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Understanding the New Testament Gospel Differences (Part 7)

Understanding the New Testament Gospel Differences (Part 7 --- The meaning of Christ's death was unknown)



We continue with the comparison of the gospel of God and the gospel of Christ by looking at key elements that distinguish them from each other. I recommend to start at the beginning of this comparison to gain the necessary context of this series of posts.

The meaning of Christ's death was unknown during the Gospels and early Acts

During Jesus early ministry, His followers did not know that the purpose of His first advent was to sacrifice Himself. According to their prophetic scriptures, Jews believed that when their Messiah would come, He would come as a King and a conqueror. 

Eternal Life or Eternal Death - Man's Choice

Eternal Life or Eternal Death – Man's Choice

Article written by Arthur J Licursi (on his website here)


The "gospel of Christ" is the most glorious offering our creator God could make unto lost mankind.

"For I [Paul] am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it [Paul's "gospel of the grace of God" for this age] is The Power of God unto Salvation to every one that BELIEVETH…" (Romans 1:16 (KJV))

The one caveat in the above verse is to "BELIEVE," trusting in Christ, as the Sole Basis of One's Salvation. This means all men are free to Choose Salvation unto eternal life or, alternatively, they may reject Christ… unto "everlasting destruction."

Understanding the New Testament Gospel Differences (Part 6)

Understanding the New Testament Gospel Differences (Part 6 --- Call upon the name of the Lord or confess His name)



We continue with the comparison of the gospel of God and the gospel of Christ by looking at key elements that distinguish them from each other. I recommend to start at the beginning of this comparison to gain the necessary context of this series of posts.

Call upon the name of the Lord or Confess the Lord

In the Old Testament and the four Gospels, it was required by Jews to call upon the name of the Lord or confess His name. The purpose for this was to make a positive identification of Him based on the signs the scriptures gave about their Messiah, and in so doing individually proclaim their faith in Him. To call upon the name of the Lord, or to confess Him as their Messiah, was a necessary requirement of salvation during the law dispensation and in the Kingdom gospel and the gospel of God.

Understanding the New Testament Gospel Differences (Part 5)

Understanding the New Testament Gospel Differences (Part 5 --- A Future Salvation, Endurance and Being Overcomers)



We continue with the comparison of the gospel of God and the gospel of Christ by looking at key elements that distinguish them from each other. I recommend to start at the beginning of this comparison to gain the necessary context of this series of posts.

Salvation was Future

A simple fact that does not need much proof is that in the gospel of the Kingdom, and the gospel of God, the hope of salvation lay out in the future. This of course is very different to the gospel of Christ (or the Grace gospel), where salvation is not a hope out in the future based on one's works and the conditional requirement to endure to the end, but rather an immediate, factual, and unconditional sealing of one's salvation by the Holy Spirit because of the cross work of Christ.

Understanding the New Testament Gospel Differences (Part 4)

Understanding the New Testament Gospel Differences (Part 4 --- Righteous Works)



We continue with the comparison of the gospel of God and the gospel of Christ by looking at key elements that distinguish them from each other. I recommend to start at the beginning of this comparison to gain the necessary context of this series of posts.

Righteous works

Because the gospel of God was based on works, you will naturally see this works requirement manifest in the lives and actions of those who committed to, and were saved, under this gospel in the Acts period. For a Jew who believed in the gospel of God, that Jesus was risen and was the Christ, their works program did not change at all. They simply continued their routines based on the requirements of the Kingdom gospel, so there is not much we can learn from their accounts. However, by looking at examples from the saved Gentiles in this time, and what they did, we can glean an understanding that the gospel of God certainly had works unto salvation, as opposed to the gospel of Christ where we do not see this evidence.

Understanding the New Testament Gospel Differences (Part 3)

Understanding the New Testament Gospel Differences (Part 3 --- By the Scriptures)



In this post we continue with the comparison of the gospel of God and the gospel of Christ. I recommend to start at the beginning of this comparison to gain the necessary context of this series of posts.

By the scriptures vs. Unsearchable 

The gospel of God is the Kingdom gospel with the addition of one HUGE event; the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This gospel, preached by Peter in Acts 2, reignited the hope that the King could come and bring a restoration to Israel through His Kingdom. This narrative had been prophesied centuries before and many aspects of Jesus birth, life, death and resurrection can be found in the scriptures as proof of His identity and purpose.

Understanding the New Testament Gospel Differences (Part 2)

Understanding the New Testament Gospel Differences (Part 2 --- To the Jews first)



We continue, from this post, to work through the comparisons, differences, and nuances, between the gospel of God and the gospel of Christ through the transition period.

To the Jews first, then to the Greek vs. to all men or nations

During the Kingdom gospel, Jesus, on multiple occasions, mentioned that He had come for the lost sheep of the house of Israel, (Matt.15:24). By saying this, He was excluding the Gentiles from His ministry. This was because of the plan of God to save the Jews first so that they, according to prophecy, could be the light to the Gentiles, (Isa.60:3).

Understanding the New Testament Gospel Differences (Part 1)

Understanding the New Testament Gospel Differences (Part 1 --- Introduction)



Preface

This multi-part study continues from the previous study where we discussed how Paul, during the first half of his ministry, —that is, his missionary ministry represented in ACTS, —preached two gospels. The general trend that Paul would follow is;

He would preach the gospel of God to those Jews and Gentiles (friends of the Jews) who came together, typically, but not exclusively, in the Jewish synagogues. The gospel of God in summary was,

  • believe in Jesus' resurrection and 2nd coming, repent, be water baptized, receive the Holy Spirit, obey the law, prove your faith with works, and endure to the end.
Then, to those who believed Paul's preaching of the above gospel, he would introduce them to the 'mystery' gospel of Christ.

