Rhea

So what's the deal. Rapture, Tribulation...

Anybody got the cliff notes? Because as I recall the official script is really twisted and whacked out.

I'd like to open a discussion about what Christians think the "end times" are with small, easy to digest soundbites from scripture.


Thanks.

Magus55

We consider the end times to be the closing chapter in God's plan for humanity. The time when the last of the Biblical prophecies are to be fulfilled before Jesus Christ returns to Earth.

The Rapture of the Church, is where Jesus will instantly bring all saved believers up to Him in Heaven and give them their eternal, perfect bodies.


1Cr 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.


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.

There is debate as to what part of the Tribulation the Rapture will be at. ( Pre trib is the most common , there is mid trib, post trib and pre wrath). God the Father is the only one who knows when the Rapture will be. We will be caught off gaurd and it will happen quickly.


The Tribulations is God's final judgement on the sinning, unbelieving world. It will also be the last chance for anyone who survives to find salvation in Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit will be taken from the Earth and God's wrath will be unleashed. It will literally be Hell on earth. I'm sure you've heard of the 4 Horseman of Apocalypse. They come from the Tribulation part of Revelation ( whether they are real horseman, or just figurative for what the world will bring, I don't know - i believe they are real but not sure. ) Wars will increase ( Iraq war we believe is the start), more and more diseases will plague the world ( Sars possibly being one) etc.

Satan will usher in the Antichrist, who will most likely be a political leader that will bring a false peace between the Middle East and Israel ( we see that happening right now). He will seem like the nicest person, but will eventually become the worst dictator and tyrant the world has ever known ( Hitler will seem like Mother Theresa). He will bring about the Mark of the Beast on the hand or forehead that will most likely be tied to the economy ( need the mark to buy and sell goods/food etc). The Antichrist will send out executioners and his followers around the world to kill anyone that doesn't except the Mark and follows Jesus instead. If you accept the Mark, you automatically choose your fate. If you are marked, you are permanently lost and have no hope.

During the Tribulation, 144,000 Jews will be given the mark of God and become unkillable for a certain period of time. They will travel the world and try to bring as many people as possible to Christ before the Antichrist gets to them.

And the end of the Tribulation, Jesus will descend from Heaven and set foot on the Mount of Olives. He will usher in the Milennium Kingdom and rule over a world of perfect peace for 1000 years. The believers who survive the Tribulation will live during this time. At the end of the Kingdom, Satan, the False Prophet and the beast will be thrown into the Lake of Fire. God will judge everyone at the Great White Throne Judgement, and then will destroy the Earth with fire, and recreate it as perfect again. He will set his kingdom on Earth ( New Jerusalem), and all saved by Christ will live with Him for eternity.


If you want to know to know any more about the Tribulation, in detail, i can try to explain it with scripture ( unless you are just trying to spite us )

Rhea

No, no spite. Genuine curiosity.

So by "raising the dead in christ" that means all the believers who have dies so far are NOT in heaven and they're dead in the ground waiting for the rapture?

Magus55

No, their souls are in Heaven, their bodies are still on Earth, I think ( could be wrong).

Rhea

You mean heaven is not perfect for them because they haven't got their bodies yet?

I'm surprised by that (and by the notion that they may all be dead in the ground for now) because Christians are always saying "she's in heaven, now" and things like that, which don't indicate any change in status between their "eternal life" now and and what it might be like later.

Interesting

Magus55

No, Heaven is still perfect. I don't know the significance of having a body and a soul, versus just having a soul. We could only speculate.

Demigawd

It's very interesting that you can understand that about the particulars of a concept, yet not consider a same line of questioning about the concept itself. Very interesting indeed.

Magus55

I'm trying to have a serious discussion with Rhea about something she asked about. Mind butting out and not inputing your insultful sarcasm and spite?

Demigawd

There was no sarcasm nor spite in my observation, Magus. It's really interesting that you read both into my text.

Marduk

"Satan will usher in the Antichrist, who will most likely be a political leader that will bring a false peace between the Middle East and Israel ( we see that happening right now). He will seem like the nicest person, but will eventually become the worst dictator and tyrant the world has ever known ( Hitler will seem like Mother Theresa). "




This sounds eerily like Bush.