Yes the roman catholic religion wanted to position itself as the fulfillment of the 1000 year kingdom on earth. So they established preterism as the established dogma. They wanted to be seen as the ones ruling the world with Jesus, that their church and hierarchy was the fulfillment of the prophecy. They had to push the ( Jesus returned in a secret spiritual way not in a physical way line) . It is tragic that a lot of protestants adopted this self defeating catholic false doctrine...
Has Jesus Christ returned?
- Thread starter MatthewG
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We are not in agreement Ahwatukee because of our different beliefs as to rapture timing.. You believe it can happen at any time.. I believe there are necessary signs / prophecies that need to happen before the return of the LORD Jesus Christ.. But yeah i am not interested in derailing this preterisim thread from a discussion about preterism..
Because we, like Jesus, will be resurrected. The dead in Christ will be resurrect and the living will be changed and caught up. He's coming back to get us to take us to the Father's house as promised and 1 Thes.4:13-17 is a detailed account of that event.
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God ; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."
"For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words." - 1 Thes.4:16-18
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God ; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."
"For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words." - 1 Thes.4:16-18
So you are suggesting -- contrary to Scripture -- that the Rapture does not belong to "the things of the Spirit". Evidently you have no clue about the Rapture and you prefer to remain in the dark.
Furthermore, you are insinuating that those who mind the things of the Rapture mind "the things of the flesh". Which means that you really don't understand the difference between the things of the flesh and the things of the Spirit,.
Furthermore, you are insinuating that those who mind the things of the Rapture mind "the things of the flesh". Which means that you really don't understand the difference between the things of the flesh and the things of the Spirit,.
Hi Beta,
The word "Rapio" translated "Rapture" may not be in the English translations, but the word "Harpazo" which is translated as "to snatch up, caught up, force suddenly exercised" is. This is the same word used in I Thes.4:17
"For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18Therefore encourage one another with these words."
Harpazo/caught up, is the same word used when Paul said that he was "caught up" to the third heaven, and is the same word used in Rev.12:5 when the Male Child is "caught up" to God and His throne, and the same word used when Philip was "caught away" from the Eunuch. So, though the word "Rapture" is not there, the Greek word "Harpazo" is, which by the way carries the same meaning as Rapio/Rapture.
The word "Rapio" translated "Rapture" may not be in the English translations, but the word "Harpazo" which is translated as "to snatch up, caught up, force suddenly exercised" is. This is the same word used in I Thes.4:17
"For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18Therefore encourage one another with these words."
Harpazo/caught up, is the same word used when Paul said that he was "caught up" to the third heaven, and is the same word used in Rev.12:5 when the Male Child is "caught up" to God and His throne, and the same word used when Philip was "caught away" from the Eunuch. So, though the word "Rapture" is not there, the Greek word "Harpazo" is, which by the way carries the same meaning as Rapio/Rapture.
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Jesus has not returned to the earth yet to bring the consumation and the end of the age. Daniel 9:24-27 “Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy.25 “Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times.26 “And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, and till the end of the war desolations are determined.27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate.”
All vision and prophecy has not been sealed up or fulfilled.
Matthew 25:31-40 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’”
Revelation 5d-7 To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail[b] on account of him. Even so. Amen.
Matthew 24:30-31 “Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”
Joel 3:9-16 “Proclaim this among the nations: Consecrate for war; stir up the mighty men. Let all the men of war draw near; let them come up.10 Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears; let the weak say, “I am a warrior.”11 Hasten and come, all you surrounding nations, and gather yourselves there. Bring down your warriors, O Lord.12 Let the nations stir themselves up and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; for there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations.13 Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Go in, tread, for the winepress is full. The vats overflow, for their evil is great.14 Multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.15 The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining.16 The Lord roars from Zion, and utters his voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth quake. But the Lord is a refuge to his people, a stronghold to the people of Israel.”
None of this has happened yet, so the answer again is NO!!! Jesus has not returned as of yet.
Ok, thanks for the explanation...but how does 'catching away only apply to the flesh and never to the spirit ? we can be 'enrapt or enraptured or elated in a spiritual sense...no problem. But I have yet to see a person literally lifted up into the sky. Not saying it never happened, scripture says so but we can experience spiritual rapture right now !
Personally I think we need to 'get used to such a mindblowing event in a very gradual way in order to survive the shock...and the spiritual experience serves that purpose. ...for me anyway.
Personally I think we need to 'get used to such a mindblowing event in a very gradual way in order to survive the shock...and the spiritual experience serves that purpose. ...for me anyway.
Hello again Lucy! See, we are now discussing 
.
Below is the scripture in question:
"For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air."
