The Rapture Question Answered, Part 2

Posted on May 4, 2014 by Jerry

I received an email newsletter on April 28, 2014 which contained an excellent article by John Little about the Rapture. As I understand his article, he does not believe in the Pre-tribulation Rapture position.

In Part 1 of this series on The Rapture Question Answered, I began a consideration of what Mr. Little has written at the very beginning of his article by examining 2 Thessalonians 2:1. I asserted that Paul is discussing the Rapture itself in verse 1.

Paul wrote:

2Th 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,

He is writing about “the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Just what “coming” is Paul speaking of? He tells us directly, the coming that pertains to “our gathering unto him.” This “gathering unto him” is a direct reference to what Paul had written to the Thessalonians in his first letter to them in 1 Thessalonians 4:17,

1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Our “gathering together unto him” takes place at the Pre-tribulation Rapture Paul is discussing in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 where he spoke of those which “are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air.” That, surely, is the event to which Paul refers in 2 Thessalonians 2:1, “and by our gathering together unto him.”

It is very necessary in understanding this subject of the Rapture that we not leave out or skip over information God has placed in His Word, the Bible, that directly pertains to the subject. Therefore, we must consider and examine most carefully 2 Thessalonians 2:2 before we consider the first Scripture Mr. John Little introduces into his exposition of the Rapture, which is 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4.

2Th 2:2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.

Paul found himself in a most interesting situation. The Thessalonians posed a question to Paul about the Rapture and its relation to other prophetic events Paul taught them about when he was with them. But some other teachers came along after Paul, claiming to teach according to or by the Spirit of God, or by a spirit-communication through a spiritual gift claiming to be additional divine revelation. Further teaching had been presented to the Thessalonians by teachers claiming to have further word from Paul. The false teachers even resorted to the use of a counterfeit letter purporting to be from Paul. The false teaching claimed that the Day of the Lord was then at that very time present. Paul firmly denies that they were already in “the Day of the Lord.” He denied that the Day of the Lord was now present.

Now just how could someone convince the Thessalonians of these false doctrines? They clearly pretended to supernatural revelation; they claimed to teach new word from Paul more up-to-date than what they had learned when Paul was last present with them, and even more up-to-date than the letter Paul had last sent them. The false teachers even buttressed their teachings by forging a letter, “as from Paul,” to lend support to their doctrine.

Now think closely about what the Thessalonians HAD to believe in order to have raised a question about these (new, false) teachings presented to them. The false teachers taught that the Day of the Lord was now present.

If this were the case, the Thessalonians would have to believe that the Rapture had already taken place, as well as the resurrection that was to accompany it of the righteous dead in Christ, WITHOUT THEM KNOWING OR NOTICING IT HAD HAPPENED.

That plainly indicates that Paul had taught the Thessalonian Church that the Rapture would take place in a manner that was secret and unobserved by the world.

If Paul had taught them otherwise, they surely could not have believed the false teachers who said these events had already taken place, for surely the Thessalonians knew they would not be left behind when the Rapture took place.

Now consider what Paul next teaches as a corrective to the false teaching they had received. Paul by divine revelation tells us more about the order of future prophetic events in the next verse, 2 Thessalonians 2:3.

2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

Notice Paul’s stern caution: “Let no man deceive you by any means.” Paul uses a stronger word for “deceive” here, according to the best evidence in modern critical Greek texts. The word is the same word used in 1 Timothy 2:4, where Eve was greatly deceived, while Adam was not deceived (using a weaker term for Adam’s deception). It would be as though Paul warns us not to be super-deceived in this matter by being convinced that the Day of the Lord, and the Great Tribulation, must come before the Rapture. NO! Paul tells us that before the Day of the Lord takes place, three events he is speaking of must happen first: (1) the Rapture, 2 Thessalonians 2:1; (2) the great apostasy or falling away (2 Thessalonians 2:3); and (3) the appearance of the man of sin, the son of perdition, generally known as the Antichrist.

These three things must all take place in that order BEFORE the Day of the Lord comes upon the earth. That is what Paul argues here. Paul considers the view of the false teachers, who argued the Day of the Lord was then present–before the Antichrist and the falling away and the Rapture–was outright heresy, and serious heresy at that. Understanding that Paul considered this view heresy is necessitated by his stern warning, “Let no man deceive you by any means,” using the stronger Greek word for “deceive.”

Those who today teach that the Rapture takes place after the Great Tribulation are guilty of teaching the very heresy Paul wrote to correct in this book of 2 Thessalonians.

For those who wish to study this subject further, consult the cross references for 2 Thessalonians 2:2, 3 as I have assembled them below:

