Prologue: - Except those who worship the beast in the future (Revelation 13:8) (Revelation 17:8), everyone’s name was written in the Lamb’s Book of Life since the foundation of the world. It is only by sin, that a person’s name is blotted out whereby they need to be born again, etcetera so that their name is restored.
#1. The Holy Spirit baptizes us into Jesus Christ when we are first saved. “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body...” (
1 Corinthians 12:13). The head of the body is Jesus Christ (
Colossians 1:18). This includes both the saints in the OT and the NT. All believers have to abide in Christ in order to have life or salvation (1 John 5:12). Note: The first half of 1 Corinthians 12:13 talks about the baptism into the body of Christ (Which includes being baptized into Christ) by the Spirit. The second half of 1 Corinthians 12:13 talks about Pentecost in the fact that believers were able to drink of one Spirit (Which is why the chapter talks about the gifts of the Spirit).
#2. Jesus baptizes us into the Holy Ghost, “he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost..” (
Matthew 3:11). This is the downpayment of our inheritance (
Ephesians 1:14). This is the birth of the church, which happened at Pentecost. Before Pentecost: Only select chosen kings and prophets had the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit. Only at Pentecost did believers as a whole receive the permanent in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit. “And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD'S people were prophets,
and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!” (
Numbers 11:29). In the New Covenant: Receiving the Holy Spirit is the down-payment of our inheritance.
#3. Currently at this point in time: The Bride of Christ does not exist yet. The marriage of the faithful virgins to Jesus Christ is still yet a future event. This will happen sometimes after the Catching Up Event mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (Commonly known as the Rapture by Christians). This “Catching Up Event” can take place at any moment now prior to the Tribulation or in the first half of the Tribulation.
#4. Lesson at the Wedding in Matthew 22:1-14 (Note: While this Parable is called the Parable of the Wedding Feast, the feast does not take place in this parable, but it will happen later in Revelation). The guests are simply called to witness the wedding at this point of the Parable). However, the problem here is that certain believers did not have on a wedding garment. Meaning, they were not faithful to Jesus and they are cast out of Christ’s Kingdom.
#5. In the Middle of the Tribulation is the gathering of the remaining Elect (Described in the Olivet Discourse). This is a call of remaining Elect after the return from The Wedding: "And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately." (
Luke 12:36). Meaning, angels will gather the remaining elect believers after the wedding of Christ took place.
#6. The 2nd Coming of Christ with Him destroying the armies of this world is parabolic for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb mentioned in Revelation. It’s not an actual physical feast in Heaven as many falsely assume.
#7. Select OT saints who were given the Land Promise will be resurrected during the 1,000 year reign of Christ (a.k.a the Millennium). All saints who were killed during the Tribulation period by the Antichrist or the Beast will also live again to live under the rule of Jesus Christ in the Millennium.
#8. The one and only Judgment for both believers and unbelievers on the New Earth. After the Judgment, New Jerusalem will come down from out of Heaven. The saints will live in the city of New Jerusalem on the New Earth, and the devil, his minions, and the wicked will face destruction. Jesus will make all things new and there will be no more death, sorrow, crying, etcetera. It’s a happy ending.