Book 42

 

Through the Bible with Les Feldick

LESSON 1 * PART 4 * BOOK 42

I Thessalonians 5:1-12 – Part 2

Now let’s get right back where we left off in I Thessalonians chapter 5, and now verse 7. We’re having this constant flipside one to the other of those who are left behind at the Rapture – that are left behind because they’ve been in spiritual darkness. They’re enjoying the things of this world, and they have no appetite for the things of the Spirit.

I Thessalonians 5:7-8

“For they that sleep (spiritually) sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. (now he comes back to us believers) 8. But let us, who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.” These are the same things that he listed in Ephesians chapter 6. Now verse 9, and oh what a tremendous lesson for believers.

I Thessalonians 5:9a

“For God hath not appointed us (as believers ) to wrath. but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,”

Now isn’t that plain? Now these people that are insisting that the Church is going to go into or through the Tribulation, they just have to blink and miss this verse. But here it is, as believers we are not appointed to the day of the Lord, the day of judgment, the day of wrath. I don’t care whether they want to call it the Tribulation or the eternal destiny to come, it’s still the same premise, that those of us who are part and parcel of this day of Christ are out of here before the day of judgment falls on this planet, and over and over Paul makes that so plain. But on the other hand, what I’ve learned from our mail, from talking to people that call, when everyone who says they can’t agree with my stand on the Rapture, they hardly ever look at Paul’s epistles. All the verses they give me to back up their theory is Old Testament, the four gospels, and Revelation, which of course are all attendant with the Tribulation and the day of the Lord.

But you see Paul never alludes to that as I’ve been showing now for the last three programs. Paul alludes only to the day of Christ. Now there’s one exception to that, and we’ll probably get to that in our next taping session, and that’s in II Thessalonians chapter 2, where he comes the closest to end-time prophecy of any place in any of his letters. But here he’s talking only about we believers not being associated with the day of God’s wrath, but rather how we have not been appointed to this day of wrath, but we obtained salvation no only from eternal Hell fire, but we’ve also going to be saved from this horrible 7 years of Tribulation on earth. And it’s all through the work of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now verse 10.

I Thessalonians 5:10a

“Who died for us,…”

Do you see how Paul is constantly bringing up that finished work of the cross, the Gospel of salvation? And again wherever we go, we’re finding people who have been in Church all their lives, and have never heard the pure simple complete work of the cross Gospel for salvation. They just don’t hear it, and that’s so sad, and I can’t figure out why. They all celebrate Easter, they can all talk about His crucifixion, but they can’t seem to put that package together that when we believe it then it becomes our means of salvation. But somehow a lot of people are missing the most important part of the Bible, it’s just a sad commentary. But Paul is telling us that we’re not doomed to the day of the Lord, or an eternal separation, because Christ died for us.

I Thessalonians 5:10b

“… whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.”

Now the word sleep here is a reference to physical death. It doesn’t make any difference if we die physically, we’re still alive with Him eternally. Let’s look at a Scripture in Colossians chapter 3 and we’ll drop in at verse 3.

Colossians 3:3a

“For ye are dead,…”

That is the old Adam that we’re born with. It’s been crucified, it’s been put to death by virtue of our faith in the Gospel. So you are dead, but just like that kernel of wheat that falls into the ground, and it hits the moisture and sunlight, what does it do? It dies, but brings forth new life, and that’s the allusion that Jesus makes in John’s gospel chapter 12. So to have eternal life, we have to die to the old Adam, that’s a premise of Scripture.

Colossians 3:3

“For ye are dead, (you have been crucified with Christ according to Galatians 2:20) and your (eternal) life is hid with Christ in God.”

Do you see that? A moment a go I made an allusion to the kernel of wheat in John chapter 12, and let’s look at it for a moment. I haven’t used any of the four gospels all day have I? I’ve got to use them every once in a while to satisfy some of these people that don’t read Paul much. I don’t want them to ever think that I’m taking the four gospels out of the picture, it’s just that they are not directed to us as Paul’s epistles are. But look what Jesus said in John’s gospel chapter 12, and I love these verses. They back my teaching that Jesus had nothing to do with Gentiles, the non-Jews all through His earthly ministry, with the two exceptions, of the Canaanite woman and the Roman centurion, and they were exceptions. Here in this passage there could have been a third exception, but Jesus doesn’t get into it. Let’s start with verse 20. Now I know this is kind of off the beaten path, but the point I’m trying to make is, that as a kernel of wheat falls into the grounds and dies, so we die in order to experience new life. Now Jesus uses this example Himself, and this is only a few hours leading up to His crucifixion, and the feast of Passover crowds are gathering in Jerusalem, multitudes of Jews from all over the world.

John 12:20-21

“And there were certain Greeks (Gentiles) among them (now I don’t think they were proselytes that had come to worship, but rather they were curiosity seekers. They were just onlookers, just seeing how these Jews made such a big deal over these feast days. So these Greeks were among them) that came up to worship at the feast: (it doesn’t say they came to worship) 21. The same (Greeks) came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.”

Now Philip knew that Jesus had nothing to do with Gentiles all through His earthly ministry with the two exceptions that I’ve already alluded to. In the Old Testament and in Christ’s earthly ministry there were just a few exceptions, but in general the Gentiles had been left out, and Philip knew that. It’s been a long time since we’ve put that on the program so let’s just stop and look at Matthew 10:5. Now keep your hand in John, and Colossians, and I Thessalonians, because we’ll be back in a moment.

Now you’d be amazed how many people that have been in church and Sunday School all their life, and they don’t even know this is in their Bible. I’ve had folks now who have picked up on this and are teaching it themselves and they tell me, “Les my Sunday School class sits in front of me aghast. They also never knew this was in their Bible, but I just let them read from whatever translation they’ve got and when they get through reading, I say, “Well what does it say?” And he said, “They’re so shook that they don’t even like to answer.” But here it is! Jesus here in Matthew has now chosen the twelve in the first four verses, and now verse 5 of Matthew chapter 10.

Matthew 10:5-6

“These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samarians enter ye not: (now you can’t make that any plainer. This is just as plain as English can make it, and why couldn’t they go to the Gentiles?) 5. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

Now folks that shakes people up. Most think Christ came to the whole world from the very start, but this says He didn’t! I’ll never forget a gentlemen we had in a class I taught in Jerusalem on one of our tours. Now he wasn’t part of our group, but he came to this one time after I had been teaching about 3 or 4 nights. Oh this guy got mad, his face turned red, and said “Well what do you do with John 3:16?” I said, “Well it certainly didn’t apply to Gentiles in His earthly ministry. He came and the end result was, to go to the whole world, but He came only unto His own to begin His 3 years of earthly ministry.”

And the reason He could not reach out to Gentiles was because He had come on the basis of the Abrahamic Covenant. And remember the Abrahamic Covenant was given to no one but the Nation of Israel. So being the God of creation in His Sovereignty, He knew what most people today don’t, and that was His position in that Covenant. So He had nothing to do with Gentiles, He couldn’t until He had committed Himself to the Nation of Israel, and they had shown their rebellion, and their rejection, which I always claim was epitomized, or brought to a crescendo, at Stephen’s stoning in Acts chapter 7. Then Acts chapter 8 introduces us to Saul of Tarsus, who in Acts chapter 9 experiences his conversion on the road to Damascus, and a few verses later God tells Ananias –

Acts 9:15

“But the Lord said, unto him, Go thy way: for he (Saul) is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles,…” Do you see that? But until that time it was Jew only, and to show you that from Scripture all you have to do is read Acts 11:19.

Acts 11:19

“Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen traveled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word (Old Testament) to none but unto the Jews only.” And that was 7 years after Pentecost. So here in Matthew chapter 10 we have Jesus telling the twelve-

Matthew 10:5b-6

“Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans, enter ye not: 6. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

Now come back to John’s gospel chapter 12, and do you think Philip had forgotten that in those 3 years? No way. So when these Gentiles said, “We would see Jesus.” Philip said, probably to himself “Now wait a minute, I don’t know what to do with this one,” So he goes and tells Andrew. But does Andrew say, “Bring them along and we’ll take them into see Jesus?” No way. Andrew too knows that Christ only deals with the children of Israel, and so reading on in verse 22.

John 12:22

“Philip cometh and telleth Andrew and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.”

Do you know why I think they were reluctant? All we can think of is the Lord’s compassion, and His patience. But do you think our Lord could get a little sharp sometimes? I think He could. I also think that those men knew that if He would see them trying to bring Gentiles, He could have rebuked them, like He would do Philip in John chapter 14.

John 14:9

“Jesus saith unto him, (Philip) Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip?…”

So here He could of done the same thing, “Have I been with you for such a long time, and you still don’t know that I can’t minister to Gentiles?” Then Jesus gives the reason He couldn’t go to the Gentiles, and it’s so obvious. Remember the reason I brought you back here was to show when we as believers have died to the old sin nature, up springs what? New life, and here’s the analogy. Verse 23. I know it took me a long time to get there didn’t it?

