What Is The Rapture?

Let's begin by looking at the rapture verses from Sha'ul's letters:

1 Corinthian 15:51-54

51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 1 Cor 51-54

Notice Sha'ul begins by explaining this is a mystery -- it's a mystery in that it was not previously understood. Now, the resurrection had been taught prior to Sha'ul, so the fact we are resurrected is not the mystery here. The mystery here is that some people will be translated into glorified bodies *without* dying first. Note, not 'all shall sleep,' some will experience this resurrection without experiencing death.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Yeshua died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Yeshua will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Messiah shall rise first:
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.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words." 1 Thes 4:13-18

Now here in Thessalonians, having learned about the rapture/resurrection for the living, some are fearing those who have already died will miss out on the rapture. Sha'ul assures them that is not the case -- in fact, the dead will be raptured *before* the living. So we're assured no believer will miss out on the rapture.

So far, nothing in these passages indicates this rapture is separated from the second coming of Yeshua, at the end of The Tribulation. So let's look at passages pre-trib rapturists use to 'prove' the rapture will occur before the tribulation.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-5

1 "Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Yeshua Messiah, and by our gathering together unto him,
2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Messiah is at hand.
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?" 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5

Pre-trib rapture teachers claim that the Thessalonians here fear they are in The Day of The L-rd and therefore have missed the rapture ('the gathering together unto him'). Nothing in the text indicates they were expecting a pre-trib rapture. To the contrary, they had been taught that two things preceded their 'gathering together unto Yeshua' 1) apostasy; 2) revealing of antichrist. Sha'ul even chides them because he had already told them that two signs came first. If the people were expecting a pre-trib rapture -- then they need no signs -- since they wouldn't be around to see them anyway. Sha'ul *never* taught an imminent pre-trib rapture -- this passages proves it.

Now, some pre-trib rapture teachers try to make a distinction between the 'Day of Messiah' and the Day of the L-rd' in verse 2. Rather than argue they are the same event, it's simpler to point out that either way, the apostasy and revealing of anti-christ still come before the 'Day of Messiah,' 'our gathering unto him,' and 'the Day of the L-rd. No matter how you define the events in verses 1&2 -- they are NOT imminent -- they depend on other events to happen first. The rapture cannot precede these events.

A minority of pre-trib rapture teachers believe that the 'falling away' (apostasia) is a play on words meaning 'rapture.' Apostasia means a defection or revolt from the faith. In other words, prior to Yeshua's 'gathering' of the believers, many would depart from the faith. Apostasia cannot mean rapture and it's no play on words. Otherwise you'd have Sha'ul saying that 'rapture/gathering' cannot occur until after the 'rapture/gathering.' Dumb, huh? Apostasia here doesn't mean 'falling away from earth' but 'falling away from the faith.'

Thief In The Night

Some pre-trib rapture teachers say that the rapture is like a Thief in the Night. It sounds pretty good unless you realize that the Thief in the Night is the Day of the L-rd; the thief is NOT the rapture. Let's look at some passages:

1 Thessalonians 5:2 "For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night."

2 Peter 3:10 "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up."

No description of a rapture there, only wrath and destruction. Having shown the 'Thief in the night' is the same as the Day of the L-rd, let's look at some passages describing this time:

Isaiah 13:6 "Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty."

Isaiah 13:9 "Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it."

Isaiah 34:8 "For it is the day of the LORD'S vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion."

Jeremiah 46:10 "For this is the day of the Lord GOD of hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiate and made drunk with their blood: for the Lord GOD of hosts hath a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates."

Joel 1:15 "Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come."

Joel 2:1 "Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand;"

Acts 2:20 "The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come"

Mattityahu 24:38-44

No one could confuse the earlier passages with being about a rapture, so let's look at the Olivet Discourse (since it contains the 'thief' verse taken out of context):

37 But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. Mattityahu 24:37-44 (also Luke 12:39)

The second coming will be as in the days of Noah. In the days of Noah, the world was so corrupt that only eight were found worthy of even preserving. The flood came and took them all (evil ones) away because they were so corrupt they wouldn't listen to Noah's warnings to them. They went along doing as they pleased and were taken by surprise by the wrath of G-d poured upon them.

