Disclaimer

Disclaimer: I am not a Biblical scholar. All my posts and comments are opinions and thoughts formulated through my current understanding of the Bible. I strive to speak of things that can be validated through Biblical Scriptures, and when I'm merely speculating, I make sure to note it. My views can be flawed, and I thus welcome any constructive perspectives and criticisms!

Monday, August 4, 2008

080728: Rapture (I)

Rapture (Raptus): the "catching away" of God's people

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
The coming of the Lord receives those who died in Christ first, then those who have lived and continue to live in Christ second.

1 Corinthians 15:51-58
- reiterated that the dead gets pulled away to the Lord, followed by those still alive
- those who are still alive, when they are received by Christ, go from being a mortal to an immortal, b/c Jesus Christ conquers Death and washes away sins of believers of Christ, thus able to release Christians from the punishment of the original Sin and give them back immortality.

Matthew 24:37-44
- describes events leading up to the Rapture "as in the days of Noah," i.e. back in Noah's days, corruption was so horrible that God told Noah to gather enough beings to start over (very crudely summarized here; details, please refer to the Bible)
- also confirms that only God knows the date ofthe Rapture, not even Jesus knows

Matthew 25: The Parable of the Ten Virgins
- the wedding banquet is a strong theme throughout the description of the Rapture and what Christians do during Tribulation; it is the concept of the formation of a convenant and the idea of the relationship between a husband and a wife
- the 10 virgins symbolize 10 Christians; 5 were ready for the wedding and 5 were not. this implies that not all Christians will be caught away by the coming of Christ, i.e. only the Christians who remain vigilant and prepared will be received.

Luke 21:29: The Parable of the Fig Tree
- the events that lead up to the Rapture all occur in one generation
- these events are predicted by prophecies throughout the Bible and thus act as signs to let the Christian people know the coming of the Lord is near

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