42 years, 42 stations, 42 months, 42 chapters

The Jews spent more than 40 years in the wilderness; they spent a total of 42 years.
In the New Testament, you read

"And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness."
Acts 13:18

It reads "about the time", that is, "around" forty years.

How do you get 42?

Well the calculation of the 40 years starts only after the episode at Kadeshbarnea where the Jews were on the verge of entering Canaan's land.

Let's follow how time is elapsing from Sinia to Kadeshbarnea.

(As usual, these posts are verse-intensive. The verses are not there for sheer confirmation, they are the very substance of the argument in their content and layout. So if you skim the verses you're skimming the argument.)

Look at Numbers 9:1-2

And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying,
Let the children of Israel also keep the passover at his appointed season.

You see here that at the start of the second year, the Jews were still in the wilderness of Sinai, very much south of the land of Canaan, where they were to keep the passover.

The next chapter Numbers 10:11-12

And it came to pass on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, that the cloud was taken up from off the tabernacle of the testimony.
And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran.

They leave the wilderness of Sinai 20 days into the second month of the second year.

Numbers 10:33

And they departed from the mount of the LORD three days' journey: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them in the three days' journey, to search out a resting place for them.

Now we're 23 days into the second month of the second year. (Remember, a Jewish month has 30 days, not 31)


Numbers 11:1-3 18-20, 31-32

And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp.
And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the LORD, the fire was quenched.
And he called the name of the place Taberah: because the fire of the LORD burnt among them.

I quote this only to note that some time has elapsed, though we're not told how many days.

Numbers 11:4, 18-20, 31-32

And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?

And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow, and ye shall eat flesh: for ye have wept in the ears of the LORD, saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? for it was well with us in Egypt: therefore the LORD will give you flesh, and ye shall eat.
Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days;
But even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye have despised the LORD which is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt?

And there went forth a wind from the LORD, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, as it were a day's journey on this side, and as it were a day's journey on the other side, round about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth.
And the people stood up all that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quails: he that gathered least gathered ten homers: and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp.

The people are stuck gathering and eating quails for a whole month, so now we're at least into the end of third month of the second year.

After that comes the episode of Aaron and Miriam's rebellion, and the latter's leprosy

Numbers 12:14-26

And the LORD said unto Moses, If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days? let her be shut out from the camp seven days, and after that let her be received in again.
And Miriam was shut out from the camp seven days: and the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again.
And afterward the people removed from Hazeroth, and pitched in the wilderness of Paran.

Add that week and you're into the 4th month of the second year.
Now you'll remember the wilderness of Paran from Numbers 10:12 which I've already quoted

And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran.

So what you've had so far from Sinai to Paran are "journeyS", plural. The cloud "rested" there and they "pitched" there. Back in Numbers 9:21-22 you read

And so it was, when the cloud abode from even unto the morning, and that the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they journeyed: whether it was by day or by night that the cloud was taken up, they journeyed.
Or whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, remaining thereon, the children of Israel abode in their tents, and journeyed not: but when it was taken up, they journeyed.

So beside the elapsed days we were actually able to calculate up to that point, the Jews have had many journeyings interrupted by possibly long halts on their way North from Sinai to the land of Canaan.
So here they are now, in Numbers 12, pitched in the wilderness of Paran, at the threshold of Canaan.

Numbers 13:1-3,25

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them.
And Moses by the commandment of the LORD sent them from the wilderness of Paran: all those men were heads of the children of Israel.

And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.

Add another 40 days unto the second year. By now we're half-way into the second year. That's about 6 months that we were able to track, it's important to keep that in mind, for as we have seen, there were many journeyings and rests.

It is from this point, that the 40 year countdown is about to begin!

Let's see why/how

Numbers 13:32-33 (follow carefully)

And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.
And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

14:1-3

And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.
And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!
And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?

14:26

And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,

14:33-35

And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, (starting from this point) and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness.
After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.
I the LORD have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.

The Lord God made the Jews turn back from Kadeshbarnea (Numbers 32:8), where they were at the very entrance of Canaan, and made them wander 40 years till all the parents died.

You thus end up with 2 years from Egypt to Kadeshbarnea, and 40 from Kadeshbarnea to Jericho, when they finally enter the land per se, for a total of 42 years.

Allright, 42 years, so what's the point? Well we'll see in a moment, but if you're a Bible-believing student of the Bible, that number, 42, already says something to you. First, let me confirm it.

In Numbers 33, we are given a list naming all the stations of the Jewish people as they trecked from Egypt to Canaan during those 42 years. Let's count them.

1. Rameses
2. Succoth
3. Etham
4. Pihahiroth
5. Marah
6. Elim
7. the Red sea
8. the wilderness of Sin
9. Dophkah
10. Alush
11. Rephidim
12. the wilderness of Sinai
13. Kibrothhattaavah
14. Hazeroth
15. Rithmah
16. Rimmonparez
17. Libnah
18. Rissah
19. Kehelathah
20. mount Shapher
21. Haradah
22. Makheloth
23. Tahath
24. Tarah
25. Mithcah
26. Hashmonah
27. Moseroth
28. Benejaakan
29. Horhagidgad
30. Jotbathah
31. Ebronah
32. Eziongaber
33. the wilderness of Zin, which is Kadesh
34. mount Hor
35. Zalmonah
36. Punon
37. Oboth
38. Ijeabarim
39. Dibongad
40. Almondiblathaim
41. the mountains of Abarim
42. the plains of Moab

I'd encourage you to open Numbers 33 and count them. That's how this post originated. I was reading my Bible and when I came upon Numbers 33 I decided to count the stations by transcribing them, which turned out 42 in number. I eventually remembered that the Jews had spent 42 years in the wilderness.

