Participants: Bill Santos
Series Code: IIWC
Program Code: IIWC201202
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00:01 >>Bill: Well, as promised, Dr. George Knight is back
00:02 with the second part of our study of 00:05 Thessalonians. So, go get your Bible and your pad 00:09 and your pen and we will be right 00:10 back in 30 seconds. 00:18 (Music) 00:28 Announcer: It has stood the test of time.. 00:31 God's book, The Bible. 00:34 Still relevant in today's complex world. 00:39 It Is Written. 00:41 Sharing messages of hope around the world. 00:46 (Music) 00:57 Well, let me start off by welcoming all of our 00:58 viewers to this week's "It Is Written" program and 00:59 I also want to welcome Dr. 01:00 George Knight. Dr. Knight, welcome back. >>Dr. 01:03 Knight: Good to be here again Bill. >>Bill: Well, 01:05 we're going to get right into our study. 01:06 Our viewers have been instructed to go get 01:09 their Bibles, turn to 1Thessalonians and we're 01:12 going to get right into it. Let's just pick up 01:13 from where we left off last week. Maybe you could 01:17 just give a quick synopsis of what we looked at last 01:25 week, just to bring some of our viewers up to speed 01:26 that maybe weren't with us last week. >>Dr. Knight: 01:30 Yeah. Last, last week we talked about a new 01:32 congregation that Paul had formed. The first one, 01:33 actually the second one in Macedonia in the town of 01:37 Thessalonica and these are new converts. And like new 01:42 converts from year one to year 2012, new converts 01:44 are always excited. 01:52 >>Bill: Yes. >>Dr. 01:52 Knight: And when they find out that Jesus is going to 01:53 come, oh my, (laughter).I remember when I first 01:54 became a Christian and found out that Jesus was 01:59 going to return and save us from this mess that we 02:03 call 'earthly history', how excited I was. >>Bill: 02:04 Yes. >>Dr. Knight: I'm still excited. >>Bill: 02:07 Absolutely. >>Dr. Knight: I'm looking forward to it 02:09 every day. So, we've got these new converts 02:10 but it's a difficult situation. Paul is 02:12 basically run out of town; he's worried about them; 02:19 he tries to write back; he tries to go back but 02:20 he says Satan hindered me. 02:26 So, finally he sends Timothy to make sure that 02:27 these people have not had their faith destroyed 02:31 by enemies. Timothy comes back, he says, Paul, they 02:37 love you, they love Jesus, they haven't backslidden 02:38 and Paul is so excited that he writes 02:44 1Thessalonians. And 1Thessalonians, part of 02:47 his agenda, his main agenda is to answer their 02:48 questions. >>Bill: Because while they are faithful 02:53 and while they have missed him and want to see him, 02:57 they do have some questions. >>Dr. Knight: 02:58 They have some questions. 03:00 >>Bill: Like any new convert would. >>Dr. 03:00 Knight: That's right. And this was rather a short 03:03 time that Paul was with him. He wanted to be there 03:07 longer but due to the political situation and 03:09 the aggressive Jewish leaders there, Paul had to 03:14 escape by night while he had a chance. >>Bill: Yes. 03:19 Okay. >>Dr. Knight: And, so, he'd had a relatively 03:20 short time, the Bible says he was there three weeks. 03:25 Well he may have been there more than three 03:27 weeks because the Bible sometimes leaves blank 03:28 spots. >>Bill: Right. 03:30 >>Dr. Knight: But it was a short time and he'd 03:31 instructed them carefully, from what he says, about 03:34 a Second Coming. But, you know, Bill, it's one thing 03:39 to know something in your head.>>Bill: Yes. >>Dr. 03:41 Knight:.and when your relatives, your loved ones 03:45 die, your head doesn't work the same way. You 03:52 start working on the level of emotions rather 03:53 than intellect. >>Bill: Interesting. >>Dr. 03:57 Knight: And so, one of the big agendas was we thought 04:01 Jesus would come right away. But some of our 04:02 friends have died. People who have accepted Jesus, 04:11 they've died. What's going to happen to them? Are 04:14 they going to miss out on the great reward? >>Bill: 04:15 Right. Right. >>Dr. 04:18 Knight: And so, we've got a troubled congregation 04:19 and that's what we're going to look at today. 