Hello, John and Doves,Please do not preach error!It is written,"For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me."Clearly, Israel is God's elect.Concerning the goyim, it is written,"And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, [and] one shepherd."Since the time after the Rapture is the time of Jacob's trouble, if any goyim are saved, they must become Jews.It is written,"If there are foreigners living among you who want to celebrate the LORD's Passover, let all their males be circumcised. Only then may they celebrate the Passover with you like any native-born Israelite. But no uncircumcised male may ever eat the Passover meal."Now, on the heels of that, let us examine the words of Rabbi Saul."And if the Gentiles obey God's law, won't God declare them to be his own people?"In fact, uncircumcised Gentiles who keep God's law will condemn you Jews who are circumcised and possess God's law but don't obey it."For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the ceremony of circumcision."No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by God's Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise [fn] from God, not from people."Baruch HaShem Adonai Roi,Mike C._________________________________________________________________________________Bruce Warner (16 Feb 2012)
"THE GREAT TRIBULATION IS 'SHORTENED IN DURATION' and 'CUT SHORT BY THE RAPTURE' FOR THE ELECT ONLY....."
Dear Doves,
Matthew 24:22
'If those days (of great tribulation) had not been cut short (by the rapture), no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect (the Church) those days (of great tribulation) will be shortened (in duration)."
Therefore, the Church IS IN the early part of the great tribulation. Now we can understand the meaning following Scripture:
Revelation 7:13-14
"...who are they and where did they come from? These are THEY (the Church) WHO HAVE COME OUT OF THE GREAT TRIBULATION; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."
The raptured Church is now the great multitude in heaven standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. Now we can understand the meaning of the next Scripture:
Revelation 2:10
"DO NOT BE AFRAID OF WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO SUFFER, I tell you, the devil will put SOME of you in prison to test you, and YOU WILL SUFFER TRIBULATION FOR TEN DAYS. Be faithful even to the point of death, and I WILL GIVE YOU THE CROWN OF LIFE (at the rapture)."
The duration of the "shortened" great tribulation is "ten days" at which time the great tribulation is "cut short" for only "the elect" by the rapture.
According to Your Word, Come Lord Jesus!
Bruce Warner