Second Coming Of Jesus

The doctrine concerning THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST (QUESTIONS & ANSWERS) PREFACE It is not unusual these days, to find in any Christian bookstall, books such as ‘Behold, He Cometh!’, ‘The Return of the Lord Jesus Christ’, ‘The Signs of His Coming’, ‘The Second Advent’ etc. We appreciate the prophetic accuracy of these books with regard to ‘the times and the seasons’ of the return of the Lord, but the essential, primary fact that Christ is coming for the perfected, overcoming Church called the Bride of Christ, is often either glossed over or left out completely. It is taken for granted by most evangelicals that all born-again Christians will be caught up when Jesus comes. But a careful examination of phrases such as ‘the dead in Christ’ (who are to rise first) and ‘we shall all be changed’, shows that only the sanctified, perfected saints will be caught up at the coming of Jesus Christ. St. Paul says: “If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost” (II Cor.4:3). By the word ‘gospel’, he does not mean the gospel of initial salvation, that is, of forgiveness of sins, which one receives when one is ‘born again’; what he points to is the ‘glorious gospel’ which brings the glory of God and of His Son in our hearts so that we may be changed ‘into the same image (of Christ) from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (II Cor.3:18) in order that we may be presented as “a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle”, at His coming (Eph. 5:27). May the Lord prepare His Church to meet Jesus when He comes.

CONTENTS QUESTION

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1. Should every Christian look for the Coming 1 of the Lord Jesus Christ? 2. What blessings or spiritual benefits do wederive if we live looking for His Second Coming?

3. Explain the event of the Second Coming Christ. When, and for what reasons, will Jesus appear ‘in the air’ before His final Coming to the earth?

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4. How does Mark 13:24-27 point to Christ's second appearing in the middle of the seven years of Tribulation? 5. Who are the elect mentioned in Mark 13:27? 6. What is God's eternal purpose concerning the Church which will be caught up before the Tribulation? 7. What are the characteristics of the Elect Church, which is to be caught up before the Tribulation? 8. Were the Old Testament saints aware of the Second Coming of Christ? 9. Are there any clear Scripture portions to indicate that God did not reveal the myste- ries of the kingdom of heaven or of the Church to the Old Testament saints? 10. Why did not God reveal these mysteries to the Old Testament saints? 11. Did any of the Jews (children of Israel) living in the days of Jesus Christ, receive the privilege of sharing the blessings reserved for the New Testament saints? 12. Will the Old Testament saints be resurrec- ted together with the New Testament saints who are ‘dead in Christ’? If not, what are the reasons? 13. It is often considered that the Old Testament saints are included in the group of saints who form the ‘Bride’. What does the Word of God teach about this? 14. What are the points of difference between Christ's coming for the perfected Church before the Tribulation and His coming at the end of the Seven-Year Tribulation? 15. From St. Paul's teachings to the Corinthians that ‘we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed’, we get the impression that everyone in the Corinthian church will be ‘changed’ and be translated to heaven. This promise appears to give no room for the select Rapture. How do you explain this ? 16. When St. Paul says, ‘In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye ... we shall all be changed’, does he not imply that God's plan is to sanctify His people

‘in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye’, and carry them away to heaven? 17. St. Paul says that ‘at the last trump; ... the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible’, (I Cor.15: 51,52). Does this ‘last trump’ refer to the seventh trumpet mentioned in Revelation 11:15? 18. In I Thessalonians 4:14, St.Paul says that when Jesus comes, He will bring with Him those ‘which sleep in Jesus’. Who are they? 19. How do you explain the phrase, ‘the dead in Christ’ in I Thessalonians 4:16? Does it include all ‘born again’ Christians? 20. Some Bible teachers are of the opinion that after meeting ‘the Lord in the air’, we shall immediately return to the earth to take possession of it and to reign with Christ. Is this true? 21. Why is the rapture of the perfected saints called the “secret” coming of the Lord? 22.Some say that the predictions of Jesus in Matthew ch.24 have already taken place in the first century; some others say that they point to the last days. Which is correct? 23. How do you arrange Matthew ch.24, Mark ch.13 and Luke.ch.21 with regard to the order of events in the last days? 24. What are the events and signs that will be witnessed before the Rapture of the Church? 25. St.Paul says, ‘the dead in Christ shall rise first’. Does he mean that the dead bodies of the saints will rise? 26. What is the difference between the resurrected body of Jesus and the bodies that were raised to life before Him? 27. When we die, our spirit and soul leave our body ‘to be present with the Lord’. If so, what is the purpose of having a body in heaven? 28.I Thessalonians 4:16 says, ‘the dead in Christ’ shall rise. Explain the expression, ‘in Christ’. 29. What are the blessings awaiting the perfected Church at the Rapture? 30. What is meant by the ‘marriage supper of the Lamb’? When and where will it take place?

Q.1. C t

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Sh o u l d e v i a n l o o k c r et Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ ?

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Yes, every Christian anointed by the Holy Spirit, is exhorted to ardently look for His coming (Heb.9:28; Mk.13:34-37). The doctrine of the second advent of the Lord Jesus Christ is like the backbone of all other doctrines of Christ. This His return is the final glorious hope of the Spirit-baptized Church. Besides, all that we believe and cherish as the “doctrines of Christ”, prepare us for this unique and glorious event, the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, Whom we shall meet “in the air” after which we shall always “be with the Lord” (I Thess.4:17). Furthermore, our spiritual growth, our overcoming l i f e , t h e f r u i t f u l n e s s o f o u r m i n i s t r y a n d o u r f e l l o wship with the Lord and our total sanctification, all depend on the steadfastness of our faith and hope in the imminent return of the Lord. §§§§§§§

Q.2.

What blessings or spiritual derive if we live looking for His Secret Coming?

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When we firmly believe and cherish the promise that “he that shall come will come, and will not tarry” (Heb.10:37), and ardently nurse that hope in our hearts, the following blessings will be ours. The joyous hope of His imminent return helps us to (1)

end u r e m a n i f o l d e m p t a t i o n s a n d f i e r y r i a l s (I Pet. 1:6,7) (2) endure persecution (I Pet.4:13) (3) cultivate brotherly love (I Thess.3:12,13) (4) meditate on our heavenly citizenship (Phil.3:20,21) (5) look for a heavenly inheritance and those things which are above (Col.3:1-4) (6) purify ourselves in order to be like Him(I Jn.3: 1-3) (7) practise total sanctification (I Thess.5:23) (8) mortify our fleshly lusts (Col.3:3-5). (9) from the “fruit of the Spirit” (Jas.5:7,8; Gal.5: 22,23) (10) deny worldliness and worldly lusts (Tit.2:11-13) (11) be watchful and faithful in our life and ministry (Matt.24:42-47; Mk.13:32-37) (12) be steadfast and faithful to the end (Rev.2:25; 3:11) (13) prepare ourselves for our rewards without becoming castaways (I Pet.5:2-4; II Tim.4:7,8; II Cor. 5:10,11; I Cor.9:24-27). t t

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Q.3. Explain the event of the Second Coming of Christ. When, and for what reasons, will Jesus appear “in the air” before His final coming to the earth? The Second Coming of Christ will take place in three different phases. The epistles of the apostles and the Book of Revelation abound with portions that teach us that He will appear twice in the air, on two separate occasions and for two specific purposes and that finally He will come to the earth to judge the nations and reign in this world for a thousand years. HIS FIRST APPEARANCE IN THE AIR The first appearance of Jesus in the air is to gather unto Himself the perfected Church which is called the Bride of Christ (Eph.5:25-27; II Cor.11:2,3). Apostle Paul, in his first epistle to the Thessa- lonians, speaks of this appearance in clear terms: “For 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. For 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: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air : and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (I Thess.4:15-17). This event will take place just before the Seven-Year' Tribulation, which will be initiated by the Antichrist. The sudden “catching up” or transportation of the perfected saints of the Church to heaven is generally known as the “Rapture” The Rapture of the perfected saints of the Church will take place suddenly, secretly and unexpectedly. Therefore, it is usually called the Secret Rapture. HIS SECOND APPEARANCE The second appearance of Christ in the air will take place in the middle of the Seven-Year Tribu- lation. On this occasion, He will appear in the clouds to gather up the Tribulation Martyrs who were killed by the antichrist during the first half of the seven years (Rev.14:14-18). These martyrs will comprise Christians who were not quite ready to take part in the Rapture of the perfected Church. Matthew, Mark and Luke make mention of this group in their gospels. ‘In those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven’ (Mk.13:24-27). (See also Matt.24:29-31 and Lk.21:25-27)

§§§§§§ Q.4.

How does Mark 13:24-27 point to Christ's second appearance in the middle of the seven years of Tribulation ?

