Section 6
What about…
What about…
John 14
ESV
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.”
It might appear that Jesus is saying that he will go to his father’s house and then come back to take us to that house. This conversation begins in John 13. Jesus explains where he is going by the full conversation. He doesn’t say that he is going to his father’s house but rather that he is going to his death. His return is reasonably the resurrection, for he came back to gather us to himself.
ESV
John 13
1 Thessalonians 4
ESV
14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.
We have already seen that the dead before us have been raised up with Jesus at his resurrection (Ephesians 2:5&6), showing that this is not something that is spoken to be a future event but more likely a quote of something that was said in the past or a continual reality until the current age is over at his “parousia” mentioned by the phrase “coming of the Lord” in verse 15. God is the one bringing them with Jesus, calling a distinction of the two in the sentence.
Even the phrase “left until the coming of the Lord” is paralleled with “we who are alive” and the point is that they will not precede those that were made alive with Christ. This is not about when people will be taken from the earth, but when they will not be in heaven for the dead rise first.
Meeting the Lord in the air has its own meaning relating to a visit or arrival of royalty. This is a continuation of the raising of Christ accompanied by trumpet and a loud command. The ones who are left, being “caught up”, is not the only possible translation as the ones being taken with Christ could be the ones being “ἁρπαγησόμεθα” obtained. The saints “witnesses” remain, but are with them always.
“ἔπειτα ἡμεῖς οἱ ζῶντες οἱ περιλειπόμενοι ἅμα σὺν αὐτοῖς ἁρπαγησόμεθα ἐν νεφέλαις εἰς ἀπάντησιν τοῦ Κυρίου εἰς ἀέρα καὶ οὕτως πάντοτε σὺν Κυρίῳ ἐσόμεθα”
2 Thessalonians 2
ESV
Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, 2 not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. 5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, 12 in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Think about all that you have read already. If this doesn’t fit with the events around 70 A.D. then why would Paul say that the mystery of the lawlessness is already at work? Take note of each important word and phrase.
“We inquire of you now, Christians, on behalf of the parousias of our Lord Jesus Christ and our assembly to him,”
Don’t be quickly shaken by word or letter saying the day of the Lord has already come.
That day will not come unless rebellion comes and the man is revealed. I told you these things.
You know what is restraining him now.
Those that don’t believe the truth will be sent the delusion to believe what is false.
Titus 2
ESV
Starting at verse 13, the phrase “waiting for” is from a word in the Greek “προσδεχόμενοι” that is about taking something to yourself and can be translated “to receive”, and “the appearing” is “ἐπιφάνειαν” or “splendor” a word that describes the glory of God. The “splendor” word, like a bright shining that appears in a dark room, filling the room with light, is equated to the destruction of God’s breath, and is also associated with fire.
Keep in mind that verse 11 sets this up by talking about the grace of God that has appeared. This would suggest that the following is because it has appeared. We can receive this appearing splendor because it has been brought for all people. The light that Jesus tells us to walk in, purifying us for himself a people zealous for good works.
James 5
ESV
7 Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
The same consistent understanding can be seen here too. James is telling them to be “patient until the presence of the Lord”. The farmer does not take the fruit before it is ready. It has to receive the early and later rains. The fruit must have its full cycle before the farmer collects it. He is patient. We too much be patient but because we don’t know when our day will come. The time when the old will be done away with and they will live in the last time, the time of Jesus is drawing near. For us, it is our past and present.
"There is a graphic here 4EscTimeline."
I can imagine that the words of the prophets in the Old Testament are fulfilled with Jesus, and the words of Jesus are fulfilled with the destruction of the Old Temple. There will not be a new era for us, as the lead up to the temple being destroyed was the last days, and that brought about the last age. We are living in this time. The kingdom of heaven is now and it’s all those that believe in him and loved his appearing. We are the “New Heavens and Earth” but we do not fully see it until we cast away our perishable bodies and are found without shame before the Lord, where we will see his face.
See attached notes to read my thoughts along the way. "on request"
This information was gathered through careful reading of the Biblical texts, conversations with others that study the texts, and the use of
biblegateway.com (ISV, ESV, NIV, & KJV)
biblehub.com (Interlinear and Greek)
Wikipedia.com (various information on history and definitions)
(Commentary on the Eucharist then Part 2 or Revelation Commentary next)
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