04:23 >>Bill: Okay. Okay. >>Dr. 04:23 Knight: We'll turn to 1Thessalonians, the 04:25 fourth chapter. >>Bill: Okay. >>Dr. Knight: 04:29 1Thessalonians:4 is actually Paul's best 04:30 description of the Second Coming of Jesus. And I 04:40 think it might be helpful just to read the entire 04:44 passage. >>Bill: Okay. 04:45 >>Dr. Knight: I'll tell you what. We're also going 04:48 to read his second best description and that's in 04:49 1Corinthians:15. >>Bill: Okay. >>Dr. Knight: But 04:52 I'm going to let you read this one. >>Bill: Sure. 04:54 >>Dr. Knight: Let's read verses 13 to 18. >>Bill: 04:55 Okay. So, I'm using the NASB and it says here, 04:57 "For I testify.oh, sorry I'm in the wrong, 05:04 1Thessalonians:4.>>Dr. 05:04 Knight: Verse 13. >>Bill: Yes. There we go. >>Dr. 05:08 Knight: We all make mistakes. >>Bill: Yeah, 05:09 we do. Absolutely. "But we do not want you to 05:11 be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep 05:15 so that you will not grieve as do the rest who 05:16 have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died 05:22 and rose again even so God will bring with him those 05:27 who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say 05:28 to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are 05:33 alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will 05:35 not proceed those who have fallen asleep. For 05:36 the Lord, himself, will descend from Heaven with 05:42 a shout, with the voice of the Archangel and the 05:45 trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise 05:46 first. Then we, who are alive and remain, will be 05:51 caught up again th them in the clouds to meet the 05:55 Lord in the air and so we shall always be with the 05:56 Lord. Therefore, comfort one another with these 06:01 words." >>Dr. Knight: You know, I find it 06:04 interesting that verse 13 and verse 18 both talk 06:05 about the same topic. I do not want you to be 06:13 ignorant like those who have no hope. And comfort 06:20 one another in verse 18. >>Bill: Yes. Very 06:21 pastoral. >>Dr. Knight: Yes. In fact, we really 06:25 need to see this, not as a theological statement as 06:29 such but as a de-expression of pastoral 06:30 concern. For real people in a really grieving 06:35 situation. None of Paul's letter, in fact, no book 06:44 in the New Testament is actually written in 06:45 an abstract theological statement. Not even, 06:49 Hebrews or Romans. They're both written, those books 06:54 and every other one is written to people who are 06:55 hurting. >>Bill: Right. 07:00 >>Dr. Knight: Either physically, mentally, 07:01 spiritually. People need hope. And, you know, I 07:03 like that because I need hope. >>Bill: Absolutely. 07:08 >>Dr. Knight: Anyway, I want to read the parallel 07:09 statement.>>Bill: Absolutely. 07:11 >>Dr. Knight:.in 1Corinthians.>>Bill: Okay. 07:13 >>Dr. Knight:.the 15th chapter and I'm reading 07:14 from the Revised Standard Version. Verse 51, "Lo, 07:15 I tell you a mystery, we shall not all sleep". Now 07:23 there's a word we saw in the other one. >>Bill: 07:24 Yes. >>Dr. Knight: The Bible uses it all the way 07:29 through. "We shall not all sleep but we shall all be 07:35 changed in a moment, a twinkling of the eye at 07:36 the last trumpet", and by the way, the trumpets are 07:41 in both, "For a trumpet will sound and the dead 07:45 will be raised imperishable." I like 07:45 that. You know what imperishable means? 07:52 >>Bill: Yes. >>Dr. Knight: We're not going to have 07:54 all these warts and stuff that you've got on your 07:55 body. >>Bill: Yes. Yes. 07:56 >>Dr. Knight:.now. I see you're wearing glasses 07:57 >>Bill: Yeah. >>Dr. 07:59 Knight: I've got hearing aids, we're going to be 08:00 raised, we're going to be raised like it's new. 08:01 >>Bill: Perfect. >>Dr. 08:02 Knight: And I'm ready for my new body, Bill. >>Bill: 08:04 Absolutely. You and I both. >>Dr. Knight: Yeah, 08:06 this one's getting kind of worn out. (laughter) 08:07 >>Bill: My wife says I'm stretching mine. >>Dr. 08:09 Knight: That's right. 