Friday night after AWANA, I showed the list to a church Deacon and friend named Dan. I said there are 42 stations listed, and the Jews spent 42 years in the wilderness, I have no idea what it all means but it's cool.

Then he pointed out the obvious which had completely eluded me. Looking at that number can you guess?

...

The Jews will suffer greatly during the 42 months of the great tribulation while Jerusalem is down-trodden and the antichrist rules as a god.

Revelation 11:2

But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.

Revelation 13:5

And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

That would allow us to study the wilderness years as a type of the great tribulation and reinforces the teaching that Moses in one of the two witnesses that show up during the great tribulation.

We know for example that Israel, during the great tribulation, will flee to the wilderness and there be fed with manna from God yet again.

Revelation 12:6
And the woman (Israel) fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.

1260/30= 42 months!

Now when I got to this part of the post, I began to reference verses dealing with Israel in the wilderness during the great tribulation while she is fleeing from the antichrist, and I fell on a verse that astounded me... I literally got out of my chair and walked around for joy because the Lord confirmed the type. Had I found the verse before all this I would've opened with it; look:

Micah 7:14-15

Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine heritage, which dwell solitarily in the wood, in the midst of Carmel: let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.
According to the days of thy coming out of the land of Egypt will I shew unto him marvellous things.

How's that one to confirm a type ey! V.14 is Israel in the wilderness during the great tribulation. If you're not sure check out the following verses.

Job is primarily a picture of Israel during the great tribulation. Do you remember how many chapters the book contains?

42.

Job 12:24

He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.

Job 24:5

Behold, as wild asses in the desert, go they forth to their work; rising betimes for a prey: the wilderness yieldeth food for them and for their children.

Job 24:8

They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for want of a shelter.

Job 30:3-7

For want and famine they were solitary; fleeing into the wilderness in former time desolate and waste.

Who cut up mallows by the bushes, and juniper roots for their meat.

They were driven forth from among men, (they cried after them as after a thief;)

To dwell in the clifts of the valleys, in caves of the earth, and in the rocks.

Among the bushes they brayed; under the nettles they were gathered together.

(The parallels with Elijah are great! Remember that Elijah who also shows up with Moses during the great tribulation as a witness, ends up

1) driven forth from Jezebel, who shows up in the book of Revelation!

2) in the wilderness!

3) under a juniper tree!

4) requesting death!

5) fed with meat and drink supernaturally!

6) travelling through the wilderness 40 days!

7) in Horeb the mount of God (Sinai)!

8) in a cave!

1Kings 19:4 But he himself went a day's journey (same term as used for Israel in the wilderness) into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
1Ki 19:5 And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.
1Ki 19:6 And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.
1Ki 19:7 And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.
1Ki 19:8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.
1Ki 19:9 And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?

Jeremiah 31:2

Thus saith the LORD, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest.

Hosea 2:14

Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her.

There's another place where 42 shows up in the Bible and it's in connection with Elisha

2Kings 2:23-25
And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.And he went from thence to mount Carmel, and from thence he returned to Samaria.

Yet another place where 42 shows in the Bible.

2Kings 10:13 Jehu met with the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, Who are ye? And they answered, We are the brethren of Ahaziah; and we go down to salute the children of the king and the children of the queen. :14 And he said, Take them alive. And they took them alive, and slew them at the pit of the shearing house, even two and forty men; neither left he any of them.

42 shows up also in Ezra's genealogies.

If anyone has insight on how to tie it up, please leave a comment and let me know.
I'm thinking of the bears, since one of Daniel's 4 beasts is a bear, and the antichrist is an amalgam of the 4 beasts...but nothing beyond that, assuming "that" is anything at all... Anyway let me know.

The post probably has too many words to say little, but one thing's for sure, that Bible is out of this world and I hope your faith in the words and arrangement of the Lord's book is increased.

Daniel's 70 weeks, Part 1, Greg Estep

It turns out there are still some born-again Christians desirous of some rightly divided Bible doctrine. Praise the Lord, what an encouragement.

I will leave the issue of the rapture of the Church aside for a while, though there is still alot to be said for that. We haven't even touched the typology.

This is Part 1 of a 6 part series Dr. Estep teaches on Daniel's 70 weeks. Understanding those weeks helps you understand pre-millennialism [the Lord Jesus Christ is coming back bodily, physically, to sit on the Jewish throne of David, in Jerusalem, and rule the world, literally, politically, for a thousand years (not to be mistaken with the antichrist's mock rule during the tribulation)] which is THE doctrine that underpins right division of the word of truth.
The series was a blessing to me, and I hope it will be to you.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

James Modlish preaching "which rapture?"

I give so much importance to this subject because it is the next big event on the Lord God's calendar and a point of doctrinal confusion to many.
There's more to be said about the pre-tribulation rapture of the church but please listen to this excellent sermon.

Which Rapture?


notice that the title of the message implies MORE THAN 1 RAPTURE. Modlish gets into the doctrine 5-10 minutes into the sermon. It is 45 minutes long.

Pre-tribulation rapture of the church, part3; which gospel?

Please read disclaimer in Part 1. What you are about to read is firmly based on the 1st and most important rule of Bible study: THINGS DIFFERENT ARE NOT EQUAL UNLESS THE BIBLE DEFINES THEM TO BE.

