MOST ASKED QUESTIONS, with ANSWERS BY
SCRIPTURE!
Paul says in I Corinthians 15:50 that this is a mystery. Surely it is, but all is possible with God. (Matthew 19:26)
Requirements:
First requirement:
Jesus said in John 3:5 "Most
assuredly, I say to you (Nicodemus) unless one is born of water and the Spirit,
he cannot enter the kingdom of God." So, one must be baptized and
receive the Holy Spirit to enter the kingdom of God.
Second requirement is as Jesus says in John
3:15, "whoever believes in Him should have eternal life."
Third requirement is that one must take the
Passover. In John
6:56 Jesus says, "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood
abides in Me, and I in him." In verse :51 He says,
"I am the
living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he
will live forever;. . "
Fourth requirement is that the Passover must be taken with preparation, and care.
I
Corinthians 11:27-29 explains, "Therefore whoever eats this
bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the
body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him
eat of that bread and drink of that cup. For he who eats and drinks in an
unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's
body."
2. When can one become spirit, and live
forever?
I John 3:2 says, ". . .we know that when He is revealed, we
shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is." Only spirit can see Him, humans would die.
It will be after the elect are changed to spirit as represented by the taking of
the Passover, taking Christ to live forever.
In Luke 22:15 Christ said to the
apostles, " 'With fervent desire I have desired to eat this
Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, 'I will no longer eat of it until it is
fulfilled in the
kingdom of God.' " The elect will be in the kingdom of God in heaven
and truly take the Passover on that day.
John 3:16 tells us, "God so loved
the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him
should not perish but have everlasting life."
In Joshua 5:7-10 The Israelites coming out of the wilderness were circumcised. They then kept the Passover. On the day after Passover, the manna ceased, and they ate the fruit of the Promised Land. So also, the elect coming out of this world, with circumcised worthy hearts, will keep the Passover, and then be fed the unleavened spiritual food of the kingdom.
3. What happens then?
1. As Christ was changed from human to spirit, so the elect will also be changed
to spirit.
2. They will be called by His voice (which is like a trumpet of God) to
meet Him in the clouds. The clouds are the door to heaven. (Psalm 78:23, &
Malachi 3:10)
Christ welcomes the elect there, and invites them in to the kingdom of God. Christ is the
doorkeeper. He says in John 10:9, "I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and
will go in and out and find pasture." In Ephesians 3:18 it says, "through Him we both (Christian
& Gentile) have access by one Spirit to the Father."
3. As Christ went to His Father in heaven, so also the elect will go to His
Father in heaven.
4. The elect dead will rise
immediately to heaven. The elect living will be
quickened (born again) in the twinkling of an eye and join them to meet Christ
in the first heaven (the clouds).
We are told in I Thessalonians 4:15-17,"For this we say to you by the
word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord
will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will
descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel and with the
trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who
are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet
the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the
Lord." He is now in heaven sitting at the right hand of His
Father. So He will take the elect to the third heaven to be accepted by
the Father, and welcomed to their home in the kingdom of God.
In John 20:17 Jesus tells Mary Magdalene, "Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father;"
I Thessalonians 4:17 says, that the elect
dead will be "caught up" to meet Christ in the clouds. The living in Christ also will meet Him there. Our God is not one of confusion, so the living elect will not
be "caught up" without warning. They will have been changed to spirit and they will hear His call
soon after.
In Luke 17:34-36 it says, in that night, two will be together in bed,
or grinding, or in the field, and only one will be taken. Since they will be working, it would not be
on a holy day.
THE WAVE SHEAF CEREMONY Leviticus 23:9-14
The barley field from which the sheaf is cut symbolizes all humanity. In that field there are
also tares, as in Matthew 13:24-30 & 36:43.
The barley that is sheaved represents the elect. The
tares, represent those not yet ready. At the first harvest, the time when the elect are changed to
spirit the barley and the tares will be separated.
The sheaf is raised and lowered. Christ was raised to heaven and came back to earth.
The elect will also be able to come back to earth to help those left behind for
a short while.