2 Thessalonians 2:2. soon. or, quickly. Gr. tacheōs (S#5030g, Lk 14:21). **Ga 1:6. shaken. Gr. saleuō (S#4531g, Mt 11:7). Is 7:2. 8:12, 13. 26:3. Mt 24:6. Mk 13:7. Lk 21:9, 19. Jn 14:1, 27. Ac 2:25g. 17:13g. 20:23, 24. Ep 5:6. 1 Th 3:3. troubled. Gr. throeomai (S#2360g). Mt 24:6g. Mk 13:7g. +*Ep 4:14. *He 13:9. neither. FS129, +Ezk 34:4. by spirit. or, spirit-communication. Gr. pneuma, +Mt 8:16. FS121A4, +Ezk 37:1. By Metonymy for those who claimed to be depositories of spiritual gifts. All such claims were to be closely scrutinized (Hogg & Vine, p. 244). Supposed messages and revelations that were untrue. Dt 13:1-5. +**Je 23:25-28n. Mic 2:11. *Mt 24:4, 5, 24. Ac 11:12. +*1 Cor 14:29. 1 Th 5:19, 21. *2 P 2:1-3. **1 J 4:1, 2. Re 19:20. by word. A pretended verbal message from the missionaries (see Hogg & Vine, p. 244). ver. 2 Th 2:15. 1 Cor 12:8. 14:26, 29. 1 Th 5:2. nor by letter. This counterfeit letter was not from Paul, but claimed to be. +2 S 11:15. +*Ga 1:7, 8n. 1 Th 4:15. 2 P 3:4-8. as from us. Thus counterfeit, containing false and deceptive teaching that they were already in the Day of the Lord. Perhaps after this Paul authenticated his letters with his own signature (2 Th 3:17. 1 Cor 16:21. Col 4:18). Jn 5:31. 8:17. Ro 16:26. **Ga 1:6-9. Ep 3:8. day of Christ. or, day of the Lord. “Of Christ” has very little support from MSS., and none from ancient versions (F. W. Grant). Virtually all modern editors of the Greek text read “day of the Lord” here (Is 13:6. +*Am 5:18. Zp 1:14. +**1 Th 5:2. +*2 P 3:10). Paul firmly denies that the Thessalonians were in “the Day of the Lord.” +*Is 2:12. +Ezk 30:3. Lk 17:24. Ac 3:20. +*Ac 17:31. Ro 2:5. *+1 Cor 1:8. +*1 Cor 3:13. 5:5. 2 Cor 1:14. +*Ep 4:30. Phil 1:6, 10. 2:16. +*1 Th 5:2. is at hand. or, is now present. Gr. enistēmi (S#1764g, Ro 8:38). Ro 8:38. %+*Ro 13:12. 1 Cor 3:22g. 7:26g. Ga 1:4g. Phil 4:5. 2 Tim 2:18. 3:1g. He 9:9g. %+*1 P 4:7. Such a belief on the part of the Thessalonians necessarily implies that they correctly understood the Rapture and its associated resurrection of the righteous dead in Christ to be an event which will be secret and unobserved by the world (Peters, Theocratic Kingdom, vol. 2, pp. 316, 317), otherwise they could not have thought these events already took place, the error Paul is correcting. Mt 24:3-6, 14. +**Mt 25:19, 31-34, 41. +*Lk 19:11. Ac 17:31. 1 Cor 11:26. 15:24. He 2:8. 2 P 3:13. *Re 11:15-18. 22:10.

2 Th 2:3. Let no man. +Je 29:8. See on +*Mt 24:4-6. +*Mk 4:24. +*1 Cor 6:9. +1 Cor 11:16. 2 Cor 11:3. +*Ep 4:14. +Ep 5:6. Phil 2:5, 8. +*Col 1:23. +*Col 2:7, 18. *2 P 2:1. deceive. Gr. ἐξαπατήσῃ, (S#1818g, Ro 7:11), exapataō, +1 Tim 2:14. Paul uses the stronger of two similar terms [used together at +1 Tim 2:14, where Adam was not deceived (Gr. ηπατηθη, S#538g, apataō), but Eve was greatly deceived, ἐξαπατηθεῖσα, exapataō, S#1818g]. Thus, Paul considers this error a full or “super deception,” a heresy. To be mistaken on this point is no minor matter, for Paul uses the stronger term. Paul denies that that believers of this age will enter the period we know as The Day of the Lord, a period which includes the Great Tribulation. Paul’s repeated and emphatic statement that his message is one of comfort (1 Thessalonians 4:18. 5:11) would certainly mark the view that they were in, or that we will ever be in the Day of the Lord as mistaken. Paul’s message of comfort corresponds exactly with the teaching of Christ on this subject (+1 Thessalonians 4:15n, “For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord”), a statement Paul uses to mark what Jesus taught specifically during His earthly ministry, a reference to John 11:25, 26; 1 Thessalonians 4:18, “Wherefore comfort one another with these words,” corresponds with the statement of our Lord Jesus Christ in John 14:1, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me” and John 14:3, “…I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also,” recorded in what is perhaps the most comforting chapter in the Bible! +*Je 29:8. 37:9. Mk 13:5. Lk 21:8. Ro 7:11g. 16:18g. 1 Cor 3:18g. 2 Cor 11:3g. Ga 6:7. +1 Tim 2:14. Re 12:9. by any means. or, in any wise. Literally, according to no (Gr. mēdeis) way. A double negative for emphasis (CB). Ro 3:2. Phil 1:18. 3:11. for. or, because. 2 Th 1:3. that day. FS63D1, +Mt 16:7. The day Paul is specifying is NOT the Rapture, but the Day of the Lord. Paul was answering the misunderstanding that the Thessalonians had because of false teaching. +Je 30:7. not come. Paul instructs on the basis of his teaching regarding the Rapture, “our gathering together unto him,” that they must not be deceived into believing that they must enter the Day of the Lord. They could not be in the Day of the Lord in any case because that Day is preceded by “a falling away first” and the revealing of “that man of sin” (2 Thessalonians 2:3), events which had not yet transpired. except. or, if…not. FS184C, Mt 4:9. *1 Tim 4:1-3. *2 Tim 3:1-3. 4:3, 4. a. or, the. falling away. or, apostasy. Gr. apostasia, *S#646g, only here and Ac 21:21. The notion that the word “apostasy” (Greek), rendered “falling away” here, is a reference to the Rapture is a gross misunderstanding of the flow of Paul’s argument in this passage, and is absolutely not well supported linguistically. Paul echoes in his instruction what is stated in Daniel 12:4. Gesenius in his Hebrew lexicon (page 1001b and 1002a) points out that “to and fro” (Strong Number 7751 in the Hebrew lexicon) differs from another related Hebrew word only by the difference of “s” being read “sh.” If read “sh,” the word would be Strong Number 7750 in the Hebrew lexicon, defined by Gesenius as “swerve, fall away, apostatize.” Thus this alternative reading would suggest that in the last days apostasy would be rampant. Also at Daniel 12:4, “knowledge” may instead be read as “wickedness.” This reading is supported by the Septuagint, and with reference to the Hebrew text, is a matter of the difference between the Hebrew letters for “d” and “r,” daleth and resh, which are often confused. If the alternative readings “apostatize” and “wickedness” are correct, the passage in Daniel 12:4 becomes strikingly similar to the New Testament prophecies of Paul found in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, 7; 1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Timothy 3:1-5. For the confused believers Paul was instructing, the Rapture could NOT be one of the signs which must appear first before the Day of the Lord appears. No Christian believer of this age would be here to witness it as one of the two signs Paul argues must take place first before the Day of the Lord is at hand, or already present (2 Thessalonians 2:2), as those believers were misled by false teachers to believe. Recall that the false teachers were teaching that the Thessalonians were already in the Day of the Lord and that the resurrection and Rapture were already past, the cause of their concern, and the reason Paul wrote to correct this heresy. Paul argues the Rapture had not taken place yet and they could not be in the Day of the Lord for two things must first transpire before the onset of the Day of the Lord: (1) the falling away or apostasy; (2) the revelation of the man of sin, 2 Thessalonians 2:3.Therefore, in this passage, the Rapture is mentioned before (2 Thessalonians 2:1) the time of great tribulation that constitutes the Day of the Lord (a better reading from the Greek text than “day of Christ” in the King James Version, 2 Thessalonians 2:2), consistent with the chronology of events supporting the Pre-tribulation Rapture. Jsh 22:22g (rebellion), *Jsh 22:23g. 2 Ch 29:19g (trespassed). Je 2:19g (forsaken). ver. 2 Th 2:5. +*Da 11:35. **Da 12:4n. Ac 7:39-41. 21:21g. **1 Th 1:10n. He 3:12. 10:39. Re 9:1. first. FS96E5, +Jn 1:15. Before the Day of the Lord (Hogg & Vine, p. 247). man of sin. ver. **2 Th 2:8-10. +*Ps 89:22. %Pr 24:5. %Is 53:3. +*Da 7:24, 25. 8:24, 25. +*Da 11:36, 40n, 41n. **Mic 5:5, 6. Zc 9:13. 11:15. Mt 18:7. Ro 6:16. **+1 J 2:18. 3:4. Re 13:5, 6, 11, etc. Re 19:20. be revealed. Gr. apokaluptō (S#601g, Mt 10:26). ver. 2 Th 2:6. 2 Th 1:7. the son. FS108B44, 1 S 20:21. Titles of the Antichrist (**Mic 5:5n). +*Ps 89:22. +Jn 17:12. Re 17:8, 11. of perdition. Gr. apōleia (S#684g, Mt 7:13). Spoken in reference to his destiny. Like olethros (2 Th 1:9), apōleia is a general term for disaster, material and spiritual, temporal and eternal. In no one of its NT occurrences is the idea of cessation of being necessarily involved (see Hogg and Vine, pp. 248, 249). Ac 1:25. Phil 3:19. +2 P 3:7. Re 17:8, 11.

