Alan

Now that we have established diplomatic relations.  I am thinking about hoping a plane.  Going down there and preaching.  I may not do it this summer.  However I am seriously considering it. Just little ole me and maybe I can get some of my compadres to go with me.   Any input, advice?

Brother Day,
First, by your above rebuke were you seeking to imply that you view yourself as standing in the position of the Lord Jesus Christ and that you view me as standing in the position of the chief priests and scribes and Pharisees.
Second, from the beginning we have been engaged in a debate with one another.  Now, by definition a debate is engaged by two individuals who possess points of disagreement and dispute in their respective positions.  Furthermore, by definition the participants of a debate will engage in a defense of their own respective positions against the other and will engage in seeking to "catch the other in his words" (especially in contradiction to God's Holy Word) in order to reveal the error of the other's position.  Certainly, I am willing to acknowledge that I have engaged in the debate with this very spirit of debate.  I just wonder if you are now willing to acknowledge that you have engaged in the debate with this same spirit of debate?
It was not a foolish question at all.  Rather, it was a confrontational question, specifically intended to help reveal the error of your assertion.  As far as your question, I choose not to assume what God will or will not do.  Rather, I choose to examine what God Himself has declared in His Holy Word that He will or will not do.
Yes, indeed, the verb "be blessed" is "in the passive mode," which grammatically indicates that someone or something other than the subject of the sentence is performing the action of the verb.  In this context the Lord God would be the One performing the action of the verb "to bless," and the subject of the sentence, "all the families of the earth," would be those who are being blessed by the Lord God.  However, none of this indicates the number of blessings by which the Lord God shall so bless "all the families of the earth."  Your word "blessings," which you employed in your statement concerning  Genesis 22:18; 26:4; 28:14 in the place of the Biblical verb "be blessed," is grammatically a plural noun, and is not a verb at all.  In fact, the noun "blessing," either in its singular form or in its plural form, is not found in any one of the verses under question (that is --  Genesis 22:18; 26:4; 28:14).  As such, with your assertion you assumed that the Lord God's work of blessing would include a plural number of blessings.  However, the verses that you used to claim that your assertion was Biblically "clear" (that is --  Genesis 22:18; 26:4; 28:14) actually say nothing of the kind.  Certainly, other passages of Scripture may teach this; but you did not use those other passages of Scripture in your original declaration.
No, the promised blessings of the Lord God in Christ are not at all to be limited by my understanding of anything.  Rather, they are limited by the Holy Spirit inspired grammar of God's Holy Word through which He Himself has revealed His promises precisely as He intends to fulfill them.  Which also means that the promised blessings of the Lord God in Christ are not at all to be expanded by your assumptions as to what God would or should do.
Indeed, Ephesians 1 does employ the verb "hath blessed."   Furthermore, Ephesians 1 does indeed mention a plural number of blessings that are are involved in our Lord God's work of blessing unto believers -- "Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ."  However, Ephesians does not make any statements to the effect that these plural number of blessings will be administered unto "all the families of the earth."  So then, are Genesis 22:18; 26:4; 28:14 and Ephesians 1 speaking about the same blessing work of the Lord God, or not?  The answer to that question must be demonstrated through the grammatical and contextual study of each set of passages.  It should not simply be assumed as "clear" to our understanding.  In addition, do either of these set of passages have any direct relationship to the promises that are presented in Daniel 9:24-27 (which is the passages about which our debate is actually to be focused)?    Again, the answer to that question must be demonstrated through the grammatical and contextual study of each set of passages.  It should not simply be assumed as "evident."
My question carried not a single motivation of deviousness within it at all.  Rather, my question carried fully a motivation of confrontation, with the intention to help reveal the error of your assertion.  So then, is it inherently wrong to ask questions that carry such a motivation of confrontation in order to reveal the error of another (even as you seem to imply with your response above unto Brother Alan)?  Did the Lord God through His holy prophets in the Old Testament employ such confrontational questions with the children of Israel in order to reveal their errors?  Yes, He certainly did.  Did He do wrong in doing so?  I myself would conclude that He did not.  Did the Lord Jesus Christ employ such confrontation questions with His various audiences in order to reveal their errors?  Yes, He certainly did.  Did He do wrong in doing so?  I myself would conclude that He did not.  Did the Holy Spirit inspired authors of the New Testament Scriptures employ such confrontation questions with the respective audiences to whom they were writing under inspiration?  Yes, they certainly did.  Did they do wrong in doing so?  I myself would conclude that they did not.  Therefore, on the ground of these righteous examples, I believe that I also am permitted to ask confrontational questions (especially in the context of a debate over Biblical truth) in order to reveal the Biblical error of another's position.

Amen Alan,   I like our military they keep harm from us.  Your probably closer to my age.  I can remember getting my card.  The war ending right after I got out of school.  That was a tumultuous time. Thanks for your service and Happy July 4! Alan.  

Matthew 24:6, "And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet."
Eric is correct.

Brother Carl,
I was just thinking earlier this week that it was about time for me to respond unto Brother Day's non-response toward my question.  Now that I have time to do so, the following is that response.
 
