The Blessed Hope is NO Jesuit Hoax!
Titus 2:13, Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; (KJV)
The concept known as the “Blessed Hope” or “Rapture” has always been a controversial topic because of the “super natural” nature of the subject. But it has been a common theme for many years among serious Bible believers and was nearly universally accepted as a Biblical fact, at least up until the last 10 years or so. Although there were always disputes as to when it would occur, whether it would be at the beginning of the 7 year tribulation period, at the midpoint or at the end, it was still not very much disputed beyond that.
So, what has changed over the recent years?
What I have noticed as of late is that people are beginning to take a cynical approach to the doctrine of the rapture, (particularly the pre-trib view). Probably because of that lame “Left Behind” series, or maybe because many of their favorite teachers are starting to say that they have, (quote) “recently discovered that the pre-trib rapture is a lie that was conjured up by the Jesuits a couple of hundred years ago.”
And on top of that, they also say that we, as believers will indeed be going through the tribulation and that we should start prepping for it because “God is not going to just magically whisk us out of here like that.” I vehemently disagree with both positions because they both imply that God is not trustworthy enough to deliver us from His wrath. Whether they are made intentionally or not, sentiments like this tend to create fear and uncertainty in God’s people, so how can that be of God?
This reminds me of this captain of the king of Assyria that was sent to threaten the children of Israel during the time of Hezekiah named Rabshakeh. He made a statement to them that reminds me of this sentiment in the book of Isaiah chapter 36. He said in verse 7 and verse 15 that it would be ridiculous for Israel to expect God to deliver them out of Assyria’s hand because they greatly outnumbered them. And even though the “likelihood” of God intervening in a supernatural way to save His people seemed highly unlikely under the circumstances. If you read the outcome in chapter 37 however, it is recorded that He did indeed come through and deliver His people out of their hand, in a supernatural way! (Isaiah 37:33-38 KJV)
My case for the “Pre” Tribulation Rapture
I said all of this to say that, even though the idea of God “Rapturing” His Children out of danger before He executes His judgement upon the earth sounds highly unlikely under the current circumstances, you can NEVER limit God from doing the unthinkable! And this article is my attempt to defend and present my case for what is referred to the “pre-trib” Rapture view.
I’ll start with the ridiculous notion that born again believers will be presented with a choice to take the mark of the beast. This notion is not only ridiculous, but it flies in the face of the character of our God. Mostly because it gives the impression that the spirit of the beast is greater than the Spirit of our God. If a person is born again, they are now “reborn” with the Spirit of the living God dwelling within them, 2 Corinthians 5:17.
So how can a mark, RFID chip, v@ccine, spirit from the enemy, (or even our own will for that matter), have the power to cause one who is truly born again to now become lost? Romans 8:38-39 doesn’t seem to agree with that sentiment at all:
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (KJV)
The Messiah was speaking to the Pharisees about this very thing in the Gospel of Mark in chapter 3 and verse 27 as to how impossible it would be for a robber to plunder ‘a strong man’s house’:
“But no one can enter the strong man’s house and plunder his property unless he first binds the strong man, and then he will plunder his house.” (NASB)
Last time I checked, we are the House or Temple of God. As stated in the book of 2 Corinthians, chapter 6 and verse 16:
“Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, “I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.” (NASB)
So, if it were possible for the enemy to bind up our Father then you would be forced to conclude that the devil/satan/the dragon/lucifer is greater than our God. This notion alone is not only erroneous, but it is completely and utterly blasphemous! Let’s look at these passages from the book of the Gospel of John, chapter 10, verses 28 and 29. They are explicitly clear on how secure we are in our Father’s Hands:
28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. (KJV)
The position of declaring that believers are destined to go through the tribulation is often used to promote fear, doubt and confusion. Evil men who seek to be worshiped as gods themselves love to promote fear, doubt and uncertainty to their followers because doing this causes their followers to rely solely upon them in order to be “right with God”, rather than upon the REAL God, Who Alone is to be revered and worshiped!
Fallacies of the “pre-wrath” rapture viewpoint.
Although I disagree with the mid-trib viewpoint because there is literally no Scriptural references to support it in my opinion. I completely disagree with the “pre-wrath” view, and I will make my case as to why I feel this way. I will begin with Genesis chapter 18, in verse 23 Abraham says in regard to The Lord’s decision to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah,
“Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?”(KJV)
Also in verse 25 he also reiterates to Him:
“That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (KJV)
Abraham is clearly stating here that it would be unjust to allow righteous ones to be treated the same as the wicked, not just in general day to day life, but in regard to God executing His judgment! Most importantly Abraham made the point that to do such a thing would be against the nature of a Good God. I can rest my case on these two verses alone, but wait… there’s more!!!!