  • that Jesus died for their sins and that they could trust in nothing else but the all-sufficient cross-work of Christ (death , burial, resurrection) for salvation.
The purpose of this study is to familiarize oneself with how the gospel transitioned through the time of ACTS where God was turning from the Jews to the Gentiles in a new dispensation called, Grace. Understanding the gospel iterations will provide you with greater insight into the ministry of Paul, the origin of the Body of Christ, and your purpose and freedom as a grace-age believer today.

How the Gospels Transitioned through ACTS (Part 5)

How the Gospels Transitioned through ACTS

(Part 5 --- The Gospel of Christ)


As we build on the transition of the gospels through the book of Acts, it is important to keep in mind a progression of events that influenced its message. To do this, I'd like to reflect on the details we have already discussed, and just build it up again to get a good understanding of the progress of change, not only from the gospels, but also from the practicality and presentation of the good news to the people of that day.

How the Gospels Transitioned through ACTS (Part 4)

How the Gospels Transitioned through ACTS

(Part 4 --- The Gospel of God)



Before I get into the topic, I'd like to remind you of the infallibility of God's Word as printed in the King James Bible (1611). As I have written in other posts, we can trust that every word of every paragraph in this version is accurate and has inspired meaning and context. 

So, when we read of the 'gospel of God' in some places, and in other places of the 'gospel of Christ', we, as students of the Word, should take note and understand that it's not just an inconsistency or a reference to the same gospel with two different names. No! 

The Gospel (Song)


Ryan Stevenson - The Gospel (Official Lyric Video)

I heard this song for the first time today, —very appropriately since I'm busy with a series on 'the Gospels". It stirred my heart and gave me 'goose bumps'. 

Thank you Ryan for an wonderful and inspiring song!

View on YouTube


From the new album 'NO MATTER WHAT'

Download or stream at https://rs.lnk.to/nmw 


The gospel for our salvation today is,

1️⃣ Hear the message of why Jesus Christ had to save us:

Because of Adam's sin, we are all born with the nature of sin in us and this separates us from God. Jesus Christ (God incarnate), born 'without' the sin nature, and who lived a perfect life required by God's standards, freely gave up His life for us by dying on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins. The Bible says that the wages of sin is death, so, Jesus, by dying on our behalf, and in our place, paid the sin penalty for us. Because of His death, we are imputed (freely given) His righteousness. In other words, because He freely took our sin upon Himself and died in our place, we are freely given His life which is pleasing to God. 
This encapsulates the 'good news' of the gospel of grace, —that Jesus paid our sin debt and freed us from the penalty of eternal death that we all are guilty of.
--------------------------------------------
So, now that you know what the good news of the grace gospel tells you, and you are informed of what Christ has done for youyou need to decide what you want to do with this news. That's it! You do not need to do anything else but to believe that what Jesus Christ did for you is the truth.

2️⃣ Believe what He has done to save you:

 If you choose to believe that Jesus died for your sins, and that He was buried and rose again from the dead, so that by His shed blood you are forgiven, and by His resurrection you are justified [declared innocent, pardoned, acquitted], then you are saved. The fact that you trust in the cross work of Christ as your ONLY means to be made right before God, is your salvation. That's IT! It's not about feelings or sensations! It's not about anything else you must do to prove your faith! It's not about being baptized or joining a church! It's not about what you did in life and how bad you were! It is ALL about JESUS CHRIST and what HE has done FOR YOU. It's His life accredited to you that saves you! All you need to do is believe that and trust Him to do what He said He would.

Eph.2:8 
For by grace are ye saved through faith;
and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.

(Also see: 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Romans 4:25)

For more details, see the 'Salvation' page in the menu above.


Was Jesus Christ a Dispensationalist During His Earthly Ministry

Was Jesus Christ a Dispensationalist During His Earthly Ministry?

Article by Shawn Brasseaux


Opening Statement

Dispensational Bible study has its critics—and that is no secret. Allegedly, we who “rightly divide the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15) are “Bible choppers,” “church splitters,” “troublemakers,” among other names. Additionally, we are told, “I do not follow some man such as the Apostle Paul, I follow Jesus!” Immediately after stating thus, our opponents flee to Matthew through John, the Lord Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry (which they assume is Christianity for today), and proceed to denounce us as “heretics” for “taking away” from Jesus’ words. They have made some serious accusations against us, so do we have Biblically-based answers for them? In this, our special-edition 900th Bible Q&A article, we examine this matter in light of God’s Word. “For what saith the Scriptures?”

See the full article on Shawn's site here, including the opening statement, the conclusion, and 3 conclusive proofs that Jesus Christ divided the scriptures during His earthly ministry.

The Simplicity of our Salvation

The Simplicity of our Salvation

It is my opinion that one of the 'easiest to understand' topics in scripture is our salvation through the grace gospel today. But on the other hand, it is also the topic that has largely been complicated, distorted and pulled out of context because of mixing up scriptures based on the gospels that belong to other dispensations and people groups.

In this short discourse, I'd like to address what the Bible says about our salvation, keeping it in the right context, and proving its simplicity, which is the singular act of placing our faith in the work of Christ on our behalf.

