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ARE YOU READY ? TO HEAR THE TRUTH ABOUT 1 THESSALONIANS 4:13-18?.1 Thessalonians 4:13-18"But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.". [14] "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him.". [15] "For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.".[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:".[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.".[18] "Wherefore comfort one another with these words"..Reading those verses, I didn't read of any rapture; there's certainly not "any subject or object" of a rapture written in those verses. Did you read anywhere in those verses in which some are left behind, while others are taken to heaven? I didn't. Did you read anywhere in those verses in which "unbelievers" must remain and experience the tribulation, but believers escape the tribulation by flying away? I didn't..Remember, when reading you must only regard to what the SUBJECT and OBJECT actually teach in the verse, NOT allowing "the traditions of men" to slip into your mind..At times, this can be very hard, because as you read you can hear their words ringing in your mind. This is because you've heard them inject the "same lie" into those verses time after time, so now whenever you read those verses to yourself, you hear their lies ring in your mind (this is called brainwashing). .This is why they add their rapture 'theory' every time particular words come up or certain verses are read.It's to develop a behavior pattern or a 'conditioned response' (or reflex) every time certain verses or words are heard or read..PARTICULAR WORDS MEAN RAPTURE ?Verse 17, of 1Thessalonians chapter 4, does have some of those very particular words (you were warned about above) which the pre-tribulationalist rapture theorists just love to quote all the time in their literature, such as: "caught up", "clouds", "meet" and in "the air". .The rapture "theorists" must take these words 'out of context' in order to build their doctrine of a rapture, but, IF you knew the proper "context" of the words in question, THEN their propaganda couldn't (deceive you) nor could any man deceive you, by any means..Let's take a look at some of these words and then you go back and read the verses in question again. .Understand there are words in the English language which change meaning quickly depending on how they're used. Take for instance; the other day I was supposed to have lunch with an old friend, but he got "caught up" in a meeting at work and had to cancel our lunch date, yet his feet are still firmly upon the earth; my point is, sometimes "up" doesn't mean the opposite of down..FIGURES OF SPEECHPaul used figures of speech at times to get his point across, for instance; a multitude of locusts are referred to as a "cloud" of locusts; a multitude of people forming a cloud-like mass can also be referred to as a cloud. Paul actually used this idiom in Hebrews 12:1; "...with so great a cloud of witnesses..." so, as Paul wasn't referring to a body of fine water droplets in the atmosphere, in Hebrews 12, he's also not referring to a body of fine water droplets in the atmosphere in the 17th verse of 1 Thessalonians chapter 4..BREATH OF LIFEDo you know when man became a living soul? "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul" - Genesis 2:7. .This: "breath of life", is the Hebrew word: neshamah, (Strong's Hebrew: 5397), and means: "a puff", that is, "wind" or the "intellect.". THIS is what Paul was speaking of when he used the Greek word: "aer" (Strong's Greek: 109) in that 17th translated into English as: "air", but it doesn't and cannot mean atmosphere; it's referring to the "breath of life body" or the "spiritual body", that is to say, your celestial body..RIGHTLY DIVIDE THE WORDBefore you read those verses, again you should understand what the "subject" is and "rightly divide" the Word according to the subject.. Paul is teaching them about "where the dead are" (they, which are asleep). Paul doesn't want them (or us) "to be ignorant as the heathen are." .The heathen don't believe Jesus rose from the dead. But, if you believe Jesus rose from the dead, then you must also believe all those, which are no longer alive in the flesh, have risen also, and are with Jesus in heaven (as discussed above), and its THESE souls that are referred to in verse 14, which will return "with Him.". That's why at the seventh trump the dead rise first, because they're ALREADY with Jesus.. This explains why those which are alive and remain shall not prevent (precede) them which are asleep (them which the flesh body has died), because ALL of the souls of those which have died believing in Jesus, are 'already' with Him, in Heaven, in their spiritual bodies..Paul wants us to comfort one another with this knowledge, knowing our loved ones are in Heaven with Jesus and not asleep in a grave, and that we will see them at the seventh (final) trump. Paul taught about this in 1 Corinthians chapter 15;.Now read those