The Wanderer

Scriptures I Studied…

• Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
• Mark 4:26-29
• Daniel 12
• Revelation 19:11-…
• 1 Thessalonians 4:

What I noticed…

I started to read the book of Matthew about 1-2 weeks ago. I read until the Beatitudes and stopped because they somehow held my attention and were begging for me to stay and study a little bit. After a day or two I recognized (partly from the Chosen episode…) that these are like a roadmap to Jesus since He Himself is the living example. 

After reading those, I continued on until I reached Chapter 10. I realized the depth of this text being twisted to someone’s liking. Once you realize Jesus speaks until Chapter 11, it gives you more comfort. ( Side note: v.16 according to the concordance, literally means we need to be cautious and undefiled by our world… makes more sense doesn’t it?) For example, in Chapter 11 it says He went to their cities. Jesus is not gonna give us something to do that He isn’t gonna go with us or be there for us. If you doubt that, read your Bible some more. 

Here’s where we get to the real purpose of this post. Starting in v. 24 of Chapter 13, Jesus gives a parable, which is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. The following quote is the passage of interest:

“He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he said, No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.””

Matthew 13:24-30

If you flip to Matthew 13: 36-43 while I am typing, I would be appreciative. Once I read this passage, I was halted by a phrase that appealed to my curiosity, “Let both grow together until the harvest.” Before I go further I would like to explain two things. (1) Before this morning, I liked to trust the pre-tribulation idea of a rapture, I mean, who wouldn’t? God would come and get us before He did anything bad because why should we go through that pain too? Second, I have read and studied Revelation and Daniel, so I think I have some knowledge behind my following points. That said, PLEASE COMMENT if you find anything BIBLICALLY wrong with what I am about to say. 

The term rapture is derived from the Greek term harpazo and is mentioned 17 times in the Bible. After further study, you find it is only mentioned in the New Testament. It is a derivative of the Greek term aihreomai, and means to seize, catch, pluck, pull, and take. Its derivative is found only 4 times in the Bible. I researched to see the context of each usage of the first term, harpazo. I found the following references: Matthew 11:12, 13:19; John 6:15, 10:12; Acts 8:39, 23:10; 2 Corinthians 12:2,4; 1 Thessalonians 4:17; Jude 1:23; Revelation 12:5. I request that you would stop reading and find those references yourself before I continue… . Have you found them? Good. 

As you can see, most of these scriptures do not imply a rapture at all except possibly 1 Thess. 4:17 and maybe Jude 23, correct? Revelation speaks of the ascension of Jesus (see Mark 16:19). So, I know that the English language is very confusing since one word can mean so many different things; but my question for you to think about is this. If the term harpazo was to mean the rapture, would it not mean that in every instance it is used? I asked myself that simple question. I said yes. Thus, I had to study a bit more. 

1 Thessalonians is a big passage for Pre-Tribulation ideas. It seems to state a rapture, correct? However, if you just answered the previous question as I did (yes), then you can’t say that for this passage. 1 Thessalonians 4 states: 

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 

1 Thessalonians 4: 16-17

The problem I had with this statement is the little phrase in v.16, “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God”. NO WHERE in Revelation, to my knowledge, does it specify something like this EXCEPT FOR the passage in Chapter 19. This is at the end of the age ( see Matthew 13: 39-40). Another instance is 1 Corinthians 15:52. It says at the last trumpet (Revelation 11:15-…). 

(P.S. From here I took a break and lost my train of thought 😄 I will edit when I remember… for now study it yourself)

Continuing through Matthew

Throughout Matthew 6-9, we see the phrase, let it be according to your faith. Another passage, Matthew 13:58, states the same. Jesus didn’t work any miracles BECAUSE of their unbelief. That’s all… I just wanted to share that. 

One last thing, when Jesus walks on water, (Mat. 14:22) we like to focuse on Him walking on the water and Peter failing the “test”. I would like to point out something else. In verses 28-31, Peter is having a faith-filled moment. He asks Jesus to state it is Him. Then, after Jesus commands Him, Peter walks on water. However, once he looks around him he stumbles and cries out for Jesus to save him. This is important guys! The scripture says, “Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”. I have absolutely no idea if that was originally like a scolding, but either way it says Jesus immediately reached out. Peter only had to ask. 

Thanks for putting up with me 😋 Enjoy your day!