the Day of the Lord. How long will it last?

[John Prewett]

....................... God will send Christ down from His throne room to destroy the beast and false prophet casting them into the lake of fire and slaying all who followed after the beast taking its mark.

So far so good

He then sends His angels out and gathers those, alive and a sleep in the grave, who are His own as we are caught up to meet Him in the air, 1 Corinthians 15:51-58; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Rev 19:11-21.

No, we are not in Paul's era. In our era, upon His return, Christ will NOT send His angels out and gather the saved and meet them in the air. Rather the saved will have followed Christ from heaven. There will be no saved on earth when Christ returns as per Rev 19. Before the Rev 19 return, all the saved will have been beheaded and will have gone to heaven to be with Christ.

Note both the gathering around the sea of glass (Rev 15) and the marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev 19) take place before Christ Rev 19 return.

"for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and His wife has made herself ready.
8 It was granted her to be arrayed in fine linen,
clean and white.”
14 The armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.

The saved follow Jesus from heaven and they/we are called an "army."

Instead of "meeting Christ in the air upon His return" .... the saved ("overcomers")
of our era will be seated on thrones and begin to reign with Christ.

" I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and the authority to judge was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness of Jesus and for the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. Rev 20:4

 

[for_his_glory]

The "man of sin" that Paul predicted would come did come .... about 2000 years ago.

It could be said the "man of sin" that Paul wrote of
was liken to the "Beast" OF THAT generation/era.

Certainly Paul's "man of sin" is similar to the Beast in that the "man of sin" and the Beast were/are empowered by Satan.

Paul was not writing about the Beast that will soon emerge in OUR generation.
ONLY the Revelation reveals how to identify the Beast.
Only the Revelation reveals the Beast connection with the Great Whore
(The G.W. that came into being AFTER Paul's generation)
So only the Revelation would make one know the Beast was a Roman Catholic.
Only the Revelation would inform one of the Beast "fatal head wound".
Only the Revelation would reveal the Beast "was, and is not, and is to come"
Only the Revelation reveals the "marking" and the terrible fate of all who take the "mark"

Paul did NOT "identify the beast" The Beast comes in OUR era .... not in Paul's.

One does not need Paul's writings to identify the Beast. However,
One does need Revelation 13->forward to identify the Beast that will emerge in our era..

Rev 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. 2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. 3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. 4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

Now compare this with Daniel chapter seven and 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12 you will see who the beast out of the sea and out of the earth are.

In Rev 12:3 the other sign John saw was a great red dragon meaning Satan. Remember, this is a vision and a sign as Satan has not yet been thrown out of heaven. The description of the dragon being great and red depicts its nature and character as being fierce and murderous, John 8:44. This red dragon is depicted as having seven heads, ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. This is also confirmed in Rev 17 as mystery Babylon is described. The seven heads and ten horns refer to the original ten kingdoms of which three were subdued by the little horn of Daniel 7:8. The last kingdom which stands greater than all the others is that of a revived Roman Empire that takes control over all the ten nations who then implements a deceiving peace treaty to a world that is in great distress. Below is that of the seven kingdoms described as four beasts in Daniel 7:1-8 and the three kingdoms that were subdued by the little horn, which is the Roman Empire.

The three kingdoms that were subdued by the little horn of Daniel 7:24 are the Heruli, Vandals, and Ostrogoths who were eliminated by the year 538 AD under the leadership of the Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian whose deadly wound came in 1798.

Seven remaining nations that still exist today that are described in Daniel 7:1-8:

Babylonian Empire:
(Iraq) The lion represents the winged lions that guarded the royal places of Babylon. This Empire ran from 2000BC - 1759BC

Medo – Persian Empire:
(Iran) The ribs of the bear are part of the consuming greed that devours the first empire. This Empire ran approximately from 536BC - 330BC

Grecian Empire:
(Greece, Turkey, Syria, Egypt) Four wings of the leopard described the swiftness of this empire that ran from 334-331BC. It wrestled world dominion from Medo-Persia. After the death of Alexander the Great the kingdom was divided into four minor kingdoms that continued as prominent factors in world politics until the Roman Empire gathered it back as one kingdom.