Some would argue that technically the “wrath” of God doesn’t occur until the 7 bowls of wrath are poured out upon the world in the 16th chapter of the book of Revelation, but if you look carefully at the placement and context of this chapter you will see that the events in chapter 16 occur well beyond even the middle point of the tribulation. So to hold the viewpoint that the wrath of God doesn’t “technically happen” until the 7 bowls of wrath begins, you would be in a sense saying that we as born again believers would actually be forced to go through all of the “non wrath” BEFORE being “rescued” from the 7 bowls of wrath?
THE OPENING OF THE SEVEN SEALS (6:1-8:1)
First seal: The white horse and its rider (6:1-2)
Second seal: The red horse and its rider (6:3-4)
Third seal: The black horse and its rider (6:5-6)
Fourth seal: The pale horse and its rider(s) (6:7-8)
Fifth seal: The martyrs under the altar (6:9-11)
Sixth seal: Cataclysmic disturbances (6:12-17)
Interlude: Sealing of the 144,000 on earth, and the great multitude in heaven (7:1-17)
Seventh seal: Silence in heaven (8:1)
THE SOUNDING OF SEVEN TRUMPETS (8:2-11:19)
Seven angels prepare to sound their trumpets (8:2-6)
First trumpet: Third of vegetation destroyed (8:7)
Second trumpet: Third of sea creatures and ships destroyed (8:8-9)
Third trumpet: Third of rivers and springs become bitter, many men die (8:10-11)
Fourth trumpet: Third of sun, moon, and stars struck, affecting day and night (8:12)
Three-fold woe announced (8:13)
Fifth trumpet (first woe): Locusts from the bottomless pit, sent to torment men (9:1-12)
Sixth trumpet (second woe): Four angels with an army of two hundred million, killing a third of mankind (9:13-21)
ANOTHER INTERLUDE (10:1-11:14)
The angel with the little book (10:1-11)
The two witnesses (11:1-13)
Seventh trumpet (third woe): The victory of Christ and His kingdom proclaimed (11:14-19)
THE GREAT CONFLICT (12:1-14:20)
The Woman, the Child, the Dragon, and the rest of the Woman’s offspring (12:1-17)
The beast from the sea (13:1-10)
The beast from the land (13:11-18)
The Lamb and the 144,000 on Mount Zion (14:1-5)
Proclamations of three angels (14:6-13)
Reaping the earth’s harvest, and the grapes of wrath (14:14-20)
Prelude to pouring out the seven bowls of wrath (15:1-8)
After reading through all of those verses that lead up to the “pre-wrath” point in the book, it’s clear that holding to this position would be beyond preposterous. Because if you read through the events that take place throughout all of the previous chapters leading up to the 7 bowls you would be hard pressed to be able to claim that the wrath of God does not “technically” come about until chapter 16.
And on top of that, if there was an opportunity for believers to be “raptured” prior to the 7 bowls, where exactly would that event be recorded at? In chapter 14? I don’t think so, because chapter 14 comes after the presenting of the Mark of the Beast for starters, and it speaks of reaping for the purpose of executing wrath, not for delivering or “rapturing” anybody. So if you take my previous point into account in regard to the mark of the beast, you can see how this “pre-wrath” viewpoint is not only severely flawed, but it is nothing less than blasphemous because it goes against the very nature and character of our God.
So is the Rapture real or not?
Since everybody in our modern day loves to venerate science and scientists so much, let’s utilize the “scientific method” and examine the data that has been given to us in the Scriptures to make our determination.
- Rapture references in the Old Testament.
First off, from what I have been studying I have discovered that a rapture or translation doesn’t necessarily have to mean a removal of people from the earth into Heaven like what has been previously thought. It can simply mean to place His people in a safe place out of the way for a specific time frame until the wrath has taken its course.
You will see what I mean in a second. I will begin with Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19:16. In this verse you can see that Lot, his wife & daughters were “raptured” to the outskirts of the city,
“But he hesitated. So the men seized his hand and the hand of his wife and the hands of his two daughters, for the compassion of the LORD was upon him; and they brought him out, and put him outside the city.”(NASB)
And on top of that in verse 22 the Messenger (Angel) of God said,
“Hurry, escape there, for I cannot do anything until you arrive there.” Therefore the name of the town was called Zoar.”(NASB)
Verse 22 shows that God could not execute His wrath upon the city until the righteous were brought to safety.