These verses and the parallel quotations in Matthew ch.24 and Luke ch.21, should be interpreted in the light of the Book of Revelation. “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken” (Mk.13:24,25). “The sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light ...” These cataclysmic phenomena are referred to as “signs in the sky” in Luke 21:25. The same signs are also referred to in Revelation 6:12-14, when the sixth seal is opened. “I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places” (Rev.6:12-14). Please note that the opening of the sixth seal marks the end of the first half of the seven years. Seals 1-6 cover the first half of the Seven-Year Tribulation Period. These catastrophic happenings in the sky must be considered as the “signs” in the sky referred to in Luke 21:25, and which will signal the forthcoming judgments of God. St.Peter also confirms this fact thus: “And I will shew wonders in heaven ... The sun shall be turned into darkness ... BEFORE that great and notable day of the Lord come” (Acts 2:19,20). “The day of the Lord” points to the second half of the Seven-Year Tribulation, when the actual judgment of God comes upon the earth in seven stages, as mentioned in Revelation chapters 8-11 and 16-18. The opening of the seventh seal marks the beginning of this period. When “the kings of the earth” and the nations see these “signs”, they will say to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?” (Rev.6:16,17). The phrase “after the tribulation” refers to the period following the persecution of Christians by the antichrist; this persecution comes to an end before the ope n i n g o f t h e s e v e n t h s e a l . A s m e n t i o n e d e a r l i e r , s e a l s 1-6 cover the first half of the Seven-Year Tribulation. “A n d t h e n s h a l l t h e y s e e t h e S o n o f m a n c o m i n g in the clouds with great power and glory” (Mk.13:26). “Then” refers to the middle of the seven years. Who are “these” who shall “see”, with their own

eyes, the Son of man? Matthew tells us that they are “the tribes of the earth”, meaning the children of Israel (Matt.24:30). They were known to the apostles as “the tribes” who were scattered over the world (Jas.1:1). §§§§§§ Q.5. Who are the ELECT mentioned in Mark 13:27? “And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven” (Mk.13:27). We have just seen that Mark 13:26 refers to the middle of the Seven-Year Tribulation. This is when “they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory”, and this is the time (in the middle of the Seven Years) when He shall send His angels to “gather together his elect”. This “elect” does not seem to be the Church, or the Jews, for the following reasons: (1) The Church does not go through the Tribula- tion caused by the antichrist (Lk.21:34-36; I Thess. 5:1-9; Rev.3:10). (2) Not the angels, but Christ Himself comes to gather the elect who are the true Church (the perfected saints of the Church) (Jn.14:3; I Thess.4:16). (3) The Jews will have no tribulation to face during the first half of the seven years, because they will live in perfect harmony with the antichrist, having made a covenant with him (Dan.9:27). They will not be the target of the hatred of the antichrist during the first half of his reign, and they will not, therefore, be among those who die as martyrs for Jesus and are resurrected midway through the seven years. (4) The persecution of the Jews by the antichrist will be confined to the second half of his reign. This will be the time of the ministry of the two witnesses mentioned in Revelation ch.11 (Dan.9:27; Jer.30:6,7; Rev.11:1-3). (5) The persecution of the Jews will be in the land of Israel, particularly in Jerusalem. The “elect”, however, will be gathered from “the uttermost part of the earth”. Therefore the “elect” of Mark 13:27 is different from the “elect” who are from the tribes of Israel, and who will face tribulation in their own land, Israel. If the “elect” who are gathered up into heaven midway through the Seven-Year Tribulation, are neither the perfected Church nor the Jews, who then are they? They are the Tribulation Martyrs of the remnant Church. §§§§§§ Q.6. What is God's eternal purpose concerning the Church which is to be caught up before the Tribulation? God has always had a special plan and purpose in His mind concerning His Church. He predetermined to bring into existence, an elect body composed of both Jews and Gentiles with Christ as the head of that body (Eph.3:6; 1:22,23). He desired that that

body be “holy and without blame before him in love” (Eph.1:4), and that its members be “heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ” (Rom.8:17), destined not only to inherit all things in heaven, but also to be “above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion” throughout eternity (Eph.1:20-23). St.Paul adds that through this sanctified Church called the body of Christ, God wants to reveal to the principalities and powers in heavenly places, “the manifold wisdom of God”, throughout eternity (Eph.3:10). §§§§§§

Q.7. What are the characteristics of the ELECT CHURCH, which will be caught up before the Tribulation? Mentioned below are some of the characteris- tics of the Elect Church. (1) They possess a particular faith known as “the faith of God's elect” (Tit.1:1), because they are built up and nourished by the sound doctrines of Christ. (2) They strengthen their faith by means of a fervant uninterrupted life of prayer. They pray “always” and without fainting. Jesus illustrated their unfeigned faith coupled with an untiring prayer life, in the parable of the widow and the unjust judge. He concluded saying : “And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” (Lk.18:7,8). (3) Disciplined by the Holy Spirit and instructed from the word of God, they accept all their trials as permitted by God. Therefore they confess, without reasoning or murmuring, “... We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Rom.8:28). They also realize that such trials are necessary if they are to be “conformed to the image of his Son” (vs.29). (4) They believe that they will in every way be able to live the life of an overcomer. Fully dedicated to Christ, and filled with His love, their challenge is: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” They are confident that they will always be more than conquerors through Him Who loved them” (Rom.8:35,37). (5) They long to have a Christ-like nature formed in them, i.e., characteristics such as holiness, mercy (compassion), kindness, longsuffering; forbearance, willingness to forgive, love, peace etc. “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful” (Col.3:12-15). (6) They preserve the vision of His Coming, and press towards the “mark” to receive the “prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil,3:14).

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Q.8. Were the Old Testament saints aware of the Second Coming of Christ? Yes, there were several saints of the Old Testament, including those of the Dispensation of Conscience, who knew by revelation that Jesus Christ would come to the world in the last days, in order to judge the nations and to reign from Zion (Jerusalem) over the inhabitants of the earth. However, they could not understand either the mystery of the Church in general or the mystery of the Rapture of the Elect Church in particular. Here are the testimonies of the Old Testament saints, including those of the Dispensation of Conscience, about the Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to reign on the earth: ENOCH : “Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints” (Jude 14); JOB : “I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth” (Job 19:25); PSALMIST : “ ... he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity” (Psa.98:9); ISAIAH : “... behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity” (Isa.26:21); “... the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord” (Isa.59:20); D A N I E L : “ I s a w i n t h e n i g h t v i s i o n s , a n d , b e h o l d , one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed” (Dan.7:13,14); MICAH : “ ... behold, the Lord cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth” (Micah 1:3); ZECHARIAH : “Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives ... the Lord my God sh a l l c o m e , a n d a l l t h e s a i n t s w i t h t h e e ” ( Z e c h . 1 4 : 3 - 5 ); “ ... the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one” (vs.9); MALACHI : “who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? ...” (Mal.3:2). §§§§§§

Q.9.

Are there any clear Scripture portions to indicate that God did not reveal the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven and the mystery of the Church to the Old Testament saints?

Yes, there are. When Jesus began His ministry He spoke many things concerning the kingdom of God. In order to make His message clear to His listeners He used parables. When the disciples asked Him, “Why speakest thou unto them in parables?, He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given ... For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them” (Matt.13:10,11,17). Jesus also said that whatever He revealed to them in parables were only a part of the mysteries, the rest of which would be revealed by the Holy Spirit, Whom He promised to send. “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come” (Jn.16:12,13). According to the promise made by Jesus in John 16:12,13, the Holy Spirit began to reveal to the apostles and prophets, deeper truths and greater mysteries of the Kingdom of God and of Christ. Here are some Scripture portions concerning hidden mysteries which were not revealed to the Old Testament saints who lived before the day of Pentecost: “If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ). Which in other ages [that is from the time of Adam to the time of the Apostles] was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit” (Eph.3:2-5). “Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of christ; And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ” (Eph.3:8,9). ”... I am made a minister...to fulfil the word of God; Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints” (Col.1:25,26). (See also Rom.16:25,26; I Cor.2:7-10; II Tim. 1:9,10). §§§§§§ Q.10. Why did not God reveal these mysteries to the Old Testament saints? During the dispensations which preceded the Dispensation of Grace, God revealed

Himself and His mysteries gradually, step by step, to His people as they walked in His ways, keeping His commandments and covenants. But the revelation of His fulness, and of His eternal purposes for the Church, He has reserved for these last days. “Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into ” (I Pet.1:10-12). Another reason could be that Israel, as a nation, was constantly disobedient, refusing to walk in the light which the Lord gave them through His servants and prophets. Therefore God had to keep them under the Law until the appointed time when Jesus Christ came to redeem them from the law. “Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons” (Gal.4:1-5). “But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith” (Gal.3:23,24). §§§§§§

Q.11. Did any of the Jews (children of Israel) living in the days of Jesus Christ, receive the privilege of sharing the blessings reserved for the New Testament saints? Yes, they did. When Jesus came into the world, there were in Jerusalem and other cities, certain of the children of Israel who were chosen of God, who were waiting “for the consolation of Israel” and who “looked for redemption in Jerusalem” (Lk.2:25,38). They were deemed worthy of New Testament blessings, and so they received the revelation of the mysteries. These children of Israel (Jews) included the following: 1. The apostles (Mk.3:14-19). They were chosen from different tribes of Israel. 2.

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w e r s o f J e s u s m e n t i o n e d i n L u k e 8 : 1 - 3 . They accompanied Jesus and His disciples and “went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God ... ”

3. Some of those to whom Jesus said: “Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power” (Mk.9:1); 4. Some of the “five hundred brethren” to whom Jesus immediately appeared, after His resurrection (I Cor.15:6); 5. the “hundred and twenty”, who received the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost (Acts 1:15); 6. those of whom we read that “the Lord added (them) to the church daily such as should be saved” (Acts 2:47). All these form “a remnant (of the Jews) according to the election of grace” (Rom.11:5). The Jews, on the other hand, who were satisfied with a dead religion (consisting of nominal temple worship, belief in the traditions of the elders, and the ritual of animal sacrifices) were rejected. “... they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children ... They which are the children of the flesh, th e s e a r e n o t t h e c h i l d r e n o f G o d . . . ” ( R o m . 9 : 6 8 ) . “I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge” (Rom.10:2). “if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded” (Rom.11:6,7). §§§§§§ Q.12. Will the Old Testament saints be resurrected along with the saints who are “dead in Christ”? If not, what are the reasons ? No, the Old Testament saints will not be raised along with the saints who are “dead in Christ”. When St.Paul said, “the dead in Christ shall rise first” (I Thess.4:16), he was referring to the New Testament saints who died being perfect in Christ (Refer Q.19). The Old Testament saints will not be resurrected with them because they could not attain to their standard of perfection. The Old Testament saints will be raised as a group after the Battle of Armageddon, whereas the “dead in Christ” will be resurrected at the Secret Coming of Jesus.

THE SPIRITUAL STANDARD OF THE NEW TESTAMENT SAINTS Those who will have a part in the Rapture of the perfected Church are saints of the highest order. They have received grace to be “holy and without blame before him in love” (Eph.1:4). Christ “gave himself ... That he might present it (the Church) to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Eph.5:25,27). The Old Testament saints could not reach this standard of perfection because of the imperfections of the Levitical priesthood.