John 12:23

“And Jesus answered them, (Philip and Andrew) saying, The hour is come, (remember it’s a matter of hours before He’ll be resurrected from the dead) that the Son of man should be glorified.” Now we know He wasn’t glorified until He arose from the dead. Now verse 24.

John 12:24

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn (kernel) of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: (just a point of biology. When you plant a seed in the ground, what’s the first thing that happens? It dies. And it must die or it won’t come up and reproduce.) but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.”

And of course He was using wheat as an example. That one stem of wheat can come up and produce maybe a hundred kernels, and that’s the whole purpose of death, burial, and resurrection. That now because of what Christ has accomplished – yes new life can come up for every believers. Now on our way back to Colossians stop at Romans chapter 6, and verse 5. See this is where good works falls by the wayside, they just simply disappear into the fog, because good works cannot take the place of dying. Good works cannot take the place of that kernel dying and reproducing.

Romans 6:5a

“For if (conditional) we have been planted together in the likeness of his death,…”

Now what does that mean? Every one of us in the eyes of God as a believer now had to have been identified with Christ in the tomb. And I’ve put this way for years, when Christ hung on the cross, He saw every believer dying to the old Adam. When Christ laid in the tomb, God saw every believer epitomized in that tomb experience. Now reading on in that last part of the verse. If God has identified with Christ on the cross, with Him in the tomb, then He can also identify in His resurrection.

Romans 6:5b

“…we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:”

And what does resurrection depict? New life! See that’s why God has arranged spring time the way He arranged it. Every spring, every human being on the planet is once again reminded of what? New life, resurrection, the whole nine yards. I think that’s another reason that God says, “Every man has been lighted that comes into the world.” (John 1:9) My if they see that flower come up, that was nothing but a dead seed, or dead bulb, that’s new life. When the trees begin to blossom out with their leaves, it’s new life, resurrection, that’s the picture. Then verse 6. We’re still in Romans.

Romans 6:6

“Knowing this (as a believer now. We know this beyond a shadow of a doubt) that our old man (our old Adam) is crucified with him, (he’s been put to death) that the body of sin might be destroyed, (or put out of commission) that henceforth we should not serve sin.”

Why? Because that old man is dead, but out of that dead nature we get new life. Now flip back to Colossians chapter 3 for a minute on your way to I Thessalonians and maybe we can get a verse or two more yet.

Colossians 3:3

“For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.”

You’ve been crucified with Christ. The old Adam has been put to death, and your eternal life, your new life in Christ, and where is it? It is hid with Christ in God. A safety factor? Boy, I reckon, and what a place to be. You talk about security, you just can’t get it much better than that. Here we are with Christ, and Christ is in that Godhead, and there we are, never to be removed. Remember even that adulterous Corinthian couldn’t be removed, as he was with Christ. Oh he’s going to suffer loss of rewards, absolutely, as God’s not going to let him just escape without any reprimands, but he’s not going to lose his salvation. So for the true believer who is with Christ, we are hid in God, and then verse 4.

Colossians 3:4

“When Christ, (the day of Christ) who is our life, shall appear, they shall ye also appear with him in glory.”

Now you know the Bible really doesn’t tell us much about our eternal inheritance so far as what heaven is like and so forth. All it does is use superfluous references like, “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard what God has prepared for those who love Him.” But it doesn’t tell us very much. We usually like to hear about the streets of gold, but that’s mundane compared to the real, real experience. It’s just beyond human comprehension, the things that God has prepared for us when we join Him in glory. Now back to I Thessalonians chapter 5, and verse 10 again.

I Thessalonians 5:10

“Who died for us, that, whether we wake ( the living) or sleep, (have died) we should live together with him.”

It doesn’t make any difference so far as eternity is concerned, we’re all going to be together with Him one day. Now verse 11. So consequently what can believers do with each other that the unbelieving world can’t do?

I Thessalonians 5:11

“Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.”

Oh what comfort we have. Everyday we get a letter that someone has lost their loved one, a spouse, a child, a daughter, a son, but oh listen what can we tell them? If they’re believers we’re going to see them again. That’s our comfort.

I Thessalonians 5:11

“Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.”

Paul says I know you’re already faithful in doing that. Paul thought the world of these Thessalonians, and do you know why? Remember I told you several weeks ago that Paul only spent about 3 weeks with them. He said 3 Sabbaths, so that’s 3 full weeks and maybe a few days in the next week, but it wasn’t long enough to go to the fourth Sabbath. And out of that 3 weeks experience in Thessalonica, he had seen this little group of believers come out of paganism, out of spiritual darkness, and became so rooted, that several weeks later, Timothy evidently brought him the news, and we’ll pick that up in the next letter, of how steadfastly these Thessalonians were standing in their faith in spite of intense persecution from their pagan peers. In spite of the pressure from Rome, and in spite of the pressure Judaisers, these little ex-pagans stood fast and Paul just shows his joy with them, that in spite of everything they were such a comfort to him. Now verse 12.

I Thessalonians 5:12-13a

“And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; 13. And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake….”

Yes, God does expect believers to recognize their leadership, to recognize those who are feeding them spiritual truths, and we’re to appreciate them. I know I have in the past, and I still do when I read men of God, and how I can thank God that over the years, He has raised up men who were faithful to His precious Word.

 

Through the Bible with Les Feldick

LESSON 3 * PART 3 * BOOK 42

I Thessalonians 5:1-12

Now I think we’re ready to get rolling in our study about the difference between “The Day of the Lord and The Day of Christ.” In the first two lessons this afternoon we only covered the day of the Lord, the day of judgment, the wrath of God that’s going to hit primarily the Nation of Israel, but will spill over and effect the whole human race for those 7 dreadful years that are yet to come. By the time those 7 years have ended, with the exception of a small percentage of survivors which we pick up in Isaiah chapter 24 and Matthew chapter 25, the whole 6 billion population we have in the world will lose their lives one way or another. Now I know that’s devastating, but you see God has to cleanse the whole planet of everything that’s contrary to Him. He must do that so that the curse can be lifted and He can bring in the Kingdom of heaven here on the earth. Then there will be nothing evil or wicked or that destroys in His Kingdom! So this present system has to be totally done away with.

You know every time we drive throughout the country and we see all the construction that’s going on, I almost feel like a mound of ants. Now in my younger days, I use to get a kick out of just tormenting those poor little creatures by plugging their hole to their mound, but I don’t do that anymore, so don’t worry, but as a kid I got a kick out of that. But when I see all this construction going on with people working just like these little ants, and one day God’s going to wipe the whole thing clean. Then all their activity is going to be for nothing, and I know it has to be done now, and I’m not saying that they shouldn’t be constructing. But my goodness, I had to tell someone the other day, “Can you imagine the gridlock that this world would be in if we had this tremendous population and had all this production, and transportation, and we were still on two lane roads?”

Boy it would be awful, so the technology fortunately has pretty well kept up with everything, but nevertheless it’s all going to be wiped out. The planet is going to be made totally new for the appearance of the King and His Kingdom! Now just for sake of Bible study, it’s not so clearly delineated here in I Thessalonians as we’ll see in the II Thessalonians, but I think it behooves us to now compare all these references of the Day of Judgment and the Day of the Lord with the Day of Christ, or what we call the end of the Church Age, the Body of Christ finishing it’s time on the earth, and we’re taken out of the way.

Now isn’t it amazing that the Day of the Lord starts all the way back at Isaiah chapter 2 and comes all the way up through the Old Testament comes through the four gospels to a certain extent, skips over Paul’s epistles and picks up again in Peter and Revelation. Now on the other hand every reference we have for the “Day of Christ” will come only from the pen of the apostle Paul. You can find no reference to the “Day of Christ” anywhere else in Scripture. Now that should be enlightening shouldn’t it? You’d think that would just blow away all the argument wouldn’t you? But no, most continue to try to mix it all up by throwing it all in the blender, turning it up on high, and start to ladle it out, and then they wonder why people get sick to their stomach. Well it’s enough to confuse anybody.

But if you’ll just separate the Scriptures by keeping Paul’s epistle, the Body of Christ, where it belongs and everything else that fits on the front end and on the back end, then there’s no problem.

Now come back to I Thessalonians chapter 5, and verse 3, and let’s compare the believer in chapter 4, and the unbeliever in chapter 5. Just look at the pronouns in each chapter, “we, us, and you vs. they and them”

I Thessalonians 5:3

“For when they…”

You might say, “So what?” Well go back up to chapter 4 and look at the pronouns. All the way through where we were a few programs back like in verse 13 Paul is speaking of us believers.

I Thessalonians 4:13…”

“But I would not have you… (speaking to us believers)

I Thessalonians 4:13b

“…that ye (believers) sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.”

