Sometimes
it is worth looking at a subject from different angles to get a fuller
meaning. When we studied the synagogue
the last couple of weeks we saw that they were patterned after the Greek idea
of a city center where Greeks discussed politics and philosophy. The synagogue was the place where the Jews
came for prayer and the reading of the scrolls, which were written in
Greek. As we saw, the Greek language is
a very precise language, and we can
lose some understanding of the Bible when we translate it into English. As noted last week, we looked at two
different Greek words translated in the English as “temple”. One word means “the
entire temple complex” while the other word means “the Holy Place and the Holy
of Holies”. When we throw the word temple
out there which do we think of? That is the significance of looking back at the
Greek words.
In
similar fashion we have derivatives of the word synagogue. What we translate
as one word is actually several words.
The significance becomes astounding when we recognize that some of those
words meaning synagogue are only used
a couple of times. That is something
that should get our attention. If the
Greek’s went to the trouble of being precise with their language, we should go
through the trouble of seeing why. We
have the words for synagogue, and then the words for above synagogue. That should
interest us. The above synagogue was not
translated as such but instead translated as gather. If we remember that synagogues started when the Northern
and Southern kingdoms went into captivity, and they were gatherings of people
who prayed and read the scrolls, we can understand the translation of the word gather, however there is something
deeper here. Let’s look at some of the
words for synagogue.
NT:4863 sunago (soon-ag'-o);
from NT:4862 and NT:71; to lead together, i.e. collect or convene;
specifically, to entertain (hospitably):KJV -
accompany, assemble (selves, together), bestow, come together, gather
(selves together, up, together), lead into, resort, take in.
NT:4864
sunagoge (soon-ag-o-gay'); from (the reduplicated form of) NT:4863; an
assemblage of persons; specifically, a Jewish "synagogue" (the
meeting or the place); by analogy, a Christian church: KJV - assembly,
congregation, synagogue.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance
with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft,
Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
NT:1996 episunago
(ep-ee-soon-ag'-o); from NT:1909 and NT:4863; to collect upon the same place: KJV
- gather (together).
NT:1997 episunagoge (ep-ee-soon-ag-o-gay'); from
NT:1996; a complete collection; especially a Christian meeting (for
worship):KJV - assembling (gathering) together.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive
Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary.
Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible
Translators, Inc.)
Now
let’s see where Jesus used these words.
Matt
23:32-39 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.33 Ye serpents, ye
generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?34 Wherefore,
behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them
ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues
[4864], and persecute them from city to city:35 That upon you may come all the
righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the
blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the
altar.36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
We
certainly know that in the book of Acts, the Apostles were beaten in
synagogues, and later persecuted and killed. This is a shame as the synagogue
was a place of prayer and reading of the scrolls. But the problems arose when
religious dogma entered into the synagogue.
Religion always takes the life out of the living breathing word of God.
Because of this attitude of persecution towards God’s apostles and prophets, the
bloodshed of the righteous is upon the Pharisees. Let’s go on because Jesus says something next
that seems odd.
Matt
23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them
which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered [1996] thy children
together, even as a hen gathereth [1996] her chickens under her wings, and ye
would not!38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.39 For I say unto
you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh
in the name of the Lord.KJV
How
often, or how many times did Jesus want to gather Israel together, but not just
to take them into a group hug, but take them to heaven as a group. Epi
is above; sunago is synagogue. Jesus would have loved to spread out over His
people Jerusalem, and fly away with them.
Jesus the Messiah wanted to take them away from the trouble of earth,
but they would not believe. I would say
that some people believed, just not many people believed. Therefore, they won’t see Him (Jesus) again
until they say ‘Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord’. This promise was to Israel, but Israel
rejected Jesus in favor of their religion.