A similar scenario applies with Psalms 27:5:
“For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me; He shall set me up upon a rock.”(KJV)
Also in chapter of the book of Song of Solomon there is language poetric language that seems to allude to the Bridegroom (aka Jesus) coming to meet His bride that is hiding safely in her “secret place” to meet Him after the wrath of His second coming has ended. Note: This scenario seems to be set to after the time of His wrath being over, see this in Song of Solomon 2:8-14;
8 “Listen! My beloved!
Behold, He is coming,
Climbing on the mountains,
Leaping on the hills!
9 “My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag.
Behold, He is standing behind our wall,
He is looking through the windows,
He is peering through the lattice.
10 “My beloved responded and said to me,
‘Arise, my darling, my beautiful one,
And come along.
11 ‘For behold, the winter is past,
The rain is over and gone.
12 ‘The flowers have already appeared in the land;
The time has arrived for pruning the vines,
And the voice of the turtledove has been heard in our land.
13 ‘The fig tree has ripened its figs,
And the vines in blossom have given forth their fragrance.
Arise, my darling, my beautiful one,
And come along!’”
14 “O my dove, in the clefts of the rock,
In the secret place of the steep pathway,
Let me see your form,
Let me hear your voice;
For your voice is sweet,
And your form is lovely.”(NASB)
Isaiah 26:20 & 21 has similar language;
20 “Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. (KJV)
21 For, behold, the Lord cometh out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.”(KJV)
Isaiah 57:1 reads along those same lines;
“The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.”(KJV)
Also here in the book of Zephaniah 2:3;
“Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought His judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger.”(KJV)
This is by no means an exhaustive account of “rapture” style verses in the Old Testament because I’m sure that there are more, but the list is pretty compelling that there is indeed evidence to show signs of “the blessed hope”. On top of that the concept is not just made up lies from the Jesuits to mislead believers into letting their guard down like these self righteous folks like to claim. It is the very character of God to protect His people from wrath.
- Rapture references in the New Testament.
Let’s examine some passages in the New Testament to see if there is a common theme or not. There are not many single verse references in the New Testament that expressly allude to the rapture, but rather whole passages have to be considered to get the clear picture of the concept.
For starters, there’s a very cryptic verse buried in the book of Luke in chapter 21 and verse 36 that alludes to the believer’s ability to “escape“, or flee away from the things that were just previously described in the chapter by simply watching and praying. Luke 21:36
What was previously described was the great tribulation scenario, similar to what was described in the book of Matthew chapter 24. So the question has to then be asked, how do we escape the great tribulation if not by “supernatural” means?
I believe that the reference to “enduring until the end” in verse 13 is directed at those who are “left behind” because their salvation status will be dependent upon their willingness to “endure” because the “age of grace” will end after the rapture. Luke 21:24
Let’s continue on to the book of Romans real quick to lay some groundwork in regard to the security of believers and being able to “escape” wrath, in chapter 5 and verse 9:
“Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.” (NASB)
Just off of the weight of that verse alone we can gather that born again believers will be exempted from experiencing the events of the tribulation period.
- Rapture reference in 2 Thessalonians
But let’s look at 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2 for some closer scrutiny of this concept. Verse 2:1 gives the outline for what the content of the following letter was going to cover: (Quick note: The Geneva Bible gives the best translation of 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 in my opinion, so I will be using it to make my point here.)
“Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our assembling unto Him, ” (Geneva Bible)
So you can gather from context that in verse 1 the second coming and the rapture is what is going to be addressed in this chapter. Next you can see in verse 2:2 that Paul was clearing up some misconceptions and false claims that were being spread to this new congregation of believers in Thessalonica.
“That ye be not suddenly moved from your mind, nor troubled neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter, as it were from us, as though the day of Christ were at hand.” (Geneva Bible)
In my opinion, I believe that this letter is the first and only letter that Paul wrote to them because he made no mention of writing another letter to them at all in this letter. Rather to the contrary, he reminded them in verse 2:5 of what he previously TOLD them:
“Remember ye not, that when I was yet with you, I told you these things?”(Geneva Bible)
He didn’t say that he wrote to them of these things, he said that when he was with them, he told them of these things. What things? End time prophecy things, mainly about the rapture, the second coming, the antichrist, the day of The Lord, etc.
