Can anyone, without starting a debate, tell me a little about "Rapture" and "millenialism?"
I've done some web searches, but I need someone to put it all in elementary school terms, if you can.
If you want to mention which groups believe which, or cite some verses, that's cool. Please don't debate it on this thread, as I'm not at all prepared for it. I just want to understand the sides. I'd like to learn the truth through reading the Bible only. But I need to know the "framework' if you will, of the argument.
As you know the word rapture is not in the bible but it means being caught up..the rapture is the first part of Christs coming. every Christian both dead and alive will be caught up to meet him in the clouds where we will instantly receive our glorified bodies.. I personallly believe that this will happen before the Tribulation but that's another subject..if you will notice in verse 17 of the following text, we will meet him in the air and that's why there will be so much confusion here on earth as the lost will not see him won't know what has happened..the following verese pretty well describes it.
13But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18Wherefore comfort one another with these words." 1 Thess. 4:13-18
the millennium means the 1000 years mentioned in Rev.20:2-7,
"2And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
3And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
4And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
5But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
7And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,"
this is the earthly Kingdom that Christ will establish after the second part of his coming, this time he will come to earth, land on mount olive and it will split apart, and here He will defeat the bad guys, walk across the Kidron Valley and enter into the eastern gate of Jereusalem where He will sit on King David's throne and rule for a thousnad years..and the great part is we who have been raptured will be with him..Glory to God..
there is a lot mor i could say but hopefully this will suffice to give you a better understanding..
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wayne
"There's room at the cross for you."
Christ is going to come back at any moment{ IN the twinkling of an eye to snatch up { Rapture} His bride; the church....After that there will be 7 years of severe tribulation.{Pre trib view}
I believe the above but I believe it will be after the first 3 1/2 years of the tribulation.{ Mid trib.view}
Some believe we will go through all 7 years { Post trib} and then a rapture/
After the 7 years of great tribulation Christ will establish His kingdom on earth for 1000 years. There are different opinions who will be alive here. IMHO it will be the Marytrs. Right before it ends Satan will be loosed for a season for a final tempting . After this is the Great White throne for all small and great to be judged. This is Chuck7's view. I know many differ from this .
Motor, most of the folk I know believe in a mid-trib interpretation. I myself can't wrap my mind around it with any sense of confidence. It seems that the glorification of the church requires a ressurection before the manifestation of the wrath of the Lamb in Rev 6:16-17. Also the church is promised deliverence from wrath, 1 Thess. 5:9. God has always protected His people before judgement fell. Enoch was translated before the judgement of the flood. Lot was taken out of Sodom before the judgement of Sodom and Gomorrah. Noah was in the ark before the judgement of his day.
So I guess I'm a pre-trib without being firm about it.
__________________ And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
I too had the same question....so I went to a Pastor I know who is also a friend. He said that there are so many different beleifs that its hard to say. He said the main thing is is that Christ will come and we will go to heaven, no one is certain the order--if we are Christians we dont really need to worry about it.
I am not a prophecy scholar but personally believe that the rapture (as we call it) will be immediately after the tribulation. The tribulation isn't something that God sends but is the work of the anti christ against the church. It is against those who refuse to take his mark. After the rapture, God will pour out his wrath on the seat of the anti christ and his kingdom but the saints have been caught away and excape God's wrath. The Lord then returns with 10,000's of his saints and rules upon earth for 1000 years and we rule and reign with him.
John 16:33 33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. (KJV) Acts 14:22 22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. (KJV)
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Jesus said, "he who stands firm to the end will be saved" Mark 13:13.
Live Life in such a way that those who do not know Christ will come to know Him because they know you
Snooky ,
It's been 15 years since I charted Rev. out but to my recollection the 7th bowl is so severe that if the Lord didn't cut the days short none would survive. I beliee this is in teh middle of the 7 years. If we were not going to be here we wouldn't need to be warned not to take the mark. Some believe that this is spoken in Rev.13 to warn those who have messed the rapture. I don't think so. Rev.13 says teh anti Christ shall over power the saints causing all to recieve a mark. If they resist they shall be martyred.
Chuck7
What we could do is simply study all 22 chapters on here. One chapter a day. 22 days we would be refreshed. Certainly there would be many opinions but Bible study is good.
Chuck
PS NO copy and paste...just you takin gnotes and sharing. Copy and paste are too boring and written in a language that is ususally dry.
A sign of my spiritual immaturity..
