Part One. The Various Theories Concerning The Rapture, And Millennial Reign Of Christ. And, The Belief And Teachings Of The . . .

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1. If the readers desire to have a part in the Lord's work as soul workers, it would be great for them to begin their own tract ministry by down loading our messages and send or give copies to others. What could be more important for you as an ambassador for Christ than to support the Body of Christ in this way? The messages are already written, so why not pass them on to others? { See 1- Corinthians 5:17-21 }.

2. As to the writers belief and doctrine, we are strictly Biblical! We adhere to no denominational beliefs unless what they teach is taken from the true Word of God and taught in the correct context. We believe that we are to be busy proclaiming the truths for the present age of grace, in view of the soon coming of our Lord . We believe in . . .

No. 1. The verbal inspiration of the Word of God { 2- Timothy 3:16 }.

No. 2. The Deity of Jesus Christ, and the Trinity of the Godhead { Titus 2:13; - 2- Corinthians 13:14; - & - John 1:1 }.

No. 3. The total depravity of man, and everlasting punishment of those who reject Christ, { Romans Ch. 3; - John 3:36; - & - Revelation 20:15 }.

No. 4. Redemption by the blood of Christ, and by grace, not of works { Titus 3:5; - & - Ephesians 2:8-9 }.

No. 5. Everlasting life and the security of the believer { John 10:29 }.

No. 6. The personality and everlasting punishment of Satan { Job Ch. 1; - & - Revelation Ch. 20 }.

No. 7. The imminent Rapture [ Resurrection ] of the Body of Christ, followed by the great 7 year Tribulation Period and the literal Millennial Reign of Christ on this earth { 1- Thessalonians 4:16-18; - 1- Corinthians 15:50-55; - & - Revelation 20:1-6 }.

3. The reader will notice that we have put words in parenthesis in the various Bible verses, this is done to help the student have a better understanding of the old King James language which is often a little bewildering to some folks who are not use to that kind of speech. Therefore, please bear with us as we teach the message. Also we would appreciate it if the reader would leave a note on our web page to let us know what you think about any one of our messages. Otherwise we have no way of knowing whether we are helping the student in Bible knowledge or not.

4. A good idea would be to read your Bible along with each verse we have quoted. It is also very important for the student to look up all the added Bible texts that we have referred to in the Message. This will give the reader much added information! Another thing we should mention is that when we copy a verse from the Bible we will change much of the spelling from the archaic 16th century King James language to the modern way of spelling, such as . . . "searcheth to searches, thy to your, standeth to stands, knoweth to knows, maketh to makes, nay to no, bringeth to bring or brings, hath to has or have, saith to says, doeth to does, wherefore to therefore, thee to the, justifieth to justify, helpeth to help, liveth to lives, ever to always and etc. None of this will take away from the true meaning of the original text."

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5. Commentary . . . Nobody knows the precise date of the coming of the Lord to Rapture the Body of Christ from off the earth. Only the Lord Himself knows the day and hour of that great event! What we will discuss in this message concerns that which is in relation to Daniel's 70th week prophecy called, "The time of Jacob's Trouble," foretold in { Jeremiah 30:7 }. This period of time is usually called by the average student "The seven year Tribulation Period" that will follow the Rapture of the body of Christ. There are several views that concern the time element of the Rapture and these are called the "Pre-tribulation, the Non-tribulation, the Mid-tribulation, and the Post-tribulational concepts.

6. These various Rapture theories are nothing new and have been around for many years. Naturally these views are not the only views but in a general sense the majority of those in Christendom adhere to one of these views we have mentioned. One view not mentioned above is called "The Partial Rapture View." These folks believe and teach that only the most spiritual Believers are going to be Raptured before Daniel's 70th week begins. They also believe that Christians who have become carnal, will be separated from these very spiritual Believers, and will have to proceed on into the Tribulation to suffer for at least the first 3 and 1/2 years of that 7 year period. And what about "purgatory?" . . .

7. In Roman Catholic doctrine, purgatory is a place where the souls of those dying penitent go after death. These dead folks are to suffer temporal punishment until they are purified, and finally after prayers for them are heard by the Lord, they will after receiving the required purification that is necessary for their cleansing, be raised to reside with those who are in Heaven. When the carnal Saints who proceed into the first half of the Tribulation Period, it is believed that this is a sort of a purgatory for them until they are cleansed of their sins, thus, afterwards they will be Raptured to be joined to those who have been Raptured before the Tribulation begins.

8. Commentary . . . Many of the people we will mention in this thesis, you will see, have a very similar outlook concerning the Rapture of the Saints as do the Pre-tribulationist. Concerning the Mid-tribulationalist, Dr. J. Dwight Pentecost a renowned Theologian and writer has said that . . . [ Quote ]: "this view has been held by such men as R. Govett, G. H. Lang, D. M. Panton, G. H. Pember, J. A. Seiss, and Austin Sparks. It is also a popular view among holiness people who teach eradication of the old nature and sinless perfection as prerequisites for participation in the Rapture, [ End Quote ]."

9. This type of belief and teaching can only be taught by those who are not inspired by the Spirit of God. If such adherents to the partial rapture theorist had comprehended Biblical sanctification in a right manner they would know that once a person has been sanctified, even though he may be yet sinning in the flesh, still his soul is completely saved in Christ Jesus. All Saints of God one time or another will have carnal thoughts, and some will actually become carnal in acts that they will be sorry of later. But considering all of this, these people are still Saints of the Lord and there is no way they can be separated from other Saints in the Body of Christ. Such an un-scriptural view is accepted because various Bible texts are taken completely out of context by certain students and are misapplied. As long as this dispensation of the mystery exists, only confusion will avail when this type of doctrine is taught. Taking Scripture out of its rightful context is what causes one to have different ideas such as the following text . . .

10. { V. 34 } Scripture: "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. { V. 35 }: Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. { V. 36 }: Two men shall be in the field; one shall be taken, and the other left, { Luke 17:34-36 }." { See Matthew 24:41- 42 }.

11. Commentary . . . Many teachers will use these verses to teach the Rapture of Christ's Saints, but they fail to read and understand the complete text.

12. { V. 37 } Scripture: "But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. [ None of these verses refer to the Rapture. ] { V. 38 }: For [ just ] as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the Ark, { V. 39 }: And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be, { Matthew 24:37-39 }." { See Genesis 6:5-8; - & - 7:6-24 }.

13. Commentary . . . How can one fail to see that these people were not taken up into paradise into a heavenly life of eternal bliss but were taken into the waters of the flood in death! These people had refused to adhere to the teaching of Noah. They had evidently decided in the same way as many believe today, that the Lord doesn't really exist, so they went into the judgment of the dark waters of eternal damnation where the souls of the lost of every generation are dwelling at this very time. Noah and his family were not taken but were left on the earth, saved through the flood waters and protected by the Ark, which is a type of Christ, Who is our Ark of protection in this present age of grace. The very opposite of what those people went through who were taken in Noah's day will take place in the future Rapture when Christ returns to Rapture the Body of Christ off this earth!

14. Scripture: "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man comes, { Matthew 25:13 }."

15. Commentary . . . This verse has nothing whatsoever to do with the Rapture of the Body of Christ. But it is strictly associated with the Lord's Second Coming at the end of the Tribulation Period to end the battle of Armageddon and to set up His Kingdom reign for one Millennium. Nowhere in the first five books of the New Testament can we find the Rapture of the Body of today mentioned! The reason for this is because the present Body was not as yet in existence until Paul came on the scene. The Body of Christ began between the { 13th and 16th chapter of Acts }, we will get into this later on in this message. Also, the Body will have nothing to do with the future Tribulation Period because it will have been resurrected just prior to its beginning. When we read the parable of the ten virgins in the twenty fifth chapter of Matthew, Christ was talking to the nation of Israel who will represent these virgins at the end of that seven year week. Jesus, in the parable, told the virgins that were foolish that He did not even know them, this means that they were not believers in the Messiah.

16. The truth is, Christ Jesus Who is the Head of His Body of Christian Believers could not and would not ever say to any Saints that He never knew them, for each and every Believer is indwelt with the same nature as Christ Himself. And certainly, never would, or could the Lord split His Body into two different groups of Saints and allow part of them to enter into a period of suffering of the Tribulation Period along with the lost of this world, while resurrecting the other part into heavenly paradise? Only a confused group of teachers could suggest such a thing by taking Scripture and teaching it according to their own man made doctrine, and disregarding dispensational truth!

17. There are several warnings given in Scripture that folks should be aware of. They are told to watch the world's conditions and to make sure that they are ready for what is to take place on the earth. Anyone who is observant in this time of world strife, can easily see the path leading to destruction in this end time day of which we are traveling. World wide terrorism is showing its guilty head throughout the nations of our globe, and people by the thousands are having nightmares because of the daily news forecast through the news media. It is true, the present generation should watch and pray to be delivered from the catastrophes that are taking place, and those that may take place in the future. The Bible gave warning, when Jesus warned His Apostles to observe future events . . .

18. { V. 33 } Scripture: "Take you heed [ be on your guard ], watch and pray: for you know not when the time is.

19. { V. 34 }: For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey { Acts 1:9 }, who left His House [ the Jerusalem Temple ], and gave authority to His servants [ the Apostles, and all other saved saints ], and to every man his work, and commanded the porter [ doorkeeper ] to watch [ and be constantly alert ].

20. { V. 35 }: Watch you therefore [ give strict attention ]: for you know not when the master of the house [ Messiah Himself will ] come [ at His Second Coming ], at evening, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing [ very early morning hour ], or [ a little later ] in the morning . . .

21. { V. 36 }: [ Watch I say ] Lest coming suddenly [ and unexpectedly ] He find you sleeping [ in unbelief ]. { V. 37}: And what I say to you I say unto all [ who are living on this earth ], Watch [ Give strict attention be cautious, active, alert, ready ], { Mark 13:33-37}." [ At the time the Lord gave this warning He was still in His physical human body which was self limited in certain knowledge. ]

22. Scripture: "But made Himself of no reputation [ stripped Himself of all privileges and rightful dignity ], and took upon Himself the form [ to assume the guise ] of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men, { Philippians 2:7}."

23. Commentary . . . "The Lord made Himself of no reputation. Literally, He emptied Himself. The [ kenosis. . . emptying ] of Christ during His incarnation does not mean that He surrendered any attributes of deity, but that He took on the limitations of humanity. This involved a veiling of His preincarnate glory { John 17:5 } and the voluntary waiving of some of His Divine prerogatives during the time He was on earth, See { Matthew 24:36 }. In other words He in His deity kept His physical body knowledge limited, this is really and truthfully un-comprehensible to the average human being.

24. Scripture: "But of that day [ of the Second Coming, not the Rapture ] and hour no man knows no, not [ even ] the angels of Heaven, but My Father only, { Matthew 24:36 }."

25. { V. 34 }: Scripture: "And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts [ minds ] be overcharged surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day [ "the day of the Lord" . . . of the Tribulation ] come upon you unawares.

26. { V. 35 }: For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth, [ at that time ], { V. 36 }: [ Keep awake then and ] Watch you therefore [ that is, be discreet, attentive and ready ], and pray always, that you may be accounted worthy [ and have full strength and ability ] to escape all these things [ taken together ] that shall come to pass, and to stand [ in the presence ] before the Son of Man, { Luke 21:34-36 }."

27. Commentary . . . "It should be well understood that Jesus was warning the world and especially Israel that there would be a world wide trouble period in their future, and that they should watch and be ready for it to take place. The Lord tells the Apostles what will transpire in the events of the Tribulation Period. And the Apostle Paul informs the Body of Christ, and yes even the lost person, how to be ready and escape the tribulation that will eventually overwhelm the whole earth, and test every human being in that seven year week of Daniel's prophecy.

28. Here we are in the later days of the age of grace, and the majority of humanity are asleep to the warnings of Bible teachers. The lives of all mankind are on the edge of the most catastrophic evil, and judgment that the world has ever seen because the 70th week is just around the corner. And yet, countless multitudes sleep and dream that the world will get better and better. Many believe and teach false doctrine while the Spirit of Almighty God is teaching them how to evade the calamities to come. The Lord is knocking on the door of your heart, will you take heed and open the door to let Him in? The warning was given long before the Tribulation Period is to begin. And, it was given to keep folks out of that dreadful troublesome time. This proves the Pre-millennial teaching of today is true, and that the time of testing can only take place after the true Body of Christ has been removed. Only the lost will enter into that 7 year period!

29. Scripture: "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time [ at the end of the Tribulation Period as the Messiah of this world, ] without sin unto salvation, { Hebrews 9:28 }."

30. Commentary . . . "Can you see any difference between the various classes of people here in this verse? The sins of many takes in every individual on the earth! But you notice that He is going to appear at the Second Coming for those who are looking for Him. This verse is quoted from the Old Testament, notice what it says about "the sins of many" and what the Lord did for all:

31. Scripture: "Yet it pleased the Lord [ God the Father ] to bruise Him [ Jesus ]; He has put Him to grief: when you shall make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand, { Isaiah 53:10 }."

32. Commentary . . . "It pleased Jehovah" i.e; it was Jehovah's purpose. "His soul" i.e; Himself. Not only was Christ the sin-offering, but He was constituted sin its-self { 2- Corinthians 5:21 }. "He shall see His seed" this predicts and declares, His resurrection. Compare: "Who shall declare His generation? { V. 8 }. To many students, this verse is not as easy to comprehend as they would like to. While the wicked men were personally responsible for the death of Christ, this passage makes it clear that the ultimate cause of death was the plan and purpose of the triune God. It pleased the Lord to bruise [ from 'daka', to crush ] Him. This refers back to the same condition in { V. 5 }, where He was bruised for man's iniquities .

