Missed Insights from Matthew 27 (Part 2) — My 900th Post!!!

See the Missed Insights series here

For anyone who may be rather slow to believe the insights I received from The Lord in Part 1 of this series, He has stirred my spirit to pass this, His question to you:

When I told Moses to tell Pharaoh, ‘Let My people go!’, 

did I include a numerical, percentage or adjectival qualifier?

How many ancient Jewish slaves did I leave in ancient Egypt?

Here’s what I intuit from that unexpected question. 

Through Moses, The Lord ‘led captivity captive’. Dogmatic minds that may be restricted to only believing what’s written in The Bible, might conclude ‘That’s not what Moses did, because, in The Bible, that particular expression is not clearly associated with the exodus, or in any other related books we know of.’ But effectively, historically and strategically, that is exactly what happened.

This exodus occurred long before The Lord inspired David, in Psalm 68:18, to prophesy about a very similar act He would perform in the future. David may not have had a clue about the exact nature and/or magnitude of what he wrote, although Psalm 16:10 reveals he personally believed The Lord would not leave his spirit/soul forever in sheol/hades/hell. With hindsight, thanks to Paul, we today understand The Spirit intended what David wrote to apply to a uniquely different group of captives, namely the twin spirits and souls of all righteous people from the 1st and 2nd ages of history, who were temporarily resting in the upper region of hades. What David received, he wrote, with no qualifying adjectives, numbers or percentages. The word, captivity, in David’s prophecy, is an un-modified noun. When Paul, by The Spirit in Ephesians 4:8, affirmed Jesus fulfilled David’s ancient prophecy, he likewise, avoided any adjectival qualifiers. 

Therefore, we should be safe in concluding the following.

In both His direct instruction to Moses about the exodus, and His cloaked prophecy He inspired David to write about the resurrection and rapture of 1st and 2nd ages saints, The Lord apparently, and perhaps strategically determined to avoid ANY adjectival qualifiers that would, in some way, limit or restrict His meanings and intentions.  Moses understood, believed, then achieved The Lord’s objective. Similarly, Paul understood, believed, then by faith, emphatically associated David’s prophecy, to the strange, post-crucifixion events briefly described in Matthew 27:51-53! 

So if they ‘got it’, I think The Lord intends us today to apply The Mind of Christ to ‘get it’, and to not be slow to perceive and believe His inferred intentions, simply because that Scripture passage has no qualifiers (e.g., that describe details of who, how many, what happened after folks were resurrected, etc.), or because there might not be other verifying Scripture passages or other external sources about those strange events. 

For sure, what The Lord revealed to me is un-written ‘in’ that passage. I received and believe it because it comports with so many of His strategic patterns and tactics across the entire Bible. Allowing Scripture to interpret and elucidate Scripture, frees me to readily believe what I ‘see’, that is until He shows me more …down the road. This approach to faith-building fully accords with Isaiah 28:10 & 13, that summarize His very clear and historically-demonstrated tactic for releasing insights to us from His infinite supply of knowledge, wisdom and understanding. Check it out.

BIG Tip: Since Adam, The Lord has been releasing insights to humanity in a ‘drip-drip’ manner. He very likely conditions subsequent insights, to the levels of faith we demonstrate in His previously released insights. Moreover, He does not expect us to ‘get bent out of shape’ when His subsequent insights modify His earlier insights. Moreover, check out what He promised in Joel 2:28-29. Just as Paul echoed what The Lord inspired  David to write, Paul also echoed what The Lord inspired Joel to write. And guess what that should signal to us TODAY?? It signals The Lord, during these closing years of the 3rd age of history, will be releasing insights NOT WRITTEN in The Bible, but that corroborate and amplify what is written therein. Are you ready for that?! 

Consider it to be like teaching an infant how to walk. Such instructions given to an infant, will differ significantly from those given to a slouching pre-teen, an over-worked adult, and a declining senior! Compris? 

Christians in the Great Tribulation?

