fragment of truth present in all three of these viewpoints. Let's consider what the Bible says.

According to Scripture, the day of the Lord is...

- An "evil day" (Eph 6:13) that will require us to possess the "whole armour of God"..

- a day of shining and rejoicing for the sons of God (Phil 2:15-16; 2 Cor 1:14).

- a day for the house of Israel "to stand" in battle (Ezek 1:4-5)..

- coming like a "thief in the night" to those in darkness and unaware (1 Thess 5:2-4; Rev 16:15).

- to be upon every one that is "proud and lofty", and he "shall be brought low" (Isa 2:12).

- as "a destruction" from the Almighty (Joel 1:15).

- to be recognized, even "in Zion" (Joel 2:1).

- noticeable and "approaching" (Heb 10:24-25).

- both "great" and "terrible" (Joel 2:31)... both "great" and "dreadful" (Mal 4:5).

etc, etc ...

Now, it would seem to me that such Scriptures as these would not exist if we weren't intended to operate and function during this horrific time in the earth. Are we intended to stay here the whole time? That's another question. But, why the many warnings if we're just to fly off to proverbial pie-in-the-sky at a moment's notice? Friends, "The testimony of the Lord is sure..." (Ps 19:7).

The Bible tells us that God's people are not appointed to wrath (1 Thess 5:9)... It also tells us that there will be a people who will "be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man" (Lk 21:36). Someone may ask, "will God's elect, the Overcomer, be here for the Great Tribulation?" The answer is a resounding NO! They will not be here for the Tribulation. They may be here on earth, yes, but they will be here for the day of God's outpoured glory - not to suffer His wrath. They will be here to manifest King Jesus. Simply said, while some are entering into the darkness of night, God's holy remnant will be entering into His great and glorious promises (Joel 2)! This is why Scripture calls it both the "great" and the "terrible" day of the Lord (Joel 2:11, 31).. for some it will be a great day of glory, and for others it will be terrible.

This truth is evidenced even in the natural realm. While it is daytime here in Jacksonville, Florida, it is nighttime someplace else. While the light is getting brighter in one place, the light is diminishing and the darkness is growing someplace else. As in the natural realm, so it often is in the spiritual realm. God is clearly separating the light from the darkness, even now. The light is getting brighter, new truths are being unveiled to God's people, and new realms of glory are being attained to. However, at the same time, the world is getting darker, the Jordan is slowly swelling, and forcing the beasts inland! Even some of God's people are slowly and subtly receding into the night (Mic 3:5-6).

Therefore, the Great Tribulation will only be a bad time for those who refuse to go on with God. For His true sons, it will be a day of great glory! Joel 2 tells us that at the very same time "darkness and gloominess" spreads over the land, the sons of God will partake of a glorious sunrise (Joel 2:1-11)! It will be "great" for the children of the day, and "very terrible" for the children of the night (Joel 2:11). Yet, Christians desperately want to escape the Day of the Lord, without realizing that God's plan is actually far better; they often don't even realize that they are God's weapon and God's vessel of reconciliation: "Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms" (Jer 51:20). Christians want to be snatched off the earth without realizing that what God wants is for you to be His vessel of deliverance to a dead and dying world! Who would want to run away from the greatest outpouring of glory the world has ever known?! Who would want to escape such a glorious day of liberty?! Who would want to miss being the elect of God, in the image of the sovereign King, filled with the Spirit without measure? We will be here, friends.. Not appointed to wrath, but appointed to minister the life of God to the nations, even after the order of Melchizedek (Heb 6:19-20). While the unprepared are swept away in judgement (as in the days of Noah), the wise will be entering into the day of God's glory!

"For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall... Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD" (Mal 4:1-2, 5)

Dear reader, this will be a GREAT day - a day of glory and power! While the earth is frantic, the sons of God will give them Jesus: "That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain" (Phil 2:15-16)!

"Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising" (Isa 60:1-3).

To Be Continued...

Giants In Those Days!

