Once Jesus calls the living and dead in Christ from the clouds, those rising are changed and perfected. They are being made perfect to be presented before the Father. As a group they now have a new name. They are called the above congregation. The above congregation meets Jesus in the air and then goes somewhere together. We find that John starts to fill us in on all the details from this point forward. We may have misunderstood this group called the above congregation due to a mistranslation of the word; it was changed from a noun to a verb. We also have a phrase that has been confused by translators that hid the meaning of Paul’s writing. We see an old song written by a prophet before the destruction of the temple, unfolding in the future. We also note that the saints have a new song on the day that Jesus takes the book to open the seal. The old song and the new song are about the same day, the day Jesus’ congregation stands in the throne room.
To understand this group of saints that we see singing before the throne of the Father we have to understand that they are a congregation or an assembly. On the earth we recognize them as an “above assembly” because they are above as compared to those left on the earth. This above congregation is mentioned by Paul as a comparison to the Day of the Lord. Paul is answering a question that the Thessalonians had regarding the parousia and the Day of the Lord, so Paul is explaining the difference between these two events.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-2 (KJV)
1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
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.
These two verses are one sentence. Paul is trying to eliminate the Thessalonian’s fears. If we read the last part of the sentence we see Paul asking them to not be soon shaken in mind or troubled, neither by spirit, nor word, nor letter from us, as if the Day of Christ is here. Someone told them that the Day of the Lord had come. Paul tells them not to be alarmed and not to listen to anyone speaking anything different because it is not the Day of the Lord. Jesus will not come with his armies until he collects his armies, the episunagōgē. Let’s read these definitions.
2 Thessalonians 2:1 G2065 And we ask G1161 G1473 you, G80 brethren, G5228 concerning G3588 the G3952 arrival G3588 G2962 of our Lord G1473 G* Jesus G5547 Christ, G2532 and G1473 our G1997 assembling together G1909 unto G1473 him,
3952 LSJ Gloss:παρουσία a being present, presence
Dodson:παρουσία presence, a coming, arrival, advent (a) presence, (b) a coming, an arrival, advent, especially of the second coming of Christ.
TBESG:παρουσία coming
G:N-F
παρ-ουσία, -ας, ἡ [in LXX: Neh.2:6 A,
Refs
Jdth.10:18, 2Ma.8:12 Mac 15:21, 3Ma.3:17* ;]
__1. usually in cl., a being present, presence:
Refs
1Co.16:17, 2Co.10:10; opp. to ἀπουσία, Php.2:12 (cf. 2Ma.15:21).
__2. a coming, arrival, advent (Soph., Eur., Thuc., al., see LS, see word; so Jth, l.with,
Refs
2Ma.8:12) : 2Co.7:6-7, Php.1:26, 2Th.2:9; in late writers (see M, Th., 145 ff.; MM, xix; LAE, 372 ff.) as technical term for the visit of a king; hence, in NT, specif. of the Advent or Parousia of Christ :
Refs
Mat.24:3, 27 24:37, 39, 1Co.15:23, 1Th.2:19 3:13 4:15 5:23, 2Th.2:1 2:8, Jas.5:7-8, 2Pe.1:16 3:4 3:12, 1Jn.2:28.†
(AS)
Thayer:
1) presence
2) the coming, arrival, advent
2a) the future visible return from heaven of Jesus, to raise the dead, hold the last judgment, and set up formally and gloriously the kingdom of God
παρουσία
parousia par-oo-see'-ah From the present participle of G3918; a being near, that is, advent (often, return; specifically of Christ to punish Jerusalem, or finally the wicked); (by implication) physical aspect KJV Usage: coming, presence.
1997 LSJ Gloss:ἐπισυναγωγή a gathering
Dodson:ἐπισυναγωγή a gathering together a gathering (collecting) together, assembling.
TBESG:ἐπισυναγωγή gathering
G:N-F
ἐπι-συν-αγωγή, -ῆς, ἡ(< ἐπισυνάγω), [in LXX: 2Ma.2:7 * ;]
a gathering together, assembly: Heb.10:25; before ἐπί, 2Th.2:1 (cf. 2Mac, l.with).†
(AS)
Thayer:
1) a gathering together in one place
2) the (religious) assembly (of Christians)
ἐπισυναγωγή
episunagōgē ep-ee-soon-ag-o-gay' From G1996; a complete collection; specifically a Christian meeting (for worship) KJV Usage: assembling (gathering) together.
