The Messiah: Before, During, and After

 

The Christian faith holds that the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the eternal God, is God incarnate. This means that God became a man. This is a fact to anyone that doubts it. He vacated his eternal Godlike body to put on a body in the likeness of man—earthly flesh. Before Jesus became a man, he existed in the eternal realm, in an eternal body, as the 2^nd person of the Trinity. Being fully God, and equal in majesty with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. Before creation, the Son of God, the holy and eternal one, knew that he would remove himself from his divine appearance in the eternal realm and materialize on the earth in bodily form—he became a servant of men (Phil. 2:6-7). The eternal God became flesh and lived among men (Jn. 1:14a). He did this to become an atoning sacrifice for the sins of man (Heb. 2:17).

When Jesus took on the appearance of a man, he still retained His position in the Godhead. He still maintained his function as the 2^nd person of the Trinity. Except when he dwelt among men, he was God in a human body instead of God in a divine or eternal body. Nevertheless, as a man, back in the 1^st half of the 1^st century AD, he was still God (Jn. 14:11). The Son of God willingly left the eternal realm to be born as a man. He was crucified as a man and resurrected from the dead as a man. When Jesus ascended back into the eternal realm, he was a man. But once he entered back into the heavenly realm his earthly body was changed into a heavenly one, the same kind of body the church will receive once raptured (1 Cor. 15:49; Phil. 3:20-21; 1 Jn. 3:2). Jesus did not change back into the divine body he had before he left the eternal realm to become a man. No, he did not. Jesus became a man at his incarnation and remains a man forever. He is a man in heaven, but a man in a glorified or heavenly body.  The apostle Paul referred to him as ο ἄνθρωπος Χριστὸς Ἰησοῦς (o ánthropos Christós Iisoús) “the man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 2:5c, Textus Receptus). When he comes again to set up his earthly kingdom, he will still be a man, but to be precise, he will be a heavenly man. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, will be a man forever, but a man in a glorified body.  

Some believe Jesus took on the nature of man once he was incarnated. I disagree with that assumption. The nature of man is a fallen one. Jesus was born in human flesh, but he was not born with man’s sinful nature. People are born sinners because of Adam’s disobedience. Adam was given a pure/sinless spirit when God breathed life into his body, but his disobedience corrupted his once sinless spirit. Therefore, his offspring are created with a corrupt spirit because Adam corrupted his spirit. That is why every person is born a sinner with a sinful nature.

God created Adam as a living נֶפֶשׁ (nep̄eš—pronounced neh'-fesh) soul/spirit, clothed in an earthly body. When God breathed life into Adam’s earthly body, he created his spirit being. But, after the creation of Adam, every person is created a living soul/spirit by the fertilization of the female egg with the male reproductive cells (sperm cells). A human’s spirit being is immediately created at fertilization (conception), and then follows the embryo. If God were to create the spirit being of every person after Adam, they would not be created with a sinful nature. Every man's spirit would be pure and sinless like Adam’s was initially because God does not create sinful beings. But because God commissioned Adam to multiply and fill the earth, to be a co-creator, he designed Adam to procreate. Therefore, because Adam corrupted his soul/spirit, every person after him is created with a corrupt soul/spirit. That is why a person must be born again—born from above. Their spirit must be recreated pure or sinless by the sealing of the Holy Spirit, or they cannot enter the kingdom of God.   

Man’s corrupt spirit transforms his soul and body. It converts them into sinful beings. Man’s corrupt spirit is manifest in the way he thinks, speaks, and acts. When God recreated himself in the womb of Mary, he did not recreate himself with a sinful nature because he is perfect, he is pure. Jesus needed to drink, eat, and sleep just like any other person because he was born in a body of human flesh. But he did not sin. Jesus was emotional as a man, but he was also emotional in his eternal body. Because emotions come from within the spirit of a man, and from within the spirit of God—God is a triune spirit, each spirit having a divine body. When an angel expresses any emotion, it comes from within their spirit being. All angels possess an individual spirit within their heavenly body. Satan manifested pride that came from within his spirit when he rebelled against God. Every spirit being is unique. Each one, whether God, angel, or human, is distinct.   

The reason why Jesus was able to bypass the sinful nature of man is because when he took on the form of a human embryo, it was not the result of a human male’s reproductive cells. Instead, he took on the form of a human embryo through the recreating power of God, coagulating with the egg cells in his mother’s ovaries. In other words, the human body of Jesus was not created by the union of his mother’s ovum (the female reproductive cell) and the reproductive cells of a man. Satan has convinced his servants that Jesus was conceived by debauchery. Thomas Paine (1737 – 1809), wrote in his three-part book, Age of Reason (1794, 1795,1807): “What is it the Testament teaches us? — to believe that the Almighty committed debauchery with a woman engaged to be married, and the belief of this debauchery is called faith” (Age of Reason, Part II, Section 20).[1]  Those who have the Spirit of God dwelling within their spirit being know that there was no sexual act involved in the conception of Jesus Christ. It was a divine miracle.

Having said what I wrote above, the book of Ezekiel reveals what Jesus looked like before he became a man. Before he became a human embryo and then grew into the man Christ Jesus. How Ezekiel described the pre-incarnate Messiah could be considered what some would call a Christophany or Theophany. A theophany is a visible manifestation or appearance of a deity or a god. Many civilizations throughout history claim to have experienced theophanies. Like the ancient Greeks, Assyrians, and Egyptians. To name a few. The preceding civilizations have experienced their gods in person, who came to instruct them. However, their gods were fallen angels whom they accepted as gods. Their theophanies were not the God of the Jews and Christians. A Biblical theophany is a visible appearance of God but not necessarily in human or physical form.[2] The pillar of a cloud was one such incident. When it descended at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, the Lord was in it, God would speak to Moses there (Ex. 33:9). Some claim that when Yahweh appeared to Abram/Abraham, those were theophanies (Gen. 12:7; 17:1-27; 18:1-21). However, the theophanies that Ezekiel experienced were mainly visions from God as the heavens opened up to him (Ezek. 1:1). He witnessed Israel’s pre-incarnate Messiah, Jesus. He saw Jesus in a vision more than once before he miraculously became a man.

When Ezekiel was exiled in Babylon, about five years after his captivity, he saw the four living creatures that surround the throne of God in the eternal realm (Ezek. 1:4-21; Rev. 4:6-8). The four living creatures are cherubim (Ezek. 10:15). Over the heads of the four living creatures, Ezekiel saw what looked like the arch of the sky, the firmament (Ezek. 1:22a). The firmament had the appearance of crystal (Ezek. 1:22b). Below the arch of the sky that gleamed like crystal, each of the cherubim stretched out two of their wings straight towards each other, and kept their other two wings close to their bodies (Ezek. 1:23). When they would move, their wings would sound like many waters rushing, like the voice of Shaddai (the Almighty), they would sound like the commotion of armed force, and when they would stand still, they would drop their wings to their side (Ezek. 1:24). You can see that Ezekiel was trying to describe the sound he heard as precise as possible.

After Ezekiel experienced the appearance of the four living creatures in graphic detail, he heard a voice come from above the cherubim, and above, the arch of the sky the voice caused the cherubim to stand still and lower their wings to their side (Ezek. 1:25). From the place Ezekiel heard the voice, he saw a throne made of sapphire stone, and an image that looked like a man (Ezek. 1:26). The man on the sapphire throne appeared to be from the waist up, glowing like metal full of fire, and from his waist down it also looked like fire—he beamed with brilliant light (Ezek. 1:27). The image that looked like a man was the pre-incarnate Messiah.

