He was sentenced to death by being thrown into a cadron of boiling oil. Can you imagine?
When that didn't harm him, he was sent to Patmos where there was no one to preach to.
He was visited by the Lord to write Revelation.
Now I believe that the Lord picks certain persons within the Bible for an important purpose,and we can learn from it.
We know in 1:9-11, that John was an ELDER OF THE CHURCH in 2 John 1 &3 ,and a DISCIPLE in John 21:24.
What better person to pick than an elder of the church and a disciple.
I don't think that was an accident by the Lord because John 'understood' the offices of an elder of the church and a disciple to give the revelations~
John was told to write what was first record of his experience (Ch1) now history. Then he was to write the present message of Christ to the 7 churches in Ch. 2-3). Then the main purpose of the book which is prophetic.
The Rapture is a mystery (just like the Church was), comes like a thief,and in a twinkling of an eye.
In Rev. 3:3
Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I WILL COME UPON YOU AS A THIEF AND YOU WILL NOT KNOW WHAT HOUR I WILL COME UPON YOU.
Jesus said that the church would walk with Christ in WHITE for they are worthy.
He who overcomes shall be clothed in WHITE GARMENTS, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life.
In 3:10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will KEEP YOU WHICH SHALL COME UPON THE WHOLE WORLD, TO TEST THOSE WHO DWELL ON THE EFROM THE HOUR OF TRIAL THAT WILL COME UPON THE WHOLE EARTH.
BEHOLD, I AM COMING QUICKLY! (SOUNDS LIKE IN A TWINKLING OF AN EYE TO ME). Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your CROWN.
We know the 24 elders (Church elders and could be the disciples because we know of John being the church elder and disciple) are throwing the crowds they receive at Jesus' feet.
Remember Jesus told the Church to hold fast what they had, that no one may take their crown?
One cannot understand the Rapture without studying Ez, Daniel, 1 Cor., 2 Thess,and many more scriptures throughout the Bible.
The Church is not mention again ON EARTH after Ch.3,and not until Ch 22.
Why is it not mention on earth? That's because it has been raptured up already while the Great Tribulation is occurring on the earth.
The Church's judgment is the Judgment Seat of Christ.
Paul told the Corinthian Church:
For we (Paul,and Corinthian Church) must all appear before the JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
The church's judgment is not for sin because Christ paid our penality for sin on the cross,but our judgment is for works for the Lord.
The judgment for the Jews is the Seven Year Tribulation with unbelieving Gentiles.
In Ex 22:19-22
The Word of the Lord came to Exekiel, saying,
Son of man, the house of ISRAEL has become dross to Me; they are all bronze, tin, iron, and lead, in the midst of a furnace; they have bcome dross from silver.
Therefore thus says the Lord God: Because you have all become dross, therfore behold, I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem.
As men gather silver, bronze, iron, lead, and tin into the midst of a furnace, to blow fire on it, to melt it; so I will gather you in My anger and in My fury, and I will leave you there and melt you.
Yes, I will gather you and blow on you with the fire of My wrath, and you shall be melted in its midst.
As silver is melted in the midst of a furnace, so shall you be melted in its midst; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have poured out My fury on you.
This judgment applies to the Jew only,and if you don't believe the Great Tribulation is not the Lord's fury?
After the Lord's Second Coming on the Mt. of Olives, we see the 'judgment' of the nations' found in Matt. 25:31
When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.
All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.
1 Thess. 4:13~
But I do not want you (Thessalonians Church) to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have NO HOPE,
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. (sleep is those dead)
For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. (dead)
FOR THE LORD HIMSELF WILL DESCEND FROM HEAVEN WITH A SHOUT, WITH THE VOICE OF AN ARCHANGEL, AND WITH THE TRUMPET OF GOD. AND THE DEAD IN CHRIST WILL RISE FIRST. (Dead will rise first)
Then we (Paul was telling the Thess. Church) who are alive and remain shall be CAUGHT UP TOGETHER WITH THEM IN THE CLOUDS TO MEET THE LORD IN THE AIR. And thus WE SHALL ALWAYS BE WITH THE LORD.
Therefore COMFORT one another with these words.
The Rapture happens when the true Church is caught up together with them (those that died for Christ in the Church Age before the Tribulation) in the clouds to meet the Lord in the Air.
Meet the Lord in the air~
Christ never touches the ground on earth; however, in His Second Coming He comes to the Mt. of Olives in Jerusalem.
Zechariah 14:4~
And in that day His (Christ) FEET WILL STAND ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES,
Which faces Jerusalem on the East.
and the Mount of Olives SHALL BE SPLIT IN TWO.
From east to west,
Making a very large valley;
Half of the mountain shall move toward the north
and half of it toward the south.
Then you (Jewish remnant) shall flee through My mountain valley.
Thus the Lord my God will come,
And all the SAINTS WITH YOU. (that's the Church because we were translated up in 2 Thess.)
Amen and Amen
Thank you, Jesus~