As all can observe, the above was the third time that I had asked the above question of Brother Day.  I asked that question for that third time on June 11, 2015.  It is now July 3, a full 22 days later.  Yet Brother Day has completely neglected to answer my question.  He has engaged with others in this thread and in other threads.  Therefore, I do not believe that the problem is a lack of time on his part.  
My question was originally presented against an assertion that Brother Day had made in the discussion-debate thread, as follows:
In response to that statement, I posed two basic questions; and the second of those questions was as follows:
In fact, I have now presented this question to Brother Day three times, once in the discussion-debate thread and twice in this thread.  (I also presented this question to Brother "Genevanpreacher" in this thread; but he declined to answer the question, deferring to Brother Day since the question was originally posed to him.)  Furthermore, as I have noted above, I have also granted Brother Day a sufficient and significant amount of time to provide an answer.  Yet no answer has been given.
Now, when a question is asked of an individual, that individual has three basic options -- (1) to express his answer to the question, (2) to express his inability to answer the question, or (3) to express his unwillingness to answer the question.  Since my above question is a basic "yes-or-no" question, I am not led to believe that the problem is a lack of ability to answer the question.  Rather, I am led to believe that Brother Day is unwilling to answer my question.  Furthermore, I presently believe that Brother Day is unwilling to answer my question so that he might not have to incriminate himself and acknowledge the error in his original assertion.
(Note:  With this on the record, I am now prepared to proceed with the element of discussion upon which Brother Day desired to set our focus as presented here.)

wow thank you Luanne for this post. I did reset my password just now.
As I am writing this, my father is in the operating room for surgery or amputation of his right leg. This is his second amputation. Please pray that God will keep him safe and saved.
I am really worried, he is not feeling well, he has pneumonia too.
Some pictures of us:

Papa and Mama

 
Thank you all.

Brethren,
The Anthem of the United States of America.
 
 

So Will I Seek Out My Sheep
Ezekiel 34:11-16
 
(Note: In its immediate context this passage speaks concerning the Lord God’s intention to restore his chosen nation, the children of Israel, unto His fellowship and unto their promised land.  However, from this passage we may also learn from the example of the Lord our God, as the Good Shepherd, concerning the character of good shepherding.)
 
  Ia.  The Good Shepherd seeks after His scattered sheep.
  Ib.  Good shepherding requires that we seek after the sheep who are scattered in sin.
         “For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.  As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is
         among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep.”
IIa.  The Good Shepherd delivers His scattered sheep.
IIb.  Good shepherding requires that we strive to deliver the sheep from the darkness of sin.
         “And will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.”
IIIa.  The Good Shepherd gathers His sheep unto Himself.
IIIb.  Good shepherding requires that we lead the sheep unto fellowship with the Lord.
         “And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries.”
IVa.  The Good Shepherd feeds His sheep in a good pasture.
IVb.  Good shepherding requires that we feed the sheep the sound doctrine of God’s Word.
        “And will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country.  I will feed them
         in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the
         mountains of Israel. I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD.”
  Va.  The Good Shepherd grants His sheep peace and rest.
  Vb.  Good shepherding requires that we guide the sheep to the Lord’s peace and rest.
         “I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall
         they feed upon the mountains of Israel. I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD.”
VIa.  The Good Shepherd strengthens the unhealthy sheep.
VIb.  Good Shepherding requires that we strive to strengthen the sheep who are broken by sin.
         “I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was
         sick.”
VIIa.  The Good Shepherd disciplines the selfish sheep.
VIIb.  Good shepherding requires that we reprove the sheep who are selfish and self-righteous.
           “But I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.”

All I know is I get to run up and down the street tomorrow in crowds of thousands and thousands hand out tracts.  Preach the good news and no one will say anything.  I can't however go to centennial park the other 4th celebration because it is run by State government.  They don't allow it. For some reason.  However the Big fireworks is at one of the malls.  I'm happy with that one.  Then after that i'll go home and yell at the dog and complain about the weather. 
 
I actually just had an atheist say that Hitler was Christian in response to me citing what happens when atheists governments get in power.  Hitler a Christian?  That doesn't even make sense.

Concerning God’s Covenants & The Land Promise 
(Part 3 - The Final Part)
By Pastor Scott Markle
(www.shepherdingtheflock.com)
 
(For the introduction to this study see here.  For the basic outline to this study see here.  For the first part of this study see here.  For the second part of this study see here.)
 
5.  The Lord God’s new covenant with the children of Israel concerning “the land.”

Jeremiah 31:31-40 – “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: but this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; after those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.  And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.  Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts is his name: If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the LORD, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever.  Thus saith the LORD; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the LORD.  Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the city shall be built to the LORD from the tower of Hananeel unto the gate of the corner.  And the measuring line shall yet go forth over against it upon the hill Gareb, and shall compass about to Goath.  And the whole valley of the dead bodies, and of the ashes, and all the fields unto the brook of Kidron, unto the corner of the horse gate toward the east, shall be holy unto the LORD; it shall not be plucked up, nor thrown down any more for ever.”

Jeremiah 32:37-42 – “Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: and I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: and I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.  Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul.  For thus saith the LORD; Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them.”

Ezekiel 36:21-38 – “But I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went.  Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name’s sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went.  And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.  For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.  Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.  A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.  And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.  And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God. I will also save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you.  And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen.  Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations.  Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord GOD, be it known unto you: be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel.  Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities I will also cause you to dwell in the cities, and the wastes shall be builded.  And the desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by.  And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited.  Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the LORD build the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate: I the LORD have spoken it, and I will do it.  Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them; I will increase them with men like a flock.  As the holy flock, as the flock of Jerusalem in her solemn feasts; so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men: and they shall know that I am the LORD.”

