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No One Knows The Day

by Laura Lee
Dwight Fleming (Oroville, California)
 
Jesus Christ warned His followers to be watching for the signs of His return lest they be caught unprepared and miss out on the Resurrection.  Concerning the time of His return, notice:
 
“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. … Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day on which your Lord will come.  But understand this: If the homeowner had known in which hour the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.  For this reason, you must also be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour YOU DO NOT EXPECT” (Matthew 24:36, 42-44).
 
To drive this point home even further, Jesus went on to give the parable of the Ten Virgins.  As you know, five were foolish and five were wise.  The main point of the parable is to show that the wise virgins were the ones who were prepared and ready for the arrival of the bridegroom.  The ones who were ready obtained entrance into the bridal chamber while the others were shut out.  The parable ends with this warning: “Therefore keep watch, because YOU DO NOT KNOW THE DAY OR THE HOUR” (Matthew 25:13).
 
Do you think that Jesus was serious about His warning to be ready?  Is it possible that some Christians won’t be ready at the time of Christ’s return and will then miss out on the First Resurrection?  Do you believe that you are ready?  This is a vital topic that every Christian needs to understand.  We all want to be fully prepared for Christ’s return so that we don’t miss out on important opportunities of service that God wants us to fulfill in His kingdom.
 
Let’s look at some examples in history where God’s people missed out on the promises and opportunities that God had offered to them.  As you know, God promised to Abraham and his progeny the land in which he traveled in as a stranger.  This became known as the Promised Land which would be possessed by Abraham’s heirs through Isaac and Jacob who would become a great nation (See Acts 7:5 and Genesis 17:8).  In time, Jacob and his 12 sons moved to Egypt and became a great multitude.  The Egyptians feared their loyalty if war should break out and made them slaves of the Pharaoh. 
 
We all know the miracles that God worked to free them and bring them out of Egypt.  After entering into a holy covenant with the God of the universe, they traveled north and prepared to enter the Promised Land.  Before they launched their “invasion,” they sent out 12 spies to spy out the land to see what challenges they would encounter.  They all had seen the mighty miracles that God had performed on their behalf to rescue them from the hand of Pharaoh and his army.  Their confidence in the power of God should have been extremely high. 
 
After 40 days, the 12 spies returned with a mixed report.  This was their golden chance to take possession of their inheritance.  Instead, they became defeated before they even tried.  How so?  Because of their unbelief.  Hebrews 3:16-19 reads: “For who were the ones who heard and rebelled?  Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt?  And with whom was God angry for forty years?  Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?  And to whom did He swear that they would never enter His rest?  Was it not to those who disobeyed?
  
So, we see that it was because of their UNBELIEF that they were unable to enter.”
 
What happened?  Why did the Israelites disobey and refuse to follow God’s commands to take possession of their inheritance?  As you know, the mixed report of the 12 spies contained good and bad news.  Two of the spies, Joshua, and Caleb, said it was a rich land flowing with “milk and honey” and urged their fellow compatriots to immediately launch the “invasion” since God would bless their bravery and efforts.
 
But then the report of the other ten took the wind out of their sails.  “There are giants in the land, and we are nothing but grasshoppers in their sight.”  Ten against two.  History records that the Israelites put more weight on the negative news given by the majority.  They listened to the wrong advice and paid dearly for it.  There is an end-time prophetic type with these spies.  The two who expressed trust in God are a kind of Two Witnesses.  The ten, who lacked faith and gave a negative and discouraging report, are like the Ten Toes or Ten Horns which are Ten Kings that will fight against Christ at His return (See Revelation 17:12-14).
 
Moving on to the time of Christ, we see that Jesus’ own people largely rejected Him.  Why?  They knew the scriptures concerning a promised Messiah.  Yet when the reality came, they were unable to realize who Jesus was.  John records this confusion in chapter 7, notice:
 
“On hearing these words [spoken by Jesus], some of the people said, ‘This is truly the Prophet.’ [the prophet foretold by Moses] Others declared, ‘This is the Christ.’  But still others asked, ‘How can the Christ come from Galilee?  Doesn’t the Scripture say that the Christ will come from the line of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?’  So there was division in the crowd because of Jesus. … ‘Aren’t you also from Galilee?’ they replied.  ‘Look it up, and you will see that no prophet comes out of Galilee’” (John 7:40-43, 52).
 