The first group mentioned, "the dead in Christ" are said to rise first. This is the resurrection of those who will have died in Christ from the on-set of the church until the time that the resurrection takes place. The word resurrection comes from two words "ana - up again" and "histemi - to stand" properly "to stand up again." So, the resurrection always refers to the physical body standing up again. Jesus is our example of this, for his spirit left his body and returned three day later to the same body. In support of this, when he appeared before his disciples, when they saw him they thought that they had seen a spirit. But in order to reassure them that it was he himself, he told them to look at his hands and feet, that is, his nail marks and spear mark in his side. Then he said, "a spirit does not have flesh and bone as you see I have." So, Jesus resurrected in the same body that he was buried in, albeit an immortal and glorified body with heavenly abilities.
Immediately after the dead are resurrected, those in Christ who are till alive, their bodies will simply be changed into their immortal and glorified bodies and caught up with those who will have previously been resurrected. Those living can't be resurrected, because their bodies are still alive and will simply be changed where they stand, sit, lying down or whatever they are doing or wherever they are.
Yeah, I agree! When thinking of this event, I have often tried to imagine all of a sudden being an immortal and glorified body and standing in mid air with the rest of the church and looking down on the earth, all taking place in a Nano second. And if that wasn't enough, then meeting the Lord face to face and he taking us to heaven where God the Father will be waiting and where we will be greeted by all of the angels of heaven.
So yes, I also understand the shock value.
.Below is the scripture in question:
"For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air."
The first group mentioned, "the dead in Christ" are said to rise first. This is the resurrection of those who will have died in Christ from the on-set of the church until the time that the resurrection takes place. The word resurrection comes from two words "ana - up again" and "histemi - to stand" properly "to stand up again." So, the resurrection always refers to the physical body standing up again. Jesus is our example of this, for his spirit left his body and returned three day later to the same body. In support of this, when he appeared before his disciples, when they saw him they thought that they had seen a spirit. But in order to reassure them that it was he himself, he told them to look at his hands and feet, that is, his nail marks and spear mark in his side. Then he said, "a spirit does not have flesh and bone as you see I have." So, Jesus resurrected in the same body that he was buried in, albeit an immortal and glorified body with heavenly abilities.
Immediately after the dead are resurrected, those in Christ who are till alive, their bodies will simply be changed into their immortal and glorified bodies and caught up with those who will have previously been resurrected. Those living can't be resurrected, because their bodies are still alive and will simply be changed where they stand, sit, lying down or whatever they are doing or wherever they are.
Yeah, I agree! When thinking of this event, I have often tried to imagine all of a sudden being an immortal and glorified body and standing in mid air with the rest of the church and looking down on the earth, all taking place in a Nano second. And if that wasn't enough, then meeting the Lord face to face and he taking us to heaven where God the Father will be waiting and where we will be greeted by all of the angels of heaven.
So yes, I also understand the shock value.
Hello again Lucy! See, we are now discussing .
Below is the scripture in question:
"For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air."
The first group mentioned, "the dead in Christ" are said to rise first. This is the resurrection of those who will have died in Christ from the on-set of the church until the time that the resurrection takes place. The word resurrection comes from two words "ana - up again" and "histemi - to stand" properly "to stand up again." So, the resurrection always refers to the physical body standing up again. Jesus is our example of this, for his spirit left his body and returned three day later to the same body. In support of this, when he appeared before his disciples, when they saw him they thought that they had seen a spirit. But in order to reassure them that it was he himself, he told them to look at his hands and feet, that is, his nail marks and spear mark in his side. Then he said, "a spirit does not have flesh and bone as you see I have." So, Jesus resurrected in the same body that he was buried in, albeit an immortal and glorified body with heavenly abilities.
Immediately after the dead are resurrected, those in Christ who are till alive, their bodies will simply be changed into their immortal and glorified bodies and caught up with those who will have previously been resurrected. Those living can't be resurrected, because their bodies are still alive and will simply be changed where they stand, sit, lying down or whatever they are doing or wherever they are.
Yeah, I agree! When thinking of this event, I have often tried to imagine all of a sudden being an immortal and glorified body and standing in mid air with the rest of the church and looking down on the earth, all taking place in a Nano second. And if that wasn't enough, then meeting the Lord face to face and he taking us to heaven where God the Father will be waiting and where we will be greeted by all of the angels of heaven.
So yes, I also understand the shock value.
.Below is the scripture in question:
"For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air."
The first group mentioned, "the dead in Christ" are said to rise first. This is the resurrection of those who will have died in Christ from the on-set of the church until the time that the resurrection takes place. The word resurrection comes from two words "ana - up again" and "histemi - to stand" properly "to stand up again." So, the resurrection always refers to the physical body standing up again. Jesus is our example of this, for his spirit left his body and returned three day later to the same body. In support of this, when he appeared before his disciples, when they saw him they thought that they had seen a spirit. But in order to reassure them that it was he himself, he told them to look at his hands and feet, that is, his nail marks and spear mark in his side. Then he said, "a spirit does not have flesh and bone as you see I have." So, Jesus resurrected in the same body that he was buried in, albeit an immortal and glorified body with heavenly abilities.