I Thessalonians 4:14a

“For if we believe, that Jesus died and rose again,…”

I Thessalonians 4:15a

“For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain…” And then come on down to verse 17.

I Thessalonians 4:17

“Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

So shall we as the consortium of the Body of Christ believers ever be with the Lord. Now look at the change in pronouns in chapter 5. This in itself is so obvious if you’ll just take the time to look. Now instead of we and you it’s what? They and them! Well why? Because we’re not involved with this Day of the Lord. You see, as believers we’re not in the Day of the Lord, we’re in the Day of Christ. When you experience the Day of Christ in the Rapture, then these people that are left behind become they and them in this chapter. Do you see the difference? Now back to chapter 5, and let’s look at verse 3 again.

I Thessalonians 5:3a

“For when they (those who have been left behind) shall say, Peace and safety;…”

What happens? Sudden destruction. Now that’s where the world is tonight, they all want an expanding stock market, they all want bigger and better, they’re all looking for a better system, they’re all looking for peace and safety, they’re looking for utopia, and all without God, and without dealing with sin. In fact I was just reading an article before I left home on the subject of sin. Not many use the word sin any more. Somebody in this article was interviewing a Jewish Rabbi in New York City, and he made the statement, “We never use that word.” Isn’t that sad, and that’s the world’s problem. But you see the world likes to ignore it, they like to just sweep it under the rug, and say “There’s no such thing as sin.” And then we wonder why societies are falling apart.

I Thessalonians 5:3a

“For when they (those who have been left behind) shall say, Peace and safety; (trying to build their own heaven on earth, but God says, ‘That’s what you think.’) then sudden destruction cometh upon them,…” The Day of the Lord will hit them, as we’ve been reading now for the past two half hour programs, and have followed it all the way up through the Old Testament and into the New Testament. The Lord Himself says, “There is nothing to compare to it.” The Book of Revelation puts it out so graphically. So their destruction cometh upon them suddenly as we read on in verse 3.

I Thessalonians 5:3b

“…as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.”

They won’t be able to hide from the forces of the Anti-christ. The technology now is such that not only will they be able to know every word of your conversation, but they will know every place you are with global positioning. Nobody is going to be able to hide, and the Scripture is so adamant on that. “they shall not escape.” Now verse 4. What’s the first word? The flip side of them that are left behind. Am I making my point? For the ones left behind, they shall not escape –

I Thessalonians 5:4

“But ye, brethren, (believers) are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.”

Why not? Because we’re going to experience the “Day of Christ” at the Rapture before the “Day of the Lord” begins. Now let’s put up a few references, and they’ll all be in Paul’s epistles with regard to this “Day of Christ” that we’re part and parcel to. Now here in this passage we have Paul writing to the Gentile believers at Corinth, so in so many words, he writing to us.

I Corinthians 1:4

“I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God (See, there’s no wrath here, this is Grace) which is given you by Jesus Christ;”

Do you see the difference in the language already? The Day of the Lord was the Day of Jehovah, His Old Testament title. Paul speaks of Him not as Jehovah, but as Jesus Christ. Oh it’s the same person, but in a different role. Now verse 5.

I Corinthians 4:5-7

“That in everything (spiritual, material, and physical) ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; 6. Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: 7. So that ye come behind in no gift: (now here it comes) waiting for the coming (not for the day of the Lord, but) for our Lord Jesus Christ.”

We are waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Before we finish here in chapter 1, a verse just comes to mind and when that happens we need to look at it. So turn with me to the Book of Titus chapter 2. We’ve used this verse occasionally over the years, and it has become one of my favorites. It’s a verse I’ve used on television for people who come to your door and deny that Jesus Christ is God. Now they have a way of wiggling around just about every other portion of Scripture that I try to use on them, but they can’t wiggle around this one.

Titus 2:11-13

“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath (past tense) appeared to all men, (the same Grace of God) 12. Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; (now here it comes) 13. Looking for that blessed hope, (not the wrath of God. Paul never uses that term for the believers, but he says, ) Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God (do you see that? There’s no doubt about that. That’s Deity as much as you can make it. We’re looking for that great God, the Creator of the universe) and our Saviour Jesus Christ;”

He’s all One and the same! He’s the God of Creation, The God of everything and He’s also our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave Himself that He might redeem us. Now come back to I Corinthians chapter 1. So we’re waiting for this glorious blessed hope to become a reality, the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. Not His coming to the Mount of Olives in wrath, but rather we’re waiting for that blessed hope when we’ll meet Him in the air, along with all of our loved ones. My, I used to hear a quartet sing years and years back, “That meeting in the air.” I haven’t heard that song in a long time. I know some of you older folks probably remember it. That meeting in the air when all the saints will suddenly be in the Lord’s presence. Now verse 8.

I Corinthians 1:8a

“Who (the One who’s coming, Jesus the Christ) shall also confirm you unto the end, (He’s never going to let go once you become a believer. He’s not going to lose a one of us.) that ye may be blameless…”

We’re never going to stand before Him shaking in our boots and wondering “Are we still going to go to Heaven, or are we going to Hell?” No that’s all been settled. We’ll never have to stand before Him and say, “Oh Lord I have all this sin.” No that’s all been put under His blood, that’s all been cleansed, and we stand before Him blameless! Now that’s what the Book says, that’s not what Les says, and when will that happen?

I Corinthians 1:8b

“…in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Not the Day of the Lord for judgment, but the Day of Jesus Christ, or the Day of God calling out the believers. Now turn the page to chapter 5 and let’s look at another one. Here we have a good example of what we just read in chapter 1 about being blameless. Now the Corinthians, you want to remember, were the least spiritual and the most carnal of all of Paul’s congregations. They were a carnal group of people, and had a hard time departing from the sins of the flesh. In fact one of their members was so despicable that Paul said, “His particular sin was so rotten, it was so low that even the pagans didn’t do something like that.” But the man didn’t lose his salvation because of this sin, and this is what Paul is teaching, that in the Grace of God even that man will yet be under that forgiving power of the blood of Christ, and so this is what he says.

I Corinthians 5:3-5a

“For I verily, as absent in the body, but present in spirit, have judged (or come to the conclusion) already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath done this deed, 4. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5. To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh,…”

That his life would be taken rather than bring reproach upon the name of Christ, and remember God works the same way even today. When people call and say, “Well so and so was a good child of God, he was a good Christian, and now all of a sudden he’s run off with someone else’s wife, and they’re partying in the world. Now you’re going to tell me he’s still saved?” No I don’t think he ever was saved. When a person does that or any other grievous sin, then God will either bring him back, if he was truly saved, or He takes him out completely. God’s not going to let them continue to besmirch the name of Christ, and that’s what Paul is saying about this person, but this person is not going to lose his salvation for the sin But rather God is going to take him out of his human life to spare the reproach of Christ. Now that’s a good lesson for each of us, but that’s not what I intended to show you. Now looking at verse 5 again.

I Corinthians 5:5

“To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved (when?) in the day of the Lord Jesus.”

Well what day is he talking about? When Christ returns to take the Body of Christ out and off of this old planet. Now let’s look at another one in II Corinthians chapter 1, and remember all these references are about the Day of Christ, and found only in Paul’s epistles. Let’s just drop in at verse 14.

II Corinthians 1:14

“As also ye have acknowledge us in part, that we are your rejoicing, (speaking of the fact that Paul’s preaching and teaching had brought them out of abject idolatry) even as ye also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus.” (or the Day of Christ)

What’s Paul talking about here? That all of these Corinthian believers are going to be united with Christ, and Paul, and you and I, and all of the Church Age believers when we have that meeting in the air, in the day of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now let’s move on over to the Book of Philippians, chapter 2, and begin with verse 15.

Philippians 2:15

“That ye may be blameless (that is in the eyes of the Lord Jesus) and harmless, the sons (or the born ones) of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;”

Now I’ve got to stop there for a moment. Do you remember when Jesus was with the twelve disciples, and they were probably up there North of Galilee – and the little city is still there, and I think of it every time that we look to the North from Galilee and there sits that little Jewish city on the hill, just like a gem stone up there. And I think the Lord was probably under those same circumstances when He said to the twelve, “You are the light of the world!” He was telling them that they should sit like a city on a hill. But you see Israel dropped the ball, Israel reneged on that opportunity to be the light of the world, so now then who is the light of the world? Well we are as Grace Age believers, but remember Jesus didn’t speak that to us, but to the Nation of Israel, but now we see Paul’s using the same analogy. So as believers we are now the light of the world. Now verse 16.

