Hi Ed,
Ed:
I speak of the use of polysyndeton, a rhetorical device using the English 'and' or the Greek 'kai' instead of the Microsoft square or dot. Do we really find it strange that a prophetic scripture uses a rhetorical device.
Jim:
Polysyndeton, the excessive use of conjunctions, such as when I say that Jesus plainly AND clearly AND explicitly states that the coming of the Lord and the gathering together of His elect will occur AFTER the tribulation, does not in any way effect the sequence of the events as stated in the text nor excuse your personal alteration of that stated sequence. The gathering together of His elect can no more precede the tribulation in Matthew 24:29-31 and in Mark 13:24-27 (quoted below) than the Lord saying to the righteous, “inherit the kingdom,” and to the wicked, “depart from Me,” can precede His coming in Matthew 25:31-41 (quoted below).
The Bible:
(ASV) Matthew 24:15 WHEN THEREFORE YE (HIS ELECT) SEE THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION ... STANDING IN THE HOLY PLACE ... 21 ... THEN (TOTE, AT THAT TIME) SHALL BE GREAT TRIBULATION, SUCH AS HATH NOT BEEN FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD UNTIL NOW, NO, NOR EVER SHALL BE. 22 And except those days had been shortened, NO FLESH WOULD HAVE BEEN SAVED: BUT FOR THE ELECT'S (HIS ELECT’S, THE REFERENT OF “YOU”) SAKE THOSE DAYS SHALL BE SHORTENED. 23 THEN (TOTE, AT THAT TIME) IF ANY MAN SHALL SAY UNTO YOU (HIS ELECT), LO, HERE IS THE CHRIST, OR, HERE; BELIEVE [IT] NOT. 24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; so as TO LEAD ASTRAY, IF POSSIBLE, EVEN THE ELECT (HIS ELECT, THE REFERENT OF “YOU,” WHO WILL BE PRESENT TO SEE THESE THINGS). 25 Behold, I have told you beforehand. 26 If therefore they shall say unto YOU (HIS ELECT), Behold, he is in the wilderness; GO NOT FORTH: Behold, he is in the inner chambers; BELIEVE [IT] NOT. 27 For AS THE LIGHTNING cometh forth from the east, and IS SEEN even unto the west; SO SHALL BE THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN. ... 29 But immediately AFTER THE TRIBULATION of those days the sun shall be darkened, AND the moon shall not give her light, AND the stars shall fall from heaven, AND the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 30 AND THEN (TOTE, AT THAT TIME) shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: AND THEN (TOTE, AT THAT TIME) shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, AND they SHALL SEE THE SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS of heaven with power and great glory. 31 AND he shall send forth his angels WITH A GREAT SOUND OF A TRUMPET, AND THEY SHALL GATHER TOGETHER HIS ELECT from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
(ASV) Matthew 25:31 BUT when the Son of man shall come in his glory, AND all the angels with him, THEN (TOTE, AT THAT TIME) shall he sit on the throne of his glory: 32 AND before him shall be gathered all the nations: AND he shall separate them one from another, as the shepherd separateth the sheep from the goats; 33 AND he shall set the sheep on his right hand, BUT the goats on the left. 34 THEN (TOTE, AT THAT TIME) shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, INHERIT THE KINGDOM prepared for you from the foundation of the world: ... 41 THEN (TOTE, AT THAT TIME) shall he say ALSO unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels ...
(ASV) Mark 13:24 But in those days, AFTER THAT TRIBULATION, the sun shall be darkened, AND the moon shall not give her light, 25 AND the stars shall be falling from heaven, AND the powers that are in the heavens shall be shaken. 26 AND THEN (TOTE, AT THAT TIME) SHALL THEY SEE THE SON OF MAN COMING IN CLOUDS with great power and glory. 27 AND THEN (TOTE, AT THAT TIME) SHALL HE SEND FORTH THE ANGELS, AND SHALL GATHER TOGETHER HIS ELECT from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.
(ASV) 1 Corinthians 15:19 If we have only hoped in Christ in this life, we are of all men most pitiable. 20 But now hath Christ been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of them that are asleep. 21 For since by man [came] death, by man [came] also THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also IN CHRIST SHALL ALL BE MADE ALIVE. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; then they that are Christ's, AT HIS COMING. ... 42 So also is THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: 43 it is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: 44 it is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual [body]. ... 50 Now this I say, brethren, that FLESH AND BLOOD CANNOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: WE ALL SHALL NOT SLEEP, BUT WE SHALL ALL BE CHANGED, 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, AND WE SHALL BE CHANGED. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, THEN (TOTE, AT THAT TIME) SHALL COME TO PASS THE SAYING THAT IS WRITTEN, DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP IN VICTORY.