The offerings at that time are:
1. A Lamb, (Christ and the elect) as a burnt offering which shows a willingness to
give ones whole self.
2. The flour mixed with oil made by fire = Christ and the elect both have been ground and mixed
with the Holy Spirit, tried by fire. It is a grain offering that is pleasing to the
LORD.
Jesus, as Son of Man, became flesh, was tried, and died. Then He could become spirit again,
and be accepted back into the heavenly kingdom of God
The elect will do the same. God's elect will
have been tried through the great tribulation, deemed worthy to be changed to spirit, and will go to
their home in heaven.
When they have been accepted and greeted by the Heavenly Father, the elect
will be taken to the mansions/residences prepared for them in all parts of heaven. (John
14:2-3)
They will abide there seven years. Three and a half years to complete Jesus' ministry that
was cut off at His crucifixion, and three and a half years while the two witnesses preach the gospel.
(Revelation 11:3-13) The number seven in the Bible reflects completion.
5. When the seven years are complete what will happen?
When the seven years are completed, the elect are called from all the parts of heaven.
They will assemble in order to follow Christ back to earth to make war against the rebelling nations, and become King of kings,
(Matthew 24:30-31) At this time, He puts His feet on the Mt. of Olives. (Zechariah. 14:3-4)
Then Christ's millennial reign will begin. The earth will follow God's way, and be healed. The spirit elect, in positions of priests and kings, will assist Him in bringing this about.
6. Does this mean Jesus Christ will come to earth two times?Christ will first only appear to the elect in all His glory. Again, according to Strong's definitions His appearance means that those who wait for Him will, at His appearance, gaze intently as at something remarkable, with continued inspection, from a distance, just as they gazed at Him intently at His ascension. (Acts 1:9-11) Only those who are spirit will see Him. They will see Him from earth, with spiritual eyes, for no human can see God in His glory and live. (Exodus 33:20) He is in His glory, in heaven, where there is no sin, bringing salvation. Salvation is becoming spirit to live forever.
He then calls his elect to meet Him in heaven to be there with Him in the residences he has prepared for them. (John 14:2). As Christ was, taken/carried to heaven at His ascension, the elect will also be taken/carried to heaven. (Luke 24:51, and Acts 1:9). This is not talking about Christ's returning to earth
When He returns to earth, He firmly puts His feet on the Mount of Olives, as a warrior, to fight. (Zechariah 14:3-4) The elect will have come from their residences in heaven to follow Him back to earth. (Revelation 19:11-18)
7. Then, you believe in the rapture?
Yes, in the sense that the word "rapture" simply means transported. Being transported is the
definition of rapture in Webster's Dictionary. The elect are transported from having their feet on the
earth, to the clouds of the first heaven to meet Christ.
Notice in I Thessalonians 4:17 that the elect that are alive are "caught up" to the clouds. Strong's #726 says "to seize, catch away up, pluck, take (by force).
There is a rapture, a transportation. If we do not believe this, we call the apostles, and the Bible false! Our God is an orderly God. There is an orderly, sensible, unfolding of this phenomenon.
8. Do you mean you take going to heaven literally? I Thessalonians 4:13-17
Yes, The word "heaven" is never a figure of speech in the Bible. There are three heavens.
1. The air around us.
2. Beyond our atmosphere, where the stars, sun and moon are.
3. The heaven of heavens, God's dwelling place.
Jesus comes from the third heaven to meet the elect in the clouds of the first heaven, the gateway to the other heavens. Christ is in heaven, He does not put His feet on the ground at this time. Earth is ground, all heavens are above it.
When the elect are with Christ they are in heaven. They stay there because, in Matthew 24:30-31 He says, He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other at His return. (Revelation 19:11-18) The elect have to be in heaven to be called from heaven.
9. Then why is there a conflict about the rapture?
The conflict about the rapture comes in the conception of when and how it happens. It is
believed that when this happens there will be chaos.
There will not be chaos if the elect have time to prepare before they meet Christ . That time
will be given. There are angels to guide and prevent disaster.