Philippians 2:16a

“Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ,…”

Not the Day of the Lord, not the Day of judgment, but rather the Day of Christ, when the Church the Body of Christ will suddenly be translated to meet the Lord in the air. Then as we saw a few programs back:

I Thessalonians 4:17b

“…and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

What a glorious expectancy. That all of a sudden without having to go through death, and that trip to the cemetery, and all that goes with it, we’re suddenly going to be in that glorious estate. My, no wonder it’s called the blessed hope. You know I still try to encourage people who call that they have been diagnosed with something terminal, and the doctor had given them 6 months or a year to live. I just say, “Hey, the Lord may come before that disease has a chance to get you, and I mean that.” I think we’re that close, and if someone is terminal that could still be their blessed hope, that the Lord will come and they won’t have to go that way of the cemetery. But rather we’ll suddenly be translated and we can rejoice in that day of Christ when we meet Him in the air.

Well those are about the only references at least that I’m aware of and can find that Paul points to that event because it’s not judgmental or something that is earth shaking because of attending disasters that we saw in the Day of the Lord. But rather it’s just a sudden disappearance of the believers. Now let’s go back to I Thessalonians chapter 5, and let’s read verse 5.

I Thessalonians 5:5a

“Ye are all the children of light,…”

Now remember Paul writes to the believers in Thessalonica , but he’s also writing to us today, and we can take this to heart.

I Thessalonians 5:5

“Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.”

We believers are not stumbling in darkness, and wondering what’s going to happen next. We know what’s coming, and consequently we can walk in light, we can be completely aware of what’s going on. You know I’ve had this happen over and over through the years, that when people come into my class they have never heard any of these end-time events. It’s never been taught in any of their Sunday School classes or they have never heard their preacher preach on them, but when they come into our class and suddenly come to a knowledge of salvation and begin to see all these things, how excited they get. I’ll never forget one individual particular he said, “You know I use to read the paper every day and never associated all this with end times, but now almost every newspaper I pick up, all I can see is everything falling into place for the end times.” You can’t miss these things if you’re in the light. Now verse 6.

I Thessalonians 5:6

“Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.”

My this is no time for believers to be dozing off. If ever there was a time for believers to be wide awake and expectant, it ‘s today. Don’t fall asleep, and think, “Oh well the Lord is going to delay His coming.” No He may not, He may come before we get home tonight, but this is how we’re supposed to live, in expectancy that He could come any moment.

 

Through the Bible with Les Feldick

LESSON 3 * PART 2 * BOOK 42

The Day of Christ vs The Day of The Lord – Part 2

I Thessalonians 5:1-12

Now let’s go right back to where we left off at the end of the last lesson, where we had been chasing a whole set of references up through the Old Testament concerning what Paul said up here in verse 2 of I Thessalonians chapter 5 about the “The day of the Lord.”

I Thessalonians 5:2

“For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.”

Now if you remember and reflect back on that last program, none of the verses that we looked up concerning the “The day of the Lord” came from Paul. Not one. They were all Old Testament, and as we come into the New Testament with regard to this coming day of judgment, I’m not quite ready to drop the day of the Lord just yet, so I’m going to wind it up in the first part of this half hour. I think I can cover the references for “The Day of Christ” in far less time. In Zechariah chapter 14 we have a reference that I wanted to use in regard of the coming judgment on the earth, the coming day of the wrath of God, when the Grace of God will have been lifted, and His wrath and vexation will come in, not just on the Nation of Israel, but upon the whole human race, from one end of the world to other.

Zechariah 14:1-3

“Behold the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. 2. For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; (this will be the battle of Armageddon) and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. 3. Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.”

Then that great 7-year period of the wrath and vexation and the vengeance of God will end with the event of verse 4.

Zechariah 14:4a

“And his (the Lord Jesus Himself) feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east,…”

Then come on down to verse 9 and when His feet rest on the Mount of Olives, this is what follows after that day of judgment.

Zechariah 14:9

“And the LORD shall be king over all the earth:…” (that’s when we’ll reign and rule with Christ)

Now let’s just go to Matthew chapter 24, and we’ll also see the Lord Jesus’ reference to this same day of judgment as He talks to the twelve disciples in His earthly ministry. I’ve had questions come up more than once about Matthew 24, and I just answer them in one curt little statement, “It’s all Tribulation!” There is nothing in Matthew 24 that applies to us in the Church Age, but rather it’s all prophetic concerning this day of the Lord. You can pick that up so clearly in verse 3.

Matthew 24:3-4

“And as he sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? (age) 4. And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.”

Now when you’re warned to look out for deception, what does that mean? Hey it’s coming! There’s coming a vast deception, the likes of which the world has never seen. Now you see almost every despot ruler comes in by deception. All you have to do is go back and look at the history of World War II. How did Hitler gain control of the German people? Deception! He didn’t say right up front that he was going to be what he turned out to be. He sold the German people a bill of goods, he deceived them, and they bought all that he sold them. Then after the fact they said, “Well we didn’t know.” But they should have, and that’s true of any despotic leader. They come in with flatteries, and a lot of promises.

Oh you know everybody likes to feed at the government trough. I can remember a historian of the last century who wrote, “America will remain the greatest nation on earth, until the common ordinary person suddenly finds out that he can feed at the government trough.” And folks we’re there. Everybody gets the idea that the government owes them everything that they want, and when that happens, then our great democracy comes to an end. Well Jesus warns that there’s coming a day of tremendous deceptions, spiritually, materially, and economically. The biggest deceiver that the world has ever seen is coming. Then Jesus goes on and lists in the succeeding verses some of the signs.

Matthew 24:6-7

“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 nations, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.”

Now that doesn’t sound like utopia to me, but rather this is judgment, and this is all in accord with all those verses we read in the last lesson coming out of the Old Testament. Now let’s see what the Lord goes on to say so far as Israel is concerned.

Matthew 24:9

“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.”

It’s going to be the greatest persecution that Israel has ever experienced. The Holocaust is going to look like a Sunday School picnic compared to this final 3 years of the Tribulation for the Jew.

Matthew 24:10

“And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.”

In other words, parents will be reported on by their children, and children will be told on by their parents, and there will be no one that anybody can trust. Now verse 11.

Matthew 24:11

“And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.”

Then he comes over to the period of verse 15 on down, but the verse I want you to look at in particular is verse 21. Where Jesus Himself now in full accord with all these promises concerning the day of the Lord that we looked at in the Old Testament says, when this day of the Lord comes –

Matthew 24:21

“For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.”

Nothing in those 4000 years before Jesus including the flood, or what we’ve had these 2000 years since Jesus’ earthly ministry can compare with the judgments that are coming on the earth. That’s why I made the statement that the Holocaust by comparison will be rather tame. Now don’t get me wrong, it was awful, I’m not one of those who deny the Holocaust, it was awful… I remember the first time we went to the Mediterranean, and we were on the island of Rhodes, we met a dear little old Jewish lady who still had the tattoo numbers on her arm, and she shared some of the horrors of how it was to be in the concentration camps in Nazi Germany, so don’t ever believe these people who are trying to deny that there was a Holocaust. But the Lord Himself says, “That even that will not compare with those final 3 years.” Now reading verse 21 again.

Matthew 24:21

“For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.”

Well I think we can go back to the Book of Revelation and look at just a few of the verses that are in full accord with all these verses we’ve been looking at with regard to the day of the Lord. I’ll just pick out a few, and let’s go first to chapter 16 to where we just have a glimpse of all the various plagues that will be coming on the planet one right after the other, leading up to Christ’s Second Coming. See, none of these things are attendant with the Rapture of the Church, none of these things are something that gives a sign that we’re going to go. But these signs are in concert with the Second Coming and this tremendous 7-year period that we call the Tribulation, and the day of the Lord. Let’s just jump in at verse 2. Here we’ll be reading about the first plague or if you have a King James it’s called a vial, but it’s really a bowl judgment like pouring out contents from a soup bowl.

Revelation 16:2-3

“And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image. 3. And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.

And so on through all these bowl judgments, they just keep getting worse with each one. Then let’s bring it all the way down to verse 17, the final bowl judgment, which I attach to the battle of Armageddon. I attach the 7th bowl judgment with those mass armies packed into the valleys of Israel, probably in tents. Other than that almost protection from the elements, but they’ll be packed in like sardines in a can. I know this is contrary to all good military strategy, because the Sovereign God is ordering it, and they’re going to pack those million and millions of Gentile troops into Israel, and then verse 17 says –

Revelation 16:17

“And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.” It’s finished! This is the end! Now verse 18.

Revelation 16:18-19

“And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. 19. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: (all the great population centers of the world will suddenly disintegrate) and great Babylon (which I call in the Book of Revelation, that composite of all the nations of the world, this great economic system that we’re seeing today, tied together with the Internet, and technology that had to come in order for these end-time events to happen. So this Babylon, this great Babylon, this composite of the nations of the world who are in confusion) came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.” Not His love, not His Grace, now it’s nothing but wrath. Now verse 20.

Revelation 16:20

“And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.”

In other words, God is going to totally renovate the surface of the planet, just like He did in Noah’s flood with water, He’s going renovate it this time with other natural phenomena, by earthquakes, and volcano’s and what have you. And then verse 21. Imagine these millions of young men out there on the plains of Israel, there will be millions of them, and they’ll be packed in, and what is their doom?

