Who is right and who is wrong?
Does anyone really know?
Paul writes in his Epistle to the the Thessalonians:
1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 King James Version (KJV) www.biblegateway.com
13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are 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 we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Hi Dave, that's a fair question - I know this is "Ask the Pastor" but I wanted to chime in with my two shekels: ;)
There has been a great deal of divisive work done in the name of the Lord in the efforts to decode those mysteries of the end times.
The fact of the matter is that is really does not matter one way or the other (or the other (or the other, even).) Us knowing God's plans in detail is not a requirement for God to work His will in mankind.
This is a common litmus test used by many Christians: "Are you pre-trib?", "Are you post-trib?"... Me? I am saved by the Grace of God through the shedding of the blood of Christ on that cross on Calvary. He rose again... I have every expectation that we all will too.
The revelations concerning the end times could very well be so drastically misunderstood by the "scholars" that every one may be wrong in their interpretation. We shall see one day, of that we can be certain... :D
but for now we live by that precious gift of faith.