Do Not Forsake Assembling Together
Lyn Mize
(Heb 10:23-25 KJV) Let us hold fast the
profession of our faith without wavering; (for
he is faithful that promised;) {24} And let us
consider one another to provoke unto love and
to good works: {25} Not forsaking the
assembling of ourselves together, as the
manner of some is; but exhorting one another:
and so much the more, as ye see the day
approaching.
Verse 25 of this passage of Scripture is often quoted from the pulpit and by Sunday school teachers to emphasize the importance of coming to church and Sunday school. It is true that Christians should attend church and Sunday school, but this verse is not addressing church and Sunday school. The literal meaning of this verse of Scripture addresses a specific Christian gathering that is yet future. One simply has to read the WHOLE VERSE to understand that Paul is talking about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ to rapture the Church to heaven.
The Greek word for “assembling together” is episunagoge (ep-ee-soon-ag-o-gay'). This Greek word is only used twice in Scripture, and the other Scripture passage is:
(2 Th 2:1-3 KJV) Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, {2} That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. {3} Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
Both the verse in Hebrews and the verse in 2 Thessalonians are addressing the rapture of the Church. The passage in Hebrews is warning Christians not to forsake the doctrine of the coming Rapture of the Church. It is important to note that even then, some Christians were forsaking the teaching and exhortation of each other about the coming Rapture of the Church. This is the meaning of the clause “as the manner of some is”. Some of the Christians were ignoring the doctrine of the coming rapture.
The Sardis (i.e., Protestant) church has almost completely forsaken the teaching and exhortation of fellow Christians to prepare for the rapture. The great majority of Sardis Christians do not understand the three aspects of the Second Coming, the difference between the Day of the Lord vs. the Day of Christ, the Firstfruits Rapture vs. the Main Harvest Rapture, or the real meaning of watching and beckoning for the Lord’s Return. The Sardis church is not watching, and it is not beckoning for the return of the Lord to take away his bride.
The great majority of the Sardis church is included among the Five Foolish Virgins in the Parable of the Ten Virgins. They are asleep in regard to the soon return of Jesus Christ for his bride. Jesus exhorts the Sardis church to wake up in the following passage of Scripture, but most will remain fast asleep until the Midnight Cry is initiated by the Five Wise Virgins:
(Rev 3:1-6 KJV) And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. {2} Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. {3} Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. {4} Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. {5} He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. {6} He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
The above passage of Scripture was included wholly, because it is addressed to the end-time Protestant or Sardis church. This includes Baptists, Methodists and Presbyterians, among others. These churches have fallen asleep in regard to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ for his Church. They will be taken by surprise when Jesus comes as a thief to remove his bride. Since Sardis Christians are asleep and have forsaken the assembling together, they are completely unaware of the three aspects of the Second Coming of Jesus. Briefly, Jesus will first come as a thief to take away his bride and her court. These Christians are among the Five Wise Virgins, and they are watching for the Lord’s return. They are beckoning for the Lord to return for them. They have trimmed their wicks (i.e., confessed their sins), and they have their lamps burning brightly. They have the extra measure of oil (i.e., the filling of the Holy Spirit), and they are wide-awake and anxiously watching for the Bridegroom. The first aspect of the Second Coming is Jesus Christ coming as the Bridegroom for his bride. The Main Body of the Church will be left behind, as only a few will be able to enter in at the strait or narrow door, in accordance with the following Scripture:
(Luke 13:24-25 KJV) Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. {25} When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:
Please note that an unsaved reprobate does not strive or work very hard to enter heaven. Also, unsaved reprobates do not call Jesus “Lord, Lord”. The Five Foolish Virgins do wake up with the Midnight Cry, but they are not taken in the Firstfruits rapture with the bride and her court. The Open Door is closed on them.
Many Christians will wake up at the Midnight Cry and realize that they have forsaken the teachings about the Second Coming of Jesus. They will immediately start striving to enter the strait or narrow door, but they will not be able to enter.
Instead, The Five Foolish Virgins will enter heaven at the broad or wide gate. This is the Main Harvest Rapture of the Church. This is the second aspect of the Second Coming of Jesus as Lord for the Main Harvest rapture of the Church.
The third aspect of the Second Coming of Jesus is his coming as King at the end of the seven-year tribulation period. Jesus Christ comes as Bridegroom at the beginning of the seven-year tribulation, Lord at the middle of the seven-year tribulation and King at the end of the seven-year tribulation period.