The intense fire and the brightness of the light that surrounded the pre-incarnate Christ may be an allusion to his purity in his pre-incarnate state. Anything impure or sinful would be immediately consumed in his literal presence. This brilliant light would not be exclusive to the Son of God. This bright light would be shared with the other two members of the Trinity, the Father and the Holy Spirit of God. The fire that Ezekiel saw would also reveal that God is a consuming fire (Deut. 4:24; Heb. 12:9). The sapphire throne that the Son of God was sitting on, had surrounding it what looked like a rainbow after the rain (Ezek. 1:28). The apostle John saw the same when he was brought up to Heaven and saw the Father (Rev. 4:2-3). He also saw a rainbow wrapped around the head of a mighty angel who comes down from heaven after the sixth angel blows his trumpet—this mighty angel has an extraordinary appearance (Rev. 10:1-3; 9:13). The color of the bow they saw is allusive to God’s majesty and gloriousness. However, the rainbow they both saw is also allusive to the mercy of God. God established a covenant with Noah, his offspring, and every beast of the earth, that he would never destroy the Earth with a flood again (Gen. 9:9-11). The sign of this covenant is a rainbow (Gen. 9:12-17). The rainbow is a sign that resembles God’s mercy. God, out of mercy for the earth and all that live in it, will never flood the whole Earth again to destroy the living. Also, God displays a sign of mercy around his throne. The rainbow after a rain reminds God of his covenant of mercy between him and the earth (Gen. 9:13), and the rainbow that surrounds his throne reminds him that his mercy will last forever. The rainbow around the head of the mighty angel is a sign that even though this angel is miraculous in appearance, he is a servant of the God of mercy.

The pre-incarnate Son of God, spoke to Ezekiel and told him to get up on his feet (Ezek. 1:28c-2:1). The Spirit of God entered Ezekiel and helped him up on his feet (Ezek. 2:2). The Son of God then sends the prophet to the people of Israel calling him, בֵּן־אָדָם (bēn-'āḏām) Son of man (Ezek. 2:3). In the sixth year of Ezekiel’s captivity, possibly fourteen months after the pre-incarnate Messiah first appeared to him in a vison, Jesus appears again (Ezek. 8:1-2). Matthew Henry (1662–1714) wrote in his commentary that the second vision of the pre-incarnate Christ likely occurred after Ezekiel had finished lying on his left side for 390 days bearing the sins of Israel and before he had to lie on his right side to bear the sins of Judah.[3] This time the Son of God reaches out from the eternal realm, grabs Ezekiel by the hair, as the Spirit of God brought him to the edge of the heavenly realm to show him Jerusalem (Ezek. 8:3)—the reason why Ezekiel did not cease to exist when the Son of God grabbed him by the hair was because Ezekiel had the Holy Spirit enter him previous to that seizing of his body. Jesus shows Ezekiel Israel in her iniquities (Ezek. 8:4 – 9:11). Then, Ezekiel sees the sapphire throne again, in the firmament over the heads of the cherubim (Ezek. 10:1). The voice from the throne, the pre-incarnate Messiah, told the man clothed in linen to scatter burning coals over the city of Jerusalem (Ezek. 10:2). The above is just a small testament to the pre-incarnate Jesus. Daniel also saw the pre-incarnate Messiah (Dan. 2:44-45; 7:13-14). The Ancient of Days whom Daniel saw is God the Father (Dan. 7:9-10).

After Jesus Christ had completed his mission as a man on Earth, he was then raptured into the eternal realm from which he came (Acts 1:9). Once he was back in heaven, his appearance changed. His body of human flesh was glorified so that he could live in the eternal realm again (Phil. 3:20-21; 1 Cor. 15:49). He now lives in a heavenly body again. He does not have the same eternal body he once had before he became a man, the one that Ezekiel and Isaiah saw (Isa. 6:1-13). Because his earthly body has now been glorified. Jesus now has a body of heavenly substance that once was made of earthly flesh: “There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is different from that of the earthly ones” (1 Cor. 15:40, CSB). His resurrected earthly body was raised imperishable and immortal; eternal (1 Cor. 15:42). His dead earthly body was raised a spiritual body (1 Cor. 15:44).

The apostle John records what Jesus looks like now that he dwells in the eternal realm again. Remember, he died in an earthly body and was raised to life in an immortal body. Once he ascended back into heaven, his resurrected body was then changed into a heavenly body. Is he recognizable to his mother Mary, since she and he are both in heaven? I believe so. She is there in her spirit being, and he is there in his heavenly body. Once she departed from this world and entered Heaven in her spirit, Jesus and she were reacquainted. I assume Mary is waiting for her soon-to-be resurrected body to be glorified once her Son comes to rapture the rest of the body of Christ. I presume the same thing happened when his half-brother James departed.  

John wrote, that when he saw Jesus on the Isle of Patmos, he was dressed in a garment that reached his feet, and a golden sash draped over his shoulder and across his chest (Rev. 1:13). His hair was white like the wool on a lamb’s body, the color of fresh fallen snow, and his eyes were like flaming fire (Rev. 1:14). His feet looked like brass, refined in fire and his voice had a roaring sound like when sea waves roll (Rev. 1:15). John saw his face glow like the sun (Rev. 1:16). Jesus told John to write to the church in Thyatira: “‘The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze” (Rev. 2:18, ESV). John saw Jesus again in a vision of his future second appearance, his eyes were like a flame of fire (Rev. 19:12).

The images of the Lord Jesus Christ, before he came into the world, during his incarnation, and then when he went back into heaven, reveal that his appearance was different in every era of his revelation. The Son of God has gone through numerous transfigurations. The first was his pre-incarnate state: The Son of God existed in an eternal Godlike body that was in the likeness of and equal to God his Father. The second was his incarnate state: The Son of God put off his eternal Godlike body to put on an earthly body. The third was his glorified state: Jesus, the man, was transformed from his earthly body into a heavenly body. Although his appearance changed three times, he still retained the distinction as the 2^nd person of the Holy Trinity throughout each metamorphosis. 

Picture: Pixabay (Ken_Thief)

Free for use under the Pixabay Content License

---

[1] Age of Reason, Part II, Section 20

https://www.ushistory.org/paine/reason/reason36.htm

[2] What is a theophany? What is a Christophany?

https://www.gotquestions.org/theophany-Christophany.html

[3] Matthew Henry Commentary – chapter 8 (Bible Study Tools)

https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/ezekiel/8.html

 

Sleeping or Not

 

The article below is the final excerpt from chapter twelve of my manuscript, Waiting for The Day and Hour. This piece is the introduction to chapter twelve, and the last nine posts followed it.

Since this book is about the rapture of the body of Christ it would be a good idea to designate chapter number twelve to it. Throughout this book, I have mentioned the coming of the Lord for his church often, so writing about it in this chapter may help highlight some important facts about this event. The rapture is contentious because so many Christians know little about it. There are several reasons why Christians lack this knowledge. Here are three, but there may be many more: 1) They may be recent converts. 2) They do not believe in the rapture. 3) They are not interested in being educated about this important event. The only legitimate reason for having little or no knowledge of the rapture of the body of Christ is number one: They are recent converts. The other two reasons are because they oppose the Holy Spirit—yes, that is right. Groups two and three may look and sound strong in the Lord, but they resist the truth the Holy Spirit reveals.

What a believer feels is not the best way to judge whether or not the Spirit of God is speaking to them. The child of God should hear his voice clearly within their spirit or in their ears. However, reading the Holy Scriptures is the primary way God speaks to his church (illumination will come because God is faithful). The New Testament is God’s way of speaking to his church. The Old Testament is what God teaches his church about the people whom Jesus the Savior came into the world. The church needs to know that the Old Testament is about the history of Israel and the things God prophesied and promised her. What God promises Israel does not necessarily mean that God has promised it for his church. Christians need to distinguish between Israel and the church.

The Spirit of God leads God’s people into all truth, and the rapture is the truth that he has been revealing since Israel’s statehood was renewed. Sadly, most Christians and pastors have been in defiance to endtimes prophecy for several decades. After Israel’s statehood was renewed, many pastors preached about the coming of the Lord. They did it regularly. In the mid-1980s, my cousin went up to receive Christ after my pastor was finished preaching on the Tribulation Period and the rapture. But over the last 40-50 years, the pulpit has become mute on the message of endtimes. Many pastors do not even believe the world is in the endtimes—the endtimes began with the rebirth of Israel’s sovereign government. The large group of Christians and pastors who have cast away endtimes doctrine refuse vehemently to hear anything about this teaching. Instead of endtimes teaching sounding like a songbird in the ears of the church, many regard it as a screeching red-tailed hawk. Many scold their pastor after he teaches on it. When a rapture disbeliever hears the word, rapture, they get confrontational. Some can get very angry. I have experienced it. Their opposition to the word rapture, and the teaching of endtimes prophecy could be that they fear the rapture happening. They may fear meeting the Lord face-to-face. They may fear standing before the Lord at his judgment seat—I will write about the judgment seat of Christ below, under the heading, The Bema Seat.