Revelation 16:21a

“And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: (100 pounds)

Now we know what a 5 pound hailstone can do, but these hailstones are 100 pounds chunks of ice. These armies will be literally crushed and ground, and that’s also the reference to the wine vat. And then back in Revelation chapter 14 and verse 20 we find the end results. So these armies of many million men are crushed with these 100 pound hail stones, and this hail starts to melt in the heat of an Israeli summer (now I can’t prove that from Scripture but nevertheless we know that the biggest portion of the year is pretty hot in Israel). And as these hail stones strike these millions of troops gathered in the valleys of Israel you can look at it even as the Book of Revelation pictures it.

Revelation 14:18

“And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.”

Now of course that’s the symbolism of the Anti-christ literally putting out the command to all the remaining armies of the world to come to Israel. Come to the Middle East because we’ve got to settle this Jewish problem once and for all. You see more than one great despot has thought that that was the source of the world problem, Israel. So I think the Anti-christ is going to put out the command to send your armies, send your troops, send everything you’ve got so we can finally get rid of this little Nation of Israel. Now always stop and think, that when the world is dealing in situation like this under God’s heavy hand of Sovereignty, the most intelligent can do things that are ridiculous.

Now we know it’s utterly ridiculous for millions upon millions of troops to come to Middle East to get rid of a little nation of only 10 or 15 millions. But I always remind people when the high priest and the Romans consorted to go and arrest Jesus down there in the garden of Gethsemane, timid and compassionate as He was, how many foot soldiers did they send to arrest Him? Does anybody know? I think it was 100, though I didn’t look this up as I hadn’t intended to use it.

Mark 14:43

“And immediately, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.”

John 18:3

“Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priest and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons.”

But you see this is the ridiculous men’s actions that common sense says, “they won’t pack those soldiers in.” Well I know that, but they won’t use common sense, they, by the work of God will be packed into those valleys of Israel like grapes into the wine vat, and that’s the analogy. Now reading on in Revelation chapter 14.

Revelation 14:19

“And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, (that’s God’s way of bringing the armies of the world to the valleys of Israel) and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.”

So God’s going to bring these millions of troops under idiotic commands of their generals to encamp in these valleys. Now if you’ve been to Israel, you can stand up on Mount Carmel and see all these valleys laying out there as flat as a table top. There are many different valleys in Israel that are flat areas so as these troops are just packed in there, then comes this final bowl judgment, the 100 pound hail which becomes God’s way of treading His wine vat. Have you got the picture? Symbolism, yes, but it’s a literal truth. Now then what’s the results?

Revelation 14:20

“And the winepress was trodden without (outside) the city, (these valleys are all up North of Jerusalem) and blood (not grape juice) came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.”

Which if I understand right is about 180 miles. That river of melting ice, and blood will just find it’s way out of the valleys of Israel, down to the South, all by the wrath of a Sovereign God. Now in Revelation come over to chapter 19, and we’ll look at the final event of the wrath of God, which is His Second Coming. That will end the 7 years of Tribulation. I hope you remember our lesson last taping on the Rapture, and realize that none of this is part of the Rapture, this is His Second Coming!

Whereas the Rapture is the sound of trumpet when Christ comes to the air, and the soul, spirit, and Resurrected Body of the departed believers are all reunited, and Christ takes them back to glory with Him, and if we’re still alive as believers when this event happens, we’ll be translated into a glorious resurrected body and go with them. Christ will not even touch the planet when this event happens, and there are no judgments associated with it. But oh for His Second Coming that’s all it is. Now verse 11. This is the final event of the Tribulation.

Revelation 19:11a

“And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse;…”

Now I always have to stop here. I do not think that Christ is going to come riding through the air on a white horse. But the symbolism, which Revelation, Daniel, and Ezekiel use extensively is, “His coming in power and victory.” Which of course all emperors did when they would come into a conquered city. Oh they love to ride in on a white steed just to show that they were victorious. So the symbolism is given that same effect, that Christ is coming now like a conquering emperor which of course the ancients were too well aware of. So He comes according to symbolism on this white horse.

Revelation 19:11b

“…and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.”

Remember what I said in the last program? This isn’t an unfair God. This isn’t an unjust God. These millions of Tribulation people have had the same opportunity for salvation that you and I have had, but what have they done with it? They’ve walked it underfoot. They’ve had absolutely no concern about the things of God. So when someone says, “How can the God of love be so cruel?” I always say, look, God spent all of His cruelty of the human race on His Son at the cross. Christ suffered like you and I can never imagine, and He did that for the whole human race.

He did that so God could offer salvation to everyone, rich or poor, black or white, oriental, or western, so He could offer that salvation free for nothing to anyone who would believe it. Then we say, “God doesn’t have the right to judge those who walked that under foot? You’d better think that again, because He has every right in the world. He’s just, He’s fair, “and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.” Then verse 12.

Revelation 19:12-14a

“His eyes were as a flame of fire (they weren’t burning flames, but they were so piercing, it was like a welders torch) and on his head were many crowns: and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: (not His blood, but His victims. That’s the reference again of the wine vat) and his name is called The Word of God. 14. And the armies which were in heaven…”

I have to feel these armies are you and I as members of the Body of Christ. It’s not armies of warfare, but organization, and Paul makes it so plain that all the saints are in a tremendous organization. The Body of Christ is an organism with organization. So all these people in distinct places of organization who were in heaven followed Christ on white horses. Now completing verse 14.

Revelation 19:14

“And the armies which were in heaven, followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.”

And we find up verse 8 that this is the clothing for the saints, that white linen. Now verse 15.

Revelation 19:15

“And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, (now He’s not holding a big Roman sword in His teeth, not even a little dagger. But the sword of the Lord is what? HIS WORD! He speaks the Word, and the hail falls, he speaks the Word and these armies of nations disappear, He speaks the Word and all the birds and vultures come and devour their residue. So it’s with the sword of the Lord) that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.”

Remember although He does all of that in His fierceness and wrath, we know that today before any of that happens, He is the God of Love, and Grace! We had one of the most tremendous testimonies in Albuquerque last week, that just blew us away. This gentlemen had gone through a lot of bitter experiences, and had come to the place that he cursed God at every chance. He had gone home and found every Bible, tore the sheets out and threw them in the fire and cursed God with every hand full that went in the fire.

Then a few days later he happen to catch our program, and this is what is so amazing. Just a few minutes into the program, he heard me speak of the Grace of God, and God opened his heart, and that young man of about 40 years old, was saved there on his living room floor. He said, “I cried out God I know I’m a sinner.” Oh he cursed God, he hated God, “but where sin abounds, God’s Grace abound more.” Now that’s today. But here in Revelation this will be the wrath of God, and in verse 16 this says it all. And why can He do it?

Revelation 19:16

“And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

He’s Sovereign, He’s in total control of everything, and His wrath will fall because of His Sovereignty.

 

Through the Bible with Les Feldick

LESSON 3 * PART 1 * BOOK 42

The Day of Christ vs The Day of The Lord

I Thessalonians 5:1-12

I always like to remind our television audience that we appreciate your letters, and your financial help and prayers. Iris and I have just returned from seminars in Denver, Albuquerque, and Phoenix, and oh my goodness, to see lives that have been transformed as a result of this simple television approach, and to know God is using it for His glory.

We’re ready to pick up in the last part of I Thessalonians chapter 4, so we’ll be going right into chapter 5, verse 1 in a moment. Now, in our closing verse in the last lesson we were talking about the Rapture, that out-calling of the Body of Christ, that silent disappearance of the believers, the resurrection of the believers who have died in Christ.

I Thessalonians 4:17-18

“Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them (believers who have died) in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” So this is a comforting factor for those who have lost loved ones. We will see them again! We will know them and they’ll know us. So these verses from verse 13 down through 18 are that precious moment that as believers we’re all looking for. Now to chapter 5.

I Thessalonians 5:1

“But of the times and seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.” (because we won’t be here.) I think what Paul is referring to is that the Lord Himself had given enough indications, as well as the Old Testament prophecies, and we can see from all those things in our present time that the time is approaching. So he writes –

I Thessalonians 5:1-2

“But of the times and season, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 2. For yourselves know perfectly (completely) that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.”

Now the first thing we want to qualify is the difference between the day of Jesus Christ, and the day of the Lord. Now the day of Christ is that day only Paul speaks of throughout His letters, and which we just referred to as the Rapture in chapter 4. But the day of the Lord is something that begins way back in the Old Testament and carries all the way through until we get to the Book of Revelation.

Now we’ll probably spend the rest of this half hour and the next for the most part, chasing these references down so that we understand that the day of the Lord is something totally different from the day of Christ. In fact maybe I should even add a little more to it on the board. The Rapture, as we’ve been looking at, is the day of Christ! The Tribulation and the Second Coming of Christ to end the Tribulations, those are all associated with the day of the Lord, the day of Jehovah. So we’ll look at the day of the Lord first by going all the way back to the Book of Isaiah chapter 2, and we’re going to drop in at verse 12.