The Rapture Theory - Part 4 of 7

We must ask the question, why does God require such a glorious vessel of deliverance? Why does He go to such great lengths to complete this vessel, and to prepare it for manifestation to the earth? Friends, it is simply because the earth will be at her darkest hour. The vessel that the Lord Jesus will reveal and manifest to the earth will be one of reconciliation (2 Cor 5:17-20); a new species, such as the earth has never seen! And it will be so glorious because the need will be so great!

Around the time of Noah's commissioning, the Scriptures tells us, "And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. There were giants in the earth in those days..." (Gen 6:1-4).

Spiritual Giants...

Some scholars believe that the "sons of God" here in Genesis 6 reference fallen angels (Job 1:6; Jude 6; 2 Pet 2:4) that literally mated with the daughters of men, and as a result, a race of giants were born (Gen 6:4). These giants became "mighty men... men of renown" (Gen 6:4), and a "people great and tall" (Deut 9:2). They spread throughout the earth and became a constant threat to the people of God (Deut 2:11; Josh 12:4; 13:2; 1 Chron 20:4; etc). David had to deal with them (1 Sam 17:4, 45, 49-51), Moses and the children of Israel (Num 13:33; 14:38), Jonathan (1 Chron 20:6-8), etc.

As we have seen, the Bible says "as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be" (Matt 24:37). Many fail to recognize that this includes the existence of spiritual giants. These giants were birthed and existed "in the days of Noah", so why wouldn't they likewise exist, albeit on a spiritual plane, in the days of the coming of the Son of Man? Thus we see God's reason for preparing a vessel of deliverance, in hopes that the earth will finally turn to Him, as He is gloriously manifested to a dead and dying world. Just as evil will have reached it's zenith, so will this vessel of righteousness. Just as Satan will have a culmination (2 Thess 2:3; 1 Jn 2:18), so will the Lord Jesus, in His sons (Rom 8:18-20; Isa 60:1-3). Just as evil will have an army (2 Tim 3:1-17; 1 Tim 4:1), so will the sons of God (Joel 2; Mic 4:1-5).. And just as Satan will have his giants, so will the Lord of Hosts: "Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments. His seed shall be mighty [Hebrew: "giants"] upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed" (Ps 112:1-2)... The Psalmist asked the question, "Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue. What shall be given unto thee? or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue?" (Ps 120:2-3)... and the Lord gave the answer: "Sharp arrows of the mighty [Hebrew: "giants"], with coals of juniper" (Ps 120:4)! Hallelujah, God will have an answer, even spiritual giants of His own - sons in His image to deliver creation from the bondage of corruption into glorious liberty (Rom 8:21; 2 Cor 3:18; Gal 4:19)! "For all people will walk every one in the name [character] of his god, and we will walk in the name [character] of the LORD our God for ever and ever" (Mic 4:5).

The Swelling of the Jordan..

Interestingly enough, the Bible actually gives us a glimpse into the intense warfare to be seen in the last days, the days of these giants: "If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?" (Jer 12:5). This is an interesting verse of Scripture, and full of prophetic truth!

The swelling of the Jordan only occurs during harvest time, during the Feast of Tabernacles. Naturally, when it swells, the beasts of the field rush inland to escape the coming floods. Similarly, spiritually speaking, the greatest onslaught of evil and persecution will too occur at harvest time. Demonic forces will be unleashed and rush in to attack the earth. However, thankfully God will have His vessel of deliverance! He will have His giants too! Tabernacles is the feast of fullness for the people of God. We've experienced Passover (justification by faith), "Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us" (1 Cor 5:7). We've experienced Pentecost, that is, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the gifts of the Spirit, etc (Acts 2:1-4). The only feast we have yet to walk in is the Feast of Tabernacles. This feast occurs at harvest time! And how appropriate the timing, during the swelling of the Jordan!

Thus we see just one reason why God is maturing and preparing such a glorious vessel of deliverance, an Ark of safety, a son in His image. For if the world was aching and groaning 2,000 years ago to be delivered (Rom 8:19, 22), I cannot imagine the birth pains that will come upon us once we begin to contend with the horses of harvest time! Let's never forget, "as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be" (Matt 24:37).