These people knew their “Bible.”  No way was anyone going to convince them that anything good would come out of Galilee let alone their promised Messiah.  Yet, as we all know, they turned out to be wrong, big time!  God allowed this to happen.  Why?  “… ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.  For the hearts of this people has grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed” (Matthew 13:14-15).
 
They had their preconceived concepts of the Messiah based upon their faulty understanding of scripture.  Their hearts and minds had become hardened.  This means that no one was going to convince them of anything different than what they already believed.  This is a major problem of our human nature that we all have to wrestle with.  Once we think that we have the “truth,” we may fall into the trap of wanting to take life easy by thinking that we can just coast into God’s kingdom.  However, this is not a good means of bringing about spiritual growth in Christ.  These highly devout seekers of Christ’s day failed to realize an important aspect of God’s plan which would have provided them treasure in heaven.
 
Reviewing these historical examples, we may think that we would have never made those same mistakes.  When Christ comes a second time, we won’t have any doubts and will be ready to be partakers of the divine glory.  May that be true!  Let’s explore an area of concern that may cause some if not many to miss out on the First Resurrection.
 
For those who understand the significance of the “Feasts of the Lord” listed in Leviticus 23, we see God’s plan of salvation “in bringing many sons to glory” (Hebrews 2:9-12).  More and more ministers of various churches and denominations are realizing the prophetic nature of God’s Sabbaths and Holy Days.  For the most part, what each Holy Day pictures in God’s Plan is fairly well explained in near agreement among most of those advocating their prophetic significance.  We need to focus primarily in this article with that which portrays Christ’s return.  As the apostle Paul said in I Corinthians 15:17, “if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain.”  And in verse 32, “… If the dead are not raised, ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.’”
 
The apostle Paul went on to show in chapter 15 that we will be changed from flesh to spirit and the dead would be raised incorruptible (verses 50-56). This is describing the First Resurrection. And when will this happen?  At the last trump! (Verse 52).  This is an important clue.  In the Book of Revelation, we find seven Trumpets.  When the seventh trumpet is sounded in Revelation 11:15 to 18, the dead are judged, and the servants of God are rewarded.  Thus, this seventh trumpet mentioned in Revelation eleven is the “last trump” mentioned by Paul.
 
One of the Holy Days mentioned in Leviticus 23 is the one called the “Feast of Trumpets” and also known as “Rosh Hashanah.”  Because the Resurrection will occur at the “last trump,” it has been commonly assumed by many that this “last trump” will sound on a future Feast of Trumpets.  This is a logical conclusion.  Many anticipate that Christ will return on a future Feast of Trumpets.  But could this expectation turn out to be a misunderstanding that may become a “snare” which causes some believers to “miss the boat,” so to speak.  How so?
 
Just as we saw in Christ’s day, people had their preconceived concepts about the Messiah.  Could we be making the same mistake with our understanding of certain Holy Days?  If you firmly believe that Christ will return on a future Feast of Trumpets, what might happen if Christ returned at a different time than you are expecting?
 
Here is the possible problem:  You see a bright light in the sky that appears to be an angel.  You are alarmed by this supernatural sight not knowing what to think since it is not happening on the Feast of Trumpets.  Since this angelic object in the sky is not on a white horse as depicted in Revelation 19, you are confused and wondering if this could be a Satanic deception. The Bible does say that Satan is able to appear as “an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). 
 
Because you had previously believed that Christ would return on the Feast of Trumpets, you are now infected with doubt and UNBELIEF.  NEVER FORGET THIS:  If you are in unbelief at Christ’s return, then you WON’T BE READY!  If you can’t clearly recognize the reality of what is happening before your eyes, there is a good chance that you won’t be in the First Resurrection.  This is why Jesus gave urgent WARNING to WATCH and BE READY.  Many are prepared and ready for Christ to return on a future Feast of Trumpets.  But if it doesn’t happen that way, what then?
 
If this supposition disturbs or confuses you, then let’s carefully examine the scriptures that explain and depict Christ’s return.  In Revelation 19:11-16, we see Jesus described as a conquering king on a white horse preparing to do battle with the rebellious nations on the earth.  It has been explained by many that this occurs on a future Feast of Trumpets.  This event also ties in with Zechariah 14 where we see the Lord going forth to do battle against the nations.  His feet shall stand upon the Mount of Olives in that day and all the saints or holy ones will be with Him.  These saints are also mentioned in Revelation 19 as they celebrate in heaven.  These are, obviously, the resurrected saints pictured in heaven before Christ comes to the earth on a white horse (Revelation 19:1-9).
 