Ezekiel 37:19-28 – “Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand.  And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes.  And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: and I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all: neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.  And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them.  And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children’s children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever.  Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore.  My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people.  And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.”

A.  Precisely with whom will the Lord God make this new covenant?

Jeremiah 31:1 – “At the same time, saith the LORD, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people.”

Jeremiah 31:31 – “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah.”

Ezekiel 36:22a – “Therefore say unto the house of Israel . . . .”

Ezekiel 37:19 – “Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand.”

B.  Precisely what covenant with the children of Israel (including both the houses of Israel and of Judah) will the Lord God’s new covenant replace?

Jeremiah 31:31-32 – “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD.”

C.  Precisely what condition has the Lord God placed upon this new covenant with the children of Israel (including both the houses of Israel and of Judah)?

Jeremiah 31:18-19 – “I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the LORD my God.  Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth.”  (Note that this is in perfect unity with Deuteronomy 30:1-2 concerning the condition for restoration.)

Ezekiel 36:32 – “Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord GOD, be it known unto you: be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel.”

D.  Precisely what motivation moved the Lord God to determine to make this new covenant with the children of Israel (including both the houses of Israel and of Judah)?

(1)  Jeremiah 31:3 – “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”

(2)  Ezekiel 36:21-23 – “But I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went.  Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name’s sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went.  And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.”

(3)  Ezekiel 36:36 – “Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the LORD build the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate: I the LORD have spoken it, and I will do it.”

Ezekiel 37:28 – “And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.”

(4)  Ezekiel 36:38 – “As the holy flock, as the flock of Jerusalem in her solemn feasts; so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men: and they shall know that I am the LORD.”

Ezekiel 39:22 – “So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day and forward.”

E.  Precisely what assurance did the Lord God give that He would make and fulfill this new covenant with the children of Israel (including both the houses of Israel and of Judah)?

Jeremiah 30:10-11 – “Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith the LORD; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid.  For I am with thee, saith the LORD, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished.”

Jeremiah 31:35-37 – “Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts is his name: If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the LORD, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever.  Thus saith the LORD; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the LORD.”

Ezekiel 36:36 – “Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the LORD build the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate: I the LORD have spoken it, and I will do it.”

F.  Precisely what spiritual blessings will the Lord God provide in this new covenant with the children of Israel (including both the houses of Israel and of Judah)?

(1)  Forgiveness

Jeremiah 31:34 – “And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

(2)  Cleansing

Ezekiel 36:25 – “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.”

Ezekiel 36:29a – “I will also save you from all your uncleannesses.”

Ezekiel 36:33 – “Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities I will also cause you to dwell in the cities, and the wastes shall be builded.”

Ezekiel 37:23 – “Neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all: neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.”

(3)  Complete Conversion (Note that this is in perfect unity with Deuteronomy 30:6, 8 concerning the blessing of restoration.)

Jeremiah 31:33 – “But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; after those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.  And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

Jeremiah 32:39 – “And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: and I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.”

Ezekiel 36:26-27 – “  A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.  And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.”

Ezekiel 36:31 – “Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations.”

Ezekiel 37:23-24 – “Neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all: neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.  And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them.”

(4)  Fellowship

Jeremiah 31:33 – “But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; after those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

Jeremiah 32:38 – “And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.”

Ezekiel 36:28 – “And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.”

Ezekiel 37:23 – “Neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all: neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.”

Ezekiel 37:27 – “My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

G.  Precisely what land blessings will the Lord God provide in this new covenant with the children of Israel (including both the houses of Israel and of Judah)?

(Note:  By completely converting the children of Israel, the Lord God will cause them to fulfill the condition for restoration unto the land as given in Deuteronomy 30:1-2, 10.  Furthermore, by so converting the children of Israel that they will never again depart from Him into disobedience, the Lord God will cause them to fulfill the condition for the continual experiential possession of the land and its benefits.  In fact, according to Ezekiel 36:33 the complete conversion of the children of Israel and the restoration unto the land will occur on the very same day – “Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities I will also cause you to dwell in the cities, and the wastes shall be builded.”)

(1)  The building up and “for ever” protection of Jerusalem as holy unto the Lord.

Jeremiah 31:38-40 – “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the city shall be built to the LORD from the tower of Hananeel unto the gate of the corner.  And the measuring line shall yet go forth over against it upon the hill Gareb, and shall compass about to Goath.  And the whole valley of the dead bodies, and of the ashes, and all the fields unto the brook of Kidron, unto the corner of the horse gate toward the east, shall be holy unto the LORD; it shall not be plucked up, nor thrown down any more for ever.”

(2)  The gathering of all the children of Israel to be returned unto the land.  (Note that this is in perfect unity with Deuteronomy 30:3-5 concerning the blessing of restoration.)

Jeremiah 32:37 – “Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely.”

Ezekiel 36:24 – “For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.”

Ezekiel 37:21 – “And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land.”

(3)  The planting of the children of Israel in the land, never again to be removed or oppressed.

Jeremiah 32:37 – “Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely.”

Jeremiah 32:41 – “Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul.”

Ezekiel 36:28 – “And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.”

Ezekiel 36:33 – “Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities I will also cause you to dwell in the cities, and the wastes shall be builded.”