Now you’ll see how every one of these references all use this same term, “the day of the Lord” and it’s a time of judgment. This will begin with the opening of the Tribulation and carrying right up to and including the Second Coming which we qualified the last time we were together as something totally different from the Rapture. Remember the Rapture is not associated with famine and pestilence and earthquakes. The Rapture can happen today or tomorrow, that’s the day of Christ! The day of the Lord, on the other hand, is always associated with the tremendous wrath of God and I want you to be looking for that as we use all these references.

Isaiah 2:12-17

“For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low: 13. And upon all the cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan, 14. And upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up, 15. And upon every high tower, and upon every fenced wall, 16. And upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant pictures. 17. And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.” Now those things will happen during the day of the Lord. Now staying in Isaiah let’s come on over to chapter 13, and drop in at verse 9, and as we go just constantly beware of what it says, it’s so plain.

Isaiah 13:9-11a

“Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. 10. For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. 11. And I will punish the world for their evil,”

Now this isn’t just Israel, although remember as we read all these verses that are attendant with the wrath of God, the day of Jehovah, the whole world will come under this, but Israel will suffer by far the greatest. It’s going to be what Jeremiah chapter 30 says.

Jeremiah 30:7

“Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: It is even the time of Jacob’s trouble…”

So not only Israel, but the world will also come under these horrendous acts of judgments. Now the world can scoff all they want to, and I know that they do, but let them scoff, the day is coming when they’re going to cry for something to put them to death to get them out of here, and it won’t happen. Now verse 11 of Isaiah 13. Remember this is God’s time of wrath and vexation as Psalms chapter 2 calls it.

Isaiah 13.11

“And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogance of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.”Now go to chapter 24, and verse 21.

Isaiah 24:21

“And it shall come to pass (and you’d better believe it. The world out there never wants to consider that. They think that it will just keep on keeping on, but it won’t.) in that day, that the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.”

So even the high and the mighty will never escape it. Alright, now go to chapter 26, verse 20. Now these are frightening words. But it’s God’s judgment that’s coming upon the earth. I guess I should ask a question. Why is one generation going to suffer so inexorably for the wickedness of mankind? It’s numbers! There are more people on the planet right now today than has lived previously all the way back to Noah’s flood. So God is dealing for the most part with the vast majority of the whole human race, because most of them are living today. At this moment we’re approaching 6 billion people that cover the earth. I can remember back in the early 70’s when I started teaching it was only 4 billion. So you see we’ve already gained, what? 50%. So it’s just going to keep rolling, and if the Lord doesn’t come for a time yet, it will soon be 7 billion. Now look what He says concerning this end-time mass of humanity in verse 20.

Isaiah 26:20

“Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation (God’s indignation) be overpast.”

Now we know there’s going to be a remnant of Israel that will be protected, and this is who God is speaking to. This remnant is going to be down there in the mountains and God’s going to protect them during those last 3 years of the Tribulation. He’s going to provide for them like He did for Israel in the wilderness experience as they came out of Egypt. Now verse 21, and here’s the reason.

Isaiah 26:21

“For, behold the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.”

Now I know the first thing everybody thinks of when they read this is, “but I thought He was a God of love, Grace, and mercy?” He is, and has been now for all these hundreds and hundreds of years, but His patience is one day going to run out. Now even today when we see disasters, and loss of life, that’s not God’s wrath. Now He’s permitted Satan to bring it about, but God isn’t precipitating suffering of this world, that’s the god of this world who’s doing that. But once this day of the Lord begins, and the seven years of Tribulation open up, yes then it is no longer the Grace, and the Love of God, but rather then it will the wrath of God. In fact keep your hand here in Isaiah and turn back to Psalms chapter 2. This is a portion I use so often when I teach end-time events. I always use this when I put the timeline on the board of the Old Testament program. How that mankind would reject the Messiah, and say, “I’ll not have this man to rule over us.”

Psalm 2:4

“He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: (that is at man’s ridiculousness to reject His given Messiah) the LORD shall have them (the nations of the world) in derision.” And confusions, and we’re getting closer to that every day. Then verse 5, and here it comes. There would come a time after His rejection, and after His resurrection from the dead.

Psalms 2:5

“Then shall he (God) speak unto them (the nations of the world) in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.” It’s coming! And as I teach this, I always use it as the Old Testament outline, and after his wrath and vexation, then in verse 6 we have the promise of the kingdom.

Psalm 2:6

“Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.”

Yes, Christ is going to return, and after the battle of Armageddon and these judgments, He will set up His thousand-year kingdom upon the earth, where we as believers will reign and rule with Him. Now coming back to Isaiah, and we’re still studying about the day of the Lord, and let’s move on to chapter 34. Now I trust that you all realize that Isaiah was the prophet of Israel, and so these things were written primarily to the Jewish people, but they’re back here, as Paul says, for our learning, so we study them for that purpose. Not that they have a doctoral effect upon us for salvation as such, but they do teach us what is still to come.

Isaiah 34:8

“For it is the day of the LORD’s vengeance, (not His mercy or Grace, but now we’re talking about His wrath) and the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion.”

And on and on it goes that all these things that are repeated over and over are coming on the earth. Now turn over to chapter 63 verse 2. These are verses that we usually use in regard to the Book of Revelation. This is a verse concerning Christ’s coming at the battle of Armageddon which Revelation likens to grapes in a wine vat. And as Christ brings the nations in He will tread them like the treader of a wine vat, only Christ treads them in His wrath and fury.

Isaiah 63:2-3a

“Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat? (and the Lord responds) 3. I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me; for I (God) will tread them in mine anger,…” Now that’s not the God we know today. Today God is still the God of love, mercy, and Grace, but there’s coming a day when the day of the Lord will introduce these judgments.

Isaiah 63:3b

“…and trample them in my fury: and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.”

Now in reference to that remember, Revelation speaks of a river of blood flowing out of the Nation of Israel as deep as the bridle of a horse, and a distance of 180 miles. Now these are all prophecies that tie together. Now verse 6.

Isaiah 63:6

“And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth.”

Which of course is the crushing of the armies in Armageddon at His Second Coming. Now let’s go to Jeremiah chapter 25, and verse 30 This is another of the major prophets that is writing primarily to the Nation of Israel, but also writing for our learning as well.

Jeremiah 25:30

“Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words, and say unto them, The LORD shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he shall mightily roar upon his habitation; he shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth.” There’s that same analogy of the treading of grapes in a wine vat. Now verse 31.

Jeremiah 25:31-33

“A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for the LORD hath a controversy with the nations, (plural, not just Israel. Although let me keep reminding you, Israel is going to be the vortex of it. Israel is going to suffer far more than the rest of the world, but they’re all coming under God’s wrath.) he will plead with all flesh; he will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the LORD. 32. Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth. 33. And the slain of the LORD shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground.”

Now of course the Book of Revelation tells us that God is going to bring forth the birds of prey, the vultures, and they’re going to have a feast on the flesh of mankind. That’s not a pretty picture, but it’s something we’d better be aware of. The next one is found in Ezekiel chapter 30, and verse 3, and I hope you’re realizing how all these various portions of Scriptures are saying basically the same thing. I said over the years, “Why does God repeat, and repeat, and repeat?” Emphasis! He’s driving this thing home, and we’d better understand and realize that for the unbelieving world that’s left behind after our silent disappearance, this is they’re fate. Oh they’re rushing on in the interest in the stock market, and with their crazy music, and all their entertainment, and they have no thought for any of this, but they’d better wake up because this is their lot.

Ezekiel 30:3a

“For the day is near, even the day of the LORD is near, a cloudy day:…”

A day that will be almost absent of light. My own projection of this and the reason there will be such darkness in the closing days of the Tribulation is because of a nuclear war. I think the nuclear dust and nuclear clouds are just going to blot out the sun. So as you read these verses you’ll notice that it’s that constant reference to a dark day, or a cloudy day. Now finishing the verse.

Ezekiel 30:3b

“… it shall be the time of the heathen.” Which is another word for the Gentiles. So it will be for the whole world, Jew and Gentiles. Now come over and go through Daniel, Hosea, and come to the next Book of prophecy, which is Joel, and stop at chapter 2.

Joel 2:1-2

“Blow ye the trumpet in Zion and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand: 2. A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of think darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong, there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations,”

Now that’s God speaking to the prophet. Now let’s turn a little further in Joel to chapter 2:28. These are verses we used back in our Revelation study, and as well in Acts chapter 2, when Peter spoke of it as, “this is that,” when he referred to the crucifixion, the resurrection, and the coming of the Holy Spirit spoken of by the prophet Joel. But always remember Peter never comprehended that the worst part of the prophecies were stopped, and he never did see them fulfilled, but now 2000 years later it’s at the door.