Likewise it will be when Yeshua returns. Two will be in a field; one taken, one left. Two will be grinding; one taken, one left. Readers, this is not a rapture being discussed here -- this is the dreadful day of the L-rd. Let me show you this same story in Luke:

"I say to you, in that night there will be two men sleeping in one bed, and one will be taken away and the other let go. Two women will be crushing grain together; one will be taken away and the other let go. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. And they, answering him, said, 'Where, Lord?' And he said to them, 'Where the body is, there the vultures come together'."

These people are taken to judgement -- to their deaths -- to be devoured by birds -- they are NOT being raptured. The disciples recognized this prophecy about the birds coming together, it's in Ezekiel 39:17-18:

"And you, son of man, this is what the Lord has said: Say to the birds of every sort and to all the beasts of the field, Get together and come; come together on every side to the offering which I am putting to death for you, a great offering on the mountains of Israel, so that you may have flesh for your food and blood for your drink.The flesh of the men of war will be your food, and your drink the blood of the princes of the earth, of sheep and lambs, of he-goats, of oxen, all of them fat beasts of Bashan."

It's repeated in Revelation 19:17-18 too:

"And I saw an angel taking his place in the sun; and he was crying with a loud voice, saying to all the birds in flight in the heavens, Come together to the great feast of God; So that you may take for your food the flesh of kings, and of captains, and of strong men, and of horses and of those who are seated on them, and the flesh of all men, free and unfree, small and great."

So the disciples understood the ones taken were taken to judgement -- it's not a dispensationalist pre-trib rapture being promised in the Olivet discourse, but a carnage.

Now, let's look again at the thief passage, in light of this understanding:

42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. Mattityahu 24:42-44 (also Luke 12:39)

The thief is no rapture. The thief comes to judge and bring wrath, not to bring an escape from these things. Had the thief represented a rapture, the goodman of the house would have gladly suffered his house being broken into. The thief here is the Day of the L-rd -- it a time of wrath upon those *not* watching. Those watching are not harmed by the thief, because they would have been faithful and watchful, and not caught off guard.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-10

1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Yeshua Messiah,
10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. 1 Thessalonians 5:1-10

Note, non-believers are living in ease and peace, they are not watching the signs, they are sleeping when the thief comes. To the contrary believers are told to watch and be sober. The thief doesn't catch believers off guard, instead the thief finds believers faithful and watching for him when he returns.

"For G-d Appointed Us Not To Wrath"

Verse 9 is so misunderstood (in the above passage), I'll repeat it:

"For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Yeshua Messiah."

Let me first paraphrase how some pre-tribbers understand this verse: "We are not appointed to go through Tribulational wrath but instead to be raptured out before the Tribulation begins." The verse says nothing like that. How can we know which 'wrath' is meant here? Hellfire or Tribulational? Easy -- by noticing what it is contrasted with, salvation by Yeshua HaMashiach. Salvation in Yeshua is salvation from hellfire and eternal condemnation. Indeed, we are not appointed to hellfire because we have salvation. This verse does not prove believers escape The Tribulation or are removed from earth prior to the Day of the L-rd.

Appearing Versus Second Coming

Pre-trib rapture teachers claim that Yeshua's 'appearing' is to secretly 'snatch away' the believers; and that His second 'coming' is when all see Him and He returns to publicly establish His kingdom. Sounds good, but will Scripture support this distinction between 'appearing' and second 'coming?'

Let's look at a couple 'appearing' verses:

"Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Yeshua Messiah;" Titus 2:13

Seems the hope would be that much more blessed if one were going through The Tribulation rather than a time of peace, yes?

"I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Yeshua Messiah, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom." 2 Timothy 4:1

Yeshua 'appears' here, but as a judge -- not to secretly snatch away believers! This 'appearing' cannot be anything other than the post-tribulation return of Yeshua.

