1. Kledang Community Chapel 18-20 May, 2012 Thematic Studies on Fri. 18 May8.00p.m. – 10.00p.m. I. Basic Rules in Interpreting Scripture & Prophecy Sat. 19 May5.00p.m. – 6.45p.m. II. The Rapture in I Thessalonians Sun. 20 May 5.00p.m. – 6.30p.m. III. The Rapture and Revelation in I Thes. 8.00p.m. – 9.30p.m. IV. The Revelation in II Thessalonians Text: Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ…Tit. 2:13 (11-15) Sun. 20 MayLord’s Supper Ministry The Year of the Dragon T HE S ECOND C OMING OF C HRIST IN T HESSALONIANS

2. R ECAPITULATION : WE BELIEVE IN… A.THE INSPIRATION OF THE ORIGINAL SCRIPTURES. B.THE INERRANCY OF THE ORIGINAL SCRIPTURES. C. THE INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURES NOT TO BE OF PRIVATE INTERPRETATION.

3. C. T HE I NTERPRETATION OF P ROPHECIES. 1. T HE G ENERAL P RINCIPLES. a.Consider the text in its Context. b.Compare scripture with scripture. c.Be Consistent for prophetic and non-prophetic passages 2.The Special Principles: a.The Ethnic Principle of Prophecy in Scripture.I Cor. 10:32 b.The Gap Principle. I Pet.1:10, 11; Isa. 9:6, 7 The Mystery of the Church – concealed in O.T., revealed in N.T, Eph. 3:3-11; 5:32; Col.1:25, 27

4. 2. The Special Principles: a. The Ethnic Principle b. The Gap Principle. c. The Figurative Principle. i. Look for the interpretation in the context. Rev. 1:12c, 16 cp. 1:20; 5:6 Seven ii. Compare scripture with scripture. Rev. 1:13-15 cf. Dan. 7:9, 10 d.The Literal Principle – Seven (Rev. 1:11); 1260 (11:3, 2; 13:5; 12:14) ; 1000 (Rev. 20:2-7)

5. T HE P RINCIPAL S CHOOLS IN INTERPRETING P ROPHECY re: The Second Coming of Christ Based on the interpretation of the Millennium. Rev. 20:2-7 (6 occ.) 1.The A-millennial School. 2.The Post-Millennial School. 3.The Pre-millennial School. a.The Post-tribulational Premillennialism b.The Mid-tribulational Premillennialism c.The Pre-tribulational Premillennialism I saw an angel…laid hold on…Satan, and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the bottomless pit…till the thousand years should be fulfilled…and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus…and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection …they …shall reign with Him a thousand years. And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison… It Interprets prophecies spiritually. It replaces Israel with the Church. The Church is now in the Millennium and Satan is now bound. There is no Rapture for the Church. There is no Great Tribulation. Christ’s 2nd Coming is for all. There is only one general resurrection. There is only one general judgment

7. Kledang Community Chapel 18-20 May, 2012 Thematic Studies on Fri. 18 May8.00p.m. – 10.00p.m. I. Basic Rules in Interpreting Scripture & Prophecy Sat. 19 May5.00p.m. – 6.45p.m. II. The Rapture in I Thessalonians Sun. 20 May 5.00p.m. – 6.30p.m. III. The Rapture and Revelation in I Thes. 8.00p.m. – 9.30p.m. IV. The Revelation in II Thessalonians Text: Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ…Tit. 2:13 (11-15)

8. But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. I Pet. 3:15, NIV

9. Introduction: The Perspective of the Church at Thessalonica. The Thessalonian church was… (1)A Well-developed Church in faith, love and hope. (2)A Welfare Community. Rom. 15:26; Acts 20:4; II Cor. 8:2, 13, 14 (3)Their Working Circumstances: a)They had Turned to God from idols and their lives were Transformed. b)They were well-Grounded in the Gospel of God. I Thes. 1:3 ct. Rev. 2:2 1:8 1:9 2:8, 9 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Acts 17:11