Remember how Jesus messed them up when he taught in the synagogues? The
religious leaders hated Jesus. Now we
can understand this was not simply about gathering them together as a group,
but gathering together above, or upon, or over the earth (epi). This is a huge
revelation. Jesus wanted to gather
together Israel but they rejected Him. The gathering could have been for them,
but now the gathering was opened up to whosoever believes, including Gentile
nations. If we remember the parable
Jesus spoke regarding the wedding, where the guests were invited but rejected
the invitation, so the father of the bridegroom sent servants out into the
streets to invite anyone who would come.
Matthew 22:1-ff. Let’s look at just a portion of this section.
Matt 22:8-10 Then saith he to his servants,
The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.9 Go ye
therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the
marriage.10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered
together [4863] all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the
wedding was furnished with guests. KJV
Ouch!
The first invitees were not worthy
because they rejected the invitation, therefore the Father’s servants gathered
together everyone else. I supposed it is
hard to imagine that the religious leaders could reject Jesus, but being part
of the religious community became a cult-like organization that eventually had
a life of its own. If one disagreed with
the religious community they were ostracized in the community. This “cult” mindset pervaded so that when
Jesus came and kept challenging their beliefs he exposed the spiritually
deceptive hold the devil had on their minds.
Jesus wanted to come and gather together Israelites, but instead he now
will come to gather whosoever believes, not just Messiah believing Jews.
Let’s
look at another usage of “above synagogue” and compare what Jesus said with the
future events of Revelation.
Matt
24:29-31 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be
darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from
heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:30 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.31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound
of a trumpet, and they shall gather [1996] together his elect from the four
winds, from one end of heaven to the other.KJV
Rev 6:12-17 And I beheld when he had opened
the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black
as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;13 And the stars of heaven
fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is
shaken of a mighty wind.14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is
rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their
places.15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and
the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man,
hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;16 And said to the
mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth
on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:17 For the great day of his wrath
is come; and who shall be able to stand? KJV
Rev 7:1-4 And after these things I saw four
angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the
earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any
tree.2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the
living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was
given to hurt the earth and the sea,3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the
sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their
foreheads.4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were
sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children
of Israel.KJV
Rev 14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood
on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his
Father's name written in their foreheads.KJV
This
is the mid-tribulation gathering of the 144,000. While many people erroneously believe we’ve
seen some of the seals or trumpet judgments, we know we have not because the
church is still on earth. We will
explore that shortly. Anyone who announces that we are in the tribulation times
is incorrect and has not understood what we are about to see in the Bible. Remember, Greek words are very specific;
therefore we have to read like a detective, hunting down meanings of words so
that we can understand what the writers were saying. The word for above synagogue in Matthew 24 is an above gathering of people, but
if we compared it to #1997, we find out that #1997 is a complete gathering,
where as #1996 is a gathering that isn’t necessarily complete.
Paul
declares two separate events that many have made one. The Parousia is the coming of Jesus (when
Jesus comes back to earth with His saints to punish Jerusalem) and the
gathering together (when Jesus comes to take His saints off the earth).
2
Thess 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ
(parousia), and by our gathering [1997] together unto him, KJV
The
difference here between 1996 and 1997 is that 1997 is a complete gathering
above, not simply an above gathering of some from a group. In Matthew 23 and 24 we are speaking about a
partial group who believe in Jesus, in 2 Thessalonians we are talking about the
entire group who believe in Jesus. That
seems awkward until we think it through.
The 144,000 are Jewish believers with special requirements. Not all Jewish believers are gathered at this
time. In Matthew 23, Jesus would have gathered the Israelites if they would
have believed, but that would have only been a percentage of believers as non-Jewish
people believed on Jesus as Messiah too.
Paul is telling us that everyone, whosoever, believes in Jesus as Lord
will be gathered in 2 Thessalonians, regardless of whether they are Jew or
Gentile. Then, after six seals are opened,
everyone will see the Father on His throne and the wrath of the Lamb, people
will mourn and believe Jesus really was the Messiah. In Matthew 24 there will
be another gathering, a partial gathering of the 144,000. There will be others who are not of the
144,000 still on earth until the end of the tribulation. Only the 144,000 are sealed in Revelation 7
and redeemed from the earth in chapter 14.