To Be Continued...

A Vessel of Deliverance!

The Rapture Theory, Part 3 of 7

"But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be" (Matt 24:37-39).

Probably the most identifiable object in the days of Noah was the Ark which he built via God's instruction. This Ark was God's master plan to deliver His people. For some reason, we often fail to take this Ark into consideration when discussing the coming of the Lord. Why is that? As the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. As it was, not different. As it was, not a limited and/or barren replication. How were Noah and his family preserved during the storm? They were not taken in judgment as the wicked were, so how did they survive? Let's observe the coming fulfillment of this truth, concerning the Ark...

In the days of Noah, God was at work - He was not just idly watching! While men were living in gross sin, God was expertly communicating His will to His chosen man - Noah. He was preparing a vessel of deliverance, and such will be the case for the return of the Lord Jesus too! Even now God is inhabiting and preparing a similar vessel of deliverance - the sons of God (Rom 8:18-20; Gal 4:19)! And how can we be sure? Because as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be!

The directions God gave to Noah concerning the Ark were very specific. This was no accident, for this ancient Ark speaks of something far greater in the redemptive plan of God, even the living temple He is now measuring and building by His precious Spirit (Eph 2:19-22). This habitation of God through the Spirit will indeed become a mighty vessel of deliverance in these last days. It may be a laughing stock to carnal men, as it was with Noah, and maybe even scorned by the religious community, but that does not matter. It may be a strange looking vessel when compared to the perverse ecclesiastical orders of our day, even as Noah's was. But again, that does not matter. All it must do is serve God's purposes.

The Ark's specific dimensions and instructions can be found in Genesis 6:13-16. The numbers God used here were very specific. Was this by accident? Did the Holy Spirit just flip a coin? Of course not (Ps 90:12). Everything God does and says is for a divine purpose, and it's our honor to search it out (Prov 25:2; Isa 45:15). God is using these dimensions of the Ark to communicate to us a deeper truth about the sons of God, the overcomer company who shall be joined together in the last days to form a glorious vessel that will house the very fullness of God, and bring like deliverance to all of humanity! Hallelujah!

In short, the dimensions of the Ark communicate to us that this coming vessel will be (1) of supernatural origin, to bring supernatural deliverance, (2) composed of a remnant of sons, (3) fully filled with the Spirit of God, (4) fully restored and walking in the fullness that has been promised them (Eph 1:13-14), and (5) composed of a mature, prepared company of sons who have the authority and dominion of God!

"Now all these things [Old Testament occurrences] happened unto them for ensamples [Greek: "types"]: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come" (1 Cor 10:11). Perhaps we should take heed to Paul's admonition..

Let's observe...

300 Cubits in Length..

Genesis 6 tells us that the Ark was 300 cubits in length (vs. 15). In Scripture, the number 300 is repeatedly used in connection with complete deliverance, a faithful remnant, and divine victory in conflict. For example, in Judges 7, we see the Midianites utterly defeated by a small 300 man army, composed of those whom God had separated unto Himself. In the natural, it looked like a suicide charge. However, God doesn't need our strengths; He doesn't want mere numbers - He simply wants quality. How interesting that, like Noah's Ark, this small remnant of men were to be the complete deliverance of Israel! All of God's people were going to receive deliverance, but the vessel of deliverance was the 300! Even so shall it be with the many-membered Ark that God is building in these last days, "a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land" (Isa 32:2).

A similar example is found in 1st Chronicles 11:20: "And Abishai the brother of Joab, he was chief of the three: for lifting up his spear against three hundred, he slew them, and had a name among the three". Here was yet another case of supernatural deliverance involving the number 300. A mighty deliverance was wrought in Israel by a single man, Abishai. Today, we see a similar need for the church, and for all the world. And thankfully, God is bringing forth His vessel, a company of blood-bought, Spirit-filled overcomers having the very glory of God, and bringing supernatural deliverance: "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising" (Isa 60:1-3).