Now I want to make one thing clear: The Bible doctrine for the church of God is that salvation of a man's soul is wholly apart from any work, by the Grace of God without any admixture and that salvation cannot, once obtained, in any way be lost.

But that's for the church of God only. We eternal security folks somehow got it right for us. But then in trying to defend the position we did not study to divide the dispensations and have ended up with crazy interpretations to negate verses that most clearly teach loss of salvation,JUST NOT FOR THE CHURCH. The Bible is not doctrinally all for the church. Get that man, get that.

Let's cut to the chase and see why the Church of God could not by any stretch be involved in the tribulation described by the chapters afore-mentioned.

The key that settles the issue is Matthew 24:14.

Matthew 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Mat 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

The Lord is saying that during the tribulation, the gospel OF THE KINGDOM shall be preached. Now what I'm about to say will cause even independent baptists to blow a casket. I am one, and thank the Lord for the good doctrine. But I had to submit to Bible doctrine, and the Bible is not a Baptist book.

Please observe how people who do not "DIVIDE the word of truth" stick their foot in their mouth

"Finally, Jesus made a profound statement in verse 14. He told the disciples the reason for the long delay in His coming back to earth. It is the completion of the task He assigned to the disciples, and to us as well. The gospel must be
preached among all nations before the end will come…"

Pasted from <;http://www.geocities.com/~lasttrumpet/od9.html

That this reading is bunk will be shortly displayed, but notice that according to the living word of God, the kind of gospel that can produce faith has already been preached to the entire world

Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Rom 10:18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.

So what was the point of history rushing past Matthew 24:14 if these folks are right?

Paul is referring to Psalm 19:2-4. You can't get out of that one. The Holy Spirit is saying this was enough to produce faith in a man.

Colossians 1:5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;

Col 1:6 Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:

Colossians 1:23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

Even if one argues that Paul is saying this in the sense that the gospel was designed for the whole world and was preached to every kind of human being, Jew or Gentile, you can still get a sense of the gospel's spread in Paul's day, bearing in mind that back then the world's population was about 150+ million. That's half today's USA population.

Now, they tell you "the gospel must be preached". That's NOT what Jesus said. He said "the gospel of the kingdom", not "the gospel". Remember the trump/trumpet problem? It's english folks, not greek.

You say " is there a difference?" Brother is there ever!

There is more than 1 gospel in the Bible. Don't freak out. I know your denomination would flip at that. So would mine. Patience, and check the scriptures.

Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, correctly identified 4 different forms the Gospel in the Bible (technically there are ten)

(1) The Gospel of the kingdom (Matthew 3:2; 4:17; 4:23; 8:12;
9:35; 10:7; 24:14, Daniel 2, 2 Samuel 7:16)

(2) The Gospel of the grace of God. (Acts 20:24)

(3) That which Paul calls, "my Gospel" (Romans 2:16, 1 Timothy 1:10-11)

(4) The everlasting Gospel (Revelation 14:6)

This is not private interpretation. This is the Bible's division, as it is found, where it is found.

Don't get upset at me. Check the verses. What you have to drill into your head, as I've had to do, is that THINGS DIFFERENT ARE NOT EQUAL UNLESS THE BIBLE EQUATES THEM. Once you get that, things will be smoother.

(2) the Gospel of the grace of God is the good news in this age that God will save any sinner by grace who will simply trust him by faith; this is the good news of Romans 4:5, Romans 10, Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:5…

(The hyper-dispensationalists are off.technically There can be no specific period of time known as the "dispensation of the grace of God". God's grace towards man is evident from Genesis to Revelation in myriad ways)

(3) the gospel of the grace of God is also called "my gospel" by Paul in Romans 2:16. Paul's gospel is the gospel of the grace of God in its fullest development, involving the revelation of the called-out church, the body of Christ, made up of Jews and Gentiles.

(1) Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

The gospel of the kingdom is the gospel preached exclusively to the Jews,(Matthew 10:5-7) being confirmed by signs (Matthew 10:8), that the
kingdom of heaven (not kingdom of God, which is a different kingdom; oh yes! Remember the rule above) which is a literal, physical, political, visible, earthly kingdom ruled by the son of Man on the throne of David, is offered to the converted nation of Israel. The KINGDOM, folks, is Israel's; NOT Rome's!

Matthew 10:22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

Matthew 10:23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel,
till the Son of man be come.

"The end" in the Bible is defined in Daniel as a period of time (tribulation) immediately preceding the literal coming of Jesus to set up his kingdom.

The disciples go over the cities and the Son of man (NOT "the Son of God")

does not return in glory. The prophecy could still have been fulfilled in Acts 2-7 had Israel accepted the resurrected Christ, for prophetically the scene was ready. The apostles finished their testimony to Israel before Acts 28 and still the
Son of man did not return. But the prophecy stands and over-leaps the church
age. During the tribulation saved Jews will be fulfilling it. Note how
"the end" has "the gospel kingdom" being preached. It is no coincidence that Matthew and Revelation both have the same gospel;they're in similar dispensations; the law returns during the tribulation as we'll see.

So what does the Lord tell them to preach? Look at it again

Matthew 10:7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Now how can it be at hand with a set time if according to our last trumpet friends that actually means

"HEAR YE HEAR YE: the kingdom is at hand, we have to win you all to Christ before he can return and we're almost there. Repent, for the world is almost won to the Lord, and then He will return."

What nonsense man, what nonsense!

Anyway, Matthew 10:7 displays the gospel of the kingdom. Observe: No new-birth, no spiritual circumcision, no placement in the body of Christ.

