Matthew 25:1-13 The Midnight Cry: Evidence of a Pre-Trib Rapture

"And at midnight, there was a cry made, Behold the Bridegroom cometh: go ye out to meet him...and they that were ready, went in with him to The Marriage, and the door was shut...Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour the Son of Man comes ^{Matthew 25:1-13}."

“And The Virgins, her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee ^{Psalm 45:14-15}.”

   In Matthew 25:1-13, it is obvious who the Bridegroom is. The text plainly says the Bridegroom is the Son of Man—Jesus ^{Matthew 25:10-13}. The context also makes it clear that The Virgins to whom the Midnight Cry is being made ^{Matthew 25:6-7}... are not The Bride.

   So the question remains, Who are The Virgins?

   This writer believes The Virgins do not represent the Bride of Christ--The Church--but are rather the companions of The Bride we read about in Psalm 45:14. 

   The companions of The Bride are those who will come to Christ during The Great Tribulation, and just as Old Covenant believers are not part of that special group saved during the Age of Grace, known as The Body of Christ, neither are those who come to Christ during the Time of Jacob's Trouble [also known as The Great Tribulation]. 

   It is generally taught that the “Midnight Cry” of Matthew Twenty-five is synonymous with "The Shout" in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 where Jesus descends from Heaven to raise the dead and snatch up the living.

   But this is not the case.

   The Midnight Cry, in Matthew Twenty-five, is not being made for the Bride of Christ. 
    Jesus is not a polygamous husband. 
   He has only one Bride, and he cleaves only to her. Matthew twenty-five speaks of multiple virgins, so, these cannot be God’s Bride. These  virgins are the bride’s companions, those who follow after her. We read about them in Psalms 45:14-15.

   Prophecy reveals that the King _Christ will bring his Queen _{the Bride of Christ} into his palace _{Which is being prepared for us in Heaven (John 14:2).} When it is time for the wedding to take place, the Companions of the Bride will be brought to the King as well ^{1 Thessalonians, 4:16-18, Psalm 45:14, Matthew 25:6-13}. These virgins are the Companions of the Bride.

   Jesus is coming for his Bride...and he is coming for her companions as well—but not for both at the same time.

   Look closely at what Jesus said concerning his coming, “...as in the days of Noah...so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be ^{Matthew 24:37-39}. Just as he brought Noah and his family into the ark before judgment fell in the form of the flood, the Son of Man is coming for his Bride before he comes back to earth to judge a world that hates him.

   As in the days of Noah....

   It is wise not to disregard the repeated references our Lord makes to "the Days of Noah." That statement is multi-faceted and rich—referring to much more than simply the sinful, carefree lifestyles Noah's contemporaries lived, even as devastating judgment bore down upon them.

  We must be careful to observe that in the days of Noah, the righteous were brought into the ark of safety before judgment came. We must also note that the door to that ark remained open for seven days...ostensibly, others could have come on board during that time. It was entirely their choice not to do so ^{Genesis 7:1-10}.

   At midnight a cry was made....

   After The Bridegroom (Jesus) comes for his Bride, the door to the ark—as in the days of Noah—will remain open for a short time. This is so The Virgins, the Companions of the Bride, who will follow after her ^{Psalms 45:14-15}, can also be brought in to the King.

   The Word of God is specific about every word in scripture being pure and good for reproof, rebuke, exhortation, and instruction in righteousness...every word. That is why we pay close attention to the words Jesus used, words like, “as in the Days of Noah,” and “Midnight.”

   Midnight means "halfway through the night."

   In John 9:4, Jesus said he must work the works of him that sent him while it is Day. For "The Night” was coming in which no one could work.

   In this passage, Jesus made references to Light, Day, and Night that provide us with insight into the pre-appointed times and seasons Yahweh holds in his hand. It is in John 9:4, that Jesus defines the word "Midnight" for us.

   The “Night,” Jesus refers to, is the calamitous Night of Wrath and Judgment that he predicted will come on all who dwell upon the face of the earth. In Luke 21:35, Jesus called it a snare and warned each individual to pray that they would be counted worthy to escape all of the devastation that would be coming upon the inhabitants of earth.