IMPERFECTIONS OF THE LEVITICAL PRIESTHOOD. 1. The High Priest himself could not practise personal sanctification and perfection: The sacrifices which he offered could neither purify his conscience, nor perfect his life. “Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience” (Heb.9:9). 2. Perfection could not be attained by means of the Levitical priesthood: The Levitical priesthood of the Old Testament, after the order of Aaron, with its calling, consecration and anointing, could not lead people to perfection. “If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?” (Heb.7:11). 3. The law, given by the hand of Moses, could not make anything perfect: “The law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God” (Heb.7:19); 4. Animal sacrifices could not take away sin, nor cleanse the conscience : “The law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins” (Heb.10:1,2). “And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins” (Heb.10:11). Because of these imperfections, perfection could not be attained under the Levitical priesthood and God had to ordain another priesthood after the order of Melchisedec. On the other hand, New Testament saints are “blessed us with all spiritual

blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Eph.1:3). SOME OF THE PRIVILEGES OF THE NEW TESTAMENT SAINTS 1. Christ, the perfect High Priest and Mediator. In the Old Testament, “men ... which have infirmity” were made high priests, whereas in the New Testament Church the perfected Son is consecrated for ever more (Heb.7:28;5:9). He ever liveth to make intercession for us till we are perfected to the uttermost (Heb.7:25). We can go to Him at any moment to receive grace and help from Him (Heb.4:15,16). 2. The New Testament Ministry. God has set in the Church five kinds of consecrated ministers (officers) endued with power from on high and anointed with the Holy Spirit. They are called the “gifts of Christ” (Eph.4:7,8). These ministers have consecrated themselves absolutely to Christ, and serve Him as “bond servants” (Lk.4:26,33). God uses their ministry to bring the saints to perfection. “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Eph.4:11-13). 3. The law of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit was with the Old Testament saints, but He is in the New Testament saints, sactifying them and leading them by highest law, called ‘the law of the Spirit’. This law overrules ‘the law of sin and death’, and helps those who abide by this law to live above all condemnation: “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death” (Rom.8:1,2). 4. Christ, the Greatest Sacrifice : Christ is the Lamb of God, ‘without blemish and without spot’ (I Pet.1:19). He offered Himself as one perfect sacrifice and by so doing, He has not only purged our conscience from sin and from dead works, but has also made provision for us to lead a victorious life, to come to a state of total sanctification, and to live continually in His presence. “If the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Heb.9:13,14). “By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified” (Heb.10:14).

“Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh” (Heb.10:19,20). “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death” (Rev.12:11). The Old Testament saints enjoyed none of these privileges. §§§§§§

Q.13. It is often considered that the Old Testament saints are included in the group of saints who form the ‘Bride’. What does the Word of God teach about this? As we have already seen from the answer to Q.12, the spiritual standard of the Old Testament saints was much lower than that of the New Testament saints. Besides, the time appointed for the preparation of the Bride of Christ comes after the death and resurrection of Christ. Let us consider the following verses. 1. “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the Church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Eph.5:25-27). Most Bible teachers agree that the precise moment of the birth of the New Testament Church was on the day of Pentecost. “ ... by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles ... ” (I Cor.12:13). Jesus gave Himself, not only for the salvation of sinners, but also for the purification and perfection of the Church, which He loved as a man loves his wife. This work of sanctification would never have been possible without the ministry and sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. The lives of the saints of the Old Testament were over before the time of Jesus on this earth; it was not therefore possible for them to be members of the body of Christ (which came into being only after the death of Christ) or to experience in their lives the work of sanctification reserved for that ‘Body’ alone. 2. “ ... the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the Church” (Eph.5:23). He is the head of the body, the Church,...” (Col.1:18). If there is a head, it must have a body. The Church, which is the Body of Christ, was formed by the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, as we have already seen from I Cor.12:13. St.Paul says that Jesus was made the Head of the Body only after His resurrection, when the Church came into being on the Day of Pentecost. God raised Christ “from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come; And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the Church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all” (Eph.1:20-23).

The Old Testament saints belonged to an earlier period, and were therefore unable to be members of the Body of which Christ was the Head. 3. “I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ,” (II Cor.11:2). “ Christ ... Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:” (Col.1:28). St.Paul and the other apostles understood clearly that they were appointed in the Church to help, by the grace of Christ, in the ministry of presenting the Church perfect before Christ when He, the Bridegroom, came for His Bride. The Bride is compared to ‘a chaste virgin’. Again, it is impossible for the Old Testament saints to have received this ministry, since they lived during an epoch which drew to a close before the ministry of even the earliest apostles began. 4. “Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he” (Matt.11:11). “He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled” (Jn.3:29). In these two verses, the following points regarding the status of John the Baptist in eternity are clearly established: (a) Christ Himself was establishing the point that John the Baptist was the greatest of all the Old Testament saints. Nevertheless, Jesus went on to say that even John, for whom Jesus Himself had the highest possible regard, was ‘less than the least in the kingdom of heaven’. The ‘kingdom of heaven’ to which Jesus was here referring was not heaven in general, but specifically New Jerusalem, appointed by God to be the eternal abode of the Bride of Christ, the sanctified, perfected, Spirit-baptized Church. It was to the New Jerusalem, therefore, that John the Baptist was to have no access in eternity. (b) John 3:29 shows that John the Baptist himself also understood this fact, for in this verse, he referred to himself not as the ‘Bride’ but as the ‘friend of the bridegroom’. He said the friend of the Bridegroom “(stood) and (heard) (the Bridegroom) (Christ), (rejoicing) greatly because of the bridegroom's voice”, and that this privilege alone filled him with joy. He clearly had no expectation or desire to be numbered among those who were to form the Bride. And what applied to John, the greatest of those ‘born of women’ since the time of Adam, necessarily applies to all other Old Testament saints who lived and died before the birth of the Church on the Day of Pentecost. They too are appointed, and happy, to be no more than ‘friends of the Bridegroom’ in eternity. 5. “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, “Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the

marriage supper of the Lamb” (Rev.19:7-9). We note two phrases :(i) The Marriage of the Lamb (vs.7); (ii) The Marriage Supper of the Lamb (vs.9). The ‘marriage’ speaks of the union of the Church, the Bride, with Jesus, the Bridegroom. This will take place on the day of the Rapture, when we shall “be caught up together in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air” (I Thess.4:17). From this time onwards, the Bride will be ‘ever with the Lord’. Old Testament saints, as we have seen, are not to be among those who constitute the Bride: they are the ‘friends of the Bridegroom’. Hence, they will have no part in the ‘marriage of the Lamb’; their calling will be to the ‘marriage supper of the Lamb’, just as guests at an earthly wedding attend the wedding reception, purely as guests, with no desire whatever to change places with the Bride. These ‘friends’ will all have a place in the ‘first resurrection’; they will include the Tribulation Martyrs (Christians who die for Christ at the hands of the Antichrist) the General Martyrs of the Old and New Testament Periods (the perfected saints of the New Testament are not included here), and all others who lived in the Old Testament times, and loved and obeyed God. §§§§§§

Q.14. Wh a t a r e t h e p o i n t s o f d i f f e r e n c e b e t w een Christ's coming for the perfected Church before the Tribulation and His coming at t h e e n d o f t h e S e v e n - Y e a r T r i b u l a t i o n ?

Christ's coming before the Tribulation will be secret and sudden. He will come for the sole purpose of gathering up His sanctified and perfected Church. However, when He comes at the end of the Seven-Year Tribulation, it will be to reveal Himself openly to the world, as the King of kings and as the Judge of all nations. This, His glorious, visible appearance, is therefore usually called the revelation of Christ. Let us see the differences between His ‘Secret Coming’ before the Tribulation and His ‘Public Coming’ at the end of the Great Tribulation. SECRET ADVENT 1. Jesus will come secretly, invisibly, and suddenly, as a thief in the night. Only the watchful w i l l s e e H i m ( I T h e s s . 5 : 1 - 6 ) .

2. Jesus will come to take away the perfected saints who are waiting for Him (Heb.9:28).

3. Jesus will appear in the air (I Thess.4:17).

4. Jesus will come (I Thess.4:16)

‘with a shout, with the voice of the archangel’

5. The perfected saints will stand before the Judg- ment Seat of Christ to receive their rewards (II Cor. 5:10). 6. After the Rapture the Dragon (the devil) will be cast down to the earth (Rev.12:9,10). 7. I m m e d i a t e l y a f t e r t h e Ra p t u r e , t h e A n t i c h r i s t a n d the false prophet, em p o w e r e d b y t h e D r a gon, will exercise their power and autho r i t y o v e r t h e n a t i o ns (Rev.13:1-7, 11-17). 8. A f t e r t h e A d v e n t the Tribulation will begin.

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9. Christ comes to meet the perfected saints in the air and returns to heaven (I Thess.4:16). 10. The Secret Advent may take place at any moment (Mk.13:35-37). 11 . T h o s e w h o a r e ‘ d e a d in Christ’ will be resurrec-ted from their graves and caught up to meet the Lord in the air (I Thess. 4:16). 12 a l

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13. The overcomers, that is, the true Church (manchild), will be ‘caught up unto God and to his throne’ (Rev.12:5). 14. The day when the Rapture takes place is called the Day of Christ (Phil.1:10). PUBLIC ADVENT His coming and His glory will be visible to all (I Thess.1:7;2:8); ‘every eye shall see him’. Jews and ‘all kindreds of the earth’ (Gentiles) will see Him come (Rev.1:7). He will come to be ‘glorified in his saints and to be admired in all them that believe ...’ (II Thess. 1:10). He will come to the earth, to judge the Antichrist and the disobedient nation s ( I I T h e s s . 1 : 7 9 ; 2 : 8 ). ‘H i s f e e t s h a l l s t a n d . . . u p on th e m o u n t o f O l i v e s ’ ( Z ech. 14:4). H e w i l l c o m e w i t h t h e raptured Church, all those who are resurrected, and with the armies in heaven (His mighty angels) (Rev. 19:14; II Thess.1:7; Jude 14,15). Christ and the raptur- ed Church will judge the nations at Armageddon (Dan.7:9,22; Jude 14,15; Rev.16:16,17; 19:11-16). After the Public Advent of Jesus, the Dragon will be bound, and cast into the bottomless pit (Rev. 20:1-3) The Antichrist and the False Prophet will be judged and cast alive into the Lake of Fire (Rev. 19:20).

