Jeffrey Bowden
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- Dec 25, 2023
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What Paul wrote in the original 2 Th 2:1-3 is exclusively about making it clear to his Thessalonian flock, who had been deceived by a fraudulent letter (verse 2), that the rapture (the 2nd definition of “apostasia” works beautifully with the context of rapture) will come before the Trib (Day of the Lord) (verses 2 & 3). [I’ve been invited by a very prominent Bible publisher to elaborate on my claim of 2 Th 2:3 being intentionally altered so as to drastically alter the original meaning. This is in-progress.]Neither is a 'rapture to heaven' of the Christian peoples ever actually stated in scripture.
What Paul guides us with is Prophesies like 2 Thess 2:1-4, where he states that we will see the 'adversary', that is: Satan coming to power and usurping God in the new Temple.
1 Thess 4:15 is quite clear; there will be living Christians on earth, who will meet Jesus when He Returns, then become His priests and co-rulers. Rev 5:9-10
There is no indication they will be fresh converts, as Rev 13:8 precludes that idea.
1 Th 4:14-15 are prefatory comments on 1 Th 4:16-17, consecutively. V14 is about the dead in Christ being taken from Paradise. V16 is about the raising of the dead in Christ as they transform into their gloried bodies. V15 correlates with V17 concerning those who are alive in Christ at the moment of the pre-Trib rapture. We will not precede the dead in Christ in transforming into our glorified bodies.
1 Cor 15:52 (NIV): in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
1 Th 4:17 (NIV): After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.
Only 1 Th 4:16-17 align completely and flawlessly align with Acts 1:11. The next return of Jesus Christ will be completely out of the view of unbelievers. We will be raptured straight to Heaven.
“Those” in Rev 3:10 are “those who dwell upon the earth.” They are the unbelievers who will be left behind upon the pre-Trib rapture.
“You” in Rev 3:10 are the dead in Christ raised into their glorified bodies and we who are alive who are also transformed into our glorified bodies. We are not on Earth after the pre-Trib rapture. We are not “those who dwell on the earth” during the Trib.
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