08:09 "Raised imperishable and we", that are still alive, 08:14 "shall be changed. For this perishable must put 08:18 on the imperishable and this mortal nature must 08:19 put on immortality". Now watch that because we're 08:27 not given immortality until when? >>Bill: After 08:30 the return of Jesus. 08:31 >>Dr. Knight: Until, yeah, what's immortality mean? 08:33 >>Bill: Not to die. >>Dr. 08:34 Knight: You can't, not subject to death. >>Bill: 08:40 Yes. >>Dr. Knight: so, apparently I don't have 08:41 immortality now, do I? 08:43 >>Bill: No. Not according to this. >>Dr. Knight: No. 08:44 In fact, 1Timothy, chapter six and verse 10.>>Bill: 08:47 There's only one that's immortal. >>Dr. Knight: 08:52 Says only God is immortal. 08:52 >>BillYeah. >>Dr. 08:53 Knight: And he's going to give us, that is, everyone 08:55 who has accepted Christ, when Christ comes again we 08:59 get the.>>Bill: Gift of immortality. 09:00 >>Dr. Knight:.gift of immortality. But we don't 09:03 have it now. >>Bill: It's not natural to us. >>Dr. 09:04 Knight: And that's important. >>Bill: Yes. 09:05 >>Dr. Knight: We're going to come back to this 09:07 because a whole lot of people believe that we 09:09 have immortal souls. 09:10 >>Bill: Right. >>Dr. 09:10 Knight: Well, I'm going to tell you what, people can 09:13 believe what they want but scripture is plain. Paul 09:17 didn't believe that. 09:17 >>Bill: Right. >>Dr. 09:18 Knight: He knew that we are mortal. We are subject 09:21 to death. I mean eternal death. Okay, let's go on 09:25 here. >>Bill: Sure. >>Dr. 09:25 Knight: I'll start with verse 53 again, "For this 09:28 perishable nature must put on the imperishable and 09:29 the mortal nature must put on immortality. When 09:34 the perishable puts on the imperishable and the 09:39 mortal puts on immortality, then shall 09:40 come to pass the saying that is written, death is 09:43 swallowed up in victory Oh, death where is thy 09:47 sting. Oh, death where is thy victory." >>Dr. 09:48 Knight: Well, I tell you, Paul is high on the Second 09:54 Coming. I like that. 09:55 In fact, it's the most mentioned teaching in all 10:02 of the New Testament. One estimate is that one out 10:07 of every 13 verses in the New Testament deals 10:08 with the Second Coming of Jesus. In fact, in the two 10:13 books of Thessalonians, the Second Coming is 10:18 treated in every chapter. 10:18 >>Bill: Wow. >>Dr. Knight: That is the central focus 10:22 of the New Testament but nowhere, well, outside the 10:23 book of Revelation, is it so consistent as in the 10:29 book of Thessalonians. 10:29 So, we've gone over, read Paul's two main passages 10:36 on the topic. Now, let's go over and take a look at 10:40 1Thessalonians and verse 4 a little more carefully 10:41 >>Bill: Okay. >>Dr. 10:46 Knight: "But we would not have you ignorant, 10:47 brethren," remember what's happening here. Some 10:50 of their friends in the church have died. I don't 10:56 want you to be ignorant concerning those who are 10:57 asleep. Well, there's a word that we've seen more 11:03 than once.>>Bill: Yes. 11:03 >>Dr. Knight:.we've seen in twice today. Every 11:05 time Paul talks about the resurrection, he's talking 11:08 about those who are sleeping. What do you 11:09 think about that? I mean, what's it mean to 11:14 be asleep in the passages >>Bill: Well, I mean, its 11:17 death. I mean, you know, Jesus tells the disciples, 11:18 our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep and they 11:22 turn to Him and say, oh, that's good news. >>Dr. 11:27 Knight: Good, he's going to get better. >>Bill: Oh, 11:28 he's going to get so much better. >>Dr. Knight: 11:30 Yeah. Yeah. >>Bill: Jesus says, no, he's talking, 11:32 he's dead. >>Dr. Knight: He's dead. >>Bill: He's 11:33 dead. >>Dr. Knight: Yeah. 11:35 And Daniel, the 12th chapter in the second 11:36 verse says pretty much the same thing. He talks 11:38 about those who are asleep in the dust of the earth. 11:42 Well, if they're asleep in the dust of the earth, 11:44 they're obviously in their grave. >>Bill: 11:46 Absolutely. >>Dr. Knight: That's.