(Note that 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 and verses 1 &2 says to not even focus on the topic of the coming of The Lord at all. So there is definitely something amiss about this letter if you were the investigative type.)
On top of that, he even said in verse 2 of 2nd Thessalonians that there was the possibility of another letter that is circulating that might look like it is from him.
Nevertheless I will stay on topic. The point I am making here is if you examine the context of the “second” letter to the Thessalonians carefully, you will see that it was written to address a false narrative that was being circulated around declaring that the “Day of The Lord is at hand” and giving the impression that everyone has been “left behind”, so to speak. This is clear that he is referring to the concept of the rapture here because why else would people be so alarmed as if they are going to miss out on something? You most definitely can’t miss the second coming because the whole world is going to witness that event.
The rapture is an imminent event that can happen at any time, so he also reassures them in verse 2:3 that this day CANNOT come unless…
“Let no man deceive you by any means, for that day shall not come, except there come a departing first, and that the man of sin be disclosed, even the son of perdition,” (Geneva Bible)
I’ll reiterate once again that the context of this chapter has to do with the topic of their assembling unto Him, not defection or falling away from the faith. So while I’ll admit that there is a great number of people falling away from the faith these days, and he did mention in 1 Timothy 4:1 that many would “depart” or “fall away” from the faith, but in the context of 2 Thessalonians 2, rendering the word apostasia as falling away is erroneous in my opinion.
I don’t enjoy getting all technical because I know how doing so can lose the attention of the reader, but I have to make an attempt to establish my point grammatically here. The word used for depart or fall away in this verse is ἀποστήσονταί or apostaysontai which is the future middle indicative conjunctive form of the root verb Strong’s #868. ἀφίστημι (aphistémi). Which in the context of 1 Timothy 4:1 denotes the actual act of departing or falling away from the faith in the future. The word used in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 is Strong’s #646 ἀποστασία (apostasia) which is a compound verb which shares the same root verb Strong’s #868. ἀφίστημι (aphistémi), meaning to “leave, depart,” along with the word Strong’s #2476. ἵστημι (histémi), “stand”. So there is no problem whatsoever to translate apostasia as departed, or departure, which is why the Geneva Bible translators did just that.
Not only that, but falling away from the faith would surely not be a sign of significance to look for because how would one go about determining that someone has fallen from the faith? People listen to false teachers that look to me to be fallen away everyday, but the masses still follow them anyway. So that would be categorized as a “non sign” in my book. But a mass “departure” or “rapture” on the other hand is very specific, and nobody would be able to misinterpret that “sign” in any way when that happens! Not only that, but Paul was stating that this “event” is a prerequisite to the disclosure of the man of sin.
They would have been comforted by him saying this to them because he essentially was telling them that they would never have to worry about missing the opportunity to assemble with God (the rapture), or worry about what the identity of the ‘man of sin’ was because they would be removed from the scene prior to his revealing. And most importantly not to expect anything concerning the tribulation to happen unless this huge event happens first. This point is crucial for all of those who have died without witnessing the rapture take place over all of these years. This also keeps you from falling into all the “who is the antichrist” speculation that goes around every generation.
I will admit that nobody has it all figured out because things get lost in the translations, but do you see where I am coming from with this?
This is why I believe that Paul re-emphasizes what has to happen prior to the “man of sin” being revealed in verse 2:7:
“For the mystery of iniquity doeth already work; only He which now withholdeth, shall let till He be taken out of the way.” (Geneva Bible)
This verse is the very explanation of why the devil and his hierarchy are not able to fully take over this earth and set up their new world order agenda until AFTER the Church departs. This is because there is One that is here on earth that is operating within and through the people of God. One that is Greater than the “man of sin,” and the gates of hell cannot prevail against those who have Him dwelling within them. And that is The Holy Spirit! 1 John 4:4
This will be the case all up until the time of the “departure,” at which point The Holy Spirit will be less accessible to the world and will cease to withhold the devil’s grand scheme back from fully unfolding. After that, everyone is fair game for being deceived, even God Himself will assist in the confusion, as shown in verses 10-12:
“10 And in all deceivableness of unrighteousness, among them that perish, because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And therefore God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe lies,
12 That all they might be damned which believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” (Geneva Bible)
- One last point to strengthen my case:
The overwhelming majority of times a word containing the root verb aphistémi translates to leave, withdraw, depart, departed or departure. As in this example in Acts 19:9:
“But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus.”
