Revelation
1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet [first trumpet sounding for the church],

1:11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

Corinthians
15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump [last trumpet sounding for the church]: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

1Thessalonians
4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God [last trumpet sounding for the church]: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

4:17 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.

4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Revelation
3:8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door [the door to immortality], and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation [the tribulation period], which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown [do not be deceived by false teachers].

Matthew
25:6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him [the Lord's call for the church].

25:7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

25:8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

25:9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

25:10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut [the open door to immortality will be shut for those found refuting His call].

25:13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh [the believer must be ready].

25:11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

25:12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not [those who are found refuting His call].

Revelation
3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot [the cold will be more apt to turn to Him during the tribulation period than those who have been infected by false doctrines and are found rejecting before], I will spue thee out of my mouth [those refuting His call will be rejected].

3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock [the open door to immortality has been shut]: if any man hear my voice, and open the door [during the His hour of trial], I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me [the Lord will still offer immortality to those who will be found refuting His call after the door is shut, during His hour of trial, but one must turn and repent]

4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven [John's advanced view of the time of the end]: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.

4:2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.

4:3 And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.

18:1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.

18:2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great [the "great city" of the Gentiles] is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.

18:3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven [the Lord's call], saying, Come out of her, my people [the members of the church who are ready], that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

4:4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders [the leaders of the great multitude of the church] sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.

4:10 The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

5:1 And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.

5:2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?

5:3 And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon [the Lord will remove the seals and open the scroll just before His hour of trial begins].

5:4 And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.

5:5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

5:6 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.

5:7 And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.

5:8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints [the 24 elders and the great multitude will observe His removing of the seals and then His hour of trial on the earth] .

5:9 And they sung 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 [the 24 elders and the great multitude];

5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

7:10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

7:11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,

7:12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

7:13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?

7:14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of [away from] great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

7:15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.

7:16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.

7:17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

19:1 And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God:

19:2 For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore [the "great city" of MBG will be destroyed in one hour at the beginning of the tribulation period .... but not before living believers at the time are removed from the earth], which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.

19:3 And again they said, Alleluia And her smoke rose up for ever and ever.

19:4 And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia.

19:5 And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great.

19:6 And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude [the immortalized church], and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.

19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb [just after the destruction of the "great city" on the earth]. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

11:1 And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein [the 24 elders and the great multitude in His temple in heaven].

11:2 But the court which is without the temple {the temple mount on the earth] leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.

12:12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them [the 24 elders and the great multitude]. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

13:5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

13:6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven [the 24 elders and the great multitude].

13:4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful [the 24 elders and the great multitude].

19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

19:12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.

19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

19:14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean [the 24 elders and the great multitude].

20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them [the 24 elders and the great multitude].

I have a question. The above verse states that those who keep the word of the Lord's patience, the same will be kept from the hour of temptation (That which tempts; an inducement; an allurement, especially to something evil), which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. You seem to equate the "hour of temptation" to the (entire 7 year tribulation period). How can anyone be "tempted" to endure the "tribulation period"? I ask...what is so tempting about going through a period of great tribulation? A period of Great affliction, trial, distress and suffering.

I'm enclined to believe that the Lord was refering to the tempation of accepting the Mark of the Beast. It's the only thing i can think of, that would be tempting to anyone. If one was given the choice between being beheaded and accepting the Mark of the Beast...i tend to think that many would be tempted to accept the MOTB rather then lose their head.

In summary: The "hour of temptation" does not refer to the entire tribulation period, but instead refers to a period in time when one must make a choice between keeping the word of the Lord's patience and accepting the MOTB during the 2nd half of the 7 year tribulation period.

God's Blessings!!

Rob

Edit: Based on the above...I guess one might come to the conclusion that i am a mid-tribber. I want to make it clear that i am not.

Rob,

The Lord's "hour of trial" [7 prophetic years and 30 days] is His "judgment" time of an unbelieving intransigent world [all unbelievers at the time .... and obviously those who follow Satan's beast] because they have refused to believe the truth about Him. "Temptation" here is not a "tempting" by the Lord, but His time of wrath and judgment against unbelief. There will be many unbelievers on the earth who will not necessarily follow Satan's beast .... but the same hour of "trial" [judgment] will be applied to them as well. Unbelief is unbelief no matter the form. The "hour of trial" is His judgment action with a verdict which has already been determined.

His Coming judgment will begin without warning and will last the duration of the 70th week. Many events are recorded in the scriptures of visionary prophecy that must take place during this period. About the length of World war II.