After the Public Adve n t o f C h r i s t , t h e M i l len- nial Reign of Christ and the saints will begin (Rev.11:16,17; Dan.7:27). There will be no meet- ing in mid-air with His saints. He will come with them, direct to the earth (Rev.19:11-15). The Public Advent of Christ will take place only after the Seven-Year Tribulation is over.

There will be no resurrection of anyone from the grave.

There will be no rapture of saints at this time.

Christ will come to the earth to take possession of the kingdoms of this world (Zech.14:9). The day of the Public C h r i s t i s s p the Lord (Amos 5:18-20;Zeph.1: 14-18).

Ad v e n t o f o k e n of as the Day of

Q.15. From St.Paul's teachings to the Corin- thians that ‘we shall not all sleep ... but we shall all be changed’, we get the impression that everyone in the Corin- thian church will be ‘changed’ and be translated to heaven. This appears to give no room for the SELECT RAPTURE. How do you explain this?

The passage referred to is as follows: “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality” (I Cor.15:51-53). In the light of the teachings of Jesus Christ and His apostles concerning the Second Coming of Christ for His Church, “all” refers only to all those who qualify to take part in the Rapture of the Church. St.Paul clarifies this issue in all his epistles, and especially when he writes to the Corinthians. The main points he makes on this subject are as follows: (1) Those who wish to be in the Rapture must be BLAMELESS. “... that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Cor.1:7,8). St.Paul assured the believers who were waiting for the Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ that He (Jesus) would ‘CONFIRM‘ them (i.e., keep them from falling) unto the end, that they might be BLAMELESS in the day of the Lord Jesus Christ. But He cannot “confirm (us) unto the end”, unless we also “hold fast that which we have already” until He comes, and “keep (His) works unto the end” (Rev.2:25,26). In order to be found “blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ”, we also have our part to do. Exhorting the Philippians, St.Paul

says, “Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be BLAMELESS AND HARMLESS... in the day of Christ” (Phil.2:14-16). And he adds that if they do not learn to put off “murmurings and disputings”, his labour will be “in vain”. (2) Those who wish to be in the Rapture must GROW SPIRITUALLY

“I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?” (I Cor.3:1-3). In the light of the above Scriptural teaching, the Corinthian believers were not spiritual, but ‘spiritual babes’ or ‘carnal’, being torn by ‘strife’, ‘division’ and ‘envy’. Christ does not come for the ‘babes in Christ’ but for ‘the perfect in Christ’ (Col.1:28), or ‘the chaste virgin’ (II Cor.11:2), for a ‘glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle ... and without blemish’ (Eph.5:27). God's purpose for the Church is that “... we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ” (Eph.4:14,15). We are exhorted to “grow up into him in all things”: to grow “in the unity of faith” (the doctrines, the teachings of Christ); to grow “in the knowledge of the Son of God”, so that we may, individually and collectively, grow “unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ”; we are to be “no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about” by strange doctrines; we are no longer to exhibit childish behaviour, but instead grow up and become “a perfect man” filled with “the fulness of Christ” (Eph.4:13-16). It is the responsibility of the ministers of Christ to help the Church grow, by “warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom;” so that they may “present every man PERFECT in Christ Jesus” (Eph.4:12; Col.1:28). This is the plan of God concerning the Church. (3) The Church must be so built that it is capable of enduring FIERY TRIALS

“Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire” (I Cor.3:11-15).

St.Paul compares the Church to a building built by different builders and with a variety of materials viz gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay and stubble. He adds that the building must be capable of being tested by fire. Obviously the builders are the servants of Christ and the materials used are their revelations based on the Word of God. All teachings may be lawful, but all may not necessarily edify the Church. The servants of God must feed the Church with solid food (sound doctrines), so that they may be to able to endure all their trials and stand firm to the end. In the above mentioned passage, St.Paul speaks of a ‘day’ of ‘fire (which) shall try every man's work’ (vs.13). This does not speak of the Great Tribulation, which will come on the earth after the Rapture of the Church, but the fiery trials which everyone in the Church will have to go through before the Rapture. In the same chapter (ch.3), St.Paul says that some believers were not ‘spiritual’ but ‘carnal’, remaining as ‘babes’ all through their lives. He regretted that h e c o u l d n o t f e e d t h e m w i t h s t r o n g m e a t ( I C o r . 3 : 1 - 3 ) . Paul compares these ‘babes in Christ’ to a building made of ‘wood, hay and stubble’, which will not stand the test of fire. Such believers will not be caught up when Jesus comes. (4) Christians who engage in FORNICATION will have no place in the Rapture. “It is reported commonly that there is fornicaion among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife. I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators” (I Cor.5:1,9). “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God” (I Cor.6:9,10). These Scripture portions explain themselves. Those who become fornicators after being saved can never inherit the kingdom of God; and as such they will not be caught up. 5. Those who wish to be in the Rapture must be OVERCOMERS. “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air; But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to

others, I myself should be a castaway” (I Cor.9:24-27). St.Paul confesses his own fear that if he runs ‘uncertainly’, without the firm determination to receive ‘the prize’, or if he fights (wrestles) without the certainty of being victorious in the end, he will have run in vain, and have wrestled ‘as one that beateth the air’; he would then ‘be a castaway’. He taught his followers to run to the end looking unto Jesus, Who was to be their ‘Prize’ and to fight the good fight of faith in order to be ‘more than conquerors’ (Phil.3:14; Heb.12:1,2; Eph.6:12,13; Rom. 8:37; II Tim.4:7). From this we see that some will be cast away for lack of determination to run to the end fighting through to victory: they will not be among those who are changed when Jesus comes. These are just a few precepts gathered from the first epistle to the Corinthians. Further instructions on the subject will emerge as we continue our critical study of the rest of the epistles.

Q.16. When St.Paul says that “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye ... we shall be changed”, does it not imply that God's plan is to sanctify and perfect His people “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye”, and carry them away to Heaven?

St.Paul's statement, ‘in a moment ... we shall be changed’, does not refer to the sanctification of the saints but to the resurrection of the bodies of the perfected saints who have died prior to the day of the Rapture and to the sudden change of the bodies of the living, perfected saints from mortality to immortality, at the Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His Church. There were certain believers in the Corinthian church who refused to believe in the resurrection of the dead. St.Paul therefore posed this question to them: “Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?” (I Cor..15:12). Then he goes on to prove the resurrection of Christ Himself, and also that of the saints, and concludes his teaching thus: “... It (the body) is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body” (vs.42-44). “For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (vs.53-55).

These passages provide incontrovertible proof that it is the physical body which will be changed ‘in the twinkling of an eye’ when Jesus comes, and not the character (the inner man). On the other hand, the transformation of the character (soul and spirit) is something which is done by the Triune God in the individual concerned through the merits of the sacrifice of Jesus, and by His Word. This is a mysterious work, performed by the operation of the Holy Spirit and His power throughout one's lifetime. It is a gradual work of grace, and by no means a miracle brought about in the ‘twinkling of an eye’ at the very end of a person's earthly life. Scripture portions which throw light on this subject are given below, and point to three specific facts:(1) The work of sanctification is a gradual but continuous work which goes on day by day, leading us to perfection in Christ Jesus: “We all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (II Cor.3:18). “...though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day” (II Cor.4:16). (P l e a s e I T h e s s . P h i l . 2 : 1 I Pet.1:7; 5:10).

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(2) Sanctification, far from being attained at the very moment when Christ comes for His Church (or indeed subsequently), is something which is completed before He comes: “The very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Thess.5:23). “... he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ” (Phil.1:6,10). (Please see also: I Pet.1:5; II Tim.4:7,8; Jude 20, 21,24; Rev.3:3,4). (3) God has appointed consecrated servants in the Church to teach and to guide the Church to entire sanctification and Christ-like perfection. “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness

of Christ” (Eph.4:11-13). “... we preach (Christ), warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus” (Col.1:28). (Please see also II Cor.12:12; 13:10; Heb.13:17).

Rom.15:15,16;

I Cor.3:9,10;

Q.17. St.Paul says that “at the last trump,... the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible”. Does this ‘last trump, refer to the seventh trumpet mentioned in Rev.11:15?

This cannot be the case. ‘The last trump’ or ‘trumpet’ mentioned in I Cor.15:52 is referred to as ‘the trump of God’ in I Thess.4:16, while the seven trumpets mentioned in Rev. ch.8 to 11 are the seven trumpets of the seven angels, bringing the seven-fold judgment of God on the disobedient nations, including the unconverted Jews, during the second half of the Tribulation. The Church will be caught up before the beginning of the Tribulation.

Q.18. In I Thessalonians 4:14, St.Paul says that when Jesus comes, He will bring with Him those ‘which sleep in Jesus'. Who are they?

Those referred to as ‘they which sleep in Jesus' are the souls of the perfected saints who died ‘in Christ Jesus’ between the day of Pentecost and the day of the Rapture. When a saint dies, his soul goes immediately into the presence of God, while his body awaits resurrection. When Jesus comes for His perfected Church, He will bring with Him these souls. They will then be reunited with their bodies, and they will rise first. Then “we which are alive ... shall be caught up together with them ... to meet the Lord in the air ...” (I Thess.4:16,17).

Q.19. How do you explain the phrase “the dead IN CHRIST” in I Thessalonians 4:16 ? Does it include all born again Christians?

St. Paul speaks here only of the sanctified and perfected saints who have died ‘in Christ’. This group does not include all born again Christians. To be ‘in Christ’ determines the Christian's position, privileges and possessions. “For to be ‘in Christ’ is to be where he is, to be what He is and to share what He has” (Ruth Paxon). Writing to the Corinthian believers, St.Paul says: “... I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ, ... For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and

divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?” (I Cor.3:1-3). Christ is coming for the perfected saints and not for those who spiritually are “babes in Christ”. Therefore St.Paul writes, “... we preach (Christ), warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus” (Col. 1:28). The sanctified and perfected saints are called ‘firstfruits’ (Jas.1:18; 5:7; Rev.14:4).