Falling away can’t apply to this verse because the context of the verse is centered around the Lord leaving from around the crowd. The same goes for the context of 2 Thessalonians 2:3, because like I said earlier, falling away from the faith is not a definitive sign that one can see very clearly outwardly.
There is another reference to look at in 2 Corinthians 12:8 where a word with the root verb aphistémi is translated as ‘depart’ based upon context again.
“For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.”
Even though it’s arguable whether Paul authored the book of Hebrews or not, (I believe that he did write it for reasons that I will share at another time), but in Hebrews 6:6 he used a word that literally describes the idea of “falling away from the faith” in one word. But instead of using apostasia or apostēsontai, he instead uses the word Strong’s #3895. παραπίπτω (parapiptó), which means: I fall away, fall back (into the unbelieving and godless ways of the old time), fall away, after being close-beside; to defect (abandon).
This word parapiptó literally means to fall away, so if he meant to convey in his Thessalonian letter that “falling away from the faith” was “the sign” to look for, then one would have to wonder why he wouldn’t just have used that word or instead to lower the possibility of confusion?
So in my opinion, whether done intentionally or not, the word ἀποστασία or apostasia is mistranslated in modern Bibles.
Differences between The Messiah’s appearance and His Second Coming, and why it matters.
I will leave the topic to give some background on an issue that I think needs to be addressed here. There is also a clear distinction that needs to be pointed out in regard to the second coming of The Messiah and His appearing. The word “appearing” in the Greek is epiphaneia in the Strong’s #2015 ἐπιφάνεια (epiphaneia) which means: appearing, manifestation, glorious display.
An appearing is sudden, out of the blue. The second coming is an event that has many prerequisites leading up to the climax. The event itself is unmistakable and undeniable like shown here in 14th chapter of the book of Romans in verse 11:
For it is written, “AS I LIVE, SAYS THE LORD, EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW TO ME, AND EVERY TONGUE SHALL GIVE PRAISE TO GOD.” (NASB)
And also Philippians chapter 2 and verses 10 & 11:
“10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (NASB)
So from those verses we can gather that the second coming is a distinct event that the whole world is going to be witness to. Also the prophecies that speak of “the day of The Lord” clearly show that it is synonymous with the second coming of Jesus, which takes place at the end of the tribulation period.
I say all of that to make the point that the “appearing” of Jesus may not necessarily be the same as the second coming because the description of the two events tend to clash with each other from time to time. For example:
Colossians 3:4 “When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” (KJV)
2 Timothy 4:8 “in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.” (KJV)
Hebrews 9:28 “so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.” (NASB)
1 John 2:28 “And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.” (KJV)
1 John 3:2 “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” (KJV)
1 Peter 5:4 “And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.” (NASB)
So what we can gather from these verses is on one hand when He appears salvation, transformation and joy awaits those who were looking for Him to “appear”.
But on the other hand, there are references to when He “appears” at His second coming Him destroying His enemies and finally putting down all opposition all by Himself like Isaiah 63:3 describes!
“I have trodden the wine trough alone, And from the peoples there was no man with Me. I also trod them in My anger And trampled them in My wrath; And their lifeblood is sprinkled on My garments, And I stained all My raiment.”(NASB)
So from this verse you can clearly see that He is not going to be accompanied by us at His second coming, He is going to be ALONE! So if we are going to be with Him when He appears like those other verses that I posted above stated, then it would have to be at a different point in time. My hypothesis is that it will be prior to the beginning of the tribulation when we are in our “secret places” in the firmament. Isaiah 26:20 (NASB)
- Rapture reference in Matthew 24
I had to deviate from the main topic a bit to establish a case for the differences in His appearing for His children, vs His appearing at the second coming. Now along this same vein of appearing for His children, I saved this verse for last.
In chapter 24 of the Gospel of Matthew, it speaks of a “gathering up of the saints from the four winds of heaven.” Note: The context of these verses show that this event takes place at the time of His second coming, in verses 30 and 31:
“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.” (KJV)
I am going to deviate a bit from explaining why I pointed to this verse in order to give some background on where I’m going with it because I want you to see something that you might have missed at first glance. Let’s look closely at verse 31 because it says that Jesus called the angels to gather the elect from one end of Heaven to the other, not the earth. This verse is describing the second coming, so for all of those pre-wrath guys, we have to explain why the angels would be gathering His people from Heaven and not the earth if the rapture happens right before His wrath? I’ll tell you why, because they were already in the heavens hiding in their secret places.