Ezekiel 36:37-38 – “Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them; I will increase them with men like a flock.  As the holy flock, as the flock of Jerusalem in her solemn feasts; so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men: and they shall know that I am the LORD.”

Ezekiel 37:25 – “And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children’s children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever.”

(4)  The blessing of the children of Israel with abundance in the land.  (Note that this is in perfect unity with Deuteronomy 30:5, 9 concerning the blessing of restoration.)

Jeremiah 32:40-42 – “And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.  Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul.  For thus saith the LORD; Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them.”

Ezekiel 36:29-30 – “I will also save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you.  And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen.”

Ezekiel 36:34-35 – “And the desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by.  And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited.”

(5)  The uniting of the house of Israel and the house of Judah into one kingdom that shall never again be divided.

Ezekiel 37:22 – “And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all.”

Ezekiel 37:24 – “And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them.”

(It is worthy of notice that the conditions and provisions of this new covenant correspond to the provision for restoration that the Lord God presented unto the children of Israel in Deuteronomy 30:1-10)


 
(Note:  The entire study is provided in the attachment below.)
Concerning Gods Covenants & The Land.pdf

Brethren and EKSmith,
Thank you for the very kind words and encouragement. I was invited by one of the members of OnLine Baptist (as of now to remain anonymous) as they knew I normally do not do anything on the internet (I have no Facebook and am not on any other forum) but they knew I could use some good Christian fellowship. I am thankful for some of the fine Saints I have met on this forum.
The Lord Jesus said, "He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep." John 21:16 The only intention of my heart, by posting he Revelation study, was to feed the sheep. I love preaching and I love teaching and I consider it a blessing from God above when someone enjoys the learning of the scriptures.
Again, I want to thank you for the very kind words. Your prayers for this teaching ministry is a great reward in my heart.
Alan

Heartstrings,
Thank you for your insight on the behaviour of sheep, the shepherd, and hirelings. I think the illustrations were very appropriate to the subject matter of Ezekiel 34.
The wise pastor would probably include the illustration of the wise shepherd in preaching Ezekiel 34 and the other passages of good shepherds verses evil shepherds (hirlings).
Isaiah 41:10 is a great reference also as it shows the heart, and actions, of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  And, it brings out the character of God in the Old Testament as the Good Shepherd and the character of the Lord Jesus in the New Testamant as the Good Shepherd.
Thank you very much for the illustration.
Alan

I see what you're saying; however, a careful reading of the scripture in question reveals that the promise is simply this...
If man can stop day and night from happening, then God will break his covenant with David; which is, he will break the Davidic Covenant so that David's son/seed won't reign on the throne forever. Nor, will God have Levites to minister unto him.
The fact that there is no Davidic king or Levites ministering unto God in Israel today actually has no bearing on that. In fact, the scripture in question points out the fact that God will cause their captivity to return and have mercy on them. In other words, at some point after God has regathered Israel from their scattering from the captivity, God will then have mercy on them. Then he will fulfill his covenants with David and the Levites...forever. Obviously, there couldn't be a Davidic king or ministering Levites while Israel was removed from the land. Did that make God a liar when he said that David would have a son to rule on his throne forever? Obviously, God can't lie. There will be a son of David who will rule on the throne literally forever...the Lord Jesus Christ. He will rule forever...throughout all eternity. And the Levites will also once again minister unto God.
So...since man can't stop day and night, and since the sun, moon, and stars haven't stopped shining, and since heaven hasn't been measured, and since the foundations of the earth haven't been searched beneath...God hasn't cast aside his people Israel...
God forbid.

Blond jokes are funnier when told by bunnies.  

Invicta,
The scriptures clearly differentiate between the Judgment Seat of Christ and the White Throne of Judgment. Let us follow the admonition of Paul the Apostle when he said, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15 As workmen of of the scriptures, we will rightly divide the Judgment Seat of Christ and the White Throne of Judgment.
A. The judgment seat of Christ.
"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every man may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." 2 Corinthians 5:10 Please take careful note of the following.
1. It is called the Judgment Seat of Christ.
2. The context is clearly to Christians. Please study 5:1-9 and following. There is absolutely no way Paul is referring to the lost in any manner of speaking.
3. This judgment is not for salvation or damnation, it is for rewards. "... that every man may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad."
4. One of the rewards for suffering for the name of the Lord Jesus is a crown. A crown is given to reign with Christ. The apostle Paul said, "If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us." 2 Timothy 2:12 Christians will reign with Christ during the Millinial Reign of Christ as clearly written in Revelation 20:4
5. In Revelation 4:10 we read, "The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying." These elders, church saints, have already received their crowns, or rewards. And, in Revelation 5:9 and 10, in a clear reference to  the redeemed saints of the New Testament, we read, "And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth." These church age saints have already been rewarded and are getting to reign on the earth.
6. All of the above, the Judgment Seat of Christ, takes place before he start of the 7 Year Tribulation Period.
7. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Judge at this Judgment.
B. The White Throne of Judgment. Revelation 20:11-15, or, the Great White Throne of Judgment.
1.  This Judgment is called the, "White Throne," Judgment. It is an altogether different name.
2. "And I saw the dead,small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead are judged out of those things which are written in the books, according to their works." Revelation 20:12 These are the lost souls who never got saved. They are dead. Christians are not referred to as, "the dead." Ephesians 2:1, "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins." The Christian is, 'quickened,' or, 'made alive.' 
Christians are alive in Christ Jesus and when the body dies the Christian is referred to as,  'asleep in Jesus.' 1 Thessalonians 4:13-15, "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are alseep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which asleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, [the word of the Lord started this teaching the Brethren just believed it] that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep."
3. No rewards are mentioned in the White Throne of Judgment.
4. Eternity in Hell is the end result of the White Throne of Judgment. Revelation 20:14 and 15 Nobody in the Judgment Seat of Christ is eternally lost in hell.
5. The White Throne of Judgment occurs after the 7 Year Tribulation period, and after the 1000 Year Reign of Christ.
6. God Almighty, Our Heavenly Father, the Ancient of Days is the Judge at the White Throne of Judgment. "And I saw the dead,small and great, stand before God:..."
In conclusion, the Judgment Seat of Christ and the Great White Throne of Judgment, are two seperate Judgments, at two seperate times, for two seperate reasons, and has two seperate Judges.
I do hope that this short study helps you, and all of the other brethren, to realize the differences between the Judgment Seat of Christ and the Great White Throne of Judgment.
Alan
 
