Except for this little blemish above...............
Of course, I knew you were going to say this. Not surprised but understandable.
Luke ch21 and Acts 2:17-21 is another (of many many) scriptures that cancels any pre-trib rapture falsehood
FYI, I do not support ANY PREMILLENNIAL RAPTURE THEORY, whether it is pre-trib, mid-trib, post-trib, pre-wrath, etc.
And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, Luke ch21
Yeah. It is because the people living at this time see TWO OPPOSING CONDITONS. Which condition ne sees depends upon if they are truly born from above in Christ, or if they are merely professing Christians. For one, it is seen as Peace and Safety in the church, and to the other it is much reviling, trails, and great tribulation in the church. What condition one sees is dependent upon if they can see the "signs" of the times.
Luk 21:25
(25) And there shall be
signs in the
sun, and in the
moon, and in the
stars; and upon the earth
distress of nations, with
perplexity; the
sea and the waves roaring;
Not everyone will see these signs. Many in the church will be looking for
physical signs, physical stars falling, etc. No, the signs are SPIRITUAL in nature. There are two things to consider. If these signs were physical, they would be no signs at all, because we always have and always will have physical great earthquakes, famines, wars and rumors of wars. These aren't Biblical SIGNS at all! They are normative for the world. And yes, there are those Christians who add that this must then be speaking of really massive physical signs so that they're not normative. But if that were the case, then again we have a contradiction, because then everyone would see the signs and it could "NEVER" be business as usual (
as required by these scriptures). No, the only way to understand these signs is the way God intended them to be understood. By comparing scripture with scripture and letting God be the interpreter. Then we see that the only way that some see these signs and others do not (
business as usual) is by understanding the symbolic nature of the scriptures. Understanding which comes only in the mind of Christ. Spiritual signs revealed in symbolic language.
Matthew 24:15
- "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: )"
He who reads, let him "understand." That's the key to understanding what we are reading. Same thing when we read in Revelation 13:18:
Rev 13:18
(18)
Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.
So when you shall "SEE" the abomination stand in the Holy place, means not everyone will see it! Only those who have the mind of Christ have this wisdom and understanding required to "see" these great signs. The wars, the famine, the stars falling and the waves of the sea roaring.
Eph 1:17-18
(17) That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,
may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and
revelation in the knowledge of him:
(18) The
eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
Wisdom and understanding to count the number of the beast or see the abomination of desolation are by the revelation of God to his symbolism and the spiritual nature of His gospel message. God did not ask us to look at our sun, our moon, and billions of balls of fire out there in space for a sign. But right here in the congregation of Israel, the woman who have sun, moon, and stars?
Rev 12:1-2
(1) And there appeared a great wonder in heaven;
a woman clothed with the sun, and the
moon under her feet, and
upon her head a crown of twelve stars:
(2) And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
The sun, moon and stars represent the woman, the church of God. If you see the sun turn darkness, or the moon becomes blood, or the stars falling, it just means that the Church has become unfaithfulness and her messengers (stars - pastors, deacons, teachers, professed Christians, etc. ) are no longer God's witnesses of Truth. This is how we know that the church is being judged by God
right before Christ returns. This is how we know the signs of his coming! It will not be a sign that have anything to do with Iranians' missiles falling upon Israel in the Middle East, or a falling asteroid that will poison our oceans, or
@Keraz 's theory of sun's CME. In other words, they are looking at wrong signs - just like the foolish virgins of Matthew 25 are.
17‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,
That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your young men shall see visions,
Your old men shall dream dreams.
18And on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days;
And they shall prophesy.
19I will show wonders in heaven above
And signs in the earth beneath:
Blood and fire and vapor of smoke.
20The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.
21And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the Lord
Shall be saved.’
I believe that in scripture "
the time of the end," as well as "
the last days,"
refers to the whole New Testament period. That is when knowledge was increased about Jesus Christ (Dan 12:4) and when the servants of God were sent to "
go forth" (to and fro) with the gospel to the whole earth. It started with Christ's death and resurrection after He witnessed to the nation of Israel, and it ends with his triumphant return on the clouds of glory. I believe that this is the time of the increase in knowledge and when many (
the elect) run to and fro or "
go forth" with the power of the Revelation of God, through the Holy Spirit poured out at Pentecost. I believe this refers to the great knowledge through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us and signified by the sign at Pentecost per the Scripture you quoted above.
But AFTER the testimony of the Elect (two witnesses) to the world is finished, and BEFORE the day of the Lord Come (Second Coming), God will show wonders in heaven (eg. kingdom of heaven - church) where we can witness the blood, fire, and vapor of smoke, sun into darkness, moon into blood, means that the church is being judged prior to the Second Coming. This is how the Elect can "see" the true sign of Christ's return which is the judgment of His church! Remember the judgment must take place in God's house FIRST before the world.