Where are these “secret places” located you ask? In the firmament, aka the second heaven. The way heaven is used in this verse doesn’t have to be referring to the Heaven where God lives above the firmament, it could simply just be referring to “the firmament”. This is a powerful discovery that I stumbled across one day as I was dissecting chapter 24 with a fine toothed comb. Allow me to give you some background on how I came to this discovery.
I put this hypothesis together after discovering years ago that the earth was not a globe like we have been told, and that we are living in an enclosed system with water above us. The exact description is that the earth is a rounded plane that has a dome covering it, sort of like a snow globe in comparison submerged under water. This discovery is exactly as the book of Genesis lays it out in the creation account.
(It’s a long story that I don’t want to get into it right here, but I have put together a post on the topic of the cosmology of this earth according to the Scriptures here if you are interested in hearing more about it). But to make a long story short, the Bible teaches that the firmament is a dome structure that covers the earth and separates the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament, Genesis 1:7:
“And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.” (KJV)
This dome is said to be solid, as in Job 37:18 states:
“Can you, with Him, spread out the skies, Strong as a molten mirror?” (NASB)
The New American Standard translation has a very peculiar rendering of Amos 9:6 when it says:
“The One who builds His upper chambers in the heavens And has founded His vaulted dome over the earth, He who calls for the waters of the sea And pours them out on the face of the earth, The LORD is His name”. (NASB)
Note: Skeptics of the validity of this translation employ “tap dancing” techniques in an attempt to nullify the NASB’s translation of this verse. They try to say that since no other translation renders the Hebrew word Strong’s #92 אֲגֻדָּה (aguddah) as vaulted dome, then this must be a slam dunk for their case to prove that it was wrongly translated. But that is not the case at all, because the context of the verse is in regard to God’s majesty and power over the creation of the earth, it’s not referring to how big His army is. Below is an exhaustive translation of the word “aguddah” אֲגֻדָּה #0092 from the Lexington-Concordance:
1) band, binding
1a) cords, bands, thongs (metaphorical of slavery)
1b) bunch of hyssop
1c) band of men, troops
1d) vault (of the heavens), firmament (binding earth to the
heavens).
Similar to how I have been explaining about the importance of context, even though the Hebrew word aguddah is not used in the same fashion when it appears in other verses or translations as dome doesn’t mean that vaulted dome isn’t the true meaning of the translation based upon the context of the verse. In the instance of Amos 9:6 in the NASB, the specific term vaulted dome was used in this rendering because the context of the subject matter called for it. Sometimes the NASB is more accurate than the KJV and vise versa.
On top of that, and contrary to what the “KJV-onlyist” crowd says, NO translation of the Scriptures into languages other than Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek can be perfect! It is totally not possible to convey the context of every word meaning, context and sentence structure perfectly when you translate things from one language to another.
So if you believe that the KJV is perfect in every way, then you have to consider how is it that a bunch of Freemason/ Jesuits like King James and his crew managed to obtain the only true “divine inspiration” to create their translation when it was never done before or since? This is a preposterous belief!
With that being said, we have to utilize the tools that we have at our disposal in order to try to piece together the puzzle as best we can. Tools like interlinear translations of the Bible along with an exhaustive concordance, like the Strong’s exhaustive concordance, Thayers, Lexington etc.
Back on topic again, I promise that I am going somewhere with this, so please bear with me. Since I have taken the time to explain that the firmament is solid, it’s not far fetched to think that it may very well be possible that it can house compartments and/or houses in it. Like Jesus stated in the Gospel of John 14:2:
“In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.” (NASB)
I said all this to point out that the events that are described in Matthew chapter 24 could very well be describing the event that I pointed out in the previous Old Testament verses above. Calling us out of our “secret places” to come and join Him after His wrath is over. Isaiah 26:20 (NASB)
That is all I have in regard to this topic, but I felt compelled to write this in order to strengthen the faith of my brothers and sisters out there that may be struggling with the fear of being abandoned by our God to be left to fend for ourselves in the tribulation. He clearly stated that He will NEVER desert us nor forsake us and we have to hold tight to those words and stay strong! Peace…
Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,” Hebrews 13:5 (NASB)
Peace,
-Bill