Roman Empire: (little horn, Daniel 8:9-14, 23-27)
Iron represents the stronghold this nation had. Daniel chapter 2 mentions the iron element of this empire that it to will be divided and broken as God will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed.
This Empire ran from 753BC -27BC

The seven heads are that of the Babylonian Empire, Medo/Persian Empire, Grecian Empire and Roman Empire. The ten horns represent the nations the Roman Empire scattered to when the deadly wound was put upon them, Daniel 7:23-25; Rev 13:3. The deadly wound came in 1798 when General Berthier of France, who made his entrance into Rome, abolished the Roman government and established a secular one and captured Pope Pius VI, who soon died in captivity in Valence, on August 29, 1799. In 1801 Napoleon made an agreement with Pope Pius II establishing Napoleon’s Organic Articles of granting the Tribunal and the Corps legislative partial control of the concordat in order to help the state monitor any politically harmful Catholic or Protestant movements or activities. The wound was largely healed in 1929 when Mussolini gave the Vatican back to Pope Pius XI and established it as a country in it's own right in the Lateran Treaty.

 

[for_his_glory]

So far so good



No, we are not in Paul's era. In our era, upon His return, Christ will NOT send His angels out and gather the saved and meet them in the air. Rather the saved will have followed Christ from heaven. There will be no saved on earth when Christ returns as per Rev 19. Before the Rev 19 return, all the saved will have been beheaded and will have gone to heaven to be with Christ.

Note both the gathering around the sea of glass (Rev 15) and the marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev 19) take place before Christ Rev 19 return.

"for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and His wife has made herself ready.
8 It was granted her to be arrayed in fine linen,
clean and white.”
14 The armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.

The saved follow Jesus from heaven and they/we are called an "army."

Instead of "meeting Christ in the air upon His return" .... the saved ("overcomers")
of our era will be seated on thrones and begin to reign with Christ.

" I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and the authority to judge was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness of Jesus and for the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. Rev 20:4

Where in scripture does it say all who have died that are God's own by faith are now with Him in heaven?

Rev 19:14 the army is the host (angels) of heaven that follow Christ as they are clothed in the righteousness of God in the Spiritual realm of the third heaven where God sits on His throne. At this time the Bride has made herself ready that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white, for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. Nowhere does it say we are in heaven and return with Him, but we will be caught up to meet Him in the air, both alive at His coming and those who sleep in the grave, 1 Corinthians 15:51-58; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.

The events of Matthew 24:29-31 has not happened yet in anyones era as this happenes on the last day when Christ returns as He said in John 3:13 that no one has ever ascended up to heaven so I will believe what Christ has said. You can choose to ignore John 3:13; John 5:28, 29 and John 6:40 if you want to do so.

Not every Christian will be beheaded if they heed the warning Jesus gave in Matthew 24:15-21, but many will not flee for they have read vs. 15, but have no understanding.

Rev 20:1-9 In John's vision he sees thrones and those who sat upon them were those who were beheaded for their witness and testimony of Christ as they did not take the mark of the beast, Rev 13:11-18. They died a martyr's death and their souls now joined with those souls who also died a martyr's death and seen of John’s vision waiting under the altar to be avenged, Rev 6:9-11. The only thing that returns back to God when one dies is the very breath/spirit that made us a living soul, Genesis 2:7; Ecc 12:7.

Now the time of fulfillment will have come as judgment on those who have been persecuted to death for their witness of Christ and all are now avenged for the blood they spilled for their witness and testimony for the sake of Christ and not only those who were persecuted to death, but all the saints of God from the beginning of time and those who are still alive at the coming of Christ are all a part of the first resurrection being the first fruits of His creatures, Daniel 12:1-4; John 6:40; John 5:28, 29; James 1:8; Romans 8:23.

 

[Nathan12]

The Day of the Lord. When the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised and we shall be changed.

That is "the Day of Christ", not the Day of the Lord (LORD).

Many seem to confuse these two "days". The Day of Christ is just one day for the Resurrection/Rapture of the saints. You can call this "the Day of Salvation", since all the saints will be perfected (which is the ultimate goal of salvation).

But the Day of the Lord (LORD) will be for approximately 3 1/2 years (42 months) less a few months because it will be a very terrible period of judgment. You can call this "the Day of Wrath", which will correspond to the Great Tribulation and the 7th trumpet judgments (7 vials of the wrath of God).

 

[for_his_glory]

That is "the Day of Christ", not the Day of the Lord (LORD).

Many seem to confuse these two "days". The Day of Christ is just one day for the Resurrection/Rapture of the saints. You can call this "the Day of Salvation", since all the saints will be perfected (which is the ultimate goal of salvation).

But the Day of the Lord (LORD) will be for approximately 3 1/2 years (42 months) less a few months because it will be a very terrible period of judgment. You can call this "the Day of Wrath", which will correspond to the Great Tribulation and the 7th trumpet judgments (7 vials of the wrath of God).