See the Rapture series here

My perspectives and beliefs on the Lord’s planned resurrection and rapture events are reflected and elaborated in many posts, especially those in The Raptures (Series). I hope this summary will be helpful as you study and develop your own perspectives and beliefs about this complex topic, especially given the rift in Christian communities about the likely timing of the next resurrection/rapture event. 

The Lord has apparently planned several mass group resurrection and rapture events in history. The Bible reveals He has segregated them into several ‘First Resurrection’ events, meaning the resurrection/rapture of His faithful saints to eternal life; and a final, mixed event of every sinner who will have ever lived, plus all saints who will have died and those still alive during the last (6th) age of history on this current version of Earth. So yeah, it’s kinda complex, but here goes:

1. The Bible indicates saints from the 1st and 2nd ages of history were ‘raptured’ (so to speak) into the upper region of hell, pending The Lord’s crucifixion sacrifice. Then, after His sacrifice, they were all resurrected and raptured, likely onto the new, eternal Earth. 

References: Matthew 27:51-53, Psalm 68:18, Ephesians 4:7-9, 1 Peter 3:19, 4:6, Isaiah 65:17 and 66:24, Insights from Matthew 27.

2. Continuing with His ‘Goshen effects’ and ‘leading captivity captive’ patterns, I believe we saints from the 3rd (post-cross) age, will be resurrected/raptured before the anti-Christ man is revealed.

NB: Saints from the first 3 ages of history apparently are not featured in Revelation chapters 4 - 18. They/we only appear in Revelation 19 and 20, as part of the much larger multitude than the first one John saw in Revelation 7.

References: Romans 1:18, 1 Thessalonians 1:10, 4:13-18, 5:9, 2 Thessalonians 2:3, Missed Insights from Revelation 20.

3. I believe most, if not all, saints in the 4th (tribulation) age will likely experience the great tribulation, i.e., The Lord’s wrath on the God-rejecting world, and the wrath of the Christian and Jew-hating anti-Christ regime. These saints will be resurrected/raptured just prior to the start of The Millennial Reign. This group might likely include many 3rd age saints who will have become lukewarm, then fully apostate in their faith, but who will have RETURNED to strong faith before they died during the 4^th age, or if alive, before they will be raptured.

References: Revelation 7:9-17, 20:4,  Audacious Christians (Series).

 

4. The Bible is silent on whether there will be a resurrection/rapture event at the end of The Millennial Reign age. I believe there may well be a cloaked, strategic rationale for such silence. Reference: Salvation in the Millennium (Series).

5. I believe saints from 6th (post-millennial reign) age will be included in the final, mass resurrection and rapture event just prior to The Great White Throne Judgment. Many Christians seem to believe this event will be only for all sinners, dead and alive, from across all 6 ages of history on this version of Earth. Their theology fails to account for saints camped in Jerusalem during  that ‘little while’ age, and any who might be located elsewhere on the Earth. If this final resurrection/rapture event will be only for all sinners who will have ever lived, there might be NO rationale for The Lord to consult His Book of [Eternal] Life. Thus, I intuit He will consult this book in order to segregate this first, mixed group of resurrected/raptured people, i.e., ‘to separate the sheep from the goats’.