How can this be?  The Resurrection is supposed to happen at Christ’s coming.  Revelation 19 shows that the Resurrection has occurred BEFORE Christ comes to the earth on a white horse.  Is this even more confusing or has an important detail been overlooked by most Bible scholars?
 
Here is another account by the apostle Paul regarding Christ’s return: “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep [dead].  For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a SHOUT, with the voice of an ARCHANGEL, and the TRUMPET of God.  And the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air” (I Thessalonians 4:15-17).
 
The apostle Paul shows that Christ will come as an ARCHANGEL from heaven to RESURRECT and gather together the saints both living and dead.  Revelation 19 is depicting something different.  The saints are there in heaven for the marriage supper.  Afterwards, they follow Jesus on white horses to do battle with the rebellious nations on the earth.  If the resurrection occurs before the events of Revelation 19, then where is it described in the Book of Revelation?
 
Recall the details given by the apostle Paul.  Now read Revelation 7:1-4.  Here we find an Angel who comes from the East (Matthew 24:27) and cries with a loud voice (SHOUTS) to the four angels giving them a command (making him an ARCHANGEL).  These four angels are holding the four winds of the earth (Matthew 24:31).  Why?  Because the resurrection is taking place as depicted by the sealing of the servants of God in their foreheads.  This “sealing” is accomplished by their being changed from flesh to spirit at the resurrection.  See Ephesians 1:13 and 4:30.
 
Read all of chapter seven.  Where do those sealed, the 144,000 and the innumerable multitude, end up?  They end up at God’s throne in heaven.  Read it for yourself.  This explains how the saints mentioned in Revelation 19 get there.  In summary, we need to realize that the Book of Revelation depicts two major objectives.  The first one is the coming of Christ as an Archangel to resurrect and gather together His Elect.  This will occur at the last or seventh trumpet.  But won’t the seventh trumpet sound on the Feast of Trumpets as many have assumed?
 
Okay, if that is assumed, then when will the other six trumpets sound?  Will all seven trumpets sound on a future Feast of Trumpets?  All on the same day?  Not likely.  Here is a clue:  The seven trumpets are described in a four-three pattern.  The first four are depicted in chapter 8.  After they sound, the last three are described as “Woes.”  This breaks them into a four-three pattern which is very significant.  Why?
 
It so happens that there are SEVEN ANNUAL SABBATHS among God’s Holy Days.  Four are in the autumn and three in the spring.  They also create a four-three pattern according to the secular or regnal calendar of the Jews.  This is not just a coincidence but the design of God.  The day that marks the beginning of the secular or regnal year is the Feast of Trumpets.  If it marks the BEGINNING of the sounding of the seven trumpets rather than the ending, this means that the first trumpet of Revelation will sound on a future Feast of Trumpets; the second on Atonement; the third on first of Tabernacles; the fourth on the Last Great Day; the fifth on the first of unleavened bread; the sixth on the last of unleavened bread.  The seventh and last trump would then sound on a future Pentecost.  Sound crazy?
 
Remember that Christ warned that no one would know the day or the hour of His return when His saints are resurrected and gathered together for the marriage supper.  What day does Pentecost fall on?  Yes, on a Sunday.  But which date?  Strange thing about Pentecost.  There is no set date for it.  It must be calculated every year from the day that the barley harvest is started with the offering of the wave-sheaf offering on the first day after a weekly Sabbath.
 
At this time, there is some controversy as to when the wave-sheaf offering should take place in some years causing some groups to observe Pentecost on a different day than others.  Furthermore, it is dependent on the condition of a yearly crop.  You can’t start the count until the barley is ready to harvest.  So, conditions affecting the harvest could vary from year to year. You have to constantly check the barley to see when it is ready to harvest.  In other words, you have to pay attention or WATCH!  So, Pentecost rather than the Feast of Trumpets better pictures the sounding of the seventh trumpet and the resurrection. 
 
The second objective depicted by the Book of Revelation is Christ coming with His saints to make war against the nations and to establish His kingdom upon the earth.  This is when Jesus will come on a white horse as a conquering king.  This will be preceded by the outpouring of the seven last plagues of God’s wrath as described in chapters 15 and 16.  These seven last plagues will be poured out upon the inhabitants of the earth between Resurrection Pentecost and the following Feast of Trumpets when Christ comes on a white horse.
 