Here are a few other instances where the number 300 is used in relation to supernatural deliverance by a faithful remnant. Friends, these are no mere coincidences:

- Enoch walked with God after living for 300 years (Gen 5:22). After, and not before, he passed through the veil into the very presence of God. He was supernaturally delivered from the power of the grave.
- Solomon had 300 shields of beaten gold (1 Kgs 10). And what are shields for? They're for an army to quench the fiery darts of the wicked one (Eph 6:16); the shield of faith is to supernaturally deliver the bearer from evils.
- Mark 14:3-6 tells the story of the woman who anointed Jesus with spikenard worth 300 pence. She was anointing Jesus for His coming trial. Soon, Jesus would hang upon His cross, bringing supernatural deliverance to the entire human race!

Reader, this Ark of deliverance will be a supernatural one. It will be composed of a faithful remnant of sons who strive for quality above mere quantity. As the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be!

50 Cubits in Breadth..

Genesis 6 also tells us that the breadth of the Ark was to be 50 cubits (vs. 15). In Scripture, the number 50 represents liberty, freedom and Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4; Lev 23:16; Num 8:25; etc). Simply said, this company of sons will be fully anointed by God's Spirit (and thus at liberty), for the number 50 refers to the anointing, both at Pentecost (the firstfruits), and then the fullness of the Spirit without measure.

Leviticus 25:8-11 says, "And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years. Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubile to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land. And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubile unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family. A jubile shall that fiftieth year be unto you: ye shall not sow, neither reap that which groweth of itself in it, nor gather the grapes in it of thy vine undressed".

Notice what it says about the 50th year. After 49 full years, there was to be a year of Jubilee. The land would rest, all debts would be cleared, all slaves made free, all bondages loosed, and every man's rightful possession would be returned to him. In short, this was the fullness of what the Feast of Pentecost was only a promise of, and it was the year of restoration! Similarly, those who compose this last day Ark of deliverance will likewise possess the fullness of the promise, and the restoration promised to the sons of God: "the land is as the garden of Eden before them" (Joel 2:3). The glory of this latter house will be greater than the former! The spiritual year of Jubilee will be when the purchased possession is redeemed and given to the remnant of God (Eph 1:13-14). Notice what the Amplified Version of Ephesians 1:13-14 says, "[We have been] stamped with the seal of the long promised Holy Spirit... That Spirit is the guarantee of our inheritance, the first fruit, the pledge and foretaste, the down payment on our heritage, in anticipation of its full redemption and our acquiring complete possession of it, to the praise of His glory"! Wow!

Peter goes on to tell us that this "full inheritance" and "final salvation" is ready to be revealed, and will be revealed "in the last time", a.k.a. the days of Noah (1 Pet 1:4-5, AMP)! Friends, shouldn't we put our hope in this truth? Let's stop waiting for some premature rapture to rescue us.. Rather, let's readjust our attention to King Jesus and ask Him "to bring to full salvation those who are eagerly, constantly and patiently waiting for and expecting Him" (Heb 9:28, AMP)! Yes, the fullness of God's Spirit, the fullness of salvation is coming into the vessel He has chosen! Hallelujah!

30 Cubits in Height..

And finally, Genesis 6 says the height was to be 30 cubits (vs. 15). In Scripture, the number 30 represents full stature, maturity, and authority to rule. Joseph was 30 years old when he finally stood before Pharaoh (Gen 41:46). David was 30 years old when he began to reign (2 Sam 5:4). In the Levitical tradition, a man must be 30 years old before he could enter the priesthood (Num 4). In fact, Jesus Himself was 30 years old before His public ministry began (Lk 3:22-23). All of these men, and more, were 30 years of age when God placed them in their respective positions of power, authority and dominion. Why then is this the height of Noah's Ark? Simply because God is showing us that His end-time vessel of deliverance will be a company of sons who have come "to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Eph 4:13; Heb 6:19-20; Eph 3:19; 1:23)! Hallelujah! Let others beg for the weak, lukewarm, indifferent and immature church to be hastily raptured away.. as for me, I am looking forward to a glorious company of sons, without spot or wrinkle, coming forth in the power, authority and full-stature of their Forerunner - the precious Lord Jesus (Gal 4:19). They will put every enemy under foot, and will be God's vessel of deliverance: "And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the LORD, as the showers upon the grass" (Mic 5:7)!