33. The combination of the two statements clearly indicates that the substitutionary atonement of Christ was always the master plan of God the Father. The verb "put Him to grief" may be rendered "made Him sick." The Qumran Scroll [ 1Q Isaiah ] reads 'wychllhew,' "that He might pierce Him." Some have questioned why the Father would be pleased to allow the crucifixion of His Own Son. However, this statement must be seen in light of the ultimate purpose of the crucifixion, which is the salvation of his seed { See Matthew 5:9 }; [ i.e; those who would come to believe in Him would thus become "the children of God. ]: Since Christ had no physical lineage of His own, the Father's seed must be viewed [ in the spiritual sense ] as those who have been born of God as a result of His Son's atonement.

34. Therefore, if there is to be a redeemed people, there must be an expiatory sacrifice that provides a vicarious atonement for the salvation of mankind. Without such an atonement there can ultimately be no redeemed people of God, whether Hebrew or Gentile, [on the necessity of the atonement of Christ on the cross ]. The strength of the passage rests on the statement that the Lord would make His soul [ naphesh ] an offering for sin [ 'asham, guilt offering ]. This involves the trespass offering" that is commanded and described in { Numbers 5:5 }. The verb "shall make [ siym ] means to place or designate. Thus, the Lord God [ the Father ] designates the significance of the offering, but is not Himself the offerer. In { V. 12 } the servant [ Christ ] receives the reward for His work which proves that it is He Himself who offers the sacrifice.

35. The offering of His soul represents the giving of His very life as an oblation to the Father. Since the Lord Jesus Christ was sinless, He is not making a "trespass offering" for His own sin; it is for our sins. The rest of the verse describes the results that will follow His sacrifice of Himself. The phrase "He shall prolong His days" indicates that the Servant's ministry will not end with His death. "The pleasure of the Lord" refers to God's ultimate purpose, which shall be accomplished by the death and resurrection of the servant. Calvin states: "Isaiah the prophet could not have better expressed the infinite love of Christ toward us than by declaring that He takes the highest delight in our salvation, and that He rests in it as the fruit of His labors."

36. { V. 11 } Scripture: "He shall see [ the fruit ] of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied: by His knowledge [ of Himself which He possess and imparts to others ] shall My [ uncompromisingly ] righteous servant justify [ and make ] many [ righteous upright and in right standing with God ]; for He shall bear their iniquities [ and their guilt with the consequences, says the Lord ]. [ "Justify many" Better read: "make many righteous." By His atoning death He sets Believers before the throne of God in the righteousness of God, and by His indwelling Spirit He causes them to live righteous lives ].

37. { V. 12 }: Therefore will I divide Him a portion with the great [ Kings and rulers ], and He shall divide the spoil with the strong [ and mighty because ]; He has poured out His soul unto death: and He was numbered with the transgressors [ He let Himself be regarded as a criminal and be numbered with the transgressors ]; and [ yet ] He bore [ and took away ] the sins of many, and [ up to this very time He ] made intercession for the transgressors [ the rebellious ], { Isaiah 53:11-12 }" { See Luke 22:37 }

38. Commentary . . . To be appointed with the great, and to divide the spoil with the strong, is rather figurative, actually it reads: "I will divide to him." The idea is that His portion shall be comparable to that of the great and the strong, the mighty. This attempts to draw a parallel to them and the many at the end of the verse. However, this seems quite likely. Rather, the meaning of the text would be saying that He will share the spoil of His victory on the same level and in the same manner as any other great conqueror. This is not to imply that Christ is merely on the level of a human king; rather it emphasizes the victorious nature of His atonement as a conquest of sinners for whom He died.

39. His great exaltation has been given by God the Father because He has poured out [ "he'erah," to expose or make naked ] His soul unto death. The meaning of this phrase clearly indicates that the Divine Son of God fully exposed Himself to the naked reality of death on mankind's behalf! As the verse states "He was numbered with the transgressors" [ criminals, i.e; the two thieves ] and He bare the sin of many [ "rabiym," a large or great number ]. His intercession refers to the high priestly office and work of the servant who makes that intercession on the basis of His own substitutionary death. In this chapter all the offerings appear: the Burnt-offering [ V. 11 }; the Peace offering { V .5 }; the Sin offering { V. 6, 10 }; the Trespass-offering { V. 5 } and the Meal-offering { V. 10 }.

40. Christ is our high-Priest and will come out from the Heavenly Sanctuary at His Second Coming. He has already made atonement for our sins in His death on the cross. Many who call themselves Christians today are not looking for the Rapture of the Body of Christ. On the other hand the wise Believers are the only ones that are looking for His coming in the air to Rapture them into Heaven.

41. Scripture: "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, { Titus 2:13 }."

42. Scripture: "For our conversation [ "politeuma" Greek: citizenship of the state, commonwealth, homeland which ] is in heaven; from whence also we look [ earnestly and patiently ] for the [ coming of the ] Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, { Philippians 3:20 }." { See Ephesians 2:6; - & - 3:2; plus Revelation 22:4 }.

43. Scripture: "And [ He the "Holy Spirit" ] has raised us up together [ with Him "Christ Jesus" in our death Baptism ], and made us sit [ down ] together [ past tense, at the right hand of the Father ] in heavenly places [ in Paradise of the 3rd Heaven- by virtue of our being in Christ Jesus, the Anointed One, the Messiah ], {Ephesians 2:6}." [ Here we have another picture of the Trinitarian Godhead ]

44. Scripture: [ Christ ], "Who shall [ transform, fashion and ] change our vile body [ of humiliation ], that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue [ subject ] all things unto Himself, { Philippians 3:21 }." [ Our present state of mortality is a lowly one ].

45. Commentary . . . The Body of Christ will not be the only ones to look for the appearance of Christ from Heaven. Many Hebrews are praying for the appearance of their Messiah. { Hebrews 9:28 } refers, we believe, primarily to the Second Coming of Messiah which will be at the end of the Tribulation Period.

46. The difference is, there will be at least seven years between these two events! Therefore, it must be recognized that both groups of people expect His return. The first group expects Him to only come down into the atmosphere of this earth to receive them and catch them up into Paradise, and of course this will be the Rapture. The second group expect Him to return at His Second Coming and begin His thousand year Kingdom reign on this earth. All can be assured that both of these events will take place in their own order, and prophecy will all be ultimately fulfilled!

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47. Commentary . . . Now concerning the Hebrew feast day of atonement, the picture here is that of the High-priest coming out of the sanctuary on the day of atonement, { Leviticus 16:1-10 }, having accomplished the work of making atonement for the sins of the people. When one reads these verses the meaning should be clear.

48. { V. 1 } The Day of Atonement, described in this chapter, was the most important of all the ordinances given to Israel because on that day atonement was made for all the sins of the entire congregation { Vs. 16, 21, 30, 33 }, as well as for the sanctuary { Vs. 16, 33 }. It took place on the tenth day of the seventh month { Tishri, Vs. 29 }, and fasting was required from the evening of the ninth day to the evening of the tenth day.

49. { V. 30 } First, Aaron, the high priest, brought a sin offering for himself and the other priests.

50. { V. 2 } The holy place, i.e; the Holy of Holies, inside the veil, { see Hebrews 9:7 }.

51. Commentary . . . { Vs. 5-10 } Next, the high priest presented two goats as a sin offering for the people. One was slain, and the other was sent into the wilderness, this was the scapegoat who was left alive and symbolized the removal of the Hebrews sins. This goat was turned loose never to be seen again. This means that once ones sins have been forgiven they are cast as far as the east is from the west where there is no end as far as distance is concerned { see Psalm 103:12 }, and this is why the scapegoat which had Israel's sins on it was never to be seen again. { V. 10 } The literal word "Azazel," is a combination of the words for "goat" and "depart," in other words this scapegoat was the removing goat. The verse below concerns the parable of the Bridegroom:

52. Scripture: "Then came to Him the disciples [ followers ] of John [ the Baptist inquiring and ], saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast often [ that is, abstaining from food and drink, as a religious exercise ], but Your disciples fast not? {Matthew 9:14}."

53. Commentary . . . The Pharisees fasted twice a week - in a conspicuous manner in order to show their own so-called piety. John's followers were probably fasting in mourning for him. The required public fasts were only three in number: the Day of Atonement; the day before Purim; and the 9th of Ab, commemorating the fall of Jerusalem. The Apostle Paul wrote:

54. { V. 6 } Scripture: "For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. [ Departure = release. i.e; his death ].

55. { V. 7 } I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: [ The faith, i.e; in the recognized body of Christian doctrine { see Jude V. 3 }. Paul kept the faith in two senses: he was obedient to God's Word, and he passed it on as he received it. And in that future time to come, Paul stated . . .

56. { V. 8 } "Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing, { 2- Timothy 4:6-8 }."

57. Commentary . . . Henceforth "in above text " = means: from now on. laid up: i.e; 'safely kept.' Crown of righteousness: one of the rewards offered in this case to every Child of God that is looking forward in anticipation to the coming of Christ. { See 1- Corinthians 3:14 }.

58. Can you find anything in this message thus far that points to a partial Rapture? What we recognize according to the above verse, is that not only Paul, but likely every born again Believer, whether consciously or unconsciously, are really looking forward to the Lord's appearing, and in every case they will receive a crown of righteousness as a reward for their loving recognition of Jesus as their Saviour and Lord. We don't find any difference in those who may or may not be looking for His appearing in this text. The Rapture and Second advent are two distinct events, not one! No one should ever imply that the Rapture is the Second Coming! It has nothing to do with the Second Coming!!! The Rapture concerns the Body of Christ. The Second Coming concerns Israel and the nations with the Tribulation Period in-between the two events!!! We today are looking for the Rapture, but many ministers teach that we should ready ourselves for the Second Advent. This is false doctrine, we would have to go through the 70th week to be present at the Second Advent! Every Minister should emphasize this fact!!!

59. It is recognized by practically all well studied Bible students that the judgment seat of Christ will take place between the Rapture of the Body of Christ and the Second Coming of Christ. This would mean that while Believers in the Body will be having their works judged in Heaven, those unbelievers still on the earth will be in the process of being tested and judged on this earth at the same time. This could certainly not take place if part of the Saints in the body were in Heaven, and the other part of the Body were still on the earth being tested.

60. Both parts of the Body must be together in Heaven to stand before the throne of God while the Judgment is taking place, otherwise there would necessarily have to be two judgments for the Body of Christ, and this doesn't make sense in any way. When we read what Paul stated concerning the judgment seat of Christ, Charles Baker's conclusions are as follows:

61. [ Quote ]: "It may be well to consider a few of the logical consequences of this teaching of a partial rapture. It absents part of the Body of Christ from the judgment seat of Christ which occurs between the Rapture and the Second Coming to earth. But, Paul makes it plain that there will be those at the judgment seat whose works will all be burned and who will be saved, yet so as by fire, { 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 }. It involves the Roman Catholic idea of purgatory, where the believer has to suffer for his sins before he is fit for heaven, and to that extent it denies the finished work of Christ in behalf of every believer.

62. It fails completely to recognize dispensational distinctions between Israel and the Body of Christ, thereby confusing the Rapture of the Body of Christ from the earth with the Second Coming of Christ to the earth. It also necessitates the mixing of the part of the Body which is left behind with the saved company of Israelites during the tribulation Period. It can find no means of getting this "left behind" part of the Body of Christ to heaven to join the other members of the Body after the tribulation. There is no Scripture that speaks of any such event, [ End Quote ]."

63. When the Lord tells the reader over and over to hear what the Spirit says to the Assemblies, He is stressing the importance of the message which He is giving His servants in this book. Some do not have an ear to hear what the Spirit says in the book of Revelation. Their ears and their minds are closed to what the book teaches. We are going in disobedience to the Holy Spirit if we ignore the message of the book.

Part 2. What The Mid-tribulationalist Rapture Folks Believe . . .

1. Commentary . . . This type of belief is very similar to the "Pre- Wrath" Tribulationalist position, who believe that the whole Body of Christ in its entirety will not only go through the first part of the Tribulation Period but will proceed on into the later half of it. It seems they have the idea that there will be no real wrath poured out on the earth until around two thirds of the seven year period has passed by, and then the horrible wrath of the judgments foretold in the Book of Revelation will be poured out. Thus, the Body will be Raptured just before this great wrath takes place. The conclusion is that these folks are looking for the Antichrist several years before the Rapture of the Body of Christ, and then the Judgment seat of Christ takes place in the heavenlies!

2. On the other hand, the Mid-tribulationalist believe and teach that the Body of Christ will definitely proceed in and through the first half of the seven years and then be Raptured. These folks like the Pre-Wrath believers, see no wrath of God in the first half of the week. There have been, and still are, people who have and do believe that there will be no wrath or trouble in the first half of the Tribulation week. If this was to be so, then why is the whole seven years called the Tribulation Period? According to that type of teaching, why would it be inconceivable for the Body not to participate in the first half when only the last half will be the time of trouble? The people with this Mid-tribulation theory believe that the first part of Daniel's 70th week of years does concern the wrath of Satan and even the wrath of mankind themselves, but evidently not the wrath of Almighty God.

3. Jesus said to Peter . . . Scripture: "Verily, verily [ surely, and truly ], I say to you, When you were young, you girded yourself [ put on your own belt "girdle" ], and walked [ about ] wherever you would [ go ]: but when you shall be old, you shall stretch forth your hands, and another shall gird, and carry you wherever [ to a place ] you would not [ go ], { John 21:18." Read verse 19 also }." [ This was a prophecy concerning the future martyrdom of the Apostle Peter ].

