Journal Entries

Pre-Trib Rapture

Then Shall 'Ye" Return

Malachi 3:16-18

Then shall who return?

I Believe this is referring to those in verses :16-17 who feared the Lord and whose deed's are recorded in God's "book of remembrance."

Malachi is speaking specifically to the nation of Israel (not the church) here.

Where will they be retuning from?

Where will they be returning to?

I do not believe this is referring to the Jews return to Israel (the gathering), but rather their return to earth with Jesus at his physical, visible coming.

Malachi is making a specific reference to resurrected Jews who will be returning to earth with Christ (and all the other resurrected and "caught up" believers) at the battle of Armageddon.

Why do I believe this?

Because verse :18 makes a specific reference to these returning ones (the ones in verses :16-17) as participating in a judgment.

They will be discerning (judging) between good and evil--between those who serve God and those who don't.

Jude :14-15

1 Thessalonians 3:13

Matthew 19:28

The above are just a few of the scriptures that make it clear that God's resurrected and caught up saints will be participating in the Judgment of the Nations and the administration of Christ's Kingdom when he returns "with all his saints."

We can only return with Christ, at the battle of Armageddon,

if we are already in Heaven with him to begin with.

God's Book of Remembrance

God's keeps a written record--isn't that something?

Of both good and bad

And the books were opened.... (Revelation 20)

Why are we Serving the Lord?

That's a good question for all Christians to ask ourselves from time to time.

In Malachi 3:14, we read about people being confronted with sinful, self centered motives for serving the Lord. They are asking, "What "profit" is there in serving the Lord? It is clear that what they really care about is, "what's in it for me?"

In 2 Timothy 4:3, we read the apostle's warning to Timothy of the skewed motivations he will encounter in those who claim to follow Christ but in reality only follow their own lusts.

God's people would not be heaping teachers to themselves who lead them into deception, doctrines of devils, error, apostasy (and they are presently doing just that in record numbers), unless there was something in it for them.

Paul spoke of the time when many who profess Christ would cease to endure sound doctrine. Are we living in that time now?

Why are we serving Christ? Is it time to pray the prayer found in the Psalms, "Test my thoughts. Search my heart...?

Be careful what you eat...

... to the hungry soul, every bitter thing is sweet

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