   Jesus went on to say that he was the Light of the World and that he would continue to be the Light of the World as long as he was in the world ^{John 9:5}. When Jesus is no longer in the world (kosmos in the Greek), the inhabitants of the kosmos will find themselves trapped in the season he calls Night.

   So, has the Night already come? The time when Jesus said no one can work? If that is the case, then why are those who name the name of Christ working right now?

   It is because he is here, isn't it?

   Jesus is still in the kosmos, because he dwells within all who belong to him. Our bodies are his temple. And because of this, Jesus said that his followers are also the Light of the World ^{Matthew 5:14-16}.

   Isn’t that amazing?

   It is still Day. Jesus is still working in the kosmos through those whose bodies are his dwelling place here on earth and through those he called "The Salt of the Earth."

   So, when will "Night" begin?

   “Night” will begin when the Light of the World and the The Salt of the Earth exits the kosmos at the Resurrection of the Dead in Christ and the Snatching up of those In Him who are alive and remain.

   Jesus entered the kosmos when he was born of a virgin ^{Hebrews 1:6}. He remains in the kosmos because he lives in those who belong to him ^{John 14:16-18}, and he will leave the kosmos when he "descends from Heaven with a shout," to raise the dead and catch up the living bodies of all who are "in Him"—His Body. His Bride ^{1 Thessalonians 4:16-18, 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, Romans 8:23, 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7}.

   After all those whose bodies are his temple have been brought to the King, Jesus will no longer be in the kosmos in the way he described in John 9:4-5. And by his own definition, the season he called Night, will have officially begun.

   So, when is midnight?

   Midnight is halfway through the Night—which Jesus said would begin the moment he was no longer in the world—that means, that by Midnight, his Holy Spirit indwelled Bride will have been absent from the kosmos for the same length of time that Jesus has been absent from the kosmos ^{John 9:4-5, Matthew 5:14-16,1 Thessalonians 4:16-18, 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7}.

    But the exodus of The Bride of Christ does not signify the end.

   At the mid-way point, half-way through the Night—Midnight—Jesus says a cry will be made. This cry is being made to The Virgins. These virgins will come to Christ after the Bride is caught out at resurrection and catching up,. They will be unbelievers "left behind" at the time of the Rapture, but will come to Christ afterwards and be Redeemed out of the Time of Jacob’s Trouble at [or just before] its inauguration, which will be heralded by the appearance of the Abomination of Desolation [spoken of by Daniel] being set up in the holy place. This will be The Man of Sin demanding worship for himself as God in God's Holy of Holies ^{Matthew 13:13, Matthew 24:15 John 3:29, Revelation 14:1-4, 7:4}.

   An open door will remain for a time for those who are ready, and Jesus said they will here the call--The Cry that comes at MIDNIGHT, and the Companions of The Bride will join the marriage party, and then, like in the Days of Noah, the door will be shut ^{Psalm 45:14, Matthew 25:6-13, Genesis 7:16}.

   Jesus is coming for his Bride. And he is coming for her before the Night begins. 
   When he returns to earth at the Battle of Armageddon, His wife will be coming out of Heaven with him. The Virgins, her Companions, will be returning with him as well. And After that, a marriage feast—the likes of which this world has never seen—will be held here on earth ^{Matthew 22}.

   
You do not want to miss it.

   If you haven’t received one yet, consider this your invitation to the wedding. It will be the biggest event of the universe—Ever. Romans 10:9-10,13 tells how to send your RSVP. Better look it up in a King James Bible though. Other versions tamper with the directions.

 The book, Redemption: Bible Prophecy Simplified, presents us with a panoramic and chronological overview of God's plan of redemption for our souls, bodies, and this earth as revealed in scripture. The day The Towers Fell was prophesied in the Bible. The basket of currency connected with the Euro is found in the Bible. Details concerning the Rapture, The Great Tribulation, and the first 1000 years of Christ’s reign on earth are looked at from the unique perspective of the seven prophetic feasts of the Lord found in the book of Exodus. Bible Prophecy Simplified is simple enough for beginning prophecy students, but there is plenty to intrigue intermediate and advanced students as well. The Bible reveals methods the antichrist will use in his rise to power and the location of his home base.