Some have the idea that the rapture is a bad thing. They think of it this way because they believe it could disrupt their plans. Destroy their agendas. Every pastor thinks the Lord has a calling on their life, but by what some say, it reveals their calling has no place for the rapture. These people symbolically push the rapture away so their calling will be fulfilled—they believe if they do not preach it or speak it, the rapture will not happen. God does not contradict his word. He will not promise anything to anyone if it goes against Scripture. The attitude of every pastor and Christian should be what they have been called to will happen if the rapture does not happen first—and be happy with that. That is the best way of approaching a personal calling or church program. However, one of the main reasons why many Christians (including pastors) reject the fact that the rapture will happen during this generation is because they love the world and the things of the world. This is proof that the love of God the Father is not in them (1 Jn. 2:15).  “The desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life [Or pride in possessions]” (1 Jn. 2:16b), are entrapments of the world. The lovers of this life are not from God. James, the half-brother of Jesus (Matt. 13:55), and the leader of the Jerusalem council (Acts. 15:13; 21:17-19), said that being friendly with the world is being hostile to God—he calls them μοιχαλίδες (moichalídes) adulteresses (Jms. 4:4a). Therefore: “Whoever wants to be a friend of the world becomes the enemy of God” (Jms. 4:4b).

When a Christian loves the world and the things of this world, it is because the world is where their heart and mind are. Paul taught the church to focus on heaven, for that is where Christ is (Col. 3:1). The mind of the Christian is to be fixed on the things in heaven and not on the things of the earth (Col. 3:2). The Western church has plenty of people that have ears that itch for their lusts, therefore they seek teachers that will teach what they lust after (2 Tim. 4:3). Many in the Western church do not want to hear truth, but rather, they want men and women behind the pulpit to preach fiction (2 Tim. 4:4). This was prophesied by the apostle Paul and its fulfillment is happening in this generation.

Endtimes theology, specifically the rapture, is not taught in most churches today because their pastors are defiant. They are rebellious. They believe their will for their congregation is more important than God’s plan. Some pastors are heretic servants. They have chosen to reject what God has commanded them. Maybe because they fear their congregations will shrink if they preach on the endtimes. Some pastors are not bothered resisting the study of endtimes doctrine. Neither are they worried about being uneducated on the rapture of the church. Their conscience is not pricked. Therefore, their congregations suffer from endtimes anorexia. Many in the church have been starved of endtimes doctrine for so long that they have become rapture anorectic. They have lost their appetite for endtimes teaching, especially on the rapture. If only many in the church would realize that they are spiritually gaunt. The rapture anorectic may think they are well nourished, spiritually strong, and healthy because they get an electric jolt up and down their spine when the worship team plays energetic tunes. Or because their pastors know how to stir their emotions.  But spiritually, they are scrawny rebels. They disobey the word of God for tainted doctrine. They want to feel good about themselves instead of hearing the truth. They are moichalídes (adulteresses).

When a Christian is serious about learning and understanding the word of God, the Holy Spirit will guide the believer into all truth, even the disputatious rapture teaching. As I said above, the Holy Spirit has been revealing endtimes doctrine more clearly since Israel’s statehood was renewed because that prophesied event triggered the teaching of this doctrine. This generation is to focus on endtimes doctrine, especially teaching about the rapture of the body of Christ. As the day of the rapture gets near, the Spirit of God reveals this truth more clearly in the hearts of those who listen. The message has clarity to those who believe it, but the message is mute in the ears of those that resist it.

 Are They Sleeping?

God has scheduled a day and a specific hour when he will miraculously remove the body of Christ from this world. Those alive when the trumpet sounds will be seized suddenly into the eternal realm. Those that are in heaven, in soul and spirit, will be reunited with their dead bodies they left behind on the earth. Their present condition is why the apostle Paul calls them “the dead in Christ.” Their bodies are dead, but their spirits are not. It does not matter the condition of their dead body because God is a master at recreating. Paul said that those who are dead in Christ are κοιμωμένων (koimoménon) “sleeping” or κοιμηθέντας (koimithéntas) “asleep” (1 Thess. 4:13-14). Because Paul used this terminology to describe the dead in Christ, some believe that a Christian who has passed away and is waiting for the rapture to occur is asleep. They think the soul and spirit of the dead in Christ are comatose or in hibernation.

Paul was not using koimoménon in the literal sense but metaphorically. The sleeping or, in hibernation, theory conceives the dead in Christ as being in a state of unconsciousness. They do not even hold the theory that they are in a state of altered consciousness that would produce dreams like in the different stages of sleep. But they believe they are in an incognizant state. This theory teaches that once a Christian dies, they are in hibernation until the day the trumpet sounds to assemble the church in the eternal realm. This would mean that the apostles Paul, Peter, John, and Silas would not even know where they were. They passed away almost two millennia ago. So, for nearly 2000 years, they have been in hibernation. The theology of being asleep in heaven means their state of unconsciousness would hinder their ability to recognize Jesus.

The people who believe the dead in Christ are sleeping believe that once the rapture occurs, their soul and spirit will awake out of slumber. But I do not think this is what Paul meant when he said the dead in Christ are sleeping. I believe he meant they are at rest from their work done in this world. It is similar to being retired from a long career. They are resting from their labors. They are fully conscious of where they are and who they see in heaven. They know they are in heaven. In heaven, there is peace compared to the trouble, anxiety, and worry here in the world. And that is what the dead in Christ are enjoying: Heavenly rest.

Those who die in their sins are another story. Their spirit beings do not go into the heavenly realm but go into ᾅδης (Hades) hell, or the netherworld. Hades is a sojourn (a temporary stay[1]) for the dead in sin. In Hebrew, it is called שְׁאוֹל (sheol), which is hell or the underworld. Sheol is a sojourn for the dead in sin. Hell is a stopover for the disembodied spirits of those who die in their sins. Like the dead in Christ, the dead in their sins are also fully aware of where they are. The spirits and souls of those dead in their sins are in Hades only temporarily because one day they will be transferred to a different place—stay with me. The dead bodies of the dead in their sins are on the earth someplace, like those who are dead in Christ. But during the great white throne judgment, the bodies of the dead in their sins will be resurrected (Rev. 20:5a) and then cast into the lake of fire after they are judged for the things they had done (Rev. 20:11-12). As I have said, Hades is only a sojourn for the dead in their sins.

Most have been laid over in Hades for many years, centuries, and millennia. But once their bodies come to life again and they are judged for their sins, they will be transferred to the lake of fire (Rev. 20:14-15). The Scripture says the θάλασσα (thálassa) sea gave up the dead who are in it (Rev. 20:13a). This may mean the nations will give up the dead bodies of those that die in their sins. When it says “Death and Hades” gave up its dead (Rev. 20:13b), it means the spirits of the dead in their sins. Again, Hades is a sojourn for the dead in their sins. Therefore, the dead in their sins will be reunited with their earthly bodies and be judged, then cast into the lake of fire because their names are not recorded in the Book of Life (Rev. 20:14-15). Those cast into the lake of fire, like the Antichrist and the false prophet (Rev. 19:20), will not burn up like in a fiery furnace. Because the lake of fire is a place of eternal torment. Notice: Revelation 19:20 records that the Antichrist and the false prophet are cast alive directly into the lake of fire, bypassing Hades. The chemical element sulfur, that fuels the lake of fire, is to keep the eternal place of torment alive forever. Hades is a temporary place of βασάνοις (vasánois) torment, or torture. However, the lake of fire is a permanent place of vasánois for eternity.