1996 LSJ Gloss:ἐπισυνάγω to collect and bring to
Dodson:ἐπισυνάγω I collect, gather together I collect, gather together, assemble.
TBESG:ἐπισυνάγω to gather
G:V
ἐπι-συν-άγω [in LXX for אָסַף, קָבַץ, etc. (Cremer, 65) ;]
__1. to gather together:
Refs
Mat.23:37 24:31, Mrk.13:27, Luk.13:34; pass.,
Refs
Mrk.1:33, Luk.12:1 17:37, (cf.
Refs
Psa.102:23 106:47, 2Ma.1:27, al.).
__2. to gather together against (
Refs
Mic.4:11, Zec.12:3, 1Ma.3:58, al.).†
(AS)
Thayer:
1) to gather together besides, to bring together to others already assembled
2) to gather together against
3) to gather together in one place
ἐπισυνάγω
episunagō ep-ee-soon-ag'-o From G1909 and G4863; to collect upon the same place KJV Usage: gather (together).
4863 LSJ Gloss:συνάγω to bring together, gather together, collect, convene
Dodson:συνάγω I gather together I gather together, collect, assemble, receive with hospitality, entertain.
TBESG:συνάγω to assemble
G:V
συν-άγω [in LXX chiefly for אָסַף, also for קָבַץ, etc. (cf. Kennedy, Sources, 128) ;]
to gather or bring together: of things, Jhn.6:12-13; before εἰς, Mat.3:12, al.; ἐκεῖ, Luk.12:18; ποῦ, Luk.12:17; συναγαγὼν πάντα (sc. εἰς ἀργύριον; see Field, Notes, 68, MM, xxiv), having sold off all: Luk.15:13; of persons, Jhn.11:52; esp. of assemblies,
Refs
Mat.2:4, Jhn.11:47, Act.14:27, al.
Pass., to be gathered or come together:
Refs
Mat.22:41, Mrk.2:2, Luk.22:66, al.; before ἐπί
Refs
Mrk.5:21, Act.4:27; πρός,
Refs
Mat.13:2, Mrk.4:1, al.; εἰς, Rev.19:17; ἐν, Act.11:26; μετά, Mat.28:12; οὗ, Mat.18:20; ὅπου, Mat.26:57; ἐκεῖ, Jhn.18:2, al. In late writers (see Kennedy, Sources, 128; cf. Deu.22:2, al.), to receive hospitably, entertain:
Refs
Mat.25:35, 38 25:43 (cf. ἐπι-συνάγω)
(AS)
Thayer:
1) to gather together, to gather
1a) to draw together, collect
1a1) of fishes
1a2) of a net in which they are caught
2) to bring together, assemble, collect
2a) to join together, join in one (those previously separated)
2b) to gather together by convoking
2c) to be gathered i.e. come together, gather, meet
3) to lead with one's self
3a) into one's home, i.e. to receive hospitably, to entertain
συνάγω
sunagō soon-ag'-o From G4862 and G71; to lead together, that is, collect or convene; specifically to entertain (hospitably) KJV Usage: + accompany, assemble (selves, together), bestow, come together, gather (selves together, up, together), lead into, resort, take in.
The two points that Paul is making is regarding the parousia and the episunagōgē. When Jesus comes to gather the dead and seize the living all together at the same time, he meets his people in the air. He does not come to the earth as he will on the Day of the Lord. He is collecting, gathering, and assembling his people and they are going to be known as the “above congregation” or the “above synagogue”.
Episunagōgē is a noun and is always translated in the old testament as “rise up together”. The two occurrences in the new testament are here in 2 Thessalonians and in Hebrews 10:25. In this context it would be better translated for our understanding as “rise up together” like all the other translations, instead of “assembling” or “gathering together”. This translation still causes us issues by using a verb instead of a noun. Episunagō is a verb translated as “assemble” as in Jesus would have liked to assemble the children of Jerusalem, just like a hen assembles her chicks under her wings. Also, the angels will assemble all of the chosen ones from heaven and earth at the end of the tribulation.