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Misunderstandings about domestic abuse & domestic violence

 

Domestic abuse and domestic violence are rare. FALSE. According to the department of Justice. Three of every 100 American households is affected by domestic violence. 

According to the National Census Bureau, 3 of every 100 households adds up to approximately 37,000,000 Americans, primarily women, who are experiencing domestic violence or abuse.

What is domestic abuse? Simply put, domestic abuse is warfare. It turns the home, which should be a sanctuary of peace and safety into a battlefield filled with destruction and misery--with the abuser waging psychological warfare, and sometimes physical warfare, against his or her victim(s).

Only women are victims of domestic abuse and/or violence. FALSE. Department of Justice figures show that men comprise 5% of domestic violence murder victims.

Studies prove that women violently abuse just as much or more than men do. FALSE. Department of justice statistics do not back those studies. As one supporter of those studies succinctly put it, "With a U.S. population of 297 million, it's possible to cherry-pick a small, non-representative, sample to prove nearly anything."

Substance abuse is a major cause of domestic violence. FALSE. Treatment for substance abuse will not cure domestic abuse or violence. Although substance abuse is often used as an excuse for domestic violence and can certainly exacerbate and intensify incidences of abuse (and substance abusers do need to address the issue), it is not the cause of domestic abuse or domestic violence. Abuse and domestic violence are inflicted on victims by those who have an excessive need for control. In the case of men against women, the root cause of abuse often stems from a deeply rooted sense of male superiority over women. 

Anger management will prevent abusive behavior. FALSE. Anger management will not cure abusive behavior, because anger is not the root cause of spousal abuse or domestic violence. Although controlling anger is always helpful, it will not prevent recurrences of abuse if the core values of the abuser are not challenged and changed.

Submitting to the demands of an abuser will stop or prevent abuse. FALSE. Studies have shown that the more submissive a victim is, the more likely the abuser is to continue and even increase the abuse. It is not recommended, however, to directly challenge a violent abuser.

Finding a good couple's counselor will help resolve abuse issues in a relationship. FALSE. Couple's counseling will not prevent abuse. Abuse is a personal issue as well as a choice on the part of the abuser. Although abuse will cause problems in a relationship, abuse and/or domestic violence does not stem from problems within the relationship. When it comes to domestic abuse or domestic violence, the saying, “It Takes Two to Tango,” does not apply. One of the reasons couple's counseling is not recommended in the case of domestic violence, is that it increases the risk of physical violence and potential harm to the victim.

 The book, Woman Submit! Christians & Domestic Violence, is available free with Kindle Unlimited. Gifting print copies to  spiritual leaders and shelters is a great way to participate in Domestic Violence Awareness month in October. But why wait for October when three women will die today from DV, and another three tomorrow, and another three....   

Southern Baptist Churches are Rejecting Male Leadership

Mike Law, a pastor in Arlington, Virginia, is concerned the complementarian paradigm of female submission to male headship is in jeopardy. So much so, he sent an open letter/petition (with 1,100 signatures to date) to The Southern Baptist Convention's (SBC) Executive Committee requesting the Southern Baptist Constitution be amended to read that women may not be appointed as pastors of any kind. He even recommended that titles such as Women's Pastor and Children's Pastor be denied to women. 

These guys are running scared. 

As they should be. Complementarianism, the doctrine of female submission to male leadership in the church and home is unscriptural, and nothing less than religious extremism that endangers the spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical welfare of women and children. 

Pastor and author, John Piper, says the practice of male headship should even extend into the secular workplace. He shames Christian men by saying that true biblical men could not tolerate subordinate positions to women. But if they will not or cannot change jobs, Piper offers advice on how men can keep the upper hand in such situations by perverting common courtesies. I write about this in my book.