We see an allusion to the dead in their sins sojourning in Hades in Scripture (Lk. 16:19-31). Some people assume this story is fictional. But I contend it is not. I believe it is factual. I presume the episode between the rich man, Lazarus, and Abraham happened while Jesus resided in the eternal realm as the God of Israel, before he left heaven to become a man. I believe that both the rich man and Lazarus were Jews from the house of Israel. Because the rich man was dead in his sins, he was cast into Hades after he died (Lk. 16:22b - 23a). He may have been one of Israel’s evil kings or one of the kingdom’s princes who reigned from Solomon’s palace. Because he was dressed in purple and fine linen, and the food he ate was sumptuous[2]— “extremely costly, rich, luxurious, or magnificent” (Lk. 16:19). Lazarus was poor, and covered in sores that likely were bleeding which attracted dogs (Lk. 16:20-21). He begged for food outside the rich man’s gate, likely the palace gate. Lazarus was received into a region of the heavenly realms when he died (Lk. 16:22a) because he was must have been a righteous man in Israel (read Ezekiel 18:4 - 17; Prov. 18:10). Abraham’s κόλπος (kólpos) bosom, is an allusion to a location in the heavenly realms. However, some would disagree with me.

In this historical narrative, Jesus reveals that spirits in the underworld can see into the realm where the spirits of the righteous are taken by the angels of God when they die (Lk. 16:23b - 24). Abraham’s bosom can be seen from Hades because both are spiritual domains outside of time and space. They both exist in the spiritual realm. But the place of the righteous in the heavenly realms and Hades are far from each other, because the rich man saw Abraham and Lazarus from faraway (Lk. 16:23b). Between the spiritual domain of the underworld, and the spiritual domain of the righteous is a χάσμα μέγα (chásma mega) big gap, or mega gap, or mega chasm. The righteous spirits and the spirits of sin cannot pass from one side to the other (Lk. 16:26). The spiritual domain of Hades is a place of torment described by the rich man’s agony (Lk. 16:24).

Some teach that when Jesus died and went to Hades, he then led the saints of the Old Testament out of Hades and took them with him when he ascended back into heaven (Eph. 4:8-10). They think the Old Testament saints were in Sheol, they went there when they died. I disagree with this theory because Sheol is a place of torment, as the rich man said (Lk. 16:24). Paul does not say what he meant by this saying (Eph. 4:8), but maybe one thing, Christ’s victory. He quoted King David from Psalms 68:18. David prophesied Israel’s Messiah and his victory over death and sin, and then he ascends to heaven. Paul quotes this prophecy, declaring Christ’s victory over the fallen angels and demonic spirits. The same ones that had kept all men in captivity to their power until Jesus’ death and resurrection. The “captivity captive” are not the righteous of the Old Testament but are the powers of darkness. Jesus took them captive, giving him victory over them. Paul declares that by Christ’s victory, men can be free from Satan’s power. Jesus led his captives, the principalities and powers of darkness, and exposed their shame with his victory over them (Col. 2:15).   

As the prophecy goes, concerning the dead in Christ, those who are sleeping, they will rise first to meet the Lord in the air, then, those caught up out of the world, will join them to meet Jesus all together: “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout [or command], with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first … Then we who are still alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:16-17, CSB).

The English phrase “caught up” used in many English Bibles, in 1 Thessalonians 4:17, is derived from the Greek term ἁρπάζω (harpazō). Paul used this word to describe himself being harpazō (caught up) into the heavenly realm (2 Cor. 12:2, 4). John used this word when he described Jesus being caught up to God (Rev. 12:5)—this happened when he was raptured, or ascended, back into heaven (Acts 1:9). Harpazō means to grab with force, or seized quickly. This Greek word is where we get the word rapture from. It comes from the Latin word raptus, which means to seize. Most English Bibles translate harpazō as the phrase “caught up” because of Paul’s analogy: in the clouds and the air. Bible translators not only try to interpret Scriptures as close to the original manuscripts as possible but also try to be grammatically correct. In verse seventeen, the English translations attempted to be syntax[3] correct by abiding by grammar rules while expressing Paul’s analogy, in the clouds and the air. Therefore, being caught up sounds more appropriate since clouds are up in the air. The Latin Vulgate[4] reads: “Deinde nos qui vivimus qui relinquimur simul rapiemur cum illis in nubibus obviam Domino in aera et sic semper cum Domino erimus.” Translated into English, it reads: “Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.” Notice the word rapiemur in the Latin Vulgate. I put it in italics.  Rapiemur, when parsed,[5] translates into the English phrase: “We will be carried away.” Rapiemur is translated from the Greek term, ἁρπαγησόμεθα (arpagisómetha). Arpagisómetha, when translated into English, reads: “We are raptured.”

As I have pointed out numerous times in this book and the articles I post, Jesus commands the pastors and teachers to teach endtimes doctrine so the church can make it part of their Christian theology (Matt. 24: 45-51; Lk. 12:41-48). Rapture teachings help the believer to grow in his salvation and be purified even as the Lord is pure (1 Jn. 3:2-3). Even so, individual Christians should take responsibility for themselves and their family. If endtimes prophecy is void from the pulpit, Christians can get taught from outside ministries. Endtimes teaching is available on the internet, from videos and books. I am sure that every believer knows someone knowledgeable in endtimes doctrine. Therefore, the door should be open to them to share their knowledge.   

 

Picture: Pixabay (bongbabyhousevn)

Free for use under the Pixabay Content License 

---

[1] Sojourn
https://www.dictionary.com/e/word-of-the-day/sojourn-2020-07-15/

[2] Sumptuous

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sumptuous

[3] What Is Syntax? Learn the Meaning and Rules, With Examples

https://www.grammarly.com/blog/grammar/syntax/

(Accessed 3/27/2025)

[4] What is the Latin Vulgate Bible

https://www.gotquestions.org/Latin-Vulgate.html

(Accessed 1/28/2025)

[5] Parse

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/parse

The Marriage Supper of The Lamb

 

This article is another piece of my manuscript, Waiting for The Day and Hour:

After the rapture of the body of Christ, followed by its judgment at the bema seat of Christ in the heavenly realm, the marriage ceremony of the Lamb to his Bride and the marriage supper will follow (Rev. 19:6-9). The marriage ceremony and the wedding feast will happen while the people on earth are experiencing the seven-year Tribulation Period. But some believe the marriage of the Lamb will not happen until Christ’s millennial reign. I disagree with their theory and believe it happens in heaven during the 70^th week of Israel. We have to remember that the Bride of the Lamb is the New Creation, the Church, and not the nation of Israel—the new creation is both Jews and Gentiles who put their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord. I presume the marriage ceremony and supper will happen after the seventh angel pours the seventh bowl of God’s wrath into the air (Rev. 16:17-21).

The reason, why I believe the marriage ceremony and supper will happen after the seventh bowl is released is because the judgment of God upon the inhabitants of the earth is finished at this point. The seventh angel pours out his bowl and a voice from the temple, literally from the throne of God, says, “α γέγονεν (a gégonen) “it happened” (Rev. 16:17c, mGNT). Most English translations say, “It is done.” What does, “it happened” or “it is done” mean? In this instance, it means the wrath of God has come to pass, it has been completed. The wrath of God is finished with the outpouring of the seventh bowl (Rev. 15:1). The voice that shouts from the throne could be either God the Father, or God the Son. Once the wrath of God, and the Lamb, has happened (it will be a joint effort) then I believe the actual marriage ceremony and marriage supper of the Lamb will come.

The marriage proceedings of the Lamb will happen before Jesus descends from heaven to the earth and strikes down the nations—his 2^nd coming (Rev.19:11-15). However, time in the eternal realm is not like time on Earth. Heaven operates on eternal time. Meaning: Time has no beginning or end in eternity; it is immeasurable. Time on Earth is measured by its rotation around its axis. The Earth’s time standard is called Universal Time (synonymous with mean solar time).[1] Therefore, time in the eternal realm from when the seventh bowl is finished to the 2^nd coming of Jesus could be a very long time compared to time on Earth, because heaven operates on eternal time. And, time in heaven from when the marriage proceedings of the Lamb begin to when he descends to the earth to battle the Antichrist could be a very long time compared to time on Earth. But, from the time the seventh bowl judgment happens on Earth to the moment Jesus descends from the eternal realm, it will be a matter of days or hours. Once the Antichrist forces a covenant of peace upon Israel (Isa. 28:15, 18-20) and its enemies, which will begin Israel’s 70^th week (Dan. 9:27a; Rev. 6:2), there are only seven years (360-day years) to when the events in Revelation 19:11-21 will happen. But the time in heaven during those years is immeasurable. The time in heaven that passes once the seventh bowl judgment is completed until Jesus descends back to the Earth, will be enough time for the marriage ceremony and the marriage supper of the Lamb to be fully celebrated.

