07-05-09
Sorry, you must have Windows Media Player 9 or higher. This is a large file which may take a few seconds to start Windows Media Real Audio MP3 Click here, or scroll down to view today's diagram Or is it that during the first 3 ½ years of the seven year Tribulation we are protected here, and during the second 3 ½ years of Great Tribulation we are protected there (somewhere else, but where)? (Gen 19:1-3) And there came two angels to Sodom [Heb: to scorch; burnt district] at even [ing]; and Lot [Heb: a veil: covering] [for Sodom] sat in the gate of Sodom [the position of a man of high influence in the city]: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground [exercising his spiritual discernment: indicating that he recognized the two men as angels]; And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night. And he pressed upon them greatly [Why?]; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house [a type of Heaven in the midst of Hell]; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread [bread (the Word of God) with no leaven (false doctrine)], and they did eat [the only acceptable food for angels]. 1. (2 Pet 2:6-8) And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes [God] condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation [Heb: behavior] of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) a. Gomorrha = Heb: a (ruined) heap /// to heap; fig. to chastise (as if piling blows); spec. to gather grain [symbolic of people]:--bind sheaves, make merchandise of. 2. Commentary: the highest level of symbolism for Sodom is “false doctrine,” and the highest level of symbolism for Gomorrha is “false works,” and those two falsities together comprise all ungodliness. (Gen 19:4,5) But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed [Heb: surrounded] the house [a type of Heaven] round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter: And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them [this spoken in the “getting acquainted-understanding” sense, but meant in the intimate sexual sense, i.e., they intended to rape the two men, to rape the two angels, by extension, to rape God]. 1. Commentary: “both old and young,” and “all the people,” and “from every quarter” empathize the completeness of their sin. Being unsaved and therefore having no spiritual discernment, the people saw before them two extraordinarily beautiful men, and not the two angels that Lot perceived. (Gen 19:6-8) And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him, And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly. Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man [i.e., they are virgins]; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes [Lot showed himself willing to sacrifice his two daughters for the angels (for God)]: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof [they are under my responsibility]. (Gen 19:9-11) And they said, Stand back. And they said again [of Lot], This one fellow came in to sojourn [Heb: came in from the road as a stranger and guest], and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door. But the men [two angels] put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house [THE FIRST RAPTURE, A NATURAL REFUGE HERE IN THIS WORLD] to them, and shut to the door. And they [the two angels] smote [Heb: struck] the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door. 1. (1 Th 4:16,17) 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: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up [Gk: to seize:--catch (away, up), pluck, pull, take (by force)] together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (Gen 19:12-14) And the men [two angels] said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place: For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them [“The outcry to the LORD against its people is so great” NIV; “the outcry against them” NKJV] is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it. And Lot went out [from his house into Sodom], and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters [the sense of this is repeated twice for emphasis, but how then could his daughters still be virgins?], and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked [Heb: played, made sport] unto his sons in law. 1. Commentary: so the two sons-in-law had married Lot’s two daughters but had not consummated the marriages. Then the sons-in-law decided that living together was much more preferable than living with their wives. What characteristics are these two sons in law illustrating? Homosexuality and illegality derived from not understanding “the truth,” i.e., false doctrines. THE MORNING OF THE DAY OF JUDGMENT (Gen 19:15,16) And when the morning [of the new day] arose, then the angels hastened [Heb: hurried] Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity [Heb: sin] of the city. And while he lingered [Why?], the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful [syn: forgiving] unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without [outside] the city [THE SECOND RAPTURE, A SPIRITUAL REFUGE THERE]. THE TWO RAPTURES OF THE SEVEN YEAR TRIBULATION 1. (Gen 19:10) But the men [two angels] put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house [THE FIRST RAPTURE, A NATURAL REFUGE HERE IN THE WORLD] to them, and shut to the door. 2. (Gen 19:16) And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without [outside] the city [THE SECOND RAPTURE, A SPIRITUAL REFUGE THERE]. 1. (1 Ki 17:2-7) [THE FIRST RAPTURE, A NATURAL REFUGE HERE IN THE WORLD] And the word of the LORD [an angel, or Christ: John 1:14] came unto him, saying, Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself [from Ahab and Jezebel] by the brook Cherith, that is before [east of] Jordan [in the wilderness]. And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there [God uses the saved and the unsaved to His own purpose]. [ref. sermon delivered 06-28-09] 2. (1 Ki 17:8-11) [THE SECOND RAPTURE, A SPIRITUAL REFUGE THERE] And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon [the king of Zidon was Jezebel’s father], and dwell there [i.e., in the bosom of the enemy]: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee [feed thee]. [ref. sermon delivered 06-28-09] 1. (Rev 12:5,6) And the woman fled into the wilderness, [THE FIRST RAPTURE, A NATURAL REFUGE HERE IN THE WORLD] where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days [1260 days % 30 = 42 months = 3 ½ years]. 2. (Rev 12:13,14) And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle [the two angels of Gen 19:16], that she might fly into the wilderness [THE SECOND RAPTURE, A SPIRITUAL REFUGE THERE], into her place, where she is nourished [fed] for a time, and times, and half a time [3 ½ years], from the face of the serpent. Commentary: I sense an incorrectness in labeling the “first” rapture in these verses as a rapture because in all three cases the redeemed people remained on this earth; therefore, the true designation of this “first” experience remains to be revealed to me. Or perhaps by employing the word “rapture” (not found in the Bible) we are attempting to squeeze something biblical into something man-made. In any case, this exegesis is certainly not complete. Amen Previous Chapter Table Of Contents Next Chapter Click here to download a printable version of this message Click here to download a DOC version of this message
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Or is it that during the first 3 ½ years of the seven year Tribulation we are protected here, and during the second 3 ½ years of Great Tribulation we are protected there (somewhere else, but where)?