Joel 2:2829

“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: 29. And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.” Now in verse 30 is the cataclysmic events of the day of the Lord, this is still future.

Joel 2:30

“And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. 31. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.”

Do you see how plain all of this is? Now turn over a few pages to Amos chapter 5, and we want to drop down quickly to verse 18. Now Amos is one of the minor prophets.

Amos 5:18

“Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of The LORD is darkness, and not light.”

See how obvious all these things are? Now we’ve got time to look at one more and that will be in the next little minor prophet of Obadiah.

Obadiah 1:15-16

“For the day of the LORD is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head. 16. For as ye have drunk upon my holy mountain, so shall all the heathen drink continually, yea, they shall drink, and thy shall swallow down, and they shall be as though they had not been.”

 

Through the Bible with Les Feldick

LESSON 2 PART 4 BOOK 42

I Thessalonians 2:15 – 4:18 – Part 2

Now I know we’re not going to be able to finish everything that I wanted to teach today, but we’ll pick it up again next month with our next taping. I suppose as I teach that we have people from umpteen denominations even here in the studio. I made a comment when I was down in Florida in our last newsletter and it mentions that we’re in a Baptist Church on occasion and in a Methodist in another, and in a Lutheran Church when we go some place else, and I made the comment that I’m not ecumenical. Now an ecumenicalist will comprise whatever he has to comprise in order to get along with the whole, and I will not do that. I am uncompromising, but anytime I get an open door and the freedom to teach, I’ll go anywhere.

And then the Lord always confirms everything. After we got back from Florida, someone had sent me a book written by the old Bible teacher William R. Newell. In one section of the appendix he had some quotes from some great Bible teachers of the past, and it just thrilled my heart. One of the quotes was by Dwight L. Moody who said, “There’s not a drop of secularism in my veins, and if I thought there were, I’d drain it all out before night.” Well that helped, and the next quote was by John N. Darby the great Bible teacher of England back in the 1800’s, and he said, “I will go wherever they let me preach the Word without any opposition.” And the third one he quoted was by Doctor A.C. Gablelene, and he said almost word for word what I told the folks in Florida. “Any place there is an open door that I can proclaim the Word without any argument I’ll go.” Well that’s just the way I am.I will go anywhere they’ll let me teach the Word without compromise, and without watering it down.

There’s a world out there that’s hungry, we know they are, and hopefully we’re doing our little part in satisfying. Now so much for that, we’re going to get right back into the Book in I Thessalonians chapter 4, and we’re going to start in verse 13, one of my favorite subjects, “The Rapture of the Church.” Now that’s going to make a lot of people flinch, I know it does, but bless their hearts, I have learned of all the letters and books that I read that oppose the Rapture, the number one reason that they can’t see the Rapture as I see it is because they do not recognize Paul’s apostleship. They will mix what Jesus said in His earthly ministry about His Second Coming at the end of the Tribulation with what Paul said about the Rapture. They can’t separate the Word, and see that they are two different events. Oh they may use a few things out of Paul, but for the most part they reject Paul’s letters as authoritative and his apostleship, and consequently they can’t agree to the Rapture, and when you do that, it’s understandable why they think the way they do.

My, if you don’t realize that the Body of Christ is a Pauline revelation – and he’s the only one that uses that term, and the beginning of the Body of Christ began with Paul, then the end of it also has to come from Paul. So Paul alone teaches this monumental thing that we look for at anytime, and that is the silent out-calling of the Body of Christ in what we call the Rapture of the Church.

Now always remember that in the last year or two I have started to use two timelines whereas I used to use only one. And I’ve put them on the board ahead of time to save a little time. What I’ve learned now to use, is that on this bottom timeline is the first part is the Old Testament program, and all of prophecy which includes even Christ’s earthly ministry, and even Peter in the early part of Acts, when he quotes from Joel chapter 2 and 3. Remember as the timeline unfolds we have, beginning with Abraham, this constant promise of a coming Redeemer, Messiah, a Tribulation, and Christ coming back and setting up His kingdom. This is prophecy and it’s laid out so clearly in all the Old Testament prophets.

I’ve always liked to use Psalms chapter 2 to illustrate this timeline. It’s a perfect illustration where Israel, along with Rome, rejected Christ. Psalms chapter 2 didn’t speak of crucifixion, but it speaks of their rejecting Him, and after that rejecting then would come the wrath and vexation of God in what we know will be the Tribulation. And then the next verse Psalms 2:6, says, “Yet have I sat my King on my holy hill of Zion.” Which we know as the thousand year reign of Christ. And then you have Psalms 110:1 which says –

Psalms 110:1

“The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.”

Well what was that? That was a depiction of His ascension in Acts 1:9, and that one day He would return, as we see in Matthew 24:29-30. Well that was all prophecy. All the way through the Old Testament, the four gospels, and early Acts, and of course the Book of Revelation fills in the rest of the details, so this timeline is prophecy. It appears as one continuous line. Christ’s rejection, the 7 years of Tribulation, the Second Coming, and then the kingdom. Now of course wherever I teach the timeline the first thing I ask people is, “What does the Old Testament program lack?” What’s missing? Well the Church Age is missing from that timeline. It’s not mentioned one time. They had no concept that there would be 1900 + years where God would go to the Gentile world without Israel.

So since we know that the Church Age is missing from the timeline, we make another timeline and put in this parenthesis (the Age of Grace, the calling out the Body of Christ, which is the Church) Since the 7 year Tribulation, the return of Christ at His Second Coming, and the 1000 year Kingdom Age still must happen, we know that, in order for those events to happen, that God will take the believing Church out of the way, He has to resurrect the Church Age believers so that we can all be reunited and go on up into glory and face the Lord at the Bema Seat for rewards, so that has to include those who have died in Christ.

So what has happened? God has merely pushed the Tribulation, the return of Christ and the 1000 year Kingdom Age out into the future while He is filling up the Body of Christ. So the next event on God’s time-table after the Church is gone will be the 7 years of Tribulation, and then the Second Coming, and then the King and His Kingdom. So by putting the Age of Grace in this parenthesis it just clarifies all the controversy so far as I’m concerned. This parenthetical period of time was something that only Paul had a revelation of and that’s why he calls it then, “The revelation of the mysteries.” These things that were kept secret in the mind of God. And then I always like to use Deuteronomy 29:29. You’ve heard it on this program over and over.

Deuteronomy 29:29a

“The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us…”

Well it’s still true for us today. God has seen fit to keep this Church Age phenomenon and that’s what it really is, it’s just something out of this world. But He has kept it secret, and even the Lord Jesus Himself in His earthly ministry was so careful not to reveal the Church Age. He was meticulous in not giving a hint of a day coming when God would reach into the Gentile world with Israel out of the land, no temple, no priesthood, no place of blessing, and scattered amongst the Gentile world. Then out of that scenario He would call out one by one the Body of Christ, by Grace through Faith + Nothing!

Now here in I Thessalonians is 1 of 3 portions of Paul’s letters that deal with the Rapture. This is one, and if we have time in this lesson, we’ll go look at I Corinthians and we may have to pick up the third one in our next program. So these next 5 verses are the Rapture of the Church, and as we teach, notice the difference between this and the Second Coming. In the Second Coming it is attendant with humongous, cataclysmic events falling on the earth. War, famine, pestilence, earthquakes, outer space phenomenon, stars falling out of their orbits, the great hundred pound hailstones, the great Battle of Armageddon. That is all part of the Second Coming, and is never mentioned in Paul’s letters as part of the Rapture, and that’s why the Lord could come this afternoon before we leave. He could come tomorrow, next year, we don’t know when, but the Rapture is not accompanied with great prophesied disasters.

The Rapture will be just that silent disappearance, when we believers will all be gone. And as I said in an earlier program, when we’re gone nobody but our lost immediate family, our lost next door neighbor will miss us. The world will go right on without us, and as one old boy told me one time, “You know Les, they’re going to have Church next Sunday morning as usual.” That’s quite a statement isn’t it? I didn’t say it, he did, and he wasn’t from my denomination, but I would think it would be true of any denomination. After we’re gone there will be Church next Sunday as usual for many who thought they were ready. Now let’s look at the Rapture.

I Thessalonians 4:13

“But I would not have you to be ignorant, (and oh, isn’t that the case today? Most people are so ignorant of this. Every place we go, people tell us, “They don’t hear this from the pulpits anymore.” Pastors have almost become afraid to let people know that the end is near. But you see Paul writes not to ignorant) brethren, concerning them which are asleep,(Paul is writing to believers concerning their loved ones who have died as believers) that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.”