(ASV) 1 Thessalonians 4:13 But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, CONCERNING THEM THAT FALL ASLEEP; THAT YE SORROW NOT, even as the rest, who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so THEM ALSO THAT ARE FALLEN ASLEEP IN JESUS WILL GOD BRING WITH HIM. 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that WE THAT ARE ALIVE, THAT ARE LEFT UNTO THE COMING OF THE LORD, SHALL IN NO WISE PRECEDE THEM THAT ARE FALLEN ASLEEP. 16 For THE LORD HIMSELF SHALL DESCEND FROM HEAVEN, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and WITH THE TRUMP OF GOD: and THE DEAD IN CHRIST SHALL RISE FIRST; 17 THEN (EPEITA, AFTERWARD) WE THAT ARE ALIVE, THAT ARE LEFT, SHALL TOGETHER WITH THEM BE CAUGHT UP IN THE CLOUDS, TO MEET THE LORD IN THE AIR: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore COMFORT ONE ANOTHER (CONCERNING THE FATE OF THE DEAD IN CHRIST) WITH THESE WORDS. 5:1 But CONCERNING THE TIMES AND THE SEASONS (OF WHAT HAS JUST BEEN DISCUSSED IN VERSES 4:13-18), brethren, ye have no need that aught be written unto you. 2 For yourselves know perfectly that THE DAY OF THE LORD SO COMETH AS A THIEF IN THE NIGHT (BRINGING DESTRUCTION, COMPARE JOHN 10:10). 3 When they are saying, Peace and safety (compare Revelation 11:10), THEN (TOTE, AT THAT TIME) SUDDEN DESTRUCTION COMETH UPON THEM, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall in no wise escape. 4 BUT YE, BRETHREN, ARE NOT IN DARKNESS, THAT THAT DAY SHOULD OVERTAKE YOU AS A THIEF (BRINGING DESTRUCTION; IT WILL OVERTAKE THEM, BUT NOT AS A THIEF, BRINGING DESTRUCTION TO THEM; RATHER, IT WILL BEING SALVATION TO THEM, AS DESCRIBED IN VERSE 4:13-18): 5 for ye are all sons of light, and sons of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness; 6 so then let us not sleep, as do the rest, but let us watch and be sober. ... 9 For GOD APPOINTED US NOT INTO WRATH (ORGE, THE LAKE OF FIRE, THE SECOND DEATH, COMPARE ROMANS 2:5-11 AND REVELATION 20:11-15), BUT UNTO THE OBTAINING OF SALVATION THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST (COMPARE REVELATION 20:6; THOSE WHO PARTICIPATE IN THE FIRST RESURRECTION ARE EXEMPT FROM THE SECOND DEATH, THE LAKE OF FIRE), 10 who died for us, that, WHETHER WE WAKE OR SLEEP (THE SALVATION OF WHICH PAUL SPEAKS, THE FIRST RESURRECTION, AND THE WRATH OF WHICH PAUL SPEAKS, THE SECOND DEATH, EFFECT PEOPLE REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY ARE NOW PHYSICALLY ALIVE OR DEAD), we should live together with him.
(ASV) 2 Thessalonians 1:4 ... we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which ye endure; 5 [which is] a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God; to the end THAT YE MAY BE COUNTED WORTHY OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD, for which ye also suffer: 6 if so be that IT IS RIGHTEOUS THING WITH GOD TO RECOMPENSE AFFLICTION TO THEM THAT AFFLICT YOU, 7 AND TO YOU THAT ARE AFFLICTED REST WITH US (THE SAME COMING OF THE LORD BRINGS BOTH DESTRUCTION TO THE WICKED AND REST/SALVATION TO THE RIGHTEOUS), AT THE REVELATION OF THE LORD JESUS FROM HEAVEN WITH THE ANGELS OF HIS POWER IN FLAMING FIRE, 8 RENDERING VENGEANCE TO THEM THAT KNOW NOT GOD, AND TO THEM THAT OBEY NOT THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS: 9 who shall suffer punishment, [even] eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10 WHEN HE SHALL COME TO BE GLORIFIED IN HIS SAINTS, and to be marvelled at in all them that believed (because our testimony unto you was believed) IN THAT DAY.
(ASV) 2 Thessalonians 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, touching THE COMING OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, AND OUR GATHERING TOGETHER UNTO HIM; 2 ... that ye BE NOT QUICKLY SHAKEN from your mind, NOR YET BE TROUBLED, either by spirit, or by word, or by epistle as from us, AS THAT THE DAY OF THE LORD IS JUST AT HAND; 3 let no man beguile you in any wise: for [it will not be,] EXCEPT the falling away come first, and THE MAN OF SIN BE REVEALED ... 8 ... WHOM THE LORD JESUS SHALL SLAY with the breath of his mouth, and bring to nought BY THE MANIFESTATION OF HIS COMING (THE SAME COMING OF THE LORD AT WHICH HIS ELECT ARE GATHERED TOGETHER TO HIM BRINGS DESTRUCTION TO THE MAN OF SIN) ;
(ASV) Revelation 20:4 And I SAW THRONES, AND THEY SAT UPON THEM, AND JUDGMENT WAS GIVEN UNTO THEM: AND [I SAW] THE SOULS OF THEM THAT HAD BEEN BEHEADED FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS, AND FOR THE WORD OF GOD, AND SUCH AS WORSHIPPED NOT THE BEAST, NEITHER HIS IMAGE, AND RECEIVED NOT THE MARK UPON THEIR FOREHEAD AND UPON THEIR HAND; AND THEY LIVED, AND REIGNED WITH CHRIST A THOUSAND YEARS. 5 The rest of the dead lived not until the thousand years should be finished. THIS IS THE FIRST RESURRECTION. 6 BLESSED AND HOLY IS HE THAT HATH PART IN THE FIRST RESURRECTION: OVER THESE THE SECOND DEATH HATH NO POWER; BUT THEY SHALL BE PRIESTS OF GOD AND OF CHRIST, AND SHALL REIGN WITH HIM A THOUSAND YEARS.
Jim
