The Rapture

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Ahwatukee

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I also found this: The phrase "coming on clouds of heaven," would have triggered in the first century Jewish listener the Old Testament "cloud-comings" of God in judgment upon ancient historical people and nations (see Ps. 18:7-15; 104:3; Isa. 19:1; Joel 2:1-2; Zeph. 1:4,15).
In addition, you have Rev.1:7 confirming the Lord's literal return with the clouds:

"Look! He comes with the clouds of heaven. And everyone will see him—even those who pierced him.And all the nations of the world will mourn for him. Yes! Amen!"
 
Nov 23, 2013
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In addition, you have Rev.1:7 confirming the Lord's literal return with the clouds:

"Look! He comes with the clouds of heaven. And everyone will see him—even those who pierced him.And all the nations of the world will mourn for him. Yes! Amen!"
What is the criteria for something being literal or not?
 

Ahwatukee

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What is the criteria for something being literal or not?
Hello KJV1611,

A good rule of thumb and is how I read scripture is that,

"If the literal sense makes good sense, then don't seek any other sense."
 

VCO

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Oct 14, 2013
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I know. There are areas where we agree completely.

What do you think of this character? He's surrounded by the constellations and zodiac signs stamped in the cement on the ground all around him. He's supposed to be a tribute to those who died building the dam. What a joke.

I know a lot of people died building that dam, but it would be in insult to everyone that was a Christian, and most of them probably were.
 

VCO

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Has anyone here ever done a study on the times "Riding on the clouds", or "Coming on the clouds", or themes along those same lines were referenced in the Bible.......... AND what they actually meant when they were?

First thought that came to my mind is "He already proved He can walk on water, Clouds are just another form of H20."
 

PlainWord

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Their body is 'asleep' in Christ until the resurrection takes place 1 Thess 4:16-17
Where is their soul and spirit right now?

When the resurrection takes place, what literally happens to their body which is asleep?
 
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Where is their soul and spirit right now?

When the resurrection takes place, what literally happens to their body which is asleep?
Ecclesiastes 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

Read Luke 16:19-31 as well.

And as to what literally happens to their body which is asleep is, when the resurrection occurs we get a similar body than Jesus had after His resurrection. You can read 1 Corinthians 15 for details as you know.
 
Nov 23, 2013
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Luke 10:18 KJV
And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

What is your opinion on this verse, did Satan fall from heaven at that time?
 
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In addition, you have Rev.1:7 confirming the Lord's literal return with the clouds:

"Look! He comes with the clouds of heaven. And everyone will see him—even those who pierced him.And all the nations of the world will mourn for him. Yes! Amen!"
What is the criteria for something being literal or not?
Prophecies in Zechariah can confirm parts of that verse in Revelation.

Zechariah 12:[SUP]8 [/SUP]In that day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the Lord before them.[SUP] 9 [/SUP]And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.[SUP]10 [/SUP]And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

AND

Zechariah 14:1Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.[SUP] 2 [/SUP]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.[SUP] 3 [/SUP]Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.[SUP] 4 [/SUP]And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.[SUP]5 [/SUP]And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.
It doesn't mention clouds but His feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives which shall cause it to cleave and create a valley for the people to flee to. That gives the impression to me as coming from above and touching down on that Mount of Olives. The saints that comes back with Him are the pre trib raptured saints. Hopefully, He will help me explain below.

It is after the defeat of world's armies and Satan when Satan is cast into the pit for a thousand years is when the alleged "first resurrection" takes place in Revelation which by Zechariah account, the Lord is already ON EARTH BY THEN.

The use of the phrase "first resurrection" was not to imply the only resurrection as if to exclude the pre trib rapture of those saints in Christ Jesus that had abided in Him including O.T. saints shall be risen first and those living shall meet up with them to meet the Lord in the air to be forever with the Lord......because the apostle John reported that the ones coming out of this "first resurrection" were only those saints that went under the oppression and persecution of the mark of the beast which will only be during the great tribulation.

Then John reported that the rest of the dead will be resurrected later on. That was John signifying that the resurrection of the saints coming out of the great tribulation will happen first BEFORE the rest of the dead will happen later on. This was not John signifying that this was the only resurrection, but that the resurrection of the saints coming out of the great tribulation will happen first BEFORE the rest of the dead shall be resurrected later on at the white throne judgment seat of Christ as mentioned later on towards the end of the Book of Revelation.

So I take it literal since Zechariah prophecies are to be taken literal since His feet has to touch down on the Mount of Olive to cleave it and create a valley to provide an escape fr those He is rescuing when He comes down from above.

Believers should not take "first resurrection" out of context when it was just saying that resurrection of the saints coming out of the great tribulation will happen first BEFORE the rest of the dead be resurrected later on.

Revelation 20:1And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.[SUP] 2 [/SUP]And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,[SUP] 3 [/SUP]And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.[SUP] 4 [/SUP]And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.[SUP]5 [/SUP]But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. [SUP]6 [/SUP]Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

The second death means they can never be judged to go to the lake of fire. Being a part of that resurrection does signify that they had obtained a terrestrial inheritance where physical death is still possible, thus they are the vessels unto dishonor in His House. They are not resurrected to be liken unto angels that never die nor live in the city of God as vessels unto honor, but they serve the King of kings placed all over the world in raising up the generations for the milleniel reign of Christ which also means they will be marrying and having children too in setting the example of those they rule over as priests.

