Another Premillennial absurdity

[CadyandZoe]

Three Questions Before The Forum?

1.) Do you believe Jesus Christ was in the beginning with God?

2.) Do you believe Jesus Christ created all things?

John 1:1-3KJV
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

3.) Do you believe the Godhead was within Jesus Christ when he walked upon this earth in a human body as seen below?

Colossians 2:9KJV
9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

I was hoping you might start another thread.

 

[CadyandZoe]

First I am informed by my study of Scripture. And I have much appreciation for the dictionaries and concordances, as well as faithful men of God, from which I have learned much. What I will not do is waste my time seeking truth from you. Since you've proven from your posts here the doctrine you espouse is unbiblical.

What we have here are two opposing interpretations of scripture. And I understand that we all think our interpretation is "Biblical" and that the opposition is "unbiblical." But bear in mind that the two of us are antonymous posters giving our opinion without a face. Until we have faces, there is nothing at stake here. You and I are free to believe what we want to believe and obey the Lord according to our own conscience.

I asked whether you were representing a dogma or the product of your own study. Now I know. And because we both come to conclusions through careful thought and study, we can approach each other on that basis, expecting that when sound reason and the scriptures form the foundation of these opinions, that sound reason can correct mistaken opinions. I am here to help others with their own studies, and to the degree that I have helped, then to that degree I am both grateful to God and to our Lord Jesus Christ. And to the degree that you or others help me, I am thankful to you and the Lord.

I would like to continue on that basis if you like.

 

[CadyandZoe]

Please explain your statement in greater detail

None of "What" is true?

If total destruction of the earth attends the Second Advent, then the entire chapter of Zechariah 14 is meaningless. On the day that the earth is destroyed, there is no spoil to divide, there are no armies to fight, there is no Mount of Olives on which to stand, there are no people to march to Azel, there is no Jerusalem from which waters shall flow into the sea, there is no sea into which the waters shall flow, there is no Geba or Rimmon, or tower of Hananeal or the Kings winepresses and on and on.

 

[CadyandZoe]

Christ is the fulfilment of the OT type. Your fixation with Israel causes you miss the biblical focus on Christ.

You read your narrative INTO the text.

 

[CadyandZoe]

Why? For what purpose will God return Israel back to the promised land? Please don't say it's because God needs to vindicate/restore His holy name!

Why would I avoid speaking the truth?

 

[Truth7t7]

At the time of the rapture, Jesus' disciples go to him; at the second advent, Jesus comes down to Jerusalem to be present there in his capital city.

1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 Isn't A Pre-Tribulation Rapture, Dont Be Deceived​

The main scripture used by supporters of the (Pre-Trib Rapture) is 1 Thess 4:15-17 below, this is nothing more than the (Second Coming) (Last Day) resurrection, not a (Pre-Trib Rapture), don't be deceived

1. Is a resurrection of the believer seen in 1 Thess 4:15-17 below, 100% Yes!

2. Does this resurrection take place on the (Last Day) as Jesus Christ taught below in John 6:39-40, 100% Yes!

3. Is the (Last Day) the time of final judgement as Jesus Christ taught in John 12:48 below, 100% Yes!

Many deny the truth of Gods words below, that are simple, clear, and very easy to understand.

(THE SECOND COMING, LAST DAY RESURRECTION)

1 Thessalonians 4:15-17KJV
15 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.
16 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:
17 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.

(THE LAST DAY RESURRECTION)

John 5:28-29KJV
28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

John 6:39-40KJV
39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

(THE LAST DAY JUDGEMENT)

John 12:48KJV
48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

 

[Truth7t7]

At the time of the rapture, Jesus' disciples go to him; at the second advent, Jesus comes down to Jerusalem to be present there in his capital city.

Many claim Jesus will literally return and rule "On This Earth" In A Millennium this being false in deception

Jesus warned his followers against this teaching, Jesus wont be found anywhere upon this earth as many claim

The Antichrist will be in Jerusalem, claiming to be Messiah Returned, "Beware"!

"Believe It Not" "Go Not Forth"

Matthew 24:23-27KJV
23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
25 Behold, I have told you before.
26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

Revelation 13:13-14KJV
13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

Revelation 19:20KJV
20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

 

[Truth7t7]

The messiah is coming on the clouds. His coming on the clouds will be visible from the ground and this miraculous event will be a sign to the Jews, that the messiah has come.

