Further Short Studies

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1. The Olivet Discourse Explained
2. Reasons for the Tribulation
3. True believers won't go through the Tribulation
4. The order of events. The Rapture Tribulation Millennium
5. The Rapture will separate True from False Christians:
The Parable of the Wheat and Tares, The Parable of the Drag Net, The parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins
6. Conditions of days before the Rapture- World unaware

1. THE OLIVET DISCOURSE EXPLAINED

Present day: Time before the Rapture

Mat 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
Mat 24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
Mat 24:5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
Mat 24:6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

Between verse 6 and 7 is the Rapture or Appearing of Christ (though it is not mentioned. It was a kept a secret until the formation of the church) In Mark 13 it is in-between verse 7 and 8. In Luke 21 is in-between verse 9 and 10. Notice the similarity of my highlights in red especially in Mark.

Future: The Tribulation. The 1st half of the 7 years

Mat 24:7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
Mat 24:8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.

I.e. All these things are the beginning of the sorrows of the Tribulation.

Future: The Tribulation. The 2nd half of the 7yrs: The Great Tribulation

Mat 24:9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
Mat 24:10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
Mat 24:11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
Mat 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
Mat 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.

I.e. then the end of this world or Age shall come. In point of time what happens next is the Second Coming of Christ to the earth and The Battle of Armageddon. Rev 19:11. (Verse 15 of Matthew continues with reference to specifics of the Great Tribulation).

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2. REASONS FOR THE TRIBULATION

 
2Th 2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
2Th 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish (i.e. unbelievers); because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2Th 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

So why should the true Christians who believe the truth be punished for unbelief? Answer they won't be because the Rapture comes first and they won't be here on earth during the Tribulation.

It is true that some will become Christians after the Rapture and during the Tribulation, but those who are true believers now will not be punished for unbelief of the truth but will be Raptured.

The Tribulation is the wrath of God...

Revelation 6:16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
Revelation 6:17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

Which doesn't come upon believers

Romans 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

Ephesians 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Ephesians 5:6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

Colossians 3:6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

1Thessalonians 1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

1Thessalonians 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

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3. TRUE BELIEVERS WON'T GO THROUGH THE TRIBULATION

This judgement below is not punitive judgement as the righteous are already judged and forgiven of their sins by conversion and because of the cross. The Righteous are judged in heaven after being raptured for their works since their conversion -whether they have allowed themselves to be led of the Spirit or remained fleshly.

2Co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ; (in heaven) that every one may receive the things done in his body (i.e. in this earthly life), according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. (Spiritual or fleshly)

Rom 14:10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

1Co 3:10-15 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, (products of the Spirit) wood, hay, stubble; (products of the flesh)
Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day (the day when the true believers stand before the judgment seat) shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try (test) every man's work of what sort it is. (i.e. whether it is Spiritual or fleshly)
If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

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4. THE ORDER OF EVENTS,

 RAPTURE TRIBULATION MILLENNIUM

(See key below)

2Th 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, (B) by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,

2Th 2:2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that (C) the day of Christ is at hand.(or is now present)

2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for (C) that day shall not come, (A) except there come a falling away first (i.e. before this), (C) and that man of sin be (i.e. is) revealed, the son of perdition:

2Th 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

2Th 2:5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?

2Th 2:6 And now ye know (A) what withholdeth (restrains) that he might be revealed in his time.

2Th 2:7 (A) For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he (i.e. the Holy Spirit) who now letteth (holds back or restrains) will let, until he be (B) taken out of the way.

2Th 2:8 And (C) then shall that Wicked be revealed, (D) whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.

KEY

A. TIME BEFORE THE RAPTURE 'a falling away' (i.e. the apostasy), 'what withholdeth', 'letteth' (i.e. the Holy Spirit hindering).
B. RAPTURE ' the coming and our gathering', 'taken out of the way'.
C. TRIBULATION ' the day of Christ', 'that day', 'man of sin is revealed', 'that wicked be revealed'.
D. SECOND COMING 'Brightness of His Coming'.

They were upset or 'troubled' because they thought the Tribulation was upon them. They weren't expecting the Millennium first as that would mean peace and they would have no need to be anxious. They came to this unsound view through false teachers of the day (seen in the expressions in v2 'spirit, word, letter as from us') and partly because of the persecutions they were suffering at that time. Paul is here setting them straight as to the order of events to come.

There is a similar vein shown here:

2 Ti 2:16-17 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; 2 Ti 2:18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith (in the truth) of some. (i.e. some were saying the rapture which involves the resurrection of the dead saints, is past already which would mean the tribulation was upon them).

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5. THE RAPTURE WILL SEPARATE TRUE FROM FALSE CHRISTIANS

The parable of the Tares and Wheat.

Mat 13:24-30 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven (the Church) is likened unto a man (Christ) which sowed good seed (True Christians) in his field (world):
But while men slept, his enemy (Satan) came and sowed tares (False Christians) among the wheat (True Christians), and went his way.
But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
So the servants (Angels) of the householder (Christ) came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
Let both grow together (In our present Church Age) until the harvest (The Rapture): and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers (Angels), Gather ye together first the tares (False Christians), and bind them in bundles (False Christians appointed to particular church denominations) to burn them (the Tribulation): but gather the wheat into my barn (the Rapture). (Mt 13:37)

The parable of the Dragnet

Mat 13:47-50 Again, the kingdom of heaven (the Church) is like unto a net (the Gospel), that was cast into the sea (the sea of humanity), and gathered of every kind:
Which, when it was full (the end of this Age), they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good (the Truly Converted) into vessels, but cast the bad (the False Christians) away.
So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth (at the Rapture), and sever the wicked from among the just,
And shall cast them into the furnace of fire (the Tribulation): there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

The parable of the Wise and Foolish virgins

Mat 25:1-13 Then shall the kingdom of heaven (the Church) be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
And five of them were wise (True Christians), and five were foolish (False Christians).
They that were foolish took their lamps (vessel -body), and took no oil (Holy Spirit) with them:
But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept (The Church Age).
And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom (Christ) cometh; go ye out to meet him (The Rapture).
Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
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.
And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him (to Heaven at the Rapture) to the marriage (the Marriage of the Lamb Rev 19:7): and the door (the door to heaven) was shut.
Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord ('Lord, Lord'-an expression of false Christians in scripture Matt 7:22), open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

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6. CONDITIONS OF THE DAYS BEFORE THE RAPTURE: WORLD UNAWARE

 
Luk 17:26 And as it was in the days of Noe (Noah), so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
Luk 17:27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.

Luk 17:28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
Luk 17:29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.

Luk 17:30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

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