Revelation 14 then says:
Rev 14:12-13 Here is the patience of the
saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of
Jesus.13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the
dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they
may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.KJV
There
are two groups mentioned here, 1) those who keep the commandments of God; 2) those
with the faith of Jesus. One group are Jews, the other group are Gentiles. Now
Hebrews says that we should not forsake the assembling together, by definition
#1997 is speaking of an above worship congregation.
Heb
10:23-25 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he
is faithful that promised;)24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto
love and to good works:25 Not forsaking the assembling [1997]of ourselves
together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the
more, as ye see the day approaching.KJV
Not
just an above worship group, but a complete group, everyone, all believers
should be provoked to worshipping. Why? That will be the first thing we do when
we are gathered into Heaven. Before we
look at the saints as a worship assembly in Heaven, we should first look at
Paul’s other explanation of the gathering.
This next word translated gathering is not simply “let’s all come over here
and hold hands in a circle”. This word translated gather means to snatch or pluck, in other words the one being
grabbed and pulled away has no ability to stop being taken by force. If you are standing on a street corner and
your child starts to run out into traffic, you would grab that child by force
and pull him back to you. That is
Harpazo, the word Paul used in 1 Thessalonians 4:17. There are a few other words to take note of
in this section also.
NT:726
harpazo (har-pad'-zo); from a derivative of NT:138; to sieze (in various
applications):KJV - catch (away, up), pluck, pull, take (by force).(Biblesoft's
New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew
Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International
Bible Translators, Inc.)
NT:529
apantesis (ap-an'-tay-sis); from NT:528; a (friendly) encounter: KJV -
meet.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded
Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and
International Bible Translators, Inc.)
NT:3842
pantote (pan'-tot-eh); from NT:3956 and NT:3753; every when, i.e. at all times:
KJV - alway (-s), ever (-more).(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and
Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006
Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
1
Thess 4:16-18 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 [726]
together with them in the clouds, to meet [529] the Lord in the air: and so
shall we ever[3842] be with the Lord.18 Wherefore comfort one another with
these words.KJV
We
will be forcibly snatched up into the clouds to have a friendly encounter with
the Lord and he will take us somewhere. And then we will be with Him
forever. The Amplified says it this way:
1
Thess 4:16-18 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud cry of
summons, with the shout of an archangel, and with the blast of the trumpet of
God. And those who have departed this life in Christ will rise first. 17 Then
we, the living ones who remain [on the earth], shall simultaneously be caught [726]up
along with [the resurrected dead] in the clouds to meet [529] the Lord in the
air; and so always[3842] (through the eternity of the eternities) we shall be
with the Lord! 18 Therefore comfort and encourage one another with these words.
AMP
This
word meet is not used very often,
only 4 times. In two instances, Jesus
uses this word when talking about the foolish virgins. We know that this parable is about the
Bridegroom coming for His Bride. We also
know that this is not during the tribulation because no one could be buying
oil, neither wise nor foolish virgins, without the mark of the beast. Therefore, this is during a time when people
can buy and sell freely. They are
looking forward to, and anticipating meeting the Bridegroom. Because the wise did not become apathetic and
were prepared to meet the Bridegroom, they had a pleasant meeting. The foolish virgins instead became
complacent, forgot to be prepared, and ended up on the outside of the door. As
we have studied doors and clouds before, here is a link to that study. http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2013/06/doors-and-clouds-jesus-tells-us-of-his.html
Matt
25:1-6 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took
their lamps, and went forth to meet [529]the bridegroom.2 And five of them were
wise, and five were foolish.3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took
no oil with them:4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.5
While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.6 And at midnight
there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet[529]
him.KJV
To
use this word for “meet” 4 times, (once by Paul, twice by Jesus and once
recorded by Luke in Acts as in meeting along the road) is significant because
this is not an ordinary meeting, it is a specific meeting, a happy meeting to
where the person met will take the others somewhere. A meeting where three of the four usages are
speaking in regards to the gathering of the saints. All four usages are an encounter where the
ones being “met” are being taken somewhere in particular. This is not a random meeting; it is a meeting
with the purpose of going somewhere with someone. That is the significance of meeting the Lord
in the air, we are going somewhere with Him, just as Jesus was trying to tell
us in Matthew 25. We are meeting Him to
go with Him. This is an intentional
meeting, not a meeting by accident, or without planning. First, the dead will rise, which implies they
are beneath us, somewhere, then we are snatched or grabbed with them on the way
to an intentional meeting with Jesus in the clouds and then we will be with
Jesus forever. Whew, that was a lot of
explaining to communicate the intensity of the original Greek.
