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Oh my, Simple Living, I appreciate all the work you put into your post in an effort to explain to me about this subject, but I am afraid all those numbers in parenthesis is very confusing to me.
Anyway, I found that harpazo is in the Young's Concordance, but they are under "catch" instead of "caught".The first is in John 10.12, where it is speaking of a wolf catching the sheep. NASB uses the word " snatches", as does the definition in the Concordance.
The next 2 are in Matt. 13.19, and Acts 8. 39, and the definition is " to snatch away".
4 more times harpazo is found...in 2nd Cor. 12.2, and 12.4; 1st Thess. 4.17, and Rev. 12.5 . And the definition is "to snatch away". I am glad I found these, but it still doesn't explain to me where the Latin comes in ?? I know.... you said the Latin Vulgate is one of the oldest bibles in existance, but the New Testament wasn't originally written in Latin.
I hope I do not sound like I am nit-picking.
Since most translations use the wordage " caught up", I think I will stick with that, instead of "rapture".
"Rapture" sounds too much like "raptor" , and I don't want to think of God being a bird of prey.
I appreciate your response and if you ever feel like getting around to it I would like to hear the more complicated version. But, I must tell you that while I find it to be corny and far-fetched it is also an interesting story and my asking of it is for my own knowledge and I am not trying to debate you.
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Originally Posted by Simple Living
God allows Satan to be released at the end of the 1,000 year Millennial Reign. The rest of the answer gets complicated, and long, for a message board.
Life will continue in the 1,000 year reign as it does right now. The earth will be reconstructed and repopulated. People, during this time will still be capable of sinning. A vast part of the population, born of the believers (those who missed the rapture and accepted Christ during the Tribulation period) who entered the kingdom, will, in that perfect environment, love their sin and reject the King (Jesus.) Those who were raptured with Christ will be in their glorified bodies, reigning with Him, enforcing God's will and judging disputes.
During this time, Christ rules with unopposed sovereignty, with Satan bound in the pit. At the end of 1000 years, he is released one last time to lead a final rebellion of sinners. The people who survived the Tribulation period, and accepted Jesus during that time, will be redeemed but still have their sinful natures. They won't have their glorified bodies yet, like the saints who were raptured will. Because they still have their sinful natures, sin will still be capable.
When Satan is loosed, he will provide the supernatural leadership needed to bring to the surface all the sin and rebellion left in the universe. He will pull together all the rebels, revealing the true character and intent of those Christ-rejecting sinners, making it evident that God's judgment of them is just.
So, Satan was released in order to draw out the sinners? I do not follow this as 'logic' should dictate that God already knows who the sinners are in the first place and unless God really likes to kick-butt I don't understand why all of this business isn't over with after the rapture, since it seems that the final battle should take place then.
So, Satan was released in order to draw out the sinners? I do not follow this as 'logic' should dictate that God already knows who the sinners are in the first place and unless God really likes to kick-butt I don't understand why all of this business isn't over with after the rapture, since it seems that the final battle should take place then.
John does not say in Revelation why God sets satan free. I just believe it is part of God's plan for judging the world.
So from what I gather from reading all this, is that you would basically have to reject Christ twice and continue living in sin, when Jesus reigns on earth to be sent to hell? So there is a second chance? Is this correct? If so, don't you think lots of people out there are thinking....."heck, I'll just keep living in sin and get my share, when Jesus comes down, then Ill get my act straight?"
I always was taught once the rapture happens, if you are not right with God, you're basically done for, unless you are willing to live through hell.
Also, what about those who have already died? Do they get a second chance?
The world is full of statistics of people who have said that when they're on their deathbed, or with their last breath, they'll accept Jesus then. They don't. That "fire-insurance" thinking doesn't work.
Yes, those who are alive and go through the tribulation get yet another chance to accept God. You would think that everyone would accept God when they see that what He's been saying in the Bible comes true. Yet, unfortunately, most of them still won't. They'll die in their sin and unbelief and condemn themselves to an eternity in hell.
Those who DO accept Christ during the tribulation will end up going through a time the Bible says is the worst the earth has ever seen, and will ever see, again. People will try to kill themselves but be unable to. Also, they won't be part of the bride of Christ.
Those who have already died have already had their chance. They lived their lives. You're looking at this as a "second chance." It's not. We have a new chance every day, every moment we're alive. We've all had billions of chances already. How many do we need?
I appreciate your response and if you ever feel like getting around to it I would like to hear the more complicated version. But, I must tell you that while I find it to be corny and far-fetched it is also an interesting story and my asking of it is for my own knowledge and I am not trying to debate you.
I saw your sincerity, that's why I responded as I did already. As I've said before, I'm not out to convince anyone of anything.
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So, Satan was released in order to draw out the sinners? I do not follow this as 'logic' should dictate that God already knows who the sinners are in the first place and unless God really likes to kick-butt I don't understand why all of this business isn't over with after the rapture, since it seems that the final battle should take place then.
Satan won't be released that final time in order to draw out the sinners in the sense that you're thinking of it. Perhaps that was a poor choice of words on my part. Yes, there will still be sin and yes, God fully knows every sin and sinner. But, when Satan is released for his final deception and the final battle, his presence and his schemes will cause the sinners to fully act out in their rebellion. Sin is rebellion against God. This final battle will have each person acting as they believe in their hearts.
I don't understand why it's not over with the rapture of the church , the Battle of Armageddon and the second coming of Jesus either. The Bible doesn't give any explanation for this. But, we do know that God is just and perfect and that everything He does has a purpose and meaning.
The purpose is the freeing from the bonds of literally, if you like, fornicating trust; from further, the belief that there is some salvation in easy waste and destruction, and the purpose is never for mankind complete by the nature of ordinary HUMAN ideas.
Okay, so if those who are left behind have the opportunity to become born-again, then what happens to those non-believers who die(d) before the Rapture?
Sorry, but I do not subscribe to the '2nd chance' theory. The only time anyone is going to have a chance of being saved is up to the time of their death , or up to the time Christ comes again. When He comes again, there will be no more time for anyone.
Sorry, but I do not subscribe to the '2nd chance' theory. The only time anyone is going to have a chance of being saved is up to the time of their death , or up to the time Christ comes again. When He comes again, there will be no more time for anyone.
So, if somebody died in a car accident then that is it for them? I would think that they at least get to go to Purgatory. If someone has up to the Second Coming to redeem themselves then those who died prematurely surely has some option available?
Isn't Armageddon the name of the location of the final battle as opposed to the term given to the end of the Earth?
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Simple living: the purpose is simpler still.
