Ever wonder why the Bride of Christ is given the Rapture in the first place?! Is it just for receiving glorified bodies? Why are we not immediately brought into the presence of God??? Ushered directly into Heaven rather than a lay over in the clouds. Is it just for New Testament saints? And if so, why weren't the Old Testament saints Raptured before coming into the presence of God? The word speaks of many resurrections, it gets to be a little confusing. What is the length of our understanding about the Rapture? Seems like a good topic to review. TR Good question ... I’m not sure why. Unless because most Jews rejected Jesus and then the Gospel was offered to the Gentiles and were grafted into the family and given the honor as bride? :unsure: John 1:11-12 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Won’t the Old Testament Saints be the guests at the Royal wedding? Hopefully they will have their glorified bodies by then so they can partake of the sumptuously delicious food and drinks or will they just be watching the church eat and eat and eat and eat ... B-) With Jesus's own ascension some 40 days after his own resurrection we can conclude a few things. The word of God has long taught a huge resurrection at the end of time. Jesus resurrected as he prophesied he would, showing his power even over the grave. But when Mary Magdalene approached him physically, he constrained her saying he had not yet ascended. Then after some point he was seen for forty days as proof for his resurrection in what we term a glorified body. We can also conclude that He being the firstfruits was setting a template for our own ascension which we call the Rapture. Could we not be given glorified bodies at the same time we enter Heaven's gates? For it was Paul that taught us that to absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. So all of those who have gone on before us are already in His presence. Are they also waiting for glorified bodies? Again, is the Rapture only for N.T. saints? Or will the O.T. saints also precede us as the dead in Christ? Or have the O.T. saints already received their glorified bodies? We know that flesh cannot inhabit Heaven or withstand the glory of God, so are the souls in His presence without a body? Scholars have contended that after the Rapture of the Church various believers shall also ascend. Would that be with or without bodies? And do they experience a Rapture? Or is the Rapture only for the Bride of Christ as I maintain? Why else was it called a mystery and only revealed to the N.T. church? I would like solicit more discussion and the help of more knowledgeable members of RITAN! Mods included! TR I think at least one reason for the rapture of the Church is that the age of grace is sandwiched between the end of the 69th week of Daniel and the start of the 70th. Just as there was no Church in the first 69 weeks, there needs to be no Church in the 70th when God returns to the dispensation where He is dealing with Israel again. The rapture is God's way of accomplishing this. Also, it is very clear that God has promised we, as the age of grace believers, are not destined for wrath, and He must keep His Word in that regard as well. T.R. asked ... “are the souls in His presence without a body?” I’m not sure ... but I do know this ... After my mom’s memorial service in 2011 I asked the Lord if she saw it ... and if so ... could He please show me? That night I either had a vision or a dream ... I saw a whole bunch of puffy clouds and then they rolled back like a scroll and there was her smiling young face looking down... all I saw was her face and hair and the clouds framed her head. Then there was a flash of light and then I saw the pastor speaking and all the flowers were on display and then another flash of light and then the clouds started to roll back to cover her face and then I woke up. I found the image that I saw in her wedding album ... she was 20 yrs old. Then in 2015 I was lurking on the Rita board and saw a thread about visions/dreams of people’s loved ones who went to heaven. Some got a chance to see their loved ones again... one said their dad appeared to him on earth on their front lawn? After reading the thread I asked the Lord if He could show me all my loved ones in heaven that I was close to. When I closed my eyes ... I felt myself flying and the next thing I was in some room that had white walls and a white floor. I don’t know if it had a ceiling ... I never looked up but everything was white. There was no furniture, no hanging pictures ... just white walls and floor. In a semi circle stood my grandfather, grandmother, my aunt, my mom, my dad and my sister-in-law’s mom (who was like a 2nd grandmother to me). They were wearing American clothes and I noticed something interesting ... they were all the age of when they got saved. My grandparents were in their early 60’s and my parents and aunt were in their early 30’s. Except for my sister-in-law’s mom ... she was the age of when I first met her. They were smiling and so happy but nobody said a word. I hugged each one of them and I felt the hug and they kissed my cheek. My grandfather was the last in the lineup and after we hugged and kissed, BAM ... I opened my eyes and I was back on earth in the family room on the sofa and I thought ... rats! I’m back here again ... I wanted to be up there. It was so peaceful. The one cheek they all kissed was wet. Sooo not sure if the Lord allowed them to have their old earthly body for that vision/dream so I could see them?
