The Aaron Papers  www.the-aaron-papers.net 

A SYSTEMATIC STUDY IN BIBLICAL THEOLOGY

CHAPTER VII

-OUR PROMISED HEAVENLY HOME-

JESUS tells us—“Let not your heart be troubled: You believe in God, believe also in me.  In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you; I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again, and will receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” (Jn.14:1-3)

Heb.12:18-21 tells us not to look at all to “the earthly.”  “But you are come to Mt. Zion, and to the city of the Living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable hosts of angels, to the general assembly and Church of the Firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the Mediator of a New Covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better than that of Abel.” (Heb.12:22-24)

We must surely see from all of these heavenly pictures that are being described for us here, that the completed Kingdom is yet missing.  The same kingdom that is presently being developed here on earth, and will ultimately be delivered up to our God in Heaven.

“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.  Who shall fashion anew the body of our humiliation, that it may be conformed to the body of His glory.” Amen! (Phil.3:20 and 21)

In order for us to take full advantage of all of our eternal promises, we will ultimately need to be in our new bodies; in our incorruptible—immortal bodies; Like our Lord, in our resurrected bodies.

*-A PROMISED HEAVENLY PRESENCE FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE INVISIBLE PRIESTHOOD-

“The Lord will deliver me from every evil work, and will save me unto His Heavenly Kingdom.” (2Tim.4:18a)

*-SOUL STATE-

“Jesus said unto him: Truly, I say unto you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” (Lu.23:43)

There is no doubt what so ever, that the elect priests of God go immediately into Christ's Heavenly Kingdom at the time of their death.

** “If then you were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above where Christ is seated on the right hand of God.” (Col.3:1)

          ** That is, if we are a participant in the first resurrection.

“We are willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord.” (2Cor.5:8) 

          “(For) I am hard pressed between the two; having a desire to depart and be with Christ, for it is very much better. (Phil.1:23)

“I saw underneath the alter, the souls of them that had been slain for the word of God and the testimony which they held.” (Rev.6:9-11)

It is extremely important that we make a clear distinction between the body and the soul.  The two are completely different: And this difference must be carefully observed throughout all of our eschatological exegesis.

“I saw the souls of them that had been beheaded for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.” (Rev.20:4)

“Simon Peter said unto Him: Lord, where are You going?  Jesus answered: Where I go, you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterwards.” (Jn.13:36)

**“Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection: Over these, the second death has no power; but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and they shall reign with Him one thousand years.” (Rev.20:6)

The first thing that we must see here, is that our presence in Heaven is the first indication that we have been made partakers in the first resurrection.  We must also know that these souls pictured here have already experienced death.  That is, because of this specific reference—that the second death has no impending power over them.  The time frame of this picture must be set before the gathering of the invisible priesthood.  This is necessary because of the continued identification of those who are present here in Heaven as souls and also the noticeable absence of the Kingdom itself.  These souls that are pictured here, are the souls of just the elect priests who have passed on to their promised Heavenly residence.  The fulfilled Kingdom, which consists of the resurrected priesthood in their glorified bodies, will not be delivered up into Heaven until after the invisible priesthood is gathered up into the clouds to be with their Lord.  Ref. 1Cor.15:23,24

*-THE GATHERING OF THE INVISIBLE PRIESTHOOD-

“And He (Jesus) shall send forth His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of HEAVEN to the other.” (Mat.24:31)

“And then shall He (Jesus) send forth the angels, and shall gather together His elect form the four winds, from the uttermost part of EARTH to the uttermost part of HEAVEN.” (Mk.13:27)

Here we have been told that only the elect saints are being gathered up by the angels of the Lord.  Now these saints are being gathered together from the four winds of HEAVEN and EARTH: Gathered together for their promised reunion with their Lord in the air.

“And I heard another voice from heaven, saying: Come forth, MY PEOPLE, out of her, that you have no fellowship with her sins, and that you receive not of her plagues.” (Rev.18:4)

The implication of this verse, is the necessity for the general removal of God's elect priests before His plagues are poured out upon this sad world.

Now this general removal of the elect saints of God, happens only when the invisible elect priests are gathered up from off this earth in their incorruptible—immortal bodies: Gathered up in their resurrected bodies to be with their Lord.  Some have defined this special pre-Armageddon gathering as the “rapture”

This specific promise of resurrection and translation was not as clearly defined in the Old Testament (Dan.12:1 and 2) as it subsequently has been in the New Testament.  It is now termed a mystery: Which we might define as something once hidden, but now revealed.  Where the Old Testament [Gen.5:] eluded to the translation of living saints, the New Testament [Heb.11:5; Mat.24; Mk.13; 1Cor.15 and 1Thes.4] openly explain this blessed mystery in clear and understandable language.

