The Church (all born-again believers collectively) is represented as a chaste virgin (2 Corinthians 11:2). According to marriage customs explained in biblical texts, the Church (the Bride) is now in the betrothal stage, promised to Jesus Christ. As His fiancée, He wants us to live holy lives. The Church, or Bride, is to be clothed in fine, white linen (Revelation 19:7, 8). Her wedding gown will actually be composed of righteous deeds she (the believers) performed while on earth.

Her wedding takes place in heaven, but the Marriage Supper occurs on earth. At the hour when Christ returns to earth with His Bride, a 1,000-year honeymoon begins.

No, they are not the same.

There are three separate times that people will be raised from the dead.

The first time is at the Rapture. This is found in I Thessalonians 4:13-18. This will include all of those that have died during the Church age that believed on Christ and accepted Him as their Savior. This happens just before the Tribulation.

The next event is called the First Resurrection in Revelation 20:4-6. This includes the Old Testament saints as well as those who accepted Christ during the Tribulation and were killed by the antichrist for their faith.

The Second Resurrection is spoken of in Revelation 20:11-15. This will encompass all of the people who rejected Christ throughout all the ages. They will be resurrected to face the judgement for their sins.

Along with the shout and the voice of the archangel, the trumpet will sound to summon the dead in Christ and the living believers to heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:16). Apparently only believers will hear this trumpet as the Rapture is a silent exodus.

Trumpets in Scripture were used as a summons to assemble people (Numbers 10:2) and to announce God’s divine presence (Exodus 19:16).

At the Judgement Seat of Christ, the Lord will present a number of crowns for specific service:

1. The Watchers Crown (a Crown of Righteousness), given to all who longingly and desiringly watch for Christ’s return (II Timothy 4:8).

2. The Runners Crown (an Incorruptible Crown), for all those who strive for the mastery by keeping bodily appetites under control and being temperate in all things (I Corinthians 9:24-27).

3. The Shepherds Crown (a Crown of Glory), reserved for faithful ministers (I Peter 5:1-4).

4. The Soulwinners Crown (a Crown of Rejoicing), for those who bring others to the Saviour (I Thessalonians 2:19; Psalm 126:5,6; Luke 15:5,6,7,10).

5. The Sufferer’s Crown (a Crown of Life), for those who have suffered for the sake of Christ and the Gospel (James 1:12; Matthew 5:10-12). It is also given to those faithful until the end (Revelation 2:10).

Most Bible scholars tell us that it is unlikely that Christ was born on December 25th. Regardless of the exact date of the Savior’s birth, however, December 25th is set apart as a day to honor the Lord Jesus Christ and praise Him for the incarnation. The Christmas season is a wonderful soulwinning opportunity because it is the only time, other than Easter, when much of the world thinks seriously about Christ.

Some believe that Jeremiah 10:3-10 is referring to making or possessing a Christmas tree.

The Christmas tree is not mentioned in the Scriptures. Jeremiah 10 does not refer to the modern Christmas tree, but instead to a piece of wood similar to a totem pole, an idol, and overlaid with silver and gold. Notice particularly Jeremiah 10:9-11.

Christians should never worship a tree or anything else. The Christmas Tree is simply a symbol that Christians use to remember that Jesus Christ was born to be, and is, Saviour of the World!

I believe this question can best be answered by realizing that the believer is to give Christ the preeminence in every area of his life (Colossians)1:18).

While all things are lawful for us (I Corinthians 6:12), we must be careful in three areas: (1) in determining our priorities, (2) in exposing ourselves to anything which has the potential of bringing us under it’s power or cooling our affections toward Christ and (3) in choosing among alternatives those things which will best enhance our testimony before the world and help our weaker brethren (I Corinthians 10:23).

Since the Christmas season is one of the few times that the world stops to consider spiritual truths, we as Christians have a special opportunity and obligation for giving Christ the preeminence referenced earlier. Our cause for rejoicing in celebration is God’s gift of His Son. Everyone and everything else must clearly take second place. The Christ we celebrate is soon to return. Perhaps this Christmas Season!

Old Persia is modern day Iran and Iraq. They are mentioned as part of the Armageddon campaign (Ezekiel 38,39) with Russia. It is the war of the “latter years” and “latter days” (Ezekiel 38:8,11).

The falling away, or apostasy, is an aggressive and climatic revolt against God which will prepare the way for the appearance of the man of sin (see I Timothy 4:1-5; II Timothy 3:1-5). The man of sin is literally the man of lawlessness. While it is true that the forces of lawlessness were at work in Paul’s time and are at work today, the man of lawlessness is an individual of the future who will come to power during the Tribulation days.

The antichrist is currently being held back by a restrainer. Some understand this to be God indwelling His Church by the Holy Spirit, while others see human government as the restraint. According to the former view, the removal will be at the rapture of the church, according to the latter, it will happen at the overthrow of human government at the hands of the antichrist.

Paul’s argument in II Thessalonians can be summed up as follows. [1] The day of the Lord will not begin until the antichrist is revealed. [2] The antichrist cannot begin to act until the restrainer, the Church or believers, are removed. [3] Since the restrainer has not been removed, the Day of the Lord cannot have begun.

It is evident from John 16:7,8 that the work of the Spirit in the world is that of conviction and restraint concerning sin. He accomplishes this work through the bodies of those He indwells (I Corinthians 6:19). Spirit-indwelled believers have a purifying effect on the world. The Antichrist cannot be revealed until the Bride of Christ (the Church – all believers dead and living) are removed (II Thessalonians 2:3,7,8).

This does not mean that the Holy Spirit must be removed from the earth. This is not possible since He, as God, is omnipresent (present everywhere at all times) Psalms 139:7-11 and always will be.

Two Jerusalem's are mentioned in Scripture (Galatians 4:25-26; Hebrews 12:22). One is the earthly home of the believers during the millennial period. The other is heavenly – the New Jerusalem, or celestial city, which hovers over the earth in space for one thousand years before settling on earth forever.

Christ has been preparing this new Jerusalem for 2,000 years (John 14:2). This magnificent masterpiece descending toward earth reminds one of the elegant beauty of a bride on her wedding day (Revelation 21:2). Verses 9-27 present a glowing description of the city.

The Almighty will handle global operations from this satellite city. The redeemed in glorified bodies will live there and travel back and forth to earth from their city in space in a moment of time. Resurrection and rapture are the only ways to obtain glorified bodies. Those with bodies of flesh, who were born during the Millennium, enter the eternal state with natural bodies and live on earth in and under the light of the Holy City (Revelation 21:24).

The Bible does not give us an exact number of fallen angels.

Lucifer, Satan and the Devil are three different names given in the Bible for the same fallen angel.

Lucifer, an archangel, committed high treason in his rebellion against God (Isaiah

14:12-14).

Many theologians agree that a third of the angels fell with Satan. Revelation 12:3-4 mentions a “third part of the stars”, which represents a third of the angels that were thrown from heaven to earth.

Someday soon his limited power will be destroyed forever (Revelation 20:10).