If you are able to recognize and understand these two major objectives of Christ’s return, then it may greatly help you to know what things to be watching for so that you may be READY.  A full discussion and explanation of the Book of Revelation is not possible with this article.  It mostly is geared to make you THINK and be open to other prophetic possibilities that will motivate you to be diligent in your own Bible study.
 
Lastly, if one should miss out on the First Resurrection because he or she was not ready as Christ has warned, this may not mean that one has no hope of salvation.  He or she may be able to live on as a physical being into the Millennium until such time that Christ grants their spiritual birth or change.  However, such individuals won’t be among the FIRSTBORN.  As you know, the Firstborn receives the greater reward and blessing.  We have been called to be of the Church of the FIRSTBORN (See Hebrews 12:14-25).  Let us strive as Jacob did to receive the blessing of the firstborn!
Iron Sharpening Iron
In regard to: No One Knows The Day
Article by Dwight Fleming
Comments by Laura Lee (Bismarck, North Dakota)
 
Dwight writes (In his article):
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a SHOUT, with the voice of an ARCHANGEL, and the TRUMPET of God.  And the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air” (I Thessalonians 4:15-17).
 
…The apostle Paul shows that Christ will come as an ARCHANGEL from heaven to RESURRECT and gather together the saints both living and dead.
 
Laura writes:
I am pretty sure this is how false doctrines get started. First you quote the scripture which says “…the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a Shout, with the voice of an Archangel…” And in the next paragraph you have Christ being an Archangel. This is miss leading to everyone.
 
The verse says that Christ Shouts with the voice of an Archangel not that He is an Archangel. So where is the scripture that shows that the apostle Paul shows that Christ will come as an Archangel?
 
If I talk like a baby, am I then a baby? If I meow like a cat, am I a cat? If I bark like a dog, am I now a dog? If I sing like an angel, am I now an angel? Of course not, I am not a baby, a cat, a dog, or an angel. So, if Christ shouts with the voice of an Archangel that does not make Him an Archangel.
 
None of the verses Dwight uses to show that Christ is an Archangel say that at all.
 
There would be no confusion as far as the wave offering if everyone used the entire Hebrew Calendar instead of changing the days around on it as Herbert Armstrong did with Passover and Pentecost. The wave offering is to be done the day after Passover and not the day after the weekly Sabbath during Passover week.
 
We know from the New Testament that God’s Holy Spirit was given on Pentecost. The Holy Spirit is what helps us to keep the Law of God and to Learn God’s Truth. We can’t know Truth without God’s Holy Spirit.
 
If you want to know what day to keep Pentecost on, you will have to find out when the law was given in the Old Testament. Don’t get me wrong, God’s People all through the ages were always given the Law of God, but when the Israelites came out of Egypt after 400 years God had to teach them when the Sabbath was, when Passover was and when Pentecost was, and He did teach them.
 
#1–They arrived at Mount Sinai on Sivan 3. (Exd. 19:1)
#2–They had 2 days of preparation, Sivan 4 & 5. (Exd. 19:10)
#3–They were to be prepared for the 3rd day, Sivan 6, on which they received the law. (Exd. 19:15-16)
 
A Sivan 6 Pentecost can and is proven in the Bible and it is also the true Pentecost on the Hebrew Calendar. Do you realize that Herbert Armstrong originally kept a Sivan 6 Pentecost and then a Monday Pentecost and then a Sunday Pentecost? Do you suppose that Herbert Armstrong was confused in regard to Pentecost?
 
1Co 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. 
 
The whole reason why people will absolutely not keep the Hebrew Calendar as preserved by the Tribe of Judah is because they have so much animosity towards the Jews. That is the bottom line. Let me remind you the other ten tribes of Israel sinned first so don’t ever think you are better than your brethren the Jews, because you are not. The Jews got the calendar from God just like they got the scriptures from God. God gave no one the authority to make up or change the calendar that God left for us. God would never tell us to keep His Holy Days without leaving us a calendar to keep them by.
 