In his open letter/petition, Law wrote that five SBC churches within a five-mile radius of his congregation had appointed women as pastors of various kinds, including Sr. Pastor. That means five out of six churches within his radius, are either egalitarian or possibly angling in that direction. And that has Law, along with at least 1,100 other SBC pastors terrified that God's created design of equality of the sexes and gender-autonomy might actually become the unofficial norm in Southern Baptist churches...which would eventually lead to an official change in doctrine/policy.

Law stated that he objects to women holding titles such as Co-Pastor, Worship Pastor, Discipleship Pastor, Women's Pastor, Children's Pastor, etc., as he considers it trading in the "Office of Pastor." He wrote that "Ushering women into the Pastoral Office in Southern Baptist Churches unsettles our Convention's unity."

The Convention's unity certainly needs to be unsettled, just as in the days when the Southern Baptists broke away from the Northern Baptists for the singular purpose of preserving chattel slavery in the south. The SBC was formed for that reason and that reason alone and preached from every pulpit that slavery was God's design. In the slaveholding south, the fight to protect that evil institution was called a "Glorious Cause." 

The female submission/male headship movement, headquartered with the SBC [and disseminated from there to almost every other denomination], calls female submission, "God's Glorious Design." Sound familiar? They even use the same language as their slave-holding predecessors. And as the SBC finally issued a public denouncement of and apology for their support of chattel slavery, it is time for them to denounce and apologize for the gender-based Christian Caste System enforced within their churches and homes and promoted in their Bible colleges and seminaries. 

Whether they will ever do that is doubtful. It is more likely another split will occur; it appears that many SBC churches are passively resisting, quietly disregarding their bigoted leaders, and appointing women to leadership positions anyway. And that's a good thing. 

Does God require us to give up our cultural identities when we come to Christ?

 When we come to Christ, does God require us to give up the cultural identity and heritage we were born into?

   Absolutely not!

   But everyone who comes to Christ should be willing to give up everything that will hinder the development of their new identity in, and service to, Jesus.

   When we surrender our lives to Christ, we no longer belong to ourselves, but to the God of Heaven. We belong to our Father and Lord (as in master) Jesus Christ, who purchased us with his own blood. We are not our own, for we have been bought with a great price –Isaiah 9:6, Acts 20:28 (kjv), 1 Corinthians 6:20.

   In the book of Genesis, Abraham was instructed to leave his country, his kindred, and his Father’s house to go to an unknown land that God would show him.

   That could not have been easy for Abraham. He lived in a culture where family ties and responsibilities meant a great deal. But, even so, he was obedient to his God in this command.

   Abraham was neither asked nor required to adopt the ways and trappings of another cultural Identity when he chose to follow God. But he was required to allow God to develop his life and lifestyle into something completely new.

   When we come to Christ, old things are passed away... and all things are become new. We become a completely new creation and are instructed to walk in newness of life.

   At some point in time, most of our ancestors followed an old way. When following the old way, if a new God or spirit were introduced, wasn’t the proper worship of, or way of relating to, that entity sought and adhered to?

   Why then, would we not be willing to do the same for our Redeemer and Creator, the One True God, Jesus Christ, THE ALMIGHTY?

   In Acts chapter 19:17-19, we read about people entering a new life in Christ with a healthy fear of God. They enthusiastically brought items which were used in “curious arts” i.e., occult and demon worship (the “old ways”) and burned them.

   These new followers of Christ had no desire to retain anything of the old ways or old traditions, that they finally understood had never been able to bring life.

   The same is true of behaviors and attitudes. 

   We would be wise to follow their example as we examine and carefully evaluate what we allow ourselves to come into contact with, identify with, and become influenced by, via our old life, activities, associations, possessions, and various forms of media we expose ourselves to.

   The cultural situation we are born into is a large part of who we are but being a New Creation in Christ supersedes even that.

   Absolutely everything in the life of a Christian is superseded by the new identity now possessed in Christ—regardless of what earthly culture one is born into or has adopted.