Therefore, in the light of all we have seen, let us ask yet again... do we still want to be "taken" prematurely?

To Be Continued...

And One Shall Be Taken??

The Rapture Theory, Part 2 of 7

"But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come" (Matt 24:37-42; Lk 17:26).

From these verses, we can easily determine that Jesus is saying the last days will bear a marked similarity to the days in which Noah lived. They will be "as it was". Not different, not the opposite way, but as it was in the days of Noah. Many people will say these verses are evidence for some kind of an escape out of the earth (a rapture). However, what exactly happened in the days of Noah? Who was taken, and who was left? Friends, many preachers and teachers today are telling us to pray to be "taken when Jesus comes".. But this is not an accurate statement! It was the wicked who were taken in the day of Noah - taken in the floods of judgment. It was the righteous who were left behind to inherit the new earth. When the waters receded and the Ark landed, Noah and his family stepped out to the new earth, and it all belonged to them! The fat of the land was now theirs; the wicked had been taken away, and yet man has devised a "rapture theology" which states the exact opposite! How strange. Of course we believe in a "catching up" of the saints (the Bible declares it), but not to the extent, manner nor the timing that the rapture theory insists. I simply cannot believe that the "catching up" is to snatch a weak, poor, half-hearted and down-trodden people out from under the heel of Satan. Psalm 37 tells us that the wicked are the ones taken from the land, while the righteous are left to inherit it: "Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land... For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace" (Ps 37:3, 9-11).

Jesus said, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit" (Jn 15:1-2; Matt 15:13). Please notice that the one who was taken away was the one who wasn't bearing fruit. The wicked are the one's taken - those who are fruitless.. And what is their end? Hebrews gives us a glimpse: "that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned" (Heb 6:8). Friends, I don't want to be taken in that manner! I don't want to be rejected! Do you? I want to fulfill my purpose, and then be caught up! Not prematurely.

Over and over in Scripture, we read of being "taken"... And interestingly, it is most always in a negative context: "Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken" (Prov 3:25-26). Again Scripture tells us, "The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness" (Prov 11:6)... "His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself" (Prov 5:22).

John also tells us being taken: "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us" (1 Jn 2:19). Dear reader, do you want to continue, or be taken? In John's Gospel, the one who is "lost", i.e taken away, is the son of perdition: "While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled" (Jn 17:12)! Let's ask again, would you rather be kept or taken?

Job tells us, "In a moment shall they die, and the people shall be troubled at midnight, and pass away: and the mighty shall be taken away without hand" (Job 34:20).

Jeremiah has said, "To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it. Therefore I am full of the fury of the LORD; I am weary with holding in: I will pour it out upon the children abroad, and upon the assembly of young men together: for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with him that is full of days... The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them?" (Jer 6:10-11; 8:9).

Can we notice how "the taking" is perpetually associated with sin, reproach, and spiritual deficiency? Surprising isn't it?

To Be Continued...

The Rapture Theory..

Part 1 of 7

Church history proves that some doctrines come and go like the wind. If a truth has not been birthed in the heart of God then it will inevitably pass away, even if men choose to stubbornly cling onto it. This seems to be the case with the common "rapture" belief. Over the course of the next few days, I want to examine the evidence for this "doctrine", and discover what the Bible has to say about the coming of the Lord.

What is the Rapture?

For the most part, when believers say the word "rapture", they are referring to an event in the futurist interpretation of Christian eschatology, in which it is suggested that Christians will be gathered together in the air to meet Christ at, or up to seven years prior, to His return. The primary passage used to support this idea is 1st Thessalonians 4:15-17, in which Paul cites "the word of the Lord" about the return of Jesus to gather His saints: "...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". There are many differing viewpoints concerning the coming of the Lord, the millenial reign, and the rapture theory (dispensationalism, amillenialism, premillenialism, postmillenialism, pretribulation, mid-tribulation, post-tribulation, ad infinitum). Time does not permit us to discuss each of these varied interpretations. Instead, we will simply see what the Bible has to say as a whole concerning the rapture.