Do you not believe that Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of lords?

Rev 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

Rev 19:16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

Jesus only returns once and that is on the last day. He returns in the air with His army of angels from heaven and destroys the beast and false prophet while He sends His angels out to the four corners of the earth to gather all who are His to Him. Matthew 24:29-31; John 5:28, 29; John 6:40; 1 Corinthians 15:51-58; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Rev 19:11-21.

 

[Nathan12]

Do you not believe that Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of lords?

Most certainly. but context is critical. We see this aspect of Christ when He descends for the battle of Armageddon, following which He will destroy all the kingdoms of the world and set up His own righteous Kingdom of God.

Rev 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
Rev 19:16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

This is with reference to Armageddon.

Jesus only returns once and that is on the last day.

There is a fair bit of misunderstanding about "the last day". Many think it is a 24 hour day, when it is in fact a period of time extending for over 1000 years.

Yes Jesus returns just once TO EARTH and with His armies of saints and angels. But before that (at least 7-10 years before that) He come "in the air" to accomplish the Resurrection/Rapture of the saints, and this too in nanoseconds. This is not a descent to earth at all.

He returns in the air with His army of angels from heaven and destroys the beast and false prophet while He sends His angels out to the four corners of the earth to gather all who are His to Him. Matthew 24:29-31; John 5:28, 29; John 6:40; 1 Corinthians 15:51-58; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Rev 19:11-21.

You have omitted the saints in this return. But in Revelation 19, the saints are present (along with the angels) and are called the Lamb's Wife. Then after His return Christ sends out His angels to gather "the elect" (or the believing remnant of Israel) from the four corners of the earth.

 

[for_his_glory]

Yes Jesus returns just once TO EARTH and with His armies of saints and angels. But before that (at least 7-10 years before that) He come "in the air" to accomplish the Resurrection/Rapture of the saints, and this too in nanoseconds. This is not a descent to earth at all.

What you say here goes against what is already written in the scriptures that I have listed below about no saints being in heaven. Rev 19:14 only mentions the army of angels and nothing about the saints as they are not in heaven, plus we at that time do not go to war for Jesus. John 5:28, 29 and John 6:40 both are very clear that Christ returns on the last day and during this time as being God's timing, not ours, we are then gathered to Him in the air, Matthew 24:29-31; 1 Corinthians 15:51-58; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.

Where does it say in scripture that Jesus returns in the air at least 7-10 years before destroying the beast and false prophet to accomplish the Resurrection/Rapture of the saints. The teaching of the Rapture, for I use to believe, but no longer, is in theory only as scripture does not support this theory that started in the early 1800's as many jumped on this money making bandwagon. It was never taught by the prophets, Jesus or any of the Apostles.

The armies in Rev 19:14 are the heavenly host/angels that are warring angels that come down from heaven with Jesus as they are clothed in fine linen, white and clean which means they are clothed in God's righteousness as we will be when Christ returns.

Jesus returns in the air and destroys the beast and false prophet casting them into the lake of fire and the remnant are also slained by the words of Christ that have followed the beast and took its mark, Rev 19:11-21.

It's during the time of binding Satan that Jesus sends these angels out to the four corners of the earth to gather all who are alive and asleep in their graves as they are caught up to meet Jesus in the air when He returns.

The battle of Armageddon is when Satan is loosed for a time and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever, Rev 20:8-10.

Rev 19:14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Genesis 3:19 in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Ecc 12:7 then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

We return to the dust of the ground when this physical body dies and our breath/spirit returns to God as we wait for Gods final judgment.

John 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

We either believe that which is already written or believe that of what man adds or takes away from scripture.

 

[for_his_glory]

You have omitted the saints in this return. But in Revelation 19, the saints are present (along with the angels) and are called the Lamb's Wife. Then after His return Christ sends out His angels to gather "the elect" (or the believing remnant of Israel) from the four corners of the earth.

Rev 19:1-4 We are only preparing for the marriage of the Lamb that takes place after Jesus hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.

Vs. 7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

The time of the marriage of the Lamb will have come after mystery Babylon, the great mother of harlots, is described and then destroyed, Rev 18, 19. We will then be clothed in fine linen clean and white which is the righteousness of saints.

 

[Nathan12]

What you say here goes against what is already written in the scriptures that I have listed below about no saints being in heaven.

Well you are clearly mistaken, but we will leave it at that.

 

[for_his_glory]

Well you are clearly mistaken, but we will leave it at that.

No, you can't say I am clearly mistaken and will leave it at that. Either we are right and the scriptures are wrong, or the scriptures are truth and we are wrong.