>>Bill: Can I just 11:50 interrupt you one question? >>Dr. Knight: 11:51 Sure. >>Bill: In your book, you make reference 11:53 that there's some discussion around why this 11:55 question emerged with these new believers. That 11:56 some have suggested that Paul didn't teach this or, 12:00 again, you seem to suggest that what's happened here 12:06 is that they may have had an intellectual 12:07 understanding of it but as they began to see their 12:10 brethren die now they don't know exactly. So, 12:15 the suggestion is not here that in Paul's short time 12:16 with them he didn't cover this doctrine. >>Dr. 12:20 Knight: He covers it. 12:20 >>Bill: Okay. >>Dr. 12:22 Knight: But, you know, I have to admit I can read 12:23 a book and still not know what's in it. >>Bill: 12:27 Absolutely. >>Dr. Knight: I can hear one of your 12:29 sermons.>>Bill: Yes. >>Dr. 12:30 Knight:.and stay awake the whole time and still not 12:32 know what you said. And, so, sometimes, you know, 12:33 teaching by repetition and therefore it's important 12:39 that we read our Bibles, not just once, and say, oh 12:43 man, I've been a Christian 43 years and guess 12:44 what, I've already read my Bible. >>Bill: Yes. I 12:48 think that's an important lesson for us. Repetition. 12:50 >>Dr. Knight: Repetition. 12:51 >>Bill.is very, very important. >>Dr. Knight: 12:53 I'm shocked that I can read the New Testament 12:54 through on a regular basis and still learn 12:56 something new every time. 12:57 And especially these connections between, I 13:00 follow the word asleep all the way through and just 13:06 look what happens. >>Bill: Yes. >>Dr. Knight: So, 13:07 they're asleep, they're dead. >>Bill: They're 13:10 dead. Sure. >>Dr. Knight: And, of course, back in 13:13 Psalms and I'll just quickly mention a couple 13:14 of Psalms here. Psalms 146, "What's it like when 13:18 you die?" Psalms 146 is one of the clearest. Verse 13:23 4, "When his breath departs, he returns to his 13:24 earth on that very day his plans perish". I mean, 13:31 it's like a deep sleep >>Bill: Right. >>Dr. 13:35 Knight: And we're going to get to this because some 13:36 people have a hard time with this. They think we 13:42 have immortal souls; we go to Heaven right away. And 13:45 then somehow they've got to get people back into 13:46 bodies and it's, it's either, let's see, it 13:51 was Oscar Kumar the great theologian from 13:55 Switzerland who wrote a book called "Immortality 13:56 or Resurrection". >>Bill: One or the other. >>Dr. 14:02 Knight: Yep. You can't have both. They're 14:05 incompatible. And, of course, we've all read 14:06 about immortality. People are resting in the grave. 14:09 There's other passages that talk about the 14:14 unconscious condition of people. Anyway, here we 14:15 go, verse 13 again. This is so important, we've got 14:20 to start and read it all over, "But we would not 14:24 have you ignorant, brethren, concerning those 14:25 who are asleep, that is dead and in their graves. 14:30 That you may not grieve as others who have no hope." 14:37 I used to carry a little thing in my Bible. Had a 14:38 big mausoleum with these big concrete drawers and 14:41 it talked about peace of mind, knowing that you're 14:44 dead ones are stored in a concrete vault, reinforced 14:45 with steel. Now, isn't that comforting? I'll 14:51 tell you, Paul's got more comfort than that. Those 14:55 are people, really, Paul would say, they have no 14:56 hope. >>Bill: Right. >>Dr. 14:59 Knight: They've died, their relatives have 15:00 died, that's it, no hope. 15:01 >>Bill: It ends right there. >>Dr. Knight: No 15:02 hope. But the good news of the Gospel is not only 15:06 that Jesus died but he resurrected. >>Bill: Also, 15:09 in verse 13, he doesn't tell folks not to grieve 15:10 >>Dr. Knight: No, no, no. 15:13 He tells them to grieve, no he doesn't tell them 15:14 to grieve. He said, "Don't grieve like those that 15:17 have no hope". >>Bill: Right. >>Dr. Knight: Ya. 15:20 In fact, actually, to tell you the truth I know my 15:21 wife will feel bad when I pass on but I would 15:25 really like my funeral to be a celebration. >>Bill: 15:32 Right. >>Dr. Knight: Now I'm in the grave and the 15:32 next thing I know, Jesus is coming in the clouds 15:35 of Heaven. We get to that shortly here. >>Bill: 15:37 Okay. >>Dr. Knight: mean, I would like but I know 15:38 the emotional side of it. >>Bill: Yes. >>Dr. 15:41 Knight: But I would like people to have a party at 15:44 my funeral. >>Bill: All right. A celebration, 15:45 sure. >>Dr. Knight: You know, this guy lived a 15:46 faithful life. I hope that's what everybody 15:48 thinks of me. He lived a faithful life. He loved 15:49 Jesus, he walked with Jesus and he's waiting 15:52 in the grave and Jesus is going to come and 15:56 resurrect him and then were all going to go home 15:57 together. >>Bill: Yes. 16:01 >>Dr. Knight: Praise the Lord. >>Bill: Absolutely. 