 

EKSmith,
Thank you very much for your kind words. In the words of Paul the Apostle I would like to say, "For they have refreshed my spirit..." 1 Corinthians 16:18a I really do appreciate your exhortation to continue on.
It has not been the easiest study as there are a lot of incorrect interpretations of the Book of Revelation. The only correct method of interpretation is the literal, pre-tibulation Rapture,  pre-Millinalist, and the literal 1000 Year of the Lord Jesus interpretation. The teachers of the incorrect interpretations of the Book of Revelation has caused many saints to fail to understand the correct prophetic nature of the Book of Revelation, is the cause of dissension among good brethren, has hindered many saints from finding true joy in studying the Book of Revelation, and has somewhat hindered some of the brethren commenting on this study. 
I am very thankful for you, and for the numerous others following this study on Revelation, for your support. It is my sincere hope and prayer that this study will be a blessing to all of those who anxiously await the soon return of the Lord Jesus.
In brotherly love,
Alan
 
 

We had previously discussed this issue, (starting on March 12th.) of the Coming of the Lord Jesus for the church as depicted in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and the Coming of the Lord Jesus, with the church as depicted as KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS, Revelation 1:7 and 19:11-21
For a more throurgh discussion of these two Comings the reader may go back and review the lesson on Revelation 19:11-16, including the lengthly discussion that Covemanter and I had for a more detailed answer. A link to our Revelation 19:11-16, and then the 19:17-24 lesson, and the ensuing discussion is supplied below:

Eric,
Thank you for bringing to our attention Psalm 149:5-9, "Let the saints be joyful in glory: let  them sing aloud upon their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand; To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; To execute upon them the judgement written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD." 
Invicta,
Thank you reminding us that in times of stress, persecution, and everyday living, we need to confess the Lord Jesus in the presence of others. The Lord Jesus added these solemn words in John 12:42, "Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue."  It is a sad day when a person denies Christ verbally or not do so by not saying a word.
In fact, we need to consider it a joy and an honor to witness for Christ and stand for the faith once delivered for the saints. The early saints in the Book of Acts rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Christ; Acts 5:41

In connection to why the the anti-christ will be able to deceive the remaining peoples of the world after the Lord Jesus comes in the rapture John81 said,
"Even in the event a cover story was needed most people are so gullible they would accept almost any explanation and then quickly forget the matter as the media quickly puts forth a more sensational news story to distract the population."
I think he is correct. The notion that half of the people in the United States is Christian is absurd. The true Christians in Europe is a small percentage and the media has a grip on all information. The media, in every country, is almost hostile to Christianity.
Any body else has any thoughts on these subjects?
 
 