4. Commentary . . . The above verse is used by those who believe that Peter himself did not believe that Christ might return in his lifetime. Since Peter had been told that he would live to an old age and then be martyred, this would mean that if Christ should return in Peter's life time, Christ would certainly not allow Peter's execution. Naturally this is the guess-work of those who do not believe in the imminent return of the Lord. These folks obviously, as the majority of other Christians believe, are certain that the Body of Christ began with Peter on the day of Pentecost. What these people fail to understand, is that when Jesus uttered these words He was talking to the Israelites, and the language He used in His teachings here had nothing to do whatsoever with the Body of Christ.

5. As has already been stated, the Body of Christ was not even in existence when Jesus spoke these words to Peter! Because of the fact that Peter was the Apostle in the forefront at that time, the Roman Catholic Church decided that Peter would always be the leading Apostle, and therefore, it has been taught down through the Roman Church system that Peter was the first Pope for the Catholic Church.

6. The Mid-tribulationalist understand this to mean, that since Peter would not have believed in the imminent Coming of the Lord, that this would mean that - had the 70th week began at that time, all those who were Believers would have entered into the Tribulation Period to be resurrected in the middle of it. Some even believed that all Christians who are a part of the Body of Christ will go completely through the 70th week to meet the Lord at His return, therefore, they will enter into the Kingdom reign with Christ when He becomes the Messiah and King of Israel. [ Read our Message on Daniel's 70 weeks prophecy ].

7. When we look at their ideas, we are amazed at the inconsistency in their program and teaching. Why people who think this way, cannot comprehend the fact that when the Israelites refused the final offer of the King and His Kingdom through the teachings of the Apostle Paul { Acts 28:28 }, the Kingdom offer was suspended for another two millenniums. No longer would the Kingdom be offered until after the beginning of the Tribulation Period. The Rapture will take place just prior to the Tribulation, which will end the present Gospel of the Mystery program. And, after the Tribulation begins, the Kingdom Gospel will once again be taught: to ready the Israelites and the nations to proceed on into the Millennial reign with the Lord as the Messiah of the world at His return.

8. We can find no teaching in any part of the Kingdom Gospel or program that refers to a Rapture! The reason for this, is that the kingdom program was consistent with the prophecies of the Old Testament and the teachings of Christ and His Apostles. Israel is well known as an earthly nation, and her covenant promises were all associated with the land on this earth, and with Jesus as her King. No promise was ever given to Israel that stated that she would be Raptured to dwell in the heavens with the Body of Christ. The promises for the Body of Christ are just the opposite, we are to inherit the heavens with Jesus as our Head, and to dwell with Him eternally. According to the above, what on earth could the above verse in the Book of John have to do with a Rapture? Absolutely Nothing!

9. { V. 51 } Scripture: "Behold, I show you a mystery [ a secret truth, an event decreed by a hidden purpose or counsel of God ]; We shall not all [ fall ] sleep [in death], but we shall all be changed [ transformed, such as a "met-a-mor-pho-sis" ],

10. Commentary . . . Paul answers the question "what will happen to those who are still alive when the Lord returns in the air for the Body of Christ?" Paul then states . . .

11. { V. 52 } "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye [ in 11 one hundreds of a second ] at the [ sound of the ] last trumpet: [ before the Rapture takes place ]: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead [ in Christ ] shall be raised incorruptible [ imperishable - free and immune from decay ], and we shall be changed [ transformed into spiritual bodies like the body that Christ Himself has ], {1- Corinthians 15:51-52 }."

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12. Scripture: "And the seventh angel sounded [ his trumpet ]; and there were great [ and mighty ] voices in heaven, saying, The    [ dominion, sovereignty, and ] kingdoms of this world are [ now ] become [ the possessions of ] the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ [ the Messiah ]; and he shall reign for ever, { Revelation 11:15 }." { See psalm 22:28; - & - Daniel 7:13; 14, 27 }.

13. Commentary . . . "It is argued that the "last trump" of { 1: Corinthians 15:52 } is the same as the sounding of the seventh trumpet of { Revelation 11:15 }. An integral part of this argument is that this seventh trumpet closes the first three and one half years of the tribulation period. In the first place, there is no intimation in Paul's statement of a series of trumpets. Last can mean last in point of time as well as last in sequence. There is a trumpet connected with the consummation of the Body of Christ program on earth, and there is a series of trumpets connected with Israel's Kingdom program.

14. It is only through a non-dispensational confusing of the Body of Christ and Israel that these two trumpets can be made synonymous. But, aside from this, there is no reference to a rapture at the sounding of a seventh trumpet. And from the context it is evident that the seventh trumpet sounds, not in the middle of the seventh year period, but at the end, for it is plainly announced that the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ, and that the resurrection of the Old Testament saints has come, which is to occur at the end of the Tribulation, {Daniel 12:1-2 }. { See Revelation 20:4-5 }.

15. A necessary part of the argument for a midtribulation rapture is that between { Revelation Ch. 6 and Ch. 12 } there is not one visitation of the wrath of God. Norman B. Harrison [ a mid tribulationalist states ]: "for example [ this ], denies that there is any element of God's judgment in the seven seals and the seven trumpets." The Seals, he says: "are simply the reaping of what man has sown, and the trumpets are the product of Satan's activity, which God permits, much as He permitted Satan to afflict Job." The fact is, this view is completely untenable in the light of the positive statement that the day of God's wrath had already come even before the sounding of the first trumpet.

16. Also, the angels who sound the trumpets are not Satan's angels. These angels "stood before God," and God gave them the trumpets, and everything that happened when those trumpets sounded was the activity of God. These trumpets do not represent Satan persecuting God's people, as in the case of Job, but God punishing the ungodly, partly by miraculous cosmic acts and partly through Satan's wrath.

17. { V. 3 } Scripture: "And I will give power [ of prophecy ] unto My two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, [ 42 months, counting each month as 30 days each, a period of 3 1/2 years ] clothed in sackcloth.

18. Commentary . . . Sackcloth. A dark coarse cloth which is similar to the material in a gunny sack, or of the hair of animals like a sack, worn by mourners or penitents. Wearing this type of clothing pictures those in repentance. When sin stalks a nation, repentance is God's call to either turn or burn. {See 2- Kings 1:8; - & - Matthew 3:4 }. The 'thousand two hundred and threescore days,' also equals three and one half years, and refers to the first half of the Tribulation Period and the ministry of the two witnesses.

19. These two emissaries are very special prophets who were long ago mentioned in { Revelation 11:3 }. These prophets will have the same type of spirits of prophecy that Elijah and John the Baptist had when they were on the earth pronouncing prophetic promises to the Hebrew people. In the Old Testament many signs were foretold by prophets, these signs were to be fulfilled in Israel's future and some were fulfilled in the time Christ was on earth in His physical body.

20. The Bible does not reveal the precise message that these two future prophets will utter during their 3 1/2 year ministry, but they will surely teach the Kingdom Gospel, and warn the world against the false doctrine spewed out of the mouth of the Antichrist, his false prophet and their followers. One of the main signs that these are prophets will be shone by the garments worn by the two men. Scripture states that they will be dressed in sackcloth which in Greek is called "sakkos." It should be recognized that there will be no prophets on this earth as long as the Body of Christ is present.

21. A true prophet of God could not and will not make even one mistake in his prophecy! Should he make even one prediction that has no fulfillment, he is not a true prophet of God. It is a terrible mistake for a person to state that God told him about something that will transpire, and it fails to take place. It is OK to say you understand that something is going to happen but of course this is the way you see it is going to happen. But, it is dangerous to say God told you personally about a future prophetic event during this present age. If the Lord actually told someone of an event that would take place the next week, and since it was a true prophetic utterance from God, then it could be added to the writings of the Bible. Please be advised to be careful what you prophesy and how you phrase the words!

22. The ministries of John the Baptist and of Elijah should be closely compared by all Bible students. See { Matthew 3:1-60; - Luke 3:1-4; - John 1:23; - Mark 1:2-3; - 2- Kings 1:7-8; - & - Isaiah 40:3 }. There was a tremendous amount of sin and trouble in Israel at the time each of these prophets came on the scene, and repentance was called for by these men. Therefore, both prophets messages were the same in several ways. Both men wore the same type of clothing and it is said by many teachers "that the garment of hair cloth, was the sign of the national mourning and repentance of Israel." Since the two witnesses in Revelation appears on the scene to warn the world to repent, they also appear to announce the soon arrival of Messiah- the King of the Jews.

23. Scripture: "And the Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come, {Matthew 24:14 }." [ And, this Gospel will also be taught by the two prophets and the 144.000 Jewish witnesses ], see { Revelation 7:4 }.

24. Commentary . . . These two witnesses will not neglect the preaching of the cross, for { Revelation 7:14; - & - Zechariah 13:8-9 } indicate that the preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom in the 70th week is accompanied by the preaching of the cross through the blood of the Lamb. The Gospel committed to the Body of Christ could never be the Gospel of the Millennial Kingdom for our Gospel is "the Gospel of the Mystery of the grace of God." The Body of Christ of this age has no other message and no other Gospel.

25. The fact that the Gospel of the Kingdom will be the message that announces coming judgment, repentance, and preparation in view of the coming of the King, in-dicates that the Body of Christ must no longer be present for no such message as is in the kingdom Gospel has ever been committed to us. Those who teach the Mid-tribulation theory teach that because of the fact that the two Hebrew witnesses are resurrected at the mid point of the Tribulation Period, that this means that the resurrection of the Body of Christ must also take place at the same time. But, as we have stated many times, this cannot be the truth according to what the scriptures teach. Therefore, what we have said concerning the gospels are true and is also taught by many other ministers!

26. All that we have stated above is proof that Christ's present Body of Saints will not be here, because if it were otherwise, we would be teaching the Kingdom Gospel and this certainly does not make any sense. As long as the Body of Christ is on this earth we must only teach the Mystery Gospel. Never should a Christian in this Mystery age teach Israel's Kingdom Gospel or Commission! Also, since the Lord's two witnesses will be present on this earth during the first half of the Tribulation Period, this means that "if" the Body of Christ is to still be present, anyone that are Believers at that time, will naturally be joined to the Body. This would include the two witnesses and anybody else that are Believers at that time!

27. { V. 4 } Scripture: "These [ two witnesses ] are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth, { Revelation 11:4 }."

28. Commentary . . . Two olive trees. For the symbolism see { Zechariah 4:3, 14 }. In Zechariah these are two anointed ones. Literally., he was speaking of the two sons of oil, namely, Joshua and Zerubbabel. The point of the vision is that of light bearing or witness; Joshua and Zerubbabel witnessed about Jehovah's power in seeing to the completion of the Temple. And, in typology - during the future Tribulation days to come, two mighty witnesses will yet arise as mentioned in { V. 4 } above, all true witness must be performed in and with the power of the Holy Spirit! Two candlesticks [ lampstands ] that give out a witness { V. 3 }. Olive trees exude oil-which is the symbol of the Holy Spirit. These future witnesses are to proclaim the understanding, that light of comprehension is still present, and that the Spirit of God can still work in the hearts [ minds ] of man in the midst of a sin blackened world, { See Ephesians 5:18 }.

29. Who are these two witnesses? They are the two olive trees and the two lampstands which stand before the Lord. We believe that they will be two Hebrew men who will be saved shortly after the Rapture of the Body of Christ. They will likely receive the same type of spirit of prophecy that Elisha received when he received a double portion of the spirit of Elijah when he saw Elijah taken up in a chariot. { See Malachi 4:5; - 2- Kings 2:9-11; - & - Zechariah 4:3; 11-14 }. . ..

30. { V. 11 } Scripture: "And after three days and a half the [ Holy ] Spirit of life from God entered into them [ the two witnesses ], and they stood upon their feet [ in Jerusalem, where they had been killed by the Antichrist ]; and great fear fell upon them [ future tense ] that saw them [ come alive again ]. { See Ezekiel 37:5, 10 }.

31. { V. 12 } And they [ the two witnesses ] heard a great voice from heaven saying to them, Come up here [ into heaven ]. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them [ going up with their very eyes ], { Revelation 11:11-12 }."

32. Commentary . . . This resurrection of the two witnesses has nothing to do with the Rapture of the Body of Christ. Furthermore, these two prophets concern only the nation Israel, there are no prophets like these during the present age. Naturally, ministers during this age of grace preach prophecy from the Bible, but we receive no direct new revelation from God, otherwise we could add new revelation to the Bible. Even if we received direct revelation from the Lord, who would believe us? { Read Revelation 22:18-19 }. Notice also that these two witnesses are Resurrected before the 7th trumpet sounds which according to the Mid-tribulationalist brings on the Rapture. Also these two prophets have power to kill their enemies, and never do we find in our Bible where Christians today have a guaranteed right to kill other people, even though they persecute us in many ways, that is, unless in war time. In a war, all nations, have the right according Scripture, to kill their antagonists.

33. If the Body of Christ were to enter into the Tribulation, then these two men who are saved in the first part of the 70th week would necessarily become members of the Body of Christ and would be prophets of it. This would mean that prophets in the Body would have power to turn water into blood and to shut heaven that it will not rain during the time of their prophecy, and also they will smite the whole earth with plagues. Where in Paul's Epistles do we find permission to perform such things? And, if the verses are read and studied correctly, which verse can you use to teach emphatically that it is speaking of a Resurrection of the Body of Christ? This writer hasn't found any, not even one!

34. When one studies the Mid-tribulation Rapture theory he must accept the fact that these two prophets after being murdered by the Antichrist, are NOT buried, but are left to lie in the place where they were killed for three and a half days before they are brought back from the dead. It is true, they are killed in the approximate middle of the seven year week. But, since they would definitely become a part of the Body of Christ Believers, this would mean that part of the body of Christ would have to die and be raised back upon their feet before being Raptured. This would also mean that the rest of the Body of Christ must await the resurrection of these two prophets from the dead before they could be Raptured. And, that all other members of the Body who had died in the past, would be brought forth from the grave to be Raptured with them, { 1- Corinthians 15:52 }.