Immediately after the dead are resurrected, those in Christ who are till alive, their bodies will simply be changed into their immortal and glorified bodies and caught up with those who will have previously been resurrected. Those living can't be resurrected, because their bodies are still alive and will simply be changed where they stand, sit, lying down or whatever they are doing or wherever they are.
Yeah, I agree! When thinking of this event, I have often tried to imagine all of a sudden being an immortal and glorified body and standing in mid air with the rest of the church and looking down on the earth, all taking place in a Nano second. And if that wasn't enough, then meeting the Lord face to face and he taking us to heaven where God the Father will be waiting and where we will be greeted by all of the angels of heaven.
So yes, I also understand the shock value.
Yes Our eternal home will be in the New Jerusalem and we shall inherit the earth as Jesus said.. It will be a new earth a perfect one.. And i agree we shall be raptured up into the air to meet Jesus as he is comming back to earth.. We will be coming right back down with Him to rule the Earth for 1000 Years..
"
It’s not shock therapy drama but the still small voice wake that wakes us up from the dead, a must in order to born again .
God is not a man as us . Christ is here in Spirit he will not appear in the flesh for another fleshly demonstration of a spiritual work not seen. Don’t be faithless looking to the flesh but believe as His Spirit works in you..
Below is the scripture in question: (How does 'catching away only apply to the flesh and never to the spirit ?)
2Corinthians 5:16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.
The Son of God came with no flesh as the Son of man and left the same way.
The thousand years is signified in that parable. The spiritual understanding not seen represents a unknown. God does not give exact numbers.
Christ will come as a thief in the night just as he did in the time of Noah all were surprised but Noah who was warned by faith. The word thousand is just as are the other metaphors used in that parable. For instance the chain represents the gospel key the power of God to loose and bind. What do you think the headless souls signify in that parable? ,or the bottom less pit what does it signify ?What does the word hand signify in that parable ?
And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Rev 20:5
It’s not shock therapy drama but the still small voice wake that wakes us up from the dead, a must in order to born again .
God is not a man as us . Christ is here in Spirit he will not appear in the flesh for another fleshly demonstration of a spiritual work not seen. Don’t be faithless looking to the flesh but believe as His Spirit works in you..
Below is the scripture in question: (How does 'catching away only apply to the flesh and never to the spirit ?)
2Corinthians 5:16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.
The Son of God came with no flesh as the Son of man and left the same way.
The thousand years is signified in that parable. The spiritual understanding not seen represents a unknown. God does not give exact numbers.
Christ will come as a thief in the night just as he did in the time of Noah all were surprised but Noah who was warned by faith. The word thousand is just as are the other metaphors used in that parable. For instance the chain represents the gospel key the power of God to loose and bind. What do you think the headless souls signify in that parable? ,or the bottom less pit what does it signify ?What does the word hand signify in that parable ?
And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Rev 20:5
Hi Beta, I said nothing about a new human Jesus!
To have the Holy Spirit, who represent Jesus Christ in us, is not the same as the promiss of the visible return of Christ, God Son!
In John 16,16 ff he explained his disciples that he has to go to the father!
"A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father."
In acts 1,11 it is said that Jesus will return to earth in the same manner as he went to heaven-
"Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven."
In hebrews 9,28 we read also that Jesus will come a second time visible for those who believe in him.
"So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation."
And this till now has not taken place!
And John state in his 1. letter (3,2) clearly:
"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."
We will transformed in his image when he will take us with himself. I believe this is what is written in 1. Thess.4.13-17. We are, like Paul said, on the way but we have not reached the destination yet.
To have the Holy Spirit, who represent Jesus Christ in us, is not the same as the promiss of the visible return of Christ, God Son!
In John 16,16 ff he explained his disciples that he has to go to the father!
"A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father."
In acts 1,11 it is said that Jesus will return to earth in the same manner as he went to heaven-
"Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven."
In hebrews 9,28 we read also that Jesus will come a second time visible for those who believe in him.
"So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation."
And this till now has not taken place!
And John state in his 1. letter (3,2) clearly:
"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."
We will transformed in his image when he will take us with himself. I believe this is what is written in 1. Thess.4.13-17. We are, like Paul said, on the way but we have not reached the destination yet.