10. Introduction: The Perspective of the Church at Thessalonica c)They were Paul’s “Children” bestowed special Care by him and his Colleagues – Silvanus, and Timotheus, (we)2:11 cf. 1:1 d) They Walked Worthy of God after having received the Word of God.2:12, 13 e)They were Persecuted (as with Paul) by their Jewish countrymen.2:14-16 cf. Acts 17:4-9 f)They were Paul’s and his Colleagues’ Hope, glory and joy - their Crown, }2:17- when Christ Comes to take them all into Heaven.} 20 Hence, their Blessed Hope of Christ’s 2 nd Coming from Heaven: Tit. 2:13

11. THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST IN THESSALONIANS THE RAPTURE IN I THESSALONIANS I. THE RECAPITULATION. In Scripture, the Second Coming of Christ appears to be in two Stages with both referred to as His Second Coming. Stage One – The Rapture “Caught up” – I Thes. 4:17 Stage Two – The Revelation “Revealed” – II Thes. 1:7, 8 Compare the Panorama in Revelation.

12. Major Distinct Differences in the two stages: Stage One – I Thes. 4:17 “Rapture”, as Jn. 10:28; Gen. 5:24 1.Christ’s Coming for the Church. He comes in the air. 4:17 2.He comes alone. “Himself”, 4:16 3.It is Private. I Cor. 15:51f 4. Resurrection and Rapture. 4:16, 17 4. To be where He is. Jn. 14:3 6. The Event Described – I Thes. 4:13-17 Stage Two – II Thes. 1:7, 8 - Revelation cf. 2:3, 6, 8 Christ’s Coming for the Jews/Nations. He comes to earth. Zech. 12:10; 14:3f with ten thousands of his saints… Jude 14, 15 It is Public. Rev. 1:7 No Resurrection or Rapture, cf. Jude 14, 15 To judge. Jude 15 The Event Described – Rev. 19:11-21

13. I. The Recapitulation. II. The Rapture in I Thes. A. In I Thessalonians 1.I Thes. 1:9, 10 – a. The People waiting for… i. Their Conversion. ii. Their Commitment b. The Promise of … i. From heaven (heavens) ii. Lit. Out of the heavens …His Return 1:9 1:10a cf. Acts 1:9-11; II Cor. 12:2

14. And to wait for his Son from heaven… I Thes. 1:10 From – ek, =out ofHeaven – lit. the heavens. In His ascension Christ passed through the heavens. Heb. 4:14, ascended far above all the heavens, Eph. 4:10, into (the) heaven itself, Heb. 9:24 and was made higher than the heavens, 7:26,…in fulfilment of... Psa.110:1 and… Lk. 22:69, sat down on the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the heavens, Heb. 8:1. The heavens are distinguished:- the aerial, Mt. 6:26, the sidereal, 24:29; the “third,” II Cor. 12:2 W.E. Vine

15. In I Thes. 1.1:9, 10 c. The Possibility of … - His Resurrection d. The Purpose of … – to deliver …1:10c i. What is this wrath to come?  God’s General Wrath on Unbelievers?  The Great Tribulation?  Great White Throne Judgment? …His Return cf. Rom. 1:4; I Cor. 15:14-19 … from the coming wrath, NIV Jn. 3:36; Rom. 1:18 Mt. 24:21f, 29; Jer. 30:4-7; Rev. 7:14; 16:1ff Rev. 20:11-15

16. d. The Purpose of His Return… ii. What is to be Delivered from…? 1:10 From is ek = kept from NRSV, NIV Rescued from = Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in Whom we trust that He will yet deliver us; (II Cor. 1:10) Paul was delivered from a great peril that could have brought him death, not through death. Thus, Christ’s imminent Return to Rescue us from God’s wrath to come.

