Here's Something That Will Make You Think!!Here's Something That Will Make You Think!

"Agree to disagree" - been there. done that. I have no problem with it.:thumbs:

However in the spirit of your "I sent this out to various Bible students to get their reponse" style of open discussion...

#1. The Millennium is literal and starts as we see in Rev 19 and 20 - at the coming of Christ and at the "First" resurrection of the saints.

#2. 1Thess 4 - it is at the first resurrection "the resurrection of the righteous" that we see the Rapture taking place.

#3. It is at that same time that we see the Rev 19 'destruction of all mankind' for "The REST were killed by the Sword that came from His Mouth". That means the saints were just 'taken' and the "rest" were all destroyed.

Rev 14 shows this same sequence with the saints gathered - THEN the wicked destroyed. Nothing left!

#4. That is EXACTLY what we see in Matt 24 and in Genesis 6-7 - the saints enter in - and then all the wicked -- all mankind wiped out!

So "one taken" by God and the other "left" on earth to experience the 2Peter 3 destruction of the world by fire - is literally true and corresponds exactly to the flood event. Being 'left out" did not mean "getting more chances".

Peter points out that the scoffers ask "Where is the promise of HIS COMING" refering to the Christ's "If I GO away I WILL come again" promise to the entire church. Peter argues that AT his "coming" He will melt the earth in fire for the destruction of all those not saved. Therefore He does NOT come in the 1st century because although "He is not slow" yet "HE desires ALL to be save". He is not planning on a "salvation gospel evangelism phase AFTER the coming of Christ" that all NT saints were focused on!

You don't see it at the flood - and it wont be there at the end either.

In Christ,

Bob