Morning Beta,
For one, after we are caught up we will stand at the Bema seat of Christ where every believer will be judged, not for sin, but for works, whether good or bad. Whatever makes it through the fire we will receive reward for and whatever gets burned up we will suffer loss of reward:
"For we must all appear before the judgment seat (Bema) of Christ, that each one may receive his due for the things done in the body, whether good or bad." -2 Cor.5:10
And second, in heaven, the church as the bride will be receiving her fine linen, white and clean at the wedding of the Lamb:
"Hallelujah! For our Lord God, the Almighty, reigns. Let us rejoice and celebrate and give Him the glory. For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride (church) has made herself ready. She was given clothing of fine linen, linen bright and pure.” - Rev.19:6-8
After the wedding and at the end of God's wrath, the Lord will descend to the earth to end the age and those who will have previously been resurrected, judged at the Bema seat and attended the wedding of the Lamb, will then follow the Lord out of heaven riding on white horses and wearing that same fine linen that she will have received at the wedding:
"Then I saw heaven standing open, and there before me was a white horse. And its rider is called Faithful and True. With righteousness He judges and wages war. He has eyes like blazing fire, and many royal crowns on His head. He has a name written on Him that only He Himself knows. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is The Word of God. The armies of heaven, dressed in fine linen, white and pure, follow Him on white horses.
The reason why believers will be gathered prior to God's wrath and taken in to heaven, is because when we received Christ we were credited with His righteousness and we were reconciled to God. Therefore, since Christ satisfied God's wrath on behalf of every, then God's wrath no longer rests upon us and we must therefore be removed from the earth prior to God's wrath which begins at the opening of the first seal.
The on-going error of some, is not recognizing that there is a difference between when the Lord appears in the air to gather the church vs. the Lord's return to the earth to end the age and establish his millennial kingdom, which are two separate events.
The promise to gather the church and take them to heaven is found in the following:
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe in Me as well. In My Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and welcome you into My presence, so that you also may be where I am."
So as you can see from the scripture above, the Lord went to the Father's house (heaven) where He went to prepare places for us. Then He says that He will come back to get us so that where He is we may be also i.e. the Father's house. That said, we are not going to be caught up in the air only to make a U-turn and come right back down. We will be in heaven during the time of God's wrath upon the earth and will return with Christ after the completion of God's wrath to end the age and establish His millennial kingdom.
Regarding the new Jerusalem, that does not come down from God out of heaven until the end of the thousand years and after the great white throne judgment and after the new heaven and new earth are created. See Revelation 21 & 22 for a description of the new Jerusalem.
I Hope this is beneficial
For one, after we are caught up we will stand at the Bema seat of Christ where every believer will be judged, not for sin, but for works, whether good or bad. Whatever makes it through the fire we will receive reward for and whatever gets burned up we will suffer loss of reward:
"For we must all appear before the judgment seat (Bema) of Christ, that each one may receive his due for the things done in the body, whether good or bad." -2 Cor.5:10
And second, in heaven, the church as the bride will be receiving her fine linen, white and clean at the wedding of the Lamb:
"Hallelujah! For our Lord God, the Almighty, reigns. Let us rejoice and celebrate and give Him the glory. For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride (church) has made herself ready. She was given clothing of fine linen, linen bright and pure.” - Rev.19:6-8
After the wedding and at the end of God's wrath, the Lord will descend to the earth to end the age and those who will have previously been resurrected, judged at the Bema seat and attended the wedding of the Lamb, will then follow the Lord out of heaven riding on white horses and wearing that same fine linen that she will have received at the wedding:
"Then I saw heaven standing open, and there before me was a white horse. And its rider is called Faithful and True. With righteousness He judges and wages war. He has eyes like blazing fire, and many royal crowns on His head. He has a name written on Him that only He Himself knows. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is The Word of God. The armies of heaven, dressed in fine linen, white and pure, follow Him on white horses.
The reason why believers will be gathered prior to God's wrath and taken in to heaven, is because when we received Christ we were credited with His righteousness and we were reconciled to God. Therefore, since Christ satisfied God's wrath on behalf of every, then God's wrath no longer rests upon us and we must therefore be removed from the earth prior to God's wrath which begins at the opening of the first seal.
The on-going error of some, is not recognizing that there is a difference between when the Lord appears in the air to gather the church vs. the Lord's return to the earth to end the age and establish his millennial kingdom, which are two separate events.
The promise to gather the church and take them to heaven is found in the following:
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe in Me as well. In My Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and welcome you into My presence, so that you also may be where I am."
So as you can see from the scripture above, the Lord went to the Father's house (heaven) where He went to prepare places for us. Then He says that He will come back to get us so that where He is we may be also i.e. the Father's house. That said, we are not going to be caught up in the air only to make a U-turn and come right back down. We will be in heaven during the time of God's wrath upon the earth and will return with Christ after the completion of God's wrath to end the age and establish His millennial kingdom.
Regarding the new Jerusalem, that does not come down from God out of heaven until the end of the thousand years and after the great white throne judgment and after the new heaven and new earth are created. See Revelation 21 & 22 for a description of the new Jerusalem.
I Hope this is beneficial
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