Lexicon Results for peirasmos (Strong's G3986) Greek for G3986 πειρασμός Transliteration
"Temptation"
[peirasmos]
Pronunciation
pā-rä-smo's (Key)
Part of Speech
masculine noun
Root Word (Etymology)
from G3985
Outline of Biblical Usage 1) an experiment, attempt, trial, proving
a) trial, proving: the trial made of you by my bodily condition, since condition served as to test the love of the Galatians toward Paul (Gal. 4:14)
the trial of man's fidelity, integrity, virtue, constancy
1) an enticement to sin, temptation, whether arising from the desires or from the outward circumstances
2) an internal temptation to sin
a) of the temptation by which the devil sought to divert Jesus the Messiah from his divine errand
3) of the condition of things, or a mental state, by which we are enticed to sin, or to a lapse from the faith and holiness
4) adversity, affliction, trouble: sent by God and serving to test or prove one's character, faith, holiness
c) temptation (i.e. trial) of God by men
1) rebellion against God, by which his power and justice are, as it were, put to the proof and challenged to show themselves

Stephen! Oh my goodness! Reading your first post, I could hardly see where God's Word began and yours ended and His picked up again! Why are you adding to the Word like this?? You added your own words in brackets in the midst of Him speaking!

I'm in shock.

My inserts in brackets are just my commentary

A simple way to give what I consider to be the correct interpretation

I am adding nothing and never do

Scripture requires interpretation and understanding and I give mine

Just like you do

What is new?

Or do you think one should be restricted from writing commentary?

Do you have opinions regarding the rendering of the scriptures?

Yes you do

Stephen,
Yes we all have opinions, I've given my share of course! And to be honest with you, I read ALOT of the stuff you say here(in this forum) and am in agreement with you quite a bit! But you threw me on this one, perhaps it is the way you wrote it out above, I mean you literally added to the Word, LITERALLY! Does that not frighten you?? I've written in my Bible for example and thought "Oh no"! I'm adding something "where it ought not be" and I've apologised severely for this and asked God to please forgive my ignorance!

If I think I understand some things within the Word I will share them and provide Biblical verses to back up the Biblical verses I provided ( not that I'm saying I'm better, worse, smarter dumber etc..) And I'll use my own words, opinion, understanding etc..and "allow room for discussion"

But you here have not even allowed any room for discussion?! You know that the door for example stands for immortality, the court is the temple mount upon earth, the Lord will remove the seals and open the scroll just before His hour of trial begins and so on and so on...How do you know these things? Explain them to us, teach if that's where you feel your calling, why just throw some of your own words in the midst of His verses and walk off and then get offended when you are questioned by a believer? If you act that way, you are not worthy to teach, you've got to be meek, humble, suffer humility allow yourself to be questioned, because if you can't handle me how are you going to handle those that HATE us and HATE God and His Son??? Did Stephen pick up any stone and throw back at the crowds? No, he kept on preaching and then forgave them!

Think about it. Pride will destroy a believer before he begins.

Not offended at all

I just explained to you how I add commentary

And Yes what I comment on .... I believe

What is your problem?

Just jump right in and discuss

What I detect here is your attempt to discredit because you have a different opinion

I do not enertain the debator who contrives deliberate tactics to win positions

So you will have to use a different approach with me

No discredit at all and I asked you a few questions on how you came to the knowledge of what you've provided. I did not know the door was immortality, I did not know that the court is the temple mount on earth and I always believed that Jesus opened the seals as soon as He ascended into heaven. And there are others but I figured I'd start with 3 and then move forward.

Revelation 22:18
I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book.

By the way, this is not a game of win or lose and we are not battling for some position and you're not always going to be approached as you desire to be. You've got to be able to handle anything that comes at you or I repeat...You are not worthy of His calling. You are going to get ALOT worse from those who do not believe in Him and then what are you going to do?

Let's just say...We are not raptured and we all go through to the end together; you and I are going to have a lot of people mocking and laughing at us and throwing worse than stones at us, because all the non-believers have heard too and so then, how are we going to make it if we cannot even deal meek and lovingly to eachother? On a forum at that!
Think about it Stephen, you're voice and strength is needed; but who is going to be able to understand you if you sound like a clanging cymbal? You have to have love; for those poorer than you, less educated, less Biblically versed, ignorant, confused, deceived, sad, forsaken, needy, hungry, naked,....etc

"You've got to be able to handle anything that comes at you or I repeat...You are not worthy of His calling. You are going to get ALOT worse from those who do not believe in Him and then what are you going to do?"

First of all I do not buy your tribulation idea for today's believers

And secondly, I can and do handle anything that "comes at me" just like I am dealing with you

You have no idea what I have done and do with regard to braving the battle .... not a clue

Yet you presume to say so

I have fought the battle for the Lord's Word for over 40 years .... not to brag, but to state a fact

I am really skeptical of your approach here I have to tell you

OK Stephen. How would you prefer to be approached by me?