We
have studied Revelation 5 in great detail; this will be the shortened
version. As I looked at several texts,
the NA27, TR, and both Eastern and Western Aramaic, I found that all texts
differed in their translation of Revelation 5:10. This was a reiteration of
Revelation 1:6, so the difference in translating verse 1:6 and 5:10 seemed to
be a problem to me. This is a very good example of religion that overrides the
word of God, because the translators all, every one of them, varied their
translation of Revelation 5:8-10 to fit their beliefs. That is why I started looking at this
section, because the truth had to be somewhere, and we find it in the context
where all texts actually agree on adding a word, changing a word, and mistranslating
a word to support the translators’ belief systems rather than forcing us to
change our beliefs to fit the word of God.
The Word of God is God breathed,
therefore if there is error it is human not Godly, and we can find the truth of
misunderstood words but we have to be willing to change our thinking to align
with the word of God.
Here
is the in-depth look at Revelation 5. http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2013/03/when-we-get-to-heaven-revelation-5_11.html
To
start on this context we know that in chapter 4 a door is opened in
heaven. John is telling us the revealing
of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants (Rev1:1). Jesus’ servant, John, is showing us what he
sees. A door opens, there are beasts and
elders. We know the beasts and elders
are not human, they are spiritual sons of God, Cherubim, angels, etc. We know this because Jesus said:
John 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to
heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in
heaven.KJV
Look
at the context in which he said this, regarding eternal life, no man has
ascended up to heaven. This is the need
for the raising of the dead. Where are
the dead who are in Christ now? Paradise; that is what Jesus said.
Therefore
we have to rearrange our thinking to line up with what Jesus said. I know this is not popular at funerals, but
the truth of the matter is that before Jesus opened up Paradise for the
redeemed, there were different places the dead would go, the grave (sheol),
which was also known as Abraham’s bosom, or gehennah which is “hell with fire”.
Heaven wasn’t a part of Jesus explanation of death and hell, in fact in the story
of the rich man and Lazarus we find that Abraham’s bosom, or sheol, is next to
hell, gehennah, only separated by a chasm. However, conversation between the
two places could take place, such as Abraham talking to the rich man, and the
rich man asking for Lazarus to cool his tongue with water. So then if one
believes heaven is where the righteous dead go, it has to be next door to hell.
This is not the case. The grave could
not hold Jesus, and now he has won back the keys to hell and death. He was going to be in Paradise with the thief
on the cross next to him, we have the Acts of Pointus Pilate describing the
events that took place at the death of Jesus and we will explore that
shortly. But for now we are back to the
understanding that the only beings in heaven now are the spiritual sons of God;
angels, Cheribim, Serephim, and other beings.
Then the door opens and the saints are all of a sudden seen in
heaven.
Rev
5:6-7 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts,
and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven
horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all
the earth.7 And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat
upon the throne.
The
beasts and elders are in heaven, no men are there, and as we read further in
Revelation, the elders are asking John questions and showing John things to
come. Here are a few words we should look at before we read verse 8.