I do agree with Dwight that the First Fruits resurrection will be on Pentecost and Christ will return to earth with the First Fruits on Trumpets. We started to disagree on the third page. I also agree that if you don’t have the right Pentecost, you probably will miss Christ when he comes for the First Fruits. Remember God left you an instruction book, now study it and don’t add things into scripture that are not in there.
Iron Sharpening Iron
In regard to: No One Knows The Day
Article by Dwight Fleming
Comments by Dwight Fleming (Oroville, California) and Laura Lee (Bismarck, North Dakota)
 
Dwight Fleming writes:
I hate to bother you with this, but it needs to be addressed for the sake of clarity.  By your comments last week on my article, “No One Knows The Day,” it seems that I failed to fully explain a point that you, and perhaps other readers, took exception to.  Let me quote some of your comments:
 
“I am pretty sure this is how false doctrines get started. First you quote the scripture which says “…the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a Shout, with the voice of an Archangel…” And in the next paragraph you have Christ being an Archangel. This is miss leading to everyone.
 
The verse says that Christ Shouts with the voice of an Archangel not that He is an Archangel. So where is the scripture that shows that the apostle Paul shows that Christ will come as an Archangel? 
 
If I talk like a baby, am I then a baby? If I meow like a cat, am I a cat? If I bark like a dog, am I now a dog? If I sing like an angel, am I now an angel? Of course not, I am not a baby, a cat, a dog, or an angel. So, if Christ shouts with the voice of an Archangel that does not make Him an Archangel.
 
None of the verses Dwight uses to show that Christ is an Archangel say that at all.”
 
Here is the confusion:  I cannot find in my article where I actually said, “Christ IS an archangel.”  Read it carefully, please.  I know you are very busy and may not have had time to think it through.  And I should have spent more time explaining why I said what I actually did say to help the reader understand my conclusion.
 
Laura Lee writes:
This is what you said: “The apostle Paul shows that Christ will come as an ARCHANGEL…”
 
Dwight Fleming writes:
Your statement:  “And in the next paragraph you have Christ being an Archangel.”  I did say that.  It seems that you replaced “AS” with “IS.”  You then made a very good point with your illustration:  “If I talk like a baby, am I then a baby?  . . .”  This is true.  If Christ, as Paul said, comes with the voice of an archangel, it does not make Him an archangel.  But did you catch what you said?
 
Laura Lee writes:
Sorry, I did not replace “As” with “Is”. You said Christ was coming as an Archangel and so did I when I said you have Him coming as an Archangel. I did use “as” and “is” interchangeably here:
 
“The verse says that Christ Shouts with the voice of an Archangel not that He is an Archangel. So where is the scripture that shows that the apostle Paul shows that Christ will come as an Archangel?” 
 
The overall idea that is derived from all that you say is that Christ is coming as an archangel which is to say He pretty much is an archangel or why would He come as one. It is just a disputing of words between “as” and “is”.
 
Dwight Fleming writes:
If you talk like a baby, you are not a baby, but you would be speaking AS a baby.  Would you not?  Am I making any sense?
 
Laura Lee writes:
Some of the things you say are not real clear. I would agree that when things are not clear they do not always make sense.
 
I have no problem with the verse which says:
 
1Th 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: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 
 
The verse clearly says “…with the voice of the archangel…” but the verse does not say that Christ is an archangel or that he is coming as an archangel, whether you want to use “is” or “as”.
 
Dwight Fleming writes:
If Christ comes with the voice of an archangel, this does not make Him an archangel, but it does indicate that He will be speaking AS an archangel.  Would that be a logical conclusion to make?  Indirectly, then, did Paul show (not say or write) by his simple statement, “with the voice of an archangel” that Christ will come AS an archangel?  Think it out, please.  Will Christ be speaking or acting AS an archangel by His actions or commands?  Will He be giving any commands or directions to any angels similar to (AS) an archangel?
 
Laura Lee writes:
Your explanation sounds like you are disputing words with yourself. Why do you want to read things into the verse that it does not say? The verse is very simple, it says:
 
1Th 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: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 
 
I believe Christ will be coming as Himself and not as an archangel. Please think about that before you read things into scripture that are just not there.
 
Dwight Fleming writes:
And do other scriptures support this if we carefully consider them?  Matthew 24:30-31, “. . . They will see the Son of Man [Jesus] coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.  And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.”
 
Laura Lee writes:
Mat 24:30  And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Mat 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. 
 
Nothing here that says Christ is an archangel.
 
Dwight Fleming writes:
This appears to be the resurrection taking place where Christ sends out His angels to gather together the elect.  Now, will Christ be giving these angels any directions, or orders, or commands?  It does not say.  But would it be wrong to make that assumption?  And if Christ is giving them any directions, then would He be speaking or acting AS an archangel?  Not that He IS one but that He will be acting AS one.
 
