The
American
Wisdom Series
Presents
Pamphlet 1908 Rev. kc 50-1
To describe the white horses
that Christ returns on as high-tech,
even using the terminology from
the knowledge we possess in this space age,
would be a gross understatement.
In our last study we saw that Christ is coming to make
war (Rev. 19:14-15)
and to subdue all nations, taking all their "crowns",
and placing them all under His rod of correction.
We observed Him returning with His armies, who rode upon
white horses,
and were clothed with fine white linen, meaning their
righteous acts.
Just wait until you see this army
of the Host of Heaven led by the King of kings!
It will truly be an awesome sight
to behold!
Of
course when we read about the horses we wonder if these horses are real
horses like "Trigger" or "Secretariat" or "Silver".
Well,
not exactly.
Do you remember in 2 Kings chapter 6 when Elisha and the
young man were surrounded by a host of enemy horses and chariots,
and how Elisha prayed to the Father to reveal the heavenly
army to the young man?
2 Kings
6:17 And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that
he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw:
and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots
of fire round about Elisha.
These
"horses" and "flaming chariots" are
the same as the highly polished metallic flying circular vehicles
described
by Ezekiel in chapters 1 and 10 of his book.
See
Pamphlet 1187"God's Flying Machine"
To describe them as high-tech, even using the terminology
from the knowledge we possess in this space age,
would be a gross understatement.
In any event, when Christ returns to make war at the sound
of the 7th Trump,
we read that His armies will follow Him.
It is at this time that His Kingdom will be ushered in,
which is to say that His Millennial reign will begin.
This is one statement to which most everyone agrees.
But
there is something which happens at Christ's return which is a "mystery"
to most.
Do you recall how many times we've said that an understanding
of the rest of the Bible is essential in order to come to the fullness
of the understanding of the Book of Revelation?
That makes sense, doesn't it?
You can't just pick up a book and read the last chapter
or two and understand the whole book, can you?
Here's what we said in the last
study:
"Plus, if you've studied,
i.e. read with understanding, the entire Bible from the beginning, from
Genesis on, line by line then you will completely understand this chapter,
for as we said from the opening study, there is nothing really new in the
Book of Revelation that hasn't been discussed before in God's Word. It's
just that in this Book of the Unveiling, this PICTURE BOOK, prophecy is
all tied together and simplified for our understanding."
And so it is that we are about to SEE another very
graphic PICTURE of what happens when Jesus Christ returns at the 7th Trump.
That
event is that ALL of mankind will be instantly changed from flesh to spiritual
bodies.
The apostle Paul in 1 Cor. 15 spoke of this event which
he called a "mystery".
Of course he then revealed it, i.e. explained it,
in very simple language so that it is a "mystery" no
more.
And here in Revelation that same "mystery" is revealed
in PICTURE format (for this picture oriented final generation).
So before we see the picture, let us first understand
what Paul said.
The subject is he is addressing is the death and resurrection
of the body from flesh to spirit:
1 Cor.
15:44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body.
There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
Paul
has gone to great lengths in this 15th chapter to let us know
that
we have two bodies and that when we die,
the
flesh is gone and we are elevated, raised, resurrected, to our spiritual
bodies.
1 Cor.
15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the
kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
Remember,
Paul is about to show us a mystery,
an
event that will occur at the 7th Trump when Jesus returns,
but
he first wants to prepare our minds and remind us that flesh bodies cannot
enter into the Millennium,
i.e.
the kingdom of God, which will begin on this earth when Christ returns.
So the question is "How will Christ
handle all the people who are alive and remain when He returns?"
Paul explains it and makes it very simple for us to understand,
which I guess is why it is a "mystery" to most.
[51]
Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but
we shall all be changed,
We
are not all going to die (as we know natural death).
But we
will ALL be changed into our spiritual bodies!
We will document that ALL means everyone when we return
to Revelation.
And about how long, and precisely when will this change
of bodies take place?
[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.
"Just like that" at the "last trump", i.e. instantly
when Jesus Christ returns!
Now don't let the phrase "the dead shall be raised incorruptible"
cause you to switch subjects in the middle of a sentence.
The subject is the change of bodies from flesh to spirit.
We read in verse 51 that it is ALL who are changed
and here in verse 52 Paul breaks it down into two categories.
(1) The "dead", who are the
"spiritually dead", i.e. the figuratively dead (see appendix
139 in the Companion Bible regarding the different use of the word nekros
translated "dead" in the NT). They too will
be elevated, or raised to incorruptible bodies,
and
(2) we Christians also!
Paul is simply saying both the good and the bad,
those who are saved and
those who aren't, will be changed,
i.e. ALL, EVERYONE!
[53]
For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put
on immortality.
You see documented in this
verse that the change of body from flesh to spirit,
i.e. from corruptible to incorruptible (which happens
to ALL),
is not the same as receiving eternal
life which is to be elevated from a mortal soul to an immortal soul,
which happens only to those who
partake of the 1st Raising to eternal life, or the 1st Resurrection to
Immortality.
In other words there is a
"resurrection" from the flesh to the spiritual body,
and there is a "resurrection"
from mortality to immortality!
The resurrection
from flesh to spirit bodies happens to ALL at
Christ's return,
but the resurrection from
mortality to immortality happens only to those who are His at His
coming.
The rest must wait until the 2nd
Resurrection to immortality after the Millennium,
and though they will be in spiritual
bodies throughout the Millennium,
they will be referred to as the
"dead".
You see, the "dead" (spiritually) will STAND before judgment.
"Dead" is a condition of their soul, not the status
of their bodies.
They are not corpses who stand, they are mortal souls!
They
just didn't make it in the 1st resurrection.
It is that their soul is liable
to die for it is still mortal and subject to the second death,
and that is where they are headed
if they don't shape up during the Millennium.
We will read of them in chapter 20 of Revelation.
And so there is much confusion in the ranks of Christianity
concerning the subject of "resurrection"
because of the lack of understanding
of the use of the word "nekros"
and the failing to understand the
simplicity of the "mystery" that Paul explains in 1 Cor. 15.
To study the Bible is the noblest of all pursuits;
to understand it, the highest of all goals.
We pray that with the guidance of the Holy
Spirit, you accomplish both.
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