Do not be presumptious about the methods used by others to present information related to the scriptures. And I would strongly suggest that you do not tell one they are not worthy. I detect that you have a preteristic persuasion by stating that the Lord has already removed the seals of the scroll. If so, then you and I will not debate any issues regarding the interpretation of the scriptures at all. It would be an excercise in futility for you. If you can demonstrate otherwise I will listen and respond if I think it will benefit those who read the forum.

You have made yourself very unapproachable. No matter how I respond to you, you are going to perceive and detect what's already in your mind. And that's really sad; because none of what you've detected is factual. I don't even know what a preteristic persuasion is? I just read the Bible, pray for understanding and guidance etc..I believe some of the seals have been opened yes, because the "sermon" Yahshua gave the disciples on Mount Olives lines up perfectly with the first four to five seals-until the abomination is placed-and I don't think it's a coincidence or accident, I believe all the answers to all of our questions can be found within the Bible, they are all there, we just have to seek Him and seek understanding and wisdom. Sure we are not 'there yet' none of us are, but I believe that the Body can assist one another, if you are the feet and I'm hands, I need you and you need me, but most of all we both need Him and we need to be in unity with Him and that means not arguing with each other.

I guess we could learn from this, I should learn not to be so bold or outspoken and you should learn to maybe give a more descriptive commentary? If you were a teacher and you put some equations on the blackboard and solved them and then sat back in your chair, you'd have some confused and perplexed faces looking back at you. Sort of similar situation here. You want to be a teacher, then teach, and that means being patient, long suffering, sympathetic, loving, giving all you have, repeating yourself if you have to, losing sleep, forgoing food, and feeding others the Word instead, but most of all try not to be so defensive, I understand it's tough these day's, but we've all been deceived for a long time as well...so we need to get ourselves into tip top shape with The Lord, so we can do His work He's called us to do.

I could be your work...so never underestimate what the Lord is doing and be careful and aware at all times, you never know when you are being put on the spotlight. Now that is an eye-opening realisation!! For all of us!

Hebrews 13:2
Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

I have a number of extensive and expanded commentaries with scripture contained in over 4,000 posts on this forum for your review

You can read any of them because they are stored at this site

I also have a website with the same extensive study

I am very approachable, but when one makes presumptious statements up front right out of the blue I often detect motivations

If you do study the Bible alone, and with no extra-biblical baggage, and harbor no pre-conceived dogmas as you say, this is the best course for one to take

Exactly my own background

I have no affiliations and never have

What you did say was that you think Revelation's future unfolding has already transpired in part and this approach is held in total by preteristic theology. This theology suggests that all of the prophetic scriptures and the Lord's "second coming" were fulfilled in the first century. This thinking is the aberrant teaching of the preterist school of interpretation and not a valid one

I pray for you that you will also pray about these things and seek Him, move past those false teachings and labels and SEEK Truth; He is most definately standing at the door knocking and will come and sup with you if you open the door. But you have to close the other door first; and let me tell you, from experience...it takes absolute surrender to the Lord and complete submission with faith and faith alone.

It's like closing your eyes to everything in this world and allowing Him to become your eyes and your Saving Grace. You can do it!!


Much love Stephen!
~Selah

"I pray for you that you will also pray about these things and seek Him, move past those false teachings and labels and SEEK Truth"

>Sorry, but your views and mine regarding the interpretation of scripture are drastically different as implied in your comments

>Therefore we will not continue this discussion

No Stephen, your views taught by false teachers are drastically different than the Lord's Truth. You have allowed your heart to become hard and it's no easy process to chip away at that stone heart; the false teachers tickle the ears and put the hearers in a slumber; it's time to kick off the dust and arise and shine. Don't let pride stand in the way of truth.

You avoid answering the three questions I've asked, because you know as well as I do...there is no Scripture to back up what you believe. Avoidance is the first step and biggest clue to realising what you believe and teach is false. There is only ONE truth, one way, one life. Only one. And it can all be found within the Word.

Hebrews 10:7
Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.

You have revealed a very contrite spirit to me

I meant what I said ..... no further discussion between us

You are a debate hunter carrying falsehood and I can spot your kind immediately, and from a distance

Please do not address me again

I intend to ignore you from this time onward

Do you even know what a contrite spirit is? * feeling or showing sorrow and remorse for a sin or shortcoming* So yes that is being revealed in you not by me, but by the Truth in God's Word. And it is to your benefit so as to give you meekness and humility to humble yourself. I'm praying for you Stephen. You could be such strong and wonderful voice for the Lord; if only you would hear Him. So I accept that you can ignore me, but no one can continuing ignoring Him.

Yahshua Blessings and love~
Selah