We should consider what the apostle Peter recorded. He said: “That with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (2 Pet. 3:8b, ESV). He stated this as fact: ἓν δὲ τοῦτο μὴ λανθανέτω ὑμᾶς ἀγαπητοί (én dé toúto mí lanthanéto ymás agapitoí) “But this one thing I do not conceal from you, beloved” (2 Pet. 3:8a, mGNT). Many English Bibles have recorded this as fact also (ESV, CSB, NASB20, AMP, RSV). I assume he meant, that one day on Earth is 1000 years in the eternal realm, and 1000 years on Earth is a day in the eternal realm. Does he not mean that with the Lord, being he is in the eternal realm, where he dwells, time is fathomless? Therefore, 1000 years can go by on Earth but in the eternal realm, it is just one day, and one day can go by on Earth, however in the eternal realm, 1000 years go by. That is because time is immeasurable or fathomless in the eternal realm. Because time is fathomless in eternity, could today’s events on Earth have happened 1000 years ago in eternity? And could events 1000 years in Earth’s future be happening in the eternal realm right now?  

I have always heard it said that the marriage ceremony and supper of the Lamb will be happening throughout the seven-year Tribulation (I have even said it). They reason that in ancient Israel a wedding feast could be seven days or longer.[2] Therefore, it is assumed the marriage supper of the Lamb will happen while the earth’s inhabitants go through seven years of severe tribulation. That would mean the marriage of the Lamb would have to occur no later than the first day of when the 70^th week of Israel begins. But if that were true, Jesus would be celebrating his marriage proceedings, and releasing his wrath upon the fallen angels and their rebellious servants, at the same time. Maybe he will do both things at once, but I doubt it. I believe that because time is immeasurable in eternity, Jesus will release his wrath, and then when finished, partake in his marriage ceremony with the church. Then he will join the marriage supper with the church and all the guests invited. Since the marriage of the Lamb and the wedding feast to follow happens in the eternal realm, Jesus will have plenty of time to make it to his 2^nd appearance on the earth on the last day of the Tribulation Period. He will not have to rush or be in a frenzied state either.

When we see in Revelation 19:15c, where Jesus, “will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty” (ESV), it means the recipients of God’s wrath (the nations) will experience Christ’s rulership with severe discipline for wrong doing during his millennial reign (Rev. 20:4-6; Dan 2:44a; 7:27; Isa. 11:6-9; 65:20-25; Zech. 14:9-11, 16-21). He will press beneath his feet those who are unruly: “He will rule them with a rod of iron” (Rev. 19:15b, ESV). The people who will suffer defeat and be killed by the sword that comes from the mouth of Jesus (Rev. 19:15a), his words will destroy them, will be those who are gathered by the sickle of the angel; they will be crushed to death in the winepress of the wrath of God ending with their blood flowing for about 180 miles, and as high as a horse’s head—birds will stuff themselves on their dead bodies (Rev. 14:18-20; 19:17-19, 21; Zech. 14:2-4, 12-15).    

At the marriage of the Lamb there will be jubilation in heaven. A multitude of angels (I assume) will rejoice as the Lord and the church will be united together in eternity. John said it will sound like φωνὴν ὑδάτων πολλῶν καὶ ὡς φωνὴν βροντῶν (fonín ydáton pollón kaí os fonín vrontón) “the voice of many waters and like the voice of thunder” (Rev. 19:6a, mGNT). The multitude of angels rejoicing because of the eternal connection between the Lamb and his church, could also be those martyred during the Tribulation—Tribulation saints (Rev. 6:9-11; 7:9-10, 13-17). Whether this multitude are angels, Tribulation saints, or both, they will say: “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns” (Rev. 19:6b, ESV). They will give glory to God when the marriage of the Lamb arrives, and his church has made herself ready (Rev. 19:7). The Scripture has used the Greek noun γυνή (gyní) woman, to describe the body of Christ; the church. Most English translations use either wife or bride to describe gyní (woman) when parsing it with the rest of the sentence. Both wife and bride refer to the church. The Greek phrase γυνὴ αὐτοῦ ἡτοίμασεν ἑαυτήν (gyní aftoú itoímasen eaftín) “His wife prepared herself” (Rev. 19:7c, mGNT), means that the body of Christ has walked in righteousness and holiness before the rapture occurs—as commanded. The church should overcome and keep its earthly garment from being soiled (Rev. 3:4-5). The church is to make no room for the sinful nature or to indulge in what the flesh desires (Rom. 8:12-13; 13:14; Gal. 5:16-17, 24; Eph. 4:22-24). At the wedding of the Lamb, the wife of the Lamb: ἐδόθη αὐτῇ ἵνα περιβάληται βύσσινον καθαρόν· καὶ λαμπρὸν (edóthi aftí ína periválitai výssinon katharón: kaí lamprón) “It was given to her to be clothed with pure, bright linen” (Rev. 19:8a, Textus Receptus). The pure, bright linen, represents the righteousness of the saints—meaning the holy ones in the body of Christ. The Tribulation saints are a different group as I have mentioned before. The body of Christ will be given fine linen to wear at the wedding of the Lamb that will shine radiantly. This garment will be made of pure linen, free of any contamination.

The angel said to the apostle John: “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb’” (Rev. 19:9a, HNV). There will be quests at the wedding of the Lamb and his bride, which will likely be those martyred during the Tribulation Period—the Tribulation saints. They will not be seized with the church before the 70^th week of Israel for several reasons,[3] and therefore will enter into the Tribulation. They will be killed during this time because of their testimony for Jesus (Rev. 6:9). They will not worship the one-world leader or his image, neither will they take the mark of the beast. They will be invited as guests because they will be περιβεβλημένους στολὰς λευκάς (perivevliménous stolás lefkás) “wrapped in white robes” (Rev. 7:9b, 13). They will wash their robes in the blood of the Lamb and make them white (the color white is allusive to purity) during the Tribulation once they repent and believe in Jesus (Rev. 7:14). They will serve God forever and he will be their protection once they are resurrected (Rev. 7:15; 20:4, 6). They will be resurrected after the 70^th week of Israel back into their earthly bodies that will never die again. They will reign with the Messiah for 1000 years. They will be considered blessed because they partake in the first resurrection. They will be priests of God and the Messiah (Rev. 20:4-6). Some believe that the Old Testament saints are also the guests invited to the marriage supper, but I contend that their bodies are raised from the dead at the rapture of the church (1 Thess. 4:13-17), because they had put their faith in their Messiah long before he made his 1^st appearance.

 

Picture: Pixabay (kalmarfoto)

Free for use under the Pixabay Content License 

---

[1] LEGISLATIVE SPECIFICATIONS FOR COORDINATING WITH UNIVERSAL TIME*

https://www.ucolick.org/~sla/leapsecs/seago.pdf

(Accessed 3/14/2025)

[2] After the Wedding Ceremony

https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/after-the-wedding-ceremony/

(Accessed 3/14/2025)

[3] The reason why these people will not be raptured with the church is because they most likely will not put their faith in Jesus before the rapture. Or, they may believe in Jesus but are not faithful to him before the rapture—they love the world and the things in the world. Therefore, they will be given another opportunity during the Tribulation Period to live for Christ and be faithful to him unto death.