“Christ the Firstfruits, then they that are Christ's at His coming: Then comes the end, when He shall DELIVER UP THE KINGDOM TO GOD.” (1Cor.15:23 and 24)

"The end" that is being referred to here in this passage, should be understood to mean the end of this dispensation of grace: When all hope for salvation as we now know it today, may be gone forever.

In order for us to better understand the bodily state of our promised heavenly rest, we must understand this New Testament mystery that God has given for the benefit of His invisible priesthood.

           “Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep (die), but we shall all be changed (translated), in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, (a) and the dead shall be raised (resurrected) incorruptible,”

This portion of the gathering is positively referring only to the hidden elect saints of God.  Those hidden elect priests from this dispensation of grace.  This also confirms the Mat.24 and Mk.13 accounts of a sudden gathering of only the elect saints.  But this cannot be the GENERAL RESURRECTION, because we are told that there are living beings still present upon the earth after this resurrection is complete.  I do not believe that we interpret any living mortal beings upon the earth at, or after, the time of the general resurrection—see Mat.25 and Rev.20.

(b) “And we (the elect saints who would be alive at the time of this resurrection) shall be changed (Translated: the mortal will put on immortality).”

It is after the incorruptible dead (those elect saints who were previously gathered out of Heaven; those who now sleep in Christ, along with those from under the alter) are raised in their incorruptible resurrected bodies.  It is here that we see this specific promise that so obviously makes a separate resurrection necessary—It is the immediate resurrection and translation of living mortal believers into their immortal bodies.  But even here, with this prophetic picture in hand, we still essentially have two resurrections.  First, we see the incorruptible dead /or the living dead raised in their resurrected incorruptible bodies.  Then secondly, we see the remaining living elect saints of God, whom we have identified as the living mortal hidden priests of God, being immediately changed /or translated into their immortal bodies.

“For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” (1Cor.15:51-53)

“(We) who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for our adoption, to wit, the redemption of our (bodies).” (Rom.8:23b; Ref. Jas.1:18)

Then here in Rom.8, the hidden elect from this dispensation of grace are promised something very special and particular that was designed by God especially for them—“the redemption of their bodies.” 

We must try to understand all of the ramifications of this redemption.  What need would we have for this special promise of redemption, if we were going to be raised in the general resurrection anyway?  Obviously, if that was all that is involved here, there would not be a need for it at all.  So we must conclude that there is something more to be considered here than just the obvious. (Jn.11:20-27)

Then the conformation for all of these marvelous revelations, which includes this precise ordering of these miraculous events, is found in these passages taken from the First Epistle to the Thessalonians:

“For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we that are alive, that are left unto the coming (parousia) of the Lord, shall in no way precede them that are fallen asleep.  For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trump of God: and (1) THE DEAD IN CHRIST SHALL RISE FIRST; (2) THEN WE THAT ARE ALIVE, that are left, SHALL together with them BE CAUGHT UP in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” (1Thes.4:15-17)

This is one of the most important verses with respect to understanding a separate resurrection for the hidden elect saints from this dispensation: for understanding the redemption of our bodies. 

First we see that only "the dead in Christ shall raise first".  Not all of the dead that we would see raised in the general resurrection of Jn.5:28-29, but only "the dead in Christ".  This is very strange language that we are about to consider here.  So if this picture was in fact a picture of the general resurrection, it would not be possible to consider such a situation as this—where only the dead in Christ are being raised first.  It is only when we correctly understand this described situation, as a pictorial prediction of a separate resurrection for the hidden elect saints from this dispensation of grace, that we can begin to receive all of these passages at their face value. 

Secondly, we are told that “we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”  This specific promise for a translation of living beings is one of the keys that essentially establishes the mandate for a separate resurrection.  We must go all the way back to Gen.5: and then to the Heb.11:5 reference, to see the translation of Enoch: A vivid example of the same promise that is being propagated here for the hidden elect saints from this dispensation.  Another point is also being made here that must be considered: That both of these groups, when in their resurrection bodies, are “caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."  This picture absolutely precludes the possibility of any of the elect saints from this dispensation being involved in the judgment side of the general resurrection.  The natural separation that will occur at the time of this gathering that we see pictured in Mat.24; Mk.13; 1Cor.15; and 1Thes.4, as they "are caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air", immediately moves all of them into the supernatural realm.  Once these hidden elect priests are in their incorruptible—immortal bodies; in their resurrected bodies, they can no longer be pictured as souls, nor could an elect saint of God ever be classified as being dead.   Now if they cannot be pictured as a soul and if they cannot be classified as being dead, then they cannot, in any way shape or form, be involved in the judgment side of the general resurrection picture.

“Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God;” (1Cor.15:50a)

“Then shall two men be in one field; the one is taken, and one is left: Two women shall be grinding at the mill; one is taken, and one is left.  Watch therefore: For (you) know not on what day your Lord (will come).” (Mat.24:40-42)

“I say to you, In that night there shall be two men in one bed; one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.  There shall be two women grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.  And they answering said unto Him, Where Lord?  And He said unto them, Where the body (soma) is, there also will the eagles also be gathered together.” (Lu.17:34-37)

The Scriptures in Lu.17:34-37 are pointing back to vv.24-30 - The revelation of Jesus.  Consequently, the things preceding v.37 would appear to be the gathering.  Could the body of v.37 be Christ, or the body of Christ—His hidden priesthood?    Ref. SOMA: Eph.1:23; Col.1:18, 22, and 24. 

Parallel Scripture: Mat.24:28—Wheresoever the carcass [potma] is, there will the eagles be gathered together.  Pointing to v.27 - The revelation (parousia) of Jesus.  [Define] POTMA - That which is fallen:

[a] The slain Lamb.

[b] The crucified One.

The eagles would represent the gathered priesthood:

Isa.40:31—“They shall mount up with wings as eagles.”

Rev.12:14—“Given two wings of a great eagle.” 

It is not clear why these two Scriptures use completely different words in pictures that I believe are describing the exact same thing—Jesus.  Lu.17:25 has added some information to this picture: "But first He must suffer many things, and be rejected from this generation."   While the Mat.24 account makes no such reference.  The word carcass (potma) may be representative of the sufferings described in Lu.17:25.

*-THE COMPLETED GATHERING OF THE HIDDEN PRIESTHOOD IS PICTURED-

“I saw, and behold, a great multitude, which no man could number, out of every nation and of all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne (of God) and before the Lamb, arrayed in white robes, and palms in their hands; and they cried with a great voice, saying, Salvation unto our God who is sitting on the throne, and unto the Lamb.” (Rev.7:9 and 10)

I would identify all of those who are pictured here, as the fullness of the Kingdom (the body of Christ) that is at home in Heaven.  They would represent all of the priests who were elected during the entirety of God’s reconciliation.  This identification would be partially based on Rev.5:9 and 10—“And they” that are pictured here are the twenty-four elders who are in heaven: And these elders would be identified as the leaders of "the general assembly and Congregation of the Firstborn who are enrolled in heaven" (Heb.12:23).  And they sing a new song, saying, Worthy are you to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for you were slain, and did purchase unto God with your blood men of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation, and made them to be unto our God a kingdom and priest; and they reign upon earth."  To be able to fulfill 1Cor.15:23 and 24, "when He shall deliver up the Kingdom to God" who is in heaven, it is absolutely essential that that Kingdom be residing here on earth for this event to be fulfilled. 

*-CORPOREAL STATE-

“(These that have the white robes on): These are they that came out of (escaped) the great tribulation, and they washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.  Therefore are they before the throne of God;” who is in heaven (Rev.7:13a-15a)

It must be factually noted, that those whose bodily presence is pictured here before God’s heavenly throne, are no longer identified as souls.

*-HEAVENLY PICTURES-

“The Lamb standing on the (heavenly) Mt. Zion; and with Him, a hundred and forty-four thousand, having His name, and the name of His Father written on their foreheads...  These were purchased from among men, to be the firstfruits unto God and unto the Lamb.” (Rev.14:1-4; Ref. Rev.5:9 and 10; Rom.8:23; and Jas.1:18)

“(The victorious ones standing by the sea of glass, having the harps of God.  And they sang the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb.)” (Rev.15:2-4; Ref. Rev.4:6)

“I heard...a great multitude in Heaven, saying...The marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife has made herself ready.  Blessed are they that are (invited) to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” (Rev.19:1-9)

For this Scripture to be fulfilled: For "the marriage of the Lamb" to come to pass, it is absolutely essential that the hidden priesthood as a whole—the Kingdom of the Son of His love, be transported in their entirety up into God’s Heavenly Kingdom.  They do represent His wife that has made herself ready.  Every blood bought elect priest must be present at this great feast, for "Blessed are they that are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb."        

Rev.19:8 tells us that these were all clothed in fine linen, clean and bright.  The affirmation of those seen in the white robes—Rev.7:13.                                                                     -AMEN-