Kingdom of God

[Cypress]

I remember Ray either writing or speaking on the topic on what the kingdom on God/heaven is. Can someone point me to where this is?

Thanks

[Samson]

I remember Ray either writing or speaking on the topic on what the kingdom on God/heaven is. Can someone point me to where this is?

Thanks

Hi Cypress,

An Email Question & Answer from Ray below !

> Hello fellow lover of christ,
> I just finished your paper on the rapture theory problem is i'm still confused
> about what's really gonna happen, is Jesus really gonna come & steal us away or
> what, if so to what end & in what order or is this whole rapture thing a great
> lie.
> For that last part about a lie, I asked because of what you wrote :
>
> "I have considerably more notes on this subject, but I think maybe it is time to
> bring this paper to an end. We could explore the origin of the rapture which can
> be traced to a Catholic who posed as a Christian Jew to make himself more
> credible. "
>
> Maybe I'm confused because your paper was not written in the same no nonsense
> form like all the others, anyway can you pls help
>
> Fellow warrior in christ
> "death to babylon"


Dear Worrior:

Are you sure it was my paper on the rapture that you read?  You missed a lot. I make it abundantly clear that Jesus is coming back to rule ON THIS EARTH WITH HIS SAINTS, and that the whole rapturing the saints back to heaven is totally unscriptural. Here is just one little section from my paper dealing specifically with how Christ returns to this earth to rule on this earth:

"I know of no Scripture that states that Christ will set up His Kingdom and rule it from heaven. So it doesn't say He returns to heaven; it doesn't say He returns to earth; it doesn't say He stays in the air either. We know from other Scriptures and prophesies that Christ does indeed return and rule on this earth. However, for the sake of the rapturists, can we know from this very Scripture alone whether Christ immediately returns with His saints to earth or does He return to heaven first for a number of years?

We can learn something remarkable from the way that God uses the word "meet" in this Scripture.

    "Thereupon we, the living who are surviving, shall at the same time be snatched away together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air." (I Thes. 4:17).

In this verse as in three others, God uses the Greek word apatesis which is translated "to meet." It is distinguished from a half dozen other Greek words which are variously translated, "meet,' "meet with," "meeting," "meeting with," etc. The Greek word apatesis, is, however, used only three other times.

One authority tells us that this word apatesis was used in ancient times to describe the actions of an official welcoming delegation that had been sent "to meet" a visiting dignitary.

It is said that the word literally meant, "meeting and returning with." Not being an etymologist, historian, or scholar, I can't speak with any authority here, but I can use a concordance and I can read the Scriptures. Let's look at these three occasions and see if, indeed, this word carries the connotation of "meeting and returning with."

       1.

          "Now in the middle of the night a clamor occurs: Lo! The bridegroom! Come out to meet [apatesis] Him!" (Matt. 25:6).

          Comment: After they went out to meet the bridegroom, they didn't stay outside, but rather they came back inside with the Bridegroom. Remember, it is "midnight" and it is dark--that's why they took oil for their torches. They went out to meet the Bridegroom, then returned with Him to the house, and locked the door.
       2.

          When Christ began His entrance into Jerusalem (which was itself a type of His triumphant return to Jerusalem), many people went out with palm fronds to meet Him.

          "On the morrow the vast throng, who are coming for the festival, hearing that Jesus is coming into Jerusalem, got fronds of palms and came out to meet [apatesis] Him" (John 12:13).

          Needless to say, they did not return with Christ back to Bethany, but returned back into Jerusalem with Christ.
       3.

          When the saints in Rome heard of Paul's soon arrival, they went out to meet him.

          "And thence the brethren, hearing about us, come to meet [apatesis] us as far as Appii Forum and Three Taverrns, perceiving whom, Paul, thanking God, took courage. Now when we entered Rome" (Acts 28:15-16).

And again, it is seen that they returned back to Rome with Paul, they did not return with Paul back to Puteoli.

The fourth time this Greek word apatesis is translated "to meet" is in I Thes. 4:17: "... we, the living who are surviving, shall at the same time be snatched away together with them in the clouds, to meet [apatesis] the Lord in the air."

Now I am almost sure that I can hear faint protests in the distance from objecting rapturists. Notwithstanding, based on all the usage's of this word apatesis [to meet], and we read them all, when someone went out to meet someone else, where did they always go next? That's right, back where they came from. So if God is consistent with the use of this word, then when the saints of I Thes. 4 meet the Lord in the air, they will then return with Christ back to the EARTH!"

My paper on the rapture is just as "straight forward" as anything I have written. Sorry you missed it all.

God be with you,

Ray


   Also, You might want to read Ray's article of the Secret Rapture Theory where He critiques the Concordant Publishing Concern's interpretations. It's found at the front page of Site.

                Hope this Helps, Samson.

[Cypress]

Thanks Samson. I was thinking in reference to the verses that say such and such will not inherit the kingdom of God. Other verses that say the kingdom of God is within us. Some translations say kingdom of heaven. I see a lot of people using those verses as proof of people being damned, but I know Ray discusses this somewhere.

[Cypress]

Yes, I think that's it! I might have more questions later. Thank you!