verses again from your Bible, use your Strong's Concordance you may find it helpful. Pray to keep the traditions of men from ringing in your mind, and to allow God's Truth come through the pages. Rightly dividing the Word will prove the rapture theory to be false doctrine!.Very soon after Paul's first epistle to the church at Thessalonica, he sent another epistle. We know this second epistle closely followed the first one because; Paul was still at Corinth with both Silas and Timothy. Apparently Paul's first epistle confused some, so the second epistle was called forth and sent very quickly in order to repair the confusion the first epistle may have caused..In Paul's second epistle we have careful statements, in plain terms, of events that were then in the future and which, not having yet taken place, are future still (at the time of the writing of this study). .The prophecy is given in such language that the simplest reader may understand. .This second epistle would specifically mention Paul's first epistle in verse two; Paul didn't want them to be "shaken in mind", or be troubled by his first letter, that the Day of Christ is at hand..THE 2ND EPISTLE MAKES IT CLEARSo this second epistle to the Thessalonians puts an end to any confusion over Paul's first epistle that anyone may have had.. The Holy Spirit through Paul gives important details connected with the coming of our Lord (The Day of the Lord) and the Warning in which that day would not come EXCEPT "a falling away" (apostasy) come FIRST (a warning much needed today) and the important prophecy regarding "the man of sin" (man of lawlessness). .Before we continue in this study it must be understood that the Greek language utilizes a transitive verb. A transitive verb means one cannot change the verb that has already been established; one must transfer the power of the definition to that which is being discussed. Keep this in mind as we move forward..2ND THESSALONIANS 2:1-12[1] "Now We beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto Him," .Paul stating we must have a serious discussion with you about "how" our Lord Jesus Christ comes and "how" we're going to gather back to Him; THIS is how it's going to happen, that's the subject..[2] "That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand." .Don't allow any evil spirit, or any preacher man or even our first letter (1 Thessalonians) I wrote to you neither deceive nor confuse you. Don't think it's going to happen at "any moment" because it's NOT.. The "day of Christ" in this verse is in fact: The Day Of The LORD of Old Testament prophecy (see Isaiah 2:12). The prophecy must be fulfilled first, that's what Paul is saying..[3] "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;".[4] "Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.". Paul explicitly stating, in which, that day "will not come, EXCEPT a falling away come first." The words: "falling away" is one Greek word: "apostasia" (Strong's Greek: 646); in English: "apostasy". The apostasy will be a defection from (or a forsaking of) one's faith "en mass";. Paul continuing states, the son of perdition must also be revealed first. There is only one "son of perdition" and as we know perdition means: "damnation" and "ruin" (a complete and irreparable loss of the soul). There's only one entity that fits that description and you know that's Satan (Satan being the subject now).In Ezekiel chapter 28, God sentenced Satan to death, that is to say, the death of the soul. Paul is clearly specifying Christ isn't coming here UNTIL "the apostasy" and Satan (the son of perdition), the one going into Perdition comes here (to earth) FIRST and sits on Mt. Zion, in the Temple of God, claiming to be Jesus (claiming to be God himself), is revealed first. .[5] "Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?". [6] "And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.". [7] "For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way." .Paul reminding them they know all this. The word: "withholdeth" in verse six is: katechó (Strong's Greek: 2722) and means: "hold fast"; "ye know what withholdeth" (holds [him] fast) that he (Satan) might be revealed in his time (season). .The word: "iniquity" in verse seven is: anomia (Strong's Greek: 458) and means: "lawlessness"; "doth already work" (is already active)..The next part of the verse confuses some, but in the Greek, it's straightforward; the word: "letteth" is also the Greek word: katecho (Strong's Greek: 2722), "only he who now letteth" (only he who now holdeth fast)..Remember, the subject is still Satan, and "Letteth" is a transitive verb; so, the power of the definition transfers to it (letteth). It's Satan, who holdeth fast to something, he holdeth fast to his position in heaven; until, as we read in Revelation 12:7-9, Michael and his Angels cast him and his angels out of heaven into the earth..[8] "And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming:". The word: "Wicked" is: anomos (Strong's Greek: 459) and is the "lawless one"; The "spirit of His mouth" is the Word of God.