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Daily Bible Nugget #247, Psalm 119:113

Posted on May 4, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Psa 119:113 I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love.

My Comment:

The saints love the Scriptures exceedingly (The New Topical Textbook, topic “The Scriptures,” page 240). By “saints” is meant ordinary Bible-believing Christians. The Psalmist wrote that he hated vain thoughts. Better than those vain thoughts were what he found in the Bible to meditate upon. He loved the Bible. In the light of eternity, surely many things we might fill our daily thoughts with are not so significant and important as what God has placed in the Bible for us to enjoy, learn more about, think about, even pray about. Make the Bible a higher priority in your life. Get to know more about it. Get to know the Bible itself by reading it regularly. Beyond reading it, learn to study it. Search the Scriptures daily. Share what you are learning from the Bible with another person. I believe that the more we read and study the Bible, the more we learn about and from the Bible, the more interesting the Bible gets. We too can come to the point that the Psalmist reached where we hate vain thoughts, but love God’s Word.

For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:

(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 632 for Psalm 119:113.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 676 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Psalm 119:113.

(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:

Psalm 119:113. hate. ver. +*Ps 119:104, 163. Ps 31:6. *Ps 94:11. +*Ps 101:3. Pr 24:9. *Is 55:7. *Je 4:14. Mk 7:21. Ro 7:15. *2 Cor 10:5. vain thoughts. Note: Or, “divided thoughts,” “saiaphim,” or, as Gesenius renders, “ambiguities (or indecisions) in religion;” Luther, “inconstant fellows;” LXX., “transgressors,” Vulgate, “iniquitous,” and Jerome, “tumultuous.” Kay notes, men who waver in their allegiance to God. +*Ps 12:2. 1 K 18:21mg. 1 Ch 12:33. 29:18. Pr 24:9. Je 23:26, 28. Ho 10:2. Mt 15:19. Lk 11:23. **+Phil 4:6-8. +*James 1:8. 4:8. thy law. ver. *Ps 119:97, *Ps 119:103. Ro 7:22. do I love. ver. +Ps 119:140.

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Daily Bible Nugget #246, Psalm 119:97

Posted on May 3, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Psalm 119:97 O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.

My Comment:

The saints love the Scriptures exceedingly (The New Topical Textbook, topic “The Scriptures,” page 240). By “saints” is meant ordinary Bible-believing Christians. True Christians love the Bible. It may be that there are some Christians who fall short here. That love should be the result of what the Holy Spirit of God is doing in each life by means of the Bible. If the Scriptures are not a delight to you, you may find that by reading them more, and actually studying them, you will grow in your love for them. The general rule of learning about anything, especially something new, is that the more you learn the easier it is to learn more and the more interesting the subject becomes. The Psalmist writes that God’s Word is his meditation all the day. That is a good example to follow.