   Whether we are black, white, Jew, Gentile, Native American, Asian…, the list can go on and on, if we love tradition and the ways of our earthly cultures more than Jesus, if we choose to identify with our earthly cultures more than with Jesus...

   He tells us we are not worthy of him.

   If we love this world and the things it contains (including the cultural heritage we were born into) more than Jesus…

   Jesus says the love of the Father is not in us.

   Just as Joshua challenged the children of Israel before they crossed over into the Promised Land, the Spirit of the Living God challenges us today to, “Choose you this day...”

   Do you love your Savior enough to examine the things you may have held dear, even sacred, your entire life? Could you say like Peter, “Behold, we have forsaken all and followed thee…?”

   Are you willing to give up everything for Jesus?

   He gave up everything for you.

Rapture Theory has Kidnapped Christianity

 

Here is a snippet of an email I received: Quote: "The Rapture theory was developed in the 1830s by a young woman named Margaret McDonald, and now it has kidnapped Christianity. In no way does the Scripture ever say there is a rapture." End Quote

It saddens me to read such things. Margaret McDonald did not develop the idea of the rapture. But the propaganda has made such inroads into mainstream Christianity that the "No rapture" theory is fast becoming the norm within the Body of Christ. 

The Bible does teach a rapture. I write about it in my book, REDEMPTION: Bible Prophecy Simplified, A Study of HOPE. Download it for free: Jocelyn Andersen: Free E-book Bible Prophecy Simplified 

 Of course, the real opposition isn't to the fact that there is actually an event we call the rapture, taught in the Bible. The opposition is to belief in the pre-tribulational timing of the event. 

As to the theory that Margaret McDonald was the "mother of the rapture theory," that simply cannot be true for one very good reason--Margaret McDonald did not believe in or teach a pre-tribulational rapture. Todd Strandberg wrote an excellent article addressing that aspect of the debate:

Margaret MacDonald Who? (anti-antichrist.com)

 

These are the last days, and there is no doubt that Bible Prophecy--especially the biblical doctrine of the rapture--is on trial. It does matter what we believe. And it is important to know why we believe it. The lati-da attitude of "Oh well, we'll all find out one day," is not the attitude the Bible teaches us to have concerning the coming of our Lord. The Bible has much to say about it, Jesus had much to say about it. The rapture is that "Blessed Hope" the Bible speaks of. For those who would like to study this subject further, the book, "Redemption: Bible Prophecy Simplified," explores the subject in detail, using lots of scripture. 

 Redemption is available FREE at Jocelyn Andersen: Free E-book Bible Prophecy Simplified

Share a copy with your friends and loved ones. Buy a paperback print copy HERE.

Defining the Christian Caste System

 Male headship, male leadership, also known as complementarianism is a Christianized caste system. It is the doctrine of male leadership [also known as male-headship] which teaches that men and women are created equal but only in a spiritual, ethereal, non-tangible, essence but are not functionally equal. 

Instead, women and men are taught that they are created to fulfill certain roles. Male roles are fairly unlimited while female roles are severely limited. 

Complementarianism teaches that those born male are created to be served by those born female...from birth through-out eternity. 

This is caste. 

Complementarianism further teaches that the idea of female autonomy [rebellion against the limited roles within the female caste] is rebellion against God Himself and is therefore sin. Some go as far as calling it a life and death issue, with the loss of female souls being what is at risk.

...Woman this is WAR! Gender Slavery and the Evangelical Caste System

   Traditional interpretations of scripture have adversely effected understanding of the Bible, relations between women and men, the happiness of men and women, and, in general, has hindered the work of the gospel, by forbidding women to preach, pastor, or serve as elders or deacons. This book chronicles the history of the women's rights movements (there have been more than one), as well as the role of church leadership in suppressing both women's rights and the historical record of Christian initiatives within those movements. 