"That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Yeshua Messiah." 1 Peter 1:7

"Tried by fire?" Here again, we see his 'appearing' referenced to a time following trials, being tried by fire. So much for the rapture 'escape' theory.

Likewise, the second-coming verses are completely linked to the rapture; it's not relegated to an event occurring some seven years later! let's look:

"For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Messiah shall rise first: 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." 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17

This rapture passage is tied in to the coming of the L-rd.

"Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Yeshua Messiah, and by our gathering together unto him." 2 Thessalonians 2:1

Again, the rapture (our gathering unto him) is tied into the coming of Yeshua.

The second coming is a very public event! *All* will see His second coming:

"Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen." Revelation 1:7

He returns to us in the same manner He left us:

"And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight." Acts 1:9

We've proved that the rapture is tied in to the second coming; the second coming is public, and the second coming occurs at the end of The Tribulation. There is simply nothing in Scripture that indicates He has three advents; or that He sneaks in quietly and steals away His believers prior to His return in glory, as our king.

But If The Rapture Is At The Same Time Of Second Coming, Then It Can't Be Imminent

Exactly. The rapture could NOT occur at any moment -- there are certain things that must occur first. That's why we're cautioned to WATCH! G-d's people can read the signs and know when His return is near. So many claim even the early believers believed He could return at any moment. Not so. The early believers did not expect the return and rapture to occur right away for several reasons:

1) The Olivet Discourse taught that certain signs had to occur *before* the second coming (and therefore, the rapture).

2) Sha'ul reiterated two such signs: the apostasy, and the revealing of antichrist.

3) Kefa has to be crucifed first, since he could not be raptured while alive without making false Yeshua's prophecy about his death. (Kefa is also the one who writes: "Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation." 2 Kefa 3:3,4 Kefa knew Yeshua's return was far off and many would scoff that maybe He was never coming back -- so much for imminence.

4) Psalm 110 indicated a long interval between Yeshua's first coming and second coming. "Psalms 110:1 "YHVH said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool."

5) It takes years to spread the gospel, and then more years for the faith to be corrupted to the point of apostasy

Believers Are To Endure To The End, Not Escape:

"I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil." Yochanan 17:15

"But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." Mattityahu 24:13

"And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." Mark 13:13

"And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day." Yochanan 6:39

"And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day." Yochanan 6:40

"No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day." Yochanan 6:44

"Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day." Yochanan 6:54

G-d's way is to bring man through the trial, not remove him from the trial. Look at Noah and Lot -- they were not removed from the world but protected through the time of trouble. Kefa explains:

5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; 6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; 7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: 8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) 9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished." 2 Peter 2:5-9

G-d is able to preserve the righteous in this world during the day of judgment. Now I know someone will say that G-d does remove some from the world, they'll say 'What about Enoch and Elijah?' Click Here to jump to bottom of page to read more about Enoch and Elijah.

But What About The Promise of Revelation 3:10?

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

This is the same promise Sha'ul shared:

"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." 1 Corinthians 10:13

The escape isn't a worldly escape, it is a promise that we will be able to bear what comes upon us. No one is removed from the world because of temptation; rather we are strengthened to withstand the temptation. We are promised G-d will put no more on us than we can bear.

But The Word 'Church' Isn't Even Used In Revelation After Chapter Three
Doesn't That Prove The Church Is Removed Early?

But the word 'saints' is used repeatedly in Revelation 5:8; 8:3; 8:4; 11:18; 13:7; 13:10; 14:12; 15:3; 16:6; 17:6; 18:24; 19:8; 20:9. And please don't tell me these are those who believed *after* the rapture because Sha'ul says "Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed." All. Not just those who believed early, but all.

But Wasn't Yochanan (John) Himself Raptured in Revelation?

Absolutely not! Yochanan says:

"I Yochanan, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Yeshua Messiah, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Yeshua Messiah. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet." Revelation 1:9-10

This is a vision -- a spiritual experience. Yochanan was 'in the spirit on the isle of Patmos.' He did not leave Patmos -- he recieved the vision while remaining on Patmos. "And thus I saw the horses in the vision." Revelation 9:17 The whole experience is the vision granted to him, even being invited up into heaven is part of the vision; it was Yochanan himself who wrote: "no man hath ascended up to heaven...." Yochanan 3:13.