Q.20. Some Bible teachers are of the opinion that after meeting ‘the Lord in the air’, we shall immediately return to the earth to take possession of it and to reign with Christ. Is this true?

No, we shall not return to the earth immediately. Not only the raptured saints of the Church, but also all the saints from every dispensation will return to the earth to reign for a thousand years with Christ. But this will take place only after the Great Tribulation, i.e., seven years after the Rapture of the perfected Church. This is proved by the following : 1. The Rapture of the Church (the Bride) takes place before the Seven-Year Tribulation. The union of the Bride with the Lamb (the Bridegroom), referred to as t h e ‘ m a r r i a g e o f t h e L a m b ” ( R e v . 1 9 : 7 ) , t a k e s p l a c e i n mid-air, after which the Bride will be seen with Christ in t h e p l a c e p r e p a r e d f o r h e r i n h e a v e n ( I T h e s s . 4 : 1 7 ). Jesus said, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (Jn.14:3). 2. The day of the Rapture, when the resurrection of the perfected saints of the Church will take place, is also called the day of the reward of the saints. We are expected to appear ‘before the judgment seat of Christ’ to receive our rewards (II Cor.5:10). Speaking of the day of reward, St.Paul says, “the righteous judge shall give me (a crown of righteousness) at that day”, referring to the day of ‘his appearing’ (II Tim.4:8). Our inheritance and reward are not on the earth but in heaven. St.Peter says that we have ‘an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for (us)’ (I Pet. 1:4). St.Paul, in his epistles, writes ‘the hope which is laid up for you in heaven’ (Col.1:5); and states that ‘o u r c o n v e r s a t i o n ( c i t i z e n s h i p ) i s i n h e a v e n ’ ( P h i l . 3 : 2 0 ) .

3. The manchild (the perfected Church) will not descend to the earth but will be “caught up unto God and to his throne’ in heaven (Rev.12:5), whereas the sun-clad woman (the remnant of the Church) will flee into the wilderness (on the earth) where she will undergo tribulation (Rev.12:6,13-17). Note: The throne m a n c h i c a u g h t t h r o n e

of God l d

is u

i

n

in p h

heaven (Rev.4:1,2), w i l l t o e a v en.

and t

b h

the e e

In Rev.14:1-5, we read about a group of saints (144000) whom John sees standing with the Lamb (Je s u s C h r i s t ) o n M o u n t Z i o n ( i n h e a v e n ) . R e v . 1 4 : 6 - 1 2 reveals that the Tribulation is simultaneously going on on the earth. Therefore we can conclude that this 144000 is a part of the group forming the manchild that is caught up to the throne in heaven before the Tribulation.

Q.21.Why is the Rapture of the perfected saints called the ‘secret’ coming of the Lord?

The Rapture of the saints who are the ‘firstfruits’ will be ‘secret’ in the sense that: 1. Jesus will come as a ‘thief’ to ‘steal’ His treasure, the perfected Church (Matt.24:43,44). No thief ever announces his plans in advance, or reveals the time of his arrival and neither will Jesus. Worldlings, those who are the children of ‘darkness’ who are ‘drunken in the night’, or ‘asleep’, those who are ‘dead in trespasses and sins’ and in ‘the pleasures of the world’, will not have the faintest idea of what is about to take place; they will have no spiritual consciousness of His impending arrival, or of the imminent Rapture of the perfected saints. They will be the ones who proclaim ‘peace and safety’, but the secret Coming of Jesus will overtake them ‘as a thief in the night’. When it has taken place, they will be astonished at the ‘sudden destruction’ which will swiftly descend upon them, as ‘travail upon a woman with child’, and they will have no means of escape. They may be vaguely aware of the disappearance of certain saints from off the face of the earth, but the significance of this fact will evade them completely. 2. Jesus’ return will be a ‘secret’, which is kept even from certain Christians (including even some who are Spirit-baptized). Only those who ‘watch’, as Jesus commanded, will know about it. “Watch ye therefore,” He said, “for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cock-crowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you, I say unto all,

Watch” (Mk.13:35-37). So all, whether servants of God or believers, are warned to watch. The unprepared, who do not watch, will not be ready to meet Him, even though they are Christians, and they will discover, too late, that Jesus has come and gone, and that they have been left behind. To make this point absolutely clear, let us refer to Jesus' last journey to Jerusalem. He wept over the city and said: “... If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes”. Then He prophetically told them about the fall of Jerusalem thus: “For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side ... and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another: because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation” (Lk.19:41-44). This prophecy was fulfilled in every detail in AD 70 because they were not watchful. In the same way, no thought of the Rapture, no desire to be ready for Jesus' coming, will ever enter the minds or hearts of certain Christians. For them, the Rapture will take place without their knowledge, and the bleak prospect before them will be the Tribulation. 3. God has not revealed any particular day or time as marked out for His coming. Jesus said, “Of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is” (Mk.13:32,33). It is a ‘secret’ event unknown to everyone except the Father. 4. The Rapture will take place like lightning (Matt.24:27), ‘in a moment’, ‘in the twinkling of an eye’ (I Cor.15:51,52). The glorious presence of God and the glory of the transformed bodies of the raptured saints will not be seen by those who continue to live in this world. A parallel situation can be seen in the occasion when St.Paul was visited by Jesus on his way to Damascus: “Suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven” which blinded his (Paul's) eyes. But those who journeyed with him did not see it (Acts 9:3-7). These are some of the reasons why it is called the ‘secret’ Rapture.

Q.22. Some say that the predictions of Jesus in Matthew ch.24 have already taken place in the first century; some others say that they point to the last days. Which is correct?

A careful study of Matthew ch.24 reveals that some of the predictions had already been fulfilled in the first century and that some were meant for the last days. Let us examine the chapter briefly.

After the last visit to the temple in Jerusalem, Jesus said to His disciples who were absolutely fascinated by the grandeur of the ‘buildings of the temple’, “See ye not all these things? Verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down” (Matt.24:2). Thoroughly shaken by His statement, the disciples asked three questions. ‘Tell us’, they said, 1. When shall these things be? 2. What shall be the sign of Thy coming? 3. And what shall be the sign of the end of the world (or the end of the ages of the world, when Jesus will reign as King of the world)? (Matt.24:3). In this connection, we must clearly and precisely follow the disciples' train of thought. Just a short while before these incidents, Jesus had wept over Jerusalem saying, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord” (Matt.23:37-39). From what they had heard, they understood that something tragic was going to take place at Jerusalem; that Jesus Himself would disappear, and then, in the near or distant future, He would appear again, when Jerusalem would accept Him and shout, ‘Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord’. They were longing for the time when He would rule over this world, together with His apostles. There is an important point here to note. When the disciples questioned Jesus about the signs of His coming, they did not have any knowledge that the Gentiles were also to be partakers of the Body of Christ, the New Testament Church; nor did they have any knowledge of the secret Rapture of the perfected Church. They were only concerned about their own nation, and Jesus had to answer them according to the knowledge and vision they had at that time. The first question concerned the then existing Jerusalem and the temple. The second and the third questions referred to the distant future. Bearing all these things in mind, we have to analyse carefully Matthew ch.24, Mark ch.13 and Luke ch.17 and 21. Some of the prophetic utterances in these chapters have double fulfilments. For example, Jesus said, “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains” (Matt.24:15,16). The first fulfilment took place in AD 70. Andrew Miller, in his Church History says, ‘The Christians, with whom we have more especially to do, remembering the Lord's warning, left Jerusalem in a body before the siege was formed. They journeyed to Pella, a village beyond the River Jordan, where they remained till Hadrian permitted them to return to the ruins of their ancient

city. And this brings us to the close of the first century’. The Bible speaks of another similar fulfilment in the last days with regard to both the city of Jerusalem and the temple (which will shortly be built, and which is commonly known as the tribulation temple). “For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city” (Zech.14:2). “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God” (II Thess.2:3,4). “But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months” (Rev.11:2). All these prophecies are yet to be fulfilled, though such things have already happened in a measure in the first century.

Q.23. How do you arrange Matthew ch.24, Mark ch.13 and Luke ch.21 with regard to the order of events in the last days?

In the light of what we have already learnt in Q.22, the order of events will be as tabulated below. SIGNS FORETOLD BY JESUS

Matt.

Mark

Luke

A.Prophecies concerning the

city and the temple. 1. Antichrists and false prophets 24:5,11 13:6,22 21:8 2. Afflictions-Christians hated 24:9 13:9,11 21:12,16 imprisoned, killed, for Christ's sake 3. Many shall be offended and turn back 24:10 13:12,13 21:16-19 4. Abomination in the temple 24:15 13:14 -5. Jews warned to flee from 24:16-20 13:14-18 21:21-23 Jerusalem 6. Jerusalem trodden down of 23:37-39 -- 21:24 the Gentiles B.Additional signs of the last

days 7. Wars and rumours of wars 8. Nation rising against nation and kingdom against kingdom 9. Earthquakes, famines, 24:7 troubles etc.

24:6 24:7

13:7 21:9 13:8 21:10

13:8

21:11

(After predicting the above signs, Jesus affirmed that they were only the beginning of sorrows, and that the end was not yet (Matt.24:6,8). The reason evidently was that it was going to take longer for the end to come and the above signs would continue to be repeated till then.) C.The ‘end’ signs before the secret coming of Christ. 10. The full gospel preached all over the world 11. False prophets and false Christs 12. The scattered Jews (see 21:29-32 item 6) return to Jerusalem (parable of the fig tree). 13. Signs in the sky, distress of nations, perplexity, roaring of the sea. 14. Wickedness, sin, and other 32 evils on the increase D.Prophesy concerning the

24:14 13:10 -24:24 13:22 -24:32-34

--

13:28-30

-- 21:25,26

24:36-39

-- 17:26-

perfected Church 15. The Rapture D.Events following the Rapture

24:40-44

-- 17:34-36

of the perfected Church 16. The Tribulation 24:21 13:19 21:35 17. Warning given to the Church24:42-47 13:32-37 21:34-36 to escape the Tribulation. 18. Careless Christians ensnared 24:48-51 -in the Tribulation 19. The appearing of Christ immediately after the first three and a half years. 24:27,30 13:26 21:27

--

20. The resurrection of the Trib- 24:31 13:27 -ulation martyrs. 21. The redemption of the (sealed) Jews, who enter the Millennium 24:32,33 13:28,29 21:28-31

Q.24. What are the events and signs that will be witnessed before the rapture of the perfected Church?