What is the difference between a noun and a verb? We know that a noun is a person, place, or thing. A verb is an action or an occurrence. When the translators translated episunagōgē, (noun) they translated it making it a verb instead of a noun. This is called verbify and by adding an “ing” changes the word to a gerund. They should have translated it as the “above assembly”, or the “above collection” as the word episunagōgē literally means “above assembly” or “above collection”. This is a thing or a collection that takes place in heaven with Christian people, or people who believe on Christ. In this case, persons=Christians, place=heaven, thing=collection; all three components of a noun encompassed in episunagōgē. Paul is speaking of the noun form “assembly” not the verb form “assembling”. The people who were raised from the dead or seized from the earth, who rose together, and are perfected together are now a noun, a collective group, a congregation. He is speaking of the end of the harpazo which is now known as the above assembly.
Details can enlighten us as to what is truly being said. Paul is comparing the coming of Jesus and the above assembly to the Day of the Lord. The Day of the Lord is a separate event that is not the same as Jesus coming in the clouds for the above assembly.
A few verses later Paul talks about the resurrection of the dead and the harpazo using different words. Once again we see the translators didn’t translate this correctly in 2 Thessalonians 2:13. Every modern translation seems to translate this incorrectly. It says in the Greek “God takes you up away first, for deliverance.”
2 Thessalonians 2:13 (KJV)
13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
The modern translations make it sound like God chose us from the beginning of the creation. That is not correct in this verse. This is a religious belief bias. Instead, in the Greek, it reads “God takes you up away chiefly for deliverance”. This then matches the context of Paul’s previous statement in verse 1. Paul may use a lot of words, but he always comes back to his original point.
2 Thessalonians 2:13 G1473 But we G1161 G3784 ought G2168 to give thanks G3588 G2316 to God G3842 at all times G4012 concerning G1473 you, G80 brethren G25 beloved G5259 by G2962 the Lord, G3754 that G138 [2took you up G1473 G3588 G2316 1God] G575 from G746 the beginning…
138Dodson: αἱρέω I choose, prefer.
Thayer:
1) to take for oneself, to prefer, choose
2) to choose by vote, elect to office
αἱρέομαι
aihreomai hahee-reh'-om-ahee Probably akin to G142; to take for oneself, that is, to prefer . Some of the forms are borrowed from a cognate(ἕλλομαιh ellomai), which is otherwise obsolete KJV Usage: choose. Some of the forms are borrowed from a cognate hellomai, hel-lom-ahee; which is otherwise obsolete.
142LSJ Gloss: αἴρω to take up, raise, lift up
Dodson: αἴρω I raise, lift up I raise, lift up, take away, remove.
Thayer:
1) to raise up, elevate, lift up
1a) to raise from the ground, take up: stones
1b) to raise upwards, elevate, lift up: the hand
1c) to draw up: a fish
2) to take upon one's self and carry what has been raised up, to bear
3) to bear away what has been raised, carry off
3a) to move from its place
3b) to take off or away what is attached to anything
3c) to remove
3d) to carry off, carry away with one
3e) to appropriate what is taken
3f) to take away from another what is his or what is committed to him, to take by force
3g) to take and apply to any use
3h) to take from among the living, either by a natural death, or by violence
3i) cause to cease
αἴρω
airō ah'ee-ro A primary verb; to lift; by implication to take up or away; figuratively to raise (the voice), keep in suspense (the mind); specifically to sail away (that is, weigh anchor); by Hebraism (compare [H5375]) to expiate sin KJV Usage: away with, bear (up), carry, lift up, loose, make to doubt, put away, remove, take (away, up).
575 ἀπό
apo apo' A primary particle; “off” , that is, away (from something near), in various senses (of place, time, or relation; literally or figuratively)
KJV Usage: (X here-) after, ago, at, because of, before, by (the space of), for (-th), from, in, (out) of, off, (up-) on (-ce), since, with. In composition (as a prefix) it usually denotes separation, departure, cessation, completion, reversal, etc.
746LSJ Gloss: ἀρχή a beginning, origin, first cause
Dodson: ἀρχή ruler, beginning (a) rule (kingly or magisterial), (b) plur: in a quasi-personal sense, almost: rulers, magistrates, (c) beginning.
Thayer:
1) beginning, origin
2) the person or thing that commences, the first person or thing in a series, the leader
3) that by which anything begins to be, the origin, the active cause
4) the extremity of a thing
4a) of the corners of a sail
5) the first place, principality, rule, magistracy
5a) of angels and demons
ἀρχή
archē ar-khay' From G756; (properly abstract) a commencement, or (concrete) chief (in various applications of order, time, place or rank) KJV Usage: beginning, corner, (at the, the) first (estate), magistrate, power, principality, principle, rule.