1 Timothy 3:1This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.[SUP]2 [/SUP]A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;[SUP] 3 [/SUP]Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;[SUP]4 [/SUP]One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;[SUP]5 [/SUP](For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)


The firstfruits will not be marrying, but they that be Christ's at His coming will.

There are vessels unto honor which obtain the eternal glory that comes with their salvation in Christ Jesus at the pre trib rapture.

Then there will be vessels unto dishonor that did not look to Him for help as their Good Shepherd to discern & depart from iniquity and thus became castaways to be received later on because the prodigal sons are still sons, even though they have given up their first inheritance for wild living which can be by living a sinful life or a religious life of works that deny Him.

Once Satan has been defeated for the last time and cast into the lake of fire after that small season when he is released from the pit, then death will be done away with too along with hades into the lake of fire. Then the vessels unto dishonor can never die after that, and thus they have inherited eternal life in a glorified terrestrial form instead of a celestial form.

1 Corinthians 15:[SUP]22 [/SUP]For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.[SUP] 23 [/SUP]But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.[SUP] 24 [/SUP]Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.[SUP] 25 [/SUP]For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.[SUP] 26 [/SUP]The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

[SUP]35 [/SUP]But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come? [SUP]36 [/SUP]Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die: [SUP]37 [/SUP]And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain: [SUP]38 [/SUP]But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body. [SUP]39 [/SUP]All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds. [SUP]40 [/SUP]There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. [SUP]41 [/SUP]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.
 
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Hello KJV1611,

A good rule of thumb and is how I read scripture is that,

"If the literal sense makes good sense, then don't seek any other sense."
Where in the scriptures would you find that kind of a prescription that you offer for rightly dividing the word of God?

If the eternal spiritual sense (faith principle) is hid in the temporal literally as that seen sense......... as in without parables Christ spoke not then what? I would offer.... The gospel is revealed by comparing the spiritual not seen to the same or faith to faith.

2Co 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen "are temporal"; but the things which are not seen "are eternal".

God is not a man as us never was never could be and neither is there any daysman between God and man . Eternal Spirit has no mother or father beginning of Spirit life or end thereof.

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

How long is henceforth in the verse above?
 
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Luke 10:18 KJV
And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

What is your opinion on this verse, did Satan fall from heaven at that time?
Yes he stumbled over the cross that represented the finished work of Christ and can't get back up.
 
Nov 23, 2013
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Yes he stumbled over the cross that represented the finished work of Christ and can't get back up.
Do you think is this?

Revelation 12:12 KJV
Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
 
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Where in the scriptures would you find that kind of a prescription that you offer for rightly dividing the word of God?

If the eternal spiritual sense (faith principle) is hid in the temporal literally as that seen sense......... as in without parables Christ spoke not then what? I would offer.... The gospel is revealed by comparing the spiritual not seen to the same or faith to faith.

2Co 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen "are temporal"; but the things which are not seen "are eternal".

God is not a man as us never was never could be and neither is there any daysman between God and man . Eternal Spirit has no mother or father beginning of Spirit life or end thereof.

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

How long is henceforth in the verse above?
No prophecy is of any private interpretation.
What you are suggesting is low-key gnosticism. Where only the spiritually enlightened ones will know the hidden mysteries and the regular peasants are just interpreting the bible literally like a bunch of dumb hillbillies.
 
Nov 23, 2013
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Prophecies in Zechariah can confirm parts of that verse in Revelation.

Zechariah 12:[SUP]8 [/SUP]In that day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the Lord before them.[SUP] 9 [/SUP]And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.[SUP]10 [/SUP]And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
This has already happened hasn't it? The spirit of grace was poured out when Christ came and they looked upon him whom they pierced. John says "they shall look on him whom they pierced" was fulfulled at the cross.

John 19:36-37 KJV
For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken. [37] And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.
 

VCO

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Oct 14, 2013
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Where is their soul and spirit right now?

When the resurrection takes place, what literally happens to their body which is asleep?
IF YOU ARE NOT A GENIUNE CHRISTIAN, YOU WILL NOT LIKE IT, AS YOU WILL FIND YOURSELF IN HADES WITH THE RICH MAN.

IF YOU ARE A GENUINE CHRISTIAN YOU WILL FIND YOUR SPIRIT (WHICH ALSO CAN THINK) IN THE PRESENSE OF THE LORD.

You can look up those verses, even if you do not believe what they LITERALLY SAY.

The BODY is CHANGED in an instant upon Resurrection, IF YOU ARE A GENUINE CHRISTIAN, into a glorified, eternal body, just like HIS, with which HE sat down and ATE FISH in front of HIS Disciples, and even allowed THEM to TOUCH HIM.

You can look up those verses, even if you do not believe what they LITERALLY SAY.
 