35. The Mid-tribulation belief is a hoge-poge mixed-up doctrine that will only confuse the student and cause much mis-unity in the Body! They teach covenant theology and Body theology by mixing the two together trying to make them right according to their own confused belief. It would be much better not to teach any type of prophecy than to teach it the way they do and confuse the Believers who really want a true Bible course for good Christian knowledge!

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36. We today teach the Gospel of the Mystery, because the Body of Christ was a mystery kept hidden until by revelation it was revealed to Paul, { Ephesians 3:9 }. To put any part of the Body into Israel's dispensation and Gospel of the Kingdom teachings, can only confuse Bible students. Other wise, it would put Israel and the Body of Christ both together in the same time of testing and during the same dispensation when the Tribulation takes place. Could it be that there are two parallel dispensations in existence at the same time? Harrison, one of the leading Mid-tribulation teachers really thinks that this is the case, he states:

37. [ Quote ]: "To think of the ages as abruptly abutting each other is fatal. To carry that connection over into the series that makes up the end time is equally fatal. In actuality they overlap, which they may lead to an ultimate blending. Speaking of the two ages, Church and Jewish: at its inception, 30 A.D; the Church paralleled for 40 years the Jewish age, till the latter closed with the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. This argues for a similar overlapping at the close of the Church age. If, for the moment, we think of the Church continuing up to the Tribulation, the time from which our Lord has promised to keep her [ Him ], realizing that Israel has been restored as a nation for the three and one-half years prior to the Tribulation setting in . . . we again have the same overlapping, [ End Quote }." [ The word "Him" in parenthesis is from the writer of this message. Israel is a she, the Body of Christ is a He ].

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38. We certainly do recognize a transition from Israel's historic kingdom program to that of the Body of Christ during the latter half of the Acts Period. We also know that teachers were doing missionary work at that time and were teaching salvation through Christ. We have stated many times that the Book of Acts when taught correctly is one of the most difficult books in the Bible to teach because of the transitional aspect of that age! On the other hand, those who were truly saved after the Body of Christ began with the Apostle Paul, definitely became a part of the Body of Christ. Also those such as the 12 Apostles and people such as Timothy and yes others who came out of the kingdom period in Acts, when they believed as Paul taught, they certainly became members of the Body of Christ.

39. On the other hand, at the end of the Christian age, if a program for the Body of Christ proceeded on into the Tribulation dispensation, this would mean that some who believe during the prophesied Tribulation period would become members of the Body to be Raptured at the end of the first three and a half years, and that others would become identified with Israel and would be left on earth to go through the remainder of Daniel's seventieth week. If this were so, this would mean that those who have studied eschatology a good part of their life time would be one confused group of Bible students that might want to throw up their hands and quit studying altogether, but thank God, this just isn't so!

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1. Commentary . . . If there was just one statement in the Word of God declaring the Resurrection of the Body of Christ to take place at the end, in the middle or just prior to the beginning of Daniel's 70th week, it would answer all the questions concerning that problem very quickly. But unfortunately this isn't the case, therefore, students must come to their own conclusions the hard way by searching the Scriptures. Naturally, there are folks that would disbelieve anything you could say to them in order to prove their own belief. Brain washing is as old as the hills, and practically every denomination it seems, at least to a certain extent, have brain washed their congregations to believe their own particular doctrine. This is why there are so many different beliefs in our world today!

2. This writer has long ago concluded that one cannot take anyone's word for the answer to most Bible questions, but do his or her own research. In order to perform this research adequately, we must research other writers works for help, but our main research book absolutely must be the Holy Bible. Man's ideas are many times faulty, only the Word of God is infallibly true! Therefore, the students must accumulate their own evidence by studying the Bible chronologically, systematically, and positively dispensationally in order to acquire the truth that concerns any given question of an answer to a problem.

3. To research just one or perhaps two verses of Scripture is great, but we must be careful and not fail to study other texts to prove what we have already researched to be true according to the correct interpretation and this, in order that we may have a better understanding. Many people have made up their minds in years past, only to find in later years that their interpretation was faulty, and many have been guilty of teaching false doctrine for many years.

4. Even Theologians have in the past taught several things according to what they had been taught in some Bible Seminary by learned professors, only to find years later that their professors had taught them wrong. And, this is very disconcerting for a person who had put all their complete trust in those they had studied under. It's true, Scripture fails to state that the Resurrection of the Body of Christ will precede the Tribulation Period. But, as we have stated, the Bible also does not state that the translation of the Body will take place at the end or at the middle or at any other time during that 70th week period! The only way to come to any specific conclusion, is to research the different systems of thought and discus the argument coherently. Naturally, we in this discussion are primarily interested in proving our point according to the Pre-millennial doctrine that the Bible backs up!

5. A student could never call himself a dispensationalist if he did not believe that each period of time consisted of a certain Dispensation, with a beginning and an end, that is, to a particular ending of that period. Therefore if one crossed over into another Dispensation, it should be understood that he would be out of the bounds of his time limit. Scripture teaches that there is "a time to be born, and a time to die, actually, there is a time for everything one does, see { Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 }. . . . Should a person be born before his time, or die after his allotted time, he would live out of his life span of time! Therefore, unless the Lord were to change the limit of a man's life time on this earth, how could he live on into another period of time?

6. By using common sense and reasoning, we must ask how can one Dispensation [ time period in this instance ] such as our own, pass out of bounds and enter into Israel's Dispensation of the Day of the Lord? Certainly there are transition periods as we have already discussed in this and other messages, but there can be no transition for the Body of Christ on into Israel's Dispensation! We do understand that the Laodice'an Church period which concerns the false Church system is presently overlapping the true Philadelphian Church period, and will proceed right on into the Tribulation Period.

7. The Laodice'an Church group is strictly a portion of humanity with a system of various false beliefs and, they have failed to accept the Word of God in our Bible as being true throughout its pages. Not one person in that Church are Christians, and this is why The Lord will [ future tense ] spue them out of His mouth, { Revelation 3:16 }. If even one of that group were saved, he could not be spewed out because the Lord could not disown one of His own Saints. The American College Dictionary says, "To spew:

[ 1 ]: is to discharge the contents of the stomach through the mouth; vomit.

[ 2 ]: to eject from the stomach through the mouth: vomit.

[ 3 ]: that which is spewed; vomit." Enough said.

8. As all folks had a time to be born and a time to die { see Ecclesiastes 3:3-2 }, so do people who live in a certain Dispensation have a time for that Dispensation to end. Naturally we are speaking here about the general population of the earth, and are referring to both saved and unsaved humanity. The human race as we know, can naturally live on into another time period, but the Body of Christ cannot go beyond its limitation as far as the present Dispensation is concerned. The same thing naturally applies to Israel's Millennial Kingdom, the Lord only knows the day of His return, and the time He will set up His Kingdom Reign. After all Christ in His Omniscience is the all knowing Lord who will be in charge over all things, and who . . . could sway Him to change His mind about anything?

9. All of this when considered makes clear that the Rapture of the Body of Christ is imminent. And, because of the fact the one Body in mystery form, was kept as an unknown mystery from the twelve Apostles, and the prophets until revealed to Paul. This in itself should prove to any Bible student, that it was to be kept in its own Dispensation, and could not begin or end in the Millennial Kingdom Dispensation! When studying the things in the Old Testament that concerned Israel, and Paul's Epistles which concerned the Body of Christ, it should be evident that the differences in the administrations are overwhelmingly different in scope. The prophets in the O.T. prophesied about the future Kingdom. Christ and the 12 Apostles taught the Gospel and preached about the Kingdom. Clearly in the Book of Revelation the Kingdom Gospel will once again be taught because it is on Hebrew ground and concerns doctrine for that nation.

10. If the Body of Christ today were to go into the Tribulation Period, this would mean that the Gospel of the Mystery and the Gospel of the Kingdom would both have to be taught side by side in order to make everything comprehensible to both parties. Does this make sense to the reader? Put yourself in the Tribulation Period alongside an Israelite, and listen to a Hebrew prophet preach the Kingdom Gospel. For sure, he is going to preach the Kingdom Gospel such as Peter taught which states . . .

11. Scripture: "[ And Peter answered them saying, ] Repent, [ change your views, and purpose to accept the will of God in your inner selves instead of rejecting it ] and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for remission [ forgiveness] of [ and release from your ] sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, { Acts 2:38 }."

12. Commentary . . . What are you to do since you are already a Child of God, and have been saved under a different Gospel other than the Gospel of the Kingdom? Today one is to live by the Gospel of the Mystery that Paul taught! The time period mentioned above concerns the Hebrews and their Gospel of the Kingdom, and are of prophecy yet to be fulfilled. But, our present time period is of grace and is much different in scope. This naturally does not mean that certain prophetic events are not to transpire during this grace age because they will. We must realize that the Rapture of the Saints of the present Dispensation is prophesied in both Thessalonians and Corinthians, but it was never prophesied anywhere in history prior to the time it was made known to the Apostle Paul except perhaps through type or shadow form! Concerning the Apostle Paul, how could anyone state that any of Paul's Epistles which concern the Body of Christ are strictly prophetic books? Which one of his Epistles is completely filled with prophetic teachings? If there is one, this writer hasn't read it! We are aware that there are several prophetic teachings in some of Paul's Epistles, such as the Rapture, and the Antichrist that he mentions in Thessalonians, and Corinthians as we have already mentioned.

13. Paul mentioned prophetic details only occasionally and went on to other things. There are ministers that teach that prophecy only concerned the Kingdom period mentioned in the Old Testament and, after the Rapture. It is actually easy to prove them wrong. The Epistle of Revelation and many O.T. Books such as the Book of Daniel, the miner prophets, Isaiah etc, are books speaking of prophetic events, and it should be remembered that Revelation was written during this Grace Period, A.D. 96. The books mentioned also teach a great deal concerning the future Day of the Lord, most of their teaching is prophetic. What place does the Body of Christ have in that or the future Tribulation Period? None that we can find, and, where can you find any Scripture to prove otherwise? Why doesn't Paul, the Apostle of the Gentiles inform the Body of Christ, a great deal more about the Tribulation Period.

14. Why does Paul fail to warn us about its calamities and, what the difficulties well be for us and, explain what we will have to endure if we are to go through it? The fact is, it just isn't going to happen!!! As far as prophecy is concerned, we would like for the reader to understand that this writer will never imply that there is no future prophecy predicted for our own Grace Period, because this would not be true. Actually Christ Himself prophesied the destruction of the Hebrew Temple that was destroyed in A.D. 70 which was a prophecy that was fulfilled during this present Grace Dispensation. There are several other prophetic events prophesied to be fulfilled during this present age and are being fulfilled at the present time, such as the automobile that we believe is mentioned in typology in { Nahum 2:3-4 }. And, then we have another ministry to be fulfilled in the future such as the following:

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15. We have mentioned the 144,000 Hebrews who will be saved at the beginning of the Tribulation Period, and we find this Scripture in the 7th Chapter of Revelation. The whole 7th Chapter is considered by many great scholars as a parenthetical chapter, in other words it is believed that the 7th chapter proceeds all the way through the Tribulation Period from beginning to end, and part of the 14th chapters also speak of that which concerns the 144,000 Hebrew ministers mentioned. Dr. Harry Ironside has the following to say about this chapter, and it must be remembered that Dr. Ironside passed away around 50 years ago. Most of Ironside's preaching was taught in the Moody Bible Church in Chicago, and many of his messages were taught over radio because TV was not in many homes when he was still alive.

16. [ Quote ]: "We have this parenthetic seventh chapter in which are recorded two important visions. In the first, John sees a hundred and forty-four thousand Israelites sealed by an angel, and in the second, he beholds a great multitude of Gentiles led in triumph by the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne, taking possession of the millennial earth. I am sure that many of my hearers have often been perplexed by conflicting theories regarding the hundred and forty-four thousand. The way in which many un-scriptural and often positively heretical sects arrogate to themselves this title would be amusing, if it were not so sad. You are perhaps aware that the Seventh-Day Adventists apply it to the faithful of their communion, who will be found observing the Jewish Sabbath at the Lord's return.

17. They suppose that these will be Raptured when the Lord descends, and judgment poured out upon the rest of the Body of Christ. Then we have the followers of the late Pastor Russell [ Jehovah's Witness ] who teach that the hundred and forty-four thousand include only the "over-comers" of their persuasion who continue faithful to the end, following the teaching of the system commonly called "Millennial Dawnism." [ Also ]: That very absurd and weird cult known as the flying Roll" makes claim to the same thing; only with them, the hundred and forty-four thousand are those who will have their blood so cleansed that they cannot die, but will have immortal life on the earth!

18. Besides these, there are many other sects, whose leaders consider their own peculiar followers will be the hundred and forty-four thousand sealed ones at the time of the end. All of these, however, overlook a very simple fact, which, if observed, would save them from their folly. That is, the hundred and forty-four thousand are composed of twelve thousand from each tribe of the children of Israel. There is not a Gentile among them, nor is there confusion as to tribe. Whenever I meet people who tell me they belong to the hundred and forty- and four thousand, I always ask them, "Which tribe, please?" and they are invariably put to confusion for want of an answer, [ End Quote ].

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19. When we turn to { Revelation Ch. 7 }, The Apostle John is very emphatic when he states what he observed take place on the earth:

20. { V. 1 } Scripture: "And after these things I saw four angels standing [ stationed ] on [ at ] the four corners of the earth [ firmly ], holding [ back ] the four winds of the earth, [ so ] that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. { See Zechariah 6:5; - Matthew 24:31; - & - Psalm 1104:4 }.