For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:

(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 631 for Psalm 119:97.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on pages 675-676 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Psalm 119:97.

(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:

Psalm 119:97. O how. T#1080. ver. Ps 119:24, *Ps 119:48, *Ps 119:113, 127, *Ps 119:159, 163, 165, *Ps 119:167. *Ps 1:2. %Ps 52:3, 4. 112:1. **Ps 138:2. *Dt 6:6-9. *Dt 17:18, 19. **Jsh 1:8. %1 K 22:8. 2 Ch 34:18. Ne 8:12. Pr 2:10. 18:1. I love thy law. This is the attitude true Bible believing Christians have toward the written Word of God found in the Bible. But some religious groups, especially the Roman Catholic Church, argue that “Scripture never says that Scripture is the sole infallible authority for God’s Word” in an argument to support the Roman Catholic view that “Scripture Alone Disproves ‘Scripture Alone.'” Almost every false cult holds a similar view. No one who studies the Bible itself and receives it for what it says about itself would ever come to hold this view about the Bible from a study of Scripture itself. This Roman Catholic argument is INVALID in that form because what is really at question is not if or whether Scripture says in exactly those words that it is the sole infallible authority for God’s Word, but is this a proper, necessary, and valid inference to be drawn from the statements and examples that are given in the Bible. Of course the claim that “Scripture alone disproves ‘Scripture alone'” argued by Roman Catholics is not a valid inference drawn directly from Scripture, but the very opposite. ver. Ps 119:9, +Ps 119:47, 159, 163, 165. Ps 19:7. 112:1. Pr 12:1. Dt 11:8. Ro 7:22. *2 Cor 3:7, 8. 1 Tim 1:8. +**2 Tim 3:16, 17. meditation. ver. Ps 119:15, 24, 99. +*Ps 1:2. 104:34. Ge 24:63. Jb 15:4. Pr 2:10. 15:14. 18:15. Is 29:24. +*Je 15:16. Ezk 3:3. Lk 11:36. +**Jn 5:39. Ro 12:2. **1 Tim 4:13, 15. all the day. Ps 25:5. **Dt 6:7. **Dt 17:19. +*Jsh 1:8. Pr 6:22. +**Ac 17:11.

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Daily Bible Nugget #245, Romans 3:2

Posted on May 2, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Romans 3:2 Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.

My Comment:

The advantage of possessing the Scriptures is discussed by Paul at Romans 3:2. The Jews were at a great advantage in spiritual things for a long time because they were entrusted with the oracles of God–the Bible. Paul speaks again about this issue in Ephesians 2:12 where he explains that non-Jews were strangers to the covenants of promise. They did not have access to the Bible then like we have today. At that time the Gentile world was without a hope, and without God in the world. That is the case for everyone in the world today who does not have access to the Bible, or has access to the Bible but does not read and study it. A person who knows how to read but does not do so is not much better off than a person who does not know how to read. But with the Bible the issues are crucial. If you do not read the Bible and believe its message, unless you are fortunate enough that some one has told you the message accurately so you could learn its message by hearing instead of reading, you cannot be saved. So to have the Bible is surely a very important matter for time and eternity. God has blessed us with the great privilege of access to His written Word in the Bible. Be sure not to miss the benefits of this access to the Bible we now enjoy.

For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:

(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 1276 for Romans 3:2.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1296 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Romans 3:2.

(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:

Romans 3:2. Much. ver. *Ro 3:3. Ro 11:1, 2, 15-23, *Ro 11:28, 29. %Phil 3:3. because that unto them. ver. Ro 3:19. *Ro 2:14, 18. **Ro 9:4. Le 15:2. *Dt 4:7, 8. 32:10. *2 S 7:23. *Ne 9:13, 14. Ps 76:1. *Ps 78:4-7. *Ps 147:19, 20. +**Is 8:20n. 40:21. *Ezk 20:11, 12. **Lk 16:29-31. +Jn 4:22. +**Jn 5:39. Ga 3:19. +**2 Tim 3:15-17. *2 P 1:19-21. *Re 19:10. committed. or, entrusted with. T#1079. Ex 25:16. Dt 4:8. *Ps 147:19, 20. 1 Cor 9:17. 2 Cor 5:19. Ga 2:7. 1 Th 2:4. *1 Tim 1:11. 3:15. 6:20. 2 Tim 1:14. *Titus 1:3. the oracles. Ro 1:2. 2:23. Nu 24:16. Dt 4:5, 6. +*2 Ch 17:9. **Ps 19:7. **Ps 119:103, 140. *Da 10:21. Is 22:1. **40:8. Ho 8:12. +Ac 7:38. +**2 Tim 3:15, 16. *He 5:12. **1 P 4:11. +*2 P 1:20n, 21. Re 22:6.

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The Rapture Question Answered, Part 1

Posted on May 1, 2014 by Jerry

I received an email newsletter on April 28, 2014 which contained an excellent article by John Little about the Rapture. As I understand his article, he does not believe in the Pre-tribulation Rapture position.

As usual, I cannot figure out how to make a link “live” in my main Post or article: The link is

http://www.omegashock.com/2014/04/28/prophecy-clock-the-rapture/

I will post this link below in the comment section where it will be a live link for anyone to follow.

It is my goal to hear what John Little has presented, to consider what he presents, and to provide a better exposition of Scripture whenever I find his explanation to be incorrect, and to receive his explanation whenever he is correct.

Readers of this site know well that I will change my own position whenever my position is proven to be mistaken, based on a better explanation of the evidence given in the Bible.

From the newsletter:

I’ve been trying to avoid this topic for a long time. I don’t like controversy, and this site is really about only one thing – helping you survive what is coming. Unfortunately, I’ve painted myself into a corner, so we need to talk about this subject.