(Gen 19:1-3) And there came two angels to Sodom [Heb: to scorch; burnt district] at even [ing]; and Lot [Heb: a veil: covering] [for Sodom] sat in the gate of Sodom [the position of a man of high influence in the city]: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground [exercising his spiritual discernment: indicating that he recognized the two men as angels]; And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night. And he pressed upon them greatly [Why?]; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house [a type of Heaven in the midst of Hell]; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread [bread (the Word of God) with no leaven (false doctrine)], and they did eat [the only acceptable food for angels].
1. (2 Pet 2:6-8) And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes [God] condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation [Heb: behavior] of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)
a. Gomorrha = Heb: a (ruined) heap /// to heap; fig. to chastise (as if piling blows); spec. to gather grain [symbolic of people]:--bind sheaves, make merchandise of.
2. Commentary: the highest level of symbolism for Sodom is “false doctrine,” and the highest level of symbolism for Gomorrha is “false works,” and those two falsities together comprise all ungodliness.
(Gen 19:4,5) But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed [Heb: surrounded] the house [a type of Heaven] round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter: And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them [this spoken in the “getting acquainted-understanding” sense, but meant in the intimate sexual sense, i.e., they intended to rape the two men, to rape the two angels, by extension, to rape God].
1. Commentary: “both old and young,” and “all the people,” and “from every quarter” empathize the completeness of their sin. Being unsaved and therefore having no spiritual discernment, the people saw before them two extraordinarily beautiful men, and not the two angels that Lot perceived.
(Gen 19:6-8) And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him, And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly. Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man [i.e., they are virgins]; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes [Lot showed himself willing to sacrifice his two daughters for the angels (for God)]: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof [they are under my responsibility].
(Gen 19:9-11) And they said, Stand back. And they said again [of Lot], This one fellow came in to sojourn [Heb: came in from the road as a stranger and guest], and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door. But the men [two angels] put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house [THE FIRST RAPTURE, A NATURAL REFUGE HERE IN THIS WORLD] to them, and shut to the door. And they [the two angels] smote [Heb: struck] the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.
1. (1 Th 4:16,17) 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: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up [Gk: to seize:--catch (away, up), pluck, pull, take (by force)] together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
(Gen 19:12-14) And the men [two angels] said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place: For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them [“The outcry to the LORD against its people is so great” NIV; “the outcry against them” NKJV] is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it. And Lot went out [from his house into Sodom], and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters [the sense of this is repeated twice for emphasis, but how then could his daughters still be virgins?], and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked [Heb: played, made sport] unto his sons in law.
1. Commentary: so the two sons-in-law had married Lot’s two daughters but had not consummated the marriages. Then the sons-in-law decided that living together was much more preferable than living with their wives. What characteristics are these two sons in law illustrating? Homosexuality and illegality derived from not understanding “the truth,” i.e., false doctrines.
(Gen 19:15,16) And when the morning [of the new day] arose, then the angels hastened [Heb: hurried] Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity [Heb: sin] of the city. And while he lingered [Why?], the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful [syn: forgiving] unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without [outside] the city [THE SECOND RAPTURE, A SPIRITUAL REFUGE THERE].
1. (Gen 19:10) But the men [two angels] put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house [THE FIRST RAPTURE, A NATURAL REFUGE HERE IN THE WORLD] to them, and shut to the door.
2. (Gen 19:16) And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without [outside] the city [THE SECOND RAPTURE, A SPIRITUAL REFUGE THERE].
1. (1 Ki 17:2-7) [THE FIRST RAPTURE, A NATURAL REFUGE HERE IN THE WORLD] And the word of the LORD [an angel, or Christ: John 1:14] came unto him, saying, Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself [from Ahab and Jezebel] by the brook Cherith, that is before [east of] Jordan [in the wilderness]. And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there [God uses the saved and the unsaved to His own purpose]. [ref. sermon delivered 06-28-09]
2. (1 Ki 17:8-11) [THE SECOND RAPTURE, A SPIRITUAL REFUGE THERE] And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon [the king of Zidon was Jezebel’s father], and dwell there [i.e., in the bosom of the enemy]: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee [feed thee]. [ref. sermon delivered 06-28-09]
1. (Rev 12:5,6) And the woman fled into the wilderness, [THE FIRST RAPTURE, A NATURAL REFUGE HERE IN THE WORLD] where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days [1260 days % 30 = 42 months = 3 ½ years].
2. (Rev 12:13,14) And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle [the two angels of Gen 19:16], that she might fly into the wilderness [THE SECOND RAPTURE, A SPIRITUAL REFUGE THERE], into her place, where she is nourished [fed] for a time, and times, and half a time [3 ½ years], from the face of the serpent.
Commentary: I sense an incorrectness in labeling the “first” rapture in these verses as a rapture because in all three cases the redeemed people remained on this earth; therefore, the true designation of this “first” experience remains to be revealed to me. Or perhaps by employing the word “rapture” (not found in the Bible) we are attempting to squeeze something biblical into something man-made. In any case, this exegesis is certainly not complete.
Amen
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