Now you know what Paul is saying here, that for the unbelieving family who have no knowledge of salvation, if they lose the mother and she was lost, then they also will probably never be saved, they will never see each other again. The unsaved person will never see their loved ones again. Hell is not going to be a country club, nor a place of reunion, it’s going to be total isolation and torment. But we as believers will see our loved ones again. The minute we get to the clouds of the air we will be aware of those who have departed earlier. So we don’t have to sorrow as those who have no hope. Now verse 14. Here is the qualification for being in the Rapture when it happens. This is so simple for everyone, that there should never be an excuse for missing heaven.

I Thessalonians 4:14

“For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, (that’s Paul’s Gospel salvation message of I Corinthians 15:1-4) even so them also which sleep (or have died) in Jesus will God bring with him.”

Now here we have God and Jesus used in the same verse and they’re one and the same. So the departed soul and spirit of the believer is in the presence of the Lord in glory. They’re not walking in body tonight I do not believe, but rather they’re in a place of bliss, they’re in paradise much like Abraham and Lazarus were in Luke chapter 16. They’re in a place of comfort in the Lord’s presence, but are not walking the streets of gold bodily. What are they waiting for? Resurrection day! Because they too are going to be given a new resurrected body. So the soul and spirit of all believers now who have died during this Age of Grace are waiting for that new body. I think this resurrection is only for the New Testament believer. The Old Testament believer will be resurrected I think over on the timeline here at the beginning of the Kingdom Age, as Daniel chapter 12 gives us a glimpse of that. But every believer that has died during this last 1900 years, their soul and spirit is up in glory waiting for this great resurrection day. Now read on in verse 15.

I Thessalonians 4:15

“For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent (precede) them which are asleep.” (or who have died) In other words, the Lord is going to use a split second of time to bring these dead bodies, the ashes, bones, dust, whatever may be left in the grave.

I Thessalonians 4:16

“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 first:”

The Lord is going to give Himself a second of time to bring them up from the grave first so that they can be reunited with that soul and spirit that Christ is bringing back with Him in glory. And that new body and their soul that has been waiting in glory will be reunited in the air. Now let’s read about that.

I Thessalonians 4:17a

“Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up…”

I know it doesn’t say Rapture, but that’s a term that most Bible scholars have applied to the two words, caught up. Now I read something the other day that I had never known before, and I hope I’m not quoting wrong, the Latin word here is ‘Raptura,’ which is where we get the word Rapture no doubt. So those of us who are alive and remain when the Lord should come will be caught up –

I Thessalonians 4:17b

“…together with them (the ones who have died previously) in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall ever be with the Lord.”

Remember, Christ is only going to come for His Church to the air compared with His Second Coming when He will come all the way to the earth to the Mount of Olives to fight the battle of Armageddon. So in the Rapture He comes for us, and at His Second Coming 7 years later we come with Him to reign and rule. Now verse 18.

I Thessalonians 4:18s

“Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”

And that is such a comfort to know we will miss God’s wrath, and will be with Him forever. Now the other companion portion of Scripture is found in I Corinthians chapter 15, and we use them in parallel. This is where study comes into play. Just compare, what one portion neglects to cover the other one does. So let’s pick it up in verse 51 of Chapter 15 which of course is the great resurrection chapter. In this chapter Paul says, “that if Christ be not risen from the dead, then we of all men are most miserable.”

The whole basis of the Christian faith is resurrection! As I put it on the program a while back, I don’t know of another religion, and I don’t like that word, but I don’t know of another religion on the planet that teaches this concept. Now the oriental religions speak of reincarnation, but never resurrection. So remember only Christianity teaches that concept. This is a unique phenomena for us as believers in Christ. So Christ was the first fruit of a real resurrection. Now let’s look at the resurrection beginning with verse 51.

I Corinthians 15:51a

“Behold, I shew you a mystery;…”

Or a secret. And who has been keeping it a secret? Well God has. God never saw fit to reveal this before, because the Old Testament didn’t have to know it because they’re not going to be in it. Peter, James and John were not aware of it, because they were still tied intricately to Israel. But now God is turning to a whole new group of people, the Gentiles, and now He see fits to open up His timeline and reveal this which had been kept secret for 4000 years. So this is why Paul is constantly using the word the mysteries. And this part of the mystery is –

I Corinthians 15:51b

“…We shall not all sleep,…” (or die physically)

Now no where else in Scripture except the account of Enoch and Elijah is there anyone transformed from this life to glory without death. But there is one group of people who will escape death, and experience this instant change. That’s our blessed hope as Paul calls it in Titus chapter 2. The blessed hope, the appearing, not the Second Coming, but the appearing of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ who will only come to the air for us. Again at the Second Coming Christ comes to the Mount of Olives, but when He transforms us He only comes to the air. Now that’s a stark difference. To me it’s as plain as day, but for others who won’t use Paul for the Rapture, maybe not. So looking at the verse again.

I Corinthians 15:51

“Behold, I shew you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, (die physically) but we shall all be changed.”

We can’t go to glory in this old body, so what has to happen? We shall all be changed, and always remember, when God said that He could put a camel through the eye of a needle, and they looked at Him in total unbelief, what was His next statement? With God nothing is impossible! Now I know when we look at this whole concept of the Rapture and that in less than a second of time, every believer who has died is going to be resurrected, given a new body, joining the Lord in the air. Every believer from whatever corner of the earth you may be dwelling is suddenly going to be changed. I know, I am logical enough to know that in the eyes of a secular world, that is impossible, but God says, “It’s not impossible!”Consequently I believe it. It’s going to happen, and the world will never know what happened. Now read on. We can’t go to glory in this body if we’re alive when He comes, so He’s going to change this body.

I Corinthians 15:52a

“In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, (the smallest divisible period of time. It’s less than the blink of an eye) at the last trump;…”

Now here again I have to confront those who say, “Well this is the trumpet in the Book of Revelation” No those in Revelation are 7 trumpets, and they’re angel’s trumpets. This is one trumpet, and it’s God’s trumpet, and that’s the difference. So God’s trumpet will sound.

I Corinthians 15:52b

“…for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, (with their new resurrected body) and we (who are alive and remain) shall be changed.”

We’ll be changed between here and the ceiling no doubt, because we’re not going to stop at the ceiling, and there again the world can scoff and scorn in unbelief, and I don’t expect them to believe it. They can’t believe it, but we’re not like the world, we can believe it. I know with God nothing is impossible, and He can change several million people from this body of flesh to a resurrected body that is incorruptible in a blink of an eye. Now verse 53, and here’s the reason we must be changed.

I Corinthians 15:53

“For this corruptible must put on incorruption, (this body must me made fit for heaven, and eternity) and this mortal (which is prone to die) must put on immortality.” (so that we will never die)

Now we’ve got a few moments left, and I guess I will take time for the third portion where Paul speaks of the Rapture and that’s over in II Thessalonians chapter 2. Now I hope you realize that these are all from Paul’s epistles. I can’t take you back to Isaiah, and teach the Rapture. I can’t take you into the four gospels and teach the Rapture, nor can I take you to the Book of Revelation and teach you the gospel because it’s not in there. Only Paul has been designated the apostle of the Church Age, the apostle of the Gentiles. And Paul defends his apostleship over and over. And like I said in my newsletters that the man who instituted the Body of Christ as He calls himself in I Corinthians chapter 3, the masterbuilder.

I Corinthians 3:10a

“According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation,…”

So if he’s the one who laid the foundation, then he’s also the one who is going to reveal the removal of it, he has to. So now in II Thessalonians chapter 2, beginning with verse 1.

II Thessalonians 2:1

“Now we beseech you brethren by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, (see that was uppermost in his mind in both of these letters.) and by our gathering together unto him,”

Remember at the Second Coming He’s not going to draw people up to Him, He’s going to come to the planet, He’s going to stand, Zechariah chapter 14:4 says, “on the Mount of Olives.” The angel told the 11 in Acts chapter 1:11, as our Lord ascended, “that this same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” And at that time He’s going to come to the Mount of Olives. But you see Paul doesn’t teach the Mount of Olives or Armageddon, or cataclysmic events. Now verse 2.

II Thessalonians 2:2

“That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letters from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.”

And that should have read, “the day of the Lord” which will be the beginning of the Tribulation and judgment. Now verse 3. Here Paul clarifies it.

II Thessalonians 2:3a

“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day (of the Lord, the Tribulation judgment) shall not come, except there come a falling away (or departure) first,…”

The word ‘apostasy’ has been translated several times “departure” in the New Testament, and is really a better translation than “falling away” although that is appropriate as well.

II Thessalonians 2:3a

“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away (or departure) first,…”

What’s the departure? The Body of Christ leaving this earth, and the Tribulation can’t start until we’re out of the way, because this prophetic program was written primarily to the Nation of Israel. All the prophecy concerning Christ’s coming was to the Nation of Israel. The 7 years of the horrors of the Tribulation are directed first and foremost to the Nation of Israel. The Second Coming is to the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, where He’s going to set up His throne on Mount Zion in Jerusalem. When you get to Paul’s epistles, he speaks to none of that. He speaks of our position not in Jerusalem, but in the heavenlies.