The problem is that if you believe that the rapture will happen before anything bad comes… well, you won’t prepare. And, history is full of what happens to people who believe that nothing bad can happen to them. Please remember that it doesn’t matter what YOU think about what God is saying. It truly only matters what GOD thinks about what He is saying.

I think John Little’s motive is clear, and it is a good motive. We surely do need to be prepared (Proverbs 22:3).

Since this article threatens to be pretty long, I’m going to discuss the undeniable evidence first. And no, you CANNOT argue with these verses.

John may be correct that we cannot argue with the verses he is about to present, but sometimes we need to discuss whether the offered interpretation of any verses given to support a position is correct. I have posted in the October 2010 Archives available immediately to the right on this page a list of 23 rules of Bible interpretation. As long as the rules are not broken, the offered interpretation is likely correct.

Absolute Proof First

Paul reached out to the church in Thessalonica because they were thrown into turmoil over the idea of the Rapture. It appears that someone was telling them that they had missed it. Here is what Paul says in 2 Thessalonians 2:

Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. – 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4

The Antichrist MUST come before the Rapture. There is no other way that you can interpret this verse. None.

This is a very good choice of Bible text with which to begin a discussion of the Rapture. However, the rules of interpretation require that we carefully consider the context of any verse we are attempting to interpret. And in this case, the preceding context is crucial, and may well settle the issue at square one:

2Th 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,

2Th 2:2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.

I believe that a careful reading of 2 Thessalonians 2:1 will show that Paul’s subject in that verse is the Rapture. Paul’s expression, “by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” is a reference to the coming of Jesus Christ at the Rapture. This is made clear as Paul immediately specifies which coming he has reference to when he writes “and by our gathering together unto him.” This is a direct reference to what Paul taught the Thessalonian believers in his first letter, and no doubt when he was personally present with them conducting his teaching ministry to them.

“Our gathering together unto him” is a reference to 1 Thessalonians 4:17.

1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

For those who wish to study this subject further, consult the cross references for 2 Thessalonians 2:1 as I have assembled them below:

2 Thessalonians 2:1. we beseech. See on +*Ro 12:1. 1 Cor 1:10. *He 10:25. by the coming. Gr. parousia, +Mt 24:3. This is the coming at the Pretribulation Rapture. There are no Resurrection/Rapture passages which speak of the Great Tribulation (in terms of the Rapture occurring during the Great Tribulation period), and no Great Tribulation passages which speak of a COMBINED resurrection of the dead in Christ AND rapture and translation of living believers. ver. 2 Th 2:8 Jn 14:3. See on +1 Th 2:19. +**1 Th 4:14-16n. 1 Tim 6:14. +*2 Tim 4:1n. He 9:28n. and by. +*Ge 49:10. Mt 24:31. 25:32. Mk 13:27. +*Ep 1:10. +*1 Th 3:13. +**1 Th 4:17n. +*2 Tim 4:1n. our gathering. +*Ps 50:5. **Ps 102:21, 22. Is 58:8mg. +*Ezk 17:23. Ac 20:7n. +**1 Th 4:17n. together. Paul makes reference to the “gathering” taught in 1 Th 4:17 (“caught up together with them”) which takes place at the Pre-tribulation Rapture. This gathering does not follow the apostasy and the coming of the Antichrist. Rather, those two events must follow the Pretribulation Rapture, the “gathering” Paul speaks of here. 1 Th 4:17. He 10:25g. unto him. +*Ge 49:10. Ps 50:5. **Ps 102:22. Is 11:10. Mt 18:20. Jn 12:32. 14:3. 2 Cor 5:15. Ep 3:21. He 13:13.

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Daily Bible Nugget #244, James 1:22

Posted on May 1, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

My Comment:

Mere hearers of the Scriptures deceive themselves (The New Topical Textbook, topic “The Scriptures,” page 240). We are to be doers of the word, not just hearers. To hear the word and not respond to it in obedience is to deceive ourselves. So likewise to read God’s Word and not obey it is to deceive ourselves. We also deceive ourselves if we do not carefully study the Bible for ourselves. The Bible itself teaches how to do God’s Word. For guidance, see such passages as 1 Corinthians 13:4-8; 2 Peter 1:3-4, 5-8; James 4:7, 8. We deceive ourselves if we simply take someone else’s word of explanation to guide us as to what the Bible means. We need to carefully examine what we are taught, and compare it closely to the Bible, to be sure it is correct. There are many teachers of the Bible who sincerely attempt to communicate its message. But sincerity is not enough. The Bereans checked up on the Apostle Paul (Acts 17:11, 12), and were commended or praised for doing so. We need to do just as they did. They searched the Scriptures daily to see if what Paul taught was so. But notice the wonderful result of their searching: “therefore many of them believed.” They were not mere hearers, but doers of the Word. They did not deceive themselves. Rather, the Bereans are a good example of proving all things and holding fast to what is true (1 Thessalonians 5:21). Checking up on what others teach (1 Corinthians 14:29; 1 John 4:1) may not be a popular or comfortable thing to do, but it is necessary. We need to check up on our own belief to be sure it is true! In the process of evaluating what we hear and read, we need to (1) investigate carefully and thoroughly before making a judgment call, John 7:51; Proverbs 14:15; (2) be careful about believing something just because it fits in with what we want to believe (Proverbs 14:12). (3) Treat others who have a view different from your own with gentleness and respect, with meekness and fear (1 Peter 3:15). And in all cases, stay in the Word of God and make it our continuing study. Obey what God commands. Let the Holy Spirit produce the fruit of the Spirit in our lives (Galatians 5:22, 23).

For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:

(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 1447 for James 1:22.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1466 or in Logos 5 Bible software for James 1:22.

(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:

James 1:22. But be ye. or, But become ye. Gr. ginomai. Present tense, middle voice, imperative mood verb. Mt 10:16. doers. ver. James 1:25. James 2:14-20. 4:11, **James 4:17. *Ex 24:7. 35:1. Le 20:8. Dt 15:5. +*Dt 26:16. 28:58. +**Jsh 1:8. **2 K 22:13. +*Ps 15:5. +*Ps 119:1. Pr 8:34. *Pr 15:32mg. Je 11:6. 38:20. Ezk 18:5, 9. Mt 5:19. **Mt 7:21-25. 12:50. 13:23. *Mt 28:20. *Lk 6:46-48. *Lk 8:15, 21. +*Lk 11:28. +*Lk 12:47, 48. *Jn 8:31. +*Jn 13:17. *Ro 2:13. 8:2. 15:18. 1 Cor 9:21. Ga 6:2. Ep 2:10. **Phil 4:8, 9. *Col 3:17. 2 Th 2:17. Titus 3:8. **1 J 2:3, 9, 10. 3:7. *3 J 1:11. *Re 22:7. the word. ver. James 1:18, 21, 23. +*Ps 119:48. Mk 4:14. Jn 5:38. not hearers. Gr. akroatēs (S#202g, only here, ver. James 1:23, 25; Ro 2:13), a hearer (merely) [Strong]. James 2:14. Ezk 33:4. *Mk 6:20. Ro 2:23. only. +*Ezk 33:31, 32. Lk 6:49. deceiving. or, ensnaring. Gr. paralogizomai (S#3884g, only here and Col 2:4), to deceive by false reasoning (CB); to misreckon, that is, delude (Strong); to use fallacies (Lange). By the logical fallacy that the mere hearing is all that is needed (see JFB). T#1078. ver. James 1:26. James 2:24. 3:13. Ge 29:25. 31:41. +**Dt 7:25. Jsh 9:22. 1 S 28:12. +*Ps 5:9. +*Pr 14:12. 16:25. Is 44:20. Je 37:9. 42:20. +*Ob 1:3. Ro 7:11. *1 Cor 3:18. +*1 Cor 6:9, 10. 8:1. 15:33. *Ga 6:3, 7. **Col 2:4. 2 Tim 3:13. Titus 3:3. 2 P 2:13. **1 J 1:8. Re 12:9. your own selves. *Pr 21:2. 27:19.

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Daily Bible Nugget #243, Nehemiah 8:1

Posted on April 30, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Nehemiah 8:1 And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel.

My Comment:

All should desire to hear the Scriptures (The New Topical Textbook, topic “The Scriptures,” page 240). The people in Nehemiah’s day were very eager to hear the reading of God’s Word. They asked Ezra to “bring the book.” We ought to be just as eager as they were to hear and receive God’s Word in the Bible. We have the great advantage in our day that our Bibles are conveniently portable, and we all know how to read. God’s Word is only found in the Bible. God’s Word can exert a powerful influence for good in your life if you will take time to read it. I suggest reading the Bible daily. You can start small–reading even five minutes a day will prove helpful. If you are generally acquainted with the Bible, start at Matthew in the New Testament and read straight through to the book of Revelation. If you are not very acquainted with the Bible, start with the Gospel of Mark, the second book in the New Testament. I suggest that because Mark is shorter and easier to understand. As a teenager I kept a plain paper marker in my New Testament and kept a written record on it, recording the chapter and verse where I stopped reading each day. I did not limit myself to just five minutes a day. I devoted twenty minutes a day before starting on my homework. I read at other times as there was opportunity. I would say not only should all desire to hear the Scriptures–I think everyone should desire to read them for themselves. Encourage others in your circle of influence to read the Bible. Bible reading will greatly enrich your life and the life of anyone who will read the Bible. Bible reading will encourage you spiritually. It will keep you on the right road. It will provide guidance for your life. It will provide you with encouragement and erase depression. It will give you a much better grasp of why God has placed us here and what His plans are. The more you read the Bible, the more interesting the Bible will become. If you are not reading your Bible regularly, start today.

For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:

(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 473 for Nehemiah 8:1.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 532 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Nehemiah 8:1.

(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:

Nehemiah 8:1. A.M. 3559. B.C. 445. all the people. Ezr 3:1-5. gathered. Le 8:3. 9:5. Zp 2:1. Jn 11:55. as one man. Jg 20:1, 8. before. ver. Ne 8:16. Ne 3:26. 12:37. 2 Ch 32:6. gate. FS171S7B, +Ge 14:7. they spake. T#1077. Ezra. ver. Ne 8:4-9. *Ezr 7:6, 10, 11, 25. Je 8:8, 9. Mt 13:52. 23:2, 13, 34. the scribe. 1 Ch 24:6. bring the book. Dt 31:11. 2 K 22:10. 23:2. 2 Ch 17:9. 34:15. **Is 8:20. Ml 4:4. of the law of Moses. Dt 31:26. 33:10. +*Jsh 1:8. 2 K 22:8. 23:2. **+2 Ch 17:9. Ezk 44:24. Ac 15:21. Ga 3:10.

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Daily Bible Nugget #242, Ephesians 6:17

Posted on April 29, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Ephesians 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

My Comment:

The Scriptures should be used against our spiritual enemies (The New Topical Textbook, topic “The Scriptures,” page 240). I have been sharing the sub-topics from The New Topical Textbook about “The Scriptures” for some while in these Daily Bible Nuggets. I first encountered this information as a teenager. I believe my study of this topic has had an important part in my life. I believe this topic to be one of the most important topics for Bible study there is. If we have a right understanding about the Bible based upon what the Bible says about itself, that will permit God’s Word in the Bible to have a proper place and impact upon our life. Without this understanding we will be weak and anemic Christians in no position to be what God really wants us to be.

Paul speaks of the Bible as the sword of the Spirit. The sword of the Spirit is the word of God. Some while ago on this site I quoted a meaty paragraph from Bishop Horsley, who highly commended studying the Bible by means of cross references. It was his observation and belief that anyone who learns truth from the Bible by studying it this way would be well prepared against false teachers and false teaching. Doing Real Bible Study for ourselves is an important way to defeat the devil’s attacks against us. But a sword is not only a defensive weapon. A sword can be an offensive weapon. The Bible can and should be used to inform others about the truth. I believe the Gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who will believe it (Romans 1:16). I believe if more people truly believed the Gospel and lived accordingly that our present society would be much better for it. Not to mention that since each person, each soul, is worth more than the whole world, according to what Jesus said, we ought to be very eager to reach others for Christ.

For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:

(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 1369 for Ephesians 6:17.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1388 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Ephesians 6:17.

(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:

Ep 6:17. And take. or, receive. Gr. dechomai (S#1209g, Mt 10:14). We receive, we do not take, salvation (CB). the helmet. 1 S 17:5, 38. Ps 140:7. *Is 59:17. **1 Th 5:8. salvation. *Ps 27:1. Is 61:10. Lk 2:30. 3:6. Ac 28:28g. *He 6:17-19. the sword. =Ex 32:27. 1 S 21:9. Ps 64:3. SongS 3:8. Is 49:2. Ho 6:5. Zc 9:13. 2 Cor 6:7. *Phil 1:17. 1 Tim 1:18. 2 Tim 2:3. **He 4:12. Re 1:16. 2:16. *Re 19:15. Spirit. Gr. pneuma, +Mt 3:16. Ep 4:3. +Jn 7:39. which. *Mt 4:4, 7, 10, 11. *2 Cor 10:4. He 12:5, 6. *He 13:5, 6. *Re 12:11. word. or, utterance. Gr. rhēma (S#4487g), Mk 9:32n. The written word. “Here a rhema is the sword of the Spirit used in spiritual warfare to carry out God’s will in the earth, as in He 11:3. Compare Ro 10:17″ (Lavender NT, fn g). +*Is 8:20n. Mt 4:4, 6, 7, 10. of God. T#1076. Ep 5:26. Ps 17:4. **Is 55:11. Ho 6:5. *Mt 4:4-10. Lk 4:4, 8, 10. +Ro 9:6. **1 Th 2:13. +**2 Tim 3:15-17. **He 4:12. 6:5. *2 P 1:21. Re 19:13.

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Daily Bible Nugget #241, Ephesians 6:11

Posted on April 28, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

My Comment:

The Scriptures should be used against our spiritual enemies. We are to put on the whole armor of God in order to be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Part of that armor, and a most important part, is the Bible itself. Jesus used it directly against Satan during the temptation in the wilderness. If we are not knowledgeable about the Bible, we are living beneath our privileges, and we don’t have the armor on that God has provided for our use. If we are rooted and grounded and established in our faith (Colossians 2:7), and if we continue in the faith “grounded and settled” (Colossians 1:23), we will be far less likely to fall prey to the purveyors of false doctrine, to false teaching, to mistaken lifestyles. Does it matter whether we can defend ourselves against mistaken teaching? It most certainly does. Many teachers today play down the possibility of falling prey to apostasy. That is a very dangerous attitude to have, and is not in line with Scripture. The Bible, when carefully studied at length, will be seen to teach that there are two classes or kinds of apostasy to avoid: doctrinal apostasy and moral apostasy. It is important to understand that apostasy can be committed by those who are true believers, who are genuinely saved. The warning given by Peter in 2 Peter 3:16, 17 is clearly addressed to believers, whom Peter addresses as “beloved.” Jesus warned us not to be deceived (Matthew 24:4). The Bible is full of warnings and cautions against falling for deception (Proverbs 14:15). The Bible is truly a wonderful resource for building up or strengthening our spiritual life. Don’t get caught without your armor on!

For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:

(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 1368 for Ephesians 6:11.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1388 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Ephesians 6:11.

(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:

Ephesians 6:11. Put on. Gr. enduō (S#1746g, Mt 6:25). Aorist middle imperative. One of four imperatives in the immediate context: ver. Ep 6:10, be strong; ver. Ep 6:11, Put on; ver. Ep 6:13, take unto you, or you must take up; ver. Ep 6:14, Stand therefore, or you must stand. FS7, Allegory by continued Hypocatastasis, +Ga 4:24. The imperative is a command from one will to another will, given in anticipation of a volitional response. So the will plays a vital role in spiritual matters—volition is involved in response to the Divine imperative! But when men are deceived, the will is rendered ineffective, thus one cannot meet the conditions given by God. Satan’s design is not deception for the deception’s sake, but to induce volitional paralysis, to render men passive, to neutralize the will, so that the Divine imperatives cannot be carried out (Mt 8:22. Mk 1:15. Ac 16:31. 2 Cor 5:20)! Note further, Paul uses the middle voice five times in ver. Ep 6:11-17. The middle voice represents the subject as acting in relation to itself, as being intimately involved in the action and participating in the results of the action. You must put on for yourselves (ver. Ep 6:11); having tightened for yourselves (ver. Ep 6:14); having put on for yourselves (ver. Ep 6:14, 15); take for yourselves (ver. Ep 6:17); for yourselves shows the significance of the middle voice. The armor is supplied by God, but must be put on by us (Lavender NT, fn d). ver. Ep 6:14. *Ep 4:24. Jsh 4:13. Jg 3:2. 2 K 3:21. Ne 4:13, 17. Ps 144:1. Je 43:12. Jn 18:11. +Ro 6:4n. *+Ro 13:12, 14. Ga 3:27. Col 3:10. whole armour. ver. *Ep 6:13g. Lk 11:22g. *Ro 13:12. *2 Cor 6:7. *2 Cor 10:4. *1 Th 5:8. 2 Tim 2:3. able. ver. *Ep 6:13. Mt 11:12. *Lk 14:29-31. **1 Cor 10:13. 14:8. Phil 1:30. *He 7:25. *Jude 1:24. the wiles. +*Ep 4:14g. Ne 6:5. *Mk 13:22. Ro 7:21. *2 Cor 2:11. *2 Cor 4:4. **2 Cor 11:3, 13-15. *2 Th 2:9-11. *1 P 5:8. *2 P 2:1-3. Re 2:24. 12:9. 13:11-15. 19:20. 20:2, 3, 7, 8. of the devil. Ep 4:27. Mt 13:39. Ac 5:3. James 4:7. 1 P 5:9. Re 2:10, 24.