How the Gospels Transitioned through ACTS (Part 3)

How the Gospels Transitioned through ACTS

(Part 3 --- The Gospel of the Kingdom)


Where do we find the Kingdom Gospel?

The gospel of the Kingdom of God (or the Kingdom of Heaven, which can be understood as the gospel of the Kingdom which is from heaven), is proclaimed by different individuals throughout the New Testament books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The message proclaimed in this Kingdom gospel is unique to these four books and to the period of time from John the Baptist to the cross of Christ. 

How the Gospels Transitioned through ACTS (Part 2)

How the Gospels Transitioned through ACTS

(Part 2 --- Clearing up the gospel confusion)


Browse around on the internet and you will find that everyone has a different view on the gospel. It is so sad to say, but there is such confusion regarding the gospel today. The gospel is the message that has the power to save us, but if everyone has their own views and interpretations, WHO IS RIGHT?

How the Gospels Transitioned through ACTS

How the Gospels Transitioned through ACTS

(Part 1 --- Introduction)

The transition period of Acts is a very intricate period, and one that can be expounded on in many different ways. One of the ways, to gain deeper insights into the transition period of Acts, is by studying the content of the gospels, and matching their differences up to the audiences who heard and responded to them. This study is going to delve into these topics to hopefully bring some meaningful insights to the transition period of Acts, and provide greater clarity regarding the different gospel messages and the people who were affected by them.

Before we get into the details of four gospels, lets focus on what we know about the way of life before, and after, the gospel transition period. This will help us better understand the impact and conditions of the gospels and how they would affect the lives of those who lived during, and after this transition, which also includes you and I today.

Understanding and Interpreting the Bible (Part 5B)

Understanding and Interpreting the Bible

(Part 5B --- Dividing the PROGRAMS)

In our last post, Part 5A, we took a high level look at the two programs, simply discussing what they are and how they are different. I'd like to wrap up this series of lessons on "Understanding and Interpreting the Bible", by confirming the scriptural proof of the divisions n the programs of Israel and the Body of Christ.

As a reminder, the below picture illustrates that we have two main parts to God's overarching redemption plan. The realms of earth and heaven, physical and spiritual. Within each of these realms, we have a people group (or agency). Earth will be inherited to Israel, and heaven will be filled with the Body of Christ. We covered these details in depth in previous posts. To clarify the 'program' portions of the image below, I can describe it as follows. The programs are the actionable components of the two divided parts. They portray the 'modus operandi' of the two people groups. The details of the programs identify the people groups based on things like signs, law, prophecy as opposed to faith, grace and mystery. There have different gospels and different destinations. Whatever is defined in the programs provides the identity, lifestyle and actions that the people do and believe.

Let's now turn our attention to facts, by pointing to scriptures that clearly show a difference in the two programs. Just like the realms and agencies, the programs should also be kept distinct and separate, by avoiding the mixing of scriptures which would create a doctrine that is skewed, and false, and dangerous.

Why The Stage Is Set For The End Times

An article worth reposting to get people's attention.

Why The Stage Is Set For The End Times

...no other time has seemed as close to the end times as right now. Why do I say this? Because, particularly in the past year, the geopolitical and economic stage has been set for the fulfillment of several end times prophecies. We now have several potential crises on the horizon. And those potential crises are the same ones the Bible says we’ll experience either in the Tribulation or the days immediately preceding the Tribulation. 

Below are just a few:  The Gog of Magog War, Global War Prospects, The Rising Mark of the Beast System, The Days of Noah and Lot, The Convergence of Signs…. 

See the full article here.

Understanding and Interpreting the Bible (Part 5A)

Understanding and Interpreting the Bible

(Part 5A --- Dividing the PROGRAMS)

Up to this point, we have looked at what it means to divide the REALMS and the AGENCIES. Let's place our attention on dividing the PROGRAMS within these two agencies. I'll start with a high level overview of the programs within these two groups.

Firstly, what is "programs"? I use this work to describe how each of the agencies (people groups) function. You could describe it as the operations, or procedures, or processes, or actions, that define the people group. In essence it is how you identify them. It is their "Modus Operandi".

Let's start with the agency of Israel. Please enlarge the following image and study its content. I'll discuss this image and clarify it's content.

Must I Audibly Confess "Jesus Is Lord" To Be Saved?

What About Romans 10:9-10? Must I Audibly Confess "Jesus Is Lord" To Be Saved?

I have had this question asked to me many times within my circle of influence, indicating that there is a lot of misunderstanding around what the 'confession of Jesus with the mouth' means. The key to understanding this passage is to read it in context and to know who the target audience was that Paul was writing to. This article will clarify the context, but as for the target audience, that is easily cleared up by simple going to the first verse in this tenth chapter of Romans. It reads the following,

Rom.10:1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.

So, we know that Paul is addressing Jews and that the context will thus be according to their customs and beliefs. 

Shawn provides a much more detailed explanation of this question on his website here, but this excerpt of his article below gives an excellent summary explanation to bring one to a clear understanding of this often misquoted passage.

Understanding and Interpreting the Bible (Part 4B)

Understanding and Interpreting the Bible

(Part 4B --- Dividing the AGENCIES)

In Part 4A, we had a look at the 'secret' declaration of the two agencies in God's redemption plan as God spoke out referring to the stars and the sand in the promise He made with Abraham in Gen.22:15-17. In this 'part B' we'll investigate the differences between Israel and The Body of Christ (BoC) in regards to their role within God's plan.