Notice that the word "nations" is set in contra-distinction to the word "kingdom".

Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

Now if you've got people preaching a gospel "FOR A WITNESS" don't you think they are therefore WITNESSES? The witnesses in the tribulation are Jews.

This gospel of the kingdom (NOT THE GOSPEL THAT WAS COMMITTED
UNTO PAUL FOR THE CHURCH) involves loss of salvation (Matthew 8:12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.) because it involves keeping faith alive through works as described in James 2:14-26; which epistle is doctrinally written "to the twelve tribes" and not "unto the church of God" as Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 1:2.

Matthew 24:50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,

Mat 24:51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

That ain't no temporal judgment. You can't get out of this one with "well the servant wasn't saved to begin with". First off, that servant is one of "THE CHILDREN OF THE KINGDOM". I don't care what some scholar thinks it means. That's what it SAYS.

And besides last time I checked, God doesn't call lost folks to

ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Matthew 24:45

Numerous times you read of servants losing or in danger of losing their salvation, and the argument that they weren't saved is incredibly lame and ignorant of the Bible. You just learned that from Christian Education. Yes you did, follow the thread, you did!

Let me ask you this. If you believe that the believer cannot lose his salvation (WHICH IS TRUE FOR THE CHURCH AGE) and that the church goes through the tribulation, what, according to you would happen to a believer who takes the mark of the beast? If you say that wouldn't happen you don't know much about human nature and life, much less the Bible. And incidently, not taking the mark is a WORK!

Notice how salvation is described during the tribulation

Revelation 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed (those are Jews, the woman being Israel), which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep (1)the commandments of God, and (2) the faith of Jesus.

That, my friend, is LAW if you ever saw it. And you need to KEEP the commandments during the tribulation.That's why the Lord Jesus says Matthew 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. That matches "the patience" of Revelation 14:12.

Is that how you witness to folks today? Do you tell them they must keep the commandmentS (IT'S PLURAL) of God and the testimony of Jesus? Why are those folks in the tribulation keeping the commandmentS (PLURAl)? You can't really explain it.

Observe the context of Matthew 24:

[A] It is the end of a time period, not an individual's life, (vs. 14).

[B] The land being discussed is Palestine, (24:16).

Are you living in Judaea and planning on escaping into the mountains?

Well? Are you?

[C] The audience addressed are Jews, (vs. 1-3).

[D] They are observing Old Testament Law then, (24:20)

Why would the Lord refer to the Sabbath if the church is around?

Are you keeping the sabbath? Not unless you are a confused sabbathist!

The sabbath's proper context is the law. The law is in effect for somebody at this point!

You know why people insist on relegating this passage to the past, going against the entire flow of the body of scriptures? Because, especially if they are not pre-millennial, it messes up their way of figuring the Bible. They can't get the dispensations, or refuse to get them. They will read how temple sacrifices come back in the millennium according to Ezekiel and get an indigestion,
so they spiritualize the passages until they don't mean what they say.

Listen, if you are really preaching the gospel of the kingdom now, you are preaching another gospel and you are under a curse!

Galatians 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

Paul did not preach unto you anything connected with Judaea and the Sabbath and loss of salvation.

[E] They are worshipping in a temple in Jerusalem, (24:15; 2 Thess. 2).

[F] They are physical, not spiritual Jews as in (Rom. 2:29).

[G] The Christian already has the promise that he will endure to the end if that is what is under discussion, (1 Cor. 1:7,8).

[H] The 2nd Coming follows the "end" in this passage, and not the Death of the believer, (24:14,21,29). So the passage is plainly a reference to a law-abiding Jew in Palestine immediately preceding the 2nd Advent.

Let's look at Matthew 25 which retains the context of chapter 24.

Matthew 25:1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

Mat 25:2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

Mat 25:3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:

Mat 25:4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

Mat 25:5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

Mat 25:6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

Mat 25:7 Then all those virgins arose, and their lamps.

Mat 25:8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

Mat 25:9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

Mat 25:10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

Mat 25:11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

Mat 25:12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

The virgins are not, repeat, not, the church as you've probably been taught.

Observe

(1) those involved are "virgins", plural, AS FOUND IN REVELATION 7 AND 14, not a "virgin", singular. The church is a singular virgin

2Corinthians 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin (singular) to Christ.

Watch the Holy Spirit work out the distinction

Song of Solomon 6:8 There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, and virgins without number.

Son 6:9 My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and blessed her; yea, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her.

You have the tribulation Jews (Revelation 7,14) pictured as virgins and the church of God as one virgin ("undefiled").

Psalm 45:13 The king's daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold.

Psa 45:14 She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework (for the
marriage!): the virgins (are) her companions that follow her (after she is raptured for the marriage) shall be brought unto thee.

(2) They don't go forth to marry the bridegroom, they go to meet him.

fitting perfectly into Psalm 45:14!

(3) ALL had oil to start with (v.3) but some lose ALL OF THE OIL (v.8)

(4) there is an element of works connected with the Holy Spirit and salvation which David at least realized in Psalm 51:11! (Matthew 25:9,13, 15-20)

The virgins can lose their salvation (Matthew 24:51, Matthew 25:30) and consequently Hebrews 9:28 is a fair warning of a tribulation split-rapture. Notice "unto them that look for him"!
So the parable is accurate in detail(not only in general as scholars teach you;
see Proverbs 26:7) in describing a time where works justify and if you think that's heretical, you better have the guts to tell that to James (James 2:24) who anyway wasn't doctrinally writing to you, dear born-again Christian of the church
dispensation (James 1:1)

Now if oil is a type of the Holy Spirit, please explain the following:

How can a believer in the church-age lose ALL of the Holy Spirit?