The Firstfruits & Main Harvest raptures make up the “assembling of ourselves together” described in 2 Thessalonians 2:1 and Hebrews 10:25. Paul exhorts the Church not to forsake this doctrine and to “consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.” The reason we are to exhort one another is so we might qualify for the Firstfruits Rapture. Jesus urged us to pray unceasingly that we might qualify for The Open Door rapture described as follows:
(Luke 21:36 KJV) Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
Verse 25 of this passage of Scripture is often quoted from the pulpit and by Sunday school teachers to emphasize the importance of coming to church and Sunday school. It is true that Christians should attend church and Sunday school, but this verse is not addressing church and Sunday school. The literal meaning of this verse of Scripture addresses a specific Christian gathering that is yet future. One simply has to read the WHOLE VERSE to understand that Paul is talking about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ to rapture the Church to heaven.
The Greek word for “assembling together” is episunagoge (ep-ee-soon-ag-o-gay'). This Greek word is only used twice in Scripture, and the other Scripture passage is:
(2 Th 2:1-3 KJV) Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, {2} That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. {3} Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
Both the verse in Hebrews and the verse in 2 Thessalonians are addressing the rapture of the Church. The passage in Hebrews is warning Christians not to forsake the doctrine of the coming Rapture of the Church. It is important to note that even then, some Christians were forsaking the teaching and exhortation of each other about the coming Rapture of the Church. This is the meaning of the clause “as the manner of some is”. Some of the Christians were ignoring the doctrine of the coming rapture.
The Sardis (i.e., Protestant) church has almost completely forsaken the teaching and exhortation of fellow Christians to prepare for the rapture. The great majority of Sardis Christians do not understand the three aspects of the Second Coming, the difference between the Day of the Lord vs. the Day of Christ, the Firstfruits Rapture vs. the Main Harvest Rapture, or the real meaning of watching and beckoning for the Lord’s Return. The Sardis church is not watching, and it is not beckoning for the return of the Lord to take away his bride.
The great majority of the Sardis church is included among the Five Foolish Virgins in the Parable of the Ten Virgins. They are asleep in regard to the soon return of Jesus Christ for his bride. Jesus exhorts the Sardis church to wake up in the following passage of Scripture, but most will remain fast asleep until the Midnight Cry is initiated by the Five Wise Virgins:
(Rev 3:1-6 KJV) And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. {2} Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. {3} Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. {4} Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. {5} He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. {6} He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
The above passage of Scripture was included wholly, because it is addressed to the end-time Protestant or Sardis church. This includes Baptists, Methodists and Presbyterians, among others. These churches have fallen asleep in regard to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ for his Church. They will be taken by surprise when Jesus comes as a thief to remove his bride. Since Sardis Christians are asleep and have forsaken the assembling together, they are completely unaware of the three aspects of the Second Coming of Jesus. Briefly, Jesus will first come as a thief to take away his bride and her court. These Christians are among the Five Wise Virgins, and they are watching for the Lord’s return. They are beckoning for the Lord to return for them. They have trimmed their wicks (i.e., confessed their sins), and they have their lamps burning brightly. They have the extra measure of oil (i.e., the filling of the Holy Spirit), and they are wide-awake and anxiously watching for the Bridegroom. The first aspect of the Second Coming is Jesus Christ coming as the Bridegroom for his bride. The Main Body of the Church will be left behind, as only a few will be able to enter in at the strait or narrow door, in accordance with the following Scripture:
(Luke 13:24-25 KJV) Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. {25} When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:
Please note that an unsaved reprobate does not strive or work very hard to enter heaven. Also, unsaved reprobates do not call Jesus “Lord, Lord”. The Five Foolish Virgins do wake up with the Midnight Cry, but they are not taken in the Firstfruits rapture with the bride and her court. The Open Door is closed on them.
Many Christians will wake up at the Midnight Cry and realize that they have forsaken the teachings about the Second Coming of Jesus. They will immediately start striving to enter the strait or narrow door, but they will not be able to enter.
Instead, The Five Foolish Virgins will enter heaven at the broad or wide gate. This is the Main Harvest Rapture of the Church. This is the second aspect of the Second Coming of Jesus as Lord for the Main Harvest rapture of the Church.
The third aspect of the Second Coming of Jesus is his coming as King at the end of the seven-year tribulation period. Jesus Christ comes as Bridegroom at the beginning of the seven-year tribulation, Lord at the middle of the seven-year tribulation and King at the end of the seven-year tribulation period.
The Firstfruits & Main Harvest raptures make up the “assembling of ourselves together” described in 2 Thessalonians 2:1 and Hebrews 10:25. Paul exhorts the Church not to forsake this doctrine and to “consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.” The reason we are to exhort one another is so we might qualify for the Firstfruits Rapture. Jesus urged us to pray unceasingly that we might qualify for The Open Door rapture described as follows:
(Luke 21:36 KJV) Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.