The contrast between Israel and the Body of Christ cannot be more apparent. Israel's 'active' time during God's redemption plan was from Abraham to Paul's conversion. The BoC has been 'active' for the last 2000 years (approx) and during the period of God's grace. The two charts below provide a visual aid of the periods.

Israel's active time period

The Body of Christ active time period

When the Altar Calls, Hang Up

When the Altar Calls, Hang Up

An excellent article written by Justin Johnson.


Altar calls have been a part of cultural Christianity for a long while, but have never been a part of the gospel of the grace of God.

This has not stopped churches that fail to rightly divide from borrowing Israel’s religion and making it part of church tradition.

Usually placed at the end of a revival sermon, an appeal is made by the preacher to “heed the call”, “come down front”, or “walk the sawdust trail.”

What is down front? According to church tradition, an altar. Where does the trail lead? To a religious practice that often confuses the complete and finished work of Christ.

Understanding and Interpreting the Bible (Part 4A)

Understanding and Interpreting the Bible

(Part 4A --- Dividing the AGENCIES)

Dividing the REALMS, defined in the previous post of this series, by phrases like, heaven and earth, and spiritual and physical, provide an understanding of the end point of God's great redemption plan. However, leading up to this end point, there will be an agency to occupy the heavens and fill it with the glory of Jesus Christ, and there will be an agency to occupy the earth and fill it with the glory of Jesus Christ. The end of it all would be as the scriptures say,

Col.1:19-20 For God [the Father] was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him [Christ], 20 and through Him [Christ] to reconcile to Himself [the Father] all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through the blood* of His [Christ] cross.

Understanding and Interpreting the Bible (Part 3)

Understanding and Interpreting the Bible

(Part 3 --- Dividing the REALMS)

In previous posts of this study, we have investigated the NEED to recognize divisions in the Bible. We have also determined the PURPOSE for divisions in the Bible. It is important to remember that the purpose for dividing the Word originates in all things to do with Israel. In this post we will have a look at the first of three overarching 'Israel related' categories that need to be rightly divided in God's greater redemption plan. Within the three categories of (1) Realms, (2) Agencies, and (3) Programs, we will start by dividing the REALMS; defined by phrases like, heaven and earth, and spiritual and physical.

Genesis 1:1 famously starts with the statement, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth...". In the context of this verse, we know that the heavens and the earth are the physical realms that God created. However, as we progress through this study, and in context with the verses we will target, you will notice that the words, heaven and earth, as well as starts, sand, spiritual and physical can represent different things. The context of the verse is important and will clarify whether the meaning represents the physical creation, or angels (demons) or actual celestial bodies, or even two different people groups. This will become evident as we progress. I'm simply giving you a heads up.
 

Understanding and Interpreting the Bible (Part 2)

Understanding and Interpreting the Bible

(Part 2 --- The PURPOSE for divisions in the Bible)

In the last two lessons, we've had a look at the necessity (or importance) of understanding and exercising right division in the Word. In this short post I simply want to ask the question, "Why is there a dual purpose in God's plan?" What is the reason why we have to split up the content in the Bible?

The answer lies in the design of God's plan. As in the image below, you'll see that the end of the plan involves two realms. The lower part (in blue) represents the 1000-year Millennial Kingdom, in which Christ will reign on earth. The part above that represents the heavens. We will look at these two realms in greater detail in the next post, but it is the fact that we have two realms that requires us to divide the Bible between two distinct and unique programs.


Glossary of Common End Times Terms

Glossary of Common End Times Terms

Abomination of Desolation:

When the Antichrist sits down in the rebuilt Jewish Temple and declares himself to be God, "The Great Tribulation" of 42 months will then begin. The Antichrist will demand worship worldwide (Rev. 13). This will be the abomination that leads to great desolation. God's judgments will bring desolation, or destruction, to all who participate in this terrible abomination (Dan. 9:27; Mt. 24:15; Mk. 13:14; 2 Thes. 2:3-4). This worship system is based on the Antichrist (called the Beast) setting up an image (statue or idol) of himself in the Jerusalem temple. At the occurrence of this event, the Jews living in Israel are commanded to flee into the wilderness. All tribulation saints will know, from that day on, they must now wait 1260 days before the Lord returns. (Dan 9:27), (Mat 24:15-19)

Amillennialism:

(prefix "a," "no"). The belief that there is no literal 1000-year reign of Christ. Thus Revelation 20 is taken symbolically, not literally, by adherents of this view. Amillennialists generally believe that Israel has been permanently set aside for all time and that God's current plan of salvation involves only the Church.

Antichrist:

Often described as the most evil man that will ever live. He will arrive on the world scene and appear to be the world's saviour, but everyone on earth will soon learn his real mission will be one of destruction. Also called the man of lawlessness (or sin), Gog, the son of destruction (or perdition) (1 John 2:18) , (Rev 13:1-8)

Biblical cycles of 7-years, called: "Shemitah's"

Biblical cycles of 7-years, called: "Shemitah's"

In the Bible, a 'type' is a divinely purposed illustration of some truth and is often a prophetic foretelling of future events. 

The 'type' can be:
  1. a person (Rom.5:14)
  2. a thing (Heb.10:19-20)
  3. an institution (Heb.9:11-12)
  4. a ceremonial (1 Cor.5:7)
  5. an event (1 Cor.10:11)

The Greek word týpos, meaning "example", describes a model or pattern in the Old Testament that is fulfilled in scripture, often typifying the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. The word týpos (in the KJV Bible) is also translated as "pattern" (Titus 2:7; Hebrews 8:5), "form" (Romans 6:17), "print" (John 20:25), "ensample" (1 Cor.10:11), "fashion" (Acts 7:44), "figure" (Acts 7:43; Romans 5:14), and "manner" (Acts 23:25).