If the 5 foolish virgins are lost and were never saved, how could they go and "buy" the Holy Spirit? See Acts 8:20

But look at Revelation 14 where the virgins are mentioned.

"Revelation 14:4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins…"

Now 8 verses later you read

Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, AND the faith of Jesus.

Works! Ah! The workings of the King James Bible! You may refuse to believe it but you would never go out and preach Revelation 14:12 as salvation doctrine today unless you were a lost Jehovah's witness. And well you wouldn't brother because you'd heap up a curse on your head if you did it in this dispensation.

Brothers, you have relegated all the New Testament teachings to Pauline church doctrine to gentile believers. That's Gentile conceit.

You see during the church age you cannot lose your salvation but you can lose it during the tribulation just like it could be lost in the Old Testament and just like it can be lost during the millennium.

While the Baptists are running to some original greek to explain away verses that deal with loss of salvation because they study not how to DIVIDE the word of the truth, you've got a bunch of folks even more mislead, saying that YOU, in the church age, can lose your salvation, misunderstanding and therefore confusing the gospel of the grace of God given to Paul with the gospel of the kingdom.

Have you never noticed how all the verses talking about or hinting at loss of
salvation, are always in books like Matthew's JEWISH OLD TESTAMENT gospel (the new testament isn't instituted until 26:28) or HEBREWS or James writing to the "TWELVE TRIBES" or Revelation discussing the tribulation.

Even if you disagree that there are verses that teach loss of salvation (by having been taught by theologians how to disbelieve the plain English text) those are still the books where those thorny issues are.

Don't you think that's a bit odd?

What? You mean you never thought that the Bible would still be around after the rapture for people to read it and understand the doctrine that would save them during the tribulation? If God's focus becomes the Jewish nation once more, don't you think Matthew, HEBREWS and James (see James 1:1) will be especially salient for the Jews with Revelation also which displays their tribulation?

Yet another way you know that the church does not go through the tribulation is that in the church age, all believers are placed in one body. A saved Jew now is no longer a Jew, he is a member of the church of God; a saved Gentile now is no longer a Gentile, he is a member of the church of God.

Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

But that's not what you have in the tribulation if you can read English.

Revelation 7:3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

Rev 7:4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.

Remember James 1:1?

And then you have the Gentiles who are saved thanks to the ministry of the

144 000:

Revelation 7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

Rev 7:10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

Notice how the "nations" and "kindreds" and "people" are placed in contra-distinction to "the tribes of the children of Israel". In the Bible, nations, kindreds and peoples always refer to NON-JEWS.

There is a differentiation there being made between saved Jews and saved Gentiles. You couldn't get that in the church age, no way.

Suddenly God starts off with the 70th week, while the church age is running, calls 144 000 folks who by definition are not in the body of Christ,
to preach a gospel which is not the gospel given to Paul, and win
gentiles which are not in the body of Christ, all this while the church is on
earth preaching something totally different, ignoring the Sabbath while a bunch
of folks are keeping it, and an angel is flying through heaven under the
condemnation of Galatians 1:8.

Great dividing of the word folks, just great. These guys have a
website running with over 600 000 hits. And they misleadingly call it "the
last trumpet" because they do not believe the words of the King James
Bible, even tough they use it. The Bible said "the last trump", not
"the last trumpet". But we've already covered that. 600 000+ hits on
a website that can't differentiate two english words.
There's your falling away folks, there it is; it ain't the doctrine of the
pre-tribulation rapture of the church.

Back to the gospel forms:

(4) "The everlasting gospel".Just as the Jews have their own "gospel of the kingdom" to be preached during the tribulation, so the Gentiles get to hear something specifically targeted at them, it is called "the everlasting gospel":

Revelation 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,

Look at

Revelation 14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount
Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand (Jews), having his Father's name written in their foreheads.

Revelation 14:3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man
could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.

These guys are not one body with any gentiles. How can parts of the same body not know the same song? You have separate groups of saved people in the tribulation. Get that.

How peculiar to single out nations, kindreds, tongues and people in one block, and the Jews in another, WHILE THE CHURCH IS SUPPOSEDLY STILL THERE.

We've seen that Matthew 25 is tribulation setting, just like Matthew 24.

Matthew 25:31 When the Son of man shall come in is glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

Mat 25:32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

That's end of tribulation, beginning of millennium.
Nations are gathered, and some are saved, some lost, but they remain distinct
Nations! No one body stuff.There's no marriage of the church there! Find it if you can!

Now read the rest of the chapter, they go into the millennium based on works! Paul's gospel is not mentioned whithin 100 miles. How odd. The Lord Jesus is dealing with works, for which he gives a millennial inheritance. (In fact that's even true for the church! You read that right. Go search the word "inheritance" in the Epistles. Everytime it is connected with the kingdom, there's an element of works. The church-age believer who doesn't work doesn't inherit much in the millennium.) And those are works concerning the Jews, the brethren of Christ

Matthew 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Entire nations are judged based on their treatment of the Jew during the tribulation.Why? Because the gospel of the kingdom was being preached, and the kingdom is Jewish! It's clear.

Compare:

Matthew 10:40 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

Mat 10:41 He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.

