Brother Samson,

 

Yes sir!  I did indeed say that the "Great Commission" was not given to the Church.  The Church didn't exist when Jesus said that.  Jesus was telling His 12 Jewish disciples to "go into all the world and preach the Gospel....."   He was keeping to the plan of "To the Jew first, and also to the Gentile."  The 12 disciples were to go to the Jews and tell them of His resurrection and offer of Salvation.  And once the Gospel was presented to the Jews, then it would spread on out to the Gentiles.  It is important to understand that the Jews, God's chosen people, are to be the conduit through which salvation comes to mankind. 

 

As I said before, they didn't really understand the Gospel, and were presenting it incorrectly.  They were presenting the Gospel as a combination of Salvation through grace and works (the continuing practice of O.T. religion rituals.)  God had to intervene!!  The unbelieving Jews killed their Messiah, and the believers were preaching a tainted message.  So God decided to set the Jews aside temporarily and go directly to the Gentiles.  He chose Paul to accomplish this. 

 

The creation of the Church is a side issue.  Members of the Body of Christ become filled with the Holy Spirit upon salvation, and are to allow God to empower their new nature and guide them through the path that leads to their destiny....Heaven.  Thats the Church's essential mission. (Please read John Johnson's post on April 25.)  True, God does send certain ones out into the world to accomplish certain things, but His general intention for the Church is preparation for their New Home.  And like I said, too many Christians are neglecting their inner sanctification because they are too busy putting all their time and effort into Evangelizing. 

An example would be Jimmy Swaggart.  I'm sure he meant well, but he neglected his own walk with God and strayed and stumbled and lost his ministry.  And the world sees him and others as examples of what Christianity is all about and therefore sees Christians as hypocrites.  Our mission isn't to go into all the world.  Our mission is to come out of the world!!   God has turned the world over to its own devises, and is calling people out of it....He is forming the Bride/Body of Christ as the world is being allowed to deteriorate.  He will then take her out of the way and pour His wrath out on the Nation of Israel and the World.  It is a misconception among Christians that they can and are to try to win the world over to Christ.  The story has already been written.  The world is headed for Armaggedon.  Its God's plan and it will be accomplished.  Christians need to pay attention to their own journey out of the world and on to Heaven through the sanctification and glorification process. 

 

The Jews were set aside temporarily.  After the time of the Gentiles ends and the Bride is taken to the Father's House, then God resumes His program of salvation of the world through the Jews.  He seals 144,000 Jews so that they can continue, without harm, their commission to preach the Gospel to the world. 

 

As for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, this happens on Earth after the return of the Bride and Groom from the consummation of their Marriage in Heaven.  While at the Father's House, the Marriage is consummated and the rewards are given.  Plus I believe we will have plenty of time to get to know our Lord and our Brothers and Sisters much better, and to be able to check out the abilities of our new bodies as well as explore all of Heaven.  Revelation 19 says that after the world is properly judged and Babylon the Great has fallen, that the angels and martyrs and surviving believers all get very excited that the Bride and Groom are about to return.  Verses 7 and 8  tell that the Bride has been glorified and about to appear with her Groom.  Verse 9 tells of the Wise Virgins of Matthew 25 (the surviving Tribulation Believers) who will be invited to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.  The order of events are:  The Bride and Groom come back, Jesus ends the Battle of Armeggedon, He judges the Nations, He locks Satan in the pit for 1,000 years, He sets up His Kingdom, and then the wedding celebration commences, which includes the Marriage Supper.