Your teachings are preparing the way for the future walk on Christ in Jerusalem (Man Of Sin) (The Beast), holograms in the sky with a lightshow, look Jesus has returned, it's Israels Messiah

Jesus will appear/reveal in fire taking vengeance, and it will take place immediately after the future 3.5 year tribulation

2 Thessalonians 1:7-8KJV
7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

Luke 17:29-30KJV
29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

Malachi 3:2KJV
2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap:

 

[Truth7t7]

At the turn of the 20th century, the bones began to return to Israel, gathered together into a body. In 1947, the Lord gave the bones a body. And today we are witness to the body of Israel. But the Lord has not yet given that body a new spirit. We await this day.

A standard teaching and belief found within Zionism

 

[Truth7t7]

I was hoping you might start another thread.

No need to start a thread, I would like to see "Your Belief" regarding the three questions below, you have nothing to hide right?

My response to all three questions is a simple "Yes" what's yours?

Once Again, Three Questions Before The Forum?

1.) Do you believe Jesus Christ was in the beginning with God?

2.) Do you believe Jesus Christ created all things?

John 1:1-3KJV
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

3.) Do you believe the Godhead was within Jesus Christ when he walked upon this earth in a human body as seen below?

Colossians 2:9KJV
9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

 

[CadyandZoe]

No need to start a thread, I would like to see "Your Belief" regarding the three questions below, you have nothing to hide right?

My response to all three questions is a simple "Yes" what's yours?

Once Again, Three Questions Before The Forum?

1.) Do you believe Jesus Christ was in the beginning with God?

2.) Do you believe Jesus Christ created all things?

John 1:1-3KJV
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

3.) Do you believe the Godhead was within Jesus Christ when he walked upon this earth in a human body as seen below?

Colossians 2:9KJV
9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

I'll answer your three questions if you answer this simple question. Is Jesus a man?

 

[CadyandZoe]

1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 Isn't A Pre-Tribulation Rapture, Dont Be Deceived​

The main scripture used by supporters of the (Pre-Trib Rapture) is 1 Thess 4:15-17 below, this is nothing more than the (Second Coming) (Last Day) resurrection, not a (Pre-Trib Rapture), don't be deceived

1. Is a resurrection of the believer seen in 1 Thess 4:15-17 below, 100% Yes!

2. Does this resurrection take place on the (Last Day) as Jesus Christ taught below in John 6:39-40, 100% Yes!

3. Is the (Last Day) the time of final judgement as Jesus Christ taught in John 12:48 below, 100% Yes!

Many deny the truth of Gods words below, that are simple, clear, and very easy to understand.

(THE SECOND COMING, LAST DAY RESURRECTION)

1 Thessalonians 4:15-17KJV
15 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.
16 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:
17 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.

(THE LAST DAY RESURRECTION)

John 5:28-29KJV
28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

John 6:39-40KJV
39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

(THE LAST DAY JUDGEMENT)

John 12:48KJV
48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

Here is a video I did on the coming of the son of man.
About a year ago, I made a series of three videos in which we explored Luke 17, wherein Jesus predicts the chain of events that precede his second coming. In the third video, I make my case for an alternate interpretation of Luke 17 and how it relates to the end-times. This video is a shorter version, focused solely on my interpretation of Luke 17, what Jesus calls, “The days of the Son of Man.” I have duplicated some of that other video here and added new information.

 

[Timtofly]

No need to start a thread, I would like to see "Your Belief" regarding the three questions below, you have nothing to hide right?

My response to all three questions is a simple "Yes" what's yours?

Once Again, Three Questions Before The Forum?

1.) Do you believe Jesus Christ was in the beginning with God?

2.) Do you believe Jesus Christ created all things?

John 1:1-3KJV
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

3.) Do you believe the Godhead was within Jesus Christ when he walked upon this earth in a human body as seen below?

Colossians 2:9KJV
9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

Do you believe Jesus Christ appeared to Abraham and showed him the nail prints, and the spear wound in His side? That Abraham understood Jesus would rise from the dead some 2,000 years in the future?

 

[CadyandZoe]

Do you believe Jesus Christ appeared to Abraham and showed him the nail prints, and the spear wound in His side? That Abraham understood Jesus would rise from the dead some 2,000 years in the future?

I now realize that you were speaking to someone else. My apologies. The text below is how I would have answered the question, but I didn't mean to intrude. So I edited it to include this apology.
________________________________
No, what the Bible calls "the angle of the Lord" is actually a theophany, a moment where God writes himself into the story in a physical way. Paul argues, in the book of Hebrews that Jesus was not a theophany.

 

[Truth7t7]

I'll answer your three questions if you answer this simple question. Is Jesus a man?