Understanding and Interpreting the Bible (Part 1B)

Understanding and Interpreting the Bible

(Part 1B --- Recognizing the NECESSITY of dividing the Word)

In Part 1A, I quoted the following below, and said I'd explain the reason for me saying this.

Preachers today go about blindly teaching their denominations to follow and adhere to the parables and practices of Jesus during his 3-years of ministry in the flesh. This is wrong, and it's a false doctrine in the church today. —Now if you are shocked at my statements, I'll explain and qualified them in Part 1B.
 
So, let me validate the above quotation by providing one more set of scriptures to emphasize the need to divide the Word to gain context and correct interpretation.

Rom.16:25-26 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,  26  But now is made manifest,

2 Cor.5:16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.

In the above two scriptures, there is no reference to Israel, but what we have are references representing doctrine for the Body of Christ and some wording that represents a specific time, and a change in program. As I will continue to prove, by applying scripture divisions, we can get a deeper understanding of the passages and plainly see that there are some valuable and important instructions in here to take account of. Let's analyze these verses by applying right division and extract the proper context from them.

Understanding and Interpreting the Bible (Part 1A)

Understanding and Interpreting the Bible

(Part 1A --- Recognizing the NECESSITY of dividing the Word)

In our previous study, we had a look at the two verses below, analyzing the contents of the verses to understand it properly. In this new study, I'd like to use the colour divisions in them to introduce a new, and very important topic. I'll make the topic clear as we progress in this post, but let's first look at the context of the two passages below, specifically based on their colour legends.

(Focus on the Return)
1 Thess.4:16-17 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, (<-- 7-yr Trib. -->) with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:  17  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

(Focus on the Rapture Event)
1 Cor.15:51-22 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed [raptured], 52 In a moment, (<-- 7-yr Trib. -->) in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

(Colour Legend)
Israel: 2nd Coming in Clouds with trumpet and resurrection
Body of Christ: Silent rapture with no visual events

The Stages of Christ's Ascension and Return (Part 12)

The Stages of Christ's Ascension and Return (Part 12)

We are coming to the end of the details of the return of Jesus Christ. We have looked at the stages of His return and the order of how they mirror His ascension. We have also briefly previewed the events of Revelation that take place between the stages of Jesus multi-part return and how they progress throughout the end times. To wrap up with, I have a few more things to mention, but before I do, I'd like to remind you of the two primary points that glue this whole study together. They are as follows,

  1. As with many other patterns, shadows, and types found in the Bible, the ascension of Jesus Christ can teach us of the stages of His return.

  2. Paul's two 'famous' rapture scriptures, in 1Cor.15 and 1 Thess.4, express the event in general, (ie: they expound on the WHOLE coming of Christ, across the whole 7-year period of the tribulation, for all saints. The scriptures do NOT represent just the rapture of the Body of Christ.)

So, let's now deal with the last few events which occurs at the very end of the second coming of Christ and just before we get to the inauguration of the Millennial Kingdom. In Daniel 12:12 we are informed of a 75-day period of time after the 7-year tribulation. Each half of the tribulation is 1260 days in duration (or 42 months each). But in the verse 12, Daniel mentions the span of 1335 days, which is 75 days longer than 1260 days. The events we will now discuss will probably occur within this time.

Let's start by reading this passage in Matthew 25


Matt.25:31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 

34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:    ……   

41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: … 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

You will recognize this as the parable of the sheep and the goats. This parable that Jesus taught provides us with one of the events that will happen during this 75-day period.

After the battle campaign is won, after Armageddon, after the judgement of the Antichrist and the false prophet, who are cast into the lake of fire, and after Satan is cast into the bottomless pit, Jesus will take His seat on the throne of His glory and He will judge all the nations, in order to divide them out into the sheep and the goats. The 'sheep' nations are those who supported the Jews during the tribulation, (read Matt.25:34-40), and the 'goat' nations are those who did not support Israel throughout the tribulation, (read Matt.25:41-46).

The sheep who will stand on the right hand of Jesus Christ; the right hand being a reference to a place of honour and status, and will be the people who will be entering into the Millennial Kingdom after it's inauguration. Those who are on the left hand side of Jesus, according to Jesus' own words, will go away into everlasting punishment.

Another event that will occur in this 75-day period (which separates the end of the tribulation from the beginning of the Millennial Kingdom), is the salvation of the remnant of Israel in the wilderness. At the end of the battle campaign the Lord will appear unto them as they cry our, "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord". They will recognize Jesus as their King and Messiah. They will mourn greatly (as one who has lost their only child) for their unbelief and mistrust in Jesus and for the crimes they have done against him. But as per prophecy, their tears will be turned into joy and their sorrow into laughter, Isa.61. It is at this time that the Lord will pour out His Spirit upon them and they will be born of water (Red Sea passing) and of Spirit (John 3). The new covenant will be realized and they will receive a heart of flesh, and the Word of the Lord will be written on their hearts. They will receive utter forgiveness and be reconciled to their God and Messiah, Jesus Christ. It it hey who will become the priesthood in the Millennium. They will carry the Word of the Lord to the nations and be the salvation of them, Zech.8:23.