Mat 10:42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple,
verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

Now in the chapter, as we've seen, the Lord tells the Jews not to go to the gentiles but rather to the Jews. But at verse 42 he adds "whosoever". Gentiles who nevertheless get the chance to help the Jew out, figure in this judgment then.
Watch how closely vss. 40-42 agrees with Matthew 25:40.

So it's all about how the Jewish "missionaries" were treated. Now let me ask you. WHY ISN'T IT ABOUT HOW THE CHURCH WAS TREATED?

I shudder to suggest that maybe it's because the church wasn't there during the tribulation?!

Note that the Lord is on "the throne of his glory", not the great white throne judgment which is a 1000 years later.

The throne of glory is a Davidic Jewish throne.

Jeremiah 14:21 Do not abhor us, for thy name's sake, do not disgrace the throne of thy glory: remember, break not thy covenant with us.(Jews)

Jewish context.

Matthew 19:28

Jewish context.

Luke 1:32-33

Jewish context.

That's the context of the judgment, that's the context of Matthew 24-25. Jewish. Get that!

Another way you know that it has nothing to do with the treatment of the church (besides the fact that the church don't go through no tribulation) is that sheep and brethren are spoken of in the passage as distinct entities. The church is BOTH in the Bible.

The gentiles are from the beginning of the tribulation hearing the gospel of the kingdom, and at some point during the tribulation also hear

Revelation 14:7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

Please also note that this message to the Gentiles is not

"fear God, and keep his commandments" (Ecclesiates 12:13)

as it is given to the Old Testament Jew, but

"Fear God, and give glory to him" (Revelation 14:7)

Look back at the verse. It is very reminiscent of Romans 1-2 which discusses gentiles without the law!

Galatians 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

Brother, if that angel showed up during the church-age he would be accursed! But he isn't. And his gospel is straight as an arrow. It is just not Paul's gospel! It’s as simple as: Different gospel=Different dispensation…different dispensation.

Pre-tribulation rapture of the church, part 2; why does Michael show up?

Please read disclaimer for Part 1 below.

I intend this study to be exhaustive. Too many folks ignore clear verses to concentrate on a handfull of obscure ones.

That there is a gap between Daniel's 69th and 70th week is painfully obvious to any Bible-believer. I will not go into interpretive details, for as previously mentioned, I assume a minimal degree of Bible-knowledge on the part of the reader. If you're amillennialist or post-millennialist, you should get back to believing the words of the Bible instead of men.

Gabriel is clear

Daniel 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon
thy people and upon thy holy city,

He tells Daniel the seventy weeks concern his (Daniel's) people, i.e. the Jews; and his city, i.e. Jerusalem.

Fact: The seventy weeks then, including the 70th week, are not determined upon the Church of God, which is a separate entity.

Post-tribs brush off this fact.

While we agree that the focus of the prophecy is the Jewish people and Jerusalem, (emphasis mine) we do not agree that it in any way indicates God would stop dealing with Israel during the gap.

(emphasis mine) between the 69th and 70th weeks, or a change of program has occurred. The
evidence that God continues to deal with Israel throughout the present age (within the gap) is actually found in this very passage. There are two prophesied events in verse 26 that occurred after the 69th week, within the gap.

1. The crucifixion of Christ 5
days after the end of the 69th week

2. The destruction of Jerusalem 37 years after
the end of the 69th week

Pasted from <http://www.geocities.com/~lasttrumpet/pd_17.html>

It is hard to imagine a more self-effacing argument than that. Note that it doesn't strike them as odd that God's last eventful dealing (and what a dealing) with Israel was over 1900 years ago. Or that any event which might be pointed to is one of judgment. Of course God still has en eye on the nation of Israel, and in some sense, has been "dealing" with the Jews, yet that in no way equivalent to his use of his body on earth which is the New Testament church of God. Where He is dealing with the Jew today, like returning him to Palestine, He is setting up the scene for the tribulation judgment. (folks who teach that the New Testament church IS the nation of Israel, are blind leaders of the blind and we will not waste time with them in this study.)

Our post-trib. brethren acknowledge a focus but so far as I've read at least, do not practically define it.

They acknowledge the gap but fail to explain it. Why did God stop his clock after the 69th week only to restart it again at the beginning of the 70th if nothing in His dealings with Israel has changed? The gap, like "the focus", is a dummy variable in their reading.

They see God's continued unchanged dealing with Israel in

a) Crucifying their
King

b) Destroying the city
of the Great King

c) Provoking them to jealousy

Seriously, it is hard to imagine a more self-effacing argument
than that.

"Paul speaks of God's dealing with Israel in this age,
provoking the nation to jealousy through the Gospel going to the Gentiles (Rom.
11:11). How then can it be said that God is not dealing with Israel during this
gap?"(emphasis mine)

Pasted from <http://www.geocities.com/~lasttrumpet/pd_17.html>

"You see, you heretical pre-tribs, how can you say that!"

...

You see people believe that the Church was a mystery hid in God, but simultaneously refuse to rightly divide the word of truth in order to identify the passages doctrinally targeted at the church thereby forgoing the extra light a New Testament believer has to interpret the scriptures. They are not one step ahead of the Old Testament prophets when it comes to the Church of God in prophecy.

Look at this again

1Thessalonians 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:

In the 66 books of the Bible, there is only 1 angel
called an "archangel" and that's Michael

Jude 1:9 Yet Michael the archangel,

Paul is telling you that along with the Lord Jesus Christ coming down to rapture you, there will be Michael showing up. Now why do you think that is? Can any post-trib answer that one?