10. What else should I know about the rapture?
First, know that the elect must meet Christ and remain in heaven so that He can train His
people to handle the power of being spirit. Then they must be prepared for their work in His
kingdom on earth. Only Christ can do this.
There is a need to be taught 1) How to handle spirit
functions. 2) To perfect character. 3)To participate in the marriage supper. 4)
Learn how to be His
warriors to fight Satan. 5) How to work in God's government. 6) How to be leaders in the
millennium. 7) To receive assignments. (I Thessalonians 4:17 & John
14:3)
The elect must be spiritual minded to understand the spiritual things of God. (Romans 8:69) &
(I Corinthians 2:14) The church, born as spirit beings, can absorb knowledge faster and more easily
than they could as human beings. Heaven is the ideal place for spirit beings to learn.
Second The elect will be in heaven 7 years before the return of Jesus
Christ to earth. Christ finished three and a half years of His personal ministry to the Holy people (Israel) on
earth, and then was cut off, as prophesied in Daniel 9:26, for the peoples
sins. Since He was cut off,
there is more of His teaching to come.
After that is the marriage
supper in heaven, and then Christ returns, with the elect, to earth to make war
against Satan and his followers. (Revelation 19:11-18)
Third, the elect are called with a heavenly sound to be assembled in the clouds, then to be
with Jesus Christ before the throne of God, and occupy their mansions/abodes there. Only the elect,
will be able to hear and see Christ at this time. Only the elect saw Him go. (Acts 1:6-9)
*The Church in the Wilderness was "brought out" of Egypt.
*The Church of the New Testament was "called out" of the world.
*The Heavenly Church is "taken" to heaven.
11. What about this trumpet that calls?
There is much to say.
First, the word "trumpet" in the New Testament is always, Strong's # 4536
- trumpet: salpigx
(sal'-pinx); perhaps from NT:4535 (through the idea of quavering or reverberation): KJV-a trumpet:--trump (et).
It is interesting to note that God's voice is sometimes referred to as sounding like a trumpet,
as in Revelation 1:10 & 4:1. Isaiah is told to raise his voice like a trumpet in
Isaiah 58:1. In
John
5:28 Jesus says, "Do not marvel at this for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will
hear His voice and come forth--"
Not everyone will hear this call to assemble, only the elect, the leaders, the firstfruits, for only
His sheep know His voice. (John 10:4)
Second, trumpets in the Bible have different purposes. In
Numbers 10:1-4 the silver
trumpets were blown in this way: One trumpet was for the leaders to assemble. Two trumpets were
blown for everyone to assemble. In Matthew 24:3, I Corinthians 15:51, &
I Thessalonians 4:16 there
is only one trumpet blown. I Thessalonians 4:16 calls it the trumpet of God.
The leaders are the elect, the firstfruits, future kings and priests in God's kingdom.
Later the elect are called to assemble once more. They are called from the four corners of
heaven, when Christ is ready to dramatically return to earth (Matthew 24:30-31) They will follow
Christ, the Warrior with the two edged sword. (Revelation 19:11-18) (Isaiah 11:4).
The seventh trumpet of Revelation is for great earthquakes causing Babylon's
fall, and huge hailstones upon the people. (Revelation
16:17-21) There is no
trumpet sound at Christ's return. He comes as a thief in the night!
Third the last trumpet Paul referred to in
I Corinthians 15:51 is not the seventh trumpet of
Revelation, as many assume. The 7th or last trumpet of Revelation is to warn of disasters on the
earth! (Revelation 11:15)
Paul did not know about John's vision, he was long dead when this happened. The word
'revelation' means revealing something not known before. So, Paul could not be referring to the
seventh trumpet of Revelation. Paul's 'Last trumpet' is a Jewish idiom which means a
judgment day.
The word "last" in Strongs is #2078 eschatos; a superi. prob. from 2192 (in the sense of
contiguity); farthest, final (of place or time):--ends of, last, latter end, lowest, uttermost.
Contiguity: the state of being contiguous a. touching; near, adjacent (L. contiguous, touching).
