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Post by baydoll on Dec 10, 2013 6:14:03 GMT -5
Here's another one that is bugging me, the very strange and morbid verse in Matthew 24:28 (and also Luke 17:37) 'For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.'
Here is the verse in context -
23 Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There!' do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand. 26 Therefore if they say to you, 'Look, He is in the desert!' do not go out; or 'Look, He is in the inner rooms!' do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 28 For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.
What did Jesus mean? Who is this 'carcass' or body and what does the eagles represent? And bonus points for anyone coming up with what He meant by 'inner rooms' and the 'desert'...
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Post by OnThe3dge on Dec 10, 2013 7:09:48 GMT -5
From my commentary on the Gospels (http://bible.fether.net/commentary.php?booky=Gosp):
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Post by baydoll on Dec 12, 2013 14:53:45 GMT -5
Well the main point is the End of the Ages. Sandwiched in between that are the other two main points - (I'm guessing would be) when will this (End of the Ages) happen and what will the signs be? And the number of steps between that would be all of the signs Jesus said would take place in the last days. Also interwoven throughout the signs are the many warnings from Jesus: ".. when you see standing in the holy place 'the abomination that causes desolation,' spoken of through the prophet Daniel--let the reader understand--then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains." and: "... at that time if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'There he is!' do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect--if that were possible. See, I have told you ahead of time" and: "So if anyone tells you, 'There he is, out in the desert,' do not go out; or, 'Here he is, in the inner rooms,' do not believe it For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. " which then concludes with "Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather." So the dead body (according to your commentary) are the false christs and false prophets that will appear and perform great signs and miracles and the eagles are those people (left behind) who will gather around these false christs after all Hell literally bust loose? That being said, Jesus is therefore warning us to stay away from anywhere a carcass (or wherever false christs are) might be with vultures/eagles (or people following them) gathering around it. It's beginnning to make sense! I'm still wondering what those 'inner rooms' are, though.
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Post by OnThe3dge on Dec 12, 2013 14:56:43 GMT -5
I think "inner rooms" may be a reference to hidden or secret places.
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Post by baydoll on Dec 12, 2013 15:04:46 GMT -5
Perhaps one (or some) of these false christs will arise out of these hidden places?
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Post by OnThe3dge on Dec 12, 2013 15:11:27 GMT -5
Possibly. But the context seems to be that these are just some of the many places where people will say you can find the "real" Christ. So I wouldn't interpret it as referring to the Abyss or other dimensions.
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Post by baydoll on Dec 13, 2013 7:54:07 GMT -5
I should have used a different word than 'arise'...'appear' is a better word.
Well Jesus used two specific words there, deserts and inner rooms. I'm thinking He wanted us to see that there are going to be specific places these 'false christs' or the Anti-Christ would appear at. An Abyss and other dimensions would not qualify as desert places or inner rooms if Jesus was speaking literally. If He was speaking literally, desert places and inner rooms would be precisely that. But I'm open to other explanations/interpretations.
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