Your question:

If you received this I would appreciate a reply of acknowledgement. Thanks!

Christian Gifts and Balance

At some times church leaders emphasize helping members discover their gifts

for ministry. At other times church leaders emphasize living a balanced life.

At some times church leaders emphasize thinking discerningly.

At other times church leaders emphasize "get with the program."

At some times church leaders emphasize being "salt and light."

At other times church leaders emphasize "don't make waves."

An old preacher's joke goes something like this:

"What is my job? To comfort the distrurbed and to disturb the comfortable."

Hello, brethren, if someone has momentum, check his direction thoroughly

for biblical conformity to avoid grieving or quenching the Holy Spirit.

John Conover wordwon@mainstay.net

WORDWON@mainstay.net lists for you "The 3 rigorous time-relation passages:"

Please study these in comparison and reply to be in our address book.

A. Matthew 24:29-31 with parallel and explanatory passages <

This is one of the only three passages I know that put a group of future prophecy

events in some rigorous order. Here the rigor is in the opening phrase,

"IMMEDIATELY after the {Great} Tribulation."In that specific, tight time frame

there are three groups of future events:

24:29: the end of physical creation,

24:30: the visible, physical Return of Christ, and

24:31: the Rapture.

B. Revelation 20

By comparing passage A with Revelation 20:1-3, 7-9, especially 9, we are obliged

to understand that the three events in passage B come BEFORE those in A.

[Physical Creation as we know it ends in A, verse 29.

The Millennium in B must happen on this physical planet.]

In this comparison all Premillennialisms are eliminated and

Postmillennialism is established.

C. 1 Corinthinans 15:22-26.

for as in Adam all die even so in Christ shall all be made alive but

every man in his own order Christ the firstfruits afterward they that are

Christ's at his coming then cometh the end

when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God even the Father

when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power

for he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet

the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death

This reinforces the A-B.

An exposition with application may be requested. Dialogue welcome!

wordwon@mainstay.net

 My answer:

Hello,
Thanks for the e-mail.

You wrote: A. Matthew 24:29-31 with parallel and explanatory passages <

This is one of the only three passages I know that put a group of future prophecy events in some rigorous order. Here the rigor is in the opening phrase, "IMMEDIATELY after the {Great} Tribulation."In that specific, tight time frame there are three groups of future events:

24:29: the end of physical creation,

My response: Incorrect, verse 29 does not show the end of physical creation. It is repeating an often prophesied sign that would usher in the last day of the age, the day of the LORD.

You wrote: 24:30: the visible, physical Return of Christ, and

My response: Yes.

You wrote: 24:31: the Rapture.

My response: The term 'rapture' is not biblical. Verse 31 depicts the first resurrection.

You wrote: B. Revelation 20

By comparing passage A with Revelation 20:1-3, 7-9, especially 9, we are obliged

to understand that the three events in passage B come BEFORE those in A.

[Physical Creation as we know it ends in A, verse 29.

The Millennium in B must happen on this physical planet.] In this comparison all Premillennialisms are eliminated and Postmillennialism is established.

My response: Why do you ignore the context of the Revelation verses and yet acknowledge those of Matthew? The context in Revelation 20 is preceded by Christ on the white horse and followed by the bride (those in fine white linen) making verses 20:1-3 POST resurrection. The battle is clearly the last day and while the birds gorge themselves Satan was seized and imprisoned.

Verses 20:4-6: You ignored your own rules for rigorous order here by skipping these crucial verses. They show the first resurrection (as I mentioned above in place of 'rapture') and the subsequent reign of a thousand years. Important context, particularly when rigorous order is followed, should never be ignored ;)

Verses 20:7-9: OK, so now we have had the day of the LORD in which we see the first resurrection and the subsequent reign of the resurrected believers with Jesus Christ for a thousand years. In keeping with a lack of a break in the context, we see what happens after the thousand years conclude. We have Satan deceiving the mortals who still inhabit the earth and they mass against Jerusalem, the center of power on earth and the home of the immortals. God the Father, still in heaven, rains down destruction upon them. One might note that this destruction comes directly from heaven as opposed to the earlier wrath of God as delivered by Jesus Christ who is in person at the scene of battle.

Verse 20:10: Remember, context - context - context! Here we see the irreversible punishment of Satan who follows in the foot steps of his children, the antichrist and false prophet. They having achieved their punishment for leading the armies in the first battle and now Satan is thrown in after the second battle.

You have to stretch into the exclusive domain of the imagination to base Postmillennialism on Matthew 24:29. This is in fact what you have done and yet the verse does not indicate of itself or in context that the physical world had ended.

You wrote: C. 1 Corinthians 15:22-26.

for as in Adam all die even so in Christ shall all be made alive but every man in his own order Christ the firstfruits afterward they that are Christ's at his coming then cometh the end when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God even the Father when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power for he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death This reinforces the A-B.

My response: For clarity one must read the wording carefully in verse 24. It indicates the physical end of this world. It is not a consecutive step from resurrection to the end of all authority. The last rebellious authority on earth will be Satan, death and hades. During the second battle that occurs, after the thousand years, we see Satan free to rebel and exercise his own authority to lead rebels against the kingdom. But the last authority to be destroyed will be death and that will happen after the thousand year reign. Again the context is important here as well. Verses 27-28 show Christ and his kingdom subjected to God's authority. This will happen as it says in verse 25 that he will reign until he has put his enemies under his feet. This is the picture we see in Revelation 21:4-5 which happens after the second resurrection and the judgment in verses 20:11-15. God himself will then dwell with men (21:3) subjecting the Son to himself as they reign in the New Jerusalem as its light and temple.

I pray that I have served you well.

In the service of the LORD Jesus,

Randy