17. II. THE RAPTURE IN I THES. 1. In I Thes. 1:9, 10 2. I Thes. 2:19-20 a.The Anticipation of the Thessalonian believers: 2:19b i. Possibility of their being Present at the Lord’s *Parousia. ii. The Period will be at the judgment seat of Christ. Rom. 14:10 iii. Praise and reward (or loss) to be given out. I Cor. 3:14, 15 b.The Apostles’ hope: to see them in the Presence of the Lord. 2:19a, 20 These believers are … i. Their Joy – of seeing them again was sufficient Jubilation. ii. Their Crown of Rejoicing – they were the apostles’ Reward. iii. Their Glory – for ye are our glory and joy that awaits them. Note: The Joy of Soul-winning – Pro. 11:30; Lk. 15:7

18. *Parousia, I Thes. 2:19 *parousia, lit., as marg. presence. From verb parei mi = to be present, as in Lk. 13:1; Jn. 11:28; Acts 10:33,etc., hence = a being present with. … Always when it occurs, parousia refers to a period of time more or less extended. The usual translation is misleading, because coming is more appropriate to other words, as erchomai (Lk. 12:45), etc. The difference being that whereas these words fix the attention on the journey to, and the arrival at, parousia fixes it on the stay which follows the arrival there. Better to transliterate rather than to translate. – WE Vine.

19. Where Parousia is used of the Lord Jesus it refers to a defined period…Where it is used prophetically it refers to a period beginning with the descent of the Lord from Heaven into the air, I Thes. 4:16, 17 and ending with His revelation and manifestation to the world. The Parousia of the Lord Jesus is thus a period with a… Commencement: 4:15; 5:23; II Thes. 2:1 Course: 2:19; 3:13 Conclusion: II Thes. 2:8 Note: Parousia occurs of The Lawless One II Thes. 2:9; The Day of God, II Pet. 3:12, Paul or his companions, I Cor. 16:17; II Cor. 7:6, 7, etc.

20. 1. In I Thes. 1:9, 10 2. I Thes. 2:19-20 3. I Thes. 3:11-13 a.Paul’s Personal address:I Thes. 3:11 i.His God is His Father and their Father too. ii. Jesus is his and their Lord.Cf. Jn. 20:17 iii. Their Jesus is God – singular verb, plural subject. b. Paul’s Prayer – for an increase in their love. I Thes. 3:12 cf. 1:3; 4:9 c. The Projected end – I Thes. 3:13 That they may be Strengthened and Spotless cf. 3:2 That they would not be Shamed.I Jn. 2:28 At His Coming with all His Saints. Cp. 4:14b

21. II. THE RAPTURE IN I THESSALONIANS A. THE RAPTURE. 1. I Thes. 1:9, 10 2. I Thes. 2:19-20 3. I Thes. 3:11-13 III. The Rapture and the Revelation in I Thessalonians. 4. I Thes. 4:13-18 – Key Passage of THE RAPTURE

23. Jesus Loves Me This I Know Jesus loves me, this I know, Though my hair is white as snow Though my sight is growing dim, Still He bids me trust in Him. YES, JESUS LOVES ME, THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO.

24. Jesus Loves Me This I Know Though my steps are oh, so slow, With my hand in His I'll go On through life, let come what may, He'll be there to lead the way. (CHORUS) YES, JESUS LOVES ME, THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO.

25. Jesus Loves Me This I Know When the nights are dark and long, In my heart He puts a song.... Telling me in words so clear, "Have no fear, for I am near." (CHORUS) YES, JESUS LOVES ME, YES, JESUS LOVES ME, YES, JESUS LOVES ME, THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO.

26. Jesus Loves Me This I Know When my work on earth is done, And life's victories have been won. He will take me home above, Then I'll ’derstand His love. (CHORUS) YES, JESUS LOVES ME. YES, JESUS LOVES ME, THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO.

27. Jesus Loves Me This I Know I love Jesus, does He know? Have I ever told Him so? Jesus loves to hear me say, That I love Him every day. (CHORUS) YES, JESUS LOVES ME. YES, JESUS LOVES ME. YES, JESUS LOVES ME, THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO.