Michael Sherwin wrote: ↑June 20th, 2019, 12:51 am
First of all rapture is the English word for the Latin word rapier for the Greek word harpazo rendered as caught up in the Bible. It is just an alternative word for the catching up coined by Bible scholars that studied the Latin text. The LDS Church does not fully know certain things. They lack knowledge of the messenger. The messenger will be an anointed one. He will come just before judgement. In Hebrew he would be known as messiah not because he is the messiah but simply because he is an anointed one. To answer the original question we have to first understand the messenger messiah.
Malachi 3:1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the LORD, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.
Isaiah 28:2 Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing (Rev 12:13-16), shall cast down to the earth with the hand (Rev 12:7-10).
Malachi 3:2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap:
Isaiah 28:9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? ...
Malachi 3:3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.
Malachi 3:5 And I will come near to you to judgment; ...
Isaiah 28:17 Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the (tempest of) hail (his words) shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place (Rev 12:13-16).
Malachi 3:18 Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.
Isaiah 28:26 For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him.
What the reader needs to discern is if these two messenger/teachers are the same or not. They are both mighty and strong. They both teach. They both come prior to judgement. The next thing one needs to discern is if the references to Revelation 12 I gave are correct or not. I believe they are because in Rev 12:10 it is the time of salvation, i.e. judgement. Assuming that I have not lost everyone by this point let's go to Revelation 12.
Revelation 12:1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:
Revelation 12:2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
Revelation 12:5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
There are two interpretations of the man child's identity. The LDS Church says he is Jesus and it already happened when Jesus was born and caught up. The other typical Christian belief is the man child stands for the Church. Neither of these views are correct. The way to start understanding the man child is to realize that in the above three passages of Revelation two births are mentioned. However Isaiah must be read to see it.
Isaiah 66:7 Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child.
This is why some Christians believe the man child is Jesus. He can't be the Church because he is born before the sign of Rev 12:1&2. The Church (Israel with the gentiles grafted in to be more precise) is born in the next passage.
Isaiah 66:8 Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.
The above passage has nothing to do with 1947/48. That is a false teaching. The above passage is the rapture. However, at this point we are focusing on the man child. The man child is not Jesus because Jesus anoints the man child with a great anointing.
Revelation 2:26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
Revelation 2:27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.
Revelation 2:28 And I will give him the morning star.
The morning star stands for the light of knowledge as in, " For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him". So, how powerful of an anointing does the man child receive?
Psalm 2:7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
Psalm 2:8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
Psalm 2:9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.
Psalm 2:10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.
His anointing is so great that he becomes the second begotten son of God! And notice that part of the anointing is to instruct just like the two messengers.
Sofar we have two messengers and a man child all mighty, all teachers taught by God, all come just before judgement. Is there anyone else that is mighty that is also connected to the sign of the woman that is made ruler?
Micah 5:3 Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.
She brings forth the man child. So who stands? The man child stands!
Micah 5:4 And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.
"For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him"
"the LORD his God"
So that is four individuals that are mighty, anointed by the LORD, that rule and that come in relation to Revelation 12.
Who else comes in relation to Revelation 12?
Daniel 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
It is the time of deliverance just like in Rev 12:10 it is the time of salvation. So yes Michael comes at the time of Revelation 12. Also note Michael stands just like the man child brought forth in Mic 5:3. Is there any indication that Michael receives a great anointing? Compare:
Jude 1:9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
With:
Revelation 12:7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
Revelation 12:8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
Revelation 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
And it is obvious that Michael is far more powerful than he was in the past. So now we have two messengers, the man child, the one that stands and Michael all receiving great power and all connected with judgement and therefore all connected to Revelation 12. And in the following passage all are confirmed to be Michael.
Revelation 12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation (delivered, Dan 12:1), and strength (Mic 5:4), and the kingdom of our God (Rev 11:15), and the power (rev 2:26-28) of his Christ (anointed one): for the accuser of our brethren is cast down (by MICHAEL), which accused them before our God day and night.
And an anointed one does return ("Then shall ye return") with Jesus.
Revelation 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord (Jesus), and of his Christ (anointed one); and he shall reign for ever and ever.
And it is an angel that is sent and teaches the truth.
Revelation 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
I know that the LDS Church believes that Michael became Adam. I do not know how to reconcile that. The Bible teaches that the two messengers, the man child, the one that stands, the angel that preaches the gospel and Michael are all one in the same. So unless Michael by some special dispensation from God can be born and live on earth more than once Michael was not Adam.
So now to try and answer the original question. The rapture cannot happen until Michael is caught up and then returns with Jesus. So no the rapture cannot be this July 17th.