Another big event to take place at this time is the resurrection of all the rest of the saints who lived throughout time and who are still at this point sleeping in death. Before we detail this resurrection of the dead, let me you that there are specific groups of saints who are not 'sleeping' in the earth at this time, because of the effects of the blood of Christ

Let's quickly list these groups for clarity,

  1. The Body of Christ: The body of Christ is unique in the regard that they died when Christ died. They were buried with Christ. They were resurrected with Christ. His death and resurrection was their death and resurrection. When a grace believer dies, he does not sleep in the earth as other saints. Since he has already experienced resurrection he is immediately present with the Lord at death. Of course, those members of the body of Christ who are alive when the pre-tribulation rapture takes place are caught up to join the rest of the Body and remain in the Lord's presence from this point on. (This group inherits the heavens and will reign with Christ as they govern the heavenly places in His name and honour and glory).

  2. The Little Flock: These are the saints of the Jewish church in the book of Acts (±AD30-AD70) are the ones who endured to the end, who "loved not their lives unto the death" (Rev.12:11). We learned in an earlier part of this study that their souls are not asleep but are before the altar in heaven and they cried out to the Lord to avenge their deaths (Rev.6:9-10). They are given white robes to wear. (I speculate that these white robes are glorified bodies since they are not resurrected at any point?) This group of saints were to prepare Israel for the coming King and Kingdom. Israel would not believe and this program was put on hold.

  3. The 144000: Their unique ministry, which continues that of the Acts church, is to prepare Israel to receive their Messiah and the Kingdom. According to Rev.14:1, we see them in the Lord's presence in the heavenly Jerusalem before it descends to earth's proximity. They are in this position for either losing their lives or because they were raptured.

  4. The Tribulation and Great Tribulation Martyrs: They are people who believed the gospel proclaimed by the 2-witnesses and the 144000 in the tribulation, or the angel who proclaimed the everlasting gospel in the great tribulation in Revelation 14. Like the Acts church, these souls appear in heaven too, systematically as they are killed for their faith, and form part of the growing number of countless souls, each given a white robe (glorified body?) and who hold palm branches in their hands, Rev.7:9.

    Groups 2, 3 and 4 above will have places of honour in the heavenly Jerusalem throughout the Millennial Kingdom, and may be positioned there, or on earth, throughout the Kingdom 

Old Testament and Kingdom Saints Resurrection (who died before Christ's blood was shed.)

With these groups recalled, let's get back to this large group of sleeping souls who are about to be resurrected in the flesh, Ezek.37. The resurrection of all these saints, who are the last to be awakened to fill up the "First Resurrection" Rev.20:6, are all those righteous souls from Adam to the Kingdom Program (which ended at Pentecost. People like: Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Job, ... David, the prophets, John the Baptist, Lazarus, ...). These are the souls who will enter into the Millennial Kingdom in new flesh bodies and will have places of authority and rulership in various hierarchies. They will administer the will of the King of Kings to the gentile 'sheep' nations (survivors of the 7-year tribulation) who have also entered into the Millennial Kingdom at this point.

Daniel 12:2 summarizes the two very different fates facing mankind: "Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt." Everyone will be raised from the dead, but not everyone will share the same destiny. Revelation 20:4-6 mentions a "first resurrection" and identifies those involved as "blessed and holy". These are the souls listed above, from the Body of Christ to the last group of resurrected souls. The second death (the lake of fire, Revelation 20:14) has no power over these individuals. The first resurrection, then, is the raising of all righteous souls. It corresponds with Jesus' teaching of the "resurrection of the just" (Luke 14:14) and the "resurrection of life" (John 5:29).

Revelation 20:12-13 identifies those comprising the second resurrection as the wicked judged by God at the Great White Throne judgment prior to being cast into the lake of fire. The second resurrection, then, is the raising of all unrighteous souls; the second resurrection is connected to the second death. It corresponds with Jesus' teaching of the "resurrection of damnation" (John 5:29).

The event which divides the first and second resurrections is the Millennial Kingdom. The last of the righteous are raised to reign "with Christ a thousand years" (Revelation 20:4), but the "rest of the dead [that is, the wicked] lived not again until the thousand years were finished", (Revelation 20:5).

Following the 75-day interval, Jesus will inaugurate His Millennial Kingdom and enter into it triumphantly and King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Isaiah 2:2-4; Micah 4:1-7; Revelation 20.

The last event that is noteworthy is the appearance of the heavenly city into the proximity of earth at the beginning of the Millennial Kingdom. Since I have written on this occurrence in another post, I'll simply refer to it here. It provides scriptural reference to the city's appearance and also some additional details to take note of. Make sure to read,

New Jerusalem descends before the Millennial Kingdom

In Conclusion

This has been a long series, but my hope is that you have understood the interpretation I have exposed of 1 Cor.15:51-52 and 1 Thess.4:16-17, and how this ties in to the stages of Christs return. I hope that it reveals some truths in scripture that might inspire you, excite you and edify you. If anything, I hope that it will encourage you to get into the scriptures for yourself and study these things to gain the understanding that brings you to peace and a deeper relationship with our Saviour. My prayer is that God will continue to bless you with His truth and His love until the appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.


The Stages of Christ's Ascension and Return (Part 10)

The Stages of Christ's Ascension and Return (Part 10)

The return of Jesus Christ is in stages that symmetrically correspond to the stages of His ascension. Because of this pattern (as with many other types and patterns in the Word), it helps us to gain deeper insights, and piece together scriptures, that provide a bigger picture of the redemption plan of God throughout the ages. Connecting the dots on past events is easy due to hindsight, but the types and patterns in the Word really do assist in building a more insightful understanding of future events, as what we are discussing in this series of posts.

