Biblical Concept: Clouds versus Mount of Olives
Thesis:
The event of 1 Thessalonians 4:17 is different than the events of Zechariah 14:4, Matthew 24:29-31, Revelation 1:7, and Revelation 19:11-21.
The Bible texts:
1 Thessalonians 4:17 Then we who are alive and
remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in
the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord.
Zechariah 14:4 4
And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front
of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle
from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will
move toward the north and the other half toward the south.
Matthew 24:29-31 29 "But immediately after
the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not
give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the
heavens will be shaken, 30 and then the sign of the Son of Man will
appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they
will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great
glory. 31 "And He will
send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His
elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.
Revelation 1:7 Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye
will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will
mourn over Him. Even so. Amen.
Revelation 19:11-21 11 And I saw heaven opened; and
behold, a white horse, and He who sat upon it is called Faithful and True; and in righteousness He judges and
wages war. 12 And His eyes are a flame of fire, and upon His head are many diadems; and He has a name
written upon Him which no one knows
except Himself. 13 And He is clothed with a robe dipped in
blood; and His name is called The Word of God.
14 And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen,
white and clean, were following Him
on white horses. 15 And from
His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may smite the nations; and He
will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce
wrath of God, the Almighty. 16
And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, "KING OF KINGS,
AND LORD OF LORDS." 17
And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried out with a loud voice,
saying to all the birds which fly in midheaven, "Come, assemble for the
great supper of God; 18 in order that you may eat the flesh of kings
and the flesh of commanders and the flesh of mighty men and the flesh of horses
and of those who sit on them and the flesh of all men, both free men and
slaves, and small and great." 19
And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies, assembled to make
war against Him who sat upon the horse, and against His army. 20 And the beast was seized, and
with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he
deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped
his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with
brimstone. 21 And the rest
were killed with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sat upon the
horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh.
Conclusion:
“Clouds versus Mount of Olives” is
a pithy statement noting the many differences between 1 Thessalonians
4:17 and Zechariah 14:4, Matthew 24:29-31, Revelation 1:7, and Revelation 19:11-21.
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