NT:4335
proseuche (pros-yoo-khay'); from NT:4336; prayer (worship); by implication, an
oratory (chapel):KJV - pray earnestly,
prayer.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with
Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc.
and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
NT:40
hagios (hag'-ee-os); from hagos (an awful thing) [compare NT:53, NT:2282];
sacred (physically, pure, morally blameless or religious, ceremonially,
consecrated):KJV - (most) holy (one, thing), saint.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive
Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary.
Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible
Translators, Inc.)
NT:2532
kai (kahee); apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes
also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in
connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:KJV - and,
also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when,
yet.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded
Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and
International Bible Translators, Inc.)
NT:103
aido (ad'-o)' a primary verb; to sing:KJV - sing.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive
Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary.
Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible
Translators, Inc.)
NT:5603
oide (o-day'); from NT:103; a chant or "ode" (the general term for
any words sung; while NT:5215 denotes especially a religious metrical
composition, and NT:5568 still more specifically, a Hebrew cantillation):KJV -
song.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded
Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and
International Bible Translators, Inc.)
NT:2537
kainos (kahee-nos'); of uncertain affinity; new (especially in freshness; while
NT:3501 is properly so with respect to age:KJV - new.(Biblesoft's New
Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew
Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International
Bible Translators, Inc.)
Now,
let’s read verse 8.
Rev
5:8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders
fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials
full of odours, which are the prayers[4435] of saints[40].9 And That [2532]
they (added word not in any text) sung sing [103] a new [2537]song
[5603], saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals
thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of
every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation (Gentile);10 And hast made us
unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
There
is actually one harp, and the elders have golden vials full of scents which are
the prayers and worship of the saints. This should read “…golden vials full of
odours which are the prayers of saints that sing a new song…” We have explored who can be redeemed, and that
is important to make note of here. Only humans can be redeemed, not angels, or
demons, or anything else. Only humans
who believed that Jesus the Messiah would come, or those who believed he was
Messiah when he was here on earth, and then those who believe he is Messiah who
didn’t see him on earth but believe in Him after he left earth. Those are the redeemed saints. Here the prayers and worship of the holy ones
are collected and presented to God. Later in Revelation we see the prayers of
the saints thrown to earth. These
prayers and worship are from the saints that sing a brand new song, saying….
The reason this is a new song is because they couldn’t have sung it until they
got to heaven. This is the first song
the redeemed sing in heaven, it is new and is recounting that Jesus is worthy
to open the seals because he redeemed the saints by His blood from every
kindred, tongue, people, and Gentile
nation. The word for nation is
specifically foreign or Gentile.
Wow, not only were all these people redeemed but then made to be kings
and priests. That is something to sing about.
The
saints are singing in heaven before the first seal is opened. Therefore do not believe anyone who says
anything else. Jesus said no man has
ascended into heaven. We have no record of
humans in heaven, but we do have record of humans in the grave and paradise.
Even Jesus tells us that he will give the overcomer to eat from the tree of
life in the midst of the Paradise of God (Rev 2:7). If the tree of life is in Paradise, in the
middle of the garden of God, and overcomers are going to get to eat from it,
then when an overcomer dies, he/she will be eating fruit in Paradise. Remember the tree of life had to be guarded by
Cherubim so that Adam and Eve would not eat and live forever, they had to be
driven out of the garden. Now when one dies who overcomes, he/she gets to live
forever and gets to eat of the tree of life.
Revelation
5:8-10 makes more sense when we compare that word episunagoge from 2
Thessalonians 2:1, the above congregation, that is an assembly especially for
worship; a complete assembly. This group is complete, as compared to partial;
they are met in the clouds by Jesus with the intent to go to heaven. The word episunagoge is only used twice in
the Bible, 2 Thessalonians and Hebrews, therefore the significance is of great
importance, it tells us there must be other places where we can see an above
congregation singing, and Revelation 5 is the place that explains the usage of
that Greek word. Again, it is a complete
assembly, which means none of the redeemed are left behind. However we know from Revelation that many
people will believe Jesus is the Messiah during the tribulation.