In part 8, we put focus on the position of Christ as he returns for the church, which is His Body, before the 7-year Tribulation. Our focus was on a 'silent' rapture based on underlying points of study we expounded on in that post. In this post we will continue to the next stage of Christ's return, being the stage when 'he' appears in the clouds at the mid-point of the Tribulation. Unlike the previous stage, which was silent and 'uneventful', if I can use that term, considering the disappearance of millions from earth, the next stages to come, are full of visible and mind-blowing events, both in heaven and on earth. 

This might also be a good time to remind you that I do not claim to be dogmatic about the content of this study. The material is presented as I understand and interpret it at the time of writing, as mentioned in my opening acknowledgement in the beginning of this series. I trust that you will use this as a guideline and do your own study concerning these events to allow the Holy Spirit to interpret the scriptures based on your views.

Let us now continue with the next event in the details of Christ's multi-stage return.


1 Thess.4:16
  refers to 'the voice of the archangel', and 1 Cor.15:52 mentions 'in the twinkling of an eye'. Unlike the phrases, 'with a shout' and 'in a moment', that are connected to the imminent rapture of the Body of Christ, these next phrases in our key verses represent descriptions for the mid-point resurrection of 'a special group of people' into the heaven.

Now, based on my bolded statement above, we need to stop the boat right here! There is a lot of detail in that sentence, and, where on earth did I get all that? I agree. This is a lot to unpack! I can't recall if I have even mentioned any of this detail at any point in this series, so, let's get into proving that this detail is in the Bible, and that this interpretation becomes clear and evident when you divide the scriptures and understand that Christ's whole return is in stages and across the whole 7-year tribulation event.

About half way through the tribulation, we find some incredible activity documented in scripture. We learn that from the fifth seal, a resurrection/rapture occurs, a heavenly war is fought, and the throne of the Lord appears in the clouds, .

A mid-tribulation resurrection and rapture

Rev.6:9 And when he had opened the fifth seal [a little while before the mid-point of the tribulation], I saw under the altar [the "altar" here is an allusion to the altar of the temple or tabernacle where blood sacrifices were made] (1) the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: [the ACTS church]. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? 11 And white robes were given unto every one of them [resurrection and rapture occur]; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until (2) their fellowservants [tribulation martyrs] also and (3) their brethren [great tribulation martyrs], that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

Rev.7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude [of all the martyred saints], which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; ... 14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation [not 'the great tribulation' but who have endured great tribulation, even to death], and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 

[The souls of them slain] These are the 12-apostles and the 'little flock', the ACTS church saved under the gospel of God during the period of 30AD to 70AD. These faithful Jewish servants are those who endured to the end and who 'loved not their lives unto the death' under 1st century torture. At this fifth seal mark, a little before the mid-point of the trib, they are inquiring of the Lord regarding the avenging of their blood and of judgement.

At this mid-point of the tribulation there is a heavenly call ('the voice of the archangel') that goes out that initiates an ascension (not a rapture) of the 2 witnesses. 

Revelation 11:11-15 And after three days and an half the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. 12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. 13 And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.

About this time there is also a resurrection of the 'little flock', the ACTS church, the believing remnant of Israel in that day who died for their faith. At this mid-point, a rapture also takes place, 'in the twinkling of an eye' (*See addendum at the end). Those who participate in this rapture are the 144000, a very unique and special group who's role is to prepare Israel's remnant to receive their Messiah when He comes at the end of the Great Tribulation. It is interesting to note that the role of this group of 144000 is parallel to the role that the ACTS church had in the first century to prepare Israel for the coming of the Kingdom in that day. (Of course, this event was put on hold due to unbelief).

Israel in the Tribulation (Group 1 - occupying the heavens)

The 144000 who minister the gospel of the kingdom throughout the first half of the tribulation are raptured into heaven according to Rev.14:1 [mount Sion is the heavenly Jerusalem]. We notice that at about this mid-point time they are said to be with the Lord (the Lamb) in the heavenly city. Since they presumably could not be harmed during the tribulation, they are raptured up into heaven. This special group of saints may be the ones to serve in the temple of heaven, the New Jerusalem, since they are not defiled by the whore system of Babylon.

[Fellowservants] We can speculate that a resurrection event also occurs here to include the martyrs who become believers through the ministry of the 144000 and who give up their lives within this first half of the tribulation. They will be martyred for their testimony and their identification to Christ. They are portrayed in prophecy as slain souls that were reached with the gospel of the Kingdom during the first half of the tribulation. At their resurrection, they join the 'little flock' before the altar in heaven, waiting for the rest of their brethren martyrs to come in from the great tribulation.

[The Brethren] These are people who become believers during the second half of the Tribulation period, i.e. the "Great Tribulation", under the eternal gospel preached by the heavenly angel, Rev.7:9-17 These are the ones who do not receive the mark of the beast and are killed for their faith and testimony under that antichrist system, and who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Rev.20:4 tells us that they will be resurrected at the end of the Great Tribulation and will join their resurrected brethren in the heavens to serve Him day and night in His temple, Rev.15:2.

We have another account of this resurrection and rapture in Revelations chapter 12. The passage reads as follows,

Rev.12:3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. 4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven [the corrupt angels], and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. 5 And she brought forth a man child [1st part of Israel's restoration: the resurrection/rapture of the kingdom saints], who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne [resurrected and raptured up into heaven].

