Post by rt on Jun 16, 2017 9:08:05 GMT -6
Hi all, thought I might share a study I did a while back that goes along with Gary's thread:
unsealed.boards.net/thread/95/distinguishing-various-resurrections
It is rather long, so I broke it up into separate posts.
This study connects the various resurrection events to the biblical harvest feasts.
Many Christians wonder when the rapture will happen and what indications might be found in scripture that may point to a time frame. Theories abound and I myself have been led down various paths on my search for understanding. I have recently completed a study on the feasts of Israel and found what I believe is a correlation between the feasts and the order of the resurrection given by Paul in his first epistle to the Corinthians. The order of the resurrection shows that there are three distinct separate groups that make up the order- Christ the first fruits, those who are Christ’s at His coming and then comes the end- those who are raised up at the end, when Christ hands over the kingdom to the Father. These various groups are resurrected in an order- meaning they follow one another; they are not resurrected at the same time but at three different times as three different groups.
Christ the first fruits:
According to the passage Christ was the first to be raised from the dead, but in my opinion many fail to realize that the second reference to first fruits may not be referring to Christ, but rather to those that comprise His body, also known as the church, who He will raise from the dead. I believe the passage indicates that the “Christ first fruits” are identified as actually being Christ. Yes Christ was the first to be raised as the head of the body, but this second reference concerns the subject of all who will be made alive in Christ, each in their own order. Scripture tells us that Christ is the head and the church is His body.
In Luke 10 Jesus says to the seventy disciples He sent out that they are acting on His behalf, if anyone listens it is as if they are listening to Him, if they reject, it is as if they reject Jesus Himself.
When Saul was converted on the Damascus road, Jesus asks why Saul is persecuting Him. The first verse in the passage explains how Saul (Paul) was on his way to the synagogues in Damascus to deliver letters from the high priest granting him permission to arrest those followers of the “Way” and bring them back to Jerusalem. Jesus had already ascended before Saul’s conversion and in the passage He appears to Saul on the road as a blinding light. Jesus doesn’t ask why Saul was persecuting His followers or disciples, but equated believers with Himself asking instead- “why are you persecuting Me?” As the body of Christ we are one with Him, though He is the head over us.
The passage in Colossians 1:18 (above) says that Christ was the “firstborn” of the dead, this idea is expounded on in Romans 8 where Paul talks about the groaning or pains of childbirth experienced by believers, having the first fruits of the Spirit, as they await their adoption as sons, the redemption of their bodies, or in other words their resurrection when they are “born” or “delivered” into the heavenly kingdom.
When a woman gives birth, her baby is typically born head first, and then the body is delivered. Christ the head was the first fruits of the resurrection, His body; the church would also be considered Christ first fruits- who will be raised in His likeness as firstborn sons. Christ the head was born into the heavenly tabernacle, and His body will follow Him when they are delivered by the resurrection into that same heavenly tabernacle, the head and the body is one in Christ.
Hebrews says that believers belong to the church of the firstborn enrolled in heaven. The word “enrolled” means registered, or recorded as in a census, their names are recorded as citizens of heaven. They too are considered first born sons and have a place waiting for them in the heavenly city- New Jerusalem. Note the other inhabitants- God, and those spirits of the righteous- in other words the dead in Christ as well as myriads of angels.
The woman in Revelation 12 is said to give birth to a Son, this male child is obviously Christ, but is the passage only speaking of Christ the head? Or is it also referring to the whole child, both head and body being born into heaven to His throne. The words “caught up” mean:
This is the same word used in 1Thessalonians 4:17 to describe the rapture.
In the letter to the church at Thyatira Jesus promised that those who overcome, those true believers who make up His body, would rule as He does, with a rod of iron.
In the letter to the church at Laodicea Jesus promises that those who overcome will sit with Him on His throne, just as Jesus sat on His throne.
The male child, the first born of the woman, is caught up; first the head and later the body to share in Christ’s authority over the millennial kingdom.
John sees this “Christ first fruits” group appear in the heavenly tabernacle after their resurrection here: (Many commentaries identify this group as the tribulation martyrs, I however recognize them as the raptured/ resurrected body of Christ, otherwise known as the Church.)
So the “Christ first fruits” are the first to be raised in the order of the resurrection, these are caught up into the heavenly throne-room before the visible return of Christ. The “woman’ of Revelation 12, who many scholars believe represents Israel, has other children besides the firstborn “male child”.
Cont'd...
unsealed.boards.net/thread/95/distinguishing-various-resurrections
It is rather long, so I broke it up into separate posts.
This study connects the various resurrection events to the biblical harvest feasts.
Many Christians wonder when the rapture will happen and what indications might be found in scripture that may point to a time frame. Theories abound and I myself have been led down various paths on my search for understanding. I have recently completed a study on the feasts of Israel and found what I believe is a correlation between the feasts and the order of the resurrection given by Paul in his first epistle to the Corinthians. The order of the resurrection shows that there are three distinct separate groups that make up the order- Christ the first fruits, those who are Christ’s at His coming and then comes the end- those who are raised up at the end, when Christ hands over the kingdom to the Father. These various groups are resurrected in an order- meaning they follow one another; they are not resurrected at the same time but at three different times as three different groups.
1 Corinthians 15:20-26
20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.
21 For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.
23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming,
24 then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power.
25 For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet.
26 The last enemy that will be abolished is death.
20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.
21 For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.
23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming,
24 then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power.
