PAUL ALWAYS SPOKE WITH PRECISION
Part II
Greetings Watchers!
I started down a trail of showing the precision which the apostle Paul uses in his teachings in our last class: . . . “THEN, WE WHICH ARE ALIVE AND REMAIN.”http://www.chn-net.com/watcher/teachings/06-14-2002.html and I want to continue along this trail for a while because I think it’s the best way to begin understanding Paul and the meaning of the things he taught.
I think we illustrated in the last class, that simply because of his preciseness, we can see that there is a time between the dead rising, and the living being caught up. His use of the word “then”, is the key to discerning it. “Then” denotes a time lapse. Whereupon he follows that up with the word “remain”, which immediately provokes a question of; how long do we remain? So, what we know from this preciseness is that anyone who is of the belief that the dead rising and the catching away of the living are instantaneous, needs to readdress the subject.
But what that also tells us is that somewhere within Paul’s teaching lies the answer, just as precisely stated, and understood by his audience.
The key to understanding what Paul taught in these letters is to understand what his audience already understood. Because if Paul were speaking to us in this day, although he would speak just as precisely, he would use terms that had a meaning to us in this time.
And his meaning would be understood based upon the intent of the teaching, as the examples he uses would be directed toward that purpose. So keeping his words in context to the situation to which he is applying them is paramount to understanding their meaning.
In the case used in our last class, we derive the meaning of what he is saying from the understanding that this letter was to put out a few fires in the Church, being fueled by doubt. One of the concerns is about the brothers that had died before the return of Christ, and in this context, he proceeds to tell them that he would not have them ignorant to this.
He tells them not to sorrow in the same way as those with no hope. Then he defines the hope – he tells them that those dead in Christ, God will bring with Him.
Then he tells them by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain shall not precede them which are dead. The dead are going first!
He describes exactly how it will occur: The Lord himself descends from heaven with a shout from the Archangel and a trumpet blast (the last one in a series of them), and the dead in Christ shall rise FIRST! Then (afterwards) we which are alive and remain shall be caught up, together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the Air, and so shall we be ever with the Lord. So, get comfortable with that knowledge.
Now, all of that was to address the concern of what happens to those who have died before the return of Jesus.
Now in the next chapter, chapter 5 (I Thess.), we know and understand right off the bat that he had already taught on the subject, of the day of the Lord. Now a day in the life of God is as a thousand years on earth. So, here Paul is speaking of the beginning of the Millennial reign of Christ. And on that day, when He returns to begin his reign, we, the Church, that has been caught away, will be with him.
So, Paul’s remarks from that point on speaks of “we”, the Church, and “them”/”they”, the non Church. Now, the Bible speaks of three kinds of people; Jews; Gentiles; and New Creatures in Christ. The “we” in Paul’s teaching is the Church, the new creatures. The “them” includes Gentiles and Jews.
And Paul begins with (paraphrasing) But, I don’t have to write to you about when these events (the dead rising & the catching away) will occur, because I already taught you that that day will come like a thief in the night, but when “they” (the Jews & Gentiles) say PEACE AND SAFETY (sometime in the future – so watch for it), then (at that time) sudden destruction will come on “them”, and it will come upon “them” just like labor begins before birth, and “they” shall not escape – this sudden destruction.
Everyone out there who has experienced the birth of a child knows that the pains begin suddenly, and then you can’t escape the birth.
But, look at the preciseness with which Paul is speaking.
Verse 4, paraphrasing: But isn’t it great news that you are not in the dark about all of this? You’re standing in the light, so that day can’t catch you like a thief in the night! No chance, you will be already caught up!
This certainly tells us that they knew something – they would be able to see it coming! So, don’t fall asleep – like everybody else (the Jews and Gentiles) – stay alert! Watch!!! Don’t be like the people in the dark and asleep – put on the full armor of God while you are Watching, and the basis for this Watch is that you are not appointed unto the great Tribulation! You are appointed to salvation through Jesus Christ or Lord, who died for us and no matter if you are dead or alive, we will live together with Him.
So, please, comfort yourself and edify one another with this knowledge and we beg you to warn the others who are asleep.
This entire section of this teaching is about knowing and watching! And what it says is simple. The dead in Christ rise first, so watch for that. It will happen in the time when “they” are saying peace and safety. They won’t see the sudden destruction that is about to happen to them. But when you see the dead in Christ rise, warn the others.
Now since we know that there is a time between the dead rising, and the catching away of the living, from Paul’s teaching, then we must know also that these folks that he was speaking to also knew.
Because he tells the Colossians at another time, that the feasts of the Jews are but shadows of things to come for the Church, and that the substance casting that shadow is the Messiah. Understanding that as we have explained in our previous class, demonstrates the preciseness of his words as he reveals to us the timing of everything to do with the Messiah. The Feasts, or “set times” are the key to the timing of the dead rising, and the Rapture and the marking of the witnesses and offering of Jesus as the Messiah to the Jews once again.
Now this was all written by Paul in the first century. We have had this Scripture before us ever since. There is nothing new in what he says. But, we have the understanding of the times now because Daniel is unsealed, and the increased knowledge is what is now magnifying the understanding in the perspective of the final days and what we need to know at this time.
Paul gave the Church a detailed account of the final events of the Church age. We only get to read about it in short letters to Churches that he was writing to in order to solve a problem. But, we have to understand that each of these churches knew the full story. These letters only refer to teaching that he had already done. So, we know that they knew it, and Paul built on the back of his original teaching in emphasizing and making his points.
To be able to view the entire knowledge, both stated and unstated, about the Rapture, one must examine every word of Paul’s teaching on the subject to whomever it was spoken, and then join them together to form a comprehensive story that faithfully reflects the meaning of the teaching in it’s compliance with the whole of God’s plan for the Church.
Only in that way can one view the landscape of the end of the Church age in relation to it’s time and place on the tapestry of God’s word.
I will have more to say on this in the days ahead. I want you to see this from all of the scripture spoken by Paul about the circumstances of the dead rising and the catching away of the Church and it’s timing.
But first, I want to hear from you. Do you want to hear this teaching, or am I boring you? chn@chn-net.com write me now – let me know if I have a class or not for this subject.
And remember folks, you found me. The Lord led you here to hear this end time message. And, we teach for our support. If our teaching is a blessing to you, then give God’s way. Give hilariously to the store house where you get your meat. Always give as an object of your faith, and make it hilariously, because the Lord loves hilarious givers and promises to pour down a blessing you cannot contain. I pray for that blessing on each of you.
Don’t for get the Shake and Wake video. We have almost 200 Gideon’s but mostly talk and not much action! Get your copy of the video right away. We want to start this program as soon as we can now that we have a year of work in front of us.
Also, we put the 3 volume teaching into a single 4 disk album to give as gift for offerings from our TV viewers. We make the same available to you.
Everything can be reserved here: http://www.chn-net.com/support/tv_order_form.html
One more thing: In connection with the above, we activated an 800 # for the audience of the TV shows to respond. It will be active until July 1. The number is 1 800 694-4790 Anyone wishing to make and offering is welcome to use that number. The operator will tell you about the gifts that we have in return for your minimum offerings.
Thank you and God bless.
Humbly,
Your brother
in Christ
Brother Sal
____________________________________________
Get your "Shake & Wake" video today and begin introducing the end times to your
friends. Paul taught us to Watch and then Warn.
It's time to warn.
http://www.chn-net.com/support/order_form.html
Enlist in the Gideon's Army Today! http://chn-net.com/gideon/recruiting_ad.html
Click here to got to part III of this six part study