HEAVEN STANDING OPEN
INTRODUCTION
The wrath of the Antichrist (42 months), the
thrones of God and of Christ with their judgments while
the heavens are standing open, and the wrath of God (44
1/2 months) in this sequence are the three major and all
inclusive events surrounding the return of Christ.
The throne of God with the court of heaven and the
judgment seat of Christ are the predominate scenes. These
scenes in the open heaven will be viewed from earth and by
all creation for hours, even days and longer. God will
perform many miracles far greater than He did on Pentecost
when the church was baptized with the Holy Spirit and each
of the apostles spoke to people from nearly a dozen and a
half nations who heard them speak in their own language.
Acts 2:8.
Christ will sit on His judgment seat "in the air,"
in mid-heaven, rewarding the saints and denying the
unfaithful saved in full view of all creation: those in
heaven, those on the earth, and those in hell, Rev 1:7; Mt
26:63-64; Mk 14:61-62. The heavens will be standing open
with the actions of the heavenly court being observed by
the whole universe. The judging and rewarding of the
saints is the single big time consuming factor. How long
this will take is not revealed.
Initially, the heavens will be rolled back and the
throne of God will appear, presenting to a defiant
humanity and the demon world a most terrifying picture of
an angry God whose wrath is about to burst forth upon them
with indescribable fury, Dan 7:9-10; Rev 6:12-17. Though
not discussed in this book, the marriage festivities of
Christ and the saints will be in process during the entire
period of both the wrath of the Antichrist and the wrath
of God, Lk 12:36.
When the heavens are rolled back (Rev 6:12-17),
thrones are put in place in mid-heaven for the heavenly
court, Dan 7:9-10. The court is then seated and the
official court activities begin. After the covenant books
of God's precreation counsel and purpose for the ages are
opened, Christ is ushered in before the Father to be
crowned and receive the millennial kingdom in a glorious
and festive, inaugural ceremony, Dan 7:13-14. This
ceremony will include an inaugural address by God who will
have the nations in excruciating derision as He chides
them for their unbelief and rebellion, Ps 2:1-6; 37:13;
59:8; Prov 1:24-33; Rev 6:12-17.
It is after this that Christ descends with His
angels, having the disembodied spirits of the saints with
Him. While myriads of angels escort the disembodied
spirits of the saints on down to reunite them with their
bodies, Christ will set up the throne of His glory in
mid-heaven with both thrones and court attendants in full
view. Here in mid-heaven is where Christ will judge and
reward the saints as all creation looks on, Mt 25:31-32; I
Thess 2:19-20; 3:13; 5:23; I John 2:28; Lk 12:2-10; Mt
10:32-33; Mk 8:38 (Mt 16:27; Lk 9:26).
After Christ judges and rewards the saints, He will
present them before the Father unblamable and
unrerpoveable in holiness for the Father's approval and
pleasure, I Thess 3:13; Rev 7:9-17; 14:1-5; 15:1-4; Mt
10:32-33; Rev 3:5; Mt 26:64; Mk 14:62. As the marriage of
the Lamb festivities are continuing in heaven, the seven
angels will prepare to pour out the seven vials of God's
wrath, Rev 15 & 16. At the same time Christ will
prepare to descent with His glorified saints and His
angels also to execute God's wrath from Jerusalem, Jude
14-15; II Thess 1:7-9.
Christ will descend with His glorified saints and
angels and set up His throne in Jerusalem with the heavens
still standing open. The angels and the saints will then
be observed ascending and descending between the throne of
Christ in Jerusalem and the throne of God in the opening
heavens, John 1:51; Rev 7:15.
Though this is a rushed printing of this book with
a chapter and a half unfinished and still needing
considerable proofing and revision, it is hoped each
reader will find the book helpful in his or her search for
a better understanding of the many prophecies surrounding
Christ's return.
First printing: May 1994.
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