With this understanding I Corinthians 15:52 could be translated as: "We shall all be changed--in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the later end of their human existence. (when they are judged worthy to enter the kingdom) For the reverberating voice of God (trumpet) will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
12. Doesn't this contradict John
3:13 which states "no one has entered
heaven"?
No; just because no one had entered heaven up to the time of Christ, does not mean that
no one ever will!
13. What about Mark
13:27?
It says, "then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds,
from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven." So, before Christ returns to put His
feet on the Mt. of Olives He will gather those elect who have been changed to spirit and reside in
heaven, and some from earth. The ones from earth are 1) The 144,000 Israelites that have been
sealed in Revelation 7:3-8, and 2)those converted by the two witnesses in
Revelation 11:13., who
have been in a place of safety on earth.
14. Do you then set dates?
No, only a progression. Mark 13:28-33 says that we should watch the signs, but of that
day and hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Time
could get lost from humans, as when the Israelites were slaves in Egypt. However, God knows
the time, and will work according to it. He will let His elect know, just as He made the Israelites
know when the Sabbath was with the manna. We have the holy days for an
outline of events.
15. Can you prove all this?
What proof do you need? The only sure truth is in the Bible. I have found scriptural
backup in both the Old and New Testaments. This progression is consistent with how God
works. It is logical, answering many unanswered questions. When you understand this premise,
it makes the book of Revelation become more understandable.
16. How does Revelation show your premise?
Revelation is written about the things which John has seen in his vision. They are things
which are, and the things which will take place after this. It shows the simultaneous activity in
heaven and on earth in the end times.
Revelation chapters two and three start out in this present time with warnings to the seven
churches. God always warns, that is what Revelation is all about. The seven churches can
represent, seven eras of the church, individuals, or congregations in this present time. By these
examples we can evaluate ourselves to prepare for the end.
Then it is revealed to Christ, by opening the scroll given by the Father, what will follow,
concerning the wraths now, and in the future. While the elect are in heaven there are many
tribulations on earth.
18. Is there a place of safety?
Yes, at different times. God never allows Satan to destroy everyone on earth.
(Revelation 9:1-11) Isaiah.1:9 says, "Unless the LORD of hosts had left to us a very small
remnant, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been made like Gomorrah."
l. The elect are made safe in heaven when Satan goes after them in his wrath.
(Revelation 12:1-7) He is angry that the heavenly church, the elect are brought to heaven. He
knows they will soon come to earth with Christ, and he will be put away. He goes to heaven (he
is still allowed there, as in Job). There he tries to destroy them. They are in a place of safety
protected from that war in heaven. Satan is put out of heaven permanently in verse
Revelation
12:9, and the heavens rejoice, verse 12. Satan is very angry when he returns to earth.
2. He goes after the 144,000 in Revelation 7:1-8 that were earthbound and are sealed on
their foreheads to protect them. They come through the troubles of the opening of the seals, and
the blowing of the trumpets. They flee Jerusalem. They are sent to a place of safety on earth.
This is possibly The Valley of Anchor. (Hosea 2:15)
3. In Revelation 12:13-17 there is another group that go to a place of safety. While the
elect are in heaven the two witnesses are on earth for three and a half years. They preach the
gospel and tell what will happen if the people do not follow God's ways. "Some, on earth at that
time give glory to God." (Revelation 11:13) This group must go through more. They must resist
the mark of the beast.
Later they, and the 144,000, are redeemed and taken to heaven (Revelation 14:1-5). They are also firstfruits, because Christ has not yet returned to earth, and it is still the period of firstfruits. They do not endure the wrath of the Lamb, for they are with Him at His return.
19. What about Daniel's prophecies?
The first part of Daniel's prophecies have been proven in history. The part that was
closed till the end, concerning the great beast, are Satan's final acts on earth, during his wrath.
This is after he is cast out of heaven permanently. It will also be just before Christ returns to
earth, to put His feet on the Mt. of Olives, prepared for war. (Revelation 13:1-8)
20. Does this chronology agree with other scriptures?
Click on Story of Revelation