Is Jesus Christ presently a mortal human man "No"

Did the Godhead 2,000 years ago inhabit a mortal human body of flesh, bone, and blood, on earth named Jesus Christ "Yes"

I would like to see "Your Belief" regarding the three questions below, you have nothing to hide right?

My response to all three questions is a simple "Yes" what's yours?

Once Again, Three Questions Before The Forum?

1.) Do you believe Jesus Christ was in the beginning with God?

2.) Do you believe Jesus Christ created all things?

John 1:1-3KJV
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

3.) Do you believe the Godhead was within Jesus Christ when he walked upon this earth in a human body as seen below?

Colossians 2:9KJV
9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

 

[Truth7t7]

Here is a video I did on the coming of the son of man.
About a year ago, I made a series of three videos in which we explored Luke 17, wherein Jesus predicts the chain of events that precede his second coming. In the third video, I make my case for an alternate interpretation of Luke 17 and how it relates to the end-times. This video is a shorter version, focused solely on my interpretation of Luke 17, what Jesus calls, “The days of the Son of Man.” I have duplicated some of that other video here and added new information.

I appreciate your offer, but I like to see your beliefs in writing with scriptural support, this will allow others to engage also

I'm not much on responding to a video, and claims made in it

Feel free to give your explanation of Luke17, waiting?

 

[Timtofly]

I now realize that you were speaking to someone else. My apologies. The text below is how I would have answered the question, but I didn't mean to intrude. So I edited it to include this apology.
________________________________
No, what the Bible calls "the angle of the Lord" is actually a theophany, a moment where God writes himself into the story in a physical way. Paul argues, in the book of Hebrews that Jesus was not a theophany.

Why is Jesus a theophany in the first century, but not when Jesus appeared to Abraham with two angels?

I don't use the term theophany. I just used it in my question, since that is your terminology.

Hebrews 13:8

"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."

It was always Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ appeared to Abraham.

 

[robert derrick]

Perhaps understanding how to define overcomers will be helpful? When we are in Christ, and His Spirit in us, we are overcomers through Him. We become overcomers in this life when we have known Christ and His Word abides in us, we have overcome the wicked one. Because greater is He who is in us than he that is in the world.

1 John 2:13 (KJV) I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.
1 John 2:14 (KJV) I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.

1 John 4:4 (KJV) Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

Through the Spirit of Christ in us we have overcome and through the same Spirit will be kept for good works. Through this promise we have power over the nations through the Gospel we proclaim in the power of the Spirit in us.

Philippians 2:13 (KJV) For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

True, and overcomers unto the end will be resurrected at His second coming, to be His armies with Him upon the earth, and reign with Him over them that remain.

And out of them, only the naturally neighborly sheep will be left to be blessed by the Lord's righteous rule over all nations.

Or be sentenced quickly as transgressors.

No more unjust justice of man, that allows the wicked to appeal for decades, so that when sentenced is done, no one notices, and no one is warned by it.

Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

 

[robert derrick]

Jesus Returns In Fire And Final Judgement, Dissolving This Existing Earth By Fire, Immediately After The Tribulation

This Existing Heaven And Earth Will Be (Replaced) By The New Heaven, Earth, Jerusalem, A New Creation, At The Return Of Jesus Christ

(Behold, I Make All Things New)

2 Peter 3:10-13KJV
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

Revelation 21:1-5KJV
1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

Matthew 24:29-30KJV
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

1 Corinthians 3:13KJV
13 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.

Luke 17:29-30KJV
29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

2 Thessalonians 1:7-9KJV
7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

Malachi 3:2KJV
2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap:

Psalm 46:6KJV
6 The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.

Psalm 50:3KJV
3 Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him.

Psalm 97:5KJV
5 The hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.

Isaiah 66:15KJV
15 For, behold, the Lord will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.

Zechariah 14:12KJV
12 And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.

Nahum 1:5-6KJV
5 The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein.
6 Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him.

Revelation 20:9KJV
9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

Well, since you could find no other place than this earth, for the Lord to rule them that remain after the battle, you just revert to ignoring plain words of Scripture to keep your own favorite tradition.

I had hopes for you. It would have been interesting to hear your possible alternatives.

Nevertheless, I'm not a sounding board for learned mantras.

 

[WPM]

It's not how men define their words, that prove Scriptural truth, but how God uses men's words in Scripture, that prove His doctrine.

He used rule them, to say He will rule them. Them is the remnant of the smitten nations. That rule will be with a rod of iron. It will be the righteousness He will judge the earth with.

Before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.

Since you accept the plain use of words in the Scripture, which is laudable, then it is up to you to try and prove the Lord ruling over that remnant of them smitten, is not on this earth, and/or not for a thousand years.