(the sword of the Spirit; Ephesians 6:17)"and is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword" (Hebrews 4:12)..[9] "Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders," .This is the lawless one in his role as the false prophet who deceives so wonderfully with all the signs of Satan's angelic power..[10] "And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.". The deception of the lawless one misleads those that perish, that is to say, those that don't love nor even care enough about the Truth, to make the effort to find out, if they are really receiving the Truth of Salvation from the written Word; instead they've chosen to believe the 'theories' of men and listen to his traditions..[11] "And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:" .Because they don't care enough about God to seek out His True Salvation, He will bolster the deception. The fact of this passage occurring here should speak to us of the Love that Father has for His children. Almost two thousand years before the fact, Father would have these Words of Warning on this subject "spelled out" just for us, and the fact that the lie of the rapture is so prevalent in the world today, is proof, God's Word IS True..[12] "That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." .Those who love man's word over God's Word will be made to give an account for their work (Revelation 20:12, 22:12). .You must understand the correct 'sequence' of events, in which we gather back to our Lord at the seventh trump; it's so important to know the Truth about the rapture. There are many Scriptures that should be "studied" to bring one to an even better understanding, in this study we've embraced just a few, so you should seek out a good Bible teacher that will teach you all of the Scriptures, "line-by-line, and chapter-by-chapter.".For instance: Enoch and Elijah, they were taken (I believe Moses was also), but they were taken in a very specific manner, so there's no way this can be proof of the rapture. Our Heavenly Father's Word makes it very clear what happened to Enoch and Elijah and informs us exactly how Jesus ascended into heaven and exactly how and when He'll return..YOUR CHOICESo, while the rapture theorists hang around waiting to" fly away"; students of God's Word will put on the" whole armour of God" (Ephesians 6:10-18), to stand "against" Satan, in that day we're delivered up for a testimony against them (Mark 13:9, Matthew 10:17, Luke 12:11), praying and watching (Ephesians 6:18, Mark 13:35, 37, Matthew 24:42, 25:13, Luke 21:36, 1Thessalonians 5:6), unlike those which (in ignorance) state they want to be "the first ones taken"; it's because they will NOT follow the article and subject of the Greek, they CANNOT KNOW that the first ones taken are taken by Satan!.The rapture can be found in every verse of the Bible if that's what you're looking for and you're willing to pervert and twist God's Word just to see it. .Father gives us all free will; the free will to choose between Him and Satan (in contrast: Satan will tempt, trick and lie to you), so, you believe in whatever it is you choose, God's Word or the traditions of men; but know this, teaching the traditions of men as if it was God's Word will not only bring His wrath upon you, it jeopardizes your very soul. .So then you believe in whatever you will, but don't ever teach the fabrications from the minds of men as if it were God's Word. Know this; those that teach lies, God will visit upon those false pastors the evil of their doings (Jeremiah 23:1 forward). .I'd like to show you all the places in the Scriptures which tell us what "Adonay Yehovah" will do to all those that lie and mislead His children, but this study must have an end to it. We've covered a lot of ground exposing the theory of there being a rapture, as false doctrine and there's still more that could be brought to light. There is a sufficient amount of evidence presented here (full study link below) to prove to any Christian that it's: "Thy Kingdom come," and NOT "Thy Kingdom go!"This shouldn't be the end of your search for Truth, there are still good teachers in the world today, if you don't have a teacher that will teach line-by-line; go, seek one out, time is getting short. Either way, keep reading and searching the Scriptures and remember it's okay to listen to men, but whenever you do just make sure, to INSPECT their "fruit".With that being said: please, you must understand it's not by our words, nor our wit, neither has it been in any measure our logic that's proven their teachings to be false; it's the "Sword of the Spirit", which is the "Word of God" (Ephesians 6:17) that has exposed their false teachings, we just wield the "Sword of the Spirit" as instructed to do as students of God's Word (Ephesians 6:11-17)..excerpt; Full study Here: http://www.therain.org/studies/rapturethe.html May God Bless you with His Truth..**FAIR USE**Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing.