Gems from my reading

Now the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always by all means. - 2 Thessalonians 3:16

As we read the lovely words, we can hear the voice of the Saviour on that most awful night, the night in which He was betrayed, in the midst of the onslaught such as demons and men had never mounted before. As hell itself had already prepared for the conflict, as the vile heart of man was now exposed in unspeakable treachery, and even as the sword of God's holy justice lay bare, in absolute calmness of soul, and looking upon that little band of perplexed and anxious men, with eyes full of tender compassion, the Lord of peace Himself had breathed those words of comfort which came with undiminished sweetness down the centuries, "My peace I give unto you."

- T. W. Smith (What the Bible Teaches - 2 Thessalonians)

Gospel Words

Transgression - The seriousness of the sin

Condemnation - The severity of the punishment

Propitiation - The satisfaction of the LORD

Redemption - The severance of the bondage

Reconciliation - The status of the relationship 

Regeneration - The second birth of the sinner

Salvation - The saving of the sinner
Justification - The standing of the believer

Coverings of the Tabernacle

Glory

The Tabernacle Curtain (resurrection - Exo 26:1-6; Isa 53:11-12)

Grace

The Goats’ Hair (propitiation - Exo 26:7-13; Isa 53:9-10)

The Rams’ Skins Dyed Red (consecration - Exo 26:14; Isa 53:4-7)
The Badgers’ Skin (separation - Exo 26:14; Isa 53:2-3)

When sin first reared its ugly head

And forced the widening span,

Between the man who walked with God

And the God Who made the man...

With sense of sin came sense of shame-

The naked sought to hide;

Instead of peace and fellowship,

There came the Great Divide.

Infinite love was wounded sore,

And sought to bridge the span;

Crush out the penetrating gulf,

And walk again with man.

He sent His own Beloved Son-

He came, He bled, He died;

To reconcile, He paid the price,

And He bridged the Great Divide.

Author Unknown

What will be missing in eternity?

No Division (Rev 21:1)
No Death (Rev 21:4)
No Depravity (Rev 21:8)
No Disconnection (Rev 21:22)
No Darkness (Rev 21:23; Rev 22:5)
No Defilement (Rev 21:27)
No Disease (Rev 22:3)

The Great White Throne

Revelation 20:11-15

The Place
The Great White Throne (Rev 20:11)
- great (without comparison)
- white (without contamination)

The Person
The Lord Jesus is the Throne-Sitter (Rev 20:11; John 5:22)

The People
The dead (Rev 20:12; Rev 20:5)
The small and great (Rev 20:12; Acts 26:22)

The Penalty
According to their works (Rev 20:12-13; Luke 12:47-48; Matt 11:22)
Lake of fire (Rev 20:14-15)
- a place of torment (Matt 13:42)
- an eternal place (Mark 9:43)

Things to Come

He Gave Himself

"Who gave Himself for our sins..." (Gal 1:4)
- It was Purposeful

"...Who loved me, and gave Himself for me." (Gal 2:20)
- It was Personal

"...Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it..." (Eph 5:25)
- It was Passionate

"Who gave Himself a ransom for all..." (1 Tim 2:6)
- It was Payment

"Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity..." (Titus 2:14)
- It was Powerful

Judgment Seat of Christ

The Judgment Seat (Bema) of Christ is to:

1. Reveal 
• "made manifest" 
• the man/worker (2 Cor 5:10); the motives/will (1 Cor 4:5); the material/work (1 Cor 3:13)
2. Review
• "give account of himself to God" (Rom 14:12)
• "try every man's work" (1 Cor 3:13)
3. Reward
• "receive the things done" (2 Cor 5:10)
• "receive a reward" (1 Cor 3:14)
• Rewards are given for:
• self-discipline - incorruptible crown (1 Cor 9:25)
• soul-winning - crown of rejoicing (1 Thess 2:19; Phil 4:1)
• stewardship - crown of righteousness (2 Tim 4:8)
• suffering/steadfastness - crown of life (James 1:12; Rev 2:10)
• shepherding - crown of glory (1 Pet 5:4)

Raptures of Scripture

There are 6 incidents of rapture mentioned in Scripture:

• Enoch (Gen 5:24; Heb 11:5)
• Elijah (2 Kings 2:1,11)
• Christ (Mark 16:19; Acts 1:9-11; Rev 12:5)
• Paul? (2 Cor 12:2-4)
• The Church (1 Thess 4:17)
• The Two Witnesses (Rev 11:3,11-12)

Things to Come - Record of Daniel

Daniel 9:24-27

verse 25
Week 1
The commandment to restore and build Jerusalem (Neh 2:1-9)
Week 7 
The completion of the rebuilding?
Week 69
The coming of the Messiah the Prince, Christ (John 12:12-13)

verse 26
After Week 69
The cutting off of Messiah (the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus)
The collapse of Jerusalem (A.D. 70 - destroyed by the "people of the coming prince" which were the Romans)

verse 27
Start of Week 70
The covenant by the "coming prince" (not the Lord Jesus)
Middle of Week 70
The cessation of the sacrifice, breaking of the covenant, setting up the abomination (idol) in the temple to be worshiped
End of Week 70
The consummation and judgment of the "coming prince"

Outline of Things to Come

Rapture of Saints
(John 14:1-3; 1 Corinthians 15:51-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

Reception of Saints
(Romans 14:10; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 19:7)

Retribution of God
(Matthew 24:8, 21; Revelation 6, 8-9, 11, 16)

Revelation of Christ
(Matthew 24:30)

Reign of Christ
(Isaiah 11:1-9; Zechariah 14:9; Revelation 20:4-6)

Renewal of Creation
(Isaiah 65:17; 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1)

Things to Come - Rapture of Saints

It will be private
1. Christ will return from heaven just as He ascended into heaven (Acts 1:9-11)

It will be personal
2. Christ Himself will descend from heaven to the earth's atmosphere with a shout, voice and trumpet (John 14:3; 1 Thess 4:16-17)

It will be powerful
3. The souls of those already dead will return with Christ (1 Thess 4:14; 2 Cor 5:6-8)
4. The bodies of the dead will be raised immortal and incorruptible and be reunited with their souls (1 Cor 15:42-44,52-53; 1 Thess 4:14-16)
5. The bodies of the living will be changed to become immortal and incorruptible (1 Cor 15:51-53)
6. Both the dead and the living will be caught up together to meet Christ in the air (1 Thess 4:17; John 14:3)

It will be purposeful
7. Together all will return with Christ to His Father's house in heaven to be with Him always or at all times (John 14:2-3; 1 Thess 4:17, 5:10)

It will be preparatory 
8. As the church is raptured, the Holy Spirit will also be taken away from the earth (2 Thess 2:7)

It will be prompt
All this will take place suddenly: caught up (1 Thess 4:17), in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye (1 Cor 15:51-52)