Scripture says it will be the Lord and His overcoming saints, that will be ruling over those nations with power. It will be immediately with the destruction of the armies at Armageddon. This earth will not be scorched until a thousand years after that first resurrection of His return.

And so, if not this earth, then where? I am open to Scriptural suggestion.

The word in the original (which it was written) is "shepherd" not rule. The original Greek in Revelation 19:15 states “he should (patasso ho ethnos kai autous poimaino autous) smite the nations, and shepherd them with a rod of iron.”

The coming of Christ is not to high-five sin and mollycoddle sinners. It is to judge sinners and banish sin from the earth forever. Premil ushers countless mortal rebels unto the new earth, but Scripture shows they are all totally destroyed. The new earth is incorrupt! Only the incorrupt can possess it. Your argument conflicts with clear and repeated Scripture.

Revelation 19:11-16: “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

This is the end!

A plain reading of the passage before us reveals that Christ is coming back with wrath to execute judgment and destroy all those left behind. He is not going to reward men for their rebellion by leading them unto the glorified new earth. Neither is Christ coming to engage in some ill-fated war against evil for a thousand years – that is not remotely in the text. The King of kings and Lord of lords will not have to fight for victory. He already won that decisively at the cross.

In this narrative He comes as the Lord of glory and removes all evil with the power of His Word. He returns as a man of war to destroy all those left behind. Revelation 19:11 says, “in righteousness he doth judge and make war.” The imagery surrounding Christ in this reading is that of wrath and judgment. The nations have missed their day of opportunity like the wicked in previous judgments, now they must face their deserved recompense of destruction and eternal punishment. Christ comes in glory and power to pour out wrath, and we learn "His eyes were as a flame of fire.” Here we see the indignation that Christ has for these enemies of God upon the earth. Those that are left behind of the nations – without exception – are trampled into a lost eternity on this moment of time.

The solemn language relates to the wrath of God being poured out on those left behind at the coming of Christ. This proves that “the nations” will not survive the wrath that emanates from Christ. How can any nation survive this closing destruction? This is final justice being meted out of the lost.

Christ is seen pouring out His wrath without mixture upon the nations as He smites them in His fury with “a sharp sword” that comes “out of his mouth.” What is the result of this act? It shall “smite the nations” that have missed the catching away. This is what awaits the nations. They are going to be smitten. The word for “smite” in this text is the Greek word patasso, which means to strike with a weapon or to smite fatally. It means to smite down, cut down, to kill, slay.

Let us be clear: He is coming to smite down the nations, not corral them into some sin-cursed, goat-infested, death-blighted millennial age. It says that “he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.” This is not a pretty sight. This is not loose talk by God. This is not something that the nations should look forward to. What awaits the nations that have rejected Christ is utter destruction and devastation. The nations left behind are totally destroyed. Christ destroys them by the very utterance of His mouth.

The two words interpreted “fierceness” and “wrath” here are thumos and orge which are regularly employed in the New Testament to mean ‘fierceness, indignation, wrath and vengeance’. The word orge carries the additional meaning of ‘violent passion’. Clearly the Lord is not happy with those left behind. Like those left behind in Noah’s day and Sodom they face an awful end, as they receive the reward of their rejection of Christ.

Verses 17-18 continues, “I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. The loipoy (or remaining ones) those left behind were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.”

Please see that the wicked are destroyed by the sword of His voice. This is complete wholesale total destruction - for those left behind. There are no survivors!

The feasting part of the marriage supper of the Lamb is a symbolism depicted the destruction of the wicked. Why can this not be a symbolic depiction of the return of Christ and the events that accompany it (including the destruction of the wicked)?

The first part of the narrative outlines a detailed account of the assignment given to “the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven” by the heavenly messenger. The “fowls” are instructed to “come and gather” themselves “together unto the supper of the great God” in order that they would “eat”:

The flesh of kings,
The flesh of captains,
The flesh of mighty men,
The flesh of horses, them that sit on them,
The flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.

This passage powerfully and solemnly reveals the full extent of the devastation that is to be focused upon the wicked on the day of God’s wrath. In perfect keeping with the rest of Scripture, this narrative graphically shows us that the destruction that occurs will be immediate, absolute and total and that, at this stage – after “the marriage of the Lamb” (Rev 19:7) – everyone left behind will be completely consumed; the birds of heaven filling themselves with “the flesh of all men.” Significantly, the suffix “both free and bond, both small and great” is added in order to fully impress the enormity and all-inclusive nature of this feast.