Wheat And Tares

In Yeshua's "kingdom" parables to the disciples, he had mentioned the judgement at the end of the age where the angels come and remove the bad from the good. The ones 'taken' are always the evil ones. Lest the wheat be uprooted by mistake, G-d allows evil to dwell with good; but in the end, it is the evil ones taken from world -- the good remain behind to enter the kingdom:

"As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." ... "So will it be in the end of the world: the angels will come and take out the bad from the good." Mattityahu 13:40-42,49

Notice the way G-d works -- He removes the bad from the good. At the time of Noah: "And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Mattityahu 24:39 When Yeshua returns, the evil ones will be removed; the faithful will remain and enter the kingdom.

The saddest thing about the pre-trib rapture theory, in my opinion, is that it turns people into escapists instead of steadfast followers with endurance. Many believers in other countries are being severely persecuted for their faith, yet in the USA, many believers seem convinced that trials and tribulations aren't intended for them. Some modern believers want a health-n-wealth gospel. Pastors are wrongly teaching their flocks a name-it-and-claim-it gospel, where G-d gives believers whatever their hearts desires and then removes them at the first sign of trouble.

Following Yeshua is serious. Can you imagine believing in something that could cost you your life? The gospel could cost you your life in these latter days just as it did in earlier years. Those unprepared, those looking for escape, those so sure "Well, G-d wouldn't let *me* go through The Tribulation" ... those will not be able to endure when the reality of the situation becomes obvious. G-d wants a strong ekklesia (assembly of 'called-out ones'). "And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it." Mattityahu 10:38,39

Oddly, several of the parables in the Olivet Discourse reflect that Yeshua returns *later* than some expected Him. Like the parable of the bridegroom "While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept." Mattityahu 25:5 They all knew they needed lamps and oil, but some weren't prepared. Perhaps they thought they'd be whisked away early and the bridegroom would provide their oil for them; and when that didn't happen, they lost faith and decided He wasn't coming afterall.

Likewise with the wise slave parable:

"Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods. But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming...." Mattityahu 24:46-48

Again, the master didn't arrive as early as expected, so some slaves decided he wasn't returning afterall and they could do as they pleased. What happens to your faith if it's not built solidly? Too many believers are putting faith in a pre-trib escape. Let's look again at a few verses from the parable of the sower:

"And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended." Mark 4:16,17

G-d will refine through fire those who are his -- fire purifies.

"Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand." Daniel 12:10

"And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God." Zechariah 13:8,9

"For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Yeshua Messiah. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. 1 Cor 3:11-15

"Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door. Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy." James 5:8-11

Dispensationalism

I find in discussing the pre-trib rapture with dispensationalists we have trouble finding common ground. When I show a verse showing the believers experiencing tribulation; the dispensationalists say "oh, well that passage was to the elect -- only the Jews are meant there, not the church." I want to clarify who the elect are. The elect are *G-d's People*. Period. G-d chose Israel out of all the nations to be His people. Israel is G-d's wife.

Now Romans 11 illustrates Israel as a tree. Romans 11:17 tells us some branches are broken off the tree because of disbelief. And some branches remained attached to the tree because they believed in Yeshua -- these branches are G-d's 'faithful remnant.' And still other branches (Gentiles) are grafted into the tree when they too accept Yeshua. But the tree remains Israel; an Israel with some natural branches and some wild grafted-in branches. One tree. One G-d. One people. The tree is nourished by its root -- the patriarchs & the promises they received from G-d. G-d did not create a new people when Yeshua came; he added to the people He already had (though sadly some of His people chose to reject the gift of Yeshua and were *temporarily* removed from the the tree).