The Bema Seat

The article below is a small portion from my manuscript, Waiting for The Day and Hour:

After the Body of Christ is taken into the heavenly realm, clothed with glorified bodies and transformed into immortal beings; it will be judged. This thought scares a lot of Christians. This might be one of the many reasons many believers don’t want the rapture to happen. But the bema seat, or the judgment seat of Christ, is nothing to fear because it is not like the great white throne judgment (Rev. 20:11-15). The latter judgment is for all whose names are not written in τῆ βίβλου ζωῆς (tí vívlou zoís) “the book of life” [mGNT] (Rev. 20:15; Jn. 3:3, 36b). The book of life is also called τοῦ ἀρνίου βιβλίῳ τῆς ζωῆς (toú arníou vivlío tís zoís) “the Lamb's book of life” (Rev. 21:27d, mGNT). Those whose names are not written in the book of life will be judged according to their sins, deeds, and actions during their lifetime (Rev. 20:12-13)—I will mention the great white throne judgment some more at the end of this section. Whereas the former judgment will be for those whose names are written in the book of life (Rev. 3:5; Phil. 4:3; Lk. 10:20). Every person appointed to eternal life has their name written in the book of life (Acts 13:48; Jn. 3:14-16, 36a; 5:24; 6:40, 47). The bema seat of Christ is not to judge the church for its sins because the believer’s sins were judged by God and put on Jesus while he was nailed to the cross (Col. 2:13-14). Jesus became sin so that man could be made right in God’s sight (2 Cor. 5:21). Jesus carried the sins of man in his own body so that man could be forgiven and be made righteous (1 Pet. 2:24a). The church must think carefully that it is dead to sin and made alive to God through Jesus (Rom. 6:11).

The bema seat is a Greek term (bema κάθισμα – bema káthisma). It refers to a raised platform mounted by steps, usually with a throne or an official’s chair at the top. It is seen as a place of power, and is used by a king or a high-ranking official. This seat was used to present rewards or crowns to those that achieved victory in ancient Greece. English Bibles translate bema káthisma as judgment seat (Matt. 27:19; Acts 18:12; 25:10). In 2 Corinthians 5:10, the judgment seat of Christ reads like this in the Greek: το βήματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ (to vímatos toú Christoú) “the footsteps of Christ” or “the step of Christ” (mGNT). In Romans 14:10, the judgment seat of God reads like this in Greek: τῷ βήματι τοῦ θεοῦ (tó vímati toú theoú) “at the foot of God” or “the Tribune of God” or “the step of God” (mGNT). The bema seat describes the judge's chair in the ancient Greek Olympics. Because Paul wrote primarily to the Gentile church, he used Greek sports imagery and metaphors to help Gentiles understand his message more clearly (1 Cor. 9:24-24; 2 Tim. 4:7).  

God plans to judge every believer for their deeds, actions, and even their attitude; whether good or bad. The actions and attitude of every believer in the body of Christ will be judged (2 Cor. 5:10). Every believer will have to give a record of their conduct and attitude before God (Rom. 14:12). This is why the believer should not look down on or judge the weak (Rom. 14:1-3). Jesus Christ is the Lord of the Church; therefore, the believer should not pass judgment on the Lord’s servants (Rom. 14:4-11).

Every believer is assigned different assignments within the body of Christ. Each one will be rewarded for their labor (1 Cor. 3:8)—at the bema seat of Christ. The body of Christ is to build on the foundation the apostles laid (1 Cor. 3:10a, Eph. 2:20a). Paul said the foundation, or cornerstone, is Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 3:11; Eph. 2:20b). So, every believer must be careful how they build on the foundation of Jesus Christ as they interact with the household of God and the world (1 Cor. 10b; Eph. 2:19). Every believer will be rewarded according to the labor assigned to them by the Lord. Their rewards will be determined by their record. The way the believer approaches their assigned duties and how they complete them is how they will be rewarded. After the rapture each one will have his work tested to see if it holds up under examination (1 Cor. 3:12-13a). Every believer’s effort and labor on the foundation the apostles laid will be tested by fire to see what kind of work they have done (1 Cor. 13b). The believer who put a genuine effort building upon the foundation the apostles laid will receive a reward (1 Cor. 3:14)—the testing fire will not destroy their labor. But if the believer did not put a genuine effort forth in building on the foundation of Jesus Christ, he will suffer loss, his labor will be burned up by fire (1 Cor. 15a). Likewise, when Christians do their works to be seen by men their reward will only be earthly (Matt. 6:1-6, 16-18, 19-21).  However, the believer who has his labor destroyed will not have his salvation destroyed, because it was given by grace (Eph. 2:8-9). They will still have eternal life in their heavenly body with Jesus. The believer whose labor is destroyed, σωθήσεται οὕτως ὡς διὰ πυρός (sothísetai oútos os diá pyrós) “will be saved so as through fire” (1 Cor. 3:15b, mGNT). This statement may mean that what the believer could have had in the way of rewards in eternity will be burned up like a bonfire. His eternal life will be intact but his treasures in heaven will be set ablaze before him. Therefore, every believer should make a sincere effort to put forth a genuine effort in building on the foundation of Jesus Christ, so they get a full reward in eternity (2 Jn. 1:8). Every believer should always μένετε ἐν αὐτῷ (ménete en aftó) “abide in him [Christ]” (1 Jn. 2:28a, mGNT), so that he is not ashamed of his conduct when the rapture suddenly happens (1 Jn. 2:28b).

Paul wrote that believers may be given a στέφανος (stéfanos) wreath or crown as a reward for being faithful in their deeds, action, and attitude.

There are five crowns:[1]

1) The Imperishable Crown (1 Corinthians 9:24-25). This crown is indestructible, not defiled or tainted, and its beauty will never diminish (1 Pet. 1:4). This crown will be given to every Christian that does not give up as they press forward to the completion of their salvation.

2) The Crown of Rejoicing (1 Thessalonians 2:19). This crown will be presented to every Christian who sincerely loves their brothers and sisters in the Lord (1 Thess. 2:17-18). At the bema seat of Christ, there will be those who will receive a crown of rejoicing because they had true and genuine love for the church; the body of Christ. Not just their chosen friends and family but the entire church, no matter how poor and weak they may be.

3) The Crown of Righteousness (2 Timothy 4:8). This crown will be presented to every believer who is watching, and waiting, with an eager heart for the rapture to happen. Paul wrote earlier that an athlete is not crowned if he cheats, he must compete by the rules (2 Tim. 2:5). A believer cannot expect to receive the crown of righteousness if they are not watching and ready when Jesus comes for his church (Matt. 24:42, 44; 25:13). The church is to wait eagerly for its salvation to be completed (Rom. 8:23; 2 Cor. 5:2). Jesus is coming for the believer that is anxiously (ardently or earnestly wishing[2]) waiting for him to appear in the clouds to rapture the body of Christ (Heb. 9:28).

4) The Crown of Glory (1 Peter 5:4). At the bema seat of Christ this crown will be presented to the πρεσβυτέρους (presvytérous) elders, or pastors, who shepherd God’s people without force, or overbearing control, not for personal gain, but overseeing the church voluntarily being an example to those they over see (1 Pet. 5:1-3). Peter likely had in mind the stéfanos (wreath) produced from the amaranth plant.[3] It is a pinkish or rosy red flower (it is not a rose). This flower never fades away. The crown of glory presented to the faithful pastors will never lose its importance. The crown of glory is a testimony of the pastor's faithfulness to his congregation; God’s people.  

5) The Crown of Life (Revelation 2:10). The crown of life (τὸν στέφανον τῆς ζωῆς – tón stéfanon tís zoís) is a crown that everyone in the body of Christ will be presented with at the bema seat of Christ. It is essentially the crown of eternal life (Rev. 3:11). This crown will be important especially to the Christian who suffered much tribulation in their life (James 1:12)—God has promised this crown to those who truly love him. Some members in the church of Smyrna suffered persecution at the hands of Caesar Domitianus Augustus (September 14, 81 – September 18, 96). Domitian was likely the διάβολος (diávolos) devil, that Jesus was referring to. Jesus has promised his people the crown of life to those who do not give up even when being faced with torture and death.         

The great white throne judgment I mentioned above, will happen after the 1000-year reign of Jesus Christ is over—the millennial reign (Rev. 20:1-6). At the great white throne, people that died without Jesus as their Lord before the 1000-year reign of Jesus Christ began, and the people that live during the thousand-year reign and rebel against Christ’s earthly kingdom by joining with Satan to conquer the millennial saints (Rev. 20:7-9) will be judged. It does not matter how or where the enemies of God have died, because the sea will give up the dead that are in it, and θάνατος καὶ ὁ ᾅδης (thánatos kaí o ádis) “death and hell” will give up the dead in them and they all will be judged (Rev. 20:13). 