Revelation 22:12 and 13, “Behold, I come quickly.”
Verse 12 and 13, “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.”
“I come quickly.”
Please take notice that the Lord Jesus is talking. And, the Lord Jesus, in the same time frame of the writing of these admonitions, says in verse 20, “He that testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” Like John, we need to be anxiously waiting the Lord Jesus to come again.
Matthew 24:42-51 is applicable to all of us, and the saint who heeds the warning of the Lord Jesus, is a servant who is truly blessed. Jesus said, “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” Matthew 24:42
All of us need to take serious heed of the words of the Lord Jesus and be ready in our spiritual life for His coming at any time. There are no signs that we are to wait for as His coming is ‘imminent.’ The Lord Jesus will come in the, ‘twinkling of an eye,’ 1 Corinthians 15:52, “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible.”
“... my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.”
Immediately after the Rapture all of the saints in the Church Age will stand before the Lord Jesus at the, ‘Judgment Seat of Christ,’ for rewards, or, the lack of rewards. “... is with me...” When the Lord Jesus comes He is coming with the rewards to give His saints.
The Judgment Seat of Christ
Immediately after the coming of the Lord Jesus, as depicted in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, commonly referred to as “The Rapture,” the Lord Jesus will judge every saint and reward every saint, “... according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” Please also study 1 Corinthians 3:11-15
2 Corinthians 5:10, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”
Romans 14:10-12, “But why dost thou judge thy brother? Or why dost thou set at naught thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”
Judged by Fire
“... because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is”
1 Corinthians 3:13
Due to intense persecution by his own people, and in a time of extreme grief, the prophet Jeremiah, inspired of God, wrote, “Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.” Jeremiah 20:9
Again, inspired by God Himself, Jeremiah wrote the very words of God when he wrote, “Is not my word like as a fire? Saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? Jeremiah 23:29
All of the saints will be judged from the very scripture itself. As the very words, used by the Lord Jesus, judges us, the judgement will judge what, “sort,” it is. It does not say what, “size,” it is. The Lord Jesus is more concerned about the “spiritual” nature of the work than the size of the work.
For example. Why does a man do a certain work? For wealth? For fame? For the name of Jesus? The judgment will include whether or not a man was faithful in spirit and in body: 2 Corinthians 4:1 & 2. Whether we warred in the flesh or in the Spirit: 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
Our doctrinal beliefs will be judged. Did we endure teaching correct doctrine? Or were we moved by the false teachers to teach false doctrines? “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears.” 2 Timothy 4:3 The Judgment Seat of Christ will bring out those who sought the approval of God or the approval of man: 2 Corinthians 10:18
Did we preach out of love, or to create contention, or to create strife? “Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some of good will.” Philippians 1:15
Did we work for the Lord Jesus lawfully? According to the Old Testament precepts, statutes and judgments? And, the New Testament commandments? May we remind ourselves, even though we are not under the Law, the Old Testament is full of precepts, statutes, judgments, commandments, and examples of the right way and the wrong way of doing the work of the Lord.
Even though we are not under the Law, Paul taught the saints in Corinth to obey the Law in church matters: 1 Corinthians 9:7-14, 20-22 and 16:1 and 2
Or, did we just make our own rules according to the religious dictates of this present age? 2 Timothy 2:5, “And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.” 2 Timothy 2:5 If our Charismatic brethren would obey the percepts of the Law as commanded by Paul the Apostle in 1 Corinthians 14: 34 the Charismatic churches would dry up.
Does the saint desire a prize? A reward in heaven? If so, the saint must keep his physical body under subjection and reject the sinful physical lusts of the world:
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
My dear brother, if you are working for the Lord Jesus, “lawfully,” than you can expect a crown, or reward, at the Judgment Seat of Christ. If you did not serve the Lord Jesus, “lawfully,” than do not expect a crown at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
Crowns previously given cast at Jesus' Throne in Revelation 4 and 5
In Revelation 4: 10 and 11 we clearly see that the crowns, or rewards, have already been handed out. “The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” Revelation 4:10 & 11
It is my belief that the twenty four elders represent the Church Age saints in a position of reigning in heaven.
Furthermore, in Revelation Chapter 5 after we read of the worship of the slain Lamb, the Lord Jesus, and the opening of, ‘the book,’ we read these words, “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto us our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.” Revelation 5:9 and 10
Paul the Apostle said, “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us.” 2 Timothy 2:12 If a saint faithfully serves the Lord Jesus, and suffers for Him, the Lord Jesus will reward him with a crown for reigning on the earth. If a saint is not faithful in his service, his doctrinal beliefs, his personal holiness, his sufferings for Christ; than that person will be denied a crown, or rewards.
The saints pictured in Revelation chapter 4 and 5 are the redeemed people of all of the nations of the world that have been saved during the Church Age. Please take careful note that they were already, “made” kings and priests; the rewards have already been handed out. And, that they are already rewarded, or given authority, to reign on the earth. The reigning on the earth will commence after the 7- Year Tribulation Period is ended and at the start of the 1000 Year Reign of Christ, the Millennium, as written in Revelation 20:3-6. Also, please take careful notice that Revelation 11:15-19 shows this vividly.
A Wise Saint
The wise saint is a soul-winning saint. Proverbs 11:30, “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.” The wise saint is passing out tracts, going on door-to-door visitation, supporting soul-winning missionaries, and traveling the highways and byways of the city that he lives in telling folks how to be saved and leading them to a saving knowledge in Christ.
The soul winner will receive a crown for his labor for the Lord Jesus. “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming.”  1 Thessalonians 2:19 & 20
Please take special note. The soul-winners crown, as with all of the other rewards, are handed out at the coming of the Lord Jesus as described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
The rewards of the soul-winner will be as the brightness of the stars for eternity; Daniel 12:3, “And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.”
“Will There Be Any Stars?”
WORDS: Eliza E. Hewitt, 1897
MUSIC: John R. Sweney
Public Domain
First Stanza:
I am thinking today of that beautiful land I shall reach when the sun goeth down;
When through wonderful grace by my Savior I stand, Will there be any stars in my crown?
Second Stanza:
In the strength of the Lord let me labor and pray, Let me watch as a winner of souls;
That bright stars may be mine in the glorious day, when His praise like the sea billow rolls.
Third Stanza:
On, what joy it will be when His face I behold, Living gems at His feet to lay down;
It would sweeten my bliss in the city of gold, Should there be any stars in my crown.
Chorus:
Will there be any stars, any stars in my crown, When at evening the sun goeth down?
When I wake with the blest in the mansions of rest, Will there be any stars in my crown?
Special Judgment Note
Paul quoted Isaiah 45:23, in Romans 14:10-12, but, the Holy Spirit moved Paul to quote it as a reference to Christ; not a reference to God. Isaiah 45:23 is applicable to both the Judgment Seat of Christ and the Great White Throne of Judgment in Revelation 20:11-15
And, “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:10 and 11 this Great Confession will take place at the Great White Throne of Judgment in Revelation 20:11-15
“I am alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.”
Again, all of these titles of the Lord Jesus are also titles of God Himself. Revelation 1:8; 1:17 and 21:6. You may study our previous comments in Revelation 21:6 for this verse.
God thundered out in Isaiah 44:6, “Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.”
God again thundered out in Isaiah 48:12, “Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.”
The doctrine of the Trinity is a doctrinal fact. The unbelief of the doctrine of the Trinity was started by Arius (c. AD250-336), and is called, Arianism.” The main concept of Arianism is that the Son of God, the Lord Jesus, did not always exist. Therefore, according to Arianism doctrine, Jesus was a created being, and distinct, from God. The erroneous belief of Arianism, with some differences, is perpetuated by the Mormons, the Jehovah’s Witnesses, and other cults.
The Lord Jesus, has no beginning, and has no ending: He is eternal. The Lord Jesus, our Great High Priest, has an eternal Priesthood: “Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.” Hebrews 7:16
Therefore, the salvation of our soul is eternal and will never end. “Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; ... Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.’ Hebrews 8:1 and 9:12