References: Revelation 20:7 &12.

~~~~~~~~~~

So re. #3 above, why might The Lord allow Christians to taste His wrath, and the wrath of the anti-Christ regime in the tribulation age?? Here’s what I intuit could be the rationale, based on a clear, scriptural pattern and tactic The Lord has applied.

A. Echoing across Old Testament history are The Lord’s pleas to errant Jews in ancient Israel and Judah, to ‘RETURN TO ME, and I will return to you!’ Most didn’t. Those who did were very likely included in various remnant groups that survived His judgments. In general, in all His judgments, He promises to extract a remnant intended for righteousness, even though He knows, given human nature, their righteousness will not be sustainable. In Jeremiah 9:24, The Lord reveals this clear strategic pattern in His dealing with humanity.

References: Deuteronomy 30:2, 1 Samuel 7:3, 1 Kings 8:48, 2 Chronicles 6:38, 30:6 & 9, Nehemiah 1:9, Isiah 31:6, 44;22, 55:7, Jeremiah 3:1 & 7, 4:1, 24:7, Joel 2:13, Zechariah 1:3, Malachi 3:7, 

Jews in modern Israel and across the world, are the descendants of ancient Jews whom The Lord scattered across the world, just as He had iteratively promised to do, because they largely, not entirely, refused His above-referenced RETURN TO ME pleas. The Bible predicts many of these descendants will embrace Jesus as Messiah, by faith, during the tribulation age, BEFORE they see Him in The Millennial Reign age, the 5^th age of history. They will largely, or possibly entirely comprise the multitude of converts who will be won to Christ by the anointed 144,000 Jewish witnesses during the tribulation age. I believe these witnesses will not only focus on winning Jews to Christ.

References: Revelation 7:1-8 & 9-17, Revelation 14:1-5

What if it might take these Jews being exposed to The Lord’s wrath, and that of the anti-Christ regime, to convince them to convert and, in faith, TURN TO THE LORD??

B. Somewhat similarly, since before, and especially after the Covid pandemic, Christian apostasy has reportedly SPIKED to alarming rates and levels across the world! Paul twice predicted such would occur. During John’s vision on the Island of Patmos, Jesus signaled His very strong feelings about, and His promised reactions to Christian lukewarmness: ‘So then, because you [the church at Laodicea] are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.’

References: 2 Thessalonians 2:3 and 1 Timothy 4:1, Revelation 3:14-22

Ponder this: Since that was His reaction to lukewarmness, and because He does not change, that remains His reaction to lukewarmness, imagine His reaction to outright APOSTASY!

What if many of these former Christians (a) will survive the pending transition to the next age, (the tribulation age), and (b) will miss The Lord’s next, age-ending resurrection and rapture event?? What if, like the Jews noted above, it might take these former Christian’s being exposed to His wrath, and the wrath of the anti-Christ regime, to convince them to RETURN TO HIM??!

If so, VOILA!

The gates of hell will not prevail

against The Lord’s church!

(Matthew 16:18)

Conclusion:

The Lord has promised His faithful saints are not appointed to wrath. (1 Thessalonians 1:10 and 5:9). Yet He promises to say to Israel in The Millennial Reign age:

‘For in My wrath, I struck you,

but in My favor, I have had mercy on you.’

(Isaiah 60:10)

The parallelisms between ancient and modern Israel, on one hand, and the church, on the other hand, are both wonderfully AND painfully evident. Since Christians are ‘grafted into’ spiritual Israel, can you envision The Lord saying the same thing to former Christians who will be unfaithful to Him at the time of the next, group resurrection/rapture event?? I sure can!  

I recall the story of a shepherd who had an errant sheep. The wise shepherd broke one of the sheep’s hind legs, then quickly bound it up to heal. During the healing process, the sheep stuck amazingly close to the shepherd, and continued to do so long after its leg was fully healed.

So what if the above scenario IS the underlying strategic rationale for Christians in the tribulation age, and especially them being beheaded by the anti-Christ’s regime during the great tribulation, which is the second half of that predicted 7-year age??

Does that possibility move you to redouble your efforts to help some soul in this 3rd age, to escape the double wrath in the next age?? If not, would that possibly be a signal of your personal lukewarmness??

