Friday, June 26, 2009

Marriage Supper of the Lamb on Earth, or in Heaven? -- Is there no pre-tribulation rapture?

It is basic Christian doctrine that the "marriage supper of the Lamb", referred to in Rev. 19: 9, takes place in heaven during Daniel's 70th week (commonly referred to as the 7-year tribulation) and that there is a pre-tribulation rapture of the church of Christ which precedes the marriage supper.   However, a close read of Luke 22: 14-18 raises several questions with this dogmatic notion.

In those passages in Luke, Jesus is reclining at table with the apostles at the last supper just prior to his being betrayed by Judas.  While at the supper, Jesus makes an interesting statement described in verse 18, where, after taking a cup and giving thanks, He says, "Take this, and divide it among yourselves.  For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes."  (Emphasis added)  What does He mean?  Until the kingdom comes where?  A literal reading of verse 18 seems to indicate that Jesus is saying that He will not again drink the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes to earth.  Where else would God's kingdom be coming

Continuing in Luke 22: 29-30, Jesus tells his disciples that he bestows upon them a kingdom and that they will "eat and drink" with Jesus at His table in His kingdom.  He does not say that they will be in the Father's kingdom, but in His (i.e., Jesus') kingdom.  This must mean on earth, since that is where Jesus will inherit his physical kingdom, when He strips the earth of all the kingdoms of men.  This is evidenced in Rev 11: 15, where the seventh angels sounds his trumpet and heavenly voices proclaim that "the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ."

Therefore, is the marriage supper of the Lamb, where Jesus most likely will drink the fruit of the vine with those at the supper, actually in heaven or on earth?  If it were in heaven, as many have stated from their read of the Book of  Revelation, then why does Jesus explicitly state in Luke that He will not drink the fruit of the vine again until Jesus' Kingdom comes and that the disciples will eat and drink with Him in His kingdom?  After all, the kingdom of God is already in Heaven, but it is not yet on earth and will not come to earth until Jesus returns at the Second Coming (i.e., at Armageddon).  In 1 Cor 15:24, Paul says that the kingdom of God will not be delivered (i.e., not come) until "the end," which is after all saints have been raptured at the end of the age.  The coming of Jesus' kingdom to earth is also God's answer to a part of the Lord's prayer taught as a model prayer by Jesus, which specifically requests of God, among other things, that "thy kingdom come." (cf, Mat 6 :10)

If this analysis of Luke in conjunction with the Book of Revelation is correct, then it seems that there will be no pre-tribulation rapture of the church prior to the Second Coming of Jesus when God's kingdom is brought to earth by Jesus's appearance on earth on the last day at the battle of Armageddon.

Of course, this analysis raises other questions, such as:  if the marriage supper of the Lamb is on earth, where on earth could it take place to be able to accommodate the billions of glorified Christians who would attend?  I don't know.  But, as stated in Mat 19: 26, with God all things are possible.  Is this the feast which is described by the prophet Isaiah as recorded at Is 25: 6?  Until I read this portion of the Book of Isaiah, after God gave me this revelation in the book of Luke, I was unaware of this prophetic feast described by Isaiah over 700 years before Jesus was born.  Perhaps the Holy Spirit has given me a confirmation of that feast.

Revelation 19: 14 describes that the "armies of heaven" follow Jesus to earth at Armageddon while they ride on white horses being clothed in fine linen, white and pure.  However, I cannot see any passage in the Book of Revelation which states that the marriage supper of the Lamb is actually held in heaven.  For instance, in Rev. 19: 9 an angel says that those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb are blessed.  And just prior to that passage, Rev. 19: 7 describes that a "great multitude" cried out that the time for the marriage supper of the Lamb had come.  But, the event is not actually described as taking place in heaven -- it was merely announced in heaven.

Also, immediately subsequent to the announcement that the time for the marriage supper of the Lamb has come Rev 19: 11 describes heaven being opened and the Lord Jesus on a white horse riding down to earth to "judge and make war."  So, it may be that some time shortly after His arrival on earth, with the armies of heaven with Him (glorified Christians from all ages), that the marriage supper of the Lamb will commence on earth.  Perhaps this will occur on earth 1,335 days after the Abomination of Desolation enters the temple in Jerusalem. (See, 2 Thes 2: 4; Dan 9: 27: Dan 12: 12)  By my calculation, that would be about 45 days or so after Jesus returns.  Only God knows.

The "time of trouble" spoken of throughout the Old Testament is indeed just around the corner from us.  It is now time to repent of your sins and to prepare your heart to seek the Lord to escape the things which are to come upon the earth soon, and to be hidden in the time of trouble. (See, Ps 27: 5; Zeph 2: 3; Rev 3: 10)

2009 - True Believer

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