The dead that did not rise at the first resurrection are the people that rejected God’s warning to repent during Israel’s 70^th week (Rev. 20:5). The people dead and in hell likely refers to those who lived during the church age but refused to receive Jesus as their savior. They may also be those who rejected the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob before Christ’s 1^st appearance. This would include those who worshiped the fallen angels and the spirits of their offspring as gods.  

 

Picture: Pixabay (VBlock)

Free for use under the Pixabay Content License

 

---

[1] What are the five heavenly crowns that believers can receive in heaven?

https://www.gotquestions.org/heavenly-crowns.html

(Accessed 3/4/25)

[2] Anxiously

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anxiously

[3] Amaranth

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/amaranth

Preparing a Place

The article below is a small portion of my manuscript, Waiting for The Day and Hour: 

The rapture is a pre-church promise that Jesus made to the apostles in John 14:2-3. What I mean by pre-church is before the church was even born. As the above Scripture reference states, Jesus knew that he would go back to the eternal realm to be with God his Father, after he sacrificed his life on the cross and then be resurrected. And this is why he informed his disciples that he would return for them once he prepared a place for them in God his Father’s house. This promise was made after Judas Iscariot left the room during the Last Supper (Jn. 13:1-38). At that time the church was unknown to the disciples, the Jewish nation, and the world. However, Jesus knew that the new creation would be born once he was resurrected.

Most Christians believe the church was born in the Upper Room when the Holy Spirit came upon and filled the followers of Christ there (Acts 2:1-4)—ten days after Jesus ascended into heaven and 50 days after he was raised from the dead. This group believes that when the 120 were baptized with the Holy Spirit, that was when the church was born. Their reason is the conversion of Jews and some godly men who heard Peter preach after witnessing the 120 speak in tongues (Acts 2: 5-41). But I disagree with this theory. I believe the church was born when Jesus breathed on the disciples and told them to receive the Holy Spirit (Jn. 20:22)—I have written about his theory before.

I believe the new creation was born on the evening of the resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ, on the first day of the week (Jn. 20:1; 19a). This happened 50 days before the Upper Room incident. On the evening of the Lord’s resurrection he breathed on his disciples, except Thomas because he was not there (Jn. 20:24), and told them to receive the Holy Spirit (Jn. 20:22). Jesus released the Holy Spirit to them because he discerned their faith in him being raised from the dead (Jn. 20:19c-20; Rom. 10:9). At that moment they would have had their spirit-being sealed with the Holy Spirit. The disciples Jesus released the Holy Spirit to were born-again at that moment—the church was born. When Thomas heard of the experience of the other disciples in seeing the risen Lord, he did not believe it because he needed proof (Jn. 20:24). Thomas was essentially the first person to have the gospel told him, but he did not have the faith to believe. He did get saved eight days later though. Jesus again suddenly appeared in the room the disciples were in, and Thomas was there this time (Jn. 20:26). After Jesus humiliated him, Thomas put his faith in the risen Savior (Jn. 20:27-29).

Thomas received the new birth 42 days before the Upper Room experience. The other disciples received the new birth 50 days before the Upper Room experience. I believe that all the Lord’s disciples, except Judas Iscariot, were born-again eight days after his resurrection—Judas had hanged himself the morning after Jesus’ arrest (Matt. 27:3-5). The 40 days between the resurrection of the Lord and his being raptured into heaven, Jesus appeared to more than 500 people at once (1 Cor. 15:6). These 500 would have witnessed the risen Lord like the disciples did. There can be no doubt that either most or all put their faith in him because they saw that he had been raised from the dead. These people were the earliest members of the new creation. He had also appeared to James, his half-brother, who would have likewise been saved after witnessing the Lord raised from the dead (1 Cor. 15:7). Mary Magdalene would have been the first person born into the new creation, because she witnessed the risen Lord just hours after he rose from the dead (Jn. 20:11-18)—she put her faith in him. Therefore, the church was born, and growing, before the followers of Christ were filled with the Holy Spirit in the Upper Room, and the 3,000 who heard them speak in tongues received the Lord on the day of Pentecost.

According to the facts, the 120 people in the Upper Room were all saved when the Holy Spirit came upon them and filled them with his power, which enabled them to speak in tongues. So how could the day of Pentecost be the day when the church was born? They all would have been saved during the 50 days after Christ was raised from the dead. The apostles would have made sure of that. Would the apostles have allowed unbelievers into the Upper Room where they had devoted themselves to prayer (Acts 1:12-14)—the Scripture said they were all in one accord? And while conducting church business (Acts 1:15-26)?

Jesus told his apostles that they would be baptized with/in the Holy Spirit, a promise of God the Father (Acts 1:3-5). He was meaning when they were gathered in the Upper Room, ten days later (Acts 2:1). Being baptized with/in the Holy Spirit means the believer’s spirit-being is dipped, immersed, or plunged into the power of the Spirit similar to how a person’s earthly body is dunked into water during water baptism (Mk. 1:8; Acts 1:5; 11:16). He told them that when the Holy Spirit comes upon them, they will receive power (Acts 1:8a; Lk. 24:49)—this happened while they were gathered in the Upper Room. Another way of describing the results of when the Holy Spirit comes upon a believer, or when God baptizes them with the Spirit is: a) Their spirit-being is πίμπλημι (pimplēmi) filled with the power of the Holy Spirit (Lk. 1:15, 41, 67; Acts 2:4; 4:8, 31; 9:17; 13:9, 52), or, b) Their spirit-being is πλήρης (plērēs) full or complete in the power of the Holy Spirit (Lk. 4:1; Acts 6:3, 5; 7:55; 11:24). Both pimplēmi (filled) and plērēs (full) have the meaning of infuse (to cause to be permeated with something [such as a principle or quality] that alters usually for the better),[i] and replete (fully or abundantly provided or filled).[ii] The Scripture reveals that being baptized or filled with the Holy Spirit enables the person to speak in tongues καθὼς τὸ πνεῦμα ἐδίδου ἀποφθέγγεσθαι αὐτοῖς (kathós tó pnevma edídou apofthéngesthai aftoís) “As the Spirit gives them utterance” [Acts 2:4c, mGNT] (Mk. 16:17; Acts. 2:6-12; 10:44-48; 19:6; Eph. 6:18a). Speaking in – genuine – tongues is evidence that the believer’s spirit-being is filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. Or that they are full of the power of the Holy Spirit. Some Christians believe there is no sign proving the believer is baptized in the Spirit, but Acts 2:4; 10:44-46; 19:5-7, seem to say otherwise. The believer who is baptized or filled with the Holy Spirit has been blessed with divine power to pray in tongues, or pray in the Spirit (Rom. 8:26-27; 1 Cor. 14:14-18; Eph. 6:18a; Jude 1:20). Having the Spirit’s power λαλεῖν ἑτέραις γλώσσαις (laleín etérais glóssais) “to speak in other languages” (Acts 2:4b, mGNT) is so the believer can have direct access to God in prayer as the apostle Paul wrote in Romans 8:26-27. 

Being filled or baptized with the Holy Spirit is not referring to the gift of ἑτέρῳ γένη γλωσσῶν (etéro géni glossón) “other languages” (1 Cor. 12:10d, mGNT; 28, 30; 14:2-4, 26-28, 39). Although a believer who has the gift of etéro géni glossón (other languages), has been baptized with the Holy Spirit at some point in their life. The Holy Spirit will use a Spirit-filled believer to release a word from God to the church by a gift of other languages. However, the Holy Spirit will not prompt the believer with the gift of tongues to speak if there is no believer present with the gift of interpretation to interpret (1 Cor. 14:5)—a genuine gift of tongues will not be given if there is no one with the gift to interpret that message from God. The Holy Spirit builds the church up, he does not confuse it (1 Cor. 14:6-13). The body of Christ is to be led by the Holy Spirit even when using his gifts.

I wrote the preceding, to prove that the church was not birthed on the day of Pentecost, in the Upper Room. But rather, the day of Pentecost was the initial baptism of the church with/in the Holy Spirit’s power. That was the day the believers were first able to speak in other languages as the Holy Spirit of God gave them the power to speak. That is the day the church began to multiply in great numbers after the 120 followers of Christ received the power of the Holy Spirit.       