God takes you for himself, up and away off the earth; first, for deliverance and sanctification of the Spirit because of your faith in the truth. God chooses you, lifting you up off the earth for deliverance. This is why we give thanks, because God takes us and raises us up away off the earth first. This is our deliverance. We could say that God chooses to raise us up off the earth first, before the son of perdition comes.
Aihreomai #138, is used eleven times in scripture and is almost always translated as “took”, “take”, or “take up”. Twice it is translated “seems good”. It appears that it is according to someone’s religious beliefs that choose was used for this translation. It is a taking up of all who chose Him and His truth. God chooses us because we chose Him. As we previously studied, the path and plan of salvation was preordained, but the people receiving salvation were like a casting of lots, or a roll of the dice. Jesus made the offer and whoever chose it receives salvation.
2 Thessalonians 2:13...G1519 for G4991 deliverance G1722 in G38 sanctification G4151 of spirit, G2532 and G4102 belief G225 of truth,
4991 LSJ Gloss: σωτηρία a saving, deliverance, preservation, safety
Dodson: σωτηρία deliverance, salvation welfare, prosperity, deliverance, preservation, salvation, safety.
Thayer:
1) deliverance, preservation, safety, salvation
1a) deliverance from the molestation of enemies
1b) in an ethical sense, that which concludes to the souls safety or salvation
1b1) of Messianic salvation
2) salvation as the present possession of all true Christians
3) future salvation, the sum of benefits and blessings which the Christians, redeemed from all earthly ills, will enjoy after the visible return of Christ from heaven in the consummated and eternal kingdom of God.
σωτηρία
sōtēria so-tay-ree'-ah Feminine of a derivative of G4990 as (properly abstract) noun; rescue or safety (physically or morally) KJV Usage: deliver, health, salvation, save, saving.
God raises us, takes us by force, away, before the commencement, or first for rescue and deliverance. The word aihreomai from the word airō also means to “take forcefully”, “elevate”, or “take from among the living”. God forcefully carries you, just like the word harpazo which means “to seize”. Those who love the truth are forcefully lifted up from among the living in the beginning of the commencement of the lawless one’s coming. Why are people taken forcefully? Because the living are under the authority of the god of this world. Yet because of their faith/belief, the living belong to the Lord, and the day that he calls from the clouds the living are forcefully removed from the devil’s world. The living are taken away by God for deliverance, salvation, and rescue. Why does God take us up for deliverance?
38LSJ Gloss: ἁγιασμός consecration, sanctification
Dodson: ἁγιασμός sanctification, holiness the process of making or becoming holy, set apart, sanctification, holiness, consecration.
Thayer:
1) consecration, purification
2) the effect of consecration
2a) sanctification of heart and life
ἁγιασμός
hagiasmos hag-ee-as-mos' From G37; properly purification, that is, (the state) purity; concretely (by Hebraism) a purifier
KJV Usage: holiness, sanctification.
God takes us away for deliverance or rescue first, in sanctification or purification of pneuma (spirit) and belief of the truth for which we were called by the gospel. Here we see a magnification on believing the truth, aletheia. The taking up and away is for the sanctifying of our spirit. It is purifying our spirit, making it pure. This is His above assembly being perfected, Hebrews 11:40. This happens to those who believe/have faith on the hinge, that Jesus died and rose up. The ancient prophets and believers who had a relationship with Yahweh looked ahead to this perfecting of the saints together at the same time. Their faith/belief was for the day that all saints are gathered together. They saw that they would be perfected at the same time that we would, as we studied a few weeks ago.
The children of the living God receive salvation and purification before the man of sin is revealed. They become an above assembly; a group consisting of saints who believed in the coming Messiah who also had a relationship with Yahweh, and the saints who believe that Jesus died and rose up. Every believer in Christ either rises from the dead or is seized off the earth and forms a new group called the above congregation.
At the commencement of the lawless one’s coming, we are taken up, off and away. By this time Paul assumes they understand the harpazo, so all he is doing is reiterating it with different words. Apo means “off” or “away from”. God is lifting up people, off or away from the earth. We can see that there is a big difference between God choosing people for deliverance, and God taking people away, off the earth, for deliverance. The timing is “first”, before the man of sin is revealed. Religious bias has clouded the original words of Paul to the Thessalonians in this chapter, first by changing a noun to a verb thereby making something an action not a thing, and then by distorting the idea of being taken up and away before the son of perdition is revealed who comes after the working of the satan.