Isa.66:7 Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child [before the great tribulation, the kingdom saints [listed above] are delivered]. 8 Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children. 9 Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the Lord: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God.

So, at the mid-point of the tribulation there will be a rapture of the 144000, who will serve in the temple, which is the New Jerusalem. There is also a resurrection of those who were killed for their faith. They are the ones under the alter who wait for the great tribulation martyrs to join them before God takes vengeance on their blood.

Additional scriptures to support these saints [the 144000 and the martyrs of ACTS and the tribulation] who are now in heaven,

Rev.3:12 Him that overcometh [the martyrs of ACTS and the tribulation, "those who loved not their lives unto the death"; dying for their faith in the gospel and not giving up their testimony] will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

Hebrews 12:22-23 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. 25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:

War in Heaven

Following the mid-tribulation resurrection and rapture, we hear of a war that has broken out in the heavens, and Satan, including the corrupt angels that followed him, a 1/3 part of all the heavenly hosts, are judged and cast down to earth. We read the details as follows,

Rev.6:12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; 13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth [corrupt heavenly hosts], even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.

Revelation chapter 12 repeats the vision again with additional details,

Rev.12:1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: 2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. 3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon [Satan], having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. 4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven [the corrupt 1/3 part of all the angelic hosts of heaven], and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. ... 7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

This war is one-sided and Satan and his hosts cannot prevail. It is interesting to note that at this point they were cast down unto, [or towards] the earth (Rev.6:12; Rev.12:4), but after this short-lived war and judgement, they are cast down into [or onto] the earth, (Rev12:8-9).

Verse 10 above results in praise in heaven as it is at this point, after Satan is cast out of the heavens, that the first part of God's great restoration plan is complete. The heavens, which were corrupt, are now cleared out and are vacant for God's heavenly people to fill. The purpose of the Body of Christ was always to fill the heavens with the glory and majesty of Christ. This happens at this point and is the cause of praises in heaven. The rest of the activity continues to clean out the earth so that Christ can fill ALL things with His glory.

The appearance of Jesus Christ in the clouds

With the heavens now cleared of corruption and evil, Jesus descends down into the clouds. The victory is now complete in the heavens and it now belongs to the Son. All the focus will now be on earth as events of the great tribulation resume as planned by God.

Rev.6:14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. 15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; 16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: 17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

Up until this time, the 'spiritual world' has been hidden from view. Since the start of the tribulation, all that has happened up till this point has been natural and visible. The revealing of the antichrist and all the plagues, till now, have been earthly and natural. But things seem to change at the sixth seal. We see the heavens depart, being rolled up like a scroll, to reveal a frightening and real visage of the throne of the Lord appearing in the clouds. For the first time the spiritual world becomes undeniably visible and real to the whole world. We know it becomes visible to the human eye, as men fear the sight of it and hide their faces from the One that sits on the throne, (Rev.6:16). It is evident that this sight brings a dramatic escalation of the reality of Christ and of judgement and wrath. This first physical sighting of the throne of the Lord brings men to the reality that the hidden things of God are real and that their scoffing and mockery of bible prophecy and truth have been vain and consequential.

Israel in the Tribulation (Group 2 - a remnant that flees in the wilderness)

Israel, at this mid-point in the tribulation is clearly divided into two groups. Group one is a special group of saints that will occupy the heavenly city. The purpose behind this could be connected to the temple, but I will need to look more into these details before I add anything here regarding that.

The second group are the 1/3rd of Jews that recognize the abomination of desolation, the defiling act by the antichrist in the temple in Jerusalem. When this happens, as per prophecy, Jews would have to flee to the mountains. It is here that God will protect them in the wilderness during the Great Tribulation period. These are the Jews that will recognize Jesus when He comes at His second coming. These are the ones who will be filled with the Holy Spirit when Jesus pours out His Spirit upon all flesh, (Joel 2:27-29). These are the ones who will enter into the Millennial Kingdom as preeminent Jews who will bring the Word and salvation to the nations in the Millennium.

Rev.12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness [2nd part of Israel's restoration: 1/3 of Jews who fled into the wilderness], where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days [through the great tribulation].

See also Matt.24:15-21.


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* Addendum to 'Twinking of an eye'

With regard to the phrase, "In the twinkling of an eye", the following is taken from the Strongs Lexicon,

Strongs Greek 4493: "In the twinkling of an eye"  - ῥιπή rhipḗ, phonetic: 'hree-pay';

description: a jerk or wink of the eye, i.e. (by analogy) a moment, an instant.

expression: least conceivable duration of time. twinkle or flash of the eye; any rapid movement.

'Eye' also denotes: "To see, or being visible".

In the context of the description above, the rapture of the saints that occurs at the mid-point of the Tribulation can be depicted as an instant movement (or removal), by means of being snatched away rapidly, in a flash of the eye. Given that the descriptions point to a very quick event, my opinion is that it is a similar experience to that of the Body of Christ, discussed in part 8. Having said this, and without claiming to be dogmatic about it, I do want to add that the reference to 'eyes' is intriguing. Although I believe that the rapture of these saints will be too quick for the eye to see, I do want to add that there will definitely be a visible nature to these transpiring event; (1) the appearing of the throne of Jesus Christ, visibly in the clouds, (2) the physical resurrection of killed saints, and (3) the disappearing of living saints as they are caught up into the heaven. There most certainly will be a visual drama unfolding before the eyes of unbelievers in that day!

God bless.