Here are some of the important events and signs which will be witnessed before the rapture of the Spirit-baptized, perfected Church. (1) There will be a great ‘falling away’ in the Church (II Thess.2:3). (2) We shall hear of wars and rumours of wars’ (Matt.24:6,7). (3) The closing generation will be exceedingly wicked, and of

appallingly low moral standards, as in the days of Noah and Lot (II Tim.3:1-5; Lk.17:26-29). (4) There will be great famine all over the world (Matt.24:7). (5) There will be deadly pestilences in many parts of the earth, destroying man, beast and plant-life (Matt.24:7). (6) The earth will be violently shaken by earthquakes in many places (Matt.24:7). (7) Frightening signs will be seen in the sky (Lk.21:11). (8) False prophets and false Christs will increase in number (Matt.24:24; Mk.13:22). (9) The Jews will return to their homeland (Zech.8:7,8). (10) The ‘Gospel of the kingdom’ will be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations (Matt.24:14). Let us study these items one by one by one 1. ‘Falling away’ in the Church: There will be a great ‘falling away’ among the Spirit-baptized Christians (II Thess.2:3). Here are the reasons: (i) ‘...because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold’ (Matt.24:12). (ii) Seducing spirits will enter the Church and propagate ‘doctrines of devils’ through false teachers, causing many to abandon their faith (I Tim.4:1).

2. Universal Wars. The world will continue to be torn by war, civil war and racial strife (Matt. 24:6,7). It is estimated that between the First and the Second World Wars there were at least thirty internaional wars, and between the Second World War and now there have been hundred of such wars. Major countries are now deploying the neutron bomb. And they say the advantage with the neutron bomb is that it kills people without destroying buildings. Apart from nuclear war weapons, secret researches made in the field of ‘silent arsenals’ have resulted in the discovery of ‘silent killers’; these consist of germ bombs and nerve gases which will kill human beings without destroying machines, buildings and property. A cannister of high potency, ‘nerve gas’, for instance, can wile out 1000 million poeple. Less than 10 ounces of a ‘germ bomb’ can kill the whole human race with a deadly disease called ‘Q’ fever. While the leaders of the nations will promise the world ‘peace and safety’, ‘sudden destruction’ will come upon the whole world, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape (I Thess.5:3). Weapons of mass destruction are being continually manufactured by major countries on the pretext of defence purposes.

Apart from the increase in the stock of explosive power, recent years have seen the extreme developments in defence strategies of the U.S. and the U.S.S.R, apparently to attain a maximum protection against enemy ballistic missiles. However, another name for SDI (Stragetic Defence Initiative) is Star War. Both Moscow and Washington possess this system inspite of the Anit-Ballistic Missile (ABM) treaty. The Star War is aimed at destroying enemy satellitebeams which may destroy not only enemy objects but if need be, even whole cities, from a station in space or on earth. Surveying all this we are able to understand how very close the world is to a World War and destruction, the terrors of which are hitherto un k n o w n t o h i s t o r y b u t a r e w e l l p r e d i c t e d i n t h e B i b l e . 3.

The closing generation of low morals: St.Paul prophesied concerning the closing generation of the last days thus:

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away” (II Tim.3:1-5). Since the First World War, 'perilous times' have been sweeping over the world, affecting the general moral tone of humanity; there has arisen 'distress of nations with perplexity' on the one hand (Lk. 21:25,26), and corruption, immortality and violence on the other. Jesus said, “as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man” (Lk.17:26). Concerning the days of Noah we read thus in the Amplified Bible: 'The earth was depraved and putrid in God's sight, and the land was filled with violence (desecration, infringement, outrage, assault, and lust for power). And God looked upon the world and saw how degenerate, debased and vicious it was: for all humanity had corrupted their way upon the earth and lost their direction' (Gen.6:11,12). This manner of corruption and violence was confined to the then known world in the days of Noah, and to Sodom and Gomorrah in the days of Lot. We are living in the days of tremendous technical achievement and of great advance in every kind of knowledge but along with this has come a great upsurge of immorality and wickedness. Through the medium of radio, television and literature, sin and corruption plague the world, with increasingly disastrous results on humanity, and specially on the younger generation. The world has become a 'permissive society', through the legislation of prostitution, divorce followed by re-marriage, abortion, premarital sex, homosexuality, the unrestricted availability of pornographic literature and films, and drugs. These damnable sins are

justified under the title 'Free Morality'. 4. Famine: (Matt.24:7: These signs are already witnessed all over the world in a measure. But they will be extremely disastrous during the seven years of Tribulation. It is said that eight persons out of ten in the world today are undernourished, and one in three suffer acute hunger. Some of the causes of famine are (a) the failure of ... a disobedient world. 5. PESTILENCES (Matt. 24:7): Pestilences and plagues had been used by God to chastise wicked nations who continued to be disobedient to God. In Deuteronomy 28:15-22 we find a list of plagues and pestilences which constitute some of God's instruments of judgement upon man, animal and plant. God says, 'And I will smite the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast: they shall die of a great pestilence' (Jer.21:6). 6. EARTHQUAKES: (Matt.24:7) There has been a steady increase in earthquakes for the past five centuries . We are also told that the earth is at present in a constant state of tremor. The statistics given below show the sudden increase in the earthquakes during the last five hundred years: Fifteenth century

-

150

Sixteenth century

-

153

Seventheenth century

-

378

Eighteenth century -

540

Ninteenth century -

2,119

Taking every minor earthquake and convulsion into account, the twentieth century has had more earthquakes than in any other century before. Of the 13 greatest known earthquakes in history, 10 have occurred in the twentieth century. This warns the nations of the forthcoming judgment of God. Some of the major earthquakes in the recent past are mentioned below with their casualties: YEAR

1960

PLACE

Los Angeles Agandis(Morocco)

CASUALTIES

15,000 12,000

1962

Iran

10,000

1963

Yugoslavia

(not known)

1964

Alaska

12,000

1967

Maharashtra (India) (not known)

1968

Iran

11,500

1970

Peru

66,700

1972

Iran

5,000

1974

Northern Pakistan 5,200

1975

Mukdell (China)

YEAR

PLACE

1976

Guatemala (U.S.A) 23,000

1976

Italy

10,000

CASUALTIES

15,000

”

Peking (China)

”

Philippines

”

Russia

655,000 3,300

10,000,000(app.)

1978

Iran

25,000

1980

Algeria

20,000

1983

1985

Italy

3,000

Turkey

2,700

Shanshu (Japan)

104

Chile

177

Mexico

10,000

1988

Armenia

25,000

1989

Armenia

1990

Iran

35,000

1993

Lathur

16,000

2,00,000

(Maharastra, India) 1995

Kop (Japan)

5,500

1998

Chamoli (U.P. India)

1999

Turkey

40,000

(Sept.)

Taiwan

2,000

(Sept.)

Mexico

20

1,000

(August)

Many more countries were shaken by minor earth tremors which are not mentioned in this list. God says, “ ... Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken (the overcoming Church) may remain. Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire” (Heb.12:26-29). At the time of the Battle of Armageddon, when the Lord will come down from Heaven to judge the nations, there will be universal earthquake ‘such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great that the ‘cities of the nations’ will destroyed and ‘every island’ will disappear (Rev.16:16-20). 7. SIGNS FROM HEAVEN: Jesus said that ‘fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven’ (Luke 21:11). Flying Saucers. Space scientists have been baffled by certain mysterious unidentified flying objects called ‘flying saucers’. The origin of these disc-like aircraft are conspicuously different from any other aircraft known to the aircraft engineers and scientists of this world. No-one has so far identified the pilots. Some think that they are pople from outer space and other planets, and that they are far advanced in science and technology, particularly in the invention of space-crafts. Some ‘spiritualists’ who believe in contacting the spirits of the dead, have made ‘contacts’ with those who man flying saucers, and have received messages stating that they were spirits, trying to save human race from forthcoming disaster. From the Scriptural point of view it appears that this phenomenon is of Satanic origin. 8. FALSE PROPHETS AND FALSE CHRISTS: We need clearly to differentiate between false prophets and false Christs. FALSE PROPHETS The works of the false prophets are (1) to ‘deceive many’ by their false prophecies and visions (Matt.24:11). (2) to ‘bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord’ (II Pet.2:1). St.Paul says that they are inspired by ‘seducing spirits’ which use them to deceive the world with the ‘doctrines of the devil’ (I Tim.4:1). Those who will not endure ‘sound doctrines’, but crave a life after their own lusts will turn their itching ears to their perniciuos teaching, departing from their first faith and the truth of the Word of God (II Tim.4:3,4). Seventh day Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, Christian Scientists, Theosophists and a few others find their origin in certain false prophets who denied the fundamental Scriptural truths. Let us study these

sects in brief: Seventh Day Adventisits : They deny the efficacy of the blood of Jesus. They seek justification and salvation in keeping the law of Moses. According to them, those who do not keep the Sabbath are lost. Only 144,000 of the Adventists will be counted as saved; all the rest will be totally annihiliated. They also say that Jesus has already come in the sense that He has entered the holiest in 1844 to make atonement for the Adventists. Jehovah's Witnesses: They neither believe in the full atonement that is found in the death of Christ, nor in His bodily resurrection. They do not believe in the Trinity. They teach that Heaven is only for 144,000 Jehovah's witnesses who are destined to attain immortality and to rule with Christ. They do not believe in the Coming of Christ for the perfected Church but await His return to the earth to judge the nations in the Battle of Armageddon and to establish His earthly kingdom. They do not believe in eternal hell, but in eternal annihiliation of sinners, which they say, is the second death. Mormons : Mormons claim that the Bible is the revealed Word of God, but they say, as the Catholics do, that it does not contain all the revelation of God, Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon Church, claims that an angel led him to a secret place where he discovered certain gloden plates which contain the inspiritions of the teachings which belong to the Latter-day church. The Mormons believe in many gods. These gods are supposed to be polygamous. They lived on the earth once as human beings, but by growing spiritually became divine. ‘God Himself was once as we now are and is an exalted man’. Therefore all spiritual human beings will become gods one day. They go further to say that Adam was the first god of the world. So, ‘He (Adam) is our Father and our God and the only God with whom we have to do’. They also believe that human beings existed in spirit-form as spirit-children of God right from creation till physical birth. Therefore procreation becomes man's primary duty to bring the restless spirit-children to earth in human bodies. They believe that salvation is by good works and in becoming active members of the Mormon Church. All the rest will be damned. These are some of the heresies of the Mormons. Christian Scientists: Christians scientists do not believe in sin, sickness and death. They are just illusions. Man cannot sin, they say, because he is the very essence of God; he never needs salvation or atonement. They teach that Jesus never died on the cross; death, hell and judgment are imaginary. They do not believe in eternal hell. Theosophists : They believe that man evolved and is still evolving. The process of continual evolution is called ‘transmigration’ which is their