16:02 >>Dr. Knight: Anyway, I'm going to be asleep, 16:04 so I can't have a party but...okay, I don't want 16:08 you to be ignorant but, oh, no, says four, verse 16:09 14, "For since we believe that Jesus died and rose 16:14 again, even so, through Jesus God will bring with 16:23 Him those who have fallen asleep." Now we have 16:24 a question here, Bill. 16:30 There's the word, God is going to 'bring' with Him 16:31 I mean where's He going to bring Him from? Now, I'm 16:36 going to tell you a little bit of Greek here. >>Bill: 16:42 Okay. >>Dr. Knight: The word used to translate the 16:43 Greek word, the English word 'bring' can also mean 16:46 'take'. It can mean bring or take. How do you know 16:53 which one to translate? 16:54 >>Bill: Good question. 16:54 >>Dr. Knight: Well, theology drives 16:57 the translation. >>Bill: Okay. >>Dr. Knight: If you 16:59 believe that everybody has immortal souls and they 17:00 all went to Heaven then Jesus is going to bring 17:02 them back. >>Bill: Right: >>Dr. Knight: Uh, uh. 17:05 That's not what the context here said. >>Bill: 17:06 Okay. >>Dr. Knight: We don't have immortal souls, 17:09 we're sleeping in the dust of the ground, we know 17:12 nothing and so when He comes again He's going to 17:13 take them back. >>Bill: Right. >>Dr. Knight: Now, 17:18 I'm going to prove that from the context. Okay? 17:24 >>Bill: Okay. >>Dr. 17:24 Knight: As we move on here, verse 15, "For this 17:26 we declare to you by the word of the Lord that we 17:27 are alive and who are left until the coming of the 17:32 Lord shall not precede those who have fallen 17:38 asleep". See, they were afraid that their friends 17:39 who'd died were going to miss out. >>Bill: There's 17:42 going to be this glorious return and they're not 17:47 going to be there. >>Dr. 17:48 Knight: And they're not going to be there. Paul 17:51 says, uh, uh, they're going to have the first 17:52 part of the show. I mean this is great. Not only 17:54 are they going to be there but they get the first 18:00 position. >>Bill: Wow. 18:01 >>Dr. Knight: Yeah. That's where we come to verse 16, 18:05 "For the Lord, himself, will descend from Heaven 18:06 with a cry of command and the Archangel's call, with 18:13 the sound of the trumpet of God and the dead in 18:18 Christ will rise first." 18:19 See, there you've got the word dead and sleep 18:24 equated. >>Bill: Right. >>Dr. Knight: Okay. 18:25 >>Bill: yes. >>Dr. Knight: So, these people who 18:29 are in their graves, not knowing anything will hear 18:31 the voice of the Archangel. And who's the 18:32 voice of the Archangel? 18:33 >>Bill: Jesus. >>Dr. 18:34 Knight: That's Jesus. Jude 7 is the only other place 18:36 in the New Testament that deals with the Archangel 18:37 and it's very plain there that it's Jesus Christ. 18:41 He will call, just like He did Lazarus. >>Bill: Sure. 18:45 >>Dr. Knight: Hey, rise. 18:45 Dale Moody, the great evangelist of the 19th 18:48 century said, he said, it's a good thing He said 18:49 'Lazarus, arise Lazarus', otherwise all 18:51 the graves.>>Bill: That's right. >>Dr. Knight: This 18:54 time Jesus is going to call all of His people 18:55 from the rise. >>Bill: Come forth. >>Dr. Knight: 18:59 And every time I walk through a cemetery, you 19:02 know, all of us have dead friends and dead 19:03 relatives, I'm looking forward to that day. 19:07 I mean, just imagine when Jesus comes in the clouds 19:12 of Heaven, those tombs are going to open.>>Bill 19:13 Yeah. Now, what is the saddest place on 19:17 earth today, will be the happiest place on earth at 19:21 the Second Coming. 