50 Days to Understanding the End-Times More Accurately - Day 40 - Two Witnesses - 5
DAY 40 - Two Witnesses – 5
“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.” (John 15:18-21)
“And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.” (Matthew 10:22)
Two non-“Olivet Discourse” passages testify that being hated for His name’s sake is characteristic of believers from the beginning of Christianity, not just for supposed “future Jewish believers”.
“And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” (Matthew 24:30-31)
“And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.” (Mark 13:26-27)
Two witnesses record Jesus coming in the clouds and having His angels bring believers to Him within the teachings of the “Olivet Discourse”.
“The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD come.” (Joel 2:31)
“The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:” (Acts 2:20)
Two witnesses testify that before the “Day of the Lord” begins, the sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood.
These passages, coupled with this concept of two or more witnesses, have been provided to help recall some of the reasons why I view the end-times differently than a pretribulationist.
When these verses are taken literally, it appears that the pretribulational view cannot be accurate.
Point #1: Two witnesses clearly state that being hated for Jesus’ name sake is characteristic of believers from the beginning, and not just for the supposed “Olivet Discourse” audience.
Point #2: Two “Olivet Discourse” witnesses reveal that Jesus will come in the clouds (no mention of Him landing or splitting the Mount) and have His angels gather the living believers unto Him (Rapture?).
Point #3: Two witnesses testify that prior to the “Day of the Lord” the sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood.
2+2=4
Thanks, @narrowminded
In case you missed them,
Introduction
Back Cover
1 : The Foundation
2 : The Tribulation
BONUS : A Biblical, New Testament Understanding of Tribulation
3 : The Seventieth Week of Daniel
4 : Not Appointed to Wrath
5 : Wrath vs. Tribulation
6 : The Day of the Lord
7 : The Lord Alone
8 : The Exaltation of the Antichrist
9 : Promises
10 : The Presupposition
11 : 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4
12 : The Revealing of the Antichrist
13 : Same Day - 1
14 : Same Day -2
15 : Hand in Hand
16 : Overtake You as a Thief
17 : Another Thief
18 : Not Knowing the Day or Hour - 1
19 : Not Knowing the Day or Hour - 2
20 : Not Knowing the Day or Hour - 3
21 : Ignorance
22 : "Olivet Discourse": Armageddon or Rapture? -1
23 : "Olivet Discourse": Armageddon or Rapture? -2
24 : For My Name's Sake -1
25 : For My Name's Sake -2
26 : Enduring to the End
27 : The Righteous and the Wicked
28 : Dark Sun and Blood Moon - 1
29 : Dark Sun and Blood Moon - 2
30 : Dark Sun and Blood Moon - 3
31 : "Seal Judgments"
32 : The Fifth Seal
33 : Timing - 1
34 : Timing - 2
35 : Timing - 3
36 : Two Witnesses - 1
37 : Two Witnesses - 2
38 : Two Witnesses - 3
39 : Two Witnesses - 4
If there is a separate "coming on the clouds" that does not include the touchdown on the Mt. of Olives, then that touchdown, when it eventually happens, would be a non-biblical "third coming"...
Seems like our entering into the rapture "ark" likewise happens the same day as the rest of the world gets schewacked - as Jesus touches down on the Mt of Olives.
I may indeed need to put more thought and prayer into some of the specifics of my eschatology. My main goal is to help people realize that the pretribulational rapture is not true and to get them studying things out for themselves. Thank you very much, @stan, for your continued support, encouragement, and critique. I sincerely appreciate it, Brother.