21. { V. 2 } And I saw another [ a second ] angel ascending from the east [ the rising sun ], having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given [ authority and power ] to hurt the earth and the sea,

22. { V. 3 } Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. { See Ezekiel 9:4 }. [ This naturally occurs at the beginning of the 70th week ].

23. { V. 4 } And [ then ] I heard the number of them which were [ marked and ] sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all 'the tribes of the Children of Israel', { Revelation 7:1-4 }."

24. Commentary . . . This is a particular group of Hebrews that are called forth to become special Ministers of the Lord, see { Isaiah 61:6; - & - Joel 2:28-29 }.

25. { Vs. 1-8 } of the 7th Chapter concern "the 12 tribes of Israel and no one else." The 12 tribes in the O.T. are referred to as Assemblies or Congregations. These tribes actually were a formation of people which consisted of one body, that is, one nation under Jehovah God. Just as the Body of Christ today is made up into one Body. The earth, as we know is round, but this does not change the meaning of the text, { See Isaiah 40:22; - & - Zechariah 6:1, 5 }. Daniel tells uss about the 4 winds:

26. { V. 2 } Scripture: "Daniel spoke and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven [ political and social agitation's ] strove upon [ were stirring up ] the great sea [ the nations of this world ],

27. { V. 3 } And four great beasts came up from [ out of ] the sea [ in succession and they were ], divers [ different ] from one another, { Daniel 7:2-3 }."

28. Commentary . . . This gives us a picture of the various empires coming into existence on the world scene. These are the empires that were previously described in the dream of Nebuchadnezzar, of { Daniel Ch. 2: - & - Ch. 7:17 }. The angels weree restraining the appearing of the last beast from coming on the scene. The number "four" in the Greek, is the number for world government, and we notice in the above verses, the four winds, and the four great beasts representing the rulers of the four ancient empires. And then in { Revelation 13:1 }, the last phase of the future Roman empire comes into being, and it has 7 heads and 10 horns. This is a symbol of the worlds' nations coming together in a restless condition.

29. This is the way man's last world government comes to the forefront as a world power. It will be a large federalized group of nations which we now know to be the present European common Market that is rapidly clutching for a one world unity. You also notice, that this new world order comes from the sea, which represents many of the world's nations joining themselves as one, and will be in perplexity. The Antichrist being controlled by Satan will become the leader of this federation of nations, and as prophesied by the prophets of old, will take his office as a willful king. Christians can thank the Lord that this will not be completely fulfilled as long as the Body of Christ is present on this earth!

30. { V. 7 } Scripture: "And this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns, { Daniel 7:7 }."

31. { V. 7 } above paraphrased . . . "After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, terrible, powerful and dreadful, and exceedingly strong; and it had great iron teeth; it devoured, engulfed, and crushed, and trampled what was left with its feet. And it was different from all the beasts that came before it, and it had ten horns [ symbolizing ten kings ] See Daniel 2:40-43; - & 7:23 }.

32. Commentary . . . This fourth beast, is speaking of the ancient Roman Empire. When reading the { 24th and 25th verses }, you will find the answer as to what the ten horns and the little horn ( future Antichrist ) refers to.

33. { V. 8 } I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another horn [ a little one ], before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this [ little ] horn were eyes like [ the eyes of ] a man, and a mouth speaking great things.

34. { V. 9 } I beheld till the thrones were cast down [ were placed in position ], and the ancient of days [ Jehovah God as judge ] did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head like the pure wool: His throne was like the fiery flame, and His wheels as burning fire.

35. { V. 9 } above paraphrased: "I kept looking until thrones were placed [ for the assessors with the judges ], and the Ancient of days [ God, the eternal Father ] took His seat, Whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head like pure wool; His throne was like the fiery flame, its wheels reflected like burning fire. {See Revelation 20:4; - Matthew 19:28; - 1- Kings 22:19; Daniel 7:13, 22; - Psalm 90:2; - & - Ezekiel 1:26-28 }.

36. { V. 10 } A fiery stream [ of fire ] issued and came fourth from before Him: [ a ] thousand thousands ministered to Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand [ rose up and ] stood before Him: [ the Judge was seated, ] the judgment was set [ the court was in session ], and the books were opened.

37. { V. 11 } I beheld then because [ the sound ] of the voice of the great words which the horn spoke: I beheld [ I watched ] even till the beast was slain, and the body was destroyed, and given [ over ] to the burning flame.

38. { V. 12 } [ And ] As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their [ power and ] dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time, [ that is, for the duration of their lives which was fixed by the Lord for a season and a time ] { Daniel 7:7-12 }."

39. Commentary . . . Part of the interpretation of the above verses refer to four of the Kingdoms that existed in the time of Daniel and afterwards. First there was the "Head of Gold { Daniel 2:32 }," the Babylon empire. Secondly, the breast and arms of silver represented the Medes and Persian Empire { V. 32 } after they conquered the Babylonians [ 538-333- B.C ]. Third, the "belly, and thighs of brass { V. 32 }," which represented the Greek Empire [ 333- B.C. till 63-B.C ], { See Ch. 8:20-21 }. And "4th," we have the legs and the feet which represent the Roman Empire taking over from the Greeks in [ 63-B.C ], and this was when Israel came under the ruler-ship of the Romans. The Roman Empire was in force on until [ A.D. 476 ], and then lost most of their power over the nations until this last century when it began its revival, and is now called the Common Market of Europe, "i.e., the revived Roman Empire." But what this federation of nations doesn't know, is that Jesus will destroy them at His Second Return to this earth!

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40. We have written in other messages concerning the fact that a remnant of the Israelites will remain on the earth after becoming Believers during the Tribulation Period, and this must never be forgotten by any Bible student. And, naturally the Millennial Kingdom will be established at the Lord's return! Many of the Israelites will reside in a hidden place, where the Antichrist cannot destroy them during the last half of the 70th week.

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41. Dr. Ironside again states: [ Quote ]: "Verses four to eight { of Revelation Ch. 7 } leaves no doubt whatever as to the identify of these sealed ones. John "heard the number of them that were sealed: and there were sealed a hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel." In { V. 9-17 } we see a great multitude described. It seems strange that some have taught in this multitude that we have the Resurrected Body of Christ; hence they have supposed that the Lord would not come for His Christian Body until the middle of the tribulation period: but a careful study of the passage makes it very evident . . ., that we are here gazing upon an earthly, not a heavenly, company.

42. This great multitude embraces the Gentile nations who will enter into millennial blessing. It is the great in-gathering of the coming Dispensation, when from all nations, and kindreds, and peoples, and tongues, a vast throng from all parts of the earth will be redeemed to God by the blood of the Lamb, and will enter into the earthly kingdom of our Lord. During the dark days of the Great Tribulation they will heed the testimony which will be carried to the ends of the earth by Jewish missionaries, "the wise among the people" { see Daniel Ch. 12 }, who shall instruct many in righteousness. They are identical, I take it, with the "sheep" of { Matthew 25:31-46 } who are placed on the right hand of the Son of Man when He comes in His glory and all holy angels with Him, and who inherit the kingdom prepared for them from the foundations of the earth.

43. { V. 14 } Scripture: "These are they which came out of the great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb;

44. Commentary . . . But they are nowhere said to be taken away to heaven- quite the contrary; they are in a scene where it is necessary that the Lamb should feed them and lead them, and spread His tabernacle over them.

45. { V. 15 } plainly tells us: "Therefore [ during the Millennium ] they are before the throne of God [ the Messiah ], and serve [ by ministering before ] Him day and night in His temple: and He that sits on the throne shall dwell among them [ in Jerusalem ].

46. Commentary . . . This refers to the millennial temple, which is to be built in the land in that coming day just after the Lord's return. There will be no day and night in heaven. The expression can only refer, in this connection, to the temple on this earth. We are told that . . .

47. { V. 16 } "They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.

48. { V. 17 } For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them into living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, { Revelation 7:14-17 }."

49. Commentary . . . It is probably because people have not realized the blessedness of the millennial day that these verses are made to refer to heaven, but they are at one with the predictions of Isaiah, and others of the prophets, in regard to the blessing that the saved nations shall enjoy when the Lamb Himself reigns. The struggle for daily bread will be over - they shall hunger no more; the oftentimes vain effort to quench their thirst will be at an end they shall thirst no more.

50. Even the unpleasant and disagreeable things with which men have been afflicted because of the way sin has jarred God's creation will be at an end, [ i.e; All of this for the Israelites during the Millennial reign of our Lord ]. . . . While it is true that the Body of Christ will be in a far better scene; while our hope is heavenly, not earthly, yet we can indeed rejoice and our hearts [ minds ] may swell with gladness to think of the blessing awaiting the earth and its inhabitants. And God has surely promised it, and will fulfill all that He has caused to be written by His holy prophets in the sacred Scriptures, for "the Scripture cannot be broken, [ End Quote ]."

51. The Lord has told us in His Word that He would keep us from the hour of trouble, that is, of the terrible Tribulation Period. But, after that period of tribulation begins, right at the first of it, the 144.000 Hebrew Ministers will be saved, and called out to minister throughout those seven years. Some have taught that this will be the entire Hebrew population that will be saved during that week of years. We want to quickly make it known that this is a bold misinterpretation of God's Word.

52. { V. 8 } Scripture: "And it shall come to pass, that in all the land [ during the Tribulation Period ], says the Lord, two parts [ two thirds of the Hebrews world wide ] therein shall be cut off and die; but the [ one ] third shall be left therein [ alive ]. { Concerning Israel, read Hosea 2:23; - & - Romans 11:5 }.

53. { V. 9 } And I will bring the third part through the fire [ of the 7 year Tribulation ], and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try [ test ] them as gold is tried [ tested ]: they shall call on My name, and I will hear them: I will say, it is My people: and they shall say, the Lord is my God, { Zechariah 13:8-9 }."

54. God's judgment of Israel at the return of Christ will weed out any of that nation who have rejected Him, but there will still be one third of them who will have become Believers. These will constitute the "all Israel" that will then - be in a saved condition, and who will enter into the Millennial reign with their Messiah. The Millennial earth will become the inheritance of the nation, but not the heavens. This will mean also, that the many Gentiles world-wide, that will adhere to the message of the 144,000 Hebrew Ministers during that period, will likewise become Saints and enter into that glorious Millennium with Jesus as the King of the earth! Now please let us enlarge upon one thing that has been erroneously taught for many years:

55. There are Ministers who teach that after the Rapture, when the Tribulation begins, there will begin to be a great revival all over the earth. And, there will be an un-precedented spiritual awakening as far as Christianity is concerned. A huge host of people who have never really decided for Christ during the Body of Christ dispensation of grace, will then turn to Jesus. These people will have heard the Gospel rightly taught, but failed to believe before the Rapture. It is being widely taught that these will form the great multitude of the 144,000 that are spoken of in Revelation.

56. After searching throughout the Bible to come up with any Scripture that would make it true what these Ministers are teaching, let it be known that I haven't found even one verse to prove their teaching to be true. It is also being taught that there is going to be a great revival among the population existing at the present time before the Rapture. Truthfully we hope that - that will be true, but we doubt it. Because this world is becoming more corrupt every day, and we see no relenting or large revivals before the Rapture!

57. On the other hand, we do find in our Bible that the Lord will reject all those who have rejected Him during the previous age of grace when they had- had every advantage to receive Him as their Lord, but failed to do so! Therefore, let this be a warning, if you or any of your family are in a lost condition, neither you or any of them will have a second chance to be saved in a future age if you reject Him in this present age of grace!

58. { V. 10 } Scripture: "And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness [ i.e., unlimited seduction to evil with all wicked deception ] in them that perish [ that is, to all those who are going to perdition ]; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved."

59. { V. 11 } "And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion [ a misleading influence a working of error and a strong delusion ], that they should believe a lie;

60. { V. 12 } That they all might be damned [ judged and condemned to Hell ] who believed not the truth [ past tense ], but [ instead ] had pleasure in unrighteousness, { 2- Thessalonians 2:10-12 }."

61. Commentary . . . This strong delusion comes from the Lord; it is both a punishment and a moral result of their rejection of the truth. The verses reflect the Old Testament concept that the Lord is sovereign even in the activities of the power of evil, { see Exodus 4:21; - Joshua 11:20; - 1- Kings 22:19-23; - 1- Chronicles 21:1, - & - 2- Samuel 24:1 }. The resullt will be that man will believe a lie [ literally, "the lie" ] as Satan works through the Antichrist. The Body of Christ will have been Raptured, therefore, no second chance will be given to those who have willfully rejected Jesus as Saviour when salvation had been offered before the Rapture had taken place.

62. The question now is asked, since the Body of Christ has been Raptured, how are folks to be saved during the 70th week? Is the Holy Spirit still going to be present on the earth at that time? Doesn't the "Falling away" mean that the Spirit of God will no longer be present on the earth?

63. Scripture: "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, { 2- Thessalonians 2:3 }."

64. { V. 3 } above paraphrased: "Let no one deceive or beguile you in any way, for that Tribulation day will not come except the apostasy comes first . . . that is, unless the predicted great falling away of those who have professed to be Christians has come: and the man of lawlessness [ sin, the Antichrist ] is revealed, who is the son of doom [ of perdition ], { 2- Thessalonians 2:3 }." { See also 1- Timothy 4:1; - Daniel 7:25; - & - 8:25 }.

65. Commentary . . . What doe it mean that the falling away must take place before the Tribulation begins? The definite article [ "the" ] denotes that this will be a definite event distinct from the appearance of the Antichrist. The Greek word [ Apostasia ] is the word for "falling away" taken by itself, this does not mean religious apostasy or defection. Neither does the word mean "to fall," as the Greeks have another word for that. The best translation of the word "is to depart." The Apostle Paul refers here to a definite event that he calls "the departure," and which will occur just before the start of the Tribulation Period.

66. This is the Rapture of the Body of Christ. The average Pre-tribulationist have been taught that it means that the Holy Spirit will have been taken up with the Rapture of the Body, but we do not except that interpretation as being completely true. The Holy Spirit is as much God as the other two parts of the God-head, and since God is omnipresent, this means that all things are eternally in His Presence, therefore the Holy Spirit will be in Heaven, this is true, but He will also be upon the earth at that time!

67. All this means that the Holy Spirit will receive folks into the Kingdom Assembly in that day just as He accepts them into the Body of Christ in our own Day of grace. And, He will accept them as members of the Kingdom when they become Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ by faith in Him as their Saviour. But no one will be saved who had a chance to be saved when they heard the Gospel taught to them before the Rapture. No second chances will be given to previous Christ rejecters! The whole Tribulation Period will be a Dispensation of testing, and of judgment. This period will represent the fact that the mystery of iniquity has finally come into fruition and is now in the stage of full development. The wicked Christ rejecters who will gladly receive the Antichrist as their godly potentate will run hog-wild in their most degrading manner and desires, but judgment will begin almost immediately!

68. The Spirit of God in the 70th week will still move the minds of humanity. When Israel was cast out into the nations of the world in A.D. 70, their eyes were blinded to Jesus so that they would remain blinded throughout the present age of grace. But, after the Rapture, their eyes will once again be opened and their understanding will be enlarged to the point that they will comprehend the teaching of the two witnesses and the 144,000 Hebrew Ministers, thus, tens of thousands of them will become Saints of God.

69. Scripture: "He has blinded their eyes, and hardened [ and benumbed ] their [ callous degenerated ] hearts [ minds, he has made their minds dull ]; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts [ minds ], and be converted [ in repentance ], and [ that ] I should heal them, { John 12:40 }."

70. Commentary . . . Many Hebrews today actually hate Christians, because in past years, Jewish people have been tortured and slain by Gentiles who have proclaimed Christianity for themselves and denied the rights of the Hebrew people. Even today, there are those who are like minded as Hitler was, and would love to eradicate the Hebrew population from the earth. And still these so-called Christians in name only call themselves Children of God. Therefore, it isn't only the Hebrews who have had their eyes blinded, but thousands of Gentiles are haters of anyone who believes different from themselves. Be very careful and never turn against the Israelites: read { Isaiah 54:17; - Deuteronomy 30:7; - Genesis 12:3; - Zechariah 12:2-3; - Isaiah 29:8; - 24:24-25; - & - 46:13 etc. }

71. Scripture: "But he that hates [ detests, despises ] his brother [ in Christ ] is in darkness, and walks [ living ] in darkness, and knows not [ he isn't aware ] where he goes [ he is straying and does not perceive or know where he is going ], because that darkness has blinded his eyes, { 1- John 2:11 }."

72. Commentary . . . All Gentiles and Hebrews alike, who are left behind after the Rapture has taken place, will go into the Tribulation Period in a blind condition, because they would not receive the Word of God in their hearts [ minds ] during the age of grace period. This does not mean that all of them heard the word of God beforehand, because many of them had never had a chance to receive Christ. Therefore, those who failed to be taught about Christ will have their chance at that time and, many of them will be saved. The eyes of the Hebrews that were blind to Christ just before the Christian age ends will be opened at that time. Many of them will also be saved, and those of them who are Believers and are still alive after the Tribulation ends will proceed on into the time of the reign of Messiah with opened eyes.

73. { V. 4 } Scripture: "He [ the Lord ] shall not fail or be [ come weak or be ] discouraged, till He have set judgment [ and justice ] in the earth: and the isles [ and coastal regions ] shall [ hopefully ] wait for [ the Divine direction of ] His law.

74. { V. 5 } Thus says God the Lord [ Jesus ], He that created the heavens, and stretched them out; He that spread forth [ abroad ] the earth, and that which comes out of it; He that gives breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:

75. { V. 6 } I the Lord [ the Holy Father ] have called you [ the Messiah for a righteous purpose and ], in righteousness, and will hold Your hand, and will keep You, and give You for a covenant of the people [ Israel ], for a light of the [ nations of the ] Gentiles;

76. { V. 7 } To open the blind eyes [ of the Israelites ], to bring out the prisoners from the prison [ of the Gentile nations ], and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house [ of captivity ].

77. { V. 8 } I am the Lord: that is My name: and My glory will I not give to another, neither [ will I give ] My praise to [ any ] graven images [ idols ]. [ Also He was the Angel of the Lord. The Angel of countenance: meaning - He was before the 'Face of God' - He was God the Son! He was Jehovah., Yahweh; ] see { Psalm 83:18 }.

78. { V. 9 } Behold, the former things are [ have ] come to pass, and new things do I [ now ] declare: before they spring fourth I tell you of them.

79. { V. 10 } Sing unto the Lord a new song, and His praise from the end of the earth, you that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles [ and coastal regions ], and the inhabitants thereof [ sing a song such as has never been heard in the heathen world ], { Isaiah 42:4-10 }."

80. Commentary . . . Here we have the proof that during the time of "Jacob's Trouble" [ i.e., Daniel's 70th week; the Tribulation Period ] { Daniel 9:27 }; - { see also Jeremiah 31:7 }, the Spirit of God will still be working, and that those whom are saved during that time will go on to enter into the millennium of the Lord's reign according to His own promises! And, a huge multitude of Gentiles will also become Believers at that time, by listening to the ministry of the 144,000 Hebrew Ministers. But to those whose minds remain blackened by sin, and have had a chance at salvation will have no second chance to receive the Lord as Saviour, their minds will remain corrupted in deviltry! They were witnessed to during this Christian Dispensation but ignored the gift of salvation. They will accept the mark of the Antichrist and will remain eternally lost. The Lord Jehovah millenniums ago said: ". . . My Spirit shall not always strive with man, { Genesis 6:3 }."

81. In the last days, during the reign of Antichrist, through the power of Satan, the folks with hardened minds will be given over to strong delusions so that they will accept the beast of { Revelation Ch. 13 } as their god. The strong delusion means that they will accept the lies of the willful king thus becoming hardened to the truth, and will go into judgment. They will not be tested, for once they have accepted the mark of the beast, testing for them will have already been completed. Once anybody at that time have received that mark it will be too late to change their minds, { 2- Thessalonians 2:11-12 }. { See also Revelation 13:16-18 }. But, for those who refuse to worship the beast or take his mark, it will be a different story, { see Revelation 20:4 }. The Lord told Israel:

82. Scripture, "Give glory to the Lord your God, before He causes [ and brings forth ] darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark [ and twilight ] mountains, and [ before - rather: ], while you look for light, He turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross [ thick ] darkness, { Jeremiah 13:16 }."

83. Commentary . . . The Egyptian Pharaoh found out what the words "strong delusion" really stands for, He rejected the word of the Lord, and obeyed the dictates of Satan. Moses obeyed the Lord Jehovah, and told Pharaoh what was expected of him through the commandment of God. But Satan had hardened Pharaoh's mind to the point that he thought he could get away with what he had decided was right in his own mind, and found very quickly that his own power was impotent. Willfulness brings forth sin, and sin brings on darkness, for in darkness sinful deeds are performed by slothful agents of darkness with Satan at their head. The unsaved have a tendency to deliberately choose darkness in place of light. It may be, and often is judicial: in this men are given up to darkness because of their own perversity just as we have read in the above verse!

84 Rejection of the salvation one is offered, shows forth the darkness that has taken over the mind of the lost individual, who has in his mind that salvation is meaningless, and therefore, if there is such a place as heaven, surely he can get there by his own merit. Naturally, it doesn't work that way! The Lord Jesus continually pleads for the lost to open the door of his mind, and let the Spirit of God enter. But hard heartiness avails in the mind of the unsaved to the point where darkness abides, and often is difficult to overcome. A sinner must fight against the wiles of the devil and overcome him. This can happen when a person starts thinking for himself, and rejects Satan's words that have been placed in his mind. One short prayer, such as we will give the reader at the end of the last part of this Message, can change your life for ever, and can assure you of eternal life in the hereafter.

85. If you or one of your family is in a lost condition when Jesus descends from heaven to receive the Body of Christ up into Paradise, you can be assured that you will have had your last chance to become a Child of God. Because, this message has taught you how to become a Christian. This means, that you have heard the way to change your life from darkness into light: [ knowledge ]. Turning away from this light in rejection, will have told the Spirit of God that you are not really interested in His eternal security, His protection from the darkness of this world. Certainly, He will strive with you to change your mind, but after the Rapture His striving will have ended for you, you had your chance and you blew it. And now, only condemnation awaits you! As one man stated: "your doom will be eternally sealed."

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86. Commentary . . . Dr, Ironside once again states: [ Quote ] "When once the master of the house has risen up and shut the door" - who is there that shall open it? The five foolish virgins, left outside when the Bridegroom came, knocked in vain for admittance later. They picture those who will be on the wrong side of the door, closed for all eternity. Yet strangely enough, this very parable of the ten virgins has been used by certain teacher to bolster up their unsound theory of a second chance for Christ-rejecters after the Saviour calls the Body of Christ up into Heaven. The foolish virgins are, by them, supposed to represent persons afterwards gathered in, but miss the heavenly blessing.

87. Others have based on this parable the equally un-scriptural hypothesis that only the more spiritual saint will be caught up at the Rapture, and the weaker ones will be left behind to be purified during the Great Tribulation. This is a virtual denial of the truth of the one Body of Christ. The weakest member of that Body is as dear to Christ the Head as the strongest, and all who are Christ's will have their part in the Rapture, irrespective of their more or less advanced stage in the Christian life. It is the perfection of the work of redemption that gives title to any of the promises of God; it is not as a reward for service or merit. [ End Quote ]."

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88. We have spoken a great deal about the transition periods in the New Testament, and have stated that there was an overlapping of the Kingdom Gospel that was taught then, and the Gospel of the Mystery that is taught today. But even though they did overlap, still the Kingdom Gospel period had to eventually be set aside, and after this, the Gospel of the Mystery continued onward till this very day. Therefore, any one who would deny that perhaps some of those who were saved after the beginning of the Mystery program begin, might still have remained as members of the Kingdom Congregational [ Body ]. But, we must state positively, that any such notion as this is flatly untrue!

89. Every single individual who have been saved during this age of God's grace while the Mystery program has been in force, definitely belongs to the Body of Christ, and were saved into that Body! No one knows precisely the day or the hour, or as a matter of fact: even the precise year when the Body of Christ first begin. Actually, this really isn't of great importance for us to know. But it must be realized that when the Kingdom Period was set aside, the Body of Christ progressed onward. This means that those who were saved before the Kingdom period was set aside and lived on into the one Body Period, such as Timothy was and did, actually became members of the one Body. And we can say the same thing about the 12 Apostles, certainly they became members of the Body of Christ after being members of the Kingdom Assembly. [ The word "Ekklesia," means "Assembly, Congregation, either singular or in plurality, which can refer to local or otherwise, or to the called out Body of Christ - & - etc." ]

90. The question is, could this same type of transition take place when the Tribulation Period begins? Isn't it likely that the Body of Christ could go on into the Tribulation Period? The answer is positively no! What happened to those who died before the death of Christ, and before the Acts Period began, did they go to Heaven? Scripture makes very clear that a huge host of people in Old Testament times were Believers such as King David, and were saved, thus they went to Paradise at their time of death. And we repeat, those who were saved, and were yet alive, thus living on into the one Body period became members of the Body of Christ.

91. Therefore, David, Moses, and the many prophets were saved primarily by believing in The Lord Jehovah, "but not by the works of the old Law they performed." On the other hand, works were a necessary ingredient to prove their faith during the Kingdom Administration of the law. It must be recognized that the former Kingdom, and the present Grace Dispensations were to end in much different circumstances. The Kingdom Dispensation at the time of the Apostles in the Acts period, was to be set aside during a time of transition. The Body of Christ will also end in a transition period which we won't go into at this time.

92. But, the difference is that those that were in the Kingdom Assembly were merely set aside to allow two millenniums to proceed between their Kingdom Administration at that time and, commence again at the end of the Body of Christ dispensation. The Body of Christ will be completed and fulfilled at the Rapture just before the Tribulation Begins. The Kingdom Administration will commence where it left of during the Acts Period and will end with the Second Coming of Christ. But a new Kingdom order will commence with Christ the Messiah's return to the earth. Perhaps a little confusing, right?

93. When our Dispensation ends we will be taken up into Heaven, when the Hebrew Administration ends, those who are Believers at that time will go on into the new Administration of Christ's Millennial order. The nation of Israel and her Kingdom covenants were still to be fulfilled on this earth. They were merely set aside throughout this Dispensation of Grace, their Kingdom was only post-poned and will commence once again when the Body of Christ Period ends with the Rapture of the Body. Naturally, Israel's covenant promises will all be fulfilled during Christ's future Kingdom Administration.

94. Now again this question might be asked, "did Israel's Kingdom really end in the Acts period?" Could it be that what we have said is true, and that the Kingdom was only set aside for two thousand years until the Body of Christ Dispensation finished its course of history? Since this is truthfully the case, this means that when this present Dispensation ends, and the Tribulation Period begins and completes its course, this will mean that the prophecy of Daniel will have been fulfilled in all its completeness! Thus, this also means that the Body of Christ Dispensation, and the Kingdom Dispensation of John the Baptist's time will have both ended in approximately seven years apart with the 70th week being fulfilled between the Rapture and Second Coming. Therefore, as we have before stated, it would be impossible for any part of the Body of Christ to enter into Israel's Kingdom Dispensation.

95. According to this, even though Israel's Kingdom Dispensation began before the Body of Christ Dispensation, it will end after the present Dispensation ends. It has been taught that the transition in the past involved only the outward religious program from the law, the temple, the ordinances, the sign gifts on into the present program for the Body of Christ. But, the Lord was not carrying on a distinct Kingdom Dispensation and a Body Dispensation at the same time. There had to be a sitting aside of one program before the other could rightfully commence. After the resurrection of the Body of Christ, we find no more mention as such in the Book of Revelation.

96. Commentary . . . And now we find a new thing, that there are 24 elders spoken of in { Revelation Ch. 4 }, on thrones that are stationed around the throne of God. These 24 we believe is a reference to the present Body of Christ. A calling upward of John: notice that John states:

97. { V. 1 } Scripture: "After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were a [ calling of a war and a ] trumpet talking with me; which said, come up here, and I will show you things which must be hereafter.

98. Commentary . . . This is thought by many Believers to take place at the end of the present age of grace when the Rapture takes place. Therefore, the Body of Christ plus the Apostle John will be in spiritual bodies at that time, although, John when he wrote these words, was still in the body of flesh, and still had much more to write in this prophetic Book, after all Revelation was written in A.D. 96. So we see the Church of Philadelphia, that is, the true Body of Christ being Raptured here, and the false church: "Laodicea" will still be present on the earth to be tested, judged, and be spewed from the mouth of the Lord : { Ch, 3:16 }, { read Revelation Ch. 17 }. Read also { 1- Thessalonians 4:16-17; - 1- Corinthians 15:52-52; - 1- John 3:2; - & - Philippians 3:21}.

99. { V. 2 } And immediately I [ John ] was in [ and came under the power of ] the [ Holy ] Spirit: { as in Ch. 1:10 } and beheld, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. { See Ezekiel 1:26 }.

100. { V. 3 } And He that sat [ on the throne ] was to look upon [ in appearance, was ] like [ the crystalline brightness of ] a jasper and a sardine [ or rather a sardius ] stone: and there was a rainbow round about [ encircling ] the throne, in sight like unto an emerald [ i.e., it was similar to the likeness of a halo that looks like a rainbow of emerald ]. { See Genesis 9:13; - & - Ezekiel 1:28 }. [ A sardius was a precious stone in the breastplate of the Hebrew high priest, thought to have been a ruby ].

101. Commentary . . . The one which sat on this throne is God the father because He hands the little book to Jesus Who is compared to these two stones, clear and pure, see { Revelation 21:11; - & - Ch. 5:6-8 }. The rainbow is a sign that there will be mercy in the midst of judgment on the earth during the 7 years of tribulation. But at the great White Throne judgment where the lost are judged, there is no mention of a rainbow where mercy could be applied. Notice that this is after the Rapture, and it should be understood that the Lord Jesus Christ does not sit on a throne before the Rapture, because He is our High Priest acting as our intercessor between God the Father and Satan in the Heavenlies. See { 1- Timothy 2:5; - Acts 7:55; - Hosea 5:15; - & - 6:1-2 >}.

102. { V. 4 } And round about the throne [ in Heaven ] were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats [ other thrones ] I saw four and twenty elders [ 24 all told, who will be the members of the Heavenly Sanhedrin ] sitting, clothed in white raiment and they had on their heads crowns of gold, { Revelation 4:1-4 }."

103. Commentary . . . The foot-note in my Bible says: "some understand these to be angelic beings, though it is likely that the twenty four elders represent redeemed men who are glorified, crowned, and enthroned." In other words "The representatives of the Body of Christ. When the Apostle John was given the revelation of that which concern the 24 elders in { Revelation Ch. 4 }, there have been many ideas given as to who these elders are. Several have voiced the idea that they must be angelic beings because they are mentioned in the same Bible texts that portray the four living creatures. But, never do we find anywhere in any book of our Bible where angels receive crowns [ stephanos ] which would, we believe, be given because of victorious achievements by the recipients. Folks who reject Pre-millennialism absolutely refuse to accept the literal interpretation of the Scriptures by placing those things that are unacceptable by them, into an incomprehensible theory or allegorical [ figurative ] translation. Again we repeat, this type of interpretation is the spiritualizing method of explaining things that they really do not comprehend themselves!

104. Naturally, that is a type of Scripture translation ordinarily used by the A-millennialist in their argument against Pre-millennialists. By using this kind of system none of their students will ever understand the Bible as they should. By teaching that the 24 elders are angels would be stating that angels sit on thrones [ thronos ] just as the 24 are sitting on thrones. When somebody sits on a throne, it should be realized that a throne signifies royalty and this could never be applied to angelic beings. Also, when the judgment of the works of Children of God takes place they are to receive white apparel, "but we find no place where angels are dressed in white," and never will those angels who follow the Lord be judged for anything! These 24 elders then, necessarily must be redeemed human Saints who have been Raptured, clothed in white robes, seated on 24 thrones and crowned with golden crowns, they are royalty themselves.

105. Scofield believed and taught that these 24 are representatives of the Body of Christ:

106. He states: [ Quote ]: "Five inerrant marks identify the elders as representing the Body of Christ. These are:

107. [ 1 ]. Their position. They are enthroned "round about" the rainbow encircled central throne. To the Body of Christ and to the Body only of all groups of the redeemed is co-anthronement promised { Revelation 3:21 }. Not yet is Christ seated upon His own throne on earth, but these kingly ones having been presented faultless, with the exceeding joy of the Lord, must be with Him { John 17:24; - & - 1- Thessalonians 4:17-18 }.

108. [ 2 ]. The number of these representative elders, in the book where numbers are so great a part of the symbolism, is significant. For 24 is the number of the choruses into which the Levitical priesthood was divided { 1- Chronicles 24:1-19 }, and of all the groups of the redeemed only the Church is a priesthood, { Revelation 1:6 }, [ End Quote ]."

109. Commentary . . . This writer must disagree with Scofield on one thing: the Body of Christ are Ministers that is true, but Ministers individually, we are not a nation of priest as Israel will be during the Millennial reign of Christ ]. In { 2- Corinthians 5:18-21 }, . . . the Body of Christ are called "Ministers of reconciliation" { V. 18 }, and the words in { V. 20 } call us Ambassadors for Christ. The words Ambassadors, Ministers and Priest in this sense are synonymous with each other and the word priest and Minister have the same meaning. See your Dictionary.

110. [ 3 ]. Scofield goes on to say: [ Quote ]: "The testimony of the enthroned elders mark them as representing of the Church [ Body of Christ ]:

111. { V. 9 } Scripture: "And they sung a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for You were slain, and have redeemed us to [ the triune ] God by [ with ] Your blood [ people ] out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; {V. 10} And have made us [ Israel, "not the Body of Christ" ] unto our God a kings and priests: and we shall reign upon the earth, { Revelation 5:9-10 }." See { Revelation 19:4; - Isaiah 61:6; - Exodus 19:6; - & - 40:15 }.

112. Commentary . . . Scofield states that "the Saints incorporated into the Body of Christ only, can this testify" [ End Quote ]." [ From the above text ] . . . We repeat and warn the reader to Remember: that the Body of Christ is not a Kingdom but inherits the Heavenly Kingdom. Also Israel is an earthly nation and their inheritance is to be the earth in all its Millennial glory during the future reign of our Lord on the earth. We must agree with Scofield on much that he says, but when anyone states that the Body of Christ is a kingdom of priest, naturally we must disagree because we are not a kingdom! And, our inheritance will be parallel with Christ's inheritance, see { Romans 8:14-18 }, we are not looking for an earthly kingdom but to be in the presence of the Lord in His eternal Heavenly universal Kingdom. Scofield goes on to say . . .

113. Quote "[ 4 ]. Eldership is a representative office { Acts 15:2; - & - 20:17 }.

114. [ 5 ]. The Spiritual Intelligence of the elders points them out as sharers of the most intimate divine counsels { Revelation 5:5; 7:13 }. And to whom amongst the redeemed should these counsels be made known if not to those to whom our Lord said: "Henceforth I call you not servants; . . . but I have called friends . . . { John 15:15 }. The Elders are symbolically, the Church [ Body of Christ ], and they are seen in Heaven in the place which the Scriptures assign to the Church [ Body of Christ ] before a seal is opened or a woe uttered and before a vial of the wrath of God is poured out. And, in all that follows, to the 20th Chapter, the Church [ Body of Christ ] is never once referred to as being on earth [ during the Tribulation Period ], [ End Quote }. [ All parentheses are from this writer ].

115. It is true according to { Revelation 5:8 }, these elders are associated in a priestly endeavor, which can never be said of angels, therefore, must be representatives and 'Members in the Body of Christ,' otherwise depicted as priests who are associated with the great high priest the Lord Jesus Himself. The prophet Isaiah stated:

116. { V. 19 } "Scripture: "Your dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, you that dwell in the dust: for your dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.

117. { V. 20 } Come, my people [ Israel, not the Body of Christ ] enter into your chambers [ Petra ], and shut your doors about you: Hide yourself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.

118. { V. 21 } For, behold, the Lord [ will ] come out of His place [ in Heaven ] to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity [ at the battle of Armageddon, and at the judgment of the nations ]: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain, { Isaiah 26:19-21 }."

119. Commentary . . . Isaiah in the above verses predicts that the Lord will ordain peace for His elect Hebrew people whose salvation is the result of Jehovah's work in them. The reference to other lords in { Isaiah 26:13 } is apparently to false gods [ a reference to other masters ] that many of the Israelites had previously worshipped and are now dead, this must be recognize by the Israelites. The meaning of the passage is quite clear in light of Israel's prolonged idol worship, [ Idolatry ]. Those gods that never really did exist could not ever deliver them, and their only hope is in Jehovah Himself. He is such that He can even make the memory of a pagan nation or of a false god disappear. The student should remember that at the time Christ was resurrected He led captivity captive, { Ephesians 4:8 }. This took place when Jesus was resurrected from the dead. He emptied the Paradise section in the interior of the earth and, transferred all the souls of His dead Saints that had been more or less captives there with Him, up into Paradise of the Third Heaven where they are at this present time.

120. { V. 19 } above, is certainly one of the strongest indications of a physical resurrection found anywhere in the Old Testament. Concerning dead bodies mentioned in [ V. 19 }: "Your dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise." Speaking of the souls of the dead, when Christ was resurrected, only the souls of the O.T. Saints were resurrected. The dead body of the prophet Isaiah himself will be resurrected at the same time the other aforementioned dead bodies of the O.T. Saints are resurrected. Those who have previously died are called upon to "awake and sing, you that dwell in the dust [ of the earth. . . . grave Hebrew 'queber ]," Isaiah further predicts that "the earth shall cast out the dead." The language here is certainly reminiscent of { Daniel 12:2 }.

121. That the O. T. clearly teaches the resurrection of the physical bodies of the Jews is obvious from both passages, as well as others. The bodies of all the O.T. Saints plus the Tribulation Saints will be resurrected at the end of the Tribulation Period at the time of the Second Coming of Messiah. The souls of these particular Saints will have returned from Heaven with the Lord to enter into these resurrected bodies that have been changed into spiritual bodies, and they will live on the earth with the Lord. The chapter ends with the Lord urging His people to hide themselves for "a little moment." They will run into the wilderness of Petra to hide from the Antichrist during the last half of the 7 year period of tribulation. The passing of "the indignation [ za'am, indignant denunciation ] in [ V. 20 ]" refers to the survival of the Jewish remnant during the period. This is all explained in other messages we have written before. Finally [ the Messiah ], will have to intervene in order to punish the wicked and to vindicate the righteous, { V. 21 }. [ Read our message concerning "The Song Of Solomon ].

122. Many teachers will take the above verses and use them to teach the resurrection of the Body of Christ, but we tell you for the forty eleventh time that never is the Body of Christ referred to in the O.T. and it is impossible to place the Body into the 70th week by using such texts!

123. Scofield writes: "[ Quote ]: "Not only is there no syllable of Scripture which affirms that the Body of Christ will enter the great Tribulation, but neither the upper-chamber discourse, the new promise, nor the Epistles which explain that promise, so much as mention the great Tribulation. Not once in that great body of inspired writing, written expressly for the Church, is the expression found, [ End Quote ]."

124. Since the persecutions of this Christian age and the wrath of God during the 70th. week vary in kind and character, not just in intensity, it is not sufficient to say that if one is prepared for the lesser he will also be prepared for the greater. The silence in Paul's letters for the Body of Christ which would lead the Body of Christ very- and distinctly unprepared for the Tribulation Period argues for His [ the Bodies ] absence from that tribulation week of 7 years altogether.

125. Concerning the 24 elders: inasmuch as Israel is not resurrected until the end of the 70th week, not judged nor rewarded until the coming of the Lord according to the above texts and { Daniel 12:1-2 }, the elders must be representatives of the Saints of the present age. Since they are seen to be resurrected, in Heaven, their works judged, rewarded with crowns, and en-throned at the beginning of the 70th week, the conclusion has to be that the Body of Christ would have been Raptured before the 70th week begins. If the Body of Christ is not Raptured and translated up into Paradise before the Tribulation Period, as some insist, then who are these 24 elders?

126. Never have we found it mentioned in the Scriptures where any angel ever has or ever will be given crowns! Only humans are said to receive crowns, and this is spoken of in five places in the N.T. Scripture teaches that the dead bodies of the O.T. Saints will be resurrected at the end of the Tribulation Period, and then they will likely receive their crowns. Therefore, those who are sitting on these 24 thrones, will be sitting there during the first part of Daniel's 70th week, this means that they could not refer to either Angels or O.T. Saints! Thus, this writer must believe that they represent the Body of Christ which has been resurrected previously.

127. Therefore, having had their works judged at the Judgment seat of Christ, and been rewarded with golden crowns for their past good works, they are now setting on these thrones representing the Body of Christ around the throne of the Lord. Another thing to remember, is that those humans which are in heaven before the Rapture have only spiritual bodies. But, once the Rapture takes place a physical body such as that which Christ had after His Resurrection, that could eat and drink, will be given to every resurrected child of God at the Rapture. Afterward, we also may eat and drink as Jesus did. { See Luke 24:39 }.

128. { V. 1 } Scripture: "Behold, what [ an incredible quality and ] manner of love the Father has bestowed [ shown ] upon us, that we should be called [ and permitted to be named and called God the Father's children ] the "sons of God [ masculine": and so we are. On the other hand ]: therefore the world knows us not [ they do not recognize or acknowledge us ], because it knew Him not.

129. { V. 2 } Beloved, now are we [ at this very time ] the "Sons of God [ masculine ]," and it does not yet appear [ that is, it is not disclosed or made clear at this time ] what we shall be [ hereafter ]: but we know that, when He shall appear [ and is manifested as the Christ at the Rapture of His Saints ], we shall [ resemble and ] be like "Him [ masculine ]; "for we shall see Him as He [ really ] is, { 1- John 3:1-2 }."

130. Commentary . . . The meaning is also, that we shall receive our spiritual- physical bodies as He will have when He Raptures us. Always remember that the Body of Christ is always in the "masculine gender," and usually Ministers and teachers speak of the Body of Christ as a "she," the same as nations are mentioned. Israel is spoken of in the "Feminine Gender" but not the Body of Christ, Because we are not a nation! We are a Body of Christian believers called "The One New Man," { see Ephesians 2:15; 4:13 }. How could this be made clearer than it does in the following two verses:

131. { V. 10 } Scripture: "And having put on the new man [ Masculine ], which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him [ Masculine ]. See again { Ephesians 2:15; - 4:24; - & - Romans 12:5 >}

132. { V. 11 } Where there is neither Greek or Jew, circumcision nor un-circumcision Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all, [ speaking of all those who make up the Body of Christ ], { Colossians 3:10-11 }.

133. { V. 11 } above paraphrased: "In this new administration all distinctions vanish; there is no room for and, there can be neither Greek nor Hebrew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, [ nor difference between nations whether alien ] barbarians or Scythians [ who are the most savage of all ], nor slave or free man; but Christ is all and in all . . . everything and everywhere, to all men, without distinction of person."

134. Commentary . . . Note in { Romans 12:5 } that it is the "first mention" of the Body of Christ. Also, notice that the last word in the above verse 10 is "him." This word 'him' has a twofold reference, [ 1 ]: it refers to the Body of Christ as a masculine entity, and [ 2 ]: to that which represents our new nature after we are saved with which we may serve the Lord in righteousness { Romans 6:18 }. Notice the new nature in itself in { 1- John 3:1-2 } above is not calling our nature "sons of God" but is calling us as a Body of Believing Saints "Sons of God."

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135. And now we repeat: we find absolutely nothing in the Scriptures that could cause us to believe that any portion of the Body of Christ will enter into the time of Israel and the nation's testing period. When the Hebrews were cast out into the worlds' nations in A.D. 70, . . . since then they have been lied to and brain washed to the fact that Christ had not been the real Messiah, the one they had in the past looked for. So-called Christians such as the crusaders, various Kings in the different nations, and the Roman Church, have tortured and murdered the Hebrew people in the name of Christianity down through the Ages. It is no wonder that their Rabbis down through this age of grace have found no fellowship with Christian Believers. And even in this present age, so-called Christians in name only are lying, cheating and persecuting the Hebrew people throughout the world.

136. Because of the mistrust the Hebrews have toward other races called Gentiles, the majority of them today class all who call themselves Christians in the same category as if we were heathenish, and can we really blame them for this mistake? Man himself cannot separate the true from the false, only the Lord can do that. And when the Rapture takes place this is exactly what the Lord will do! True Saints will be taken up into Paradise and those who believe they are saved and are not, will remain on the earth to suffer the persecutions of the Antichrist. Therefore, Israel who will not accept Christ as Messiah, will have their eyes opened to the witnessing of those who are called out as ministers at that time, and tens of thousands of them will become Believers. Remember, a good conscience or deeds isn't enough, we are saved by faith through God's grace!

137. God's purpose in the Tribulation Period will be for two reasons. First, It will be a time of chastening for the whole nation of Israel, and second, it will be to persuade them to repent and prepare themselves for the returning Messiah that has been promised for so long. The Tribulation Period in the Bible is called the time of Jacob's [ Israel's ] trouble.

138. { V. 7 } Scripture: "Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's [ Israel's unequaled ] trouble; but "he" [ Jacob: Israel ] shall be saved out of it. { See Jeremiah 30:7; - Daniel 12:1; - Genesis 49:11; - Matthew 24:29-30; - & - Revelation 7:14 }. [ Jacob, the son of Isaac, whose name was changed by God to Israel, this is why Israel in mentioned in this verse as a "He." ]

139. { V. 11 } For I am with you says the Lord, to save you: though I [ will ] make a full end of all nations wherever I have scattered you, yet will I not make a full end of you: but I will correct [ by chastising ] you in measure [ and with judgment ], and will not leave you altogether unpunished, Jeremiah 30:7, 11 }."

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140. { V. 1 } Scripture: "And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon you, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before you, and you shall call them to mind among all the nations, wherever your God has driven you,

141. { V. 2 } You shall return unto the Lord your God, and shall obey His voice according to all that I command you this day, you and your children, with all your heart [mind], and with all your soul;

142. { V. 3 } That then the Lord your God will turn your captivity, and have compassion upon you, and will return and gather you from all the nations, wherever the Lord your God has scattered you, { Deuteronomy 30:1-3 }." [ Commentary . . . Before this great re-gathering back home for the entire nation of Israelites, horrible calamity must first take place during the Tribulation Period, and the Hebrews will suffer dreadfully at the hands of the Antichrist ].

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143. { V. 8 } Scripture: "In that day [ of tribulation ] shall the Lord [guard and] defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble [ spiritually ] among them at that day [ of persecution ] shall be [ as strong and noble ] as [ like ] David [ when he fought against the giant Goliath ]; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the Lord before them.

144. Commentary . . . The words, "The Angel of the Lord" in the O.T. referred to God the Lord Jesus as the incarnate Christ Himself. "And the house of David shall be as God," This is speaking of the Hebrew nation. The whole effect of the Lord's strengthening the nation will make them as effective a fighting force as if they were superhuman. They will be as effective as in the days of old when the Angel of the Lord [ the second person of the trinity ] went before them. Be sure and read { Exodus 32:34; 33:2; - & - Joshua 5:13-15 }.

145. { V. 9 } And it shall come to pass in that day [ of tribulation ], that I will seek to destroy all nations that come against Jerusalem.

146. { V. 10 } And I will pour out upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace [ unmerited favor ] and of supplications: and they shall look [ earnestly ] upon Me Whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him [ Christ, yet future from the time this verse was written, when He shall be pierced by a Roman sword ], as one mourns for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for Him, as one that is in bitterness for [ the death of ] his firstborn, { Zechariah 12:8-10 }." {See John 19:37; - & - Revelation 1:7 }.

147. Commentary . . . Notice that "in that day" referring to the future Tribulation Period, is mentioned 7 times in { Zechariah 12:3, 4, 6. 8, 9, - & - 11 }. Also, notice that the words "In that day" are mentioned when Jesus returns to the earth, see { Ch. 13:1, 2, 4, read also v. 6 }. Read also { Isaiah 61:2-3; - & - 54:7-17 }. And, why is the Lord going to punish the world's nations? Not only will they be punished for their sins and their corruptness toward the Lord and His Saints, but some of them will be punished as is foretold in { Ezekiel 38:14-23 }, see also { Isaiah 63:1-6 }. In the prophetic writings of the O.T. we find the Tribulation Period referred to many times, but we find no reference to the Body of Christ.

148. Scripture: "And to [ look forward to, and ] wait for [ the coming of ] His Son from heaven, Whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus, which [ personally rescues and ] delivered us [ out of, and ] from the wrath [ judgment ] to come [ and draws us to Himself, that is, invests us with all the privileges and rewards of the new life in Christ the Messiah ], { 1- Thessalonians 1:10 }."

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149. Commentary . . . This means that Christendom today will have been delivered from the 70th week [ the seven year Tribulation Period ] to come. We are waiting and looking forward for the Rapture to take place, this should be the blessed hope for every Child of God! This hope of the return of the Lord is deeply rooted in our longing for Him Who is our Head. By being raised from the dead by the Father, also teaches us that we likewise will be raised in the Rapture at Christ's ascension, and that we shall be kept from that awful judgment of the Tribulation wrath that will follow our resurrection. In Heaven there will be a new song that will be sung to the Lord, and I believe you and I will take part in that heavenly choir { Revelation 5:9 }. But, on this earth people will lament because of the wrath poured out on them because of their past disobedience, { Revelation 6:16 }

150. The Pre-wrath and Mid-trib groups teach that the wrath of God will not effect the Body of Christ because the Lord's wrath will only occur in the latter half of the Tribulation Period. The Post-millennialist believe that the wrath during the seven years is the wrath of Satan, and that the wrath of God is not poured out until the very end of the seven year period, at which time the Saints will be Raptured to escape the wrath and to meet the Lord in the air as He descends into the atmosphere of the earth. If it can be proved that the Lord's wrath is manifested all during the seven year period, it will, from this point of view, prove that Christ's Body of Saints must be Raptured before the wrath begins, that is, before any part of the seven year Tribulation Period begins.

151. Most all Pre-millennialists believe that the whole 70th week of the prophet Daniel's prophecy, will begin its fulfillment in { Revelation Ch. 6 }. In this chapter the "white horse, red horse, black horse, and a pale horse appear." This definitely concerns the 7 seal judgments from { V. 1 to 17 }. Notice that the opening of the 6th seal brings forth "an earthquake, the sun becomes blackened, and the moon changes to the color of blood, plus the stars of heaven fall down to the earth." And then in { V. 14 }, "the heaven departs as a scroll when it is rolled together and every mountain and island will be moved out of their places." In { V. 15 } "there will be many horrible signs occur at that time, people world wide will hide in fear from the wrath of Christ { V. 16 }." Why?

152. { V. 17 } Scripture: "For the great day [ of the Lord ] of His wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand, { Revelation 6:17 }." { See Joel Ch. 2 }.

153. The words: "is come," is in the aorist tense, this refers to the fact that it has already come, it is taking place right now. It doesn't mean that it will come in the future, and all the other judgments are yet to follow, there are 21 judgments in the book of Revelation, this will only be the beginning! Scripture explains that this will happen because God's wrath will be poured upon the earth through this whole 7 year period. Satan will be very wrathful when he is cast out of Heaven in { Ch, 12:9 }, and no doubt he has power to perform many disastrous events, but he can only do what the Lord will allow him to do, and nothing more! { V. 17 } above proves beyond any doubt that it is primarily the wrath of the Lord, and not the wrath of the devil who brings judgment upon this earth. Satan never judges sinners because they continually do his evil bidding, only the Lord judges sinners! Satan has his demons enter people in order to cause them to perform evil deeds, he loves to control mankind.

154. Scripture, "And when He [ Christ, the Lamb of God ] had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in Heaven about the space of half an hour, { Revelation 8:1 }."

155. Commentary . . . Consequently, as the Lamb opens this seventh seal and before the first angel- trumpeter of judgment sounds his trumpet, all Heaven is in suspense as they await the awful judgments of the Lord. They are breathless . . . silent for half an hour. Folks, you too would be silent and breathless if you knew the fearfulness of the holiness and judgments of the Lord upon sin. Not a sinner reading these words or reading the Word of God would wait another minute, certainly not a half an hour, to cry to the Lord for mercy and forgiveness if he understood the full significance of the doom of the unbelievers as this great hosts of the Heavenlies must have known as they breathlessly watched the breaking of the last seal during the Tribulation Period.

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156. Scripture: "And they [ the Israelites ] shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations; and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of [ by ] the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled, { Luke 21:24 }."

157. { V. 2 } Scripture: "Behold, I [ the Lord ] will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem,

158. { V. 3 } And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it, { Zechariah 12:2-3 }."

159. Commentary . . . The Arabs and Muslims should study these verses! The Lord indicates that Jerusalem will continue in Gentile domination "until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." { Zechariah 14:2-3 } indicates that the times of the Gentiles will not end until the Second Advent, when the armies of the Antichrist [ the Beast ] are destroyed by the Lord, as Christ is seen to do in { Revelation 19:17-19 }. But right now in this last day period, we already see an indication that the nations of this world are becoming to a large extent full of hatred against the Jewish nation, and against all the other Jewish people in all Gentile nations. In { Revelation 11:2 }, in the parenthesis between the 6th and 7th trumpets, there is a reference to the times of the Gentiles. John indicated that Jerusalem is still in Gentile power and that from the beginning of the series of judgments, which this parenthesis interrupts, until the end of this Gentile dominion is 3 and 1/2 years.

160. This is important to observe, for, according to the Mid-tribulation view, the trumpets are events of the first 3 1/2 years of that 70th week. To show that this view is not altogether correct, the first six trumpets sound in the first half but the seventh trumpet ends in the seven vials of the final wrath of God. If all were true according to the Mid-trib view, the times of the Gentiles would have to end at the middle of the 7 year period, or at least before the termination of the 70th week, and Jerusalem would then have to be delivered by some other event or person than the returning Lord. This time element indicates in { Revelation 11:2 } makes that view untenable.

End Of Part Three, Be Sure And Read Parts Four through Six Of Theories.

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