The word "rapture" is not actually found in the Bible. It is an English word derived from the Latin rapio, "caught up", as found in the Vulgate rendering of 1st Thessalonians 4:17. Concerning the word's etymology, The New English Bible has this footnote: "suddenly caught up. Or "snatched up." The Greek verb ἁρπάζω implies that the action is quick or forceful, so the translation supplied the adverb "suddenly" to make this implicit notion clear.

The Bible does indeed speak of a "catching up" (Rev 12:5; Acts 8:39; 2 Cor 12:2-4; 1 Thess 4:17; Acts 1:9; Heb 11:35; Phil 3:11; etc). However, according to the Scriptures, this catching up will be nothing like that "catching away" which is taught from many pulpits. God is not coming to snatch a weak, poor, half-hearted and down-trodden people out from under the heel of Satan. The very thought goes against the entirety of Scripture! God has a plan for this earth, and His people are a part of it, "God... hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation... and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation" (2 Cor 5:18-19).

Doctrinal History..

John Nelson Darby first proposed the pre-tribulation rapture in 1827. This view was accepted among many other Plymouth Brethren in England. Darby and other prominent Brethren were part of the Brethren Movement which impacted American Christianity, primarily through their writings. Influences included the Bible Conference Movement, starting in 1878 with the Niagara Bible Conference. These conferences led to an increasing acceptance of futurist premillennial views and the pre-tribulation rapture especially among Presbyterian, Baptist and Congregational members.

Proponents of a preliminary rapture believe the doctrine of amillennialism originated with Alexandrian scholars such as Clement and Origen, and was later brought wholly into Roman Catholic dogma by Augustine. Thus, the church until then held to premillennial views, which see an impending apocalypse from which the church will be rescued after being raptured by the Lord. Some pre-tribulation proponents further maintain that the earliest known extra-Biblical reference to the pre-tribulation rapture is from a sermon attributed to the fourth-century Church Father Ephraem the Syrian, which says, "For all the saints and Elect of God are gathered, prior to the tribulation that is to come, and are taken to the Lord lest they see the confusion that is to overwhelm the world because of our sins." However, the interpretation of this writing, as supporting a pre-tribulation rapture, is debated.

Its Popularization..

The rise in belief in the pre-tribulation rapture theory is often attributed to a 15-year old Scottish-Irish girl named Margaret McDonald. In 1830, she supposedly had a vision of the end times which describes her view of the rapture. It was first published in 1840. There is debate, however, of the veracity of this rumor.

Along with John Darby, further popularization of the term is associated with an evangelist named William Eugene Blackstone, whose book, Jesus is Coming, sold more than one million copies. The first known theological use of the word "rapture" in print occurs with the Scofield Reference Bible of 1909.

In 1957, John Walvoord, a theologian at Dallas Theological Seminary, authored a book, The Rapture Question, that supposedly gave theological support to the pre-tribulation rapture theory; this book eventually sold over 65,000 copies. In 1958, J. Dwight Pentecost authored another book supporting the pre-tribulation rapture, Things to Come: A Study in Biblical Eschatology, which sold 215,000 copies.

During the 1970s, the rapture theory became popular in wider circles, in part due to the books of Hal Lindsey, including The Late Great Planet Earth, which has reportedly sold between 15 million and 35 million copies, and by the movie A Thief in the Night, which based its title on the scriptural reference 1st Thessalonians 5:2, "...the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night". More modern books and productions, such as the Left Behind series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins, have given more and more people access into the major beliefs of the rapture theory.

Its Scriptural Basis?

The following Scriptures are used in support of the rapture theory:

Matthew 24:36-41 "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left".

Luke 17:28-37 "Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. Remember Lot's wife. Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it. I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together".

John 14:2–3 "In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also".

Philippians 3:20-21 "For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 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".

1 Corinthians 15:49–55 "And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 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. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?"

2 Thessalonians 2:1-7 "Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way".

To Be Continued...