Archive for Matthew 16

Trend Update: Ancient Church Discovery Manbij, Syria, June 2018

Posted in Prophecy, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 19, 2018 by paulthepoke

Matthew 16:17-18 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it…”

ISIS continues to be removed from the land scape of the Middle East. This time in Manbij, Syria. ISIS previously used a site as a place to dump trash. Little did they know…

See video link for geography of site.

The location was a hiding place for ancient Christians. Archeologists think the site may have been an ancient church. The “hidden church” is believed to be from the 3rd or 4th century. The site is located 18 miles west of the Euphrates River. Christian symbols and writings were cut into the stone. Tunnels, places of worship, and escape routes were contained. Inscriptions were written in Greek.

“Greek was the common language of the Eastern Roman Empire, which explains why the New Testament is written in Greek during the Roman period,” John Wineland, Professor of History and Archaeology at Southeastern University.

A complete and thorough dig and study is not expected until later due to mines placed from the civil war in Syria. A possible second location may have been found as well.

http://www.foxnews.com/science/2018/05/01/ancient-christian-ruins-discovered-under-former-isis-held-territory.html

 

Cross Symbols Fox News
photo: Fox News

These verses above hold much controversy. Ignore the divisiveness these arguments have brought. Read the text for yourself and understand. Jesus is talking to Peter. And He clarifies that He is talking to Peter. Jesus makes the point to use two different words.

Look at the two key nouns: Peter and rock. These are two distinctive terms in the Greek. They are not the same terms. They are distinctive in gender and definition.

Peter: Πέτρος/Petros, masculine in gender. It means: a detached stone or boulder; properly, a stone (pebble), such as a small rock found along a pathway.  Peter, a Greek name meaning rock. Petros is small in stature.

Rock: πέτρα/petra, feminine in gender. It means: a mass of connected rock; solid or native rock, rising up through the earth; a huge mass of rock (a boulder), such as a projecting cliff. Petra is large in stature.

Definitions provided by Strong’s Concordance and HELPS Word Studies.

 

Greek Rock Fox News

Photo: Fox News

 

The “rock” is connected together as the church is the body of Christ.

1 Corinthians 12:26-27 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

“Petros” is isolated and individual. Peter is not a big deal in comparison to the corner stone of the church. “Petros” pales in size relative to the “rock” of the church.

 

Jesus predicted and promised His body and bride, the “church”.

This is the Greek word used for “church” in the New Testament writings. ἐκκλησία/ekklésia means: an assembly, congregation, church; the Church, the whole body of Christian believers.

Jesus says it Himself. “…I will build my church…” Jesus is the architect and builder of the church. Jesus takes possession. He declares the church belongs to Him, hence the possessive pronoun “my”.

Oh by the way …and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it…

 

Rapture Promo

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Rapture of the Church, When, Part 3

Posted in Gospel, Prophecy, Rapture with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 27, 2014 by paulthepoke

The church is told consistently in the New Testament it is not appointed for wrath. 1 Thessalonians 1:10 …and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.

Jesus Himself said the Gates of Hell will not have victory of the Church. Matthew 16:18 I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. But, Hell will have victory over the Tribulation saints. Revelation 13:7 It was also given to him (Antichrist/Beast) to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him. This group of believers in Revelation 13 is not the church. The church is already in Heaven in Revelation 4. I have no doubt there will be an “OH $#!T” moment for those left behind when the rapture occurs. A lot of people will come to believe in God and His word at this event. I take it these are the tribulation saints and believers in Revelation 13.

1 Thessalonians 5:9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. The group of people being addressed in this letter is believers in Christ in the church. Believers are not destined for wrath as compared to the group of people who are not believers. 1 Thessalonians 5:3 While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. Nonbelievers are subjected to destruction. There is no escape.

Romans 8:1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. The Greek word for condemnation is katakrima (a damnatory sentence per Strong’s Concordance). The letter is written to the church, the body of Christ, in Rome.

God has a history of removing His people before executing judgment.

The first global judgment of the flood provides a pattern. God announces judgment is coming to all. Enoch was removed from the earth before the flood (Genesis 5). The world was judged. God’s chosen people were preserved in Noah’s ark.

Approximately 13% of the Bible talks about the seven year tribulation. The rapture of the church removes believers in Christ from judgment. The world is judged in seven years. God preserves His chosen people Israel.

Lot and his daughters were removed from Sodom and Gomorrah before its destruction. God made it clear to Abraham He would not destroy the two cities if even one righteous person was there (Genesis 18-19). God cannot change His character. He would not execute judgment on a world with one righteous, believing person. But with the rapture, righteous people have been removed. The path has been cleared and He would not violate His principle.

Jesus has already died for sin once and for all. Did He not do a complete job on the cross? As believers in Christ, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit. The church is covered by God (Father, Son, and Spirit). 1 John 4:17 By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world.

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