only way of salvation. They believe in good works which help their salvation. They also believe in a kind of physical exercise known as ‘Yoga’ for the discipline of their body and mind. FALSE CHRISTS How are false Christs identified? They deny that ‘Jesus is the Christ’ and also deny ‘the Father and the Son’ (I Jn.2:22). They fight against the truth of the incarnation of Christ. ‘ And every Spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist...’ (I Jn.4:3). There are innumerable sects all over the world today who deny that Jesus is the Christ and the Son of God, and they deny also that Jesus Christ came in the flesh (or that He was physically born in the world). The reason they deny the Father and the Son and the Scriptural truths concerning Christ is obvious. They are inspired by the Spirit of the antichrist who wants to exalt himself ‘above all that is called God’ (II Thess.2:4). Jesus said, “... many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ‘ (Matt.24:5). It is estimated that so far there have been more that 11,000 antichrists since the days of Jesus Christ. Listed below are some of the antichrists who have been able to draw crowds of followers in our generation by hteir diabolical influence and pernicious teachings. George Baker : He was a Baptist lay preacher, born in Hutching island. He suddenly cried one day in the course of his service ‘I am the Father Eternal’. He began to gather crowds whom He convinced deceitfully that he was God in human form. He also built ‘heavens’ on earth, in different places to accommodate his followers who forsook their all and sold all their properties and gave their riches to George Baker who by now was called the Black Messiah. Prince Abdul Baraba Baha: He is known as the ‘Assyrian Mystic’. Those who visited him claim to have seen him bringing down fire at command and raising up the dead. He claimed that he was Almighty God. Let us hear some of his claims in his own words’. Jacob Schweinfurth of Chicago: He called himself Christ manifest in the flesh and built a ‘heaven-on-earth’ in Rockford, Illinois. He succeeded in drawing large crowds after him by his diabolical claims and blasphemous assumption of deity. But after a while his mission failed and he himself disappeared. George Roux of Montfavet (France) : As a young Christian, he manifested the gift of healing, but in 1950, he claimed the he was Christ manifest in the flesh, sent by God to finish the unaccomplished ministries of Moses and Christ. Though he is now dead, his followers continue to worship him as Christ and to follow his teachings. Sun Myung Moon: He was born in North Korea in 1920. He says that he had a vision of Christ while he as sixteen years old. He claims that God sent him into the world to finish that which Christ could not accompplish.

Jesus Christ, he says, was the second Adam, sent by God to restore all things which were lost by the sin of the first Adam; but Christ, the second Adam, failed to accomplish His ministry, because of His crucifixion, which was not in the plan of God. Moon says that God's plan for Jesus was to marry a second Eve, and raise up a generation to fill the earth with the children of the kingdom of God. That mission was interrupted by His crucifixion. Moon claims, therefore, that he was sent to the earth in the place of Jesus as the second Adam. and that his present (fourth) wife is the ‘new Eve’, and that both of them are now accomplishing the ministry which Jesus had failed to fulfill by allowing Satan to overcome Him on Calvary. By means of blasphemous satanic claims, Moon has gathered thousands of followers, especially young people in many countries, including the U.S.A., Japan, Europe, North Korea and South Korea. He was arrested some time ago for adultery, polygamy and other immoralities. These are only few of those who claimed that they were christs manifest in the flesh. It is possible that those who are greatly used by God today as evangelists and healing ministers, performing miracles, may become antichrists if they do not give all the glory to God. We who look for the coming of Christ and who want to be used to God must put on the Spirit of Christ. Jesus said that He was ‘meek and lowly in heart’ (Matt.11:29). He proved His claims on Calvary. Though He was ‘in the form of God’ and ‘equal with God’, ‘He made himself of no reputation’ and ‘humbled himself and became obedient unto death’. He proved His humility, meekness and lowliness on the cross. ‘We are expected to have the mind of Christ’. (Phil.2:5) (i.e) put on the spirit of Christ, His humility, meekness and lowliness. If we neglect to grow in humility, we will give room to the spirit of the antichrist “who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped ...” (II Thess.2:4). 9. JEWS RETURNING TO THEIR HOMELAND Before entering the promised land, the Lord spoke to the children of Israel saying : “When thou shalt beget children, and children's children, and ye shall have remained long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make a graven image, or the likeness of anything, and shall do evil in the sight of the Lord thy God, to provoke him to anger: I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto ye go over Jordon to possess it; ye shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed. And the Lord shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the Lord shall lead you” (Deut. 4:25-27). The historical books of the Bible say that a few years after entering Canaan, the children of Israel (10 tribes) and the children of Judah (2 tribes) did evil in the sight of the Lord continually. Therefore God delivered them into the hands of the heathen. The children of Israel were taken captives by the Assyrians in 721 B.C., and thereafter they never returned

to their homeland. Similarly Judah was taken captive into Babylon in 606 B.C. Some of the children of Judah returned to Jerusalem after 70 years of the Babylonian captivity, according to the prophecy of Jeremiah. “And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years” (Jer.25:11). “For thus saith the Lord, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place” (Jer.29:10). When they returned to Jerusalem they built the temple and the city. At the appointed time, God sent His only begotten Son to redeem them, but they mocked him, despised His teachings and sought to crucify Him. It is then that Jesus gave certain definite prophecies concerning (i) the destruction of Jerusalem; (ii) the destruction of the temple and (iii) the decline of the Jews as a nation and their being scattered among the nations to be persecuted by the Gentiles. Here are the predictions of Jesus Christ. (i) The destruction of Jerusalem: “When he was come near, he beheld the city, (Jerusalem) and wept over it, Saying, If thou hadst known even thou, atleast in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation” (Luke 19:41-44). (ii) The destruction of the temple: “Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down” (Matt.24:1,2). (iii) Their final rejection as a nation: “And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled” (Luke 21:24). These prophecies were fulfilled in 70 A.D., when the Emperor Titus captured Jerusalem, destroyed the temple, and took almost all the inhabitants captives and dispersed them all over the world. However, neither the Jews nor Jerusalem were meant to be ‘trodden down’ by the Gentiles for ever. Jesus has fixed a time-limit ‘until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled’. This reveals that the Jews will return to Jerusalem, their homeland and that the Gentiles will have no more power over them. Given below are the nations who ruled over Jerusalem since 70 AD

Romans 70 Persians 614 Romans 628 Arabs 638 Turks 1077 Crusaders 1099 Egypt and Syria 1187 Germany 1229 Turks 1244 Egypt 1248 Ottoman Turks 1517 League of Nations1917

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613 627 637 1076 1098 1186 1228 1243 1247 1516 1916 1948

AD ” ” ” ” ” ” ” ” ” ” ”

On 9th, December 1917, Palestine was conquered by General Allenby, the leader of the allied forces in the First World War. With the sanction of the League of Nations, the Jews were permitted to return to their homeland. In 1948, after the Second World War, they were granted their independence, and Palestine was given back to them as their homeland. They have now a government of their own. this proves that they are no more a valley of dry bones, but an established nation with ‘an exceeding great army’ (Eze.37:10). 10. The Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world before his return: Apart from the activities of innumerable missionaries who carry the gospel of the Kingdom to many parts of the world, including the Communist countries, the gospel is preached round the clock through radio and television, to millions of people at many points on the face of the earth. There are thousands who carry the Word by way of tracts and other literature from door to door. God has also raised up many Bible societies to translate the Bible into hundreds of languages. As on October 31st, 1998, the whole Bible has been translated into 366 languages, the New Testament alone into 928 languages and parts of it in 918 languages. In India alone the Bible has been published in 51 languages, the New Testament alone in 48 languages and parts of it in 73 languages.

Q.25. St.Paul says ‘the dead in Christ shall rise first’. Does he mean that the bodies of the saints will rise?

Yes!, The Oxford Dictionary renders the word ‘resurrection’ as ‘raised from the dead’. Christ's resurrection refers to His coming back to life in a resurrected body. When Mary Magdalene and others went to see the body of Jesus in the sepulchre, the angel who appeared in the sepulchre said to these women: “Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay” (Matt.28:5,6). Note here that they went to see the

dead body of Jesus Christ, not His spirit, so when the angel said ‘He is not here:’ ... Come, see the place where the Lord lay’, he meant the very body of Jesus Christ, not His spirit. TANGIBILITY OF THE RESURRECTED BODY It is written that after His resurrection, Jesus appeared to the apostles and ‘shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days’ (Acts 1:3). In one of His visits to the apostles during these forty days, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them and said ‘Peace be unto you’. They were terrified, thinking that they saw a spirit. Jesus comforted them and began to prove that He was not a ‘spirit’, but that He had His own tangible body. Stretching out His hands, He said, “Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.” As they continued to doubt, He asked them, “Have ye here any meat? And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them” (Lk.24:36-43). Here are some important points to note:(i) The bodily form that appeared in the midst of the apostles was not the ‘spirit’ of Jesus, but His very body, now resurrected. (ii) It was a tangible body, and they were able to see and touch it. The resurrected body of Jesus was able to eat a piece of fish and honeycomb. (iii) A spirit has no ‘flesh and bones’ but a resurrected body has flesh and bones. They are not the corruptible ‘flesh and bones’ of a natural body, but the incorruptible flesh and bones of the heavenly body. St.Paul says ‘... flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption’ (I Cor.15:50). Our physical body has inherited five earthly elements by the disobedience of Adam. It is : (i) Corruption (subject to sickness, death and decomposition etc.) (ii) Dishonour (stripped of glory by sin) (iii) Weakness (void of supernatural powers) (iv) Naturalism (confined to the use of their natural senses, and subject to natural laws) (v) Mortality (subject to death) When Jesus died on the cross, He not only dealt with sin, but also with the consequences of sin, so that in due time, after He has finished the work of sanctification in our lives, He might raise our bodies incorruptible, glorious, powerful spiritual and immortal. St.Paul says, ‘... It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it

is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body ... For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality’ (I Cor.15:42-44,53).

