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NASB | Romans 11:25 ¶ For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery--so that you will not be wise in your own estimation--that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Romans 11:25 ¶ I do not want you, believers, to be unaware of this mystery [God's previously hidden plan]--so that you will not be wise in your own opinion--that a partial hardening has [temporarily] happened to Israel [to last] until the full number of the Gentiles has come in; |
Bible Question (short): Levitate, go to heaven, or the City? |
Question (full): In the first century if an Emperor came to a city the following would occur: A great procession would precede the Emperor with blowing horns to announce his arrival. All the people of the city, village, or town would come out to meet the Emperor on the road to the city. After meeting the Emperor outside the city to greet him, they would all return to the city and celebrations would occur. These usually had to do with worship of the Emperor as a god and the “savior of the world.” The above is available to be learned in any public library in the history section. How would the people in Thessalonica have read Paul’s letter when he says, “16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” Note, it does not mention what happens after we meet the Lord in the air. I assume we all agree we do not levitate for eternity with the Lord. This means a direction is required before the last sentence. It’s not in the text, but maybe the historical picture of the times helps us? Your thoughts? MJH |