|
which we will "labor all night" to no avail. It is only as we tune our ears away from ourselves, and all our many earthly distractions, that we can begin to hear God's "still small voice." This is God's communication to ourselves -- from outside of ourselves. The Bible states that "the carnal mind is at enmity with God." We believers like to pride ourselves at having conquered the world, the flesh, and the devil -- but we fail miserably by not realizing that the carnal mind is not just the self serving, self centered person within each of us, but is also the religious, self righteous Pharisee as well. Both Cain and Abel desired to please, worship and honor God; but Cain was rejected for trying to serve God using his own methodology and sacrifice rather than God's. We too must learn to tune out our own natural inclinations, learning to do for God that which He desires, rather than that which we think He desires.
In Rev. (4 v. 1) John states -- "After this I looked and behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me which said; come up hither and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter."
Most pre-tribulation biblical scholars believe these verses represent the Rapture of the Church into heaven before the tribulation; and to a certain extent they are correct; (for there is a Rapture at this point). Still, there are many lingering questions that must be answered that I believe, point to only a partial Rapture occurring at this juncture. For instance, if this is the Rapture of all believers why then does John only record seeing 24 elders in heaven seated upon thrones, casting their crowns before the Lord; one would expect to see great multitudes praising and worshipping the Lord if this was indeed the Rapture of all believers.
12 is the # of Divine ordination, 2 is the # of witness (12 x 2 equals 24) -- God's ordained witness to men.
(1 Cor. 15 v. 23) states "but every man in his own order: Christ -- The Firstfruits, afterward they that are Christ's at His coming." Just who are these "Firstfruits"? Some would have us believe they represent some first century believers; but after further investigation I believe we shall concur that they are indeed the "five wise virgins" with extra oil, who have overcome, and thus were deemed "worthy to escape" the tribulation. Being rewarded with an open door in heaven, (signifying the Rapture), receiving crowns and thrones, (signifying authority and co-rulership with Christ) all before the tribulation.
There are several Old Testament "types" that illustrate just these points:
In Exodus (34 v. 22) we read "Thou shalt observe the feast of weeks, of the Firstfruits of wheat harvest and the feast of Ingathering at the year's end.
"
Notice here there are two gatherings recorded -- one in summer called Firstfruits -- the second in fall is called Ingathering. The summer harvest was a partial gathering. The fall harvest was a full ingathering. This points to two Raptures -- a partial Rapture occurring before the tribulation -- and the full Rapture of all remaining believers at mid-tribulation 3 1/2 years later.
In (Col. 2 v. 16-17) Paul instructs us to understand that the Old Testament feasts were prophetic in nature -- some were fulfilled by Christ -- while others are yet to be fulfilled. "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holy day, or of the new moon or of the Sabbath days which are a shadow of things to come." Thus, we see that these feasts were ordained by God to give us a "type" or preview of future things to come. Thus the "Feast of Weeks" with its two harvests effectively presages two
|
|