   Through complementarianism (the male-leadership movement), many of the same arguments used to support institutionalized of slavery, are still used today in support of institutionalized female subordination to male headship. This book documents parallels and identical arguments used by Christian leaders against both the abolitionist and women’s rights movements. It is a one-of-a-kind resource for all who desire an in-depth study of gender [in]equality from a historical and Christian perspective. 

   The work traces history of women’s rights, much further back than usual, to the very first feminists…who were Christians—godly women, who brought the issue of women's rights to the forefront as they struggled to alleviate the suffering of others, and found they were hindered in doing so for no other reason than the fact of their sex. Valuable historical insights, that are rarely included in Christian literature, are in this book along with rare glimpses into Christian initiatives in the various movements for women’s rights.

  Woman this is WAR! Gender Slavery and the Evangelical Caste System

This book biblically refutes complementarianism [also called complementarity], which teaches that all men and women are born into a caste system that follows them from the moment they exit the womb throughout all eternity. Men are alleged to be born into the leadership caste and women into the “follower” caste.

   Complementarian doctrine suppresses the autonomy of adult Christian women and has been embraced, with few exceptions, by virtually every Christian denomination...despite unmistakable parallels between complementarian dogma [and the adverse effects of the paradigm on men, women, and children] and that of institutionalized slavery in previous centuries [caveat: lots of Black History, in this book, up through the Civil Rights Movement].

   Woman this is War! quotes well-known evangelical pastors who compare Christian marriage to a war of dominance between wives and husbands, a war they claim that husbands must win (hence, the book title).

   Gender-biased-English-translation-theology, along with male-centered Bible commentary and translation practices, are used in forbidding women to preach, pastor, or serve as elders and deacons in most churches. This hinders the work of the gospel. In most churches where women are not forbidden to preach, they are told to submit to their husbands at home. Gender-biased-English-translation-theology has interfered with understanding the scriptures, pitted men and women against each other, and eroded the happiness of women and men.

   The book provides rare insights into Christian initiatives in the movements for women’s autonomy that have been excluded from Christian literature. They bring a new perspective, along with freedom and hope for both men and women. The doctrine of female submission to male headship in the church and home, is refuted by the scriptures which support equality between women and men. Woman this is WAR! is a treasure-trove of information on gender equality from biblical and historical perspectives.

Hypotasso also means arrayed "With" or "BESIDE"

 Hypotasso: Scholars Omit Two Crucial Definitions of the Word

 

 Two definitions of the Greek word "hypotassō," almost always translated as "submit" in the New Testament, would bring unity and healing to the Body of Christ by shedding the light of truth on a contentious and divisive subject... if they were included in Christian study resources. 

 

But these definitions though clearly seen within the context of scripture, are conspicuously absent from the scholarly record. 

 

   Hiearchical-English-translation-theology owns the field when it comes to the Greek word "hypo"--G5259 [pronounced hupo], from which the compound words hypotassō [Koine TR as seen in Strong's] and hupotassetai [as seen in Scrivner TR] are derived.  

   Both words are essentially the same and defined as arrayed "under" [hypo] by James Strong [G5293]. 

   Context reveals that "hypo"--G5259, can also mean over [2 Cor 2:11], or beside [Hebrews 1:3 ...and in Koine manuscripts, 2 Peter 2:5]. but it appears that Bible scholars and commentators do not want Christian laypeople to know this.
   The hierarchical applecart would certainly be upset if lay-Christians understood that the New Testament does not teach political or military-like hierarchy within the Body of Christ.
   James Strong, created an extraordinary work with his exhaustive concordance, but also exhibited extraordinary bias in some of his definitions, G5259-hypo being just one example. 

   Though we appreciate and use his work, we do this understanding his human frailties and biases. Strong's concordance erroneously perpetuates the unscriptural "clergy-over-laity" paradigm that, in Revelation 2:6, God says he hates. And one glaring example of this is his neglect to include the other two scriptural meanings of the word hypo-G5259, and this despite the fact he lists the scripture passages in which they are found. So we know he was aware of them.

   In this, whether intentional or not, James Strong has done a great dis-service to Bible scholars, students, and all Christians who depend heavily on his work for biblical understanding.