Faith and Pride, First Cousins (Poem)

See the Faith and Pride series here

Faith and its first cousin, pride,

In life are closely allied.

They appear to be indistinguishable,

Because to us, they're indeterminable. ¹

 

They both share the same taproot: 

Godly faith we 'gave the boot’.

With Godly faith corrupted,

From its root, pride erupted!

The Lord gave us a measure of faith to believe Him,

But satan’s crew convinced us, The Lord’s Glory to dim.

As leverage, they played upon our selfish nature.

Deceived, it’s since been our own glory that we nature.

The Lord is faithful to beat devils at their game!

Thus, He will not allow His faith to be defamed.

In His Word, He cites ‘faith’ much more than ‘pride’,

And affirms from it, His Glory won’t hide! ²

Pride glorifies self and stirs strife among faith’s enemies.

Thus, it’ll eventually attract The Lord’s enmity.

Godly faith glorifies Him, and will attract His Glory,

Which might only be perceived by people He calls, ‘holy’. 

So to the astute among us, do you ‘see’ what I ‘see’,

How between faith and pride, we can discern accurately??

With Godly patience, all we really need to do,

Is wait to perceive His …ensuing Glory hue. ³

Since from the same taproot, faith and pride sprout,

On the surface, they look alike, no doubt!

We can’t see people’s hearts, but this we certainly see,

Their words and actions …serving whom they serve, fruitfully. ⁴

Pride, the taproot of Godly faith to us, sin-defective,

Whether stealthy or boisterous, it’s highly deceptive.

Godly faith that remains pure, by Heaven is admired,

Will likely, by those who are un-Godly, be bemired. ⁵

So let’s stay attuned to The Lord’s accent on faith,

Leaving the results to Him, and give pride no place.

As we do, keep in mind what He says we CAN be proud about:

His Grace, judgment, and righteousness, Earth will never be without! ⁶

---------- 

¹ Godly faith is faith in The Holy Trinity and Their Word. Selfish pride if faith in self, apart from all things holy. The both stem from our heart’s deep-seated motivations, which onlookers cannot easily or always clearly discern.

² Ponder this: The words, faith and pride, are cited 695 versus 55 times, respectively, in The Bible. (NKJV). Moreover, there are countless examples in which Godly faith is actively demonstrated, and gloriously rewarded, though the word, faith, is not mentioned therein.

³ See: What’s Glory? (Series) 

⁴ We cannot ignore or discount the clear links between Godly faith and fear. Essentially, they are the same spiritual force or energy. Fear is Godly faith, moving in reverse, operating contrary to The Lord’s intended design.

⁵ Ponder this: The Bible is literally chock full of historical accounts in which Godly faith was regarded as selfish pride by onlookers, especially by folks who were un-Godly, and even folks who were like babes, spiritually. As a man, Jesus attracted incredible scorn and derision from Jewish leaders who were well-schooled in Old Testament laws, to the point that they schemed to have Him crucified by Rome! How’s that for a gross failure to discern Godly faith?! So don’t worry about people today, believers or sinners alike, who may be motivated to deride your Godly faith. Just wait for The Lord’s GLORY to be revealed …in you and in what you do faithfully and in earnest for Him and the Glory of His Kingdom.

⁶ Thus says The Lord: ‘Let not the wise person glory (be prideful) in his wisdom, let not the mighty person glory in his might, nor let the rich person glory in his riches; but let him/her who glories, glory in this, That he/she understands and knows Me, that I am The Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the Earth. For in these I delight’, says The Lord. (Jeremiah 9:23-24, NKJV) 

 

That I do. Do you, too? This is my favorite Scripture. Gratefully, a gracious lady offered to design and gift to me, unique version of verse 24, in the form of a beaded, Morse code-beaded bracelet. I now wear it proudly as an abiding reminder of The Lord’s command, glorying in Him and His presence in my life. See: WearATouchofSpirit.com.

The Bride of Christ (Part 2, Questions w/o Answers)

See the Bride of Christ series here

This lengthy post is for readers who desire to develop deeper, 

strategic insights into the bride of Christ concept.

Please take 'bite-sized' bits over time

as The Holy Spirit guides you.