Q.26. What is the difference between the resurrected body of Jesus, and the bodies that were raised to life before Him?

The resurrected body of Jesus was a spiritual body and not a natural body as it is written, ‘It is sown (buried as) a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body’ (I Cor.15:44). The other bodies were not resurrected. They were only revived to live a little longer in the same natural conditions as they had earlier. This is called resuscitation. Those who were resuscilated did not have the spiritual characteristics faculties found in the spiritual resurrected body of Jesus Christ. 1. He was able to appear or disappear at will “Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you” (Jn.20:19). “And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight” (Luke 24:31). 2. In addition to the ability to become visible or invisible in different forms, His was a tangible body, possessing the ‘flesh and bones’ of a spiritual immortal substance. Jesus proved this to His disciples. “And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?” (Luke 24:38-41). “Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing” (Jn.20:27). 3. The resurrected body of Jesus was not meant to live in this world but to be in Heaven. So after He showed Himself alive to His disciples He was ‘carried up into heaven’ (Luke 24:51). “And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight” (Acts 1:9).

Similarly, the spiritually resurrected body will not live in this world. It will be transported to Heaven where it belongs. The only exception is Jesus Who continued to live in this world for 40 days after resurrection, and appeared to His disciples to prove His resurrection (Acts 1:2,3). 4. The spiritually resurrected body will have the following five spiritual characteristics which are absent in resuscitated bodies: (i)in corruption, (ii) glory (iii) power (iv) spirit-senses and (v) immortality. (See question 25).

Q.27. When we die, our spirit and soul leave our body ‘to be present with the Lord’. If so what is the purpose of our body in Heaven?

The resurrection of our body is necessary for atleast three reasons. 1. It is necessary to differentiate the saints from the angels, who are the ministering spirits to the heirs of salvation (Heb.1:14). The angels have spirit-bodies, quite different from the glorious, resurrected bodies of the saints. 2. The saints of the New Testament consecrated their bodies for the glory of God, that they might live to do His will, to suffer for their Master and to manifest the life of Jesus Christ to others. St.Paul says: “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh’ (II Cor.4:8-11). Their sufferings, consecration, works of righteousness and labour for the Master will add to their glory. As St.Paul says, ‘our light affliction, (suffered in the flesh) which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory’ (II Cor.4:17). No wonder St.Paul was proud of the ‘marks of the Lord Jesus' which he bore in his body (Gal.6:17). Though all the saints of various dispensations will be raised, their glory will differ one from another in Eternity. Even among the perfected saints of the Church, their glory will differ according to their calling and attainment. Those who have consecrated their bodies to know Him the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings (Phil.3:10) filling up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in their bodies for the sake of the Church (Col.1:24) will possess a greater glory than the others in the Church. St.Paul explains this in the following way: just as “there is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differeth from another star in glory, so also

is the resurrection of the dead” (I Cor.15:41,42). The bodies of the perfected saints of the Church which are God's purchased possession bought by the blood of Jesus, will be redeemed for the praise of His glory at the coming of Jesus (Eph.1:14). It will be for the glory of His grace by which God perfected His work in us (Eph.1:6; 2:6). 3. At the coming of Jesus our adoption will be completed when our body is fully redeemed from mortality and corruption to serve God through all Eternity as sons of glory (Rom.8:19,23).

Q.28. I Thess.4:16 says ‘the dead in Christ’ rise. Explain the expression,‘in Christ’

Like as ‘in Adam’ all die, it is in the plan of God that in Christ all should be made alive (I Cor.15:22). The phrase ‘in Christ’ is frequently used in the New Testament, in connection with the various purposes of God which are a part of His manifold wisdom, which He has purposed in Christ (Eph.3:10,11), and which are accomplished through Him. The greatest purpose in this predestinated plan is to bring forth saints of the highest order, called the Church, who will be holy and without blame before Him in love (Eph.1:4). This glorious Church is also called the Body of Christ, formed by the Baptism in the Holy Spirit (I Cor.12:13). Those who are part of this Church, are therefore members of His body, abiding in Him. About this, Jesus said, “At that day (the day they received the Holy Spirit) ye shall know, that ... ye are in me, and I in you” (Jn.14:20). This life of abiding in Him is exclusively an experience of the saints of the Dispensation of Grace and the saints who abide in Him, grow to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ (Eph.4:13). This is also called the “mystery of Christ, which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets” (Eph.3:4,5). This implies that the saints of the Old Testament had no access to this mystery. Therefore they cannot avail themselves of the privilege of the New Testament, nor can they take part in their resurrection.

Q.29. What are the blessings awaiting the perfected Church at the Rapture?

1. AT THE RAPTURE, the ‘chaste-virgin’- the sanctified and the overcoming Church - will become the ‘Bride’ of Christ. In other words, we will be united with the Lord for ever. ‘So shall we ever be with the Lord’ (I Thess.4:17).

2. AT THE RAPTURE, the eternal ministry of the Church together with Christ begins in heaven (Zion and New Jerusalem) in the fullest measure. At present, only Christ is the head of principalities and powers (Col.2:10; Eph.1:20,21). Till the Rapture, the Church has to grow into the fulness of Christ (Eph.4:13-15). At the Rapture, the perfected Church begins to share the heavenly administration with Christ, in heavenly places. It is not clear what kind of administration they are to engage in. We have two or three Scripture portions that shed some light on this matter. I Cor.6:2-5: ‘Know ye not that we shall judge angels?’ (The Greek word is ‘messenger’ not ‘devils’). This signifies that we shall exercise authority over the angels (who form one of the groups of ‘principalities and powers’). Even now we, in a measure, reveal by our obedience, loyalty to God, and sanctification, the ‘manifold wisdom of God’ to them (Eph.2:7). All this starts at the Rapture, and continues forever throughout Eternity. 3. AT THE RAPTURE, we receive the rewards of our life and ministry. ‘Every man shall have praise of God’ (I Cor.4:5). This is called ‘the judgment seat of Christ’. We have two judgments: firstly, judgment now ‘in the house of God’ (I Pet.4:17; Mal.3:1-4). We are ‘chastised’ or ‘corrected’ so that we may not continue to remain unrighteous, but bring forth fruits of righteousness (Col.1:10; Heb.12:11). At the Rapture, we have the second judgment, that is, the occasion when we receive rewards for our life and labour (II Cor.5:9,10). These will be not only personal rewards, but also the assignment of our inheritance, power and authority, and these will be according to our achievements and faithfulness (Lk.19:12-26). The raptured Church will become fully established in Heaven during the Seven Years' Tribulation, in order to share with Jesus the future administrative responsibilities of Zion, or of New Jerusalem, as the case may be; for she is appointed to carry out an eternal ministry to the saints who will be resurrected, group after group, until the end of the Seven Years' Tribulation.

Q.30. What is meant by the ‘marriage supper of the Lamb’? When and Where will it take place?

‘Marriage’ and ‘Marriage supper’ are words of deep spiritual significance, and they should not be associated with earthly marriage, or with a wedding feast of eating and drinking. ‘The kingdom of God is not meat and drink’ says St.Paul (Rom.14:17). Marriage, in the literal sense, is confined to this world: “For in the resurrection, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven” (Matt.22:30). After explaining in terms of marriage, the eternal relationship of the perfected Church with Christ, St.Paul says “This is a great mystery; but I speak concerning Christ and the Church” (Eph.5:32). Till the Rapture, the

Church is reckoned as a ‘chaste virgin espoused to ... one husband’, Who is Jesus Christ (II Cor.11:1,2). But at the Rapture, she will be ‘caught up ... to meet the Lord (her Bridegroom) in the air, and so shall (she) ever be with the Lord’ (I Thess.4:17). This eternal union of being ‘ever with the Lord’ is referred to as a ‘marriage’. This takes place before the beginning of the Seven Years' Tribulation. Some think that the ‘marriage supper’ will take place in Heaven, while the remnant of the Christians pass through the Tribulation on the earth. Let us remember first of all, as we have already explained, that there will be no such thing as a wedding feast which consists of eating, drinking and making merry in Heaven, whilst some of His remnant saints go through the Tribulation of the antichrist at that time on the earth. The marriage supper refers to the gathering together of all the resurrected saints at the beginning of the Millennium to celebrate the final union of Christ and the Church and to their reigning with Him for a thousand years (Rev.20:4). There is reason for them to rejoice. Firstly, they are all resurrected, group after group after the Rapture of the overcoming church (Rev.7:13-17; 11:12,18,19; 20:4). Secondly, they see Christ, their King, Who has taken over the kingdoms of the world to reign as the King of kings and the Lord of lords (Rev.11:15). Thirdly, Christ has judged the nations, along with the antichrist and the false prophet, who persecuted them (Rev.19:18-20). Fourthly, Satan, the deceiver of the world, is bound and cast into the bottomless pit for a thousand years (Rev.20:1-3). Finally, to crown their joy, the long-expected Messiah, with His Bride, the perfected Church, is seen to be glorified and to be ‘admired in all them that believe’ (II Thess.1:10). The great gathering of all the saints, with Christ and the glorified Church in the Millennium, is referred to as ‘the marriage supper of the Lamb’ (Rev.19:9). This is what Jesus had in mind when He said prophetically to His disciples: “Verily I say unto you, that ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Matt.19:28): ‘Twelve’ is the number of the Church.