Where does the above assembly go? Where is the next place we see the above congregation? Where is Jesus? John now picks up our story and tells us about the door in heaven and all the interesting spiritual sons of God he sees, Revelation 4. He tells us all about the things that they are doing around the throne of the Father. We know that Jesus is preparing a place for us. We know that Jesus is also seated at the right hand of the Father. We know that Jesus went under the earth and took back the keys to death and hades, and we know that Jesus meets overcomers in paradise and rewards them there. But John is quite disturbed because an angel is loudly asking who is worthy to open the book and to loose the seals. There is no one who can do this. No one.
Revelation 5:3 (KJV)
3 And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.
They were not looking for a worthy angel, a worthy cherub, a worthy seraph, only a worthy man. No man was found in heaven, earth, hades, or paradise, who could open the book. Where was Jesus? Jesus was not in heaven. He was not on the earth. He was not in hades. He was not in paradise. When Jesus comes for the saints, we know that the dead in Christ rise from the place of the dead first (paradise); then those who are alive on the earth rise from the earth to meet Jesus. Where is Jesus?
Jesus is not in heaven nor is he seated at the right hand of the Father. Jesus isn’t on the earth. Jesus isn’t under the earth either. Jesus is in the air, meeting the saints. This is why no one worthy was found in heaven, earth, hades, or paradise. If the announcement is made, yet no one could find a man in heaven, earth, hades, or paradise, to take the book, Jesus must not have been in any of those places.
It seems that when we are raised or seized, Jesus meets each and every one of us. We might have imagined that we would be part of a big crowd, maybe not even seeing what is going on at the front of the organization. We may have imagined that we are not going to see or know what is happening. Instead there is a crowd, and Jesus is meeting each of us in the air. No one will be left out. Everyone meets Jesus. Paul explains our being changed and meeting Jesus. The writer of Hebrews tells us that all the saints, past and present, are perfected together. Paul tells us that we are all going to be presented together. Now John is about to show us what this presentation looks like.
https://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2019/05/the-twinkle-of-eye-incorruptible.html
John is upset that no one can take the book and open the seal. The significance of the book and seals is not explained by John just yet. We recognize that this is not a light matter, otherwise John would not be upset. Since John is weeping, John realizes this is the commencement of the end of the six thousand year age and that there is no one who is worthy to start the process of deliverance on the earth. Remember that the disciples were quite interested in the millennial age. The disciples asked a lot of questions regarding this time and Jesus even told them they would sit on thrones presiding over the twelve tribes. What John does not see is the saints meeting Jesus, who are being lifted up and away, being delivered and sanctified in spirit. As John is weeping, Jesus shows up between the cherubim and the throne of the Father with the seven spirits who had gone out into all the earth and is carrying seven horns.
Revelation 5:6 (KJV)
6 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.
Jesus is carrying seven horns that make trumpet sounds. We have mistakenly thought these horns were horns on Jesus’ head, but as we saw the parallel with Joshua, these are animal horn trumpets. Who blows these trumpets and why?
Both 1 Thessalonians 4 and 1 Corinthians 15 tell us that there are war trumpets being blasted, and at the sound of the last trumpet the rising and seizing will occur. Who is blowing these trumpets? Is it Jesus? Maybe seven angels or the seven spirit/eyes? We don’t know from what we’ve read, but Jesus is carrying them as he appears to the entire crowd of the sons of God looking like a lamb who was slain.
What does Jesus look like? He looks like he was murdered. He has holes in his hands, feet, and side. He looks like he had thorns smashed into his head. He has scars. He looks like his beard was ripped off his face. He is probably not a bloody mess, but we see the scars and the extent of the disfigurement that the Son of the Almighty, Most High, Eternal Father, suffered for us.
The prophet Habakkuk wrote an interesting song. It has some complementing elements to Revelation 5.
Habakkuk 3:1 A PRAYER OF THE PROPHET AMBACUM, WITH A SONG.
2 O Lord, I have heard thy report, and was afraid: I considered thy works, and was amazed: thou shalt be known between the two living creatures, thou shalt be acknowledged when the years draw nigh; thou shalt be manifested when the time is come; when my soul is troubled, thou wilt in wrath remember mercy.