Now contrary to dispensationalism teachings, there are NOT two peoples of G-d; natural Israel and the 'church.' As Sha'ul explains it:

"That at that time ye were without Messiah, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Messiah Yeshua ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Messiah. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; .... Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God." Ephesians 2:12-14, 19

Gentiles are citizens of Israel; no longer are Gentiles 'aliens to the commonwealth of Israel.' Gentile believers become fellow heirs with Israel! Gentile believers do not become Jews (any more than a wild branch can become a natural branch) but Gentile believers do share the blessings of Israel and partake of the same covenants. If you grasp this concept, then you will not be confused about 'who are the saints' and 'who are the elect' within the Brit Chadasha (NT). The saints, the elect, and the ekklesia are one and the same; believing Jews and believing Gentiles. And whenever non-believing Israel is intended, it will be very clear from the context.

But there's more! Non-believing Israel does not cease being Israel -- Non-believing Jews always remain G-d's chosen people *even when temporarily alienated from G-d*. Because as Romans 11:26 states: "And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob." Those natural branches will be added back to their own tree one day, so Gentiles are never to boast at their own inclusion or the *temporary* displacement of some natural branches.

I remember a few years back talking to a lady who was bothered by the fact Revelation 21 mentioned the New Jerusalem had twelve gates -- each gate named for a tribe of Israel. She had fretted how Gentiles could enter the city since they were not part of any tribe. But upon realizing Gentiles are grafted into *Israel* -- suddenly she saw how all could enter the New Jerusalem! I don't know which gate Gentiles enter by, but I'll fancy a guess it's through their husband's gate, the tribe of Judah.

Comments on Enoch & Elijah

Let's look at Enoch and Elijah. We know that "no man hath ascended up to heaven...." Yochanan 3:13. So how could Enoch or Elijah have ascended where man cannot go? They didn't.

Let's start with Enoch. Enoch was sixty-five when he had Methuselah; and then he walked with G-d for three-hundred more years; then the total of his days was three-hundred and sixty-five. "And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him." Genesis 5:24 G-d took him -- meaning he died. If you ask about my grandmother and I tell you the L-rd took her, surely you'd understand I mean that she has died. Compared to the others listed in this passage, Enoch was taken notably young. I'm inclined to agree with Rashi on this, Rashi interprets G-d took him as meaning before his time. Therefore, Enoch was taken before his time. Now Hebrews 11:5 states: "By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God." Perhaps G-d took Enoch away and Enoch died elsewhere (as happened with Moshe -- the L-rd buried him). Or perhaps Enoch was translated straight to Sheol. But we know Enoch *did* die, because even in Hebrews, a few verses later after discussing these great men of faith, the writer concludes 13 "These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth." These all died, and that includes Enoch. They all died.

Now for Elijah:

"And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven." 2 Kings 2:11 This occurred during the reign of King Jehoshaphat. Yet Elijah writes King Jehorum a letter: "And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of David thy father, Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah." 2 Chronicles 21:12 Note that Jehorum's reign was AFTER Jehoshaphat's reign during which Elijah was translated! How did Elijah write this letter if he was translated away from earth some twenty years earlier? Because he wasn't translated *from* earth but to somewhere else *on* earth. 1 Kings 18:7-16 shows that G-d translated Elijah to other places on earth. In 1 Kings 18, Elijah asks Obadiah to tell Ahab that he is here. Obadiah balks to go with this report explaining: "After I leave you, the Spirit of the YHVH will carry you to some place I do not know, and when I go to inform Ahab and he does not find you, he will have me killed." Obadiah balked because he understood that G-d could translate Elijah from place to place; Obadiah refused to go to Ahab until Elijah assured him he wouldn't be translated to another place.

G-d can move/translate people from one place to another, let's look at another example:

"And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea. Acts 8:39-40

All men died -- being translated meant being moved from one earthly place to another; saved from one situation by removing to another. It cannot mean that the person didn't later die or we make clear-cut Scripture a liar:

"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." Romans 5:12

"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." Hebrews 9:27

Remember, *Yeshua* was the first-fruits (1 Cor 15:23)of the resurrection, not Enoch, not Elijah.