Rosie,
Thank you very much for your observation. Previously I have tried to do so. But, there have been several times when some of the brethren have tried to turn the study into a debate. This was due I suspect for the following reasons:
(1) Since they do no believe in the literal interpretation of the Book of Revelation, instead of listening and learning, they have tried to argue over every point and thereby forced a debate situation. It is very obvious that these folks have no intention to changing their beliefs, but they do it to cause contentions.
(2) Since they could not prove that the Book of Revelation is not literal, they have tried to belittle those who just want to learn and try and debate every point that I make. And, these contentious individuals have tried to teach their own interpretation of Revelation in order to prevent good, biblical, and sound interpretation of the prophetic events of the scriptures.
(3) The debaters have tried to intimidate others with their forcefullness, so that some with less knowledge of the scriptures feel intimidated and therefore have not entered into the discussion.
I have honestly tried, and I think have been somewhat successful, to stop the debates and to limit a contentious spirit. I will further make a better effort on the future studies on Revelation more enjoyable and less contentious over doctrine. To do so, I am asking those who have tried to debate every issue that they  disagree with to stop being contentious and let other members of OnLine Baptist enter into the discussions. Thereby, we can have a more open discussion, a friendly atmosphere and a Christ-like spirit.
I would like to ask all of those who post of the study of Revelation to realze that this is a study in order to learn. It is not a place to debate the issues. If you have honest questions, and seek to learn, than ask questions and do not try and teach your own interpretation of Revelation.
Hopefully we can heed to abmonition of the wisest man in the world, Solomon, when he wrote, "The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: Therefore, leave off contention, before it be meddled with." Proverbs 17:14

Good points!

The shout is a shout. But, the shout is only to be heard by all of the believers.
Also, I am of the persuasion that I am sincere and not disingenuous. God is my judge in this matter.
Due to the fact that the coming of the Lord Jesus for the chruch (the Rapture), is a one time event there are no direct correlations in the sciptures to give us all of the appropriate details. I would like to bring out two similar incidents though that may, repeat, may shed light on the "shout" and who may hear what.
The Voice, a Shout, Not Understood.
In John 12:28-30 we have the following incident concerning God, from heaven, using His voice to glorify His son, the Lord Jesus, "Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him. Jesus answered and said, this voice came not because of me, but for your sakes." John 12:28-30
Please notice. As the words that God spoke from heaven were intended for the Lord Jesus; to glorify His name, only the Lord Jesus understood what God said. The people heard the voice as "thunder." The people who were in the area heard thunder, but did not hear an actual voice, nor did they hear distinct words. Some even ventured to guess that an angel spoke to the Lord Jesus.
When God spoke it was as thunder to the people. May I dare to venture to say: God shouted. Cannot a thunderous voice be considered a shout? But, only the person who the shout was directed to heard the words in a distinct manner. 
Paul the Apostle
Please bear with me as I bring out another incident, similar too, but not necessarily exactly alike, the Rapture. In the Book of Acts we have three accounts of the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ to Saul (hereafter called Paul for clarity of thought), on the road to Damascus; Acts 9:1-20; 22:1-16 and 26:12-20. In all three accounts the Lord Jesus appeared to Paul only and spoke to Paul only. Please bear in mind that a huge party of people was travelling with Paul. Even though the others saw a light they did not see Jesus and even though they heard voice they did not hear any distinct words. In fact, in Acts 22:9 we hear this interesting fact that may help us in this discussion. "And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him [the Lord Jesus] that spake to me." Even though the Lord Jesus was talking to Paul in the immediate presence of Paul's travelling companions; the travelling companions did not hear the voice of the Lord Jesus.  Is that incident not only interesting but applicable to our discussion on the, "shout?"
It is clearly obvious that the Lord Jesus has the ability to shout, and have the trump of the archangel sound, and only the dead and live saints hear.
Conclusion.
So, in my estimation, and limited knowledge of hearing the actual voice of God, may I venture to say that when, "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout..." 1 Thessalonians 4:16a, only those people who are the intended persons that Jesus wants to hear; will hear the shout. All of the other peoples of the world, the anti-Christ, the lost religious crowd, and the rest of the lost, will not "hear" the shout.  If the lost people of this world do hear a "shout" I would not be surprised if they mistake it for "thunder."
Again, I cannot find a relevant verse that even indicates the lost people of the world will hear the shout when Jesus comes in the Rapture.
 The Strong Delusion.
When the Rapture does occur millions of people will immediately depart the earth. When we depart there will be countless automobile accidents, work place accidents, airplane accidents, bus and truck accidents, a few (probably not too many!) of our politicians will be missing, untold numbers of militiary service men missing, nuclear power plant accidents, ships with crew members missing, etc... all over the globe. Somehow, all of these people and the resultant accidents must be accounted for.
Because the lost people did not hear the shout (clearly, if at all), somehow, someone, will have to expain what did happen. The Anti-Christ will deceive the world with a lie to account for the millions of people missing in an instant of time. Hence, the, strong delusion," of 2 Thessalonians 2:11, "And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie." 
 