~~~

 

Though there are differing opinions, it seems most Bible teachers and scholars regard the church as the bride of Christ. In my effort to understand, and then help to clarify who or what is The Bride of Christ, I offer the following list of strategic questions w/o answers, for you to ponder. My hope is for you to search The Scriptures for yourselves, rather than simply grabbing onto and running with what you may have heard and read; and then to seek The Lord for answers. That’s the process The Lord led me to apply as I encountered numerous writings and teachings on a myriad of topics that clearly do not comport with what’s written across the pages and ages of The Bible. One problem is it seems many Christians likely avoid deeply studying The Bible, and may altogether avoid the Book of Revelation. The last 4 chapters of Revelation are our best and final written insights from The Lord on this particular topic. Another problem could be seminarians and theologians might simply teach what they have been taught in universities, colleges and Bible schools. 

 

Again, the following questions are offered for you to ponder, pray about, and probe the Scriptures for yourself. They don’t indicate I do not have my own opinions on them. I do, yet I remain open to how The Lord, in Isaiah 28:10 & 13, says He releases knowledge, wisdom and understanding to us: precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little, there a little. Moreover, I am attentive to, and anticipate His promise made in Joel 2:28-29, and confirmed in Acts 2:17-18.

 

Questions w/o Answers

 

1. Why would The Lord allow such confusion to persist on this, and a myriad of other Bible topics? Since His is the MOST strategic mind that exists, He must have a strategic reason for allowing such. Could it be related to what He said in Matthew 13:24:30? If so, could devils be joyful over such confusion? Your thoughts?

 

2. Does the church, and ergo, the presumed bride of Christ’ include or exclude 1^st, 2^nd and 4^th ages saints, or does this term only apply to us 3^rd age saints, as many Bible teachers seem to infer? Why or why not? See: Human History Ages (Series). 

 

3. Does the church, as the presumed bride of Christ, include or exclude Israel, or only us Gentile saints in the 3^rd age of history, as some Bible teachers seem to infer?

 

4. What do Scriptures reveal regarding the eternal role(s) for all saved Jews on the new, eternal Earth? And where on that planet will they fulfill their eternal role(s)?

 

5. Will the bride of Christ be on this current version of Earth during The Millennial Reign age? Why or why not? (See: Earth’s Next Versions (Series))

 

6.A. What might be the strategic rationale for the clear distinctions, in Revelation 21:24 & 25, and in Revelation 22:3, between the new, eternally-lit Jerusalem on the new, eternal Earth, and nations of peoples outside that city, who (presumably in their nations) will walk in the light from that city, and who will (presumably periodically) bring their glory into, and ergo carry it out of that city – i.e., enter into, and leave that city?

B. What, if anything, might this possibly infer about the bride of Christ?

 

7. What might the above geographic distinctions signify regarding the roles of the residents in/of these two, distinct, glorified regions on the new, eternal Earth?

 

8. In Exodus 19:6, The Lord declared Israel ‘…shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ Yet in Jeremiah 2:2, He reminded Israel, ‘I remember you, the kindness of your youth, the love of your betrothal, when you went after Me in the wilderness, in a land not sown.’ And in Hosea 2:19-20, He declared to Israel, ‘I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me In righteousness and justice, in lovingkindness and mercy; I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, and you shall know The Lord.’ And later in Hosea 11:1, He called Israel, a son, yet to whom He was/is betrothed, and so much more! Though it’s somewhat of a challenge to imagine, the clear point is The Lord has numerous, deep relationships with the people through whose lineage He was born, and became a man.

 

A. Do you think such varying, relational declarations were sequential over time, or might they all be overlapping, with eternal implications?

 

B. What, if anything, might such declarations infer regarding the bride of Christ?

 

9. Iteratively, across pages and ages of The Bible, especially in the Old Testament, The Lord personally attests of His exceptionally strong and undying desire for Jerusalem. (For examples, see: 2 Chronicles 6.6, 7.16, Psalm 132.13-14, Isaiah 2.2-4, Ezekiel 43.7, Joel 3.17-21, Zechariah 2.8, and Matthew 5.34-35.) 

 

Moreover, 38 times The Bible refers to Jerusalem as ‘she’ and ‘her’. Of these, 34 are in the prophetic books of the Old Testament, and 4 are in the New Testament. The final such reference is in Revelation 21:2, where, in his futuristic vision of the new, eternal Earth, John ‘…saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.’ 

 

Relative to the bride of Christ, what might be the strategic rationale for, and insights we could/should derive from these references?

