Questions from Back to the Future Week One

Here's some of the questions I received via email during week one of our new teaching series Back to the Future. 

Question #1: I am very confused about the tribes of Israel and why from each tribe 12,000 are chosen to bear the mark of God? Also, what happen to the tribe of Dan and why not 12,000 chosen from this tribe other then the obvious that it would not add to 144,000?

Answer: Revelation 6-19 describes God's judgments poured out on the earth during the seven year Great Tribulation period. The 144,000 are the number of the children of Israel that will be sealed (and therefore spared) from these judgments. We aren't sure why the tribe of Levi takes the place of the tribe of Dan in the listing of the tribes in Revelation 7, but some scholars believe its because Dan was the first tribe to give themselves over to pagan idolatry, which eventually led to exile. Hope this helps! Great question! 

Question #2: I have a question about believers who die before the rapture.  What did it mean that they are asleep in Christ and they will go first. What will be going on if we die before the rapture, will we not be with Jesus right away?  Also unbelievers, do they not get judged right away or go to hell?  Is this where catholics get the idea of purgatory?  
If we get raptures why do some believers stockpile supplies like they will live through the tribulation?  We know a few of those. Ok well thanks.  Hope I explained my question well enough

Answer: Great questions. Let me try to answer them. 

1. To fall asleep in the Lord simply means you died a believer. 1 Thessalonians 4:14

2. The Bible teaches to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). Therefore, as soon as a Christian dies, his/her spirit goes to be with Jesus. At the Rapture their spirit will return with Jesus and receive a new body. After they receive their body, those of us who are left on the earth that are Christians will be translated (we will also receive a new body) and join the Lord and other believers in the air. 

3. People that die apart from Christ (they aren't saved) go to Hades (you can read about this place in Luke 16:19-31). They are judged after the Millennial Reign of Christ (refer to attached Biblical Events Timeline). 

4. I think Catholics got the idea of purgatory because BEFORE JESUS DIED ON THE CROSS believers (after they died) went to Abraham's bosom (see Luke 16:19-31). This was the place of waiting for the righteous dead (those who died as believers). However, once Christ died on the cross he descended to Abraham's bosom and led out those who had placed their faith in him and were waiting for their redemption (Ephesians 4:9). For those born after Jesus died on the cross - if they/we die believers before Jesus returns - our spirit goes immediately to heaven (2 Corinthians 5:8). 

5. Some Christians believe (despite the clear teaching of Scripture) that believers will go through the Great Tribulation. They may be stockpiling supplies because they don't believe the Rapture will take place prior to the Great Tribulation. 

Hope this helps! And thanks for writing :) 

Question #3: I have always believed that Christians would be raptured before the Tribulation.  I have always wondered what would happen to children, babies, those with mental retardation, etc.  I was brought up to understand that those who die in this age group and mental capacity would go to heaven so I was curious if they would be raptured or if there were answers to that somewhere?

Answer: Great question. 

In 2 Samuel 12:23 David says of his baby son who has just died "I will return to him, but he will not return to me." In other words - someday when David goes to heaven he fully expects to see his son. But his son won't be returning to him (coming back to life). From this verse we know that babies who die before they reach the age of accountability go straight to heaven. At what age does God begin holding us responsible? I don't know the answer to that question (the Bible doesn't say). 

Concerning those who have mental handicaps, etc. we can rest assured that the Judge of all the earth (God) will do what is right (Genesis 18:25). 

Hope this helps! :) Have a great night! 

Question #4: I would like to first thank you for this weeks sermon it was packed full of information and opened my eyes to a lot of things that I was confused on.Secondly I have a question on YouTube there are videos going around about the trumpets in the sky. Can

you help give me some information on these trumpets? There are many
videos and I was just wondering is this a sign of the apocalpyse?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXXfHfixRvU&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3oFDtLRcSk&feature=related

Answer: Thanks for your kind words about the sermon! 

Concerning your question - I read something by Dr. David Jeremiah in his book What in the World is Going On? that I think will help answer your question: 

The Bible teaches that when Christ returns for his church at the Rapture...

"...the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God" (1 Thessalonians 4:16a) 

Some claim the shout is for the church, the archangel's voice is for the Jews, and the trumpet is for all Gentile believers. But these claims are mistaken. Paul was not describing three separate sounds; he was describing only one sound in three different ways. 

This sound will be like a shout, ringing with command authority like the voice of an archangel. 

It will also be like the blare of a trumpet in its volume and clarity. 

And the sound will be exclusively directed - heard only by those who have placed their trust in Christ. 

When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, he shouted "Lazarus, come forth!" (John 11:43). At the Rapture that is exactly what will happen. His shout of "Come forth!" will not name a single individual, but it will be heard by every believer in every grave around the world. All those tombs will empty, and the resurrected believers will fly skyward. 

So to answer your question - no, I don't believe any trumpet sounds described in the YouTube videos are signs of the apocalypse. 

Hope this helps! And again - great question :) Hope to see you Sunday. 

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If you have a question about my Rapture sermon or about the book of Revelation as you're reading through it, please email me at mike@newdaychurch.cc  and I'll do my best to answer.