Mar 28, 2016
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Originally Posted by Willie-T
Has anyone here ever done a study on the times "Riding on the clouds", or "Coming on the clouds", or themes along those same lines were referenced in the Bible.......... AND what they actually meant when they were?
I have done some research. For whatever it is worth my two cents..

Like all parables when walking by faith (the unseen) parables are designed to hide the spiritual understanding from the lost.

We follow the prescribed guide lines to find the gospel meaning

2Co 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Clouds seen are used in various parables to reveal the doctrines of God as the water of the word... freely giiving us the hearing of His words of faith as in let us hear what the the Spirit says to us (the churches)

Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass: Deu 32:1

Riding or coming on the clouds speaks of the invisible presence of God. This is also referred to as the Bosom of Abraham, the invisiable presence of God


A good example of the use of clouds is found in Exodus14

And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.Exo 14:20

Above it is used to bring the kind of understanding found in parables. Hiding the truth to from one while revealing it to another as those who walk by faith.... helping us to understand God’s word brings division. When daylight came sudden destruction followed.

And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians.And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen. Exo 14:26


Satan, the father of lies as the god of this world who also has no form attempts to rob the cloud metaphor used in the parable below.

How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. sa 14:12


Psa 68:34 Ascribe ye strength unto God: his excellency is over Israel, and his strength is in the clouds.

Clouds again representing the things not seen….the faith principle . His strength is in the things not seen.
 

VCO

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HAS ANYONE BESIDES ME NOTICED THAT OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, MORE, AND MORE, PEOPLE WITH STRANGE TEACHINGS HAVE BEEN JOINING christianchat.com. When I first joined there were the normal Denominational Issues debates, but now we have several with STRANGE BELIEFS beyond the Normal denominational disagreements. I suppose it is just more SIGNS OF THE TIMES.

Revelation 22:20 (NKJV)
[SUP]20 [/SUP] He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming quickly." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
 
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HAS ANYONE BESIDES ME NOTICED THAT OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, MORE, AND MORE, PEOPLE WITH STRANGE TEACHINGS HAVE BEEN JOINING christianchat.com. When I first joined there were the normal Denominational Issues debates, but now we have several with STRANGE BELIEFS beyond the Normal denominational disagreements. I suppose it is just more SIGNS OF THE TIMES.

Revelation 22:20 (NKJV)
[SUP]20 [/SUP] He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming quickly." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Amen to that! I haven't been on here for long but I can guarantee I have never heard of any of this in churches across the globe. I have never met anyone in real life who has believed this strange hogwash some of these guys come up with. This to me is definately a sign of the times, strange doctrines are becoming more popular. What happened to the good ole arguments about women speaking in church or being pastors and the way to baptize etc. and whether its required for salvation.

Now we got these new strange doctrines of people saying Jesus already returned AND WE MISSED IT, its amazing I cannot believe someone actually believes this. Jesus SPECIFICALLY said EVERY EYE shall see Him, that its NOT going to be invisible. You don't need to know anything about the bible to become a preterist, when people point out a passage to you just parrot "fulfilled in 70A.D. read Josephus". Well ain't that something. So the bible is being interpreted through the lens of some historian who wasnt even SAVED? Good stuff.

Sorry guys, i'll stick to my good ole: Independent, temperamental, fundamental, right-wing, radical, redblooded, redneck, chicken eating premillennial -ways.
 

VCO

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No prophecy is of any private interpretation.
What you are suggesting is low-key gnosticism. Where only the spiritually enlightened ones will know the hidden mysteries and the regular peasants are just interpreting the bible literally like a bunch of dumb hillbillies.

Thank GOD I got some of that old time Hill Billy in me.


[video=youtube;f68TdgErXkE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f68TdgErXkE[/video]
 
Mar 28, 2016
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No prophecy is of any private interpretation.
What you are suggesting is low-key gnosticism. Where only the spiritually enlightened ones will know the hidden mysteries and the regular peasants are just interpreting the bible literally like a bunch of dumb hillbillies.
I have not heard of that position……(low-key gnosticism.)


Without parables..... hiding the spiritual understanding from those who seek after a gospel of the intellect, the Lamb of God spoke not.

I offer my private interpretation as a personal commentary of the interpretation of God (the bible) as my bias which could be subject to change just as any other persons.

It’s not a matter of the wisdom of hillbillies like my own self. The wisdom of God is hid from natural man .His word as a perfect law quickens our soul giving us simple ones His understanding.

Gnosticism. (extra wisdom) is to add or subtract from that which is written in the book of prophecy, the bible. It is sealed up till the end of time. God is no longer brining any new revelations in any manner.

For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because "they are spiritually discerned".But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. 1Co 2:16


He takes hillbillies and turns them into a kingdoms of priests like the noble ones(Bereans) who searched the scriptures when Paul spoke… not putting their faith in hillbillies like Paul but having that faith of Christ by which we can believe Him not seen .

He builds up those of the hill and humbles those of the valley.

1Ki 20:28 And there came a man of God, and spake unto the king of Israel, and said, Thus saith the LORD, Because the Syrians have said, The LORD is God of the hills, but he is not God of the valleys, therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and ye shall know that I am the LORD.