 

10. In Revelation 19:1-4,6-7, John reported seeing/hearing a great multitude that, in v. 5, a voice from The Throne confirmed was ‘…ALL you His [The Lord’s] servants.’ As explained in Missed Insights from Revelation 20, this multitude was different and much bigger than the relatively smaller multitude he had seen in Revelation 7, the 4^th age/tribulation age saints. Later, in Revelation 20, John saw both of these multitudes reigning with Christ for a thousand years. But prior to that, in Revelation 19:7, this larger multitude makes a reference to …the marriage supper of The Lamb, and His wife. 

 

A. Do you think/believe the reference from The Throne to ALL you His [The Lord’s] servants, includes ALL saints since Adam, or only us church-age, post-cross (3^rd age) saints? Explain. 

 

B. Do the references to ‘wife’ and ‘marriage supper’ indicate the wedding had already occurred, since the word, ‘wife’, is only used, and the wedding supper event only occurs after a wedding?

 

11. If the wedding will have already occurred, why do you think neither John nor his Revelation 19 angel escort, refer to this great multitude of ALL The Lord’s saints as, The Lamb’s wife?

 

12. Revelation 19:1-9 refer to three parties: (a) the great multitude of ALL The Lord’s servants; (b) The Lamb’s wife; and (c) those who are called/invited to the marriage supper of The Lamb. 

 

Do you think/believe these 3 references are to different or the same group(s)? Explain.

 

13. In Revelation 21, a different angel escorts John to ‘see The Lamb’s wife’. This visit turned out to be a tour of the New Jerusalem, not another view of, and visit with ALL The Lord’s servants John had seen in Revelation 19 and 20. During the tour, John noted the names of the 12 tribes of Israel were written on the 12 massive gates to the city; and the names of The Lord’s apostles were written on its 12 massive foundations. 

 

A. Why do you think the angel referred to the new Jerusalem as ‘The Lord’s wife’?

 

B. Why do you think the tour did not include any people?

 

14.A. What might be the significance of this aspect of John’s vision as the only direct Bible reference to the bride/wife of Christ? NB: The reference to The Lamb’s bride in Revelation 19 is not direct, but indirect and un-identified.

 

B. Do you perceive any plausible correlations between this point, and The Lord’s declared approach to releasing knowledge, wisdom and understanding to us, per Isaiah 28:10 & 13? Recall, in Ephesians 5:25-33, Paul’s did not explicitly call or refer to the church as the bride of Christ. Rather he analogized the relationship between a man and his wife, as being like the relationship between Christ and His church.

 

15. Might branding the gates and foundations of the New Jerusalem with Jewish names, strategically infer the city will be the eternal abode of the saved Jewish remnant, and the place where we Gentile saints will periodically enter and leave? 

 

16. During the tour of the city, John noted the nations of those who are saved, shall walk in the light of the city, and the kings of these nations shall bring into the city, their glory and honor, and the glory and the honor of the(ir) nations. (Revelation 21:24-26)

 

Could this be a strategic inference that ALL Gentile saved peoples, from every nation, people, tribes and tongues, will  be eternally resident in nations outside the new, eternal Jerusalem? Explain.

 

NB: A strict, narrow reading of the above verses might seem to hint only the kings of these (Gentile?) nations will be able to enter into the new, eternal Jerusalem. This would be an incorrect understanding. In Revelation 22:14, Jesus personally clarifies that all who do [i.e., practice in this current life] His commandments, will have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. This point underscores the need to (a) allow Scripture to interpret Scripture, and (b) always/ALWAYS search for the last reference to any Bible topic, keeping in mind The Lord’s ‘here a little, there a little’ approach to releasing to us from His unlimited supply of knowledge, wisdom and understanding.

 

17.A. What else might this clear geographic distinction infer, especially if you think/believe the church or some group of people will comprise the bride of Christ?

 

B. For example, does it seem to infer a distinction or some type of schism in the combined great multitude John saw in Revelation 19 and 20? Any other inferences?