We can not add to or take away from the scriptures as Rev 22:18, 19 gives a very clear warning to people who do this.

I use to believe in a pretrib Rapture and bought into all those teachers that taught this. I thought I was missing something within the scriptures they used because I wasn't reading that of what they were teaching, but yet accepted what they taught because after all they were Pastors and I was very young in knowledge.

Back in the day I didn't have the knowledge I have now, and one day I started questioning their teachings because scripture was not presenting itself the way they were teaching.

One of the main scriptures they use is Rev 4:1 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 show thee things which must be hereafter.

How they twisted this to support their theory, I have no idea as nothing there speaks of a Rapture, nor does any scripture they try to use. John was only in the Spirit on the isle of Patmos when he received these revelations.

Jesus said that no one has ever ascended into heaven other than himself as it is only the breath/spirit that God breathed in us making us a living soul that returns back to Him. I will believe what He has already said that we are caught up to meet Jesus in the air on the last day after He destroys mystery Babylon casting this beast and her false prophet into the lake of fire.

John 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

John 5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

John 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. 38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

 

[for_his_glory]

Revelation 15:1-4

In Chapter fourteen we read about the third angel preaching the everlasting gospel for the last time and giving a warning to what will happen to those who take the mark of the beast and bow down to its gods. The gospel has now been preached to all nations around the world and now the end of days are about to be finalized, Matthew 24:14. The seven angels are about to pour out the last seven vial judgments of Gods fierce wrath on those who have chosen to follow and make allegiance to the beast and bow down to its false doctrines and gods as they have taken the mark of this beast.

The sea of glass symbolizes the vastness of Gods holiness and purity that is a place in our heart of peace and restful assurance. It is a place of safety as we endure our time here on earth trusting God in all things until the coming of the Lord as we have been warned to flee from the abomination that causes desolation which is the Luciferians New World Order, Matthew 24:13-22. Those who are still alive and in Christ are kept in the safety of Gods protection, Psalms 91, from the last seven plagues harming them as they are sealed by the Holy Spirit, 2 Corinthians 1:22, unto the day of redemption when at that time Jesus will return in the air for His Bride that has made herself ready.

The sea of glass mingled with fire is like that of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego that were of Gods purity as they abide in great faith and trust in the Lord as they were unharmed in Nebuchadnezzar's fiery furnace as they refused to bow down and worship the golden image Nebuchadnezzar had made, Daniel chapter 3. The same will be during the last seven vial judgments that those who have not died a martyrs death and have kept their faith and trust in Jesus will come out of the fiery indignation of God unharmed and will be with the Lord forever.

Back in Revelation 14:3 we read about those before the throne of God singing a new song that no man could learn. They who are singing this song are those whose bodies have returned back to the dust of the ground and their spirit has gone back to God who gave it as they sing the song of triumph as they have been redeemed of the Lord, Ecclesiastes 12:7; 1 Corinthians 15:55 . Those who are in Christ that are still alive during these last seven vial judgments of God will soon learn the song of Moses as God makes an end to all things here on earth and then we will be with the Lord forever before His glorious throne, Exodus 15:1.

 

[Nathan12]

The sea of glass symbolizes the vastness of Gods holiness and purity that is a place in our heart of peace and restful assurance.

While that could be a good application of the impact of the sea of glass upon our souls and spirits, there is no reason why we cannot also take it literally as a sea of heavenly glass. We should also keep in mind that heavenly gold is unlike earthly gold in that it is transparent, and the entire city is built out of heavenly gold. Possibly the sea of glass is made of that same heavenly gold.

It would appear that some Christians have a hard time accepting the descriptions of the New Jerusalem literally. But there is absolutely no reason to not do so.

 

[for_his_glory]

While that could be a good application of the impact of the sea of glass upon our souls and spirits, there is no reason why we cannot also take it literally as a sea of heavenly glass. We should also keep in mind that heavenly gold is unlike earthly gold in that it is transparent, and the entire city is built out of heavenly gold. Possibly the sea of glass is made of that same heavenly gold.

It would appear that some Christians have a hard time accepting the descriptions of the New Jerusalem literally. But there is absolutely no reason to not do so.

I agree as there is no reason to not believe what the New Jerusalem will look like according to the vision given to John in Rev 21. I don't think any of us can truly fathom what it will look like. One thing about scripture is that many things that are a metaphor are likened unto literal things. I guess we will find out on the last day after all judgments are final, we are with Christ, the heaven and earth renewed and the New Jerusalem is ushered down. What a glorious day that will be.