Laura Lee writes:
Why is it important to you to have Christ act or give orders like an archangel? Christ is over the archangels so if He acts like Himself and gives orders as He would then He would show His leadership over His creation. Christ does not have to come as an archangel, He is God.
 
Dwight Fleming writes:
In the paragraph after the one that you commented on, I discussed Revelation 7:1-4 where an angel is described.  I did state that this angel is an archangel by the fact that he gives a command to the other angels.  However, you made no mention of Revelation 7:1-4.  If this angel that ascends from the east is a depiction of Christ returning at the time of the resurrection, as I believe that it does, then it shows that Christ will return AS an angel.  However, you may not agree that Revelation seven is depicting the resurrection.
 
Laura Lee writes:
Rev 7:1  And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. Rev 7:2  And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Rev 7:3  Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. Rev 7:4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. 
 
Yes, I believe this is talking about the resurrection but there is still nothing in this set of scriptures that says Christ is an archangel. Read what it says:
 
Look at the end of verse 3 where is says: “…till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.” That is a real angel shouting and saying what is said in these verses. There is nothing here proving that Christ is an archangel or even that He is coming as an archangel. Christ will come as Himself.
 
Dwight Fleming writes:
The main point that I was hoping to make with the article is the FALSE DOCTRINE that already exists in the church and that may cause some, if not many, to miss out on the first resurrection.  You have agreed with my conclusion that Pentecost pictures the resurrection rather than Trumpets.  Yet many COG members and other Believers do think and expect the resurrection to occur on a future Feast of Trumpets.
 
Laura Lee writes:
Yes, I believe scripture is clear that the First Fruits resurrection will be on Pentecost, but I also believe that if you are teaching that Christ is an archangel or that He is coming as an archangel, that is a false doctrine and if the scriptures you used to try to prove Christ was an archangel, proved that, the Jehovah’s Witnesses would be clinging to them and going I told you so, but they don’t even use what you are using. Christ is not an archangel whether you want to say “is” or “as”. Christ is God.
 
Dwight Fleming writes:
And many also think that Christ will be riding a white horse at the time of the resurrection.  If they don’t see a white horse, then they may also have doubts which may also cause them to miss out.  This is why I wanted to emphasize the fact that Christ will appear AS an archangel at the time of the resurrection rather than AS a conquering king on a white horse making war against the nations.  It is my hope that no one gets left out as happened to those in previous generations because of a lack of faith or belief as I detailed in my article.  You may not agree with anything that I have tried to explain above.  But I do appreciate you allowing me to express my views even when we don’t always agree.  You do keep me on my toes.
 
Laura Lee writes:
It is more likely that people will miss the First Fruits resurrection because they are not keeping the right calendar with the right Pentecost on it than for them not to know who Christ is when they see Him even without a white horse and coming as Himself and not as an archangel.
 
Everyone should be on there toes and looking deeply into scripture. No one has to agree with me, but you all need to agree with Christ.
 
Dwight Fleming writes:
Side note:  The name of the horse that Christ will be riding when He comes to make war is “Captain.”  Where is the scripture that says that?  There is none.  Why do I say that?  Because Jesus is the captain of our salvation (Hebrews 2:10).  Plus, I have a white horse whose name is “Captain.”  So, I can’t help but think that Christ’s horse is also named “Captain.”  Yes, I know, I’m a little weird sometimes.  But is does keep things lively.
 
Laura Lee writes:
You are a good-natured guy, don’t loose that. Possibly you are a little weird sometimes but aren’t we all. You have a sense of humor that I like, and we all need to hear at times. I don’t have my horse anymore, but I named mine “Wildfire” after the song. Perhaps not as creative as you.
 
And yes, we disagree on many things, but even so, it is good to do it publicly so all can see and learn.
 
I believe his point in saying that Christ will come as an archangel as in costume or really as an archangel is because he believes people will be looking for a white horse and will dismiss Christ altogether if He comes as only himself.
 
Many of the people being resurrected as First Fruits will be dead so they won’t really care if Christ comes on a white horse or not at that point as they will come up out of graves and immediately be spirit. Those who are yet alive will be changed from flesh and blood to spirit in the twinkling of an eye. This whole thing happens so fast that all those being gathered will know Christ.
 
The ones that won’t be there for that First Fruits resurrection are those who are not keeping Pentecost on the right day. That has nothing to do with Christ. It has to do with your depth of study and whether you are relying on your own ideas or letting the Holy Spirit lead you in all truth.
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