PREPARE TO MEET THE LORD YOUR GOD(M.A SHAMBACK) part1

PREPARE TO MEET THE LORD YOUR GOD

Question 1:  

Dad, In view of the Covid-19 and the troubles it has put many countries now, it could it be a sign of the end time and what has the Bible said about the end time?

Answer: The Covid-19 has been declared as a pandemic by the World Health Organization because of its wide spread across countries and the number of lives it has claimed, but history tells us that similar deadly viruses have plagued the world in the past such as the 1918-1919 Spanish Flu that killed an estimated 50 million people worldwide, so Covid-19


is not enough bases for many to conclude that the world is coming to an end.

However, Jesus was asked by His disciples about the signs of the end of age and this is what He had to say

 “3…Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? 4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. 9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. 10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But he that endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. (Mathew 24:3-14 kjv)

As you may have seen in the cited verses, Jesus spoke of many things that would happen before the end will come, but the key sign to note is that; after the wars, and the earthquakes, and the coming of false prophets, and we being delivered up to affliction; THIS GOSPEL of the KINGDOM WILL BE PREACHED IN ALL THE WORLD for a WITNESS to all Nations, and then THE END WILL COME.

The last sign before the end of the world according to Jesus is when the gospel is preached throughout the world as a testimony to all nations.

Has the gospel been preached to all nations? Well in as far as the end has not yet come, it implies the gospel has not reached all nations; nations in the biblical context refer to tribes and not countries. We must therefore continue to proclaim the gospel, ensuring it reaches all tribes.

 

Question 2:

I have heard about the Rapture, what is the Rapture?

Answer: The word ‘Rapture’ is not found in the Bible. But Rapture refers to the ‘Catching up’ of the church (saints) by our Lord Jesus Christ. The word ‘Rapture’ comes from the Latin word ‘Rapio’ or ‘Raptus.’

 The Latin word ‘Rapio’ is driven from the original Greek word ‘harpazo’ which is translated ‘caught up’ in the NIV/KJV (“Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up [Rapture] together with them in the clouds…”1 Thess. 4:17).

Rapture which is driven from “caught up” in 1 Thess. 4:17 strictly refers only to true Christians who are going to be taken alive by the Lord and not the dead. The dead in Christ are however going to be raised to life (resurrected) and Apostle Paul captures that in verse 16.

“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 (resurrection) first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up (rapture) together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” 1 Thess. 4:16-17 KJV

So when the Lord returns there will first be a resurrection of the dead in Christ and then a rapture of those alive in Christ. So it is an error to use the word ‘Rapture’ to refer to both the raising up of the dead in Christ and the Catching up of we who are alive in Him.

 So from this text in 1 Thess. 4 and 1 Cor. 15:50-54 one would noticed that two things are happening at the coming of Christ for the true church; resurrection and rapture

Question 3: 

Apostle Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2:1 speaks about the church ‘being gathered’ at the coming of the Lord; is the ‘gathering’ of the church the same as the resurrection-rapture?

Answer: This scripture you mentioned reads, “Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you brothers.” 2 Thess. 2:1 ESV

You would notice that in 1 Thess. 4:16-17 Paul speaks of the resurrection of the dead and the rapture of we who are alive, he equally talks of that in 1 Cor. 15:52

But in 2 Thess. 2:1 he uses the word ‘being gathered’ or ‘gathering’ to the Lord to refer to both the Resurrection of the dead in Christ and the Rapture of those alive.

So the words, ‘being gathered,’ or ‘gathering’ up by the Lord, by simple implication refers to both the resurrection of the dead and the rapturing of the alive in Christ.

Question 4: 

Ok so based on your answer, can I use the words, ‘being gathered’ or ‘gathering’ up to the Lord to refer to the Resurrection-Rapture?

Answer: Yes you can

To be continued..

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