25 For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet.
26 The last enemy that will be abolished is death.
According to the passage Christ was the first to be raised from the dead, but in my opinion many fail to realize that the second reference to first fruits may not be referring to Christ, but rather to those that comprise His body, also known as the church, who He will raise from the dead. I believe the passage indicates that the “Christ first fruits” are identified as actually being Christ. Yes Christ was the first to be raised as the head of the body, but this second reference concerns the subject of all who will be made alive in Christ, each in their own order. Scripture tells us that Christ is the head and the church is His body.
Ephesians 1:22-23
22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church,
23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church,
23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
Ephesians 5:23
23 For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.
23 For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.
Ephesians 5:28-32
28 So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself;
29 for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church,
30 because we are members of His body.
31 FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND SHALL BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH.
32 This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.
28 So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself;
29 for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church,
30 because we are members of His body.
31 FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND SHALL BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH.
32 This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.
1 Corinthians 6:14-15
14 Now God has not only raised the Lord, but will also raise us up through His power.
15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? May it never be!
14 Now God has not only raised the Lord, but will also raise us up through His power.
15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? May it never be!
Colossians 1:18
18 He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.
18 He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.
In Luke 10 Jesus says to the seventy disciples He sent out that they are acting on His behalf, if anyone listens it is as if they are listening to Him, if they reject, it is as if they reject Jesus Himself.
Luke 10:16
16 “The one who listens to you listens to Me, and the one who rejects you rejects Me; and he who rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.”
16 “The one who listens to you listens to Me, and the one who rejects you rejects Me; and he who rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.”
When Saul was converted on the Damascus road, Jesus asks why Saul is persecuting Him. The first verse in the passage explains how Saul (Paul) was on his way to the synagogues in Damascus to deliver letters from the high priest granting him permission to arrest those followers of the “Way” and bring them back to Jerusalem. Jesus had already ascended before Saul’s conversion and in the passage He appears to Saul on the road as a blinding light. Jesus doesn’t ask why Saul was persecuting His followers or disciples, but equated believers with Himself asking instead- “why are you persecuting Me?” As the body of Christ we are one with Him, though He is the head over us.
Acts 9:4-5
4 and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”
5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting,
4 and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”
5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting,
Romans 8:18-23
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
19 For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.
20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope
21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.
23 And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
19 For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.
20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope
21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.
23 And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.
When a woman gives birth, her baby is typically born head first, and then the body is delivered. Christ the head was the first fruits of the resurrection, His body; the church would also be considered Christ first fruits- who will be raised in His likeness as firstborn sons. Christ the head was born into the heavenly tabernacle, and His body will follow Him when they are delivered by the resurrection into that same heavenly tabernacle, the head and the body is one in Christ.
Hebrews says that believers belong to the church of the firstborn enrolled in heaven. The word “enrolled” means registered, or recorded as in a census, their names are recorded as citizens of heaven. They too are considered first born sons and have a place waiting for them in the heavenly city- New Jerusalem. Note the other inhabitants- God, and those spirits of the righteous- in other words the dead in Christ as well as myriads of angels.
Hebrews 12:22-23
22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels,
23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,
22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels,
23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,
Strong's Greek #726
726 ἁρπάζω [harpazo /har•pad•zo/] v. From a derivative of 138; TDNT 1:472; TDNTA 80; GK 773; 13 occurrences; AV translates as “catch up” four times, “take by force” three times, “catch away” twice, “pluck” twice, “catch” once, and “pull” once. 1 to seize, carry off by force. 2 to seize on, claim for one’s self eagerly. 3 to snatch out or away.
726 ἁρπάζω [harpazo /har•pad•zo/] v. From a derivative of 138; TDNT 1:472; TDNTA 80; GK 773; 13 occurrences; AV translates as “catch up” four times, “take by force” three times, “catch away” twice, “pluck” twice, “catch” once, and “pull” once. 1 to seize, carry off by force. 2 to seize on, claim for one’s self eagerly. 3 to snatch out or away.
This is the same word used in 1Thessalonians 4:17 to describe the rapture.
Revelation 12:5
5 And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne.
5 And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne.
1 Thessalonians 4:15-17
15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.
15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.
In the letter to the church at Thyatira Jesus promised that those who overcome, those true believers who make up His body, would rule as He does, with a rod of iron.
Revelation 2:26-27
26 ‘He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, TO HIM I WILL GIVE AUTHORITY OVER THE NATIONS;
27 AND HE SHALL RULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON, AS THE VESSELS OF THE POTTER ARE BROKEN TO PIECES, as I also have received authority from My Father;
26 ‘He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, TO HIM I WILL GIVE AUTHORITY OVER THE NATIONS;
27 AND HE SHALL RULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON, AS THE VESSELS OF THE POTTER ARE BROKEN TO PIECES, as I also have received authority from My Father;
In the letter to the church at Laodicea Jesus promises that those who overcome will sit with Him on His throne, just as Jesus sat on His throne.
Revelation 3:21
21 ‘He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
21 ‘He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
The male child, the first born of the woman, is caught up; first the head and later the body to share in Christ’s authority over the millennial kingdom.
John sees this “Christ first fruits” group appear in the heavenly tabernacle after their resurrection here: (Many commentaries identify this group as the tribulation martyrs, I however recognize them as the raptured/ resurrected body of Christ, otherwise known as the Church.)
Revelation 7:9-10
9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands;
10 and they cry out with a loud voice, saying,
“Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”
9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands;
10 and they cry out with a loud voice, saying,
“Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”
So the “Christ first fruits” are the first to be raised in the order of the resurrection, these are caught up into the heavenly throne-room before the visible return of Christ. The “woman’ of Revelation 12, who many scholars believe represents Israel, has other children besides the firstborn “male child”.
Revelation 12:17
17 So the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her children, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.
17 So the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her children, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.
Cont'd...