19:21 >>Dr. Knight: Oh man. I've already got my hole in the 19:24 ground picked out. >>Bill: Oh, do you? >>Dr. Knight: 19:25 Yeah. Right next to my wife's parents. We're both 19:28 going to get in the same hole, I think. My wife and 19:30 I. Because you can stack them, you know. >>Bill: 19:31 Yes. >>Dr. Knight: And, you know, if Jesus doesn't 19:33 come first. But I want to be there with all my 19:39 friends and relatives and we're going to.>>Bill 19:40 There's a story in Portugal, just very 19:43 quickly, that says that one of the Portuguese 19:46 kings, his wife was assassinated, murdered 19:47 and he actually had her crowned as Queen of 19:50 Portugal after she died And he had her tomb built 19:54 in such a place in a chapel, when he died he 19:55 had his tomb at her feet. 20:00 And the reason why he did that, he said, because on 20:01 the resurrection morning when we rise, the first 20:04 thing we're going to see is each other. >>Dr. 20:08 Knight: That is a beautiful family life that 20:09 begins here on earth and it continues right up 20:12 into Heaven. That's great. 20:13 Okay, verse 16, "For the Lord, Himself, will 20:18 descend from Heaven with a cry of command of the 20:23 Archangel's call and the sound of a trumpet and the 20:24 dead in Christ shall rise first." That is, these 20:27 people aren't going to miss out. They get.>>Bill: 20:32 First. >>Dr. 20:32 Knight:.priority. >>Bill: Yeah. They're first. Yes. 20:38 >>Dr. Knight: Yeah. Then, oh man, it gets more 20:39 exciting now, "Then we who are alive, who are 20:40 left shall be caught up together with them in the 20:44 clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so should we 20:45 always be with the Lord." 20:50 The dead are raised. Those who are living, whatever 20:51 generation it happens to be, we are caught up in 20:56 the air and taken back to Heaven for the great 21:01 millennial period of Revelation 20. I mean, it 21:02 is a time to rejoice. So, the two things happen 21:10 together. Jesus comes and the resurrection takes 21:15 place. And the words I want you to notice, Bill, 21:16 are 'caught up'. >>Bill: Okay. >>Dr. Knight: 21:24 'Caught up'. Now what does it mean to be 'caught up 21:29 together with them in the clouds'? That, in Latin, 21:30 it's called 'repetio' and for us, in English, we 21:36 translate it as 'rapture' So, do I believe in the 21:46 rapture? You bet I believe, in fact, I 21:47 can hardly wait to get raptured. >>Bill: Right. 21:50 >>Dr. Knight: Now, that brings me to a little 21:55 thought. How secret is the rapture? >>Bill: 21:56 Right. >>Dr. Knight: Now, remember, it's very 21:58 plain here that the Bible teaches that the rapture 22:02 takes place not some time before Jesus comes. Paul 22:03 is very clear. The rapture takes place at the Second 22:09 Coming of Jesus. >>Bill: When He comes with the 22:16 command, with the voice of the Archangel.>>Dr. 22:17 Knight: That's right. 22:20 >>Bill:.and the trumpet of God'. >>Dr. Knight: So, 22:21 do I believe in a rapture? 22:22 You bet. Do I believe in a secret rapture? If so, 22:23 this is the worst kept secret in the history of 22:29 the universe. I mean, what indications do we have 22:31 that this is not secret? 22:32 >>Bill: Well, command, shout, voice, trumpet. 22:37 >>Dr. Knight: I mean, you got trumpets 22:38 blaring..>>Bill: It doesn't sound very 22:41 secret to me. >>Dr. 22:41 Knight:.that's not very secret. And then you've 22:45 got the voice of the Archangel. I mean you've 22:47 got noise all over the place but it's not only 22:48 noise, you've got dead people being resurrected 22:54 all over the place. It's going to be pretty hard to 22:58 miss. >>Bill: Yeah. >>Dr. 22:58 Knight: And what does Jesus say about that, the 23:00 visual aspect of it. 23:01 That it would be like a lightning.>>Bill: From one 23:05 end of the sky clear across the other end of 23:06 the sky. >>Dr. Knight: Yeah. And Revelation 1, 23:11 the 8th chapter, "Every eye shall see Him". Now, 23:17 the Bible is very clear on two points. Number one, 23:19 that we're raptured at the time that Jesus comes 23:23 again, not seven years before or any other time 23:27 but at the time when Jesus descends from the clouds 23:28 of Heaven. And the other thing that's very clear 23:36 is that this is no secret. 