XPost: alt.bible, alt.religion, alt.religion.christian.biblestudy
XPost: alt.christnet.bible, alt.religion.christian.roman-catholic
From: qwerty@qwerty.qwerty
On Thu, 25 May 2023 22:10:34 -0400
James wrote:
> .That is why you are so confused. Jesus disappeared in a cloud going
> to Heaven, and he would be in a cloud (be invisible) at his return.
The phrase appearing with the clouds is ancient solar symbolism:
"But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise
with healing in his wings;" - Malachi 4:2
"Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of
their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear." - Matthew 13:43
If Jesus will be invisible when he appears, then how are the wicked
destroyed at the 'brightness' of his coming?
"And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume
with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of
his coming:" - 2 Thessalonians 2:8
Apparently the brightness of the sun above the clouds does not make the
sun 'invisible.' It just means the sun is appearing with the clouds.
Jesus is the sun. What are the clouds he appears with?
"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of
witnesses ..." - Hebrews 12:1
The 'clouds' are all who came before and after the sun, who believed on
him and anticipated his rising. He will appear with his saints.
Thus it is written:
"Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with
them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever
be with the Lord." - 1 Thessalonians 4:17
The 'clouds' will be gathered to the rising 'sun' at his appearing, the
dawn of the new day, when the day star signals his return:
"We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that
ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the
day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:" - 2 Peter 1:19
So we see the idea that the clouds will make Jesus "invisible" is not
correct. We also see that he will appear to those who are waiting
for him, and not to those who hate him, who are blind and cannot see
the light. The bright and morning star arises in the heart of the
believer, and the believer sees the sun of righteousness rise and come
with the clouds, with healing in his wings.
A saint who is a true believer in Jesus can be resurrected from the
dead with a million unbelievers looking toward his grave, and the
unbelieving dead see nothing at all.
If you are not already risen from the dead, what are you waiting for?
"Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through
the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
... Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and
worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not
seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind," - Colossians 2:12, 18
"Let no man deceive you ... intruding into those things which he hath
not seen ..."
If they have not already seen Jesus coming on the clouds of heaven then
they have no light to judge between sound doctrine and error.
We have seen him, and his cloud of witnesses, for they surround us even
at this very hour. They all testify of him, and the brightness of his
light, which shines through them, at any moment ready to break through
in its full and unveiled glory.
Who are you that debate and pretend to testify of things ye yourselves
have not seen? Who are you to, "... intrude into those things which he
hath not seen?" No believer need consider the judgment or opinion of
such intruders who pretend to judge things they have not seen for
themselves.
UNO3O5HJXPXJPQG3WAXK672BPRHB7DADLE53KEIGUJWCTQO3WPLA
--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)
|