3 God shall come from Thaeman, and the Holy One from the dark shady mount Pharan. Pause. 4 His excellence covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. And his brightness shall be as light; there were horns in his hands, and he caused a mighty love of his strength. http://ecmarsh.com/lxx/Ambacum/index.htm
The Lord is known and realized between the two living creatures. Habakkuk sees the Messiah, presented as the Messiah, in the middle of the zōon, living creatures. This is what the cloud of witnesses believed on and had faith in. This is the day that Jesus met his people in the air, then showed up before the throne of his Father between the living creatures. All the sons of God will watch and acknowledge him as he walks forward and receives the book.
People will acknowledge him when the years draw near, and when the time comes the Lord will be proclaimed. He will be lifted up and shown before the sons of God in front of the throne as the one worthy to take the book and open the seals. His people will have just met him personally in the air. During and after the tribulation others will acknowledge Him as King and Lord.
The reference to places Teman and Paran mean that the Holy One comes out of the east like the rising sun. The heavens are covered in his virtue, and the earth is filled with praise. His splendor shines, and he has horns in his hand. Why would he carry horns if he wasn’t going to use them? His love is strong. He did this all in love. Through his love he redeems us. This is why he looks like a murdered lamb, because he loves us.
The interesting thing about Jesus being in the middle of the cherubim and holding horns in his hands is that Habakkuk is writing/singing the events of Revelation 5. It is a song, and it was written at a time before the Babylonian captivity, before Solomon’s temple was destroyed. Habakkuk was seeing ahead to this time period, and further through the tribulation period. Compare the rest of his song to the seals, trumpets, and bowls.
Pay attention to this detail. When Jesus comes on the Day of the Lord He does not have horns in his hands nor is he between the living creatures. The beginning of the song relates to the rising up, the seizing, the perfecting, and the presenting. The parallel of John and Habakkuk explaining the same event connects nicely with Paul’s mystery.
While Jesus walks through the crowd to the Father and reaches out to take the book, the entire crowd starts to worship him. Jesus has entered the throne room with a huge assembly, walks to the Father who is sitting next to Jesus’ empty seat, and everyone there, all the sons of God, worship the Lamb, who looks like he was murdered. Why? Because Jesus just gathered his assembly, those who will fight with him later on the Day of the Lord and who will then be made kings and priests on the earth. The celebration is for this congregation being summoned and Jesus being worthy to start the process of taking back the earth from the devil.
In Revelation 5:8 we see the four living creatures/beasts and the twenty-four elders fall down before Jesus. The cherubim and the elders fall before Jesus, they do not fall before the Father. They have harps for making music and bowls of incense which are the prayers of the saints. They are making music because the saints are singing. Now we see that as Jesus entered the throne room, he brought his congregation with him. They are the above congregation as they are now in heaven before the throne of the Father, and the congregation is singing a new song. Not an old song. A new song that only they can sing.
Here are the details of Revelation 5:9-10 as we have previously researched. This song is sung by those who have been redeemed. Jesus did not redeem angels, cherubim, seraphim, or elders. Jesus only came to redeem humans. Now the humans are perfected and presented and singing about what Jesus has done.
Revelation 5:9-10 (KJV)
9 And that they sung sing a new song, 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;
10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests and we shall reign on the earth.
It is amazing what a few misplaced pronouns can do to mix up a verse of scripture. In any event, the pronoun trouble and added words, and the misused tenses, made this verse seem as if someone else is singing about the saints, which they could not be since the pronouns are first person plural. Only the saints can sing about the saints being redeemed by blood, and this is what Jesus Christ and the seven spirits tell the church in Revelation 1. With the word sing in the wrong tense, it seems as if the saints sang some time in the past, but they just started this new song, proclaiming Jesus worthy. No one else was found worthy up to that time, remember? Jesus previously gave John the understanding as to the position of the redeemed, those who believe that Jesus died and rose up. Those people will become kings and priests on the earth.
Revelation 1:4-7 (KJV)
4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;
5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
The beasts, elders, cherubim or seraphim are not going to be kings and priests and they are not going to reign on the earth. Jesus did not redeem the beasts, elders cherubim or seraphim by his blood. He did not die for them. He did not meet them in the air either. Jesus came to the upper air with an angel and seven trumpets. Then he raised and seized those who are His. The saints are perfected, delivered, and presented in the throne room before the Father. Imagine this as a huge celebration as compared to a solemn event. All the saints, from the adam to the newest believer, are all together before the Almighty Most High Eternal Father. The saints have been delivered, and will soon be rewarded.
Here are a few previous studies. Next week we will examine what the saints are doing during this time period.