Michael the archangel has another title

Daniel 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people (matching 9:24): and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time:and at that time thy people(matching 9:24) shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.

Now let me ask you another question. You, my post-trib. brother, believe that 1 Thessalonians 4:16 refers to a rapture. In that same verse appears the archangel, which ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE, can only be Michael. Now since you believe the church is raptured at the end of the tribulation, that for you means that Michael shows up at the end of the tribulation, clearly contradicting Daniel 12:1 above, for the time of his standing up preceds/ushers the time of trouble. Now how do you reconcile that? Unless of course that's the first time you gave attention to "the voice of the archangel" in 1 Thessalonians 4:16.

Consider this. When you take Daniel 12:1, and run through the verses looking for some future manifestation of Michael, you land on the rapture of the church in 1 Thessalonians 4:16. You can call that coincidence, or evidence. Maybe you wouldn’t call it proof, but you can call it evidence.

It's clear English. Michael shows up because he stands for "thy people" the Jews like in Daniel 9:24. God's "focus" as they call it, becomes the Jewish nation once again. Please notice that Michael shows up for the Jews in chapter 12! 12 is Israel's number in the Bible.

Ok, Then a "time of trouble"; that's "Jacob's trouble", if you please

Jeremiah 30:7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.

"saved" here matching the "delivered" of Daniel 12:1. You, my dear saved brother in Lord Jesus Christ and member of His body which is the church, are NOT Jacob, neither are you a Hebrew in the epistle which is doctrinally addressed to the Hebrews, neither are you of the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad of James 1:1 to whom that epistle is doctrinally addressed.
(Study that a little and it will solve a few thorny issues without any
knowledge of greek and hebrew.) Jacob is the Jew, not you. It is the time of his trouble, not yours. It is his judgment,not yours. Your judgment is the Judgment Seat of Christ, not the tribulation. The church (actually a percentage thereof if
the post-tribs are correct) cannot go through 2 judgments, and the tribulation is
a judgment.

The church's judgment takes place in heaven because it is a heavenly entity. Israel's judgment takes place on earth because it is an earthly entity.

Look again at Daniel 12:1

such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time

That matches

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.

Daniel 12:1 is about the tribulation and Michael as an archangel is connected
with it.

again

Revelation 12:7 And there was war in heaven: Michael
and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,

Again tribulation, again chapter 12, again Israel (see v.1)

but you can write off that last part again as mere coincidence because you've been taught better than to believe the Bible is inspired right down to its division by bespectacled men in stuffed shirts.

Can you see better now, why "the archangel" shows up at the rapture?

Pre-tribulation rapture of the church, Part 1; what last trumpet?

The purpose of this study is to prove (yes, prove) the pre-tribulation rapture of the church, which rapture is different than at least 2 other raptures found in the Bible. I believe the words of the King James Bible to be the divinely preserved wordS of the living God. I acknowledge no other reading. You can critique this post using the King James Bible's words as much as you like, but please dump your nicolaitan use of greek and hebrew at the doorstep. I have no need of it even where it helps the position I defend.

Througout the study I draw very heavily on the writings of men of God who have humbled themselves before the words of God, foremost of which, Peter Sturges Ruckman (verbatim in a number of cases), Cyrus Ingerson Scofield (verbatim in certain cases), Clarence Larkin and James Modlish (verbatim in some cases).

This study presumes a significant minimal amount of Bible-knowledge and is not aimed at new-born believers. Let it be known that I am independent baptist, pre-millennial, dispensationalist.

I strongly recommend printing this out, just for practicality's sake. Please consider seriously as I've invested much in this study. There is much more coming. This part only deals with the so-called "last trumpet".

There are many born-again Christians who believe the church will go through the tribulation and be raptured out of it at some point.

One of the points I am making is that there are indeed verses dealing with a mid/post tribulation rapture. But given that those mid/post tribs can only identify ONE rapture in the entire 66 books of the Bible, they automatically assume that that rapture is the church's.
This church-centric approach to all scripture is the cause also of a
misunderstanding of salvation doctrine in various dispensations. More on that later when we tackle the tribulation.

Let's look at the two greatest passages on the rapture of the church in the New Testament.

1Corinthians 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall
not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an
eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be
raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

1Thessalonians 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 them which are asleep.

1Th 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:

1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain
shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the
air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

In talking about the rapture of the church, Paul calls it a mystery (v.51). A mystery is something that has not been revealed before. Now if you believe that Matthew 24:40-41 deals with the rapture OF THE CHURCH,then your first obstacle is why the Holy Spirit calls the rapture OF THE CHURCH a "mystery" in 1 Corinthians 15. You can't explain that one if you only see 1 rapture. You'll have to duck and swerve and play around with the word "mystery" and rush to some mythological Septuagint or something.

The rapture OF THE CHURCH TAKES PLACE

v.52
at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound,

read carefully:

"at the last TRUMP". NOT "at the last TRUMPET"

Why is that important? Well many folks help out the Holy Spirit by adding an "et" to "trump" and search the Bible for "the last trumpET", landing in

Revelation 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and
there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

a) The trumpet in Revelation 11 raptures nobody! It is blown at the END of the tribulation and it ushers the millennium.

In fact, a rapture has taken place before it in v.12

b) There is no angel in 1 Corinthians 15:52.
There's an ARCHangel involved in 1 Thessalonians 4:16, not an angel

c) That trump is called "the trump of God" in 1 Thessalonians 4:16; it is an angel's trumpet in Revelation 11:1

d) Moreover it is "THE trump", not one trumpet out of seven.