The Lord Jesus Christ is preparing a place for his church in his Father’s house while they wait for him to return (Jn. 14:2-3). But in the meantime, he has appointed the – initial – apostles and prophets to be the foundation his church is to be built upon (Eph. 2:19-20). The people who appointed themselves as apostles and prophets today are not the apostles and prophets the apostle Paul referred to. Jesus promised that once he prepares this place, the church would be raptured out of this world so that they can be where he is—in heaven. As I mentioned in a few places, the hour the rapture happens is proof that Jesus has finished preparing a place for the body of Christ in his Father’s house. And to fulfill his promise to his apostles he will seize his followers out of this world in a moment, in the blink of an eye. Jesus will meet his church, the dead and living, in the eternal realm as they are newly fitted with heavenly bodies. This event will happen before the 70^th week of Israel begins. Before the ἄνθρωπος τῆς ἀνομίας (ánthropos tís anomías) “man of lawlessness” (2 Thess. 2:3c, mGNT) is revealed. The pre-Tribulation theory is a valid doctrine.

Could this place that Jesus is preparing for his people be the new Jerusalem (Rev. 3:12; 21:2, 10-27)? I ask this question because John 14:2-3 does not make it clear. When Jesus said, πορεύομαι ἑτοιμάσαι τόπον ὑμῖν (porévomai etoimásai tópon ymín) “I go to prepare a place for you” (Jn. 14:2b, mGNT), we assume he was referring to a dwelling in heaven because his Father’s house is in heaven. He said that in his Father’s house are πολλαί μονή (pollaí moní) “multiple monasteries” (Jn. 14:2a, GNT). In many English Bibles pollaí moní is translated as: many rooms; many dwelling places; many mansions. A monastery is a house dedicated to God. A monastery is an abbey occupied by priests who fulfill their vows to Christ Jesus. Heaven is filled with dwelling places for the angels of God. There are multiple rooms in heaven for the angels to dwell. At this time, Jesus is preparing pollaí moní (multiple monasteries) in his Father’s house for the body of Christ to dwell in once the church is raptured.

The apostle John saw in a vision the new Jerusalem “coming down out of heaven from God” (Rev. 21:2b, 10b, CSB). The reference to heaven is the eternal realm and not the earth’s atmosphere or the celestial cosmos. This event happens after this earth and heaven (the whole celestial cosmos) have passed away and a new heaven and earth will replace them (Rev. 21:1)—in the new earth there will be no sea. John sees the new Jerusalem coming out of the eternal realm to rest upon the new earth. He heard a loud voice speak from the throne room of God, the inner sanctuary, that ἡ σκηνὴ τοῦ θεοῦ (i skiní toú theoú) “the tabernacle of God” (Rev. 21:3b, mGNT) is with men. Some English Bibles translate i skiní toú theoú, as, God’s dwelling place. On the new earth, the tabernacle of God, or God’s dwelling place, will be with the people who will inhabit the new earth. These people will be the ones who survive Christ’s millennial reign and who are not deceived by Satan once he is released out of the abyss (Rev. 20:7). There will be people who go through the millennial reign of Christ that end up joining forces with Satan to battle the saints living in the land promised to Israel (Gen. 15:18; Josh. 1:4; Num. 34:1-15[iii]) and the Jerusalem that now exists (Rev. 20:8-9a). But God the Father will destroy this evil army and cast Satan into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:9b-10). The saints living in Jerusalem at that time are not the body of Christ. After the body of Christ is raptured, they become heavenly beings as I mentioned above under the heading, Salvation Completed (Made Perfect). The home of the body of Christ after being raptured is in the eternal heaven with God the Father, and Jesus Christ our Lord. The saints living in Israel at the time of Satan’s release from the abyss, and during his attack on the πόλιν ἠγαπημένην (pólin igapiménin) “beloved city,” are most likely the remnant Jews who were saved at Christ’s 2^nd coming. The offspring born to them during Christ’s millennial reign will also most likely dwell there at the time of Satan’s attack—they could number in the hundreds of millions.

Revelation 21:2a and 3, seem to say, that the new Jerusalem will be God’s tabernacle on the new earth. As I wrote, God’s dwelling place on the new Earth will be with men, the inhabitants of the new Earth. God will dwell with the inhabitants of the new earth, and he will be their God. These people will not be clothed in heavenly bodies like the body of Christ will be, and as the angels of God have been since they were created. But the Scripture seems to indicate that they will live in earthly bodies that will never die (Rev. 21:4). After the attack on God’s beloved city, and after the great white throne judgment has been completed (Rev. 20:11-15), God will make all things new (Rev. 21:5a). He told John: “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true” (Rev. 21:5b, ESV).

Revelation 21:3 raises a question. If God is going to dwell with the inhabitants of the new earth, does this mean his eternal heaven will be no more? The answer is no. Eternity will never cease to be. It is Eternal, everlasting. Eternity is a place without beginning or end. Just as God is Eternal; God never had a beginning and he will never have an end. When the Scripture states that he will dwell with the inhabitants of the new earth, it means that he will be in the new earth with men just like the Holy Spirit is in this earth with his new creation, the body of Christ. The Holy Spirit is omnipresent on this earth and in the heavens. He is omnipresent, in the eternal realm. He is everywhere at all times. The Holy Spirit will be everywhere on the new earth, but I believe his presence will be in a great measure. His presence may be as powerful as it is in heaven. The new Jerusalem will be the tabernacle of God on the new earth, something like the tabernacle Moses made for God in the desert (Ex. 25:8-9). Except the new Jerusalem is built by God. The new heaven and new earth are not a replacement for eternity, but only a replacement for this earth and the physical universe. And, if you are wondering, the new heaven and new earth does not become part of the eternal realm. But rather the new heaven and new earth are the current heavens and current earth transformed into a place where there is no more curse (Rev.22:3a)—it will still be governed by time and space (spacetime). God has to create a new heaven and new earth because God the Father chooses to visit with men on the new earth so that he can bless them with his physical presence: he wants to present himself in person (Rev.21:3). The new Jerusalem will be the place where the inhabitants of the new earth will go to worship God and the Lamb (Rev. 22:3c).

Some people think that the new Jerusalem is the church, because the way the Scripture presents the new Jerusalem as if it is τὴν γυναῖκα τοῦ ἀρνίου (tín gynaíka toú arníou) “the wife of the lamb” (Rev. 21:9b, mGNT). No! God did not sacrifice his Son for a city, but for the people who will dwell in that city. Revelation 21:2, says that the new Jerusalem is: “prepared like a bride adorned for her husband” (CSB). This means it is created beautifully and amazing like (or similar to) a bride for her husband. The new Jerusalem is adorned for the one who will dwell there, or make his tabernacle there. And that One is God (Rev. 21:3). That is why God the Father and Jesus the Lamb of God will both have thrones there (Rev. 22:3b). The new Jerusalem will be adorned with the presence of God. God’s presence will permeate the entirety of the new Jerusalem. The new Jerusalem will permeate with the glory of God (Rev. 21:10-11a)— “Her radiance was like a precious jewel, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal” (Rev. 21:11b, CSB). Revelation 21:12-21 describes its foundation, gates, and walls. It gives its measurements and the raw materials it is made of. It has a high wall with twelve gates. Twelve angels are at these twelve gates. The names of Jacob’s sons are inscribed on these twelve gates. The high wall has twelve foundations. Christ’s twelve apostles have their names inscribed upon these twelve foundations. The new Jerusalem could be the place Jesus is preparing in heaven for all those who belong to him. It could be the place in preparation for the wedding feast of God’s holy Son (Rev. 19:7-8; Matt. 22:1-14; Lk. 14:15-24).

 

Picture: Pixabay (enokenoc)

Free for use under the Pixabay Content License

---

[i] Infuse: To cause to be permeated with something (such as a principle or quality) that alters usually for the better.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/infuse

(Accessed 2/21/2025)

[ii] Replete: Fully or abundantly provided or filled.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/replete

(Accessed 2/21/2025)

[iii] What is the land that God promised to Israel?

https://www.gotquestions.org/Israel-land.html

(Accessed 2/27/2025)