 

NB: In Revelation 21:24-26, John references nations outside the new Jerusalem. In Revelation 22:15, Jesus refers to what’s outside the new Jerusalem, as ‘dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.’ This is yet another point that might trigger an incorrect understanding if the phrase, outside the city, is understood much too narrowly! Here’s the correct understanding when we allow Scripture to interpret Scripture: 

 

Scriptures more broadly reveal the new, eternal Earth will comprise three unique/very different geographic zones:

 

o Two glorified zones (including the New Jerusalem and nations of glorified saints, per Revelation 21), and 

o The zone of the damned, the vast, eternal lake of fire, per Isaiah 66:24, Revelation 19:20, 20:15, and 22:14.

 

18. If Exodus 19:6 is intended as an eternal priestly designation for all saved Jews, does it infer their eternal residency inside the new, eternal Jerusalem, where they will be forever up-close and personal with The Lord, or possibly something else? Explain.

 

19. What, if anything, might this implied distinction between the two declared glorified geographic zones, infer about the concept that we Gentile saints are ‘grafted into Israel'?

 

20. Revelation 19:14 mentions ‘armies of Heaven’. Presumably, this is a reference to ALL The Lord’s angels and saints, inferring Heaven will be literally emptied onto Earth for The Millennial Reign! This remarkably comports with Psalm 149:9, Zechariah 14:5, Matthew 25:31, 1 Thessalonians 3:13, and 2 Thessalonians 1:10.

 

An Old Testament principle/practice was for a newly married man to be exempt for a year from serving in the army/military service, to allow time for the marriage to settle into a comfortable, happy groove. (See: Deuteronomy 24:5)

 

A. In light of this, and especially of insights from your answers to questions #s 13 and 14 above, will the bride of Christ be on this current, temporary version of Earth during His Millennial Reign? Explain.

B. If the bride of Christ is something other than a group of people, where might it be during The Millennial Reign? Explain.

21. In the parable of the 10 virgins, in Matthew 25, what do you intuit was/were their planned role(s):

(A) During the wedding ceremony,

(B) During the traditional marriage supper following the ceremony, and 

(C) Thereafter??

22. Finally, regarding your answer to #5 above, if/IF you might conclude the bride of Christ is likely the new, eternal Jerusalem, and not any group of people (whether only all us 3^rd age saints, only all Jewish saints, or all saints since Adam -- from across the first 4 ages of history), we know that 2.7+ billion cubic mile city, with its MASSIVE walls, gates and foundations, cannot possibly fit onto our current, tiny, temporary version of Earth, unless The Lord totally restructures either this Earth to withstand such a physical load, or restructures that massive city to fit this Earth, or possibly both! That is presuming the new, eternal Jerusalem will be a physical facility! (See: Consider the New Jerusalem, in What If?...(Subsequent Creations.) During The Millennial Reign, both Jerusalem and Israel will be greatly e-x-p-a-n-d-e-d. Zechariah 14:10 predicts Jerusalem will be raised up high, the possible result of one of the predicted global earthquakes during the apocalypse.

 

A. In light of that, what do you imagine might be the physical facility headquarters, in Jerusalem, for The Lord’s Millennial Reign??? An earthly facility? A heavenly facility that will somehow accompany The Lord during His/our alien-like invasion of Earth?? C’mon, s-t-r-e-t-c-h your creative imagination based on your Bible insights. And be sure to share your wildest thoughts in the comments section below, or e-mail them to me, and I’ll summarize them as from Anonymous. ;o)

B. If The Lord's bride is the new Jerusalem, and it will not be featured on our Earth during His Millennial Reign, would that infer He will be away from His bride for a thousand years?

C. Given how The Lord feels and thinks about Israel, and His promise about a Jewish remnant group who will be saved, why do the last 2 chapters of Revelation not have any explicit references to Israel and Jews?? They must be subsumed in the general pronoun references, they and them, in those chapters. 

D. Could it possibly be that the bride of Christ are integrally, both the un-mentioned Jewish saints in/and the new Jerusalem??? Now that's food for thought... 

 

Peace and many blessings as you continue to allow

Scripture to interpret Scripture~