23:37 It is absolutely public. 23:47 We'll hear it like, like a trumpet blast. Like the 23:48 Greek call of a mighty Angel and heard around the 23:55 world and then you can see the graves opening up, you 24:00 can see Jesus coming like a flash of lightning, 24:01 not one eye will miss it. 24:06 >>Bill: Yes. >>Dr. Knight: Anything but secret, Bill. 24:07 >>Bill: Yes. Absolutely. 24:09 >>Dr. Knight: It's a.>>Bill: This is the 24:10 climax of the world's history. >>Dr. Knight: 24:15 Oh, yeah. >>Bill: I mean, everything is marching 24:17 towards this. >>Dr. 24:17 Knight: And you know, it's the climax of the book of 24:20 Revelation. >>Bill: Yes. >>Dr. Knight: In 24:21 Revelation, it's pictured just a little bit 24:22 different. You've got Jesus coming on a white 24:23 horse. Of course, a white horse was the most 24:24 mechanized thing that they could think of. >>Bill: 24:27 Yes. >>Dr. Knight: I'm positive today that if we 24:28 were going to write Revelation we'd probably 24:29 have something a little more mechanical or 24:31 electronic or who knows what but I don't really 24:35 care about the technology but Jesus is pictured in 24:36 Revelation as coming on a white horse to rescue His 24:41 people and take them to their heavenly reward. And 24:48 that is what the climax of the whole Gospel is 24:49 all about. You know, some people think that Jesus 24:55 died for us is the Gospel Well, it is. But a dead 25:00 Savior won't do you much good. So Paul 25:01 says in 1Thessalonians, 1Corinthians that the 25:06 Gospel is also that Jesus rose on the third day. And 25:13 because He rose we will rise also. >>Bill: Right. 25:14 >>Dr. Knight: But, that's still not all the good 25:18 news. People have been dying for 2000 years and 25:21 are still dying. You and I stick around long enough, 25:22 you and I could die. But Jesus has the victory over 25:26 the tomb and the grave, Revelation 1:18, and the 25:29 best good news, the climax of the good news is that 25:30 He's coming to take us home again. >>Bill: Amen. 25:34 Thank you Dr. Knight. 25:35 Let's pray. Gracious, loving, heavenly Father we 25:40 thank you for the promise of the soon return of 25:43 Jesus. Father, may each and every person within 25:44 the sound of my voice, at this very moment, commit 25:48 to being prepared to meet Jesus when He comes. In 25:53 His name we pray. Amen. 26:03 >>Bill: You know, if you would like to do some 26:04 additional study on the Second Coming and the 26:06 truth about the rapture, we have a special resource 26:11 here for you. It is a special edition of the 26:12 magazine Signs of the Times. It's entitled, "The 26:16 Surprising Truth about the Rapture". It is our gift 26:20 to you, free of charge. 26:20 Here is the information you need in order to get 26:25 your copy. 27:28 >>Bill: Well, Dr. 27:28 Knight, we've come to the end of another program. I 27:32 appreciate you being with us and I look forward to 27:33 Part 3 next week. >>Dr. 27:35 Knight: Sounds good, Bill. >>Bill: Thank you 27:36 our dedicated viewers that tune in every week. Let 27:39 me remind you that you can acquire Dr. Knight's book 27:42 on Exploring Thessalonians. You 27:42 can go to our website, itiswrittencanada.ca and 27:45 there you're going to find a link and that link will 27:52 take you to a store where you can purchase 27:53 this book, where you can purchase all of the other 27:57 books that Dr. Knight has written. So, they are a 28:00 terrific resource for you. 28:01 On the website you can send prayer requests, you 28:05 can even make an online donation if you feel so 28:06 impressed to do that that will help us keep this 28:11 ministry on the air. Well, our prayer is that the 28:16 good Lord will allow us the opportunity of being 28:17 back again next week to continue in our study of 28:21 Thessalonians. I hope you will join us. Until then, 28:23 remember, it is written, man shall not live by 28:24 bread alone but by every word that proceeds 28:30 from the mouth of God. 28:36 $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ |
Revised 2015-02-06