Hello PlainWord,
The problem with what you are claiming above is that it does not agree with scripture. Here is the scripture, again:
"In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. "
In my Father's house are many dwelling places = Rooms in Heaven
I go and prepare a place for you = Jesus is going to the Father's house to prepare dwelling places for believer's
I will come again and receive you to Myself = Jesus will return to receive all believers to himself
That where I am, there you may be also = Jesus is taking us to be where he is, which would be at the Father's house and where he will have prepared those dwelling places.
The problem with what you are claiming above is that it does not agree with scripture. Here is the scripture, again:
"In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. "
In my Father's house are many dwelling places = Rooms in Heaven
I go and prepare a place for you = Jesus is going to the Father's house to prepare dwelling places for believer's
I will come again and receive you to Myself = Jesus will return to receive all believers to himself
That where I am, there you may be also = Jesus is taking us to be where he is, which would be at the Father's house and where he will have prepared those dwelling places.
That is not what this means. The Mansions/Rooms/Dwelling places are already built. Jesus starts with this fact: "In My Father’s house are many dwelling places." They are there. Jesus wasn't going to heaven to build them. Sorry.
The above is in reference to when the Lord returns to the earth to end the age after the wrath of God has been completed, which is a completely different event from when the church is gathered as found in 1 Thes.4:13-18.
1 Thessolonians 4:13-18 = The gathering of the church, dead and living
Matthew 24:30-31 = The return of the Lord to end the age and establish his millennial kingdom
The resurrection mentioned in Rev.20:4-6, is a resurrection of the great tribulation saints only and there is no mention of living believer's being changed and caught up at this resurrection. The church/bride is in fact seen as following the Lord out of heaven riding on white horses and wearing fine line, bright and clean, which would demonstrate that the church would already have to be in heaven in order to follow the Lord out of it.
1 Thessolonians 4:13-18 = The gathering of the church, dead and living
Matthew 24:30-31 = The return of the Lord to end the age and establish his millennial kingdom
The resurrection mentioned in Rev.20:4-6, is a resurrection of the great tribulation saints only and there is no mention of living believer's being changed and caught up at this resurrection. The church/bride is in fact seen as following the Lord out of heaven riding on white horses and wearing fine line, bright and clean, which would demonstrate that the church would already have to be in heaven in order to follow the Lord out of it.
Who are the "rest of the dead" mentioned here?
the church would already have to be in heaven in order to follow the Lord out of it
Heb 9: [SUP]27 [/SUP]And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.
There is no passage that tells us living believers are snatched off the planet, changed, and taken to heaven. But there are plenty of passages that tell us the Church is under a major attack at the end and that massive killings will take place.
Dan 7: [SUP]21 [/SUP]“I was watching; and the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them, [SUP]22 [/SUP]until the Ancient of Days came.
Daniel tells us that the Saints are under attack and being defeated until who comes? John teaches the same thing:
Rev 12: [SUP]17 [/SUP]And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Rev 14: [SUP]13 [/SUP]Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’”
Rev 7: “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Rev 11: [SUP]7 [/SUP]When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them.
THE CHURCH IS KILLED, that's how they get to heaven. They aren't raptured there. ISIS is starting the process now. Have you been watching the news? Were the Christians in Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Lebanon, etc, raptured? No MAN, they are being beheaded just as we are told they would be:
I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God.
This is happening right now!!! It is only going to get worse.