This is not facetious. If you check Zechariah 9:14 there's a trumpet there that God Himself blows.

By going to the Bible to interpret the Bible we learn that the trump is a certain NOISE. The word "trump" bears out that definition in the world

"trump: a sound of, or as if of, trumpeting"

-Webster's 9th Collegiate Dictionary

So a trumpet can, musically, emit more than one trump, more than one note, or sound. So far Paul is saying that at the last noise emitted by a certain trumpet, the rapture of the dead and living in Christ will occur.

We can know from the Bible that as far as heaven is concerned, a trump can span an extended amount of earth time. See

Revelation 10:7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

(and again, the VOICE is sounding)

Moving on:

1 Corinthians 15:52

"at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound" The Holy Spirit gave us more details in

1 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:

Here He has given you three noises to look out for.Notice that Paul is careful to say "trump" again, not "trumpet" within a verse dealing with NOISES. How's that for a fit?

This trump, scripture with scripture, is the voice of God speaking.

Now some of you are going to choke on this, but the rapture of the tribulation saints is present in the Old Testament. It is no mystery. That's what Jesus is refering to in Matthew 24.
It's the rapture of the CHURCH that was a mystery. Why? Because the church
itself was a mystery (Ephesians 3:1-6, 5:32) Makes sense, don't it?

First I will show you that it is the voice of God's mouth, not an actual trumpet, that effects the rapture, then I will show you that that voice sounds like the trump of a trumpet.

One should study Psalm 29.
The voice of God (7 times, like the 7 thunders of Revelation, another
coincidental match) is never without its effect on earth.

Now there is a commandment in the Bible to

Job 37:2 Hear attentively the noise of his voice, and the sound that goeth out of his mouth.

Why? Because

Job 37:4 After it a voice roareth: he thundereth with the voice of his excellency; and he will not stay them when his voice is heard.

After "the sound",which is associated with "the voice",

"he will not stay them when his voice is heard."
Now, you may not have studied or even heard how that the book of Job is a picture of Israel during the tribulation, but you can answer the following question nonetheless

"he will not stay them" WHERE, when his voice is heard?

Well? Could it possibly, perhaps, be that God won't stay some people on EARTH when his voice is heard? Is that not the kind of operation Paul is talking about in 1 Corinthians 15 and 1 Thessalonians 4, though in reference to the church? Flip to John 10 for a moment.

John 10:3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

Again the voice, again the rapture. He we go again.

"leadeth them out" of WHERE, when they hear his voice?

It should be easier this time around. Could it again be out from EARTH and into heaven?

Ok, let's identify that trumpet now. Notice how the
trumpet is said to have a voice in

Exodus 19:16 ...that there were thunders
and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud;

Exodus 19:19
And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and
waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.

Notice how the voice of the trumpet is intimitely associated with God's very voice speaking ("answered").

Exodus 19:20 And the LORD came down upon mount
Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the LORD called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went UP.

Observe: trumpet sound, God's call, Moses goes UP!

Skeptical? Ask John.

Revelation 4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a
door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard

Now obey the commandment and hear the noise of his
voice attentively (Job 37:2) Well brother John, what did that voice sound like?

Rev.4:1 was AS IT WERE OF A TRUMPET TALKING with me; which SAID,

There you have it. The Bible defining its own terms. Actually, John had told you that in the first chapter

Revelation 1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day,
and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

How much clearer can it get?

At rapture then, the noise of God's voice is a shout which sounds (Job 37:2) like a trumpet and talks (Revelation 4:1) and at the last sound (1 Corinthians 15:52): wham! born-again believers are out'a here!

It ain't no last trumpet of an angel in Revelation. You have to believe the WORDS of God, not just the word, and search them to see how the Bible defines them. The Bible is its own dictionary. get that.

Given Job 37:4 and John 10:3, what do you suppose God says?

Rev.4:1 COME UP HITHER

Up from where? Earth

Where to? Heaven

Well yeah, he just told you "behold, a door was opened in heaven"

If you go back to John you'll notice there's a door there too.

John 10:2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

John 10:3 To him the porter openeth;
and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

There's a door also being opened in John. That's the door that John ends up seeing in Revelation 4:1
All those elements fitting perfectly is no coincidence.

Lastly, you will be called by name at the rapture. Something like "(name of person) come up hither!"

but the unsaved will only hear thunder (Job 37:3-4)

John 12:29 The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.

So far I have said nothing concerning John representing the church which I know some dispute. All I've dealt with are operational elements of the rapture. That John represents the church will be the subject of an upcoming post.

it shall BRUISE THY head

Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall BRUISE thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

1Samuel 17:49 And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.
:50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.
:51 Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.

Job 15:26 He runneth upon him, even on his neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers:

Psalm 7:12 If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready.
:16 His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.

Psalm 68:21 But God shall WOUND the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses.

Psalm 74:13 Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength: thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters.
:14 Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness.

Habakkuk 3:13 Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, even for salvation with thine anointed; thou WOUNDEDST the head out of the house of the wicked, by discovering the foundation unto the neck. Selah.

Zechariah 11:17 Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye (THAT'S A LITERAL WOUND TO A LITERAL EYE OF A LITERAL HEAD) : his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.

Revelation 13:3 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.

If one believes and compares the very words of the Bible as they stand, scripture with scripture, what emerges is the WOUNDING of the HEAD of SATAN HIMSELF after which it is cut off clean unto the NECK.

Never make exclusively spiritual anything that the Bible does not tell you to interpret as such. It interprets itself.