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Daily Bible Nugget #240, Matthew 4:10

Posted on April 27, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Mat 4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

My Comment:

The Scriptures should be used against our spiritual enemies. Our spiritual enemies include those who proclaim a message that is false to the Bible. But our enemies may also include the world, the flesh, and the devil. Of course our main spiritual enemy is Satan. But he has lots of helpers, and many have joined his team, or are on his team by default (John 3:18, 19). As for the world, in Bible terms, this has to do with the culture that surrounds us, not the physical planet. In 1 John 2:15 the Bible tells us not to love the world. Then it further spells out what is in the world that we are not to love: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16). John then gives a wonderful promise: the world passes away, and the lust thereof, but he that does the will of God abides forever (1 John 2:17). This passage (1 John 2:15-17) makes for very instructive practical application cross reference study. I presented the cross references for this passage at Bible Nugget 102, posted December 5, 2013 (https://realbiblestudy.com/?p=833). In his attempt to tempt Jesus, Satan appealed to Jesus by offering Jesus the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them. Satan told Jesus, “All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me” (Matthew 4:9). Did you know that the Bible, especially in the New Testament, has several different kinds of “ifs”? Some “ifs” are more “iffy” than other ifs. When Satan told Jesus in Matthew 4:3, “If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread,” the “if” he used does not raise or express any doubt about Jesus being the Son of God. Even Satan understood and acknowledged that. But when in Matthew 4:9, Satan says “if thou wilt fall down and worship me,” Satan uses an “if” which expresses considerable doubt: Satan made the offer that if Jesus worshipped him, Satan would give Christ the kingdoms and glory of the world. Once again, Jesus responded to His spiritual enemy by quoting the Bible, saying “it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve” (Matthew 4:10). We should follow the example Jesus gave and learn to use the Bible against our own spiritual foes.

For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:

(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 1018 for Matthew 4:10.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1037 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Matthew 4:10.

(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:

Matthew 4:10. Then saith. =He 11:24, 25. Get. FS34, +Ps 50:16. Mt 16:21-23. %Ge 3:1-7. Ps 17:4. Mk 8:33. %Lk 4:13. James 4:7. 1 P 5:8, 9. Satan. ver. Mt 4:1. Nu 22:22. 1 S 29:4. 1 Ch 21:1. Jb 1:6, 12. 2:1. Ps 109:6. Zc 3:1, 2. Gr. Satanas, i.e. an adversary, *S#4567g. Mt 4:10. 12:26. 16:23. Mk 1:13. 3:23, 26. 4:15. 8:33. Lk 4:8. 10:18. 11:18. 13:16. 22:3, 31. Jn 13:27. Ac 5:3. 26:18. Ro 16:20. +1 Cor 5:5. 7:5. *2 Cor 2:11. *2 Cor 11:14. 1 Th 2:18. 2 Th 2:9. 1 Tim 1:20. 5:15. Re 2:9, 13, 13, 24. 3:9. 12:9. 20:2, 7. See *S#4566g, 2 Cor 12:7. For *S#7854h, see Jb 1:6, Satan. for it is written. ver. Mt 4:4, 7. Mt 15:4. *Ep 6:17. Thou shalt. Mt 22:21. >Dt 6:13, 14. 10:20. Jsh 24:14. 1 S 7:3. Lk 4:8. worship. Gr. proskuneō (S#4352g, Mt 2:2). T#744. Mt 2:11. %+*Mt 14:33. +*Ex 20:2, 3, *Ex 20:5. *Ex 34:14. Dt 5:7. 11:16. +Ps 22:28 (T#280). Ps 96:4, 5, 8, 9. +Ec 12:13 (T#295). Lk 4:8. Ac 10:26. 14:15. +Col 2:18 (T#80). Re 4:10. 7:11. +*Re 19:10. +*Re 22:8, 9. the Lord. Jsh 22:34. Is 44:6-8. and him only. FS92E. Gnome; or, Quotation F/S 791: where the words are varied by omission, addition, or transposition. Here, the words are varied by addition, for the words “and him only shalt thou serve” are not quoted from Deuteronomy (but see Dt 6:13n), but added by our Lord. For other instances of this figure see Mt 4:15, 16. 5:31. 12:18-21. 19:5. 22:24. Lk 4:8. Ro 11:3, 4. 1 Cor 2:9. 14:21. 1 P 1:24, 25. shalt thou. T#241. Mt 6:24. 22:37, 38. Ex 20:2. 23:25. Dt 10:20. 13:4. +Jsh 22:5. 1 S 7:3. 1 K 13:16. 1 Ch 29:11. 2 Ch 30:8. +Ps 22:28 (T#280). Da 3:28. Lk 16:13. serve. Gr. latreuō [S#3000g: Rendered (1) serve: Mt 4:10. Lk 1:74. 2:37. 4:8. Ac 7:7. 26:7. 27:23. Ro 1:9, 25. 2 Tim 1:3. He 8:5. 9:14. 12:28. 13:10. Re 7:15. 22:3. (2) worship: Ac 7:42. 24:14. Phil 3:3. (3) do the service: He 9:9].

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