 

John81,
You are entirely correct in your reasoning why people, (good Christian folk), are turned off studying the Book of Revelation. So many people do turn a deaf ear due to a lot of "teachers" that try and fit every bit of news into prophecy that it is destroying a true and sincere study of Revelation. Sometimes these "teachers" sensationalize the news and apply every odd peice of news for money (to sell their materials), and the desire for religious recognition (fame).  I have tried to steer away from this style of teaching.
Also, thank you for quoting 1 Thessalonians 3:12 and 13. It is applicable and a blessing to me and I am sure to all of the brethren.
Covenanter,
I do not have an answer nor do I think it wise (nor appropriate), for me to try to discover an answer.
Brethren,
I sincerely hope that the study of Revelation chapter 19-22 thus far has been a blessing and an encouragement to all of you. Even though sometimes good brethren disagree on some of the prophecies involved I believe that it is for our good to sift through all of the material available and realize that the end time events prophesied in the Old Testament prophets and the fulfullment written therein the Book of Revelation is for our benefit. I also appreciate the fine spirit of discussion among the brethren and hope as we finish the last weeks studies our understanding of the end time events will increase and our discussions will be fruitful.
Alan  
 

1. Concerning a trumpet will sound.
1 Thessalonians 4:16b says, "... and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:"
2. Concerning the Lord Jesus calling us by name.
The Lord Jesus, our shepherd, said, "To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice; and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out." John 10:3
Furthermore, the Lord Jesus continued His discourse by plainly saying, "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." John 10:16
The Lord Jesus knows my personal name, and the personal name of every sheep in His pasture. When my Shepherd, my Friend, calls me home, by death or by the Rapture, the Lord Jesus will call me by my name.
In John 11 we have the great resurrection discourse of the Lord Jesus. In this great discourse of the resurrection of the dead saints we find that Lazarus is called a friend by the Lord Jesus. "These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep." John 11:11
Jesus plainly stated in John 11:25, "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live." John 11 and the raising of Lazarus is a picture, a type of, and an example of the  Lord Jesus calling His sleeping (dead), saints out of the grave as taught by Paul the Apostle in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. When the Lord Jesus called Lazarus out of the grave ( a type of the coming of the Lord Jesus for His Bride, the Church), He called Lazarus by his own, personal name; "Lazarus, come forth." John 11:43. Glory Hallelujah! Praise the Holy name of Jesus!
A Sad Note.
I personally feel sorry for those saints who believe that the Lord Jesus will not call them by their name when He comes again. If a saint does not want to believe that the Lord will call him by name when he comes; I will not argue nor debate the issue. It is not a doctrine that brethren should verbally debate over. It is every saints perogative to either believe it or not. But, to me, I find a great comfort in knowing that the Lord Jesus knows me, and will call me by my name when He comes to take me out of this sin cursed world.
Enoch Genesis 6:21-24 and Hebrews11:5
and God's other Friends.
Let us consider Enoch for another example. Enoch is a type, or an example of, the saints who will be alive as Paul the Apostle taught when the Lord Jesus comes to take His Bride home in the Rapture. Enoch walked with God. Enoch was a friend of God like Abraham was a friend of God. God called Abram by his first name and then  changed it to Abraham. God calls all of His friends, and saints, by name. Please see Genesis 22:1 Moses in Exodus 3:4 and Samuel in 1 Samuel 3:10; et tal. God even had His angels call  backsliden Lot by his own name: Genesis 19:5
The Lord Jesus - Our Friend.
The Lord Jesus is my Friend and the Friend of every saint. Like the Father, the Lord Jesus calls His friends by name.   "Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you." John 15:15 The Lord Jesus, (as God calls His friends by name), calls His friends by name. When one individual has a close relationship with another individual they call each other friends. Is that not true?
Special Friend Note.
Remember the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31? Have you ever thought why the Lord Jesus mentioned Lazarus by name but did not mention the rich man by name? Lazarus was an Old Testament saint and a friend of God. Therefore, the Lord Jesus called Lazarus by name. The rich man? He never trusted in God and therefore not a friend. So, the Lord Jesus did not call him as a friend. I understand that the Lord Jesus is a friend of sinners; but, they are not friends in the sense of a close relationship.
I hope that the above examples will help you in your walk with Christ. And, that you will find comfort in the fact that one day, hopefully today, when the Lord Jesus comes, you will hear the Lord Jesus call your name and then say, "Come up hither!"