Now
earlier we saw that Jesus said no man ascended to heaven. Paul completely explains the resurrection and
the error that must have been seeping into the Corinthian Church when people
said the resurrection has already happened.
Paul explains that people are raised from the dead and tells us when
they will be raised from the dead. Paul even gives us some good insight for our
time of how we should be fearless. Paul
fought wild beasts at Ephesus, he was thrown to the lions, but he fought them
and his point was if the dead are not raised what point was it for him to put
himself in such danger for the Lord.
NT:1453
egeiro (eg-i'-ro); probably akin to the base of NT:58 (through the idea of
collecting one's faculties); to waken (transitively or intransitively), i.e.
rouse (literally, from sleep, from sitting or lying, from disease, from death;
or figuratively, from obscurity, inactivity, ruins, nonexistence):KJV - awake,
lift (up), raise (again, up), rear up, (a-) rise (again, up), stand, take
up.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded
Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and
International Bible Translators, Inc.)
1
Cor 15:14 And if Christ be not risen [1453], then is our preaching vain, and
your faith is also vain KJV
1
Cor 15:20 But now is Christ risen [1453] from the dead, and become the
firstfruits of them that slept.KJV
1
Cor 15:29 Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead
rise [1453] not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead? KJV
1
Cor 15:32 If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what
advantageth it me, if the dead rise [1453] not? let us eat and drink; for to
morrow we die.KJV
1
Cor 15:35 But some man will say, How are the dead raised [1453] up? and with
what body do they come? KJV
1
Cor 15:42-44 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption;
it is raised [1453] in incorruption:43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised [1453]in
glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised [1453] in power:44 It is sown a
natural body; it is raised [1453]a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and
there is a spiritual body.KJV
1
Cor 15:52-53 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for
the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised [1453] incorruptible, and
we shall be changed.53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this
mortal must put on immortality.KJV
Yet
here is Paul’s point, the dead rise, and those still alive rise. The dead put on incorruption, those who are alive put on
immortality. This word is used many
times in the Bible but a variation of this word is only used once.
NT:1454
egersis (eg'-er-sis); from NT:1453; a resurgence (from death):KJV - resurrection.(Biblesoft's
New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew
Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International
Bible Translators, Inc.)
Matt
27:51-53 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to
the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;52 And the graves were
opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose [1453],53 And came out
of the graves after his resurrection[1454], and went into the holy city, and appeared
unto many.KJV
Jesus,
so far, is the only one who was resurrected or got up from the dead to be alive
again. The other people arose from the
grave, they went somewhere else, Jesus specifically became alive again. While the redeemed were taken out of Sheol
into Paradise, and allowed to eat of the tree of life, they will rise when
Jesus comes in the clouds for his people.
These people, the ones who put on incorruption and the ones who put on
immortality, will then worship and pray in heaven, attesting to their
redemption by Jesus’ blood. They will
recognize their future as kings and priests and acknowledge it as an offering
to God. Then the Lamb who is worthy will
open the first seal through the sixth seal. At the sixth seal the whole earth
will see the Father seated on the throne and the wrath of the Lamb, they will
mourn but also fear what they see. Then
the angels will go out to the four corners to seal the 144,000 from the twelve
tribes. They will be hidden, and then after the seven trumpets will be Jesus’
coronation ceremony. Jesus will be
crowned, as the kingdoms of the world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and
Christ and he shall reign forever. That is when the saints receive their
rewards from Jesus. The next thing Jesus does is that he comes for the 144,000
sealed men who have not defiled themselves with women. After that, the second half of the
tribulation starts.
The
above synagogue, or above assembly are made up of those who believe on Jesus as
Lord. A complete gathering will take
place in the clouds; the dead, and the living who believe on Jesus, will all be
changed. This is the depth of the
synagogue, not just a meeting place on earth, but also a group in heaven who
sing a new song about being redeemed.
Now we can understand the connotation of a worship assembly from the
word episunagoge.
