Dual Imminence (5) - The Teaching of Paul and John
At any time, (1) Jesus will come to RESCUE His Church, and then (2) He will immediately RELEASE the judgments of the Tribulation on the earth. This is DUAL IMMINENCE. In this video, we wee how both the Apostles Paul and John taught Dual Imminence - thus, building on the foundation laid by Jesus.
After describing the imminent Rapture in 1Thessalonians 4:15-18 (also 1Corinthians 15:51-52), in 5:1 he connects its timing with the sudden start of the Day of the Lord (Tribulation) as a Thief in the night (5:2-3). We know that (1) JESUS comes to the world as a THIEF, to take the Church for Himself (Matthew 24:43), and that (2) the DAY of the LORD comes as a THIEF (5:2). Combining these 2 ideas tells us that when (1) Jesus comes for His Church in the Rapture, (2) He will also initiate the Day of the Lord on the earth. Jesus coming to the world as a THIEF (Matt 24:43, Rev 3:3, 16:15) speaks of the world experiencing loss (judgment) at His Coming. Thus, He initiates the Day of the Lord by His Coming as a THIEF, which is why: “the DAY of the LORD so comes as a THIEF in the night” (5:2). Thus the imminent COMING of Jesus as a THIEF to initiate the DAY of the LORD (5:2) must be the imminent COMING of Jesus revealed in the previous verses in 4:15-18 - His Coming to Rapture the Church. Thus Christ’s Coming in the Rapture is to RESCUE us from the DAY of the LORD, which He initiates on the earth at the same time (5:2-4): “for God did not appoint us to WRATH (of the Day of the Lord), but to obtain SALVATION (in the Rapture) through our Lord Jesus Christ” (5:9).
We also see Dual Imminence in 1Thessalonians 1:10, which literally says: is: “We wait for His Son from Heaven, even Jesus, who by His coming to us is DELIVERING (rescuing) us from the COMING wrath - the wrath that is already on its way and is about to come upon the earth.” We discuss the literal meaning of 2Thessalonians 2:1-8, and show how it is consistent with Imminence. We also see Imminence in Hebrews 9:28 and Philippians 3:20-21.
Finally we show how the Apostle John describes the imminence of the Day of the Lord in Revelation 1:1,3 and 3:3,6, and the imminence of the Rapture in Revelation 22:7,12. Moreover, we see that Revelation 3:10-11 does not just teach the Pre-Tribulation Rapture, but also Dual Imminence, for (1) the HOUR of TRIAL is about to come upon the whole world (imminence), and (2) Jesus is COMING QUICKLY (imminence) to rescue (keep) us from the Tribulation, by means of the Rapture. Moreover, in Revelation 16:15, Jesus confirms DUAL IMMINENCE – His sudden imminent Coming as a THIEF to (1) bring BLESSING to those prepared for Him, and (2) initiate JUDGMENT on the world: “Behold, I am COMING like a THIEF! (1) BLESSED is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes (those clothed in Christ’s righteousness will be blessed in the Rapture), so that (2) he will not be caught naked (unrighteous) and his shameful (fallen) condition be seen (manifested to all, because he will have to go through the judgments of the Tribulation).”
After describing the imminent Rapture in 1Thessalonians 4:15-18 (also 1Corinthians 15:51-52), in 5:1 he connects its timing with the sudden start of the Day of the Lord (Tribulation) as a Thief in the night (5:2-3). We know that (1) JESUS comes to the world as a THIEF, to take the Church for Himself (Matthew 24:43), and that (2) the DAY of the LORD comes as a THIEF (5:2). Combining these 2 ideas tells us that when (1) Jesus comes for His Church in the Rapture, (2) He will also initiate the Day of the Lord on the earth. Jesus coming to the world as a THIEF (Matt 24:43, Rev 3:3, 16:15) speaks of the world experiencing loss (judgment) at His Coming. Thus, He initiates the Day of the Lord by His Coming as a THIEF, which is why: “the DAY of the LORD so comes as a THIEF in the night” (5:2). Thus the imminent COMING of Jesus as a THIEF to initiate the DAY of the LORD (5:2) must be the imminent COMING of Jesus revealed in the previous verses in 4:15-18 - His Coming to Rapture the Church. Thus Christ’s Coming in the Rapture is to RESCUE us from the DAY of the LORD, which He initiates on the earth at the same time (5:2-4): “for God did not appoint us to WRATH (of the Day of the Lord), but to obtain SALVATION (in the Rapture) through our Lord Jesus Christ” (5:9).
We also see Dual Imminence in 1Thessalonians 1:10, which literally says: is: “We wait for His Son from Heaven, even Jesus, who by His coming to us is DELIVERING (rescuing) us from the COMING wrath - the wrath that is already on its way and is about to come upon the earth.” We discuss the literal meaning of 2Thessalonians 2:1-8, and show how it is consistent with Imminence. We also see Imminence in Hebrews 9:28 and Philippians 3:20-21.
Finally we show how the Apostle John describes the imminence of the Day of the Lord in Revelation 1:1,3 and 3:3,6, and the imminence of the Rapture in Revelation 22:7,12. Moreover, we see that Revelation 3:10-11 does not just teach the Pre-Tribulation Rapture, but also Dual Imminence, for (1) the HOUR of TRIAL is about to come upon the whole world (imminence), and (2) Jesus is COMING QUICKLY (imminence) to rescue (keep) us from the Tribulation, by means of the Rapture. Moreover, in Revelation 16:15, Jesus confirms DUAL IMMINENCE – His sudden imminent Coming as a THIEF to (1) bring BLESSING to those prepared for Him, and (2) initiate JUDGMENT on the world: “Behold, I am COMING like a THIEF! (1) BLESSED is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes (those clothed in Christ’s righteousness will be blessed in the Rapture), so that (2) he will not be caught naked (unrighteous) and his shameful (fallen) condition be seen (manifested to all, because he will have to go through the judgments of the Tribulation).”